abnormally dry.

The brown is "moderate drought."

There are two areas (Countdown, KET Bumper (no sound) we generally have 27 inches of rain.... ......we are at that.

Some surprising insights about Kentucky's drought.... and how you could be affected.

#### We always say Dolly Parton sent you another book, so he obviously doesn't know what that means yet, but it's still fun to make it like an exciting thing.

Some Kentucky kids are getting a jump start on their A-B-C's..... thanks to Dolly Parton!

#### In 1931.

In Harlan County, Kentucky, there was a war going on.

I called the bloody Harlan and the Harlan County wars d 'Keuc hto.. to iso.

## Go eni, d lce Keuc Eti for Thursday, July 14th.

We thank you for joining us.

I'm your host, Renee Shaw.

##### For the first time this year.... some parts of Kentucky are in a "severe" drought.... despite some rain over the past week.

Take a look at the new map from the U.S. Drought Monitor.

The yellow area is considered abnormally dry.

The brown is "moderate drought."

There are two areas that are orange in color.

One of them is in far western Kentucky.

The other is where Hardin and Grayson Counties meet.

Those are "severe" drought areas.

This map was completed Tuesday.

We spoke this afternoon to Megan Schargorodski.... interim director of the Kentucky Climate Center and Kentucky Mesonet at Western Kentucky University.

She talked about the drought's impact on farmers and other Kentuckians.... and what we should expect in the next few weeks.

##### Typically by this time of year or just over halfway through the year, we generally have about 27 inches of rainfall as a statewide average.

We are at that and that may be surprising because we do have some areas in drought conditions, but that's mostly because of the timing of the rainfall.

So we are at average right now.

We are where we should be, but we just haven't gotten rain in a timely fashion across the past few months, up until beginning of June.

We did not have very much, if any, drought conditions in the state.

We had some abnormally dry areas that were starting to show up, but overall we were pretty wet and this is actually pretty characteristic to what we've seen in other years that have had droughts evolve like this.

It is really bad timing for corn in particular.

This is the time that the corn needs the most water.

It's when the the ears are forming and the the kernels are forming within the ears.

And so that is when it needs the most energy.

And unfortunately, if you can think back to last week, if you saw any cornfields, most of them looked like pineapple fields.

The leaves on the corn plants were very curled and that is what they do when they are experiencing a significant stressor, such as really dry conditions or really hot conditions.

It it's its way of conserving energy.

So when it needs to have energy and it's trying to conserve energy at the same time, it's it's not a good combination.

So if we can get some timely rainfall in these areas, then we do have some hope.

There is hope of of rain replenishing what is lost.

However, I'm not entirely sure at what point it's considered a full loss for the season, but we are in these areas that do have the severe drought right now.

We do need to be concerned about corn in particular.

I think soybeans are doing okay at the time, but if we don't get rainfall in those areas, then we will start seeing problems there too.

I don't know if we're at the point of water restrictions yet, but as always, it's always a good idea to be conservative with your water usage and just be mindful of how much water you're using in the summer.

In particular, I wouldn't want to necessarily say climate change is the reason why we're seeing this, but we are seeing these extremes more frequently.

We are seeing overall warmer temperatures in Kentucky.

We are seeing generally more rainy conditions here in Kentucky.

So how exactly you want to phrase as whether or not it's climate change?

I'll leave that up to the audience.

But but we are seeing those trends and that is just that the bigger picture there.

And that takes us now to Grayson County ... where a farmer in the community of Clarkson has 22-hundred acres of soybeans and eight-hundred acres of corn.

He says the drought is creating problems for his crops ... especially his soybeans... which are not where they should be for this time of year.

##### The beans is what's really taking a beating.

Right now, corn field is in critical stage.

We had a little rain right through here two weeks ago, east and west of us.

We had hadn't any rain.

Our double crop means we've planted planted those.

15th of June.

They should be half any higher.

And they're just barely come into the ground from the last rain.

They blown but they didn't pod last week.

Where you have several acres planted.

We have a lot invested in it.

So, yes, it's a concern.

This what they should be You've got these late ones that just came up the last week.

It would have been back and a I guess when it was this bad we didn't have we bailed a lot of our beans and corn didn't make 2040 bushel north of us around the big clifty area.

They're extremely dry.

They only had like half inch rain below Caneyville probably half an inch.

And they're they're hurt worse than we are right through here in this section.

We're probably looking at normally 60 bushel beans, maybe 40 now with some rain.

If we don't get rain this weekend, why it's another story Course we've lost everything from here down an inch and a half of rain over the weekend, maybe another inch of rain in in five to ten days will help.

But it's gonna take quite a bit of rain now to bring these light crops on end to finish filling Of course, we were hoping for a decent yield to kind of push us on through for a better end to the year.

Of course, you know, Mother Nature has to cooperate with us.

Marion's water crisis continues.... but the town is getting more help.

The Crittenden-Livingston Water District is increasing the amount of water it's sending the city.

It's now sending 130 gallons of water per minute.

Marion uses about 400 per minute... on average.

Marion had to drain Lake George a few weeks ago.... to prevent a levee failure.

That.... and the lack of rain... have caused a water shortage.

The state is sending in bottled water.

A boil water advisory continues.

##### Kentucky has three cases of monkeypox... all in the Louisville area.

But today....

Doctor Steven Stack... commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health..... said this is not something the average Kentuckian needs to be worried about.

STACK: And for right now, the general public is at no significant risk from this illness.

The bottom line is this is not like covid.

If this were covid, and we were in a press room like this, and three people have covid, the rest of us are probably gonna get it after we've been in here for an hour together.

But with monkeypox, we could all be in this room for the whole day, and as long as the other person isn't making close physical contact with them, I'm unlikely I'm going to get connected to it.

So the key thing is: just be careful when you're around people you don't know.

Don't get too close to them.

Don't be too proximate to them for too long.

And have personal contact with them.

That's how this largely transmits.

So we have to be concerned, because if it leaps to other populations it will cause more problems.

But right now the risk to the general public is exceedingly low.

Doctor Stack says Kentucky has about 300 doses of vaccine for monkeypox.... but only people who've been directly exposed would need to be vaccinated.

###### Today is the day new laws go into effect in Kentucky... 90 days after the General Assembly session ended.

But a judge has blocked part of Senate Bill 1.... affecting Jefferson County schools.

Part of that bill limits the Jefferson County school board's power to make decisions.

The school board sued.... saying that part of the law affected Jefferson County... and no one else.

Judge Charles Cunningham agreed.... saying the law violated Kentucky's constitution.

According to WFPL public radio.... he called the law an "arbitrary assertion of power."

Attorney General Daniel Cameron plans to appeal.

##### There's concern Kentucky's jails are getting too crowded again.

Two years ago.... when the COVID pandemic began.... jails released some inmates to reduce the chances of the virus spreading behind bars.

But as the pandemic eased.... the jail population increased again.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports in June.... more than 21-thousand people were in Kentucky jails.

Madison County's jail has twice as many inmates... as beds.

So does Pulaski County... according to the Herald-Leader.

Only six other states have a higher jail incarceration rate than Kentucky.

##### Kentucky's secretary of state is once again the chair of the State Board of Elections.

In 2019.... when Alison Lundergan Grimes was secretary.... the General Assembly passed a bill blocking her from serving as board chair.

At the time.... Secretary Grimes was under investigation.

Then... this year... lawmakers passed Senate Bill 216.... reinstating the Secretary of State as board chair and declaring that the... quote... "scandals" had been cleaned up.

#### Coach John Calipari and some members of the U-K basketball team helped raise money for western Kentucky tornado relief.... on Wednesday.

The group visited a Kroger in Louisville.... where the coach signed autographs and everyone posed for pictures with fans.

It was free.... but people were asked to donate.

This is part of a five-city tour for Coach Cal.

He also stopped in London yesterday and Georgetown today.

Stops are also planned in Morehead and Somerset.

##### https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= oSZI4rWkq4Q Kentucky will soon take part in a national changeover to the easy-remember, three-digit suicide and mental health crisis lifeline, which is 988.

That connects Kentuckians thinking of suicide, mental health distress, and addiction crisis, with compassion and training counselors who can help.

Just think of this as the 911 of mental health.

#### That was Governor Andy Beshear.... earlier today.... announcing the new 988 mental health crisis number.... which goes into effect Saturday.

Earlier today, I talked with a mental health advocate who says the simpler crisis number will save more lives.

#### Marci Timmerman, executive director of Mental Health America of Kentucky.

Thank you for a few moments of your time.

Thanks for having me.

So talk to us about this new three digit number 988.

That's very much like 911.

When you call for emergency services that could help save a life for someone who is in mental health distress or a crisis.

Yeah, this number is for everyone.

So regardless of ability to pay and things like that, we don't want you to think about those things.

Just like when we call for a physical emergency for 911, you can call nine and eight for any kind of mental health emergency, anything if someone is suicidal, if you're with someone who's suicidal.

So you don't have to be the person affected either, just like you do with 911.

Right.

I think that's a good point, that you don't have to actually be in distress yourself, but know and love someone who might be.

We understand that Congress appropriated funds for this 988 call line back in 2020 Kentucky has received some money from the federal government and then the Kentucky General Assembly also appropriated I think it's 2.8 million for implementation of this here in Kentucky.

What will we get for that?

What will there be expansion of call centers?

What will that money be used for?

So 13 of our community mental health centers we have 14 total right.

We have one that's really tiny and only got about seven calls last year.

So they actually contracted with the next largest their neighbor.

But in Kentucky our community mental health centers are answering nine, eight, eight calls.

So they have gone through the extensive process of training and getting verified and connected with the national network.

So when you call nine, eight, eight in Kentucky, you should get your community mental health center as the response.

And so the benefit to that is really unique in Kentucky.

And you're getting that already.

That safety net provider who has the emergency on call, a psychiatrist who has the next day appointment, things like that.

So I think that's a really unique aspect of ours.

And the good thing about a nine, eight, eight, though, is that it is a national thing.

So there's back up among each of our community mental health centers in Kentucky and there's back up at the national level.

And we've been really building up the call centers first.

But the long term view of nine, eight, eight is to actually help boost our mobile crisis response options as well.

So getting the right people to the right scene.

Right.

So that's a good point that this actually will dispatch services to people and connect them to local service providers in their area.

I think people are always concerned that it's someone outside of the area who may not know who those service providers are.

But what about follow up care once that initial call is made, how do how is it assured that that person is going to be stable and safe?

Most of the time as long as someone is allowing us.

Right.

This is an anonymous line.

So unlike 911, some ways we don't get all the the same data that you share with 911.

But in most cases, folks are happy to have us call back.

Right.

And they do check up on them the next day, if that's appropriate for what the call needed.

So I think that's really important and you know, that connectivity to that community mental health center allows that.

Right.

So so can you talk to us really briefly, Marcy, about the numbers of those Kentuckians who are feeling more than just the blues and who are reaching out for mental health services?

Has that increased?

Is it pandemic related or are there other reasons and causes.

At mental health America of Kentucky, we have those nine the screenings that are online, we have seen them grow by four times as many screenings since beginning of COVID, from numbers before COVID.

So we know that people are needing information.

And then in 20, 21, we actually started asking why?

Why are people coming to us?

Loneliness is one of the bigger responses.

But we also saw things like COVID and racism and racial violence being reasons that folks are checking in on themselves.

And I think that's a really good thing that they're checking in.

So we don't want to say it's a bad thing that we're increasing, but it's an interesting stat.

So this nine, eight, eight number goes into effect July 16th, correct?

Yes.

Yeah, it comes on the Saturday, but we have been using it already in Kentucky.

It has been tested really well.

So I think we're totally ready.

Right.

And so until that time, if someone is in crisis or know someone who is, what's the number they call.

One 800 2738255.

And that number will work regardless.

It's still connected to the same system.

Wonderful.

What?

Thank you.

Marcy Timmerman with Mental Health America of Kentucky.

We appreciate your time today.

Thank you.

### Dolly Parton does it all.

She's a singer... a songwriter.... an actress... and a teacher?

Children are learning to read.... thanks to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.... which mails books to kids and helps them learn to read before they start school.

It's already a hit in one Kentucky county.... and now it's going statewide.

#### There you go.

Good job.

Lots of my friends signed their kids up for them.

And then whenever I got pregnant with him, they recommended signing him up.

So we did.

My sister works at Walker Early Learning Center here, and she she told me about the program and she had signed her kids up for the program.

So I kind of signed mine up as soon as they were able.

I know they're age appropriate and it begins that process of of learning to read, of just understanding words on the page.

Well, I run to the mailbox and get stuff out.

And then whenever he has something in the mailbox for him, he thinks it's fun to open it up.

Over there and little cub hike through the woods.

The children love getting something in the mail that is addressed to them, it's not addressed to their parents, but it's actually addressed to the children.

And it gives them and their parents a chance to sit down and spend some quality time.

This one reading together.

And they love it.

Josie really loved it.

And my little girl, she loved it.

Woodrow really likes it because he's he's smaller.

And so when he gets his stuff, he he thinks he's big cause sissy was getting him and and now he gets them.

So he thinks it's really, really fun.

Reading is just so important for so many reasons.

It helps them with their communication skills.

Um, you, it's a bonding experience, I like to say there I saw this quote that says There is no app like a parent's lap and just that quality time for kids to get to spend with their parents is really priceless.

So you feel better, said little.

Kids after bath time when they don't want to watch TV or we've already had plenty of screen time.

We sit down with some books and they go and grab them and we read and just kind of kind of do that for children and look for pictures.

We always come in here and I let him take which one he wants.

He points to the color that he likes.

Josie, she's just starting kindergarten, so she can look at the letters and she's trying to to learn some of that.

She recognizes the letters, but we do more of the what the pictures are and and stuff like that.

But she likes to follow along with her finger and where she's trying to learn how to read.

If you can't read or read well, even so many doors are closed to that individual.

Reading is that gateway.

It's the doorway.

It's the path.

I am an excellent welcomer.

And our students on average in general knowledge scored at least five points higher on the Brigance, which is their kindergarten readiness exam, than students who did not or had not received the books.

And I think just living in the low income district, it's really awesome because a lot of those kids wouldn't have gotten those books otherwise.

Our initial process to get word out to families was through the Wayne County Health Department and their Hands program, which reaches out to families, parents of newborn children.

And they would communicate with them, Hey, this is available to you through the school system and so forth.

And that was our initial approach.

And what I love about the state legislators coming together and passing this bill is the fact that it's going to make Dolly Parton's Imagination Library eligible for all counties in our state, and they also are supporting it financially.

It's going to be a 5050 match, which means the state is going to take care of 50% of the cost per child, which is 1250, and then local foundations will take care of the other 50%.

We always say Dolly Parton sent you another book, so he obviously doesn't know what that means yet, but it's still fun to make it like an exciting thing.

And it's a surprise whenever we get a book because we never know when they're coming.

They find that enjoyable from an early age.

That'll stick with them and they'll continue to be a lifelong reader and then a lifelong learner.

And when they come in here for the library the first time they'll say, I have a library at home.

It's my Dolly Parton Imagination Library, and they'll tell us about some of the books or what their favorite book is in that library.

So that's really a cool thing to see.

Josie is very big into her imagination, like she plays all the time.

It's insane.

And if I listen to her after we've read books, she'll incorporate some of that stuff into her play.

So it's really special.

At this family table.

If children can learn how to read at an early age and just the vocabulary development that they can get from sharing stories together, forming sentences, it's it really is the cornerstone for everything else that they will learn along life's way.

#### ##### I'm Doug Flynn.

Please enjoy one of the many stories we brought you this season on Kentucky Life.

In 1931.

In Harlan County, Kentucky, there was a war going on.

I called the bloody Harlan and the Harlan County wars is between the coal mining companies and the coal miners.

There was a woman lived in Harlan County and Florence Reese from all You Good Workers, asked you how to resolve the girl who is coming here to tell.

You which side are you on?

Who is Florence Freese?

Why are we talking about her?

91 years after she wrote the song.

Florence was born in 1900.

Florence Reese grew up in Tennessee.

Her father was a coal miner, and her father had died from a slight collapse.

My daddy was a miner, now an errand son, and I stick.

With the union.

You have your battles.

One on which side are you?

On which side are you on which side are you on?

But which side are you on?

She grew up in a time when times were tough.

Harlan County was one of the most intensive coal mining areas of.

At this point, coal was absolutely invaluable to the industrial growth of the United States.

Many of the coal mines were actually owned by steel companies because the coal was producing the energy to make the steel and this is driving the railroads.

So commerce and trade and everything is dependent upon the coal miners.

Unfortunately, in 1931, the coal companies cut the pay of the miners already low, another 10%.

The labor unrest intensified because it was intolerable or they already didn't have enough to live on.

And remember, this is the depression as well.

Sam Reece was also a union organizer.

Well, that was dangerous work.

Being a union organizer meant that you were very frequently targeted.

The mine owners did not want the miners to organize because they could collectively bargain for better rights, for safety precautions and whatnot.

John Henry Blair arrived with five carloads of deputies, gun thugs to apprehend Sam.

Now he'd gotten away and was hiding up on the mountain because he'd gotten word of this in advance.

But what happened then?

The family got terrorized.

The gun thugs were all over the house, overturning everything and then staking out a guard outside their house for days.

And at that moment, she was compelled to take down a calendar on the wall and ride on the back of it.

The words to this song.

Which side are you on?

Are you on?

The coal miners side or on the mine owners side?

Those that just ransacked her home.

But this song has gone far and wide, maybe more than any other song.

You know, in fact, that the first time I heard we had set our yard, I thought it had just been written.

I was doing the civil rights movement and kind of found out that it was Florence Reese, no granny woman.

At the time that I met her, she was one there at the forefront of the movement.

Worried she was gonna lose her husband.

Scared her kids will be harmed.

In my mind, Florence Reese was just a regular, everyday person.

But she saw a problem and she did something about it.

And I think that's a lesson to all of us.

### 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.

Subscribe to our weekly Kentucky Edition email newsletter and watch full episodes and clips at KET.org.

You can also find Kentucky Edition on the P-B-S Video app on your mobile device and Smart