>> We have all.

Implemented a lot of things that we normally do not do that we've had to do here to make sure that we made the survivors where they are.

>> Hear from and hear from Kentucky senior U.S. senator about efforts to help Kentucky's flood victims.

>> Well, it's Well, more.

>> It's lights.

Camera action has some big stars film any series in the Bluegrass.

>> and we'll look back at 4 Hilltoppers who became chart toppers.

>> 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 Tuesday.

August, the 30th, I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you for spending some of your Tuesday night with us.

Kentucky leaders including Governor Andy Beshear have criticized FEMA's response to the eastern Kentucky floods.

U.S.

Senator Mitch McConnell echoed that criticism during a visit to Frankfort yesterday.

But what's FEMA saying about it?

Kay ETs Brandon Roberts has that.

>> Recovery in the mountains.

It's more complicated by the department.

Which makes a number of things that.

More easily Donald Lebanon.

More difficult.

>> Senator McConnell also said communication between the disaster survivors and FEMA representatives has been lacking because of how remote some of the affected areas are.

>> The Nikkei shoes.

I hear these folks, many people issue, Kentucky don't have.

Its self-service.

There are remote.

There is and just to simply communicating.

The benefits that are already available available.

Has been exacerbated by the difficult to communicate it.

>> Kentucky Emergency Management State director Carl Jeremy slicker and FEMA federal coordinating Officer Brad Howard agreed with McConnell with both man urging the media to assist in getting out information with Howard saying FEMA workers are doing their part to reach disaster survivors.

>> This is a whole of government response.

It's the whole community response.

The partnership that we share with the media is part of that to get the message out.

We have all.

Implemented a lot of things that we normally do not do that we've had to do here to make sure that we made the survivors where they are.

>> Howard said FEMA workers are going door to door in many communities and he urges anyone who has filed a FEMA claim to KET calling until they get in touch with someone.

Howard said in the 30 day since the flood, FEMA has given out more than 50 million dollars in individual assistance along with more than 24 million from the small Business administration.

And more than 10 million from the National Flood Insurance Program.

McConnell travel throughout Eastern Kentucky earlier this month to discuss recovery efforts and met with flood victims.

The Kentucky National Guard volunteers, first responders and state and local officials after hearing concerns from Eastern Kentucky families and local officials during the visits.

McConnell contacted the FEMA administrator again to encourage acts without assistance for Kentuckians impacted by flooding.

McConnell City is maintain contact with local state federal officials to coordinate and provide aid and has launched a portal for natural disaster relief on his website for KET.

I'm Brandon Roberts.

>> Since the flooding hit a little over a month ago, Governor Andy Beshear in others have been critical of FEMA for turning down victims requests for individual help.

Last night on Kentucky tonight, the governor's top advisor Rocky Adkins told us that a meeting between state leaders and FEMA is getting some positive results.

>> And this meeting was about streamlining this process to to help people that have been devastating that have been hurt who are waiting on this help to either BNA temporary are trying to do something to get back in their home.

I think this meeting helped.

I think it moved it to where now decisions are being made in the exact centers locally instead of going up through the as it normally would have to go with FEMA.

So the governor is working h*** o* that every day.

And techs are being cut faster.

Well, we we know that the approval rate has improved.

We seen that since those meetings, the approval rate.

As for his denials, have have been better.

We we have seen that.

Are they just where we want to?

>> No.

And then the appeals process.

How long does that take?

>> Well, that was another part of this meeting was how you stream and that appeals process and how you get the word out through these one-stop centers on a column in each one of the that have been impacted.

So that word is getting out on what needs to happen there.

Every one of those appeals are being reviewed, everyone that everyone, that have been done that.

>> It doesn't mean they'll be reverse.

It they will be in.

But I think that without question.

>> You know, the words come down from the governor and others that this has to be fixed.

Folks have been hurt.

FEMA one put there to find a way to not do something.

You were put there to find a way to do something.

>> So the President Robert Stivers urge people to get as much money and help from FEMA as possible before getting help elsewhere.

He says according to federal law, getting help on the local level first could limit what you're allowed to get from FEMA.

>> You don't want to in any way of paid your taxes to the federal dollars by U.S. infusing because if we do, it is set out in that section.

Then you lose access to those other FEMA federal dollars right?

>> So would it be that people need to get as much as they can from the federal government for so that by the time to go into session in 2023 there, something that can be done for them to read it.

Let's just make a point.

>> Correct.

That or foundations that have raised money specifically.

Yeah.

And a shrapnel watch in Kentucky.

We know that they are helping in that in others are doing that.

Legal aid says yet another manatee.

Yeah.

Service project.

>> It was a wide ranging discussion.

Also touched on the need for immediate housing assistance in eastern Kentucky.

Climate change the impact of coal mining on the flooding and more.

You can see the full show at K E T DOT Org Slash K why tonight?

Housing concerns are front and center for people who live in eastern Kentucky or serve people who live there.

I spoke to Scott Nic Reynolds executive director of the Housing Development Alliance, a Hazard based nonprofit about the message he's sending to Frankfort and that is housing.

Can't wait.

>> Somewhere around 6,000 families were impacted directly.

The housing was impacted about 1700 of those being total losses.

My organization 3 of the 4 counties that were hit the hardest.

So obviously we won't be able to serve all those families, but that that's the kind of the scope of the problem will as a region, we are dealing with.

>> Yesterday that would have been Monday in the Lexington Herald-Leader.

There was an opinion piece that you pen that was published in the headline was Kentucky leaders need to tell eastern Kentucky flood victims will have to wait a lot longer for housing explained that headline to us or and war.

Talk to us about your maybe dissatisfaction with the relief package that was passed last week in Frankfort when it comes to the housing piece.

>> Yeah.

though the point of the piece was.

The the you know, the state passed to a new lane or 212 million dollar relief package.

And there were some temporary housing money and that which is great because we do have enough that many people have been displaced, but there was no money for permanent housing.

And that's a real frustration because we need to working toward the permanent solution today or yesterday or the day before yesterday and to leave that There were some close by some of the leaders saying, oh, we'll deal with that than you were.

We're going to wait and see what the federal government does.

And that's that's just really frustrating.

Somebody even said, I think was represented planet.

But Blanton was quoted saying, well, housing takes a long time to build.

That will deal with that and you're wearing it makes no sense.

And so I just, you know, somebody that tell us why we have to wait for help.

Are Montrezl been for the last?

You know, couple week that way.

People need a place to live.

They we need to start working toward permanent solutions.

>> And so last night on Kentucky tonight, we had some of those key stakeholders, some of those key lawmakers involved in fashioning that compromise that relief bill.

And they say that first, the funds need to be exhausted from FEMA and then the state can kick.

And so you don't buy that argument and that Russia now.

>> Well, it's interesting because is also going to pay for roads.

Team is going to pay for schools and he's got to pay part of the bill for and the structure they funded all of that.

I don't know why they think that house.

I think it may be that they don't understand how that works.

But there are models out there.

There's something called recovery dollar a turf and that would allow people to borrow money.

I'm from a fund that maybe the state had funded and do the recovery and then any money they get later from FEMA or other federal back.

It's also perfectly possible for them to go ahead and fund it.

Housing fund and just instruct the people who administer it not to fund anything that FEMA is going to find.

You know, because we waited now we can start making plans.

I can't tell some of the people I referenced in the article and those are all real people and change the name.

But they're all real people.

You have a housing need right now and you're asking me h*** not going to be a new healthy.

What am I going to And >> I don't know the answer to that.

If we had had some money from the state, at least we would have been any case.

>> Some place to start.

And as it is, we're just kind of this in limbo.

I mean.

We don't know.

I mean, we need to develop housing sites.

We need to replace housing.

We need to repair housing and all of that put on hold.

>> Some 97 miles northwest of Hazzard Berea College is donating about a million dollars to flood relief in different ways.

The college will give money to the foundation for Appalachian Kentucky Berea College plans to donate $50,000 to each school system affected and it will donate to businesses hurt by flooding through the Mountain Association.

Berea College President Lyle Rule law says the floods affected many Berea students and their families.

We're about to montz from the midterm election.

And Senator Rand Paul has released his first campaign ad.

Here's part of it.

>> Rand Paul knows that freedom doesn't come from Washington.

It's our heritage, our birthright, because our forefathers blood for the commercial call, Senator Paul, quote, a Constitutional Guardian.

The ad stresses liberty and says Paul is fighting.

>> Unelected bureaucrats while showing video of Doctor Anthony Fauci.

And it says he has never voted for an unbalanced budget and his 11 years and office.

The ad does not mention Senator Paul's Democratic opponent Charles Booker.

Paul is running for his 3rd term and the U.S. Senate.

Do you have some unclaimed property out there?

Many Kentuckians do.

And I don't even know what state Treasurer Allison Ball says the state is holding about 800 million dollars in property.

According to the Lexington Herald-Leader, the money is often from stock earnings ensurance and pay the belongs to someone that can be reached.

Sometimes the property is from safe deposit boxes go to the Kentucky State treasurer's website to find out if your on the list.

2 weeks ago gun that America's largest newspaper chain announced layoffs today.

Journalist at The Courier-Journal in Louisville announced on Twitter they intend to vote on unionizing.

The Courier Journal Gill tweeted, quote, We will organize, we will vote.

We will win and we will create a better future for Kentuckyian southern Indiana journalism.

The Guild says it wants a livable salaries for employees and wants the company to drop hay walls on some stories, including those on COVID and natural disasters.

Speaking of COVID.

♪ ♪ Kentucky's COVID positivity rate is up again and now tops 20% according to the new number out yesterday, it was 18.9, 6 a week ago, Kentucky now has 30 confirmed cases of monkeypox, according to the Centers for Disease Control, Lexington plans, another monkeypox clinic on Thursday from 09:00AM to 03:00PM at Central Baptist Church on Wilson Downing Road.

There's a limited number of vaccines.

So this is only for people with the highest risk and you have to register in advance.

Go to the Lexington, Fayette County Health Department, Facebook page to find out more.

Someone stole 4 million dollars in housing funds and Lexington.

The city says someone stole the money electronically.

The money included federal rent assistance and transitional housing funds and was supposed to go to the Community Action Council police think someone outside government directed the money into a private account and there's nothing indicating the city or the Community Action Council did anything wrong and the city's financial system wasn't compromised.

Lexington is working with the Community Action Council to make sure everyone gets the proper housing assistance.

And assistant coach is taking over temporarily as the eastern Kentucky University football coach deals with a health problem.

UK use as coach Wall to Wells is in stable condition after what's being described as a cardiac event on Sunday Wells's at UK Hospital in Lexington Athletics.

Director about Roan says he and U K EU president David McFadden spent some time Sunday night with Wells.

His family and his wife and friends assistant Gary McPeak is serving as acting coach.

UK.

You goes to Eastern Michigan for the first game of the season Friday.

♪ It's one of the largest economic development projects in Kentucky history today in E S ebro ground of Kentucky Trends Park in Bowling Green.

The company headquartered in Japan makes batteries for electric vehicles and will create 2000 new jobs.

♪ >> Well, in Green has for many decades, played a leading role, automotive industry.

Since the 1960's when Bowling Green was connected to interstate 65.

In the 1980's, when General Motors built its assembly plant here.

Auto Ali is now rapidly leading U.S. EV battery manufacturing.

>> This is the second largest ever investment in the history of Kentucky.

And it's right here in Bowling Green.

You combine this with Ford, which is about 6 months before where the electric vehicle battery production capital of the United States of America.

The U.S. market is one of most global markets >> present an opportunity for invision, a se.

>> With a forecast potential to become the largest EV market globally about 2025.

>> What's being built here is a 5th and 6th generation battery plant of which the technology machinery is not even known yet.

That's how cutting edge this is.

This is the future.

And we all know it.

And, you know, one of the challenges and in eastern Kentucky that we're facing in the rebuilding.

>> When the energy economy started changing, we were left behind this.

Make sure that we're ahead.

We're a leader.

We don't have to worry about losing the automotive jobs as the changes.

In fact, we're going to even more.

>> The mega projects are rare and there are few and far between.

But they do have dramatic impact and they continue to give us momentum to support the policies that we put a in place to make Kentucky more competitive and to make us more business friendly to prod projects like this.

>> We're very proud of how the state and local government have put incentive dollars into this facility.

Gave us a package that was competitive whereby we could land that.

But it makes the economics work for them to build such a large, an amazing facility.

>> You know, this has been fertile farmland for hundreds of years in this part of our community with the last 2 decades, it's been fertile ground to grow companies to grow jobs and to grow our economy.

Here.

And we want to thank you envision for choosing this area for choosing our hometown for choosing our citizens to provide these opportunities too.

This amazing company with amazing product.

That is going to really change.

This entire region while is changing the world as we continue to.

>> To transform Kentucky's business environment, whether be for tax policy, regulatory policy.

I think that you will continue to see Kentucky a magnet for these types projects going for it.

>> And his remarks today, Brian Sullivan says Invision has produced high-performance extended range batteries for more than 650,000 electric vehicles shipped to 44 countries.

He says they a half I 100% safety record.

♪ Sony Pictures Entertainment has been and will board the past couple of months filming a six-part miniseries called Destination.

Haven't gathering a crew of locals and Hollywood stars alike.

The production certainly left a big impact on this small town.

>> When the project was first brought to me, they were discussing potential locations.

Los Angeles.

>> New Orleans, Tennessee, and that show runner Ali is like, well, and then a judge on it as very University of World War.

2.

>> We're doing some research.

I flew out here that with a doctor always university.

>> Also along with your little town.

Well, >> They simply told us what they wanted to do.

Ask us if that was OK, we were excited someone was going to come and do that.

So it didn't take much to convince us that that was a good deal for.

>> What I partnered with the adverse event and I I came to today, said I want to be a win-win-win.

I want to feel like they want to feel like they want.

I want whenever something like this one.

>> We love having a having a production.

This level operating within our our building, our facility.

It does a number of things that give students great material for their resume because they can list Sony Pictures, Entertainment, Pure Flix on a resume.

They're paid.

>> Staff not just volunteers or something we have about 20 students at about 5 or 6 staff plus will to live from just from a little more.

As for university area, a few people, 3 or 4 coming in for Election Day.

So I've I've really tried to hire much locally as I could.

>> I think these experiences are important because once again, just networking meeting people.

But you also really get a firsthand experience of like what you're learning in the classroom applied to real life.

>> I think a lot of all the local students and staff.

The maze that how much work.

Goes into a larger production.

This isn't a 10% smaller.

Independent films says, you know, it's Hollywood from Willmar.

Great throwing rolling >> Locally.

>> They spend they hire students, they hire faculty, our staff.

They read they buy gas.

They buy food.

They buy ice cream.

And by coffee.

And while the Saints sound trivial, but to a small business.

>> Having somebody come in.

>> Feet 40 people might be the difference in a profit or loss for a small business says the economic opportunity.

There's a tourism opportunity.

>> There's a possibility of showcasing will more and a Q a very almost light.

>> We're proud that high that.

We're very proud.

>> There were a safe community where a good community where a home are tight community.

>> Potentially it opens doors for future opportunities similar to this.

We have worked for a number years with partners shooting feature films.

This is the largest one we've ever had.

>> And it's got quite a bit of attention from others in the industry.

So we're already being approached about future projects.

I mean, our goal would be to have a couple films a summer here where students can get credit, but also it could be a stream of cash.

So be a summer job in the industry, which is so difficult.

>> Having this opportunity people down here to come film it's just to show that you do have to have successful careers.

You can just come here and stay stay local and some >> I think this could be come a set.

Like a movie set background for.

Venues like this want to come here use that talent that said as very use of the resources that are as very >> use the accommodations that are here as very and will more.

And I hope we grow that.

The whole concept.

>> And maybe even become a little movie.

10.

>> A little Hollywood on the side of the country.

♪ >> For students from western Kentucky University became a national sensation and 1952 with their song trying that led to other hit songs for the group name for the Western Kentucky mascot.

A look back at the Hilltoppers and tonight's Kentucky Life.

>> Young came from.

Western Kentucky state.

>> They'll as saying trying on the Ed Sullivan Show, which was it was called the toast of the town and on Sunday nights, this was the big show in the country.

I love the whole story of finance is just one of those >> Miracles thing in the right place at the right time.

And the song just kind of finding its way in the world leading the group from this.

I think they recorded it just an auditorium on campus.

There.

Bowling Green, Kentucky.

And then that song ended up opening all these doors for them.

>> What the men meter, all that on the campus of Western.

And with 12 people there watching us, we recorded trying and you made up my mind.

Believe honor from Glasgow, Kentuckyian court Eastern decade from Hazard.

Jimmie Sacco from Lockport, New York and see more people from Seneca Falls.

New York.

>> You know, you.

>> because ♪ >> I might.

They were on the Ed Sullivan TV show.

That was the first show.

They it was on the Sunday night we belong to this little community church in Jackson, Mississippi.

All of of the people at the church said we're not going to be a church tonight.

We're going to be at home watching the Hilltoppers.

Some made up 3 voices.

>> Ordinary voice in the background.

We think good hard together.

And Jimmie Sacco had a fine voice that sound together.

>> Help make it KET that we had to look good now instead of just sounding good.

>> And it had to smile a 4th of what I felt when that little red light comes on.

It's a different world.

Said.

>> not a lot.

I know.

>> And one of the song started 3rd world.

The big shows in America.

>> I around the world live ♪ ♪ >> some sweet songs from the Hill.

>> When you hear the road, the word rodeo, you probably imagined cowboys on horseback.

>> Well, that's not always the case tomorrow.

Check out the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Rodeo.

And that's not a misspelling.

See road workers show off the skills they used to KET our roads in.

Good repair.

That's tomorrow night on Kentucky edition.

And we do hope we'll see you tomorrow night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky edition where we inform connect and inspire.

You can subscribe to our weekly Kentucky Edition email newsletter and watch full episodes.

KET Dot Org.

You can also find Kentucky edition of the PBS video app on your mobile device and smart TV.

Thanks very much for watching Kentucky edition tonight.

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

Until then.

Take really good care.

♪