the name Bill.

>> Decided to run for the United States Senate to replace Mitch McConnell here in Kentucky.

>> Another candidate joins the Republican race for the U.S. Senate.

>> Some of the symptoms, the skin eye or throat irritation.

Some people may have some difficulty breathing.

>> Beware of the green bloom and some Kentucky water.

We have world-class park's infrastructure.

We want those parks to be world class.

>> And what Louisville has in mind for a city owned Forest.

Production of Kentucky Edition is made possible in part by the KET Millennium Fund.

♪ >> Good Evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION for this Friday, June 27th.

I'm Kristine done in our Louisville studio filling in for Renee Shaw.

>> Thank you so much for joining us.

Another Republican wants to replace Senator Mitch McConnell.

Nate Morris, a Lexington businessman, says he will run in next year's U.S. Senate primary.

He joins Congressman Andy Barr and former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron.

Morris made his announcement during Donald Trump Junior's podcast triggered.

>> After careful, reflection and prayer.

I talked to my wife Jane.

I decided to run for the United States Senate to replace Mitch McConnell here in Kentucky.

And finally bring this seat back to the people.

You know, as I started having these conversations about the United States Senate seat here in Kentucky, everybody said, Don, that this is McConnell see that it belongs to him and that sea belongs to the people of Kentucky.

And I'm proud that on the night generation, Kentuckyian I was raised by a single mother when I came into the world, my mother was on food stamps and we've been fighting and scrapping for everything we have like most Kentucky INS, 19 of my family members were to an auto plants.

And I've been able to live the American dream because of how great this country is.

And as you know, Don, I made money in garbage.

There's nothing more American than making money with trash.

And I think we've had a lot of a buildup in Washington, D.C., and I think it's time to take out the trash and Washington, D.C., and bring something new.

Somebody from the outside.

Somebody that's not a career politician.

>> Now we're hearing from more says Republican opponents, Congressman Barr says, quote, when a more says it's time to take out the trash, you must be talking about his own past.

Nate is the only candidate who didn't support Donald Trump in the 2024 primary.

He gave $5,000 to Nikki Haley, unquote.

Daniel Cameron said this.

President Trump's America First movement is making our country greater than ever before.

The biggest threat here in Kentuckyian to our movement is a global list who dons a MAGA hat and pretends to be America first.

Now that we're on the rise.

Cameron also cited more support for Nikki Haley.

Kentucky's artificial intelligence task force is back for a second year.

The group held its first meeting of the interim session this week to discuss the role of AI in the state at the federal level.

The so-called big beautiful bill has language that may restrict how the state can regulate AI Kentucky's chamber of Commerce testified at this week's meeting to help break down how the bill could affect the task force's agenda going forward.

♪ Representing the interests of Kentucky's business community.

>> KET Shanks of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce spoke on how changes at the federal level could affect Kentucky's relationship with artificial intelligence.

Among the differences between the Trump and Biden administrations is attitude towards the technology.

President Donald Trump rescinded President Biden's 2023 executive order regarding AI and publish his own.

And the tone is very different.

And you ended up with a lot of terminology and Biden's order around regulations, concerns wrists and then you get to the Trump border and it's a lot of the use of the word.

Innovation Shank says that the current administration is more focused on the U.S. becoming the leader in artificial intelligence.

The budget reconciliation bill, known as the one big beautiful bill addresses states role in regards to AI potentially restricting them from creating regulations on the technology.

The original language in the House bill created a a a I policy pause or a moratorium on states as it relates to limiting restricting or otherwise regulating artificial intelligence models, systems and automated decisions.

Systems.

>> The bill does not limit states from removing legal impediments promoting growth, regulatory streamlining.

I think if you're working on issues that are tech new trial that are not I do I don't do this better.

Tech new troll.

I think that's notable.

I know there's legislation to put computer generated content into an existing statute in the state protecting children.

I don't think that would trigger this because you're just simply saying this criminal law applies to that computer generated content as well.

>> Regulating artificial intelligence has been a much discussed topic in Kentucky's General Assembly, especially regarding ai-generated images of a person without their consent.

The U.S. Congress addresses this issue and it's take it down.

Act.

Barron County family who have been affected by this issue was present at signing.

>> Congress also passed to take it down.

Act following that.

Okay, which is dealing with the non-consensual publication of intimate images, including those created as deep fakes.

So I think that's notable.

They decriminalize that activity and they do create a 48 hour.

Take it down provision.

Once it's identified.

You'll have a lot of discussion on that last year.

So Congress has taken action on that.

>> Republican representative Suzanne Miles expressed confidence in the federal government's movement regarding a I. Referencing one of Kentucky's representatives, Congressman Brett Guthrie, who is the chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

And earlier this month announced a subcommittee on the applications of AI.

I have a lot of confidence right now in the aggressiveness at the federal level.

>> On this category and do you have a strong bias that congressman get areas is very aggressive in this category on and everything in the in this space of something happening at the federal level that we can only compliment from the state level.

So hopefully we'll get on a better path than we did on the data privacy.

>> While it's still up in the air, it's a big beautiful bill will affect the General Assembly's ability to regulate AI the task force says it will focus on exploring how this technology could improve our state in areas like energy, cyber security and education for Kentucky edition.

I'm McKenzie Spank.

Another legislative task force met today in Frankfort.

This one is new.

The disaster prevention and resiliency Task force as our in Lee SISK reports today, the group discussed several natural disasters.

Kentucky's been through and how the state can prepare for the future.

>> You can't really prevent an active lighter but you can be ready for it.

>> That was the theme of Friday's disaster Prevention and Resiliency Task Force meeting led by co-chair Robin Webb of Carter County, Kentucky has experienced nearly 20 national disasters in the last 5 years, including flooding and tornadoes earlier this year.

>> All disasters begin local and in local.

We know that all but one, it outweighs that local Reese resourced in the state steps in when it outweighs that state resource.

The federal government weighs in.

>> But the federal government hasn't stepped in to help with all of the state's natural disasters.

So far, President Donald Trump has only signed off on providing federal relief to victims of flooding in February.

Mostly those in eastern Kentucky, Aaron Gibson with Kentucky Emergency Management is still holding out to see a FEMA will provide more assistance.

>> The tornado and the April flooding event still do not have public assistance.

Author Aspire president.

And so, you know, we've asked are, you know, congressional delegation and everybody to kind of help us move that forward.

>> Because of that, Gibson said it's hard to know if the relief money provided by the Kentucky General Assembly will be enough.

The possibility of a special legislative session to allocate more money has been a hot topic the last couple weeks.

Gibson explained how much money it might take if the federal government doesn't pitch in.

>> But I can tell you that hundreds of millions of dollars that it's going to be need needed in our state to recover across that.

85 county air 83 County area that suffered damages that meant that federal threshold.

So hundreds of millions of dollars on the flooding event.

Without public assistance.

>> That, quote, didn't include damage from the May tornadoes in South Central Kentucky.

>> Which could add on another 100 million dollars of relief.

Currently nearly 300 households are still displaced from storm damage living in hotels, state parks or travel trailers.

>> But the emergency management crews have secured permanent residences for around the same number of families.

>> So that's really good news.

That's the number I really care about the most is how we're moving people to a permanent solution and out of the the temporary, you know, lifestyle of a motel or a state park.

>> The task force also heard from the American Flood Coalition.

They discussed forms of disaster prevention like removing or preventing development in flood-prone areas along with investing in more weather alert, networks.

These are all things the task force said they'll KET in mind before the 2026 legislative session for Kentucky edition.

I'm Emily Sisk.

>> Thank you, Emily.

Elsewhere in Frankfort, the Kentucky statewide Human Trafficking Task force met today to celebrate Senate Bill 73, which was passed this year targeting sexual extortion and to honor the bill sponsor Republican State Sen Julie, Rocky Adams, social media and technology have created new ways for kids to connect.

>> But they've also created new pathways for exploitation.

Sextortion is one of the fastest growing and most devastating crimes targeting children and families.

It's manipulative.

Its predatory anthrax in silence.

Senate Bill, 73 was written to break that silence and give our kids and their families the tools they need to recognize report and resist these threats.

Senate Bill, 73 criminalizes sextortion with tougher penalties when minors are targeted.

It empowers survivors to seek civil justice against those who harm them.

And it requires schools and colleges to educate students and families post and to pose critical warning signs and resources and to make help more visible and accessible statewide.

>> We know that their perpetrators who use social media platforms, gaming sites, messaging apps to target young kids, posing as both peers and romantic interest.

We know that their perpetrators who often use threats of exposure to coerce the victims into sharing explicit content or money.

I'm leaving many kids feeling very ashamed and too scared to seek help.

A lot of times.

>> Advocates say Kentucky has one of the strongest sextortion bills in the country.

Senate bill, 73 is one of more than 100 new laws that went into effect today in Kentucky.

♪ To harmful algal blooms at hearing to lake remain at unsafe level.

State officials are warning people to stay out of the lake near Paradise Camp and tenured branch also called Red Gate.

I spoke with a state expert about harmful algal blooms.

What they look like and what to do if you come in contact with one.

>> You may have heard more about harmful algal blooms in Kentucky's news lately.

And if you're not really sure what that is, you're not alone.

Here to answer some questions about it is environmental scientist Melaney Arnold with the Kentucky Division of Water.

That's part of the energy and environment Cabinet.

So Melanie, tell us what is a harmful algal bloom.

>> So a sign of bacteria are naturally occurring in our waterways.

However, when we get certain conditions like sunny and warmer weather, maybe some higher nutrient levels in the waters and lower flows to send a bacteria to grow rapidly at times and can produce these blooms that were seen.

And sometimes these blooms produce toxins as well.

And that's what we're particularly concerned about with public health.

>> Okay.

Well, how at what exactly do they look like?

How would we recognize them?

>> Often the blooms that we see in our area are right.

Cream bright green color.

They can look like maybe spill painter.

Some people say piece too.

You may see green streaks in the water.

And if you look more closely, you may see a Grenier Saugus like extra to them.

They can also be other colors like blue green or red or brown in our areas.

And we do have some pictures up on our website.

If people want to check out her.

Our have one page to see some examples.

>> Okay.

So how are they harmful to ask then what sort of symptoms might we experience?

>> Sure.

Yeah.

It's the same toxins that we're particularly concerned about such as microcystin and when people are exposed, they can experience a variety of symptoms potentially coming up on their level of exposure and the concentrations that they experience and the length of time that they're exposed any underlying health conditions of all.

But some of the symptoms could be skin eye or throat irritation.

Some people may have some difficulty breathing.

There can also be symptoms such as stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, and in some of the most severe cases, there's potential for liver damage as well.

Okay.

So.

>> These 2 harmful bloom.

We've got to have buildings that have been detected in Harrington Lake.

So I and our people not allowed in that area or are they advise not to what sort of restrictions?

What should people we've been doing or not doing in that area?

>> So as the division of water, we don't prevent people from recreating in that part of the waterway.

We just want to provide appropriate information for people to be able to make the decisions that's best for them.

So are recommendations currently for areas above are recommended recreational advisory level.

We would suggest that people avoid activities such as swimming waiting paddling, you know, activities that create a spray like jet skiing and waterskiing in those affected areas.

And also, you know, if people see areas where there are indicators of the bloom that we discussed earlier, those would be areas we'd recommend that people try to stay out of it if possible.

And if people think they've been exposed, we recommend that they you rinse off with clean water if they had symptoms, contact their doctor or the local health department for additional information.

>> What about fishing in that area is an OK to eat the fish and and and then also drinking water that may come from some of these waterways.

>> Sure it.

So our recommendation is currently for fishing would be that, you know, you fillet the fish rinse, the fish with clean water and don't consume any of the organs.

And you know, if you're fishing in an area, just be conscious of the, you know, the bloom.

But thank you may be around.

So if there are other areas outside the bloom, that would be potential.

You're better option in terms of drinking water.

We work closely with the the Danville Water treatment plant and we had staff on site this week.

They're not seen any issues with treating the drinking water.

The the water company or the water plant is familiar with these sorts of conditions and has the treatment to address the sort of seasonal conditions that we're seeing.

So as of right now, they're not reporting having any issues.

And we haven't seen the bloom in that area from what's been reported so far.

>> What kind of waterways would we be most likely to find these harmful algal blooms?

>> Well, Santa bacteria are present in our waterways.

We can do tend to see blooms on smaller bodies of water areas where there's a lot of nutrients that can easily get into that water.

And the to bloom.

But it is possible to see them in other areas.

You know, any area that's also may be slow-moving doesn't have a lot of movement to the water.

It can tend to form of the more easily.

>> Okay.

What other bodies of water in the past have these been spotted on the sides.

Parenting parents unlike what is currently happening.

>> You know, we've had a few different advisories throughout the years.

We've been monitoring since approximately 2013, I believe, you know, I know the the blooms on the Ohio River tend to make the news on occasion.

So we've seen them there.

There's been a few years where we have had a bloom reported on Harrington Lake.

We haven't issued any advisory in the past, but some of our smaller lakes, fish and wildlife sites across the state, we tend to see them.

>> Is this something that we expect to see more of with temperatures really warming up the summer.

>> You know, we are early in the season.

So there is the potential to see additional blooms this year.

You know, any time we get like a long, dry periods or these hotter sunny year weather, then, you know, we do have the potential to form blooms, unfortunately predicting the blooms is still challenging and a lot of people are are doing research on how to better dial in the tools to be able to predict when and where blooms may occur.

>> If you think you've spotted a harmful algal bloom, you can reported to the division of Water by calling 502, 6, I'm sorry, 564-3410.

Again.

That's 502-564-3410, or e-mailing water at K why dot gap after hours and on weekends.

Contact the 24 hour hotline at 1, 8, 100, 9 to 8, 2, 3, 8, 0, In other health news today is national HIV testing Day and nationwide initiative to raise awareness, encourage testing and promote early diagnosis and treatment across the country, health departments and organizations like a ball, Kentucky have partnered with Walgreens pharmacies to offer free confidential, rapid HIV testing.

Advocates say getting an early diagnosis means people benefit fully from life-saving treatment and can help prevent further transmission.

They say offering the test.

Walgreens is a way to fight the stigma often associated with the disease.

You know, there's so many years I think people would like I would get HIV tested.

It's going to be a back office.

Have the doctors because of the stigma associated with HIV.

>> And while that can help, we want to be on the streets.

People need to get tested every where people are tested.

We can get them treated.

We can help them live.

Happy, healthy lives and to stop them from passing that on to their partners.

But then another status we can help them.

So we want to be it was a greens where people are coming and going all day long.

We want to be on the street will be public out and also show people this is not a scary thing.

This is not something to be shameful.

This is something that impact anybody and it has his 40 million people about worldwide that are living with HIV.

And this is something everybody should we talk about.

We're long past the days of all that, sir, dirty dark thing.

We don't talk about that.

Everybody's got to grow up.

This is a real thing.

It's impacted.

Millions and millions of people.

And it's time we face it to fix it.

>> National HIV Testing Day is in its 14th year and has provided more than 82,000 free HIV tests.

♪ >> Ewers of KET and PBS will recognize the name.

Bill Moyers, the respected journalist, commentator and former presidential press secretary died yesterday at the age of 91 Moyers paid KET a visit in 1996.

We have pictures from that visit, Mr. Moyers was here for a fundraiser.

He also talked about his book, Genesis, a living conversation.

The Jefferson Memorial for us isn't just the largest natural preserve in Jefferson County.

It's the largest municipally owned urban forest in the entire country Wilderness.

Louisville is a nonprofit that supports the Jefferson Memorial Forest and other natural areas in Jefferson County this Sunday on inside Louisville.

Find out about a new master plan for this nature.

Jim.

Just 15 minutes from downtown Louisville.

>> Right now, we've had a uptick in the interest in natural areas and Jefferson Memorial far.

So we're just thrilled to be a fuel riding that wave right now, the mayor has said it's a top priority of has we've had so much support.

It's been it's been a team effort for shiny out to learning center.

We've had the support of council member Donna Purvis.

We've had the champions and the state legislature who have the state legislature who have really helped us and, you know, has been we were trying to raise the money and they awarded a 7 million dollars for the shiny center and then Councilman Dan Simon in Fairdale has been a huge advocate.

I think that sign that says welcome to fairdale so that people know that the far as is back there.

Yeah, this is gateway to Russian oil far us.

And that was that was his initiative.

So we're very grateful to all the all the team players who have been helping us make this move, move this forward.

So I think it is a big party to answer your question of the council member, Dan Simon of the mayor, Mayor Craig Greenberg, that they are really wanting to invest.

And Jefferson Memorial farce in South Florida on Fairdale.

So we felt to be part of.

But yeah, I think it's a it's a very partisan >> atmosphere everywhere we all used to be.

All politics is local.

I think all politics is national now.

But at the same time, parks tend to be nonpartisan or bipartisan.

Everybody wants to go walk around the park.

Everybody wants to have a clean green space, you know, out right outside their door that they can get to whether that's to to go hiking or fishing or just, you know, go play with their kids in the park or go take their kids to the playground or do you do have a picnic lunch?

So I think we found that that is especially post-covid when people were forced to go back out outdoors, that that's an area that people have identified, that the community wants, you know, to be engaged and they want more spaces like that.

So, you know, you asked how we compare to other cities that can be difficult to sort of track that because of different metrics for what counts as investment are.

What counts is access.

But I think the important thing right now is that it is a priority and work trying out both at the city and state level and with non-partisan groups to put as much investment into those parks as we possibly can.

Yet.

I think it from the the actual parks perspective, it's it's cliche, but we we have a world-class park's infrastructure.

We want those parks to be world class.

Now, right?

We want to maintain that investment.

We want to continue that because if it if they're world class in 1995, and you don't invest in them, they quickly become obsolete because it's a park.

But, you know, they fall behind and what the needs of the community are.

So I think the Shawnee are Learning Center is a great first step towards that.

That would be a world-class facility that would not just be used for the echo program but would be a community center that could be used for community events.

And just to, you know, that your caps on on the the initial phase of this, but we'd like to see more projects like that throughout the natural areas across parts.

>> This Sunday on inside Louisville, explore nature with wilderness Louisville.

Hear more about the plans for Jefferson Memorial Forest and how they're going to make nature more accessible to youth in areas like the West and in the south end of Louisville.

That's on inside Louisville Sunday at noon 11 Central on K T. Well from the yard sales to fireflies are Toby Gibbs has a wealth of op jens for this weekend as he takes a look at what's happening around the Commonwealth.

♪ >> It up some s'mores and catch some fireflies with your family this Friday and Saturday at Middle Spring Farms and parents.

You can watch the sun go down and get a close-up look at these bioluminescent wonders flying around the night sky.

Pride paint and sip in Paducah is kicking off a dry ground brewing company on Saturday.

The event is for all ages with staff making face painting and a custom T-shirt bar.

You can die that the creativity and spend time with loved ones.

A summer reading market in Bowling Green is on Saturday with a carnival theme.

There is something for everyone.

It will be a dunking booth, a petting zoo and live music.

It's a great event to spend outdoors this weekend.

This is the last weekend to attend the floral frenzy festival at Kentucky Kingdom.

Take some pictures in front of a live flour walls.

Watch a floral flipping show and make sure to catch the floral frenzy.

5 K on Saturday whether you walk run or cheer someone on make sure to stay hydrated.

Are you a big fan of antiques and yard sales highway?

41 yard sale in the West, Kentucky antique and vintage market combined this Friday and Saturday in Madisonville Entry is free and you can treasure hunt for some good fights and air conditioning.

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

I'm telling you >> Thank Youto bait.

We hope you'll join us again Monday night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky Edition where we inform connect and inspire subscribe to our Kentucky Edition email newsletter and watch full episodes and clips to K T Dot Org.

You can also find it a condition on the PBS video app.

Well, that's going to do it for us.

Have a great evening.

♪