[music] >> Our highest totals were in Cumberland and Clinton counties, where we picked up over ten inches of rain within a two day span.

>> Time lapse video shows how heavy rain can turn a field into a lake.

>> These were folks that I personally knew that we had helped previously, and so they were lost.

[MUSIC] Simply by flash flooding in an area that we never suspected it would happen.

[MUSIC] >> We'll head to Madison County, where flooding killed three and left a church congregation.

Without a building.

>> It's essential for us to be able to get the equipment to people.

[MUSIC] >> And a new center in Eastern Kentucky is getting accessibility tools into the hands of people who need them.

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

>> Good evening and welcome to Kentucky Edition for Monday, June 29th.

I'm Christy Dutton in our KET Studios in downtown Louisville.

Filling in for Renee Shaw.

Thank you so much for joining us.

The death toll remains at four after flooding this weekend in parts of Kentucky, some parts of the state had more than ten inches of rain in a two day period.

Three of the deaths were in Madison County, including a man and woman found in a flooded basement.

Over the weekend, Governor Beshear said a fourth death was in Jackson County.

The rain has stopped and now we face another type of dangerous weather this week, as we expect heat and humidity that will make it feel hotter than 100 degrees.

More on that in just a minute.

We begin our coverage in Madison County tonight, which saw roughly ten inches of rainfall as of this afternoon, the county was still under a state of emergency.

Our Emily Prince has more on the devastation and road to recovery.

>> One of the areas hardest hit by this weekend's flooding was Madison County.

This is the scene in Richmond.

Behind me is what was previously Milton Church off of Tates Creek Road.

It was washed away by Saturday afternoon's flood waters.

All that remains now.

The steeple and the cross.

Recovery efforts are fully underway.

A representative from the Red cross told me it will still take a few days to fully assess the damage, and a local nonprofit is helping in those recovery efforts, bringing in supplies, giving it to those who are in need, housing those who may have lost their home.

>> This is personal really for us on multiple levels.

>> Jamie Jordan is the assistant director of One Stop, which is part of enrich, a nonprofit in Richmond that helps those in recovery or looking for a second chance.

The nonprofit has stepped up during this weekend's natural disaster, serving as an emergency shelter and providing supplies for those who are picking up the pieces.

Jordan said one of the workers at enrich was personally impacted by the flooding.

>> He actually sent us a video of the flood waters going right by his house, so his house is livable, but there's going to be a lot of work there.

>> Two of the county's three fatalities occurred at a home off University Drive.

>> These were folks that I personally knew that we had helped previously, and so they were lost on on simply by flash flooding in an area that we never suspected it would happen.

>> During a press conference today, the Madison County Deputy Judge executive confirmed that emergency services conducted 68 water rescues and took 1500 calls on Saturday.

As of this afternoon, the county was still under a state of emergency.

A representative from the Red cross said.

The most crucial time to make sure folks are okay is within a day of the initial flooding.

>> The the mass care operation and those first 12 to 24 hours, we've made it through there.

So most of these folks have somewhere to stay.

They have some sort of temporary arrangements.

>> Jordan said.

There are individuals who came from the house on University Drive who are currently staying in a hotel.

>> They've lost everything their ID's, Social security cards, all the things they need to find housing.

And so we're really starting over with them.

The recovery for those in the house is really deep.

It goes beyond cleaning and housing.

It's it's one of a trauma level.

Specifically, one of those gentlemen was working to try to save lives.

And because of the speed of the flood water in an area that I'm not aware of has ever flooded.

I'm not sure he he wasn't able.

>> Our hearts go out to to those families and those individuals, especially for the loss of life.

>> Jordan said.

Right now in.

Rich has received all the supply donations they need, he said.

For people looking to contribute, monetary donations will help with long term recovery and they really just need prayer.

>> Pray for us, pray for the folks displaced.

God's been blessing us and he will continue to do so.

>> The pastor of Millen Church told the Richmond Register that they did not lose the church, just the physical building.

He said he's unsure what rebuilding efforts might look like and if it will take place here in Madison County.

For Kentucky edition, I'm Emily Prince.

>> Madison County judge executive, said he's confident the level of damage will warrant local government assistance.

He's unsure at this time if the county will qualify for state or federal emergency assistance.

When Jackson County was hit with widespread damage in this weekend's flooding, the county judge executive says the flood waters moved in fast, giving people little time to react and leaving people stranded in their vehicles and homes.

>> I was actually at the courthouse doing some paperwork at the time that rain started, and I. Within ten minutes of when it started, I looked out the window and the streets were flooded.

I mean, it just amazing how fast I go to the Baptist church, my home church, the pastor, I talked to him and and he had left the church and went home like ten minutes before I called him.

And I called him up and said, you're the church is flooded.

And he didn't.

He just couldn't believe it either.

So that was so sudden.

I don't think anybody could prepare for that.

We didn't have time to do any anything, really, to make a huge difference in the outcome of it.

At that time, many cars were inundated.

We had cruisers, I think like 8 or 9 cars that were parked, cruiser police cars that were parked behind the administrative office of the court in an area that I've never seen flooded.

And they they have extensive damage to them from this this flood that occurred, there were several people trapped.

We had, as far as I recall, at least nine water rescues.

We had teams come from counties around us that helped us in those areas, and we were able to get those people out safely.

Late in the afternoon.

Saturday evening, we found there were some kids that were had been in a Bible school at a church, and they they were blocked in and couldn't get get back out.

So around 9:00 Saturday night, we were able to get them out safely and get them back to dry land and back to their, their families.

We had several people who were trapped in their cars in the roadways during the day.

And we it took us a few hours to get those all straightened out and everyone that was out safely.

I'm very concerned about the two bridges that that we haven't been able to repair quickly, because there's some families that live across on the other side, those bridges that are somewhat blocked in, but we're working on that.

We they're aware that we're working on it, and we're trying our best to accommodate them in whatever way we can.

We've actually reached out to those people if they needed food brought to their house or, or any emergency situations that we would try to address those things as they come up to make sure that they're as comfortable as they can be, and we're going to keep working as quickly as possible to get at least a temporary bridge in place so that they can be can successfully cross them and go back to their normal routine as as much as can be.

That's really important for the public to know that we're really working hard to bring things back to normal in our county.

It's also important for them to know how many agencies, how many different groups have called and offered assistance to our county to get things back in order as quickly as possible.

And, you know, we we want them to know how much we appreciate what what everyone's doing because without their assistance, we would have a long, hard road ahead of us to get this back in order.

But with their assistance, we're quickly getting things back under control.

And I feel confident that very, very soon that we will be able to say that we have overcome this situation and we're now moving forward.

>> In Jessamine County, flooding caused several road closures over the weekend.

One of those was Fig Lane in Wilmore.

A historic bridge there suffered significant flood damage.

A crew was there today clearing out the debris and fallen trees, but the road remains closed indefinitely, according to Jessamine County Emergency Management.

The county also urges drivers to use caution on the connecting Glass Mill Road, where flood damage has reduced it to one lane.

Things are getting back to normal in Bullitt County, just south of Louisville, after a state of emergency was declared on Saturday.

You can still see standing water in many places, and the Rolling Fork River near Lebanon Junction is seeing water levels over 49ft.

First responders say there were numerous calls for service as roads were covered, and some residents had water inside their homes.

There was slight damage to a dam near the Bullitt County Rod and Gun Club, which led to some rushing water and evacuations in a nearby neighborhood.

The Bullitt County Mesonet site received 6.5in of rain between Thursday and Saturday, and that adds up to more than 15in total this month so far, more than any other Mesonet site since the 1st of June.

Another area hit hard by the weekend storms was Cumberland County.

Officials there say the flooding was the worst that they have ever seen.

>> Right now, we're still actively doing damage assessments across the county so that we can answer the question that it seems like everybody is asking, which is how bad is it?

We don't know other than to say it is bad.

We are making sure that we're prioritizing getting people out and across those creeks.

That has to be the primary objective, especially for those who have doctor's appointments coming up.

It's not just the creeks that have bridges that have been washed away.

A lot of these low water crossings are what we would call dry fork.

They now have big boulders in the way.

They've got big logs in the way.

Folks cannot get across those creeks to get out.

So it's the missing bridges.

It's the blocked drives.

The blocked roadways get to getting to a main road.

All of that is, is taking a lot of our time and it's a priority right now.

I know I'm not 150 years old or anything, but I'm fortunate to be surrounded by a lot of people who have seen a lot more of this world than I have.

As far as years are concerned.

I was surrounded this morning by a very experienced team of individuals, and I asked the question, do do we believe that this one was worse just because it just happened?

That recency bias that we often think of, or was it really the worst that we've ever seen it?

And with folks in the room that were double my age and then a little extra, they all agreed, this is the worst we've ever seen it, and it's not real close.

What we need right now is for the people outside of Cumberland County to understand that we still exist, that we are still open for business, that we are still a vacation destination, a fun destination for travel.

The businesses in Cumberland County, that's the restaurants, the lodging, all of the shops here locally, they need the weekend that's coming up in Cumberland County.

It is 4th of July.

It is one of our three biggest weekends of the year, if not the single biggest weekend of the year.

There are businesses in this county that if they don't have a successful weekend this weekend, they will feel it in their financials for the entire year.

>> Well, earlier today I spoke with Shane Holland from the Kentucky Mesonet for a statewide perspective about the areas most impacted from the weekend's heavy rain and the next weather hazard we're already experiencing this week, the Kentucky Mesonet has 87 weather stations across the state, which gives us a more accurate view of the weather.

So, Shane, how much rain did we get over the weekend and who got hit the hardest?

>> We had some incredible rainfall amounts, Kristie, especially in south central Kentucky near the Lake Cumberland vicinity.

Our highest totals were in Cumberland and Clinton counties, where we picked up over ten inches of rain within a two day span over the weekend.

A lot of that rain actually occurred, though, Sunday morning between roughly midnight and 10 a.m.

Central it was shortly before that time where flooding actually inundated our data logger box at the Cumberland County site west of Burkesville, and as a result, we lost data from that.

There could be a little bit more rain that actually fell there than was recorded.

But we did pick up 10.43in of rain officially at that site before it went offline Sunday morning.

That's not a record.

The record still stands at 11.28in in 24 hours at our Graves County site back in July of 23.

>> Yeah, that's a lot of rain to even knock the weather station, you know, log box.

But what kind of impact did it have in the community?

>> Well, unfortunately, we had the flooding fatalities in several counties in Kentucky over the weekend.

Also flood emergencies and Metcalfe, Cumberland and Clinton counties were issued for several hours Sunday morning as a result of standing water, not just on the roadways, but also into homes, businesses and churches being affected by this as well.

>> Yeah, flooding is always so dangerous in Kentucky and elsewhere.

Let's take a look ahead to the heat and we already feel it outside.

So tell us about this heat wave that we're going to be in the middle of this week.

And is any part in Kentucky going to be hotter than others?

>> I'm sweating already just thinking about how hot not only the temperatures are going to be, but how high the humidity is going to be.

It's the humidity that will be the bigger story this week.

Temperatures are expected to reach into the mid and even upper 90s, especially in the central and western region.

When you combine that with high dew point, air, dew point being the measurement of water vapor in the atmosphere, and you get heat indices or apparent temperatures that will run anywhere from 105 to 110 degrees across a good chunk of the Commonwealth.

As a result, the National Weather Service has already extended and expanded the extreme heat warning now for most of Kentucky, say for the far north and eastern sections, which will be under a heat advisory for the next several days, so highly advised to stay inside the air conditioning as much as you can drink lots of water, though if you have to work outside and try to stay the most strenuous activities for very early in the morning, around sunup or closer to evening around sunset.

>> That is great advice.

Well, we will do our best to stay cool this week.

Thank you so much, Shane.

>> Thank you.

Christy.

>> The extreme heat warning keeps expanding.

It now covers most of the state.

It's going to be in effect until Thursday night.

If it's not then extended.

And we do see some relief from the heat inside.

That's the good news.

And that relief will be coming next week as we start the workweek, as temperatures start to come down closer to seasonal normals.

[MUSIC] The Trump administration has signaled some support for Kentucky's hemp industry.

Last week, the president's staff urged Congress to delay or repeal an impending ban on most hemp products.

Our June Leffler has more.

>> In a memo sent to speaker of the House Mike Johnson, the white House warns against new restrictions on hemp derived products set to go into effect in November.

The memo says Congress should delay that timeline and consider new regulations to allow Americans to benefit from access to appropriate, full spectrum CBD products, while preserving the Congress's intent to restrict the sale of products that pose serious health risks.

The memo endorses rules proposed by Kentucky Congressman Andy Barr.

Leaders in Kentucky's hemp industry say this is good news, but Congress must act.

>> The Trump administration issued a letter to Congress, and unfortunately, that doesn't.

That doesn't change anything.

We still need action from Congress.

So what we're hoping is that with the leadership from hemp supporting legislators in Kentucky and across the country, that that will, you know, motivate the rest of Congress to realize what a big deal this is.

I mean, we're talking about a billions of dollars that are either in the ground or we're planning to be planted this year.

And right now, farmers, processors and retailers are not sure if they're going to be able to continue in this industry.

Farmers who are maybe hanging on to their crops from last year are trying to sell them probably at a discount just to get them out of their possession, because after November, that's probably going to make them criminals.

>> Barr and other support a higher cap on the percentage of THC, the intoxicating component of hemp, along with federal oversight of products.

The regulations set to go into effect in November, come from one of Kentucky's U.S.

senators, Mitch McConnell, who says the restrictions will not decimate the hemp industry and instead protect children and still allow for non-intoxicating food and industrial products for Kentucky Edition.

I'm June Leffler.

>> Right now.

Congress is working through its budget for the next fiscal year.

The white House formally requested supplemental funding for the Iraq War.

Farmers and fighting Ebola in Africa.

[MUSIC] Access equipment like a wheelchair or text to speech translator can provide independence and a higher quality of life for people living with disabilities.

But in Eastern Kentucky, access to those resources can be limited.

As our McKenzie Spink reports, the new Appalachian Center for Assistive Technology in Morehead will open doors for Kentuckians with mobility and communication needs.

>> The Appalachian Center for Assistive Technology, or Acat, is a partnership between the University of Kentucky College of Health Sciences and UK Saint Clair to provide a much needed service in this area of Kentucky.

According to the center's director.

>> Kentucky has some of the highest disability rates in the United States, and we have some of the highest rates of disability related health and health care issues.

And unfortunately, Eastern Kentucky also has some of the highest rates in all of Kentucky.

So it's essential for us to be able to get the equipment to people as quickly as possible, to allow them to be active in their community.

>> Assistive technology is any product that maintains or improves the function of someone with a disability.

This can include functions in communication, mobility, hearing or vision, and more.

>> Assistive technology is everything from high tech to low tech.

If you have a wheelchair is a form of assistive technology.

If you have a special grip to open a bottle so someone not able to grab and hold just their food or their toothbrush, we have devices that allow them to hold on to it.

>> Doctor Kitzman says access to assistive technology means access to independence, dignity, or even work opportunities.

>> So being able to brush your teeth, comb your hair, guess what?

I just gave you quality of life.

Being able to feed yourself have just given you independence.

We also have on one of our demonstration sites, an eye gaze system.

So someone who has significant paralysis, it allows them to run all of the devices on their computer.

They can have a job.

They can do work like everybody else.

>> One of the services provided at Acat is equipment repair or refurbishment.

>> Use wheelchairs, Bath benches.

We will clean it, we will completely refurbish it, rebuild it and we get it back out the door.

And those are all free of charge.

By Petrie students.

You need to know how to fix a wheelchair so they do it as a special elective.

We're hoping to do the same here with PA students to teach you how to fix stuff.

>> Education and training are another focus of the center.

Students can learn to repair equipment and create new assistive technology solutions.

>> One thing that is really important for us here at all of our centers is we are fully accessible.

We love working with students with and without disabilities.

Our students with disabilities are actually content experts.

They understand their conditions better than anyone.

So why have them just be someone?

I'm going to do work 2 or 4.

It's like, no, they're a crucial part of the creative team.

>> To help bridge the affordability gap in assistive technology, a cat also provides short term equipment loan programs for Kentucky Edition.

I'm McKenzie Spink.

>> The new center in Morehead is the second cat location.

The original site is still up and running at the Center of Excellence in Rural Health in hazard, senior citizens are often the target of scams.

What do seniors need to know to avoid becoming a victim?

Well, join us tonight for Senior Scams 2026 and next chapter forum that is on the way at 8:00 eastern seven central right here on KET.

[MUSIC] Two presidents and an almost president pop up this week, along with one of the first 4th of July celebrations in Kentucky.

Our Toby Gibbs tells us more in a look at this Week in Kentucky history.

>> Colonel William Price, a veteran of the Revolutionary War, hosted a 4th of July celebration in 1794 on the United States.

18th birthday.

40 veterans died in celebration of America's birth in one of the first known Independence Day celebrations west of the Allegheny Mountains, Virginia divided Kentucky County into three counties Fayette, Lincoln and Jefferson.

On June 30th, 1780, Fayette County is named for the Marquis de Lafayette.

[MUSIC] Jefferson is named for Governor Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, and Lincoln is named for Revolutionary War General Benjamin Lincoln.

President James Monroe visited Lexington on July 2nd, 1819.

He was joined on the trip by general and future President Andrew Jackson.

[MUSIC] President Monroe stayed in Lexington four days and spoke at Transylvania.

[MUSIC] Henry Clay, the great compromiser, died on June 29th, 1852, at the age of 73.

He served as U.S.

Senator from Kentucky, a member of the U.S.

House and House speaker and U.S.

Secretary of State.

He was a three time presidential candidate and once said he'd rather be right than be president.

The state formed the Kentucky State Police on July 1st, 1948.

[MUSIC] It was a reorganization of the Kentucky Highway Patrol, which began in 1936.

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

[MUSIC] I'm Toby Gibbs.

>> Thank you.

Toby.

Well, gas prices are lower than they were a month ago, but they're higher than they were a year ago.

So what should you expect if you're traveling for the 4th of July.

>> Despite those gas prices being considerably higher, travel remains a priority.

>> So how many people will be traveling?

What triple A has to say and how you can prepare?

That will be tomorrow right here on Kentucky edition, and we hope that you'll join us tomorrow night at 630 eastern, 530 central for Kentucky Edition, where we inform, connect and inspire.

You can subscribe to our Kentucky Edition email newsletter and watch full episodes and clips@ket.org.

Also, follow us on social media.

That's all the time we have for tonight.

Have a great evening.