Kentucky death toll now 15 after ‘flooding, snow storm, bitter cold’ sweep state

by Lantern staff, Kentucky Lantern
February 22, 2025

Five additional deaths announced Friday bring Kentucky’s weather-related death toll to 15 people.

How to help and get help in the midst of Kentucky flooding, winter storm

Gov. Andy Beshear said the most recently confirmed dead are in Caldwell County, an adult male; Morgan County, adult female; Ohio County, adult male; Pike County, adult male; Warren County, adult female.

On social media Friday night, Beshear said, “We are still dealing with this difficult flooding, snow storm then bitter cold situation in Kentucky.”

Beshear said “thankfully” the state had quickly received a disaster declaration from the Trump administration. “We’re waiting on a decision on individual assistance, whether the federal government is going to step up and provide direct help to our people.”

Beshear has been in Washington, D.C. for a meeting of the National Governors Association which included a meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House.

Kentucky Lantern is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kentucky Lantern maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jamie Lucke for questions: info@kentuckylantern.com.

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House passes bill to expand options for Kentucky schools to make up lost classroom time

by McKenna Horsley, Kentucky Lantern
February 21, 2025

Despite a handful of Republicans voting no, the Kentucky House passed a measure that would expand options for public school districts that have lost instructional time to weather closures and other reasons, including recent statewide flooding. 

If House Bill 241 becomes law, Education Commissioner Robbie Fletcher would be authorized to grant up to five “disaster relief student attendance days” when schools could provide instruction without having students in the classroom. Fletcher could also waive five required days for a district if making up the instruction would keep schools in session past June 4.

The Hose approved the bill Friday morning by a vote of 82-7. Earlier this week, floods swept over all of Kentucky’s 120 counties and snow and cold temperatures soon followed. Gov. Andy Beshear has said 15 people have died from the weather in recent days. 

The bill’s primary sponsor, Rep. Timmy Truett, R-McKee, said Fletcher told him that as of Friday morning, 64 of the state’s 170 public school districts had used their 10 allotted non-traditional instruction (NTI) days. Another 40 districts have one NTI day remaining.

Truett, an elementary school principal, had previously acknowledged in a House committee that virtual learning is “not as good as in-seat instruction,” but argued “it does beat the alternative.” 

“We’re trying to make a bad situation as good as possible,” Truett said on the House floor. 

During NTI days, students participate in virtual learning at home. Even before the most recent flooding, some schools had used NTI days for  bad winter weather or sickness. Kentucky law requires school districts to provide 170 student attendance days and offer a minimum of 1,062 instructional hours.

Other avenues for school districts in the House bill include districts lengthening school days. Local school boards may also revise their calendars and submit plans to the Kentucky Department of Education for approval.

Rep. Tina Bojanowski, an elementary school teacher and Democrat from Louisville, voted for the bill and also said, “I’m going to tell you, the most important thing we can do is have children in the building, in their seats, in classrooms, and there is no exception for that, nothing virtual, nothing at home,” she said.

Among Republicans voting against the bill, Rep. T.J. Roberts, R-Burlington, said the measure was “extraordinarily well-intended,” but he had “concerns about the level of discretion being given on this issue.”

Rep. Felicia Rabourn, R-Turners Station, filed House Bill 737 which would eliminate NTI days. She voted against Truett’s bill Friday.

House Bill 241 now goes to the Senate for further consideration.

Kentucky Lantern is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kentucky Lantern maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jamie Lucke for questions: info@kentuckylantern.com.

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SUMMARY: The Ohio River is expected to drop below flood stage by Saturday night into Sunday morning, marking positive progress. The weekend forecast shows chilly temperatures, ranging from 9 to 18 degrees, but with a sunny and partly cloudy day ahead, high temperatures will reach the low 30s. Overnight lows will be in the upper teens and low 20s. No significant storm systems are anticipated, although some cloud cover may increase from the west. Warmer temperatures are on the horizon, with highs reaching the upper 40s by Sunday and potentially nearing 60 degrees by Tuesday, with scattered showers expected Wednesday.

WLKY Meteorologist Matt Milosevich has the latest on a very chilly Friday, but temperatures are increasing in the 7-day forecast.

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