♪ ♪ >> One of President Joe Biden's most persistent critics reacts to the president's decision to pardon his son.

>> It's a win-win for employers who have the workforce need.

>> There are more apprentices in Kentucky than ever before.

More about these unique members about workforce coming off.

>> How do they communicate with each other?

With a look at all our message and would they be able to decode in?

>> And the city of Lexington takes its latest tourism campaign out of this world.

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

♪ ♪ Good Evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Monday, December, the second, I'm Renee Shaw.

All we hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

>> And it's good to be back with you.

Congressman James Comer of Kentucky, a longtime critic of President Joe Biden is attacking the president for his decision announced yesterday to pardon his son, Hunter Comer is chair of the House Oversight Committee.

That committee launched an investigation of the Biden family shortly after Republicans took control of the U.S. House and early 2023, Congressman calmer posted this after yesterday's announcement about the pardon.

Quote, Joe Biden has lied from start to finish about his family's corrupt influence peddling activities.

Not only has he falsely claimed that he never met with his son's foreign business associates and that his son did nothing wrong.

But he also lied when he said he would not pardon Hunter Biden.

The charges Hunter faced word just the tip of the iceberg and the blatant corruption that President Biden and the Biden crime family have lied about to the American people and of quote, Hunter Biden was convicted in June of lying on a federal form when he purchased a gun and 2018 and swore that he wasn't a drug user.

>> He also pleaded guilty to charges accusing him of trying to avoid paying more than a million dollars in taxes.

President Biden says his son was unfairly targeted for political reasons because he is the president's son.

Bob Gable, a longtime leader in the Republican Party of Kentucky has died.

Gable was the Republican nominee for governor of Kentucky.

In 1975.

Losing that election to Julian Carroll.

He also ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in 1972.

Gable served as chair of the Republican Party of Kentucky in the 1980's and 90's.

This is video from KET in 1991, the Courier Journal reports that Gable died last Friday at Baptist Health in Lexington, Bob Gable was 90 U.S.

Senator Mitch McConnell is praising Mister Gable and crediting him for playing a role in the recent successes of the Republican Party of Kentucky.

In a statement McConnell said, quote, When he was named chair of the Republican Party of Kentucky in 1986, our party held only one statewide seat and reportedly only had a net worth of $300.

Needless to say much in our party and the Commonwealth has changed since then.

Largely thanks to Bob's unflappable focus and the groundwork he laid during his decades of service, end quote.

The party's current state chair Robert Ben Dinucci echoed those thoughts.

He said, quote, Thanks to Bob's efforts, Republicans hold supermajorities in the General Assembly and it's now the Democrats who hold only one statewide office.

None of this would have been possible without Bob Gables, leadership, dedication and love for Kentucky.

He will be deeply missed.

Quote.

Last month, Kentucky voters rejected constitutional amendment number 2 by a 2 to one margin.

If it passed the Kentucky General Assembly would have been able to authorize public money for non public schools.

We discussed amendment to its failure and the future of public education.

With our panel of political experts last Monday on Kentucky tonight.

>> One thing that you didn't see during the campaign this year >> was the you know, there's a lot of people obviously posted in the 2.

But it was posted in the 2.

There was a lot of talk about other than give us more money.

There was a lot of talk about how to help improve schools.

I think that's where the debate needs to go now is is and I think I can be beneficial if educators, education union specifically and Democrats realize that Republicans are now to like with some weird vendetta against educators.

We have differing ideas on how to improve education, but everybody wants schools to be better for our kids.

And, you know, I think that if we can get it has that gone.

If everybody can come the table, Republicans still have ideas.

>> During the campaign, you know, like we said, yes, 65% of people voted no.

But our very first ad that we ran the entire time and what we would say in organizing spaces around the state was we need to invest in better ideas that work and we did give ideas.

We talked about universal Pre-K, addressing the teacher shortage, fully funding school transportation.

And yeah, those are the 3 main ones.

It's all money, money, money.

It's not.

>> Actual structural change.

And then can we do both?

>> Our panel talked more about that and the presidential election.

President-elect Donald Trump's cabinet picks the future of the Democratic Party and more.

You can see the hour-long conversation online on demand at KET DOT Org.

Slash K why tonight?

We're almost 2 years away from the 2026 U.S. Senate race in Kentuckyian someone is thinking ahead about who could be running.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports someone created 6 website domains for the people you see here listed Congressman Andy Barr, James Comer and Brett Guthrie, former Kentucky General Daniel Cameron, former United Nations Ambassador Kelly Craft and Lexington businessmen, Nate Morris non of said they plan to Ron and they deny having anything to do with the creation of the website.

The current senator holding the seat and Mitch McConnell hasn't said if he's running or not.

A formal official with the Kentucky Fraternal Order of Police is reportedly being investigated after thousands of dollars disappeared.

Ryan Straw was vice president of the FOP Fraternal Order of Police until his sudden resignation.

Last month.

WDRB Reports an attorney representing the state FOP told members Strong was being questioned about withdrawing nearly $50,000 from his local lodge in Louisville, leaving it, quote, nearly broke.

The lodge reported the money missing to the Louisville Metro Police Department reportedly turned the case over to the FBI.

Straw was a familiar face in Frankfort in recent years where he helped lobby for pro-law enforcement legislation.

2 people in Louisville's Clifton neighborhood are suing the General Don Flavors Corporation after the company's Louisville plant explosion on November.

The 12th that explosion killed 2 employees, according to the Courier Journal, the 2 people suing the company claim their health suffered and they had some property damage as a result of the explosion, including broken windows and damage to doors and their home's foundation.

The lawsuit accuses the company of safety negligence.

The suit also says the plant operations are noisy and cause emotional distress.

And this is not the only lawsuit.

A DoorDash driver in the area at the time of the explosion says the blast triggered post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from his experience serving in the military during the Iraq War.

A federal judge has blocked the Biden administration's expanded protections of migrant farm workers with H 2 a visas.

And Kentucky is one of the states affected U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves ruled that the new Labor Department rules would allow foreign farm workers to unionize.

Reeves says the department went too far and that only Congress could take that action.

Kentucky Attorney General Russel Coleman and attorneys general from Ohio, West Virginia and Alabama argued against the policy.

Coleman says the quote, unlawful and not unnecessary.

Biden administration rule what has made it harder to get farmers products to grocery store shelves and would have increased already high prices for families.

Throughout the year.

We've highlighted Kentucky State Parks, which is celebrating its one 100th anniversary.

Now you can help support them by raising a toast.

Kentucky state parks is partnering with Louisville Brewery against the grain to produce a special craft beer.

The governor's office says a portion of the sales will be used to help support future improvements of the park.

The light larger will be sold and 4 packs in the coming weeks.

In addition to being available in stores and will also be sold at nearly half of Kentucky's 44 state parks.

♪ ♪ November included the 10th anniversary of National Apprentice Week where here in Kentucky we celebrated record-breaking apprenticeship participation rates last year.

There were more than 6500 active apprentices across the state.

A record high.

Our McKenzie speaks spoke with the Department of Workforce Development to break down those numbers.

Learn more about our apprentices.

From advanced manufacturing to early education to the culinary arts >> there are nearly 300 apprenticeship programs available to Kentuckians looking to get started in a new industry.

>> An example of a registered apprenticeship program could be in the health care field where The Apprentice completes a related technical instruction with the with on-the-job training result.

Again, a career occupation or career goal.

The Apprentice received the nationally recognized portable credential.

So if they receive the credential in a scale here in Kentuckyian they had to move or it could be accepted in its verification and validation of the the skills that The Apprentice has and that particular skill fact.

>> More and more Kentuckians are taking advantage of these programs.

According to the Kentucky Center for Statistics, there were 6,639 active apprentices in 2023, a 15% increase from the previous year over the past decade.

The apprenticeship participation numbers have more than doubled.

The report also shows that the diversity of apprentices has grown.

We've seen a number of black Kentuckians are actively participating, has tripled 164 in 2013.

>> is our last number.

And the number of women in apprenticeship is.

>> Has increased as well.

Up to over 1181 where last number of women in registered apprenticeship programs.

>> John says apprenticeship programs are a valuable alternative to post-secondary education for the apprentices and for Kentucky's economy.

>> The vast majority of our registered apprenticeship programs are at no cost to The Apprentice.

And The Apprentice has an opportunity to earn and learn and receive a recognized credential and register precipice successful because it shows The Apprentice the employers interested in them and it leads to loyalty, dedication and leading to retention with that employer where approximately an 80 per in the state of Kentucky about 87% retention rate.

The are registered approach to take Kentucky.

Stay with the sponsor or stay in the industry.

It's a win-win for employers who have a work force need and the growing economy here in Kentucky is leading to the growth and expansion of registered apprenticeship.

>> For Kentucky edition, I'm McKenzie Spank.

>> Thank you.

McKenzie.

According to the Kentucky Center for statistics, the median starting wage for those who complete an apprenticeship is more than $55,000 in the first year.

♪ ♪ In the midst of the holiday season, many people are thinking about seeing their friends and family, but some are thinking about the loved ones they've lost a licensed counselor with the University of Louisville talks about grief and ways to cope.

More on that in tonight's look at medical news.

>> Dangerfield the east of this family members.

And you know what?

You're participating at Best City in year, socializing with all your family members.

A lot of memories are brought up that left one and it definitely how light or absence, you know, you could work every day and you get up right where you're not thinking that.

Oh, my sisters no longer here.

My brother's no longer here.

But if you're at a family gathering, you notice that someone is missing from the table so they can bring get strong intent.

Intense emotions creep is the conflicting feelings that are as due to the end of or change in at the pattern of behavior.

So people experiencing grief may experience the whole gamut of emotions.

Everything from anger and sadness to joy and love depending on the situation depending on what's going on in their lives.

We all agree very differently because our relationships are different.

I do work with individuals that have lost loved ones and a lot of them cheese to a lot of them.

She just spend time in nature.

I always recommend eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep and exercise exercising well, get chemicals in your brain, but also.

I allow you to release a lot of stress that he's built building up.

And if you want to crack crack, you know, crime actually makes you feel better.

You have all of these.

>> Stress hormones in a lot of them are released through crying.

Listen.

Be president.

Don't tell them what they should do.

They know themselves better than anyone else.

I always say be a heart with years and no mouth.

And you know, if you noticed, I haven't been to the grocery in a while.

Don't ask and you want me to go to grocery for you.

Just go to the grocery for them.

And, you know, fill the refrigerator or uncertain house needs to be cleaned.

Show up on a Saturday, including their house for them because oftentimes people don't want to ask for help that they may need it.

But you know, my biggest suggestion is just listen and be there and be available.

I know especially the holidays are coming up.

We all feel stressed.

We get so many things to do.

Practice self care.

It's okay to say no.

It's okay to slow down but taking care of yourself.

>> Pruitt says for those who are struggling with the death of a loved one, perhaps you should consider one on one counseling or joining a support group.

♪ ♪ The University of Louisville football team is headed to a bowl game.

The University of Kentucky is not more in tonight's look at sports News, Louisville crushed Kentucky Saturday.

41 to 14 to when the governor's cop, the Cardinals finished the season with an 8, 4, record.

So they'll play in a bowl game.

It's not clear, though, which wine the Wildcats were for an 8.

It's the Wildcats.

Worst football showing since 2013 when the cats were to win 10.

Things are looking better for Kentuckyian basketball.

The undefeated Wildcats have moved up to a number 4 and people Louisville is not in the top.

25, according to the new poll that was just released.

Kentucky was home to one of America's deadliest steamboat accidents.

And what was Kentucky's longest basket?

Well, game, our Toby Gibbs has some answers.

And this look back at this week in Kentucky history.

♪ >> On December 5th, 70 92 a commission shows Frankfort to be Kentucky's capital City after Frankfort offered several town locks, some building material and $3,000 cash.

In federal forces bond.

The Montgomery County Courthouse in Mount Sterling on December.

Second, 18 63 Union army was using it as a military post.

Some records were saved some orange.

It was one of 22 Kentucky courthouse is burned during the war.

2 passengers steamers the America and the United States collided on the Ohio River in Gallatin County on December 4th, 18 68 the United States carried barrels of kerosene which caught fire the death toll on most ships was 162 making it one of the deadliest steamboat accidents in history.

>> Kentucky celebrated balls 30 years in public life during a party at the state Capitol on December.

3rd, 1979 President Jimmy Carter sent a telegram of congratulations.

Stovall was Lieutenant Governor at the time.

She had also served as state treasurer, secretary of state.

And as a member of the Kentucky General Assembly Louisville native Paul Horning won the Heisman Trophy on December 4th 1956.

Legendary broadcaster Caywood Ledford called his first the University of Kentucky basketball game on December 5th 1953.

As Kentucky Beat Temple.

86 to 59.

4 years later on December 7, 1957, Kentucky would be 10 home.

85 to 83 in triple overtime.

It was the longest UK basketball game in history.

And that's a look back at this week in Kentucky.

History begins.

>> Thank you as always.

To be Gibbs, the city of Lexington has launched a new ad campaign that out this world.

It's in a laser beam message to a planetary system.

Nearly 40 light years away from Earth inviting any alien that season to come.

Visit the bluegrass the city connected with a team of scholars at the University of Kentucky to create a message they hope will one day be answered.

♪ ♪ ♪ >> I hope that that they see this message and then go all combat forces.

Bourbon sounds great right?

♪ We just want to make contact.

We would love to know what you know and we would love you to know what we do.

>> I am a huge sigh find nerd.

I've always been interested in and communication of the lands can.

So I'm when Robert Water reached out to us.

I was very excited.

All of the scholars got together to have a 2, 3, hour long discussion.

>> About what with this message look like?

And how should we frame it if we're communicating with another system?

I think that we had that meeting was a bunch of academics and creative people responding in a very human way to what we might do as people from Lexington, those really like this get spaces where we can just ignore it out in a little niche.

Feel that little thing that we're in expert and it mattered.

I think a lot of people don't think about language.

>> As a scientific endeavor, its so interesting and dynamic and fascinating and you can study it from so many different angles and think about how to talk to the lands ♪ >> the structure of the universe that we have found.

So those are the molecular structure, the microstructure of the world that we have found.

We hope that some intelligent life.

He's also found that same microstructure.

So instead of for example, just a message that says in English, hey, what's up?

>> You can say here's the molecular structure of reality and you don't say that in English.

You give it in sort of the trick or mathematical formulation and you think that's going to be a more universal laws, way of communicating to another civilization if it exists.

It was really interesting for me to think about.

Alright, we're sending this message through space is going to get there in 40 years.

>> How do they communicate with each other?

With a look at our message and would they be able to decode in?

>> The first thing we said was 5 prime members.

And that is because in the data that is sufficiently compressed, it begins to look like random noise.

So we put in the prime members to say stop look at this from Matt writes in what follows is pictures of of life on Earth.

>> A lot of these things were already in the air.

See the message from a 1974.

I think that crossing and worked on.

And that was if you look at the image that we sent out, it looks a lot like to receive a message that says mice.

>> It would know that this is the same group.

We have the same species.

Let's have some visual that's happened.

Textual, you know, pull tool.

You know, let's let's kind of what happened to all those senses, you know, so that maybe they can latch on to something that might be really interesting dopamine appears to be something that is fine even for my forgiveness, we're in a way to put in dopamine because it's a market makes people happy and why not be had it makes people happy.

That's why we put the ethanol.

And so we put the chemical components for dopamine on our math.

Like, look, I think tennis fun.

>> The telescope can call me through a little bit better.

So it's a narrow are going to decide that the most important reason and it does track to start.

>> Because if you're going to send a message to me one 0nd long, it's no big deal that our message is 5 or 6 minutes long.

Right in that time, the rotation of the earth will move the laser off of the store.

And then I had the messages and the computer just the right buttons.

You know that the program execute send a message to modulator board, which can talk to the laser and talk to the telescope that was tracking at this point.

>> When you start looking at science fiction, you can really just open the floodgates wide open.

And so maybe they're creatures who only think in mathematical terms, maybe what they have is this odd sense of appropriate assumption which isn't quite site and isn't quite feeling that they just kind of consensus there.

A body, whatever it is in space and then mathematical patients.

Maybe that's how they see the universe.

>> What I'm really ask people to think about is whether they even the biology on the other end.

It all.

That's probably one of the more important things our solar system is about a billion years young than the average one and go to a galaxy to the average civilization.

The milky way Galaxy's probably billion is ahead of us.

If we're just now figuring out that machines last longer, they probably should get a long time ago and they are machines that may very well be intelligent life.

That may very well be the kind of thing we're looking at.

And Travis, one.

>> Being able to communicate with a creature that is very different from us would make us a better society would make us better human beings and would frankly get us to understand the universe better.

I hope that they don't continue to dismiss us, right.

But I also hope they stand with the curious based on look at how cute those humans are still trying to get our attention.

Maybe we should look at this.

What are they doing here?

You know, what would that what they have going on?

>> I think the key thing is to demonstrate that they understood the message, right, perhaps we have bourbon.

Perhaps they have another type of alcohol, right, that that they're famous for in there with some that space.

It says a lot about Lexington and the human beings here and the creative people here and >> how they take an idea and just roll with it.

♪ >> Cool indeed.

With that's one of the many great stories you'll see on Kentucky life Saturday night at 8 Eastern 7 central right here on KET with Chip Polston.

The Kentucky Association of Health Plans is helping support child literacy with a new grand for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.

>> It costs $2 and $0.60 on average the credit and you mail a book to a child every month.

>> You'll learn more about the program and how it helps literacy among young people.

But also it helps their health get that information tomorrow on Kentucky Edition at the same time, same channel 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central where we inform connect and inspire.

Connect with us all the ways you see on your screen there, Facebook, X and Instagram to stay in the loop of all the great happenings here at KET.

Thanks so much for watching.

And we look forward to seeing you right back here again tomorrow night.