From Kentucky Public Radio's Tony McVeighKentucky Educational Television is taking a major hit under Governor Steve Beshear’s budget-balancing plan.Education Secretary Helen Mountjoy says KET is a member of the 18 percent club, meaning its budget has already been cut 18-percent this calendar year.Now it's facing another four-percent cut.“They’re probably going to have to discontinue the KET ED program, which is a whole series of programs that go directly into classrooms and are used all over the commonwealth,” Mountjoy said.KET has already reduced its staff by 34 percent, and eight more layoffs may be coming.Another member of the 18 percent club is the Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, which supports local libraries, and is a treasure trove of state documents.Mountjoy warns that if new revenue is not found soon, the agency may have to cease operations.
Rick Howlett was midday host and the host of LPM's weekly talk show, "In Conversation." He was with LPM from 2001-2023 and held many different titles, including Morning Edition host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director. He died in August 2023. Read a remembrance of Rick here.