Special Legislative Elections - Marion, Mercer, Nelson, Taylor, Washington, Carter, and Lewis Counties
We'll have two special elections to fill vacancies in our state legislature If you live in these districts, please take time to learn about the candidates and go vote!
If you know others' [...]
Today is the last chance for people to help KFTC win a grant to build a website to tell the world about the "True Cost of Coal". If you haven't already, please take two minutes to visit this website and log your vote for our' [...]
Today, Monday November 30th, the Federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) took a first step to clarify how they will improve their protection of streams and also clarify the rules around returning a mined area to it’s Approximate Original Contour (AOC). This first [...]
Merline Davis wrote a good article that will appear in tomorrow's Herald-Leader supporting voting rights for former felons who have served their time and inviting people to our Singing For Democracy Gospel Fest on Wednesday.
After spending three years in prison and another seven years on parole, René D. Riley' [...]
Gospel Fest to Restore Voting Rights to Former Felons who have served their debt to society.
Wednesday, December 2nd at 6:30pm
Featuring great church choirs, soloists, and hip-hop talents from [...]
On Monday night more than 20 Madison County chapter members gathered to meet with State Representative Lonnie Napier. Chapter members discussed with him KFTC's 2010 legislative agenda -- everything from fair tax reform, voting rights, clean energy policies, the stream-saver bill, and even our campaign to stop the construction of [...]
Below is a request from our ally organizations in West Virginia. Kentuckians For The Commonwealth is encouraging our members to go and support our friends and allies in West Virginia as they struggle to build a safer, more prosperous and better West Virginia.
If you you have any [...]
Low- and middle-income families in Kentucky pay a far higher share of their income in state and local taxes than do the richest families in Kentucky, according to a new study by the Institute on Taxation & Economic Policy (ITEP).
“Kentucky lawmakers may be forced to make difficult tax and spending [...]
Do you have a moment to help us secure funding for an important project? KFTC is competing alongside 400 other nonprofit and social enterprise organizations for a grant to help us design and build a multimedia website designed to reveal the true costs that coal extracts on our land, our people, [...]
Both the statewide papers have editorials about the urgent need for tax reforms that are just begging for a little conversation from [...]
Kentucky's Clean Energy Corps will be training Green Ambassadors to teach their communities how to save on their utility bills, as they protect the environment and help promote demand for the creation of green collar jobs.
According to Jonathan Miller, Kentucky's Secretary of Finance:
"To be a Green Ambassador, you don't'" [...]
Below is a piece written by Kentucky Author and KFTC member Jason Howard, reposted from his blog, On the Margin.
Below is a speech that I gave to the Lexington Forum on 5 November, 2009. I followed Nick Carter, President and Chief Operating Officer of Natural Resources Partners L.P. and [...]
On Thursday November 5, KFTC members Vanessa Hall and Suzanne Tallichet participated in A Forum on Coal in Kentucky. The daylong event hosted by the University of Kentucky Department of Mining Engineering and the Center for Visualization and Virtual Environments sponsored the event as “a balanced discussion regarding [...]
At 1:30 on Friday November 6, the U.S. Senate approved the nomination of Joe Pizarchik to be the next director of the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.
The confirmation of Mr. Pizarchik had been stalled by an anonymous hold by a senator. However, on Friday his nomination was [...]
Monday's Kentucky Tonight Show with Bill Goodman will focus on the state's dire budget situation. Rep. Wayne, the sponsor of our Kentucky Forward bill, will be on the show to offer solutions that are fair, sustainable, and that put a good dent in the [...]
There are no elections scheduled in Kentucky tomorrow, but there will be elections in other states all across the US. We're encouraging KFTC members who now live in other parts of the state to learn about their local candidates and go vote - and we're encouraging all of you to [...]
Joseph W. Craft III, the president of Alliance Coal, and others donated $7 million to be given over a 10-year period for the construction of the new residence hall. The only three board members who dissented were faculty representative Ernie Yanarella, staff representative Robynn Pease and Student Government President Ryan Smith.
Students' and KFTC members' [...]
Mosaic from 400 random KFTC images on Flickr.
Click to see a Larger or Much Larger version of the mosaic to see the individual images.
[...]
KFTC members are leading a campaign to stop a proposed coal-burning power plant from being built by East Kentucky Power Cooperative (EKPC). The plant would cost almost a billion dollars to build, further pollute Kentucky's air and [...]
KFTC members took action today to stop a proposed coal-burning power plant in Central Kentucky along the Kentucky River. KFTC, along with our friends at the Sierra Club and Kentucky Environmental Foundation, filed a formal petition asking the Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC) to revoke East Kentucky Power Cooperative's approval [...]
"The day we have fought for years has arrived – Massey Energy has begun blasting Coal River Mountain, and we and local residents are calling on our allies across the nation and world to demand an end to the destruction. Massey is blasting the containing ridge of a slurry impoundment" [...]
Kentucky's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) competition, funded with out $6.25 million, will accept applications starting November 10th. Local governments (cities and counties) can submit projects for consideration that accomplish one or more of the following goals:
reduce fossil fuel emissionsreduce total energy useimprove energy efficiency in the transportation, building,' [...]
In an attempt to share more of the stories from former felons across the Commonwealth, we’re presenting a series of short interviews every few weeks on our blog and in Balancing The Scales.
Tayna Fogle is a [...]
Today, Monday, is the last day to submit comments about the Army Corps' proposal to abolish NWP 21. If you haven't already, please take a moment to submit comments in support this proposal.
Learn more about NWP 21 Read KFTC's official [...]
A few weeks ago, we had a chance to testify in front of the Interim Joint Committee on State and Local Government about our Voting Rights bill (HB 70).
Most of the Senators in the committee did not attend that hearing, so we made this video to [...]
Kentucky has had four Constitutions and otherwise a long history of shifting voter enfranchisement laws over our 217-year history - and the history of voter enfranchisement isn’t over yet.
The Commonwealth of Kentucky used to be Kentucky County, Virginia and we inherited a lot of the Virginia Constitution [...]
Two weeks ago the state papers reported that mines were going unmonitored because the state couldn't afford to send the inspectors needed to the do the work.
Last week, the papers reported that Kentucky has a projected $161 million shortfall, on top of the $1 billion shortfall that we already knew' [...]
This film by Mari-Lynn Evans and Phylis Geller is a dramatic look at modern coal mining. We get to know working miners along with activists who are battling coal companies in Appalachia. Both sides in this conflict claim that history is on their side. [...]
Students from NKU visiting a reclaimed mine site near Montgomery Creek in Perry County
The Lexington Herald-Leader published an interesting article this weekend citing evidence that very few surface mining sites actually get developed once all the [...]
A week ago, Senator Damon Thayer published an op-ed against changing Kentucky's present policy of disenfranchising all former felons unless they go through a process to get a pardon from the Governor. Below, is the KFTC response, written by Homer White which was just published in the Georgetown News-Graphic [...]
Here are some pictures of KFTC's recent Annual Meeting last weekend. Thanks to everyone who came out to make it a powerful success!
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For those of you who were not able to attend Tuesday's hearing in Pikeville, we've pulled together a video of some footage from inside the expo center arena of members giving comments about the Nationwide Permit 21. Some of the audio may' [...]
WYMT, a television station in Hazard, KY, is hosting a poll on their website asking, "Should mountaintop removal be banned?". They plan to announce the results of the poll on their news broadcast on Monday. You can find the poll on their website (scroll down to find it). Please [...]
Thousands of miners lined up outside of the Expo Center prior to the hearing KFTC members from all over the state have come [...]
This weekend, Senator Damon Thayer published an op-ed in the Georgetown News-Graphic defending the current process by which former felons can request voting rights back through a pardon from the Governor.
Senator Thayer currently opposes a proposed Constitutional Amendment which would bring Kentucky more in line with other states by [...]
The U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee confirmed Joseph Pizarchik as the director of the U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement by a unanimous vote of the 12 present members Thursday. Pizarchik's nomination had come under fire from environmental groups for his record as director of the Pennsylvania Bureau of' [...]
Left to right: Linda Stettenbenz, Beth Bissmeyer, KA Owens, Becki Winchel, Morris Dees
Last Thursday evening, I had the great privilege to attend the KY ACLU's Bill of Rights dinner in Louisville with several other KFTC members. [...]
Georgetown KFTC members had a good monthly meeting on Thursday, with 14 people attending, including a lot of new students from Georgetown College.
We canvassed the Festival of the Horse all this weekend, registering voters and talking about voting [...]
Residents of Closplint and other communities above Evarts on Hwy 38 have started to organize around issues of coal dust, diesel smoke and overweight trucks in their community. People are concerned about the impact on their health and the damage to their homes.
"I worked in the mines for 29 and" [...]
"We passed out a lot of information and had a lot of great conversations with people," Truman Hurt from Montgomery Creek reflected.
During the festival, Perry County KFTC members had an information table and circulated petitions about protecting our [...]
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is forming a panel to provide "expert advice" on the ecological impacts resulting from mountaintop removal mining and valley fill practices. The panel will report to the EPA's Science Advisory Board.
The EPA's request states that it is "seeking individuals with nationally recognized expertise, experience, knowledge," [...]
The Jefferson county chapter hosted a very successful open house yesterday. The rain ceased just in time for members and friends to enjoy bright sunshine while they feasted on delicious grilled veggie wraps and engaged in lively conversation. While there was no prize to be won, attendees played “People Bingo” to [...]
In the last few days, KFTC members have continued to lead an energetic field campaign to connect with people on the issue of restoring voting rights to former felons who have served their debt to society.
Tayna Fogle led a strong voting rights table at the big Lexington Recovery Rally on [...]
Voting Rights Stomp in Louisville is a success
Is there really any better way to start your Saturday than to start it working for social justice? Yea, I didn't think so, and apparently the same' [...]
in today's Herald-Leader because of budget cuts to the state Division of Mine Reclamation and Enforcement.
The state also had to return $1 million to the federal government because it [...]
Census Worker Found Hanged in Kentucky
It's truly tragic, but hard to know what this means politically - an
indication of rising anti-government sentiment in Kentucky starting to
turn violent? Compounding challenges with getting an accurate count in
the census (already difficult in many areas), leading to less funding and [...]
Below are some live notes about today's hearing on the Restoration of Voting Rights Amendment (House Bill 70) before the Joint Taskforce on Elections, Constitutional Amendments and Intergovernmental Affairs.
12:55 p.m. - KFTC members and our allies in' [...]
