>> We know it's spreading.

Know what's out there.

And if you look at the last few weeks, the numbers have been trending upward.

>> Flu cases are on the rise in Lexington with the city reporting its first flu related death of the season.

How a presidential hopeful is using a Republican from Kentucky to help make her case to voters.

>> A lot of time certain these exchanges for visitations thanks.

Get escalated between the parties.

So our goal is to make sure that doesn't happen.

About the new program and end-all keeping custody visit safe for everyone involved.

>> Downtown, part of the community hardly KET up.

>> Plus, Howard Eastern Kentucky town is working to draw and both people and businesses.

>> 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 Monday, December 18th, the holidays are getting close.

I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you for starting off your week night with us.

The 2024 Kentucky General Assembly is now just 15 days away.

>> New tonight a state senator may have to miss part of it because of a serious injury state Senator Amanda May's Bledsoe of Lexington says she was kicked in the face by her family's horse on Friday.

She underwent emergency surgery over the weekend.

In a statement she thanked first responders and the medical team at the University of Kentucky trauma.

Critical Care Center.

Senator Maize Bledsoe says she expects to make a full recovery with no long-term or permanent damage.

And she anticipates returning to Frankfort as soon as possible.

The Republican represents Boyle, Mercer Woodford and part of Fayette County.

She was first elected to the state Senate in 2022.

Attorneys for a Kentucky woman who filed a lawsuit demanding the right to an abortion have withdrawn their suit after the woman learned her embryo no longer has cardiac activity.

In a court filing yesterday, the ACLU of Kentucky told a judge they will voluntarily dismiss the lawsuit which was seeking class action status.

Lawyers for the anonymous woman pointed to a Kentucky Supreme Court decision earlier this year.

That said abortion providers cannot sue on behalf of their patients limiting legal actions to individual seeking an abortion.

In a statement to the ACLU of Kentucky said, quote, the court's decision has forced Kentuckyian seeking abortion to bring a lawsuit while in the middle of speaking time sensitive health care and dotting feet.

One that should not be necessary to reclaim the fundamental right to control their own bodies and, quote, attorneys say they will continue to look for possible plaintiffs.

It's a record candidates and political action committees spent about 70 million dollars on the Kentucky governor's race the most ever.

That's according to Jones, aka of Kentucky, Public Radio Governor Andy Beshear, the Democrat also outspent his Republican challenger, Attorney General Daniel Cameron.

Beshear spent about 19 million from the May primary to the November general election with another 20 million spent by political action committees.

Cameron spent 4.3 million with 26 million and pack support.

That adds up to about 40 million on the Bashir side and 30 million on the camera inside SOT the notes that Bashir's financial advantage allowed him to go on the air with TV commercials continuously for 6 months while Cameron couldn't go on the air until August.

Governor Andy Beshear is delivering his budget address and you will see it in its entirety on Kentucky tonight this evening.

The governor is taping the speech in advance.

So look for that followed by reaction from policy experts and political strategist.

That's tonight at 8 Eastern 7 central right here on KET.

And national Politics.

U.S. Representative Andy Barr is throwing his support behind Donald Trump and the 2024 presidential race.

The congressman from Kentucky, 6 district posted the news on social media today saying, quote, I am proud to announce my endorsement for Donald J Trump to be the 47th president of the United States.

End quote.

Speaking to FOX News, digital Barr went on to say the country should rally behind Trump because he quote, understand the importance of strong leadership both at home and abroad, unquote.

Former President Trump who is facing 91 felony charges remains the GOP front runner and he maintains a lot of support in Kentucky.

An October poll from Emerson College shows Trump with a 28 point advantage over President Joe Biden.

U.S. Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky is also becoming a talking point on the Republican presidential campaign trail.

Nikki Haley has denounced rival Ron DeSantis for campaigning with Congressman Massie and Iowa.

Massey was the only House Republican to vote last week against a GOP resolution condemning Anti-Semitism on university campuses.

The Republican representing Kentucky's 4th congressional district has previously critiqued Anti-Semitism related legislation as restricting free speech voting against related GOP sponsored resolution since the Israel-Hamas war began in October at a restaurant in Des Moines on Saturday, Haley called out the center saying, quote, You can't be pro-Israel and bring the most anti Israel Republican into this state who voted against fighting Anti-Semitism on college campuses and quote today, Congressman Massie tweeted, quote, Nikki Haley as a brunette, Liz Cheney, she hates free speech as much as she loves war and foreign aid end quote on X.

Now, turning to health news, Lexington is reporting its first flu related death of the season.

It happened last weekend or last week, rather, according to the Lexington, Fayette County Health Department.

The person was older than 100 and also had COVID Kevin Hall with the Lexington, Fayette County Health Department said even though older adults are at higher risk of death from the flu, everyone he said should get vaccinated against it.

>> Our highest risk are people over 50 years of age.

Anyone with underlying health conditions.

So you're thinking about people with diabetes, heart issues, one issues, cancer.

And so those are going to be at high risk.

And if you think about Kentucky, those issues are prevalent throughout the Commonwealth.

So kids younger than 5, particularly younger than 2 are at high risk.

So not necessarily every case with the high risk.

People will end up with a fatality but often wind up with hospitalizations and we want to avoid that.

And last year we had 16 people die from flu related complications.

And with the first one this year, there are things that we can do to make sure that those numbers these as all possible.

>> Last week, Lexington reported 95 new cases of the flu, the highest number of new cases in a week so far this season.

That brings Lexington's total number of lab confirmed flu cases to 364.

The city also saw 221 new COVID-19 cases last week.

But Kevin Hall tells us the numbers are not necessarily giving a clear picture when it comes to flu and COVID infections.

>> When you look at the flu, it's estimated that 5 to 10% of the population tracks that each year.

So if you're in Lexington, that's more than 30,000 people compare that to last year.

We had over 3,000 people with lab confirmed cases.

So that gives you an idea of what those numbers actually mean.

It's just the tip of the iceberg with COVID.

There's no true way right now to understand how prevalent it is in the community because so many people are using those at-home test KET.

They're not going the medical provider and getting those lab confirmed too many.

So many people are using those at-home test KET to set going to a medical provider which is great.

We want to make this as easy as possible and and not tax or medical providers, but we know it's spreading.

We know what's out there.

And if you look at the last few weeks, the numbers have been trending upward.

Last flu season was the highest we've had on record of any county with more than 3,000 confirmed cases.

Name of that comes from some testing that's being done at the University of Kentucky.

So while we're nowhere near that at this point with over 360 cases so far in the flu season.

And that number will only go up as we go into peak season in late January, early February.

Now is the time to take the steps to protect yourself and the first step you can take as they get the flu shot.

>> Hall said people should contact their medical provider or area pharmacy to schedule flu and COVID shots.

Those without insurance should contact their public health department to see if it offers free flu and COVID shots.

As we gather with family and friends this holiday season, many of the gatherings will center around food with inflation driving up the cost of many ingredients.

You may be wondering how you can make your dollar stretch a little farther.

According to U.S. News and World Report weekly food costs for a family of 4 varies from $225 a week on the low and to $365.

On the higher end on the last episode of Kentucky Health host Doctor Wayne Tuckson talked with award-winning executive chef Christopher Stallard about how to get the most out of your food by making delicious dishes from scraps.

From your experience.

>> Are we really wasting a lot of food in our kitchens?

Yes, absolutely.

>> And I think a lot of it just has to do with the convenience.

I'm not really being a if you're not a chef for a home enthusiast, even you may not know what to do or that you that even possible to do with some of your vegetable scraps or or meat scraps for that matter.

So in restaurants, you know, we operate on super thin margins.

Everything is looked at as a dollar sign when it comes to your ingredients.

And so the more you throw away, the more money you're throwing away.

So it's what can I do with all of these things to make something delicious and presentable to the and make a little bit more money the ingredients themselves.

When we talk about a food scrap, what is it that we are actually referring to?

Well, it could be any number of And you and what might even be considered waste, which I cover in the even stuff like Animal Fats making Fat.

You know, everybody had grandmother say bacon fat, a gravy and whatnot.

But there's a lot of other things that we can do with it.

And that's discussed in there.

pickle brines and brides from the Cape or jar and all these things that typically people will take the pickles out and this dump the brine down.

They can be used to make wonderful marinades or vinaigrette.

So are any number of things.

And that's also in there.

so it's really just kind of like taking a second look at what's in the jar.

What's on the cutting board and saying before I throw this away, is there anything that I can do with it?

>> So you can see that full interview with Chef Stallard with doctor when talks and right now by going online at KET Dot Org and looking for Kentucky health and be sure to tune in for new episodes on Sundays at one 30 eastern in the afternoon, 12, 30 central right here on KET.

Now we have some breaking news from the lieutenant governor's office, Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman announced late this afternoon.

But after a physical exam, she made the decision to have a double mastectomy.

She says the surgery was today.

She calls it successful and says she expects to make a full recovery.

We will have much more on the Lieutenant Governor surgery tomorrow on Kentucky EDITION.

♪ ♪ >> Last week Bellarmine University announced its new cannabis certification program.

It comes as the Commonwealth readies itself for legalized medical marijuana, although a bill legalizing medical marijuana in Kentucky was passed earlier this year.

It doesn't go into effect until 2025, the bill sets up a structure for regulating the medical cannabis program, including rules for cultivators processors and dispensaries.

37 states now allow cannabis for medical use.

>> The cannabis industry's pretty complex and it requires a real level of specialized knowledge and understanding to be able to navigate and succeed in this space.

And so it's challenging.

It requires a lot of customization requires a lot of nuance, Green flower partners with universities across the country to power their cannabis certificate programs and workforce development initiatives.

We have been looking for a university in the state for a long time and through lots of vetting, we were able to connect with Bellarmine.

>> Last week launched Cannabis Education Partnership with Green Flower, which is a national company.

is a supplier of a cannabis education curriculum.

There's 4 different non credit certificate programs.

The first is for health care and medicine.

The second is for agriculture.

The 3rd is for risk management and noncompliance and the 4th this for business.

So the first one and he's going to aim to educate our health care systems, our nurses, our doctors, our therapist there's very little cannabis education that they receive in their schooling.

And so now with the, you know, turnaround of being able to prescribe having people coming in that they're having to treat.

It's going to educate them on that side of things.

And the agriculture is just what it sounds like in our region.

You know, where huge farming region.

So it's going to be the process of white.

The.

What it will look like to turn a farm into a cannabis farm.

>> an amazing agriculture powerhouse and cannabis is an industry backed by growing this plant.

The short answer is that it in pure medical markets, hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.

It generates thousands of jobs it allows for hundreds of thousands of patients to get access to a product that is natural and safer and in many cases healthier than their alternatives.

And creates an all-new industry where people can participate as entrepreneurs as chair employment and patients and customers.

>> Not compliance and risk management is going to be for HR professionals, legal teams, different things like that that are having to both prepare businesses that may be turning into cannabis dispensaries or preparing your own business to come up with policies and different.

Thanks for your employees.

And then the business certificate will be a dispensary or cannabis business.

We've already had a great number of >> Our inquiries and leads are well over 1000 people at this point.

>> So we're really excited and hoping we can have a great class to start out our first cohort in January.

>> To see Kentucky moving forward with medical cannabis legislation to see Bellarmine offering cannabis education programs.

I think it's a really sign of the times that opinion and stigma is shifting and opportunity is coming.

>> Child custody visits can be complicated.

Tense situations for everyone involved at domestic violence to the mix and visitations aren't just difficult.

They can be dangerous.

Greenhouse 17, an organization that provides services to victims of domestic violence started safe child exchange and parental visitation programs for this reason.

One opened at a local church in Danville last month.

We found out how the program works.

>> Right now 17, that's what we get up every day to do is to help KET those who've been impacted by intimate partner, violence and their children safe.

One gap in service in our opinion was that visitation exchange.

This service is really kind of wrapped around the children.

And we know in research to show that when left to their own accord without any interventions in the beginning.

A lot of time certain these exchanges or visitations things get escalated between the parties.

So our goal is to make sure that doesn't happen with the visiting parent arrives.

We hold them and not visiting parent comes with the children.

We escort the children in and then they can leave while the visiting parents stays and visits.

And then we hold the visiting parent until after the not visiting parent has come and taking the children had left the premises.

And we then allow the other party believe that everybody agrees to this process going in that way.

Survivors have enough time to leave, get to where they're going without worrying about being stopped or followed or harassed in any way.

So we try to reduce any contact so that things can de-escalate.

And honestly, I had to say the church Grace Church made it.

Possible for this service to exist here.

Well.

>> Churches facility that oftentimes they have several rooms are outfitted for kids.

and a lot of times those rooms throughout the week, not on Sundays are not being used.

And so it's a great opportunity to.

>> Partner and your church or congregation.

People care about the families and kids in our community.

And so we look for ways to >> bless them and be a part of saying just the prosperity, help the families.

And so we really value partnerships.

We recognize that now, you know, are in of ourselves and our small church.

We can influence our whole community, but we can be a part for working with other organizations, have a broader impact.

>> You know, what happens is a lot of times when.

Domestic violence has escalated and somebody has sought protection or help.

You might need to figure out how you're going to navigate the future or the relationship are leaving relationship doesn't necessarily mean that your intention is that your children never have access to the other parent for the visiting pair.

It provides them an opportunity to kind of settle, get to know their child one-on-one again, you know, to make sure that that child knows that they're cared for and and loved by that individual.

It gives opportunity and it and it's safe for them as well.

Nobody can make allegations are cross allegations were right there and we're observing the visits.

Survivors and children need a whole community wrapped.

Around them.

Just traditional approaches and interventions are typically not enough.

And I think as a community when we come together and think of creative approaches are ways to partner into it speaks volumes because it tells survivors and their children that they have value that they have worth that they deserve safety and to be believed and to be heard at the same time.

Being able to kind of hopefully help preserve.

Family, whatever that gets redefined s. The visitations are by appointment only and most often appointed by the court.

♪ >> And 2022, the state established the Kentucky product Development Initiative or KPD.

I.

>> For short, it's a dollar for Dollar match program that helps communities develop bland for economic growth projects Rowan County home to the city of Morehead is using the program to establish what's called build ready sites, which attract businesses to the area.

How Morehead is working to become a better city.

That story is today's Monday's on Maine segment.

>> Downtown part of the new part of the county.

So the Hill for your downtown just as a direct impact, everything else that goes on county region.

44% of our current workforce.

>> Lay their head down at night.

Some words outside of Raleigh County.

So what that means is 44% of people that are working here that are paying taxes here obtaining wages here from gainful employment are taking that and going somewhere else.

We have to do more on that for Frank to be able to attract retail and to be able to attract those hospitality pieces.

>> And once you start doing those pieces them, we have to go after housing and I feel like if we get the liveability peace, correct.

>> Then we'll be able to attract more of those larger industry is looking at us because world will be increasing.

Our workforce numbers.

And we'll be offering more for those future employees from future companies that invest here to be able to have more opportunities for recreation shopping entertainment, food options.

So those are our objectives in the next 5 years.

build ready, sidewalks that do for us.

So what we did, this particular site, we created 150,000 Square foot flat surface.

And basically what that does is we pull infrastructure to that side for water, sewer, gas telecom so forth.

And so he's speeds up one the construction process.

But 2, it cuts the cost down.

We've we've helped them to be able to save money.

We've made it more attractive.

They don't have to spend the money on doing the geotechnical.

We just have to present in the reports from everything that we did and they just have to build.

We would like to have our town.

The such is such a way that.

Inspired him to want to live.

Here are your town should be one that the people that live here enjoy doing things.

>> We have our own people enjoy doing things and tell more likely people that are not living here.

We want to hear we often.

>> Talk to our to our staff about how we're not in the book.

Business were not in the business.

We're in the people business.

And so.

You know, that's that's always been central to what we do, trying to support our community, to reflect our community, be an open place for people to come together as well as retail space, obviously.

But and we hope that this will be a place that will draw more businesses downtown.

>> Welcome to the last couple.

3 months we had no vacancies now pale.

We had one or 2 that are being renovated right now.

We've got probably 5 vacancies.

But we look, there's opportunity >> we have a bet with 2, not got a new brewery in town who's recruited, developed for free, throws.

>> With the 3 Amigos icon feels that the develops all stone bruise.

>> And that was the Re re have of an old building that had been slated to be torn down to 75.

This means for so.

>> I don't feel pretty solid.

>> We want people to come and for it to be.

>> You know, tear gas.

So to have found that Holbrooke drugs and there's so many meetings, what you get, we have that coming downtown becomes part of their.

>> For the routine and part of what they do, you know, the downtowns are the absolute heart beat of all communities and downtown revitalization is important to that's energy looking forward, 10, 15 20 years in the short.

But look, 50 years for as well.

>> The Morehead, Rowan County Chamber of Commerce has plans to develop more build ready sites soon.

♪ The Kentucky State slogan has been around more than 230 years.

And wait until you hear about a very low score in Kentucky basketball game.

Our Toby Gibbs has all the details and this look at this week in Kentucky history.

♪ >> Kentucky lawmakers OK, the State SEAL and state motto on December 20 of the 17 92.

It's the same model we have today United.

We stand divided.

We fall.

Kit.

Carson was born December 24th 18.

0, 9, in Madison County.

The fame fur trapper explore wilderness guide and U.S. Army officer became a famous symbol of the West through newspaper articles and dime novels.

Adolph Rupp coach his first University of Kentucky basketball game on December 18, 1930, beating, Georgetown College.

67 to 19.

It was the first of 876 winds for coach dropped over the next 41 years at UK.

Kentucky beat Cincinnati.

24 to 11 on December.

20th 1983.

That might sound like a football score, but it's not.

It was basketball.

Cincinnati deliberately held the ball as much as it could thinking.

It was the only way it could possibly win the game.

The halftime score was 11 to 7.

This low scoring game was a factor in the creation of the basketball shot clock in 1985.

Louisville native John Cogan was more December 18th 18, 40 be invented flavored chewing gum and his drug store in 18, 73 chilling down with almost no flavor already existed called an added Balsam Toe loop extract and powdered sugar and it became an international sensation.

And those are some of the interesting events this week in Kentucky history.

>> Thank Youto begins.

Well, that'll do it for us tonight, but we hope you'll join us again tomorrow night at 6.30, stern Five-thirty central for Kentucky Edition where we inform connect and inspire.

You can connect with Oz.

All the ways you see on your screen, Facebook, X and Instagram to stay in the loop.

Also, check us out on the PBS video app and send us a story idea.

Public affairs at K E T Dot Org and make sure you tune in tonight at 8 o'clock Eastern Time for the governor's budget address followed by analysis from some political strategists and also some economic strategist as well.

Who will pontificate and react to the governor's budget address.

All that happens at 8 o'clock tonight, Eastern time right here on KET.

Until then take really good care of it.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪