Appalachia Mid-South Newsroom Managing Editor - a collaboration of 7 NPR stations in Ky., W. Va. and Tenn. Mass shooting survivor.
Joined January 2010
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1,103 Photos and videos
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20 Mar 2024
Some news: I'm Kentucky Public Radio's new managing editor. I’m excited to edit a talented statewide politics team and manage a collaboration of public radio stations that reaches all 120 Kentucky counties. lpm.org/news/2024-03-20/ryan…
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Ryan Van Velzer retweeted
UT Austin just axed the station manager of its beloved local NPR affiliate after disagreements over a festival the station recently hosted.
The manager was told she could resign, to which
@dhiott said, "you know, well, you'll have to fire me," per @kut @neenareports. kut.org/education/2026-06-15…
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I met with Hiott earlier this year in her role as station GM. I was impressed by her kindness, generosity and commitment to journalism. University officials need to transparent about what’s happening here. If I were in Texas, I’d be filing open records requests
The University of Texas has fired KUT General Manager Debbie Hiott, weeks after a public dispute over the radio station's inaugural community festival featuring political speakers. statesman.com/news/education…
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Ryan Van Velzer retweeted
Jun 13
The state-owned Lee Specialty Clinic serves 1,300 patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Gov. Andy Beshear’s administration has slashed its budget by millions, blaming state budget cuts. lpm.org/news/2026-06-13/1-00…
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The state-owned Lee Specialty Clinic serves 1,300 patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Gov. Andy Beshear’s administration has slashed its budget by millions, blaming state budget cuts. lpm.org/news/2026-06-13/1-00…
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Our latest Porch Light newsletter has stories on Kudzu, data centers, rising power bills and abandoned oil and gas wells plus, reflections on growing up feeling like an outsider in the Appalachian foothills. Check it out and sign up: mailchi.mp/appalachiamidsout…
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A coalition of Kentucky Power customers are calling for increased transparency and rate review ahead of a state audit of the far-eastern Kentucky utility company. lpm.org/news/2026-06-09/sit-…
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Recent polling shows data centers are increasingly unpopular. That opposition was a factor in several local primary races in Kentucky where data center projects have popped up. lpm.org/news/2026-06-08/the-…
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Ryan Van Velzer retweeted
The Mitchell plant in West Virginia got $51 million to replace a cooling tower. The Spurlock and Cooper plants in Kentucky got $90 million to enable them to run on natural gas in addition to coal. weku.org/the-commonwealth/20…
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Matt Bevin sentenced to jail time after failing to turn over financials lpm.org/news/2026-06-05/matt…
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Ryan Van Velzer retweeted
Here's the original story from last year.
12news.com/article/news/poli…
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Louisville police chief moves to fire, criminally investigate officer who fatally shot unarmed man lpm.org/news/2026-06-02/loui…
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Congressman Thomas Massie led a “liberty” movement that gained power among the GOP in northern Kentucky. Is his primary defeat an anomaly, or a death knell? bit.ly/4dSTJ4a
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Ryan Van Velzer retweeted
What should you do when a white nationalist group comes to town?
wpln.org/post/what-should-yo…
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Former Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin has once again had an arrest warrant issued against him, this time for failing to appear in person amid his ongoing divorce and child support case. lpm.org/news/2026-05-29/kent…
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Ryan Van Velzer retweeted
Some veteran NPR journalists depart in buyouts & layoffs in aftershock of elimination of federal subsidies for public media.
Editor in chief Tommy Evans: "Today has been incredibly heavy." Cuts amount to 4% of content division.
My story:
npr.org/2026/05/27/nx-s1-583…
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Ryan Van Velzer retweeted
May 26
Kentuckians came out to vote in the May 19 election at relatively high rates for a primary election. It’s fueled unfounded conspiracies online.
lpm.org/news/2026-05-26/hot-…
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Kentucky jails play key role as Trump looks to deport millions. lpm.org/investigate/2026-05-…
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Congressman Thomas Massie is on his way out. The Republican eccentric lost his primary challenge in northern Kentucky Tuesday under the immense pressure exerted by President Donald Trump to oust him. Here's what election results tell us. lpm.org/news/2026-05-20/here…
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A Louisville Democratic state lawmaker accused of sexual misconduct was among incumbents who appeared to lose their primaries in Kentucky. lpm.org/news/2026-05-19/kent…
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