>> And look at all of these opportunities for creatives relate are currently coming up with special ways to teach to remember.

>> The world marks 80 years since the Holocaust and it Kentucky artist lift up voices from that past.

Downtown's are what define communities and we want our downtown to be cool.

>> How one small central Kentucky town is hoping to redefine its downtown.

I think I could do it all and I didn't think it was good all year.

He's over it else to do >> plus, meet the teen who want to Kentucky Derby art contest with what she considered a long shot.

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

♪ ♪ >> Good Evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Monday, January.

The 27th, I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you for winding down your Monday with us.

President Donald Trump's picks to lead key Cabinets will be up for confirmation votes this week.

It follows through a dramatic late night vote on Friday to confirm P as the nation's defense secretary.

Vice president JD Vance cast the tie.

Breaking vote has 3 U.S. senators, including Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, voted against Hegseth.

McConnell said heck Seth has yet to lay out a detailed strategy for dealing with the nation's adversaries.

In a statement McConnell said, quote, effective management of nearly 3 million military and civilian personnel and annual budget of nearly 1 trillion dollars and alliances and partnerships around the world is a daily test with staggering consequences for the security of the American people and our global interests.

Mister Hegseth has failed, has yet to demonstrate that he will pass this test, end quote, the influential former Republican leader now serves as the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.

Meanwhile, soldiers station and Kentucky are headed to the southern border.

The U.S. Army says soldiers assigned to the 700 and 16th military police battalion of the 100 and forced first airborne division at Fort Campbell.

We'll be working with the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection.

The deployment follows President Trump's declaration of a national emergency on the border with Mexico.

Fort Campbell straddles the Kentucky Tennessee border.

The 100 and first is the only air assault division in the world.

Today is international Holocaust Remembrance Day marking 80 years since the atrocities of World War.

2 in Kentucky, teachers and our curators are engaging students and our goers with the events that killed millions of Jewish people and Europe.

Our dew Leffler has more.

>> At a meeting of Kentucky's anti Semitism task force performance groups explain their work, remembering the lives lost and traumatized during the Holocaust.

That includes the Louisville Ballet.

>> Yeah, a social worker for the dancers Post event because it really putting their higher not only to learn the steps that emotional lift a girls.

>> This weekend, the Louisville Ballet will perform a piece based on life of a Holocaust survivor created by a Kentucky native Louisville's.

Our team has a number of serendipitous connections to the Holocaust.

First ballet ever to be based on stories of the Holocaust was performed in Louisville, a Jewish woman from Ashley in Kentucky made it happen in 1995.

>> My first assignments when I was a young professional pictures, generation was to work with, makes our buck.

As she came, she came to my boss, Alan Angle at the time and said, I have this fabulous idea.

She had met.

Don't need that.

The choreographer and it is a writer and as route and wanted to bring this production for the first time to live also.

And I just remember being in the room, which makes I KET she could do it.

I maybe had been with her for 15 minutes and I KET that she was passionate.

>> Another hometown connection, Paul Kling, the first chair violinist at the Louisville Orchestra and a Holocaust survivor to honor him this past weekend.

The Louisville Orchestra performed an opera written by Jewish artists at a concentration camp during World War.

2 Klain was part of that original ensemble and hallways.

>> Wow.

This name sat in the chair.

It now our pastors say it in gave us was playing a part in all things play In-tray stop.

So you talk about a connection to reality and history this need for people to understand why this matters for today.

We're demonstrating that.

>> The on Louisville, Western Kentucky University is home to murals remembering the Holocaust just across the river in Cincinnati is the Holocaust and Humanity Center in Lexington, a Jewish artist teaches in local schools with help from the National Endowment for the Arts.

>> And look at all of these opportunities for creatives relate are currently coming up with special ways to teach to remember.

And most importantly, to remind ourselves when people don't.

Packed with kindness first and don't have generosity that they lose sight of humanity.

And that's the biggest takeaway of the story of the Holocaust.

>> Middle and high schoolers across Kentucky learn about the Holocaust and 2018 Kentucky lawmakers mandated that schools teach it and other instances of genocide for Kentucky edition.

I'm Ju Leffler.

>> Thank you, Jim, for that report.

A complete list of Louisville arts events tied to the Holocaust is available at Louisville remembers Dot Org and Lexington, a Holocaust survivor will speak this Thursday evening at UK's Jewish Student Center.

K through 12 school funding.

The future of dei programs at Kentucky University's religious Liberty measures and artificial intelligence.

Tele.

Just those are some of the issues will discuss.

>> With 4 leaders of the Kentucky General Assembly tonight on Kentucky tonight at 8 Eastern 7 central.

And of course, we'll take your questions and comments.

Hope you'll tune in.

Our Republican turned Democrat with military credentials and a centrist view of politics says government can't be the solution to everything but should be funded enough without resorting to over taxation.

State Representative Adam or was elected to represent the 45th State House district that serves parts a Fayette and Jessamine counties.

I sat down with him last week as we continue our series profiling new legislators and the Kentucky General Assembly is freshman class of 2025.

♪ >> Representative Adam or it's good to see you.

Thank you for coming in to be here.

Thanks, Renee.

So tell us about your first week in Frankfort.

I had to go.

>> Well, I've been joking around with people that is like we had the training wheels on.

We found our offices.

We found the bathrooms.

We found the House floor.

And so that was good.

I think we're really going to be kind of thrown to the wolves.

Once we get back in February.

But on this was getting settled, meeting people in finding a kind of what our own daily rhythms we're going to be like.

>> But I will tell us a little bit about your background and what even inspired you to run for elected office.

I wanted to get into politics when I was younger, actually, by first thing was going to DC and it worked for Mitch McConnell when I was up there for grad school and that turned out to be more like I felt self-service the public service.

I've nothing against the senator, but that's just what the environment of Washington felt like.

That's why listen, the Army, I decided that I would serve that way.

Instead.

And it was a bit of a roundabout path to come back here and having a family of my own being back here in my home central Kentucky wanting it all.

That's best for my wife here in the state of what's best for my 7 year-old son here in the state.

And knowing that I thought I had an opportunity to help make this state the best it possibly could be for them.

And then anyone like them living here, too, right.

For those who are in the central Kentucky area that back during the campaign and saw your ads and heard you wondered whether or not you are a Republican or Democrat.

>> Right.

How would you describe your political ideology?

Have been both in my life.

And I grew up in a fairly conservative household and registered as a Republican and again.

>> Work for Senator McConnell will actually work.

Fred Whitfield also in DC I feel really strong line-up for the Kentucky Democratic Party, especially under the leadership of Governor Beshear shows that it's about compassion.

It's about caring.

It's about good jobs, good programs, get services for Kentucky families.

And I think that really resonates with the person I am now, what do you hope that you can help accomplish this legislative session, which is a short session.

We call it 26 days remaining.

When you go back in February.

>> As a veteran myself, a big passion of mine to serving our veteran community.

So I'm going to be doing a lot of work behind the scenes that's working on forming a veterans caucus.

>> And a couple pieces of legislation in just issues that I can do there.

What people are going to see from the I think on the legislation filed is making health care more accessible and more affordable.

I'll be filing my first bills of the session when we come back in February.

I'm really excited about them.

Real excited to put some pressure leases, maybe come back and talk about them.

But I want to make sure whether your child, whether you're working age like I am or the age.

My parents are now retired that you have access to the health care that you need and you can afford it.

Also, one thing that just happened recently we saw the state of New York pass a law to make sure that everyone was able to have access to epi pens and that they were affordable.

I want to make sure that people in chronic pain have options too.

Get treated for that chronic pain so they can improve their quality of life while they're living here in Kentucky.

And then one thing that pulls at my heart strings are women dealing with non viable pregnancies are very traumatic pregnancies, that they have options for their health care during that pregnancy.

Does that include being supportive of?

>> An exemption to Kentucky's near total ban on abortions is back.

As far as you would go.

We definitely those exemptions.

Yeah.

Anything else you'd like to share?

I'm just super excited.

I think I'm a normal guy.

I'm not someone who's been in politics.

I started as a young age and ran away from it so to speak.

>> I'm glad.

Just be a normal guy.

Family man who now what's just work for every day, Kentuckians and Frankfort, and doing the job for them.

>> So many people would say that the environment political environment seems toxic and there is less trust in our institutions, whether it's government or media or wherever.

Why now?

Why now?

Did you find yourself coming back to the space that maybe you had rejected some years prior?

I again, service has been important to me throughout my whole life.

And I thought that I was a person who was willing to step up and run.

I can take the barbs in arrows.

>> And then at the same time, I think I'm going to be good at it.

That is going to Frankfort doing the work day in and day out and advocating for the people who elected me but also advocating for the people in my district, even if they didn't vote for me.

>> Well, thank you, Representative Adam or it's been a pleasure you take.

Thanks for that.

State lawmakers return to Frankfort next Tuesday for part 2 of this year.

Short, 30 day session.

KET, of course, has live gavel to gavel legislative coverage on the Kentucky Channel and online at KET Dot Org.

Legend and Kentucky's horse racing industry will be laid to rest tomorrow.

Ted Basset died last week.

He was 103 years old.

Bassett was president of team and from 1971, to 1986, and chairman of the board from 86 to 20.

0, 1, He was also a Marine who was awarded 2 Purple Hearts for his actions during World War.

2.

And he served as Kentucky's deputy commissioner of Public Safety and or 3 governors.

In addition to being the director of the Kentucky State Police Bassett's visitation was today.

His funeral is tomorrow at 11:00AM at Central Christian Church in Lexington.

Another Kentuckyian is also being remembered.

Joanne Wheeler, Bland, the Lexington Herald-Leader said Bland was one of the most prominent transgender figures in the state bland grew-up in Hardin County.

Before earning her law degree from the University of Kentucky, she had a long career as an attorney which included working as a special justice to the Kentucky Supreme Court.

She later went on to lead the Kentucky Democratic Women's Organization after coming out as transgender in 2015, I spoke with Bland about transitioning in her Mid 60's.

>> I just KET that growing up.

I was different.

I didn't have words to describe it.

I didn't understand it.

Like many others in my situation.

I thought I was the only one in the world who had these thoughts.

>> Bland died earlier this month following a battle with cancer.

She was 79 years old.

♪ >> It's known for its world.

Famous bourbon, distilleries and horse farms.

And while both bring a lot of visitors to Versailles, the city felt more could be done to get them to stick around longer.

And today's Monday's on Maine segment, we visit the seat of Woodford County to find out about the new revitalization efforts.

The city hopes will have tourists and locals spending more time downtown.

♪ ♪ >> It began nearly over 10 years ago with Kentucky leak of cities.

We heard Kentucky Gov.

Cities do a study about how to revitalize downtown at the time.

Very little shops are opening.

Most were closing.

Sure.

We're looking for ways to revitalize.

So they came up with a plan that included tying Main Street to Big Springs Park.

And that would include using this area.

We call the District 4 our Farmers Market first stage for ADA, compliant walkway in the water for sure.

>> In terms of the revitalization, our job is to help create a strategy and vision and overall sense of space and the cut placemaking and the ideas that we have the right environment, both business and tourism guest, a welcoming experience for people to want to start a business, have the ability to be able to grow.

>> And the people to want to come here.

I remember downtown Versailles when you had you shopped downtown for sale.

>> They had a clothing store for children.

They had a women's clothing store and that was a part in store.

It was a men's clothing store.

There was.

>> See in the marketplace when we're younger truth.

>> We got in fee for a long time when all those stores closed, we had so many empty storefronts and now we're getting storefronts back.

A weird, positive thing that happened during COVID.

Its people realize that you can stay in town.

You can stay in your in town and accomplish what you accomplished.

So sort of.

>> Right after COVID people were still used to being local in staying home and shopping locally that we decided we wanted a place right on Main Street where he KET that energy going to open my darling 2 years ago, we bought it and with the help of our community in our church, we get it.

And then because of the grant that the city was able to offer, they really helped us to restore the FA side.

>> So for me, >> I'm literally born and raised here growing up.

I never, ever really thought of Versailles in terms of downtown to be a place.

I wanted to go so the city has grown in a lot of ways with, you know, they are tame and district being a thing of, you know, all of the the things they've done to revitalize that the district is that shorten name, but it's for sales market and entertainment district.

We hope to encourage.

>> More participation from the farmers market.

But it's also a place where vendors can Commons and sell things.

You know what at at different events.

>> The entertainment stage has been really great.

We had musical acts down throughout the summer and food trucks in the in the parking lot area, farmers market or the pavilion function has 4,000 Square feet.

>> Outside covered.

So the farmers market or vendors can get inside man.

>> So their wares, the inside portions heating air condition.

And so you can have a number of things inside during the winter and fall season.

>> The Senate, one of the things that excites me is it gives people entrepreneurs here just starting out their their journey that can pop up down there.

They can do different events and get their start.

And I think that will in turn, bring more industry to Versailles.

I'm also excited about festivals in different things or it will draw people downtown and they'll stay here and I want to enjoy what we have to offer the festivals.

>> I don't usually attend out.

To be honest with you at, you know, I've been there.

I've done that.

And this year I went to every one of them.

It was one of the most.

Fun times I've had at one of the festival's.

It was emotional for me because the excitement that I had seen.

For several on down here.

And only the young people.

That's what's good about it.

These are young people and that's what's going to be our next.

Generation of people.

So hopefully.

They'll KET it going.

>> We have these big.

Places that bring millions of people here every year that they want to, you know, see.

But then they realized, whoa.

>> There's so much to do around here.

There's these horse farms.

There's all these businesses.

And so.

Main Street has almost become like a bridge between those things.

So if people are coming from the castle, they'll come here, go explore Main Street.

>> Downtown's are what define communities.

Many towns have the big boxes and they pretty much look the same or fast food restaurants.

They look the same every every community has them.

So what downtown is is something that's different that set you apart from other places.

And we want our downtown to be cool with revitalized.

It's it's great for economic development and it's just great for quality of life.

>> Medicare and Medicaid.

Both our government run programs that provide health care coverage.

But what they are who they serve and how they operate are very different.

On the latest episode of Kentucky Health Dr.

When toxins guest breaks down some of the key differences while focusing on how Medicaid is funded, more of that in tonight's look at medical news.

>> A lot of people think that Medicare, he's a lot bigger.

Medicare has about 65 million people on the rolls into Medicaid has over 80 million on the roadside and that its peak over 90 Million.

Now, if you want to talk about dollars in Medicare is much bigger because the a tour of us have more health problems, Medicaid covers a lot of a relatively young patients that our health and so the cost per patient per month.

There's only a fraction of what it is and Medicare, but it's still a huge amount if you take a look at what the U.S. has set up, the federal government pays at least half of the costs of Medicaid.

And so.

>> This is a payment when government federal government is paying into the state's state.

Both have a contribution there.

Correct?

Okay.

And it comes down to it's based on a ratio of per capita.

>> Average income of the state against the U.S. National average and those states that how are well fear travel, Carla.

They only get 50% of the cost of the Medicaid.

The states whose average per capita income is less than the average they get more.

Trying to help spread the wealth, so to speak.

Now, 4.

Kentucky, you know what that comes down to is a federal financial participation rate.

Some people call it a federal medical assistance percentage for this next year is 71.4 8%.

Now that's the base rate that the federal government is supposed to pay of the Medicaid costs.

Now.

It used to be that simple.

It's not that simple anymore.

>> And to sort out all the confusion about Medicaid versus Medicare, including the impact it's having in rural parts of the state.

Check out the full episode of Kentucky Health that's available online on demand at KET DOT Org and be sure to look for new episodes.

Sundays at one 30 pm Eastern 12, 30 central right here on KET.

♪ The Kentucky Derby is rich with tradition.

Today, another tradition played out as the winner of the Kentucky Derby museum's annual horsing around with art contest was announced.

This year's winner is a student from Pleasure.

Ridge Park High School in Louisville.

Our Kentucky Edition team was there as the Grand Prize winner was announced.

5 cases.

>> A front for the Kentucky Derby Museum.

Congratulations.

You are the Grand Prize winner.

Of course.

You really hard a contest for 2025.

♪ >> And here it was far from a normal Monday morning for Casey.

Shaq led a sophomore at Leisure Ridge Park High School.

>> Because I think I could do it.

So I guess even if you can think you can do, you can still try to do Because I think I could do it all.

And I didn't think it looks good all year.

I guess over what else to do >> a panel of judges chose her art as capturing the spirit of the Kentucky Derby.

She won the grand prize out of 255 in trees across 37 different schools in grades, one through 12.

All of the entries are now on display at the Kentucky Derby Miya's and through April 18th.

But Casey's peace will remain there for an entire year.

She probably doesn't realize the scope.

So last year.

>> We had record attendance at the museum.

258,000.

Visitors from across the world came to the museum last year.

>> And that's not a to Churchill Downs.

That's actually in our doors at the Kentucky Derby Museum.

So that's a lot of eyes that's going to see this work.

>> It would be nice to see their and the nice to see it all around.

Like all the other people think all online thing.

I was going to be there.

>> She calls in the final furlong.

>> This piece is inspired by the most anticipated part of the Kentucky Derby.

The final furlong, the crowd shouts Wiley in into anticipation as the racers are near the finish line.

The winner is determined.

The riders and their horses are focused on their price.

Her prize also includes a spring race day experience package from Churchill Downs.

>> And PRP High Schools are department gets $500 to go toward new art supplies.

>> The Derby is the spirit of this community.

And it's it's a special event that no other cities can claim.

And for the entire community the education community, along with the adult community embraces the Derby like no other.

And it's heartwarming to see all the work that comes out from these kids each year and the work seems to get better every year.

>> For Kentucky edition, I'm Kelsey Starks.

Thank you.

Kelsey, we look back at the day.

A sniper shot and killed a Kentucky governor that and some sports and music as our Toby gives recounts events that happened this week in Kentucky history.

♪ >> On January, 29th 18, 50 U.S.

Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky introduced a series of resolutions to ease tensions over slavery, collectively known as the compromise of 18, 50.

They would delay the civil war for about 10 years.

A sniper shot Democrat William Goble in Frankfort on January.

30th, 1900 after the disputed gubernatorial election in 18.

99 Goble was sworn in as governor from his death bed the next day he died February 3rd for a while.

Kentucky head to governor says Republican William Taylor also took the oath of office after he claimed victory.

On January.

27 1937, the Ohio River crested in Louisville at 40 feet above its normal level.

>> And one point floodwaters covered 60% of the city forcing 23,000 people out of their homes.

Governor Ned breath inside the Kentucky to Civil Rights Act on January.

27 1966, the first state south of the Mason-Dixon Line to have a state level civil rights law.

Dr Martin Luther King Junior would later call the Kentucky Law civil rights law of any southern state to.

Louisville's Muhammad Ali.

Joe Frazier in New York's Madison Square Garden on January.

28 1974, the fight when all 12 rounds with the judge's ruling.

Ali, the winner.

Country music legend Loretta Lynn Cider.

First recording contract with the 0 record label on February.

Second, 1960, her first song with that label.

I'm a H**** Tonk Girl with a good number 14 on the country charts.

And that's what was happening this week in Kentucky history.

>> I'm told, begins.

>> Thank you to obey being home to the world's longest known cave system comes with added risks, including sinkholes like this one.

The city of Bowling Green is tackling the problem with a dedicated geologist on staff.

He helps pie potential problems and development plans and oversee sinkhole repairs.

We visited him on his current project out in the field.

A sinkhole now 40 feet Deep Sea.

That story tomorrow night on Kentucky edition, which of course, is 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central.

And we will see you then.

Thanks so very much for watching.

Have a great night.

♪