♪ >> So today we owe these men.

Gave the ultimate sacrifice their life.

We owe them.

We owe their families.

>> To talk to lawmakers, Floyd County officers killed in the line of duty.

>> We know people will always need to access abortion care and we know how important it is that they're able to get that in their homes.

>> Kentuckians are still waiting for a judge's ruling on a law banning abortion.

>> Your voice for that.

We'll never forget it.

>> Passionate words as Kentucky ends make the case for medical marijuana.

You just have to have a desire to walk through the door and we can show you anything you want to try.

>> And get a feel for life under the big top.

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

Leonard Press Endowment for Public Affairs and the KET Millennium Fund.

♪ ♪ >> Good evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION for this Wednesday, July 20th, I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you for spending some of your Wednesday night with OSS.

>> It's been almost a month since 3 Floyd County officers were shot and killed while serving an emergency protective order and the community of Allen today and Frankfort.

Lawmakers paid tribute to Floyd County Deputy William Petri Prestonsburg Police Captain Ralph Frasier and Prestonsburg Officer Jacob Chastened and K 9 Officer Durango.

>> Today we're here to share the loss suffered by Floyd County and the pay tribute to our beloved fallen officers.

And those still recovering from last changing injuries and also reinforce the value of our first responders and all those serving in public protection.

By now, many of you probably know that on June 30th officers in Floyd County.

Attempted to serve paperwork upon a resident of Allen, Kentucky.

When officers arrived, the subject barricaded himself inside of the home and opened fire.

As officers at the same call for help with shots fired.

Our neighboring law enforcement communities answered the call.

This standoff lasted for hours.

And unfortunately, during that exchange of gunfire, 3 career police officers were fatally wounded alongside a service dog while several others were shot and injured.

This tragedies.

>> Struck a small community and eastern Kentucky.

And it goes to show so they can strike anywhere.

>> These brave man, we're not just officers serving our community with over 50 years experience in law enforcement combined.

They were also fathers of children.

Both young and groom sums of son serving as care takers to elderly parents and friends that you could always count on.

And Tom Enten aid.

>> I don't recall in my career and I think we have to probably go back 100 years that we've had this many officers shot in any single incident and the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

This one involves sheriff's department, the police department.

Kentucky State Police constable and even an EMS personnel that was shot.

These man.

Serving the community above their own lives.

And we owe it to them to honor them.

To pay them respect.

manage that they deserve.

It's because men and women that have the servant's heart that does the job.

Every situation that they encounter for nearly every situation they encounter.

Could turn out just the way this has.

I always have to be on guard and prepared.

>> A lot of people say different uniforms, but how intertwined this was done.

How huge of a just quite frankly punch in the got.

This was to us as a family.

So there's a lot of recovery still yet.

And there's a lot of memorial still yet.

And through these avenues that Representative Tackett Lafferty gives us and and that that this committee gives us to remember these guys.

Because it's not just hailing it's hailing and solidifying what exactly they did that to come in and for somebody that event that led to the asked they had never met before.

And they would never see again after that investigation was concluded, in most cases laid down their lives got shot and killed and died for and that is a huge sacrifice.

>> So today we owe these man.

Gave the ultimate sacrifice their life.

We owe them.

We owe their families.

>> You can see that full.

Session there on our website at Aetn Dot Org.

Slash legislature.

The man accused of killing officers.

Lance Storz has been indicted on numerous charges, including 3 counts of murder and 6 counts of attempted murder.

Now on to Jefferson County, teachers continue to leave the classroom 118 certified teachers resigned and 83 more retired, according to a personal report received by the school board yesterday.

That's according to WLKY TV.

This is a month after 82 teachers resign.

Superintendent Marty Pollio says the district will look at how to minimize the impact of a staffing shortage.

This will be talked about at a board meeting August.

The second.

Bus drivers in Campbell County say they might not show up for work when the school year starts.

According to Spectrum News, one, they don't like their pay.

One driver says Campbell County pays about 10% less than neighboring Kenton County driver.

Don Schmitt says 90 transportation workers signed a petition about it in May, but their concerns, he says, were dismissed and a statement to Spectrum News.

One, the board said drivers have received raises this year.

There's new concern that increased COVID cases are putting a strain on Kentucky hospitals.

Doctor David Worthy of Baptist health Corbin tells W why empty and Hazard that he's worried about the combination of higher COVID numbers and staffing shortages.

He says a COVID surge in the fall.

Even a minor one could leave hospital struggling to take care of patients.

He said Baptist Health Corbin is looking for ways to make jobs more attractive.

While abortion rights advocates and abortion opponents wait for ruling about a total ban on abortions in Kentucky last week there was a court decision about part of a law passed recently by the Kentucky General Assembly.

I talked to a staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, which is involved in both of those cases to get their perspective.

>> Heather Gatnarek with the ACLU of Kentucky.

Thank you for your time today.

>> Sure, thanks for having me.

So a couple of abortion related matters.

We want to make sure our audience understands and the status of them right now, the trigger law, which we'll talk about.

>> And just a moment, which is still waiting for some decision, but also a 15 week abortion ban.

Both of these things, ACLU has been involved in.

Let's start with that.

15 week.

Abortion ban that a judge ruled on last week.

>> Right.

So the 15 week abortion ban is part of an omnibus bill called House Bill 3 and the part of the building include the 15 week ban is now in effect.

So there is a 15 week been in place in Kentucky, but there are many other provisions of that bill are still in joined in federal court, which means that abortion is still available prior to 15 weeks.

And the part of the bill that would have been impossible for providers to comply with are still blocked by that federal judge.

>> And so some of some of those up and joined measures include provisions concerning miners and abortion, assisted medic or or medication assisted abortions.

Correct?

>> That's correct.

The bill would have made significant changes to have how report various things to the state.

How actually provide the medication for medication abortions, all of which went into effect immediately upon that bill's passage but were impossible to comply with until the state takes steps to put measures in place.

>> We know that Planned Parenthood of Louisville and I assume that the Mw women's surgical center is still providing those abortions up to 15 weeks, correct.

>> That's correct.

Emw is providing up to just right under 15 weeks and Planned Parenthood, I believe has a similar.

>> So now let's talk about the trigger law that came into effect because of the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v Wade on June 24th.

Where does that stand now in Kentucky?

>> We filed a lawsuit challenging both the trigger ban and a separate six-week ban and are challenging both of those under provisions of the Kentucky state Constitution.

So that case is still in court here in Jefferson County and Jefferson Circuit Court.

And there is currently a restraining order in place, meaning both of those lives are blocked.

So again, as we said, patients can still access abortion in Kentucky out to 15 weeks.

What's pending right now is that the judge is considering whether to grant a longer term temporary injunction after the restraining order and that a decision is still in the judge's hands.

Right now, he'll rule any time.

>> So make the case why this access is vital for women's care.

>> Well, it's incredibly important that people in Kentucky have the ability to make their own decisions about whether and when to become parents, whether and how to grow their own families and to make those very personal decisions about their own bodies in their own health care.

We argue that this right is found out is it is protected within the Kentucky state Constitution by our protections for privacy and bodily autonomy and self-determination.

All of which we know are incredibly important for people across the state and beyond to make sure that they can make the best decisions for themselves and their families.

It is not uncommon for a people of, you know, people have reproductive age to access abortions.

We know people will always need to access abortion care and we know how important it is that they're able to get that in their own.

>> And their future Kentucky Edition will bring you the perspective of an advocate in the pro-life movement who favors Kentucky's anti-abortion laws.

Kentuckians are sharing stories of suffering and sorrow at a town hall meetings are being held all throughout the state as they make the case for legalizing medical marijuana.

Governor Andy Beshear's team Kentucky, Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee was in Frankfort Tuesday, hearing from Kentuckians who want action now to ease their pain.

>> Is my belief the the intent of the Constitution?

Was to put the power in the hands of the people every Put a survey out to my constituency and I ask for it of questions.

>> I will tell you this question about medical cannabis is a survey and it has very consistently over the last 5 years.

Drone between 85 91%.

Approval.

>> I'm here because I'm definitely an advocate for medical marijuana and passing it as soon as possible in Kentucky so that we can help her suffering patients.

Sometimes I would have patients may be in wheelchairs, veterans with carefully judged.

They would say.

You know, I've got this for my pain and I smoke the weed and that way.

I don't you so much in my doctor says it's okay.

That's the way it was in the 80's.

Then later, it was in no time patients would come in and they would have to only be on a narcotic only.

Otherwise it would get no, not cut it.

>> We're all giving these pills are opioids by the medical industry.

Back in the 1990's.

And and I've seen many, many lives destroyed.

From over use of this talk medication.

>> There's desperation when your child is laying on the floor crying and thanking you to help them and there's nothing you can do.

Yeah, there's frustration when the doctors tell you the only thing they can give them, isn't it Mark Potter case and that's going to make his condition worse.

There's anger that his constituents that are supposed to represent us seem to.

Not really represent.

But the majority of tech and same store.

>> It's up to us a lot of ways.

It's up to you.

>> A lot of ways.

>> Your voice matters.

Well, everything.

Everything.

>> I'll never forget it.

>> It's time to put special interests aside.

It's time to listen to constituents that the state.

>> Please pass it in less.

Get that vote on the record.

>> No one we encountered at the meeting opposed legalize medical marijuana.

Another medical cannabis town hall is scheduled for next Monday, July 25th at Hopkinsville Community College.

That is the last scheduled town hall.

♪ The U.S. House yesterday passed the Respect for Marriage Act.

It's a bill that would require the federal government to recognize the validity of same sex marriage is an interracial marriage.

The bill passed to 67 to one.

57, 47 Republicans joined all Democrats in voting for it.

All 5 of Kentuckians Republicans voted no Kentucky's only Democrat in Congress.

John Yarmouth voted for it.

Congressman Yarmouth tweeted this about the bill.

Quote, conservatives and religious zealots in Congress and on the court have launched an outright assault on the fundamental rights of millions.

We must ensure marriage equality remains the law of the land in, quote.

More politics.

Still to come on Kentucky EDITION, we'll talk with dry Lynn Barton of Kentucky, Public Radio and Ohio Valley resource about the non nomination of Chad Meredith to a federal judgeship and Republicans overtaking Democrats and voter registration and Kentucky.

Stay tuned for that.

Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is urging the U.S. to welcome Sweden and Finland into NATO.

Quickly yesterday the U.S. House voted overwhelmingly on a resolution backing the move.

Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky was one of 18 Republicans who voted no.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee also voted to add the 2 countries.

Senator Rand Paul voted present.

He has been critical in the past of expanding NATO.

Senator McConnell praised the committee for its supports.

>> So it is now one step closer to fulfilling its role in the historic process that will further strengthen the most successful military alliance.

The world there's ever seen.

Bringing those strong modern countries.

And will not just rental in a long time.

That will make American more than 2.

>> Senator McConnell is also talking about the 2024 presidential race.

McConnell told the Hill that former President Donald Trump will have a lot of competition if he runs for president.

Again, McConnell said, quote, I think we're going to have a crowded field for president.

I assume most of that will unfold later and people will be picking their candidates in a crowded primary field and quote, Trump has been critical of McConnell since McConnell acknowledged President Biden's win and the 2020 presidential election.

>> Time now for our midweek.

Check in on all things.

Politics in Kentucky with dry Lynn Barton, who is the managing editor of Kentucky Public Radio and Ohio Valley Resource.

Good to say or island.

I run a good to see you.

So let's get to 3 big topics here.

The first is Chad Meredith.

I mean, this is the story that just keeps on giving, right?

It's a now it's a non nomination of Chad Meredith for a federal judgeship.

Tell us what's the latest on this?

>> Right.

So Chad, Meredith is a conservative lawyer.

He was a part of Governor Matt Bevin's administration and also a Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron's administration for a left that position.

I believe earlier this year.

surprisingly, a couple of weeks ago, the Courier Journal reported that the White House, the Democratic Joe Biden's White House was considering nominating him for a federal judgeship in Kentucky in the parent deal with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

This produced a lot of outrage from Democrats, especially.

But and there's a lot of pressure on President Biden to withdraw the nomination.

But the with the nominations finally withdrawn this week, not because of Democratic opposition, but because of Senator Rand Paul.

Another Republican saying that Hugh was against it because he hadn't been consulted on.

very openly lashed out against Mitch McConnell for negotiating this deal without input from other stakeholders, including himself and other Republicans.

So it was a kind of strange political moment in Kentucky are once again, we see this relationship you have 2 very different kinds of Republicans that Kentucky INS have elected to be our U.S. senators.

And here it plays out in this moment where most successfully got a conservative antiabortion lawyer appointed to lifetime judgeship in Kentuckyian Rand takes the deal because he wasn't brought in on the matter.

>> And this is called what blue slip tradition where the senators are consulted about these judgeship.

So does Senator Paul have a point here?

>> Right.

and how that works is essentially that the senators turn in these blue slips that would say whether support of that particular nomination and that kind of clears the White House to go ahead and move forward the nomination that there's going to be some, you know, a relative a chance of it of of the being that judge being out of the Senate.

So, yeah, without both of those blue slips, there's there's less of a, you know, the it shows that there's less unity from the from the state's political leaders for that to go for granted.

The you know, Joe Biden can go about nominating whoever he wants for these particular judgeships.

As more, you know, as long as the Senate goes about confirming them.

But yes, there's kind of a policy in place of that bear.

They expected they hope to get some sign off from the states of and that didn't happen once all withdrew his support.

>> And we know that there are Democratic senators who said we're not going to vote for this guy.

Tim Kaine had said that and others who said that we're not going to go for this.

So now let's talk about the the bluegrass is now read, shall we say a literally when it comes to partisan affiliation.

Last week we got the news that the GOP is outnumbering Democrats when it comes to party registration, which perhaps is now really catching up with voter performance.

>> Right.

It's been a long time coming in.

And really, I don't know if you experience this, but a lot of times and I'm talking about the story are reporting it.

People people are surprised to hear that the Democrats were still outnumbering Republicans in Kentucky, but that's it's just the the process is finally made its way through.

So, you know, definitely Kentucky started reporting voting for Republicans in federal elections, especially in the early 80's in most notably Mitch game being elected to the U.S. Senate for the first time in 1984. and then slowly, it's starting to creep into the other federal elections.

The last time the Kentucky voted for a Democratic president was 1996 and then slowly into the state elections.

So we saw that with increasingly Kentucky electing of Republicans to statewide constitutional offices like governor, like attorney general.

So we saw that you say over the years Ernie Fletcher and then Matt Bevin and then just this year, Andy Beshear only winning that election by about 5,000 votes over a very unpopular Matt Bevin.

So Kentucky still complicated and it's into merging of has a more red state.

But you can really see you know, playing out at the legislative level these days of 75 out of 100 seats in the in the in the state House of Representatives.

What is at 20 out of 38, 30 out of of Republicans and 30 out of the NC State Senate.

So I mean, Republicans have really they've already been dominating politically.

Now the number the registration numbers are just finally starting to catch up.

>> But Kentucky secretary of state Michael Adams, who did gloat about the flip did say kind of a warning here.

It says that Republicans are the plurality, not a majority to win statewide elections and then govern effectively.

He said last week Republican candidates must appeal beyond the base to the 55% of voters who are not Republican.

So he's saying don't take it for granted.

You still got to do the work.

>> I'm just going to say that's a it's a interesting comment coming from Mike Adams and he's made similar ones in the D I'm thinking back in the wake of the 2019 election when incoming governor Matt Bevin lost by about 5,000 votes, he really came out to talk to Republicans to say, listen, the election was straightforward.

It was you there wasn't any funny business going on here.

He was really trying to calm a lot of people who are potentially going to get very angry and felt like a similar moment to that.

>> More to talk about.

We always Neymar Tiber Island Barton, we thank you for the time you give us take care.

Good friend.

>> Thanks for an end.

♪ ♪ >> College students have to juggle a lot of things.

Some students at UK are juggling literally.

They're members of the UK Circus Club, a club.

That's a great place for hanging out.

It's part of our weekly Arts and culture segment Tapestry.

♪ ♪ >> Anybody can do it doesn't matter your background doesn't matter your fitness level.

It doesn't your experience in There's something for everyone in the circus.

You just have to have a desire to walk through the door and we can show you anything you want to try.

Everything starts off beginner level stuff.

So there's something for everyone to try.

You don't have to have any skills any qualification.

We have people doing.

>> Balancing on each other.

We have people doing trapeze and the you know, you've seen the Celts.

>> We lira, which is similar kind of to attract these and that it hanging.

But it's more like hula hoop shaped.

We also have juggling so juggling eyeballs or clubs, depending on how advanced you are with it.

It took me.

2 years to find the right space because to find rigging that structurally appropriate that can withstand the weight of aerial The dynamic force that an area list produces.

>> Not just your regular ceiling is going to able to handle that.

It is say community building place.

>> To have fun for people to try something they've never tried before.

Our favorite thing is to get people in it who think I can't do this and then you very quickly get them on the Celts and they see that they can.

>> I very often juggle what I'm thinking.

And I was walking around campus juggling and a professor in the in the philosophy department saw me and said I have someone you should meet and she literally drag me to make Wallace's office and said this person walks around juggling you should know.

>> We're here to show people what we had to offer and the way that we do our meetings is it's more about skill sharing.

So people who know a little bit more show people who don't know as much what to do.

And it's just this way of kind of.

We asked during art form, it's changed.

My outlook on doing a physical activity in a way that it's just supported.

And you're just having fun with a lot of people.

It is a way to stay in shape or get in shape have fun.

So it's not like you're slogging miles on the treadmill you're having so much fun.

You forget that you're working out, I think definitely in the beginning as well.

It's going to be a lot more exercise like you're going to feel after you've been doing circus for 2 hours.

At the end of the day, you're going to be sore the next day.

But then as you're learning things, you learn how to peace different movements together.

Then you get to start to game that more individualistic approach where you get to kind of be creative and see how you want to piece it together and learn different things.

I think every week you gain something new.

So there hasn't been a single week that I didn't feel like it.

>> I games something out of it that I didn't learn something new.

We're just all out here playing together and having a good time.

And so I think how interactive it is and how we share our skills with each other.

>> It's definitely something that sets us apart.

>> Looks fun.

Bowling Green woman who spent her teen years modeling all over the world is sharing her story, hoping it will help others.

Amber Milam has appeared in the likes gun, walked runways for some of the biggest names in fashion like Vera Way.

Mark Jacobson, Louis Baton.

She says the glamorous fast paced lifestyle.

Also included drug use and she eventually became an addict.

>> There was really no clicking point.

I KET I wanted help, but I didn't care if I got it.

>> I had kind of in my mind are the side of that.

But I was going to be that 25.

>> Amber shares her remarkable story with Austin.

What motivated her to get sober and her workday as an advocate for those battling addiction.

That story will be on tomorrow night on Kentucky edition at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central right here on KET.

We hope you'll join us for Amber Story and so much more.

>> It's where we inform connect and inspire and we sure hope we see you tomorrow night.

Take good care.

♪ ♪ ♪