>> Bill: KENTUCKY IS HIT OVER AND OVER WITH TOUGH WINTER STORMS LEAVING TENS OF THOUSAND WITHOUT POWER AND HEAT.

COVID VACCINATIONS ARE DELAYED FOR MANY BY THE TOUGH WEATHER.

THE STATE LEGISLATURE TOOK THE WEEK OFF BECAUSE OF THE ONSLAUGHT OF SNOW, ICE AND COLD.

IN WASHINGTON, SENATOR MITCH MCCONNELL VOTED AGAINST IMPEACHMENT BUT WAS HIGHLY CRITICAL OF FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP WHO HAS NOW SHARPLY correctlych McCONNELL.

KENTUCKY IS TRYING TO SPROUT START TO THAW HEADING INTO THE "COMMENT" IS NEXT ON KET.

KENTUCKY IS GOOD EVENIING.

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

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

MARK VANDERHOFF, REPORTER FOR WLKY I AND MORGAN WATKINS, CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER FOR THE COURIER JOURNAL.

ALSO TONIGHT, A BILL IS FILED IN FRANKFORT THAT WOULD TAKE AWAY A GOVERNOR'S POWER TO DIRECTLY FILL ANY OPEN U.S. SENATE SEAT.

AND SOME SWEET REUNIONS AS ARE ON THE WAY AS VISITATIONS CAN RESUME AT SOME NURSING HOME BUT FIRST, KENTUCKY IS UNDER A CONTINUING STATE OF EMERGENCY T DEAL WITH THE ROUGH ROUND OF WEATHER FROM THREE BACK-TO-BACK WINTER STORMS.

IT HAS TAKEN LOTS OF TEAM WORK THESE LAST EIGHT DAYS OR SO JUST TO KEEP THE ROADS CLEAR AND TO RESTORE power THIS WAS KENTUCKY CABINET TRUCKS DOING SYNCHRONIZED PLOWING ALONG I-75 MOVING THE SNOW TO KEEP LANES O. BRUT AS CREWS WORKED TOGETHER, THE SNOW AND ICE AND BITTER COLD JUST KEPT coming AT SOME POINT AROUND 200,000 DIFFERENT CUSTOMERS WERE WITHOUT POWER.

THE NUMBER IS DOWN TO 50,000 OR BUT GOVERNOR BESHEAR SAYS IT MA BE A WHILE FOR SOME.

>> OUR BIGGER CONCERN.

IS THE INFRASTRUCTURE, ESPECIALLY IN EASTERN KENTUCKY AND THE HIT THAT IT'S TAKEN AND THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT IT'S GOING TEAK TO GET IT BACK ONLINE.

WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF SUBSTATIONS THAT ARE DOWN, SOME OF THEM HAVING BE TO BE RUN WITH GENERATORS AND THE LIKE.

WE BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SUBSTANTIAL HEADWAY THROUGH THE END OF THIS WEEK IN GETTING PEOPLE THEIR POWER BACK, BUT IN SOME AREAS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY, IT MAY TAKE LONGER THAN THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK.

>> Bill: SO, MARK, IT WAS A BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK WINTER STORMS THAT KEPT HITTING KENTUCKY HARD.

OF COURSE, THIS WAS A NATIONAL ISSUE WITH THE WEATHER.

BUT IT WAS AFTER A WINTER THAT REALLY DIDN'T GET ROLLING HARD UNTIL FEBRUARY.

THIS WEEK, THOUGH,, AS THE GOVERNOR WAS MENTIONING THERE, HAS CERTAINLY BROUGHT A LOT OF HARDSHIPS.

>> Mark: BOY, BILL, OUR HEARTS GO OUT TO THOSE FOLKS IN EASTERN KENTUCKY, SOME OF WHOM HAVE BEEN WITHOUT POWER FOR TEN DAYS AND A BIG THANK YOU TO THOSE LINE WORKERS AND OTHER FOLKS WHO ARE OUT WORKING IN MISERABLE CONDITIONS TO GET THE POWER BACK UP.

I MEAN, THERE'S ALSO BEEN FROZEN PIPES, YOU'VE GOT CAR WRECKS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

YOU'VE WE EVEN GOT PEOPLE HAVING TO CANCEL THEIR VACCINATION APPOINTMENTS.

IMAGINE GETTING AN APPOINTMENT FOR YOUR COVID-19 VACCINE AND THEN HAVING TO GIVE IT UP.

>> Bill: LOTS OF FRUSTRATIONS.

JANET, PEOPLE HAVE TRIED TO STAY WARM IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

SOME WITH GENERATORS AND MAKESHIFT HEAT.

THERE WAS A CARBON MONOXIDE RELATED DEATH IN THE CORBIN AREA.

THERE HAVE BEEN HYPOTHERMIA DEATHS THEY'RE ASHLAND.

THOSE KIND OF DANGERS CAN REALLY SLIP UP ON PEOPLE, HUH?

>> Janet: ESPECIALLY WHEN PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WITHOUT POWER FOR DAYS AS MARK WAS SAYING.

THERE WERE COUNTIES THAT THE ACTIVATE NATIONAL GUARD TO GO DOOR TO DOOR FOR WELFARE CHECKS ON OLDER PEOPLE LIKE THE 70 HAVE 77-YEAR-OLD WOMAN PO IN BOYD COUNTY WHO DIED AFTER TWO DAYS WITH NO POWER OR HEAT.

THE CARBON MONOXIDE DEATH, IT WAS TERRIBLY UNFORTUNATE.

THIS WAS SOMEONE WHOSE SUMP PUMP HAD GONE OUT AND THEY WERE USING A GENERATOR TO POWER THAT.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE GENERATOR WAS IN THE GARAGE, AND IT TURNS OUT THAT'S A VERY DANGEROUS.

THING TO DO.

>> Bill: AND, OF COURSE, CARBON MONOXIDE BEING COLORLESS AND ODORLESS.

IT IS REALLY DOES SLIP UP AND CAUSES THIS.

I THINK IN THAT SITUATION THREE PEOPLE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AND THE ONE WOMAN WHO DIED.

>> Janet: YEAH, I THINK THE OTHER TWO RECOVERED BUT YOU'RE RIGHT.

THEY REALLY STRESS YOU SHOULD NEVER USE A GENERATOR INDOORS, NOT EVEN IN A GARAGE, THAT IT SHOULD BE AT LEAST 20 FEET AWAY FROM ANY -- ANY PEOPLE BECAUSE THERE'S JUST TOO MUCH FUMES.

IT'S JUST TOO DANGEROUS.

>> Bill: MORGAN, E. WEI MANY OTHERS WHO ARE IN SHELTERS OR STAYING IN HOTELS OR WITH FAMILY OR FRIENDS BUT THEY ARE NOT AT HOME ON THIS COLD FEBRUARY NIGHT.

IT'S A TOUGH SCENARIO.

>> Morgan: NO QUESTION.

I MEAN, THAT'S ROUGH.

IT'S ROUGH TO DEAL WITH AND OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE ALSO A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS AND SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONCERNS WITH THIS, ESPECIALLY -- THERE'S ALWAYS CONCERNS DURING THE WINNER ABOUT PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE A HOME, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE HORRIBLE WEATHER LIKE THIS THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT TRYING MO THAT I CAN SURE PEOPLE CAN GET TO SHELTERS OR CAN GET HELP AND THEN, YEAH, YOU'VE GOT OTHER PEOPLE WHO YOUR POWER GOES OUT, IT'S FREEZING, YOU GOT TO GET OUT OF YOUR HOUSE AND JUST KIND OF WAIT IT OUT.

IF YOU CAN.

>> Bill: RIGHT.

EVEN THE YOU UPS HUB IN LOUISVILLE SCALED BACK ITS OPERATIONS AT LEAST TEMPORARILY THIS WEEK BECAUSE OF THE ICY WEATHER THERE, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE OTHER AIRPORTS WHERE ITEMS ARE BEING SHIPPED TO OR FROM THAT IN MANY CASES WERE ALSO CLOSED DOWN BY THE WEATHER.

>> Nancy Tate: WORLD PORT HUB WAS ONLY CLOSED FRIDAY NIGHT BUT THIS IS SO SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT'S SO RARE.

I CAN'T THINK OF ANY TIME THAT THEY HAVE HAD TO CLOSE IT, AND I COULD BE WRONG, BUT THE LAST TIME I CAN THINK OF THAT THEY HAD ANY MAJOR ISSUES WAS 1994, AND THAT WAS WHEN UPS WAS JUST STARTING TO REALLY CEMENT ITS POSITION IN LOUISVILLE.

THINGS WERE SO BAD THAT WORKERS COULDN'T GET TO WORK, AND UPS TOLD THE CITY THAT THEY NEEDED TO CHANGE SOME THINGS, AND AFTER THAT, BOY, LOUISVILLE REALLY STEPPED UP ITS SNOW RESPONSE.

>> Bill: THAT WAS ONE OF THE CASES THAT FORMER GOVERNOR BURTON JONES HAD TO CLOSE THE INTERSTATE.

REALLY A ROUGH TIME.

THIS, THOUGH, WITH THREE STORMS COMING THROUGH WITH WAS RATHER HISTORIC AS WELL BECAUSE AGAIN IT WAS EIGHT DAYS OF DURATION.

>> Mark: YEAH, IT WAS JUST ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER, AND, YOU KNOW, ANY ABOUT THESE ROAD CREWS WORKING 12-HOUR SHIFTS.

ONE OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR IN LOUISVILLE SAID FOR 12 DAYS IN A ROW, I THINK.

CAN YOU IMAGINE?

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ALL THE WORK THOSE LINE WORKERS DO.

A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE ROAD CREWS THERE.

>> Bill: ABSOLUTELY.

JANET, I PARKING STRUCTURE COLLAPSED IN LEXINGTON NEAR RUPP ARENA.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO AT THAT LOCATION.

NO INJURIES.

>> Janet: RIGHT.

IT WAS A PARKING GARAGE ON THE CORNER OF MILL AND HIGH, AND IT WAS EMPTY BECAUSE THEY KNEW THAT THE PARKING GARAGE HAD SOME STRUCTURAL ISSUES, BUT THE ADDED WEIGHT OF THE SNOW AND THE ICE AND A SNOWPLOW WHICH WAS TRYING TO CLEAR THE SNOW AND THE ICE OFF THE TOP OF THE ROOF MADE IT COLLAPSE, AND CLUCKLY THE SNOWPLOW OPERATOR WAS ABLE TO GET OFF SAFELY SO NO ONE WAS HURT AND NO CARS WERE DAMAGED BUT THEY'VE ALREADY BEGUN INTEGRITY DOWN AND REBUILDING IT, THOUGH.

IT WILL COME BACK.

>> Bill: MORGAN WITH MARK MENTIONED THE OVERTIME ISSUE OUT THERE.

STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS CERTAINLY ARE ADDING UP THE COSTS OR WILL BE VERY SOON AS TO WHAT'S GOING ON.

IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS, YOU HAVE TO RESPOND FIRST, AND THEN FIGURE OUT HOW TO PAY FOR IT ALL LATER.

A FEDERAL DECLARATION SOMETIMES IS MADE AND HELPS.

WE DO NOT HAVE THAT AT THIS POINT IN KENTUCKY, RIGHT?

>> NO, THEY'RE LOOKING AT -- PRESIDENT BIDEN IS LOOKING AT ISSUING ONE, A FEDERAL DISASTER DECLARATION FOR TEXAS WHICH HAS OBVIOUSLY BEEN, I MEAN, JUST HIT SO HORRIFICALLY BY THIS WEATHER.

I DO KNOW THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN SPOKE ON THE PHONE WITH THE GOVERNORS FROM THE DIFFERENT AFFECTED STATES THIS WEEK, INCLUDING KENTUCKY'S GOVERNOR, SO CLEARLY HE IS AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON HERE IN THE STATE AND, YOU KNOW, I'M SURE FEDERAL CINCHES IS SOMETHING THAT PROBABLY CAME UP -- ASSISTANCE IS SOMETHING THAT CAME UP DURING THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

>> Bill: ALSO I SAW, MARK, A REPORT OUT OF LOUISVILLE THAT WHILE PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO ENJOY THEMSELVES THE BEST THEY CAN WITH THIS -- THERE'S A LOT OF SLEIGHIT RIDING AND SO FORTH GOING ON -- MY GOODNESS, SOME OF THE LOCAL PARKS AND LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD AREAS ARE REALLY BEING TRASHED WITH WHAT'S BEING LEFT BEHIND BY SLEIGH RIDERS.

>> Mark: YEAH, BIM MY KIDS HAVE BEEN OUT EVERY DAY THIS WEEK.

WE LOVE THE SNOW.

BUT, MAN, THE TRASH THAT PEOPLE ARE LEAVING AT THESE PLACES IS JUST WATER BOTTLES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT ALSO JUST CHUNKS PEOPLE'S SLEDS.

THEY BUILD THESE CHEAP PLASTIC SLEDS THESE DAYS, AND THEY FALL APART AND PEOPLE JUST LEAVE THEM AT THE BASE OF THE HILL.

AND THE MAYOR TALKED ABOUT HOW WE'RE FRYING TO GET CREWS THERE TO CLEAN THAT STUFF UP BUT A LOT OF THOSE PUBLIC WORKERS ARE DEALING WITH THE ROADS RIGHT NOW AND HE HAD A GREAT QUOTE -- I CAN'T QUOTE HIM VERBATIM -- BUT HE SAID THE SOLUTION IS Y-O-U, YOU.

>> Bill: IN OTHER WORDS, TAKE HOME WHAT YOU BRING TO THE SLEIGH RIDE VENUE.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, WE DO KNOW THAT A LOT OF FOLKS ARE IN DIFFICULTY AND PERIL TONIGHT AND OUR THOUGHTS CERTAINLY ARE WITH YOU IN THESE DAYS AHEAD.

HOPEFULLY THAT POWER GETS RESTORED VERY SOON.

JANET, THE TOUGH WEATHER CAME AS WE'VE MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, MARK SAID A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD APPOINTMENTS FOR A COVID VACCINE.

AND THIS HAS SET BACK THE EFFORT SOME, AND SOME DOCTORS, ONE HAS ALREADY TOLD ME THAT IS A CONCERN.

BUT THE CLINICS ARE MOSTLY BACK UP AND THEY'RE TRYING TO GET EVERYBODY RESCHEDULED NOW.

>> Janet: YEAH, IN KENTUCKY, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE WERE JUST REALLY STARTING TO RAMP UP.

WE J JUST STARTING TO GET A LOT MORE VACCINE COMING IN.

UK'S BIG KROGER FIELD CLINIC WAS SHUT DOWN FOR I THINK ONE, MAYBE TWO DAYS, BUT I THINK THEY'VE RESCHEDULED ALL OF THOSE.

THEY'RE WORKING HARD TO GET MORE.

THEY ARE BEGINNING AN OUTREACH TO SOME MORE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.

THIS WEEKEND IS THE FIRST ONE.

UK AND THE CITY ARE TAKING A POP-UP CLINIC TO KEENELAND, AND THIS ONE IS SPECIFICALLY FOR RACETRACK WORKERS AND HORSE FARMWORKERS, PEOPLE IN THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY.

THERE ARE AT LEAST THREE OTHER PLANNED IN LIGHTNING THAT WILL REACH OUT TO OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED MORE BY COVID, AND I THINK THAT THE CITY AND EVERYBODY ELSE IS AWARE OF THE NEED TO GET THOSE PEOPLE THAT WERE BUMPED BACK IN LINE AND MAKING A REAL EFFORT TO DO SO.

>> Bill: A LOT OF KANSAS ACCUMULATIONS IN RURAL AREAS AS PEOPLE DIDN'T WANT TO TRAVEL OVER THOSE ROADS TO GET TO SOME VACCINE APPOINTMENTS.

MARK, YOU SAID THAT THERE WERE SOME REALLY LONG LINES IN LOUISVILLE AS WELL AS A RESULT OF THE WEATHER AT THE VACCINE CLINICS.

>> Mark: YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT, BILL.

THEY'RE RESCHEDULING EVERYBODY'S APPOINTMENTS IF THEY HAVE TO CLOSE, BUT LAST FRIDAY -- THIS WAS A BIT OF AN ISSUE BECAUSE YOU HAD MORE PEOPLE THAN USUAL.

AID LOT OF ICE AND SNOW OUTSIDE THE BROADBENT ARENA WHERE OUR MAIN VACCINATION SITE IS, AND THEN THESE CARS WERE DRAGGING IN ALL THE NOE AND ICE MELTS SO THEY HAD TO KEEP STOPPING THE CARS TO CLEAN UP THE FLOORS SO PEOPLE COULDN'T WOULDN'T SLIP AND FALL.

WE RECEIVED A LOT OF COMPLAINTS OF VERY LONG WAIT TIMES THAT DAY.

WHEN WHAT THEY HAVE DONE THIS TIME IS OPENED THAT SITE TOMORROW AND THEY'RE GETTING IN 1,000 APPOINTMENTS SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THAT BUILDUP LATER ON IN THE WEEK, AND THANKFULLY THE WARMER WEATHER SHOULD CLEAR HOW THE A LOT OF THAT ICE AND SNOW.

SO WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT THE SAME KIND OF PROBLEMS NEXT WEEK.

>> Bill: HOPEFULLY THAT BRINGS A LOT OF RELIEF TO A LOT OF THINGS.

MORGAN, THERE IS SOME CHANGE IN VACCINE PRIORITY.

DAYCARE WORKERS NOW BEING MOVED INTO PHASE 1B, AND THAT PUTS THEM ON EQUAL FOOTING WITH THE TEACHERS AND SCHOOL PERSONNEL.

>> Morgan: RIGHT.

ORIGINALLY THEY WERE NOT.

THEY WERE INCLUDED IN THE NEXT PHASE THAT HASN'T OFFICIALLY STARTED YET, BUT ADVOCATES AND FOLKS FROM THE BUSINESS AND EDUCATION COMMUNITIES KIND OF, A WHOLE BUNCH OF ADVOCATES FOLKS ADVOCATED SAYING, LOOK WEEK CHILD CARE WORKERS SHOULD BE INCLUDED IS TOO.

THE COURIER-JOURNAL DID A STORY ABOUT THAT IN EARLY FEBRUARY ABOUT HOW THEY HAD BEEN LEFT BEHIND, AND THEN THIS WEEK GOVERNOR BESHEAR ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WOULD BE CHANGING THAT, SO NOW, YOU KNOW, CHILD CARE WORKERS WHO OBVIOUSLY ARE WORKING WITH KIDS JUST LIKE TEACHERS ARE WILL BE ABLE TO START GETTING VACCINES RIGHT NOW.

>> Bill: JANET, MORE LOCATIONS TO START OFFERING VACCINES.

THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE SAYS 291 VENUES SOON.

AND THERE'S ALSO HOPE THAT THE SHIPMENTS WILL START TO INCREASE.

>> Janet: YEAH, THEY'VE BEEN ESCALATING.

THEY'LL SAY WE'RE GETTING 5% MORE, 10% MORE, 20% MORE, SO WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE GETTING A LOT MORE VACCINE REALLY SOON.

I KNOW KROGER FIELD HERE WAS SAYING THAT THEY WERE GOING TO START HAVING ABOUT 5,000 SHOTS A DAY BEGINNING THIS WEEK, THE END OF THIS WEEK, BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS -- THE STORM HAS IMPACTED THE COUNTRY, SO SHIPMENTS ARE DELAYED ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES.

IT MAY TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME FOR ALL OF THAT TO GET HERE IN THE QUANTITY THAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO, BUT WITH SO MANY PLACES AROUND THE STATE, IT SHOULD BE BASICALLY BLANKETING THE STATE SOMEWHAT.

THERE WILL BE SOME.

IT JUST TAKES A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO GET OUT THERE.

>> Bill: MOST OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, JANET, ARE TRYING TO REOPEN TO IN PERSON LEARNING.

MANY OF THEM HAVE.

THE LARGER DISTRICTS IN THE STATE ARE JUST GETTING GOING WITH THAT.

LEXINGTON'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAD BEEN SET TO OPEN TO WHAT KINDERGARTEN THROUGH SECOND GRADERS THIS WEEK AND THAT WAS PUSHED BACK.

>> Janet: YEAH, I RAN INTO A FRIEND AT THE GROCER STORY ON FRIDAY AND SHE AS WAS SO EXCITED BECAUSE HER FIRST-GRADER WAS FINALLY GOING TO GET TO SCHOOL.

SHE SAID, DO YOU THINK IT BE WILL BE DELAYED?

I SAID, SORRY, I THINK IT WILL, AND IT WAS.

EX-WEEK FAYETTE COUNTY IS SUPPOSED TO START,K THROUGH W, SECOND GRADE.

IT MAY GET DELAYED UNTIL TUESDAY IF THE WEATHER IS BAD SOUND NIGHT OR MONDAY MORNING, BUT THE WEEK AFTER THAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO EXPAND IT AND GO FROM 3:00 TO 5:00.

THE ONLY SORT OF SNAG IN THINGS RIGHT NOW IS THAT FAYETTE COUNTY IS DOWN ABOUT 35 BUS DRIVERS, TO HEAVEN MORE BUS MONITORS, AND WE'RE LANG IN CAFETERIA WORKERS AS WELL, SO CAN'T REALLY RAMP IT UP TO ALL THE PHASES UNTIL WE CAN FILL SOME CRUCIAL POSITIONS.

>> Bill: MARK, NO DATE CERTAIN YET FOR THE REOPENING OF SCHOOLS IN LOUISVILLE, RIGHT?

>> Mark: THAT'S RIGHT, BILL.

BUT WE DO EXPECT A FORMAL RECOMMENDATION VERY SOON FROM JCPS SUPERINTENDENT MARTY POLLIO.

HE HAS GONE ON THE RECORD AND SAID SHE WANT TO SEE KIDS IN FIVE DAYS A WEEK, IF POSSIBLE, AND HE SAID IT WILL PROBABLY BE A PHASED REOPENING WHERE YOU HAVE ELEMENTARY FIRST, THEN MIDDLE AND THEN HIGH SCHOOL, SO THE BIG QUESTION NOW IS THE HOW THE SCHOOL BOARD WILL VOTE ON HIS RECOMMENDATION.

EVERYBODY IS TRYING TO HANDICAP THIS.

I HAVEN'T PERSONALLY SPOKEN WITH EACH OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.

I DID ASK THE CHAIR THE OTHER DAY HOW SHE WOULD VOTE, AND SHE TOLD ME SHE IS NOT MADE UP HER MIND YET, THAT SUNNI WANTS TO SEE THE FINAL RECOMMENDATION AND THE LATEST COVID-19 DATA BEFORE SHE MAKES UP HER MIND.

>> Bill: THERE ARE ABOUT TO BE SOME REALLY SWEET REUNIONS HERE IN KENTUCKY, AND LONG AWAITED BY PEOPLE IN LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES.

IT'S BEEN NEARLY A YEAR, AND, MARK, YOU SAID THAT DUTCHESS YOUR OWN FAMILY.

>> Mark: YEAH, BILL, I'VE GOT SOME FAMILY MEMBERS IN LONG-TERM CARE, AND IT'S REALLY TOUGH ON MY FAMILY NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE THEM, HAVING LIMITED ACCESS OR, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY YOU'RE SEEING THEM THROUGH THAT WINDOW, AND IT'S JUST NOT THE SAME AS BEING ABLE TO SEE THEM IN PERSON, SO REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO GO AND SEE THEM.

OF COURSE, TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE EITHER A NEGATIVE TEST FROM THE LAST 72 HOURS OR YOUR PROOF VACCINATION.

AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT.

YOU JUST CAN'T STOP BY ANY TIME.

>> Bill: IT IS GOING TO BE WONDERFUL FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO GET SOME VISITORS.

IT'S INTERESTING HOW POLITICAL FIGURES CAN BE IN FAVOR OR LOSE RELEVANCE DURING A SITUATION LIKE THIS WINTER WALLOP.

WE KNOW THE QUESTIONS THAT SENATOR TED CRUZ HAS BEEN FACING IN TEXAS AFTER GOING TO CANCUN FOR A TIME.

SOME KENTUCKY LOCAL LEADERS HAVE RISEN TO THE OCCASION.

WE'VE HEARD OF JUDGE EXECUTIVES OUT THERE PERSONALLY HELPING CLEAR THE TREES.

FORMER STATE REPRESENTATIVE CHARLES BOOKER, MORGAN, WHO APPARENTLY WANTS A POLITICAL FUTURE, FOUND THE HOOD TO HOLLER MOVEMENT AND THAT GROUP IS ALSO INVOLVED IN HELPING IN THE MOUNTAINS.

>> MORGAN: >> Morgan: YEAH, THEY'RE DOING PHONE BANKING THIS WEEKEND, BASICALLY CALLING FOLKS WHO ARE OUT OF POWER TO CHECK IN ON THEM AND TO KIND OF GIVE THEM A LIST OF RESOURCES THAT THEY CAN USE, AND THAT'S THROUGH HIS NON-PROFIT HEAD TO THE HOLLER.

>> Bill: BOOKER ALSO HAS A BOOK DEAL, RIGHT?

>> YES, HE DOES.

HE ANNOUNCED THAT THIS WEEK.

IT'S GOING TO BE A MEM YAR CALLED OF COURSE FROM THE HOOD TO THE HOLLER HAD WHICH WAS HIS RALLYING CRY THROUGH THE U.S. SENATE CAMPAIGN LAST YEAR.

>> BILLY: >> Bill: IS BOOKER GOING TO RUN FOR THE U.S. SENATE NEXT YEAR?

FOR THE SEAT HELD BY RAND PAUL?

>> I DON'T KNOW.

I TALKED TO HIM JUST BEFORE THE NEW YEAR BEGAN AND HE SAID HE DEFINITELY HASN'T RUN HIS LAST RATE BUT WOULDN'T SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING TO GO FOR.

HE SAID HE WAS FOCUSED ON BUILDINGS THE MOVEMENT, THEN WORKING WITH THE NON-PROFIT THIS YEAR AND SOME OTHER PROJECTS.

>> Bill: MARK, DO WE HELP AT THAT PAUL WILL RUN FOR RE-ELECTION REMEMBER RIGHT?

>> Mark: ALMOST CERTAINLY.

BOY, THAT WOULD BE BIG NEWS IF HE DIDN'T, AND HE REALLY REPRESENTS A WING, I GUESS THAT YOU COULD SAY, OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN THIS BIG RIVET RESIST, HE HE STANDS TO BE A MAJOR FIGURE IN THE WING THAT HE REPRESENTS.

>> Bill: SPEAKING OF THE RIFT IT HAS BEEN A WEEK FOR McCONNELL.

FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP CALLED FOR McCONNELL TO BE RELEASE AS THE MINORITY LEADER.

BUT McCONNELL DELIVERED A SCATHING SPEECH ABOUT RUMP'S ACTIONS SURROUNDING THE JANUARY 6th CAPITOL INSURRECTION.

THE CRY TO HUNT DOWN THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, THEY BUILT A GALLOWS AND CHANTED ABOUT MURDERING THE VICE PRESIDENT.

THEY DID THIS BECAUSE THEY HAD BEEN FED WILD FALSEHOODS BY THE MOST POWERFUL MAN ON EARTH BECAUSE HE WAS ANGRY AND LOST AN ELECTION.

FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP'S ACTIONS PRECEDED THE RIOT WERE A DISGRACEFUL, DISGRACEFUL DERELICTION OF DUTY.

>> Bill: AND TRUMP UNLEASHED A TOUGH CRITICISM OF McCONNELL AFTER THAT CALLING HIM A DOUR SULLEN AND UNSMILING POLITICAL HACK.

MORGAN, DRAMATIC TALK HERE.

>> Morgan: NO QUESTION.

YOU KNOW, SENATOR McCONNELL VOTED AGAINST CONVICTING TRUMP OF INCITING AN INSURRECTION BUT THEN LITERARY MINUTES LATER GIVES THIS SPEECH MAKING IT CLEAR THAT HE BASED HITS VOTE ON THE FACT THAT HE THINKS IT'S UNCONSTITUTIONAL TO CONVICT A FORMER PRESIDENT BUT THAT HE ABSOLUTELY THINGS THAT TRUMP BEARS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE RIOT ON JANUARY 6th THAT RESULTED IN MULTIPLE DEATH PS TRUMP CAME BACK WITH A REALLY HARSH STATEMENT HIMSELF CRITICIZING McCONNELL AND KIND OF WARNING REPUBLICAN SENATORS, IF YOU STICK WITH HIM, YOUR CAREER IS GOING TO BE OVER, THREATENED TO GET INVOLVED IN REPUBLICAN PRIMARIES POTENTIALLY, AND McCONNELL HIMSELF HAS SAID THAT HE'S WILLING TO GET INVOLVED IN REPUBLICAN PRIMARIES TO MAKE SURE THAT LOOK AT THIBLE CANDIDATES MAKE IT TO THE GENERAL ELECTIONS WITH DEMOCRATS NEXT YEAR WHEN HE'S HOPING THAT REPUBLICANS LABEL TO WIN BACK CONTROL OF THE SENATE IF THEY CAN BEAT THE DEMOCRATS.

>> Bill: IS THERE ANY EVIDENCE THAT McCONNELL IS IN ANY DANGER OF LOSING HIS POWERFUL POSITION AS MINORITY LEADER AND HIS HOPE OF BECOMING MAJORITY MATTER?

>> Morgan: WELL, MAJORITY LEADER, WHO KNOWS, BUT IN TERMS OF HIS LEADERSHIP ROLE WITHIN SENATE REPUBLICANS, NO, EVERYONE I'VE TALKED TO SAYS HE'S DONE RIGHT BY THEM AND SUPPORTED THE OTHER REPUBLICAN SENATORS FOR YEARS, SO THE ODDS OF THEM VOTING TO GET RID OF HIM ARE BASICALLY NON-EXISTENT WANT LEAST RIGHT NOW THAT HE'S GOT THEIR SUPPORT ESPECIALLY AFTER THE LEADERSHIP THAT LED TO THREE U.S. SUPREME COURT JUSTICES IN FOUR YEARS.

>> Bill: AND WASHINGTON LEAVES QUICKLY TO FRANKFORT ON ANOTHER SENATE ISSUE.

WHO WOULD REPLACE A VACANT U.S. SENATE SEAT IN KENTUCKY SHOULD ONE OCCUR, AND THERE'S BEEN A BILL FILED, MORGAN, BY THE SENATE PRESIDENT ROSH STIVERS.

>> Morgan: YES.

BASICALLY RIGHT NOW IF THERE WERE TO BE A SUDDEN SENATE VACANCY, RAND PAUL OR McCONNELL STEPS DOWN, THE GOVERNOR COULD APPOINT THE TEMPORARY SUCCESSOR UNTIL PEOPLE ELECTED SOMEONE HAD TO FILL OUT THE REST OF THE TERM, AND THERE'S NOT REALLY ANY RULES ABOUT WHO TO GOVERNOR HAS TO APPOINT.

STIVERS' BILL WOULD BASICALLY SAY THE GOVERNOR HAS TO PINT SOMEONE AS THE SAME PARTY AS THE SENATOR WHO LEFT WHO IS ALSO ALMOST CERTAINLY GOING TO BE A REPUBLICAN IN KENTUCKY CONSIDERING WE HAVEN'T HAD A DEMOCRATIC SENATOR SINCE 1999 AND ALSO SAID YOU HAVE TO PICK THAT REPLACEMENT FROM A LIST OF NAMES SUBMITTED BY THE STATE REPUBLICAN PARTY, MOST LIKELY, SO CERTAINLY PUTTING OM LIMITS ON WHO THE EVER GO CAN APPOINT, AND THAT BILL DOES HAVE THE THE SUPPORT OF SENATOR McCONNELL.

>> Bill: WE'LL WATCH THAT VERY CLOSE FLIP KENTUCKY LEGISLATURE HAD TO TAKE THE WEEK OFF AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT TO EVEN WALK WARN THE CAPITOL UNC GROUNDS WITH THE WEATHER WE'VE HAD, BUT THE DEADLINE FOR FILING NEW BILLS HAS MOVED TO TUESDAY AND, MARK, UNDER THE FINISHED BUSINESS, THE BIG UNFINISHED BUSINESS IS THE STATE BUDGET.

>> Mark: YEAH, THAT IS THE BIG ONE, BUT THE FACT THAT IT'S UNFINISHED IS NOT UNUSUAL AFTER ALL, THIS GOES A HERCULEAN TASK AND TYPESCLY FINISHED TOWARDS THE END OF YOUR AVERAGE SESSION.

>> Bill: JANET, LAST WEEK WE TALKED ABOUT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY PASSED A HISTORICAL RACING BILL.

NOW THOSE FACILITIES ARE AT LEAST THE ONE MAJOR ONE THAT CLOSED HAS REOPENED AND MAYBE SOME OTHERS ARE NOW BACK ON THE PLANS.

>> Janet: THAT'S RIGHT.

THE RED MILE, WHICH HAD SHUT DOWN AFTER THE KENTUCKY SUPREME COURT DECLINED TO REVISIT ITS OPINION, HAS REOPENED, REOPENED LAST SATURDAY.

COINCIDENTAL, THE KENTUCKY HORSE RACING MISSION THIS WEEK APPROVED -- COMMISSION THIS WEEK APPROVED AN EXTENSION OF THE KENTUCKY DOWNS LICENSE TO ALLOW THEM TO HAVE A FACILITY AT BOWLING GREEN.

SO ONCE THAT'S THERE, THERE WILL BE, ONCE KEENELAND HAS ITS CORBIN FACILITY UP AND RUNNING, FOR STRUNG OUT ALONG THE TENNESSEE BORDER AT LEAST FOUR FROM CORBIN TO FRANKLIN TO BOWLING GREEN AND OAK GROVE.

>> Bill: SO, IN OTHER WORDS, THE TENNESSEANS WOULD HAVE A CONVENIENT TRIP ACROSS THE BORDERS TO TAKE PART.

>> Janet: ONE WOULD HOPE SO, YES.

>> Bill: THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE BANKING ON.

THE BESHEAR ADMINISTRATIONY PS INDICATES U.

QUALIFY 1.62 UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS HAVE NOW BEEN ACTED ON, MARK.

THAT INVOLVED A 600,000 PEOPLE OR SO.

>> Mark: YEAH, BILL, A RECORD NUMBER OF CLAIMS FOR WHAT'S HOPEFULLY JUST A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OCCURRENCE, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY HIGHLIGHTS THE TERRIBLE CONDITION THAT THE UNEMPLOYMENT SYSTEM IS IN.

GOVERNOR BARBER BESHEAR SAYS THE COMPUTER SYSTEM IS CAN'T QUATED AND IN DESPERATE NEED OF REPLACEMENT, AND A LOFTED FOLKS HAVE POINTED OUT THAT CAREER CENTERS WERE UNSTAFFED AND THE UNEMPLOYMENT STAFF WAS CUT, BUT WE'RE ALSO GOING TO SEE NEXT WEEK STATE AUDITOR MIKE HARMON WILL APPEAR BEFORE A SENATE COMMITTEE AND TALK ABOUT HIS REPORT THAT HIGHLIGHTS.

SOME OF THE FAILURES THAT HE ALLEGES THE BESHEAR ADMINISTRATION MADE.

>> Bill: JANET, NO SURPRISE THAT COVID-19 SLOWED THE BOURBON TOURISM AS WELL AS HAS MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR RESTAURANTS, BUT THERE ARE SOME APPARENTLY BRIGHT SIGNS AHEAD.

>> Janet: YEAH, NOW THAT THINGS ARE STARTING TO RESTART, THEY'RE HOPING TO GIVE BOURBON TOURISM PICK BACK UP.

IT WAS DOWN BY ALMOST TWO-THIRDS LAST YEAR.

THE TIS DILL RIS WERE CLOSED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.

BUT THE BIG NEWS WOULD BE THAT BLOUIN FOREMAN IN LOUISVILLE HAS ANNOUNCED A $95 MILLION EXPANSION OF ITS SHIVELY FACILITY, AND THAT SHOULD GIVE THEM -- I WOULD HAVE TO SAY PROBABLY DOUBLE THE CAPACITY OF DISTILLING THERE WITH ALL OF THE NEW STUFF THAT'S GOING TO BE COMING ONLINE THERE, AS WELL AS A TREE NURSERY TO STUDY OAK DEVELOPMENT.

>> Bill: AND IT APPEARS THAT RESTAURANTS ARE ON THE VERGE OF GETTING INCREASED CAPACITIES LIMITS BUT WE ARE NOT THERE YET.

SO IT'S NOT CHALLENGING TIME IN KENTUCKY, BUT SPRING IS ABOUT A MONTH AWAY.

THE PACE OF COVID VACCINES IS PICKING UP, AND SCHOOLS ARE FIGURING OUT REOPENING PLANS.

WE'VE LEARNED A LOT IN THE LAST YEAR ABOUT HOW TOUGH WE CAN BE.

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL AFTER THIS TOUGH SPELL OF WINTER WOES.

TUNE IN MONDAY AT 8:00 EASTERN, 7:00 CENTRAL FOR "KENTUCKY TONIGHT."

RENEE SHAW WILL HOST A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE KENTUCKY TEACHERS PENSION PLAN.