♪ >> We ought to try to find things we can agree on.

though.

>> U.S.

Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky talks about bridging the gap in Washington.

>> People every single day, multiple times throughout the day saying, yeah, I'm I don't go to the doctor.

>> You go to the fair for fall on, but you might leave with a primary care physician.

Find out how.

I think it's a testament.

>> To the artistic and creative abilities of the people of Kentucky.

>> And when you go to the state fair, you gotta have art.

Production of Kentucky Edition is made possible in part by the KET Millennium Fund.

♪ ♪ >> Good Evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Wednesday, the 21st of August.

I'm Renee Shaw.

Good to be back with you.

>> And thank you so much for winding down your Wednesday with U.S.

Governor Andy Beshear is commenting publicly for the first time about state Representative Daniel Grossberg, a Democrat from Louisville who's accused of inappropriate actions involving women.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reported July 30th at least 3 women say Grossberg sent them text messages they regarded as creepy and weird.

He says those allegations are based on rumors.

Yesterday the newspaper reported 3 more women have stepped forward with allegations.

The Legislative Research Commission is investigating Grossberg in a statement today to the Herald leader, Governor Beshear said, quote, the allegations are very concerning.

Everyone should feel safe and be free from harassment in all forms, unquote.

Today.

Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman said this, quote, It's infuriating to me that women are still being subjected to the kinds of harassment that has been reported in, quote, Kentucky Democratic Chairman Colmon Eldridge says the allegations, quote, raise serious concerns.

But none of the 3 called for Grossberg to resign.

House Democrats have removed him from their caucus and from his interim committee assignments.

Yesterday, we told you the University of Kentucky is dissolving its office for Institutional Diversity.

The decision follows legislative efforts to curtail or even prohibit diversity, equity and inclusion or dei programs and Kentucky universities.

Tonight we're hearing from UK President Doctor Eli Capilouto who when a message to the UK community says it's time the university make some changes.

>> How do we create space for divergent points of view?

Or do we too often place ourselves in an ideological bubble.

The charts out other perspectives.

In creating the perception that we had central lost so much of our work around inclusion in one office.

Do we undermine the Adu?

They're creating a sense of belonging is a responsibility.

We all share.

They're everywhere on this campus.

Or how do we demonstrate that we are community for everyone and everything that we do.

People must trust that we are a place that welcomes all people that values the perspectives.

They bring to the table.

Whether black Brown or white.

Straight or gay, progressive are conserved.

Do.

We must be impartial facilitators of learning discovering and healing.

>> Capilouto says UK will also no longer mandate diversity training and they'll remove diversity statements from the hiring process legislation targeting Dei programs fail to pass during the 2024.

Kentucky General Assembly Capilouto says lawmakers have made it clear to him that the discussion is likely to continue in the upcoming legislative session.

Meanwhile, State Representative Jennifer Decker applauded UK's decision.

The Republican from Shelby County sponsored legislation that would have eliminated race-based scholarships and dei offices and trainings at Kentucky's public universities.

In a statement to the Republican from Shelby County said in part, quote, Our efforts have always been aimed at eliminating unconstitutional on necessary costly and duplicative bureaucracy.

>> While still making sure campuses are open and welcoming to a diversity of students and staff.

I appreciate the University of Kentucky for taking this step and remain hopeful that other institutions as well as the council on post-secondary education.

We'll follow their lead and recognize that this failed experiment has done nothing to make post-secondary education more accessible in, quote.

Today.

Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky talked about the need for bipartisan action as he spoke to a Commerce, Lexington luncheon.

>> McConnell said people don't like either party right now and said voters want the parties to work together when they can.

He pointed to his decision to vote for the trillion dollar bipartisan Infrastructure Act which secured funding to repair the Brent Spence Bridge up in northern Kentucky.

>> And even though it's not.

>> Something out routinely do.

>> I actually joined Joe Biden.

We have an announcing the Brent Spence Bridge.

I was going to be built and miraculously enough.

Even without Colts.

Now, as you can imagine.

I think none of my members are too happy to see me standing by.

Joe Biden opened warriors up in northern Kentucky.

But look, I had watched the Obama administration not be able to put it together.

I had a first rose during the Trump administration could about life as secretary of labor transportation.

So I KET.

They had been unable to put it together.

And so the question was one where we're going to do this.

What are we ever going to do?

The so I know being the only member of by.

Party from Kentucky who actually voted 4.

Infrastructure bill.

No matter how the election comes out.

Up, my view is we ought to try to find things we can agree on.

And do those.

>> Senator McConnell is also speaking at the Kentucky Farm.

Bureau's Country Ham breakfast tomorrow at the state fair.

We'll bring you that coverage tomorrow night right here on Kentucky EDITION.

Congressman James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky's first congressional district continues to say President Joe Biden has committed impeachable offenses.

Comer is chair of the House Oversight Committee which has been investigating the Biden family for a year and a half Comer appeared on the conservative media outlet Newsmax earlier this week.

He says the Biden family has made millions from foreign sources and he predicts new revelations before President Biden leaves office.

>> So I think that you're going to see more and more come out now that Joe Biden is that has been done.

They don't care anything about you.

And I think you're going to see more and more people buy in the Department of Justice, especially if we get a new president, which is imperative that you want to see full accountability, but go after they're not going to investigate evening.

We've done it.

This is the year that investigation that the oversight and Judiciary Committees lead and into a very thorough investigation and 100% accurate.

And I am you anyone in the Democratic Party dispute anything and never boarded all backed up with bank records and sworn just about it.

>> Democrats say Comber and his committee still haven't proven that Biden himself received any foreign money.

Last week.

Comer said he was also investigating the Democratic candidate for vice president Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota.

Comer says Walz has visited China 30 times and he wants to know more about was his ties to China.

Last night Democrats meeting in Chicago, formerly nominated Vice President Kamala Harris as their nominee for president.

Here's a picture of the Kentucky delegation.

You can see Governor Andy Beshear, first Lady Britainy Beshear, a senior adviser, Rocky Adkins and state Senator Gerald Neal of Louisville.

Among others, delegates heard from former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama last night on CNN conservative commentator Scott Jenkins, a Kentuckyian who's often appeared here on KET with us offer some thoughts about the Obama's speeches and the convention as a whole.

>> I should warn my fellow Republicans that.

We heard 2 of the greatest political communicators in the country tonight.

Know we had whole Yeah.

The Democrats have Obama mania.

They ripped the roof off of this place tonight.

These Democrats are fired up.

They're not point.

Okay.

Yes.

They say things that are exaggerations.

They do say things about.

Trump and the Republicans that are outright lies.

But the convention is is working for Harris, at least as of today, the gap that I still see in all these speeches as good as they were.

She's in the White House right now.

The Democrats have controlled the White House for 12 of the last 16 years.

And for all of the talk about division and the problems in the country and people are hurting.

Democrats have mostly controlled this country.

Trump had it for 4.

The Obamas and Biden.

For the rest of the time and somehow.

It's still all Trump's fault and somehow she hasn't been at the center of a so to me.

That's still the glaring hole in this campaign that hasn't yet been solved.

The convention.

>> And that is Scott Jennings, not Jenkins.

My apologies for the error.

PBS coverage of the Democratic National Convention begins tonight at 8 Eastern 7 central right here on KET.

And tonight you'll hear from the Democratic nominee for vice president Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota.

Kentucky's income taxes on track for another cut.

State budget director John Hicks made the announcement during a committee meeting this afternoon.

>> Before a shift to the road for let me announce that after later today, I will submit a report to this committee that for fiscal year.

24 the income tax rate reduction conditions have been met.

>> Those conditions were outlined in a bill passed during the 2022.

Kentucky General Assembly which called for gradually reducing the income tax rate to 0.

It currently set at 4% for the 2025 calendar year state Senator Chris McDaniel who chairs the Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee reacted to today's news on X. Quote, part of the Kentucky state budget director.

We have met the conditions to reduce the individual income tax rate to 3.5%.

This is a great news reflecting the success of our conservative budgeting approach and our commitment to KET money in the pocket of Kentucky's taxpayers end quote the decision to further reduce the income tax will need to be acted on by the General Assembly next year.

Once approved, the reduction would take effect in January of 2026. for more on the major political news happening in and involving Kentucky, our Laura Rogers to action with NPR's right Lynn Barton floor.

>> Thank you so much, Renee and Rylan.

We'll talk about the credit national convention which is underway this week in Chicago and course Kentucky as a delegation there.

But aside from that, also, a big stage presence at the DNC as well.

What's the big takeaway there?

>> Yeah, Governor Beshear was on the stage on Monday night, the same night that President Joe Biden.

Also Joe Biden spoke of former of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke as well.

A big prime time spot.

He used it to largely talk about of reproductive rights.

He invited he was introduced by Hadley, the ball, the young woman who campaign a lot with this year last year during his reelection campaign, she told the story of how she was raped by her stepfather.

She's used this story to highlight how you know how difficult a decision like this can be and how difficult it is to make decisions like that in the state that has abortion restrictions.

Great about took place before Kentucky's near total ban on abortion went into effect.

But yeah, really had a really prominent presence there.

Andy Beshear, you know.

>> Talked a lot about redirect to access and also, you know, Donald Trump said that, you know, blamed him for appointing conservative justices to the Supreme Court who >> ultimately decided against Roe v Wade.

So really trying to go in that on Trump.

But at the same time trying to strike this tone.

But, you know, the Harris campaign is trying to do of us trying to strike this balance of both criticizing Trump while having this.

>> Joyful positive messaging at the same time.

So he was really trying to strike that balance as well.

Is something that Republican vice president candidate JD Vance took issue with.

One thing this year said wear it this year and criticize him for Vance's remarks against abortion access, saying that of suggesting that, you know, that would be like if Vance had to experience something like that.

Vance took that as meaning that this year was suggesting, you know, that somebody in his family be rate, it was.

So there's there's some their turn.

There's a lot of political fighting going over this as well.

Democrats are saying that they're misinterpreting of this year's words there.

But yes, so that's at least one of the back and forth that's happening after this year's speech on Monday.

>> A lot of fiery speeches and then of course, the DNC continues this evening in Chicago and moving on now, the University of Kentucky making the decision and the announcement this week that it is disbanding its office for Institutional diversity.

And we know that the eye diversity, equity inclusion was a big topic of conversation during the legislative session earlier this year.

However, the legislation passed.

Were you surprised that UK went ahead and made this move and then also what response are we getting to that decision?

>> Yeah, it seems like this is almost a preemptive move so that the UK is doing this on their own instead of being forced by the legislature.

UK president the like Appaloosa the nobody's going to lose their job of through this change.

It's really just a restructuring, but it's also doing away with, say diversity statements and hiring applications.

You some of the criticism is a worry that this is going to dilute or diminish the university's efforts efforts to recruit and retain diverse students that something that Senate Majority Leader Reggie Thomas is worried about and and and said he's hopeful that.

>> That UK's still going to do that and said, you know, there's still going to be recruiting black making sure that there are groups that are encouraging a culture of affinity among themselves.

There's a lot of discussion about this still going on in the legislature and around the country.

This is something a lot of states are dealing with right now, Ohio, for example, right now, it's actually in the process of scrubbing through all of its on any race-based scholarships that are word awarded to students after an opinion released by their attorney general there.

So, you know, this also comes after the Supreme Court ruling last year the U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year against affirmative action programs.

So Kentucky is just one of several states and new cases.

One of several universities that part of trying to figure out what this what the landscape looks like going forward.

>> Of course, is all happening as the new fall semester is getting underway at public universities across Kentuckyian then also want to ask you about this continuing story that we've been following.

State Representative Daniel Grossberg, a Democrat from Louisville accused of sexual harassment, some inappropriate text messages more women have come forward and his attorney this week providing a statement to the Herald leader.

Saying that while he does apologize, that he's made anyone uncomfortable, he does still continue to refute those allegations.

So where are we in this investigation and what also what are we hearing from Democrats about these allegations as well.

>> Yeah, the Democrats seem to be pretty cautious in how they're talking about this.

Although there are some Democratic groups that have called for him to resign.

The Kentucky on young Democrats did that.

But yeah, the world since the Herald-Leader reporter first reported this in late July, there's 12 people who have alleged, you know, some form of harassment against Representative growth spurt.

3 more women came forward this week with Lee.

It was very, you know, with lots of details of interactions they have with them and also providing text messages to the yearly to the news.

People reviewed.

>> For the story of indicating, you know.

>> what >> staffers were saying was inappropriate behavior, creepy and weird text messages but also instances where Grossberg uninvited staffer to the office.

And then, you know, essentially drink with them and ask inappropriate questions about their sexuality and their bodies Grossberg continues to say that this is and he's being missed.

These situations are being misrepresented and he didn't do anything inappropriate here.

But it is, you know, the these stories are continuing to pile on and there are investigations legislative fix Commission.

And so he says he's he's waiting for the outcome of those take place.

He was also, you know, that we talked previously that you've been suspended from of the Democratic caucus meetings and he says this is part of a larger campaign against him after they are within the party after the series of your disagreements with the party on some issues.

>> All right.

Well, Rylan good to get this midweek conversation with you.

Getting us caught up on some of the political news that's going on across Kentucky in the country.

And we appreciate your insight so much.

We'll talk to you again before too long.

>> Thanks are.

♪ >> A 17,008 he and t workers are on strike and some of them are in Kentucky.

The workers accuse a TNT of unfair labor practices, the communications workers of America said workers and 9 southeastern states walked off the job last Friday because a TNT would negotiate in good faith workers have been looking to reach a new contract since June, but the union to tease negotiators don't have the authority to make decisions.

Tnd denies those claims.

The strike involves technicians, customer service workers and others who install and TNT's Telecommunications Network.

TNT says it has ways to avoid disrupted service.

Kentucky is one of 4 states involved in a low new long-term heart health study.

Details in tonight's look at medical news, researchers from more than a dozen institutions including Johns Hopkins University are surveying people in 10 counties in Kentucky, Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana.

All states with above average rates of heart disease researchers will look at people's environments lifestyles and health histories according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

And the 4 states being studied 20% of adults smoke and around 40% are considered obese.

One of the goals is to figure out why some rule counties are healthier than others.

People come to the Kentucky State Fair for many reasons.

The food, the displays, the rides, but one unique draw is the health Horizons pavilion where health organizations from around the state offer everything from flu shots to free cancer screenings, the U of L Health booth is one such stop where fairgoers can get health information that may save their lives.

>> Out of the state fair today, basically to help kind of spread awareness of a lot of the resources that we have in the community here.

U of L offers a deep breath of resources for people from everything from cancer treatment to stroke treatment, too.

General practitioner care.

All of those things around the community.

And so we just wanted to give people kind of a feel of the resources, especially with it being senior day.

We have availability of blood pressure screenings on to help check just what your blood pressure is.

We have things like stroke, risk assessments that are actually taking into consideration what your blood pressure and then other risk factors that you might have things like atrial fibrillation things like cholesterol levels, your activity level your BMI, things of that nature.

We have the cancer screening buses available the state.

There's always been a great point of contact for us.

It's just a perfect stream.

I guess people that they can stop as they wish or we kind of communicate with people as they come by just to kinda engage and allow them the opportunity to maybe ask questions that they might not have that point of contact with.

Maybe they don't have a primary care provider.

We can help connect them with the resources to get one.

It's very common that when we're out here at the fair work in countering people every single day, multiple times throughout the day that are saying, yeah, I don't go to the doctor.

That's not my thing.

I just I don't have to go to the doctor.

I don't have health conditions.

>> Okay.

We'll do not have health conditions because you don't have health conditions or do not have health conditions because you're not seeking the medical professionals to help you understand how it.

Read that and how to move forward with those.

We do hope that every single person has a medical professional that they can rely on in that way and have a primary care relationship with those people.

But if they're not going to do that, can at least take this one encounter.

This little snippet in time and make it something very impactful for them.

So I think having this stop point here where people can come in, no pressure, no commitment to it.

But knowing that I can find out that information about my blood pressure, I can at least maybe that trigger something in me either to do something on my own will to start limiting my salt intake to start controlling my diet a little bit better doing those proactive things to help push me to that better level of wellness and and take that information and really translate that into action items, I think is what we hope that people will do with this information today.

>> While you're in the health horizons pavilion, be sure to stop by Kentucky Association of Health Plans.

Pop-up clinic to get a flu shot and exchange for a free on limited rights bracelet while supplies last.

♪ As the Kentucky State Fair continues this week, arts of all kinds can be found throughout the campgrounds from models made in Minature to quilts making a big difference.

We even learned a thing or 2 about break dancing.

So join us for the wide array of the Commonwealth has to offer and this week's Arts and culture segment we call tapestry.

♪ ♪ >> We're more of a city folk, you know, and and bringing the, you know, the into the country or rural areas where people don't get to, you know, see, you know, this time, the Vance for the most part it's a good morning.

You know, and we love to do it just because we'd like to share a culture with with the with with everyone, you know, because our culture is all about love.

You know.

And the fun.

And and that's what we like.

Just let people know.

Were it dancing was invented here.

It's an American thing.

>> Just to let to us.

>> Louisville, nimble.

Campbell's is an educational group and also a group.

It deals with charities here in Louisville.

One of our charities is Norton Children's Hospital.

And we make what we call cuddle quilts.

These are little quilts for the children Norton, Children's Hospital.

They work with children from a preemie is up to age 18.

And so we make quilts for them that they can give to the patients and they can cuddle they could have they could feel comfortable with being at the hospital.

And what, for whatever reason there they are.

If they're to get a shot and because of an illness, the little characters in our quilts, the might distract them from that shot coming in to us.

I think anybody can be creative.

And it's just a matter of finding new outlets.

I mean, I stumbled upon the Louisville Louisville manage a club, got involved and >> haven't haven't stopped that.

That's what keeps me going.

I think it's a testament to the artistic and creative abilities of the people of Kentucky.

Just look around you in this room here where you've got textiles, you've got stitching, you've got culinary.

You've got all of these craft and all range of things.

I mean, this is a tremendous amount of creativity in this state.

And this is the excellent example of the U.S..

It's just part of the celebration of the state and is sick.

It's been going on for hire in 20 years.

So they must be doing something right.

>> Must be the Kentucky State Fair will conclude its 100 and 20th run this Sunday.

The 25th.

So check it out.

It's one of the traditions of the Kentucky State Fair.

The Kentucky Farm Bureau's country Ham breakfast.

And this is the 60th year for the Breakfast which includes a charity auction that has raised millions of dollars.

We'll tell you more about the breakfast and the 60 year tradition tomorrow night on Kentucky edition.

And of course, 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central where we inform connect and inspire.

Thank you so much for watching tonight.

It's been a pleasure to be with you.

I'm Renee Shaw and I will see you back here again tomorrow night.

Take good care.

♪ ♪