CLIMBING IN KENTUCKY AS NEW GUIDELINES AND INFORMATION COME DOWN FROM FRANKFORT AND WASHING REPUBLICAN SENATE LEADER MITCH MCCONNELL TAKES TO RADIO TO TRY TO COMBAT VACCINE HESITANCY AND MISINFORMATION.

SCHOOLS MAKE BIG DECISIONS UNDER A TIGHT DEA SOME KENTUCKY POLITICAL RACES LIVEN UP AHEAD OF THE 2022 CAMP HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND THAT KICKS OFF AUGUST, "COMMENT" IS NEXT ON KET.

GOOD EVENING.

I'M BILL BRYANT, AND WE WELCOME YOU TO "COMMENT ON KENTUCKY," A LOOK BACK AT AND SOME ANALYSIS OF THE WEEK'S NEWS IN THE COMMONWEALTH.

AND THE GUESTS ON OUR PANEL OF WORKING KENTUCKY JOURNALISTS TONIGHT AR: JOINING US ON THE PHONE BECAUSE OF SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES DEBORAH YETTER, REPORTER FOR THE COURIER-JOURNAL.

IN STUDIO WITH US DANIEL DESROSIERS, POLITICAL REPORTER FOR TO LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER.

AND ALSO ON THE PHONE, RUSS CASSADY, REASONABLE EDITOR OF PLANK NEWSPAPERS.

HE'S JOINING US FROM EASTERN Ke ALSO TONIGHT, MORE TOUGH WATER TROUBLE FOR A COMMUNITY IN THE HEAT OF SUMMER.

AND KENTUCKY LOTTERY SALES SET >> WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH KIDS THAT ARE VACCINATED NOW AND IN ALARMS SCHOOLS NONE THAT WOULD CHANGE ANYTHING WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST.

THE ONLY CHANGE IS DELTA VARIANT WHICH IS MORE AGGRESSIVE.

SO IF THE CDC SAYS TO SUCCEED EVERYBODY NEEDS TO HAVE A MASK ON, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO PROTECT THE KIDS.

IF THE STATE SAYS TO SUCCEED YOU NEED TO HAVE YOUR MASK ON AND IT'S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO PROTECT YOUR KIDS.

>> Bill: LET'S GO TO DEB FIRST.

THESE NUMBERS DON'T LOOK GOOD.

WE HAVE NOW A LOT OF RED AND ORANGE ZONE COUNTIES OUT THERE JUST WHEN WE THOUGHT THINGS IS HEALTH DOWN.

>> Bill: DEBBIE, THE CDC INDICATES THAT THIS DELTA VARIANT IS REALLY TOUGH, AND IN FACT IS BEING COMPARED NOW TO THE SPREAD OF CHICKENPOX IN TERMS OF HOW EASILY IT'S TRANSMITTED.

>> Deborah: YEAH, IT IS BAD NEWS.

CHICKENPOX IS A VERY HIGHLY TRANSMISSIBLE VIRUS, ONE OF THE MOST.

FORTUNATELY THERE'S A VACCINATION FOR IT.

BUT THIS NEW VARIANT IS AFFECTING PEOPLE EVEN WHO HAVE BEEN VACCINATED AND EVEN IF THOUGH DENT GET PSYCHO SHOW SYMPTOMS, THEY CAN STILL TRANSMIT IT -- EVEN IF THEY DON'T SHOW SYMPTOMS.

SO WE'RE GOING TO BACK WHERE WE STARTED IN TERMS OF KEEPING SOCIAL DISTANCES AND WE'RE WASHER MASKS AND SO FORTH.

>> Bill: THE GUIDANCE SHIFTS AGAIN, DAN.

THIS IS NOT A MANDATE FROM GOVERNOR BESHEAR BUT IT IS CLEARLY A BALANCING ACT FOR A GOVERNOR WHO KNOWS THAT MANDATES WOULD SAFETY A FIRESTORM AS THEY DID BEFORE.

>> Daniel: ANY MANDATE RIGHT NOW IS GOING TO BE REALLY TOUGH, AND PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE WE'RE DEALING WITH A PART OF THE POPULATION THAT, DESPITE ALL EVIDENCE THAT VACCINES WORK, EVEN IF PEOPLE WHO ARE VACCINATED ARE STILL CATCHING THE DELTA VARIANT, THEY'RE NOT BEING HOSPITALIZED ASYLUM REQUEST HIGH RATES, NOH DYING ASYLUM REQUEST HIGH RATES.

CLEARLY IT WORKS AND THEY'VE BEEN PRESENT THIS EVIDENCE AND THEY'RE NOT BUYING IT.

IF YOU ISSUE A MASK MANDATE, PEOPLE ARE MOST LIKELY TO FOLLOW THAT MASK MANDATE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN LISTENING ALL ALONG AND GOT VACCINATED.

WHERE YOU STRUGGLE WHO THE PEOPLE YOU NEED TO BE WEARING MASKS THE MOST ARE ALSO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THE LEAST LIKELY TO LISTEN AND SO HOW DO YOU DO THAT?

HOW DO YOU NAVIGATE GATE THAT AT A LEADER?

IT'S A THORNY QUESTION THAT PEOPLE ARE DEALING WITH THROUGH ALL LEVELS GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO OOH APPLY THESE MASK MANDATES IN KANSAS CITY BECAUSE MAYBE UNVACCINATED PEOPLE WILL WEAR >> Daniel: AGAIN, IF YOU ARE VACCINATED, YOU ARE MUCH, MUCH, MUCH LESS LIABLE TO EXPERIENCE SEVERE COVID.

>> Bill: THE GOVERNOR COULD NOT URGE IT MORE STRONGLY, THAT PEOPLE IN SCHOOLS, CHILDREN AS WELL AS TEACHERS AND STAFF, AWAY MASKS THIS PHENOMENA AGAIN HE STOPPED SHORT OF A MANDATE EVEN THERE.

>> Daniel: YEAH, AGAIN IT'S THIS IMPOSSIBLE POLITICAL DECISION, RIGHT?

BUT ALSO I MEAN THE IDEA IS WHO DO YOU TRUST?

WHO ARE IF PEOPLE IN THESE COMMUNITIES?

WHO ARE THEY GOING TO LISTEN TO?

ARE THEY GOING TO LISTEN TO GOVERNOR ANDY BESHEAR IN FRANKFORT OR ARE THEY MORE LIKELY TO LISTEN TO THEY ARE LOCAL SUPERINTENDENT.

I THINK THAT'S THE CALCULUS HE'S MAKING, THE CLOSER YOU GET TO HEM HOME WEEK THE MORE LOCAL THIS WILL BE AND THE MORE PEOPLE ABOUT WILL BUY IN.

THE PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERTS ACROSS THE STATE HAVEY BEEN TELLING PEOPLE TO GET VACCINATED AND HAVE STRUGGLED.

MY COLLEAGUE ALEX ACQUISTA SAID AT THIS BAR I'M GOING TO BUY THE NEXT ROUND FOR EVERYONE WHO COMES AND GET VACCINATED AND THEY'RE LIKE, ANNA, WE'RE GOOD.

NO THANKS.

YOU'RE STILL HITTING THIS RESISTANCE FROM PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THESE COMMUNITIES AND ARE DRYING TO APPEAL TO THEIR NEIGHBORS TO GETTIN' VACCINATED.

>> Bill: DEBBIE, YOU HAVE LOCATED A TREND THAT VACCINATION ARE LOW AMONG THOSE WHO ARE COVERED BY MEDICAID, RIGHT?

>> Deborah: YEAH, AND IF YOU'RE REALLY TRYING TO GET THE SANCTION RATES UP WHICH GOVERNOR BESHEAR AND HIS PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSIONER DR. STACK ARE, THAT'S A SIZE ANNAL PART OF KENTUCKY'S POPULATION.

HALF THE STATE IS NOW VACCINATED, ABOUT 51%.

MEDICAID, PEOPLE ENROLLED IN MEDICAID GET THEIR HEALTH CARE, ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT 1.5 MILLION PEOPLE RIGHT NOW.

THAT'S A THIRD OF THE STATE'S POPULATION.

YET ONLY 27% OF THEM ARE VACCINATED.

AND GOVERNOR BESHEAR AND HIS CABINET SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND FAMILY SERVICES ERIC FRIEDLANDER ARE SAYING MANAGED CARE ORGANIZATIONS THAT THE STATE HAS HIRED TO MANAGE CARE FOR THESE FOLKS NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF GETTING THEM TO GET ENGAGED AND ACCEPT THE VACCINATION, AND SO THEIR PUSHING THEM TO DO IT BUT RIGHT NOW YOU'VE GOT ABOUT 800,000 MEDICAID ENROLLEES WHO ARE NOT VACCINATED, ACCORDING TO THE STATE'S NUMBERS.

>> Bill: DEB, SCHOOLS, AS WE NOTED, ARE FACING BIG DECISIONS RIGHT NOW ABOUT MASK RULES.

WE KNOW THAT THEY ALSO HAVE TO DECIDE ABOUT VIRTUAL OPTIONS.

JEFFERSON COUNTY HAS DECIDED MASKS WILL BE MANDATORY IN THE KIDS UNDER 12 CANNOT GET VACCINATED NOW, SO IF THEY GO INTO SCHOOLS AND VIRUSES START TO SPREAD, THEY WILL TO HAVE CLOSE SCHOOLS OR CLOSE PLUMS IT'S GOING TO START CAUSING HALVING AGAIN.

>> Bill: FAYETTE COUNTY'S SUPERINTENDENT JUST STARTED THIS >> Bill: DEBBIE, OBVIOUSLY IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO FORECAST WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

WHO IN THE WORLD WOULD HAVE DONE THAT DURING THIS WHEN WE ALL -- WE ALL KNOW WHAT A DISRUPTION THIS IS TO THIS PROGRAM TONIGHT WHERE WE HAVE TWO OF OUR GUESTS ON THE PHONE BECAUSE OF ISSUES GOING ON.

BUT AS WE LOOK FORWARD, AS WE LOOK TO, YOU KNOW, A FALL THAT IS SET TO INCLUDE FESTIVALS AND EVENTS AND BACK-TO-SCHOOL AND FOOTBALL GAMES, ARE WE GOING TO BE THERE?

>> Deborah: AT THE RATE WE'RE GOING NOW, I WOULD SAY NO.

SCHOOL IS GOING TO START OPENING IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND THAT ALREADY HAS PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS CONCERNED BECAUSE RIGHT NOW MOST PEOPLE ARE OUTDOORS AND OUT AND ABOUT, BUT AS YOU GET MORE PEOPLE INSIDE IN CONFINE SPACES, COVID IS A RESPIRATORY DISEASE THAT IS TRANSMITTED THROUGH THE AIR, AND I THINK THEY ARE VERY CONCERNED, THAT IF THEY DON'T GET THIS VARIANT UNDER CONTROL AND MORE PEOPLE VACCINATED, IT'S JUST GOING TO WORSEN.

>> Bill: WE'VE HANDED SOME OF THE MISINFORMATION THAT IS OUT THERE IN THE STATE HEALTH COMMISSIONER, SOUTH KOREAN STACK WEEK TOOK THAT ON THIS WEEK SAYING THAT THE -- STEPHEN STACK, SAYING THE CONFUSING IS LEADING SOME TO GO UNVACCINATED.

>> DON'T LOOK TO CABLE SOURCES FOR YOUR MEDICAL ADVICE, PERIOD, AND DON'T LOOK TO SOCIAL MEDIA FOR YOUR MEMORABILIA GUIDANCE, PERIOD.

IF WE WOULD TUNE OUT FROM THAT STUFF AND THEN LISTEN TO THE TRUSTED EXPERTS, THE HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, PUBLIC HEALTH >> Deborah: ENDLESS SURVEYS ON THE SUBJECT BUT PEOPLE DO THE END TO TRUST THEIR LOCAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDER THEY ARE LOCAL PHARMACIES MORE THAN ANYBODY BUT SCEPTICISM IS STILL OUT THERE.

I TALKED TO A DOCTOR IN EASTERN KENTUCKY THIS WEEK WHO TOLD ME HE'S FROM THAT AREA AND KNOWS THE FOLKS AND HE TRIED TO CONVINCE PEOPLE ONE AT A TIME.

SOME PEOPLE WILL LISTEN TO HIM BUT SOME ARE DEAD SET AGAINST THE VACCINE AND THEY'RE NOT EVEN GOING TO BELIEVE HIM.

>> Bill: DEB, WE'LL LET YOU GO FOR A MINUTE.

WE'LL BE JOINED IN JUST A BIT FROM RUSS CASSADY IN EASTERN KENTUCKY AND DEB WILL COME BACK WITH OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE GOING ON.

DAN, TO THIS QUESTION OF LACK OF TRUST IN INSTITUTIONS, I MEAN, THAT'S THE TIME WE'RE LIVING IN, RIGHT?

>> Daniel: WE SEE IT THROUGH EVERYTHING, RIGHT?

I THINK WE SAW THE INTERNET AS THIS THING THAT WAS GOING TO ENHANCE KNOWLEDGE WHERE WE HAD ALL THIS KNOWLEDGE AT OUR FINGERTIPS, AND YET INSTEAD I THINK IT'S AM ALMOST BECOME THIS SPACE WHERE ANYBODY CAN GET THEIR WORLD VIEW CONFIRMED, AND IT'S A LOT EASIER TO CONFIRM THE WAY THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT THINGS THAN TO CHALLENGE THAT WITH THE TRUTH, AND WE'RE SEEING THAT PEOPLE ARE PROTECTED.

>> Bill: SENATOR MITCH McCONNELL WHO HAS PUSHED VACCINATIONS SINCE THEY WERE AVAILABLE IS TAKING TO THE RADIO TO ADDRESS VACCINE HESITANCY.

HE HAS SAID SOME PEOPLE ARE PRACTICING MEDICINE WITHOUT A LICENSE, THE WORDS SENATOR McCONNELL, AND SPREADING FALSE INFORMATION.

HE -- WILL THAT WORK, HIM USING-HIS LEFTOVER CAMPAIGN MONEY TO BUY RADIO?

>> Daniel: WHO REALLY KNOWS.

MITCH McCONNELL IS A POLIO SURVIVOR.

WHEN HE WAS A LITTLE KID, HIS MOTHER USED TO HAVE TO SIT WITH HIM EVERY NIGHT AND DO STRETCHES TO MAKE SURE THAT HIS LEGS WORK IN THE PROPER WAY SO HE COULD PLAY BAUBLE WHEN HE WAS 12 YEARS OLD SO HE IS BEEN PREACHING THE VALUE OF VACCINES SINCE APRIL.

WHEN I ASK HIM QUESTIONS, REPUBLICANS SEEM SKEPTICAL ABOUT GETTING THIS VACCINE.

HE SAID I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY.

EVERYBODY SHOULD BE GETTING VACCINATED, BUT HE'S BEEN SAYING THIS SINCE APRIL AND PEOPLE HAVEN'T BEEN LISTENING.

SO IS A RADIO AD REALLY GOING TO BE THE THING THAT TIPS THE SCALE?

I DON'T KNOW.

IT MIGHT BE FASTER DELTA VARIANT.

A LOT OF YOUNGER PEOPLE ARE BEING GECHT SICK.

BUT IF YOU'RE GETTING VACCINATED NOW IT IS SIX WEEKS UNTIL YOUR FULLY VACCINATE.

THAT IS SIX WEEKS UNTIL WHEEL WE RISINGISTS CASES UNTIL ANY KINDS OF -- AND THAT'S A CONCERNING THING AS WE LOOK AT THINGS LIKE SCHOOL STARTING, AS WE LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE HOSPITALIZED.

>> Bill: WE DO WANT TO BRING IN RUSS CASSADY NOW WHO IS WITH THE PLANK NEWSPAPERS, THE REGION EDITOR WHO -- PLANCK NEWSPAPERS.

THANK YOU FOR COMING ON WITH >> OBVIOUSLY TO GIVE A LITTLE MORE TIME TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHAT THAT START OF SCHOOL IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.

NOW, AS FAR AS MASKS AND RECOMMENDATIONS AND MANDATES, YOU KNOW, WE ARE HEARING ON THE GROUND HERE A LITTLE BIT OF GRUMBLING IN EASTERN KENTUCKY, NOT PUBLICALLY, BUT THERE IS SOME CONCERN THAT GOVERNOR IS SIMPLY PASSING THE BUCK FOR THIS UNPOPULAR DECISION.

IT'S INEVITABLE THAT MASKS ARE GOING TO BE REQUIRED IN SCHOOLS TO THE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS AS OPPOSED THE-TO-HIM MAKING THE DECISION.

>> Bill: WHAT IS GOING TO UNIVERSITY OF PIKEVILLE?

WHAT ARE THEIR PLANS FOR THE FALL?

>> Renee: EVER.

>> Russ: LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, AS OF A WEEK OR TWO WE'LL STAY ON TOP OF IT CERTAINLY.

LET'S TALK SOME POLITICS NOW.

DAN, GOVERNOR BESHEAR CITED COVID NUMBERS AS PART OF THE REASON THAT HE AND THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR JACQUELINE COLEMAN WILL NOT BE GOING TO FANCY FARM.

HE ALSO NOTES IT'S NOT AN ELECTION YEAR.

NECESSARILY HELP THAT ARGUMENT WHEN YOU HAVE THE DEMOCRATS IN LOUISVILLE HOSTING FANCYVILLE, THEIR OWN COMPETING EVENT TO COMPETE AGAINST FANCY FARM.

I THINK IT'S PERCEIVED IN THE REST OF THE STATE OF KIND ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW LOUISVILLE DEMOCRATS ARE OUT OF TOUCH IN THE STATE.

THIS URBAN-RURAL DIVIDE THAT DEMOCRATS ARE REALLY STRUGGING TO BRIDGE.

I THINK IT ADDS FUEL TO THAT WHOLE PROBLEM BECAUSE IF YOU'RE GOING TO HOLD AN EVENT THE SAME DAY AS FANCY FARM, IT KIND OF VISIT PLACES LIKEIM PIKEVILLE WHERE HE WAS VERY RECENT.

>> Russ: JUST AS LAST YEAR, HE VERY EARLY CAME TO PIKEVILLE TO SPEAK TO VOTERS HERE.

HE CAME ON JULY 22nd IN THIS CASE, TALK TO -- HE DID TWO EVENTS, FIRST GROUP THAT HE TALKED TO WAS A SMALL GROUP OF VETERANS, COALMINERS, UNION MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA, AND I POINTED OUT HE WAS SEATED NEXT TO FORMER GOVERNOR PAUL PATTON WHICH WAS HELD IN THE PIKEVILLE COURTHOUSE.

HE ADDRESSED A LARGER CROWD.

AND IT'S REALLY THIS CONTINUATION OF HIS MESSAGING OF HOOD TO HOLLER THAT HE'S TRYING TO TIE -- DECIPHERABLE ISSUES FACING URBAN AND RURAL VOTERS.

HIS MESSAGE DOESN'T CHANGE WHEN HE MOVES EAST OF WINCHESTER, WHICH IS GOING TO OBVIOUSLY GOING TO GIVE HIM >> Daniel: TRIED TO ACHIEVE, TRIED TO FOLLOW UP BUT THAT IS AN ENORMOUSLY DIFFICULT PATH, AS RUSS HAS SAID.

THE STATE HAS GOTTEN MORE CONSERVATIVE.

AND THE THANK I THINK WE'RE REMINDED OF OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN IS THAT BESHEAR WAS RUNNING AGAINST MATT BEVIN WHO IS ONE OF LEAST POPULAR POLITICIANS I EVER COVERED IN MY LIFE AND THAT CERTAINLY HELPED HIM.

I THINK THE CHALLENGE FOR BOOKER IS THIS UPHILL BATTLE OF HE'S GOT TO CONVINCE VERY CONSERVATIVE PEOPLE TO BUY INTO HIS SORT OF POPULACE MESSAGE IN AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH DEMOCRATS SEEN AS A BOOGEYMAN IN >> Bill: CONTINUED AND BEEN FRUSTRATING OVER THERE FOR YEARS NOW.

>> Russ: IT'S THE SURFACE IN THE STATEWIDE MEDIA AN INTERMINT BASIS FOR THE PEOPLE OUT THERE IN MARTIN COUNTY IT'S A DAILY THING.

I SAW FOUR HOURS AGO FOUR WATER ADVISORIES ISSUED DUE TIE BREAK IN THE MAIN LINE.

THIS IS REALLY ONE OF KENTUCKY'S BIGGEST MORAL FAILURES THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN CARE OF IN THE PAST ALREADY, AND THERE'S STILL SOME HOPE, THOUGH, THAT IF THERE ARE ANY FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAMS THAT ULTIMATELY ARE APPROVED SUCH AS THE ONE THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN IS PROPOSING, THAT THAT MONEY CAN FILTER DOWN, BUT EVEN IF THAT OPLE ARE DAILY DEALING WITH UNDRINKABLE WATER, UNBATHABLE WATER, AND NON-EXISTENT WATER INCREASINGLY.

>> Bill: VERY HARD.

RUSS CASSADY FROM THE PLANCK MATCHAN NEWSPAPERS.

THANK YOU FOR SHARE PERSPECTIVES WITH US.

WE'LL GET DEB OAT LINE.

LET ME ASK DAN.

THERE WILL HANDLE LEXINGTON WITH THESE STATE SENATE DISTRICT AS THEY GET TO REDRAW THE MAP THIS YEAR.

>> Bill: AND AGAIN WITH IT BEING A CLOSE RACE AT LEAST AS IT IS NOW IT'S A COMPETITIVE DISTRICT.

IF WE HAVE DEBBIE BACK ON, I WANT TO -- I'M TOLD WE DO NOT, SO WE'LL WAIT JUST FOR A MOMENT ON THAT.

WHAT IS SENATOR PAUL DOING RIGHT NOW TO GEAR UP HIS RE-ELECTION EFFORT FOR NEXT YEAR?

>> Daniel: I THINK HE'S DOING KIND OF THE TRADITIONAL THING.

YOU TRAVEL THE STATE.

>> Bill: NOW DEBBY IS BACK WITH US.

DEBBIE, WORD CAME FRIDAY THAT KENTUCKY'S ATTORNEY GENERAL DANIEL CAMERON IS JOINING 24 ATTORNEYS GENERAL ACROSS THE NATION IN A FIGHT TO OVERTURN ROE VS. WADE THAT LEGALIZED ABORTION IN THEN 73.

APPARENTLY IT'S A MOVE TO HAVE THE STATES HAVE THEIR OWN SAY ON THAT ISSUE, RIGHT?

>> Deborah: THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT WAS KIND OF A SLEEPER.

IT WAS PENDING FOR SEVERAL YEARS FILED BY THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, AND I >> Bill: A NEW REPUBLICAN EMERGED THIS WEEK, PHILLIP MOL STEEN A, A MINISTER WHO SAYS HE UNDERSTANDS THERE'S A JOB OPENING COMING UP.

ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE WE KEEP HEARING THE NAME CRAIG GREENSBURG WHO WAS A MAJOR HEAD START IN FUNDRAISING.

>> Deborah: HE DOES.

LAST CHECK HE HAS AROUND $450,000, WELL AHEAD OF ANY OF THE OTHER DEMOCRATS IN THE RACE, AND HE HAS SOME KEY DEMOCRATS LINING UP BEHIND HIM AS WELL.

IT LOOKS LIKE THE ESTABLISHMENT IS KIND OF THROWING THEIR SUPPORT TO HIM.

BUT THERE ARE TWO REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES, AND NOW, AS YOU MENTIONED, ONE IS THIS PASTOR PAUL STEEN A, THE OTHER IS THE JAY TOWN MAYOR IS ALSO PLANNING TO RUN AS A REPUBLICAN SO IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING CONTESTED PRIMARIES ON BOTH SIDES.

AS WE KNOW MAYOR GREG FISCHER IS TERM LIMITED AND WON'T BE RUNNING AGAIN.

>> Bill: HAL HEINER RAN A VERY CREDIBLE RACE IN 2010 AGAINST THE NOW THREE-TERM MAYOR THERE IN LOUISVILLE.

COULD THIS BE COMPETITIVE OR HAVE THINGS CHANGED IN JEFFERSON COUNTY TO THE POINT THAT TESTIMONIES HAVE A DECISIVE EDGE?

>> Deborah: I DON'T KNOW IT.

COMES DOWN TO A BIT OF A SUBURBAN URBAN DIVIDE HERE.

SOME OF THE SUBURBS TEND TO SWING MORE REPUBLICAN AND HAVE MORE REPUBLICANS IN LEGISLATURE, BUT I THINK THE CITY IS STILL RELATIVELY -- THE OLD CITY LIMITS BEFORE WE HAD METRO GOVERNMENT IS WHAT YOU CONSIDER MORE DEMOCRATIC, AND SEEMS TO BE LINING UP BEHIND THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE, WHOEVER IT IS.

>> Bill: THEY KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL ORGANIZATIONERS INDICATE THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO BE MORE INCLUES IS YOU HAVE AND DIVERSE AND CONSIDER OTHER VENUES AND EVENTS TO COME.

>> Deborah: YEAH, THAT'S BEEN A BIT OF A SORE MONEY IT THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.

THERE HAVE BEEN PROTESTS FROM BLACK CITIZENS IN THE COMMUNITY AND OTHERS WHO DON'T FEEL LIKE THAT THEY'RE REPRESENTED ENOUGH, AND THERE RANTS MANY ACTIVITIES OR EVENTS THAT FEATURE THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS.

>> Bill: FAN, WE WON'T PLAY THE OLD FRANK SAN JOSE SINATRA SONG "MY WAY" BUT IT COMES TO MIND AS YOU HAVE DONE INCREDIBLE JOB IN COVERING POLITICS IN THE YEARS WE HAVE COME TO KNOW AND AND HOPEFULLY YOU WILL APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT I'VE DONE AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME DO THAT WORK FOR THESE YEARS.

>> Bill: YOU'RE WELCOME BACK ANY TIME, AND I HOPE YOU WILL TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY.

MAYBE WE'LL GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE YOU BACK AT SOME POINT.

WE'LL SEE.

DEPENDING ON HOW THE PATH GOES.

THE KENTUCKY LOTTERY ANNOUNCED THAT ITS SALES JUMP BY NEARLY A THIRD TO ALMOST $1.6 BILLION DURING THE PANDEMIC.

PROCEEDS JUMPED 27% IN TOTAL ALMOST $335 MILLION.

THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED A MAJOR ECONOMIC INVESTMENT INVESTMENT IN WESTERN QUE KENTUCKY, PRATT PAPER WILL EMPLOYED MORE THAN 300 PEOPLE.

UNIVERSITY OF THE CALIBERLANDS IS STARING NEW PROGRAM TO LET PEOPLE EARN SOME CREDIT TOWARD THEIR DEGREES FOR LIFE EXPERIENCE UNDER THE PRIOR LEARNING PROGRAM.

UNDERGRADS COULD EARN UP TO 75% THEIR DEGREES BASED PARTIALLY ON WHAT THEY ALREADY KNOW.

TUNE IN MONDAY NIGHT FOR "KENTUCKY TONIGHT" AND RENEE SHAW HAD HOST A PREVIEW OF THE FANCY FARM POLITICAL PICNIC.