>> Schools are safer today than they were in 2018.

>> Some Kentucky students head back to class as the debate continues over the best way to KET them safe.

The >> Jefferson County superintendent greet students in person and meet a teacher who goes the extra mile.

>> Being able to do.

The thing I can imagine the fun part.

>> And this Kentucky sculptor says Bigfoot is a big deal.

>> 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 Wednesday, August, the 10th, I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you for spending some of your evening with us.

>> As Kentucky gets more rain, the flooding death toll remains on changed.

It is still 38 dead from the floods that began July 26th.

A flood watch remains in effect for eastern Kentucky.

Senators Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul continued their tours of the region today after President Biden was in Kentucky on Monday.

And Governor Andy Beshear visited Letcher County people across the state have been donating to the flood relief effort yesterday the governor discussed one thing that isn't needed right now.

>> Do not donate clothing at this point.

It's taking up so much space.

It's pushing other things out.

Emergency shelters and distribution points.

Every single group we've talked to says they do not need any additional clothing.

Police focus on monetary donations through trusted funds.

>> Relief workers in May on say people can also donate cleaning supplies, but also their time.

What they say is needed most right now.

Let's hope and the assurance that those in eastern Kentucky will not be forgotten.

>> My mom who lost her hails, my local lost everything in mind.

A few else.

Most of his belongings, I would say.

70% of our community has been flooded in one way or another.

If it wasn't the water that came rushing in its the much fight off the mountains.

>> And the the water coming out, the haulers that have just watched people out truly be of cool.

One family has nowhere to go at the moment and going out these communities and norm people that you've known for years and seeing kids from the school that don't Hales, it's heartbreaking.

That's real emotional Mets.

Well, we've reached that would go anywhere in the county just coast.

>> These are our people and we love these people.

Dearly.

>> Last week we were just trying to get people say, well, I with food and water this week.

I'm calling the face to the to dig out.

So we need shovel straight and shovels.

We need hand axes and chainsaws.

Sweethearts need rubber gloves.

When you hire rubber boots, FOX fans, people need that to air out their homes.

We're entering into dog days we need help.

I had little 92 year old lady that was here just a moment ago and her husband to 96.

And she took me by the hand and asked me if somebody could come and help them because she said we just can't do it anymore.

And so we were just we just need we need help.

We need boots on the ground.

New people to help them coming in.

And I help these people to get out of the 12 to 18 inches of mud.

That and more >> Closed communities is hailed as a Louis people from away from here, West New Jersey, all over our biggest help.

His ban from our surrounding counties and just drives.

And I mean, literally drives of people coming in just saying, what can we do to help?

That's the character is a bit of a pledge from people like you help your neighbor.

If Miles is messed up, I'm still going to come over and help with yours because that's just what we do.

We're trying to dig out now next week.

Maybe we're going to have to start rebuilding these people's homes and their lives.

Help is what we need.

The hope that someone that we haven't been forgotten.

Eastern Kentucky gets forgotten.

Watch.

And people don't need to forget a week from now that these people are still hurting.

Those still living under trees are still living under bridges are still living under their porches just to live in and the trucks.

>> We have cereal topping know people think well, Steuben bar foot.

These people are smart and they're very resilient and and they give you the shirt off your back.

Just to help you out.

We can rise up from the ashes and >> bill back, we've been putting up signs everywhere, rise up, rise up, rise up.

We will.

>> And rise up.

They will.

We visited Perry County in the town of Che V's where a local church is helping provide relief to those affected by the catastrophic flooding.

Volunteers are accepting an organizing donations and the church has been transformed into a shelter for displaced families.

>> They were homeless being rescued by helicopter homes gone.

Churches gone.

Bridge is gone.

>> The die in the second.

I would where people were coming in and the had been rescued.

They've been taken to the airport and then transported here.

>> I-79 and head to toe in.

But now she's now dogs.

A lot of them didn't even have clothes that properly fit.

I were covered just hungry, just ready for a place to kind of sit down and get something just tell their story.

People that lost their their home completely.

People that have announced they would come in at not.

They go out in the night searching for their loved one.

We've had one point.

>> 25300 people have actually come through the shelter, you know, in and out some of when home and come back.

And so right now we've got about 62 in the shelter, that of state here.

We had a we had a little baby, a month old rescue helicopter headline here.

94 years old rescued by helicopter.

She came in your barefooted.

No socks.

No, no, nothing.

It's a it's a tough time.

But what we're we're we're strong people.

>> I've learned a lot about our about other people around the state and other sites that have just chipped in to help us here it spanned.

I'm just a recovery system that we've got.

>> We've seen people from other counties around and other states around bring in of supplies and things that we need to help people try to get back on their feet.

And if you've been around the mountains much, you'll see that there's a lot of people that take care of each other.

Most of us are without water and stuff in our home for sale.

And there's a lot of people, you know, that are that that lost everything that I've been here through this line, bringing things to give away to people who don't have anything.

>> I think we're doing a good job here at providing their short-term aides.

But the the folks here going to have a lot of long-term names that were won 8 help with, you know, in the next weeks and months to come.

I'm sure, you know, they're they're places.

Sully is most of them here have nowhere to go, but thankful to be able to be part of.

>> To help the people needs.

I just like to thank everybody that sailed and just appreciate the manpower, the supplies, the money donations.

>> And just the prayers, just everything people stone for us here in the mountains.

>> Also in Perry County and off the court assist from the E K you men's basketball team.

The colonel spent some time in Hazard yesterday helping to sort donations at a center for flood victims.

W Hamilton told Wy Mt.

That it's important for the team to do this since so many players and staff members call Eastern Kentucky home.

Way to go kernels.

It is the first day of school and some Kentucky public school systems, including the 2 largest Jefferson and Fayette counties.

As of August.

First, all Kentucky school campuses were supposed to have a school resource officer or in order KET to KET students safer.

That's after the Kentucky General Assembly passed House Bill 63 earlier this year.

Not all schools have sorrows because the General Assembly didn't allocate money for them.

The day the law went into effect.

We talked about it on Kentucky tonight.

Chris Barrier chief of police for the Montgomery County School System praised SR rose as an effective tool in reducing school shootings.

>> With the school Safety Resiliency Act requiring a sorrows in the could have 120 hours of training over 3 years makes us all was in Kentucky among the most rain in the country.

I will tell you as well as being some of the most rain showers in the country.

There are some of the most committed people in the country.

The tragedy that you saw happen in Uvalde.

I can I can say with confidence that the level of training and competence that that's always bring to the state of Kentucky that we will have that same kind of problem here.

I think that there's just a a such a level of commitment that Kentucky's can be proud.

And you safe school.

So I can tell you this schools are safer today than they were in 2018 because of the school.

Safety was a sick because of House bill.

63.

>> Kentucky Education Commissioner Jason Glass told us that Kentucky needs to have a broader discussion about guns, but that's difficult to do in the current political climate.

>> For example, bans on large magazines and bump stocks there's an pickle evidence showing that that results in a decrease in the likelihood of having a mass murder or school shooter.

But it's off the table here.

So I think that it is clear that we have a constitutional right to bear arms in the in this country.

The courts have made even clear that if the government is going to revoke that right, the news to be clear reason for doing that but I'd still I still don't think that that precludes us from having that conversation because it's about our children.

And it's about to say their safety.

And for put that first, we have to be willing to do anything to protect them if some other country came in and did this to our schools, we considered an act of war.

>> You can see more of that discussion by streaming Kentucky tonight at K E T Dot Org Slash K Y tonight.

As school started in Jefferson County Superintendent Marty Pollio was on hand to shake hands with returning students.

This was the scene about one elementary while he was there.

He found out one of the teachers is pulling double duty.

>> It was teacher, 5th grade teacher driving a bus and that it just goes to show you, you know, the people here in JCPS and what they do.

I mean, teacher willing to step up, get her CDL drive to school kids to school, teach 5th grade class all day and then drive him home.

Just incredible dedication.

That doesn't diminish, though.

The fact that there's still a significant teacher shortage, bus driver shortage.

I mean, this is something we're going to be dealing with for years and having to address nationally.

So you know, that number continues to go down, which I'm pleased with, but but it is us to continue struggle.

>> It is an early and then a traffic light today.

You know, traffic was and that it's it's really not that bad.

So I'd rather than their half of the morning or work and have the morning and then.

>> And usually about 5.30, or so.

>> students at even eat at the J Hayes Middle School were among the more than 40,000 Fayette County Public School students to return to the classroom today the students are starting the new school year under fewer COVID-19 restrictions with the district operating mask optional policy and all school buildings and on school buses, a Fayette County school bus driver who has been with the district for decades.

Tell us he noticed a difference in the students on his route this morning as he picked them up for their first day of school.

>> When drive to school?

But the big county for 32 years.

Thanks.

A lot of patients to be a bust dropped.

I drive and I like building with kids.

We've always been a passion of mine.

When I was younger.

But to drive the bus, I have the privilege to transport the county student.

That's one of the main reasons that out state in this business so long.

With the first part of the in the morning and the last person they see in the afternoon.

So we pretty much sit there day ordeal.

>> The sooner they get on the bus, I look, I'm all in the face and out to every single Good morning.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Look, nice.

And they smile and they like that.

And then when they get off the bus, they're telling me you have a good date.

I think it makes the job easier for teachers.

One of the key is going to school with a better attitude.

The kids that are transported today were elementary high and middle school.

My favorite transport is elementary.

>> Because you never know what to expect when elementary kids, they have you laughing and crying all at the same time.

So I love Elementary.

We pulled up to the stop.

The kids were excited to get on the bus.

Even high school kids I've never seen has been exciting to go back to school.

I think one of the main things that made this first day so smooth was coming off the COVID.

The key is we're excited to go back and not happen to be in the classroom or on the school bus with those mask.

>> It's always been a short drive.

The big counties.

It's one of the better year because we actually started out cool staff.

So Bethel plus, a big county this year.

>> To his point last year, Fayette County Public schools struggle to find bus drivers and had to cancel bus routes as a result.

Officials with the district say while there is not a shortage of bus drivers this year, they are always looking to hire new drivers.

♪ ♪ U.S.

Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is reacting to Monday's FBI search for former President Donald Trump's Mar-A-Lago home in Florida.

The Justice Department is investigating whether the former president took classified records when he left the White House.

Here is Senator McConnell statement.

Quote, the country deserves a thorough, an immediate explanation of what led to the events of Monday.

Attorney General Garland and the Department of Justice should already have provided answers to the American people and must do so immediately.

End quote.

We've also heard from Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron.

He posted this on Twitter, quote, President Trump is a fighter, know raided Mar-A-Lago is going to stop him from working hard for the American people.

Folks here in Kentucky will always support someone the media despises and the left hates because it means that person is standing up for their values.

Un quote, Trump endorsed Cameron's run for governor a few weeks ago.

As gas prices fell, inflation eased in July.

It was 8.5% less than 9.1 number from June and prices on average did not increase from month to month.

More on this coming up on the PBS news hour.

As the price of gas continues to fall in Kentucky.

Triple A says the average price for a gallon of unleaded gas is $3 and $0.61 as of today.

A month ago it was for 38.

So it's down $0.77 our lower than the national average, which is to the lowest average in the state right now is in Henderson County at 3, 0, 9, In June, Governor Andy Beshear froze Kentucky's gas tax through an executive order.

The gas tax was set to increase $0.2 on July.

1st, the freeze was meant to give Kentuckians a break at the pump as gas prices skyrocketed after Russia's war with Ukraine yesterday, a legislative committee and Frank for decided to let the governors gas tax free.

Stan, but some legislators were unhappy with how he did it.

>> I find this kind ruling from the administration ridiculous.

We have people that are willing when there's that the thought of we're all in this together.

Now we're not not least buy for your guys is notion.

It's we're going to do this.

Why do things one person make a decision?

Roll it out there and try to explain afterwards we could have incorporated any of us in the opinions of many people, even our leadership.

We've been here for a long time.

And when you're when these laws are enforced, the statutes, you know, we believe reset on think when they were passed, the General Assembly meant for them to impose the gas tax hike.

>> At a time when the Kentucky is repaying.

More and more at the pump and in other areas of their daily lives and having to make tough decisions based on those or housing costs.

>> State Senator Stephen West asked if the governor would put the gas tax on the agenda if he calls a special session to deal with the recent flooding in eastern Kentucky, representatives for the Beshear administration said they were unaware of any plans to do so.

♪ >> Time now for our midweek, check-in of Kentucky.

Politics with dry Lynn Barton, who is the managing editor of Kentucky Public Radio and the Ohio Valley Resource.

Thank you so much.

Good to see your island.

>> I mean, a good to see you, too.

>> So let's start off with the This is a story that we we KET just covering because it needs to be covered.

And we know that the U.S. senators were in Townsend, those regions of the last couple of days.

And even today as we speak, the president was there on Monday.

What can you tell us about the visits from the senators and the president?

>> Yes, that this week President Joe Biden showed up saying that he the federal government will be backing, you know, the recovery and will be and said really making sure and saying that FEMA will be coming through and providing a support for of people who needed both and individual assistance and housing assistance.

This is something that actually Governor Beshear came out and you know, wanted to make sure that FEMA did this even benefits can be really slow to come.

And a lot of people get tonight.

People who think they qualified you know, as of 6 months after the tornado recovery, for example, only 16% of people who applied for federal housing assistance have got to KET up.

So that's one thing to really watch.

A BSA of Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell came as well.

And, you know, this is I think this is an important thing for leaders to do to show up a 2 one to just bear witness to what's going on, but also to lend some kind words and offer some sort of solutions to.

>> What's going on?

One thing Rand Paul actually propose doing was using some of the state's COVID emergency dollars.

The relief dollars from over the last couple years for this effort.

Granted, there are a lot of federal emergency dollars that are available for this to COVID is also still ongoing so that they might not just be the the a panacea to to fix this whole problem.

But you know, I think that everybody's kind of on board and trying to work together to to help Eastern Kentucky dig out of this.

And the governor mentioned yesterday as well and a press conference talking about the even the state leaders working together.

He was asked by a reporter.

>> If a special session was likely in the next month to deal with emergency aid to the eastern Kentucky flooded areas and he said yes, should simple and short answer.

Can you expound on that any?

>> Yeah, I think it's very likely and he doesn't want to get into it because he doesn't want kind of get out over his skis on what exactly is going to be part of the special session.

I think what he's doing right now is negotiating with leaders of the Legislature to try and come up with exactly is going to be part of a potential relief package because really what they do with the special sessions up with the framework first, but really almost come up with the bill.

What it's going to be all the session.

Everybody knows what they're going to vote on a vote on really quickly and then get out so that they're not, you know, wasting taxpayers time and also just to make sure that they they have all the votes in line to get all that done.

I he's hinted at having something similar to that.

A tornado relief package that passed out of the legislature earlier this year.

So a lot of this is a kind of making sure that local and county governments and schools you know, the funds they need to and water systems to recover and rebuild.

And and I think there's a lot of hope, too, that there will be something on the individual level for a lot of people who are struggling and, you know, with lost their jobs who, you know, aren't seeing that assistance or whose flood insurance isn't totally making them whole.

I think that there's a whole other side of that conversation as well.

>> Last Fancy Farm just a minute and 20 something to talk about Fancy Farm.

I'll ask you who you think did the best did any of the Republican candidates who are vying for the nomination for the Republican nomination for governor gain or lose on Saturday >> it's always hard to say who to the best of Fancy Farm.

It's such a strange event.

I will say, though, probably the most remarkable a speech I saw was a Savannah Maddox is where she came out and she was just kind of putting your future.

Republican opponents in the gubernatorial in the saying that there are, you know, like the Chiesa most interesting man, except they're the an interesting that So there's this kind of remarkable moment where you saw a Republican, the sitting Republican kind of coming out against the people that she's going to be running its but also the people the chance to work because they're the state constitutional officers.

So that was that was a big, surprising moment.

>> Yeah.

Who didn't speak?

You know, we saw Max wise roaming the crowd.

All Russell Coleman was there.

put his name in for Attorney General Max Wise as yet to announce officially.

But we're thinking that maybe that's a ticket with Kelly Kraft who were still waiting on right?

>> Yes, still here, waiting to see the and people KET on saying it's going to the next couple weeks are within the month.

There's something that will announce it again.

She still she's still showing up to events, especially in the Eastern Kentucky flooding.

It seems very she seems very but she has not really come out and said it and yeah, and that was one indication of Fancy was Max was walking around and also to Jamie Comber also kind of hinting that he might, you know, might be throwing an endorsement behind her if she were to get into the Lot of moving parts on that.

But a long way out until that primary as well.

>> But we can't wait to get to it can weigh all the political junkies.

Thank you.

Her island barn for being on top of it.

It's good to see you.

Take good care of your day.

I.

♪ >> He's the stop of wilderness legend.

And for those who love the weird and the wonderful, a very popular find it hard County concrete statuary.

You may have seen him might make a cameo on TikTok or even hanging out in your own neighborhood.

And our weekly Tapestry segment highlighting Kentucky Arts and culture.

We pay a visit to Stone art in horse cave where one creation in particular makes a big impression.

♪ ♪ >> I've been sculpting painting some time with.

>> 3 or 4.

And truthfully, what got me into it was my little brother.

My little brother has been vision to learn how to make molds.

So I started making most of them.

We started doing it together.

First.

That would be actually school from the original.

Second step of making porn on doing all.

This is.

The structure is the hard part.

That's the part like this that you have to figure out how to do is the structure.

If you think once you figure structure of detail from port.

I'm not really draw it out.

So I can stop something like this and not drawn out.

I'm not planning it out.

We just do it.

I love making fountains and stuff.

That's real lab rat.

Statues of people and stuff like that.

But for fun, it's more the stuff that's around me that you can use your imagination.

With an open world.

Being able to do.

The thing I can imagine is the fun part.

We have one more a huge part of something, especially something it was 2100 miles.

I put it together.

I don't know how many times, 50, 60, 70 time, whatever I just feel has to stop and think about.

And I made the region.

Take a lot of people take the whole team.

I just wanted to do art as it.

I mean, from the whole life.

That's all I want to do.

It.

So I've been lucky that I have had people along the way.

Push me without knowing they were pushing.

He's not going to the biggest comic.

A big one.

7 foot.

1, 7, point.

There was another big one out there.

That's some of the company and made and it's all friendly looking unhappy looking their thing.

I want something to look like come out of the woods and attack it.

That's what I want.

Well, up to this point, people with Israel.

When you have people tell you, I've had plenty of people say they've seen hurting, went looking for him.

I mean, it is is not surprising to have someone walk in and say they seem in the words, but I haven't seen that's a real, but I haven't seen him so as you move up, I'm not after walking around looking and if you look like mind and I'm definitely not out there walking around looking for, I hope he's a happy guy.

The fasting.

>> I don't want to see him either.

Michael, but great medical marijuana.

Kentuckians feel strongly about it.

Tomorrow you'll meet a veteran who says legalization would make his life better.

You can hear his story tomorrow on Kentucky EDITION.

And we sure hope you'll join us again tomorrow night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky edition where we inform connect and inspire.

We also invite you to subscribe to our weekly Kentucky Edition email newsletter and watch full episodes at KET Dot Org.

You can also find Kentucky Edition on the PBS video app on your mobile device and smart TV and follow KET on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay in the mood.

And you're also welcome to follow me on Twitter at Renee K E T. We're so glad you're joining us this weekend tonight and hope to see you right back here again tomorrow night for great stories that inform connect and inspire you until then.

Take really good care and have a great night.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪