♪ >> I'm assuming you all all believe he should be replaced, which is why you're running.

Why should be read be replaced?

>> Republican candidates trying to replace Governor Andy Beshear took the debate stage.

But one notable name was missing.

>> The return home will be the same with some people who are >> We're learning the veteran whose name will bestow a new nursing home in South Central Kentucky.

♪ And slacks footing.

How one woman is preserving a unique Appalachian art form.

>> Production of Kentucky Edition is made possible in part by the KET Endowment for Kentucky Productions.

Leonard Press Endowment for Public Affairs and the KET Millennium Fund.

♪ ♪ >> Good evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Wednesday.

April, the 19th, I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you for winding down your Wednesday with us.

>> Kentuckians again heard from some of the top contenders for the Republican nomination for governor on the debate stage.

But this time, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron was missing Kentucky Sports radio host a debate this morning in downtown Louisville.

Now Casey Parker Bell was there.

>> I'm assuming you all believe he should be replaced, which is why you're running.

Why should be read be replaced box of what Kentucky's Republican gubernatorial candidates are fighting for.

The chance to take on likely Democratic nominee, an incumbent Governor Andy Beshear, the November election today for GOP candidates were in downtown Lowell said, quote, but it was the person who left an empty chair that got the most attention for me.

I would ask Danial why not show up to probably the most widespread.

Listen to audience across Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron did not attend today's debate hosted by Kentucky Sports Radio.

The latest public polling shows Cameron leading Kelly craft but just over 6 points.

But over a 5th of Kentucky voters are undecided on who to vote for meeting debates like the one today could help swing the election.

2 candidates polling in single digits tried to make a name for themselves.

I set out to Mike Harmon says his experience sets him apart.

And I've got the most experience 13 years in the House seven-plus years, auditor that tell everybody, even though I'm the most experienced.

>> If you want some more, I'm not a polished politician.

But if you want someone loves the Lord loves his family, loves this country in that order will help you think of me.

Somerset Mayor Alan Keck hold less than one percent in the recent FOX 56 poll.

>> We spoke to his experience as CEO and how he handled the COVID-19 pandemic as Mayor.

And then in May, when our entire hospitality industry was still shuttered, you couldn't go to a restaurant.

You couldn't go to a bar.

You can go to a hotel in.

These people are saying we're never going to reopen.

We stood up and did something.

A lot of folks that >> I'm proud of that because I wasn't waiting for somebody else to lead.

We let in Somerset former UN Ambassador Kelly Craft has been flooding the airwaves with commercials just released.

Campaign finance reports show Kraft has loaned herself over 7 million dollars the 1st quarter of this year.

Here she spoke.

She would handle the opioid crisis if elected governor.

>> Because I want to make it very clear.

If you are a trafficker, are you a member of the cartel?

If you come into our state, you probably will never leave.

Because if you hurt harm caused the death of a Kentuckyian I can't wait to signed your death warrant.

>> Last week's mass shooting in Louisville for questions from moderator Matt Jones.

When asked what the one thing he hopes to address as Governor Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles says he wants to tackle public safety minister.

I think it's so important.

But right now that we have a conversation about supporting our men and women in law enforcement.

I want to be a governor that stands up.

>> Supports and funds are when men and women who put the uniform on every single day to KET us safe.

>> There are 27 days until Kentucky's primary election.

We'll see if debates like the one host today starting spy.

Kentucky's voters for Kentucky edition.

I'm Casey Parker Bell.

>> We'll have more on the governor's race when we talk to Rylan Barton of Kentucky Public Radio and just a few minutes.

Corporations continue donating money to renovate and expand the Republican Party of Kentucky's Frankfort headquarters.

The Kentucky Lantern reports donations of $722,000.

The 1st quarter of 2023, the biggest donor was nwo resources of Colorado which gave half a million dollars.

They're also donations from ATnT Microsoft and the Cincinnati Insurance Company.

A bill passed by the Kentucky General Assembly in 2017 allows political parties to establish building funds and it allows corporations to give to those funds.

A new poll shows Governor Andy Beshear is the most popular Democratic governor in the country and the 5th most popular governor overall.

The poll from Morning Consult was released this morning.

It was conducted over the first 3 months of 2023.

The poll shows 63% of Kentuckians approve of this year's job performance.

A new veterans Center in Bowling Green has a new name honoring the project's longtime champion 5 years after his passing.

Our Laura Rogers tells us more about the center and its namesake.

>> A long-awaited nursing home for veterans in Bowling Green will be called the Robert E Spiller Bowling Green Veteran Center couldn't have a grill >> orders or room.

>> The naming officially announced in a special ceremony at the Kentucky Transport where the nursing home remains under construction.

>> This is really hot property for locating another business.

And another business at another business.

And you know what they chose to do with some of that property to put it aside and donate it for our veterans.

That's really special.

I'm really proud of all and great for doing that.

>> It comes after years of work on behalf of the project from lawmakers including state Representative Michael Meredith.

is a special day where we get to celebrate Colonel Robert Spiller and his legacy and 3 pieces of legislation including the most recent House Bill 2, which allocated another 16 million dollars to the center's construction ridge-like.

>> The federal government told us that we had to have it all already appropriated, but now we can be pretty convincing, especially when we're talking about what's right for our veterans.

And so once we got the federal government to extend the period of time, we KET that we could pass it very quickly in the General Assembly.

It was unanimous.

He signed it right on the spot.

Just everybody coming together in Frankfort to do the right thing.

Colonel Spiller and his wife Cora Jane were longtime fixtures in the Bowling Green community.

You KET the colonel and you KET anything about him.

>> What you KET was his devotion to this community and his devotion to his fellow veterans.

>> Many of their family in attendance today, including their son, Bob Spiller and his great grandchild.

>> I look at this honor as a culmination of their life's work.

I'm just trying to help their fellow human beings having his name on this facility.

That is taking care of veterans is just unbelievable.

>> Veterans expressing appreciation to have this in their community saying it's a fills a major extra many, many veterans here who are around road crews in the NEWSROOM.

>> So this is world place for >> For Kentucky edition, I'm Laura Rogers.

>> Thank you, Laura.

The Robert E Spiller Bowling Green Veteran Center is expected to be completed in 2024.

The U.S. Supreme Court has temporarily extended access to an abortion pill.

The justices are still considering whether to allow restrictions on mifepristone to take effect while legal challenge to the medications.

FDA approval continues.

And today's decision, the court indicated it will act by Friday night.

Louisville Metro Police Officer Nicholas Wilt remains in critical condition.

And now he's battling pneumonia.

The Louisville Metro Police Foundation shared the update from Wilt's twin brother.

The family said pneumonia is common for patients on a ventilator.

Officer wilt was shot in the head while responding to a mass shooting in Louisville.

Last Monday.

He is the only patient from last week's shooting to remain hospitalized.

And Lexington.

Now, Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton unveiled a historic budget proposal at 505 million dollars.

It's the largest budget in the city's history.

It includes money for a new system that would allow police access to real-time video from traffic cameras and other devices.

6 million dollars to take the next steps toward finding a new city hall and 2 million dollars for affordable housing.

There's also money earmarked for a new police and fire training center and a redesign of Phoenix Park in downtown Mayor Gordon's proposed budget includes no tax increases and a 5% raise for non-sworn employees.

The budget now goes to the Urban County Council for Review.

Any changes must be made by June.

30th.

So what is the future of school choice in Kentuckyian what might happen in the 2024?

Kentucky General Assembly session.

We discuss that and other education issues on last Monday's Kentucky tonight, backers of school choice argue parents need the option of something other than traditional public schools.

And that school choice has worked in other places.

>> You know, you look at the testing data from last year, barely half of our kids can read at grade level or profession reading.

Barely a 3rd can do math professionally.

You know, those are significant challenges we're facing with our kids.

We got to do something different and we got support public schools, students, but not the posters are not work for every family.

As far outcomes go.

You look at Florida for the public school students are outperforming Kentucky public school students.

They also have massive school choice programs.

I think probably half the kids are in some form of school choice whether at a different public school, a private school charter school, some form of school choice.

So our kids are being left behind or families are being left behind.

Public schools are great choice for a lot of families, but it's not the only choice.

>> Andrew, I know you're sharing like the examples from Florida, but I think when it when it comes to our public investment, an investment of shared taxpayer dollars, we've got to know, right.

Does the research point to school choice as a strategy in Florida that is increasing their student outcomes.

And today we're not aware of any type of meta analysis or serious research that points to this strategy being effective in improving education outcomes on behalf of the state.

Outcomes are too far behind for us to kind of play around with strategies that are not proven to work at scale.

>> You can see more of this conversation about challenges facing Kentucky schools on Monday night's Kentucky tonight.

Few that online on demand at KET DOT Org.

Slash K why tonight?

♪ Time now for a midweek.

Check-in of some major political developments in Kentucky with our friend Rylan Barton.

He's managing editor of Kentucky Public Radio.

Good to see Rylan.

>> It's easy to win.

>> So we're just a few weeks away from the May primary and the candidates and the governor's race in the GOP primary are really kicking it up when it comes to these joint appearances and debates.

How are the candidates setting themselves apart?

What's their messaging and is it consistent?

>> I mean, one thing I'll say is that it's actually pretty consistent within the candidates.

This is the season in which they are, you know, trying to differentiate themselves from each other and some way and we're not seeing other this huge gap between a lot of the yeah.

So the 2 most recent forms being in the Kentucky sports radio There's one in Paducah and Daniel Cameron showed up to the Paducah Kelly Craft crowd showed up to one with Kentucky sports radio.

The camera didn't.

So there's a little bit of jockeying for when those 2 front running candidates are showing up.

I think that's one of the most interesting things happening at this point.

But yeah, they're still they're still trying to find a way to set each other.

Part of it's not totally happening besides just in the way.

Yeah.

Trying to get their own names out there they're they're not really going after each other too hard on the on the personal level, although they are, they are criticizing one another for not showing up to those debates right now.

Right now, the opponent is stills, feeling very much.

Andy Beshear.

You know, the person that they hope that they will be ready gets in the general election.

>> There was a recent poll released last week with Emerson College and a W D-ky FOX.

56 TV here and Lexington that shows that that race is tightening, which is to be expected.

But just a few days or few weeks before the primary where Kelly craft now is just 6 points behind Attorney General Daniel Cameron.

What does that say to you?

>> Yeah, that's a that's what we've been waiting for.

This to happen, especially with how much money a crowd has been spending on television and broadcast that and also support a political group, 7 spending on those sorts of that.

So, you know, that happens, especially as we're getting closer to the primary, those that are coming out, more people are becoming a little bit more familiar with the name of but also a culture.

Commissioner Ryan Quarles of, you know, having a big jump.

And in that point, I thought that was that was very significant as well.

And actually, as of the most recent in Haiti filing deadline to believe he's the one with the most cash on hand at this point, although there will still be a lot more to be raised and spent by the other campaigns of going forward to many people vote in these primary elections in these off autumn odd-numbered years.

Back in 2015 during that crowded primary primary race.

There are only 13% of registered voters cast ballots in that election.

In 2019 was about 19%.

We have such a small pool.

>> Of people actually casting ballots this ways in terms of bigger ability and and how the people that ultimately actually Vo on Election Day, the >> Change drastically.

And that light is Paul.

It shows that 20.7% of those Republican likely voters were still undecided.

So that's a substantial chunk of people who haven't made up their mind yet.

>> Right.

And that really that could go almost any that in that whole era de the suspended attorney from northern Kentucky, but he was 0.6% with that and great.

And it's very likely that the 20% of undecided people are going to a rush to one particular candidate.

But no matter what, there's a lot of voters out there who are still not sure how to cast ballots.

And they could, you know, they could go any number of ways.

Yeah.

>> So getting back to the So now it's heating up a little bit on the airways where you have a Daniel supported political action committee.

He's put out a negative ad against Kelly Craft.

And here's a little bit of that.

>> But you know what's really is to craft a word for President Trump and Trump endorsed.

Thank you.

Not grant.

This is the first time a camera nor Cameron supported and political action group has started to going you know, the closest challenger, according to polls of former UN Ambassador Kelly Craft going after her for her record as the ambassador to Canada.

That's a 2019 political articles that was referencing her attendance and a lack of attendance at united me or some of her functions as the Canadian ambassador >> and then just digging in on this trying to push.

But the chairman, the head as the recognizable bill, law enforcement in the day.

So I think that we're starting to see some of the that maneuvering starting to happen where, you know, they're trying to trying to pump themselves up on the pedestal, but also doing that by pushing some of the other candidates away and so far to get the candidates and their campaigns haven't been doing a lot of that heavy lifting of the leading up to these political action committees the current TV commercials.

>> So final because of what happened last week, of course, and Louisville and at the time we talked, there was just one mass shooting in that.

We know that there was a subsequent one over the weekend, but there was a poll done in the middle of that time with FOX.

56 News and Emerson College about gone perspectives.

What Republican voters and it looks like 87, almost 88% believe they're just right or too strict.

Only 11.5 do them as to land.

How much of a conversation will be had in these final days weeks about gun laws.

Do you think in the Republican primary for Governor?

>> I don't think there's going to be a lot difference in how they come out on some of these issues.

I mean, we've heard in the debates recently there really most of the candidates are pushing away the concept of red flag laws.

If the policies that are on the table or you know, you have to of local jurisdictions to destroy it.

Firearms that are confiscated during criminal You know, that's something that we Somerset, Mayor Alan Keck, to said that you be in favor of its kind of like that.

The lowest bar of decisions here.

But I think without poll shows us that there's still a lot of, you know, a lot of Republicans who think that the, you know, the current state of gun laws are just fine and they're not really interested in doing anything to really boost gun safety from the government level.

>> Thank you, Ryan Barton's, good to see you.

>> Thanks for that.

♪ ♪ >> Cancer is a devastating disease for anyone, but it disproportionately affects minorities.

April is minority Cancer Awareness Month in today's Health News, Kentucky additions.

Kelsey starts has more on how awareness can encourage action.

>> 12 cancer affects us all, but it doesn't affect us all the same.

For instance, black men are more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer, black and white women, although they have similar breast cancer incidence rates.

Black women are 40% more likely to die from it.

Virginia Bradford is a registered nurse and in charge of community outreach.

Here to talk a little bit more about this disparity with minority populations when it comes to cancer.

Why is there this disparity?

>> Well, we've been working out in the community for 32 years with Kentucky Cancer program and the Kentucky African-Americans.

It's cancer looking at those and getting the answers to those questions.

So we found out the barriers to people getting screened like the insurance like of not less.

The fear of the word cancer and mobilizing the community to make sure that they're getting at doing early detection, getting screened for breast cancer.

Colon cancer, lung cancer, but making sure that they have the knowledge and no, you know what the things that they can do, changing lifestyle behaviors, making sure their 80 healthy making sure that they're exercising some.

There are some things that we can do.

We can't say who's going to get cancer.

But what we can say is that if we can find it early in, they can survive.

>> Early detection, of course, it's so important and prevention There's a difference.

A disparity there in the number of new cases, but also with the cancer outcomes.

>> Yes, and we know because of lack of the people think that there not able to go get screened.

They're not able to see a position.

They don't have regular appointments with their doctors and their healthcare providers.

And so we've got programs such as Kentucky Women's Cancer screening program that provides the funds for women to get screened.

And with that, we follow them.

So if we see something suspicious will bring them in for the diagnostic for the ultrasound, whatever is needed to find that cancer and take care of it because of this be a minority cancer awareness month led to why a disparity in our community.

People ask all the time.

Why like people more apt to have higher rates of March happened the due 8 states and now says that is because of that fear, the lack of knowledge.

And we know now the more we know the better we are going to be in taking care of ourselves.

>> Well, that program is coming up to April.

The 24th at the Kentucky African-Americans against Cancer and Gilda's Club West in Louisville.

It is all free.

Yes, you can register in advance.

>> Thank you.

Kelsey.

The Kentucky African-Americans against cancer group also hosts several support groups for those affected by cancer all over the state.

♪ ♪ >> We know you know about tap dancing and you may even know about clogging.

But what about flat footing?

Carla Dover was born and raised in the mountains of Letcher County in eastern Kentucky.

As a child, she learned how to flat foot dance.

Now she's determined to share her knowledge with others.

♪ ♪ ♪ >> I think it's just really valuable to.

Share.

My story of being somebody who's from eastern Kentucky who grew up with a bunch of beautiful traditions and not only that, the arts for such a beautiful way to invite people into our world to share a live-in to break down those misunderstandings.

I am a Kentucky musician dancer for the Saudis to perform is called Appalachian Flat footing or clogging.

It's a style that evolved from a mixture of the European roots of some of our Kentucky ancestors from Ireland, Scotland, England, also with influences of indigenous Native American dancing and African-American dancing.

And so those styles obviously mixed together in a lot of ways.

It came up with tap dance and clogging in flat footing.

And if you wanted to really simplistic difference between clogging in flat it's a clocking is often done in teams with synchronized choreography and flat footing is what most people think of as a very similar style, but usually just performed as an improvisation with live film, enjoy music.

It's very simple and accessible.

A lot of times people tell me I'm too old or I'm too out of shape from too heavy and >> I just invite people to try it anyway because it's a great, a fun way to exercise.

And it's also not it's not so hard that the average person can't pick access it because this dance style.

It's not made to be dance.

You know, on the big stage is made for porches and barn dances and living rooms and jam sessions.

And so I think this tense times for love teaching that flat footing basic.

So it set.

Lyft pull.

So if I had to closed.

It's like that.

You can also add a settlement step with the heel like a little stuff.

So if I had the here is playing.

With the pros.

And they use.

And you can add the to leave him out yet that.

>> So that is one of the steps that helps you unlock.

I'm having that conversation with the fiddle mimicking the fiddle tune wines and that's just one step.

And there's lots to learn.

So I love teaching people how to do that during the pandemic.

When things shut down and like many other musicians, I was suddenly cut off from every single source of income that ahead.

I just started offering these different zoom classes.

I know I did balancing of Kentuckyian banjo tons of Kentuckyian I did this flat but dancing.

And when I started off or the dance classes which I had previously, mainly just done it like an elementary school residence your festival.

All of a sudden I was having people sign up that I've never even heard of that.

Never even met like it has blown me away.

How been able to reach students from all over the world.

Have students in Sweden in Germany and Ireland and Scotland and England and Canada all over the United States.

I've had about 150 students come through my academy now and now that things are open up on touring again, I'm never going to stop doing the academy because it's it's really important to me to make it accessible to people.

I don't want this art form to die out.

That's been a lot of time collecting the college and I want to pass along to preserve it.

When you learn a traditional style from somebody that grew up with it.

You can tell you the stories of the people and the places and the situations where they learned it adds a whole nother dimension and I think that's special.

So I'm proud to pass that on.

And good thing she is.

If you're interested in learning more about flat footing, check out.

>> Carla, go over dot com.

Well, you know, Kentucky has its share of bars, but one that's on the way is a little different.

>> We're not just to fly.

Fly by night company were really in it to win it.

And we've been working h*** o* this since 2009.

>> We had to the future home of a cannabis bar in Lexington will show you that tomorrow on Kentucky EDITION, which we hope you'll join us for its 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central where we inform connect and inspire subscribe to our weekly email newsletter and watch full episodes and clips a K E T Dot Org.

>> You can also find us on the PBS video app on your mobile device and smart TV and we hope you'll send us a story idea that public affairs at K E T Dot Org and of course, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay in the loop.

Thank you so much for joining us tonight.

I'm Renee Shaw.

Hope to see you right back here again tomorrow night.

Practice that flat footed.

In the meantime, I'll check out the progress tomorrow.

Have a good night to you.

♪ ♪