♪ ♪ >> Our entire focus and operations has been for since the beginning of last year and moving forward that we have a successful first day of school this year.

>> Jefferson County schools look close to home for new drivers to make sure students get to and from school on time.

>> There's already a legacy here.

I'm adding to that when I was creating my own legacy.

So the happier.

>> AJ know, Rick, the student athlete on her way to Paris after making history at the University of Louisville.

What is the 4th holiday?

And it's just a fantastic representation of a art from the area.

And enter Kolr of Doom in tonight's Arts and Culture segment Tapestry.

Production of Kentucky edition is made possible in part by the KU Team Millennium Fund.

♪ ♪ >> Good evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Wednesday, July.

The 24th I'm Renee Shaw.

>> Thank you for winding down your Wednesday with us.

Kentucky will get federal help after deadly storms the weekend before Memorial Day.

President Joe Biden approved a federal disaster declaration yesterday storms and wind knocked down trees, cause power outages and killed 6 people with the declaration.

People in 15 Kentucky counties are now available for federal help.

Storm victims can apply for federal grants to help pay for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans and other programs to help home and business owners.

It looks like Governor Andy Beshear is in the running to be Vice President Kamala Harris, his running mate USA TODAY reported yesterday that the Harris campaign had asked for information from 7 potential candidates.

And Bashir was not one of them.

But later, ABC News reported Bashir is on the candidate list.

More about that in a bit.

When I talked to NPR journalist Rylan Barton fully the Democrats are putting their ticket to gather days after the Republicans nominated Donald Trump and JD Vance.

Last week's Republican National Convention was a once in a lifetime experience for many Kentucky Republicans.

The state GOP sent 46 delegates and dozens other Kentucky ends to take part Kentucky additions.

June Leoffler spoke with Kentucky Republicans who attended and Democrats who are watching.

>> Party members say the energy at the RNC turned solemn when presidential nominee Donald Trump recount at the assassination attempt on his life.

>> My hand was covered with blood.

Just absolutely blood all over the place.

>> In eastern Kentucky, lawmaker heard that speech in person.

>> You know, I've never been Don't really want to have that experience.

And I'm I'm sure that that really does someone on a very personal and intimate level.

>> Trump called for unity at times.

>> As Americans, we are bound together by a single thing.

>> But a Jefferson County Democrat says the conciliatory tone was fleeting.

>> The only thing that changed as it relates to that speech was instead of screaming the words to out to the audience, he whispered them out.

>> Biden, I'm not going to use the name anymore.

Just one time.

The damage that he's done to this country is unthinkable on Thinkable.

It was still a list of gripes and grievances about how terrible America is.

>> Days leading up to Trump's speech near us all.

Some uniquely Kentucky moments U.S.

Senator Mitch McConnell was booed as he awarded state delegates to Trump down when the next president.

>> That didn't sit right with some Kentucky Republicans.

I just felt very bad.

>> 4.

>> Pam, his wife, his family.

I feel.

Shame for our state.

>> I mean, I even disagree with Senator McConnell.

issues myself, but, you know, the same time the land has a dedicated, you know, is that I live 2 other Republican Party.

So, you know, I'm the type of person that respects the past and look toward to the future.

>> That even disheartened a young Democrat from Painesville.

>> To see him become, you know, has it's really upsetting, but clearly he's not who I wanted to because heat, they want to stand up to the president and one of the most crucial times, you know, on the 6th of January 2021, another Kentucky moment when vice presidential nominee JD Vance described his roots in Jackson, Kentucky.

>> Now that cemetery plot in eastern Kentucky is near my family's ancestral home and like a lot of people, we came from the mountains of Appalachia into the factories of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin.

>> Theresa Spicer's from the county.

Vance has ties to.

>> In his book, Hillbilly Elegy.

That the people that he speaks to are people that I know personally.

>> The regional rider's claim Vance's hillbilly Elegy puts down the people of Appalachia.

Spicer says the book is not universal, but it is honest.

>> I don't know how anybody from Breathitt County, Kentucky or rural Appalachian.

Could say that they have that same.

Why?

Through there has been less.

They had wandered zone.

Or unless they saw only what they wanted to stay or they must have been very, very protective.

>> One JD Vance critic is Kentucky poet laureate Silas House.

He posted on X last week.

That Vance is, quote, not fit to hold the Office of Vice president for Kentucky edition.

I'm John Leffler.

>> Starting August, the 19th 54 Kentucky delegates will attend the Democratic National Convention.

The Courier Journal reports that all but one of those delegates voted Monday to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris.

That's a more unified response that the delegation offered President Joe Biden during a vote in June at that time, 8 delegates voted on committed a programming note for tonight, President Biden will speak to the nation tonight about not seeking a second term as president.

That speech is tonight at 8 Eastern 7 central.

And you can catch it right here live on KET.

As we told you yesterday, the U.S. Secret Service director resigned after criticism from both parties over the July 13th assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania.

The U.S. House plans an investigation into the Trump shooting.

Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is criticizing the Democratic led U.S. Senate for not investigating.

>> Yesterday the House Oversight Committee spent hours questioning the director of the Sugar Service.

Unfortunately, the Senate some good showed any intention.

Conducting oversight of its own.

Democrats to soften interest, concern about threats to democracy.

If you have to look seriously to failures.

Of the Secret Service.

>> McConnell says Americans need to be reassured that an assassination attempt like that won't happen again.

A Fayette County jury says John Tilley is not guilty of rape.

Tilly is a former Democratic state representative who also served as secretary of the Kentucky Justice and public safety Cabinet under Republican governor Matt Bevin.

According to the Lexington Herald-Leader, the jury deliberated 5 hours before finding Tilly not guilty.

Tilly's accuser said she was raped after a man gave her a drink at a Lexington bar and then she blacked out.

Tillis said it was a consensual one night.

Stand.

Kim Davis, the former around one county clerk argues the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on gay marriage should be overturned and 2015 Davis refused to issue same sex marriage licenses to gay couples.

She said it was against her religious beliefs.

She went to jail for a few days for violating a court order.

She was freed but was eventually order to pay $100,000 and pay back the legal fees to 2 men denied a license.

Now the Lexington Herald-Leader reports Davis and her lawyers are arguing the courts were wrong in 2015 to ignore Davis's First Amendment right to exercise her religious beliefs.

A school bus delays in Jefferson County last fall, her to block Latino and multilingual students more than white students.

According to Department of Justice Records obtained by the Kentucky Center for Investigative reporting because of busing problems.

Students were late in arriving at school.

Louisville.

Public media reports that the Justice Department study 24 school days in October and November of 2023 and found block Latino and multilingual students relate more often and missed more classroom time that other students.

The Jefferson County Public School District is making preparations to avoid a repeat of those long bus rides that mark the start of the school year last August, among several other strategies JCPS has given drivers with the transit Authority of River City or Tar KET the opportunity to get school bus certified.

How will that help?

Well, we'll have answers in tonight's Education Matters.

>> A few weeks ago, the Board of Education went into an agreement with tart to have 70 drivers come over and assist us in our best rates this year and getting them ready and certified to be on the road this year requires several significant steps such as they have to get there has class permanent and then go through the Kentucky School bus curriculum, training the classroom component and then the road test.

>> One of the issues that we found early on was it was a large number of drivers that needed to be s class test.

So we reached out to state police who stepped up and a problem solved with us and with the transportation Cabinet.

Came up with a solution of coming here to do a pop up testing event for the Tar Drivers.

What we're doing today is a written test for the school bus, the norseman, which is required to have to drive a school bus legal in Kentucky.

The first step is what we're doing today is the written test.

>> Once they pass the written test, they have to KET that for 2 weeks.

And then there will be some training in a 2 weeks with JCPS will provide.

And then I will do a road test in school bus.

And after that, they will have their full school bus endorsement.

This is state licensure So if you drive for the city that sucedio.

>> Endorsement, if you're driving for the school, that's this endorsement require, which is the required Kentucky school bus curriculum, which is in addition to the base ADM. >> This is specific to a school bus.

This is an endorsement.

Additional on your CDL, Kentucky all requires just one of the major is the the railroad crossings, the procedures.

So their specific questions or specific material.

>> Specific to a school bus that a passenger bus driver for talk isn't mandated to to follow those procedures when a school bus driver is.

And that's what the questions are today.

>> We will take as many drivers as we can get a position that we're in right now.

561 drivers, 510 routes, things with our average daily absences.

We're close to being able to cover a base routing solution.

Our entire focus and operations has been for since the beginning of last year and moving forward that we have a successful first day of school this year.

>> JCPS has a special hotline for families seeking information about the district's transportation system calling for 8, 5, ride.

We'll direct callers to JCPS staff members who will answer any questions.

And there's now a bus teller portal that lets parents see the bus stop assigned to their child.

You can check that out at JCPS First Day dot com.

♪ Time now to check in with Rylan Barden, a senior editor with NPR states team about the big political developments of the week so far and they have been pretty mighty.

Thank you, Robin, for joining us.

>> Good to be with you.

Then.

>> So, of course, all the news we're talking about is the now presumptive Democratic nominee for President Kamala Harris and who she may pick as a running mate for vice president.

Of course, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear's name is among that pile and he has been vetted.

We have learned, but there's also an important poll out today that could give him a leg up.

Tell us about it.

>> Jeff, this poll shows Governor Beshear with he's always had a high approval throughout and the governor with a 67% of great.

Just a it's the highest among all those other governors, a potential picks for the peak candidate for Vice President So 67% approve his job performance that this is, you know, this comes as you use use really been auditioning for for this role over the last week, although, you know, this year had several times said that he plans to that completes his second term in office.

His statements about that, it's gotten a little bit more flexible, saying that if the opportunity arises and if you can help Kentucky, it's on the national stage.

He would consider that.

But we we saw a little bit about audition this week that he's been fired from the national National Usos.

I think his tactics really been to trying to go out to the public and vice presidential.

And today, JD Vance of questioning his Kentucky credentials that you can support spread Billy Elegy, a memoir that people bought about this time spending time with his grandmother in eastern Kentucky and this year said he ate from so a little bit said governor's your center for the go down.

You seen that the hairs team seems to like that for Twitter account has been re tweeting some of those states.

But those been retweeting hits from some of the other contenders like North Carolina governor for Pennsylvania Josh Shapiro is also in the mix and Arizona Democratic Senator Mark Kelly.

So there's a bit of a contest among pizza of white men who were elected to office right now that other here's teens apparently trying to 42 that has been running credit to.

Yeah.

Much more to follow on that front.

Celeste.

>> Shift now to a familiar name in the Kim Davis is back in the news.

And for those who may not remember, she was the route former Aoun County.

This is in Kentucky.

Clark, who had said that she would not sign a same sex marriage licenses and there's been a conservative legal group that has filed a brief on behalf of her that says this actually could have the U.S. Supreme Court overturning the right of same sex couples to marry.

Why is this news again?

What's happening?

>> So the latest says they're feeling this ruling a judgment that she was ordered to pay $100,000 to the men.

It saw a marriage license for Davis back in.

I believe that was on August of 2015 saying that she shouldn't have to and bringing back all the reasons Y C defended her act back then saying that it violated her sincerely held religious beliefs, which the under for federal law for her to have to sign off on those marriage So her attorneys, Liberty counsel, they've been representing her since very early in this process way back to bait.

They have said that they do hope that this could ultimately lead to overturning that that Supreme Court ruling from June of 2050, that legalized same sex marriage.

I'm saying that that was wrongly interpreted their hoping that under this to more conservative region of the U.S. Supreme Court that will be successful in there.

So right now, this argument is that the appeals court level there still the bit to go before a face up to the Supreme Court.

But, you know, whatever happens this next step to tell us a lot of room.

>> John Tilley may be a familiar name to some.

He was the former U.S. secretary of the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet is also a former state lawmaker.

He was found not guilty of rape by a Fayette County.

A jury acquitted him after about 5 hours of deliberation.

Remind us of how this story started in the case.

>> Yeah, the started back in April 2022.

Police said that E he had raped a woman who was too intoxicated to be with him.

and this is this is kind of linger for a long time court system, but turn nice you know, ultimately the court ruled that there wasn't there wasn't any indication that this process, this you know that a lot of details stop this.

The mouth during this trial period this year to Lee was also, you know, he was with the group who to root out.

There are upping around bars and Lexington and the power of this woman.

Again, to that, we're going to hotels and yeah, that's hopefully with the adjustment was this was a, you know, a bit of a fall from fertility.

But the Democratic state representative reform and from talking snow event joined the Republican administration of Governor Matt Bevin and to get this really put the brakes on his for beer for a while after the sunset.

Yeah.

>> And once it considered an aspiring attorney general, perhaps as someone who could have aspire for higher office last matter and about maybe 45 seconds.

There's a lot of news surrounding Jefferson County Public School System bus transportation.

We know that according to the Kentucky Center for Investigative reporting, the good work, they're probably just Clark who was able to obtain some records from the U.S. Department of Justice that a school bus delays in Jefferson County I have at kids of color block Latino kids and multi-lingual kids.

It affected them more than a defective white kids.

And then there's also the other development with using talk to make sure that some of those snap freeze that happened last year.

Don't happen at the start of this academic school year.

>> Right.

And it's coming up the start of the school year and locals August 8.

So Louisville is there to CPS's.

You're testing a lot no city bus drivers, tart bus drivers, too become school bus drivers.

And so they can double up their hours there and just to try and building the rates that a lot of trouble recruiting bus trips to turn to teacher of the month off this last year.

There's so many problems other rollout of this of the city's transportation and other schools, transportation trying to make sure that there's a lot better this year.

Yeah.

>> Well, something to KET our eyes on as all the kiddo's head back to school and just a few short weeks.

Thank you so much for island.

♪ Student athletes across the world dream of one day making it to the Olympics.

And for one University of Louisville athlete, her dream is coming.

True discus thrower Rick, qualified for Team USA in June becoming the first you about track and field athlete to go to the games in program.

History.

Hear about Jade's journey to the world stage.

In tonight's look at Sports News.

You know, it feels.

>> Amazing like it means so much to me like there's already a legacy here I'm adding to that one.

I'm creating my own legacy.

Set.

>> And the happier I just like seeing her all the hard work that's kind of come on and what she's done in the last 3 years to get to the point.

That's what's been pretty cool make it just seemed like a she actually came in.

You know, she wasn't this unbelievable, you know, thrower, start.

She had to work out, right?

She's got Norris about out most however I've ever worked with in my 10 years.

But it still took some time about technique.

We've got to go through all that.

And so that's been cool to see is like a pays off, you know, is that message that you just KET working it out?

>> Everyone's making sure I have everything that I need, whether it be something to track something I mean, local grade school so that I came here and it's really right.

Prepared me for the Olympics.

continuous like meat setting that we're always.

And, you we have so many we have such a van season that we're always site prepared to Profar.

And I feel like, you know, doing it on and even bigger.

Sage is something that should come naturally to us.

>> When I say is I've I've got some years of experience to the world level as a professional athlete to kind of draw upon myself.

So there's been more of those Okay.

This is what to expect from here.

This is how to either prepare for European neighbors of the U.S. meat.

And national games versus just a college mate.

So it's been those type of things.

But as far as the overall what was and how we're trying to, we're not going to try to reinvent the wheel.

We're going to do with it.

>> She's really for years and some high level.

>> Right.

So that raises 3.

He's got some of these women that are out there that are, you know, 5, 6, 7 been 10 years.

You know, I love the snow.

I think there's a lot there.

And she is the youngest female business or in the calm, you know, but I think it's a point that maybe is probably a good thing.

Sometimes what you don't know.

Actually, it's a good bet.

You know that you do at the moment on Sunday for him.

But La, you know, it's 4 years away.

I can tell you the sport for years a long time.

A lot of stuff can happen.

>> So you just got to try to KET going out.

And it really that is about the support, you know, after college with mostly just part of it, you know, sponsorships in those states that with the keeper training and going that's going to be kind of the next step process.

>> Well, I know it's tough going to be like a big change for me, but I try not to think about that.

I'm trying to just think of it like, hey, another me another chance to go out.

They do get.

>> And we are rooting for you.

Jane will compete on August second, the discus throw Finals are August.

The 5th.

♪ For this week's look at arts and culture.

We take you to Laurel Counties, Mountain View Farm.

>> Then you got very light.

>> Out earlier this month as it hosted the 4th Hauler of Doom Festival.

A rare gathering for Apple watches, metal fans and bands to come together and bang their heads.

More in tonight's Tapestry segments.

>> Lots of music is very popular.

Is foster and cared for in bluegrass, especially mountain music.

But the southern that is not really fostered or not.

>> Look after welcomed the tree is heavy metal heavy, heavy metal and the music in general.

This is the 4th and it's just a fantastic a representation of a art from the area and musicians from around of like-minded Nature.

Kentucky has stretches from Louisville to Whitesburg.

We've got the answer was very advanced.

Will.

>> Brought in to France from Columbus, Ohio, Akron, Ohio.

A Johnson City, Tennessee, is the like.

>> The region is rich with the 2 southeastern Eastern Kentucky.

All of Kentucky.

Really.

But our area here.

so rich with amazing artist.

>> They have no platform and no way to get their stuff out there.

It's really you know, it's >> Because all the things that do get out or the what were traditionally known for is, you know, country music and, you know, bluegrass music.

That's all well and good.

We love those things.

But there's other voices in these mountains that need to be heard and heavy voices is.

That's that the motion that's the side of the human persona that is heavy.

That is the real deal.

People using social heavy metal with a bad thing.

>> Because we're always doing it.

We express ourselves in a heavy man because we can't go out in the real world scream holiday and the way they are bad and so many people that >> The has the stuff inside of them.

And so with holler, do.

And everything it people a nice healthy outlet to where they feel free to express their art and express themselves in a manner that you can do in normal society.

It's one of the John, is a music weather still like a bit of an allegiance thing.

If you love it.

You've got a family somewhere.

We've got people coming from.

we come here to see this is like last year we had 5 they've time to do something this cool.

>> Means a lot.

A lot of people because of all my fans that I brought on that and come on the 2 got really behind it.

Life.

Everybody get together and truly make this a special thing as possible.

What is it that some of us we do it in the name what a beautiful day.

>> Metal heads are welcome to return to Mountain View farm in October for the mountains of Metal Festival.

We met a student athlete, turned a limp and a few minutes ago on Kentucky edition.

But there are more students competing in the Games and you might think.

>> College athletes make up about 75% of the Olympic contingent in the United States.

>> What makes American great proving ground for a limp and find out tomorrow on Kentucky edition, which we hope will see you again for its 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central where we inform connect and inspire.

You can also connect with us all the ways you see on your screen by Facebook, X and Instagram to stay in the loop.

You can send us a story idea of public affairs at KET Dot Org and look for us on the PBS app that you can download on your smartphone or device.

Thanks so very much for watching.

I'm Renee Shaw and I'll see you right back here again tomorrow night.

Take good care.

♪ ♪