Courier-Journal (Louisville)

Why hasn’t Rowan County Kentucky clerk been fired in gay marriage license case?

LOUISVILLE — A Rowan County, Ky., clerk has continued to defy a Supreme Court ruling that she issue marriage licenses to gay couples. On Tuesday, Kim Davis said she was acting under “God’s authority” when she refused to issue the licenses. Lawyers for the couples have asked a federal judge to hold her in contempt […]

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Kentucky’s religious freedom bill divided politicians, public, ministers

FRANKFORT — The Rev. Patrick Delahanty of Louisville says he thinks the new state law dubbed the Religious Freedom Act is needed. “I want the state to meet the highest bar in its ability to interfere with one’s religion,” said Delahanty, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Kentucky, which backed the bill. But the

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Kentucky Gov. Beshear vetoes religious freedom bill

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Gov. Steve Beshear vetoed a controversial religious-freedom bill Friday afternoon, saying the measure was well-intended but would spark costly taxpayer-funded court cases and bring an array of unintended consequences. “I have significant concerns that this bill will cause serious unintentional consequences that could threaten public safety, health care and individuals’ civil rights,”

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Kentucky men indicted under Matthew Shepard federal hate crime law

Kerry Harvey and Jordan Palmer announced a federal grand jury in London, Kentucky, indicted two men in the first Matthew Shepard Hate Crime Act application. LEXINGTON, Ky. — A federal grand jury in London, Ky. on Thursday indicted two men in the first federal application of the Matthew Shepard – James C. Bryd hate crimes

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Kentucky advocacy group pushes first federal hate crime arrests

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Four people were charged Wednesday with kidnapping a man and taking him to a state park in Kentucky’s Appalachian region, then severely beating him while yelling slurs about his sexual orientation. The FBI arrested 37-year-old David Jason Jenkins of Cumberland, 20-year-old Anthony Ray Jenkins and 19-year-old Alexis Leann Combs Jenkins of

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StoryCorps Recording Rural Gays and Lesbians

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Growing up, Hindman resident Shannon Ratliff didn’t know she was a lesbian, but like her friends –a group of girls and boys who loved one another unconditionally — she understood that she was different, she says. Although they went their separate ways, they kept in touch and learned in adulthood that

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Gay student won’t return to high school

MCKEE, Ky. —- The mother of a gay teenager says her daughter won’t return to Jackson County High School after an incident in which she claims three other girls tried to kill her. Dee Johnson told The Lexington Herald-Leader her daughter, 18-year-old Cheyenne Williams, has enough credits to graduate and it would be unsafe for

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Statement on the Kentucky Supreme Court Second Parent Adoption Ruling

Jordan Palmer and the Kentucky Equality Federation hail the Kentucky Supreme Court gay parent adoption ruling. Courier Journal and YubaNet.com — The Kentucky Supreme Court upheld a joint custody arrangement for a one-time lesbian couple who were rearing a child together before splitting up. On Friday, the Commonwealth’s highest court ruled that the couple reached

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