>> We can bring up we can to bring you down or we can make you relax.

That's the goal that we're going for.

A new store in Lexington hopes to have the community buzzing.

Not only is it a current problem is when we expect to get worse over the next 15 to 20 years without positive intervention.

>> Why some Kentucky counties want to see more lawyers and their shingles.

>> When I joined JAG, I was busy getting sense of purpose.

>> Learn about jobs program and putting young Kentuckians to work.

Thousands of students from across Kentucky are in Rupp Arena right now for the stop State championships will tell you what that's all about and why it is unique to Kentucky.

>> 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 for this Thursday.

April, the 20th, I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you for spending some of your Thursday night with us.

>> A wildfire is spreading at Natural Bridge State Resort Park now consuming dozens of acres.

It began Monday more than 100 firefighters are battling the blaze.

Governor Andy Beshear provide an update this afternoon.

>> Winds on Tuesday pushed the fire over the containment lines in the more than 100 acres in the last 24 hours and into the Daniel Boone National Forest Land.

Once the fire is contained in the spread of stopped fire crews will turn their efforts into controlling the fire.

Thanks wishing and smoldering material and reinforcing control lines.

All part rail heads in parking lots except for them launch want are closed to the public.

>> And the governor says the state is asking the federal government to add 10 more counties to the federal disaster declaration after storms hit Kentucky on March.

3rd, 76 counties are already covered an eligible for federal help.

Also today, the governor talked about good news and Kentucky's fight against opioid deaths.

>> We recently learned that in 2022. the first time in 4 years we saw a decrease in overdose deaths from the year before.

So last overdose deaths fell by 5% compared to the year before.

Now, that number is is still far too high.

The number of people that we're losing to overdose deaths, one is too many with the opioid epidemic we see far far too many but still it's been sensibly.

2018 since we have seen a year that had fewer over new deaths.

Then the year before.

I think it's important.

We know that because it on to give us at least hope.

>> So here are the numbers and 2021 more than 2200 Kentuckians died of a drug overdose and 2022, that number declined to just over.

2100 deaths.

Kentucky's primary election is 26 days away.

Can you believe it?

And no doubt you're seeing more campaign ads during television commercial breaks?

Well, yesterday I spoke with Northern Kentucky generalist Mark Payne about a story he enterprise for Link Nky about one Republican gubernatorial hopefuls.

Messaging strategy and the consulting company being used that help.

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin score his upset victory in 2021.

Mark Payne, the government and politics reporter for link Nky Dot Com.

Thank you so much for your time.

We appreciate it.

>> Yeah, thanks for having me here next.

So I was intrigued by a story that you recently wrote.

Kraft campaign spends more than 5.3 million on advertising campaign expenses, consulting services.

The headline makes it sound like okay, what?

Whatever.

But the is is quite interesting.

And I'm a little bit entangled a little bit with other interests and there are some fine threads and through lines that I want you to kind of talk to us about.

What are you saying?

But the craft campaign that makes it unique or follows in line with maybe some other campaigns and other states, particularly when it comes to messaging, 2 issues that are being taken up and even consulting services that are being used.

>> Yes, so one of the things I between crafts campaign and some other campaigns around the country is that they use similar themes around, you know, the transgender issue that's being discussed in the country right now, specifically, it's a very hot topic at Kentucky with Kentucky just passing legislation to ban gender affirming care of Kentucky.

That was something that I don't necessarily think was on a lot of folks, radars until January and went 2023, much same session started.

And then right around And so I started looking at these other campaigns specifically when you again, who is the governor of Virginia, kind of had a surprise win in 2021 and I noticed that there was a common between some that's right.

Or and campaigns.

And that was you consulting firm called Axiom.

Strategies and their media division acts, media.

And so I kind of started looking at.

That's when I started reporting on Kelly Craft campaign a couple weeks ago and to reduce a session.

I notice that, you know, some of the staffers were at an event and Newport and it kind of got my rain turn a little bit.

I was like, you know, is this are these messages coming from, you know, a consulting firm or are they coming up more organically?

So I did speak to the folks that and they told me that, you know, this conversation around transgender issues and education is happening organically around the country and it's starting to spread and campaigns seem to be tapping into that.

And of course, an now that we're in the gubernatorial election year, we see it.

I'm Kelly.

Kraft is probably the candidate that's tapping into it We've seen some recent advertisement that she has put out that show woke.

Flow here, parachuting into schools and teaching CRT used.

And so, you know, I started to try some of these things together and it seems they do seem to have a common denominator.

They seem to have a common thread, the folks who say they don't.

They said that, you know, it's just happening organically.

And that is just what is on folks minds right now.

>> Link Nky is co-hosting a debate with some of the top Republican contenders for governor next Wednesday.

April, the 26 the link in K why dot com website has details and you can watch it.

There.

And don't forget, Katie's Kentucky tonight.

We'll have a conversation with several Republican gubernatorial candidates on Monday.

May 1st we'll have other candidate conversations on April 24th and May 8.

The U.S. House voted today on a bill that would ban transgender women and girls from competing in women's and girls.

School sports in a party line vote.

The Republican led House passed the protection of women and Girls in Sports Act of 2023.

It bars federally supported schools and colleges from allowing transgender athlete whose biological sex at birth was male to compete on girls or women's sports teams.

The measure is not expected to pass the Democratic controlled Senate.

Kentucky's jobless rate remains below 4%.

New numbers from the state show a march unemployment rate of 3.8%.

That's down a 10th of a percent from February.

It's the same as the unemployment rate in March of 2022, according to the state, the number of Kentucky hands with jobs was close to 2 million people and March.

Leaders in Nelson County are taking more time to discuss a potential moratorium on the bourbon industry last week, the fiscal court took the first step and passing a 90 day moratorium on zoning permits for distilleries.

Judge executive Tim Hutchins said the decision was in response to House Bill 5, which was passed in the 2023, Kentucky General Assembly, the bill which was signed into law by Governor Beshear calls for phasing out the property tax on barrels of bourbon over the next 20 years, beginning in 2026. without the tax, many communities with bourbon warehouses will have to find other ways to balance their budgets.

This week, members from at least 2 distilleries spoke against the plan.

Wave TV reports.

A spokesperson from Heaven Hill said they were shocked by the planned moratorium, adding that it would mean an abrupt halt to many of the bourbon projects being planned on Tuesday.

The Nelson County Fiscal Court decided to rescind the first reading of the proposed moratorium.

The judge executive says the court plans to discuss the matter over the coming weeks before deciding how to proceed.

A new store in Lexington is creating a buzz.

The cannabis bar Cannibas is selling products with THC, but they're doing so within the state's legal limits.

Are Casey Barker Parker-bell explains that as he visited the store that had its soft opening today, we're providing a much more personalized experience, something where people can really come in.

They can understand.

>> The cannabis and hemp plant provide to the people provide to the world and provide to Kentucky.

>> Just days before the soft opening of cannabis.

Andy Rouse is putting the finishing touches to the new store in those other 2, One of those is browned pain.

And I brown brush the dispensary side of the new Cannabis Team store was rushing to open today while the shop was a work in progress.

The idea is now.

>> We'll be delivering.

Can avenue AIDS into different food ingredients like a chocolate covered strawberry with with can happen OIG's into it.

>> When finished, cannabis will include a dispensary cocktail bar and an outdoor area for food trucks.

Ross says there will also be an educational component to the store where people can learn about Kentucky's impact on the cannabis industry.

>> Kentucky IX, especially Lexington, is the him capital of the world.

And so we'll really be driving in that historical component.

>> Rao says cannabis will provide all natural and plant derived products, which she says differs from the Delta 8 products currently on the market.

But how can the store sell products creating a buzz for customers in Kentucky?

IM products with up to 3 tenths of a percent of THC.

Our legal in the capital.

>> We'll be taking a lot of this expertise and driving that into the beverages that will be serving as well.

So really creating if you we can bring you up, we can to bring you down or we can make you relax.

So that's the goal that we're going for.

>> The soft opening for cannabis is today for 20 a popular day.

Among cannabis enthusiast.

And tomorrow, April.

21, which routes were first to his hip day for Kentucky edition.

I'm Casey Parker Bell.

>> Thank you.

Casey Ross says cannabis plans to incorporate medical marijuana wants regulations have been sent by the state.

♪ ♪ They're almost 14,000 practicing lawyers in Kentucky.

But the state needs more according to the Kentucky Bar Association.

The says Kentucky has too many legal deserters areas where there are not enough attorneys to meet all the legal needs of its residents.

We visited a courthouse and one of those legal deserts to find out how a judge is making it work, even though she doesn't have a full bench of lawyers.

>> Now stationed on the use >> I used to joke and maybe that's not a joke that in 20 or 30 years, if you want an attorney in a rural area in western Kentucky, you're going to have to go to Bowling Green or Owensboro, Paducah, to get an attorney.

And that's just crazy.

But I think that's definitely where we're headed.

>> We several pockets eastern and western Kentucky where there are simply not enough for years to cover all the different roles in the court system and provide services.

And in many of those areas, plus others, the population of lawyers is aging and a lawyers are not coming into the area so those deserts can be expected to grow.

So not only is it a current problem, it's when we expect to get worse over the next 15 to 20 years without positive intervention.

We have a situation and across the nation and in Kentucky, 70% of litigate in civil cases on one side or the other.

Do not have a lawyer that gets worse in family court.

It's up to 80% and they represent So it's a huge problem on the civil side.

And it's one that civil legal aid simply cannot because of it.

Just the sheer volume and the constraints on their services.

They can't meet that to me.

>> Everything related to families to hear divorces custody, child support, paternity neglect or abuse at the options.

name changes anything related to family.

Some of the cases that I hear I have to point attorneys, private attorneys.

And we kind of have to go outside the circuit to find other attorneys to take those appointments because it's such a small number left in our circuit.

You don't just go to one courthouse and I do court all day like this.

That's not a thank.

You may be in several districts in counties actually moved one docket to accommodate many of my attorneys because they were having another county overlapping Mon and it was more convenient.

>> A lot of time dockets in different courts will be set at the same time.

And so I'll be juggling, OK, I need to be in Webster County on this afternoon.

Well, I also had to be in.

Henderson County at the same time.

And, you know, every now and then all just be double needing to be the same place in the same time.

Or even 3 places.

At the same time, scheduling is a problem because a lot of times with the same time, same time.

>> Judge Rogers is real flexible and Buchanan TN should let you reschedule and all the other judges are as well.

>> So they work very well because most all of them have had private practices before.

And so they understand the dilemma been scheduled in 3 different courts at one time.

So so they're very helpful, very flexible in us working around those scheduling conflict.

>> worse for 85.

It's more about just being mindful of the type of practice.

All of us all they half now and that letting them do their job, you know, not putting unrealistic expectations on these attorneys.

They're trying to manage multiple tried to maintain relationships with attorneys that show up in my circuit from outside the circuit and ask them if they'd be interested in appointments because the court is required to ensure access to justice and access to legal counsel.

If someone can't afford it.

And so I may have to reschedule to make sure that person get here.

You have a duty to represent your client to the best you can when people don't know what forms to file.

>> When the judge has to continue hearings because a litigant hasn't found appropriate things or needs to be talked Procedures were thoroughly would like to schedule.

It matters for final hearing.

Approximately 45 days.

>> It link those cases in dockets move more slowly.

If you're behind in one court, the Dhaka gets call your last year to get somewhere else.

>> That's probably the most difficult thing to work around because you could be billing.

But if you're just driving, you know, you can't transition really between clients as quickly as you could in a city.

It's just maybe more time to get things done.

>> KB a President Amy Cubbage says Zoom and other virtual technology are helping to expand access to legal services.

But there are limitations.

She adds that some court proceedings will always require an in-person appearance coming up tomorrow on Kentucky EDITION, we look at efforts to attract more lawyers to rule areas.

♪ ♪ In education.

News.

Now jobs for America's graduates.

Is it nationwide nonprofit that works to help students be successful after high school.

The Kentucky branch is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

It currently serves about 4,000 students statewide and has 69 programs and 40 different counties with the goal of expanding to every high school in Kentucky.

♪ >> Jack, Kentucky's a lot of first and foremost, we're a 501, C 3 nonprofit organization with the goal of serving Kentucky's most in the news in order for them to graduate in to be successful after which includes straight going straight to the workforce.

Want to trade school college or even the military?

We elective class in high school or middle school in this class.

You're taught competencies practices, that I related to leadership, a career development and job attainment and through those competency students become.

skilled in being able to.

We have clear communication how to interview for jobs, how to follow up and the process, how to work in teams and to be able to solve Within that team.

And with outside the team.

>> We're consistently looking for a way to fill our pipeline and really look for those students who are coming out of school that are ready, work ready and really excited about getting into the workforce.

So many of the Jags students come to us and they are already leveled up.

They're to a point that they understand what it means to be work, ready to be prepared for the workforce.

The biggest thing is the students really want to succeed.

They've just been sometimes dealt a bad hand or maybe they're in a with their family or >> other situations where they just can't get past where they're at.

So we try to help them through to graduation.

And then even one year after graduation, we do follow up making sure that they're still headed on the right path.

>> I was always an overachiever and academics always love to KET this straight days, but them I struggled a little bit in certain areas.

I've never felt comfortable with any teachers.

Until I joined the Jack program.

once enjoyed that felt very confident academics and everything I've done since then has improved a majorly academics were not very good.

I would say they were.

>> A lot of C's and D's.

But then when I joined JAG, I was does it give you a sense of purpose?

And then the real confidence.

But hey.

Other things to do besides school and then just work.

It's getting to have a solid foundation of what you want to in the community helping your community.

It is given me a chance to win the migraines.

Now I'm a straight a student JAG as out me to become me to become one with myself.

And the kind of goes I want to come, I'm committed to and I'm striving for.

>> I think it's really important for other business to business is to look at this and other industries to look at J.

And as a workforce pipeline, it's their future.

Open up your doors, be able to let the youth of Kentucky be able to see what it is.

You do and how important it is open up those doors for them.

And that was those stores that are opening will end up being your future workforce.

So it's an investment.

It's not a donation.

It's not just doing this or that it's an investment in your future and your company's future.

>> Jack, Kentucky has partnerships with 10 different organizations, including Toyota ATnT and the Kentucky Chamber.

Now, here's more education news.

About 13,000 students from across the state.

We're in Rupp Arena yesterday for the state stop competition.

Stop stands for student Technology leadership program.

Our Kelsey Starks was on the scene and has this report.

>> Thousands of students are in Rupp Arena to show off what they've been learning when it comes to technology in schools all across Kentucky.

♪ >> It isn't every day you see kids this excited about what they're learning.

But it's happening in nearly every school across the state.

>> Stop was sort of launched as a way to demonstrate effectiveness of getting computers and Internet into all the school.

And now 30 years later, it's in trouble.

It's everything that they do.

It's embedded in just like every aspect of learning.

>> It's a Department of Education program unique to Kentucky.

In fact, other states have tried to model programs like it since it started 3 decades ago.

A pivotal time for technology and Internet in schools.

>> We are the pioneer, a national leader in most aspects of educational toys, looking to get better.

conference like this helps us get better in the competition like this.

But this is something that Kentuckyian should be very proud of.

>> It includes everything from designing robots to mine craft graphic designs, creating new music or videos.

That's the technology part.

But leadership is just as important.

Most of the students have identified problems in their school or community and come up with a solution using technology.

>> One of our problems and our middle school was that too many people are thinking we have too many report.

We made a survey that you scan a QR code.

After a scan, it would take you to a new form and then it let others and they would go in.

And learned that everyone has like strengths and weaknesses.

I've my thanks was being the leader, but my other friends and Saudi or better at technology.

Our project is to help our Frist community, a commercial helping out other >> over $6,000, it just feels really good cause.

We just like helping out our school community other schools around us and for us to be helping our school and another school.

>> The future is bright and stop showcases that at Rupp Arena every year.

A venue fit to celebrate these students accomplishments.

>> This is the biggest state competition of any time.

Academics, sports clubs.

This is by far the biggest competition that's out there.

And I think it's obviously the most meaningful and immediate long term.

We want our students to be hyper competitive.

We want the Kentucky jobs that are available today.

We want Kentucky kids to fill those jobs.

And when our students come through our public schools.

>> They have the opportunity that the opportunity to do ♪ >> I feel and it's like I'm proud of myself.

My team.

Worked hard.

>> This is a great demonstration.

The added value of technology to the learning experience and and for superintendents and principals and parents to see it.

Community members.

It's a great demonstration of of the investment because of large investment in it.

And you want to see it adds value to experience.

And I think this demonstrates that it does.

>> For Kentucky edition, I'm Kelsey Starks.

Thank you.

Cal say the competition is open to all students and Kentucky.

Public Schools grades K through 12.

♪ ♪ Laurel County native and New York Times best-selling author Silas Houses.

Kentucky's next poet laureate Governor Andy Beshear made the announcement today.

House tweeted about the news saying, quote, As a writer who was raised working class and trailers as a questioning person of faith and as the first openly gay poet laureate, I will do my best to represent my place and my people houses written 7 books, his most recent is called Lark Ascending.

He won the 2023 Southern book Prize for that.

He's currently teaching at Berea College where he's chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities, Kentucky's poet laureate is a two-year term.

The honor was most recently awarded to Crystal Wilkinson.

Silas House will be recognized in the Kentucky Capitol on Monday, which is also Kentucky Riders Day.

And we have great interviews with both Silas House and Crystal Wilkinson on connections.

Go to K E T Dot Org.

Slash connections to see that.

It's always good to talk to a friend and one Kentucky College is putting that into practice tomorrow on Kentucky Edition see how peer counselors at Georgetown College are lending their ears to fellow students and getting some valuable skills and the process.

So we hope you'll join us tomorrow night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky Edition will also have inside Kentucky politics with former secretary of state Trey Grayson and former state treasurer Jonathan Miller.

So you want to tune in for that tomorrow.

In the meantime, subscribe to our weekly Kentucky Edition email newsletter and watch full episodes and clips at KET Dot Org.

>> You can also find us on the PBS video app and the mobile device and smart TV and send us a story idea and public affairs at KET Dot Org and of course, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Stay in the Loop.

Thank you so much for joining us.

And I'll see you right back here tomorrow night.

Take it there.

♪