♪ ♪ We called the architect the Republican Party.

You're in Kentucky.

>> We go inside Kentucky politics to talk about the legacy of Kentucky's longest serving U.S.

Senator.

>> Serving our communities conserving our state becomes second nature.

>> Our state parks, they become a lifeline for Kentucky disaster victims.

>> For me, it was and a comic moment because I admired that photograph ever since I was a child.

>> Kentuckyian shares his memories of meeting the man who took one of the most iconic photographs in history.

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

♪ ♪ >> Good Evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Friday.

It's February the 21st.

>> I'm Renee Shaw and we thank you for starting off your weekend with us.

We kick off tonight's Legislative update with a bill that could give districts more flexibility for making up missed school days.

Republican State Representative 10 be true.

It who is also a school principal is the sponsor of House Bill 241, it would allow the state education commissioner to grant districts.

5 extra NTI are non-traditional instruction days.

Currently the cap is set at 10.

The bill would also allow for 5 school days to be excused because of severe weather are called calamity days.

Representative true.

It says the events of this week demonstrate why this change is needed and he received support from a number of House Democrats, including a fellow educator.

>> I checked this morning with the commissioner and as of right now at of our 170 districts in the state.

64 of those are already out of their NTI days.

And another 40 of those have one more remaining.

And we have districts, as you all are well aware of.

That may not be able to us to attend school for another week.

Maybe 2 weeks, maybe even months due to the flooding.

So what this bill will do will give these districts a little bit of relief.

>> The most important thing we can do is have children in the building in their seats, in classrooms.

And there is no exception for that.

Nothing virtual, nothing at home.

So I fully support this bill.

>> Under House Bill 241, students would still be required to be or to receive 1062 hours of instruction.

But the 170 day requirement for instruction would be eliminated.

Instead, districts could be allowed to make some school days longer.

The bill passed the full House by a vote of 82 to 7 and now heads to the Senate.

It is now 15 dead in Kentucky from the cold and the recent Kentucky floods, the floods in eastern Kentucky have left hundreds seeking shelter at Kentucky State parks.

Jenny Wiley State Resort Park in Prestonsburg is currently housing.

The most survivors.

But as Kentucky State Parks, Commissioner Ross mired tells us getting people to shelter has been a big challenge.

>> We had.

>> 6 state parks that are involved in this.

Florida man.

That's a Jenny Wiley Buckhorn.

>> Natural Bridge, timeout and Camilla Balls and Carter caves is just come online.

>> Currently we have 218 people.

39 pats.

Jenny Wiley has most of those.

And of course, with Pike County getting hit as hard as they've been hit.

That's a lot of the displaced families are coming from.

I was that Jenny Wiley on Monday and I was within less than an hour of my car being stuck and not being able to get out.

We had pontoon and running from the parking lot at our conference center to the park itself to the lodge and a bus getting people up the hill to Jenny Wiley lot.

And that was only way and everyone was safe at the lodge in, you know, we're giving them 3 meals a day.

Nice, warm place to stay clean place to stay.

You know, it's needed.

It's needed in these people needed a place to go and the U.S..

But I think we're blessed to have that opportunity in our Commonwealth.

Yeah, we're Ufa gotten good at this over the last 2 or 3 years, you know, with the tornado events that we had was Kentucky and then following that up 6 months later with the floods in 22.

And even before that with COVID, we were.

Housing families and they became our parks, came shelters and you are people that our state our team, our staff.

>> They are have got to be throws it this.

It's serving our communities conserving our state becomes second nature.

And that's what we're there for.

That's what we love to do.

>> Commissioner Meyer says state parks will offer shelter to flood survivors for as long as they need it.

Time now for postscript where we catch up on other action that happened in the state Capitol this week.

And Frankfort.

>> Thousands of state government employees would have to return to the office under legislation up for consideration Stead Senator Lindsey Titian or Floor Amendment to Senate Bill 79.

The amendment would prohibit employees of the executive digitial and legislative branches from tele working and less an emergency is declared.

The bill allows for some exceptions such as inspectors motor vehicle enforcement and it the amendment spark some bipartisan debate.

This body firmly believes that that are off.

Our government should operate efficiently and it should operate to serve the citizens of this state.

>> And unfortunately, we've had 5 years now of broad teleworking across all of our government agencies.

And this is to bring us back to work as legislators in this room.

>> How often do we need to call on People Bay Night and weekends because of constituent concerns that are very important.

How often do we do that with emergencies under this definition of telework, we will have a labor violation.

We will not be able to do that.

My concern is that it without.

Huge change because we don't want to rush something through.

That would be better middle to Kentucky.

Without talking to the See the direct deal R C. How do we know how this is going to impact services?

But I too have received calls from constituents.

Very worried about the lack of return phone calls.

When I visited those cabinets, these beautiful buildings that we have in this beautiful capital here in the Commonwealth.

You can see tumble weeds rolling through the whole place.

They were And it worry me to a great degree.

That if we're going to have effective governing.

And do the right thing for our people.

That we need people.

To be.

I would urge that we vote no.

On this bill as it is currently crafting here.

A couple of the issues with this centralized employee.

Is defined as an employee that's necessary for the functioning of the the office.

>> If you got that definitions are close.

Sometimes we get definitions and we think we know what the definition is in this bill.

A non centralized employees by definition, the bill is somebody who's not necessary for the functioning of the cabinet of the quite frankly.

Under this bill.

That nonsense lies employee shouldn't be employed.

Why are we employing people that are not necessary for the functioning of the office?

>> Now that amendment narrowly passed with 21 votes in favor of it.

It was attached to Senate Bill 79 and that entire bill passed.

25 to 10 the bill by state Senator Chris McDaniel looks at addressing some of the management issues within the Department of Juvenile Justice, which has seen a number of high-profile incidents in recent years.

Playing professional baseball is not a run of the mill job.

And there is concern that baseball's new collective bargaining agreement is in conflict with Kentucky's wage and hour laws because the length of a game is unpredictable and players come and go in the middle of games, and amaze Bledsoe Republican from Lexington as the sponsor of Senate Bill.

15, it would make minor League baseball players exempt from Kentucky wage and hour laws.

She talked about the bill on the Senate floor Wednesday.

U.S.. >> Senate Bill, 15 immense krs, 3, 3, 7, 0, 1, to create and narrow sport.

Specific exemption that ensures Kentucky's law aligns with the federally negotiate CBA.

This allows minor league teams to operate smoothly without unnecessary state regulatory hurdles that don't fit the structure.

Professional baseball.

To be clear, this bill does not strike out labor protections, players, wages, benefits and working conditions remain fully protected under their CBA.

It does not alter wage laws for any other profession or the industries.

This is a precise necessary adjustment to ensure minor league baseball functions as intended.

Senate.

The bill unanimously >> passed in the Senate.

So it now moves on to the House.

And other news.

Police in Louisville say 3 people were shot and killed at a motor vehicle office today.

Metro police say officers were called to the office on the southern outskirts of Louisville around noon and found one person dead and 2 others wounded.

The 2 wounded died later at a hospital.

Police say there's no ongoing threat to the public.

And police say the victims were a man and 2 women and the suspect or suspects left in a vehicle.

♪ Yesterday.

As you know, Senator Mitch McConnell announced his retirement.

But how much does his legacy made a fellow Republicans today?

Today, a Republican state senator praise McConnell in Frankfort saying if anyone doubts McConnell's leadership has too short of a memory, a Democrat also chimed in.

>> The man has a good heart.

Who cares about the people he always has.

For all of us.

We can never make everyone happy.

That's just not going to happen.

But it is my hope that people will take a step back and look at the career of this man.

Look at the legacy that he leaves.

He will go down in history is one of the greatest leaders this country ever had, especially in Congress.

And that's something that this state, it's something that my region should be extremely proud of.

>> Senator from a crack is right about one thing.

You're not going to please everyone, but we do see recognized today outstanding work.

And the fact that Senator McConnell say we have in this Kentucky Senate Democrats, the outstanding work and the many contributions to Nakano made to this state.

>> McConnell says he will serve out the rest of his term until 2026.

Time now to go inside Kentucky politics and talk about the big story really of the week with our good friends, try Grayson and Bob Babbage.

Good to see you both.

The big news yesterday, of course, U.S.

Senator Mitch McConnell announced he would not seek reelection in 2026, not a surprise, but some people were still caught off guard.

>> Yeah, not a surprise.

We anticipated this from the day that he announced he wasn't going to run for re-election as leader of the Republicans, U.S. Senate.

But he hadn't formally announced he wasn't running for reelection.

And as time went on, we got past the election last year in the first year, maybe this will be some are even in the fall.

But it does on his birthday.

Yeah.

What do you think, Bob?

Some thought it might be a little while longer, but it's good that he made a lot of reaction from all over the country.

>> And certainly across the state, what next always about the next race and certainly the next race.

Now for the next 15 months.

>> How consequential as Mitch McConnell been to Kentucky.

>> Tremendously consequential.

Everybody in our craft has a McConnell story.

Examples of how this has been so significant.

He cites 2 things as most significant as career.

In a recent conversation.

I was privileged to so on.

That's a back about was one that I was able to work on that from 20.

2002 to 2004, when the president signed that.

But Leita McCall throw by Neil Bradley had it was a tough, tough.

Achievements of 2 and a half billion dollar economic impact to Kentucky farmers.

He also for so unseen moments.

He's been very kind to people very helpful to people and so many ways and race so many alumni from Washington.

I'm joined by Rob as roads become the loves of that.

They were in charge.

All those folks got special knowledge, special insight into how to make government work and work.

Well.

But for investments in success, that's a part of the legacy and the reshaping of the judicial landscape.

Julio receiving a called the architect, the Republican Party.

You're in Kentucky.

The statement that I sent out one when he announced to, you know, I point out I love the for Frazee used to think it was 2008 reelection campaign had on those times.

>> Leadership that delivers.

And so all of the money and things that he brought back to come up.

Yes, shows driving from Frankfort and boarded on 64 drover for its pork and was reminded of the 30 million dollars we put out of the hat to help.

But with the Parkland students moved it back to me.

The judiciary little things like incredible constituent service of you needed some help with Social Security.

Didn't matter who you voted for.

His people didn't incredible job of go Navy helping you navigate the federal bureaucracy and then just sort of the Kentucky was becoming more conservative.

He was part of that movement and with the party.

It's an extraordinary last couple decades.

I mean, people like me storm number 20 plus years ago when I was running for the first time in office, he took an interest in May and are so many folks like that that he helped give them advice and encouragement and constructive criticism along the way.

And that's no accident that the Republican Party building.

It's called Mitch McConnell House because literally architect of the modern Republican Party.

That's going to be a big that's a big blast.

You really sit Henry Clay.

He's been the dominant figure that, you know, as United Center from Kentucky.

>> Yeah.

And help Kentucky punch above its weight many, many, many times for sure.

We have others who do that but not like this.

Yeah.

So many stories.

So many examples and the court consequential nature of his work of.

Teaching people how to make government work better and teaching us all how to run the process.

People would come to train army or someone else.

I'm sorry.

I can't recall just do this.

Will he?

Probably some it says could just do it.

But to do it right and do it effectively help people understand that pull people into the process.

Vets part of the McCollum magic that love to some of the successes.

>> I was I don't didn't count the amount of seconds it took after the end of his words about, I'm still here and I still got work to do that.

We got a tweet or posting on X by Daniel Cameron announcing his run for U.S. Senate.

Pretty quick turnaround there.

Yeah, yeah.

Maybe he had ahead.

So maybe he had a heads up so Ready to go, right?

Yeah.

So he jumped in the race immediately.

Andy Barr, without an official announcement, the numbers from from the 6 district here in central Kentucky for the central indicated that he's going to take a very strong is a little bit of hedging.

Yes, words, right.

Nate Morris, a businessman from here in Washington.

>> Nate again.

So it looks like a can see.

Looks like you've got one for sure to like Lee's.

We'll have a lot B, 2 senators and 500 bucks.

You can run for U.S.. Senate might have a dozen about that.

Those are the look to be the big 3.

Not my comments were going to have another major name enter the race of all those 3 enter the race.

Well, we can put it on the other side of the ledger at Democrat Pamela Stephenson.

She's reminding people >> that she's still here.

He's still here, right?

Yeah, yeah.

So pretty tough.

Yeah.

This will be settled in Republican primary.

Yeah.

And what about if Andy Barr were to run for U.S. Senate?

What happens to his 6th district congressional seat?

He's gonna take that.

>> Yeah.

Up the run.

One of the strongest names that I think is out there and I think she got in the race.

She went to be an excellent enemies.

But former Lexington Council member and just finishing up her first term and and the state Senate.

And, you know, I think a lot of people are encouraging her from around the country to run another name.

So I think would look at it on her decision.

Former Senator month Air Ryan calls Ryan Dotson is a state representative from just east of Lexington.

He has said he wants to run.

I Lockett who's run a couple times for that Took a representative from just might have been a little bit of a county.

I think he's interested in running.

So could be a pretty large field.

But I do think the bottom and it would be really tough candidate might discourage some of those others from getting in the race.

Yeah.

>> Any other names you want to drop their buck?

>> Oh, I'm sure you can find some more of that.

But so is going to be a strong game.

For starters, she's going attention from around the country for this but possible race if it were to.

Which are the way we think it's going to go.

>> What about Democrats to bay have anyone to put up and are there any names circulating there could be competitive to an but given Moos record in the district in a hearts how it shapes up.

Now that certainly favors Republican candidate in the race was all a lie for father was.

My father was on my best friends.

She was exceedingly well in Lexington on the council.

He's done very well as vice chair of appropriations.

A major assignment for a new member of the Senate.

And now a lot of focus on her for this district has been trending reading them on Franklin County was moved into the first.

It made it rather.

But that being said, what do we know about what happens?

The first election after a new president?

But president's party almost always loses seats.

So if the Democratic Party nationals looking to pick up seats an open seat that they used to hold as recently as 20.

>> Through the 2012 election.

But former congressman been shown this will be on the radar screen so they'll be.

Resource promises and a lot of recruiting outreach.

But again, that anyone who jumps and that raise that might deter a Democrat looking at it.

But I suspect that will be more competitive to me in the fall.

And then the Senate race now, it'll be interesting to see who Democrats can come up with a thirst deficit prospects that could be.

>> There were in for not just a good primary, but a good general, a good race all the way.

>> Well, that's what we want right?

Just about why that's what has been the talk about the about us.

That is all about you guys.

But thank you so very much.

Good to see.

You can see.

>> Sunday marks 80 years since 6 U.S. Marines raised the American flag on Iwo Jima.

The moment captured an iconic Pulitzer Prize winning photograph by photographer Joe Rosenthal.

>> 40 years later, Rosenthal but traveled Kentucky for a ceremony honoring one of the 6 flag raisers, Kentuckyian Frank says Lee Bill KET was assigned to capture that event and pictures for the Courier Journal Kind says he was moved by Rosenthal's iconic photo as a child and was thrilled when he got the opportunity to spend time after the event with Rosenthal.

He also says Rosenthal shared why he thought the picture resonated with so many people.

>> The flag-raising photograph was on the dust cover of the book and our House when I was just a kid.

It just spoke to me.

What I remember about.

The ceremony that day at Eliza Bill was that Joe?

Spoke only about the Marines.

He never.

Said anything about himself.

The only thing that he ever said that involved him was I took the photo, the Marine Corps top.

You Will and Franklin says Lee's mother was right there at.

His right side.

For me.

It was an iconic moment because I had admired that photograph ever since I was a child.

And there was Joe Rosenthal right in front of me.

And to be honest with you.

I was thinking, don't screw this up.

One of the most famous photographers known to mankind.

Don't screw this up.

So after the ceremony was over about, you know, I don't know, maybe a half a dozen or so of the people that were there to see the ceremony.

One up to Joe and Joe greeted every one of them individually.

Spoke to them.

And then won the last one walked away.

Joe turned to me extended his hand and said you're in the business, aren't you?

And that was such a thrill and a freelance photographer who actually was there to pick me up at the airport.

He had his camera and he captured that moment.

And the Marine Corps officers there noticed the kind of connection between Joe.

And I. invited me to attend a dinner that they were having for Joe that night in Louisville, Joe and I kind of snuck off to a table off to the side and we spent a good the 20 to 30 minutes and he gave me the photographer photographer account of that day.

And he signed my Mike.

That photograph in my book and I and that's one of my cherished possessions.

One of the things that Joe related to me that what he saw that picture resonates with so many people is its anonymity.

You cannot tell who those men are.

They represent.

All of the 400,000 soldiers, sailors.

Maureen's and airman that died in World War.

2.

I just think that there's a lot of Kentuckians that don't know.

That one of the flag raisers was from Kentucky.

One of their own Franklin says Lee.

Was in that picture.

And then later died.

On with GMA.

I just want people in Kentucky to know about.

Franklin says Lee.

And about Joe Rosenthal.

And if they're connection that this Joe Rosenthal.

73 years old, traveled all the way from San Francisco to little allies of Bill Kentucky to honor Franklin says Lee.

It's just one of those moments that I'll never forget.

Memorable.

Indeed.

An interesting fact.

Joe Rosenthal applied to join the U.S. Army has a military photographer.

>> But was rejected because of his poor eyesight.

Rosenthal died in 20.

0, 6 at the age of 94.

♪ ♪ >> Music painting poetry, Kentucky has it all.

And so does our Toby Gibbs and this look at what's happening around the Commonwealth.

♪ >> If he wanted to learn how to do your own genealogy research, check out this seminar at the Oldham County History Center tomorrow.

Learn about the importance of genealogical research and get some tools and your belt to help.

Tell that to your own family tree.

A native Kentucky physician, Dillon Carmichael is coming to Lancaster tomorrow night.

Rolling Stone describes his debut album as a sonic plan that makes is the hard-nosed outlaw country with a political edge of Southern Rock like it to Lancaster for a great night of country music this weekend.

A former Kentucky poet laureate Crystal Wilkinson will be speaking at the Clemens for Fine Arts Center next week in Paducah, Wilkinson is a nationally acclaimed novelist, essayist and poet.

The most recent work is the award winning praise song for the Kitchen.

Go to Culinary memoir.

Don't Miss Out on this Special Black History Month of it.

You may want to start your spring.

Cleaning are late to make room for all the Treasury.

Do find that the Kentucky flea market Spring Fling and Louisville tomorrow shot from over 500 both selling antiques, jewelry, clothing, and more fleet market.

Fein's won't want to miss this event.

Shenandoah is coming to the Mountain Arts Center in Prestonsburg tomorrow.

This Grammy-winning country group is best known for its songs about faith, family and the joys of small town life come enjoy the sounds of Shenandoah in the mountains this weekend.

Next Friday kicks off oil painting weekend that any trial for a state park and Dawson Springs learned the wet on wet oil painting by creating your very own masterpiece.

If you all learn a new skill and make new friends sure to sign up for this great workshop.

And that's what's happening around the commonwealth.

I'm told he get.

>> It's going to be a great weekend ahead.

Better weather for us all we believe.

And we hope to see you right back here again on Monday night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central on Kentucky Edition, we inform connect and inspire.

You can always connect with us on Facebook, an X, formerly known as Twitter and Instagram to stay in the loop and send us a story idea and public affairs at Kenton T Dot Org.

I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you so very much for being with us this weekend.

And I'll see you Monday night.

Take good care.

♪