♪ >> We may have your game a little pain that people understand that.

>> Kentuckians react.

A new proposed tariffs that many fear could once again have a major impact on a signature, Kentuckyian history.

>> A revolt within.

I don't get to decide who gets to be president.

The American people, >> U.S.

Senator Mitch McConnell discusses tariffs and he's somewhat strained relationship with President Trump.

>> But unless this bill gets passed, your parental rights could be affected, terminated and your children could be take away from just because you have a disability.

>> How a bill in the 2025 legislative session could establish new rights for parents with disabilities.

>> We see human trafficking from are homeless are unhoused him vulnerable population.

We have 2 executives that work for large companies.

>> Plus, how to help spot and stop human trafficking.

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

♪ ♪ >> Good Evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Monday, February 3rd, hello, February.

I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you so much for spending some of your Monday night with U.S.. President Donald Trump is attempting to make good on a campaign promise to impose new stiff tariffs on some of America's largest trading partners.

An order signed by the president over the weekend calls for a 25% tax on imports from Canada and Mexico and a 10% tax on imports from China beginning tomorrow.

But today the White House agree to postpone tariffs on Canada and Mexico for at least 30 days in exchange for more cooperation or the northern and southern border.

Speaking to reporters last night, President Trump acknowledged the emerging trade war could lead to higher prices for Americans.

>> We may have your game a little pain that people understand that when the time the United States has been ripped off by virtually every country in the world when deficit, when almost everybody, not everybody.

But oh, what a >> Threats of new tariffs are being greeted with mixed reactions.

Speaking last night on CBS and 60 Minutes, Republican U.S.

Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky suggested the move doesn't make much sense.

>> It will drive the cost of everything up.

In other words, it'll be paid for by American consumers.

I mean, why would you want to get in a fight with your allies?

But where the >> Kentucky's junior U.S. senator is also questioning the policy fellow Republican Rand Paul said on social media, quote, tariffs are simply taxes.

Conservatives once united against new taxes, tax and trade will mean less trade and higher prices, unquote.

Last night, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called for retaliatory tariffs on billions of dollars of U.S. imports, including bourbon.

While that move appears to be on hold for now, it's causing a lot of concern.

Congressman Morgan McGarvey of Louisville, the only Democrat in Kentucky's congressional delegation says Canada's decision would, quote, devastate our commonwealth's signature bourbon industry.

He adds Kentucky would, quote, bear the brunt of Trump's misguided and impulsive leadership.

End quote, McGarvey co-chairs, the Congressional Bourbon Caucus with fellow Kentucky congressman and Republican Andy Barr and a statement, Congressman Barr remain supportive of Trump adding that he will, quote, continue to advocate for our bourbon producers to ensure they are not unfairly impacted as we take necessary steps to safeguard America's economic interests, unquote.

Meanwhile, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear is at going similar concerns saying this policy would hurt Kentucky families.

>> 95% of the world's bourbon is made in Kentuckyian all the bourbon were drinking yet in a state that voted for this president by more than 30 points is going to feel the impact of these actions.

Think about the farmers that support the industry, the people in the bottling plants and the cook bridges.

Really, these are our families.

Our neighbors.

>> Tariffs on U.S. exports, including bourbon, were implemented from 2018 to 2021 during Trump's first presidency in response to the U.S. hiking tariffs on imported steel and aluminum.

The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce says American whiskey exports dropped 20% during that time.

Despite looming tariffs, some distilleries in Kentucky are expanding a new rift distilling in Newport and northern Kentucky announced that of this year their products will be available in all 50 states.

The Northern Kentucky Distillery Open for business just over a decade ago.

The goal was to become the region's go to whiskey producer.

The business started with 8 employees and a single location.

They now have 80 workers and multiple facilities for bottling and store in their products.

President Molly Lewis says in today's saturated bourbon, climate new riff must KET evolving.

>> 3 barrels aging per person per resident here in the state of Kentucky.

Currently, that's a lot of a lot of ALS.

So it's a it's a time of needing to distinguish ourselves.

We constantly want to bring up our neighbors and bring up other fellow distilleries in the state of Kentucky.

>> New riff is the only heritage Distillery in northern come to Kentucky, meaning they age more than 50,000 barrels each year will hear much more about their expansion and involvement tomorrow night right here on Kentucky EDITION.

>> Tariffs were just some of what Senator McConnell discussed last night on 60 minutes.

Kentucky's longest-serving U.S. senator stepped down from his leadership position at the beginning of the year saying he now feels more free to be outspoken.

He says he hasn't talked with the president for quite some time.

He also says he thought pardoning those convicted of rioting at the U.S. Capitol on January 6 2021 was, quote, a mistake.

So what will he do going forward?

>> I expect to owes the world.

This administration is trying Dogan plunge.

>> So what happened in the past is irrelevant to you said the January 6.

>> Was evidence of Donald Trump's complete an fitness for office.

>> I said the shortly after January said that if he were the nominee for president, I would support him.

>> revolt within.

>> I don't get to decide who gets to be president.

The American people do.

And you have to admit that.

They did.

And he's back.

>> I know Mitch McConnell step down as the Republican leader in the Senate.

The 82 year-old has not announced if he'll seek reelection in 2026. many Kentucky Republicans considering running for a seat have said they're waiting until he makes that decision.

Well, a one Kentucky Democrat is already exploring a possible Ron State representative and House minority Floor Leader Pamela Stephenson has filed with the Federal Elections Commission to raise money for a U.S. Senate campaign.

But that doesn't guarantee she'll run and she has yet to file as a candidate with the Kentucky secretary of state's office.

The Louisville Democrat told the Lexington Herald-Leader, quote, My team and I are aware there is a long road ahead of us.

But we are prepared to do the work as House floor leader and hopeful nominee for U.S. Senate.

I'm making it my mission to elect Democrats up and down the ballot and 2026 unquote.

Stevenson has served in the state house since 2021.

She ran unsuccessfully against Republican Russell Coleman for Kentucky Attorney general back in 2023.

A well traveled native of eastern Kentucky is one of the newest members of the Kentucky General Assembly State representative of Vanessa Grossell represents the 88th House district which encompasses parts of Fayette and Scott counties.

She grew up as a Democrat but now finds herself as a registered Republican.

We caught up with the new state lawmaker to find out why she ran and what she hopes to accomplish as we continue our series profiling new legislators and the Kentucky General Assembly's freshman class of 2025.

♪ >> Representative Vanessa Grossell has worn many hats in her career from teaching abroad in Japan to working with the Council of State governments here in Lexington, she now finds herself in the education technology industry.

She says running for office wasn't on her radar until her mom, Anna Shepherd, retired as the superintendent of Floyd County Schools.

>> I was trying to convince my mom to run for news early childhood Ed as her background and she let me know that she really just wanted a little break would encourage me to run in and support me in so we both realize that there's a lot of work to be done in the realm of education.

It's one of the things we spend the most of our tax dollars on at the state level.

And I want to carry on my mom's legacy serving children and families and ensuring that poor kids like us can really lived the American Dream.

>> Representative Russell won her see as a registered Republican.

But earlier in life, she identified as a Democrat.

She says the Democratic Party no longer feels like the party of the working class.

>> I grew up in eastern Kentucky.

My family was in the coal-mining industry going up.

We felt like the Democratic Party was the working class party and we were all registered Democrats at the time.

But like so many Kentuckians and so many Americans, we have felt that shift personally.

And so I'm proud to be Republican.

Now.

I feel that the Republican Party better aligns with the where I am on ensuring families can live the American dream.

Regardless of where they started in life.

>> Representative Grossell has been all over the world traveling to countries like Portugal, China and Zimbabwe.

>> I've traveled probably to around 60 countries at this point.

And, yes, those experiences certainly shape me into who I am today and farm my policy making one of the things that I am looking forward to doing something.

I campaigned on a Japan caucus.

I think it's an important not to the Japanese investment all across Kentucky, but and especially here in Central Kentucky where tonight it just made another investment know nearly a billion dollars into the paint facility that many of my constituents will work at.

>> Education is a priority issue for Representative Cassel.

But she looks forward to discussing housing and the future of AI in Kentucky.

The session.

>> So many Kentuckians are disappointed with how DNI has been rolled out in the Commonwealth and feel that it has, in fact, been more harmful than than the good it's done housing, how we can get more housing and perhaps we need to deregulate some parts of that industry or really look at what is in fact, holding back.

Builders are holding back the industry and AI AI is fascinating.

It's something that we should absolutely use to our benefit.

And I love to talk about innovation and how we can modernize state government across the board.

But we also have to make sure we put up some pretty good guardrails to KET Kentucky unsafe.

>> Election night came down to the wire for Representative Grossell have so Grossell who was the Republican has taken the lead very thin at this point.

She beat incumbent Cherilyn Stevenson by only 125 votes.

She says her groundwork went a long way in securing her victory.

We knocked over 15,000 doors.

>> Did community Coffee's just tried to outreach to the international community and others to earn their support in the race.

And so now the real work begins and I'm excited to engage even further with constituents in really listen to what their concerns are and see how I can be impactful in the central Kentucky region for Kentucky edition.

I'm McKenzie spank.

>> Thank you, McKenzie.

So far.

Representative Grossell is the lead sponsor on just one bill this session so far, House Bill 70 would seek to improve public access to Dietetics Service Inc.

There are 22 new faces and the Kentucky State House and Senate this year for freshman 2 senators and 2 representatives from both parties will be our guests on Kentucky tonight.

Tonight.

We'll talk to them about some of the important legislation that will be considered as the session continues.

And we hope to field your questions and comments once again.

That's tonight on Kentucky tonight at 8 Eastern 7 central right here on KET.

Some disability rights advocates are uniting behind an anti-discrimination bill Senate bill.

26 would prevent disabled parents from having their parental rights terminated or denied adoptions solely because of their disability.

The bill sponsor and others believe it's an idea whose time has come.

>> I am a.

>> A person with a disability, a muscular dystrophy.

>> I have 4 kids.

So I have a family.

And I. I've had to consider things.

I've been lucky.

I just can't imagine that.

Like me sitting here today.

If that was my disability situation 30 years ago at somebody thing and you're not fit to be a parent because you can't do certain things.

The original bill was written in the 30's that and instituted that.

>> Bill there, you know, and most people dispose were in institutions.

We were living in the community.

And so I think that that's one thing that, you know, this is 2025 and we're talking about this, something that was put it into an active in the 30's.

That's a it's just unfathomable.

And Weber, our environment today.

But unless this bill gets passed, your parental rights could be affected, terminated and your children could be take away from just because you have a disability SB.

26 is basically a printer writes, Bill, that we collaborated with the Kentucky Judicial Commission on Mental Health.

>> And specifically the intellectual disabilities didn't rise to protect parental rights in in adoption proceedings.

It also tries to protect parental rights in termination of parental rights proceedings.

And basically what it does is it prohibits discrimination in those situations when someone has a disability Ali.

So it would prohibit, you know, disparaging treatment of those individuals.

And what it tries to do is create transparency, create uniformity and enable those individuals who may have disabilities to have the opportunity to engage in, you know, collaborative agreements with individuals too help them through their situation with their children, adaptive services.

And so it also create transparency by requiring those things to be individualized and records to be kept in the record for up to 2 years.

It also brings compliance brings Kentucky compliance with the Americans With Disability Act.

So again, we want to make sure that individuals who may have disabilities are treated unfairly.

Hopefully this will be we saw by SB 26 and Kentucky INS with disabilities spirits with disabilities.

I can breathe a little sigh of relief now that they don't have to have a look over the shoulder and have that a potential looming.

People with disabilities are largest minority in Kentucky, the largest minority in America.

So the need for those services.

Perry, a very much so throughout the state and throughout the country by dissipation is that will pass a pretty easily again.

I can't make any promises, but I don't think any of my colleagues would be, you know.

Opposed to this legislation.

I think it should have widespread support these laws that are been around a while I'm sure where it was some sort of good intent.

What has changed and people changed in our ability to be in the community and do the things that we do.

>> Make it possible for us to be every bit as good a parent is anybody else?

>> Advocates say the groundwork for SB 26 began when members of Kentucky's disability community formed a coalition to advocate for parental rights.

Bill back in 2020.

♪ >> In Kentucky is making gains when it comes to higher education.

More on that in today's Education Matters segment.

The Kentucky Council on post-secondary Education reports the number of degrees and credentials awarded by Kentucky's private and public institutions.

>> Increased by more than 6% last year.

According to the Cpe and or graduate certificates were up almost 10% while graduate degrees increased by more than 9%.

The council says equally encouraging the number of low-income and minority students getting certificates and degrees, undergraduate degrees and credentials awarded to low-income students were up more than 4% while undergraduate awards to minority students were up almost 8%.

More.

Good news for Kentucky when it comes to education.

Kentucky was one of only 15 states that make significant gains and 4th grade math scores on the 2024 National Assessment of Education.

Progress Test also known as the nation's report card.

>> Kentucky students were also above the national average in both 4th and 8th grade reading and held steady and 4th grade reading an 8th grade.

This marks the first time Kentucky students have improved or stayed the same on the assessment sense disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Another education-related know the Kentucky Department of Education is seeking feedback on the draft of Kentucky academic standards for reading and writing that outline what students are expected to learn in each grade to successfully transition to the next level feedback can be submitted by email to standards at education DOT Gov.

♪ According to the Human Trafficking hotline is latest data from 2023.

There were 178 human trafficking victims in Kentucky.

One advocate for human trafficking victims tells us what signs to look out for and how we can all help stop this crime.

>> Human trafficking is known as modern-day slavery.

It is the active using force fraud or coercion to benefit another by means of labor or sex exploitation effects.

All demographics.

We see human trafficking from are homeless are unhoused him vulnerable population.

We have 2 executives that work for large companies.

It impacts all ages.

And all right, races as well.

There is a lot of individuals that.

You know, may not feel safe to come forward to talk to us about human trafficking and what is going on in their situation.

And in all honesty, a lot of the individuals don't realize that they're actually being trafficked.

The one somebody comes into the E D and is requesting medical treatment.

We will then and screen them for domestic violence on our domestic violence training tool, we actually have visual signs of human trafficking that the nurses will be looking at while they're assessing the patient, some signs of human trafficking would be seen individuals that are a little bit more timid.

Maybe they appear Boughner is shore.

They come in to seek medical treatment and don't have their paper Seminole be they do not have their legal documents.

They appear quite a bit younger than what they are stating that they are.

They may have a companion that is wanting to do all the talking for them.

Seems they're submissive to that companion made sure that if you do see somebody that you think is a danger, say something.

>> For more information on human trafficking, go online to human trafficking hotline DOT or ♪ >> the healing Place is an internationally recognized addiction recovery center based in Louisville on the latest episode of Inside Louisville, our Kelsey Starks sits down with its newly named president and CEO to hear his vision for its future.

>> What we're going to be doing this year is repurposing a facility he's named for a very important man in the recovery community in Kentucky, unfortunately passed away last year.

Doctor Burns, Brady had a medical practice in South Louisville for a long time.

He actually grew up in Mayfield but was a recognized leader.

And we have the Brady Center that we are re-designing and repurposing and we're calling it the Brady Center for Life Planning and Community Engagement and what we want to do is pair the resources that are necessary to.

Overcome past justice involvement, address child custody issues.

A lot of our back child support.

So financial literacy and then connecting them with whatever continuing education or job training they need 2 take their recovery experience outside of the confines of a healing place continue to re store a meaningful and productive life.

And I'm really excited about that because it's it represents the healing place.

2 point.

Oh, you know, we're better it in that anybody in the world at at addiction recovery and what we want to add to that is.

Equipping people with the resources that they need to put that addiction in the rearview mirror and to inspire them to recognize that they are fully where the of achieving their highest dreams and aspirations just like everybody else for what is your vision for the healing place?

If you are say?

>> Still there, 10 years from now.

>> What's next?

We continue to ensure our financial sustainability.

And we put ourselves in the position to work with other communities who can benefit from this model.

We've had some success at replicating the model.

There is say the healing place of New Hanover County and Wilmington, North Carolina, for example, there have been other places where the model has been replicated in Kentucky.

Governor Ernie Fletcher helped establish the recovery.

Kentucky network.

And that's a network of nonprofit providers across the Commonwealth to follow the healing place.

Pierre Driven Social model of recovery.

The more that we can make this model available.

And the better model we make available, the more people can overcome this disease, the more people can be restored to meaningful and productive lives.

If I could have a role in that, then that would be a high dream and aspiration.

More immediately and closer to home.

If I can be a part of.

Building pathways.

For people to step from their recovery.

Experience, the healing place.

In 2.

Their life calling and the and the put them in contact with the resources they need to realize their full potential and what they were put here to do.

I couldn't ask for any more than that.

>> You can see the full interview including John Mark Hacks.

Personal story on what brought him home to take this role.

That episode of Inside Louisville is streaming online and on demand at KET DOT Org.

Tonight, a look back at a governor's death.

One of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded and one of America's best known Christmas carols has a Kentucky connection.

Our toe begins has the connection in this week in Kentucky history.

♪ >> President George Washington signed the Kentucky Act on February 4th, 17, 91 being away for Kentucky to become America's 15th state on June.

First, 17 92.

Governor William Goble died 2/3/1900, days after a sniper shot him in Frankfort.

This was after the disputed gubernatorial election in 18.

99, when Democrat Goble and Republican William Taylor both claim victory after Goebbels death, Lieutenant Governor Jay CWA was sworn in as governor.

On February 7th 18, 12, the last of the 4 New Madrid earthquakes hit western Kentuckyian the Missouri boot heel.

It was the strongest of the 4 quakes and is one of the most powerful earthquakes on record.

>> It damaged homes as far away as St. Louis because the Mississippi River to briefly reversed course.

And coach Paul Bear Bryant resigned as coach of the University of Kentucky Wildcats on February 4, 1950, more in 8 seasons at Kentucky.

It compiled a record of 16 wins.

23 losses and 5 ties and Brian will go on to coach at Texas AM and most memorably at Alabama.

You might not know the name Haven.

Gillespie Morning Covington on February 6th, 18, 88.

But you know his work while riding on the subway in 1934.

Let's be co-wrote the Christmas song.

Santa Claus is coming to town, Indiana and singer Eddie Cantor were formed in on his radio show and it became an instant hit.

And that's a rundown of this week in Kentucky history.

>> I'm told begins.

>> Thank you as always.

To be gives.

And do it for us tonight.

We hope to see you right back here again tomorrow at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky Edition.

Thanks for watching.

Have a great night.

♪ ♪