[music] >> But you just can't have pickles.

So we added wieners.

And so now it's pickles, pickle and wiener feast, which brings a grin to everyone.

You talk to.

>> A cause worth cooking for in Northern Kentucky.

[MUSIC] >> I remember looking at Joe saying, Joe, you got to get me out of here.

>> I didn't think he was going to come out of it alive.

>> How a near death experience on a farm has first responders preparing for the next one.

>> We're not trying to turn out the next generation of actors and actresses.

What we're doing is we're turning out the next generation of human beings.

>> My, my little self in there, like.

>> Any Louisville youth theater organizations decide two are better than one.

[MUSIC] The result is one of the largest community wide theater programs in Kentucky.

>> I mean, they just exploded their numbers.

[MUSIC] Did.

>> It's harvest season in the state.

Find out why.

[MUSIC] The new way some are getting their hands on Kentucky's latest cash carp.

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

>> Good evening and welcome to Kentucky Edition for Monday, September 28th.

I'm Marvin Bartlett.

Thanks for joining us.

Critics are denouncing a new ad from President Donald Trump, paid for by tax dollars and a Kentucky Republican is one of the critics.

Here's part of the ad.

>> We will drive out the globalists.

We will cast out the communists, Marxists and fascists.

We will throw off the sick political class that hates our country.

We will root the fake news media and we will liberate America from these villains.

Once and for all.

>> At the bottom of your screen, you can see the words paid for by the U.S.

government.

We've highlighted that in yellow.

The white House says this is a public service message, not a campaign ad.

Congressman Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky's fourth congressional District, isn't buying that.

In a social media post, he says, quote, don't worry, using taxpayer dollars to run ominous campaign ads of the president has been done before and is completely legal in Banana Republicans, end quote.

Well, we're less than 40 days away from the midterm elections and many races around the country.

Politicians are running ads denouncing men playing women's sports.

On CNN's state of the Union yesterday, Jake Tapper asked Governor Andy Beshear about the issue.

>> Four years ago, you vetoed a bill in Kentucky that would have banned transgender students from participating in girls and women's sports.

There are a bunch of super PAC ads running against Democratic candidates right now on transgender issues.

And in addition to that, some of the Democrats in red states and districts have responded, in some cases, saying trans girls should not participate in girls sports.

What's your take on that?

Well, sports need to be fair and there should be no unfair advantage.

But in Kentucky, we already had rules in place with our Kentucky High School Athletic Association that prevented any of the things that you saw ultimately in colleges or the rest in Kentucky.

We only had one trans athlete.

She was a seventh grader that started a field hockey team in her middle school to make friends.

But that bill you're talking about didn't just do that.

It banned all trans care for youth.

Any and all, and remove the ability of any parent to make decisions on the health care for their children.

So it was sweeping, but but here's my take.

We don't throw anybody under the bus.

That is not the party that we are.

We start as a party of compassion and empathy.

And I tell you what, if we want to ruin sports, put government in charge of them.

>> Governor Beshear is chair of the Democratic Governors Association.

He told Jake Tapper that Democratic candidates for governor could do well in states that normally vote Republican, such as Florida, Nebraska, Texas and Alaska.

The so-called Fancy Farm of Northern Kentucky is light on the politics, heavy on the relish.

John, pickles, pickles and Wiener Fest was once a fundraiser for the former state senator.

Republican candidates still show up in glad hand at the event, but the tradition now focuses on a nonpartisan cause.

>> This event started as a fundraiser for myself, for the Kentucky State Senate.

Many, many years ago.

And when I retired from the Kentucky State Senate three years ago, everyone wanted to keep the pickle and Wiener feast going because we were having so much fun.

So we decided to make it a charity event for Special Olympics.

>> If it wasn't for Special Olympics, my son wouldn't be who he is today.

>> Softball is fun because you.

You hit a ball with a ball, the bat and you get.

You can take your anger out on that ball.

[MUSIC] >> He was diagnosed with Asperger's and Tourette's syndrome.

He was very withdrawn to people or any kind of function.

He did not do sports in school.

So I was very shocked that he eventually did the sports.

He's now in to like 7 or 8 different events.

>> I've been in Special Olympics for 24 years now, and I got a family out of it because I used to be shell person that didn't get out and talk to anybody or anything.

But due to Special Olympics, I now have this brother and I have this brother from different mothers.

But you know, we still are brothers.

And I called the family, so I don't really call friends even though we are friends, but we're family.

>> And we've been very successful raising over half the budget for the Northern Kentucky Special Olympics.

Over $60,000 last year.

And we hope to break that record this year.

[MUSIC] The idea for the Pickle Feast actually started at the Boone County Jail when I was in Boone County.

Jailer and we had a jail garden.

We grew many cucumbers more than we could use.

So we made pickles, and then they started calling them Sheckles pickles because I was the jailer.

That's where Schickel's Pickles started.

Then after I was elected, the Kentucky State Senate, we thought, we need a catchy idea for a fundraiser.

So we thought we'd have pickles, pickle feast.

But you just can't have pickles.

So we added wieners.

And so now it's pickles, pickle and Wiener feast, which brings a grin to everyone you talk to.

[MUSIC] Now, this isn't a fundraiser, but this is a political event.

We call it Northern Kentucky's fancy farm without speeches.

>> Now, what I have here, all the way from Gallrein Farms, where we got the cafe, is the world famous Gallrein Farms farmhouse pickles.

Now I'm the official food tester there, and I can tell you they're real dadgum good.

>> We're going to have a host of Northern Kentucky officials here, both people in office and running for office, because we have some very hotly contested local races here in northern Kentucky, and we love it.

It's a time for everyone to get together, have good political dialog, but more importantly, have a good time and raise money for a good charity.

>> Two years after his exit from the Kentucky State House, John Schickle is running this year for a seat on Boone County's three person commission.

Well, October is just days away, and that means we're getting close to this year's Medicare enrollment period.

You might have questions about the process.

So join us tonight for Medicare enrollment 2026.

Call in a next chapter forum.

A panel of experts will answer your questions about how Medicare works.

The enrollment process, coverage options, supplemental plans, and more.

That's tonight at eight at 8:00 eastern, 7:00 central here on KET.

[MUSIC] Asian carp were introduced to the United States in the 1970s as a tool to reduce algae growth on private fish farms, but by the 1990s, they had escaped into the Mississippi River.

Today, they are considered an invasive species in our waterways, and the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources has a program that is paying people to catch and remove these fish, and it's welcoming new ideas to.

Here's more from Kentucky Edition's Clayton Dalton.

>> Kentucky's invasive carp Harvest program allows.

Select.

Vetted professional fishermen to use experimental tools and practices to catch more Asian carp than they otherwise would.

One of these tools is called a sane.

>> A Sain is just a large net that fishers use to encircle schools of fish.

Basically just acting as a corral so that the fishers go out and identify a school of carp with their electronics.

Their side scan, imaging.

Encircle the fish, and then they're able to quickly remove those fish.

>> The number of carp harvested in Kentucky using seines is impressive.

>> Our top fish are over the last three years, they've landed about 7 million pounds of invasive carp.

And if you look at what that proportion is to our statewide harvest, we're around about 30 million pounds of carp harvested since 2024.

>> These experimental programs exist to keep invasive carp at a manageable level, because their presence in Kentucky waters is harmful to native species.

>> The species has an ability to grow very quickly here in the U.S.

Growing 8 to 12in in the first year of life, which quickly exceeds the.

The predator capabilities of our native species.

They're able to.

To populate areas very quickly, and the species feeds on zooplankton, which is a very bottom of the food chain in the aquatic system.

So they're able to, to disrupt the, food chain.

>> The overwhelming amount of carp in Kentucky has affected fishing tourism as well.

>> We have lots of complaints from our recreational fisheries folks that that, you know, they weren't able to catch the the bluegill and bass and crappie like they had previously because they, they weren't able to, to get those lures down to their target species through the carp.

>> Tompkins says these experimental commercial fishing practices are working.

>> We are seeing a decline in the population of invasive carp from the Western reservoirs here in Kentucky.

That is a great thing.

We.

We attribute most of that to invasive carp being removed through our commercial programs.

That being said, they.

They do still have the ability to move through the locks and come in and repopulate as they're being removed.

But with these deterrents that we're working on, I think we have a really good opportunity here to slow their immigration even more and to be able to fish them down to a manageable and acceptable level within the the Berkeley and Kentucky Reservoir Systems.

>> Tompkins says they're working to move the use of seines from experimental to legal for invasive carp fishers.

In 2027.

For Kentucky edition, I'm Clayton Dalton.

>> Kentucky's invasive carp harvest program is federally funded, and the state typically receives between 3 million and $4.5 million a year.

[MUSIC] Many parts of Kentucky have been devastated by flooding and tornadoes in the last few years, and artists and art groups in these areas have been a big help with these communities in healing.

But they've also taken a big hit.

A conference at the University of Kentucky last week brought together arts leaders and emergency responders to discuss ways to minimize damage to art caused by these disasters.

>> We hosted our first conference in 2024, and this is the second time we have offered this gathering.

This time it has expanded from 17 proposals that we received in 2024 to over 80 speakers over two days, which really speaks to the demand that is out there for this type of information.

>> This is a two day conference that is bringing together leaders from different sectors to talk about readiness.

And when we say readiness, we're we're talking about how can arts companies, organizations, how can artists with their workspaces better prepare their workspaces for disruptive events?

Anything that could impact their normal operations?

And the big question is, who do you call?

And so what's great about this conference is that we have individuals from the emergency management sector, arts leaders, community leaders.

We have those from different disciplines, from design, with architects talking about rebuilding their community in Mayfield, Kentucky.

We also have, at the federal level, we're talking about a new pilot of a disaster recovery toolkit, how the arts can be a catalyst for a community in disaster recovery.

If we think about the full scope of a disaster, often we look at the recovery and we see that the arts are a key catalyst for a community to.

Prosper.

Thus, their grief and their trauma, whether it's through art making, through music, and what this conference also looks at outside of.

Okay, yes, we, we need these artistic experiences and we have great presenters today talking about the in hazard, Kentucky, the Appalachian Arts Alliance and their Art shine boxes and how those those were sent to children after the flooding event and how much that allowed them to process the trauma from the flooding events.

But also we're talking about these arts organizations can only provide those services if they themselves are prepared.

>> So arts organizations where people attend say they're going to a performance, a concert, or they're going into a museum while arts administrators or the arts workers who are the ushers, the ticket takers, the front of house staff, the docents in the museum, they end up becoming the first responders to any kind of emergency event that might occur while you're there.

So it's critically important that they are well prepared to deal with any kind of disaster crises that may happen.

>> The biggest takeaway I hope attendees have from this conference is that the arts are an integral part of emergency preparedness, response and recovery.

So how these various sectors that are represented can consider the arts, how they can be at the table, how they how they can be a catalyst for change in terms of how communities think about risk and how they think about recovery.

>> The University of Kentucky has the only department in arts administration in the country that offers a curriculum in Arts emergency management.

Dozens of farmers die every year in grain bin accidents, but most of those tragedies could have been prevented with the right safety measures.

A Logan County man shares his story of being buried in grain and how those who saved him are even more prepared for the next rescue.

>> Tony Stratton manages a division of Hopkinsville Elevator.

In December 2024, he responded to a farm where the doors on a grain bin weren't working correctly.

>> I had actually got into the bin, walked it.

There was nothing concerning about this that day.

It felt like we'd be fine if I got in there and just pulled a couple of loads off the wall.

>> For Tony, who was raised on a farm, it was just another day on the job.

>> Multiple times in a grain bin.

Had plenty of experience doing that.

>> As the first load finished and they were swapping out trucks, he sat down for about 20s before grabbing the grain vac hose to continue.

>> In that time, it had pulled a funnel down, probably 3 or 4 foot funnel into the corn with a grain was sucking into the grain vac.

>> Instead of him pulling up the hose, it pulled him underneath, grabbing his left leg.

>> In a matter of three seconds, I was waist deep in corn and it was no coming out of it.

>> He would become completely submerged before a colleague figured out something was wrong and managed to get his face uncovered.

>> I remember looking at Joe saying, Joe, you got to get me out of here.

And he told me, buddy, I'm doing everything I can.

>> In a matter of minutes, volunteer fire departments from all over Logan County arrived on scene.

Tony began to lose consciousness.

>> I didn't think he was going to come out of it alive.

>> All I could get was he's breathing, but he's unconscious.

>> It would take about 2.5 hours to dig him out from under all that corn.

>> Just the crushing feeling alone on the lungs and the stomach and the legs.

It was pretty dramatic.

>> He would spend the next few days in a Nashville hospital, but has no lasting injuries.

>> God got me out of this, but it was because of the volunteer.

These men that come in and risked their lives to do what they did is why I'm here today.

>> The majority of all these grain bin related incidences across the United States, they don't turn out well.

>> That was confirmed by an insurance adjuster who told Tony she's worked eight grain bin engulfment this side of the Mississippi.

>> And I asked her, how did all those goes?

I said, how many people survived?

And she told me, you're the only one.

>> And now if there happens to be another one, they'll have a better chance of survival.

>> We decided this would be something worthwhile to have in our county.

>> That's a grain bin rescue team.

And trailer equipped with the tools they need to respond to an engulfment or entrapment.

>> We were able to get Tony out and he's still walking, talking, living, breathing.

Today.

But after the incident was over, we seen just how unprepared we actually were for a situation like that.

>> And we made it as a standalone unit where when it went on scene, we would have anything we would need to do this without relying on any other equipment from any other department.

>> About 40ft.

>> Today, they're showing 355th graders how it works at a school farm.

Safety event in Russellville.

>> It's very beneficial in a rural community, even for the city.

The kids that live in the city because they're not exposed to these kinds of things at home, most likely.

>> Tony Stratton hopes sharing his story will save lives.

>> Be smart guys.

I mean, stepping into these situations, you need to fear that a little bit.

It don't take.

But one mistake to end your life.

>> For Kentucky.

Edition, I'm Laura Rogers.

>> The Logan County community raised more than $84,000 through local businesses, farmers and other supporters for the grain Bin rescue trailer.

It was the first of two in Kentucky.

The other is in Todd County.

[MUSIC] Local children's theater has a long history in Louisville.

But two iconic organizations have recently merged.

Walden Conservatory is now under stage one family theater, creating one of the largest community wide children's theater organizations in the state.

Our Kristy Dutton takes a closer look at the history and impact of stage one family theater.

>> Have you ever Greensburg in the park?

>> The story of children's theater in Louisville is a tale of two theaters.

[MUSIC] >> That Owsley.

Go ahead and back that up.

You did perfect.

>> One began in 1946, when women from the community came together to create the Louisville Children's Theater, now known as stage One.

The goal was simple inspire children through live theater.

Stage one teaching artist Lashandra Hood believes the theater's impact deserves a standing ovation.

>> They've been around for 80 years.

That is amazing.

Just to think about the history and how many lives they would have touched with the work that they're continuing to do.

>> Lives like Diane Sawyer, who played the title character in The Snow Queen in 1957.

To all the young actors cast in the long standing holiday tradition of the much loved play.

Best Christmas pageant ever.

As stage one grew into one of the country's leading theaters for young audiences, another theater was taking shape across town.

In 1975, actor and educator Nancy Niles Sexton was asked to teach drama at the newly opened Walden School.

She agreed under one condition.

>> She wanted to open a conservatory style training program for any student in Jefferson County.

And so he said, that'd be fine.

You can use the cabin that's at the very edge of this property.

>> That little cabin began the beginning of a 50 year legacy in 1997, Walden found a permanent home in this three story school building on Main Street.

The conservatory became known for intensive instruction.

>> It was training in voice movement, dance, ballet and stage combat, and improvization, which we still do today.

>> Teaching artists.

Sofia Hyde is a Walden Conservatory student turned teacher who knows the lessons last long after the curtain closes.

>> I think it teaches you to see the world through other people's eyes.

>> Which allows her to inspire young actors who like her at that age, may have had a little stage fright.

>> I definitely see my my little self in there.

Like any quiet girl like that does not mean that you're not an actor in your heart in there.

>> From camera shy to scene stealer, Walden Conservatory has helped shape artists who've earned national recognition like Academy Award winning Jennifer Lawrence and Jennifer Carpenter, most recognized for her role in the TV series Dexter.

But like so many arts organizations, both theaters face challenges, especially during Covid.

>> The situation became really precarious for us.

So that's when we began talking with stage one.

>> In a strategic plot twist, the two theaters merged in 2024 as stage one in Walden.

Grow and evolve together.

The hope is that some things remain the same.

>> I hope that they will continue to do the work that inspires young people to be their creative selves, to be their expressive selves.

I think in a world where technology continues to take over, there's something about live theater that I hope that we never forget.

>> And now the Tale of two theaters has become a single story, one with a new generation ready for the spotlight for inside Louisville.

I'm Christy Dutton.

[MUSIC] >> Find out more about the stage one Family Theater by watching yesterday's Inside Louisville.

Do that by going to ket.org.

Well, football pops up along with the state Flower, a presidential visit and the first woman to hold statewide office in the Commonwealth as our Toby Gibbs looks back at this week in Kentucky history.

>> Lexington's first Post Office opened October 1st, 1794, in a two story log cabin that also included a jail.

This was 42 days after the state's first post office opened in Danville.

[MUSIC] Emma Guy Cromwell was born September 28th, 1865, in Simpson County.

She would become the first woman to hold statewide office when the Kentucky Senate elected her state librarian in 1896.

[MUSIC] She later served as Kentucky secretary of state, state treasurer, state parks director and state bond commissioner.

The Morehead Normal School opened on October 3rd, 1887 in a rented home.

[MUSIC] It would grow and eventually turn into Morehead State University.

Goldenrod became Kentucky's official state flower on October 1st, 1942.

President Dwight D Eisenhower visited Lexington on October 1st, 1956 as he successfully campaigned for reelection.

[MUSIC] An independent TV station, Kcsp, signed on the air in Lexington on September 30th, 1957.

[MUSIC] The station would later change its call letters to KY and become Lexington's CBS affiliate on September 30th, 1967.

[MUSIC] Nate Northington became the first black player to play in a University of Kentucky football game, as the Wildcats took on Mississippi.

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

I'm Toby Gibbs.

>> And we are following breaking news.

Kentucky State Police are searching for a suspect in the fatal shooting of a trooper.

KSP says Trooper Hayden Phillips was killed in the line of duty today on I-65 in western Kentucky.

He was assigned to the KSP post in Bowling Green.

Police are looking for the suspect they say is driving a blue Honda Civic.

We'll have more on this story tomorrow on Kentucky Edition.

We do hope you join us again tomorrow night at this same time for Kentucky Edition, where we inform, connect and inspire.

Subscribe to our Kentucky Edition email newsletters and watch full episodes and clips at ket.org.

And you can send story ideas to public Affairs at k dot ket.org.

And follow us on social media.

Thanks for being with us.

Have a good rest of your evening.

[MUSIC]