♪ >> These are rights.

I will say they're happening a little more frequently than we would normally see.

>> Should we be worried about some recent shaking and parts of Kentucky millennials, super and beaches and I felt like government just moved away to slow.

Made one Louisville Yun heading into the state House.

>> I think this is going to be where Kentucky Esther old, this leaves Mark Stoops has got to go to work.

>> And what do the football Wildcats do after a losing season?

We go inside Kentucky sports to find out.

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

♪ ♪ >> Good Evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Friday, December, the 13th.

But we're not superstitious.

I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you for starting off your weekend with us.

President-elect Donald Trump takes office and 5 and a half weeks.

His advisors, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy want to cut 2 trillion dollars from the federal budget which could mean massive layoffs of government workers.

U.S.

Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky talked about that this week with conservative broadcaster Dave Rubin.

>> What would you say to the people who are concerned about the people who are going to be fired?

I think most certainly my audience, everyone's on board slash the budget.

Let's get to trillion out fire the people.

Okay.

Fiber wood at the human level.

So thousands of government employees likely are losing their job in about 2 months from now.

You have any concerns about that.

Do you think they'll be picked up by the private sector?

Does does it really matter in a weird way or is it just a pain point that we have to deal with?

>> I'm very concerned with the people's whose wages are being garnished to pay for the federal government.

I'm concerned about the guy who makes $40,000 a year working his b*** off and he lost 5,000 ares with the purchasing power because our government is spending more than comes in.

I'm worried about the dead, destroying the And the thing is is there are lots and lots of jobs in the private sector.

The private sector is booming.

We have a and a dearth of workers.

Frankly, we're having trouble finding enough workers.

So there are a lot of jobs jobs outside of the government.

And I'm all for everyone to have a job.

I think the job is a great thing to have, but we don't need to have a government that spends 2 trillion dollars more than it comes in.

And we also need to be if you lose show up for work.

>> Senator Paul was also critical of the number of government workers working from home.

>> He says they need to be monitored and they need to prove they are indeed working.

Now U.S.

Senator Mitch McConnell is working from home.

McConnell cut his face and sprained his wrist during a fall after a Republican luncheon earlier this week.

He returned to work but his office now says he's feeling stiffness in his leg from the fall.

Congressman Andy Barr of Kentucky, 6 district will not become chair of the House Financial Services Committee and a vote yesterday.

Republicans pick Congressman French Hill of Arkansas to lead that committee.

Congressman James Comer of Kentucky.

Its first district will remain chair of the House Oversight Committee.

Congressman Brett Guthrie of the second district will become chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

President Joe Biden pardoned 39 people on Thursday and commuted about 1500 sentences.

One of the people pardoned is from Kentucky, Edwin Allen Jones of Paducah pleaded guilty to a nonviolent drug offense in 20.

0, 3, he was a law clerk and his law license was suspended.

He spent 2 months behind bars and later worked with addiction.

Recovery groups.

His law license was reinstated in 20.

0, 6, As we look ahead to the 2025 Kentucky General Assembly.

There are just a few new Democratic members of the Kentucky House, Joshua Joshua Watkins will represent one part of Louisville and he comes with more than 10 years of local government experience.

Our June Leoffler spoke with him inside a state-of-the-art sports facility.

One of the biggest recent investments in his district.

♪ ♪ >> State House district.

42 stretches from German town, their old Louisville and then to the West in home to Louisville's historically black neighborhoods.

>> All of this and 42 is historic.

I go to places like hawks corner off of Gas Avenue.

You think about going to the dainty their that event mean people generations of done that and same thing.

You know, Louisville and the same thing in the neighborhood by Shawnee.

>> Joshua Watkins was elected to Kentucky's House of Representatives this year.

He grew up in Florida but moved to Hopkinsville Kentucky in his teens.

His fathers from there.

He spent much of his adult life in Louisville working for Metro government.

I started.

>> A metro in what was called the community Services and revitalization agency that ultimately became baking of public property.

And we were putting bacon properties back to productive use that included teaching people how to buy a side yard.

That was next to their house that they were maintaining.

But then also got to understand that we live our lives and very interconnected ways.

So what sir, if you're driving down the street, what's an abandoned house for you?

It could be memories for someone who used to live there.

It could be, unfortunately, in some places the site of a tragedy that happened.

And so you've got to see how they can properties are connected to things like.

Violent crimes and food deserts and all that type of stuff.

>> That were connected him to his community.

Then he started looking at the nuts and bolts of city hall.

>> From safe and healthy neighborhoods, I got to work on projects like violence prevention with some amazing organizations then I moved into the office of Performance Improvement because at that time, you know, I'm 5, 6, plus years and metro millennials, super and beaches.

And I felt like government just moved away to slow is that of a friend of mine?

Who works and Metro government is BJ Atkins and she would talk about this analogy between the hard skate and the heart skate.

I got my heart skate.

We're doing community work, but I wanted to get the heart skate by underneath the hood stuff.

So I became a project management NE got certified all these other credentials and things and I started working on making government more efficient more optimal, more responsive, better customer service.

>> Watkins is leaving that job to serve in the state House, less hospitable place for a Democrat.

>> I want to be able to connect people to knowledge, information and resources to tackle some of the things and the needs.

And I know people haven't district 42 like affordable housing.

I want to support working families is a true Democrat issues right?

I want to be able to support public education and stand up for human rights and reproductive rights.

And I want to be able to tackle cost of living issues 6 people as it regards to health and wellness in our most at-risk populations.

Some of the things that I've got to work on and local government like homelessness.

>> He is joining 4 other freshman Democrats together.

He caused the Fab 5 who he says are ready to do the job for Kentucky June Leffler.

>> Thank you, June Joshua Watkins is filling Democrat could tour herons seat hair and left her post to run for the state Senate which she won and will now serve there.

And outgoing state legislator has lined up a new gig, according to the line reports, state House Democratic Caucus Whip Rachel Roberts has been named executive director of the Kentucky Cannabis Industry Alliance.

The group Advocates for Industry stakeholders, Roberts, who served in the state House since 2028 did not run for reelection this year during the 2023 legislative session.

She voted in support of legalizing medical marijuana in Kentucky.

That new law goes into effect January.

1st this year, the Northern Kentucky lawmaker also sponsored a bill to make recreational marijuana use legal in the state.

That bill, though, was never assigned to a committee for hearing.

More than 17,000.

Kentuckians have registered to vote since October.

11th the day registration stopped before the November 5th election.

That's according to Kentucky.

Secretary of State Michael Adams.

He says the state dropped 9900 voters from the registration list.

Some of those voters died moved or were convicted of a felony.

There were some duplicate on the books and 125 people were judged mentally incompetent.

47% of voters are Republicans.

42% are Democrats and 11% are independents or members of another party.

♪ >> Do something a little different this Friday we're going and side Kentucky sports on our talk with Christine Thomas who, you know, are great is sportscaster that she is with the SEC NETWORK and B B.

And we're just so glad to have you all.

Thank you for having me.

I appreciate being said that we're talking about football season being over.

That makes me very sad.

Well, that, you know, down the days well, and we're already talking about next season, the and that the schedule for next season.

So before we talk about next season, yeah, okay.

I want to hear what the Christie Todd has to say about this season.

The hits and the and just what went wrong.

Well, I'm the eternal optimist.

When it comes to football.

So I'm the one that always says we're going 12 in order to make it to the of the nch.

You know, it's all these So yet to say the season, it was a disappointing.

I think it's definitely an understatement because there is a lot of expectation.

And, you know, I think with the success that you have as someone like Mark states and what he's been able to do, there is some responsibility that comes with that.

And now it is that we do all have a hot, very high expectation of where will be and that we can it.

>> Get over the hump and get to the other side of it.

So the SEC expanding to 16 teams and eliminating divisions did not make that any easier for Kentucky.

So it is a really, really tough place to be playing in the single toughest conference in the country.

And in my mind, it's not easy and so used to have these home in home.

Opponents that you KET were out of your division.

That would always be the the opponent you can count on.

That's not the way it is anymore.

So things have really kind of gone, OK?

Well, you have to finish one-two in the league in order to and it could be 2 opponents that used to be in the West.

It could be to the east to be in the east, right?

But it is a really, really tough schedule.

And with the SEC did.

>> For 2025 for Kentucky was they just flipped.

So it's the exact same schedule.

So now instead of the home games that were home in the away games, they just now gone opposite.

So it's going to be it's going to look very similar to what you've seen this year by.

They have just flipped it.

So that means it's not going to get any easier.

So the transfer portal is going to be Kentucky's friend to they're going to have to go really hard and heavy there.

The offensive line, I think was definitely a disappointment for Kentucky.

They didn't necessarily have the consistent quarterback play that we really wanted to see.

So some guys are leaving early to go to the NFL, which we expected from the defensive side of things.

So they are going to be looking to fill some voids.

So you the transfer portal is tough because it's it's a double edged sword.

You're sad when you lose people.

That definitely has happened with Kentucky with some wide receivers and some guys leaving that you hate to see, go for sure.

But at the same time, I think this is going to be where Kentucky S to roll up their sleeves.

Mark Stoops has got to go to work.

He has said multiple times on press conferences and press conferences that he's ready to do that right.

>> I said consistency is the key ally and it's so hard to do.

Yeah, so hard to do, especially when you're kind of re recruiting guys and then you're bringing in new guys.

So I think that's part of it is if you're looking for leadership, which is really what I think this team lacked this year was player lead leadership.

And you go find that from the transfer portal Easter.

Still new guys that are coming in and trying to figure in awful lot of things out and really have to be very strong-minded to try to be leaders in an environment that they're new and it's not easy.

Yeah.

>> Well, of course, the ban is disappointed because UK is not going to a bowl game.

But yeah, at U of L is that but what does this say about where Kentucky is and the whole landscape?

Yeah, well, it's you're right.

It's definitely disappointing.

You know, Kentucky years in a row that was a program record.

So to not get to one, you know, it is incredibly disappointing.

And I promise you no one's more disappointed our state and this team, the guys and you know, no one wants to be on that team didn't get to the postseason again.

So it is definitely disappointing.

But I do think it and it speaks to the the state of football in Kentucky as us the state as a whole that Louisville was able to get back there.

They have struggled so, you know, I think everyone that follows college football certainly knows the struggles that Louisville has had and those where they've been.

So they've got a great coach in place with Jeff from.

So, you know, I think there can to be commended.

They're digging out.

So and they're on the right path and they're in the right direction to really what it what it I think it means for that for football in Kentucky is let's KET the homegrown kids at home.

They're playing for our 2 home state schools.

And let's KET the talent here.

And let's KET this going because it's it's just good for football and they push each other.

So it's a great way to end the season for one team in a release our way and the other team.

So it depends on which side of that you're on.

But yeah, it's it's a good thing for football, right?

So we're about to press forward in basketball.

Yeah.

All the while cat lovers.

And so how is Mark Pope in early reviews of him?

What's not to love?

>> Okay.

All right.

I mean, what's not to love about this guy think that this is the scenario that it has been such a great hire.

I don't think anybody will argue that.

>> It was a head scratcher initially, right.

I think a lot of folks will admit that they were thinking really, is this the right guy for the job?

But there was a culture shift that really needed to happen within the And so I think that there was really only one right answer for that.

And it had to be someone who KET what it was and what it meant to play there and be here and what the expectation is of this fan base is enormous and I think oftentimes it's hard to really understand that and to you've lived it.

And Mark Pope has lived it so to his credit, he's been able to come in here with a whole new roster.

Can you imagine?

Yeah.

And you imagine?

Yeah.

Bring in a whole new roster of kids to play.

Here is incredible is an incredible task.

So he was able to pull that off and another winning and they're playing a brand of basketball that I think everyone wants to see, which is great and I'd be remiss if I didn't say that the women are doing the exact same thing.

Yeah.

So Kenny Brooks was a great hire who is also changing the culture of the women's program.

And he was no different.

He brought in an entirely roster.

Only 2 returning players from the season before and they're doing it as well to their playing an exciting brand of basketball.

They're playing together.

He is changing the culture.

So these 2 programs are really mirroring each other in all the right.

What do you mean by change in the culture yet?

What are they changing it to are trying to change it to this idea that you're playing for the name on the front of your chest versus the name on the back here, jersey.

So and not everybody's cut from that cloth.

Not everybody wants to be able to do that and kids these days are different.

We all know.

Yeah, is teenagers are different.

So you're really sort of pushing this agenda of.

Can you really come in to be a great team mate?

So even if you don't score your points or if you're not in the in the step, FOX, what you want to be.

Can you come in and play because and give it everything you've got because you cannot pull one over on Bbn.

We know what to know what you're buying a are.

We know where I'm in a great effort.

And so really that's what this is has become all about is laying it all out every single time you play.

But doing it because you want to play basketball at at the University of Kentucky.

Yeah.

>> Well, and you just summarize all of us.

So beautiful.

A thank you, Kristin.

Thomas, thanks for that.

I find to be you.

Have you back when you get sometimes when you get some time but we'll do it because time, right.

But I love it so happy.

I be back anytime.

So happy holidays here.

♪ ♪ >> A weather note now a series of earthquakes struck along the New Madrid fought line this week raising some concern that a potentially catastrophic earthquake.

I follow our Christine Todd in talk to Doctor Seth Carpenter, a seismologist at the Kentucky Geological Survey to find out what's shaking.

>> Doctor Seth Carpenter, so with the activity that we saw in the New Madrid fault earlier this week, just have a lot of people wondering, are we getting closer to the big one that we've all been talking about?

What your perspective on this?

>> My perspective is that the recent activity in their New Madrid does not necessarily indicate anything about whether or not we are nearing the large earthquake.

The New Madrid zone is are reducing earthquakes.

And we think those are things happen on the same faults that ruptured more than 200 years ago to create that barge.

Devastating sequence earthquakes.

These are rights.

I will say they're happening a little more frequently than we would normally see.

If I sort of look at size missing here across a longer period of time.

But what we've also seen through longer periods of time is that there are reasonable first an activity.

>> So as a psychologist.

>> This raised an eyebrow for you or use or take it in stride.

>> But I raise an eyebrow honestly and made it means that I want to.

Attention to what's happening in the in the zone.

You know, we start seeing larger plates that we have seen.

It's worthy of a more in-depth investigation.

>> And so if this really isn't a predict that predictive factor of what we might see, that we just always need to be ready right?

So how do we prepare for a potential devastating earthquake?

>> All right.

The question.

So is there a good resource available online getting ready in earthquake country, some of the publications or call them.

They have good advice on what to do in the event to start shaking.

There are things that people can do to repair their home ports.

But in a moment, if something were to happen and you haven't prepared sort of a general general good idea is to get under a table that you can protect news the table to protect your body and then hold onto a lead at the table so that it doesn't move away from you during any storm.

Same thing.

>> Okay.

So we're just going to hope for the best and prepare for the worst right?

>> About it or not, though, it's it's a good idea to know what to do.

It's going to take it happens.

>> Yes, well, thank you so much, Doctor Seth Carpenter for your time.

>> Thank you for that question.

>> And thank you, Christy gotten the last catastrophic earthquakes along the New Madrid says seismic zone devastated the region and 18 11 in 18, 12.

Those are the quakes were estimated to be between magnitude 7, 8, They caused widespread destruction and dramatically alter the landscape.

♪ ♪ The Christian Appalachian projects Operation Sharing program coordinates events to provide individuals and families with essential items such as clothing and household supplies.

On Monday, the group held an event at an elementary school in Beit Evil to distribute toys to children from the area.

>> We are doing and if you can ways that we have gotten to the way for a job in the summer.

>> We've got to go.

You've got money and get my cookie in hot job with the rain on the phantom fall and then their chemical Michael of colors.

>> They're going to get to a home and hopefully it takes a little bit of a hard enough with their parents, something that the U.S. down the road to serve and to make sure that kids have a happy Christmas.

Is this >> and everybody to be able to come out and get you get to.

Be able to help the Diaz for spying.

>> I know they're on the other side.

But again, the appeals are their funding so much joy in this as well.

And that's where it's all about how easily you know what I want to thank all the volunteers.

It said this is this is what it's like to be on Team Kentucky just this year.

Not COVID team Kentucky spirit.

We're seeing that word out there to hopefully through the years to have a way to know the sign >> this year that we have actually re we have put away and the 62 63 counties, great battle with Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina.

And why she's so we're hoping that each year we can continue to do this.

We're just glad to be helping the but miles on the fly, it really makes all the hard work worth it to save >> And this mess.

>> What a cutie the program received.

75 semi tractor loads of toys to pass out to kids of all ages.

♪ ♪ >> The KFC Yum Center will turn 50 next year.

And it's almost paid off.

>> This Sunday, our Kelsey Starks sits down with legendary businessman Jim host, who shares the inside story about the vision, the economic impact and the controversial financing of it.

He's credited with helping develop Rupp Arena and the Kentucky Horse Park and many other projects.

But he says the young center makes him most proud.

>> from eastern Kentuckyian >> I grew up.

Part of the base is Louisville was another nation.

And that and people have always bam.

But here's what I learned when I when I got in the state government the first time and then the second that.

And that is up $0.40 of every tax dollar generated know helps arrests in the state.

So when people started to contest me, I KET downtown was in real trouble.

And Laurel and was.

And if you didn't have that arena there in the bay, think about what The the vibrancy of that committee comes alive with its restaurants and everything else, one or some go on a marina.

We're doing over 100 events, a lot of rain and now in its one of the best arenas in the country.

That artist come to a well.

John came twice Berber Springs taking 3 times.

They will do that.

>> The whole story on this week's and side Louisville, that's Sunday at 12 noon.

11:00AM Central right here on KET.

It's beginning to look and sound a lot like Christmas in.

We have a lot of Christmas options all over Kentucky for you to think about.

Our Toby gives runs down a few.

And tonight's around the Commonwealth.

♪ >> Lights over London.

Drone show is tonight festivities at Town Center Park are already underway.

But don't worry, you haven't this the big show.

Hundreds of synchronized drones will be lighting up the skies into identical shows one in 7.31, at 09:00PM and a lot bring a blanket and KET their eyes to the Sky and London tonight.

If you're a fan of the carpenters album, a Christmas portrait in that.

Want to miss this next to that, the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra percent.

Merry Christmas star like a magical evening of Christmas music inspired by the 1978 Record Tonight Show is at 07:30PM, at Northern Kentucky University.

Plus, a repeat performance tomorrow night.

Did you know that one of Kentucky's interstate welcome centers is a 19 th-century restored mansion.

Well, now you do have the perfect opportunity to explore it is tomorrow.

Whitehaven welcome center is hosting a Christmas Open house featured musical performances, holiday characters and beautiful festive decor.

Well over in Paducah for this great event.

Lee County's Christmas.

Julian Parade is tomorrow from the petting zoo to the obstacle course to the live music.

This jubilee has everything you need for a fun family.

Outing festivities.

Start at noon and the parade kicks off at 05:30PM.

You don't want to miss it.

If you're looking for some face time with Saint Nick this season, there's no better opportunity than breakfast with Santa at Rough River Dam State Resort Park tomorrow morning chow down on the delicious food and get in your last-minute Christmas request.

Santa will be visiting other state parks tomorrow.

Check out Kentucky State Parks Facebook page to learn more.

And you heard about the winter Wonderland and Waterfront Botanical Gardens Kew Gardens a glimmer holiday light show is the perfect place to make some holiday memories and snap some beautiful picks vested Lauer's sparkly snowflakes and darling Guerra wake you in this imagined full display.

The winter solstice is next week in Wickliffe Mounds.

State historic site is celebrating with a sunset viewing Friday evening and the shortest day of the year watching the sun set over the mountains.

More about the history of the land for a park interpreters.

It celebrates all just in a state park this year.

And that's what's happening around the Commonwealth line until we get >> thank you as always.

To be gives.

And that'll do it for us this week.

We thank you so much for being with us each week night this week and we hope to see you right back here again Monday, its 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central on Kentucky this summer, we inform connect and inspire.

Connect with us all the ways you see on your screen, Facebook, X and Instagram to stay in the loop on what's happening here at KET and so much more.

>> Have a great weekend to comment.

I will see you right back here again Monday night.

Take a chance.

♪