A bill reforming how the state's special districts are categorized and making them more transparent easily passed the state House this morning, 96-1.

State Rep. Lynn Belcher, a Republican from Crittenden County, was the lone "no" vote. 

Many local library boards, sewer districts and fire districts are considered special taxing districts separate from other types of government.

The Great Recession touched a vast majority of Americans personally, a new study from Rutgers' Heldrich Center finds.

The most stunning number in the study: "Some 73 percent [of Americans] either lost a job themselves, or had a member of their household, a close relative, or a friend lose a job at some point in the past four years."

The report is pretty depressing. A few more findings:

An asteroid the size of an office building will zoom close by Earth next week, but it's not on a collision course, NASA says.

Still, some people think this near-miss should serve as a wake-up call.

"It's a warning shot across our bow that we are flying around the solar system in a shooting gallery," says Ed Lu, a former astronaut and head of the B612 Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting humanity from asteroids.

The asteroid known as 2012 DA14 was first spotted last year by astronomers in Spain. It's thought to be about 150 feet across and made of rock.

Years ago, media critics roamed the Earth. Even mid-sized markets could support one or two columnists who analyzed how newspapers and TV and radio stations covered the news of the day, and how that coverage affected the community's understanding and perception of those stories. But in cities like Louisville, media criticism has gone the way of afternoon papers and Saturday mail.

Work continues to try and determine where Lexington mobile food vendors can set up shop downtown. 

Members of the Food Truck Work Group reviewed draft recommendations Thursday at city hall.  Work Group chair Shevawn Akers, a Lexington Council member, says many restaurants and mobile food operators still disagree about placement on public streets.

After concluding that a deadly 2011 explosion at the Carbide Industries plant in Rubbertown could have been prevented, the Federal Chemical Safety Board has approved recommendations aimed at making sure industries won't have a chance to replicate the unsafe conditions—a move Rubbertown residents welcomed.

Downed power lines in the roadway on Thursday evening have closed the Gene Snyder Freeway in both directions at Ky. 22 and Ky. 146, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet said.

Crews from Louisville Gas & Electric were making repairs. Until they're finished, traffic is being detoured off the interstate, the transportation cabinet said.

The cabinet said the roadway is expected to be closed until about midnight.

The Kentucky state Senate passed a bill Thursday that would reform the majority of the state's pension system, 33-5. 

Senate Bill 2 reflects the recommendations of the legislative task force assigned to study possible solutions to the problem over the summer.

Cost of living adjustments would be suspended under the bill. The bill would also create a hybrid plan similar to a 401K whose rate of return would be guaranteed by the state.

Kentucky Education Commissioner Terry Holliday testified in front of the U.S. Senate’s Education Committee Thursday asking Congress to move forward with updating the law known as No Child Left Behind.

Most educators and lawmakers agree the law that seeks to make every student proficient in math and reading by 2014 is unrealistic and outdated and several states including Kentucky have been granted waivers.

Now Holliday says the law should be updated to provide long-term federal accountability.