>> We've got to dismantle the Department of Education.

A candidate for Kentucky governor talks about some of her plans for the state's education system.

If elected.

>> All of these programs are intended to get people through that.

This this height of COVID not to be permanent.

>> With COVID-19 health emergency is ending.

What does it mean for Kentuckians?

>> When I first into the Hill and 2019 actually was a fully in-person students and then COVID hit.

>> It's not just nontraditional students who are opting to get their college degrees online.

>> We're using a very been an art to bring people together to bring awareness to that and raise funds for other local nonprofit.

>> And we'll introduce you to an art exhibit that has some real can't hockey flair?

>> 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 for this Monday, February, the 6th, I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you for starting off your work week with us.

We begin with news and Kentucky's governors race.

Republican candidate Kelly Kraft says the Kentucky Department of Education needs to be dismantled.

She made the comments Friday during a campaign stop in Knox County and Kentucky Edition was the only camera there.

>> Take me to the Department of Education.

You know, I talk to top out to 2 other side about what does it take to dismantle that?

We have a piece of legislation that's gonna happen.

We got to dismantle the Kentucky Department of Education.

Needs to the Senate confirm beyond school.

We have to demand transparency.

We've got to demand accountability.

We and we have got to restructure our Department of Education.

>> Kraft did not go into greater detail about her proposal be reached out to the crash campaign for a comment and were sent this response by craft, quote, No one can hard that our current state Board of Education and Department of Education are a mess pushing woke agendas in our schools.

I'll dismantle our current board and start over all empower parents and more resources to the classroom.

And in the woke nonsense being pushed and our schools end quote, at least one of her challengers, Somerset Mayor Alan Keck also issued a response on Twitter.

He said Kentucky's education system has flaws, but quote, to suggest disappears.

Kelly Kraft has that dismantling the system is the answer to the problem is not leadership at all.

He went on to say, quote, In America, we don't run from our problems.

We tackle them head-on, unquote.

The Kentucky General Assembly returns to Frankfort tomorrow to finish out the 2023 session.

The Republican supermajority is prepared to take up several big issues.

That includes House Bill one, which is already passed the House.

The bill would lower the individual state income tax to 4% in January of next year.

And while Republican leadership has said they don't want to reopen the two-year budget, lawmakers have signaled some support for some appropriations that includes funding for a new veterans home in Bowling Green and money to reopen a juvenile detention center in Louisville.

Other bills that are likely to be discussed.

The session include new legislation regarding medical marijuana and slot like games that are called skill games by supporters and gray machines by detractors.

We'll be in front for tomorrow and for the rest of the session that ends March 30th.

And remember, you can catch all of the action for the Kentucky General Assembly online at KET Dot Org.

Later this week, the Kentucky Supreme Court will hear arguments about local gun laws.

At issue was whether or not a city can prevent people from carrying concealed weapons into an arena.

The case involves the city of Pike full and the Kentucky Concealed Carry coalition in 2021, the Kentucky Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Pike full which prohibits guns inside Appalachian Wireless Arena.

The coalition argues that a Kentucky law passed in 2012 prohibits local governments from creating rules or ordinances regulating firearms.

Oral arguments are scheduled for 11:00AM on Wednesday and you can watch them online on KET DOT Org.

The federal government is ending the COVID-19 health emergency in May.

The conclusion of that, the emergency signals a new phase in the pandemic and means Kentucky hands could lose some services as federal funding runs out.

Our Casey Parker Bell spoke to reporter Melissa Patrick of Kentucky Health News about the health emergency ending and what it means for the Commonwealth.

>> Melissa, thanks for coming in.

We're here to talk about the federal health emergency that's ending in May when this emergency ends.

What will it mean for Kentuckians?

>> So from a health it will mean that that all of the programs around testing and vaccinations and treatment will change right now the federal government's paying for all of that and as the way the rules revisits long those.

>> Products the vaccines.

As long as the treatments have been paid for by federal dollar still remain free.

But then after that insurance will have to pick up that tab.

And the expectation is because the Affordable Care Act requires a, in fact, most vaccines to be free, that the vaccine will at no cost to most people who have insurance.

But people who don't have insurance or are what they call under-insured will have to pay for them and that that will be a huge change in that go says the signs for treatment and >> Kentucky's COVID-19 save emergency ended last March after the General Assembly passed a joint resolution declaring its conclusion.

Governor Andy Beshear vetoed that resolution says it's time for the federal health emergency to end.

One thing that will change with the federal emergency ending is the easier sign-up process for health care through Medicaid.

The governor said this about the Medicaid unwinding during his press conference last Thursday.

>> All of these programs are intended to get people through the this this height of COVID not to be permanent.

One of the biggest challenges is on winding pandemic.

Medicaid.

People cannot stay on it.

And we're talking about 240,000 Kentuckians, we believe that is a rough number.

He's signed up for Medicaid during the pandemic.

>> What's that about?

A quarter million people will lose Medicaid coverage.

What does this mean for those people?

>> It'll mean that that they might lose their health insurance.

In fact, I believe the numbers around 85,000.

>> People of will no longer qualify for Medicaid.

And that's an estimate.

>> And so that at least 85,000, Kentuckians will need to Seek coverage elsewhere in one of those places is through connect our state-based marketplace, which offers to what's called qualified health plans.

And these are federally subsidized health plans to make it more affordable for people who kind of fall in that in between area of not being able to be on Medicaid, but also not being able to afford a commercial insurance.

It will also mean that some people will move to Medicare.

Some people during the last 3 years have aged out of a Medicaid and be able to get on Medicare and then other prove that they don't make up to 138% of the federal poverty level.

Now you stay on that.

Okay.

>> Now one of the things about this Governor Beshear mentioned it was a much easier sign-up process for Medicaid during this expansion.

Will people who are eligible for it have to do now?

>> So they will need to sign up through the Medicaid office.

it's just a little a longer process.

And so the the people who are in charge of that will ensure that have all of their documentation is in order to say that they don't make enough money to disqualify.

>> The federal COVID-19 health emergency is scheduled to end my 11th according to the New York Times COVID tracker, Kentucky currently has the highest rate of spread in the country.

In fact, 11 Kentucky counties are now in the high category for COVID activity.

Here's the newest map updated last Friday a week ago, only 5 counties are red and they were all in southeastern Kentucky.

Now there's a cluster of red counties and southern Kentucky near the Tennessee border.

And there are some and northeastern Kentucky.

Jefferson County remains in the low category.

Fayette County is medium.

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron is joining a coalition of attorneys general and asking CVS and Walgreens to stop selling abortion pills through the mail and signing the letter.

Cameron who is also running for governor warns that selling abortion pills violates federal and state law.

And a statement Cameron says, quote, mailing abortion medication, places.

The health of mothers at risk and could increase the numbers of coerced abortions earlier this year, the FDA finalized a rule change that broadens access to abortion pills, including by mail.

Kentucky is one of 19 states with restrictions on abortion pills.

There is now a court battle over whether states have the power to do so in defiance of the FDA.

Kentucky is a bad state for child abuse.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Study released in 2022. shows 17 of every 1000 children in Kentucky are abused and that's twice the national average of 8.4.

We'll talk about child abuse and neglect in Kentucky on Kentucky tonight this evening.

And what the state is doing to try to improve those numbers.

You'll hear from our panel and we want you to send us your questions by phone email and tweet that's on tonight at 8 Eastern 7 central right here on KET.

Undoubtedly you've noticed the prices cost of eggs soared last year.

Inflation as one reason for the spike.

But the bigger issue is bird flu.

The CDC estimates nearly 60 million birds have died because of a current outbreak.

>> That's led some Kentuckians to consider ways to offset high ad prices.

We spoke to experts to see if backyard chickens are worth the effort >> with the increase in egg prices, there's lot of that are starting to check in and think about keeping chickens.

The prices definitely have been a shocker.

Instead of almost $0.99 for your grocery brand.

Your PAN.

>> $3 for grocery brand.

And then the others that say organic or free-range that you want to get because they're supposed to be healthier for your family.

You're looking at 5, 6, $7, and this area.

And of course, depending on where you are in the country there as much as $12 a dozen, the first time you pay those process.

It's not that big of a deal.

>> The second and the 3rd time you pay those prices.

It's like, yeah, this isn't in the budget >> something like, oh, well, let's just get seconds that will solve the problem.

But there's that could be out of builders.

The food you've got to feed, there's the betting you got a body have to weigh where you want your costs to do.

A lot of people think as soon as I have to console have eggs.

And that's not the Hand minimal takes 5 months to lay an egg.

>> Some breeds take 7 to 8 months to land and then they only really lay eggs productively for a year and then they'll stop and they have to go through mode where they lose some of their feathers.

The rigor of those feathers and then they'll start laying eggs again.

But now this time for a shorter time and even for less eggs, you will not make that you will not save money.

It can be cheap to start, but minimally you're looking at the feed and even that alone is not going to be less than the cost of eggs at a store at the current price.

>> Typically 4 to 6 is a general size for a backyard flock has 3.

You're going to get anywhere from one to 3 eggs a day up to 6.

You're going in anywhere from 4 to 6 eggs a day.

A lot of people like the pretty little coaching chickens.

They are not producers per se.

Your read, sex links your ice and browns.

>> Your heritage breeds like the Bard Rocks.

Those are good egg layers and hearty to the cold weather that we have here.

Then you have breeds randes these words lay up to 250 eggs a year.

You know, Penn, Austria honors their Spanish breed and the lay up to 200 eggs a year.

So if you're looking for that egg purpose, there definitely better breeds to consider.

Just do a little research.

Your typical backyard chicken is what we call a free-range chicken 2 degrees.

So it does make a more richer egg.

A lot of people don't realize how old eggs are in stores already.

And so you you think you have a shorter shelf life and >> you do when you purchase them from the storm.

But when you have them fresh up at your home, you have a longer shelf life, though.

There's plenty of advantages and to counter that there are plenty disadvantage.

Just you can't walk away from chickens once you've brought them into your backyard, reach out to your local extension We have a lot of publications even when you're considering it questions, you can ask yourself things you can look at on your property to see if it's feasible for you or not.

>> Some great information there.

Kerry Spry says that urban areas have seen a larger increase in people wanting to KET backyard chickens compared to rural areas.

♪ ♪ ♪ Kentucky AG Commissioner Ryan Quarles has put together a working group to address the state's shortage of large animal vet Marion's Kentucky.

Addition first told you about the shortage in September, only 5% of vets in the U.S. practice on large animals.

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture says that number is closer to 3% here in the Commonwealth commissioner who is running for governor in the GOP primary says this new work group will focus on possible solutions including incentive programs and ways to introduce young people to the profession.

U.S.

Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is criticizing President Joe Biden for the delay and shooting down a suspected Chinese spy balloon that flew across parts of the U.S. last week.

In a statement, Senator McConnell said, quote, as usual when it comes to national defense and foreign policy.

The Biden administration reacted at first 2 in decisively and then too late.

We should not have to let the People's Republic of China make a mockery of our airspace, unquote.

President Biden says he ordered the military to shoot down the plane, but in a way that didn't threaten lives or property on the ground.

McConnell says that doesn't make sense.

The military shot down the balloon off the coast of South Carolina on Saturday with the wreckage landing in the Atlantic Ocean.

Congressman Morgan McGarvey is among the co-sponsors of a bill to award the late Muhammad Ali.

The Congressional gold Medal, Ali, of course, is a native of Louisville.

McGarvey, represents that district.

McGarvey says Ali is an inspiration to generations of Americans because of his skill in the boxing ring as well as his humanitarian work.

Muhammad Ali died in 2016.

♪ The pandemic changed the way we work and learn one college campuses closed.

Students shifted to online courses even as universities reopened.

Many of those students decided that online learning was a better fit for their lifestyle.

More in tonight's look at Education matters.

22 year-old Princess Reed is a social work major at Western Kentucky University.

>> Taking 12 hours this semester to finish up her degree.

I like that.

I can go at my own pace and it's not necessarily confined to like a day at a time.

>> When the pandemic hit, she moved out of a residence hall into an apartment across town of actually found the online classes work better for me.

I was able to go ahead and start working in my field, work full time and take full-time and just get my degree.

And it worked better for me.

So I just ended up staying after COVID.

>> We are seeing individuals who are more and more willing to embrace that as a learning option.

>> All my classes are asynchronous so that means my professional upload elections for us to watch any time throughout the week.

And usually most assignments are due on like a Sunday or just a sad day throughout the week.

Second mark on the mound pace.

>> U.S. News and World Report's recently ranked WKU among the top.

55 best online bachelor's programs.

>> It's a real testament to the effort that we put into that to making sure that our online students are supported, making sure that we're being as flexible as possible in meeting students where they are and recognizing the challenges that some students may have with coming to campus and taking a traditional face-to-face course.

You just licensure for Reid to struggles with dyslexia.

She says it's been the best path forward to graduation.

>> It's being in the classroom and having that test taking that.

Was it being in the comfort of my home are just right.

Take a test or quiz.

I'm able to just like be my own environment and I find it that is more comfortable for me.

>> We've got online writing labs for students who may need access to that.

We've online tutoring available.

>> Rachel juggles or college course work with a full-time job and a volunteer position is also involved in campus life.

I think my situation is a little different just because I started on campus and then transition online.

so fully involved in campus actually find myself going to campus multiple times a week.

Chase Locke says it's important to the university that their online students don't feel isolated.

>> Even though they may be learning online exclusively, they still have access to a lot of those support services that you typically associate with the traditional face-to-face campus experience.

And so I think our faculty and staff have worked really hard to build and instill that sense of community in our online education experience.

>> Reid is now planning to pursue a graduate degree at Ohio State University and says she's considering going online for that education as well.

I think.

>> Really, the pandemic taught people well, I can have affective engagements over the computer.

I can be successful in my academic pursuits, even online.

>> COVID kind of made everything hard for everyone.

But I'm happy that I was able to persevere about the end of the road.

Now graduate in May with my bsw it.

I'm >> And that was Laura Rogers reporting WKU offers more than 80 online degree options.

U.S. News and World Report also included University of Kentucky on its list of the best UK was ranked number 49 for its online bachelor's program.

In Fayette County when some kids can't get to school, the school will go to them.

Fayette County Public School system just rolled out its first mobile preschool classroom, the classroom on wheels headed to the North Side Library for story.

Time with preschoolers.

A second bus will hit the road by the end of the month.

The 2 bosses will provide educational opportunities and every Lexington neighborhood.

The buses include teachers and learning resources to help prepare kids for kindergarten.

♪ Barrels of heart opened at the Fraser Museum in Louisville last week.

The exhibit highlights the work of award-winning artists and hobbyists alike.

Each took their turn to transforming an old bourbon barrel to an artistic masterpiece.

>> I hated Britain with heart as a way to bring together some of the best things about Kentucky.

It's bourbon, it's artist and I generosity.

So we have brought together those things in a way that's never been done before.

Our mission is to leverage the existing popularity and influence of the bourbon industry.

>> To bring awareness, educate people, raise funds for the local arts.

We have a very rich and vibrant arts culture here that a lot of people don't know about.

They they know where the leader, the bourbon industry, but they don't realize how robust our art scene is here.

So we're there been an art to bring people together to bring awareness to that and raise funds for other local nonprofits.

It's revealed that this is actually the states.

>> So this is actually for everyone's heart.

Very first event.

We had 20 barrels can painted by 20 local artists and the way we raise the funds.

Each barrel is sponsored by a local bourbon brand or company.

So we took the proceeds of that and they go to the artists and they go to.

>> For working with for local nonprofits.

So the proceeds will go to them as well as artists.

We held a public art is caught and it was only open for about 2 weeks.

And we had well over 150 incredible submissions.

And for this particular exhibit, we can only pick 20.

Obviously they had to be talented.

That to be from Kentucky.

But we want to all be very different.

So we really we put emphasis on on finding artists that were from all different walks of life.

So they have about a 6, 7, weeks to to to paint their barrel.

I'm a cool, cool fact is not a single one of these artists have every page of the Bentonville before this.

So it's unlike any other key thing that most of them have done is it's not flat like a flat canvas.

It's not smooth, it's curved.

So you're taking on a curve and you're painting a very rough but they all blew us away.

They exceeded expectations.

So I think that a lot maybe commission to do a lot more vivid details after this.

So so the barrels we didn't have brand-new girls.

These were all they were dusty Berry is they were cracked.

And so we will be found, though, and we through the power of human imagination and community and the generosity we've brought these girls a brand new life.

And, you know, we hope that when people come to see the exhibit that they see a piece of themselves, whether it's in the art and the artists are in the story of these barely these girls are headed for the fire it really stands as a symbol that.

Even if your life may feel that way, it's never too late to re create something beautiful.

>> And that is a true fact.

The exhibit is open now through March, 30th people are encouraged to vote for their favorite barrel after viewing the mall.

The artist with the most votes when the exhibit closes will win a cash prize and a donation to the charity of their choice.

Bourbon tourism reach new Heights last year in Kentucky, the Kentucky Distillers Association says attendance at distilleries along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail surpassed 2 million last year for the first time ever.

That easily beats the previous record of 1.7 million and 2019.

The Distillers Association created the Kentucky Bourbon Trail in 1999.

And there are now 18 participating.

Distilleries.

♪ Our Toby Gibbs has a president, 2 vice presidents and the co-writer of a popular Christmas Carol.

And tonight's look at this week in Kentucky, history.

♪ >> We talked the most famous Edison, Abraham Lincoln was born February 12, 18.

0, 9 and hodgenville.

It was in Hardin County at the time.

It's now in LaRue County.

Lincoln family would move to Indiana in 18, 16.

February 7th, 18, 12, the last and most powerful of the New Madrid earthquakes could be felt as far away as Montreal and Boston.

>> It was centered near New Madrid, Missouri, just across the Mississippi River from Kentucky.

The quake is considered one of the most powerful ever recorded.

The U.S. Senate pick Kentuckyian Richard Johnson to be vice president of the United States under President Martin Van Buren on February 8th 18.

37.

The Senate had to pick a VP because no one received enough Electoral College votes.

Former vice president John see Breckenridge in Kentuckyian supported the Confederacy during the Civil War.

He became Confederate secretary of war on February 7th 18.

65 2 months before the surrender at mathematics after the war, Breckenridge plan to Cuba.

Covington Native Haven.

Gillespie was born February 6th, 18, 88 during a 15 minute New York subway ride last be and composer chafe, right?

Because what right Santa Claus is coming to town to become a huge hit in 1934. and that's what was happening this week in Kentucky history.

>> I'm tell begins.

>> Thank you as always.

To be good.

Some great Kentucky native was honored during the 2023 Grammys last night.

Carly pair Pearce and Ashley McBryde won for best country duo for their song.

Never Wanted to be that girl.

Pierce's from Taylor Mail in Kenton County.

Congratulations, Carly.

Coming up Tuesday, we'll talk about Kentucky's teacher shortage and me to new members of the Kentucky General Assembly.

Don't want to miss that.

So we hope you'll join us again tomorrow night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky Edition, we inform connect.

>> And inspire.

I will see you tomorrow.

If you have a story that you want to submit to us, send us an email and public affairs at K E T Dot Org.

So I see you again.

Take really good care and have a great ♪