♪ >> This a new benchmark for air.

>> Advocates for reproductive rights speak out on the state of women's health care.

2 years after Roe versus Wade is overturned.

How U.S. lawmakers from Kentucky are working to make sure the state gets federal aid for yet another round of severe weather.

What makes me happy is about to be the better capital is it just pays tribute.

And it just shows the hard work that our farmers, but the end.

>> Say why life is sweet.

And the batter capital of the world.

It's no secret that females are underrepresented in many stem.

Plus.

See how a program through Morehead State University is trying to stem the tide and get more girls on track to a career in the space industry.

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

♪ ♪ >> Good evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Monday, June 24th the start of a brand new week.

I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you for spending some of your Monday night with us.

>> Today marks 2 years since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade and Ing the nationwide right to abortion and launching a new era of litigation legislation and politics pro abortion rights advocates say even eagerly expecting moms are harmed by Kentucky's near total abortion ban.

Planned Parenthood says when pregnancies get complicated, doctors are forced to look the other way.

>> Study show at least a 3rd of pregnancies involving our visits.

And up to 15%, including potentially life-threatening conditions.

Yet when pregnancy related emergencies Presense.

There's are being forced to ask the most inhumane questions.

Is this patient close enough to die?

Are they near not death for me to provide care to that?

Will I be prosecuted?

How is this the new benchmark, her hair?

>> Tomorrow night we'll have more on the state of abortion and Kentucky while she became the face of reproductive rights in Kentucky when she appeared in a campaign ad for the governor's race.

Now, Hadley Duval is moving on to the presidential election last fall.

Deval appeared in an ad supporting Governor Andy Beshear's reelection where she spoke of becoming pregnant at the age of 12 after being raped by her stepfather in the ad was credited with motivating many Kentuckians who previously voted for Donald Trump to vote for Andy Beshear.

President Joe Biden's campaign is hoping for the same boosted by bringing Deval on the campaign trail.

The 22 year-old from Owensboro will appear with First Lady Jill Biden in Pennsylvania this weekend as part of the president's effort to motivate voters on abortion rights.

She was recently on MSNBC with Vice President Kamala Harris.

Part of that interview aired yesterday.

More news from the U.S. Supreme Court today.

The nation's highest court announced its stepping into the fight over transgender rights.

The case before the Supreme Court involves a law in Tennessee that restricts puberty blockers and hormone therapy for transgender minors.

Kentucky passed a similar law last year.

Senate Bill, 150, bands, medical care for transitioning youth allows teachers to ignore students preferred pronoun and ban schools from providing instruction on sexual orientation and identity.

The federal appeals court in Cincinnati allowed SB 150 and a similar Tennessee law to take effect after they have been blocked by lower courts today.

The high court did not act on a separate appeal from Kentucky.

Still groups on both sides of the issue say they're encouraged by the court's decision.

>> The other option the board had was to not hear the petition that all.

Which wouldn't have been guidance for any of the lower courts.

And I think that whatever this decision as will be an indication of how things are going to look moving ahead, at least as far as our cases are concerned and how we're going to continue to fight for the rights of transgender youth in Kentucky.

Obviously, there's been now.

>> 23 states at least that passed different versions of these kinds of protections.

But there's been challenges and a lot of parts of the country.

And so I think we're a voice what I hope will be a strong Supreme Court ruling.

emphasizing and echoing, I hope some of the portions of that even with the 6th Circuit said.

>> A date for oral arguments has not been said it would likely be in the fall and it could be a full year before and opinion is announced.

In other news, President Joe Biden is once again being asked to approve a major disaster declaration for Kentucky.

All 8 members of the state's federal delegation sent the president a letter and support of Governor Andy Beshear's recent request this request for aid is in response to severe weather from may.

21st through the 27th 16 tornadoes touched down in Kentucky that week and strong storms impacted nearly half of the state's 120 counties leading to multiple deaths.

If approved, the disaster declaration would free up financial assistance for 69 counties across the state.

A legislative task force focused on housing, held its first meeting on Monday.

The task force was created by Senate President Robert Stivers and House Speaker David Osborne.

The group is reviewing current access and availability of housing in Kentucky, including a look at housing costs testifying today, the Kentucky Housing Corporation which said Kentucky needs more than 200,000 more houses and that that need isn't just in larger cities.

>> In our view, the housing supply shortage is Kentucky's most urgent issue.

I'm an affordable housing professional.

I am not here to ask you all to invest more money in just affordable housing.

I do not think that is the solution that Kentucky needs because what we're seeing is well, Kentucky housing for 50 plus years has been investing in affordable housing because there's not enough supply in the overall marketplace.

We're losing ground and serving the folks we try to serve the overall marketplace needs more housing and we need kind of a systematic approach that helps Kentucky be able to build and and and get, you know, brought to market more housing to meet our economic and population growth.

>> The task force will meet again next month that they are to submit a report to legislative leadership before December, a sign that lawmakers could consider the state housing needs in the 2025 legislative session.

It's costing more than ever to get a college education in Kentucky.

The council on post-secondary education just approved tuition request for 7 Kentucky colleges.

The University of Kentucky has the highest increase, which is more than 2%.

That means in-state tuition for the state's flagship university is now nearly $7,000 per semester.

Maria Nku will both increase tuition by 2% Ek you Morehead and Western are raising prices by nearly the same amount.

Kentucky's community and technical college system has the lowest increase.

At 1.6%.

The University of Kentucky is remembering a pioneering graduate and professor Doctor Doris Wilkinson, one of the first African-Americans to graduate from UK has passed away Wilkinson enrolled in the University of Kentucky in 1950, for a few months after the Brown versus Board of Education ruling ended segregation in public schools after getting her degree in 1958, Wilkinson joined the Department of Sociology at UK going on to become the first African-American woman hired on as a full-time faculty member, UK President Eli Capilouto released a statement today on Wilkerson's passing saying in part, quote, Doctor Doris Wilkinson was powerful, influential at times larger than life.

I'm comforted in knowing that her legacy continues to run deep across the foundation of our community.

End quote, Wilkinson died Saturday night in Lexington.

♪ ♪ What does it take to become the batter capital of the world?

Start with a special type of wheat grown in abundance added a dash of ingenuity, then mix in a lot of hard work and it inspired marketing plan.

Kentucky Edition went on the road to Hopkinsville to find out more about the city's recipe for sweet success, too.

>> That was pretty much born and raised here.

I love Hopkinsville.

They say if you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life.

And that's truly.

>> How I feel just to be here.

I have pride in my community.

>> The people in it so I do this all day every day, all over again for me.

It's the fact that I have the honor of sharing the story of where I came from, where I've been.

I've come back to and now I'm at this spot.

Hopkinsville, Kentucky is the leading week producer of Wheat we Harvest more week than any other county in the state of Kentucky.

Roughly over 3 million bushels of wheat are harvested every year.

It is a soft red winter wheat, which is ideal for your baking your pastries pies, things of that nature we manufacture here.

All of the crest.

These products, all of the ghirardelli baking mixes the red lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit mix.

The pancake mix for Cracker Barrel.

And an interesting fact is if you eat a biscuit from a McDonald's and that McDonald sits east of the Mississippi River.

All of the flower that made it this good came from right here in Hopkinsville.

So yet 3 million bushels of wheat every year is amazing.

And I think the happiest thing what makes me happiest about us being the better capital is it just pays tribute in the 2 shows the hard work that our farmers put in farmers are very humble individuals and they are the ones that are doing all of this.

We could not be the batter capital if they were not out there doing what they did when COVID hit, we had a lot of time to do a lot of the world was just kind of turned upside down topsy-turvy.

So, Brooke, Young.

>> Who was the executive director during that time.

This idea just came from her reading a book doing her research, an I have been, we are the better capital.

We have skillets that are branded the batter capital of the world.

You know, when people can drive through the city and see those weeks, stocks or coming here and take pictures, you know, in the batter bowl.

It's a pride thing, you know, because it's like, KET, that's us.

And they know that at some the economic impact that this has had on the community.

He's been amazing because we literally had people drive here just to get a picture in the battle we stick.

Our, you know, our chest out.

And we're just happy that, hey, that's us with a better capital, sweetest place on Earth.

No doubt when it comes to helping the Christian County economy thrive.

There's more than just batter in the bowl.

>> Hopkinsville community college is preparing young and older mines for the jobs of today.

And tomorrow I talked with HCC President Doctor Elisa Young about meeting workforce demands and the partnership with nearby Fort Campbell Army installation.

As we go on the road, too.

Well, let's talk about Hopkinsville Community College in the great things going on there.

>> And particularly the connection to Fort Campbell, because we know that's important.

Sure.

>> It is my privilege to serve in Hopkinsville Community college there are so many great things that are happening there.

In fact, that's kind of my mantra that I started when I became president because I really wanted people to.

that there is greatness right here in the midst of our As you have stated, we are privileged to serve the men and women at Fort Campbell, both active duty.

Those transitioning out that makes up a large percentage of student population action about a 3rd of our student populations.

we served there as the guest of the We are the only community college that actually is located on the installation.

And that is indeed a privilege for us.

We have been able to offer some what they call career skills programs.

In addition to our regular academic programs.

So persons who service at Fort Campbell or their family members can, of course, go to the Army Education Center to take courses, but also those who are beginning to transition out they participated was called career skills programs and we have 3 of those under one umbrella at Fort Campbell.

And that's our accelerated welding program are CDL program and we're starting this fall.

The industrial maintenance ameca try next program.

And we're we're offering that the request of the they saw that need there and asked if we would be willing to step in and meet that.

And what does that even mean?

Well, it's basically industrial in so persons who put who participated in and successfully finish that would be able to go into an industry and serve in that capacity fix.

Whatever is wrong, right?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Be a fixer, Some why?

I did also speak to the president of the Madisonville Community College recently and she was telling me about the collaboration that you all have because there are community colleges who are near each other within 30 minutes or so.

And he's like, OK, is that competition or is it collaborative?

And she was talking about the collaboration that's going on between the 2 absolutely partnerships are critically important We really are better together.

>> And so as you've mentioned, we're in close proximity.

>> Proximity to each other.

>> we have become not only colleagues but very good friends, me.

And so we felt that it was really better for us to collaborate.

>> Then to try to compete.

Now, there are some things that we really are competitive on in terms of naturally.

But where we can.

We want to collaborate in one of those areas.

Is we actually share a faculty and our surgical technology program.

And so we both shared in the expense of of that program and students from both Madisonville and Hopkinsville take those courses.

And we did that in part because of of course, there is a need, right?

But we found at times there were there was not enough enrollment at either campus by itself, singularly really get that good return on the investment.

And so what we decided to do is come together and together, we've been able to make that work.

So it's a it's it's partnerships like that that really make a difference in.

And that's why we're as community colleges to serve our communities.

And so we recognize the need for surgical technology and other programs.

And then we do what we can to to come together to meet that need non-traditional age students.

And I think I want to define what non-traditional is because in my mind, it might elude a little different than what the actual definition is.

>> And how much does that make up of your overall enrollment?

That population?

Sure nontraditional students are those persons who are aged.

25 >> You know, when you think of a traditional college student, they have entered into the higher and arena right after high school around 18.

>> And you give them for 5 years to complete.

So we're 22 So yeah, and you know, I suppose if they if they continue you, we are continuing on to about 25 25 years and older.

And currently that makes up approximately 42% of Hopkinsville community college is enrollment.

A makeup and so when we're thinking about that, the non-traditional what's called the nontraditional, we're now beginning to call them the adult students, which is kind of interesting, too, because I think you're an adult when you're a teen as But that student has different needs, perhaps then a traditionally age student or particularly at the community college setting.

They more than likely have a family.

And other response work responsibilities and and perhaps other responsibilities.

And so we have to really be aware of what their needs are and work to meet.

Those needs.

So when we're looking at that, we have to look at when we're offering courses.

We have to look at the mode in which we're offering the courses and we have worked to provide support services because I believe it's very important to have that academic rigor.

What you have to have from my perspective, the support services to kind of balance that because we truly want our students to be successful in that.

And offering courses in the online or hybrid mode has really been important, too many of our adult because they can.

Come to campus in the hybrid format.

One day a week and the rest of the courses taken place on is taking place online.

And we found that really like that format because they like the flexibility of the online peas but felt like they needed a little bit more of that structure and and to have access to the faculty member you can.

And so absolutely.

And so is it time it was the best we've we for that particular student?

>> Well, we'll have to follow up with you and see how things progress and the partnership between you and and the Madisonville Community College president.

And it's been a pleasure to be here and to meet you and speak with you and thank you for your time.

I was thank you so much.

>> You'll hear more from Doctor Lee Se young and many others connected to Hopkinsville in the surrounding areas on a special episode of Kentucky tonight where we went on the road and we broadcast from historic Alhambra theater in Hopkinsville to talk about progress and opportunities in south Western Kentucky.

That is tonight at 8 Eastern 7 central right here on KET ♪ Morehead State University is once again playing host to a very special kind of summer camp space track is an intensive two-week space systems.

Engineering course that host 9th through 12th grade girls from around the commonwealth to come together to complete a space-related science mission.

More in today's Education Matters segment.

>> It's no secret that females are underrepresented and many stem.

Careers in STEM disciplines and aerospace and similar engineering programs, whether it be electrical computer, mechanical.

>> Are short.

On females in that industry.

Space track.

Shows girls that a natural skills and talents that they have align with these industries and therefore they should consider these careers for themselves.

>> Space truck really affords them a unique opportunity to gain relevant engineering, insight and expertise as they are navigating what their career would look like.

Long term.

So a lot of career or camp experiences, our surface level and maybe doesn't afford them.

A full perspective on that career.

But the experience of space track is relevant to industry girls come in.

They learn about electricity.

Electronics.

>> And they learn to read electrical schematics and they learn to solder and they build their own satellite like device called a cricket sat and they're told that their mission is to measure the temperature of the atmosphere up to 5 kilometers and they do that with this cricket said they assemble their own satellite tracking station and in real time they collect atmospheric data and they become the scientist of record for that data.

♪ Provides a rigorous academic challenge that is basically analogous to a space mission.

It is hands on.

>> And it really gives them a opportunity to come to a decision as they navigate.

There are college and career pathway choices.

>> I've always been into getting talented programs as well all other programs going around.

And a lot of those times, those are male dominated or them and speak up way more than the women do.

And it has kind of pushed me to the side.

But here I feel like really renewed.

Having a ton of other people who are is interested and spaces.

I am is super fun to have.

It's been really rewarding.

Really rewarding to see.

>> Other women in similar fields.

I like because whenever I want to talk about this with my classmates and stuff, the ones who tend to like.

Standards than what engineering and things like that are always the guys.

And there's always that a-level convention that you always have with other girls morning.

You will with guys.

So it's been really nice to have that connection with those who left the same things I do.

>> It has been extraordinarily extraordinarily successful over the years and it's resulted in an extremely high number of young women in our undergraduate program.

Most undergraduate programs in engineering might have 10, 12% females where the 35 to 40% range.

And it's can be directly attributed to space trick.

>> Before I went to space check, I KET that I like to engineering.

I like the challenge and I are is been interested in space and the stars, but I never KET that space systems, engineering or the space field was an option for me living in eastern Kentucky.

And so coming here and seeing what was going on at the Space Science Center and the impact that the Space Center is making in that field.

I'm really showed me that I I can do it, too, is a wonderful program to be able >> accomplish things in the short amount of time with people who you may not have known before, but by the end of the 2 weeks, they'll be your best friend and the staff is so kind and they care about you and they want you to learn to the best of your ability.

And I think that if you're interested in.

Space systems or engineering or STEM in general, that this program is a good start to figuring out what you want to do and growing as a person.

>> Last year, Kentucky's top export was aerospace products and parts bringing in more than 13 billion dollars in revenue to the state.

We're talking basketball, beer, cheese and bluegrass are Toby Gibbs has a look at some interesting things that happened this week in Kentucky history.

♪ >> Henry Clay died of tuberculosis in Washington, D.C., on June, 29th 18, 50 to 75 during his long career.

Clay served as the U.S. Speaker of the House, a U.S. senator and secretary of state.

He ran unsuccessfully for president in 3 presidential elections.

On June.

28 1935.

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt ordered the building of a new Gold depository.

>> With war concerns increasing in Europe, FDR wanted America's gold reserves kept farther away from the East Coast.

The New Gold Depository was built near an existing army installation.

Fort Knox.

The Korean War began June 25th 1950, with North Korea invading South Korea.

More than 1100 Kentuckians would eventually die in the conflict.

Clark County was named the official birthplace of beer cheese on June, 25th 2013.

Bluegrass was named Kentucky's official state music on 6/26/2007.

University of Kentucky set a record on June 24th 2010 as NBA teams drafted 5 Wildcats in the first round.

John Wall DeMarcus Cousins.

>> Patrick Patterson, Eric Bledsoe and Daniel Orton.

And that's a look back at this week in Kentucky history.

I'm told he gives.

>> Thank Youto begins do it for us tonight.

Tune in tomorrow night.

Same time.

Same chattel.

I'm Renee Shaw and take good care.

See you tomorrow.

♪