♪ >> There's no greater compliment.

There's no greater responsibility that you can happen for a parent or guardian to look at you and say I trust you with my children.

>> Kentucky's new education commissioner offers his plan for improving schools across the Commonwealth.

That's ugly and repugnant.

And I think all of us can reject that.

The debate over whether a new Kentucky law helps or hurts the homeless.

>> For me, I just love coming up with a concept getting a drawn out and then just seeing it come to be.

>> Plus, we're celebrating a time honored tradition and method of storytelling in western Kentucky.

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

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

April, the THIRTIETH, I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you for winding down your Tuesday with us.

Some very good legal news today for former Kentucky secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes.

A Democrat Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd has rejected charges against Grimes from the Executive Branch Ethics Commission.

The Commission find Grimes $10,000 for ordering the downloading and distribution of voting registration data from her office for her personal benefit while she was secretary of state.

The commission accused her of misusing her access to the data.

According to the Lexington Herald-Leader Judge Shepard called the commission's charges, quote, arbitrary and without the support of substantial evidence.

He also says the commission didn't identify her actions were illegal or unethical.

The ruling means Grimes will not have to pay the $10,000 fine.

Last year the Kentucky state Senate passed a bill requiring the education commissioner to receive Senate confirmation after being selected by the state Board of Education earlier this month, senators confirmed Robbie Fletcher, a superintendent from eastern Kentucky where that almost unanimous stamp of approval and now he's talking about his education plan for Kentucky.

Our Clayton Dalton has that in tonight's Education Matters segment.

>> Kentucky's new education commissioner shared a recurring theme when discussing his approach to education.

>> Little of all students.

And although he's preparing to assume the role of the state education chief, he says moving further away from the classroom is difficult.

Leaving the classroom was the toughest decision I ever made.

>> Because you had that one on one day to day opportunity to make a difference in a child's life.

But each step that you take away from the classroom, we have an opportunity to decisions that will impact all students.

It become a principal.

You really impact that building has become the superintendent, of course, the district.

Yes, commissioner, our goal will be to make sure we make a positive impact on every child's life.

>> Put your takes the reins from Jason Glass.

Kentucky's previous education Commissioner Glass in the Legislature sparred over LGBTQ issues and whether teachers should have to respect a student's preferred pronouns.

I do.

I respect that.

>> Whether I agree with it or not, that's irrelevant.

But I try to make sure the student feels comfortable my classroom.

I want to love them regardless of what pronoun that they the pronouns, not nearly as important as am.

I showing that student respect and love.

>> We live and he says he's confident even when they disagree that he can work with Republican super majorities in both chambers.

What are your main?

This agree?

10, 15% of the time but we'll probably going to agree 80 to 90% of the time.

So having those open conversations, those open relationships.

>> Makes it a lot better to go to have those conversations.

>> He says he's not afraid to ask for more resources and more money for Kentucky teachers and students.

>> You'll see a lot of times in the next 2, 3, 4 years, maybe beyond advocating for resources.

But I want to make it very clear.

I'm very thankful for the investment that our legislators made already in our U.S. education system because it is an excellent education budget.

We hope that we can can it continue to do better.

And I look forward to that partnership.

So the partnership with the state legislature will be key and making sure all this happens.

>> As Fletcher transitions from a small school district in eastern Kentucky to managing education on a statewide level.

We'll have to work with Jefferson County Public schools and address problems facing the state's largest school district, which educates almost 100,000 kids.

He says his job is to support, not control.

>> We are an organization that assists districts.

So my approach would be to work with the super to polio off the bad to say, OK, these are the things that are coming down the pike.

How can we assist you as an agency to make sure one that maybe you have the right support as far as dad and numbers and again, they have a lot of great, great things going on.

JCPS also.

As an organization.

How can we help JCPS to better make those decisions?

But also to how do we make sure that we provide the same data to JCPS and we do to the state legislature.

>> And then but for our main role be, how do we assist make things better for JCPS knowledge Xps but all students.

>> Fletcher also shared his feelings on Universal Pre K a priority for Democratic Governor Andy Beshear.

>> I you can tell we're if we're if someone's really invested in something, is go back to look at what they did in their own district.

So now for about for give or take.

We've had universal Pre-K, Lawrence County, and that would be a priority as something to talk to the legislature about.

Also too.

>> For Kentucky edition, I'm Clayton Dalton.

>> Thank you.

Clayton Fletcher officially starts as education chief on July.

The first.

To Kentucky colleges have a new leaders, the Kentucky community and Technical College system named interim president at 2 of its campuses.

Todd brand will lead the college at Big Sandy and Patsy Jackson will serve southeast Kentucky community and technical college.

They bring with them more than 50 years of experience in higher education.

Kctcs President Ryan corals says both have deep roots in their communities.

Kctcs has 16 colleges across the state with an enrollment of more than 100,000 students each year.

To Kentucky.

Public schools are winning national recognition for thinking Green.

The Department of Education has named Arlington Elementary in Lexington and Robert de Johnson Elementary in Fort Thomas winners of the 2024 Green Ribbon Schools Award.

The schools were honored for reducing their environment, environmental impact and cost improving the health and wellness of students and staff and teaching about the environment and sustainability.

During the recent legislative session, the Kentucky General Assembly passed the Safer Kentucky Act and anti-crime bill that includes provisions banning so-called unlawful camping.

And that's prompting renewed debate over homelessness in Kentucky.

Homeless advocates are denouncing the fines and possible jail time for people with no place to go.

Supporters say the homeless will benefit from the new law.

We talked about all of that last night on Kentucky tonight and our panel talked about Johnson versus grants.

Pass a case just argued for the U.S. Supreme Court about a similar homeless law in Oregon City.

>> The city of Louisville spent $842,000 last year to clean up or remove these camps.

The city leaders said that this was a health issue.

People are just going to the bathroom anywhere.

They were cleaning up needles.

So when we talk about community, I mean, every I've not been to one again, I'm grateful that I'm not homeless and I think we should have compassion towards the homeless.

But is it not a better want to go back to this idea of having a designated area in the city?

sanitation would be provided.

There could be would be showers there be port-a-potties there.

Be policing to the homeless, the vulnerable unsheltered.

It says it does not make sense at a number of levels to allow people to camp out myself.

You any of us here to camp out wherever.

I don't think it's compassionate.

I don't think it's good public policy.

There's a safety issue of all this.

And then a an element to that as well.

I don't understand why it's a writer perceived to be right to camp anywhere you want in a public park or in a private entryway to business.

And I think that's when we need to talk about that.

I don't see how it's bad, how it's harmful to the unsheltered to have a designated area.

These are >> complex and it's difficult.

I think we can all agree with that these are these are really tough public policy questions that cities have to grapple with.

And that's why we need to look at holistic approaches.

And George kind of mentioned it doesn't make sense to spend $842,000 clearing camps instead of providing services.

And the other part is.

We are criminalizing homeless.

Isn't it kind of gets to the case?

Grants pass is because if you are unhoused unsheltered you have to sleep.

And the only place to sleep is the public.

And are we really going to cite someone and put them in the jail for that?

Because that is not compassion.

Not having empathy.

That is, you know, in grants, pass when they decided to do this, they had a community meeting and they're one of the city council members talked about doing this to make it is an uncomfortable as possible.

First homeless people to stay in our community.

They even talked about driving repeat offenders and dropping them off.

That's ugly and repugnant.

And I think all of us can reject that.

And this is it.

This is.

>> Homeless advocates have pointed out that most Kentucky counties, especially in rural areas, don't have homeless shelters at all.

So the homeless don't have the option to go into one that prompted this exchange last night.

>> I wonder steps tracking from all this is one of your argument, arguably sort of economically upside down.

Perhaps the reason that so many counties in Kentucky don't have any any active shelter programs because they don't need them.

And it might well be that that the problem of homelessness or unsheltered this use a different word in Louisville and Lexington as a function.

The fact that they're attractive places to be and a lot of people come to Lexington and Louisville.

We don't have a job.

You don't have a lot of money or have a job, but also don't make much money.

And where are we really solving the problem by spending an enormous amount of money to enable them to live in Louisville.

>> So it's like saying, you know, we live in downtown Manhattan, the 82% of people that we serve in Louisville, their last home address was in Kentucky.

So we're not seeing like a huge pipeline of people coming from Indianapolis where Cincinnati coming from rural Kentucky.

I think it's also much more dynamic situation, Paul, where, you know, I have a cousin who lives in all.

I'm gonna go.

They're hoping that I can kind of surf and find a job but things fall apart.

And then I end up saying an extended stay and then so I think there is a fluidity around it, especially like when you have an economic center like Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green >> there.

>> There's a lot you can learn from last night's discussion was very informative.

You can watch the full program.

Our live online on demand at K E T DOT Org.

Slash K why tonight?

April is autism awareness and acceptance month as it comes to a close, a big win for the autism community in the Bowling Green area.

This legislative session, the General Assembly awarded Life works at WKU 4.4 million dollars.

A special ceremony in check presentation was held this morning to celebrate.

LifeLock says a two-year living and learning program for young adults on the autism spectrum it helps them learn independent, living skills and find good jobs.

Wife works says the national employment rate for autistic adults is just 15%.

But for their program.

Participants, it's 90%.

>> You find that as they're working with these folks, they're incredibly bright.

so as they gain the skills, I think you're going to find more companies reaching out to them in supporting the program, wanting to have graduates from the program working in their company.

We've got more than 100,000.

>> Children and adults on the autism spectrum in Kentucky alone with the one to 36 ratio.

We have an epidemic and programs like this create an opportunity for those who have the ability and the interest and the drive and the intention to learn and do more to be more productive, not to necessarily be at home, not to necessarily stay and have to play video games or live in the apartments with their families for the rest are life.

They can be independent.

They can decide on where they live.

They can find >> Exciting to them and productive for them.

>> The funding will support operating costs and scholarships and the development of a day program that will help more people on the autism spectrum prepare for a successful career.

♪ ♪ >> Pike County firefighter recovers after being burned in a wildfire last Thursday.

>> Zach Garland was helping fight a wildfire when the fire shifted trapping him.

He suffered second and third-degree burns and was flown to a Huntington West Virginia hospital.

He's in stable condition.

Governor Andy Beshear posted this yesterday, quote, joined Brittany and me and saying prayers for a swift recovery to Team Kentucky firefighter Zach Garland, who was injured last week while battling a wildfire in Pike County.

Your bravery while protecting our Commonwealth is nothing short of heroic end quote.

Kentucky used to be first or second in the country for the percentage of people who smoke not anymore.

And Kentucky is getting money to plug abandoned oil wells.

Our Toby Gibbs has the details.

And this look at headlines around Kentucky.

♪ >> Kentucky ranks 4th in the country for adult smoking rates that are continuously ranking first or second in previous years.

The Richmond Register reports the rate for 2022.

Is 17.4%, according to figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

Kentucky ties with Mississippi for the 4th highest smoking rate.

Both states are behind West Virginia.

21%, Arkansas at 18.7% and Tennessee at 18.5%.

Amanda Fallin-bennett with the Kentucky Center for Smoke-Free policy says it could be because Kentuckyian said good access to treatment programs and because of increases in the use of alternative tobacco products.

Bct save will be offering the U.S. Department of Education's prison Education program starting this fall.

The Advocate Messenger reports Bct Sea has received approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to offer educational programs at North Point Training Center in Bergen and Blackburn Correctional Complex in Lexington.

The Ttc is seeking approval from the Department of Education to allow students to utilize financial aid to fund the program.

Enrollment in post-secondary education programs has reduced inmates risk of returning to prison by 28%.

Kentucky is receiving 25 million dollars from the federal government to plug about 550 abadan oil and gas wells.

The Winchester Sun reports the Department of the Interior recently announced the awarding of 36.9 million dollars to President Biden's investing in America.

Agenda for Kentucky, Mississippi and Missouri.

The cleanup of legacy pollution.

The wells are polluting backyards recreation areas and community spaces across the country.

Officials will measure methane emissions from orphaned oil and gas wells screen for groundwater and surface water impacts and seek to prioritize cleaning up wells near disadvantaged communities.

We previously reported that last year Kentucky received a 22 million dollar federal grant to plug the wells which led to more than 600 wells being plugged in 27 counties.

Eastern Kentucky University reached its highest retention rate in history.

At 79.0, 6, 2%, according to the Sentinel, Echo that from fall of 2022 to fall of 2023 BK.

You had more than 15,000 students for the fall.

2023 semester to increase enrollment expanded its booksmart Free textbook initiative created and engaging campus environment with the exceptional Eastern experience and enhance student services.

Earlier this year, the Kentucky Council on post-secondary Education announced that Kentucky boasted the highest fall to fall total enrollment gains in the country for 2024.

With headlines around Kentucky, I'm told begins.

♪ >> As the home to some beautiful lakes, western Kentucky is known for water, recreation with Paducah being a UNESCO, creative city for crafts and folk art it's also known for our history and storytelling, which was recently on why display our Laura Rodgers takes us to quit week.

>> Wow, there are some really amazing.

Well, so many styles and techniques.

Tens of thousands of people gathering in Paducah for a Q S quilt week or celebrating our 40th anniversary this week.

Bunny Browning is the outgoing executive director.

This is my last show.

She's written 13 books on building and has seen a lot of change over the years from quilts.

Only stitched by hand to the introduction of machine quilting.

>> Because clipping.

We're living and I've done it for the last 25 years.

Angela McCorkle traveled with friends from Central Texas to be here.

What's not to enjoy everything that piecing the quilting that history, there are nearly 300 quilts and the exhibit in addition to 400 contest, welts each one telling a story I think the Colts are as individual as the people who create them.

I think you leave a little bit of yourself and each of the quilt you make.

Michelle Renee Hyatt is the incoming executive director QS.

She's been quoting almost her whole life.

I grew up with a grandmother who quilted soon as I could touch the foot pedal.

I was cool thing.

She would go on to become an instructor and designer before her new role at the helm of the American Quilter's Society.

They value the filter and are very interested in the industry.

That is evident here at Quilt Week home to award-winning quilts workshops and lectures and special exhibits from all over the world, including Ukraine.

Those are quotes that were made during the blackout periods where there was no electricity or heat.

Some of the quilts woman with strong, you'll see nothing like it.

I've not seen anything like it and closer to home.

Now those made by students at Park Elementary School in Paducah, the art teacher challenge her students in each of her class.

>> To create a block that represented them representing this being an election year quilts for every U.S. president.

And that's the collection from Sue, right?

She's out of New England.

Paducah is also home to the National Quilt Museum.

Another popular destination for those in town for Quilt Week.

I traveled to the good to I could actually which is an exhibit here at the museum that.

>> Well, it was a finalist in the museum's contest, new quilts for an old favorite roaring 20's instantly.

My mind went to the price of building its or deco jostling Hannon is originally from Minnesota, but now lives in the Netherlands was really inspired by the call to saw.

It's amazing to see the different colors, different ideas.

So many people from all over the world are represented there.

All of these guests and visitors, a big advantage for Western Kentucky.

This show brings in millions of dollars in economic impact for Browning.

It all comes full circle.

I actually entered a quilt in the 1986 show here at the new good one 3rd place.

And upon retirement, she hopes to again enter a contest quilts and enjoy the fruits of her labor.

>> As so many others do, it's just fun.

It's the thing that makes me hope.

>> More Kentucky edition.

I'm Laura Rogers.

Thank you, Laura official.

Attendance numbers aren't available yet, but they were expecting more than 30,000 people.

>> The American Quilter's Society also host yearly shows in Daytona Beach, Florida Branson, Missouri, Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

♪ ♪ We're just 4 days away from the 100 and 50th running of the Kentucky Derby.

One horse is already out.

Trainer Brad Cox as is out with a soft tissue strain in his right front leg and say No is the Lexington Stakes winner.

His odds were 20 to one with Encino out Epic Ride joins the 20 horse field for Saturday.

One of the longest traditions leading up to the Derby is the great Steamboat Race.

The Belle of Louisville won the race last year as our Christine Dobbyn reports, the Steamboat story dates back more than 100 years.

>> Before the fastest 2 minutes in sports is a 2 hour long riverboat rivalry that's become as much of a Louisville tradition as the Belle of Louisville herself.

♪ >> First great Steamboat race was held in 1963, but the history of the bell begins long before that the Steamboat was originally launched in 1914, with the name Idlewild.

>> It was originally a packet boat and ferried so packet that would have been transporting cargo.

So she's had all kinds of things on boarding thing to put on a steamboat pretty much been on board.

>> Eventually, travelers loaded the Idyllwild for leisure and excursion cruises in 1947. the riverboat was sold and renamed the Avalon during the Avalon years, the passenger cruiser went on to cover many river miles.

>> So she is a very well traveled and he's probably for the last out 40 passengers and more towns, more cities, small villages, which along the way that any of the vote, Western rivers.

>> But the Avalon ended up in troubled waters in 1962.

The Steamer was on the auction block in Cincinnati.

Jefferson County Judge Executive Marlow Cook purchased the Steamboat for the county for $34,000 and renamed it the Belle of Louisville.

>> At the time the purchase wasn't the most popular decision.

>> A lot of people were upset from what I understand that.

I just want to let it go.

But I do know.

>> Cook needed to find a way to change public opinion about the bell and raise more money to make repairs and restore the steamboat.

So the idea of the great Steamboat race was born.

However, it was tricky to pull lost.

They couldn't quite get her fully up to post arts and it's for a license.

>> So they ended up getting cleared for just one crews.

And that was the first great Steamboat race in 1963.

>> Bell was so.

Lay down, getting up to river with passengers that and just to hear their operational issues.

Good to go.

that have the belt was making a turn.

What happened here in the 6 Mile Island, the Delta Queen.

What's crossing the finish line?

The bill comes back from across his face and there's a huge >> He barely made it through the courtesy, made it but barely.

>> They say that that that term a lot of people were some sort of wondering about vote.

Should the county of going out?

It bought the boat with taxpayers?

But what we can do We played the old Gray mare which reached.

They say that that's captured the hearts of the people.

Hey, this is so special.

>> So special that the Belle of Louisville is now a national historic landmark in the oldest river steamboat in Operation Worth far more than $34,000.

>> It's a crisis that that is just crisis.

He was okay.

>> The Belle of Louisville has lived many lives in her 110 years and has much more life ahead of her to KET her rolling on down the river.

♪ >> Thank you so much, Kristie.

The great Steamboat race is tomorrow night.

The winner will be awarded a pair of coveted silver antlers tomorrow.

We'll show you an unlikely partnership between bourbon and ballet.

>> Ballerina story starts at the bar.

Bourbon ends at the bar.

>> True stories.

See the art that brought these 2 things together tomorrow night on Kentucky edition, which we hope you'll tune in again to see again at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central.

We inform connect and inspire.

KET in touch with us through our e-mail newsletters and watch full episodes and clips of K E T Dot Org.

You can also find us on the PBS video app.

Send us a story idea to address on your screen and also follow Kit KET on Facebook X, formerly known as Twitter and Instagram to stay in the Loop.

I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you so much for watching tonight.

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

Take good care.

♪