♪ Violence at Kentucky's Juvenile Justice Center says some lawmakers demanding change.

>> I'm open to it.

I think that this needs to be a conversation that obviously led by the Kentucky General Assembly as well as law enforcement.

>> Kentucky AG commissioner and candidate for Governor Ryan Quarles on legalizing medical marijuana in Kentucky.

>> I always growing up with like 2 sides of different cultures.

And that's something that was really important to me and bringing that into my heart.

>> And the Hispanic perspective on living in Kentucky.

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 Thursday, February.

The second, I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you for winding down your Thursday with us.

A group of Republican lawmakers today demanded change to Kentucky's juvenile justice system.

The criticism comes after violence at the Warren County Juvenile Detention Center twice and one week and a rape in Adair County in November.

Today, Senate President Pro Tem David Givens and Senator Danny Carroll were among the Republicans calling for an independent audit of the Department of Juvenile Justice and someone else in charge.

>> It is the President pro tem said one of the main things that I feel like we need to address immediately is a change in leadership within the J J you don't have the incidents happened that we've had continuously.

And not realize that there's a breakdown in leadership and this appears to be something that the administration simply not interested in talking about in that there has been no response to our request in those areas.

Not easy decisions but necessary.

We need to bring someone in from the outside.

You can serve as a change agent to change the clincher within Djj.

>> During his news conference this afternoon, Governor Andy Beshear defended Djj Commissioner Vicki Reed who's held the job since 2021. and said his administration is making improvements to the juvenile justice system.

>> My goal is to get this fixed and I want somebody who is completely vested in getting in the the current commissioner came from outside of the system had worked in the system in the past.

That was in the private sector or working for other What I have seen of our current commissioner is she wants to make these changes.

She wants to make these facilities safe and we're going to ensure that the resources and the opportunities are there.

>> The governor has separated male and female offenders and separated offenders based on the severity of their crimes.

He's also asking the Kentucky General Assembly for more money for worker salaries, more staff and better security and for the first time workers will have defensive equipment.

A legislative impeachment committee heard testimony today from 3 different commonwealth's attorneys about whether to remove a Kentucky prosecutor accused of soliciting nude photos depend defendant.

he is Ronnie Goldie Junior, the Commonwealth's attorney for the 21st Judicial Circuit.

Rob Sanders, Commonwealth's attorney for the 16th Judicial circuit had this to say about the responsibilities of people in his profession.

>> Anyone would engage in 8.

>> Romantic or sexual or otherwise personal relationship.

Anyone who's been through your court much less someone who is active and open criminal cases anywhere in Kentucky, much less in the jurisdiction.

You're responsible for.

It's just astounding.

And this isn't about the 3 of us or for that matter, the other.

55.

Well outside of us, 52 members of our association expecting prosecutors to be perfect people.

This isn't about prosecutors not having center, not having personal flaws, but whatever personal flaws, the Commonwealth attorney, it is cannot be intertwined with the criminal defendant.

>> The Courier Journal first reported last July that Goldie promised a defendant favors in exchange for nude photographs of herself.

The impeachment committee plans to meet again next Tuesday.

Over 2 years ago, a Kentucky student died on the field after soccer practice.

Matthew Men, Jane Junior suffered a cardiac arrest according to a lawsuit, the family filed an automated external defibrillator or AED wasn't used until emergency responders arrived about 12 minutes after his collapse.

Now, Matthew's family is working to ensure a EDS are available at school sporting events.

And that students are trained to use them.

Our Casey Parker Bell spoke with Matthew's parents about the foundation they created in his name, their work and the attention it's getting after the collapse of an NFL player during a recent game.

>> This is child safety.

So this is something that should be.

It should be looked at by everybody.

Matthew Man, Jean, died after collapsing during a soccer practice in 2020.

>> Matthew was the most kind hearted.

Compassionate.

Competitive anyone would ever meet didn't know a stranger.

>> Since his death, his parents have work to prevent similar deaths from happening to student athletes.

They created the Matthew Man, Gene Foundation to remember him and help provide a EDS and training for them to schools across the country.

The recent collapse of NFL player Damar Hamlin brought new attention to the costs.

You can go back and look at every story that we've ever done.

We're not sitting here telling you anything different.

>> What we've been trying to say, the differences are voice was small.

Now we've seen our voice taken to a level that hopefully this will help.

Make some major changes.

Aid was rendered on Hamlin within 10 seconds of his collapse and he survived.

And Europe, Denmark, football star Christian Eriksen class while playing in 2020 and opposing team's player was the first to render aid.

The man James believe having other student athletes know how to help can prevent the worst from happening.

So our goal is to train the athletes to start CPR, to know what ad looks like.

No, exactly where to go to get.

Want to bring it back.

So that's the bigger key.

It's not just the coaches.

It's it's an involvement of the entire team.

You know, we play team sports will not involve everybody through the foundation.

The man genes are teaching others how to use a EDS as it goes through.

It's going to go through all of man's.

It's, you know, just as it says, are made.

And all patients.

The mindset needs to be.

>> The preparedness is extremely important because you need to be prepared for when it happens.

Not if it happens.

>> But the managing say the new attention can help educate people on simple steps that could save a life.

>> Education is the key.

We can the ad.

I think even 80 companies will tell you the goal is to have one accessible everywhere.

You know, one day.

But the problem is you need to know how to use it.

You need to be prepared for those emergencies for Kentucky edition.

I'm Casey Parker Bell.

>> The Matthew Managing junior Foundation has over 30 participating schools and soccer clubs getting training and lifesaving equipment.

The man James settled a wrongful death lawsuit with Saint Henry District High School last month.

We wrap up our conversation with Kentucky AG Commissioner Ryan Court.

>> Girls who's vying for the Republican nomination for governor tonight.

He shares his views with OSS on legalizing medical marijuana and Kentucky and his withdrawal from a Republican event recently in Bowling Green.

So he wouldn't have to appear with the former police officer involved in the deadly Breonna Taylor raid.

>> I'm open to it.

I think that this needs to be a conversation that's obviously lead by the Kentucky General Assembly as well as law enforcement.

But in the day for talking about medicine, that needs to be a framework that focuses between the doctor and the patient.

And if we're going to allow in Kentucky, our Kentucky farmers should deserve the opportunity to grow it.

And who is better situated than the then the person that has helped run the hemp program for the past 2 terms in office to help develop a framework for to work here in Kentucky.

Also think that this needs to be a conversation that we have about long-term effects, but also make sure the General helps lead this policy discussion as well.

I think I don't think you can.

Do you think you can run a state government by executive orders?

It's a it's an imperfect in practical way to run.

It needs to be a relationship not just about this issue, but others where there's 3 co-equal branches of government.

And that's one thing we've seen from this governor's that if he does disagrees with you, he runs to the nurse courtroom sues you.

He's suing me over the Kentucky State.

Fair.

It's a waste of my time.

It's a waste of taxpayer money.

And so as a from a legislator and as an executive, it's that's run department.

Almost 8 years now.

I'm going to be and chief executive the state that works with the General not runs the courtroom.

>> And that's about the board us a fair board right to it yet.

going back to that.

So there is a measure filed Senate go 47 by Senator West and Co sponsored by Phillip Wheeler.

And so that's coming from the Senate this time, not the House.

Missus said I'm not going to file this.

It's the Senate's turn.

So are you working?

And I can gather some from what you said.

Are you working with those 2 Republican senators on this measure at all.

>> Right now we are engaged in legislation that were asked to be part of.

We're running our legislation right now pertaining to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture's.

We can lead that department in the best shape as possible for over the next commissioner.

Maybe there's a lot of different bills that that are filed each year that addressed similar topics.

And so we're going to let the Senate and the House work out.

What version is they think are best and look as governor, you don't know what's in the bill to lands on your desk.

And so you've got to make sure you see what the ins and outs are with the details are as well.

Yeah.

Personally.

Are you for or against medical marijuana?

Legalization.

For for medical marijuana?

I don't have a problem with it.

I know a lot of other states have gone down that road.

But I also think it's very important.

My mother, my mother, passed away from ovarian cancer, seven-year fight, courageous certainly.

Never complained once about it.

And whenever I think of a bad day in the office at a slow to hers, inspiration.

But I know that there's patients out there.

We've heard the stories we've heard is for many years that would like to see that sort of medication.

And so I'm personally not opposed to it.

>> Let's talk about a recent development and this is an event down in Bowling Green with the Republican Women's Club of South Central Kentucky.

It was initially held at one location move to another.

That's not really all that consequential.

But one of the speakers who you would have shared the marquee with what is the former LMPD officer that was involved in the Breonna Taylor Fatal Raid.

Your campaign decided to withdraw from that.

Is that knowing that you would perhaps be sharing an event venue?

When did you make that decision?

And why did you make that decision?

>> We made the decision to reschedule speaking in front of the Republican Women's the day before.

I think that as a candidate for we get invited to numerous events every single day.

And for me, I wanted to make sure that our campaign had the same sort of environment that other candidates for enjoyed a including others have already spoken to that group.

And so we decided to reschedule so that the next time we go down there and speak with this group, which is a great group.

They're they're wanting to figure out were their potential nominees are at on different issues.

We're going to reschedule so that we have the same sort of environment that other candidates had when they went for them.

>> So where you are, you were you concerned about being?

That particular person at all?

And do you fear perhaps that that may isolate some can Republican voters who think that maybe you were kind of stuff, you know, shoving it to the blue line.

>> Look, I'm a strong of supporter of law enforcement at 4 law enforcement officers who work at the Decay Department of Agriculture.

I've been a pro law enforcement voter as a former legislator or I think that our police need and our first responders need support from the executive branch has hurting recruitment right now and it's hurting.

Folks would be able to choose as a career.

And so I don't think that scheduling a conflict to schedule an sharing the room with somebody else should be the litmus test about whether or not you support law enforcement or not.

I think that those who know me knows that a law and order guy and that we continue to respect the police and we also need to make sure that we have the resources available for those men and women that serve us in uniform every single day.

>> There are some Republicans who said that it would have been in poor taste for you to show up.

Do you agree?

>> Look, I have received probably 200 different messages saying you made the right decision, including from elected officials and the way I see it is that hasn't has very little to do with whether or not I was there with that with a member of law enforcement community that has to do with the fact that as a candidate, we deserve the same sort of environment as other candidates just makes.

What's fair is fair.

>> Girls also talked to us about his final months as AG commissioner.

And you can stream the rest of that conversation and its entirety online on demand at K E T DOT Org.

Slash Kentucky edition.

♪ Virtual schools across the state are joining forces.

Thanks to the Kentucky online learning Experience Collaborative.

KET is proud to be a part of the collaborative.

Their goal to improve students online, learning experience through collaborative discussion and professional development for districts and teachers.

>> The Kentucky online Learning Experience Collaborative is a partnership between KET and the Kentucky Department of in to work with the virtual schools across the state of Kentucky to provide resources and time to collaborate with other schools and just to support them in any way possible to make sure that the kids are getting.

As good or better of an education as they would in the traditional school.

You get extra help.

They are to learning really supports a lot of students that don't necessarily succeed in a traditional classroom.

They may be helping with their family farm that may be participating in a workplace.

Learning some students.

You know, they've got a certain health condition that makes it difficult for them to go in person every single day in those causing them to lose.

A lot of that learning.

>> And we're able to provide all that learning from wherever they are academically.

Our kids are scoring on par with the district in some places you can hire.

We've had great community building.

You might be surprised how strong the community you can have a virtual school of our teachers do such an excellent job.

With that.

We have lots of experience as they get them out into the world.

Our students are able to go to prom.

They're able to participate in sports.

They are able to come in and socialize with their classmates for fall festivals and in-person hands-on learning days.

All of the social learning experiences that a traditional student might have.

>> You know, and romance and a goatee.

>> This is a valid for learning path for a lot of students.

And I can't tell you how many parents have had now that have come and said, you know, either fight the email call in-person whatever it is and say, look.

This option has changed my kid's life, even though it's not the majority of students that need this option, the ones that we do have it for can honestly be life changing.

One of the ways that we can personalize learning for students when the brick and mortar in-person environment isn't working for them.

Is virtual learning.

But in order to make that work, we need programs like the one we're involved in with this collaborative in order to be able to learn the correct pedagogy and the right educational and instructional moose that we can make for students.

I love working with the other schools and learning from them.

The collaboration is really important and it can happen in there and structure discussions or even just sitting at lunch talking to people over food and I can't tell you how much I've learned from that with K T having a long history with virtual learning, we want to support everyone whether they become part of the collaborative or not.

We're still there as a sport.

>> 28 schools are currently members of the collaborative meetings are held monthly.

♪ You've likely heard of farm to table.

But what about farm to school?

It's a trend catching on across the country.

Schools partnering with farms to get fresh local food inside school cafeterias.

One blaze that's happening is at Louisville's Mary Hearst Academy.

The JCPS school, Kentucky additions.

Kelsey Starks takes us for an inside look.

Mary hearses, Kentucky's oldest child welfare agency and its on-site school is now the only residential facility in Kentucky to officially be a farm to school.

>> Affiliated agency and Stacey Cole is Mary Hearst's Food Service manager.

Thanks for being here.

For those who may not Tell us what is Mary hers.

>> Mary Hurst the oldest child nonprofit.

In the state of Kentucky.

And we service kids and families all over the state of Kentucky.

Families and kids that are in need of all of Kentuckyian all kinds of services as well.

>> One of the things is you will provide an on-site rehearsed academy and this is farm to school.

So tell us about what that is and what that means.

>> Well, the farm to school program is a program of PRE K through 12th grade run by the Kentucky Department of Ag for Culture or and other states.

Whatever department of Agriculture it is for that state and they.

They connect.

Farmers and local growers with schools so that they can produce or meat or meat, alternate products to the schools and also provide in a fun, interactive way for the kids.

So that could mean growing a garden that they would utilizing the school or they could even do that in the cafeteria.

But so you are partnered with a local farm.

Yes, correct.

And then you work bringing that produce right into the cafeteria.

Yes.

>> We work 3 Valley Farm located in southern Indiana.

And they bring actually we started in October of last year, we started receiving breakfast bundles.

So they put a bundle food together for the kids and their maple syrup, right?

So they put a bundle together and we said that that's fresh farm, fresh eggs, sausage bacon.

And we put that together and we send those over to the dorms.

Everybody knows how expensive bags are right now.

>> This is actually saving you guys a ton of money.

A lot of people think something like this might be too expensive or we can sustain this.

But you KET or it's a lot cheaper.

And with the supply chain demand was just so crazy and some of the prices for food.

If we can get it.

>> It was so expensive.

So receive funds from the government it's called a supply chain demand funds and there are limits on what we can use.

And it was perfect because, well, we could use any processed foods.

So what better to do than get from a farm?

So that was the you know, the thought that I had in my head.

Hey, let's do this with this is now the time that week to do this and get this ball rolling.

Absolutely.

And what's been the response we've seen so far from the students, what's the difference?

>> They love it.

They love it.

They love it.

You know, they got their they love it.

And I love We could do this for them because some of those kids, a lot of those kids may not have had the chance.

>> To have farm fresh foods.

You even speaking for that was the first time that I've visited a and I thought, wow, visited a and I thought, wow, visited a and I thought, wow, visited a and I thought, wow, this is wonderful.

These kids deserve this.

Food is a big part of their life and they really really deserve something like this.

It just blew my mind.

How just clean and fresh the food tasted.

And so I thought I want my kids to have the satmar.

Yeah, yes.

And that, you know, that's one thing.

You start those habits early and they developed for a lifetime.

Thank you so much for being here.

We appreciate you.

And if your organization wants to learn.

>> Or you can contact the Kentucky Department of Agriculture in to find out more about Mary Hurst.

You can visit their website at Mary hers Dot Org.

Back to you.

Thank you.

Kelsey.

The Kentucky Department of AG Partners with 77 districts across Kentucky to cultivate these farm to school programs.

>> More than 900 schools in the state are using the program.

♪ ♪ A traveling art exhibit entitled our Kentucky Home has made its last stop in Louisville on a tour of 13 cities across the Commonwealth commissioned by the Kentucky Arts Council.

The installation tells the stories of Hispanic and Latino artists who call Kentucky home.

>> So I'm at the Kentucky as council years when they were trying to which to the Hispanic or the young population fronting and Shelby counties.

So this last year they come up with this idea and you know, we that race time a little bit, then I thought it was a wonderful idea.

So, yeah, I got what with incumbent them trying to reach the he's been in that company.

in a call to artists.

The original idea was that thing I do.

Through the Kentucky has consuls show the diversity of the state, Kentucky.

You know, he's been reached with really, but many times we forget that to me, that's a part of the state to.

>> So the exhibits been a really fun It's been an amazing experience for me.

I was born raised and Louisville, Kentucky, >> I improving American.

So my family's from So I've always grown up with like 2 sides of different cultures.

>> And that's something that was really important to me and bringing that into my heart as well.

The 2 pieces are that are in my exhibition is called Biden of you then put which means for a better life and I said both of which means until next time.

So and those 2 things just kind of convey different sides of what the Latin community kind of goes through when come to us.

>> The response we have was a really, really good.

We tried to reach out to the union coming up.

I mean, to me, that's what it is is to open the door to embrace, to commit the act, too, that in Kentucky's a new house, a new home.

I know that to the rest of the community.

Now, I hope that we see ourselves as neighbors to neighbors.

Now as that the person that came from somewhere.

But because with the with this exceeded, we've given the low collect these let you know at this and the ability to dispense express themselves to see how they see.

Kentucky has a new know has been with us.

But Kentucky has I don't know how I think it's important.

>> Because you get different perspectives of how people view Kentucky.

You get the sense of 2 homes like the home that people have left behind and the home that they are building here.

And I think it's important to show different perspectives of how we as Latina Kentuckians have experienced growing up here.

I hope people leave from seeing the exhibit with open minus about other lived experiences to me is very important that >> some events, but the competing engage in our communities nothing that's this is one of the things I hope the 6 of us many people for different reasons don't get engaged May because the condition of thing, that sort of language, that is what it is.

But this is a way to say no, you want to hear him.

Reese brisket that.

>> The last chance to visit the exhibit is this Sunday at the Kentucky Center in downtown Louisville.

And you can make the Artis.

You don't have to travel to Vermont for fresh maple syrup.

There are people who make it right here in Kentuckyian you'll meet a certain maker who says this is a great untapped Kentucky resource.

More on that tomorrow on Kentucky EDITION.

And we hope you'll join us again tomorrow night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky edition where we inform connect and inspire subscribe to our weekly Kentucky Edition email newsletter and watch full episodes and clips at KET Dot Org.

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

And of course, we hope you'll follow KET on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay in the loop.

You're more than welcome to follow me on Twitter at Brian.

A K E T. Thank you so very much for watching.

Hope you tune in tomorrow.

We'll have inside Kentucky politics without cross.

Don't miss that.

That's tomorrow on Kentucky.

Addition until I see you again.

Take really good care.

♪ ♪ ♪