We're in downtown Paducah as Kentucky Edition goes on the road to the purchase area in western Kentucky.

Some great stories coming your way.

This new terminal is a better representation of western Kentucky.

When you arrive, your home, Paducah has a new airport terminal and a new front door to the community.

Now, a lot of them are coming up with unique individual patterns and finding ways to put themselves, to put their thoughts, to put their creativity into a quilt so that we can all enjoy that.

Some of the world's most talented quilters have their work displayed right here in western Kentucky.

Production of Kentucky Edition is made possible in part by the KET Endowment for Kentucky Productions, the Leonard Press, Endowment for Public Affairs, and the KET Millennium Fund.

Hello and good evening and welcome to Kentucky Edition for Wednesday, August 2nd.

I'm Casey.

Parker Bell We'll take a look at what's making news throughout Kentucky in just a moment.

First, our Renee Shaw is in Paducah as we take Kentucky edition on the road.

Hey, Renee.

Hey, I can't say I'm here in downtown Paducah, where, fortunately we're getting a break from the rain right now.

I arrived here yesterday and have been taking in the sights in the sounds of a bustling city along the Ohio River.

There are tons of shops and restaurants and artwork here, creating an inviting atmosphere.

Yesterday, we told you that Paducah is one of only nine cities in the U.S. to be certified Ionesco Creative City, meaning it is globally recognized as fostering a creative culture.

There are about 27,000 people living here in Paducah, making it the 16th largest city in Kentucky.

Coming up later in the program, you'll hear from Derrick, hopefully with WKMG Public Radio, about the changing economy and politics of western Kentucky.

And if you didn't already know it, Paducah is well known as being home to the National Quilt Museum.

We'll take you inside the popular attraction.

That and more coming up shortly.

But first, Kacey, back to you for a look at the rest of today's news.

Thanks, Renee.

We have reaction tonight from some members of Kentucky's congressional delegation after the latest indictment of former President Donald Trump.

He already faces charges involving hush money payments to cover up a sex scandal in New York and charges related to classified documents found at his home in Florida.

Yesterday, special counsel Jack Smith announced a grand jury had indicted Trump on four charges connected to the 2020 presidential election.

Trump's claims of fraud and the eventual attack on the US Capitol.

Trump is now charged with defrauding the United States, obstructing an official government proceeding, the certification of the Electoral College vote, and depriving people of a civil right the right to have their votes counted.

Congressman James Comer of the First Congressional District, which includes Western Kentucky, told the Fox News Channel that the charges Trump faces should instead be aimed at President Joe Biden.

Commerce chair of the House Oversight Committee, the committee that conducts investigations.

He told Fox that Biden had damaged America's system of government and that Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland are using the Trump investigations for their own, quote, self-preservation.

Comer says, quote, that the ultimate goal for the deep state bureaucracy in Washington, D.C.. Unquote.

The only Democrat in Kentucky's congressional delegation is Morgan McGarvie of the Louisville area third District.

He tweeted, quote, No one is above the law, even a former president.

Our system only works when everyone, regardless of wealth or status, is held accountable for their actions.

We must continue working to protect and strengthen our democracy, not threaten it, unquote.

US Senator Mitch McConnell has not commented on yesterday's new indictment.

He has spoken out before about the January 6th attack on the US Capitol and then President Trump's role.

He's one of Senator McConnell statements.

Here's one of Senators McConnell statements from the Senate floor in 2021.

There's no question.

No, there there.

President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day, no question about it.

The people who stormed this building believed they were acting on the wishes and instructions of their president and having that believe was a foreseeable consequence of the growing crescendo of false statements, conspiracy theories and reckless hyperbole which the defeated president kept shouting into the largest megaphone on planet Earth.

A reporter from the Hill, Alexander Bolton, asked Senator McConnell about the likelihood of a Trump indictment.

Less than two weeks ago, you said on the Senate floor in 2021 that the then President Trump or former President Trump was practically and morally responsible for the attack on the Capitol.

With a possible indictment looming is a legitimate to charge him criminally for the events of that day?

Well, look, I've said every week out here that I'm not going to comment on the various candidates for the presidency.

How I felt about that I expressed at the time.

But I'm not going to start getting into sort of critiquing the various candidates for president.

Senator Mitch McConnell's remarks came about a week before his medical incident at the Capitol where he froze while talking to reporters.

He was let away, returned and said he was fine.

The two nominees for governor, Governor Andy Beshear and Attorney General Daniel Cameron will share the stage Saturday during the fancy farm picnic.

You'll see that live Saturday afternoon here on Katy.

This is Governor Bashir's first appearance at the picnic since he took office.

A reporter asked him today about what he'll be saying on Saturday.

That's a fancy farm.

Is is supposed to be good fun.

A time where where people throw out zingers.

But it also ought to be the time where people tell the commonwealth of Kentucky what they'll actually do as governor.

Now, the most important thing for a governor to do is get things done and you look at the things that we're getting done, we're building the brand Spence Companion Bridge for Landing the Mountain Parkway and the I-69 project all at the same time.

We've announced record amounts of jobs.

We continue to push for.

The big races that are educators deserve.

What you're going to hear from me is vision.

And I'm pretty sure what we're going to hear from the other side is division.

You are right in that I wasn't at Fancy Farm last year because the flooding had just happened and so you saw the decisions people were making.

I chose to be with survivors that had lost everything that needed help.

Our attorney general went to a political rally, I think from last year.

You can see where our priorities lie in effort.

The governor was also asked about the news from yesterday that Jason Glass will resign as Kentucky commissioner of education.

Governor Beshear says he doesn't think it will affect the governor's race and he hopes Republican treatment of Glass won't affect Kentucky's ability to attract a quality replacement.

Oh, I don't look at Jason Glass's departure as having any impact on the campaign.

What it does have an impact on is our ability to get the very best education commissioner for the people of Kentucky.

Now, the legislature spent really years, especially after Cara, trying to create a framework to have a truly independent commissioner of education, to try to shield them from the politics of the day.

And sadly, the politics of the day are about not just attacking Jason Glass, but accusing classroom teachers all over the state of doing things that, of course, they're not doing now is a tax built on lies towards all of our educators.

And it's just not right.

And and after this, it's going to be much more challenging to find a good commissioner of education.

My kids are in our public school system.

I want the very best for us.

And so I'm going to try to work through the damage that the attorney general and others have have done here in our ability to recruit the very best attorney general.

Daniel Cameron, the Republican nominee for governor, is trying to appeal to Kentucky's teachers by putting some distance between himself and former Governor Matt Bevin.

In a speech last week to a group of school administrators, Cameron said, quote, I also want to say I'm sorry.

Sorry if me or anyone in my party has ever given you the impression that we don't appreciate you or that we don't respect you.

Let me assure you that the Republican Party in this state under my leadership, will show that we do not only in word, but indeed, unquote.

He did not mention former Governor Bevin by name.

Among other things, Bevin has lashed out at teacher rallies when teachers opposed his pension plan.

He once claimed without proof that children were sexually assaulted when schools shut down.

As teachers protested Jefferson County Public School Superintendent Marty Polio spoke to lawmakers about the Louisville School District's new initiatives for the 2023 24 school year.

During an education committee meeting Tuesday at the Capitol.

Polio said the changes and additions come from an emphasis on three themes improve student attendance, experiences and outcomes.

One change he focused on is school start times at two start times.

We had a 740 start time for middle and high school and a905 start time for elementary school.

What it meant was we had about 750 bus routes.

We only started the year last year with 670 bus drivers.

That's not a good formula for getting kids on time.

We are a district.

Every district is wrestling with this.

Some districts have chosen to cancel bus routes and say we just are not going to be able to transport you today.

That's happening throughout the Commonwealth.

We decided, on the other hand, we would pick students up, although it might be late in the 2223 school year.

We had about 20,000 students missed instructional time because of transportation issues.

We had a lack of efficiency.

It was varied.

We had kids missing school and it was just something that we could not continue to do.

So instead of doing the same thing, what we decided to do was to add about ten start times, which we know is a change for many families.

Polio also discussed building and facility upgrades and selling weapon detectors in some schools and school choice, which allows students to go to school close to home.

Congratulations to Kentucky's Teacher of the Year, Theresa morgan of the Hardin County School System.

Candidates are judged on four criteria leadership for learning, communication, professionalism and community involvement.

In a letter supporting Superintendent Morgan's nomination, the writer said, quote, If there is a service project or community outreach program that needs support, she is the first person to put on work boots and get to work as Kentucky's superintendent of the year.

Morgan is now a candidate for the National Award.

As we mentioned, Kentucky Edition is on the road again in June.

We visited Pikeville, but this week we're on the other end of the state in Paducah and McCracken County.

Renee Shaw is there now.

Again, Renee, thank you.

KC We're here in western Kentucky all this week getting ready for the annual Fancy Farm picnic this Saturday, which you'll see exclusively live here on CNET.

We're expecting a large crowd and several speakers, including both candidates for governor, Democrat Andy Beshear and Republican Daniel Cameron.

As we take a closer look at the fir, this western portion of Kentucky, we want to give you a better understanding of some of the region's challenges and successes.

Our Kacey Parker Bowles spoke to Derek, Oprah, news director for the WKMG public radio station in Murray about the region of the state he calls home.

West Kentucky is a region in recovery.

It's recovering from storms.

It's trying to figure out who it is politically.

You've seen a region shift from, you know, really blue in the seventies and eighties to all in this deep, dark red.

And it's trying to grapple with the changing time.

Western Kentucky is changing, but it seems like things are changing quicker for the towns still adjusting to life after the December 2021 tornadoes.

Those tornadoes killed dozens and destroyed central parts of Mayfield and Dawson Springs.

I think that that storm is a real scar that's going to you know, that that's going to be a historical mark on this region.

You know, when we talk about disasters here, you think of the 37 flood.

And I think that you're going to also start to think about the 2021 tornado in that light where it's something that just produced such a great impact.

Recovery work is still underway over a year and a half later.

For Mayfield, planning is still in the works on how to rebuild their decimated downtown.

Mayfield has been exploring options with what are they going to do with downtown, what are they going to put there?

And they've been talking with residents about potential things that they would like to see.

You know, some of those are fairly far afield and some of them that make perfect sense, like adding greenspace or adding like, you know, adding more urban residency or adding transitional housing.

Mayfield was also recently hit with flooding, receiving over ten inches of rain in a ten hour period, according to the National Weather Service.

The flooding brought a new natural disaster to a place still recovering from another.

But even as recovery continues in Graves County, the entire region is looking to make progress on the economy.

Officials say Magno will create about 1300 new jobs at two plants in Stanton.

WKMG news director Derek openly says Western Kentucky's geographic location could present new opportunities, including in the electric vehicle sector.

The Beshear administration has been talking a lot about electric vehicle economic development in the region.

Obviously, you have Battery Park in Glendale and you also have blue oval in western Tennessee.

So western Kentucky is kind of surrounded by this EV boom.

There are a lot of groups trying to get in on that.

There's a group called Kentucky Cornerstone that's basically like an alliance of Western Kentucky economic development groups.

They're just trying to like, get their arms around this electric vehicle boom and try to figure out how they can get a piece of this pie.

Oprah Lee also discussed new opportunities for Paducah, including the new terminal at Barkley Regional Airport.

Feels like a big kid terminal and the potential for new development at the old Paducah gaseous diffusion plant site.

And that's something I think a lot of people have hope for.

You know, people have hope for cleaner energy.

People have hope for these big energy investments in this part of the state.

For the most rural parts of western Kentucky, economic development has been a challenge.

But the communities are working to change that.

Places like Fulton, where they are starting to build homes and where they're actively like hunting for places, trying to get in these site selection talks for big projects.

I think that's the biggest hope that places like that have is can we figure out something that will bring people in?

Because a lot of these counties, they've had either stagnant or shrinking populations for for some years now.

This comes as the political landscape for western Kentucky has nearly completely changed.

The area, once considered the cornerstone for Democrat politics, is now controlled by Republicans.

Every single elected state official in the Western time zone is now Republican.

I think one of the biggest things that's stopping Democrats from recovering any part of these regions that they once dominated is in so many of them, they're not even fielding candidates.

That's something that, you know, you see in pretty much all levels of government.

I mean, there's been state Senate races without somebody on the other side.

And that's certainly something that's disheartening for the people that are in the party locally.

When you can't even get on the ballot.

The lack of Democrat candidates shows how dominant the area has become for Republicans and openly says it could impact this year's governor's race in 2019.

Beshear didn't carry a county west of Henderson, so I think that he's going to have a pretty good amount of support in the more like urban areas of western Kentucky.

You know, in your Paducah, in Murray or in Hopkinsville, but outside of these like cities, I don't know if he's going to be taking the counties that already didn't vote for him in 2019.

We're only days away from Western Kentucky's political Super Bowl at the fancy farm picnic.

It's when all of the like people that matter come to western Kentucky to talk about the things that matter and people actually listen.

We'll see what impact it has across the state, but particularly for the most western portion.

For Kentucky addition, I'm K.C.

Parker, Belle.

Thank you, KC.

Oprah Lee says some of the furthest west counties are working hard to bring in new industry and new people to the area.

He used Fulton as an example, noting earlier this year that Fulton constructed its first home not built by Habitat for Humanity in 15 years.

You know, parts of western Kentucky were devastated by a historic tornado outbreak in December of 2021, just 25 miles south of here.

Mayfield was one of the areas hardest hit.

Now the city is getting millions in federal funds to help with debris removal.

FEMA approved more than five and a half million dollars for the city earlier this week.

The agency will be reimbursing the city for the costs of removing thousands of loads of debris following a deadly tornado outbreak that killed 80 people in December of 2021.

The Barkly Regional Airport opened its new $43 million terminal in early July.

You heard Casey allude to that just a moment ago.

The new terminal replaces one that was almost 70 years old and gives the airport significant upgrades.

Our KC Parker Bell went to McCracken County last week to check out the airport's new digs and to get a sense of what it really means for the community.

This new terminal is a better representation of Western Kentucky.

When you arrive your home, Paducah has a brand new airport terminal replacing the one that had serve the community for 67 years.

It's pretty sweet.

They have a drive from here 10 minutes to the airport park, 100 feet from the gate, walk in, and in 15 minutes you're through security and and ready to get on the plane.

The old Barclay Regional Airport terminal lacked basic necessities.

The airport's executive director says the new terminal completely changes what people see when they arrive in Paducah.

This new terminal is fresh and new, and it was about time.

The old terminal, you know, didn't have sprinkler systems that we had asbestos, and it resembled more of an old time bus station rather than an airport terminal.

The new terminal has the appeal of a modern airport are produced by locals.

Adorns the walls.

New seating now has charging stations readily available.

TSA has the latest security upgrades.

There's even a bathroom for pets.

And for the first time, Barkly Regional has a SkyBridge allowing passengers to stay out of the elements.

97% of the money was through the federal government.

We wouldn't have been able to approach anything like that without federal government help.

State jumped in, helped a good deal.

We raised some money all on our own.

So it's really a community community effort.

Federal, state and local.

The $43 million terminal opened in early July and spans over 25,000 square feet.

About 5 million of the cost came from the state and more than another 5 million came from local governments.

Our effort was to bring the community together, whether it be the chamber, the city, the county business leaders, people in this community that make a difference.

We had to we had to rally all that support.

The airport is named after Alvin Barkley, the former vice president from western Kentucky.

It has one airline tour.

The flights to and from Charlotte.

The Charlotte Airport is one of the dozen largest hubs in the United States.

Now, with the new terminal, local leaders believe more flights are possible and that economic development possibilities are clear.

We're very interested in attracting new industry to Paducah, and we believe that any new industry is going to require a local airport to get in and out of whether it be by private access or commercial.

And this new terminal really checks all the boxes for us.

It's a big plus for the community, not just for people individually traveling, but companies that come here, obviously, where we try to locate, bring other economic development into the community and prospects come land at that airport.

And it's a it's a good first look at what our community has to offer.

For Kentucky Edition, I'm K.C.

Parker, Belle, the airport's executive director and Paducah mayor, say they're working to get a low cost airline to fly from Barclay Regional and to give western Kentucky residents a new choice of destination.

Paducah is home to a vibrant art scene since the early 1990s.

It's been home to the National Quilt Museum, drawing 40,000 guests a year.

Our Laura Rogers gives us a look inside in our weekly arts and culture segment we call Tapestry.

Over the years, I know Paducah has had a lot of history with the waterway.

We're right here on the confluence of the Ohio and Tennessee Rivers.

Rivers that set the backdrop for the National Quilt Museum and the heart of downtown Paducah, showcasing the many varieties, voices and styles of quilt making.

We enjoy when people come and see us, whether they are quilters or just kind of curious about what a quilt museum might be.

We are contemporary, so that means we're focusing on in our collection quilts from 1980 up through present day.

Becky Glasby learned the quilt from her aunt as a young teen as director of Learning and Engagement.

She remembers the enthusiasm and admiration of museum guests.

Just like maybe seeing a musician that you love and kind of seeing them live in concert, it's a little bit like, Oh my gosh, I've seen this quilt, but now I get to see it up close.

You can really appreciate all of the details.

The museum encapsulates the vision of Bill and Meredith Shrader.

They were founders of the American Quilters Society and wanted to give back to their hometown.

People are always kind of surprised that we're here in Paducah, but that really all ties back to our founders.

Today it is a popular attraction for both visitors and natives of Western Kentucky and is a catalyst for tourism development.

Once they're here, they get to experience our vibrant downtown.

We have a lot of arts and artists happening, lots of different shops, not just fiber arts or quilting, but all sorts of different things, as well as history.

There are more than 100 quilts on display at any given time.

The collection includes the work of talented quilters from all over the United States and 13 countries.

You can find similarities between them different color combinations, maybe unique ways people are using similar shapes or methods.

There are also traveling exhibitions that rotate throughout the year, meaning you'll likely see something new every time you visit.

We own almost 700 quilts, so we can't possibly put them all out at once.

So we do rotate those through.

When we get new pieces, we try to put those out as well so people can see them and and start enjoying them as much as we are.

And she hopes the artistry on display will elevate the creativity and inspiration of others.

We use quilts at home in a really personal way, putting them on beds, gifting them to people for weddings and baby showers and memory quilts.

And this is a way to celebrate those talents and traditions for years to come.

For Kentucky Edition, I'm Laura Rogers.

Thank you, Laura.

Among the museum's upcoming exhibitions, Quilts of Valor, which recognizes the service and sacrifice of our armed services.

It opens August 18th and runs through Veterans Day.

Now, coming up tomorrow, my conversation with Western Kentucky Community and Technical College President Anton Reese.

Plus, Paducah is taking advantage of new opportunities to grow their town.

So we've got a great opportunity.

Our location is perhaps one of the best in the nation.

We'll speak to a couple of Paducah, top elected officials about new projects for the city, including a brand new sports complex and a stop with one of the world's biggest cruise lines.

You'll want to hear all about that coming up tomorrow night at 630 Eastern, 530 Central on Kentucky Edition, where we inform, Connect and Inspire.

We'll be right back here again in Paducah tomorrow night.

In the meantime, you can subscribe to our weekly email newsletter and watch full episodes and clips at KET dot org You can also find us on the PBS video app on your mobile device and smart TV.

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Thank you so much for joining us.

I hope to see you right back here again tomorrow night.

In the meantime, take good care.