It is an expensive endeavor to to cover.

And getting more so why?

Kentucky City is pondering new sources of revenue for emergency calls.

Who is supporting him?

Who is part of his inside circle?

Who are his cronies?

The governor's race is getting feisty as both sides are asked questions about campaign contributions.

So they're probably moving to other poor neighborhoods.

But you're not solving the cycle of poverty and the difficult task of helping people out of poverty in West Low.

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 for Friday, June 23rd.

I'm Cassie Parker Bell filling in for Renee Shaw.

We trust that 911 will be there in an emergency.

But what happens when the money isn't there to keep the call centers open?

For the past 30 years, landline fees have helped support operating costs.

But with traditional telephones on the decrease.

So is that revenue?

Officials in Warren County are considering new ways to fund 911 dispatch.

And our Laura Rogers explains.

Bowling Green and Warren County continue to see an increase in population.

Census from 2010 to 2020 showed a 24 and a half percent growth in population.

And that means more calls to 911.

Our calls have increased 20% the last 10 to 12 years.

So there are a lot of calls that come into our center every single day.

The Bowling Green Police Department's communications center is the public safety answering point or piece app for Warren County.

Dispatching or transferring calls, needing police, fire or ambulance.

So any call that comes into Warren County goes directly to us first.

If we don't dispatch for that agency, then we transfer to the appropriate agency or we knock out the appropriate unit for response.

Remington estimates the center answers an average of 500 calls a day in its 2024 fiscal year budget is more than $4 million.

It's just a costly, expensive business to be in, but it's one that's critical just as technology continues to advance.

We have to upgrade software, we have to upgrade servers, and that comes at a high cost.

So these fees help offset that cost.

Those fees include $0.68 on all landlines and $0.70 on wireless phones.

As fewer people now opt for a landline, those fees are generating thousands of dollars less in revenue, meaning more money must come from the city's general fund.

We feel like that, you know, the landline fee is a dinosaur.

It probably needs to just go away.

Even if you increase that, you're increasing a dying revenue source and you're getting nowhere.

City and county officials are now considering new ways to support operating costs.

Options include a fee on utilities or property taxes.

Those are the best methods to collect because they're there either a monthly or an annual bill.

The communications center recently went through a $2 million upgrade to the Motorola system.

It's the same system that you see in Nashville and that you see in Louisville.

Remington says costs are covered heading into the new fiscal year, which begins July 1st.

We applied for several grants, so we were able to to get those grants.

So that will help offset some of the costs in this upcoming fiscal year.

But moving forward, it is definitely something we're going to have to take a look at.

For Kentucky Edition, I'm Laura Rogers.

Remington and the city auditor are in discussions about the best way to move forward.

The Bowling Green City Commission must approve any new fees to generate revenue.

Yesterday, we told you about Attorney General Daniel Cameron's request for the FBI to look into London.

Mayor Randall Wells attempt to donate money to the Andy Beshear campaign and the Kentucky Democratic Party.

Six of those associates donated money, but all on a credit card with Wells name the Beshear campaign and the Democrats returned the money.

But the Daily Beast reports that Cameron's campaign received 60 $900 from an addiction recovery center being investigated by the attorney general's office.

The report says Cameron recused himself from the case after an open records request about the donation.

Cameron's campaign says the money was returned.

The debate about the future of charter schools in Kentucky was back in the spotlight this week.

House Bill nine, which was passed last year, calls for two charter school pilot projects to open one in Jefferson County and one in northern Kentucky.

It also requires funds be diverted from local school districts to fund those charter schools.

A case against the bill went before Franklin County Circuit Court Judge Philip Sheppard yesterday.

According to Louisville Public Media.

Lawyers for both sides said the case comes down to whether charter schools qualify as public schools under Kentucky's Constitution.

An attorney challenging the bill said charter schools, which have fewer regulations than public schools, fall outside of the state's definition of a common school.

Meanwhile, a lawyer with Kentucky's attorney general's office argued charter schools are a new form of public schools established by the General Assembly.

Judge Sheppard said he hoped to make a ruling soon.

Either way, a decision is likely to be appealed.

The Kentucky Supreme Court will hear a case in September that could determine whether the Commonwealth's newly drawn districts, four state House and U.S. Congress, will remain in place.

Kentucky Democrats appealed the lower court's ruling on the maps that, if left unchanged, will be used in the 2024 elections for the 100 state House seats in Kentucky's six congressional seats.

We spoke to University of Kentucky law professor Josh Douglas about the case and the maps.

The arguments are really legal in nature and not factual, and that really relates to what Judge Wingate said in the lower court decision in which he ruled that these maps are partizan gerrymanders and are pretty egregiously unfair.

The question then is does the state constitution prohibit that kind of action?

So the main questions, the main contentions at the hearing will be how to understand the state constitution.

The requirement that elections are free.

What does that mean and how does that relate to thinking about partizan?

Fairness in a map.

You've already touched on this point, but I just want to drill down on it.

You've indicated about the fairness of the maps, but why does or does that not matter in this court case?

Well, the challenge is all about whether the state constitution prevents legislatures from essentially stacking the deck.

You know, if you look at the congressional map and you see the first congressional District that's currently Jamie Palmer's district that stretches all the way from western Kentucky, all the way to Frankfort, in a way that if you just look I mean, common sense, you look at it, you're saying that's kind of strange.

Actually, it's kind of a fun fact about this.

The word gerrymander comes from an 1800s political cartoon out of Massachusetts where a district looked like a salamander.

And the political cartoon likened it to the then governor who's now name is pronounced Gary, But it changed to gerrymander.

If you look at that original gerrymander from Massachusetts and just turn it on its side, 90 degrees, it almost looks identical to the Kentucky map that was enacted.

So, you know, I think if you just look at it, you see why is this map drawn so weirdly?

The shapes are so strange.

The only answer is politics.

And the legislatures were trying to create a political result, which they were successful in.

In 2022 election.

The state Supreme Court hearing on the maps is scheduled for September 19th.

If the court rules to strike down the maps, it could have an impact on the 2024 election.

It's time for our end of the week wrap up of some of the biggest news in Kentucky politics with analysis from a couple of political pundits.

With me are Morgan Eaves, former legislative advisor to Governor Andy Beshear and an education consultant, and Anne Tyler Morgan, attorney and member of the McBrayer Law and government Solutions firm.

Thank you both for being with me.

Thank you.

Well, we'll start with the governor's race.

Of course, there's been a lot of little news this week, but Governor Andy Beshear, his campaign and the Kentucky Democratic Party have returned over $200,000 in contributions from the London mayor.

And, Tyler, I'll start with you.

Of course, this is a big deal for people in the political world.

But what I'm curious about is when you're talking about campaign contributions, is this something that hits for a voter at the local level?

Well, Casey, to that end, I don't want to be too technical or legal in my terminology, so I'll just say that this is what we in the campaign finance world call a real doozy.

You have a not so small city mayor who funneled over $200,000 through his personal credit card to both the Kentucky Democratic Party and to the governor's campaign.

And so with all of the people looking at both of those reports, taking in those contributions, a lot of eyes on both the state Democratic Party and the governor's race.

And all of those people happened to miss the fact that over $200,000 came in.

But for the people of Kentucky, I think what's really important here is not whether a technical campaign finance violation occurred or the refund that happened after that.

It's really a question of the pattern of whom Governor Andy Beshear and his family have historically associated themselves with.

Because you have here a mayor who was a known campaign finance questionable actor.

There was an open complaint with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance about this mayor for literally giving freebies away to voters in his mayoral race, which is the oldest no, no.

In the political playbook.

This is not the first time that Governor Beshear and his family and he personally have been involved with people who are at the heart of campaign finance scandals.

It's not long since 2016 when the Longmire kickback scandal occurred.

So I think for a political insider, we certainly enjoy talking about campaign finance violations and refunds.

But what's really important here is who is around Governor Beshear, who is supporting him?

Who is part of his inside circle?

Who are his cronies?

And why is he associating himself when he's at such a high level with people who are such questionable actors in our political system?

MORGAN Of course, Governor Beshear and the Democratic Party returned these contributions.

But what is the governor's campaign saying about this?

Well, let me point out that this is nothing unusual in campaign finance.

Everybody reconciles reports at the end of every month and then again at the end of every quarter, and you'll oftentimes find folks have maybe exceeded the the allowed contribution rate.

You refund that.

This is no different except actually a credit card was involved, which in the campaign reconciliation report you only see the last four numbers.

So it is upon further investigation that they found multiple contributions linked to one source, which obviously violates craft rules.

That's the regulatory body that oversees campaign finance.

The campaign is saying, hey, we we did what we were supposed to.

And they're absolutely correct.

They reconciled everything once the error was determined.

They then followed the letter of the law and talked to the regulator themselves.

This is not unusual.

It's just something that's been latched on to by the opposite party.

And quite frankly, I'm not sure Daniel Cameron wants to fully address his campaign finance past.

So to answer your first question, no, I don't think this matters to the general public.

It's something that's a bit of a distraction at the moment.

Of course, Attorney General Cameron was in the news this week.

A Daily Beast article reported that he received campaign contributions from an addiction recovery center, that the state is in a lawsuit with.

And so this is kind of a tit for tat.

Is this what we're going to see from the governor's race?

Unfortunately, I think it is.

It's one of three gubernatorial races that are happening across the country this year.

Certainly the most high profile.

And it's it's already gotten nasty and probably will continue to be nasty.

What I hope to see from both candidates is that both candidates keep it sort of above the fold and are more positive and more issue focused.

While you can let the PACs and other groups do that dirty work.

And Tyler, anything to add on that?

Well, I think that the campaigns are certainly going to be aggressive in their marketing, and they should be, because I think that there's been a lot of time spent on making the governor seem like a really friendly face.

And while for some that may be true, there's a lot of cronyism in the Beshear playbook.

And I think that needs to be pointed out to the general public.

We'll have to do this one quickly.

But Fancy Farm is a little over a month away.

Governor Andy Beshear told Spectrum News earlier this week that he wasn't sure if he was going to come to Fancy Farm or not.

They were still working on a schedule, so.

And Tyler, how important is Fancy Farm?

So for the Republicans, fancy farm is a bedrock stop.

You know, you're located in Graves County where really Republican stronghold is is deep rooted and we think it's very important that both candidates be there at a fancy farm to court voters.

It's a really important part of our state, a part of our state that is often sadly ignored by politicians because it just takes a little longer to get to from certain areas.

But I think it's really important that both candidates be there to speak to their voting public at a fancy farm.

MORGAN Should all the candidates show up?

Fancy farm look fancy farms, part of our political history in Kentucky, right?

It's a fun event.

Do I think it's the most important event to go to if you're a candidate now?

I don't there's because many counties, many places across the state that Governor Beshear and Lieutenant Governor Coleman can get their message out.

They've been doing that for the last four years.

They'll continue to do it, whether it's at Fancy Farm or somewhere else.

Yesterday, we introduced you to Cody Clark, a Jefferson County man who uses magic to educate others about autism.

It's part of our upcoming forum, Understanding Autism.

Today, he tells us more about what it's like living with autism and why it's important for everyone to have a better understanding.

What do you think is the most common misconception people have about people with autism that we all end up being one type of person, which is pretty much the brainiac math nerd that doesn't know how to hold a conversation that does indeed exist and that is indeed valid.

But there's a lot of us who are into the arts.

There's a lot of us who want to be part of community service.

A lot of us who want to change the world.

Just the two commonalities are social skills, difficulties and neurological wiring differences that lead to sensory issues.

But other than that, we have the same array of personalities and life desires as anyone else.

Is anybody else right?

And what do you think for you has been your biggest challenge?

Would you say?

My biggest challenge, that is a good question.

And I don't know if I could have started just one.

But the motor skills have given me challenges with driving.

I didn't drive until I was 19.

Handwriting.

I insist on typing everything because otherwise you wouldn't be able to read my handwriting.

And although it is a good challenge, I like working on some magic.

It's harder for me because it requires fine motor skills.

And then with the social skills that could be challenged outside of the context of my business sense, I know business conversations are about my magic, but when I'm trying to make friends, although I am thankful to have a lot of friends when I'm trying to date, it can be a struggle sometimes to figure out what do people talk about in this context?

Right.

Well, and what do you hope that people maybe watching this will understand about living with autism, that living with autism?

There's a reason it's starting to be called the Neurodiverse spectrum and that we're essentially under a different wiring system, that it's not that we're doing anything innately wrong, but a lot of people compare it to PCs versus Macs.

Both are computers that get the job done, but they're not the same software.

So there's going to need to be some translation in the middle.

So with some translation in the middle, not just from us, but from the neurotypical population, there can be a lot of fruitful relationships and a lot of fruitful working together.

That is wonderful.

Wonderfully said.

Cody, Thank you so much for being here.

Oh, you're very welcome.

It's an honor to be on.

We appreciate it.

You can see Cody's full interview, as well as our discussion with a panel of experts about the often misunderstood condition and understanding autism.

A forum coming up Tuesday, June 27th at eight Eastern, seven Central.

A series of reports by Global Business first explores what's called the Ninth Street Divide, a moniker for what separates West Louisville from downtown.

More than $1,000,000,000 has gone to the area to write years of redlining and disinvestment.

But fears of gentrification run deep.

Renee Shaw talked with reporter Michael L Jones about his historical examination of West Louisville and how that's still affecting residents today.

Michael L. Jones with Louisville Business.

First, thank you for a few minutes of your time.

We appreciate it.

All right.

I appreciate you have me talk to us about the urban renewal efforts and certain parts of Louisville and where it's working and where it's not.

You know, a lot of residents left the areas during the urban renewal in the late fifties and sixties.

There was a lot of white blight to the suburbs.

And there's this a movement to kind of reclaim these downtown areas.

And so in Louisville, the the investments started with the redevelopment of the Beecher Terrorist Housing Project.

They in the city gather HUD grant for the first phase, like $30 million.

And it's a total $200 million project.

And we have.

Norden health care is building the first hospital in West Louisville in 100 years.

There's a lot of housing development going on, and a lot of West Louisville residents believe that this investment wasn't made for them.

That's an interesting concept because allegedly the intent is that it would help them.

What do they fear about what could happen if they be priced out of their neighborhoods?

Is that the major concern?

Yes.

You know, for renters, 70% of the residents of West Louisville are renters.

And so with the new investments going to bring higher rents, higher property taxes, and we have a unique situation.

There's nine neighborhoods that make up west Louisville.

And so in my article, I look at what went on in Cincinnati and Over-the-Rhine when they did a similar revitalization effort and a neighborhood that was 77% African American is now about 42% African American and it's 400% more Owner occupied homes.

But is, you know, a lot of the older residents that lived there for generations have been displaced and where did they go?

Where did they end up in your city, in the Cincinnati example, and even in Louisville?

Where are they going?

Okay.

Well, the thing is, like especially for public housing residents, that the the they get Section eight vouchers, but neither Cincinnati or Louisville city governments are tracking them.

And you only can use section eight housing in certain neighborhoods.

Not everyone will accept it.

So they're probably moving to other poor neighborhoods.

But you're not solving the cycle of poverty that is the intent of these programs.

You know, you're just moving that concentration of poverty to a different area of the city.

And so is it supposed to be a poverty eradication initiative?

Is that the whole goal?

Well, that the purpose when you whenever you go to a press conference, say they talk about, you know, building more African-American homeowners because homeownership is the way to build wealth, generational.

Well, but we know that in the past that hasn't happened in the communities of West Louisville.

And when the things I looked at in my article was the urban renewal that happened and it was similar of government policies, what people consider bad policy.

Now, our urban renewal, billions of dollars into American cities to, you know, redevelop blighted areas.

And the money was put in the infrastructure that divided communities and basically segregated cities.

And so the ninth Street divide that we talk about in Louisville is the Ninth Street corridor, which is basically just the onramp to Interstate 64.

And it kind of isolates the people in West Louisville from downtown.

So where does the conversation go next, Mr. Jones?

Where should it go next, in your view, after all of your in-depth reporting?

You know, I think that there's a lot of mistrust in the government and in the business community because of what's happened in the ads.

And I think that the government and the business community have to acknowledge why, you know, there's this mistrust from them.

And just be transparent about all what they're doing.

Yeah.

You know, every step that they take and get community input.

Well, Michael Jones with Louisville Business first, thank you so much for sharing your reporting with us and the great work you've been doing.

And we'll follow on through future reports from the publication.

Thank you so much.

All right.

Thank you.

It's a weekend for antiques, music, dancing and pride.

Toby Gibbs tells us where to find it all.

And in this look at what's up around the Commonwealth, kids in Calvert City are invited to Memorial Park tomorrow for a fun event.

Dress up as your favorite superhero or princess and come jam out to kids Music performed on the electric violin.

This dance party will be a blast for kids and those who are a kid at heart.

This summer, Carter Caves State Resort Park is hosting the Wild Caves Adventure series.

And this weekend, they're diving into the biggest cave on the park.

Walker Island clamber through Bat Cave, but be prepared to get muddy.

This event is a must for adventure lovers.

Calling all collectors the first ever West Kentucky Antique and vintage market continues tomorrow in Madisonville in conjunction with the annual Highway 41 yard sale.

This event is free to the public and has treasures for all price points.

It's a rain or shine event, so be sure to make it out.

Currently happening on top of Poppy Mountain in Moorhead is the 2023 Rudie Fest Bluegrass Festival.

Come enjoy some of the top artists in bluegrass or participate in the silent auction and food drive.

It runs through the 26th, so there's still time to bring your tent and camp out for a good time.

The second largest pride festival in the state is happening this weekend in Lexington.

The Lexington Pride Festival is in its 15th year and for the first time it will be held indoors in the central Bank center.

Come check out all the food vendors, performances and informational booths.

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

I'm Toby Gibbs.

Be sure to watch next week when Kentucky Edition hits the road.

We are spending the week highlighting Pikeville with interviews, stories and live reports from Renee Shah.

Also coming up next week so they can build a home back there because two major flooding was going on.

We take a look at the efforts to move some eastern Kentucky flood victims to higher ground and out of harm's way.

Another programing reminder.

Renee Shaw and her guests will talk about jobs, inflation and the economy.

Next Monday on Kentucky tonight.

Her guests include business experts and economists from across the political spectrum.

See that Monday at eight Eastern, seven Central here on KET.

We hope you'll join us again Monday night at 630 Eastern, 530 Central for Kentucky Edition.

For in-form Connect and Inspire, subscribe to our weekly Kentucky Edition email newsletter and watch full episodes and clips at KET dot org.

Thanks for watching Kentucky Edition tonight.

I'm Cassie Parker Bell, and we'll see you next week.