>> Now we are going to go there because this happens and medical has now.

>> Ahead, a spirited abortion debate from for important voices in Kentucky.

>> Community morale is very, very important for both the businesses in the residence.

>> How a town in western Kentucky continues to deal with the problem.

It hopes will soon be water under the bridge.

>> Hunger does not discriminate in any way, shape or form >> Kentucky has a hunger problem and it's getting worse.

>> Production of Kentucky Edition is made possible in part by the Kaye E T and Aument for Kentucky Productions.

Leonard Press Endowment for Public Affairs and the Kaye E Team Millennium Fund.

♪ ♪ >> Good evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION for this Tuesday June.

28, thank you for joining us.

I'm Renee Shaw.

No decision yet from the court after the ACLU and Planned Parenthood filed suit yesterday to block Kentucky's abortion trigger law because of that trigger law, abortion automatically became illegal in Kentucky when the U.S. Supreme Court overturn the Roe v Wade decision last Friday.

The lawsuit says the trigger law violates the Kentucky Constitution is right to privacy.

Attorney General Daniel Cameron says the lawsuit makes, quote, a baseless claim.

Abortion was the topic on last night's Kentucky tonight.

As for prominent voices in the abortion debate to pro-life and to pro choice debated the Supreme Court's decision and what it means for Kentuckians.

>> Representative Nancy Tate of Brandenburg who sponsored an omnibus anti-abortion bill in the General Assembly, says the court's ruling returns the abortion decision to the proper place.

The states.

>> One of the things that I most frequently get mail on is the gross overreach of the federal government.

And so we're talking about from from a funding perspective from a and this is the social issues.

So for 40 years we've had.

Legislation from the bench and this is basically a return to the states is a recognition of there are 3 bodies.

There's the judicial branch, the legislative branch and the executive branch and the understanding that law is made in the legislative branch.

>> Kentucky's abortion ban does not include exceptions for rape or incest.

Just the life of the mother tomorrow Wieder of Planned Parenthood Alliance advocates says the law will cause confusion and death.

>> This is an attack on providers and their best judgment.

It's inserting politics into this decision and it's putting medical care in the hands of lawyers.

What's going to happen as we've seen in other states, as we've seen in other countries that women will die while hospitals figure out if they can provide a medically necessary abortion.

>> Abortion opponents, including a deal was Schnur of Kentucky right to life, say an abortion ban will prevent deaths, not cause them.

That this decision in 1973.

Over 296,000 babies in Kentucky have been lost.

If you do the math and you want to know how real that is, an extract relating to average out over 50 years.

When we build elementary schools in Kentucky, they usually had 600 to 650 children, maybe 700.

That is comes down to 9 elementary school of children, not 9 elementary classrooms.

9 elementary schools a year.

Of children have vanished from Kentucky.

That's the reality of abortion.

>> Representative Josie Raymond says many in the Pro Life movement are more concerned about birth, then quality of life.

I feel frustration with what I see is the hypocrisy of Republican Party that bans abortion without building an infrastructure to truly support families.

We have no increase in the minimum wage.

We have no help with the cost of delivering a baby.

No paid leave.

No universal childcare.

We're not taking care of the kids that we've got.

>> So with this ruling and Kentucky's trigger law, if it stands, we're going to see literally every measure of well-being in Kentucky get worse.

♪ >> You can see all of last night's conversation on K E T DOT Org Slash K tonight on demand the U.S. Supreme Court ruled yesterday that a Washington state football coach had a right to pray on the football field after games.

The school district stopped him, fearing that his prayer would be seen as a school endorsement of religion and that his players would feel pressured into taking part.

Michael Johnson of the Conservative Family Foundation of Kentucky says the court made the right decision.

>> The U.S. Constitution, if the sizes neutrality towards religion that the government is to be neutral towards religion.

I'm not hostile.

They said there's been a trend of hostility towards religion and, you know, the U.S. Supreme Court decision just confirms there.

Nobody should be for private religious They can carry there religion out into the public square with them.

They should be punished.

>> Americans United for the separation of church and state put out a statement saying in part, quote, the court continued its assault on church state separation by falsely describing coercive prayer as personal and stopping schools from protecting their students.

Religious freedom, unquote.

Kentucky State University has a new interim president.

The Board of Regents has picked Ronald Johnson, former president of Clark, Atlanta University Johnson will take over July 1st.

Johnson replaces acting President Clara Ross taps Taps replaced former President Christopher Brown who resigned in July of 2021.

KSU has faced financial crises in recent years.

Kentucky's COVID positivity number jumped by almost a point and one week the state says the new rate is 13.0.

36% as of yesterday a week ago.

It was 12.45% last week on Kentucky.

Tonight, a panel of doctors told us the number of cases is higher than reported because of so many people testing at home.

♪ ♪ Now to Mary and a town of about 3,000 Crittendon County that has less than 20 days of water.

National Guard troops of distributing bottled water to people as city leaders work on solutions to the crisis.

Our Casey Parker Bell spoke with city leaders about the work that has already been done and what is to come?

>> One gallon here a gallon.

There can add up, especially over a whole city.

>> The Gartner help the city of Marion prepared to save water.

She provided the literature from the UK Extension office to educate residents on water conservation >> I actually talked to a lady who lives in tale nail and she was like I grew up on the farm.

We had a well.

I remember doing all the U.S..

So it's been a refresher for some of older residents and some of the younger, like even myself out, we don't even think about it.

We just turned the faucet on.

>> Preventative measures like turning off the faucet and not watering the lawn are going to be commonplace for Marion residents for a while.

The city's administrator Adam Ledford says water distributions for residents.

>> Like the one operated by the National Guard will be necessary for months.

>> We're also looking at how we can make the interconnections with I com co-ops.

But the water districts around us a more robust, more sustainable so that they can provide water to us on a more regular basis.

>> Marion is looking to connect their water district with other surrounding the Western Kentucky community.

The city is already connected to Christman and Livingston's Water District and Ledford says the connection to Webster County has just been completed.

That connection could provide up to a quarter of the town's water supply connections to water supplies and union and Caldwell counties are also being discussed.

The Kentucky National Guard will truck water in from the Cumberland River to supplement the town's water supply.

But that will only replace evaporated water not add to it.

>> What we're looking at is how we can move for Mitt from the situation we're in now, which is really honestly and unsustainable process of water resource to people, 2 more sustainable option.

>> In the long term, Marion is looking at how to fix the levee at Lake George Ledford says the now dried up Lake won't come back quickly.

We're cheaply.

And when we transition are talking about Lake George, we're not talking about a short-term solution.

We're looking at a long-term solution to our situation like Georgia.

Still on.

Still something we're looking at is a very viable option.

>> But I don't want to hold in the allusions to what that cost is.

>> Estimates to fix the Lake.

George, let me say it will cost millions of dollars and take years before his repaired and refilled for de haan Gartner.

That means the community is doing one thing.

Every time they look to the sky.

>> Every time we see a rain what we do.

A little rain dance.

>> For Kentucky edition.

I'm Kasey Parker.

Bell.

>> We continue to follow how the water crisis is affecting Marion businesses, a community hardware store says it has made a few changes to help conserve.

They also noticed an uptick in sales of certain supplies as people try to use less water.

>> They got to water cross is here in the city of Marion.

>> I think the biggest thing right now is just trying to get through this tough part, trying to make sure that there there will absolutely be water the next day.

The businesses here, it's incredibly important that we stay open, that we continue to employ the residents because they depend on those paychecks.

>> Several people who are in the cities cutting back then what they can to the site.

>> We have gotten a tank so that we don't have to use the water that way we can use our own water so we can conserve more water.

So this other people can have access to that water.

So we're flushing toilets with buckets were washing her hands out of Jones.

And we've really restricted are mocking.

We have a large population here that it does fall below the poverty level.

So to be inconvenienced a little bit is actually a big inconvenience for them.

So we are concerned about how families are going to get for it, especially if it comes to the point of no water.

With southern lot about that.

A lot of water jugs.

>> Rain barrels.

We have had a run on plumbing for 5 once we can stop looking at it as how much supplies left and just how are we going to fix the problem and move on?

I think people feel a lot more comfortable.

>> With having a time limit on it right now is causing a lot concern amongst the citizens.

it's going to run out.

I guess we all kind of assume and understand this is a long-term thing.

This probably will not be fixed very quickly.

>> It is something that will be ongoing for a while.

>> No, they get the word out in the done a good job at mayor and see the city council and everything being everything they can.

>> You might be making travel plans this upcoming 4th of July weekend and spreading the cost to fill the tank even for nearby staycation gas prices, though, have fallen about $0.11 since this time last week, according to Triple A the average cost per gallon in Kentucky is now $4.60.

So why are gas prices so high and how long will they be this way?

I talked to University of Kentucky economist Mike Clark about that yesterday.

>> Professor Clark's, good to see you.

Thank you so much for your time.

My pleasure.

Thanks for having me here.

Gas prices.

Hopefully you didn't have to drive too far to get over here.

But if you did, you know, many people are complaining about these gas prices that seem to be taking a little bit of a dip, but they're holding pretty high over $4 right now for 55 4.65. what attributes to the gas prices we're experiencing?

Is it all about the Russian conflict in Ukraine or is the pandemic recovery both and how much do you know of what?

>> Well, I think there's several factors that are playing play but certainly the Ukraine situation is one of the major drivers.

But oil prices which your feet into gas prices of the higher gas prices we're seeing right now, they were really starting to increase even prior to Russia invading Ukraine.

And a lot of that had to do with the fact the demand for oil during the pandemic have been really down.

Some production had been going to shut you know, given low levels of demand.

But then as we started to remove or come out of the pandemic and we start seeing people can resume their usual activities.

You know, they traveling more that are driving more and so demand for forecast winds start to increase demand for oil.

Start to increase.

You know, with with that higher demand.

And those some of those restrictions and supply here because you capacity had been reduced.

We're starting to see oil prices come up even before the pandemic are sitting in 4th Ukraine invasion.

>> Can we expect these this level of gas price until when is it just the summer when demand might be higher and things level off and decline in the fall?

>> We might start to see some of that as we move into the fall and travel starts to go down a little workout, seasonal effects that we're currently accustomed to.

But prices are likely to remain high for as long as we have the situation in Ukraine.

>> President Biden has proposed a federal gas tax holiday.

Can you give us the pros and cons of that proposal?

>> Sure, with all policy, of course, you know, there's issues of what are the trade-offs here so on on the benefits you know, what we see is that, you know, I think the federal gas taxes about $0.18 and I think a little bit higher energy zone.

So the expectation is okay.

If we if we suspended that for a period of time, that could potentially put some downward pressure on them.

The total price that consumers pay.

And we think that taxes we've got to think about him in the sense of where that tax burden is.

Part of the tax burden is borne by the consumer, but it's not all borne by the consumer because what tends to happen to us.

You put a tax on a good.

Consumers are going to pay higher prices, but they also respond to that tax by reducing their consumption.

When they do that.

That means businesses also see part of the tax burden they're selling last.

And they're what they're basically getting a lower price for what they are selling.

So consumers are hurt because they're paying more and they're not purchasing as much as they'd like right?

The producers are harboring some of that cost 2 because they're not selling as much they'd like you and they're getting less for that.

So the issue with you, if we suspend the gas tax question is will how does that break?

You know, as we get rid of that tax.

And so you know what I've seen in terms of some research has been done in the past is kind of pens and whether we're talking about the federal gas tax write for state gas taxes because there's also some some discussion about getting rid of or suspending temporarily.

Some state gas taxes.

What I've seen is that for the federal gas tax, about 50% of that seems to be on the consumer's, whereas about 50% can speak on the producers.

So the federal gas tax were suspended for a period of time.

We might expect that about, you know, $0.9 and $0.18 might go back to consumers in terms of lower prices at the state level, consumers tend to bear more of that tax.

And so it might be about of the reduction in the state tax.

And we've been seeing that and there have been a handful of states that have actually suspended test-taking level gas taxes and they seem to be falling kind that that range about 58 to 80 something percent depending on which state you're looking at.

>> Professor clock also says gas tax suspension policies come with some tradeoffs with minimal cost savings for drivers and less money going toward infrastructure projects that helps fund that are being funded by those taxes.

Seat.

In Kentucky, a Hunger relief organization recently briefed state lawmakers on food and security and the state.

The group says more than 640,000 Kentuckians are facing hunger and the hunger Cliff is expected to keep growing God's pantry.

Food bank says it's seen an increase in need and he's trying to keep up with the demand.

>> There is no one typical face of someone experiencing hunger.

Hunger does not discriminate in any way, shape or form.

Hunger can affect anyone.

So across central and eastern Kentucky, there are about a quarter of a million people.

Who are at risk of food insecurity who are living with the risk of experiencing 100 at some point during the year.

God's pantry, food bank distributes through over 450 food pantries and meal programs to get emergency food supplies to those experiencing hunger across our service area.

We're seeing an increase in demand across all 50 counties that we serve.

Food insecurity across central and eastern Kentucky stands at 16 and a half percent compared to a national average of 10.8%.

There are 3 main reasons for that.

First, the inflation that we are all seeing is affecting those who are experiencing hunger.

Second, the tightening of supply chain means that more food is necessary for those who are experiencing hunger and 3rd, the emergency, a health declaration in the Commonwealth of Kentucky has expired which allowed a supplemental allocation of snap benefits to be the maximum level.

Those benefits have now expired.

In eastern Kentucky.

There are 7 counties where food insecurity is above.

25% one in 4 people who are experiencing hunger here in Fayette County for another example.

Service right now is approaching 600 to 650 households per week versus the 500 that we're seeing prior to the pandemic.

That number has been as low as 350 throughout the last 2 years because of the federal economic support packages that were available to people at different times.

If someone needs food assistance, if someone is hungry.

>> And needs our help.

Go to our website.

Click on the find help either key in your ZIP code or click on the county that you live in and it will bring up the nearest food pantry and meal programs where you can go get the nutritious food that you need to lead a healthy lifestyle.

>> On Saturday, President Biden signed to keep Kids Fed Act, extending free meals and other food assistance for children through the next school year.

News of the extension comes as a relief to organizations trying to keep children fed in Kentucky like the Summer Food Service program.

>> I found one in 5 children in Kentucky face childhood hunger at some point, the Summer Food Service program is a USDA program.

Yes to partner of agriculture and in Kentucky, it's administered through the Kentucky Department of Education.

The Summer Food Service program actually started in 1968.

It is funded directly from the USDA.

The permit is designed for children.

And so 18 and under would be the ages of children that can get a meal.

We're at right about 1600 meal sites this summer.

Their organizations across Kentucky that we they get your process of flying and we have to approve the application for them too.

Participate primarily in Most of those are school districts.

But we also have a variety of community organizations.

It must be a nonprofit the most Common Meal type is Kids don't always get up really early in the summer.

So breakfast can be a challenge, although some of organizations will serve the late Morning breakfast, which is fine.

There are suffering meals as well and really.

There's not a standard rule just usually the local organization just determines what the need is.

I think one of the great things about this program is deals.

Sites are so many different locations in the summer, which makes it really fun.

This is a great meal site in the community.

It's considered an open site which most of our sites are meeting in a child.

Can.

Can you get a meal?

They don't have to give their name.

They don't have to prove any kind of financial need.

They just show up and have a meal.

And in the state of Kentucky, we have lots of different types of sites will have sites.

It pools and parks libraries.

And we have a lot of public library sites, schools.

Of course, we can have sites and a cold second can be just about anywhere that safe, where children gather.

Transportation committee, a huge issue, particularly in rural there isn't necessarily transportation from the organization has to move the children to the meals.

But a lot of our organizations vehicles to go out with meals on We have actually seen the number of sites increase over the years.

And I don't know that I can really pin that down to a particular reason.

We work really hard to increase awareness of the program and we try to get the local organizations that are providing meals to publicize that they have meals to get the word out.

So there's really been a concerted effort over the last 10 years, too increase awareness.

And I think for that more need has been identified and where it needs identified.

Typically the local organizations will create a site, but I think also it's possible that because the pandemic, the need is higher because of the economic conditions around the state that our sponsors.

What would you like children to say about what you provided to this program when they're an adult when they're in their 20's, they look back on what this program did.

What would you like them to recall?

And my goal is that they'll remember the meals provided by kind caring people and fun that this might make.

Some are a little more special to them.

And and meet a need.

♪ >> I'm Doug Flynn.

Please enjoy one of the many stories we brought you this season of Kentucky life.

>> Georgetown Street in Lexington, Kentucky has been home to many monuments of African American history, monuments of a community highly influential around the turn of the 20th century monuments from a time of segregation but just a quarter mile off Georgetown Street stand the true monuments to black history in Lexington, in Cove Haven Cemetery.

>> host the remains of some former in slave people.

And that second generation fathering enslavement who became the middle entrepreneurs of Lexington.

>> Initially called Greenwood Cemetery.

The tombstones of stood through time guarding over the graves that hold the stories and memories of Lexington Families.

For Doctor Gerald Smith.

The cemetery is important for what he calls collective memory.

We think by collective memory.

Keep in mind that for a number of years there were, quote, unquote, decoration days, which is actually the Memorial Day.

>> So as an opportunity for families together in the cemetery.

And share memories, experiences passed on from one generation to the next which becomes a collective memory.

And it continues to evolve as each family.

Visits the cemetery.

>> Standing tall is the marker for Henry Candy, a builder whose firm laid the brick work for the Fayette County Courthouse.

>> All of his family is buried around him.

Absolutely wonderful history.

A building on university campuses all across the state.

And also here in Lexington prominently the county courthouse.

>> Very near the front of COVID Haven is John Bait.

Born into slavery in 18, 55, John graduated from Berea College and became a principal in Danville schools.

Lizzie Foust would become the president of the Kentucky Federation of Colored Women and was founder of the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA.

The Humble Tombstone of Doctor Mary Ellen Britain does not reflect what a giant she was of her time.

She filled the role as educator suffragist and civil rights activist went really.

Struck me about her was the photograph that I found of her.

>> At the Kentucky Medical Society Association.

She's the only woman.

Seated in the midst of all these me in.

>> Today, the collective memory of this sacred land is inspirational.

>> They were folks who had such a we thought about the and opportunities of education.

They had a certain love for that that that God, their communities they made, you want to be something more than you had imagined.

They stopped and saw things in you that you didn't even see in yourself.

>> And of course, you can see more great stories like that on Kentucky life Saturday at 08:00PM Eastern 07:00PM Central right here on KETK tomorrow night.

We have a story about a Kentucky bridge that serving as a that habitat.

You don't want to miss that.

And more of the news of the day coming up on Kentucky edition at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central time right here on KETK.

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