VIEWS EXPRESSED BY CONTRIBUTORS IN COLUMNS/OPINION EDITORIALS ETC.. ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHOR(S) AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE VIEWS OR OPINIONS OF CLAYCONEWS

Op-Ed by Chris Woolery, Energy Projects Coordinator at Mountain Association

Submitted by Ariel Fugate, Mountain Association

“This Op-Ed was originally submitted by Ariel Fugate on behalf Chris Woolery at Mountain Association. ClayCoNews edited and expanded the piece to include local context, such as the May 16, 2025, tornado and the Marcum Ray Adams story. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of ClayCoNews.”

LONDON, KY – May 20, 2025, 12:23 PM EDT – Eastern Kentucky faces unrelenting challenges. The decline of coal, the opioid crisis, and the EF-4 tornado that claimed 19 lives in Laurel, Pulaski, and Russell Counties on May 16, 2025, have left deep wounds.

VIEWS EXPRESSED BY CONTRIBUTORS IN COLUMNS/OPINION EDITORIALS ETC.. ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHOR(S) AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE VIEWS OR OPINIONS OF CLAYCONEWS

Column by Gerardo Serrano, Advocate for Transparency
Jackson County, KY

Another year, another audit riddled with financial mismanagement. The 2022 audit of Jackson County Fiscal Court, released in 2025, paints a now-familiar—and shameful—picture. For anyone paying attention, this report doesn’t shock anymore. But it should outrage every single resident who expects honesty, competence, and accountability.

VIEWS EXPRESSED BY CONTRIBUTORS IN COLUMNS/OPINION EDITORIALS ETC.. ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHOR(S) AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE VIEWS OR OPINIONS OF CLAYCONEWS

Kentucky’s Unnecessary Barriers to Work

This Fair Chance Month, let’s commit to breaking them down

Guest Editorial by Ashli Watts, President & CEO for the Kentucky Chamber, Amy Luttrell, President & CEO of Goodwill Industries of Kentucky, and Kim Halbauer, Regional President at Fifth Third Bank.

A strong economy depends on a robust labor force—but Kentucky is leaving too much talent on the sidelines. Thousands of Kentuckians want to work, but outdated policies and complicated systems are blocking their path to self-sufficiency.

VIEWS EXPRESSED BY CONTRIBUTORS IN COLUMNS/OPINION EDITORIALS ETC.. ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHOR(S) AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE VIEWS OR OPINIONS OF CLAYCONEWS

Opinion by Russell Coleman, Kentucky Attorney General and J.B. McCuskey, West Virginia Attorney General.

America needs coal.

VIEWS EXPRESSED BY CONTRIBUTORS IN COLUMNS/OPINION EDITORIALS ETC.. ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHOR AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE VIEWS OR OPINIONS OF CLAYCONEWS

OP-ED by Denise Lyons, state librarian and commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives

Team Kentucky is committed to serving the educational and informational needs of Kentuckians, which includes providing access to high-quality public library resources and services. 

VIEWS EXPRESSED BY CONTRIBUTORS IN COLUMNS/OPINION EDITORIALS ETC.. ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHOR AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE VIEWS OR OPINIONS OF CLAYCONEWS

Op-Ed by Mayor Andrew H. Scott, City of Coal Run, KY

The electrification of everything from transportation to heavy industry is creating unprecedented demand for energy. Data centers, which underpin the growing digital economy, are particularly energy-intensive, requiring vast amounts of uninterrupted power.