Kentucky
Pump prices decline ahead of Memorial Day holiday; Kentucky average falls, but remains above 2023 – NKyTribune
Like a slowly deflating party balloon, the national average for a gallon of gasoline continued its descent this week, falling four cents since last week to $3.59. The primary reasons are weak domestic demand and oil costs dipping below $80 a barrel.
“Barring some unforeseen event impacting oil prices, this slow descent in pump prices is not likely to change anytime soon,” said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson. “Although Kentucky isn’t one of them, there are seven states with county gas averages below $3 a gallon. This trend will likely accelerate as more gas outlets east of the Rockies drop their prices.”
(NKyTribune file)
According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gas demand rose modestly from 8.79 million b/d to 8.87 last week. Meanwhile, total domestic gasoline stocks decreased slightly from 228 to 227.8 million barrels. Lackluster pre-Memorial Day demand and steady or falling oil prices could lower pump prices as travelers look ahead to Memorial Day holiday road trips.
Today’s national average is $3.59, 7 cents less than a month ago but still 6 cents more than a year ago.
Today’s average in Kentucky dropped another penny overnight, now at $3.34. That’s 8 cents lower than one week ago, but still 8 cents higher on the month. Today’s average is still 5 cents higher than a year ago.
The average gas price in Lexington has seen an even more dramatic drop since last Friday. The average price for a gallon of regular fell 2 cents overnight to land at $3.40. Lexington’s current gas price average is 11 cents lower than the average just one week ago but still 20 cents higher than a month ago. Today’s price remains 8 cents higher than a year ago.
Going against the current trend, Ashland’s average gas price rose 9 cents overnight, currently $3.36. That’s still 3 cents less than the average a week ago. Ashland’s average price is trending about 16 cents lower than a month ago and 4 cents lower than a year ago.
Around the commonwealth, the lowest county-level average gas price can be found in Simpson County at $3.00. The highest countywide average price of gasoline in the commonwealth can be found in Pendleton County, averaging $3.59.
Checking nearby, the average price for a gallon of regular today in Ohio is at $3.50, West Virginia $3.51, Virginia $3.41, Tennessee $3.17, Indiana $3.56, Illinois $3.89 and Missouri $3.21.
Across the nation, the high spot for gas prices is California, now averaging $5.22 for a gallon of regular. Hawaii follows at $4.80.
The low spot in the nation can be found in Mississippi, averaging $3.06 for a gallon of regular.
(Click for larger graphic)
Quick stats
• Since last Friday, these 10 states have seen the largest weekly changes in their averages: Colorado (+16 cents), New Mexico (+12 cents), Tennessee (-9 cents), Kentucky (-8 cents), Utah (-8 cents), California (-8 cents), Indiana (-7 cents), Nevada (-7 cents) and Arizona (-6 cents).
• The nation’s top 11 least expensive markets are Mississippi ($3.06), Arkansas ($3.12), Oklahoma ($3.12), Louisiana ($3.14), Kansas ($3.15), Texas ($3.17), Tennessee ($3.17), Alabama ($3.20), Missouri ($3.21), South Carolina ($3.22) and Iowa ($3.22).
Oil Market Dynamics
At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session, WTI increased by 61 cents to settle at $78.87 a barrel. Prices rose as the EIA reported that crude oil inventories had decreased by 2.5 million barrels from the previous week. At 457.0 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are about 4% below the five-year average for this time of year.
AAA Blue Grass
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/TIQJVREP45DMDBFSJYPKVIZ3MA.jpg "Colorado officials urging driver safety expecting heavy Fourth of July holiday travel")
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 7, 2024) — The University of Kentucky College of Dentistry’s 2023 Kentucky Early Learners’ Oral Health Surveillance Project survey found dental decay rates for Kentucky children ages 2 through 5 are significantly higher than the national average.
The survey, funded by the Kentucky Department of Public Health, evaluated the prevalence of dental decay and treatment needs among children and identified populations most at-risk in the Commonwealth. This is one of the largest state-level oral health surveys of children in Pre-K and Head Start programs ever conducted.
“The oral health of young children is essential to health equity as it not only sets the trajectory for oral health across the lifespan but also influences an individual’s overall health and development,” Stein said.
Project team members screened 6,660 kids across 106 Kentucky counties. Local dental hygienists were hired to serve as screeners and coordinate project efforts at the regional levels. Screeners contacted daycares and Head Start programs in their area. If the daycare or Head Start facilities agreed, screenings were scheduled for the children.
The screeners were trained to standardize their identification of treated decay (cavities that already had fillings) and untreated decay. If a child was identified to have untreated decay the screener classified the severity of decay and determined the urgency of when the child should receive treatment.
Each child’s screening results were documented on a report card and sent to their parents/guardians. All report cards contained referral information for local dentists and contact information for the regional coordinator for parents to contact for assistance if their child was identified as needing dental care.
The project team concluded that dental decay rates for Kentucky children ages 2 through 5 are considerably higher than the national average and were comparable to the highest risk group in the U.S. which is children living at or below 100% poverty.
Multiple, interconnected demographic, geographic and social factors influence tooth decay rates among the children screened. Region was the strongest association for untreated decay followed by age, facility type and rural location.
Additional findings show race, ethnicity and fewer economic resources compounded risk for dental decay. Higher decay rates were found in children attending rural Head Start facilities and Black children in poor ZIP codes in Jefferson County.
The data from this survey should impact the dental care of young Kentucky children in the future. At a state-wide conference to discuss survey findings on Nov. 1, community and health leaders from across the state discussed strategies to reduce the level of dental decay in our youngest Kentuckians.
“The University of Kentucky College of Dentistry has a statewide mission to increase oral health care access for all Kentuckians,” said Jeff Okeson, D.M.D., professor and dean of the College of Dentistry. “The survey’s findings can help guide and refine our continued efforts in reducing dental disease in children as a part of that mission. It’s just as important to educate everyone about good oral health practices as it is to improve access to oral health care.”
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends that children see a pediatric dentist and get established when the first tooth appears, or no later than their first birthday, and continue every six months with preventive care.
However, most children start going to the dentist too late, and it usually is due to complaints of pain associated with decay. Although dental decay is a preventable disease, it remains the most common chronic childhood disease, approximately four times more prevalent than childhood asthma.
Other data collected from UK Dentistry’s mobile programs for preschool-aged and school-aged children have seen tooth decay rates decline over the years and could be an effective early intervention toward improved oral health that necessitates further examination.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – In more than 50 cities and counties, voters said “yes” to medical cannabis businesses, including 11 in WKYT’s viewing area: Anderson, Bourbon, Clark, Clay, Jackson, Knox, Menifee, Mercer, Morgan, Scott and Woodford.
“Each year we went to Frankfort, we got less no’s than the year before. So we always knew the time would come when the dominoes would fall the rest of the way,” said Kentucky NORML Executive Director Matthew Bratcher.
The Kentucky General Assembly passed a bill legalizing medical marijuana last year. It will be enacted on January 1, 2025.
“I’m not surprised at all that everybody wanted to have a cannabis business in their area.”
But voters still had to decide where the businesses, like cultivators and dispensaries, will open. So, 53 cities and 53 counties let voters decide whether the businesses should be allowed to open in their communities, and it was a yes from all of them.
“With the large cultivation firms, you can see upwards of 100 jobs of more. Processors are going to need lots of people. Dispensaries are going to need a lot of people. These are good jobs with benefits that probably pay a lot more than some of your more entry-level positions. It’s going to be great for our workforce and the communities they’re in.”
The Executive Director of Kentucky NORML, Matthew Bratcher, has been pushing for this change for years.
“We’ve got such a high number of disability cases here in Kentucky, as well as higher rates of cancer and other things. This is going to really help bring some of those numbers down.”
Kentucky has already started distributing licenses to medical cannabis businesses via a lottery system, including Limestone Processing.
“There were 290 people in our category. Only 10 were chosen and we were one. By definition, we’re really lucky and we feel fortunate,” said Gary Hilliard, the co-owner of Limestone Processing.
If you have a qualifying chronic condition, like epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, or post-traumatic stress disorder, you can become a medical cannabis cardholder.
“Get people back on the path to healthiness,” Bratcher said.
Kentucky NORML will host registration fairs in different counties starting in January.
Copyright 2024 WKYT. All rights reserved.
The Courier Journal discusses Election Day 2024 results
Replay of The Courier Journal’s Joe Gerth, Kirby Adams and Hannah Pinski discussion on latest election results and news.
Results are in for most significant races of the 2024 election, with Donald Trump set to return to the White House after being elected the 47th president of the United States.
However, at the state level, winners for several Kentucky House and Senate seats still remain unknown.
Here’s what we know about races that have yet to be called in the commonwealth as of Wednesday afternoon.
Kentucky race results remain unknown after Election Day 2024
Most state races were called by late Tuesday, but winners remain unknown in a handful of House districts, where candidates are separated by as little as 30 votes.
Uncalled districts include:
- District 31, where Republican Susan Tyler Witten leads Democrat Colleen Davis with 50.7% of the vote
- District 38, where Democrat Rachel Roarx leads Republican Carrie Sanders McKeehan with 50.7% of the vote
- District 45, where Democrat Adam Moore leads Republican Thomas Jefferson with 50.3% of the vote
- District 67, where Democrat Matthew Lehman leads Republican Terry Hatton with 50.1% of the vote
- District 88, where Republican Vanessa Grossl leads Democrat Cherlynn Stevenson with 50.5% of the vote
Stevenson conceded to Grossl in a social media post Wednesday.
The winner of District 29 in the Kentucky Senate also remains unknown, with Scott Madon leading among 11 write-in candidates vying to fill the late Sen. Johnnie L. Turner’s seat.
When will Kentucky winners be finalized?
Kentucky Secretary of State spokesperson Michon Lindstrom said the state Board of Elections is working to gather final results for races that have yet to be called.
“The counties have to finalize their results to us by noon on Friday,” Lindstrom stated.
How can Kentucky candidates get a recount, recanvas?
Lindstrom said to receive an automatic recount, a race must fall within 0.5%.
Candidates can also request a recount but have to pay for it if they don’t meet the recount threshold. Costs vary and are set by the court, Lindstrom said.
Races within 1% can qualify for recanvassing, and candidates seeking a recanvas must make a request, Lindstrom said.
Winter blitz buries Santa Fe, Northern New Mexico in heavy snow
Fox News projects Democratic Rep. Don Davis will win North Carolina's 1st Congressional District
Ballot measures to legalize recreational use of cannabis fail in Florida, North Dakota and South Dakota
Ohio State Highway Patrol Warns Motorists to Watch Out for Deer – City of Mentor, Ohio
The Deciding Factor Between Mizzou, Oklahoma in Week 11 – The Extra Point
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
Why Marjorie Taylor Greene was ‘kicked out’ of the Freedom Caucus according to Rep. Buck
Video: Biden Promises Americans an Orderly Transition of Power to Trump
New York Dem Laura Gillen ousts incumbent Republican Rep. Anthony D'Esposito in toss-up House race
Future budget commissioner urges capitals to work on new EU-wide taxes
43 monkeys escape from a South Carolina medical lab. Police say there is no serious danger
How the Nation Swung Back to Trump in 2024
-
Business6 days agoCarol Lombardini, studio negotiator during Hollywood strikes, to step down
-
Health7 days agoJust Walking Can Help You Lose Weight: Try These Simple Fat-Burning Tips!
-
Business5 days agoHall of Fame won't get Freddie Freeman's grand slam ball, but Dodgers donate World Series memorabilia
-
Business1 week agoWill Newsom's expanded tax credit program save California's film industry?
-
Culture4 days agoYankees’ Gerrit Cole opts out of contract, per source: How New York could prevent him from testing free agency
-
Culture3 days agoTry This Quiz on Books That Were Made Into Great Space Movies
-
Business1 week agoApple is trying to sell loyal iPhone users on AI tools. Here's what Apple Intelligence can do
-
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25299201/STK453_PRIVACY_B_CVirginia.jpg "An Okta login bug bypassed checking passwords on some long usernames")
Technology5 days agoAn Okta login bug bypassed checking passwords on some long usernames