♪ ♪ >> It won't be a Harris Beshear ticket for the Democrats ahead, the choice and the reaction.

>> As a constant process, you know.

To prove it continues in Perth that this is the the Bauer Public Office.

>> How you benefit as state lawmakers from across the country get together in Louisville.

>> This is taking years and years actually get to the level that we're at.

♪ >> And how Olympic athletes train and handle the pressure of competition at this year's games.

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

♪ ♪ ♪ Good evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION for this Tuesday.

August, the 6th.

>> I'm Renee Shaw in Louisville for the National Conference of State Legislatures or in C S L where that summit here.

Thank you so much for joining us this evening.

Kentucky Edition is on the road again this week where here in downtown Louisville, which was selected to host the FIFTIETH anniversary of the National Conference of State Legislatures.

The three-day event kicks into a higher gear today with Sessions focused on energy education, the economy, artificial intelligence and so much more thousands of legislators and their staff from around the country are in town for this week's summit.

More from the NCSL summit and just a moment.

But first, today's news, the Democratic veepstakes are over with Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.

Staying put in Frankfort, Vice President Kamala Harris today announced Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota as her running mate walls in his second term.

As Minnesota's governor.

He's a former teacher football coach and Congressman Harris was over.

Governor Beshear Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona.

Among others, even though Governor Beshear will not be the Democratic nominee for vice president.

He is praising cut and the choice.

Here's what the governor said on X. Quote, It was an honor to be considered in this process.

But Tim Walz is a great friend and a great choice.

I fully support this new tickets and will work to elect Kamala Harris as our next president of United States end quote, This is what the governor said on July.

11th.

>> I love this job.

My kids are happy families happy.

I feel like we're in a role here in Kentuckyian this job is more than enough for me that I could fulfill this this next term, which I fully intend to and be happy if this is the public service role I ever But I said before, the only that I step away from this role is if I felt like I could help the commonwealth even more through some other opportunities.

>> While Beshear want to be a candidate for vice president.

There's already speculation about whether he could serve in a Harris Cabinet if she wins the Kentucky Democratic Party the Kentucky Democratic Party is praising Harris's choice and a statement.

Party chair Colmon Eldridge said, quote, through years of service in public school classrooms and as a congressman and governor Governor Walz has worked to make our country a better place and understands the kitchen table issues that matter most table issues that matter most to Americans.

He's a devoted champion for working families and has protected access to affordable health care, cut child poverty, protected reproductive rights, guaranteed mills for kids in public schools and more end quote.

Now, here's some reaction from Now, here's some reaction from the Republican Party of Kentucky.

Quote, It's no surprise Kamala Harris took a pass on his years of controversy and lack of policy wins choosing him a liability.

Similarly, her choice of Tim Walz is a liability to our nation's economy.

This is the most liberal presidential ticket in our nation's history with rising unemployment, inflation and a tanking stock market.

We must focus on defeating the Harris Waltz ticket in November and re-elected President Donald J Trump unquote.

Now in other news, a major player in addiction treatment in Kentucky is under investigation by the FBI.

The Kentucky Land to reports the federal government is looking into possible health care fraud involving addiction, recovery care or arc.

Art is the largest addiction treatment provider in the state.

Its headquartered in Lawrence County in eastern Kentucky with more than 30 treatment facilities across the state.

The FBI says no criminal charges have been filed, but ask anyone who may have been, quote, victimized by arc to fill out a form online.

In a statement to the Kentucky Lantern Arc said it was cooperating with the investigation.

Eastern Kentucky is getting 40 million dollars for job resources and job training.

The money goes to soar that short for shaping our Appalachian region.

It's from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The money will benefit 12 counties listed here on your screen.

The plan will mean more jobs and the health care, energy and technology sectors and it will help people in recovery as well as Kentuckians who used to work in the coal industry.

Jobs and economic development are also topics of discussion here in Louisville this week at the NCSL one of the featured sessions at this conference is looking at the ever changing workforce with experts and policymakers discussing ways to create career pass for jobs of the future.

We're also hearing from some Kentucky ends yesterday.

I caught up with Ashley Watts, president and CEO of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce.

He was here to discuss how cities are using technology to help bring jobs to rule areas of the state.

So this afternoon, I'm going to be presenting with someone from Vermont, a legislator from rural Georgia, about real innovation, how the technology can really help that.

And so I'm going to be talking about some of the success stories that we've seen here in Kentucky where technology has really helped him.

>> Bridge the urban-rural divide that we hear about especially the world post-covid.

We know how important technology is for economic development.

Some money put him pointing a couple of really cool examples across Kentucky where business has really been able to rob because of technological advances.

So one of the cool things on the highlight is a company called Make My move.

So their company that actually base out of Indiana, but they're here in Kentucky where they're working with state local governments to give incentive to for have people to move to Kentucky.

So we all now know that a lot of people can work remotely.

And as the chamber president always say, Kentucky is the best place to live to work, to raise a family.

We know that the kind that the cost of living here is low, the quality of life is that call it?

And so how can we attract some of these remote workers here in Kentucky?

This company partners with local and state governments to give money and incentivize people to move to rural areas.

So there was a study done with shaping our Appalachian Appalachian Region, Eastern Kentucky were about I think 60 people, 60 household actually about 150 people moved to eastern Kentucky with a small incentive about $5,000 per household.

But they won the change of living.

They want to move someplace a little, you know, more quiet, maybe a lower cost of living.

And so it's companies like this are partnering with local governments to really incentivize people to move their part.

The state.

I think technology is a really important way to talk about bridging that divide.

When we talk about broadband, especially rural broadband, we know how important that is for business for economic development.

And so now that we've been able to put broadband in especially eastern Kentucky, it's just opened up so many possibilities and opportunities for does Kentucky INS wanting this day back in eastern Kentucky.

So I think the chamber really is, I think, helping kind of, you know, bridge that divide a little bit back when one part of Kentucky wins, we all win.

And so it doesn't have to be the Golden Triangle or Appalachia.

It can be both.

And so by having people in Kentucky be able to stay in Kentuckyian attracting new businesses to Kentucky, everyone when some we love to have all these people and host of here in Louisville, all 50 states are represented.

We have legislators from all over the The weather outside is perfect for the hospitality is at its finest.

So really is an excellent way to showcase all of what we have going on here in Kentucky.

And hopefully some of these people go back to their states and bring more people here.

>> The NCSL summit was our topic of conversation on last night's special edition of Kentucky tonight we heard from Kentucky's GOP leadership about their sales pitch to bring the conference of the state's largest city.

And we heard how Kentucky Democrats are using lessons learned here at NCSL to help them find common ground with their colleagues across the aisle.

This is a big event for lobbyists to though on Kentucky tonight I spoke with lobbyist Bob Babbage in a new with less about the value of in csl for them.

>> Some people would say, well, we hope there's some tracks on how to wedge the partisan divide, addressing hyper partisanship and how you can be more collaborative.

Not be concerned about whether the dearabby are gets the credit card.

Those items on the agenda.

There are a couple items on that engine that one that I think kind of fits into that a little bit that I'm really interested in is how are we going to strengthen rural communities?

And I think that is something that is really important in Kentucky is that and and the Legislature sent a great job cussing on that.

I think Kentucky's been a leader.

They are.

But we've got to make sure that our rural communities remain as strong as our and because people want to live in those rural communities where they grew up where they know their teacher right now, their bank or they know that community.

And we've got to make sure that policies that are set don't drive people out at those rural communities that we're investing in those rural communities to KET people at home.

I think a lot of what we talk about politics, we talk about that rule Armenta that it sets that political difference.

And so I think the conversation about strengthening rural communities could somehow play into that political dynamic is no.

>> The rural urban divide is we're why you hear it every place, not just every state and every country.

But if the 3 of us sat down one of the sessions, we weren't.

The first question are you're radical.

Are you crazy?

Know it would be off having you know, they were you doing?

Got the answers.

We also heard a thing out.

Were you think the session?

What questions we ask that we get the most out of this other experts in the room.

Everybody learns for talking to state government's headquarters in second host together and scary about partisan and very mixed groups.

Many people.

That's where he some of the senior fellow there years ago, public criminal justice.

We are all kinds of acts.

First, people are pumping each other for for more information and a long-term relationship to try to get to solutions.

So that's the good of all this and why it's not her son.

Shaded.

It's I need to go out there.

I didn't answer.

I got to go home with an answer why people want results and this area and this area, this area.

So throw me something out.

You just go out.

>> On last night's Kentucky tonight, as we discussed the NCSL summit, I also asked a top Democratic lawmakers about the current status of state Representative Daniel Grossberg of Louisville.

Also a Democrat, the Legislative Research Commission is investigating Grossberg on accusations of inappropriate behavior, including text messages to women.

Last week, House Democrats suspended Grossberg from their caucus temporarily.

I talked to state Representative Cherlynn Stevenson, the House Minority Caucus chair about what that means.

>> So temporarily he is suspended from the caucus, which means that will not have access to our internal communications.

That means that he will not have access to our caucus meetings >> there will still be some some services that are provided to him from the lrc in from the Papas office.

However, we just believe that it's best that he take a step back right now until the investigations and can play.

We voted on that as a caucus and a mock caucus asked that we file an ethics complaint and that has been done so pending the results of that investigation.

At that point will decide how to move forward again as a full pockets.

>> So if the legislative session once again and January and the investigations are still ongoing, does that affect his voting status or anything as a member?

>> It will internally within the cough us on the House floor.

Not at all.

Yes, but not his ability to vote on Measure C would still be able to do He is Represen Odessa.

And yes, he's still a member of the General Assembly of the Just not about office.

>> Representative Grossberg through his attorney denies any wrongdoing.

His attorney says the case against him is based on rumors.

Last week the Kentucky young Democrats called for Grossberg to resign from his seat.

Roseburg is a candidate for reelection in November.

He is on opposed.

You can see all of last night's discussion about the NCSL summit in Louisville, including interviews with legislative leaders online on demand at KET DOT Org.

Slash K why tonight?

>> We're enjoying our time here in Louisville and we'll be back again tomorrow with another full day of events happening here at in Csl, including a look at some of the talented artists we've run into.

>> In real time, I'm watching.

We'll have mostly listening, listening, distilling trying to figure out what would make sense for people to bring home.

>> Coming up tomorrow, meet the artist summarizing the National Conference of State Legislatures through drawings.

Pretty impressive.

One.

Kentucky County says no to letting businesses sell medical cannabis and Kentucky is home to one of America's hazy assist national parks.

What can be done about it?

Our Joe Gibbs tells us more in tonight's look at headlines around Kentucky.

♪ >> A left-leaning non-profit released a new study that shows undocumented immigrants paid nearly 100 billion dollars in federal, state and local taxes in 2022, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic policy, undocumented immigrants in 40 states pay higher tax rates.

The top one percent of the income scale in those states.

The Kentucky Lantern reports that many undocumented immigrants are denied the benefits of the program's their taxes pond.

Jackie Vamo with National Immigration Law Center says they also face many challenges to get refunds, including getting scammed by dishonest tax preparers.

Medical cannabis businesses will not be allowed to operate in LaRue County.

Well, Andrew County Herald News reports that LaRue County Fiscal court approved an ordinance prohibiting medicinal cannabis business operations, calling it, quote, necessary and appropriate and in the best interests of the health safety and welfare of the county of La Rue's residents and members of the public who visit travel and conduct business in the county end quote.

The newspaper also reports the deadline has passed to get the matter placed on the ballot so voters could decide whether to allow medical cannabis businesses in the county, the state of medicinal cannabis program is scheduled to take effect for patients with qualifying medical conditions on January.

First 2025.

Mammoth Cave is one of the country's hazy U.S. national parks and a plan drafted to control pollution does not go far enough.

The Kentucky Lantern reports the national parks Conservation Association and allies haze pollution in national parks and found Mammoth cave to be one of the hazy us saying more than 70% of the park's pollution comes from coal-fired power plants.

A spokesman for Kentucky's environmental Protection Cabinet says its efforts to reduce hace, quote, are significantly reducing emissions and quote, Kentucky is now trying to submit a new plan for the EPA to consider.

However, the EPA could create its own hazed plan for the state.

The city of Lexington is asking people to submit visual art to celebrate Monarch Butterfly, weigh stations.

Jennifer Hubbard, the superintendent of natural areas for Parks and Recreation tells W E K you the way stations are critical stops for the monarchs trip to Mexico.

According to Hubbard, Monarchs contribute to the sustainability of wild flowers and impact our food source.

The deadline to submit artwork is September 13.

With headlines around Kentucky.

I'm Toby Good.

>> With kids going back to school this Thursday, parents and the Jefferson County Public School system want to know what they should expect.

Yesterday school leaders talked about the school curriculum sports programs, school lunches and school resource officers.

But the big topic was transportation following the big bust allies last year.

The school district has been hard work, retooling bus routes and trying new strategies.

This includes cutting routes from magnet schools and bringing on drivers from Louisville, Stark Public Transit system.

>> We essentially overhaul the entire transportation system this We started with an internal routing team made up of JCPS bust coordinators, GIs professionals under outing industry and we started from the ground up and work for a new solution for this year and countless hours of gone into that.

We work through this weekend processing the data through our We feel good about our first to scrimmage days.

We have an additional scrimmage day on Wednesday and we will obviously go live on Thursday.

We know that there's a turnaround in team has given us far more mirroring for schools, about 65%, which means the same bus in the morning in the afternoon, which we're very proud of.

We had increased technology on all of our buses this They'll be utilizing increase GPS increase.

Cameras across the buses.

Turn by turn navigation.

And we also know that obviously there's some traffic pattern changes this year.

We have done extensive work and paving Elaine delineation, adding new lanes, new signage, working with schools individually for their traffic plans and modifications.

There are 2 practice our drop off as we ran.

The route was around 06:20PM.

And last year our last drop off was on almost all days was even once we got past first day and got officiants, he's down was around 7 o'clock.

We're expecting to be 7, 15, 7.30, on the first day of school.

>> Just because of the deliberate nature of what we have to do, however, we believe that with our current plan and the efficiencies that will be well, 45 minutes to an hour and of some of the day's from last year.

>> The school year will begin with 560 bus drivers to cover 510 Rouse Superintendent Marty Pollio said that the restoration of any cut bus routes depends on whether at least 70 new drivers are hired through the district's partnership with Park.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists, Kentucky among the states seeing an uptick in COVID cases and what students around the state returning to school over the next few weeks.

Those numbers are expected to increase by how much depends on how well everyone practices a few simple preventive measures.

According to one U of L infectious disease expert.

More from him in today's medical News.

>> So COVID is alive and well, unfortunately.

And it is out there.

But the good news is, of you have protection from the vaccines and also coming this fall, we would have a new vaccine that's going to be available.

We are hoping the Internet will take you along with the influenza Flu shot.

It is safe to take over that same time you might see spikes in blood called norrell bars.

It's one of those viruses were takes a small, a small number of small amount of it to actually be a be affected.

The the good thing about norovirus is that it's as simple don't last long.

If usually of arms that many, they in fact about me and about a day or 2, the CDC did put out some guys at the end of this past school in anticipation of this Paul with the class is reconvening.

And other than basically want to get together and say that I'm looking at the ball on people and also on the to help and can continue to have low numbers of not only COVID and flow, but all respiratory viruses.

What they've done is they've as far as on the stones part is that the team him or seeing and wrist and the Congress party.

Any good sale.

That is a you know, you have to call news and no company us Lee are using something.

So something they did.

You can call up in 2 and that this show to spread, you know, that is called you know, I own people or things like that.

And we are hoping that the institutions that is the schools and things would have been a delay shun or for people along with a disinfecting areas.

They're asking people who are ill to stay home.

Both students and and teachers.

A new need there is surveying and our work, if you will, they was servants dissipate and asking for other protection is what we know known as PPE, personal protective equipment that is having a mask.

Poppy, nice laying some people on It just on the There is a large, large spike in Israel pregnant and there.

>> Doctor Burns also says another good way to prevent the spread of infection is to get outside as often as possible.

Even recommends having meetings outside if the weather permits >> It takes years of training to get to the Olympics.

But you have to KET trying once you get there, we sat down with the University of Kentucky assistant professor Lauren Erickson to talk about how Olympic athletes train while they're at the games, how they handle the pressure of representing their countries on an international stage >> there's a lot that goes into being a wimp and kind of as you look at these athletes that are performing right now, this is taking years and years actually get to the level that we're at a lot of hours dedicated to their sport and doing all the things behind the scenes and probably a lot of sacrifice to.

I think that gets underappreciated is when you get to this level, how much you're actually having to put into your support and dedication to that.

So a lot of time, a lot of effort, a lot of dedication and just hours and hours of training to get to the Olympics.

All of these athletes have to get through some sort of qualification rounds, even get to this level.

So they've been kind of cycling through how this could have been a four-year cycle for a lot of athletes could be a one-year cycle for a lot of athletes.

>> But they are trying to build to get to this peak performance level at the Olympics.

And so most people think, oh, from a trading perspective is how do you actually balance that out?

But really, I think a lot of these athletes are working on so much more behind the scenes.

The topic that comes up a lot to like if you're performing at this level, what do you actually consuming?

And I think for every individual is actually going to be quite different.

I think everyone has to learn what's going to work best for their body, especially on race day.

I work with a lot of runners and you kind of have to know what's going to work well, and that pre-race meal.

But I think what is important to note is that all these athletes have to be consuming enough.

You're out there exerting yourself for hours, at least with these So it's always making sure that whatever it is, it's just that it's a volume that's enough to handle the activities that you're doing.

It's not so much maybe what they're doing from a training standpoint, but it's how are they actually recovering throughout all this time?

So are they getting enough sleep?

Are they getting enough intake from their diet?

Are they managing their stress?

I think when you look at people in their own TV, the amount of actual stress that can come from being an Olympic athlete.

So it's kind of bounce everything all at once.

Huge credit to all those athletes for even being able to speak out about this is something that probably every athlete is having to deal with.

When you're on camera all the time.

It can also be kind of a higher stress.

Well, but I don't think people realize the amount of pressure and the amount of stress that goes into being representing your own team in your own country.

And so all of a sudden you have this one moment to perform.

Even they've been training for years to be able to do that.

So a lot of these people probably have people in the real house.

You know, you think of the physical side, you've got your Andy's got your 80's.

You got up to use of a whole host of people that's making up your team.

>> The same thing is going to need to go into the mental aspect side, whether it's a therapist or other people in your wheelhouse or social support networks.

It is huge because the volume of depression stress that they're under this can be quite a lot.

>> The University of Kentucky has 22 former and current students competing in the Summer Olympics in Paris.

Among them MS I Russell in the 100 meter hurdles.

Devin Booker on the USA basketball team and League K for who has already won 2 gold medal metals and fencing.

Well, as we told you earlier, Vice President Kamala Harris picked Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota to be her running mate, even though she didn't.

The governor Andy Beshear.

What did 2 weeks is a to his national profile?

We'll check in with NPR journalist Weiland Barton tomorrow on Kentucky EDITION.

We hope you'll join us again at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central where we inform connect and inspire.

Check us out on all the ways you see on your screen, Facebook X and Instagram to stay in the loop.

I'm Renee Shaw coming to you from Louisville.

And we'll be right back here again tomorrow night.

Meantime, take really good care.

So on.

♪ ♪