>> Western Kentucky ends will never forget.

December 10th 2021, we'll look back of one of Kentucky's deadliest days 3 years later.

>> So this is just a small, humble token to recognize their sacrifice and love.

>> It may be a small gesture, but for many who served our nation, it has big meeting.

>> It can be used in divination where can just be used as a conversation piece or journal proms learn more about the unique card deck inspired by the spirit of Appalachia.

>> From a strategy standpoint, I and super aggressive.

Your girl likes to attack attack attack.

>> And Olympian Lee Kiefer stops by her old high school with a message on the power of confidence.

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

♪ ♪ Good Evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Tuesday, December, the 10th.

>> I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you for a winding down your Tuesday with us.

Today marks 3 years since deadly tornadoes hit western Kentucky.

81 people died.

The storm damaged thousands of buildings with a price tag in the billions.

The National Weather Service says nearly 20 tornadoes touched down across Kentucky during the outbreak.

The largest tornado, an EF 4 devastated the town of Mayfield in Graves.

County.

We're 22 people were killed.

9 of those victims were working at the Mayfield Consumer Products, Candle Factory, which was leveled by the storms later that month.

President Joe Biden visited to see the devastation for himself today.

There was a remembrance ceremony and dedication of 8 new homes in Mayfield.

The governor's office says more than 220 homes have been built repaired or are under construction.

Some of the money needed for rebuilding came from the team.

Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund which raised more than 52 million dollars to help with the recovery efforts.

U.S.

Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky fell today after a Republican launch in Washington, D.C., Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming hosted the launch people from the News website.

The Hills say they saw some members of McConnell staff rushed over after the fall.

McConnell was later seen walking back to his office, followed by a medical team with a wheelchair.

CNN reports he sprained his wrist and cut his face.

McConnell's office says he is fine.

This is not the first medical incident involving Senator McConnell.

He froze while talking to reporters in July of 2023. and also fell twice last year.

Senator McConnell is praising Pam Bondi, the former Florida attorney general.

She is president elect Donald Trump's choice for U.S. Attorney general after the withdrawal of former Congressman Matt Gaetz.

McConnell met with Bondi yesterday.

McConnell says Bondi has extensive legal executive experience making her well qualified to lead the Department of Justice on the Senate floor yesterday, Senator McConnell talked about the fall of the Assad regime in Syria.

>> Bashar Assad is an agent.

Over at.

And Iowa.

Russia.

And a butcher whose hands are stained with so much, Anderson.

Blow to the death toll defies her size.

Count.

It.

The destination of this pushers flight from Damascus over the weekend.

Fellow dictators still find a warm welcome.

And prudence Moscow.

>> As we told you yesterday, Senator Rand Paul is urging the U.S. to stay out of Syria's affairs altogether.

Congressman Brett Guthrie of Kentucky's second congressional district is the next chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee Guthrie is a Republican.

He served as congressman for the second congressional district since 2009.

The website Politico says the Energy and Commerce Committee covers a wide range of important issues including pharmaceuticals, energy policy, the communications industry, air and water safety and more Guthrie is not the only committee chair in the Kentucky delegation, Congressman James Comer of the first district chairs, the House Oversight Committee.

President Elect Donald Trump is backing a Kentuckyian to become co-chair of the Republican National Committee.

Trump has endorsed Casey Crosby of Lexington right now.

She's RNC treasurer.

She's also a former member of the Lexington Fayette, Urban County Council.

She had announced her plans to run for co-chair Sunday night.

Crosby was a guest on Katie's Kentucky tonight on August.

The 26th, I asked her why people who might have some reservations about Trump's personality should vote for him anyway.

Here's a response.

I think when we look back under President Trump last administration, I think most people that I talked to in Kentuckyian across the country.

>> I've experienced this in my household to is our lives were better under President Trump.

I mean, I wasn't going to the grocery pay 50% more for your bread and milk and eggs.

My my gas prices.

Word outrageous.

I could travel more.

I wasn't worried about paying for my kids college.

I wasn't worried as much about my kids.

Future and I think under the past 4 years people become more concerned about pot, the issue's.

And I think that ultimately it's going to be driving forces with the economy, the border and public safety.

And those are 3 areas that Donald Trump we have hands above his been talking about and people felt better under his his administration and they have the past 4 years with productive rights, though, heard a lot about that during the Democratic National Convention and a lot of states are dealing with this as a ballot measure.

How does the Trump campaign plan to engage in that issue?

I think President Trump has been very clear on his position on reproductive rights.

I mean, he has said he supports exceptions and it's a state issue.

So I think he's been very clear on that.

He's leaving it up to the state.

>> Robert been vanity chair of the Republican Party of Kentucky said this about Crosby, quote, Casey's and select a work ethic, passion and conservative principles will allow her to champion the America first agenda with the same vigor and distinction as lower Trump.

President Trump's support for Casey shows that he recognizes the exceptional political expertise and decades of experience that Casey will bring to the position unquote.

America's Democratic governors have elected Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear as their vice chair for 2025 and chair elect for 2026.

2025 chair will be Governor Laura Kelly of Kansas.

In a statement, Governor Beshear said Kentucky has focused on bringing people together and on challenges.

Families face every day.

He says when Democrats do that, they win.

The Kentucky community and Technical College system wants to shake things up today.

Kctcs President Ryan corals as state lawmakers to approve nearly a dozen recommended changes to the kctcs system.

The recommendations include strengthening academic training, reforming the makeup of the Board of regents and changing the system's funding model all 11 recommendations were the result of a Senate joint resolution passed earlier this year, directing kctcs to find ways to improve the 16 college system.

Speaking to the interim Joint Committee on Education today.

Here's what he had to say.

>> But we're going to take these recommendations.

But in 4 buckets.

But that number one, what care exchanges do we want to make to recommend to you?

Look at number 2, what regulations seem to be reformed eliminated or a codified bucket.

Number 3 internal policies, things that we can do on her own.

Again, 80% of them outdated and bucket number 4 to be quite frank with you are things we do know what to do with yet, but we want to work with you.

We look forward to your questions and we want to build a coalition of our business partners for higher education.

A court to make sure that we come in with a bill that non-partisan.

One day achieve the support of everybody in this room and so that we can say in first time in 25 years we've reset kctcs.

>> Because of time constraints and the meeting lawmakers were not able to ask questions some of the recommendations were the result of recent audits that began before corals was named president in January.

♪ ♪ ♪ >> A Lexington High school has an Olympic champion among its alumni today, Paul Laurence, Dunbar High School gave the Andy Beshear Distinguished Alumni Award.

>> To Lee Kiefer Kiefer graduated in 2012 in the Math Science Technology Center program.

Kiefer.

He's been fence saying since the age of 6 and has represented Team USA since the age of 15 while she was attending Paul Laurence Dunbar, she competed in international competitions and still managed to balance both her schoolwork and her fencing career.

She is a 4 time Olympian with 3 gold medals under her belt.

That makes her the most decorated female American foil fencer in history.

Her message today, hardworking confidence can take you to the top.

>> And then saying different body sizes, body shapes and as well as strategy can have.

So let me elaborate a little bit more.

So I'm 5 foot 4 and I will go up against someone who is 6 feet tall.

So this taller athlete, well, half a reach advantage because of >> But me being more that heat with a lower center of gravity lie.

>> Can change direction really fast and paint ahead.

So that's that's a physical.

All men.

And then from a strategy standpoint, I >> and super aggressive.

Your girl likes to attack attack attack.

>> And I will fans, people who are more defensive and >> that also works.

>> So from physical side and from the strategy side, there is a lot of variation that can have success and I really excites me and >> With hard work and a problem solver spirit.

Anyone.

It >> So >> I I really think that applies in life, too.

And I just want to encourage the students out there too.

We're and Travis, Willie in your street Hollins and >> a really cool things can >> Some good advice.

11 when she says you're a girl loves to attack and attack and attack, right?

Well, Kiefer is also still a student athlete.

She is currently going to the University of Kentucky College of Medicine to pursue a medical degree while she continues her foil fencing, career way to go.

♪ Another Kentucky town could ban medical marijuana use by its city workers.

This time it's Richmond, Kentucky.

>> WKU it in Lexington reports at the Richmond City Commission could vote tonight on a city employee ban.

A new law takes effect in Kentucky in January that lets qualified patients use medical marijuana.

Richmond City managers say there are concerns about medical marijuana use by city workers serving the public, including workers that operate equipment as we told you last Thursday, council members and Wilder, a community in Campbell County in northern Kentucky, but it to stop public safety and health workers from using medical marijuana that affects police officers, firefighters and paramedics.

A Chick-Fil-A distribution facility is on the way to else Mayor and Kenton County.

It's 100 million dollar project that's expected to meet 178 full-time jobs over 5 years.

The distribution center will be 270,000 square feet and will supply 150 Chick-Fil-A restaurants in the region.

Construction is underway.

The center is expected to open in Twenty-twenty 6.

A pedestrian bridge is now named for a long time.

Kentucky high school basketball coach and what a fish fence and is a Kentucky river on the verge of getting one.

Our Toby Gibbs tells us more an hour to say look at headlines around Kentucky.

>> A judge says a western Kentucky man has to pay $44,000 for Turkey hunting violations according to Double UK and the U.S. in Murray, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife says Timothy Southlake of New Lundberg County operated an illegal guide service guiding hunters without proper licenses and debating his property for Turkey.

500 from Georgia were also cited.

A fish feds could be on the way to Kentucky's Salt River, a federally funded study will determine the best locations for an electric fence to block invasive carp on the river and harvest those car from the river onto a conveyor belt.

The Kentucky Blanchard says for 10 years, big head carp black car, grass, carp and silver carp.

And then a problem in Kentucky because they outcompete other fish for food and grow bigger than other fish.

A pedestrian bridge in Hopkinsville now bears the name William Falls balls was coach of the Addicks High School basketball team from 1935, to 1967.

It led the team to 663 wins and 12 state tournament appearances.

According to the Hop Down Chronicle, he was raised during the dedication ceremony as a humble man and a man who would do anything to help young people.

Balls died in 1973.

With headlines around Kentucky.

I'm tell begins.

♪ >> Wreaths Across America is a nonprofit organization that places wreaths on veterans Graves before the Christmas holiday.

The Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs held a wreath-laying ceremony in Frankfort Monday.

>> Increased >> across America started back in 1992.

They first started with place in recent Arlington National Cemetery.

>> has grown since then to cross 155 national cemeteries and 100.

And 22 state veterans cemeteries.

And like I said, the 4,600 private cemeteries across the country this year alone, there's 4,600 difference in that areas across the country that will participate and reach across America program.

To honor our veterans to teach our next generation a ball and those veterans and to remember going forward, recent Cross America was the nonprofit organization raise money, collect donations and they ought to do Rees and then to send it out to all the cemeteries throughout the nation will have over.

21,000 reviews >> going out to our 5 Veterans Day cemeteries across the commonwealth and it will be tens of thousands of restate.

It will be going out to the national cemeteries and the private cemeteries in the state.

The real significance of celebrating and handed out Reese on gravestones during the holiday season is to remind the nation and our communities, the sacrifice of men and women.

It done in peacetime in war and to recognize our family members for their loss is a very difficult time as the holiday season.

All of us will be with families, but the family missing a loved one.

So this is just a small token to recognize their their sacrifice >> it.

>> National re.

So cross America Day is Saturday.

December 14th.

Anyone is welcome to take part.

While the holidays are often seen as a time of celebration, it can also be a time of stress and anxiety.

And today's medical news we hear about a few of the common holiday stressors and practical strategies for avoiding them.

>> There have been just want to turn things that can cause stress and anxiety around the holidays.

Anyone is just the amount of work that goes into the holidays and the amount of money that goes into the holidays.

I think that that can cause a lot of stress and anxiety for people gift giving him enough, perhaps especially if you have kids.

So I think I deal with all the stressors and also no planning.

Maybe it's just me.

But I I find that, you know, coordinating the colony.

A family meal can also be a major source of stress and frankly, also expensive these days.

And so I think for all of that, perhaps re-imagining it in a way that is less stressful and less expensive can be really helpful.

O is for people to take a step back and think about, you know, what really are the parts of the holidays that are most enjoyable and meaningful for your family?

I mean, sure.

Are.

>> Gifts are nice and this can be expensive.

But I think a lot of times the pieces and parts of the holidays that are most memorable aren't necessarily the most expensive pieces of it.

And of course, there's also some other special cases that can cause anxiety and stress.

You know, these days, this is not something I would have talked about 5 or 10 years ago.

But I think these days given where we're at in our election cycle and talking about politics for us, family and friends might be the idea that it could come up could be another source of stress.

One strategy that we use in our family as we try not to talk about these things up the holidays.

You know, we say the holidays are a time for us.

Bunning, positive time together.

I think sometimes setting some ground rules in advance, especially if you have relatives or friends who, you know, are more susceptible to bring it up.

And then, of course, this time of year intersects with.

Loss and seasonal depressive symptoms and things like that, which can all be exacerbated at this time of year as well.

There are pests but myself, we we know that there's more people in need at this time of year.

And I would just like to make the point that for people that struggle around the holidays, you're not alone.

I think it's not very I think people, you know, they tend to social media post all there.

Favorite pictures and their positive experiences but know that most people at some point are going to struggle with issues around the holidays, but it's lost or seasonal depression or anxiety and stress.

>> Martell says people often stay up later and over in Dalton on Healthy foods over the holidays.

But she says keeping your routine and maintaining a healthy diet, if you can, can stave off stress and anxiety.

Well, here's here's a good way to battle stress music.

The Lexington Ballet company is performing The Nutcracker.

Not everyone can get to the theater.

So the ballet troupe took their show on the road for the children at the Kentucky Children's Hospital.

♪ >> It brought this today to bring the ballet into the community a little more and do some outreach because now these kids will be able to join us in the theater.

So it was important to us to be able to bring the ballet here.

So even though I want to encourage everyone to come to our offer house as we have the full experience, the lights, the sound, everything.

It means a lot to handle the bring it out to the community and give access to people who can't come to the shows.

It's really lonely.

If you're somewhere that you can't get home for the holidays and this ballet really does encapsulate all those feelings from good to bad.

Also, if you saw earlier played the NASA little brother Fritz, who destroys a not conquered all even those things that are really, really c***** things of the holidays can feel at home in a way that you can really capture anywhere else.

And I think about I hope that that can be somewhat offer these kids for I will go home for the holiday is the biggest part of doubts that I care about is connection between myself and other dancers myself, an audience and so find connection even as people you might disagree with the people that you don't know so well.

We tell you, I have more in common than you think you do before.

And if you can't be with family and some friends are find the communities and going join with for the holidays.

If you're lonely at this time because and that would towns can do is we bring people together.

I hope that we're able to do that as a bow and myself to sit down, sir, an offer that pathway to people who are new to that kind of connection.

>> If you want to go watch, Alex and the rest of the dancers in the full production of The Nutcracker performances will be starting this weekend on December.

13th and will continue through next weekend.

♪ >> From credited Sta Crawdads to Apple stacked takes one Kentuckian has created a love letter.

>> 2 mountain culture in the form of a card deck.

The Appalachian Spirit.

DACA is made up of 60 unique cards inspired by the joy and the style to growing up in Appalachia.

>> Some people say ask the debt for you.

No question.

If you have a specific question, you want to ask and typically I would draw 1, 2, 3, hearts.

>> The Appalachian Spirit.

That is an Oracle inspired card set inspired by Emily sirs, firsthand experiences growing up in Appalachia.

>> Grew up catching lightning bugs in mason, jars prod as >> similar to taro cards.

This deck is intended to bring about inspiration and self discovery through the lens of mountain culture.

>> There's a lot of us that used car decks for a variety of reasons in this region and and outside the region who want to reclaim that spirit of home.

And that's really what it's about is about reclaiming the Appalachian spirit.

It can be used in divination where can just be used as a conversation piece or journal prompts.

>> After recently traveling back to her hometown, not use or wanted to create something that would bridge her healing experiences with cards to the Appalachian roots.

She longs to reconnect.

I was like I want an Appalachian famed DEC to our quiz, you know, to kind of help me reclaim.

This Appalachian heritage that I spent so many years trying to shed myself of.

I started with a spreadsheet and I just don't any card idea like Appalachian iconography that I could think of into that spreadsheet.

So a little bit down to 60 and and have the traditional 5 elements that a lot of Oracle decks use first.

Fire water and spirit.

But I include a 6 element but called Vinyls, which is very, very Appalachian concept and the middles cards are mostly foods.

And sent around the ideas of community and community support.

Then I went through and I gave them an upright meaning in a reverse meeting.

>> So the meaning of the bright, as you bring the seasoning that makes life better.

And in rivers, a proper self care allows you to improve over time.

So just like a cast iron skillet.

>> While much of the cards imagery is drawn from officers, personal life.

She was also inspired by the region's natural beauty mythology and history.

So one of my favorites is the Packers librarian card after the Depression.

>> A lot of library shut down and there were women mostly on horseback with books and their saddle bags that went out into the far reaches of Appalachia to deliver books to families so that they can still read.

>> Latos or believes there's no one right way to be Appalachian and hopes that anyone who uses the deck learn more about the rich tapestry.

That is the Appalachian spirit.

>> We are a diverse, intelligent innovate is region of people.

I wanted to put something out there that was healing and loving and showed the diverse nature of where we live and love and let people who are from the region have a peek into the window of the rich heritage that exists.

>> For Kentucky edition, I'm McKenzie spank.

>> Thank you, McKenzie.

A lot of sore anticipates releasing a booster pack with additional cards in the future to KET updated or to learn more about the inspiration behind the deck.

Visit the Appalachian Spirit website.

Kentucky teachers, firefighters and police of come together to advocate for change involving their Social Security.

>> People may have gone their entire lives, planning a financial road map to retirement security.

And then they go, oh, goodness.

Well, it's not what I what I thought it would.

And we hear stories of people that have to stay in in the workplace.

I think that's not that's not good for anybody.

>> Hear more about the Social Security Fairness Act and what Kentucky's public service workers are asking of.

Senator Mitch McConnell.

That story and more is tomorrow night on Kentucky EDITION, which we know you'll join us for at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central.

We inform connect and inspire.

Connect with us all the ways you see on your screen, Facebook x of Instagram and send us a story idea and public affairs at KET Dot Org.

Thanks for spending a little time with us tonight.

I'm Renee Shaw and I will see you real soon.

Take good care.

♪ ♪