Kentucky gets hit with heat.

That's not just unpleasant, it's downright dangerous.

We don't want to lose our people.

We have people that want to work and then we need homes for those people.

And eastern Kentucky mayor, on the challenges of building back a community after last year's catastrophic flood.

I think you need to be scared you're going to drown if you don't get out of your.

And a sibling survival story as two Eastern Kentucky natives reflect on the night of the flooding.

Production of Kentucky Edition is made possible in part by the KET Endowment for Kentucky Productions, the Leonard Press Endowment for Public Affairs and the KET Millennium Fund.

Good evening and welcome to Kentucky Edition on this Friday, July 28.

It's National Milk Chocolate Day.

So I have a piece.

I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you for winding down your Friday with us.

The heat wave continues across the state as heat index temperatures soar to the triple digits.

Our Christy Dutton has more on how to cope with the heat.

Across the state, we have excessive heat warnings and heat advisories in place and we're faced with the hottest temperatures of the summer so far.

Joining us is meteorologist John Gordon with the National Weather Service.

It's the combination of heat and humidity and with the heat advisories that cover much of the state.

You need those two ingredients, right?

So what's the actual real feel temperature?

Yeah, the real Phil temperature today, again, with 105 to 110 northern Kentucky is the excessive heat warning.

We have a heat advisory across much of the state.

You know what people need to know?

It's that it's the dew point.

It's the moisture that makes this go can be hot out in the desert southwest.

It's hot, right?

It's an oven.

But when you have the humidity, that's what drives the heat index values.

And folks, please drink a lot of water, please.

Hydrate.

Please get in the shade.

Never, ever leaves anyone in a hot car, whether it's elderly, a kid or a child or a dog.

Never, never, never.

Now, that's good advice.

Now, you mentioned the southwest and out west and Southwest, they've been dealing with deadly heat.

Is that where this is coming from?

Yes.

Thank you.

Yeah, this is a very.

As bad as it is here, folks.

Phenix, El Paso.

I've been in the hundreds for weeks, if not a month.

And that's where the dome is.

And then this hot air has been spreading up to the north and east.

And this little cool front on Saturday is good news because we're going to usher in some lighter, slightly less temperatures and humidities and make things a lot better.

You'll have a lot less complaining.

Good.

We look forward to it until then.

John Gordon from the National Weather Service in Louisville.

Try to stay cool and we will do the same.

Take care, Christy.

Thank you, Christy.

Louisville has a new permanent police chief.

Our Kelsey Staab sat down with Chief Jacqueline Gwen Burwell to discuss the change she wants to make in the department and what has already changed since she took over the interim role.

What has changed?

What has changed?

Just a little bit of a change is that my officers now, they understand who their chief is and that is a big change for them.

That's a change I want to highlight.

And they are ecstatic to know what leader they have and they are excited to know that they do have a chief and that there's stability there.

That is that change that you see.

So now you'll see that I will even like to say that my officers now have exhaled.

They were holding their breath.

They didn't know which direction the administration may go or or who else they were going to get.

And so now they understand me.

They know me.

We have a, you know, a great relationship.

And so now they we have exhaled and they know exactly where we're going with clear communication.

And so that's the change.

You'll see.

More of Kelsey's interview with the chief Monday night on Kentucky Edition.

In politics now, U.S.

Senator Mitch McConnell announced today he will continue serving as Republican Senate leader for the rest of the current session of the Congress, which ends in January of 2025.

He is not saying what he will do after that.

McConnell froze while talking to reporters on Wednesday.

He later returned and said he was, quote, fine.

Inside Kentucky politics, we go inside some major news this week with a dynamic duo.

Republican consultant Trey Watson and a Democratic consultant and strategist.

Morgan Eaves, you've seen him before.

Good to have you guys back.

So let's start talking about the U.S. Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell.

Many are questioning his ability to continue in his role as Republican leader.

Trey Watson, do you have any scuttlebutt on this?

I don't know.

You know, the McConnell camp came out and had a press release today that said he would continue as as leader at least through this Congress.

I think it was kind of left open to to the membership as far as the next Congress as to whether he would be leader.

But, you know, we have a lot of old people in the in the U.S. Senate.

He certainly is not the most frail or the the one with the most questions about his service.

There's also a clip this week of Dianne Feinstein going on a strange rant after her staffers were telling her to just vote one way or the other.

I think the leader's mind is certainly still very nimble, and as long as he feels up to the job of leading the caucus, I think he's certainly the best man to do it.

MORGAN You know, this has opened up a lot of lines for the Democrats, right?

I mean, to go back to a law that was passed in 2021 that Beshear probably will litigate or, you know, sue against.

So talk about how Democrats are interpreting what's happened with the leader this week and what possibly could come as far as an open seat.

Well, I think, you know, given the statement put out by Leader McConnell's campaign that noted he'll remain leader for the rest of this Congress, it does note that they're sort of open ended question there.

What about next Congress?

And really not just his leadership, but will he run again?

Will he still be there?

That law you mentioned that passed in 2021, it states that whoever the replacement is, if a seat is vacated, it has to be chosen from a list provided by the members own state party.

And I think we'll see.

You know, Governor Beshear didn't like that whenever it was passed, and rightfully so.

So we'll see whenever that happens.

We don't want to put the man in his grave before he's there quite yet.

I'll say this.

I think there was a lot of unhappiness.

I'm going to go back there.

But there's a lot of unhappiness.

In 2010, when Trey Grayson stepped down as secretary of state to run his U.S. Senate campaign, there's a lot of unhappiness.

The Republican Party that Steve Beshear appointed a Democrat to that secretary of state spot, rather than, you know, promote one of the deputies who wasn't going to run for the wanting to run for the slot.

So I think that there's that law was passed with some trepidation.

And I know for a fact that that Steve Beshear appointment for the secretary of state slot was in people's minds when that move was made.

Yeah.

So our our thoughts and well-wishes go out to that minority leader, of course.

So let's talk about the governor's race.

So we are just I mean, I can't believe I'm saying this a week from fanciful, but here we are.

And so we know that Beshear and Cameron will be on the stage for the first time together, hopefully not the last hint, hint.

And so let's talk about that RNC forum in itself, what it could do.

And Rob Mills will be the first time he's on that stage, Trey Watson.

And we'll see how he performs.

Yeah, You know, I think it'll be interesting to see how Robby does.

I think Robby gave speeches.

He's he's a good speaker.

He's obviously spent time in the House and Senate, and he was on city council, I think a city commission in Henderson before that.

So, you know, his name is not he might be a new name, a lot of Kentuckians, but he's not certainly not new to elected office.

And I think he's also West Kentucky in which, you know, that's that's a big moment for anybody kind of from West, depending about to be able to get up on stage out there and speak.

So I'm sure he's excited.

I'm excited for him.

Well, Beshear has a lot he can brag about.

And a morning consult poll, it was found that he's the fifth most popular Democratic governor.

His favorables still seem to be high, even with some Republicans.

So talk about how he might use that as a bragging point on Fancy Farm.

Yeah, I think it's important to point out that that poll found he was the most popular governor of the opposite party, you know, with the opposite party.

So that means even Republicans are giving him a really high approval rating.

I think he'll try to bring that to a fancy farm as he's doing across the state, giving speeches about kitchen table issues, touting his accomplishments and charting the path forward, how we can take all these accomplishments build into a better community, particularly for folks like in areas of western Kentucky that have often been forgotten.

So that economic development is going to be a big point.

Remember, approval numbers are not reelection numbers.

It's a different question, different poll, different.

You know, we're a state where we routinely reelect Mitch McConnell by 20 points when he polls at 26% approval rating the day before the election.

So are different different dynamics on that?

Well, and it'd be up to attorney General Daniel Cameron to make the case a compelling case for why voters should reject Andy Beshear and vote for him.

It's a tougher job considering what the incumbent governor has weathered and the approval ratings that he's gotten for doing that COVID and the response to the natural disasters.

Yeah, but I think there's a story to be told across the whole administration, whether it's unemployment, kids sleeping on the floors of cabinet offices, bulldozing homes in Kentucky with possessions still in.

And even this week you saw the crime numbers come out with a typo.

They refused to just say it was a typo and they're pointing fingers.

There is a strong story to be told about Andy Beshear.

He may be a nice guy.

You may like him, but he doesn't He's not a strong governor as far as running his his government.

It's on camera.

And to put it all together in messaging.

So the same can be said about Daniel Cameron.

He's allegedly the chief law enforcement officer of the state.

But has been really unwilling to accept responsibility for crime statistics and where crime is in Kentucky right now.

So it'll be an interesting dichotomy to see these two together.

You know, I think my guy will do the better job, but it's certainly a real Kentucky event and it'll be interesting to see everyone and you can watch it right here on Katie.

You can stay in your air conditioned living room, folks, and we'll sweat it out for you.

Thank you, Morgan Eaves.

Thank you.

Terry Watson, Good to see you.

Have a great weekend.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Rome wasn't built in a day.

It's an expression that has come up several times from our neighbors in eastern Kentucky as they continue to recover following the deadly flooding that hit one year ago today.

The mayor of Jackson and Bradford County said she knows building back a city takes time.

And our main focus right now, giving people a reason to stick around to help make that happen.

It's been it's been rough, but as rough it as it has been for me as an elected official.

It that's not near as rough is what so many people have been going through.

If they have been displaced from the flooding.

We're here talking about the anniversary of 22 flood, but so many of those people were also affected by a major flood in 21.

So just when they thought they got their homes livable again and they were back in their homes and then they were slammed again.

And so people right now are living in housing situations that they really shouldn't be in, but they feel like, you know, they don't want to leave the community and they have nowhere to go.

They don't have the resources and they're just kind of in a waiting holding pattern because they don't know what's next.

Flooding is the costliest and most widespread spread disaster.

The biggest issue is the time it takes to get people back on their feet.

If it takes years, unfortunately, we see it can be really hard for communities to recover.

People have left because they didn't have a home.

And then you have, you know, over 100 people have signed up for one of the buyout programs.

I would say we're close to 200 now in the city and county.

If you don't have housing, you can't have people.

And if you don't have people, you don't have a community.

We've got to keep people.

And if the people that stay, they shouldn't be expected to pick up the tax bill of all the people that have left.

People often have to move away, change jobs, change schools.

It impacts the taxpayer.

So I think that's the biggest challenge is just we have to do this quickly and make people whole.

We can't drag this on for years or else really jeopardize having a strong recovery for, you know, the communities and the people that live there.

So the more information that can be communicated, the better chance you have of people coming back to the community and of making this a little bit easier.

And the other thing I would say is communities need to be planning for rebuilding in a way that's better than what they have before, because what we had before couldn't stand up to the flooding we saw to get Jackson back on its feet.

I think it's going to take a lot of work, but I think it's going to take a variety of funding type packages to help.

We need jobs.

So, you know, we need some employers that will provide job opportunities.

And then we also need people for those jobs.

So we don't want to lose our people.

We have people that want to work and then we need homes for those people.

So I think it's going to take a whole lot of figuring out problems that are chicken, egg and chicken egg.

So you got to kind of do it all at the same time.

We are working to develop a long range comprehensive plan.

Hopefully the funding that has been allocated, the federal disaster dollars and other of other federal programs through the infrastructure bill and some state programs that we will just really utilize those dollars in a wise way in plan for projects that will have a lasting impact so that 20 years from now, when somebody comes to Jackson and they says and they say, well, what happened to that?

You know, you all had access to $297 million, what would you do with it?

You know, hopefully we'll have good improvements to show for it and it'll be a busy town with lots of economic activity and cool things going on.

Mayor Thomas tells us there are still destroyed homes and large piles of debris throughout the city.

She adds that even if the debris is picked up, there is no place to put it.

Last week, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Secretary Jim Gray told lawmakers that crews were now in the final phase of debris cleanup in eastern Kentucky.

It's been neighbor helping neighbor in eastern Kentucky in the year since the flood and the case of Kate Clemmons.

It's been one neighbor helping thousands.

She's been serving ready to eat meals in downtown Hyman since the flood.

And now with her newly formed nonprofit, she's finding other ways to meet the needs of the community.

So every day is like Tetris to make everything fit.

I think that it was truly Eastern Kentucky's darkest hour just to have something in effect so, so strongly in such a short amount of time that many people it's just unthinkable.

When I found out just how severe it was, I just knew I had to try to get my hands on whatever resources I could.

Was three days after the flood.

I was driving by and I just saw this group, Operation Barbecue.

I would pick up the meals from Operation Barbecue and then I would first drop off at the Sportsplex and then I would go and drop off at the various school drop off points.

Sometimes I would take to churches just wherever I'd set up.

But by the end of the day, I saved a thousand meals.

They were left over.

So that's how I set up in downtown Hammond.

So I just parked my car and put up the pop up tent and served start three meals out of my car.

High calorie.

I had no idea how long it can continue.

I just knew I had to keep going until the people were okay.

I would probably serve a thousand meals in under an hour.

That's how quick.

And some days I would even do 2000 if I could get my hand on the resources.

Just the nature of food was insane.

I knew I wanted to do more than meals.

I wanted to help get them on their feet.

So in August, I created a needs assessment form that was anywhere anything from housing, repairs, trying to obtain safe housing, medical appliances, just whatever the need can be.

I always tell them, I can't promise you anything, but I'll try my best to do what I can.

At the six month mark at Christmas.

I thought it was done.

I remember going to bed the week before Christmas and I just pray to God.

Really just begged him to help me find a local church or any church to help.

I woke up that morning to a message from Greg Dotson.

His group runs a charity raffle.

I got the call from him saying that they had chosen made her save $31,500 and then 5 minutes later, I got a message from a church in the surrounding county saying that they would like to purchase a motorcycle trailer for me to put in a parking lot.

So I used that opportunity to create the nonprofit.

I named Roscoe's daughter after my dad and I'm just so excited for what I can do with it.

I appreciate you all.

We are at the one year mark now and it is the greatest honor to be launching a food pantry to serve all.

I'm not counting.

Yes, it will be based on food insecurity, but I was very articulate, including language to allow the program to respond to any disaster when disaster strikes, help can't wait.

You have to be on the ground and you have to stay in the game as it progresses.

You can't simply just you now here the items needed.

You have to stay with the people because as time moves forward, the needs change.

When I talk to people, they're like, What will you be up to next?

I don't know.

Whatever God stands in our way.

I'm just so humbled because I never dreamed that He would have allowed me to create a nonprofit to still be here with people I love so much.

Your welfare.

What a hero she is.

Indeed.

In April, Clemmons received an award from the East Kentucky Leadership Conference for her work with Cates Food tent.

Brother, sister duo Margaret Setzer and Ted Sloan were born and raised in the hills of Night County.

But they're not just siblings.

They're also neighbors.

And when catastrophic flooding hit the region last year, there are close proximity just might have saved their lives.

I have went over to his house and Toby, I hollered at and turned around.

The water were giving up.

And then by the time he got dressed and came out, he was it was up on my face or something.

I looked up to this way and I've seen her own standing in her window, and the water was already almost over her porch.

And I told her, I said, You've got to get out of here.

And she said, I'm scared.

I think you need to be scared.

You're going to drown if we don't get out of here.

So he came to the steps and he up her best and down to the ground.

And like I said, the water was up to her waist and probably higher on her.

And I told her and I said, when we start toward the guardrail, we walk down downward because the water would push if we tried and went straight across it and probably knocked it down.

And that probably saved us.

And when we went up there to the shop.

And then I said, I got her far out that I run down and see if I can get her vehicle down.

So I took a chance on getting back in the house to get her key to her vehicle and my truck.

Well, I went in there and looked around, look at what I could, and I never could find them.

Probably stayed 5 minutes of looking and the water was already coming in the back door.

I said, I've got to get out of here.

Then I hear Busted for crack and then pretty good dry.

Our dirt had no power water up to my knee.

Can't ride in real quick.

I was alone in that house down to the water, reaching in.

That's my trailer and that's his.

And this is some of the junk and stuff that come off there.

You can see how the mud in up here.

Sure.

We stayed and we lived in that woodshop from July 28 to December when we first went up our we slept on a I slept on a bank and he slept in trying the first night I slept on this badge right here.

Sure did.

And that's where Margaret's lay up.

And the door was locked.

She kept it locked all the time.

And we go in and out.

That and in the rain.

We that checked flour about twice that overnight.

He takes about a wheelbarrow of four.

Wouldn't even go.

We made it out alive and allow a lot of the that we you know we are alive.

It's a main thing I'm just thankful that I did get a this and I just hope and pray my brother gets something so he can rebuild.

And because to me, Ted has lived in his childhood home for almost 60 years and he told us he's determined to rebuild it.

One of the remaining needs in the region is builders who can help repair homes that still have damage and joy fairs and festivals throughout Kentucky this weekend.

Toby Gibbs has a rundown of events in tonight's look out around the Commonwealth.

Already underway tonight in Hazard is the North Fork Music Festival.

The festivities run until 11 and pick up again tomorrow at five.

Check out some great vendors and enjoy artists like Brothers, Smith, Ward, Davis, Lexington, Soul and Funk Collective and more.

The Dawson Springs Barbecue five K kicks off tomorrow bright and early at 7 a.m. You can still sign up tomorrow morning in person before the race, you'll get a coveted barbecue 5kt shirt and proceeds will go to the Dawson Springs Community Center.

JT Shelburne has performed over 2900 shows and is open for over 60 national acts.

But now he's coming back to his hometown of Taylorsville for a special release concert of his new album Neon Hallelujah.

This hometown celebration will feature local food vendors and some amazing openers.

It's an outdoor concert celebrating the lawn chairs and prepare to have a great time.

Come on down to Cumberland for their county fair starting tomorrow and running all week in Brooksville.

You and your family can check out the horse show Beauty pageant, demolition derby, dirt bike, rodeo and more.

Did you know that Shelby County is the Saddle Red Horse capital of the world or that the Shelby Vail horse show happens every first Wednesday through Saturday in August?

Well, now you do.

There's no better place to celebrate horsemanship than Shelbyville.

So saddle up and come on down.

This event may not start in Kentucky, but it ends here.

The end to end paddle fest is a guided kayak and canoe trip starting in Manchester, Ohio, and ending in Maysville.

The event runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. tomorrow.

You can reach out to O'Rourke's pub if you're interested in some rays on the river.

Fares are fun for everyone.

And the Hancock County Fair starts this week.

Wednesday through Saturday.

They'll have a great carnival, livestock shows, pageants and plenty more.

There's lots to see and lots to eat.

So pack the car and head to Mooresville.

The world's longest yard sale is happening this week and it runs right through the blue grass.

There are several stops in Kentucky, but one of the largest is in Liberty, with over 100 vendors peddling their treasures.

It runs Thursday through Sunday, so be sure to check it out.

And that's what's happening around the Commonwealth.

I'm Toby Gibbs.

Thank you, Toby Gibbs.

The Women's World Cup is underway and this weekend you can find out more about racing Louisville, Louisville's professional women's soccer team.

Our Kelsey Starc spoke with the team's Nadia Nadine.

I just knew that, you know, the people starting the team they had these ambitions that will match mine like goals and ambitions that I thought was pretty cool.

And they said, you know, I know we are small seed and we want to, but we want to build like, you know, a powerhouse in women's football.

And for me, again, I like the fact that you are the underdog, but you are going to fight your way to the top.

And I was like, well, that kind of matches my mentality and my ambitions, what I want.

Because honestly, I for me, things that you have to fight for, they feel better than things are given to you easily.

She knows what she's talking about.

Nadia has an incredible story of escaping the Taliban in her home country of Afghanistan.

You'll hear about it and how she is inspiring other young refugees to reach their dreams.

Her story is on inside Louisville this Sunday at noon Eastern, 11 a.m. Central right here on KET.

And I hope to see you Monday night at 630 Eastern, 530 Central for Kentucky Edition.

Have a great weekend.

I'm Renae Shaw, and I will see you Monday night.