♪ >> A Kentucky based whiskey maker is cutting jobs.

How many and why?

>> Folks who are training to become teachers are either going to look in other industries or they're going to look at other states.

We're going to start with an even bigger mess.

>> A new report says teacher pay isn't keeping up with inflation.

>> We have the money to do the things that need to be done.

So people aren't sleeping with snow with a blanket.

>> And does a Kentucky law need to be changed after police cited a homeless woman going into labor?

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

♪ ♪ >> Good Evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Tuesday, January, the 14th, I'm Renee Shaw.

We thank you for spending some of your Tuesday night with us.

The largest maker of American whiskey headquartered right here in Kentucky is laying off hundreds of people.

Brown-Forman says it's closing its barrel making operation and Louisville by the end of April Brown-Forman Corp Origin's one of the largest whisky barrel makers in the world and implores more than 200 people Brown-Forman makes brands such as Woodford Forster and Jack Daniels.

The company says the closure is part of a 12% reduction in its global workforce.

The cost-cutting move comes as American whiskey producers face stiff challenges from changing consumer trends and renewed tariff threats.

In a statement, Brown Foreman's president CEO said, quote, I want to express my sincere gratitude to our employees, particularly those impacted by these changes for their dedication and contributions.

We are committed to supporting them through this transition and our confident that the strategic initiatives will ensure the company indoors for generations to come, quote.

The story is making headlines across the state today as the bourbon industry plays a major role in Kentucky's economy.

We go now to our Laura Rogers and her conversation with Janet Patton, a business reporter for the Lexington Herald-Leader.

>> Janet, you covered the bourbon industry extensively and so tell us, is there a perception now that this bill let that we've seen in recent years is starting to slow?

>> There's definitely been signs of a slowdown that have been coming over the last year or so.

I think people have been buying less.

That's not been a secret during the pandemic people, but a lot more people drink a lot more.

Then they had previously and coming out of that, then rate of people drinking has dropped.

That's one factor that has been known and as everybody knows now that the prices of everything else have gone up, people are often looking at ways to cut back in some areas at the grocery store.

And one thing that has been hit has been spending on.

>> Alcohol.

>> And it was just recently the U.S. surgeon general came out saying that alcohol should be clearly labeled as a cancer risk.

You also have a new administration coming in.

There's been some talk sons of tariffs on American spirits or these also some things that might be causing concern among the industry.

>> Yeah, the industry has been vocal about both of those issues.

I think that probably the bigger concern for that right now is the possibility of tariffs coming back because if you look back at the previous tariffs that had a really major impact on exports.

And that is what Kentucky in particular needs to look toward to KET its market share of American whiskey because if Americans are cutting back the last thing they need is.

>> More bourbon in the market here.

They need to be finding new markets overseas in tariffs would probably have a very difficult impact on that.

>> And we've had a lot of new distilleries opened during this been, of course, longstanding distilleries had expanded and grown have some of them even reinvented themselves on the Bourbon trail.

And then the new ones that have Is there a concern that some of those my clothes?

>> I don't know if we see any of the big was closed and the smaller distilleries, the craft distilleries, they could be hit by this a lot harder.

There's no doubt that craft distillers have less of a cushion when it comes to economic downturns.

And there is a glut on the market right now.

So if you're walking into a liquor store and you're looking at the bourbon out, every time I go in, there's more.

There's more and more and it's very hard to decide.

What am I going to buy?

If you've never tasted it or you know, if you're looking at something that.

>> Now costs a lot more than it used to.

You might be looking at moving dash over to you.

>> Can something that's a little bit less in the same line.

>> And I wonder if that will lead some bourbon companies to lower their prices to compete.

It's possible.

I mean, it would be surprising to me to see.

>> Some of the prices go down.

Bourbon industry has been very focused on what they call premium station in the last few years.

>> A way to step up to the slightly better version and then the slightly better version and each one of those steps cost more money.

And, you know, for the most part, the Gators and collectors have been enthusiastic about this.

But I think they're starting to feel the pinch now and they're couple other things that have impacted alcohol that the industry has called out in particular recently.

One of them is cannabis.

You know, as more states have allowed recreational use.

Alcohol has become more expensive.

But and the other thing that the industry's mentioned are the GOP wants the exam picks than weight loss, drugs that seem to reduce the appetite 4 out of the hole and in the same way that they would use the appetite.

General, the industry has said that they think those are having an impact on sales.

>> Janet, excellent points made there.

We certainly appreciate your time.

Janet Patton, a business reporter for the Lexington Herald-Leader.

Thanks again.

>> Thanks for having me.

>> And thank you, Laura.

Jana Patton says it is helpful to the industry.

That bourbon is non perishable so they can hold product from shelves if they need to.

The Kentucky Distillers Association has previously said that a record, 14.3 million barrels of raging here in the state.

Now turning to politics, the Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission voted today to investigate a second complaint against State Representative Daniel Grossberg of Louisville, a Democrat.

The Courier Journal reports the commission voted unanimously to combine the new compliant with the existing complaint against him from July of last year.

The first complaint came after accusations of inappropriate behavior toward women, including allegations of sexual harassment through tax and social media messages Grossberg through his attorney denies any wrongdoing.

According to the Courier Journal, it's unclear who filed the second complaint and it's also not clear what is alleged.

A new report shows Kentucky teachers are making less money.

Then there were decades ago when accounting for inflation, the progressive think tank that release.

The report says it's time the state offer more money, including across the board races to educators.

Our June Leffler has more in tonight's Education Matters.

Report.

Because of inflation.

A dollar today just doesn't go as far as it used to.

>> The test in people with the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy says private sector wages are keeping pace with inflation better than some public sector jobs like teaching.

>> According to data from the Kentucky Department of Education have to adjust for inflation.

Teachers are making about 20% less now in the 2025 school year than they were in the 2008 school year.

That's around a $14,000 decline.

>> Those findings are in people's recent report.

It shows that Kentucky's teachers at best make the same as they did in 2008 considering inflation, but some district wages have fallen as much as 30%.

>> And many districts do increase teacher pay just has not been enough.

>> The head of Kentucky's teacher union says it's time to reverse course.

As we all know in 2008, there was the recession.

The bubble popped and then there was some tightening of the belts, especially for a lot of our public service.

>> But now that we've come out of that and now that we're we're our economy and the state is growing at an exponential rate.

You know, it's time that we really refocus and start investing in the educators who are working with our students every single day.

>> Each school district sets its own salaries and negotiates with the local teachers union.

But district's total funding comes largely from the state budget set by state lawmakers.

>> Kentucky has been in the midst of a very >> long-term decline.

And what's what color basic funding?

It's the core formula for how we fund public education in Kentucky.

>> So since that fund has dropped by inflation adjusted 26%.

We think it's really important that the General Assembly either provide what it did in 2008, which was a dedicated teacher, raises murrells pushes closer to where we were in 2008 in terms of our basic funding.

>> People's report also notes that there are more tenured teachers now than there were in 2008.

>> In some sense, that's good.

You want more experienced teachers in the classroom that that's helpful that we know that that improve student outcomes.

But in another sense that sort of a growing crisis because those teachers are nearing retirement.

And so if we have a whole group of more experienced teachers who are about to leave and fewer new teachers.

Now that we had in 2008, the teacher shortage is only going to be exacerbated if we're not providing the type of incentive to come into that type of job, then folks who are training to become teachers are either going to look in other industries or they're going to look at other states.

We're going to start with an even bigger mess.

>> The General Assembly is unlikely to adjust seek funding this year.

It approved that funding last year and the state's overall two-year budget for Kentucky to left.

Thank you.

June fiscal conservatives question just how much more money is needed to pay teachers and fund schools.

>> Well, tomorrow night we'll hear their counter arguments against that report.

Louisville's Police Chief Paul Humphreys says it was a mistake for a police officer to cite a pregnant woman going into labor.

Chief Humphrey spoke to weigh 3 TV in Louisville.

This is body camera video of the incident obtained by Louisville, Public Media WDR P reports the officer cited the woman then called an ambulance.

This was in September months after the Kentucky General Assembly passed a crime Bill House Bill 5 that banned so-called outdoor camping in Kentucky.

We talked about this last night on Kentucky tonight with 4 leaders of the Kentucky General Assembly.

I asked House Speaker David Osborne if this incident might prompt an effort to clarify House Bill 5.

>> With their personal, very unfortunate incident, I did see the TV reports of it but but I think is the chief has admitted that was not a problem with the with the law itself.

That was a problem with the way the law was enforced you know, there's a again, there's there's always tweaks to every piece of major policy.

I don't know of any specifically that are being contemplated on House Bill.

5 and by and large, most of the feedback that we've gotten has been overwhelmingly positive.

But again, we continue to look for for ways to improve things.

Take that feedback and and make changes when appropriate leader savings.

And this is in in your your response?

Because I know you're probably familiar with this instance.

I think it's.

>> The problem with the laugh because when we passed that we did say arrests, homeless people and then provide services.

>> We just said arrest them.

And that's the problem.

We have the money in the rainy day fund in the revenue to do the things that need to be done.

So people aren't sleeping with snow with a blanket and we didn't do it.

We just said arrest them.

Not anytime you have a law that just says here at the sir, you're subject to have heard that police officer decides to do it.

But if we have written in the law, you can detain them and take them here and provide the services and and find out why they're on the streets so we can get rid of that problem.

Finally, that's a different law.

We didn't do that.

>> We did appropriate 22 and a half.

Mahan dollars for the purpose of was called the community Care campus, which was Louisville and Jefferson County specific.

That is to have housing that is to have substance use treatment that is to deal with mental health treatment or a dual diagnosis.

Now it takes time to implement that.

And I know the mayor is working h*** o* it.

I've had discussions with him about it.

We want to see how that works because we may want to me like that in other places.

But there is a response to the homeless person that is coming in Jefferson County.

It just takes time to build that house and put the infrastructure in place.

presidents have a saying there.

>> And again, I don't know exactly have this will unfold what I think they're the question of whether there's adequate housing are not generally.

Is a problem.

It's not just the person you meet on the street right now and the challenges that they have.

The questions of what are the dynamics associated with that and admitted in a minute and I agree that it takes time to deal with the House in question in and of itself.

So we go in criminal as the process.

Only some people argue that for those people, those people are the most weakest positions that you can get into the do not tat are to Carly that with the House and growth and development.

But we have this policy where we're going and extract them in a way criminalize him basically.

>> So you can see more about our discussion on Kentucky tonight last night.

When we talk about your income taxes, abortion dei and more, you can see that full hour-long discussion online on demand at KET DOT Org.

Slash K why tonight?

City officials in Lexington are taking to the streets today.

Vice Mayor Dan Woooo announced the creation of the Street Safety Task force.

>> That street with 3 e's it stands for shared travel, requires engineering, education and enforcement of traffic who said the city has seen a quote concerning number of pedestrian safety incidents and cases of dangerous driving over the past few years.

Councilmember Dave, some money shared his reason for leaving the task force.

>> A little over a year ago, one of my constituents was killed in a crosswalk by someone who ran a red light.

I decided to be the leader on this task force because my constituents are tired of risking their lives competing with vehicle drivers who are distracted and have little regard for the law.

>> While this task force will include representatives from any city divisions and departments that touch these issues.

It is also very important that we are including the perspectives of our constituents in this work, members of community organizations will be joining the task force to remind us that road safety does not only impact drivers but all modes of transportation.

>> This announcement comes a few months after newly elected city Council member and Emma Curtis led a group of volunteers who counted drivers running red lights one morning in November.

According to the Lexington Herald-Leader, the group surveyed 24 intersections, the results, hundreds of red light runners.

3 intersections saw an average of more than 100 red light runners per hour during the count.

♪ >> A Kentucky town plans a river cleanup with federal help and Florence considers its shopping malls future.

Our Toby gives tells us about these stories and more in our Tuesday.

Look at headlines around Kentucky.

♪ >> On Friday, U.S. Supreme Court justices seemed skeptical they could step in and stop a law forcing the sale of TikTok according to the Kentucky Land from the justices said the social media platforms, Chinese parent company just not have First Amendment rights.

Kentucky state government banned the use of TikTok on state-owned phones in 2023.

5 of Kentucky's 6th congressman backed the proposed federal ban regarding TikTok to be sold.

Only Democrat Morgan with Garvey opposed it.

Critics of TikTok owner Bytedance say China is using TikTok to gather intelligence on Americans.

Wink Nky reports the city of Florence has hired a consultant to consider the future of Florence Mall.

The mall's vacancy rate is close to 50%.

And for anchor stores are seeking buyers.

The city will pay Wade Williams of the Montrose Group up to $50,000 for his help.

Mayfield is getting a new Hampton Inn and suites.

That's after the December 2021.

Tornado damage.

The historic Hall hotel forcing it to be condemned last March.

The Duke us on says the new Hampton N we'll have 4 floors and 87 rooms and will accommodate people traveling between St. Louis and Nashville and between Memphis and Chicago.

Just as the whole hotel did starting in the 1930's.

New Haven in Nelson County is getting federal help to clean up the Rolling Fork River.

A Kentucky standard says work will begin in spring.

The 3 main areas of concern are a railroad bridge on highway 31 East, a section of Lions Station road leading to that bridge and abandoned the river near Nelsonville.

With headlines around Kentucky.

I'm Cole Higgins.

♪ >> And estimated 15 million adults in the U.S. have a serious mental illness.

That's according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

Kentucky mimics the national average.

All the research suggests many Kentuckians are undiagnosed, how we treat and care for these individuals is the topic of a recent episode of Kentucky Health.

More about it.

And tonight's Medical News.

>> We're not a rich state and I'm not saying that encourage versus poor is going to influence us.

But being that we are on the lords and the end of the economic scale, you tend to find more of a problem in lower income groups.

Alright, states mental distress?

Sure.

Because many of the psychosocial stressors contribute to mental distress.

A lack of adequate food, inability to take your family member said the doctor have transportation school.

Any of those resources can certainly.

>> Exacerbate vulnerability to mental distress.

Substance use is another one of those.

Kentucky has very high rates of substance use and that can exacerbate what might have been baseline symptoms.

But can then turn into a more serious mental illness.

You see the same thing here?

>> Yeah, absolutely.

I think interestingly enough, we talk about a semi and 46% us with serious mental illness at some of the But what we what what is interesting is that in our jails and prisons and I think that was in your teens.

Are We see a much higher rate of SMI amongst the population we see anywhere from 15, that 30% until you're talking about.

It's significant number of people that are there.

Ironically enough, there are more people with a semi in our prisons and jails that are actually in our state hospitals.

So that's that's kind of that's not that's more than national sort of thing that a lot of states have kind of done away with their state hospital's a E and what not.

But yeah, there's more people with an estimate in prisons and there states state hospitals.

The other piece I would I would I think it's super important to appreciate is that why is that a problem?

That's a problem because people are being treated.

There's very few very, very little real resources provided to jails and prisons for the treatment of mental illness.

Others comes there's a lot going on, but it's very, very much under resourced.

And it's not even corn aided oftentimes it's not uncommon to hear stories at the state hospital where we work where patients have come to us and they've been in the jail system for several laws 11 and we get them and they are just absolutely there and significant crisis, very unstable.

And they've been that way for several months, not receiving treatments.

>> One solution is UK health Care's new empath unit its an emergency room for those experiencing mental illness and behavioral health problems the unit on the campus of eastern State Hospital is the first of its kind in Kentucky.

You can learn more about its mission and see the full episode of Kentucky Health with Doctor when toxin online and on demand at KET DOT Org.

♪ In celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Junior day.

The Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville is offering free admission all day on Monday, January.

20th beginning at 10:00AM the center will be showing Doctor King's I have a dream speech at the top of each hour.

Our Kelsey starts takes us inside the Muhammad Ali Center and talks with the new CEO of on hold about how they're making sure the champs legacy lives on.

>> When the Muhammad Ali Center opened in the heart of downtown Louisville in 2005, it was created to share the legacy of the greatest.

Today it stands as more than a museum.

More than even a tribute.

It is an experience.

>> Part of what I want this new generation to understand is that Muhammad Ali is their heroes favorite hero.

And so there's a lady is that we are making and a connection that we're building between this younger generation of the heroes that they celebrate to help you recognize that those heroes, they celebrate often what I would recognize as the branches.

But Muhammad Ali, in many cases, the tree divine Holt is the newly named CEO and president of the Muhammad Ali Center.

>> He not only KET the champ.

He is also the first Louisville Younes and Kentuckyian to ever hold that title.

>> I think this is one of the most magical locations in all of Louisville.

And I say that because it is an attraction that does just that.

It is a magnet that brings people together.

If you think about where people come from to arrive here at the center.

It's from every corner of the universe.

>> In fact, he says 90% of all international travelers who visit Louisville coming to experience the Muhammad Ali Center.

You know, we start with a very simple premise to carry on the legacy of Muhammad Ali.

But we also use this space not just to showcase the greatness that was Muhammad Ali, but also to help other people find in-person greatness for themselves.

>> In the museum, you can relive Muhammad Ali's greatest fight.

Learn about his activism and humanitarian work outside the ring.

Or even get up close to the Olympic torch.

He famously carried in the 1996 games.

But what isn't on display here might be the center's greatest work of all.

We have so much more than a museum and we're pretty awesome museum out.

I do want to say that that attracts tourists from around the world and literally take to come see and experience what we have here.

>> But in addition to that, we manage programming that is designed to help our young people pursue greatness for themselves to begin to understand this world and how they can have an impact on this world.

We spent time honoring people who have lived the life of greatness, for instance, our Daughters of greatness program honors women who've done extraordinary things in their careers and their lives.

And we celebrate that because this is a place where great Muslim.

>> From youth programming to university level workshops and professional and leadership development.

The Muhammad Ali Center is overall dedicated to finding your own greatness.

The center is designed to produce game changes just like Muhammad Ali.

And we're giving them the tools and the experiences that they need to be able to pursue those past.

>> Kelsey sits down with Muhammad Ali's widow, Lonnie Ali on a special two-part episode of Inside Louisville.

You can watch that right now online at KET Dot Org Slash inside Louisville.

do it for us tonight.

We hope to see you right back here again tomorrow night for Kentucky edition, where we inform connect and inspire kids.

Get connect with us.

All the ways you see on your screen, Facebook, X and Instagram, the Stanely take good care and have a great night.

♪