>> Where did the money go?

What a state audit says about money to help victims of the Western Kentucky tornadoes.

You >> There's a lot of mystique and more on the holidays.

Want them to be perfect.

>> Tis the season to stress.

Why one expert says it doesn't have to be that way.

This holiday.

It's fun, enjoyable, different way to be.

>> The traditional Caroline of the 12 days of Christmas.

>> And these Christmas cards aren't the kind you'd find in the mail.

They're from the library.

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 Wednesday, December, the 6th, I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you for winding down your Wednesday with us.

>> A state auditor's report out yesterday shows mistaken payments of $239,000 to victims of the December 2021. tornadoes in western Kentucky.

But that's less than one percent of the 42 million dollars given to tornado victims last July, lawmakers asked Auditor Mike Harmon is office to investigate claims of misdirected payments by the team.

Western Kentucky tornado relief on that fund collected private donations then gave cash payments to victims.

The auditor's report says the $239,000 in mistaken payments included duplicate payments over payments and payment center.

People who were eligible, but that represented just one-half of a percent of the money.

People receiving money in a separate review, the state Finance administration cabinet concluded that the funds were, quote, managed properly.

The inspector general said the funds were managed with complete transparency and in accordance with the law.

All of this comes just before the two-year anniversary of the tornadoes, December 10th, 80 people died.

We'll talk more about yesterday's fund report with journalist Rylan Barton coming up.

And just a few minutes.

School choice is expected to be one of the major topics during the upcoming legislative session.

Looks like Kentucky could have its first charter school before then the Lexington Herald-Leader reports the Madison County School board will decide whether to approve the school on December 28th a bill passed during the 2017 regular session allowing charter schools in Kentucky.

But funding for those schools wasn't approved until last year.

The paper reports gusts LaFountain who leads LaFountain preparatory School in Richmond wants to open a charter school called Fontaine Charter schools speaking to W KU public radio, Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer said his party's caucus supports making school choice a constitutional amendment.

2 prominent Democrats are running against each other for the Kentucky Statehouse.

We told you last week that State Representative Josi Raymond, a Democrat, would not seek reelection and House district.

41 next year.

Instead, she'll run for the Louisville Metro Council, a former state representative, Democrat Mary Lou Marzian announced she would run for Raymond seat.

Redistricting put the 2 of them in the same district.

So Mars and bowed out of the 2022 race today, we've learned that another Democrat, Rick Adams has also filed to run in the Democratic primary.

Adams is the state Democratic Party, deputy general counsel.

Kentucky has a part-time legislature.

Lawmakers are officially in session for 30 days and odd numbered years and 60 days and even numbered years like 2024.

But they do a considerable amount of committee work the rest of the year.

And that has some asking if Kentucky should have a full-time legislature with full pay among other things that would allow working class people who can't afford to miss work to serve in the Kentucky General Assembly on Monday night's Kentucky.

Tonight we asked our panel of lawmakers if a full-time legislature is a good idea it does for people who can't for to do something part-time and something else part-time.

And there's a challenger's know.

Perfect way to do this.

Lexington has conversation all the time.

And how do you have part-time legislators?

And none of us are part time when you're in the public service, you are full time dedicated the grocery store.

A church, you know, doesn't matter where you are.

Asked 4 counties and >> and represent.

It is right.

I mean, you're you're not getting paid today's.

You're in those other counties meeting with people doing constituent worth.

It takes time and effort.

I love doing it and I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to do it, but it's a it's a balancing act in.

If there's no perfect snow to that, I think it's I'm not ready to call it full time yet.

Give us a couple years into this.

Maybe I'll when you're 40.

You're 5 different lay.

Okay.

How about you represent of all?

>> I think it's something we've got to take a serious look at because to your point, there's a sector of folks who I think would really like to be in public service and they can't afford to do it because of the constraints of being in in the General Assembly.

And I don't think that we ought to have a general assembly.

This just made up of people who can afford to do it.

I think we ought to have a general assembly made of people love to do it.

Who want to do it.

And I think by looking at the idea of a full-time legislature.

We can see if that opens up the the possibility for a new sector of folks too serve the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

>> Our panel talked about a wide range of issues facing the Kentucky General Assembly when it convenes January 2nd, you can see that full hour-long show online on demand at KET DOT Org Slash K White tonight and another programming note.

Don't forget to join us next Tuesday, December 12th as KU team brings you live coverage of all the day's inauguration events.

Most of them anyway, including the swearing in of Governor Andy Beshear to a second term, the parade and the Grand March.

You can see all of that throughout the day next Tuesday here on KET.

Switching gears, Congress still hasn't funded aid for Israel.

New aid for Ukraine or any money to ease the current crisis at the U.S. Mexican border.

U.S.

Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky says the crisis at the border is worse than it's ever been.

>> Situation unfolding in our southern border.

President Biden's the prices.

You start American Social Security.

Breaking ball must be huge.

The 1000 borders, those in they're reporting.

The counter and Mister Moussa down to the board.

>> McConnell says because the asylum system is so overwhelmed.

Most of the new arrivals at the border are allowed into the United States before their legal status can be determined.

Now Lexington is easing its rule on alcohol sales.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports the Urban County Council approved a new ordinance last night that allows restaurants and bars to begin serving alcohol at 06:00AM on Sundays.

The vote was nearly unanimous with Councilmember Fred Brown being the only person to vote against the measure, which took effect immediately previously bars and restaurants couldn't sell alcohol by the glass before 11:00AM the new rule does not apply to retail stores where liquor still can't be sold on Sundays until one in the afternoon.

As we reported last week, the United Auto Workers Union wants more than a dozen non-union car plants to go union and one of them is the Georgetown Toyota plant.

The president of the United Auto Workers, Shawn Fain visited Georgetown Monday.

He also spoke to the Kentucky A F L C I O convention.

The Georgetown plant has more than 7,000 workers.

It's not yet clear how many of them are interested and joining the UAW workers there received a raise just after the United Auto Workers strike against Ford General Motors and Stellantis.

According to the Lexington Herald-Leader Fein said this about profits and worker pay quote, the big 3 May 250 billion in the last decade.

Toyota alone may 265.0.

3 billion in the last decade.

90 billion in the last 3 years.

Toyota CEO pay in the last 2 years went up 125% asked them why CEO pay went up 125% in 2 years asked them why they can't share 90 billion in profits in the last 3 years.

End quote.

Inmates at a nice turn.

Kentucky jail are guaranteed access to medication for opioid use disorder under a settlement between the U.S. Justice Department and the Big Sandy Regional jail authority.

The U.S. attorney, a U.S. attorney says the Americans with Disabilities Act for tax people in recovery from the disorder.

The settlement requires the jail to ensure that any FDA approved medication is available.

The agreement follows an investigation by the Justice Department that stemmed from a complaint alleging the jail refused to provide an inmate with a lawfully prescribed medication.

The agreement says Big Sandy denies allegations of discrimination but agrees to the terms of the settlement.

♪ Time now for a midweek check-in of some major political news so far this week with our good friend Rylan Barton has a new title, a new role.

He's a senior editor at NPR for the state's team and he'll tell us all about that after we get through some of the week's news.

Good to see you.

And congratulations.

>> It's easy to earn a thank you.

>> So let's talk first the audit.

Let's talk with the thought.

At first the West Kentucky Relief Fund.

Some interesting news came out this week about that just today.

I think as we're speaking inappropriate mounts of spending there weren't really found.

>> Yeah, this is the audit launched by state Auditor Mike And as one of his departing moves office released this some of this report you because there are some I'm saying that some of that money in that relief fund and dawn had been distributed improperly.

And while there was a little bit, it was a really small amount of the 42.0.

3 million dollar accounts about $240,000 worth of $1000 checks around 200 people.

There just wasn't room to show that those are appropriate.

Humans so we are less than a percentage point of that.

That amount of money.

Certainly it's it's always important to KET track of where taxpayer money is going.

But I think it is it's it was not as big a deal as some are worried that it might There's still an ongoing review that the relief funds for eastern Kentucky of the flood Relief Fund from 2022 as well.

But at least for this western Kentucky tornado belated one to 2021 doesn't look like it was.

There is as much inappropriate spending as some are worried about.

>> So we have a lot about how the fact that some people were getting checks who warned storm victims.

So does that make up for the amount that is in question?

>> Yeah.

Apparently the majority of it was those $1000 checks which folks were able it was it was people who got in this instance I believe they they were able to show that those were not related to that.

so that.

The majority of the money really put a lot of it was going back to the infrastructure of cases.

I'm just kind of rebuilding communities and the basic needs for of folks.

A lot of it, too, and you.

But every building providing public services after the disaster.

But those the that that small portion is like related to those 200 or so votes.

Yeah.

>> So now let's talk about some news that we've been talking about.

A league of women voters reported about fast tracking bills their report found that they're just some political procedural maneuvers that fast track bills where perhaps people, voters, constituents are kind of the process and lawmakers may not fully understand or know what they're voting on.

Talk to us about that.

And the response from some key legislative leaders in reaction.

>> Yes, we've been talking about this a little bit.

This case report came out last week and there's been a lot of response to it.

I think it's very I'm very encouraged that people you know, paying a little bit more attention to this legislative process, which can become very inscrutable all the time so than the league point out, a few instances of this.

They were you know, requiring these bill readings on separate days.

Those are like that public announcements that bill is moving through the process.

A lot of times lawmakers are able to brush or at least to start the month before a bill is really change to move through a long legislative process.

Another way in which this happens is these bills that come up in committee hearing.

There's a last-minute change in oftentimes lawmakers in the minority party and definitely members of the public have no idea what's in change changes before that, bill, them advances to the process of some of the recommendations for adding on time to allow the public to digest this information.

Democrats are really hopping on board because they're in the minority party there of those people who often don't get access to those changes.

There falling on some some guarantees within the legislative rules that to build in some of this review released a Republican Senate leader Damon Thayer.

The for leaders, didn't there said that, you know, what they do is legal and they do plan on and really changing business at this point.

You know, it's important to point out that this has actually led to legal problems in the past in 2018, that that pension bill that was rushed through a better than the state Supreme Court from problems with that process and ended up overturning that law.

So this is not without precedent of the problems here.

I do think that overall it's just good for folks to be paying attention to how the process works in for hopefully lawmakers to be listening and all they can make it better.

So that people and see what's going on in the legislative process I thought was interesting.

And Kentucky of the EU has on Monday when lawmakers talked about about what this will look like in the courtroom and how that you weren't really don't allow for surprises.

And that's I think that's the experience that should be continued into the into the You know, a lot of these things really wouldn't pass muster in other segments of of government.

And we need to it's important for both the public and the taxpayers are paying for this work to be done to be to be aware of this and whether state or 2 might not be in the majority party to be part of that extra review as well.

>> And then Stephanie Dietz representative.

She's a Republican who made that comment.

Right?

And there are other Republicans are signed.

There's problems with the rules and they're also with disenchanted with Felicia Rayburn as one of them.

>> Yeah.

The the Lexington Herald-Leader had a story this morning about Felicia Rayburn sending of a letter to House leadership asking for some some rules to to require some extra levels of transparency.

You know, she's part of the so-called Liberty Wing of the Republican Party and some of of those lawmakers were we're a bit dinged towards the end of the legislative session because of their opposition to it.

What you know, the the leadership was how the leadership was moving a bill to the legislature.

And so they're asking for no one for lawmakers to all get, you know, basically have one big priority bills that they can would automatically get a hearing in with that and get a vote is never pass a mini.

too require full committee votes to remove people from from a legislative committee.

And that's something that happened at the end of last session.

Representative Rayburn and a couple other Republican members were removed.

Some committees is kind of a what this is seen as a punishment for for going the majority leadership.

Yeah.

>> So real quickly in about 20 seconds who want to acknowledge the new job that you have with the Bigfoot in PR?

Congratulations on that and tell us real quickly about what you'll be doing.

>> Yeah, it's a great game.

I still get to work with folks covering state governments, but it's people covering state governments around the lifting up those local reporters, getting them on to the national including folks in Turkey as well.

I would still get to be a live and work out of Kentucky, which is really important to But I this is kind of goes into a passion of mine, which is that I really think more people need to pay attention to what's going on and state governments, especially in this era when a lot of stuff doesn't really pass through Congress, the political activity, the government activity really happens at the state legislative level.

We all need to be paying attention more to it.

So I'm really looking forward to be able to continue this work.

>> Yeah, and we still get to KET you week.

Every midweek, which is also good.

We don't want to lose.

Yes.

So congratulations and thanks for being with us.

>> Thanks, Lauren.

♪ >> Most U.S. cities would have to replace all of their lead pipes within 10 years under a Biden administration's proposal to set strict new lead in water regulations.

It's the most significant strengthening of these rules and more than 3 decades, lead pipes connect the water main in the street to homes.

They are especially common in older industrial parts of the country.

This is the first time the EPA has proposed requiring water utilities to replace lead pipes, even if their lead levels are too high.

But this test comes with enormous practical and financial obstacles.

The EPA estimates there are more than 40,000 lead pipes in Kentucky.

That makes up less than half a percent of the total number of pipes in the state.

Still, it means Kentucky has a higher percentage of lead pipes than 20 other states.

The federal government is setting aside nearly 29 million dollars for Kentucky cities to replace lead pipes.

Federal officials say the updates will improve IQ scores and children reduce high blood pressure and heart disease in adults.

Increased stress around the holidays is common, but there are ways to avoid struggling through the season.

We spoke to University of Kentucky psychology professor Michelle Marvel about dealing with holiday stressors in today's medical news, the practical steps she says will help you beat the blues this time of year.

>> If you are feeling stressed and down, you're not alone.

It is that time of year when there are a lot of things that need to get done, not the people of our schedules are hectic.

There's also usually lots of seasonal things going on on prep, specially for families.

And then, of course, there's the stress of preparing for the holidays and whatever way we celebrate, those are usually lots of extra meal preparation, preparation for gatherings left friends and family and significant and then, of course, there's also for some people which just adds a whole other layer of preparation.

And I think, you there's a lot of mystique and more on the holidays.

Want them to be perfect.

They want to get to the heart warming up.

All seen the Hallmark movies right?

And so I think people have a tendency to pull out pressure on themselves.

And this time of year also can be a struggle for people, even irrespective of the holidays with, you know, it's winter.

There's a stay.

Why we do tend to see peace and a depression and And so that can make things even more difficult.

And, of course, on the holidays can be really tough time for people who have lost a loved one's because they can trigger a lot of memories be really am a difficult time to get through.

So the holiday, they're often very disruptive in terms of school.

So people are sleeping later.

Let's just be honest for often overindulging on cities that are not the best for us.

I personally have learned over the years that less can really be at what scale back when certain things.

And it's allowed me to be more president and to be in a better mood.

Frankly, I feel like that has paid dividends and the things that I've often scaling back on our even really noticeable 2 other people around me.

I think the smaller, more thoughtful gifts are more impactful because, again, if you're feeling under financial pressure and stress out about your budget, that's again going to lead to tension and stress that is probably going to have a ripple effect on you and your enjoyment holidays as well as like the other people around you like that actually are family try as best you can stay on schedule and to stay eating relatively healthy.

Like getting all those different trans union and getting all those different food groups.

And because you know, if you get all cycle and not getting enough sleep and then you're eating a lot of us, junk food, your body, the worst, which again can contribute to your mood and your stress worse to try to get any kind of physical activity or to the outside, which can be hard at this time of year with the weather with travel schedules or things like that.

But that will also pay dividends on with your mood.

trying to remember to take a little bit of time for yourself.

I mean, I think it's the holidays and that's not a I think, you know, taking a little bit of extra time to make sure you're getting enough.

Sleep may be give yourself a few extra moments in the back of a shower.

Maybe make sure you have that calls you you get to sit down and have a coffee in the morning.

And those littles the small things can again pay dividends in terms of your mood and saying, well, and being able to be fully present.

♪ ♪ >> Jen Dunham, a former librarian and lifelong artist is painting Christmas cards but not ones you mail.

She uses all the library catalog cards as the canvas to paint scenes of the 12 days of Christmas.

So like those 10 lords and the song where leaping into this week, Arts and culture segment, we call tapestry.

>> Re.

Imagine the Christmas, Carol, the 12 days of Christmas into a images to fit the card catalog cards that I could find that hand.

But the titles that reflected too what I wanted to do for the 12 days of Christmas.

Well, I work in the library for 20 years.

And when we and we started out with the regular card catalog with the cards and when they computerize the card catalog Adam, we have all the cards left I was using them for.

>> Just doing on.

>> And I started looking at the Title IX, the titles on the cards and then dry things that reflective of that, the titles and it just evolved from there.

And now I use I do our work on it.

Multiple cart and the titles reflected artwork, the images and the day that are working, not it's a re-imagining of the 12 days of Christmas and each piece I wanted to think what else can I what other damage could it is rather than the traditional images that we see in 12 days of Christmas.

And I would love for the card.

The book titles on the Cards to match their particular.

Image that I had in mind.

I like the mystery behind things.

So that's why I chose is doing at using that card catalog cards because you can read behind the images and kind of come up with your own idea about what was she thinking when she did this drawing?

I've always been an artist and now I can.

>> Mary, my love.

That's in our together by doing this.

And it's just worked out really well.

>> It's fun.

And I would do it even if I didn't.

If I wasn't recognized for it for any late.

But I been able to show a lot of places.

People know my work and now I have an artist's studio them.

I just feel like this is what I want to do that for the rest of my life.

>> Good stuff.

The exhibit will stay and the Eastside branch of the Lexington Public Library through the end of the year.

Tomorrow we take you to a school where pregnant and parenting teens can focus on their education and find community.

>> I didn't really have hope.

And I would.

Even finish high school.

>> Hear from these young parents as they look ahead to higher education and joining the workforce.

That story and more tomorrow on Kentucky EDITION, which we hope will see you 4 at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for the in-form connect and inspire.

Connect with gas.

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

>> Because it is a story idea.

Public affairs at KET Dot Org and you can find us on the PBS video app on your smart devices.

Well, to see what's going on.

We thank you so much for watching.

We got a great show lined up tomorrow.

We hope that you'll be here for it.

I'm Renee Shaw.

Take good care.

I'll see you tomorrow night.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪