>> Walking as well.

>> President Joe Biden says let the bridge work again.

Yeah, every doctor that the U.S. and say, well, my last count that I can and that they were very surprised if they aren't surprised.

>> A husband and wife in Pulaski County sharing more that a home and family learning years after they were married.

They have something else in common.

>> Education and preservation are both in the mission statement.

>> We learned a little mad, learn some Kentucky history all in the same place.

>> Production of Kentucky Edition is made possible in part by the KET Endowment for Kentucky Productions.

The owner Press Endowment for Public Affairs and the KET Millennium Fund.

♪ ♪ >> Good evening and welcome to Kentucky.

Addition for Wednesday, January 4th, we thank you for joining us on your host, Renee Shaw reporting.

>> From our Frankfort studio today and the Capitol Annex.

We're here for the governor, State of the Commonwealth address, which you will see on KET immediately following this broadcast.

Now, more on that in just a moment.

But first, the president was in Kentucky today promoting the infrastructure plan that passed Congress in 2021.

That bill includes 1.6 billion dollars to repair the current bridge while also building a companion bridge next to it.

After arriving at the Cincinnati Northern Kentucky Airport.

Biden headed to the bridge.

He said this project would not have been made possible without bipartisanship.

>> Because I believe in sense, country.

We can work together.

And get things that and the nation forward.

Yes, prep.

And with every buzz Spence Bridge.

Talking is over.

The bipartisan infrastructure law.

We're finally going to get it back.

bridges since Eisenhower, interstate highways.

great range.

And that the allegations are that.

So what?

>> Governor Andy Beshear and U.S.

Senator Mitch McConnell were also there for the president's speech.

McConnell voted for the infrastructure bill.

The bridge work is expected to begin later this year.

And and and 2029.

We'll have more on President Biden's visit and the bridge work tomorrow night on Kentucky edition.

On day 2 of the 2023, Kentucky General Assembly lawmakers heard from Secretary of State Michael Adams about the successes and problems from the last year's election.

Our Casey Parker Bell has more on the secretary's proposed changes to election laws.

>> Let's acknowledge the early voting works.

That's the sentiment of Kentucky Secretary of state Michael Adams.

He says the people voting early and representative of the wider electorate that says changes need to be made to improve the voting process.

The lesson here is that in order to reduce lines, we need more voting locations, not more voting days.

So lawmakers told Adams Lines were too long and there are strict 7 more voting locations needs to be added in future elections.

And I think what we saw was an absolute abomination.

I would estimate there were probably 3 to 400 people already in line.

>> When it came time for me to vote.

And so I just took a quick look at my watch to see the time that I parked and walked to get in line.

By the time I finished voting.

And was leaving that polling place and heading back to my car.

It had been an hour and 40 minutes.

The state Board of Elections gives final approval to voting locations submitted by each county.

>> The secretary of state says that by giving another constitutional office, the power to give final approval of those plans to help alleviate long lines and see problems earlier.

I believe my office has valued at here.

And to the extent that power exists to can solid to approve consolidation of voting locations.

>> That power should be shared with one or more offices that are accountable to the voters.

Adam suggested the secretary of state or the governor as the officers to have final approval.

>> Secretary Adams offered additional suggestions for changes to voting law.

He says there needs to be a close loophole that allowed electioneering at the polls during early voting.

Adams also says a loophole on recounts needs to be closed.

He had this to say about recounts seen during the last election.

>> It was presented last year by Speaker Osborne, Leader Jenkins.

We worked together in bipartisan fashion to develop a clear and workable process.

They did not foresee that the process would be misused by bad faith actors who seek to create unwanted doubt in the integrity of our elections.

For Kentucky edition.

I'm Casey Parker Bell.

>> Kentucky's candidate filing deadline for the 2023 election.

Is this Friday and early voting in the state's primary election begins May 11th.

Governor Beshear delivers his state of the Commonwealth address tonight following his speech will have reaction from members and leaders of both parties as well as analysis from our panelists.

Katie's live coverage of the state of the Commonwealth address begins at 7 Eastern 6, 6, 6, central immediately after Kentucky edition.

Tonight.

During the 4th quarter of 2022, Governor Beshear raised more than $640,000 for his re-election campaign.

That gives him a total of about 5.2 million dollars.

The Courier Journal says he has more money on hand than all his Republican opponents come by.

Time now for our midweek, check-in of some major political developments here in Kentucky, especially during the session with a good friend Rylan Barton.

He's the managing editor of Kentucky Public Radio in Ohio Valley Resource.

Good to say after seeing her son.

Yeah.

A lot of this during the session.

But good day to, you know >> what?

You know, what's been good?

what's been breaking?

Anything rocking so far?

>> I mean, there's nothing big so far.

And I was actually very surprised yesterday Speaker David Osborne statement that this year isn't going to be like short year Sessions we've had before where there's a lot of fireworks.

He says this is more going to be tweaking the existing legislation itself.

However, one of the big things that's moving forward reducing the income tax.

Once again, Kentuckians with an income from 5% to 4 and a half percent.

The beginning of this year.

Now they want to make that go from 4 and a half down to 4%.

So that's the big policy thing we see so far.

There's a lot of talk about medical marijuana and now that the governor has passed as are issued his executive order on legalizing possession of cannabis purchased in other states you know, that kind of puts the ball in the Legislature's court possibly to figure out something to come up with a policy.

That's a little bit more permanent.

Little more structured.

There's always been interest among Republicans in the legislature to do that.

But it's always languishes in the Senate.

That's for the last few years.

And we'll if there's any renewed pressure.

Well, and Speaker Osborne has said it's going to have to start in the Senate this time, right, that they put skin in the game twice on this.

The House is voting on it twice before.

It's always stalled in the Senate and he said >> it should start there.

But I don't get the sense from the Senate president or the majority leader that that's really going to happen.

All right.

We haven't seen a lot of differences.

I mean, I feel like the last year the big difference a Senate judiciary Chair, Whitney Westerfield coming out and be like.

>> I think I'm ready for this.

And that was a big difference from before.

Haven't had that moment so far means beginning of the session.

I think the other thing to look about look at with this is does this change what the bill is that Republicans have been proposing in the past?

It was very restrictive version of a medical cannabis bill, possibly one of the most restrictive in the country.

It would only allow people very ailments to be able to access it, but also not allow smoking of cannabis.

And this is the previous version.

That's right.

No homegrown and I didn't really know what there.

We don't really know what they're trying to do this time around.

>> Yeah.

and come in that trigger, like you said happened January first and a half point reduction.

So they have to really isn't just by affirmation just kind of vote on is that kind of just like to do because they've already had the legislation.

It's just you got it from that.

And the whole point of it is that this is a safeguard that in case something economically catastrophic happened, that they can have this opportunity like, OK, we're not going to let this automatic thing go right down once more.

So they will very likely just review that approve it >> that they show their intention to do that.

But I think there's a lot of questions right now, especially as we're on the you know, a lot of people feel like we're heading into a recession right now.

A Kentucky's economy, especially has been doing so well in recent years, at least from the kind of state budget Treasury perspective.

>> You know, it's are there any worries about reducing a little bit of more of the state's revenue generating mechanism?

I think there's a little bit more nervousness than usual, but I don't know.

I I'm not sure that they're going to turn back, especially because it signaled that this is House Bill, one, their big priority bill that they're going to try.

And that's right.

The time it has a one byte, you know, that's a high priority and they both have it as as the number one priority.

We know groups like Kentucky Center for Economic Policy and that coalition.

>> Yesterday we're here saying stop the cuts, right?

But that doesn't really resound that much with the Republicans know they're not.

They're not really listening that they what they say is this is what voters want voters after passing this bill.

They reelected and a super duper majority know about 75% of the seats in the chamber.

>> And they say that they want to.

these tax dollars to taxpayers pockets and that that's what voters are telling them they want.

Yeah.

>> And even though the sales tax was extended to lots of services, almost 3 dozen that have been previously ties to some of the top line with to the saw somebody on Twitter talk about how no parking at the airport is.

Now a has a 6% already expensive right?

So there there's all these little things and that's what they do.

Every time they're reducing some form of this income tax.

>> We try to expand a little bit of the sales tax, but it's not really feeling that big budgetary hole.

>> Right.

So what else do we expect?

You said there may not be, as you've learned that there's not going to be some major piece of legislation just more tweaking.

What can we expect to see?

>> I mean, not sure yet, but just imagining one thing that we're wondering is whether the state Supreme Court will have a ruling on abortion, which I think would really prompt let the legislature to do something to pass some sort of abortion regulation, especially if they end striking down all or part of the state's abortion bans.

I think we can probably imagine some reform of the juvenile justice system.

This has been a big there's there's been problems with the system for years and years.

Administrations and administrations.

It's come to a real point.

And I think especially in this re-election year for Governor Beshear Republicans are really going to try and tack that on him.

You know, there's there's lots of other things that we know that unemployment as always, right, education, opportunity accounts.

We know the Kentucky Supreme Court made that action right before the holidays.

So perhaps the legislature does something there to the store that also charter schools.

So once again, even though you know, the financial aspect of it past, there's always, you know, how are they going to actually make this happen?

And they're still, you know, because it's not really moving forward yet.

So a lot of these old and again, going back to the tweaking existing legislation.

There's lots of opportunities to try and >> make those priorities start floating minute left of the governor said of the Commonwealth address is tonight at 7 o'clock.

Of course, KET, he will have an on our ways and on online.

What do we expect?

We're going to hear a long dated campaign speech.

>> I'm I'm sure, but I think it's a little bit different of a campaign speech.

The governor's challenges too try to continue to remain Governor Beshear instead of candidate this year for as long as possible.

You know, he's really enjoy or his popularity has really benefited from, you know, years of kind of catastrophes of of the coronavirus pandemic from tornadoes from floods.

He wants to stay in that, you know, in that role where he's not really having to go out and attack people in politics or defend himself and political issues.

I think he's going to try and do something like that.

Also just education, education.

That's what he always is trying to make his top priority issue.

That certainly be his 2019 campaign.

And I think that will try to try to make some promises for teachers and and teacher retirees, for in a speech.

Yeah, we will KET our eyes on it tonight.

And thank you, Ryland Barton, for keeping your eyes on all the time.

>> Thank you.

Yeah.

>> Now this sounds like something that should have happened more than a century ago.

Believe it or not, some states are just now considering bans on slavery.

Some states like Tennessee have embraced the idea.

Others haven't.

Our chip Alston sat down with an official trying to help move this proposed constitutional amendment through Kentucky's General Assembly.

>> You may be surprised to find out slavery is punishment is not clearly prohibited in Kentucky's constitution.

Our state's current language is similar to what was in place in Tennessee where voters recently amended that state's Constitution to ban the practice outright voters in Louisiana, though soundly rejected the same type of measure and work is underway to eliminate this provision in Kentucky's constitution.

Here to talk about that is Terrence Sullivan, executive director of the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights.

Terence, thanks so much for being with us today.

Thank you for having me.

So what is in Kentucky's constitution now and what are you hoping to see a change to be sure.

So in our current Constitution and section 25, it says slavery and involuntary servitude in the state are forbidden.

>> Except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.

So basically slavery is forbidden, but it is allowed for someone as a punishment for a crime.

It could be your sentence to go work a certain way.

As long as you've been through had due process had trial or had some form of an actual conviction and happened.

You want to see that changed?

What?

Ideally, I would love to see it.

A stop at the word for mid and take out the set I do know that in some instances it's just been changed to take out that he's the exception, but make sure it clarifies that there are punishments available for.

That.

There are print punishments available for crack cocaine.

So you wrote a really powerful op-ed about this recently.

And I want to quote to you part of this review said, quote, >> This could be a simple oversight, but it's there into a descendant of slaves like myself, even remote allowance of slavery is a dangerous thing.

End quote.

Do you think it's a simple as an oversight?

Do I think it's as simple as an oversight now?

Yes.

Do I think in the and I think it 18 91 that was put I don't think it was then because a lot of southern states at that time put in what are called punishment clauses in their constitutions, which really was used to extend slavery after it was forbidden.

And so crimes that they.

Wanted to punish, especially black people for they rode in these provisions so they could.

And though southern states in them to work in fields or whatever form of work they may have been doing in slavery.

It was just change to as part of the criminal code to say, okay, it's not allowed.

But here's a workaround.

So Tennessee has addressed it like we talked about.

But in Louisiana and the midterms, it was really interesting that the measure there.

>> Last I think Malik, 22 points.

It was really soundly defeated.

And in retrospect, they felt like people were not ready to change out labor practices in prisons.

There.

Do you think you may run into the same issues here in Kentucky?

You know, from the conversations I've had, I don't think so.

I think that it's more of a timing thing, but I don't think we don't have the same structure that they have in Louisiana where it's a larger.

Part of the penal system where someone is where they use this type of labor.

We do have some work force initiatives in prisons.

We do have some labor practices within our system, but it's not set up in the way that it is in Louisiana where it's a big piece of that punishment that is put in.

So there's enough difference there where you think Kentucky, maybe may not go down that same path, potentially, right.

I think that we have a system that would allow for this change without seeing as much of the repercussions that they've beard and Louisiana.

So lawmakers in Kentucky have set up a legislative panel to look at the issue.

I know you've been working on it.

Terrence, in your conversation with lawmakers, especially those within the GOP.

Did they look at this as a no-brainer or is there a chance that when you look back to the rhetoric Suresh surrounding critical race theory and things like that that happened in the last session.

Could this get painted with that same broad brush?

I think it's different.

I think that the the rhetoric around critical race theory was more regionally nationally.

It was just a a scare tactic to get people involved in say on one particular side to say we want to be involved in the state.

We want to scare people into doing something.

This type of initiative.

The only thing that I've heard that I could use negative in the feedback in these discussions is the timing and being in a short session.

And not wanting to address it right now, especially since the way that the amendment process works.

It couldn't be on the ballot until the next year.

Anyway.

And so there's been some discussion about preserving this conversation for.

A later I personally feel like it's better him prudent to address it.

Now.

And then if it's not on the ballot until 2024, fine.

But it's already there instead of having that fight.

Again and again, we'll look to see how it progresses through this upcoming legislative session.

Again, Terrence Sullivan, executive director of the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights.

Thanks so much for being with us.

Thank you.

Sure thing.

Renee, back to you.

Thank you.

Chip.

>> Kentucky still has 15 counties in the high category for COVID activity.

More in tonight's look at medical news now.

This is the new map out updated on December 30th.

You still see several counties in the red and western Kentucky and a few in northeastern Kentucky.

Simpson counties now in the red as well.

You're about to meet a husband and wife who were college sweethearts at Western Kentucky University.

They married in 20.

0, 7, And while they shared common interests, they never dreamed they would.

One day also share a life changing medical diagnosis.

>> I had a baby prematurely in 2012, it 23 weeks and she lived 2 days.

And then after that, I'm a teacher and I had our glass again.

I went back to work on August 8 and I just never really got better.

>> That had a rough well over a year.

I had what I thought was cited troublesome back trouble.

I took a little different job where I was and more this time.

No, I just kind of found Tinder.

And tonight.

>> My legs were awake and I couldn't really walk far one day in woke up in a couldn't see well, and I KET then something was wrong.

>> The whole time said they expect and you have a have a ball during this time.

I have back surgery.

You know, this is going to be rough and they walked in and said you get 20 brain lesions and 6 rights by donations and a lot.

Well, I didn't expect is going to be that rough.

12/13/2012, I was diagnosed with Ines.

>> What the odds and the person get is like 100,000.

And then if you were to do that for a couple, I don't know what that he is a bit once I'm an engineer, not that those numbers in Trigg.

forget what it is, but it's extremely.

>> Extremely rare.

And that's why in your mind, you've kind of already cross that diagnosis know, you know.

>> When he was first diagnosis that I couldn't think of anybody better, that he could live with because I've been walking this road for 10 years now.

>> When you get diagnosed it's tough because you don't know anything about it.

But the good thing for me is that the right to my side and that there's no life has been to all move on and do the whole bag know says she was my rock.

>> It's another corner.

Every person is different.

Not one person within this had the same symptoms.

And I really lost my mobility, but I have friends that can run.

And we all look normal per se on the outside.

But it's all internal damage to our spa on.

>> And 2 are burning the earlier you get diagnosed.

And maybe you can avoid some of that damage.

And once you get the damage, it's it's really hard to repair that damage to the spinal cord and brain lesions.

>> And meteorologist said if you were to get pregnant and usually after pregnancy, you have a huge relapse because it's such a stressful time on your body.

You'll be in a wheelchair.

If you have a bad relapse.

So we decided that that just not what we need to do.

So we decided to foster and I always said, I want it for 5 kids.

I didn't know God was going to give me 3, 7, Frustrating.

That's not what I use most often is just frustrating because I can't go and do with my kids like I want >> To see him going.

>> It could be a lot worse.

I tell myself that every day have not done.

It could be a lot worse.

>> She was diagnosed roughly 10 years ago and they've come out with a whole lot of this.

And since then that are are good and in good, strong men, sons and you know what is helpful that they'll KET chipping away you know, come up with a better medicine, until they do and have faith in God and Jesus going stir.

>> People always tell me have such a good attitude.

I don't have a choice.

You know, you have to get up every day.

I can choose to be miserable can choose to be happy.

And I've chosen to be happy.

>> Our best to them.

The Joneses say they don't want to let Ms KET them from working.

Monica is a teacher at Pulaski County Schools and James works for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

They also far more than 200 acres.

♪ >> Weaver's got to learn how a loom works at the little loom house in Louisville, a place with a long and interesting history.

More in tonight's look at Arts and culture in a segment that we like to call tapestry.

>> Tate was the founder of the Little One House the Luling house before she came to the actual historic cabins.

The makeup of the house.

We've already had its own history that attracted her and it was an artist in history that she brought her business to the Little House in 1939, she focused on textiles.

She was a weaver and textile historian before she came to the White House and her and after a from mobile and then said the little one, which is what were named after.

Fiverr umbrella term for.

>> Out a lot of things knitting crocheting we take me that you do with flexible materials, any material that actually flexible enough for you to manipulate in a way to create some things.

It could be to be things like we've being while, hey, we can also be 3 D sculpture.

All things cell 5 already system really Prague term.

>> On with step into the fray.

So it makes it really easy.

Then you have the shuttle.

We're rounding the on the ground.

You are traveling, stepping on that the totals that are underneath the room.

It opens up the fibers, the floor.

Well, throw the shuttle crew.

Then you have a beater by you can get and that pushes want.

Part that you just put through.

And then you switch your feet and then the threads that were under needs once that opposite.

Go now.

>> We do adult classes mostly on the we can so that, you know, people are available that you see the last from 2 to 4 hours, depending on how in-depth it is and whether or not it's for by beginners or people who who are bit more advanced.

Well, the very basic classes just out in trouble.

We and we take intro to weaving.

We learn things like.

What other parts of the moon, which parts do you need to interact with in order to we which parts and you're really not going to have to use it.

You learn some different techniques.

So there's, you know, just a plain we being.

But this also does a number of techniques that you can use to get a different texture, too, introduce different colors, some pattern in techniques.

>> Education and preservation are both in our mission statement.

And so for us, we are preserving the art you know, by teaching them by turning on generation.

Most people do leave and go.

Wow, this is a lot more complicated as far as like setting up for a win, getting things ready.

And we felt that the Senate foreign, I think if people find in their life that are fun or that are interesting, though, KET going with it.

What we're looking for are people of all ages who are just interested in.

>> Making things putting their hands on, you know, putting my hand to real and creating learning about the past how it's impacting the president.

Looking forward to that.

>> Eleanor Roosevelt was a longtime supporter of the little Loom house and even visited and 1938.

Well, we hope you'll join us again tomorrow night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky edition where we inform connect and inspire.

And we'll recap the governor state of the Commonwealth address.

But you'll see coming right up right here on KET.

Thank you so much for watching.

I'm Renee Shaw.

Take good care and I'll see you in just a few minutes for the governor's address to a joint assembly of the Kentucky General Assembly.

♪