Blog By: Lauren K. Repa
Kentucky is known worldwide for its horse races, and betting on horse races is integral to Kentucky's culture and economy. In this blog, 2L Staffer Lauren K. Repa argues that the passing of House Bill 551 this past September, legalizing all sports betting, might put horse racing at risk, with betters flocking to other forms of gambling. However, not all is lost; Repa asserts AI apps such as EquinEdge might be the program Kentuckians need to keep horse racing alive with the passing of the new legislation.
Blog By: Antonio C. Ellzey
In this blog, 3L Antonio C. Ellzey points out that California Governor Newsom recently vetoed a pending California state law that aimed to address the dangers of gas appliances. Specifically, the new law would have required manufacturers to place warning labels on gas stoves to inform consumers of their health effects. Some say the new law would help build awareness around a hidden danger while others say the new would restrict Californians’ freedom. Ellzey believes the pending law would positively impact Californians because they can make better-informed decisions around their health and safety, which would ultimately help save lives.
Blog By: Stevi Whitman
In this blog, 3L staffer Stevi Whitman argues for the use of certification marks to promote authenticity within the whiskey industry by introducing the Estate Whiskey Alliance® (EWA). The EWA is a member led association spearheaded by UK Innovate at the University of Kentucky, the James B. Beam Institute, Marker’s Mark Distillery, and other founding members, tasked with ensuring quality standards of whiskey production, promoting the benefits of local sourcing, and advancing sustainability efforts throughout the whiskey industry through the use of certification marks.
Blog By: Phillip Burress
Kentucky is home to 100 distilleries in 42 counties and produces 95% of the world's bourbon. In this Blog, 3L Phillip Burress discusses the threat posed by "Whiskey Fungus" on Kentucky property owners and the legal challenges facing Kentucky distillers.
Blog By: Ashton Edwards
In this Blog, 3L Staffer Ashton Edwards argues that instead of staying silent on the issue, Congress should respond to the interstate commerce concerns that reside in the Prop 12, a proposition that was made law by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2023. Edwards discusses that so far, Congress has yet to address the arguments and concerns of Farmers, the Court, or citizens, even though this law arguably has a substantial impact on interstate commerce.
On July 21, 2015, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced $349 million in funding to be used for the improvement of electric infrastructure in thirteen states. The funding for the projects is provided through the USDA Rural Development’s Electric Program. According to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the goal of the funding is to improve electric systems in rural communities in an effort to “build a sustainable and dynamic future for rural residents and businesses.
The idea of stray horses wandering the countryside seems like a relic of a bygone era. However, the surprising reality is that not only do free-roaming horses still exist, but they are also an increasing source of problems for the Bluegrass State, particularly in Eastern Kentucky. In recent months, the issue of stray horses has drawn significant attention from state legislators and, as a result, important steps have been taken to solve this complicated dilemma.
“Coal keeps the lights on.” You can find this phrase plastered on billboards, license plates, and bumper stickers throughout Kentucky and West Virginia. These states comprise “coal country,” a place where the words of this clever phrase run deep. Coal literally keeps the lights on in these two states, as more than 90% of electricity in both states comes from coal. Additionally, this resource helps to produce almost 40,000 jobs in the two states combined, providing many individuals and families with an income to actually “keep the lights on." The coal industry has been under attack in recent years, with the EPA proposing a rule in June of 2014 that was considered “one of the strongest actions ever taken by the U.S. government to fight climate change.” However, a recent Supreme Court decision blocking this stringent regulation may just keep the lights on a little longer for the coal industry.
On July 2, 2015, BP settled litigation from the now infamous 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill that killed 11 crewmembers and released 200 million gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico, which ultimately resulted in the deaths of thousands of marine animals and the loss of billions in economic damages. The settlement, the largest environmental settlement in American history, if approved, is between BP, the federal government, and the state and local governments of the five greatly affected states.
The local food movement is growing stronger and is expanding exponentially across the United States. Local Food sales topped $11.7 billion last year according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) which has invested more than $800 million in more than 29,100 local and regional businesses and infrastructure projects. This investment is part of a federal initiative called “Local Foods, Local Places,” which invites communities to participate by providing direct technical support to build strong local food systems.[ii] Over 4,000 local and regional food businesses and projects – including food hubs, farm-to-school programs, and initiatives to expand health food access to low-income communities – can be pinpointed in every state across the country. Kentucky leads the nation in participation in this federally funded local food project.
This year’s Belmont Stakes was the stage for American Pharoah to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978. However, it also brought tragedy when Helwan had to be euthanized after suffering a broken left front cannon bone.
While a drug did not cause Helwan’s broken bone, the fact that this horse was racing for the first time on a drug called LASIX (Furosemide) has rekindled a debate on the use of controlled substances and performance enhancing drugs in horse racing.
With the continuing drought in California, the agricultural industry may be fearful of losing its top spot on the ERA’s list for the top agricultural producing state— worth roughly $46 billion and employing 1.7 million people. However, one particular crop may not be as threatened as the rest—California’s celebrated grapevine.
