>> Bill: HISTORIC DEADLY TORNADOES HIT WESTERN KENTUCKY LEAVING AWFUL DESTRUCTION BEHIND.

THE RESPONSE ISQUIST.

PRESIDENT BIDEN TOURED THE DAMAGE HIMSELF AFTER QUICKLY ISSUING A MAJOR DISASTER DECLARATION.

KENTUCKIANS COME TOGETHER, SENDING MONEY AND SUPPLIES, AND IN MANY CASES GOING THEMSELVES TO HELP.

IT COMMENTS AS A COVID CONTINUES TO SPREAD, AND KENTUCKY NOW HAS ITS FIRST REPORTED CASE OF OMICRON.

AS WE HEAD TOWARD CHRISTMAS WEEK, "COMMENT" IS NEXT ON KET.

HISTORIC DEADLY TORNADOES GOOD EVENING.

I'M BILL BRYANT, AND WE WELCOME YOU TO "COMMENT ON KENTUCKY," A LOOK BACK AT AND SOME ANALYSIS OF THE WEEK'S NEWS IN THE COMMONWEALTH.

AND THE GUESTS ON OUR PANEL OF WORKING KENTUCKY JOURNALISTS TONIGHT AR: ALEX ACQUISTO, REPORTER FOR THE LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER.

ALANA WATSON, REPORTER AND HOST FOR WDU PUBLIC RADIO.

LIAM NIEMEYER, ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR FOR WKMS IN MURRAY.

AND JOE SONKA, FRANKFORT BUREAU CHIEF FOR THE COURIER-JOURNAL.

IT HAS BEEN, AS YOU KNOW, A VERY CHALLENGING WEEK HERE IN THE COMMONWEALTH.

SHORTLY AFTER THIS PROGRAM LAST FRIDAY NIGHT, POWERFUL LONG TRACK TORNADOES ROLLED THROUGH WESTERN E.E.

KENTUCKY WITH DISASTROUS AND DEADLY RESULTS.

KENTUCKIANS FROM BORDER TO BORDER, THOUGH, JUMPED INTO ACTION.

PRESIDENT BIDEN DECLARED A NATURAL DISASTER AND AT MID-WEEK HE WAS IN THE HARD HIT REGION SEEING THE DAMAGE AND TRYING TO COMFORT THOSE WITH PROFOUND LOSSES.

>> AND I INTEND TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES AS LONG AS IT TAKES, AS LONG AS IT TAKES TO SUPPORT YOUR STATE, YOUR LOCAL LEADERS, AND AS YOU RECOVER AND REBUILD BECAUSE YOU WILL RECOVER AND YOU WILL REBUILD.

>> Bill: SO THE LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY IS HISTORIC.

IT'S TERRIBLE.

THE DESTRUCTION MAYFIELD AND DAWSON SPRINGS REALLY HARD TO DESCRIBE, EVEN HARD FOR CAMERAS TO CAPTURE.

LIAM, WHAT WAS IT LIKE ON FRIDAY EVENING AS YOU WERE HEARING FIS REPORTS AND THEN AS YOU FINALLY GOT TO MAYFIELD?

WHAT DID YOU SEE?

>> SURE.

WELL, I WAS, YOU KNOW, WATCHING THE REPORTS.

WE DID REPORTING JUST ON THE FACT THAT SEVERE WEATHER WAS COMING INTO THE REGION ON FRIDAY, BUT SEEING AS THE TORNADO WARNINGS AND THEN SLOWLY AS THE TORNADO EMERGENCIES WERE WARNED, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE EVENING AS IT GOT LATER INTO THE NIGHT, FIRST MAYFIELD WITH THEN MARSHALL COUNTY, THEN PRINCETON, THEN HOPKINS COUNTY.

THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE SITUATION BEGAN TO BECOME APPARENT.

WE DIDN'T, OF COURSE, HEAR REPORTS OF DAMAGE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN MAYFIELD UNTIL LATER THAT NIGHT, AND OUR NEWS TEAM, KWK MVPS NEWS TEAM ARRIVED IN MAYFIELD AT 8:00 IN THE MORNING.

A DOWN, THE VERY TIGHT-KNIT TOWN REPORTED ON PLENTY IN LOCAL REPORTING TRIPS WAS SEEMINGLY UNRECOGNIZABLE.

EVERYONE THAT I SPOKE WITH THAT MORNING WAS JUST IN IN SHOCK.

PEOPLE I WAS ASKING FOR COMMENTS TO GI THEIR REACTION DIDN'T EVEN NECESSARILY HAVE MUCH TO SAY BECAUSE THEY WERE JUST TAKING IN A SENSE OF DEVASTATION AND A SENSE OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEIR TOWN HAD BECOME.

>> DURING THE PROCESS AT THAT POINT.

YOU KNOW, THERE WAS TREMENDOUS COOPERATION FROM THE VERY BEGINNING THERE LOCALLY AND THEN WE'VE SEEN IT ACROSS THE STATE.

HOW ARE PEOPLE COPING NOW I A WEEK AFTER THE TORNADO?

>> IT'S -- YOU KNOW, THERE'S STILL ONGOING CLEANUP EFFORTS.

THEY'VE GOTTEN MOST OF THE DEBRIS OFF THE STREET AND THE LOCAL UTILITY, MAYFIELD ELECTRIC AND WATER, HAS BEGUN CONNECTING UTILITIES TO THOSE HOMES THAT ARE STILL STANDING.

OF COURSE, MANY ARE WITHOUT HOMES COMPLETELY.

THE TORNADO COMPLETELY WIPED, WRECKED THEIR HOME.

KENTUCKY STATE PARKS, OF COURSE, HAVE OPENED UP HUNDREDS OF ROOMS FOR EMERGENCY LODGING.

AND CHURCHES IN THE AREA, CHURCHES, PLUG PARTICULARLY WINGO, KENTUCKY, HAVE OPENED UP THEIR DOORS TO SERVE AS EMERGENCY SHELTERS.

AMERICAN RED CROSS COATS ACROSS WHAT WOULD NORMALLY BE WORSHIP AREAS.

I'D SAY THE IN PARTICULAR CHURCHES HAVE STEPPED UP TO SERVE AND, YOU KNOW, TO PROVIDE EACH IN THE COMMUNITY, AND CHURCHES, OF COURSE, HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A CENTRAL PART OF KENTUCKY AND WESTERN KENTUCKY.

>> ALANA, THE BOWLING GREEN AREA HAS HIT HARD AS WELL WITH HOMES DESTROYED AND A LOT OF LOSS OF LIFE.

IT SEEMED, FROM OUR VANTAGE POINT HERE, THAT THE SEARCH SEEMED TO LAST FOR DAYS THERE.

>> YES, ABSOLUTELY.

AND IT HONESTLY KIND OF FELT THE SAME HERE AT THE STATION, AND I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW IT FELT FOR FAMILIES THAT WERE IMPACTED.

NOW, 900 HOMES, ABOUT 900 HOMES WERE EITHER COMPLETELY DESTROYED OR DAMAGED HERE IN BOWLING GREEN, WHICH MADE THE RESCUE EFFORT REALLY, REALLY CHALLENGING.

IT'S MAKING THE RECOVERY EFFORT MORE CHALLENGING NOW EVEN A WEEK AFTER THE STORMS.

OFFICIALLY, 17 PEOPLE IN WARREN COUNTY ARE VICTIMS THESE STOPPERS.

THESE LAST MISSING PERSON IN WARREN COUNTY WAS LOCATED YESTERDAY.

SHE IS ACTUALLY THE SEVENTH VICTIM OF HER FAMILY TO HAVE PASSED AWAY FROM THE STORM.

HER MOTHER, HER FATHER, HER GRANDMOTHER, HER OLDEST SISTER AND HER TWO YOUNGER BROTHERS WERE ALSO PASSED AWAY IN THE STORM.

PEOPLE WERE HOPEFUL, THE COMMUNITY WAS HOPEFUL THAT SHE WOULD BE FOUND ALIVE.

THERE WERE A LOT OF SOCIAL MEDIA CONSTITUTES TRYING TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT THERE.

HER PICTURE.

AND, OF COURSE, A LOT OF MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WERE ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATED WHEN THE NEWS BROKE YESTERDAY.

>> I KNOW WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY IS TRYING TO HELP THE REGION RECOVER AND THE IMMEDIATE BOWLING GREEN AREA AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS THERE ARE INVOLVED AS WELL, RIGHT?

>> YES, ABSOLUTELY.

SO WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY DID NOT HAVE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE.

THE STORM SYSTEM ACTUALLY JUST MISSED THE CAMPUS.

SO WESTERN KENTUCKY IS LENDING A HELPING HAND TO THE BOWLING GREEN COMMUNITY.

THEY'RE OFFERING A LOT OF SERVICES RIGHT NOW.

ONE OF THE FEW THINGS THAT THEY HAVE DONE, AND I WON'T BE ABLE TO LIST THEM ALL, BUT THEY HAVE OPENED THEIR DEN TO FACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENTS WHO WERE IMPACTED BY THE STUDENTS SO THEY CAN GET A WARM SHOWER.

THEIR GYM.

THEY HAVE ALSO STARTED A LOT OF DONATION ACCOUNTS AS WELL.

THEY HAVE OPENED THE CAMPUS COMPUTER LAB, THE MAIN COMPUTER LAB SO PEOPLE CAN COME AND GET INTERNET ACCESS.

PEOPLE STILL DON'T HAVE INTERNET ACCESS.

SO THEY CAN DO CLAIMS, APPLY FOR FEMA ASSISTANCE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THE UNIVERSITY IS ALSO DOING A TOY DRIVE.

THE HOLIDAYS ARE COMING UP.

A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE LOST WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO GIVE FOR CHRISTMAS FOR THEIR CHILDREN SO TOYS ARE BEING DETAINED AS WELL.

WARREN COUNTY SCHOOLS CLOSED THE SCHOOLS TO THE REPAIR OF YEAR AND WHAT THEY ARE DOING, A LOT OF THEIR SCHOOL BUILDINGS ARE BEING USED AS SHELTERS AND AS DONATION CENTERS AS WELL OH PEOPLE CAN DROP OFF NON-PERISHLY, BABY ITEMS LIKE FORMULA WITH BOTS, CLOTHES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

>> ALEX, YOU WERE IN WESTERN KENTUCKY FOR WHAT AND A HALF DAYS OR SO.

WHAT ARE YOUR OBSERVATIONS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED, WHAT YOU SAW, AND THE WAY BACK FOR PEOPLE?

>> I WENT OUT THERE FIRST THING SATURDAY MORNING HOURS AFTER THE STORM, AND ONE OF THE FIRST THING THAT I DID WASSAL FOLLOW A COUPLE WHO HAD DRIVEN FROM HOLD OLD HAPP COUNTY, PAIGE AND CHRIS, AND THEY HAD DRIVEN OUT THERE BLINDLY TO MAYFIELD, FOUR AND A HALF HOUR DRIVE, THEY WERE LOOKING FOR CHRIS' I MOM WHO WAS WORKING AT THE CANDLE FACTORY WHEN THE TORNADO CAME AND WHEN THE BUILDING COLLAPSED, AND SO I SORT OF FOLLOWED THEM AS THEY SEARCHED FOR HER.

I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UNLESS YOU'RE DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY ONE OF THESAL NATURAL DISASTERS, IT'S HARD TO EMPATHIZE WITH THE SORT OF MINUTE-BY-MINUTE SORT OF CHAOS THAT STAYS FOR DAYS AFTER BECAUSE IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY LOST, WHERE DO YOU BEGIN?

IF YOU'RE TRYING TO CLEAN UP, WHERE DO YOU EVEN START IF YOUR HOUSE IS IN SHAMBLES?

AND SO I FOLLOWED THEM AS THEY FRUITLESSLY LOOKED FOR JILL, WHO IS 52.

BASICALLY HIT A LOT OF DEAD ENDS AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

AND SHE ENDED UP, HER BODY WA ONE OF THE EIGHT RECOVERED OVERNIGHT THAT NIGHT BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T SURVIVE.

I THINK ONE OF THE OVERWHELMING THINGS THAT WE AS JOURNALISTS AND JUST AS PEOPLE WHO WENT OUT THERE SEE IS THAT IT'S HARD TO PUT WORDS TO WHAT IT'S LIKE TO SEE A COMMUNITY ENDURING SO MUCH TRAUMA ALL AT ONCE.

IT'S ONE THING TO LOSE YOUR HOUSE.

IT'S ANOTHER TO LOSE YOUR HOUSE AND YOUR HUSBAND OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

AND SO THINKING THAT THE IMPACT OF THIS IS NOT JUST SORT OF ON YOUR HOUSE OR LOSING BELONGINGS BUT IT'S TRAUMA THAT PEOPLE WILL KEEP FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES.

IT'S REALLY STAG EARNING TO PUT WORDS TO THAT AND SORT OF WITNESS IT.

AND SO PEOPLE ARE IN SHELL SHOCK.

IT'S JUST -- YOU KNOW, WE KNOW NOW THAT THE TORNADO THAT BLEW THROUGH WAS AT LEAST AN EF-4 WHICH IS THE SECOND HIGHEST EDITION MAKES AND WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT HOUSES, YOU KNOW, MISSING ROOFS.

THEY LOOK EXPLODED.

THERE'S NOTHING LEFT OF THEM.

SO PEOPLE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO DO.

THEY CAME TOGETHER AND SORT OF WERE COORDINATED AS A COMMUNITY TO MEET AT CHURCHES, BRING SUPPLIES, HELP THEIR NEIGHBORS, BUT I MEAN, IT'S YEARS OF REBUILDING.

>> AND AS A TALK ABOUT, IT'S HOMES BUT IT'S OTHER BUILDINGS IN THE COMMUNITY, IT'S THE PLACES, THE TOWNS WHERE THEIR MEMORIES WERE MADE, THEIR REFERENCE POINTS.

>> RIGHT.

IT'S BIZARRE TO THINK THAT A TOWN THAT EXISTED FOR GENERATIONS IS GONE IN A LOT OF RESPECTS BECAUSE HOW DO YOU REBUILD THAT CULTURE?

, OF COURSE, HAVE BEEN YOU HAVE THE COMMUNITY THERE TO DO IT BUT IT'S KIND OF UNFATHOMABLE.

YOU DIDN'T EVEN LOSE ANYTHING IN THE TORNADO BUT I'M IN SHOCK FROM SEEING AND IT TALKING TO PEOPLE.

>> JOE, YET THERE IS THIS HOPEFULNESS, THIS FEELING OF RESILIENCE OUT THERE, AND I KNOW YOU WERE THERE WHEN THE PRESIDENT VISITED, AND ARE BEATEN DOWN BUT THEY'RE CHALLENGED BY THIS, RIGHT?

>> I WAS IN DAWSON SPRINGS HEADS WEDNESDAY WHEN THE PRESIDENT CAME, AND THE PRESIDENT WAS GOING DOOR TO DOOR, STREET BY STREET MEETING PEOPLE WHO HAD LOST EVERYTHING, WHO HAD LOST THEIR HOMES, IF NOT THE PEOPLE WHO THEY WERE CLOSE TO, AND THEY -- THEY REALLY DID -- THE ONES THAT I TALKED TO, SPOKE TO THE PERSON, REALLY APPRECIATED IT.

IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO COMPREHEND WHAT DAWSON SPRINGS LOOKS LIKE, ESPECIALLY THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT BIDEN VISITED.

IT'S JUST BLOCK AFTER BLOCK AFTER BLOCK OF EVERYTHING, EVERY HOUSE IS DESTROYED.

THERE'S NOTHING REALLY LEFT.

AND IT'S JUST GOING TO BE SUCH AN INCREDIBLE REBUILDING FORE NOTE JUST THE CLEAR OUT ALL OF THE RUBBLE AND DEBRIS AND TO BUILD BACK BUT ALSO TO EMOTIONALLY BE ABLE TO COP BACK FROM THAT TYPE OF TRAUMA -- COME BACK FROM THAT TYPE OF TRAUMA INDIVIDUALLY AND AS A COMMUNITY, AND A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE NEARBY IN PENNYRILE STATE PARK FOR THE TIME BEING BUT IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG ROAD HEAD, AND THE PEOPLE I TALKED TO REALLY APPRECIATED THAT THE PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES WOULD COME TO THEIR STREET AND CONSOLE THEM, AND THEY WERE HAPPY THAT HE SAID THAT HE WAS GOING TO DO EVERYTHING THAT HE COULD TO HELP.

>> AS WE SAID, AT A TIME WHEN MANY SEE EVERYTHING THROUGH A RED OR BLUE LENS THESE DAYS, THERE HAS ABOUT AN A LOT OF COOPERATION.

WE'LL HEAR FROM U.S.

SENATOR MITCH MONIE WHO SPOKE ON THE SENATE FLOOR THIS WEEK.

>> FAMILIES WERE LEFT TO INSPECT THE CINDER BLOCKS WHERE THEIR HOUSES ONCE STOOD.

THE CHEERY LIGHTS OF CHRISTMASTIME HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY ABSOLUTE DESTRUCTION.

KENTUCKY HAS BEEN DEVASTATED.

BUT WE HAVE NOT BEEN DEFEATED.

>> JOE, SOMETIMES YOU WONDER, YOU KNOW, ARE WE CAPABLE OF TEAM WORK ANYMORE, EVEN COOPERATION THESE DAYS, BUT THIS WEEK SEEMS TO HAVE APPROVED OTHERWISE.

>> YEAH, THERE WASN'T REALLY ANY HINT OF PARTISANSHIP OR PETTY BICKERING AMONGST POLITICIANS IN THE POLITICAL REALM THIS WEEK, AND YOU SAW THAT IN MANY WAYS.

YOU SAW THAT IN PRESIDENT BIDEN REACTING SO QUICKLY TO DECLARE THE -- TO APPROVE THE EMERGENCY DECLARATION WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE REPUBLICANS AND THE CONGRESSIONAL DECLARATION.

YOU SAW CONGRESSMAN JAMES COMER ON AIR FORCE BASE ONE AND WALKING THROUGH NEIGHBORHOODS AND MAYFIELD AND DAWSON SPRINGS WITH THE PRESIDENT, AND NORMANLY WHEN YOU SEE CONGRESSMAN COMER, HE'S IN THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE OR ON FOX NEWS RIPPING THE PRESIDENT REALLY HARSH RHETORIC, AND YOU JUST DIDN'T SEE HINT OF THAT.

YOU SAW BIDEN APPRECIATIVE OF COMER AND COMER APPRECIATIVE OF WHAT PRESIDENT BIDEN HAD DONE, AND YOU HAVE BIDEN GOING TO AREAS WHERE HE DIDN'T GET A LOT OF VOTES IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, AND YOU SAW THE RESIDENTS THERE GIVING HIM A REALLY WARM WELCOME, SO THAT'LL COME EVENTUALLY BUT IT WASN'T THIS WEEK.

>> ALANA, HOW IMPORTANT WAS YOU THE FOR PEOPLE IN WESTERN KENTUCKY TO SEE THAT OTHERS CARED?

>> IT WAS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

SENATOR MITCH McCONNELL WAS ACTUALLY IN BOWLING GREEN TODAY THE LEND HIS SUPPORT AND TO SEE THE DAMAGE, AND ONE THING HE SAID IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE PICTURES REALLY DON'T DO IT JUSTICE, AND BEING ABLE TO WALK THOSE STREETS AND SEE THE DAMAGE IS SOMETHING THAT IS TRULY DEVASTATING.

AND I HAVE HEARD FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT IT MEANS A LOT FOR FEDERAL OFFICIALS TO COME AND TO BE IN THE COMMUNITY.

THE STORM SYSTEM REALLY HIT A LOT OF RURAL COMMUNITIES WHO DON'T REALLY HAVE A WHOLE LOT RESOURCES THAT A LOT OF BIGGER CITIES IN KENTUCKY HAVE.

SO KNOWING THAT FEDERAL OFFICIALS ARE THERE AND THAT THEY CARE AND THAT THEY ARE SENDING KIND WORDS AND ENCOURAGEMENT TO THEM, THAT MEANS A LOT FOR PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED?

ALEX, I KNOW YOU'RE A NATIVE OF THE REGION.

WESTERN KENTUCKY STIPES FEELS FORGOTTEN.

>> SURE, JUST LIKE PARTS OF EAST KENTUCKY FEEL FORGOTTEN.

I GREW UP IN DAVIS COUNTY WHICH WAS THANKFULLY SPARED, BARELY, BY THE TORNADO, BUT I THINK THERE'S A LOT TO BE SAID ABOUT MEETING PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY ARE, EVEN AS A JOURNALIST WALKING AROUND, I NEVER EXPERIENCED ANY ANIMOSITY FROM PEOPLE.

PEOPLE GATHERED IN CHURCHES, WHICH ARE OFTENTIMES, YOU KNOW, EPICENTERS FOR COMMUNITIES, AND I THINK IT'S JUST HOW APPROACH AB PEOPLE WERE, HOW WILLING PEOPLE WERE TO SORT OF SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH STRANGERS AND SORT OF TAKE STRANGERS IN.

IT DOESN'T SURPRISE ME BUT IT'S HEARTENING.

>> GOVERNOR BESHEAR WAS ESPECIALLY THANKFUL ABOUT THE PRESIDENT'S DECISION TO HAVE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COVER COSTS FOR THE INITIAL RECOVERY.

>> IN KENTUCKY WE ARE GOOD PEOPLE.

WE LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

AND WE LEAN ON ONE ANOTHER.

WE OPEN OUR HOMES TO THOSE IN NEED, NOT JUST TODAY BUT EVERY DAY.

AND WE WILL REPAIR OUR HOMES, OUR BUSINESSES, AND WE WILL REPAIR OUR LIVES.

WE WILL DO ALL OF THAT TOGETHER.

>> JOE, HOW IMPORTANT WILL THATTAL FEDERAL MONEY BE IN BEING ABLE TO KEEP FOCUS ON GETTING THE INITIAL CLEANUP UNDERWAY AND THEN FIGURE OUT WHERE I.

TO GO?

>> IT'S REALLY BIG IN THE SHORT-TERM, AND PRESIDENT BIDEN IS -- SAYS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO COVER 100% OF THE COST IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS OF CLEANING OUT ALL OF THE DEBRIS, PAYING ALL THE OVERTIME OF ALL OF THE FIRST RESPONDERS AND OTHER STATE EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE BEEN ON THE GROUND HELPING OUT AND WILL COVER THE SHORT TERP LODGING OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE DISPLACED, SO IT'S A REALLY BIG -- IT'S A REALLY BIG ASSISTANCE IN THE SHORT TERM, AND, OF COURSE, GOVERNOR BESHEAR SAID IT WAS KIND OF A HAIL MARY TO EVEN REQUEST THIS, AND WHEN PRESIDENT BIDEN GOT THE REQUEST, HE ASKED -- HE WASN'T SURE IF HE WAS ALLOWED TO APPROVE SUCH A REQUEST, BUT HE WAS TOLD THAT HE DID, AND SO WE'RE GOING TO, FOR THE NEXT 30 DAYS, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO COVER 100% OF THAT.

>> LIAM, ALL THAT SAID, NOT EVERYTHING WILL BE COVERED BY THIS FEDERAL DISASTER DECLARATION.

HOW DO PEOPLE KNOW IF THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR HELP?

>> W. THE EASIEST WAY IS TO GO DIRECTLY TO FEMA.

THERE'S A HOTLINE, 1-800-621-3362.

YOU CAN ALSO GO TO DISASTERSTIFFENS.GOV.

THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT AID FOR VARIOUS SITUATIONS, IN PARTICULAR LIKE LET'S SAY RENTERS.

THEY COVER UP TO $40,000 OF YOUR LOSSES FOR RENTERS.

SOME ARE SOME OF THE REPORTING I DID THIS WEEK WAS WORKING THROUGH SCHOOL OFFICIALS.

THERE'S, FOR EXAMPLE, IN MAYFIELD THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT MIGRANT COMMUNITY THERE THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TRADITIONALLY IN THE PAST HAS WORKED WITH FAMILIES, CHILDREN OF THE MIGRANT FAMILIES, AND A LOT OF THE INFORMATION THROUGH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT IS JUST BEEN SIMPLY, FOR EXAMPLE, UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS, WHAT COULD THEY BE ELIGIBLE FOR THROUGH FEMA IF THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR LODGING, FOR EXAMPLE, IN KENTUCKY STATE PARKS.

SO AGAIN, THE NUMBER TO CALL IS 1-800-621-3362.

DISASTERASSISTANCE.GOV.

>> THERE IS A LOT OF STUDY, OF COURSE, GOING ON ABOUT THE DEADLY STORMS AND THE SCIENTIFIC FACTORS THAT LED UP TO THE TRAGIC NIGHT.

CHRIS BALEY IS CHIEF METEOROLOGIST AT WKYT IN AND AUTHOR OF THE KENTUCKY WEATHER BLOG.

I TALKED HIM TO ABOUT THE OUTBREAK.

>> CHRIS, THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR EXPERTISE.

HOW HISTORIC WERE THESE STOPPERS?

>> YOU KNOW, BILL WITH THIS IS GOING TO GO DOWN AS ONE OF THE WORST STORM IN KENTUCKY'S HISTORIES, IN OUR NATION'S HISTORY AS WELL.

THE FACT THAT HAPPENED TWO WEEKS BEFORE CHRISTMAS MAKES IT EVEN MORE HISTORIC.

CERTAINLY BY FAR AND AWAY THE WORST TONIGHT ARE OUTBREAK THE IN WINTER MONTHS WE HAVE EVER HAD AROUND HERE BUT ONE OF, IF NOT THE OVERA -- NOW, IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO TOP SUPER OUTBREAK OF '74 APRIL 3rd AND 4th BACK THEN.

>> LONG TRACK TORNADOES.

ONE OF THE LONGEST ON THE GROUND EVER.

>> LONGEST ON THE GROUND IN KENTUCKY HISTORY.

WE TAKE A LOOK AT THIS GRAPHIC AND WE'RE STILL TRYING TO SURVEY THE DAMAGE INTO PARTS OF ARKANSAS, SOUTHEASTERN MISSOURI, NORTHEASTERN MISSOURI, BUT IN KENTUCKY ALONG, THE MAYFIELD ENTERED KENTUCKY INTO FULTON COUNTY AND MADE ITS WAY ALL THE WAY TO BEAVER DAM WHICH IS 163-MILE PATH ON THE GROUND IN KENTUCKY ALONE.

THAT IS BY FAR AND AWAY THE LONGEST TORNADO PATH EVER RECORDED IN KENTUCKY.

RYAN THE PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES ON THIS, ANY OF 4 TORNADO THAT HID -- EF-4 TORNADO THAT HIT MAY PHEED THREE QUARTERS TO A MILE WIDE WITH 190-MILE-PER-HOUR U.

MILES PER HOUR WINDS THAT WERE BEARING DOWN ACROSS THE MAYFIELD AREA AND OVER INTO AREAS EDDYVILLE AND ACROSS THE DAWSON SPRINGS AREA.

>> WE TALK ABOUT THIS BEING DECEMBER AND THIS HAPPENING AT A VERY UNUSUAL TIME OF THE YEAR.

INEVITABLY IT LEADS TO DISCUSSIONS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AND WHETHER THAT IS WHAT IS A FACTOR HERE.

>> YOU KNOW, A LOT OF FOLKS STIPES WILL MISTAKE A WEATHER EVENT FOR CLIMATE.

CLIMATE IS A SERIES OF EVENTS OVER A LONG TERM.

WEATHER ONE EVENT.

BUT WHEN YOU START TO GET MULTIPLE SIGNIFICANT OR EXTREME EVENTS YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR OR MULTIPLE ONES IN A YEAR, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU START TO THINK, OKAY, THIS IS MORE THAN JUST A WEATHER EVENT THAT IS TAKING PLACE.

IT IS WITHOUT QUESTION OUR CLIMATE IS CHANGING.

THERE IS NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

WE'VE HAD AN INCREASE IN THE OVERA TEMPERATURES HERE IN KENTUCKY.

THEY HAVE GONE UP SUBSTANTIALLY OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS CAR.

TO THE PRIOR 30 YEARS AND EVEN THE PRIOR 100ERS I DO NOT BEFORE THAT.

THE WEATHER IS BECOMING MUCH MORE EXTREME.

JUST LOOK AT KENTUCKY THIS YEAR, BILL.

HE HAD HISTORIC ICE STORMS IN FEBRUARY.

WE HAD THREE OF THOSE.

WE NEVER HAD TWO.

AND WE HAD THREE IN A TEN-DAY SPAN FOLLOWED BY HISTORIC FLOODING, SOME OF THE WORST ON THE KENTUCKY RIVER AND NOW ONE OF THE WORST TORNADOES IN KENTUCKY HISTORY.

>> METEOROLOGIST CHRIS BAILEY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

GOOD TO BE WITH YOU, BILL.

>> BACK WITH OUR PANEL NOW, OBVIOUSLY A LOT TO STUDY IN THAT REGARD.

ALANA, ALSO ABOUT HUMAN BEHAVIOR.

THERE WILL BE A LOT OF NEEDS TO BE MET IN THE WEEKS AND MONTHS AHEAD.

>> YES, ABSOLUTELY.

ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES BECCA SCHIMEL ACTUALLY DID A REPORT ON HOW PEOPLE CAN BETTER SERVE THEIR MENTAL HEALTH IN THESE TIMES OF NEED.

OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S A LOT OF TRAUMA RIGHT NOW, AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS SHE REACHED OUT TO A MENTAL HEALTH EXPERT, AND WHAT THAT EXPERT SAID IS FOR PEOPLE TO GIVE THEMSELVES GRACE, OBVIOUSLY, AND TO REACH OUT IF THEY NEED HELP.

AGAIN, THIS IS A TRAUMATIC EVENT, SO PEOPLE DO NEED HELP TO COPE.

THEY NEED TO REACH OUT THE TO THE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL.

>> JOE, THE DECISION TO KEEP THE MAYFIELD CANDLE FACTORY OPEN AS A TORNADO APPROACHED HAS BED LED TO A LOT OF SCRUTINY.

>> AND A LAWSUIT.

THIS WEEK THERE'S A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FILED BY SOME OF THE WORKERS WHO SAY THAT THERE WERE WORKERS THERE WHO WANTED TO GO HOME THAT NIGHT, AND THEIR EMPLOYERS TOLD THEM THAT THEY WOULD LOSE THEIR JOB IF THEY DID.

THE COMPANY, MAYFIELD CONSUMER PRODUCT, HAS DENIED THAT STRONGLY, SO THIS IS GOING TO BE -- NOT ONLY THAT LAWSUIT BUT ANY TIME A WORKER DIES IN A WORKPLACE ACCIDENT, IF THERE'S AN INVESTIGATION AND THERE'S CERTAINLY GOING TO BE MUCH MORE SCRUTINY ON THIS KIND OF SITUATION.

>> KENTUCKY BAR ASSOCIATION HAS WARNED ATTORNEYS AND THE REPRESENTATIVES NOT TO CONTACT DISASTER REPUBLICANS, THAT IS ILLEGAL AND IS ALSO CONTRARY -- VICTIMS.

CONTRARY TO THEIR CODE OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG HAUL IN WESTERN KENTUCKY AND WE ALL NEED TO CONTINUE TO PULL TOGETHER ON THAT.

CORONAVIRUS CONTINUES TO BE A MAJOR CONCERN.

THE KENTUCKY WILDCATS' WEEKEND GAME WAS UPENDED.

OHIO STATE HAD TO PULL OUT OF A TOURNAMENT.

THERE WAS A SCRAMBLE THERE.

NOW WE KNOW, ALEX, THAT OMICRON IS HERE.

>> CORRECT.

JUST BEFORE I CAME TO THE STUDIO THIS AFTERNOON, GOVERNOR BESHEAR CONFIRMED THAT WE HAD DIAGNOSED THE FIRST CASE OF OMICRON.

IT HAS BEEN HERE FOR DAYS IF NOT A COUPLE OF WEEK JUST LIKE IT'S BEEN I THINK CLOSE TO 40 STATES BY NOW.

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT OMICRON IS THAT IT IS A LOT MORE TRANSMISSIBLE THAN DELTA.

POTENTIALLY CAUSES LESS SEVERE ILLNESS, BUT IT'S HIGH, HIGH LEVEL OF TRAS MISSABILITY MEANS THAT MORE VACCINATED PEOPLE ARE CATCHING IT.

WORLDWIDE UNVACCINATED PEOPLE ARE STILL DRIVING SPREAD, BUT WITH CHRISTMAS THIS WEEKEND AND WITH 54% OF THE STATE PHIL VACCINATED, 17% OF THE POPULATION'S GOTTEN A BOOSTER, KENTUCKY IS ABSOLUTELY VULNERABLE TO ANOTHER SURGE.

AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD BRACE OURSELVES FOR THAT POSSIBILITY AS OMICRON SORT OF FANS OUT ACROSS THE STATE.

>> WOULD THERE BE A CONCERN ABOUT THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM HOLDING UP?

>> TODAY EVEN THERE ARE MORE THAN 90% OCCUPANCY IN THE STATE'S ICU BEDS, AND WE ARE NOT EVEN IN A SURGE AT THIS POINT.

GRANTED, IN THE LAST SURGE WE ADDED CAPACITY, BUT WE ALL SAW HOW BURDENED OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM WAS LAST TIME.

IF OMICRON IS MORE TRANSMISSIBLE, IT'S NEVER GOOD FORE COVID TO SATURATE A COMMUNITY EVEN IF THE INFECTIONS ARE MILD, AND SO IT'S NOT GOOD.

>> JOE, THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION NOW JUST OVER TWO WEEKS AWAY.

WILL THE AFTERGLOW OF THIS COMING TOGETHER OVER THE TORNADOES STILL INTO SOME MORE COOPERATION IN THE UPCOMING SESSION WHEN THEY HAVE SUCH SENSITIVE TOPICS TO DEAL WITH AS REDISTRICTING AND THE BUDGET AND SO ON?

>> YOU CAN PUT ME IN THE KAP THAT IS HIGHLY SKEPTICAL THAT EVERYONE IS GOING TO GO ALONG AND SOME OF THE POLITICAL RHETORIC AND GAMES ARE GOING TO BE SET A SIGHT.

THERE'S A LOT AT STAKE IN SESSION.

IT'S A BUDGET YEAR.

THEY █SAID IN A MEETING TODAY TH BUDGET SURPLUS COULD REACH $2 BILLION IN THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF FIGHTS OVER WHAT TO DO WITH THAT MONEY, WHETHER TO GIVE DIFFERENT WORKERS A LARGE SALARY INCREASE, WHO TO GIVE BONUSES TO, WHETHER TO STICK THAT ALL IN THE RAINY DAY FUND OR WHETHER TO DO SOME TYPE OF TAX REFORM.

SO ONCE YOU GET A LOT OF COMPETING INTERESTS WITH A LOT AT STAKE, IT SEEMS VERY UNLIKELY THAT POLITICAL FIGHTING WILL SUBSIDE.

>> AND AGAIN, YOU ADD TO THAT DEALING WITH A TORNADO WITH MAYBE THE OMICRON EVENT COMING, SO WE'LL WATCH.

STATE REPRESENTATIVE REGINALD MEEKS IS NOT RUNNING AGAIN.

IN FACT, HE'S LEAVING?

>> YEAH, HE'S GONE EFFECT OF IMMEDIATELY.

HE SENT HIS LETTER OF REGULARS NATION TO GOVERNOR BESHEAR TODAY -- RESIGNATION.

DIDN'T REALLY GIVE A REASON FOR WHY, BUT THE GOVERNOR IS GOING TO HAVE TO CALL A SPECIAL ELECTION FOR THAT SEAT.

AND, OF COURSE, UTERUS HARD TO HAVE A SPECIAL ELECTION IF YOU'RE NOT SURE WHAT THE DISTRICT IS, WHETHER IT'S GOING TO BE THE OLD DISTRICT OR WHETHER IT IS GOING TO BE THE NEW DISTRICT.

>> NUCLEAR AUTHOR FEMINIST ACTIVIST AND KENTUCKY NATIVE BELLE HOOKS IS BEING REMEMBERED.

SHE WAS BORN GLORIA JEAN WAP KINS AND USED HER GRANDMOTHER'S TAME A NAME AS HER PEN NAME TO WRITE INTERNATIONALLY BOOKS.

THEE PUBLISHED MORE THAN 30 SOUPS AND WAS A MEMBER KENTUCKY WRITERS HALL OF FAME.

BELLE HOOKS DIED A 69.

THIS LAST WEEK HAS TESTED THE COMMONWEALTH WE HAVE STOOD TOGETHER AS WE HEAD INTO THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS, LET'S ALL KEEP IN MIND THAT THERE IS MORE TO DO AND MORE COOPERATION WILL BE REQUIRED.

BE SURE TO TUNE IN AT 9:00 EASTERN, 8:00 CENTRAL TONIGHT, FRIDAY NIGHT, FOR KENTUCKY TORNADOES AFTERMATH: A KET SPECIAL REPORT.

AFTER A GOOD WEEK AHEAD.