♪ >> We are seeing fewer applications than we would normally at this point in time.

>> Some hurdles when it comes to applying for college financial aid will tell you how to get the help you need to navigate the process.

>> In Louisville, the daily measures for those and smog and particle pollution for that matter have worsened.

The new pollution reports.

That's not exactly a breath of fresh air for Kentucky's largest city.

>> No, I'm talking should never wake up.

The thing could not receive the best care for the worst of times close to home.

>> The University of Kentucky breaks ground on a groundbreaking new health care facility.

>> What's the most transformational project and in Churchill Downs and at least 20 years.

>> And we're taking you to the new 200 million Dollar Paddock.

>> At the world's most famous race track.

>> Production of Kentucky edition is made possible in part by the KU Team Millennium Fund.

♪ ♪ >> Good evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION for this Thursday.

April 25th, I'm Laura Rogers filling in for Renee Shaw.

Thank you so much for joining us.

The school year will soon come to an end and for high school, seniors planning for college.

It's time to submit the free application for federal student Aid or FAFSA.

But there are some glitches and delays to be aware of this year.

More in tonight's Education Matters segment.

>> We recommend all students who are college bound complete the FAFSA, but it's the way that they access federal student aid, state student aid and even some But there are some challenges to the application process this year due to a rollout of changes outlined by that.

That's a simplification act.

They've really tried to make the process as simple as possible.

It will just take some time to work out.

The kinks is a signature glitch.

We are it will submit before it captures both signatures of the parents and students.

There are glitches in terms of >> people not seeing their FAFSA submissions summary.

So they're not seen that.

It's definitely been submitted that they have a student aid index adding to the technical issues.

The application opening was delayed from October.

First to the end of December, we're working on a compressed timeline and we're working with the process that is new to both students and families as well as those of us who work in the college access space that help students and families.

>> Even institutions, it's new for everyone.

So it's been a bit of a learning process.

Kia says passes admissions are down.

36% in Kentucky, 150,000 have been submitted so far in the state and 4.7 million nationwide.

But only 1.7 of those are marked as complete.

And so that tells us right there that there are glitches across the board.

Some institutions haven't been able to inform students yet of how they're eligible for.

>> Because there's processing delays on the back in 2.

That's all temporary.

This all will eventually go away.

>> The good news is as the system glitches are ironed out to the new form aims to make the process easier and faster and by and large, they're good changes.

There are changes that increase eligibility to more families, which is always a good thing.

>> And it's really an intuitive experience.

When you're on the FAFSA form and you're filling it out the way it captures your income data, it doesn't take as much time as it used to take.

They are able to pull their federal tax information and directly from the IRS key offers outreach services to help families struggling with the process.

There are 13 counselors across the state ready and willing to help.

You can find your local outreach counselor on key dot com and you can reach out to them.

They'll help you virtually they will come to you.

They will meet you at a library and they can book an appointment to really sit down and walk you through all of the issues that you're having.

They stress that students not be deterred by the changes and to take steps to fill out the FAFSA as soon as possible.

We wouldn't want anybody to put their post-secondary plans on hold just because there been some hiccups this year.

We do see that there's a light at the end of the town.

That form is getting easier.

And the knowledge is there.

>> Now Kia says there's no deadline, but you are encouraged to complete your FAFSA as soon as possible.

And there are many resources to help you do so.

And that includes college financial aid 2024, which you can watch right now on K E T DOT Org here.

Experts from Kentucky colleges and universities provide practical information about applying for financial aid.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Clean up or shut down.

That is the new role for coal-fired power plants announced today by the Environmental Protection Agency.

It means coal plants that plan on staying open beyond 2039, would have to cut or capture 90% of their carbon dioxide emissions by the year 2032, the role was among 4 separate measures targeting coal and natural gas plants that the EPA says well and courage.

The power industry to transition to a clean energy economy.

This marks the first time the federal government has restricted carbon dioxide emissions from existing coal-fired power plants.

We reached out to the Kentucky Coal Association for comment.

We've not heard back, but U.S.

Congressman Brett Guthrie of Kentucky is slamming Pa's announcement.

In a statement he said the Biden administration is continuing its quote, war on American-made energy.

He went on to say the decision, quote, blatantly ignores the importance coal and other fossil fuels play in helping to provide reliable and affordable sources of energy.

According to a federal report, Kentucky led the nation in coal-fired power plant retirements in 2020 just last year.

The Public Service Commission approved the retirement of 2 coal generation units in Louisville this year.

State lawmakers overrode Governor Andy Beshear's veto of Senate Bill 3.49, which creates a new state commission to evaluate request to retire coal-fired power plants.

The commission must submit its findings to the PSC, which still has the ultimate say.

A new report may have people and Louisville thinking twice before taking a deep breath, according to the American Lung Association's state of the Air report, the air quality in Louisville is getting worse, but it's an increase in a certain type of air pollution in the city that is causing concern.

>> In Kentucky.

19% of residents live in areas with unhealthy air.

And that's 870 1000 people.

But we rank 39th the worst.

Who are pollution and 64th worst or particle pollution as well.

In Louisville, the daily measures for ozone smog and particle pollution for that matter have the particle pollution measures both long-term and short-term place.

The metro area and the 3rd worst in the Midland states region which we define as Kentucky and Tennessee, Michigan and Ohio particle pollution.

Adam can cause lung cancer, for example.

And we know Kentucky it struck.

But with lung cancer, ranking among the worst states in the nation, 4 incidents as well as former Tele TV, both ozone and particle pollution can cause.

Premature death and other serious health effects like asthma attacks.

Heart attacks and stroke in pre-term birds, even impaired cognitive function later in life.

So.

Both are are causes of respiratory disease and death.

We made huge progress over the years as a result of the Clean Air Act.

But that some of that progress is getting erased by climate change.

And the good news is that EPA finalize new air pollution rules that will help clean up particle pollution and will help to address climate change.

And so this we can celebrate there's work that we can do as individuals.

So was so, for example.

The Lung Association is urging the Environmental Protection Agency to set long overdue, stronger national limits on ozone pollution.

And that would benefit.

>> Our air quality here in the metro area, stronger limits would help people to.

>> You know, protect themselves and to drive cleanup of pollution.

Sources here and all across the country.

>> Other ways the American Lung Association says people can help reduce air pollution, taking advantage of tax incentives to reduce emissions from their vehicles and support efforts to strengthen environmental Protection Agency limits on air pollution.

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg presented his priorities for the next fiscal year.

He says his 1.1 billion dollar budget would help Louisville Younes survive and drive.

>> Because from the very earliest days of my campaign.

Last weekend, that thunder over Louisville.

Folks have told me that they are focused on the same set of priorities.

Improving public safety.

Expanding economic development.

Increasing the amount of affordable housing and reducing homelessness.

Strengthening education.

Providing basic government services like paving trash pickup, clean up our streets and our public spaces.

And improving everyone's quality of life by investing in parks and libraries.

The 1.1 billion dollar budget proposal that I'm submitting to you today focuses on meeting those needs making progress on those priorities and investing in the people who serve our community.

Because that's what the people of Louisville expect.

All of us to do.

He can when we have some very tough choices to make.

And we do.

There are a lots of reasonable and perfectly valid ways that we can invest.

The limited resources we have.

But everything can't be a top priority.

Because of everything is a priority.

Then nothing is a priority.

>> Mayer Greenberg says his proposed budget would help build a new affordable housing units.

Jump start a new pre kindergarten program for low-income parents repair streets and raise wages for city employees, Louisville's Police Department to get the biggest share of the 1.1 billion dollar budget.

The mayor presented his budget to Louisville Metro Council members this afternoon.

The council will tweak and sign off on the budget by July.

1st.

Tuesday, the U.S. Senate passed and President Biden signed a 95 billion dollar foreign aid package.

That includes 61 billion dollars for Ukraine in its fight against Russia.

U.S.

Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, a critic of U.S. aid to Ukraine says that's just the beginning.

Here's what Senator Paul said on social media.

Quote, the ink isn't even dry on the 61 billion dollar foreign aid to Ukraine and big spenders are already planning more.

A Republican congressional aide said the U.S. will begin putting together a new funding request for Ukraine in September and for it to come to Congress and the lame duck session, unquote.

Last year, the marquee Cancer Center at the University of Kentucky became the first and only comprehensive cancer center in the state.

This new status means patients at marquee connects as new drugs.

Better treatment options and select clinical trial stud a UK health care took another step toward reducing the cancer burden in Kentucky, a new cancer center is breaking ground at the University of Kentuckyian it will house all the medical specialties cancer patients might need.

And one place.

>> Today we celebrate another significant step for serving the people of Kentucky, the groundbreaking of educate cancer.

I think things are going toward building.

This space.

This is not just another building in our rapidly campus.

It represents our commitment.

The patient experience.

And for flex our call it not only provide can talk and it's one of the best public skate.

But it sure we're making that care more accessible.

No, I'm talking should never wake up.

War that they could not receive the best of care.

The worst of times close to home.

>> You know, you've made a difference.

You know, you make a difference for, but, you know, you've made the one year.

It goes on the pillow at night.

You know, somebody has lost a little bit that and that's what this means.

Is that there will be a lot of people's lives will be better for the more students.

You know, the problem with them.

Additional research that can happen here.

The lawsuit will touch outside of this area.

What is the cause >> The new cancer center will also house other services like urgent care imaging services and a physical rehabilitation.

The $781 project is expected to be completed and 2027.

♪ David and Goliath.

You're about to hear someone use that comparison while talking about big tobacco versus health care advocates trying to KET Kentuckians healthier by cutting down or cutting out tobacco use and experts at this week's Kentucky Tobacco Control Conference in Lexington say minorities and young people in particular are at a higher risk of being targeted by tobacco companies.

>> We are outspent 17 to one, at least 17 to one by the tobacco industry's so the vector here, the cause of disease, frankly, is the tobacco companies, the tobacco industry, not necessarily the farmers, but the tobacco companies are still a challenge.

And based its a David and Goliath story, I always say that a big thing is advertising and also the placement of their products.

So think about when you go into a gas station, you see all of >> the vapors or the cigarettes right next to candy and things like that right at the checkout.

You know, if you go to Wal-Mart or target as you're walking through the checkout, you see doesn't the candies and things like that.

You're more times to buy it.

Tobacco companies tried to do the same thing with their products.

More towards the cash register area at a gas station and things like that.

And they also have a lot of clusters of the tobacco retail areas in minority communities as well to put a lot more of those retail stores in those minority communities.

Like if you think about different areas like even in Lexington, can you drive around and see that in minority communities?

There are a lot more those gas stations or tobacco retail shops that sell these products to people, tobacco companies.

>> No, that to sell their products.

They have to make a pivot and they have they've pivoted to these novel products.

And so that continues to be a challenge for young people.

You and and adults, quite frankly, making sure we have law enforcement going into these gas stations to compliance checks, make sure people are selling to underage.

>> People because obviously not a backup products up.

21 to purchase, but a lot of times, especially in Kentucky, people under the age of 21 are able to purchase these products have no problem.

One thing we focus on is youth vaping and e-cigarette use in high schools and middle schools.

Specifically of those students are heavily targeted using social media.

A lot of these big companies well use, you know, Instagram and post on Instagram, things like that to target used to even make their vapes look like, you know, highlighters are things that school age students would be really interested in.

So, yeah, a big trend right now, especially for youth is vaping and e-cigarette use.

And that's what we try to prevent.

Vapes are led by big tobacco.

That same industry that had cigarettes popular is the same industry.

The same big companies like Altria and things like that that are using vapes and they're doing the same targeting tactics that they are with youth.

We do have drastically higher rates than the national average, especially with our high school students.

You know, nationally vaping, is it?

It's still a concern.

But the numbers are overly high.

But in Kentucky, we are much higher than the national average because, you know, we were to back of state.

We were big tobacco producer.

Those tobacco companies know to target Kentuckians that, you know, here we thought all this money, millions and millions of dollars being spent.

>> Promoting tobacco products in Kentucky.

And we're only spending to know at least 2 million a year in tobacco prevention and cessation.

So we have got to step up our game in Kentucky.

We've got to spend.

We've got to invest and what we know works to help people quit and not start.

>> And thanks to the work of advocacy groups, roughly 35% of Kentucky adults are covered by smoke-free workplace law.

It's.

In 2023.

The Kentucky General Assembly legalized medical cannabis for qualifying patients starting in January of 2025. this year lawmakers passed House Bill 8.29.

That bill speeds up the process for businesses that want licenses to sell medical cannabis.

The goal is to make sure they're ready to go when medical cannabis becomes legal in January.

On Monday's Kentucky tonight, our panel of lawmakers talked about medical cannabis and the pros and cons of the new legislation.

>> This bill live we did pass.

Here's was tighten up the dispensing part of that not necessarily be on every corner of every street in in all our communities.

So I like that part of be off with that, which was step a little further and provided the pharmacy in there as well because it is medical cannabis.

And so obviously that part of it didn't go through.

But, you know, like Senator Wheeler said, you know, things, whatever we it's important to make sure that we help our families provide them the tools and obviously this part of that would be you be good for.

>> shared many of the concerns that were voiced that initially the bill was going to be a way to create barriers to people accessing medical cannabis.

We know that medical cannabis is very popular.

Kentuckians are in favor of it, quite frankly, took us too long to pass it.

But now we have passed it.

I was worried that we're taking a step back.

I was really glad to see quite frankly, a lot of constituents people across the commonwealth said, hey, hey, hey, we think that we're headed in the right direction.

Please don't take us down a different path.

And at the end of the day, I think the final bill is something that we could all live with.

>> See more of our discussion about the 2024 Kentucky General Assembly, including talk about the budget, the anti crime bill and more online on-demand at KET Dot Org.

Slash K why tonight?

Kentucky hasn't executed a prison inmate since 2008, 2 years after that in 2010, Judge Phillip Shepherd, a Franklin County blocked executions in Kentucky, citing several reasons there's a new push to bring back the death penalty.

And March Attorneys General Russel Coleman filed a motion saying new regulations address the problems in Judge Shepherds injunction after a hearing today, Coleman released a statement.

Quote, It's finally time to deliver justice for victims and their families.

Our office argued to end the courts 15 year ban because of our commitment to Kentucky's law and the pursuit of justice.

We hope the court gives victims families the closure they have been promised for so long unquote.

A longtime member of the Kentucky General Assembly from Southern Kentucky has died.

Charles Siler served in the Kentucky House from 1985.

To 90, 90 and then again from 1995, to 2011 representing Whitley and Laurel counties.

He was a Republican Seiler, was also a veteran of the United States Army rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel and serving in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

He died Tuesday at the age of 94, Kentucky.

Speaker of the House David Osborne pay tribute to Siler.

Here's part of his statement.

He served our nation with great distinction with a military career that included every major military event of the last half of the 20th century.

That career spanned World War.

2, the Korean War, the Cold War.

And Reverend Martin Luther King's March on Montgomery only served throughout the world and was heavily decorated.

Charlie was as humble about his service as he was proud of his Kentucky roots, unquote.

♪ For 2 years.

The paddock at Churchill Downs has been undergoing a huge 200 million dollar renovation.

And now it is finally ready >> just in time for the 100 50th Kentucky Derby.

>> To me, it's the crowning project.

It's the most transformational project in the.

And Churchill Downs and at least 20 years, right.

When you walk through the gates, you know, you're able to see horses settled in the paddock.

And they're beneath the stars.

Twinspires with the twin Spires are like a the McDonald's them or the Nike swoosh.

It's our signature.

The old Paddock was about 50.

5.

I think it's 5100 square feet.

And, you know, this panic now is 12,000 Square feet.

So that's much more spacious can accommodate more guests with inside the paddock.

It's important today, you know, for Oaks and derby know you have 20 horses in the game is get ownerships that are, you know, part syndicated partnerships and you're trying to make everybody happy, get him into the paddock so they can see there or settle.

Now we've got the room so it's that's, you know, very satisfied.

You know, the paddock is the heartbeat of any race track across the country.

Fans love to congregate there you we have a program to grab a drink.

We might smoke a cigar.

You reunite with old friends.

You see the horses, you know, up close and personal, get their equipment on the jockeys come down to get mounted.

They do their lap.

People love hanging in the paddock and you don't have to leave his past with the 2 giant video boards that we the electronic video above the stalls.

Little identify horse and their odds of the jockey and a trainer when it's all we believe got it all.

When we announced the project 2 years ago.

>> And revealed the renderings.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve asked my son who's won more races and North America than any other train.

He sent me a text message and he said long shop.

You still have the world's greatest paddock?

No, you guys out.

>> The new Paddock added more than 3600 all inclusive seats.

And 2 new premium clubs.

And this year marks 150 years of the Kentucky Derby and many of the traditions we've come to know and love date.

Back to that very first Derby.

And yes, that includes the hats.

Kelsey Starks takes us to Louisville, Kentucky Derby Museum to explore the history behind what may be the Derby's most iconic tradition.

>> If you think fashionable ladies ensemble or even a fashionable man's ensemble in the 18 70's 18 80's.

I was just an understood part of the fashionable ensemble.

Really fashion official was there from the very beginning.

>> When the very first Kentucky Derby ran in 18.

75 wearing a hat to the races or to any event was commonplace.

But the idea to make the Kentucky Derby a high fashion event was intentional from the beginning.

Louis and Mary Clark and visited Europe.

>> Ahead of founding the Louisville Jockey Club, which is what Churchill Downs used to be called they traveled through England to see the Epsom Derby.

They travel to France to go to long show up.

And basically those were rail bird runways.

Those are places new fashions were literally being introduced at racetracks there in Europe.

And they wanted to cultivate that elegance and that beauty and of that style into their race track.

>> It wasn't until the 1960's and 70's when that every day have that fell out of fashion.

And that's when the Kentucky Derby tradition doubled down and became even more elaborate.

>> But another big part of it is the media.

So as media coverage increased at Churchill Downs on Derby Day.

You really want to the Courier Journal to be taking a photo of you and say I got to get that in the row to grab your door I want to put you on television.

And so you're starting to come to the racetrack and sings that help you be seen in this sea of people always gets Kentucky Derby.

It's all about the hat.

So I love iconic movie had its and rose is one I've always wanted to try to replicate.

>> A place to see and do.

>> Be seen.

And so it remains to this day.

The Kentucky Derby wouldn't be the same without a good >> And of course, the run for the Roses a week from Saturday.

You can find out more about all of the traditions behind the Kentucky Derby on this Sunday's end side.

Louisville at noon 11 central right here on KET.

Hope that you'll join us back here again tomorrow night for Kentucky.

Addition, we inform connect and Inspire.

Thanks so much for joining us and have a good evening.

♪