>> A flurry of activity coming out of Frankfort and the 2024 General Assembly hasn't even begun.

See the latest lawmakers to say this next session will be their last.

We anticipate a wave of problem game when surfacing in 2024.

Problem.

Hotline calls rise with the advent of legal sports betting in Kentucky.

>> It has increased access has helped people stay retained in treatment.

>> How telemedicine could play a key role in the fight against the opioid crisis.

>> Take off and land is my favorite.

♪ >> It's not a bird, a plane or even Santa and his sleigh, its 200 drones over London for their Christmas light show will take you there.

>> 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.

Addition for Wednesday, December 20th, I'm Casey Parker Bell filling in tonight for Renee Shaw.

Kentucky's 2024 General Assembly is now less than 2 weeks away today.

Another Democratic leader says it will be her last state House Democratic Caucus Whip Rachel Roberts of Newport says she will not seek reelection next year.

She served House district 67 since 2020 Roberts says her decision comes after months of deliberation that it is the right one for her and her family ourselves.

In a statement, Roberts says, quote, I have done all I can to create positive and lasting change for northern Kentucky and the entire commonwealth.

She went on to say that she will continue to live a life of public service.

Her announcement comes on the heels of House Democratic Caucus leaders at their Graham's decision to also not seek reelection.

Last year he became the first black lawmaker to lead a legislative caucus in the Kentucky House.

Republican State Representative Jonathan Dixon is also choosing to make this his last legislative session.

He represents Henderson County in the 11th District.

Dixon was first elected in 2020.

He calls the decision to not run again next year.

A difficult one but said it was a time to change direction.

The 2024 General Assembly begins January 2nd.

When Kentucky lawmakers approve sports betting they set up the state's first problem gambling fund.

It's meant to bring awareness and treatment to those who might have a gambling disorder.

But as Kentucky additions, June Leffler reports, advocates say more help is needed right now.

>> Well, where mission in Owensboro, Kentucky is a residential program for men.

Ron Sullen, Clark Council's these men on their drug and alcohol addictions.

But she also screens for and educates them on Cam bling problems.

>> The brain doesn't see it really much differently.

As far as the dopamine release is that it does with.

Using different substances.

>> So after that big win.

However much that is few 100 few 1000.

You go back because you want to chase that dopamine, failing.

Did you want to go back to get some more man?

When chase that dopamine family.

>> The National Council on problem Gambling estimates just one percent of adults in the U.S. have developed a gambling disorder.

And another 2 to 3% have a gambling problem.

John Arnett developed a gambling disorder in his 50's.

I was extremely lucky to first share a gamble.

And what I've learned from camels states.

The worst thing that can happen to someone got a few laughs a lot when you began your interests will and we're at a way race.

If you win.

>> Here and just will pay.

>> And the consequences of problem gambling are arguably as devastating as those from a substance use disorder.

>> So lace that you have to lose his money.

The most you have the loses reputation.

Glad we had Kim Potter much freedom and more than that.

>> Of all the mental illnesses that are after schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder.

Gambling disorder has the highest rate of suicide.

One in 5 individuals with a gambling problem.

We'll attempt are complete suicide.

Arnett eventually found help their gamblers anonymous in Kentucky.

>> And he draws strength from attending those sessions and discussion your issues.

>> With people that are there.

>> Anyone with concerns can take a quick self-assessment online or call 1, 800 gambler, which is answered by counselors here in Kentucky.

24 7.

>> The colors can be completely anonymous.

We can offer.

You know, just listening, supports.

General kind let the person venture talk about whatever it is that they're experiencing.

We could also provide them with a tangible resources.

>> Including contacts for 7 open gamblers, anonymous groups and 7 active certified gambling counselors in the state since the advent of sports betting calls to the hotline have increased.

>> So most of 300%.

this month.

From last year this month.

So December.

22 to 23.

We've seen most of U.S. 3 fold increase sports betting isn't new.

But legal online gaming is likely expanding how people bet.

>> A tree to dig at one time.

>> Who played in a major SEC school and became hurt.

>> And into that.

>> Really, his life took a downward spiral and he was gambling quite a bit.

He told me he said I've been on every day on in every game.

If you watch when we approach the Super Bowl son, there will be so many different things.

You can bet on aside from the coin toss who's going to win the coin toss?

Who's going to be the starting quarterback?

What their uniforms are going to look like.

Who's going to score first?

Who's going to make the most first downs?

There's just so many different ways.

>> When state lawmakers approved sports betting, they also set up the state's first-ever problem gambling fund.

2.5% of sports betting revenue is earmarked for this fun that should total about $100,000 a month based on initial earnings.

But that money won't be available for quite some time.

>> We don't anticipate that money will be available until well into 2024.

With contributions from the gaming industry, the Kentucky Council on Problem Gambling is using its resources to train more counselors.

>> We're trying to increase numbers, certified game.

We're counselors because we anticipate a wave of it problem.

Gambling surfacing in 2024.

With the advent of the sports betting in the state.

>> Mike Stone was recruiting at a regional counseling conference in the fall.

>> Is that as much a geographic concern and that is an American concern.

There's one counselor, any student act.

There >> 3 in Owensboro.

There are too little.

That means that there are not unlike some good news, not in northern Kentucky to none in Bowling Green.

There.

None in Paducah, as you know.

And and but there's gambling.

>> All over the state for Stone.

This is a race against time.

Well, the money from the state isn't coming anytime soon.

Sports betting is well underway and it's not slowing down for Kentucky edition.

I'm June Leffler.

>> Again, the problem Gaming Gambling helpline is 1, 800 gambler tomorrow will bring you a 3rd story on sports betting how college campuses are talking about it.

Applications are now being accepted for Kentucky's top educator, the Kentucky Board of Education is looking to hire its next commissioner after the resignation of Doctor Jason Glass.

A recruitment firm is helping with the search.

According to the job, posting the application will be open through February.

16th and the board says it's looking for someone with an understanding of Kentucky's public school system who has a quote, understanding of the challenges and opportunities are state presents.

In an interview with KET back in September, Jason Glass said he chose to leave the job at refusal to carry out a sweeping new law that he considered to be harmful to LGBTQ+, students, the Board of Education hopes the new education commissioner will be ready to start the job no later than July.

1st.

A judge has awarded more than 36 million dollars to victims of the Marshall County High School shooting.

According to WKS radio.

The judgment follows a lawsuit filed by several families, including the family of Bailey Holt was one of the 2 students killed in the 2018 shooting.

The suit sought damages from the gunman as well as his mother and stepfather.

But it's unlikely the victims will ever collect that amount of money.

Instead, their attorney says the judge's decision makes it so that the gunman's family can't profit from the shooting in 2020, the gunman was sentenced to life in prison.

The shortlist strike in northern Kentucky appears to be over.

The Teamsters union says it's reached a tentative agreement with DHL Express workers at the Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky airport.

The deal means all union members are returning to work.

They handle cargo at the airport, which is th cells, largest hub.

The strike lasted just 12 days with workers calling for better pay and more fair labor practices.

The deal must still be ratified by the loop.

Local union members.

It's time for midweek.

Check in on all things.

Kentucky politics with Rylan Barton, a senior editor for NPR based in Kentucky.

Rylan.

Thanks for taking a couple minutes being with us.

Good to be with you, Casey.

Right.

And we'll start off with the governor's budget address this week.

He unveiled his 136 billion dollar budget on K E T including investment in broadband for clean drinking water.

But the big portion of that was investments in education.

So what are some of the highlights that people should take away from that address?

kind of feeling a lot campaign promises here.

>> He's done this throughout his first term and also on the campaign trail, a budding education first includes a 11% raise for all public K 12 school employees.

Also funding for Universal Pre Kindergarten, which is something that's come up.

Some of these proposed just hasn't gotten much traction with the legislature so far, Tennessee is giving a big race to their teachers like about 22%.

And so I think part of what you're saying is that this is to help Kentucky competitive with other states right now continues.

Kind of the bottom resorts.

Bottom in terms of teacher pay this kind of get up towards middle of the pack and there's 141 million dollars to the extended Pre-K. Also funding for more social workers on and and funding for a certain foster homes and also about more money for them to kind of help with the state's only juvenile justice Obviously, state budget is a a big sweeping a document.

There's a lot of things of the budget.

And there's a lot more that we really get into here.

But just like I want to talk about the politics of this to a little He he released this very early.

governor will do this.

What the legislative session starts, but he's trying to get ahead of Republicans who jumps the gun who got unveiled there proposal how to spend money and that through the state's budget before miss your last time, credit of you're taking away the some of the the, you know, the the publicity over that moment break and bring in Republicans are in the driver's seat when it comes to passing the state budget.

They do.

It's very easy for lawmakers to override a governor's veto in Kentucky.

Just takes a majority of votes in each chamber and then whatever they do, but you're certainly to veto elements of it.

But this year said that part of why he wanted to get this out first, as he said that there are there things are missing the last time the lawmakers released their own version of their budget.

And so, you know, as the leader of the state's executive executive branch, he felt it was important to be the first one to release the proposal for a stand money for the executive branch budget.

One of the things Governor Beshear has said and legislative leaders as I'd like to improve the relationship between the executive branch and the legislative branch to get any sense how this will impact that.

>> I think that this year's been doing a lot of year and with with different outlets and reporters are beautifully asking that question.

What's your relationship going to be like what the Republican led legislature?

And, you know, he's very hopeful.

He thinks that as as the second term governor, you know, they're with their there are the political stakes involved where Republicans will try to block him from having certain winds and he's holding that.

That dynamic will be a little bit better or for him.

I I think that in some ways that that might be true and actually in some of the in some of the budget negotiations we don't always see that happen behind closed doors yet.

Maybe the discussion is a little bit simpler then.

But I think that as for what the public sees is what what reporter see a lot of the times they're still going to be fighting over that.

There are some of the big issues of how to fund state government and and really especially looking into the future for what Republicans want to do.

They want to reduce the state's income tax, meaning, you know, that's that's kind of that's affecting how the state brings in more money meanwhile, this year's proposing an expansion of state services, a more expensive budget than likely what Republicans will will come forward with.

So I think in the end, yeah, it's probably Republicans are probably not going to pose as expensive of a budget is this year is right so that they can continue in the future to the will of the state's income tax.

As people are looking for changes in the Kentucky General Assembly state representative cut her hair and announced she would run for the state Senate.

>> That's a state senator.

2 things are per hand gels old seat.

She announced earlier this month that she won't seek re-election to run.

Could you tell us a little bit about hair and the type of candidate she will be and whether or other people will run for the seat.

>> Oh, yeah.

Represented parents that around a bit.

She was a lobbyist for the ACLU for a while and helped some criminal justice reform especially in Lexington and Louisville, helping pass a ban on on early service trick shuns on no-knock warrants.

4 cops in the wake of the death of of Breonna Taylor in 2020, a and also helping pass some of the criminal justice reform opponents in the in the state legislature she's and she's running for the state Senate now of more from the position in the legislature.

But to somebody who even when she was running for office in the state house, that Republicans you really can graduate or and and also you pointed out that you somebody who grew but some are lobbying effort is really able to work across the aisle.

And yeah, this opening kind of happened at the at the right time for you know, tease her Angel Angel being in her district and nobody else has filed to run for that seat yet, although the deadline for candidates the files January 5th, so things could change.

We want to take a minute for some national politics with some state flavor.

>> Earlier this week, Governor Andy Beshear commented former President Donald Trump's rhetoric about immigration.

He called what her former President Trump was saying to humanizing.

Why was this the moment for the governor to speak out on this right?

>> Yeah, I I thought that was really notable again.

And in some of these year, your interviews he's been he's been bringing this out.

I think this is number one just the time, which are our country's in right now.

There is a big influx and of migrants coming through the southern border in the United States and and states like Texas are have implemented a lot of policies to, you know, for the current noise that trying to our state police to to apprehend migrants, which is you normally this is something that's left up to federal officials, immigration and border policies.

And I think what he's trying to do is to get his voice out there on the national stage on this on this very divisive issue.

And especially as everybody is, you know, in this in this year, people here soundly win reelection.

I'm a Democrat in a largely Republican state.

I think he's trying to put his stamp on in this national conversation.

And and also, you know, as we talked about before, he doesn't have some of that political risk as a as a second term governor, you can see some of these things and not worry about the blowback you know, possibly not getting re-elected, but it does help ease in the way for, you know, talking about some of these issues of better national issues and talking about them in a way that Democrats across the country and are talking about and then trying to be a leader on that issue.

Rylan, thanks for taking a few minutes.

Be with us.

Appreciate you.

Thanks, Jason.

♪ ♪ ♪ >> According to a recent study from the University of Kentucky, a combination of telehealth visits and the drug be fun or friend has shown promising results in treating addiction.

More in today's medical ♪ >> well, it might seem a little scary to have >> those into access to medication.

Think of it like any other medication that we take for mental health or even for our physical health.

It's just a mess.

And people need to get access to the evidence is showing us that we can trust them.

2, is there medicine responsibly with this approach?

>> It's really I think helped us meet patients where they're at, you know, lots of our patients have The latest social determinants of health.

So they don't have adequate transportation or they have jobs that really don't do is allow them time off during the work day to come to a And so it just allows a huge amount of flexibility for our patients.

It has increased access.

It's helped people stay retained in treatment.

we very much needed that, you know, like there's less than 20% of people with opioid use disorder that, however, on any of the 3 FDA approved treatments that decrease morbidity and mortality from this disorder.

So and we need to do everything we can to help people get into treatment and stay on it.

And buprenorphine is, you know, medication that helps many, many people.

But only if they can gain access to it.

The people who had told medicine as part of their people or fien initiation like in that same week.

>> They had much better So better attention and treatment.

And what we didn't see any differences in the rate of opioid overdose.

We do it.

No, nothing Nothing good.

Just just no difference there.

We did see that they see no without a doubt.

>> It's really become essential.

If you want people to stay in treatment, you know, so before we people weren't always able to stay in treatment, not because they didn't want to be, but because they had very practical problems getting to doctor's appointments, especially, you know, in rural areas where transportation is not great.

Sometimes the conditions and bad weather and roads are are also very challenging.

Sometimes people's housing is changing constantly.

They move away.

But most people still, you know, have phones and that allows them to access.

>> You know, treatment to their provider and still get access to the medication that helps them stay alive.

People who started treatment in >> Around 43% of them stayed in treatment for a full 90 days.

If they did not have any telemedicine involved in their initiation, whereas those who did have some sort of telemedicine in the 7 days around their first prescription, 47% stayed in treatment for 90 days.

And so about 4% extra or about a 10% increase in the number.

Just I'm not even accounting for any other fact.

>> There's there's probably times all of us have used telemedicine now since Coronavirus for our own health conditions and how important that was for our own health.

Right.

And and our own FOX ability to have such have such an opportunity.

So, you know, we want have equitable access.

You know, other people with the disorder is like a substance use disorder as well.

>> The statistics found in the study of telehealth treatment come from Medicaid data in Kentucky and Ohio across 2019 in 2020.

♪ ♪ ♪ >> There was a spectacular light show in London last Friday, but it wasn't fireworks or Christmas lights.

It was hundreds of drones.

We take you behind the scenes of the lights over London.

Drone show in this week's Culture and part segment we call to Street.

>> We are a drone.

Light show started out actually is a fireworks company.

And the owner saw a drone light show about 3 years ago, which happening one that I'd worked on and he said and we need to look into its figure it out.

And the demand has been so high.

>> For drone light shows that it's basically taking over the company.

We're doing shows all over the country and some even outside the country.

So.

>> It's kept us super super busy and in some cases were doing $0.40 a month.

This is our second year at lights over Last year was our We did 100 drones last year.

Kind of the proof of concept immediately after landing discussions began on doubling the number of drones and being back the next year.

That allows us to be a little more creative with the design work as well.

So we can do it.

More detailed images and fluid animations in the sky.

There is a lot that goes into it starting with, you know, just getting up with a client, figure out what they want to see in the air, what they want the show to be.

Once a storyboard goes through, they create the animations to go between each image that you see design that whole show and were able to take that.

And then as we set up all the get the network put together, get everything set up out in the field.

We then make sure that each drone knows where it's supposed to be during the show.

How it communicates with all the other drones and where everything comes together to put on the final product that the crowd beings is pretty seamless.

We've just gone through calibrating.

The drones were laying them in the grid that they need for takeoff.

And then shortly after this all be putting all the pathfinders through and making sure that everything is up to speed and ready for the show tonight.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Because there aren't the explosions.

It's better around pets and animals and wildlife, younger children, people.

I'm with artistic issues that, you know, can't handle loud.

Sounds a lot of veterans with PTSD just that that stimulation without the audio component that causing is a big thing.

And then we've also seen a lot from the environmental perspective.

We're not dropping burning paper out of the sky.

We're not leaving a bunch of chemicals behind.

We're not leaving a lot of smoke that's blown off.

Things like that.

Ability to take the random number of points and make that into a shape or designer word and then translate into something else.

We call it a dance.

Takeoff and landing is my favorite.

Watching.

20500,000 drones come screaming back in from 400 feet up in the perfect grid and the land together.

>> It really could expect.

♪ >> A fun way to line up for the holidays.

Coming up, a Kentucky native returns to her home state to document the stories of tornado survivors in the city of Mayfield.

Her interviews provide an intimate look at the impact natural disasters have on communities.

>> There was a it was like 10 trains coming at once and you could feel the ground move and your heirs or pop.

And then not only popping fli.

It was second air drums out there.

>> Hear more from survivors in the project's creator tomorrow on Kentucky Edition.

We hope you'll join us again tomorrow night at 6.30, east earned 5.30, central for Kentucky.

Addition we inform connect and inspire.

>> You can subscribe to our weekly Kentucky Edition email newsletter and watch full episodes and clips a K E T Dot Org.

You can also find Kentucky Edition on the PBS video app on your mobile device and smart TV.

Send us a story idea that public affairs at KET Dot Org and follow KET on Facebook X, which is formerly known as Twitter and Instagram to stay in the loop.

I'm Casey Parker Bell.

Thank you for joining us tonight.

Take good care and have a great night.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪