♪ >> It's going to be a good weekend to stay next to a heater.

More on the bitter cold and how to get through it.

>> Flush with funds.

>> Senate Democrats lay out their legislative agenda with a focus on 3 central areas.

>> I'm really excited that even as as a college student as a junior staff member, I feel like what I'm doing.

have some importance.

Some college students are learning about state government and not just in the classroom.

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

♪ ♪ >> Good evening and welcome to Kentucky edition on this blustery Friday, January.

The 12th, I'm Renee Shaw.

Hope you are staying warm and getting ready for some interesting weather.

Thanks for joining us tonight.

If you stepped outside today, you noticed it.

Strong winds are ushering in Kentucky's first big cold front of the year.

The National Weather Service says wind gusts of 60 miles per hour are possible tonight and that rain could transition to snow overnight.

Governor Andy Beshear is warning Kentuckians to be safe and he ordered all Executive branch office buildings to close early today.

Now the wind could lead to widespread power outages and the wind chill could drop below 0 by Sunday.

That's why doctors are encouraging people to stay inside when they can.

And if you do go outside, be on the lookout for signs of hypothermia.

>> Early fines would be numbness or tingling in fingers or toes.

And you might notice color changes.

They may look more hailed as a be some of the early signs.

I would encourage the if you see a child with those symptoms are they're telling you that there are numbers aren't that they have tingling in the fingers that you go ahead and bring them inside and get them warmed up.

But I would also ask children about the symptoms because they may not offer up that information.

Teething.

It may not know that they need to look out for those kinds of symptoms.

asked them regularly if they're experiencing things like that.

And then certainly if they're not acting normally, if they see a little bit confused as to be later, signs and it's definitely time to come and get warm, get something warm to eat or drink.

>> The cold air is expected to stick around through much of next week.

So bundle up now.

More health news tonight.

The Kentucky Department for Public Health says to Kentucky children recently died from respiratory diseases.

One child died from COVID-19.

The other died from the flu.

It's unclear how old the children were.

But the department says both children were unvaccinated.

State data shows respiratory illnesses, including the flu, COVID and RSV are widespread across Kentuckyian cases have been elevated over the last 5 weeks.

Flu and COVID vaccines are widely available.

You can find vaccines near you by visiting vaccines DOT Gov.

They're in the minority, but Democrats and the Kentucky General Assembly still have an ambitious agenda for 2024.

>> And some of them laid out those plans yesterday.

Our Clayton Dalton has more on policy ideas by Senate Democrats in tonight's Legislative update.

>> Senate Democrats have laid out their priorities for the 2024 legislative session.

Their agenda is centered on 3 areas.

The state's budget education and family and child welfare.

The Democratic caucus said their aim is to improve the well-being of all Kentuckians.

A state Senator Gerald Neal, a Democrat from Louisville and the minority floor leader, said he believes it's time to use the state's budget surplus to benefit the most Kentucky as possible.

>> We are in an unprecedented position here in Kentucky is unheard of historic.

In fact.

That we have a rainy day fund that is of in the billions range.

Now, that's significant because it's ever been every for at least in my estimation, on my research.

But not only that.

We're in a position of and pearl economic growth and development flush with funds will weigh be on the a framework that economists and financial analysts would say is reasonable in terms of the budget.

The state's largest expenditure is education and Senate.

Democrats say they want to put even more dollars towards Kentucky's public schools.

>> We want to increase pay and that just teacher pay here.

But you hear references teacher pay.

But that's not just awful to read and to increase pay.

>> For all personnel in the school system, both teachers and not teachers.

That includes the cafeteria workers.

That includes the janitorial staff.

That includes bus drivers.

The governor's advocate for 11% pay increase and we support that.

And then finally, we want to make sure that we fund universal Pre-K. We have to have Universal Pre K here in Kentucky study show that we you get 4 year-olds in school.

Their their health outcomes are better.

Their graduation rates a better the college-going rates to better their life as better.

It only cost about 175 million to 200 million dollars a year.

We have that money year after year after year.

Tell better our young people, Senator Kasey Chambers, Armstrong, the newest member of the Senate's Democratic caucus, focused on issues facing Kentucky families and children.

>> In addition to creating a Kentucky child tax credit and funding their programs for low-income schools.

Chambers, Armstrong discussed her bill that exempts diapers from state sales tax.

>> We know that one out of 2 Kentucky families struggle to afford the diapers.

They need.

I've heard stories of families who have Washington reuse disposable diapers because they don't have the resources to purchase the diapers dating.

If families do purchase the diapers they need.

They end up taking that money out of their rent out of their groceries, out of the other things that they need to pay for that month.

I don't want to say that getting rid of our 6% sales tax is going to solve all of the problem.

But we know from experience and from the many other states that have tried this that works, that it helps.

And that helps our kids.

>> Although some Republicans have pushed back on Universal PRE K some of the Democrats measures aimed at families and children have received bipartisan support.

This session for Kentucky edition.

I'm Clayton Dalton.

>> Thank you, Clayton.

Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer has teamed up with Senator Chambers Armstrong on Senate Bill 97.

Her legislation aimed at making diapers sales tax exempt Thayer along with 5 other Republican signed on as co-sponsors to the bill.

>> Time now for an end of week review of the major political news of the week.

And we've got 2 good ones with us today on screen left, we've got Jared Smith, who's with Piper Smith and Tre Watson who was with Capitol reins PR.

Good to see you guys.

Great to be way.

So we're in our second week of the Kentucky General Assembly, but it seems a little slower.

I know.

I just jinxed it.

>> Heard some of that.

Do you feel about the pacing of the session and and do you think that that's intentional for any reason?

>> I don't think it's intentional.

I do think next week is going to be a very hectic week.

A lot of stuff.

Those folks to drop this week still hasn't dropped.

I was told by a committee chair they expect, you know, somewhere between 141500 bill request, not not all.

Those are being filed more great.

You know the it's it's going to pick up a lot of speed.

Very quick.

>> And so since they change the rules where you don't profile bills, that's how come you might see like hundreds and hundreds.

Yeah, because that's probably why we're seeing different pacing that year than we've seen in the past is is the lack the ability to the pre-filed bills.

So people, you know, I think a lot of the levy then work on or didn't have a pre-written and they kind of got there.

>> They're they're getting out now.

But there's they're slowly start to come out.

And of course, when you have a 900 pound gorilla in the room, which is the until that's rolled out, I think that's going to go in cause a trickle and in a lot of other legislation.

>> Yeah, we've talked a lot about the budget and the governor state of the Commonwealth address.

We want to talk about one of the big bills that dropped this week as Hadley's law, which is Senate Minority Whip David Yates is Bill.

This is about the exceptions in the near total abortion ban in Kentucky for rape and incest.

Tell us where you think this might go.

Jared.

>> Well, I don't want to go anywhere because it's frankly it's a Democrat filed Bill and a Republican super majority I was with everything.

You know, nobody wants to seem to make exceptions, even if they have exceptions and states the do doctors are still kind of don't know what the rules are.

Don't know what's going to happen.

You know, I again, that's been on my commute.

I'm saying this with Barbara.

What the laws right now in Kentucky and some.

But something has to be done and has to be changed.

And at least if the Republicans are going to follow building at least the Senator Yates did.

>> Well, and the other part Yates's bill, it's not just rape, incest, but its viability of the pregnancy.

And when the Senate president and Speaker Osborne were on Monday night here for Kentucky tonight.

That viability question gives them some pause.

And how do you determine that?

>> But I think that theres there was a chance that there could have been a and exceptions.

Bill passed this session.

I think that this bill rolling out the way that it did with the title that it has probably kills any chance of that.

I think because it's named after a highly developed.

And I think also, you know, I think it was filed intentionally to put Republicans in a position where they didn't want her couldn't vote for it in order to KET that issue alive so they could be used against probable candidates in the fall.

I think that if it had been left alone, if they did get some work behind closed doors, there are Republicans who would like to see a bill filed if you work with Republicans to get a Republican sponsored Bill filed with a different title, minimize what is called a thing that we be to act.

You know, it's it's it's it's not something Republicans are going to palette the way that that bill was put out.

And my concern is kind of like this to marijuana.

Couple years ago.

It had a little bit of momentum.

They now feel under the grounds comes out chanting it but stopping the momentum because Republicans that want to vote for something that she was champing.

I just I think that this the way this know rolled out actually hurts the process of getting exceptions.

Bill passed.

>> So that's a good point.

Jared, are Democrats trying to make a point of the trying to make a policy?

>> Both haha, you know, as a strategist calling have was law is not the best move.

2 U.S. Republican super-majority Legislature.

I do I but I mean, the Republicans feel free to follow their own boom.

You know, I mean, sort of plenty of time left before the filing deadline.

You know, I don't think he I just.

I just every year that the law stays the way it is.

It endangers more people now.

>> Another bill of that to to help protect people.

Public Safety Act is called the Kentucky say for Kentucky at House Bill 5.

It is now because it was officially dropped this week.

House Republicans have been talking about this since the summer.

It started off with 18 points and what they had talked about, how many ended up there and what fell away.

>> I don't have the final number, but I know the couple believe the wiretapping Morrison is there.

And I would suspect this bill get a mini you'll see even lower.

I know general admission there's some concerns about some potential grant money that for housing that could be put at risk but at the end, the day people that when you do polling, you talk people especially was like Louisville, Lexington Crime is the is the number one issue.

Not just sometimes talk the number one issues.

Education will that doesn't always move voters crime.

Not only do people care about it, but it moves votes that there is a great emphasis in great need and the disease and to act on it.

So I think some something will pass.

It probably won't won't be this.

But I think this is a good starting point to be able to things off and get down to a bill that can pass both chambers and in the act into law.

>> So Jared, what's the kerfuffle about the grandma?

I think I know the mayor's election and will have some concerns that the way it's written now will cost them up to hundreds of millions of dollars in federal grant money for housing for affordable housing and other kinds of housing.

I also do a lot transit people, people that are that sleep on the streets of the bands that advanced to the camps of the you know, it does a lot of interesting things that I don't necessarily agree are part of violent criminals that need to be taken off.

The streets of the wiretapping is desperately needed.

And the >> And that's what Mayor Craig Greenberg said.

But there are some Republicans who were against that particular provision.

That's why it was not invited to look.

I think there's an issue here where you're you're really talking about a bill that.

Mostly effects 2 counties, Jefferson and Fayette.

But of course, he's going to stay the stay while also.

>> You know, it's going to see how it's written.

Keeping in mind the to localities that that really need these these tools path for law enforcement.

But then having people from all across the state have a vote on it.

It's going to be a kind of a give and take to get this thing through.

And, you know, we've seen Europe seems like past decade we try to get people out of incarceration back into the work force them back into society.

>> And now you're starting to see as the pendulum swing the other way of cracking down a 3 strikes laws.

And that is in that bill as well.

And so it's really fun to see where we are.

But bounces out of control in some traumatize everybody, the kids and everything in, you know, we may be able to take care of cells.

And I hope that all that out that line counties will give Lexington a little little the tools they need to take care of themselves.

Well, a lot to KET our eyes on.

We think the pace will pick and pick up.

>> And week 3 and we expect to see some education bills that will talk about on the other side Sunday.

I measures for both K through 12 and higher.

Ed, I have a lot of thoughts on day with you again in the coming for that.

Thank you guys for being with us.

Try Watson, Jared Smith.

Always good to see a weekend.

Thank you.

♪ ♪ The Legislative Research Commission or Lrc does a lot of important behind the scenes work for the Kentucky General Assembly.

>> And right now, 8 college students are interning with the lrc to see if the government is the right future for them.

>> Garza of what you do, UF acted by the General Assembly and every know what's going on.

In General Assembly and there are see internship is a full-time internship.

It's a competitive internships.

We bring them in in November for 3 days.

They meet with every committee heads of every committee step just the hear what those folks are dealing with.

At the end of that orientation that asked them to give me 3 places.

They would not mind working doing their their internship.

I try my best to give them one of those 3 there, either juniors or seniors.

And they already have a career path in mind.

I think when people think of being a political science, it is a very nonlinear career field.

But everyone automatically thinks of politician or lawyer.

>> And the reality is that there is a whole lot more to the field than just those 2 careers.

And so I kind of wanted to get in and get to see a little bit more of what a career options kind of way before me.

But just to get some more firsthand experience because at the end of the you can read about all you want and see it in the classroom.

But until you're actually there and seeing it happening right before you're not going to have it that full understanding they do.

They antacid missed here.

What the legislature will adjourn no later than April 15th, but they are here to April 30.

It's very meaningful internship.

>> Which as an academic component, a couple of classes that they take here and now some of them they practicum part of the internship where they actually become a part of it was the staff.

My role is to make sure that that we remember their students that doing good work for us and some heavy duty research and a little build Rathbun there an extra hand, but primarily their students.

And we want this to be a learning experience for >> I decided to apply to this program because I felt like the description.

>> Was a line of what I want to in my career.

Our right to be a criminal justice attorney.

And so I thought that this was at a nice for me going into my legal legal profession.

>> I hope that can make this a career.

I'm really impressed with a lot of the work and the impact that I've seen.

And this chart with the bin here I think that public service is very meaningful.

And this opportunity just kind of fell in my lap.

And I'm hoping that I can embrace it in their hands on.

There are those those that have in turn here.

>> But for us.

>> Who when they left saying I'm never want to see what the inside of another government building.

Again, to me, that's a success.

Successful.

>> Internship because internships county show you what you might want to do, what you you you might opt to want to do.

But he's also they can show you what you don't want to do that to me.

That success.

>> And Sheila Mason does some incredible work there in Frankfort, the end turns wrapped up the second week of their internship today.

Good luck, guys.

♪ ♪ >> Family scholar House started nearly 30 years ago as a small program in Louisville, housing for single moms as they completed school today, it's expanded to serve more than 72,000 families across 34 states their mission is to end the cycle of poverty through education.

One woman who helped lead that expansion was once a resident herself.

Here's Maria Wilson story in her own words.

>> I grew up pretty much in poverty has been probably more than 90% of much have hope homeless in middle school at 8th grade.

I had my first child at the age of 14.

>> at that time at their have much.

Our back said when I was in hospital are delivered him.

I see the call from the social workers saying that out of the move that the placement of my mother, it's a foster care because she tested positive house.

A teen mom.

But I was just really does Jaime to finish school like that was just something I want it.

I don't I don't know how to get there.

My dream was to be a lawyer when it to be a lawyer.

So I'm as life, you know, continue happening after I graduated high school.

I googled how to go to college.

So at the right, well, the school Astra at that time.

And that was my second son.

And so now I'm a single mom of 2.

And I just decided that was something different.

I started, you know, it's going to charge and strengthened my faith.

And I met someone in charge and they tell me about family.

Sky Houses now graduate.

Now I started singing workshops and I move that the list and I end up moving into a family's car At that time.

I rolled in the University of Louisville.

And so I started singing classes and just being here and having the support and having the families some, they just basically just poured into me.

And it's just different things I didn't realize that needed to work through to get to where I want to be with having like the family having the support, having the advocacy of just having a family advocate, academic advocate and they help work through all of these barriers and these things that I was pretty much, you know, dealing with and going through I use this is the best example that I use this all the time is the best I can.

And I explain it is that I had the drive and the determination even as a kid, I KET that I KET, OK, I can.

Google is all we had to get to the next step.

>> However, is just like a broken car in the garage.

You can have the best schools in the world.

You have this broken car, but the instruction manual is going to be the key to fixing that car.

And I feel like that family's car house with the instruction manual.

For me, they were the instruction manual to help me become who I was already destined to be actually had a conversation.

My son today and he said these were the best years of his life.

He said that, you know, these were the times that he actually for the first time had me that I wasn't trying to survive, but I was able to thrive while here, my son, he was a buddy but crabbing.

He went to the elc the attendant there.

That was his foundation.

He was 2 at the time, which was an excellent education.

So now he's thriving in high school right now and he's strong academically because his foundation is strong as well.

I graduated from the air.

So what would the degree in just a ministration of communications that the site is a while back into school?

And I want to wash University in St. Louis law school and I graduated from Wash U I now work as the affiliate program director was I just came back from work when athletes today, but just taking this program and having it all over the country in supporting these other organizations so that other kids don't have to grow how to go to college or have to figure it out or happen.

Move out of their own company's owner.

Go somewhere else with different state because they don't offer that help in their cities.

So I'm blessed with the opportunity that I can go out and that's not worked in the is purpose.

So so when did it for me?

So I owe it to get back to all the other moms and dads and other single parents that what the opportunities that I was given.

>> Proud of Maria, the family scholar House offer services to support families through their educational journey like academic and career coaching financial education, affordable housing, apprenticeship programs and health and wellness.

Coaching, you can learn more about the family scholar House on this weekend's inside Louisville with Kelsey Starks, which also features Shirley's nonprofits is taking charitable gaming to a whole new level.

Giving back is the focus of the next inside Louisville this Sunday at noon Eastern 11:00AM central right here on KET.

♪ ♪ M*** Rowe is a prominent figure in business circles throughout Kentucky.

He was a corporate executive for more than 35 years who cemented his reputation as a servant leader.

He now has authored to the list of his accomplishments and he just released his first new book.

The Good Will Jar Reflections on leadership and legacy.

I recently sat down with Nick to talk about his book that my humble those who think titles and ladder climbing are the only keys to success.

>> When I was working, I just go around the people, everybody, you know, rounds had reached the NIT seniors that can love an organization.

But I would say to my senior night where you mean by that so well, if I walked around the building here and I say whose influence short career with ever say your night?

Some not so much to be saying your name in the community somewhere.

You may help me do this or this John him to do this are in a help me do that.

If that ever say your name is kind of been about you.

You know, the book is really it's really not about us about the Spurs us about other people.

>> He's got a lot of good insight.

You can see the full interview with Nick Rowe on connections this Sunday at 11:30AM, Eastern 10, 30 central right here on KET.

The good news.

If you like quilts fishing, classical music or all of the above.

Our Toby Gibbs has a packed agenda for the weekend and beyond.

In our look at per around the Commonwealth.

♪ >> The 2024 Kentucky Fishing Expo is officially underway in carbon.

This event is reeling and anglers from all over the state to check out the high in here and to hear from fishing pros Paw Patrol also be appearing at the event.

So bring out the whole family members of the fishing community and celebrate the art of dangling in Kentucky.

If you've ever seen one of the many beautiful quilts at the National Museum in Paducah, you may have wondered what the back of the spaces looks like.

Well, now's your chance to find out the flip side exhibition opened today and you can see the literal behind the scenes of quilts with interesting backsides.

If this weekend is too busy to check it out, don't flip.

The exhibition runs through February.

12th.

Next Friday is the 100 62nd anniversary of the Battle of Mill Springs and the Middle Springs Battlefield National Monument is hosting a luminaria event to commemorate the first major U.S. victory in the Civil War.

There will be over 200 luminaries to honor the battles, casualties and a program from the Sons of Union and Sons of Confederate veterans groups.

Visitors are invited to help set up a luminaries beforehand or just enjoy the commemoration.

Monday is Martin Luther King Junior Day and the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville is hosting a free community day to celebrate.

They will be free admission to the center all day.

And at noon there will be a youth leadership panel called continuing the Green continuing the legacy posted by the Muhammad Ali Center Council of Students.

This is a great opportunity to check out the center.

If you haven't been before and to celebrate MLK and black history in Louisville.

The Glam, our Center for the Arts as a concert opportunity on Tuesday that you won't want to miss Brian Woods.

The young concert pianist on the forefront of the professional touring world.

>> And he's bringing his program wanderings to Madisonville.

The program will include works by Debussy Rachmaninoff and Chopin.

Whether you're a classical music lover or you're dipping your toes in the genre, this concert is sure to impress.

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

I'm to be good for us.

>> Appreciate you always do be Gibbs.

Join us for a special Kentucky edition on Monday in honor of the late Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Junior and the holiday on his name.

We'll take a look at his connections to Kentuckyian how his civil rights work affected Kentucky.

That's coming up Monday, which we hope you will see you 4.

Stay warm.

In the meantime, we'll see you for Kentucky edition on Monday at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central.

Of course, it's where we inform connect and inspire.

>> Subscribe to Kentucky Edition email newsletters and watch full episodes and clips at KET Dot Org.

Connect with us all the ways you see on your screen, Facebook, X and Instagram to stay in the loop.

A lot of good stuff to tell you about next week.

The weather will be among the top stories, a guarantee.

Take good care, stay warm and I'll see you next week.

Have a good weekend.

♪