♪ >> Basically, it's January being January this year.

>> As Kentucky digs out from under the snow and ice.

How does this season compared to recent years and what could lie ahead?

>> A little bit about the hall on a daily basis is an increase, but it's even higher.

There's an excessive amount of drinking.

>> Here, what's too much when it comes to alcohol consumption and cancer risk?

We're talking about thousands of lives that could be could be impacted by those office.

A winter storm brings an urgent need for blood donations in Kentucky.

>> All of us are working hard to change the spread in so many ways is so so actively segregated from the rest of the city.

>> And one of Louisville's oldest neighborhoods is working on a new beginning.

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

♪ ♪ >> Good Evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this brand new week.

It is Monday January.

The 13th hopefully you dug out from all the snow and ice and thank you for spending some of your Monday night with us.

Things are getting back to normal and some places yet schools remain closed and others at.

>> They're 2 rounds of winter weather.

The first storm a week ago brought snow, freezing rain and sleet across Kentucky.

A quarter to a half inch of ice on trees and power lines left 10's of thousands without electricity.

>> Meteorologists say much of the state has seen below average temperatures this month.

>> Basically as January being January this year, you go back to January 2024, we only had really one week of harsh winter weather that was right in the middle of the month between about the 15th and 22nd after which things moderated in really one could argue that was all the winter we had for all intents and purposes a year ago.

You go back to the winter of 2022.

23, we only had one week of harsh winter weather that was right around Christmas time where we had a white this year.

It seems the cold has been more persistent.

>> It has not been record cold, though.

When you go back to season like in the late 70's, the winter of 77, 78 stands out in the minds of many where we had an average temperature for the state as cold as the upper 20's for the entire season.

We haven't seen anything close to that.

Although we have had some memorable arctic outbreaks in other years like 1985, for example, 1989 comes to mind winter 94 was quite harsh in January with another ice storm that affected Southern Kentucky in February.

That year.

But we just haven't had a season with the kind of persistence of cold or even blizzard conditions like what we had back in the winter of 77 78.

>> The Kentucky Mesonet at western Kentucky University has 80 sites and 75 counties they say to expect more bitter cold over the next couple of days.

>> It is possible in places where we have significant snow and ice pack, especially in the north that we could see temperatures flirt with 0, especially mid week.

One thing that snowpack does, it works to cool the ground.

Snow has a high libido reflectivity.

So the sun has 6 to more of its energy.

>> Shutting down on it.

And a lot of it is reflected.

So as a result, there's a refrigeration of fact.

>> Both during the day and also at night, especially when the heat of the day is lost and radiates back into space.

The areas with snow packed cool more readily.

So I wouldn't be surprised to see some readings near 0, especially in the north and east before the airmass moderates, especially by Thursday into Friday.

>> After that warm up later this week, more cold temperatures will likely return for the Martin Luther King junior holiday weekend.

It's uncertain whether we'll see more snow and ice.

But the Kentucky Mesonet says the pattern does favor more winter weather.

Kentucky state lawmakers braved the wintery weather last week to start the 30 day legislative session.

Formalizing leadership and committee assignments and welcoming new members.

22 new members were sworn into the Kentucky General Assembly on Tuesday, including 16 in the House and 6 in the Senate.

Tonight we introduce you to a Navy SEAL combat veteran gun store owner who frequently dons a cowboy hat state.

Senator Erin Reid has been working to get to Frankfort for 3 years after redistricting shuffle and a tight primary last May.

The Republican was hired by voters in the 7th state Senate district that encompasses Anderson Henry part of Jefferson and Shelby Counties.

My interview with state Sen Erin Reid as we continue our profiles of the legislature's freshman class of 2025.

Up to us about your background.

Your your professional background, your civic engagement and why that led you to pursue a seat in >> Kentucky state Senate.

How far you want to go back to a good start off?

>> You know, in the early days I started off my life of service with, if you will, in the Cub Scouts start-up Cub Scouts.

Boy Scouts became an Eagle Scout.

And one thing my dad always told me he was an Eagle Scout is in a former Marine as well as a state trooper.

He retired 28 years.

A trooper here in Frankfort.

But he always told me he's a good influence on me.

He always said America's free because Goodman serve.

So I always KET it was going join the military soon as I discover what with the Navy SEALs were all about?

I was all in and I didn't look back to be a Navy SEAL yet to make it your goal in life.

Your only goal in life to make it through that training outright on you guys that.

>> And you know, it.

>> Sometimes they listen sometimes.

Yeah, as you know, the attrition rates pretty high and seal teams and that stuff.

So if you don't go into this and that adventure is or that quest, everything you've got, you're going to have a hard time.

It was the toughest thing I've ever heard in my life.

Absolutely.

And you know, here we are today and I did 22 and a half years in the Navy just over half of that was was active duty time.

And then I switched to the reserve later in my career in 2020 2021.

Roughly I.

And come home and I was working my way out of the reserves and you know, we were seeing the country going in an odd direction.

You know, I was I was leaving the service from 1, 1, branch and trying to figure out what the next chapter is going to be in life and I think I've had a lot of people calling it.

You need it.

You run for this position, unity, this new do that and listen in.

Sometimes that's how guys, you know, tells you what to do.

He sends people to tell you, I started my my campaign to run for Senate and then, you know, it was kind of a long haul because in 20 January, 22 the the General Assembly voted to change up the map a little bit.

We got redistricted.

So my district and from district 20 to district 7 and with that.

Basically the my election went away because it was an odd number instead of an even number.

So I kicked it down the road 2 years and I just went into marathon note that point and was basically saw campaigning.

And, you know, spreading the word on faith, family and freedom, which is what I what I ran on.

>> And because you've been committed for a long time, what is it that you really want to fight for while you're here?

>> There's so many so many things.

I was blessed enough when I rolled in here, too.

You know, it's given some pretty good committee assignments.

The biggest being the Veterans Military affairs, public protection, the map I was I was given the vice chairmanship my freshman year.

So I'm really looking forward to getting into that a lot.

Also education an education committee, Judiciary Committee and Agriculture Committee.

I couldn't come up here that be an egg, right?

All right.

Folks back home with so you gotta take care of the farmers home.

Absolutely.

I'm really big on the, you know, getting the income tax down the 3.5 in lower than actually 3.5 is already this year.

And then.

Getting down to 0 would be pretty awesome for our economy.

I'm working with my others feel centers.

My colleagues on kind of develop a plan where we can help.

Bring some fitness options to our schools right now.

Not a whole lot in recess is kind of get seems to be getting phased out.

Also, I want to think that's important.

Mean it's occasion is trade schools.

My long-term goals.

When I leave here, I'd like to have some kind of stamp on that that I, you know, improve that situation where kids can graduate high school and have more options, be certified to go into the workforce.

>> When you think about like a the reverence of this place, right?

I mean, this is the institution.

It's not just a set of buildings and a complex, but it is it is more than that, right?

It is about like holy ground.

It is like sacred ground, right?

Is that how you view it?

>> I do.

When you walk into the Senate chamber or the House chambers, it really you feel the the history coming down on you when you walk into the capital period.

Look at the paintings of our forefathers and those who who made who came to Kentucky unsettled here and made it what it is today.

It's it's really inspiring.

Yeah.

Yeah.

You intimidated by this atmosphere at all.

>> You know, a little bit, you know, mostly.

Respected.

You know, I respect I I not I guess intimidation wouldn't be the case the case because I've been.

>> Intimidated by other things that are that, you know, come here.

They can't kill me.

It's they can't take my birthday away.

You know, you hear these to these phrases, you know, you're going to be loved in Frankfort, headed home or loved at home and hated in Frankfort.

And there's got to be a middle ground on that to wear.

You can work with your folks here, your colleagues and do the best possible for your for we the people back home.

>> A programming note tonight with the first few days of the 2025 Kentucky General Assembly in the books will talk with the 4 top legislative leaders about what's happened so far and what's next when they returned February, the 4th hear from them and send us your questions and comments on Kentucky tonight.

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

In other news reconstruction work has started on a northern Kentucky bridge, damaged in a fire in November.

The Ohio Department of Transportation posted these pictures of the first steel beams arriving to begin repairs on the Daniel Carter Baird Bridge commonly referred to as the Big Mac Bridge.

The beings arrived last night.

Crews began putting them in place this morning.

The southbound side of the bridge was shut down after a fire broke out under the bridge.

Melting the steel girders.

Officials say around 33,000 vehicles are being diverted to other bridges every day because of the closure.

Repairs are expected to be completed by early March.

How does your pay stack up with the rest of Kentucky?

The payroll company ADP says the median income for Kentucky workers is $56,000 a year.

That's about 3,000 less than the national median income.

There is some good news for Kentucky.

Median pay went up about 5 percent in Kentucky from December of 2023. to December of last year.

That's bigger than the national increase during that same time.

The medical field has the best pay with pathologist making a median income of 376,000 and family medicine, physicians making around 282,000 among the lowest paying jobs movie theater projection us make 22,500 fast food workers make 25,000 and motel and hotel desk parks make 26,000.

♪ ♪ A new advisory out by the U.S. surgeon general.

Details how drinking alcohol can increase the risk of developing 7 types of cancer.

It also comes with a call for Congress to require warning labels on alcohol informing people about the link between cancer risk and alcohol consumption and colleges with the Norton Cancer Institute weighs in on alcohol consumption and the risk of developing breast cancer.

One of the 7 cancers on the surgeon general's list.

Details and tonight's look at medical news.

>> Information we have regarding.

Alcohol and breast cancer has been very clear for many years.

These putting algae studies where they had large group saloon with diagnosis of breast cancer.

They would match them up with what would be, quote, community controls, which would have equal age potentially, quote, other risks of cancer looking for other.

Other things that could be going on.

That's different between those 2 groups that might be predictors of breast cancer and alcohol comes up clearly.

Any alcohol versus non.

The any alcohol has a high risk of breast cancer.

But even when you look at small amounts, there's an increased risk of breast cancer and it increases so a little bit of alcohol on a daily basis is an increase, but it's even higher if there's an excessive amount of drinking 2 drinks a day, something like that.

But again, information we've known for a long time.

I think it's particularly concerning the patients that are at higher risk but other types of breath risk for breast cancer.

Obesity, for instance, way, patients that may have a family history, for instance, would be another group.

But I think it's important for women to know.

It's important that I think with many other things in life alcohol.

In most patients.

And it's just moderating consumption.

Small amounts.

Things like that would be my recommendation in terms of reducing risk of breast cancer.

Do see some patients that have progressed, cancer that come to me to look for reducing risk.

And that absolutely is on the top of my list is to KET alcohol to a minimum level.

I typically write it out as one or fewer alcohol drinks per day.

And for sizing the fewer if at all possible.

And all my breast cancer survivors weve actually have guidelines.

And it does appear that even in a breast cancer survivor, perhaps some risk, but probably safe for a moderate single jury drink.

Per day or less.

I don't think we can speculate that.

Taking one month off and then going back to a moderate to significant amount of alcohol per day.

Probably in the big picture over the next 5, 6 years in a patient's.

Not a person is not as important.

But I think perhaps knowing and finding out that she might month that I really was not consuming alcohol at all.

We're normally I was having a drink or 2 every day to you know what, I kind of feel better.

I sleep better.

We all know it.

It's counterintuitive.

Many people think the way to get a good night's sleep is to drink alcohol.

It's the other way around, but they find out they're sleeping better.

They're feeling better.

They're a functioning much better and quicker at work.

I think overall it'll only be helpful to patients would like to try that.

>> The other cancers linked to alcohol consumption, colorectal because mouth, liver throat and voice box.

More medical news now.

Last week's Winter Storm is having an impact on Kentucky's blood supply.

Kentucky Blood Center says the winter weather led to mobile drive cancellations.

Shorten collection hours and low donor turnout.

The center estimates more than 800 donations were lost as a result.

The drop in donations comes at a bad time after the holiday season.

When blood donations are typically low.

One donation goes a long ways.

But the way we spoke about products for the home, but donation.

>> One donation can save up to 3 lives.

So you do.

You do the math there.

800 donations were talking about thousands of lives that could be could be impacted by those losses in terms of what we need this week as we need people to come out.

We know where where we're trying to make up for losses.

You know, in terms of sense of urgency, we do need people this week.

But I also think this is a great example for the need for consistent donation.

The need for people to be more intentional because, you know, to to point your question and it's January, it's the middle winner.

We can't when the storms are going to come when the disruptions are going to be.

But it's pretty inevitable that there are going to be disruptions that at some point it's going to snow or there's going to be ice or the temperatures are going solo or they cancel school.

And so knowing that those disruptions are happen, that's why we're so adamant about people be more intentional.

You know, it's like going to the dentist.

You know, you go every 6 months in your schedule, entertain.

We're asking people to, you know, every 8 weeks make that it, you know, treated like that where it's a routine thing where they come in or maybe can't come every week.

So maybe it every few months when things like the winter storm comes along.

If we already have a robust supply on the shelves were able to take those losses a little bit better, able to handle them better than we are right now.

>> For more information about blood donation go online to K why Blood Center Dot Org for a list of donor centers.

Hours of operation and to schedule an appointment.

♪ >> Portland is considered to be Louisville's oldest neighborhood.

>> It's it's just west of downtown and was created to be 8 when city to neighboring Louisville when it was originally settled.

Since then, a lot has changed and the area is undergoing the beginning of a revitalization effort, which includes the creation of the city's first children's museum.

Our Kelsey Starks gives us an inside look at Portland, Louisville.

>> It's not Portland, Oregon or even Portland, Maine, but a lesser-known Portland sits just northwest of downtown Louisville.

>> I've heard that it was and parcel of land.

That was one in a poker game.

But General William Light on who I believe established Cincinnati and this kind of got this little.

>> Uncle and as an afterthought, it's said to be Louisville's oldest neighborhood officially established in 18 election.

Portland's history dates back much further than that NATO settlements were talking.

Stanley.

>> A 15,000 years.

It's just always been a pretty.

>> Amazing natural part of the river because of the way the river kind of curves around >> all sorts of wildlife congregated here still country a year for making fishing and hunting really desirable.

Pretty easy.

>> It was the early 18, 100's when the French first to settled on Shippingport Island and established a church in Portland before it was even considered a town.

Our Lady Church or Notre Dame to port which still stands to this day.

General William Litle whose name still graces one of the main thoroughfares established the 3,000 acres here as Portland before the McAlpin locks and Dam were built.

The falls of the Ohio where the most treacherous stretch of the Ohio River dropping.

26 feet and just 3 miles, most boats stopped at this port to go around the dangerous waterfalls rapids and shoots.

So Portland became a busy and very populated town full of many wealthy families in boat captains, Irish and German settlers joined the French and made up a diverse port town.

>> It became.

>> A real hot spot for immigration.

All sorts of things.

Good and bad.

You know, the bad being human trafficking in the slave trade.

But that enslaved folks were.

Sold down the river literally that term originated here in the Portland neighborhood as they were being sold to New Orleans.

>> Although it was eventually annexed into the city of Louisville, Portland retained its independence, partly because its geography physically separated from the rest of the city.

It was set up.

>> Early on is kind of a Saint Paul and Minneapolis kind of thing with little important game.

Twin Cities and Portland has always been Stan Chile independent.

That one point they tried to not only secede from the United States, but from all nations on Earth.

They believe the charter went and and how how they got that, that that mindset still exists.

Historic back-to-back floods in 1937, in 1945.

Redlining and subsequent white flight drastically changed the dynamics of the neighborhood, which was one of the earliest settlements of free property holding black people after the Civil war.

>> The decline, you know, it's just floods in fear.

Really?

You know that redlining thing.

It really didn't do anyone any favors that still exists.

>> I think that we're all just learning to break down these barriers and kind of in still pride and I don't know here yesterday into our children.

You know, that.

Who don't.

>> Share there, grandparents, you know, perception of this area.

And that's where the Portland Museum comes in.

Originally created as a place for families to contribute photos or scrap books about the place where they grew up is now a 3 building complex that has a motto of promoting art community and heritage.

>> It's a real community effort where really?

Excited to kind of be on the same page knowing what we want and need around 2.

And that is and gauge the younger folks that, you know.

I don't have this.

These burdens of the stereotypes talked about it.

There.

They're they're there.

They're past natives have this in the sense that we want to try to capture and focus on as much as we can.

>> That includes plans for creating the city's first children's museum.

A whole wing is taking shape in this abandoned building at the museum recently purchased an started.

Overhauling the not a cult theme of Portland is obvious, but it stands for Adventure House of you.

I think people.

>> And current generations are just learning to be west scared.

And mark, here is the west-end generals just so full just beautiful architecture.

You know, the is unparalleled Anyone I met around here that is that so friendly and welcoming and and I started hearing about that, the 9th Street tonight and always scary.

Sarah Sterotypes after living here for a minute.

My room, Wheeler, this is a lock your doors, a neighborhood like this.

But then that was.

The most kind gracious folks.

It's all hinge on that just takes people that.

I trust their guy rather than.

Trust of the people skepticism.

>> And there's a lot going on in the Portland neighborhood and you can learn all about it on inside Louisville.

You can watch that episode online on demand at KET DOT Org.

>> And tune in for Inside Louisville every Sunday at 12 noon.

11:00AM Central right here on KET.

♪ >> There are changes in this week's Associated Press college basketball poll as the Kentucky man moved down 2 notches and the Kentucky women move up more in tonight's look at sports News.

The UK man loss to Georgia but then beat Mississippi State.

Because of that, the cat slipped from 6 place to 8, Tennessee lost to Florida.

So the volunteers went from first to 6th Albert is the new number one team on the women's side.

Kentucky is up 3 from 15 to 12 after wins against Florida and Auburn.

We still have some snow and ice around but it was worse in 1994 America once had a 15 strike flag.

Thanks to Kentucky and you're about to meet the giant of Letcher County.

Our Toby Gibbs has all that.

And this look at this week in Kentucky history.

♪ >> President George Washington authorized a 15 star 15 stripe American flag on January 13, 17 94 additional stars and Stripes acknowledge the new states of Vermont and Kentucky by 18, 18 with 5 more states to join the union flag reverted back to 13 stripes.

America's youngest Vice President John see Breckenridge was born in Lexington on January 16 18.

21 it just 36 years old when he became vice president under James Buchanan in 18, 57.

The Kentucky General Assembly chartered Kentucky University on January.

15th, 18, 50 age, you know, been in Mercer County and would later merge with Transylvania University.

Martin Van Buren.

Bates known as the giant of Letcher County died on January 14, 1919, it stood 7 feet, 11 inches tall and weighed 525 pounds.

They toured the world.

Met.

Presidents met several times with Queen Victoria of one.

January 1919, 59 President Dwight D Eisenhower urged Congress to spend more than a million dollars on new construction at Mammoth Cave National Park.

In Kentucky dealt with massive snow and ice and January 17, 1994, Louisville had almost 16 inches of snow.

Roberts County had 25 2 days after that on January 19th Shelbyville reported a low temperature of 37 degrees below 0.

The coldest temperature ever recorded in Kentucky.

And that's a look back at this week in Kentucky history.

>> Toby Gibbs.

Thank youto be will take a pass on those temperatures.

But don't you take a pass on Kentucky Edition because we want you to join us tomorrow night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central where we inform connect.

>> And inspire.

Thanks so very much for watching.

Make sure you connect with us all the ways you can.

Facebook X and Instagram to stay in the loop until I see you again.

Have a great night and take good care.

♪