♪ ♪ >> I'm honored to be considered.

>> Governor Andy Beshear talks about the vice presidency about Kamala Harris and about Diet Mountain Dew.

We are providing an environment that does allow people to grow in 2 Olympic athletes.

Most college kids leave school with a diploma, but some also leave with a gold medal.

Why so many Olympians are also college students.

>> When the sinkhole opened up and swallowed 8 Corvettes.

>> And the rest is history.

How a decade later it is still a source of fascination.

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

♪ ♪ Good evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Thursday, July, the TWENTY-FIFTH, I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you for spending some of your evening with us.

>> It was a packed house today as Governor Andy Beshear took questions from reporters during his regular Thursday news conference.

And today, almost all the questions were about whether the governor could become the Democratic candidate for vice president on a ticket with the current vice president and likely presidential nominee Kamala Harris, the governor made a brief statement about the vice and also praised Harris.

>> I'm honored to be considered and regardless of what comes next, I'll do everything I can between now and Election Day to elect Kamala Harris as the next president of the United States of You all know what question that is in response to a man that is my my full statement on that topic.

>> Well, I think what's needed right now is a ticket that not only can can win, but again can can govern and can govern in a way that's for everyone.

And we can that we can't KET going with this.

Everything being red or blue or Democrat or a Republican.

You know everything right now from the car.

You buy the beer, you drink.

Somebody tries to make partisan and say you have to pick a team and I see it every day in Kentucky are people are exhausted with that.

We are desperate for something better.

And I think we're desperate to make sure that that our next president is somebody that you can see your kids in front of the TV and they can watch an without worrying about what that person might I believe our vice president is now for some strong.

She's tough as nails a season AG like me.

And I know it when I see one that somebody who works hard for all the people of their state and I know work hard for for people in the But I believe that this is the type of leader that can help just get us to that place where whether you're a Democrat or a Republican, your can watch that next address and you can feel good about what they're going to say, God, but they're going to see and what she's going to say.

Your own.

>> On Monday, Governor Beshear appeared on MSNBC and criticized the Republican vice-presidential nominee.

Senator JD Vance of Ohio this year said Vance, quote and from here, unquote, meaning Kentucky.

Vance has talked about visiting relatives in eastern Kentucky.

Cher says Vance doesn't know Kentucky well enough to criticize it and he says he would point that out whether Vance was a candidate for vice president or not.

>> What I said about JD Vance not isn't because of anything that is rumored about me or any role he stepped into gets because he has exploited and attempted to attack my fellow Kentuckians.

And it's my job as governor.

Just when that to spend some summers are parts of summers or weekends or will come in to special events.

And then the claim that, you know, the people of eastern Kentucky, the of eastern Kentucky to to make money off of of that claim and then to call our people names is just not acceptable.

Anybody else have done it.

I'll be speaking up listen.

I'm from Kentucky.

This is my home.

I will always be my home no matter what.

And I will always stand up for people.

>> Senator Vance talked about drinking Diet Mountain Dew governor criticized him for that earlier in the week saying no one drinks, Diet Mountain Dew, but Governor Beshear backed off from that comment today.

>> Folks, I've been a person that the when sometimes I've I've gone over the line.

I wanted to make sure that I set the record straight.

I do owe an apology.

>> ailing one is definitely the soft drink of Kentucky.

But I don't believe the government should be making your decisions.

So if you enjoy Diet Mountain Dew, a UB you, we want to support >> the diet Mountain Dew, I'm very sorry.

Didn't mean to say negative things about you.

Just remember, I am from here just like everybody else that speaking out to.

Thank you all very much.

>> Governor Beshear is one of several potential candidates for vice president along with Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Governor Roy Cooper of North Carolina and U.S.

Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona.

Among others.

It's not clear when Vice President Harris will announce a choice if she is the party's nominee.

The Democratic National Convention begins on August.

The 19th.

KET out up with Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky, Jacqueline Coleman in Georgetown.

We asked her about the speculation about Governor Beshear's future and why there's so much interest in.

But first, let me say that I am so proud that our governor and he's done such an amazing job that he is actually getting.

>> Some attention on the national stage and the fact that we could potentially have a governor in Kentucky be in the running for vice president is big deal.

Then it's about side with him this entire time.

I watched him serve at people who just lost everything.

I want to go to bat for vulnerable kids.

I watch him be, you know, the kind of dad that all families with glass and I always say he treats every I'm saying that the host in person all the time.

So I'm not one business price that kind of behavior, credibility that >> last week, Lieutenant Governor Coleman said she was prepared to become governor.

If Governor Beshear moved on to another job.

The U.S. Senate will look into the July 13th assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.

2 Senate committees, the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the Judiciary Committee will hold a joint hearing on Tuesday, July 30th U.S.

Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky is the ranking Republican on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

So he'll be a part of the hearing earlier this week.

U.S.

Senator Mitch McConnell criticized the Senate for not taking action after the assassination attempt.

The U.S. House had a hearing earlier this week.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed Congress yesterday.

We have a picture of the prime minister meeting with Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky the day before Netanyahu's speech.

Senator McConnell criticize the Biden administration's handling of the fighting in Gaza.

>> The administration's policy toward Israel is often come down to the challenges you are.

A lot should the vigil was held for the military system should have been trying to micromanage Israeli military Washington.

I'm going to struggle before she had been doing this scourge of Anti-Semitism and carers should be running around the post university through the American >> Instead they've been don't leave them on the aging and grotesquely to critical in efforts to meddle into the most of all and called for the removal of the democratically elected leader.

>> Senator McConnell is urging the United States to send more weapons to Israel.

He says they need those tools to defeat aggression.

President Joe Biden spoke to the nation last night about his decision not to run for a second term.

Congressman James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky's first congressional district, didn't same impressed appearing on the FOX Business Channel Comer said he believes President Biden will face prosecution after he leaves office next January.

>> Can you believe that the Democrats have promised him something in return for him stepping out of the I definitely think they promised him that they were giving tremendous accolade in the press would write glowing stories about him and that's what happened.

And the mainstream complied with the request of whoever was in that smoke filled room and they've just been running.

Lori U.S. Joe Biden, tremendous legacy.

I don't believe Joe Biden would believe him or her and she would pardon his son.

I think he's that's one reason Joe Biden is going to remain in the presidency of always felt like he would pardon us.

And at the end of the day and respect time as the Asian and we disclosed all of the findings, the over.

The Biden family year.

Hunter Biden, Jim Biden visits and present rather, and they're going to need a pardon next Justice Kennedy is going to prosecute them for perjury for Congress and for lots of financial crimes.

And, you know, with with respect to meet what we do from this point on is Merrick Garland going to go after me for the abuse of a corpse.

If we KET going, you know what I mean?

He is essentially stepped down and I don't think the family's influence peddling anymore.

So I think I'm at the age of been a success in providing the American people with the trees and preventing these crimes from from happening anymore.

>> Comer is chair of the House Oversight Committee which investigated the president for more than a year without charging him with a crime.

Now and business news and notes Mitsubishi Electric U.S. plans to make heat pump compressors in Maysville Kentucky.

It's 143 million dollar investment.

That will mean 100.

And 22 new jobs.

The company will repurpose an existing facility.

The state says this is the biggest business project in Mason County in 20 years.

Mitsubishi already makes automotive parts in Maysville.

Vegetable recall affects Kentuckyian 17 other states.

The Courier Journal reports wires farms based and will your to Ohio started recalling cucumbers sold at Walmart and all the stores on June.

12th because of a concern over Listeria.

Now the company is expanding that recall to include other vegetables, including green beans and peppers.

Some of the produce was sold at Walmart, Kroger's and Shop and Save stores in Kentucky.

Listeria is a type of bacteria that can cause an infection leading to fever, muscle aches and other symptoms.

One community is getting a boost in its fight against food insecurity.

On Wednesday, state and community leaders along with volunteers were on hand to break ground on a new facility in Scott County that they hope will help thousands and county who are food, insecure.

>> As I travel the state celebrate all of the great things we have going on.

And I'm reminded that it there are always people that we can make sure that we are helping the lost the lonely in the left behind.

Maybe the people >> need it.

The most are the ones.

Maybe we see the least especially events like this.

We have a very bold at the human health and we're determined that we can end hunger in Scott County >> so this new entity and and the food pantry were operating out of even today.

I'm is literally for any family that lives in Scott County that is facing food insecurity.

We have programming at every economic level.

So if you don't know how you're going to feed your family, we have a program that can help you with that.

>> We just need to remember that food insecurity is not a partisan issue.

Food insecurity is not a bipartisan issue.

Food insecurity.

Here's a non partisan issue that affects us all and what we can do for the least of those among us who are disadvantaged and suffering from food, insecurity as one of the highest calling is that we can do with citizens of this great country.

This stay in this community.

>> It's been several several years in the process of dreaming for what could be next where we need to go and then ultimately finding this property and landing here.

It's kind of 2 different buildings So 3,000 square feet for the food pantry, which is basically a grocery store where no one pays for anything.

And then in 2000 Square foot addition to that, which will someday be the soup kitchen in the culinary school.

We are very Scott County is a beautiful community to serve in we couldn't do this without the support of our community.

I'm telling you right now we're in the middle of harvest season.

So I just the amount of tomatoes that are showing up that people are bringing from their local gardens.

So we have that kind of support all the way up into.

Obviously, this is a multimillion dollar project that we're in the middle of all of that matters like we have to have the food in the building to make sure that people have what they need.

So we love when people are bringing produce from their local garden.

It's really nice when we a really big community development block grant to go alongside that, that we have the facility to work inside of the pro business.

>> Abilities of this community, too.

Remove are a fishers to artificial barriers to free enterprise for a business like this.

To grow.

To make way.

The help people who are disadvantaged, the people who have food, insecurity.

It's a great American story.

It's a great Kentucky story.

And it's a great Scott County story, too.

>> Last year we put almost 2 million dollars of food into this community.

And when it gets to the Amen House, we have to hand unloaded so if you want the dollars to pound 2 million pounds, a food came like a human door, not not on a forklift, I'm loaded, but literally my volunteers and load it every day to make sure that we have the food that we need.

But just to be able to have something like a garage door in a forklift, it's going to be game changing and then we can take all of that energy that we're putting into just moving food around into expanding program.

>> I think it's really important to remember that that thing happens in a vacuum, right?

It takes a village to do these great things.

And this community is so fortunate to have so many people come together to see this to fruition.

I hope you know how lucky we are to live in this community where people have come together to serve the waste of money.

The current food pantry will move to the new facility once it's complete.

>> Construction on the complex is scheduled to begin next week.

♪ >> Louisville High School graduates getting into one local college is getting easier for you.

>> Bellarmine University in Louisville says it will give qualifying Louisville high school graduates automatic admission.

It's called and Direct and it means Louisville high School graduates with a grade point average of at least 2.7, 5.

You can use a streamlined admissions process using an online form that can be filled out and about 5 minutes and students can get a minimum scholarship of $18,000.

The program is designed to give students more options for an affordable education in their own hometown.

Yesterday we introduced you to Jade know Rick, be you about student heading to the Olympics.

When you tune in to the summer Games, you may notice a lot of a limp and our college students.

And tonight, sports news athletics researcher Meg Hancock tells us why the university setting produces so many world-class athletes.

>> College athletes make up about 75%.

>> Of the Olympic contingent in the United States.

The inner collegiate system.

In the United States is very unique to the United States.

And so we have the concentrated amount of resources that we put towards sport because our society loves the competition.

We love the entertainment, but it's also a recognition that we are providing an environment that does allow people to grow in 2 Olympic athletes and that Olympic dream and to perform on the world stage.

So when we look at the organizational structures that are put in place for athletes, particularly in this college environment, we're thinking about academic advisors.

Obviously we have the coaching staff that's affiliated with the team, dietitians and nutritionists, mental coaches, mental performance coach is we have licensed clinical social workers here as well as psychologists working with athletes.

And then we have folks now because of name image and likeness who are working with athletes too, help them develop their own brands and what that looks like when we think about the resources that are around them, their tremendous.

And so while Jaden has the opportunity and other Olympians have the opportunity to go represent their countries.

It is absolutely a reflection on the quality of staff at the University of Louisville was hired to make sure that she has had the opportunity to grow as an athlete and as a person to experience this on the world stage, when we think about some of those broad pressures that are placed on athletes, we inevitably understand that that can take a toll on their mental health.

And so I think the University of Louisville in particular has done a tremendous job about putting resources in place to support on every team to be their best or to get the support and resources they need.

Whether it's around sport performance or whether it's around.

Personal challenges that they might be experience that have absolutely nothing to do with sport.

So college sports specifically is in trouble to building that Olympic pipeline and providing athletes an opportunity for competition on the world stage because of the concentrating resources that promote.

The opening ceremonies for the Paris Olympic Games are tomorrow at one 30 eastern.

♪ ♪ >> Real people, real trips.

That's what road trip easy is all about.

Road to be easy.

Provides a digital space for travelers to connect with other travelers and get a firsthand account of their experiences.

After recently relaunching their site, one of the owners talk to us about road tripping and how road trip easy works.

Road trips are for.

>> The longing in us that, you know, want a little freedom.

I would change of pace and then we want to return to the lives that we love.

You know, re-energized and with some new experiences and new ways of looking at things, Americans, especially, you know, we've always felt we've always wax nostalgic about the road trip.

You know, get your kicks on route.

66 and, you know, the country roads.

We want to saying about and go down right?

you know, I think it's just a part of Americana.

And I do think after the pandemic people were ready to get out of their houses and do some exploring so roadtrip see stories of the road captured being told through social media websites, our newsletter.

We have actually a building very large community of people who are interested in road trips they love the romance of a road trip.

The freedom and thinking about getting out on the open road.

>> And they also love sharing their own experiences with other people.

>> The way we decided to do it because we've always loved journals and diaries, you know, and things like that autobiographies.

So we decided to organize the website.

Like a shelf of journals so you can pull out a journal about You can pull out a journal about Henderson.

They're categorized by journals bus state's first in by the Journal's within the state.

And then when you open up the Journal on the website, you'll see all the encounters that we're headed in that location.

We actually have great Facebook groups for all 50 states where people can share their information and those are such lovely forms and they are so much fun.

The Kentucky wrote to Facebook group right now has over 130,000 people in the great.

And if somebody says, hey, I want to take 8 year-old to Mammoth Cave, what should I do?

Other than a cave tour?

Literally.

43 people will say my 9 year-old and I did this and we loved it.

So.

There's tons of interaction in our grapes.

North Carolina has over 10,000 people in that group.

Now Pennsylvania is growing.

Tennessee has thousands of people.

So, you know, these are these are emerging communities for people to interact.

I think it's a part of our human nature to want to share our experiences with others, to encourage them to, you know, go out and have a novel experience.

It can be a endearing experience.

2 roadtrip with someone.

And that's roadtrip.

See, by the way, according to a Deloitte travel study, 7 out of 10 U.S. travelers plan to take a road trip this year.

>> That's up 57% from last year.

♪ ♪ >> It's been 10 years since that infamous in Cole disaster at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green.

>> It's an epic making lemons out of lemonade moment, bringing worldwide attention to the tourist attraction.

Our Laura Rodgers takes us to a new exhibit that looks back at the past 10 years and ahead to the future.

>> It starts with driving down 65 in seeing that sky.

Do.

>> And iconic landmark for 30 years and it was a decade ago.

It's been an eventful 10 years.

Bowling Greens, National Corvette Museum made headlines all over the world that went from >> being a local story to nationwide to worldwide.

Very quickly on 2/12/2014, the floor under the Sky Dome collapsed, swallowing a tour vets into a sinkhole.

At least 35 feet deep.

It's actually quite jarring to see the power.

>> That must be taken to to destroy these cars.

It's phenomenal.

>> A new exhibit is now on display at the museum celebrating 10 years of progress since that fateful day.

And it's kind of fun to have an exhibition that puts a stake in the ground, says, you know what we've done and that's what we're going to be doing.

Going forward ground to sky the sinkhole re imagined includes 5 of the cars involved in the disaster from the worst of the damage.

Both of those were crushed under boulders and rocks and other cars to the 2009 zr one Blue Devil which had barely a scratch.

That one was actually pulled out of the sinkhole, put down and started right up and drove away.

There's also the one millionth Corvette to roll off the line in 1992 model restored by General Motors in Michigan.

We have that on display with the time lapse of that restoration behind.

It's very cool to see.

They're also oral histories and perspectives from museum employees, including the first person to walk and on the scene.

I felt something was on fire museums library.

And this buddy Hardison thought the dust was smoke until getting closer.

I could say that there was a whole.

>> And a bunch of cards are gone, which 3 man quite a bit.

You can also get an up close look at the keys and artifacts from those crushed cars, which is really interesting to see everything from the 62 all the way to a a C 6 key fob.

So the technology from those keys.

>> Another interesting and inclusive feature.

The American Printing House for the Blind in Louisville created special Braille labels for all 5 Corvette.

>> And if you're worried about how stable the structure is now, Robert Max Heimer says.

>> Never fear.

They brought in some of the best architects and engineers to back fill that hole and also been the case on the go all the way into the bedrock make sky.

Don't specifically is probably one of the starting as places in Bowling Green right now.

>> Next time or says summer attendance numbers at the museum had been strong as the tension continues to grow one Kentucky tourism were trying to kind of program different parts of the museum.

So that when you come here, you know, we see something a little bit different.

10 years later, one thing does remain the same.

And we still get visitors from all over the world that want to come here and see the sinkhole.

This exhibit satisfy some of that Kentucky edition.

I'm Laura Rogers.

>> Thank you, Laura.

Ground to sky the sinkhole re.

Imagine runs through September 15th that the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green.

And tomorrow we look back at one of Kentucky's most devastating natural disasters.

And ahead to see what the future holds.

>> There's so much work to do.

But in that crisis, there's opportunity.

>> 2 years out from the historic flooding.

We take a look at the housing crisis in Eastern Kentucky.

The progress and the work that remains.

That's tomorrow night right here on Kentucky EDITION, which, you know, to join us for at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central where we inform connect and inspire.

You can connect with us all the ways you see on your screen there, Facebook, X and Instagram.

Send us a story idea.

Public affairs at KET Dot Org and look for us on the PBS app.

You can download that on your smartphone or device.

Thank you so much for watching.

We've got inside Kentucky politics tomorrow with some partisans will break down all the events this week.

That's tomorrow night on Kentucky.

Addition until I see you then take really good care.

Tonight.

♪