Kentucky
Judge rules against Jewish women challenging Kentucky's abortion ban • Kentucky Lantern
Jefferson Circuit Court Judge Brian Edwards has ruled against a motion made by three Jewish women seeking to challenge Kentucky’s abortion ban on religious grounds.
In a 9-page Friday night opinion, Edwards wrote the women do not have standing and that their concerns are “hypothetical.”
Citing several precedential cases, the judge said the issue was not yet a concrete problem and lacked “ripeness.”
“Individuals cannot manufacture standing merely by inflicting harm on themselves based on their fears of hypothetical future harm that is not certainly impending,” Edwards wrote.
Louisville judge hears arguments in Jewish women’s challenge of Kentucky’s abortion ban
Therefore, he wrote, “plaintiffs have failed to demonstrate the existence of a justiciable controversy as defined by generations of case law.”
This comes more than a month after the judge heard oral arguments, which heavily focused on in vitro fertilization (IVF) and the extent to which it overlaps with the state’s abortion ban.
One of the plaintiffs has nine frozen embryos that she’s paying thousands of dollars annually to preserve, just as Kentucky lawmakers are split on what protections exist for IVF in the state.
The women’s lawyers — Benjamin Potash and Aaron Kemper — argued that by banning most abortions, Kentucky had imposed and codified a religious viewpoint that conflicts with the Jewish belief that birth, not conception, is the beginning of life.
They also said their plaintiffs — Lisa Sobel, Jessica Kalb and Sarah Baron — feel Kentucky’s current laws around abortion inhibit their ability to grow their families.
Benjamin Potash, one of the lawyers for the plaintiffs, told the Lantern in a text that the decision “makes numerous obvious errors,” such as basing part of the ruling on a reading of Roe V. Wade, which had established the constitutional right to abortion but was overturned in 2022 by the United States Supreme Court.
Assistant Attorney General Lindsey Keiser defended the law on May 13 for the state attorney general, who praised Friday’s decision “to uphold Kentucky law.”
“Most importantly, the Court eliminates any notion that access to IVF services in our Commonwealth is at risk,” Attorney General Russell Coleman said in a statement. “Today’s opinion is a welcome reassurance to the many Kentuckians seeking to become parents.”
Potash said the judge’s decision is “disappointing” and said “we look forward to review by higher courts.”
“After 13 months of waiting, we received a nine page decision that we feel fails to comport with the law,” he said. “Our nation is waiting for a judiciary brave enough to do what the law and our traditions require.”
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Top headlines of the week, May 8 2026
Here are some stories you may have missed this week in central Ohio.
Authorities said a body recovered May 4 from the Ohio River in northeast Kentucky has been identified as a Columbus man, Dispatch news partner NBC4/WMCH-TV reported.
Lewis County Sheriff Johnny Bivens said the body has been identified as Jason D. Frisbie, 38, of Columbus. Bivens said authorities in Kentucky worked with Ohio officials to identify Frisbie this week.
Bivens said Lewis County took a call around 4:30 p.m. May 4 about a body in the river in Vanceburg, Kentucky, a few miles south of Ohio’s Shawnee State Park. Bivens said responding agencies took the body to the Kentucky State Medical Examiner’s Office.
Lewis County authorities asked for public help identifying the body. On May 9, Bivens confirmed Frisbie’s identity after working with Ohio officials and local responders.
Bivens said the death remains under investigation, and authorities did not offer information about a suspected cause.
Kentucky
Two ‘dangerous’ inmates escape Kentucky detention center, sparking multi-agency manhunt across region
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Two inmates described as “dangerous” escaped Friday evening from a Kentucky detention center, prompting a multi-agency manhunt, police said.
The Morehead Police Department warned the surrounding community that two inmates had “walked away” from the Rowan County Detention Center.
Investigators said multiple law enforcement agencies are actively searching for the escapees, with Kentucky State Police leading the investigation.
“These inmates should be considered dangerous,” police said, warning the community not to approach anyone suspicious or unfamiliar.
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Two inmates described as “dangerous” escaped from a Kentucky detention center, prompting a multi-agency manhunt. (Morehead Police Department)
One of the inmates was identified as Michael Fogleman, 29, who is described as 6 feet tall and 188 pounds.
He has short or closely shaved hair and a short beard along his jawline and chin, according to police.
The second inmate was identified as James Smallwood, 52, who is listed at 6 feet 1 inch tall and about 215 pounds.
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Michael Fogleman, 29, is one of two inmates who escaped from a Kentucky detention center, police said. (Morehead Police Department)
He is described as having a medium to stocky build with gray facial hair around the mouth and chin area.
Smallwood was last seen wearing a white shirt and blue jeans and possibly a hat, police said.
James Smallwood, 52, is one of two inmates on the run after escaping from a Kentucky jail, authorities said. (Morehead Police Department)
Authorities urged residents to remain vigilant and call 911 immediately if they see anything suspicious or have information about the escapees.
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Law enforcement agencies are searching for two escaped inmates in Kentucky, authorities said. (Silas Walker/Lexington Herald-Leader/Tribune News Service)
Investigators said they will provide more information as it becomes available.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Kentucky State Police and Rowan County Detention Center for comment.
The Kentucky high school 2026 outdoor track and field season has been exceptional, especially the girls competition.
In particular, the sprints and horizontal jumps.
Long Jump Leaders Set the Pace
First, the long jump.
Christian Educational Consortium’s Jade Hartlage, a rising superstar of track and field in its totality, has the state’s leading jump, 19feet, 9 inches, set March 26. She is partially homeschooled and not eligible for in KHSAA postseason.
Hartlage’s mark is followed by Simon Kenton’s Alexis Howard (19-0, March 26). Howard is another standout athlete. She was selected as a 2025 All-State Honorable Mention in soccer. Howard won the 3A indoor title in early March, recording a mark of 18-7 1/4.
Howard, Svidal Among Top Contenders
Walden School senior Natalie Svidal sailed to an 18-4 1/2 mark at the Walden Small School Championships May 5. That ties her for third in the state with Taleigha Nash of Great Crossing High School.
Triple Jump Competition Tightens
In the triple jump, Howard is atop the performance list. She leapt 40-5, April 25.
However, Svidal is close. She recorded 40-2 1/4 this past week.
Multi-Sport Stars Making Impact
Teigh Yeast, yet another standout athlete, who helped George Rogers Clark win a state basketball title in March and is a Robert Morris University basketball commit, logged a 40-0 1/2 jump April 21. Yeast was last season’s 3A champion at 39-5.25.
How Kentucky Stacks Up Nationally
Perspective and context need to be applied here. Here’s how Kentucky compares nationally.
National Benchmarks Set the Bar
Parker Coes of Morton Ranch High School (Katy, Texas) has surpassed 21 feet twice in 2026. Abigail Mecklenburg of Linn-Mar High School (Marion, Iowa) is approaching the 21-foot threshold.
Coes’ marks were achieved in the early indoor season. The Texan has jumped 20-10 1/2 outdoors (April 3) but her last mark was 18-11 3/4, May 2.
Mecklenburg is yet to replicate her indoor marks outdoors.
The top outdoor jump so far in 2026 is 42-7.5, set by Daniela Hughes of Los Altos High School (Los Altos, California).
A significant challenge for the Bluegrass jumpers to surpass. But if there is a season for top-10 national rankings or records.
State Records Within Reach
With that said, the Kentucky state records are potentially breakable in the next two weeks. The current records are 20-4 (Maxine Graham, Fleming County High School, 1975) and 41-7 (Sophie Galloway, Marshall County High School, 2021).
Each has the speed and explosiveness to challenge those marks.
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