There are lots of factors playing into declining coal production in Central Appalachia: low natural gas prices, high stockpiles of coal after a warm winter and new environmental regulations.

Before Sam, a white-throated capuchin monkey, threw out the first pitch at a minor league baseball game in Frederick, Md., on a midsummer Friday night, and before Sam and other monkeys — dressed as cowboys and riding shaggy dogs — rounded up longhorn sheep on the baseball diamond as part of Cowboy Monkey Rodeo promotion night, angry animal rights protesters gathered outside the front gate.

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul will address the Rotary Club today amid a heated campaign season, with a closely contested presidential race and a heated race for U.S. Senate just north in Indiana.

This week on our new audio diary series, "The Big Break," Actors Theatre apprentice Samantha Beach pulls a shift in the literary department and sees herself in the incoming ten-minute play scripts. Louisville Ballet trainee Claire Horrocks takes us inside the dancer's lounge, while Kentucky Opera studio artist Brad Raymond balances family time with the rigors of the stage. 

Learn more about our audio diarists, who report in every Thursday about life in Louisville's professional arts companies.

Republican Indiana Senate candidate Richard Mourdock has ignited a national firestorm for his abortion comments this week, but pro-life activists are coming to the GOP nominees defense and see the remarks as a chance to explain their views.

Democrats and Republicans have pounced on Mourdock after he said that pregnancies resulting from rape should not be an exception to an abortion ban because it is the will of God. At a press conference Wednesday, Mourdock stood by his position, but he explained that he abhors rape and apologized if anyone "came away with the wrong impression" from his statement.

Anti-abortion activist Rebecca Kiessling is a spokeswoman for Personhood USA. She says pro-life voters are are proud that Mourdock stood up for life against abortion even in cases of rape, and that critics are deliberately exaggerating his comments to score political points.

"Of course he was saying that the life of the child conceived in rape was created by God. And I believe that he’s in line with the overwhelming majority of Americans and Hoosiers who understand that God is the author of life," he says.

Geneticist reported Wednesday that they had crossed a threshold long considered off-limits: They have made changes in human DNA that can be passed down from one generation to the next.

The researchers at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland say they took the step to try to prevent women from giving birth to babies with genetic diseases. But the research is raising a host of ethical, social and moral questions.

Eastern Kentucky University officials have suspended the school’s club rugby team following hazing allegations.

Associate Vice President of Student Affairs Mike Reagle says the suspension means more than not playing games. The student-run team cannot meet, practice, have parties or do anything together as a group. Reagle said the prohibition is for the safety of team members.