>> Pray for a world where these things don't happen.

>> Reaction and the latest information.

After a double shooting on the Kentucky State University campus that left a student dead and another wounded.

>> Did they feel bad about being white?

It's not about making people feel bad about being white.

>> As dye disappears from Kentucky colleges, what's the future of dye for younger Kentucky students?

>> So take your time.

Don't tell everybody.

Don't have to go out and buy things.

>> And advice for lottery winners from the lottery president.

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

>> Good evening and welcome to Kentucky Edition for this Wednesday, December the 10th, I'm Renee Shaw, and we thank you for winding down your Wednesday with us.

A student is dead, another critically wounded after a shooting yesterday at Kentucky State University in Frankfort.

And we now know the victim's name.

The Franklin County coroner says he's John Darrell Fox junior of Indianapolis.

He was 19 years old.

Police arrested Jacob Lee Bard of Evansville, Indiana.

He is not a student at KSU.

According to police, Bard is charged with murder and assault.

Police have not revealed a motive for the shooting.

The shooting was around 3 p.m.

eastern time yesterday near the Whitney M Young Junior Residence hall.

Police call it an isolated incident.

Governor Andy Beshear released a video statement.

>> This was not a mass shooting or a random incident based on what I've been told.

And the suspected shooter is already in custody.

That means that while this was scary, there is no ongoing threat and I believe our families are safe.

But please pray.

Pray for those that have been injured.

Please pray for these Kentucky State University students that again, might be rightfully scared.

Pray for a world where these things don't happen.

>> That statement from the governor yesterday.

Now the KSU president, Kofi Akakpo, put out a statement that says, quote, we remain committed to supporting our students, faculty and staff during this difficult time and ensuring the safety and well-being of our campus community.

Counseling and resources will be available to those who need them.

End quote.

State Senator Jay Williams, a Republican who serves the district that includes the KSU campus, said this yesterday, quote, I'm deeply troubled by the shooting that occurred on the campus of Kentucky State University this afternoon, which was yesterday.

I want to thank the Frankfort Police Department, KSU campus police, the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, and our first responders for their quick and coordinated response in securing the scene and taking a suspect into custody.

End quote.

Kentucky State University says it has suspended all classes, final exams and campus activities for the remainder of the week.

In other news, earlier this year, Kentucky lawmakers passed House Bill four to get rid of Dei or diversity, equity and inclusion programs, offices and initiatives at Kentucky's public universities.

Now, a Republican lawmaker wants to do the same thing in K through 12 schools in Kentucky.

That was one of the topics during a legislative hearing yesterday in Frankfort.

But there are Democrats who say Dei programs are necessary and that they're not hurting anybody.

Our Emily Sisk tells us more in tonight's legislative update.

>> In 2025, the Kentucky General Assembly passed a bill that put an end to Dei initiatives on college campuses.

Now, Republican State Senator Lindsey Titchener wants to request a similar bill for younger students.

>> I am hopeful that we will be able to take the same measures this session regarding our K-12 schools.

>> Titchener called out Kentucky's two largest school districts, Jefferson and Fayette County, for not complying with federal practices to end Dei.

She also said some of the lowest performing schools are in districts where Dei is heavily implemented.

>> When measuring these expenses against student assessment and test scores, it becomes clear a great deal of these funds never reach Kentucky students.

>> In her research, Titchener found that Jefferson County Public Schools were spending tens of millions of dollars for Dei conferences, training and racial equity funding, which she said was wasteful.

There was much back and forth, however, from Democratic lawmakers who argue there's value in honoring diversity.

>> If we cannot have our children see themselves in the curriculum, if we cannot have initiatives that recruit teachers who look like our kids, it will continue to impact student achievement.

>> I heard about in a fourth grade classroom learning about Rosa Parks and the kids on the bus.

Did they feel bad about being white?

Those are those are ideas and concepts.

We shouldn't make anyone feel bad about how they were born.

>> It's not about making people feel bad about being white.

I think it's about acknowledging the historical privilege that white people have always had in this country.

>> I'm happy to say I work for a public school district.

My husband does as well, and I think that I can probably offer you some differing perspectives and maybe open your mind to see how this how it is actually beneficial to our students.

But I appreciate it.

>> Thank you.

And when you I would love that.

And please bring the test scores when you come.

I would like to see the benefits of how it's helping kids progress in their education.

>> The education Committee also heard from the Kentucky Department of Education regarding the latest K through 12 assessment scores, which were released last month.

The department identified 53 comprehensive support and improvement schools, meaning they perform at the bottom 5% of all schools, or they have a graduation rate below 80%.

Of those 53 schools, 41 are in Jefferson County.

>> Have you been able to identify some factors of why that particular school district has so many schools that are struggling, and what can we do to help offer them supports?

>> There are very large district with lots of minority students, lots of students that fall into different subgroups.

We are working with them hand in hand, and I do sense a very real sense of urgency from Doctor Yearwood in our meetings over the last month.

>> And a Republican senator expressed his dislike of the assessment system.

>> No matter what you do, always 5% of your schools are failing.

Why?

We don't set a benchmark that we want our schools to achieve is beyond me.

This is this is failed public policy, in my opinion.

>> For Kentucky Edition, I'm Emily Sisk.

>> Thank you.

Emily.

Out of the 171 school districts in Kentucky, Fayette and Jefferson counties are the only two that have not signed off on the Trump administration's Dei rules.

The administration has threatened to pull federal funding to school districts that do not comply, as state lawmakers tackle the enormous cost of Medicaid.

One rural Republican is calling to cut for profit companies out of the program.

Those are the five insurance companies or managed care organizations that provide health plans and process claims for each Medicaid recipient that you see on your screen.

>> When we started the managed care experiment back in 2010, our Medicaid budget was $5.9 billion.

Rolling forward.

Now it's $21 billion.

We've seen a 50% increase in Medicaid recipients.

And at the same time, we've seen a 400% increase in the cost.

Unfortunately, that cost has not translated to fair and equitable payments to health care providers, especially in rural areas.

And I probably have been the harshest critic of the managed care model.

And it's probably a little unfair to those folks because they're doing their job, which is to increase stockholder equity because they're all for profit insurance companies.

But unfortunately, that's counterintuitive to what we're trying to accomplish, which is maximizing the return on our Medicaid dollars.

We have to change that.

>> State Senator Stephen Meredith plans to file legislation to conduct a feasibility study for alternative models, including the creation of a nonprofit mutual insurance company.

Mcos came up earlier this year after state Auditor Alison Ball found the state spent $800 million paying for Medicaid recipients who no longer lived in the state.

Mco's benefited from this mishap as they receive payments monthly for each recipient, regardless of their claims.

The federal changes to Medicaid this year have left health care professionals with a lot of questions and concerns.

This week at the Kentucky Voices for Health Summit, they discussed those concerns with legislators and shared what health policies they want to see prioritized at the state level.

Our Mackenzie Spink tells us what health care issues might be brought to the table during the 2026 legislative session.

>> Fully funding Medicaid is at the top of Kentucky Voices for Health's list of legislative priorities.

The nonprofit says the state should use its Budget Reserve Trust Fund, also known as the Rainy Day Fund, to offset the federal cuts Medicaid is facing.

Representative Ken Fleming is co-chair of the Medicaid Oversight Advisory Board.

He believes the cost of Medicaid is the biggest problem facing the state, but doesn't believe using money from the rainy day fund is the solution.

>> The number one issue in my mind when I've been working on for High School Plus, Medicaid and Medicaid has gone from this $10 billion about five, six years ago to over $20 billion this past cycle.

Now, looking at these, my understanding from the administration, we're at $4 billion.

So this is nothing to sneeze at.

>> Another priority for Kentucky Voices for health.

Increasing access to oral health in the state.

>> We feel strongly that it's one of the many professional deserts where we can have a true impact.

If we were to tweak ever so slightly and allow public health dental hygienists to practice at more locations.

>> This is a subject Republican floor leader Senator Max Wise knows very well his wife is a pediatric dentist.

He agrees that oral health should be a priority in the state.

>> The other day, she had a family come from Hopkinsville, Christian County because there was no other Medicaid provider in Bowling Green or the Campbellsville.

Now, folks, that's a six hour round trip visit for someone coming Campbellsville for Hopkinsville.

She does not turn anyone away.

She sees Medicaid.

But I will tell you, we're getting to the point, especially with the pediatric dentist in that profession, that I'm afraid we're soon going to be seeing.

Many of them just say we're out.

>> Kentucky voices for health is also pushing for a full time nurse in every school.

According to kV, 40% of schools in the state have only a Part-Time nurse or no nurse at all.

>> School health is top of mind.

This is an opportunity where in the vacuum of HR one budget cuts where we could really have an impact that doesn't offset the state's budget.

>> This is an issue.

Democrat Representative Mary Lou Marzian has been working on for 30 years.

She says she's working across the aisle with Representative Nancy Tate and Senator Steven Meredith to file a school nurse bill this session.

>> I do not want the students to have issues or get sick and keep them in school.

But, you know, Chris practitioners also, they can write their prescription or call them.

And so that they could stay in school.

Mom or dad doesn't have to take a day off work or leave work.

>> Representative Marzian says she believes the school nurse, Bill, will not have a fiscal impact on the state.

For Kentucky Edition.

I'm Mackenzie Spink.

>> Thank you.

Mackenzie.

The next legislative session begins in less than four weeks on January the 6th.

Pro-business groups have their ideas on what they want state lawmakers to consider when that 60 day legislative session begins.

In just a month, the Chamber of Commerce representing Louisville, called Greater Louisville, Inc.

hosted a legislative preview event this week in the Derby City to hear from top Republicans on what's top of mind for them.

Our June Leffler covered the event and has this report.

>> Louisville's chamber shared its 2026 legislative agenda with business leaders and state lawmakers this week.

Greater Louisville, Inc.

is asking lawmakers to fund a marketing campaign to bring workers to the state.

>> Kentucky does a great job at really marketing itself for tourism and economic development, but there's never been a specific, you know, initiative for people to get people to move here.

>> Lawmakers suggest there is untapped talent already in the state, including those currently incarcerated.

>> Now, that's going to take you business leaders taking a chance on some people.

But he's got literally a captive audience that's going to show up to class and learn a skill and be trained.

>> Same goes for immigrants in Kentucky, especially Cubans in Louisville.

>> Because if they don't get through the system, then they start going underground.

And that would that is a very good potential for workforce and working through these dynamics and problems with the immigration system is something that this city and the university could be a huge help in.

>> The Senate president suggests something that has long frustrated lawmakers is also a talent deterrent.

Jefferson County Public Schools.

>> This may make some people mad, but I've run into two major employers here in Louisville that brought people in and talked to me.

That says one of the reasons we can't attract high quality people to our area is our public school system.

>> Onto the income tax.

Though the state did not meet revenue and spending benchmarks to trigger another cut, one House Republican is pressing the issue.

>> We measure our trigger in the summer, and we do that because taxes are due April 15th.

They were not due April 15th.

This year they were due November the 3rd.

But if you measured it in any real way, any fair way, which is how much did Kentuckians pay in the last fiscal year?

We did not miss the triggers.

>> Exactly how lawmakers get to 0% is a point of debate, even within the majority party.

>> And didn't miss it by a lot, but it still technically didn't hit the formula.

>> Which we have to make sure recurring revenues exceed recurring expenses.

>> My plan is to budget for the next two years on the revenue forecast that we have to hopefully be able to hit the trigger next July and the following July.

>> I'm going to advocate to reduce it every chance I possibly can see an opening.

And if we.

But if we don't do that, I do think that being that being very disciplined in our budgeting is, is the way forward.

>> This year, lawmakers passed policy for this exact situation.

New law says lawmakers can reduce the state income tax by smaller increments when economic triggers aren't met.

However, the law goes into effect next year.

Of course, lawmakers make the rules and they can change them for Kentucky Edition.

I'm June Leffler.

>> Thank you.

June.

Now turning now to national politics, President Donald Trump isn't ruling out ground troops in Venezuela as he continues his policy of attacking boats.

He suspects of carrying drugs.

U.S.

Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky is warning the president about the need for Congress to authorize action in Venezuela.

Senator Paul posted this quote Only Congress can declare war.

I have respected President Trump's refusal to get dragged into regime change disasters.

He opposed Iraq.

He opposed Libya.

I hope that his instincts will prevail.

But I worry some of the people around him have their own agendas and are pushing him toward war.

If they truly believe this war is necessary, the administration needs to come to Congress to debate, vote and authorize it, end quote.

If you're stuffing some holiday stockings with lottery tickets, you're likely not alone.

A lot of folks have jackpot wins on their Christmas list.

The state's largest Powerball jackpot, over 165 million, was won in April, and the Kentucky Lottery has made millionaires out of more than a dozen people in a year's time.

More than 124 players won 100 grand or more over a 12 month period.

So if you play and win, can you keep it a secret?

I talked with the outgoing president of the Kentucky Lottery about that and more in part two of my interview with Mary Harville, Representative Kim Banta from Northern Kentucky, who had proposed for a few years an anonymity, over $1 million of prize, that you could protect your identity and not have to reveal that you had been a winner.

Are you for that?

And why is that a bad or a good idea?

>> Okay, well, I didn't know you were going to ask me any hard questions.

Renee.

Well, there's two sides to that story, okay?

As there are with many laws.

So there are many good reasons for the anonymity law in some states have that.

I probably I'm thinking about 50 over 50 now.

Have them.

People want the protection of being able to go about their lives.

Right.

And and and not have to have that consistent people reaching out, change your phone number and all that.

The other side of it for us, and we supported that.

We supported her law, but the other side of it for us is that people want to know, right?

People want to know who won, because that gives us more integrity to be able to have a winner here.

Not all winners want that publicity, but many of them are realistic about what will happen when you win.

You know, $1 billion or even 500 million.

When you win that much money, do you really think you're going to be able to keep it under wraps?

>> Is the lottery involved in making sure that that person who's earned that substantial windfall of cash can manage that money appropriately for longevity?

>> Well, we have no official role in advising people, but we do.

Okay.

So we will advise people.

And when I go out at these events, when we're advertising the jackpot, I always say you don't have to take any action right away.

If you've bought the ticket or retail, just sign the back of the ticket.

You really shouldn't tell anybody right away, except perhaps your significant other.

They might want to know, but get a team together.

Think about what you really want to do when you win these life changing, generation altering amounts of money.

You need to take your time.

Get your team together.

You can afford a a wealth management lawyer.

You can afford a CPA, actually a whole team of them, to be able to invest the money the way that it should be invested in order to be there for generations to come.

So take your time.

Don't tell everybody, don't have to go out and buy things.

And one of the things that I have learned over the years of being able to talk to our players is that's what they do.

They do.

They're very considerate and deliberate about what they want to do with their money.

And when we have these events, I'll go and ask the players, what would you do if you won?

95% of the people will say, I want to.

I want to make sure my kids have the college education that I perhaps didn't get, or I want to take care of my elderly parents, I want to I want to help cure cancer.

I want to give to my church.

Number one answer.

Last event we did just a few weeks ago.

I want to give back to my church.

>> Yeah, yeah.

Well, that's that's that's lovely to hear.

It's not about I'm going to go buy a yacht somewhere, which they still may do, but that they're thinking more about others.

I also want to ask you a couple of questions too, about education, because you alluded to that.

And when the whole lottery idea came to be in the 1980s, there was a lot of question and optimism that this would fund education.

And for a long time, even though maybe that didn't happen the way it should have in the robust manner in which it had.

And then the General Assembly stepped in and said, okay, you got to got to do.

Right.

Talk to us about how Kentucky kids benefit and at what levels of education can they benefit.

>> Of course.

Well, you got it exactly right.

At first, it was just that the lottery proceeds would go to the general fund.

Well, that changed in 1999 when the legislators decided that it should be directed to college scholarships and grants.

Now, there was still a law on the books, though.

That said, the lottery couldn't advertise where the funds go.

2014 that changed, right?

So we could advertise.

And we do.

I'm sure you've seen it.

We're out there all the time with our mortarboards, and we want to be able to advertise that.

So it's college scholarships and grants, and most people know about the key scholarship program that we fund.

And that's based on your grades in high school, ninth and 11th and 12th and your Act score.

So you can get about $2,500 a semester or a $5,000 a year.

And that is not insignificant.

Of course, you've got to stay in Kentucky, which is what we want, right?

Right.

So it can be very impactful.

And I like to say that, of course, keys came long after I graduated, but the reason for keys is to get those Kentucky students to stay right here in Kentucky.

And that's what I did.

And that's why I like to go out and talk about our mission, because you can do what you want to do.

You can be what you want to be right here in Kentucky.

Yeah.

And of course, we fund some other scholarships as well.

And we're really trying very hard to highlight those.

We have a couple of need based scholarships for public and private Kentucky universities, and we fund a teacher scholarship and a National Guard scholarship.

And when I've talked to the beneficiaries of those scholarships, it's been very impactful.

>> As we approach a budget making session and a lot of needs that will be petitioned for.

And what are you concerned about?

>> Well, as you as you know, the need is going to be limitless.

I think the federal guidelines were changed for federal aid some time ago, but broadened the the eligibility for the keys program.

And the need is going to be greater than ever.

You'll never be able to fulfill that need.

So of course that is a concern.

We would want to be able to fulfill all the needs if, if we could.

And of course, the the next challenge is how to get the younger players.

We know that the young folks love everything they can do on their phone.

And they can they can buy lottery on the phone.

Okay, well lottery.

Com they can play online.

>> At a certain age.

>> At 18, right?

Yes.

You do have to be 18.

So we, we will have a challenge to be able to get those younger players to want to play lottery.

It is lottery.

It is not skill.

It's a game of chance.

But when we look at sports wagering, we see that that is involved some skill.

And it also combines that skill and sports that they so love.

Convenience matters and we've got to really make it easy for them.

And then they've got to we've got to partnership because we know that they love sports wagering.

But how can we do business with the FanDuel and DraftKings to be able to be in that arena as well?

>> And you know very well the dynamics of the state legislature that lean a little bit more conservative is particularly on some of these issues of chance and gaming.

Et-cetera does that concern you that there could just not be an appetite for expanding the forms and access, regardless of the age and particularly the young people?

>> Well, you'd like to say that is a problem.

And yet you see what what we're doing now, I mean, we've got we've got gaming in Kentucky and we've got a lot of it.

It should be regulated and handled appropriately.

So while while you say, oh, you know, there might not be an appetite for it, it's like, you better look and see what you're already doing and then decide how you want to regulate it going forward.

>> Mary Harville is retiring from the Kentucky Lottery in February of next year.

She says she's most proud of the Kentuckians she's met, who benefited from the education dollars contributed by the lottery that helped fund their higher education goals, that put them on a path to a new career and a larger life.

That'd do it for us tonight.

We hope you join us again tomorrow night for Kentucky Edition, where the president of Eastern Kentucky University will talk about how the regional university is handling policy changes from Washington growth and enrollment, new academic programs, and President David McFadden's wish list from Frankfort.

That and more on Thursday's edition of Kentucky Edition.

We thank you for joining us tonight.

You can connect with us all the ways you might see on your screen, Facebook, Instagram and X to keep in the loop on all the great program here at KET.

Take good care and I'll see you soon.