♪ >> Just buckle up for a pretty much now through the end of February.

>> Kentucky is getting another blast of snow, ice and bitter cold.

>> The last thing we need to do is actually get to a point or anything goes to reverse the progress that we're making.

>> The state education leader defends diversity policies at Kentucky's public colleges.

>> Dairy has a lot of right.

Vitamin D vitamin A.

>> And some believe even more.

So if they drink it in its purest form, our southern Kentucky Micro Dairy spilling the demand.

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

♪ ♪ Good evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Thursday, January, the 18th Baca lot.

We're in for some pretty rough winter weather ahead.

>> I'm Renee Shaw, thank you so much for joining us tonight.

And speaking of which snow has already arrived in some parts of Kentuckyian we expect continued bitter cold over the next few days.

It's more than just on.

Pleasant can also be downright dangerous around 12, 30 eastern time.

This afternoon.

Governor Andy Beshear and transportation Cabinet Secretary Jim Gray talked about what to expect and how the state is preparing for it.

>> As we talked about, you know, just buckle up 4 pretty much now through the end of February, we're seeing system after system after system come in, the toughest part of it is going to be in southern Kentucky, especially the closer you are to the Tennessee border that is going to get freezing rain as you go further north because it's going to be just a little bit warmer.

What we're seeing is likely us now.

So we're going to have one round that that goes pretty much from now in western Kentucky.

Through the rush hour time period a little later than that.

And then late tonight, another chance for snow.

What their what, what we're seeing right now is a winter weather advisory for just about all of Kentucky.

From noon Eastern today to 07:00PM Eastern on Friday.

>> As the governor mentioned, we're experiencing we're expecting a wintry mix with possible freezing rain to begin today this afternoon, early evening and continue into Friday morning.

That will be followed by subzero temperatures over the weekend.

And of course, when temperatures drop to these levels.

Our treatment chemicals aren't as fast acting.

Of course, you cannot plow ice.

So the good thing is there's a coating of salt and calcium chloride on routes that were pretreated during our last round.

We have to work that much harder to do to KET priority routes open like the interstates and the parkways before.

As the governor mentioned before we move to the other to the other routes.

You can be assured that our crews are working tirelessly to KET traffic moving and will be.

>> And Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton urge people to stay off the roads, take care of themselves and watch out for others.

It's important that we look out for one another.

>> Be ready to lend a helping hand check on your neighbors, particularly if you have elderly neighbors for those who may need help.

Protect your pets from these bitter cold temperatures.

>> What advice crews are treating Lexington roads with a brine and beet mixture known as beat heat that help salt work at lower temperatures like will be experiencing.

And other news families who've lost loved ones to violence or reckless behavior, spoke in support of a proposed crime Bill Louisville teenager name Madeleine Trout was killed in a head-on collision caused by an intoxicated driver in 2021.

The driver had been bailed out by a non-profit that helps get people out of jail as they await trial.

Madeline's mom said that driver was let out too soon.

>> I'm here today to fight on behalf of Maryland for the hearts of my family, for the families across the state of Kentucky.

See this tragedy could have been avoided.

The driver of the stolen truck was arrested on February second 2021 for stealing a vehicle with also being on drugs.

The current criminal liability to society was was released as he was bailed out by the little about project with no money out of his pocket and no accountability.

This man has a follow.

That was multiple pages long.

No background information or check was placed on this man, Norway, their program set up or enforced to ensure that he would not go back and repeat these decisions, which he did.

>> The mistrial was testifying for the Safer Kentucky Act.

That would ban bell funds from paying more than $5,000 for a single bail or for anyone accused of a violent crime.

This provision was put to lawmakers last year, but it didn't become law supporters hope it will go further as part of a large omnibus bill call the Safer Kentucky Act.

House bill 5 after more than 2 hours of testimony today that just ended over an hour ago.

The House Judiciary Committee passed the bill 13 to 5.

You'll hear more testimony from both sides and reactions from lawmakers tomorrow on Kentucky EDITION.

And I'll dig deeper into House Bill 5 that say for Kentucky Act on Monday night's Kentucky tonight.

That's at 8 Eastern 7 Central.

The Kentucky Innocence Project has helped a dozen people get out of prison for crimes.

They did not commit.

Now some state lawmakers are hoping to pay back exonerated Kentuckians for the time they served.

>> My wrongful conviction is best explained what these 3 pictures.

This fellow here as a rape us.

This picture here is the composite drawing of a rapist.

This picture here is me looking like a rapist.

Just that chance.

Paul Smee 11 years in prison, 16 years on parole.

Before I finally met up with the Kentucky Innocence Project.

>> So our economy is face a tremendous amount of problems when they reenter society.

And this kind of a bill would allow them to get that toe hold back.

It wouldn't completely make up for all the years that they've lost, but at least put them in a situation where they can provide for transportation for themselves.

They can get education and they can also provide housing.

>> Under House Bill, one, 78 exonerees could file to receive $65,000 for each year served in prison.

And $25,000 for each year on parole, they can also receive assistance for college tuition, housing past child support and medical expenses.

The bill was approved unanimously and a committee yesterday.

It now heads to the full House for consideration there.

Now, more legislative news, Kentucky has the second highest maternal mortality rate in the nation yesterday.

State Representative Kim Moser, chair of the House Committee on Health Services filed the Safe Kentucky Moms Act House Bill 10 nickname Omnibus Bill seeks to ensure mothers received the proper care before during and after birth.

>> According to a report from the Kentucky Maternal Mortality Review Committee, a state panel that reviews pregnancy related deaths.

91% of maternal deaths and 2018, we're potentially preventable.

The report also shows that 8.4% of maternal deaths are suicides in 128 accidental deaths were clearly were clearly attributed to a single health complications.

It's important to note that maternal mortality is a key indicator of the state's health and has a long-term impact on other health related factors.

Such as infant mortality to reduce maternal mortality, Kentucky intends to promote optimal health before during and after pregnancy.

This includes addressing healthy nutrition Chronicle, health conditions, substance, who's healthy, quiet, quitting social determinants of health, pregnant, prenatal care.

And early elective deliveries.

>> so that was Representative Nancy Tate, who was supporter of the bill that's being sponsored by the Lady.

You're seeing on your screen right now.

Representative Kim Moser, who's a retired neonatal intensive care unit and flight nurse.

She filed the maternal health measure House Bill 10 yesterday.

It includes provisions that relate to insurance healthcare, substance use and parental education.

>> Could you be turned away from a home or apartment because you pay rent with federal vouchers.

>> Yesterday we told you about Senate bill.

25 a bill that would allow that to happen today.

Our Clayton Dalton has more on House Bill 18.

It's a similar bill with some differences.

>> The tension between landlords and tenants was on display in Frankfort as House Bill 18 was heard in committee.

The bill would ensure that landlords can reject potential tenants who use federal housing vouchers to pay rent House Bill 18 takes aim at Lexington's proposed source of income discrimination ban.

There's a similar bill in the Senate but House Bill 18 extends to all federal housing vouchers, not just the Section 8 program.

Legislators debated whether this is an issue best left to the state or to the city's property ownership is a basic tenet of capitalism.

And I've always been a very strong proponent of local control.

>> My voting record reflects that.

I believe that we need to KET things as local and it controls much as possible.

But at the same time, there has to be a line drawn in the sand, wind citizens and especially my constituents in Fayette County.

Are being told by the government that this is what's going to take place.

And so we have to understand that housing is an issue.

There is a shortage of it.

But how do we address it?

Forcing this upon our individual property owners is not the way to go.

I come from local government before I got here.

And we always talk about what the federal government is doing to state government and yet now here here we go.

The state government telling the local elected officials who are the closest to the constituents in which we also are.

And we're telling them we're going to take away some of that.

So that we can make this particular bill and pass and become law and we take it away from what local government has that responsible to a responsibility to do landlords and housing advocates voiced their opinion as well.

We did this because we want to provide housing.

>> This is not necessarily it's not a great business anybody who you are and then it and have done.

And it's not a great it is very hard.

It takes years of dedication, hard work.

And when you have I've got want to just happen to We completely remodel the place top to bottom.

They've completely destroyed the house.

We could not get them out.

We lost $60,000 almost put us out of business and it's still not where we're nowhere.

Even close.

>> When housing vouchers go unused, we're effectively turning back federal money.

That helps stabilize households and communities.

When people are spending more than 30% of their income on housing, they're at increased risk for homelessness.

There was no opposition to a separate Bill heard in committee aimed at helping homeless Kentuckyian obtain their birth certificates.

>> House Bill 100 passed with unanimous bipartisan support and now heads to the full House for consideration.

There for Kentucky Edition, Clayton Dalton.

>> Thank you, Clayton.

More news from Frankfort, the head of the agency that oversees Kentucky's public colleges and universities worries that a bill restricting diversity, equity and inclusion or dei efforts will reverse gains.

Kentucky is making in higher education.

Aaron Thompson is president of the Kentucky Council on Post-secondary education in an interview that will air Sunday morning right here on KET.

Thompson expressing some concerns about a Senate bill prohibiting state colleges from Implementing dei statements and trainings that the bill defines as, quote, divisive.

He hopes the bill sponsor Bowling Green state, Republican Senate Republican Mike Wilson will also revisit the Bills right to legal action provision.

Thompson poses a raft of questions he hopes lawmakers will consider.

>> Does it slow down the progress?

Kentucky is making toward educating all of our citizens?

The last thing we need to do is actually get to a point or anything goes to reverse the progress that we're making academically.

And that's not anything hope that our Legislature, anybody bring to the table.

>> $1000, but no more than $100,000.

Cumulatively per action is what the universities are subject to for noncompliance.

If this bill were to become law.

Any further thing to say and I would like to take that out to Publix level.

You can think about what could happen.

Who's going to invest?

It always has been substantiated.

What Kyle legal fees is going to be incurred.

>> Way beyond just that.

I mean, and how could something like that happened just on the perception whether or not it's true, this amount of time it would take to really get there.

I would hope he would take a closer look at that No doubt.

>> So there's a lot more.

The doctor Thompson talks about when it comes to that bill and other things.

You can see that full interview on connections this Sunday morning at 11, 30 eastern Time 10, 30 central right here on KET.

Landowners, with less than 5 acres of property may not have to get a permit to fish are hot on their land for much longer.

Today a House committee passed House Bill 2.17, which similar to Senate Bill 5, which was unanimously passed by the full Senate late last week.

Both bills repeal a recent law, exempting farmland, owners with 5 or more acres from getting licenses to hot and fish on their own land.

Representative David Hale, a sponsor of the House version of the bill.

A lot of landowners that have 5 acres or less that have farm ponds.

>> They have a place is that they fish.

And and I honestly I felt like this was something that was side not a good policy.

And I think probably all of us sitting here myself included we certainly got a lot of e-mails about this.

We've got a lot of calls about this.

People call myself as being a 30 year employee, former employee Fish and Wildlife and asking how in the name of creation kid should could you all pass something like that?

And so again, I think that it was an unintended consequence.

>> So House bill to 17 now heads to the full house after was passed by the committee for consideration by the full House membership.

An amended bill that would protect the privacy of lottery winners.

This is good news.

Made it out of committee this week.

House Bill 80 saw discussion and the Standing committee, a licensing occupations and administrative rags on Wednesday morning.

The bill originally called for allowing Kentucky Lottery winners who win 1 million dollars or more to remain anonymous for up to one year.

But now revised version of that Bill removes the timeframe that allows winners to remain anonymous regardless of the amount one.

>> We want to allow and >> committee whether they win $500 a with a win 500 million dollars.

Then that way they can.

>> Take their money and go off and you can't use there.

their name or anything to promote the winnings.

It is absolutely your choice.

If you win and you choose to have your likeness or your mouth.

>> Plastered everywhere.

That's your choice.

>> You've got to win, though.

First ride House Bill 80 made it out of committee and now is expected to head to the full House for consideration there.

♪ >> And other news, the city of Lexington saw a big drop in homicides last year, according to an annual report by the group.

One, Lexington, it's an advocacy group created to help end youth gun violence in the city in 2022.

Lexington had 44 gun-related homicides.

That was a record one Lexington reports in 2023, the number dropped by 46%.

The city also had a 35% decrease and shooting victims among 13 to 29 year-olds.

The group's director said the numbers are encouraging and it will take an effort by everyone in the community to KET the momentum going.

>> We cannot say this trees without the streets.

What I mean by that is we need those individuals with them lived experience.

We need individuals who are living in these communities that are being impacted by gun violence each and every night.

We need you to be a part of this fight with us.

>> Devine Koroma said among one Lexington's goals for 2020 for continuing the work of addressing the root causes of gun violence and finding an effective way to reach youth before they're affected by it.

The memorial service for a long time, Kentucky public servant is set for Saturday at 01:00PM and the state Capitol Rotunda.

Jay Michael Brown, a former high ranking official and the Beshear administration.

Both Bush administrations passed away Friday.

He was 74 years old.

Governor Andy Beshear called Brown a longtime friend saying Brown, quote, made a positive difference in the lives of so many people.

Brown was a captain and helicopter pilot in the U.S. Army in the 80 seconds and 100st airborne divisions originally from New York.

Brown graduated from law school at the University of Louisville before becoming the first African-American president of the Louisville Bar Association.

He was a district judge in Jefferson County and served as secretary of Kentucky's justice and public safety Cabinet under Governor Steve Beshear.

Brown then served as Kentucky's deputy attorney general before becoming executive cabinet secretary under Governor Andy Beshear.

He left state government in 2022.

To take a position at Simmons College.

A private historically black College and University of Louisville.

♪ >> Researchers say e-cigarettes are not as safe as some people may claim.

We talked with an assistant professor at the University of Louisville about how different types of nicotine could affect your health more.

And tonight, a look at medical news in this study.

>> We compared 3 different nicotine formulations or types in terms of their ability to win at into an e-cigarette 2.

Disrupt heart rhythm.

But causing cardiac arrhythmias.

And also to change heart beat might sort of the routine regular rate of the heart and to change the brain's regulation of the heart through the autonomic nervous system.

And so we these 3 different nicotine types through a different exposures in animals with ECG to limit ERS and the radio transmitters.

The allow us to observe real time while they're being exposed.

What the effect is on cardiac conduction and rhythm.

A different nicotine types are 3 base nicotine nicotine salts.

And then this sort of make sure that we made in the lab called receive it nicotine.

That simulates and that it needed to.

The other thing is that the nicotine found in on devices.

The more modern e-cigarettes those we're particularly dangerous to cardiac function or our function in this study, whereas the sort of more free based nicotine coming in.

A lot of other e-cigarettes.

That was Wes harmful in terms of causing cardiac arrhythmias, higher concentrations of nicotine, at least in this mouse study induced cardiac.

A written is.

They increased heart rate and the cause fight or flight stress responses in the heart that are known to promote cardiovascular disease and adverse cardiac outcomes.

This study didn't address address addictive potential but higher nicotine levels.

But it's pretty well understood that those higher levels of nicotine in tobacco products increased addiction.

And so, you know, if you kind of compound the immediate toxicity of the nicotine with the addictive can pinch the potential.

Those 2 are going to cause even greater problems.

So if you're going to use e-cigarettes may be off for free days.

Nicotine products as well and avoid the nicotine salts.

Also try to have lower concentrations in your e-cigarettes.

>> 2024 Forbes article ranks Kentucky Secant and a list of the top 10 states with the most e-cigarette use.

Milk is the first thing most of us drink in life.

And as we age, many people still turn to it for vitamins and minerals.

But some choose to drink milk straight from their own cow, as opposed to pasteurized our Laura Rogers has more in this report.

>> One of my friends started drinking it.

And so I started doing some research and just rise all the health benefits and how much easier it is to digest Megan Ban Haiti and her husband started drinking raw milk 3 years ago.

I hope my husband's very sensitivity.

He can eat all the milk and cheese and sour cream that he wants.

Now, during that time she became pregnant and gave birth to their son.

Colton.

Now a year old and also a role Millman drinker.

He loves it the wrong way to a 2 milk comes straight from the cow right here at Royalty, Rock Farm in Bowling Green.

When we go pick it up, you know, we see the cows and their field and we see their new like baby cows there.

>> Well, caps and you see their pay.

As Colton gets older.

I want to teach him, you know, I this is where our food comes from.

>> I see a lot of people that are like that.

They love coming to the farm getting to come down the driveway.

Same account that the milk comes from.

Emily Rock grew up on a farm in Shelby County.

So turned 9 years old, I got my 1st half.

It was an error.

Shaq, half.

We have jerseys now.

And has showed in 4 H. And ever since I was 9 years old at had a dairy cow in my backyard and what you want it any other way today.

She doesn't just have cows but sheep chickens, pigs, the cat.

>> Well could.

There has been Kelsey started their herds share program in December of 2022.

When she realized she had an excess of milk from her dairy cow, Dixie Belle and you have all this milk.

And I really didn't think there is going to be a market for it at SPECT it.

I was just going to >> payment to the bigs but had posted on Facebook that I was making home a better with it.

>> And I probably had 40 people in one day reach out and they were requesting milk.

>> Today she has Dixie Belle and Dottie team Elks twice a day for the 27 people bought into the her chair.

Something the Kentucky General Assembly approved in 2012.

>> I do not sell raw milk.

I fell hard shares, but in some states you can sell raw milk as is you don't have to create a herd share program to do that.

I would love to see all 50 states.

Legalize the sale of raw milk.

>> We need to work the way it currently works.

The client pays a her chair fee that covers boarding expenses and labor technically own part of the cow and you're boarding fee covers the fi, the milking the supplies of that.

And that's how we're able to get raw milk into the hands of consumers that.

>> The CDC says pastor is a shun, reduces the chance of illness rocks as she takes the necessary precautions to prevent contamination.

And he says she has no concerns and has never gotten sick from drinking.

It.

>> Milk it's always strange through like a fine mesh in case there was dust or something like that.

And then >> she says raw milk has a richer and thicker texture and taste and can be hard to find buying local is more sustainable.

It's generally healthier.

We love to support the people that are, you know, trying to feed our community as well.

And it's usually much more delicious.

For Kentucky edition.

I'm Laura Rogers.

>> Good shot there.

Emily Rock says she hopes to add more cows to their herd share.

She has a waiting list to 40 people wanting to join.

Wrote Iraq Farm also hosted Children's Farm School, inviting kids to visit and learn about agriculture.

Good deal.

Well, that'll do it for us tonight, but we hope to see you right back here again tomorrow night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky Edition.

We inform connect and inspire.

Thanks so much for watching.

Have a safe and warm night tonight.

We'll see you tomorrow night.

Take good care.

♪ ♪ ♪