♪ >> It was the worst we've seen since 9 to 8.

>> How the drought in Kentucky can mean lower rivers and higher costs.

Many Kentucky hospitals are packed because of a perfect storm of illnesses.

>> Pain shared is pain lessened.

And I really found that the trail.

>> And the healing power of sharing memories of departed loved ones.

Production of Kentucky Edition is made possible in part by the KET Endowment for Kentucky Productions.

Leonard Press Endowment for Public Affairs and the KET Millennium Fund.

♪ ♪ >> Good evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Friday, December, the 16th, I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you for starting off your weekend with us.

Drought remains a problem throughout Kentuckyian even though winter is almost here.

>> The lack of water is affecting us in a way you might not expect.

Let's look at the new map from the U.S. Drought Monitor released yesterday.

The yellow is abnormally dry.

The light orange is moderate drought.

The darker orange, which you see in Western Kentucky is severe drought.

The drought is bad news for people who grow food and the people who buy it as well because of the dry weather.

The Mississippi River is lower than usual.

Many Kentucky products traveled to Mississippi by barge.

Those barges have to lighten their loads by up to 45% to get down river.

Our Casey Parker Bell spoke to Paducah based dead Calhoun of the Waterways Council about the impact that's having on Kentucky businesses.

>> Will things luckily are getting in terms of that.

The water levels and we had historically low.

>> Low water on the lower Mississippi River that began in October.

And then it it moved to the lower part of the Ohio River.

It was the worst that we've seen since 1988.

There was also a severe low water drought in 2012.

But again, historically low levels, things are improving.

Slightly with rain that we've been having throughout the system.

We do that will continue normally in October full time frame there is low water.

But this was something we had never seen The operational side of it that those fortune telling operators are working very closely with the U.S. Coast Guard and with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to light learned barges to reduce 2 sizes.

Auto is on several barges.

>> Configure together?

Normally you would see 40 some barges moving it and heard this time, which of course also occurs in fall.

So you're looking at 25 more or less for just moving at one time.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was diligently working to KET channels open and they would close a few different hotspots where there was dredging needed to be done.

And so everything would close for about 24 hours in Congress that move again.

But, you know, luckily commerce never stopped just for this period of time.

And so this products were able to get to to the export market, which is critically important.

Important for all of these that are moving.

>> What type of impact does this have from a business perspective?

I'm curious, not just on the loads, but does this shift people in and moving things more by rail or truck when you aren't able to move as much as typical.

>> Well, the problem with moving things on track and really is they are at capacity and particularly during this time of year as well.

So Rio and truck we're we're really not that much of an option.

We are certainly intermodal society.

We depend upon all modes of transportation, but the inland waterways are critical.

Part of That supply chain.

It is the most cost to candidate is the most energy energy efficient environmentally sound them on the surface transportation.

So particularly we talk about harvest and moving those incredible amounts of agriculture to the export market.

Also, what we're seeing happening in the global market in terms of Ukraine, the lack of being able to drain out you know, the breadbasket of that, you know, after the rush to war, I'm very difficult.

So all of those world buyers of those agricultural commodities, we're looking to the United States and we needed to deliver that same thing with for coal.

You know, the Russians have really tightened the energy supply going to Europe.

And so it's going to be a really cool reach.

Are you particularly France and throughout Europe?

So we need to get those coal exports to those markets was very important to them.

Typically, when will we see water levels continue to rise?

>> We're seeing that happen now with some of the rain that has moved into the system.

In fact, Memphis, which was very, very low, just a couple of weeks ago, has risen about 2 feet above where they were.

And so that's a very good news story for for that part of the system.

And higher is seeing a lot of increases as well.

Currently, there are very few draft Those 2 sides are moving in that.

>> Greater number again.

I think that things will continue to hear to improve as water continues to fall.

And we leave you looking at high water here within it.

>> A couple weeks and certainly to January, expect that to happen.

♪ ♪ >> In medical news, 15 Kentucky counties are now in the high category for COVID activity.

It was 12 last week and tend the week before you see the high counties here in red.

They include a group of 9 counties in western Kentucky and a group in the northeast.

Governor Andy Beshear has said that while cases have risen since Thanksgiving, the uptick is much smaller.

That increases in the past.

COVID flu and RSV have Kentucky's hospitals filled Baptist Health.

Richmond released a video describing a backlog of patients in its emergency room.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports UK Hospital and the Kentucky Children's Hospital are also close to capacity.

Kentucky is and a very high category for flu cases.

In political news, there will not be a partial shutdown of the federal government tonight at midnight, the U.S. House and Senate have both passed a stopgap spending measure to KET the government open for another week as lawmakers work on a budget deal for the full year.

The Senate vote was last night.

The measure passed 71 to 19 with Senator Mitch McConnell voting.

Yes.

And Senator Rand Paul voting no.

The House passed Wednesday.

224 to 201, with all 5 Kentucky Republicans voting no.

Voters and Jefferson counties 19th state Senate district.

You'll be voting in a special election on February.

First, the governor set that date today.

Voters will be replacing Morgan Mcgarvy who was elected to Congress last month and is resigning his seat in the state Senate.

Kentucky House Democrats have their new leadership team.

They have picked Representative Derek Cram as House minority floor leader.

You see him in the center.

Representative Sherrell in Stevenson is on the right.

She will be the caucus chair and Representative Rachel Roberts on the left will be caucus whip.

That's when the Kentucky General Assembly convenes on January.

3rd.

Representative Stevenson will be one of the lawmakers with us next Monday on Kentucky tonight to discuss the upcoming session and the legislation that could be on the agenda.

We hope you'll join us for that Monday night at 8 Eastern 7 central right here on KET.

♪ Time now for our end of week review of some major political developments in Kentucky.

We have a dynamic duo.

Our election night commentators who frequently come here for inside Kentucky POLITICS.

Bob Babich and Trey Grayson, both former Kentucky secretaries of state.

Good to see you.

You can see great to be here.

So let's talk about the session that's coming up.

That will be here fast and furious.

So what do we expect that first week is typically organizational, but it hasn't been, but we've been told it's going to be more of a standard organizational session, but they could take up tax reform or the trigger.

The reduction of income tax on the first few days of the session.

Bob.

>> Yes, leadership sounds as if the House will confirm the trigger.

>> Points have been and the tax state income tax will go down a half a point.

From 5 to 4 and a half of the Senate would.

Confirmed that when we all come back on February, 7th, they call that the break.

Before we break, it's a fake break.

Yes, it is.

A lot of work will go on this year and every a short session during that fake break.

Yeah.

>> Leadership.

You know, we've got some leadership changes.

for instance, you Missus now, yes, it Chad McCoys, places as whip.

So does that mean that?

And I know that someone talk about this medical marijuana might get some traction?

>> Well, I would be inching to see if his leadership when was related to that somehow either a promise to put the brakes on a one of these I've heard is that it may be that they want to start that in the Senate right, because of the end of the day that's for the hurdle why waste the house time, especially the short session if they can't get through the Senate?

>> So I satisfied 70% of people who are watching my talking about mid weed for just a so now let's get to some of the other issues, education.

We think when it comes to average daily attendance and the teacher shortage, Bob, we could see some movement on that.

And 23, yes, new chair and James L Tipton, who has become a pension expert, right, which will be handy and education committee for sure.

>> But the teacher shortage very significant issue.

Perhaps apprenticeships to bring people into teaching how we computed the money that districts get.

It's been based on average daily attendance that's become somewhat obsolete.

We're told kindergarten continues to be talked about by the governor and some others as well race for teachers.

Not sure those would happen this year, right?

Not be a safe prediction, but still their topics of relevant.

>> Does that have to open up the budget to do that?

Right?

And opening up the budget means a lot of different things to lot of different people.

>> Yeah, there's a couple of challenges with opening of the budget will need a super majority to do which given the Republican majority's that isn't necessarily impossible.

But it does create a bit of a challenge.

But the bigger issue is if I put it up for me, but not for thee.

That's the issue.

You know, like, how are you that, you know, you're going to be on tweaks or mistakes or things like that.

It's hard to tell somebody no course leadership is good turn.

People know.

But that's why they generally will start with.

We're not doing anything.

You know, this is this.

This will be minor modifications.

You come back another year.

That's why we have a two-year later.

Theron Speaker Osborne election couple weeks ago.

Speaker Osborne and Stivers President Stivers in Louisville.

>> Both Senate member said I got to open.

Both times.

I was for an answer by saying you recall the budget originates in the House.

That's pretty funny when you think about it.

Yeah, he's just saying we could.

That's right.

Start there.

And there was at the end of the special session Remeber talk about these Kentucky disaster in the floods.

What to do about housing and that's come back up.

Friend Smith was particular the champion that represent plan who's now committee chair also keenly engage there in the governor saying that there could be possible little higher ground on which to build back.

That might take some appropriations and we do a big surplus if they do want to spend some money, they can do that.

Although it does appear that the top priority for the money is to lower the income tax.

Yeah, and they can do that with just a resolution that the way that law was crafted House and Senate resolution confirming that the triggers are met.

Then the taxes are lower.

The governor actually has no se, right?

And that process.

Yeah, because we're expecting that to happen again.

And yes, that 1, 2 or 3 more times for your time.

>> Economic development.

And we've had a really good year.

And the governor has talked about 400 They're expanding our coming here.

And so it's been a really good been for Kentucky.

Are there some policy proposals that would even enhanced even further?

>> I think so.

The there are records said under governor better and bigger record set under Governor Beshear for drawing investment and employment remote work or tax credits work in about 70 places around the country.

It's been talked about here.

We should do that and we may very well.

>> What does that mean?

Remote worker tax?

That's we're trying to lure talent back to the state.

Your talent, your for the first time.

It's very clear demographic information that people live in urban areas for more livable, affordable and happy places like But to do that, you have to put an incentive the return on that investment appears to be very strong in many places, tosses a great example of that.

A data center incentives have been talked about before.

Those are enormous investments that the big technology companies have to make.

If we're going to have.

Vehicles that run by that data connection and all the other data that we store and say the move The other big challenge with all these investments is where the workers can come from, where they're going to let you know, Bob referenced housing eastern Kentucky.

>> Obviously, that's an acute problem with the housing that was destroyed as well as the housing and western Kentucky.

But it housing shortages are everywhere.

Every every every county, Kentucky doesn't have enough of the type of housing that we need to to fit.

You know, where the workers are going to live is exactly right.

I just heard lately from leaders in Owensboro, Henderson.

Businesses coming there.

People are coming there.

But where they live, they can afford to live some place.

You've got to have a pretty nice place built and ready.

And Elizabeth Town is having to.

Matic Lehigh County, that whole region because there's so many people could drop by that Glendale property and 65 it's incredible.

Said, look, rains.

Yeah.

>> Yeah.

5,000 people.

Were they going to go?

Yeah.

We'll KET following that.

Thank you guys, as always.

Good to see you.

Check out.

I want to get a close-up of the pants.

Happy holidays.

Happy We're ingrained by Trey Grayson up to solve.

That's what right does.

So just to clarify the special election in the 19th state Senate district mentioned earlier.

>> Will be February.

The 21st.

♪ >> What started as a memorial for those lost during the COVID-19 pandemic has grown to become much, much more.

>> Who we lost a Web site created by Martha Green Wall of Louisville has become a place of peace for those in mourning.

>> We have an opportunity tonight to honor.

>> An individual or remember an individual.

>> That we've lost.

I was very inspired by Governor Bush years.

Press conferences early on in the pandemic and how each press conference he would remember someone who had died.

And I thought that was remarkable.

I wanted to do something to help, but I wasn't sure what until the fall of 2020 Doctor Steven Stack asked people to write to him and tell them their thoughts about the pandemic.

And he said he would write that and it just set off a spark in me and I decided to go from there.

>> Currently hospitalized 334.

>> Who last project is to different Web sites and both are centered on the idea that people need a place to be able to remember and tell stories that spree of comments judgments and all politics.

There are a lot of benefits from be able to write about your grief.

Not only is it healing for the person, the right story.

>> But it's healing for them to read it later and for others to read it later to help them get through their trauma.

>> It was so helpful to be able to write the stories.

My mother and my aunt both passed away in January of 2021.

Really at the height of lockdown.

They passed away 7 days apart.

The first article Rodas was about my mother and it was about the last time that I.

Really got to see her that she could still communicate with me.

Pain shared is pain.

Lessons.

And I really found that to be true.

>> Being able to sort of read other people's grief and other people.

Remembrance is all of their loved ones.

And remembering those those movements that are small and that are kind I think it's a way of of highlighting our humanity when our neighbor to cause life.

I ended up writing a eulogy to him and shared it with his widow and then also ask you know what, it would be appropriate if I were to sing this song this website that collecting stories of people lost over these.

>> Last couple of years as a way of remembering him and she graciously agreed to share that sitting down and writing through one's peers and also through one's laughter is worthwhile.

>> It's a memorial to that to that person.

So every time you read it, you feel like this graphic Haitian that the person was alive and that person was with you and maybe you feel that the persons with you right now and you don't feel alone anymore.

Sometimes it's very, very hard.

Actually, there are days when I get stories and I will weep openly the way that I cope with it is by knowing that it's providing comfort for others.

>> I don't see this site's stopping to me.

That would be against the whole point of them.

Write these stories need to stay somewhere.

So I intend to have it continue as long as possible.

>> In states like Georgia and Louisiana, TV and movie production is booming.

Recently announced an initiative in Louisville hopes to put Kentucky on the map.

Our chip Polston sat down with some of the people hoping to redevelop a Louisville landmark into a high-end production facility.

>> Constructed in 19 0, 5, is a National Guard Armory.

Louisville Gardens had a long history as a concert and entertainment venue.

Among other uses facilities hosted everybody from Elvis Presley to Mikhail Gorbachev.

16 years ago, though, the facility ceased operations and has since fallen into disrepair.

This once vibrant cultural landmark in downtown Louisville has been the subject of several revitalization efforts.

But a new one just announced he's captured the imagination of many with an ambitious plan to turn the building into sound stages and a production hub for TV shows and movies here with us to talk about the new vision for Louisville Gardens is Susie Eastman Louisville Film Commission Chairperson and 502, film.

Susie.

This is amazing news.

It's absolute spectacular.

So if everything comes together with this, what's it going to mean?

What's the overall package look like?

And how do you see this coming together?

So the overall package is really astounding.

And it's going to be a lot for our creative community and our creative economy.

>> And so it's set to have about 40,000 square feet of sound stages.

So for individual sound stages in the main body of the gardens and then there will be a lot of offices surrounding it.

A black box theater, a beautiful museum that will showcase the beautiful history of that.

That venue that has been part of our community for over 100 years.

>> Let's look at the numbers quickly.

60 million dollar investment is what's on the table from an entity called the River City Entertainment group.

The ready to go.

She ate with the city for an incentive package in securing state and federal incentives are going to be key in making this vision a reality.

What's that process going to be like and how do you see all that coming together?

>> Well, there are several steps to it.

I know that they needed to sign that letter of intent so that we could actually make that official announcement because I think the entire city would be very suspicious of.

Why are all these, you know, we truck surrounding the gardens right now and it's really an initial 6 months that they're going to go in the building and start looking at the bones of a building.

That's 100 years old.

It's kind of OK, where does this go?

Where's the word?

The support structures within it?

So they're going to really look at that before they then start detailing the build out for the the architect and then hopefully in about 2 years or so will be able to have those studios and sound stages live for the community.

>> Looking at the jobs that could be potentially put together down there.

I know the work that you all do at 502, film even encompasses a lot of workforce development where we've already got a lot of people in this area working in the industry.

You put a lot of that together there.

Haven't you?

>> Well, honestly, our talented crew existed before 502 film.

But what we really came together to do was to connect the productions that are coming to town with their dollars with our existing talented crew so that those hires in those dollars are taking place within our community.

So we've had filmmakers here for years and years.

But it's only when our most recent tax incentives have come back that we have had not only our crew able to stay here, working locally.

We've been attracting people that have moved outside of Kentucky.

Back to the Bluegrass State and now new moves as well.

So there are a lot of people will be locating back to Kentuckyian a lot of people staying here because of the incentives and even more so because of this build.

>> In talking about those incentives, it's the state entertainment tax incentive program was done away with in 2018.

It was put back into the state budget in this last budget cycle.

Do you have an uphill battle convincing folks in Frankfort, the decision makers say that this really is a worthwhile use of tax dollars.

>> Well, I think that initially before it was reinstated, there was kind of this like we are waiting all the flags like please pay attention to us.

We're an industry and we want to be here in Kentucky and the dollars are here in can come here with a tax incentive.

But as of this year, I think it's really proven itself out of the gate this year.

We've had over 160 million dollars worth of budget supply for their incentives.

58 projects with a total of 6,228 Kentucky crew hires.

So I think that the proof is really no statistics of why this incentive should stay.

And I think that a lot of lot of legislators that were even questioning if we should have an incentive are now on the side of okay, wow.

This does make an impact and it has done very well just in its first year.

When you look at states like Georgia where production has absolutely exploded, what can we learn from other places that have really done this very well?

>> Well, honestly, I think the Louisville Gardens is really our first step for second step brother, because the first step is having a lucrative tax incentive, which I would venture to say Kentucky's is the best in the country.

>> And then on top of that is continued infrastructure built, which the Louisville Gardens definitely will do so combined with our talented crew are tax incentives.

The studio is being built or really what we need to be able to see ourselves as a hub for the future.

>> We can't wait to see how everything comes together for the facility and we look forward just seeing the next chapter for Louisville guard.

And so Susie Eastern with Louisville film Commission and 502 film.

Thanks so much for being with us for having to think.

Renee, back to you.

>> Thank you, chip.

If the economic incentive package can be put together, developers hope the new production hub will be up and running in early 2025.

♪ >> If you're looking for things to do this weekend and beyond, there are plenty of holiday options out there to be gives.

Has a look at what's happening around the Commonwealth.

♪ >> The first-ever Santa's art shop is in Danville this weekend as part of the holiday market.

Fine, crafts and beautiful holiday decorations with a sprinkle of holiday magic and a special appearance from the Jolly Man himself.

Christmas Farm to table is back this Saturday.

And Auburn featuring a delicious holiday meal by candlelight in the historic South Union Hotel.

This is one evening.

You won't want to miss.

Have a crafty Christmas during Corbyn's Christmas crafts event this Saturday.

You beautiful handmade items from local craft vendors and make your own during the different craft workshops.

Globe Ali in Louisville Orchestra joining forces to present the Brown-Forman Nutcracker this weekend travel to the land of the Sugar Plum Fairy as the Magic art music and choreography bring this story to life for the whole family.

Have a holly jolly holiday with coming tense.

Holly jolly days this weekend and next.

Enjoy countless activities, including Smores a winter wonderland thats and more.

Score a hole in one this holiday season with Wonderland mini-golf that kingdom come state park in Cumberland with thousands of lights, music, hot, cocoa and more.

This is sure to be a TV reflect time.

The holiday shine bright at the inaugural deck.

The halls Light Fest in Florence this month.

More than 2 million light show immersive themed displays as guests are guided around the field and ice rink by the dazzling lights.

Deck.

The park is back in Madisonville for the 3rd year running now through the end of the year.

Enjoy an evening drive through the Christmas lights displays a Christmas bizarre, a Ferris wheel and so much more.

Experience a Christmas classic firsthand during the home along pop-up bar in Paducah at this month.

That's your movie knowledge with trivia night.

See if you can escape the home alone escape room or search for Marvin Harry, creating chaos downtown.

And this month-long adventure.

The Ebony not crack or the soulful reinterpretation of this classic tale will be performed by the African American Ballet troupe in Lexington next Tuesday, borrowing from African American, HIP-HOP R and b and cultural traditions.

This spirit and soul filled story is the perfect addition to your holiday season and that's what's happening around the Commonwealth.

I'm Toby get.

>> Thank you.

To be give so much to do.

Go out there.

Make it a great weekend.

When you think about the TVA, you probably picture dams on rivers, you might not picture a solar farm, but one is on the way to a part of Kentucky where a power plant is now.

What will it be able to do?

Find out Monday night on Kentucky edition.

>> Which we hope will say you're for at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central where we inform connect and inspire subscribe to our weekly Kentucky Edition, e-mail news letter and watch full episodes at KET Dot Org can also find us on the PBS video app on your mobile device and smart TV.

Thank you so much for watching this week.

I'm Renee Shaw.

Have a great weekend and I'll see you Monday night.

♪