Author

Liam Niemeyer

Liam Niemeyer

Liam covers government and policy in Kentucky and its impacts throughout the Commonwealth for the Kentucky Lantern. He most recently spent four years reporting award-winning stories for WKMS Public Radio in Murray.

Kentucky Lantern is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.

Bridges wears an orange tie as he speaks with Justice, who wears a red tie.

Kentucky’s housing shortages receive legislative scrutiny

By: - August 14, 2024

Kentucky doesn’t have enough housing. On that even the state’s lawmakers can agree. But the reasons for the shortages differ from community to community, exacerbated by natural disasters in some counties and a booming economy in others.? A task force, established by the GOP-dominated legislature earlier this year to better understand the state’s housing needs, […]

Bipartisan bill aims to expand free school meals with more Kentucky-sourced food

By: - August 9, 2024

Kentucky lawmakers from both parties are hoping to lessen childhood hunger while also supporting farmers with new legislation set to be introduced in next year’s legislative session.? The pre-filed legislation from Sen. Cassie Chambers Armstrong, D-Louisville, and Reps. Chad Aull, D-Lexington, and Scott McPherson, R-Scottsville, would establish the “Kentucky Proud School Match Program.”? In a […]

Al Chandler, a pastor and superintendent of the only private school in Graves County, gives the invocation at the Graves County Republican Breakfast, part of the Fancy Farm political festivities, Aug. 3, 2024. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Austin Anthony)

In West Kentucky, people like their schools, ponder ‘choice’ amendment’s implications

By: - August 8, 2024

GRAVES COUNTY ?— Al Chandler, superintendent of Northside Baptist Christian School, the only private school in Graves County, plans to vote for Amendment 2 — but not because he thinks his local public schools are failing students or families. “We really have wonderful, wonderful schools. Mayfield and Graves (County) both in our county, are just […]

McConnell at a podium wearing a blue jacket, standing in front of a Kentucky state flag.

McConnell blasts Harris-Walz ticket as ‘far left,’ says Democrats have ‘abandoned’ rural America

By: - August 7, 2024

LOUISVILLE — U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell branded Vice President Kamala Harris’ new running mate as “far left” and said Democrats have “abandoned” rural America in a speech Wednesday before Republican state lawmakers from around the country. The day after Harris announced Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her vice presidential choice, McConnell, speaking to […]

GOP bashes Beshear, Harris at Fancy Farm as crowd is energized by school funding amendment

By: - August 3, 2024

FANCY FARM — The stage at this year’s Fancy Farm picnic in West Kentucky was dominated by Republicans who used their speaking time to tee off on an absent Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear and Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, sprinkling in attacks on Vice President Kamala Harris, who has locked up the Democratic nomination for president. […]

Beshear’s absence generates political buzz as GOP set to dominate stage at Fancy Farm

By: - August 1, 2024

An annual West Kentucky church fundraiser famous for barbeque, political speeches and cheers and jeers from onlookers is set to be a Republican-dominated affair this weekend as the only two statewide elected Democrats will be elsewhere. Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear’s absence from this year’s Fancy Farm festivities may produce more buzz than his presence would […]

Kentucky urged to curb air pollution that makes Mammoth Cave one of the haziest national parks

By: - August 1, 2024

Mammoth Cave National Park is famous for what’s below the ground, featuring the world’s longest explored cave system with hundreds of miles of passages and a unique ecosystem of fish, insects, worms and crustaceans. But it’s what’s happening in the air above the cave system that has Kentucky environmentalists concerned.? Mammoth Cave is one of […]

Former Kentucky AG Daniel Cameron to speak at Fancy Farm for Trump campaign

By: - July 29, 2024

The former Republican Kentucky attorney general who lost last year’s gubernatorial race to Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear will speak as a surrogate for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign at the upcoming annual Fancy Farm Picnic.? Steven Elder, the political chairman for the Graves County picnic known for political speaking and barbeque, shared the update Monday about […]

Beshear dodges questions about whether Harris is vetting him as possible running mate

By: - July 25, 2024

FRANKFORT — Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear during a Thursday press conference dodged questions about reports he’s being vetted to be Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate in this fall’s presidential election, instead pointing to areas where he believed Harris and he have common ground. Various national media outlets have reported that the second-term Democratic governor […]

Utility workers installing new electricity lines.

Biden approves major disaster declaration for May tornado, severe weather outbreaks?

By: - July 24, 2024

President Joe Biden has declared a major disaster declaration for Kentucky counties hit by a deadly tornado outbreak and other severe weather in May, opening up applications for individual Kentuckians to apply for federal aid.? A release Wednesday from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) says that federal funding, including money for temporary housing and […]

‘She’s ready to lead:’ Kentucky Democrats quickly line up behind Kamala Harris

By: , and - July 23, 2024

In the hours after President Joe Biden ended his reelection campaign, Brian Clardy, historian and Kentucky delegate to the 2020 Democratic National Convention, worried that a divisive fight for the nomination could spell electoral disaster for Democrats in November. “Democrats cannot afford to go into this thing split. They just cannot afford to do it. […]

At request of Beshear, Kentucky Democratic delegates ‘overwhelmingly’ endorse Harris for president

By: - July 22, 2024

Democratic convention delegates from Kentucky have “overwhelmingly voted” to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris to be the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee following a request from Gov. Andy Beshear to do so.? The endorsement, announced in a Monday morning press release, follows Beshear’s national TV appearance earlier the same morning in which he personally endorsed Harris […]