music We were able to take action today to expand pre-K in these two counties solely through executive action.

>> But that executive action has Republican lawmakers crying foul.

[MUSIC] A state senator wants to keep his job.

A state representative wants a promotion.

We'll take a closer look at the primary race in Senate District 30.

[MUSIC] >> We are future GPS teachers.

[MUSIC] >> And today's students are getting a leg up to become tomorrow's teachers.

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

[MUSIC] [MUSIC] Good evening and welcome to Kentucky edition for this Friday.

You made it to Friday.

It's May the 8th.

I'm Christi Denton in our KET Louisville studio filling in tonight for Renee Shaw.

Thank you so much for joining us.

Republican leaders are blasting Governor Andy Beshear for launching pre-K education pilot programs in two Kentucky counties and for how he's doing it.

Yesterday, while surrounded by children, the governor announced the all day pilot programs in Robertson and Rockcastle counties.

He says the programs will help young children in both counties become kindergarten ready.

And he says he hopes to expand the programs to other counties.

Kentuckians might wonder, where is he getting this?

Where is the state getting the money to do this?

Since the Kentucky General Assembly didn't pass a universal pre-K bill during the recent session.

Well, the governor explained that yesterday.

>> We were able to take action today to expand pre-K in these two counties solely through executive action.

We were able to take dollars from some workforce programs that we did not believe were maximizing outcomes, and that we could bring in house and fully run and thus be able to to free up parents in both of those counties.

Now.

>> The governor's use of workforce development dollars is prompting criticism from Republican legislative leaders.

Senate President Robert Stivers put out this statement, quote, Governor Beshear has repeatedly argued that programs and policies cannot move forward without explicit funding or legislative direction.

At a minimum.

Today's announcement appears difficult to reconcile with that longstanding position and raises broader questions about how this administration determines when flexibility within existing appropriations can and cannot be exercised, end quote.

House Speaker David Osborne said this, quote, the governor has continually failed to present a thoughtful, well-developed plan in a manner that garners even modest support from lawmakers.

Major commitments of taxpayer dollars should not be made by robbing one program to create another, or without a plan for what happens when funding is exhausted, end quote.

Attorney General Russell Coleman is asking the U.S.

Supreme Court to stop mail order abortion pills.

Coleman joins 23 other state attorneys generals in the move.

They argue the pills are dangerous because in 2023, the FDA abolished the requirement for a woman to see a doctor before she could get mifepristone.

Coleman says activist groups have been flooding Kentucky, and with deadly pills that don't require proper medical supervision.

The U.S.

Court of Appeals has acted to stop the mailing of the pills in the case has now been appealed to the Supreme Court.

Well, meanwhile, the state Supreme Court says the judge in Matt Bevin's child support case can stay.

Former Governor Bevin said that Family Court Judge Angela Johnson was biased against him.

She's the judge in the case involving Bevin's adopted son, Jonah, who is suing for retroactive child support for time spent in boarding schools, according to The Courier Journal.

Chief Justice Deborah Lambert said there was no evidence of bias from Johnson.

Well, on to the May 19th primaries.

Eastern Kentucky voters will decide which Republican candidate should represent them in the state House in Senate District 30.

The choice is between a 25 year incumbent or his challenger, who currently sits in the Kentucky House of Representatives.

Our June Leffler has more.

>> This Senate district spans nearly 300mi█!S of mountainous eastern Kentucky.

The district's.

More than 100,000 residents live in Breathitt, Estill.

Perry, Lee.

Powell, Leslie, Magoffin, Wolfe and Morgan counties.

Current Republican state Senator Brandon Smith from hazard is the incumbent.

>> During his time in Frankfort, you know, he's kind of established himself on being on the forefront of energy policy here.

He had sponsored a significant bill dealing with changing the Public Service Commission this past session that ended up becoming law.

He's also chair of the Natural Resources and Energy Committee.

It's something that's very important to him.

>> His challenger, Bill Wesley from Ravenna, now serves in Kentucky's house.

>> He has been known for being on the forefront of the culture wars in Frankfort.

So, you know, he's either filed bills in the past or supported bills dealing with transgender rights.

There is an incident last year in Frankfort when a transgender woman tried to use the Capitol bathroom.

That ended up going on social media.

So he's really in this race, trying to position himself as someone who would support veterans.

He's someone who has said said to me, he's for the everyday Kentuckian.

I think it's an interesting dynamic between the two.

It's not like it's not two strangers who never worked together in the legislature.

They do have or did have a relationship before this race began.

I think one of the significant differences in this race is that with Senator Smith being the incumbent, Senate President Robert Stivers had said earlier in the session that they would be supporting Smith in this reelection.

So right now, Smith, as the incumbent, does have the support of the Senate caucus and the Senate leadership.

And I think he, Smith, is really trying to distinguish himself as someone as you know, he loves his district.

He loves representing them.

You know, he was telling me, if you don't have groceries, if you don't have water, I will bring it to your house.

So he's really trying to position himself as someone who is for his district and care about cares about his district.

I think Representative Wesley kind of has a different opinion of Senator Smith.

You know, he was telling me that when he's been out in the district, Senator Smith has garnered this nickname, according to Wesley of No Show.

Brandon, I had asked Smith about that and he said, you know, I've never heard that before.

He doesn't believe it to be true.

And I think Wesley, you know, is trying to have this narrative of, you know, Smith has not shown up for you, but I will and I will fight for you.

The everyday person in this district.

>> Although most voters in the district are still registered Democrats, the Republican primary winner will take the seat as no Democrat is running for Kentucky edition.

I'm June Leffler.

>> Turning now to Northern Kentucky.

Travelers are one step closer to seeing an expansion of the Brant Spence Bridge corridor, which is known as one of the worst traffic areas in the nation.

Our Emily Sisk has the details from today's groundbreaking.

>> More than $1 billion of freight travel through this corridor of I-71 and I-75 every day, but transportation leaders say the current structure is not sustainable for modern traffic.

State leaders from across the aisle and across both sides of the river gathered in Cincinnati today to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new Brant Spence Bridge.

>> What an incredible moment, one we've been dreaming about for decades and that many said would never happen.

But we are the people that are getting it done.

>> This part of the Brant Spence Bridge corridor connects Cincinnati and Covington.

Governor Andy Beshear said he's worked closely with Ohio's Republican Governor, Mike DeWine, to ensure construction of the new bridge could begin.

>> Two great teams from Kentucky and Ohio, working together with our federal partners to show the entire world that America is still able to get big, complicated projects done.

>> Transportation leaders said.

Currently, the Brant Spence Bridge corridor is considered among the worst traffic bottlenecks in the country, with 160,000 vehicles passing through daily.

The companion bridge, which will stand beside the existing structure, will increase the total number of lanes from 8 to 16.

>> The Brant Spence Bridge carries far more traffic than it was ever designed to handle.

This project is first and foremost helping the people of Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati by resolving traffic delays and safety issues.

>> Also joining the two governors was U.S.

Senator Mitch McConnell, who supported federal funding for the project to the tune of $1.6 billion.

McConnell said it was his goal to see the bridge built without tolls.

>> This project, which is famous nationally as well as in Ohio and Kentucky, it's going to be built without tolls and make a huge difference for both Ohio and Kentucky and the nation.

>> The companion bridge is expected to open in 2031.

For Kentucky edition, I'm Emily Sisk.

>> The existing Brant Spence Bridge first opened in 1963.

The bridge was reworked in the 1980s, removing emergency shoulders and narrowing the lanes, which led to increased traffic congestion.

The governor's visit to Cincinnati came one day after an appearance on M. S now, the cable news channel that used to be called MSNBC.

And during that appearance, he said he was comfortable being talked about as a 2020 presidential candidate.

>> So as I look at the map and I watch your races, I also watch your travel.

I'm one of those people whose eyebrows go up and my attention perks up when I see that even just this month, you're going to New Hampshire, you're going to South Carolina.

What should I make of those trips.

>> Now that I'm getting out there and I'm helping Democrats in those areas that, you know, when we went to South Carolina, the last time I went to Georgetown, they flipped their city council.

And we've got a shot at a seat there.

As I travel, I always try to do it in a way that that helps the folks in the region that we're going to.

I made any decisions ultimately about my future, but I do want to be a voice of reason in the chaos that encourages us, that we can get beyond these crazy divisions that we have in the country right now, and one that refocuses the party on the things that matter the most to people.

And that's their job.

Being able to see a doctor in their own community.

Safe roads and bridges, good schools and everybody feeling safe in the community they live in.

>> So when I look at you showing up for Democrats in those states that also just happen to be the only ones on the presidential nominating calendar.

Are you comfortable with being factored in as someone who might enter that field?

>> I'm comfortable in that.

Again, I haven't made any final decision, and I won't until I'm done being DGA chair, but I certainly at least want that, that conversation that's out there to be one that's that's focused to where whoever is the nominee can win this next election for Democrats isn't a need to win.

It's an absolute have to win.

I think JD Vance is just as, if not more dangerous than Donald Trump.

And with everything this country is going through right now, the pain that our families are feeling, the idea that it would extend beyond the four year term of Donald Trump is unthinkable.

And we've got to make sure it doesn't happen.

>> Put in the face time with the president and to.

>> As head of the Democratic Governors Association, Governor Beshear is working to elect Democrats as governors in this November's midterm elections.

The University of Louisville unveiled its new defense Innovation on Ramp Hub this week.

Engineers at UofL will work with nearby tech and manufacturing companies to build products for the U.S.

Department of Defense.

Similar hubs exist in seven other states.

>> Most people don't know this, but defense and aerospace is Kentucky's number one export, so manufacturing small and medium sized manufacturers here is a strong tradition of defense work.

And, you know, I think Senator McConnell had a big part in this.

>> Well-established players in this space have the resources to manage their way through the red tape.

They know how to navigate the acquisition process with few barriers.

Meanwhile, small businesses have to work twice as hard to get off the launch pad.

This project is so vital because it brings businesses to the table that otherwise might literally be lost in the bureaucracy.

>> The hub will partner with smaller companies such as Deposition Technology Innovations, which produces military grade films and fabrics in nearby Jeffersonville, Indiana.

[MUSIC] Now for part two of Renee Shaw's interview with veteran Washington based journalist Michael Collins.

Born in Whitesburg in eastern Kentucky, the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Famer was once a statehouse reporter in northern Kentucky.

Since then, he has reported from 27 states for foreign countries and the U.S.

Virgin Islands and is now a national correspondent for USA today.

Renee talks with Michael Collins and today's reporter's notebook.

>> When you think about the evolution of journalism, because you've been around a long time and you've seen particularly the print newspaper industry change, right, and how that's impacted local community driven journalism versus what the bigfoots can do.

I mean, how do you contextualize the journey of journalism these last 20 years?

>> Well, it's changed dramatically.

I mean, back when I started my career, I worked for, as I said, the Kentucky Post, and we published two editions.

And then once you finished that, you once you finish the edition for that day, you started working for the next day's paper.

Well, that's not the case anymore.

Everything is it's almost like you work for a wire service now where stories have to be filed immediately.

They have to be updated frequently.

And sometimes you are as a as a print reporter, you are particularly on a breaking news stories.

You are writing those stories and putting them online a couple of paragraphs at a time.

So the pace is very different than it was when I first started.

>> Many years, as you said, you were a white House correspondent.

And I remember seeing on social media times when you had gone to the white House Correspondents Dinner.

Right.

And you did not go this past time.

But I know you have colleagues who still have probably some very vivid memories and reflections about being there this past occasion.

Can you share with us any of those thoughts?

>> Sure.

As you said, I've covered.

I've been to the dinner multiple times.

I think probably a dozen or more.

I was not there when a few days ago when we, you know, had the the unfortunate shooting.

But yeah, I had lots of lots of my colleagues were in the room at the time.

And one of my colleagues told me that, you know, there were people ducking underneath the tables because they just, you know, they weren't really sure what was happening, but there was a lot of, you know, chaos in the room.

And one of my colleagues told me that that was probably the most frightful 10s of his life.

So it was a very, very disturbing thing for the people who were there to witness.

And I even though I did not go to the dinner, I got called in to help with a coverage of that, that, that shooting.

So I've done quite a bit of coverage of the event itself, even though I was not in the room that particular night.

>> And can you speak to I don't even know if it's secondary trauma.

Perhaps it's even primary trauma if you're on the scene and you're actually there during the dinner or these other occasions where there's mass violence or violence of any sort, where reporters are almost the second responders, if you will, on the scenes.

I mean, what, how how do you deal with those types of incidents over and over and over again?

Because that is exposure to trauma.

>> It is.

But, you know, as a journalist, I think your, your your your journalistic instincts kick in.

I talked to so many people who were at the dinner and they almost all of them told me the same thing, which was it was very frightening.

It was very frightening for a few seconds.

And then once things settle down, everybody started doing what journalists do.

They started interviewing people.

They started, you know, shooting videos, they started taking photos.

And I think that, you know, when you're trained to be a journalist like we are, you go into these situations and they can be frightening, but your, your instinct, your journalistic instinct just takes over and you do the job.

>> Yeah.

So from perhaps another kid from Whitesburg, Kentucky is watching this right now and thinking, gosh, how do I end up taking the path of a Michael Collins and end up working for USA today or some other very high national profile publication?

What would you say for that to them who think it's not possible?

>> I would say it is possible.

And all you have to do is put yourself out there and work very hard.

Don't be intimidated.

You know, you're you're just as smart as any anybody else that's out there.

So just do it.

Work hard and don't be intimidated.

And don't let people tell you that you don't belong because you do.

>> Yeah.

Well, we know you belong and we miss you in Kentucky, but we love seeing your byline and we appreciate all your great work.

For all seasons.

And just thank you, Michael Collins, for spending a little time with us.

>> Thank you for having me.

>> To inspire aspiring educators during a teacher shortage in Kentucky, 11 graduating seniors in the Teaching and Learning pathway received conditional job offers from Jefferson County Public Schools.

>> We are future teachers.

>> This is a profession that is very, very difficult, but also probably one of the most rewarding things that you can ever do.

And so my hope is that the last four years that you've been involved in this program, that you've had opportunities and experiences that have really reinforced your desire to get into this profession because it's very much needed, and it is something that we look forward to seeing you grow into over the next couple of years.

>> I've been in the teaching and learning pathway here for four years, and I've done a total of five classes through it, and it's been a lot of unexpected work and activities.

And through it, I kind of saw that I really like helping to teach people and help people develop and grow through new skills.

>> Our kids have been very excited about becoming effective teachers, and we provided them with experiential learning hours and understanding different practices and theories and methodologies, and how to design a lesson plan effectively.

And this is a huge deal to know that after they finish their coursework here at Ballard and then they embark on college, that they're going to be able to hopefully return to JCPs and become classroom teachers.

>> So when I was told the opportunity that we would be having this day, I was like, oh my goodness, like, this is what I've worked for.

It was actually like very shocking like that because we know, I know that we have the teacher shortage.

Like, so like knowing that I have that opportunity out there, like when I'm ready, it's, it was great.

And it made me feel like this is like, this is for me.

>> To be able to actually teach students who are so interested in becoming teachers.

And they are like sponges when I'm instructing and, and getting to be able to work with students who are passionate and love this field is, is incredible for me as a teacher.

>> She doesn't just like teach us the basics of it.

She goes into depth and I get more understanding of like how to be an effective teacher.

I also think it's helped me personally build who I am as a character.

As a freshman, most freshmen come in and they're like old school, but I've become became more committed.

I've donated more hours into this, like education wise, and I just feel like it's helping me grow.

>> I honestly did not expect to be receiving one, and I think it is a really valuable opportunity to have.

>> Overall, I just think this program is just it's an amazing program.

It's very beneficial for us and it just gets us prepared for the long run.

>> I was like, I'm like, the timeline is super tight.

But yeah, I'm.

>> Very proud of them.

Well, more than 100 students in the teaching and learning pathway across the school district received job offers.

The students can apply for a teaching position after they receive their certification.

[MUSIC] The Kentucky Derby is behind us, but we have plenty of other entertainment choices, including music, poetry, yoga, and much more.

In the next few days, our Toby Gibbs explains in this look at what's happening around the Commonwealth.

>> Art and music are sharing the same stage in Paducah at the Lower Town Arts and Music Festival.

The two day event in the city's historic Arts district brings together regional artists, live music, family activities and food vendors, all set against the backdrop of one of the city's most creative corridors.

The festival kicks off today.

They're turning back the clock and adding a little steam to it.

As Bourbon City Steam returns to Louisville, Kentucky's only steampunk convention blends Victorian style and science fiction.

[MUSIC] Expect costumes, workshops, games, and a weekend centered around Kentucky themes like racing and bourbon.

All ages are welcome and dressing up is encouraged but not required.

The three day convention kicks off today.

It's an event where every line counts.

The Gateway Regional Arts Center in Mount Sterling is hosting a Celebration of Poetry Day on Saturday, offering hands on activities like writing, zine making and blackout poetry.

There's also a story, time for kids and a chance to contribute to a community poem.

History is stepping out of the past and into the present with the Wild about Shelbyville Festival.

The festival is a celebration of America's 250th birthday and features demonstrations of 18th century life, including quill writing, frontier food and Revolutionary War era music.

[MUSIC] A reading of the Declaration of Independence is scheduled, along with museum exhibits highlighting local history.

A powerful reminder of sacrifice and service is making its way to Madisonville next week.

The American Veterans Traveling tribute brings a replica Vietnam wall and additional memorials honoring major conflicts to Madisonville City Park.

The exhibit offers space for reflection while highlighting the sacrifices of service members across generations.

The wall will go up next Thursday.

Finding your balance this weekend.

[MUSIC] The Kentucky Yoga Festival takes place at barren River Magic Campground, featuring yoga sessions, meditation, art workshops and outdoor activities.

[MUSIC] The multi-day event welcomes all experience levels and includes music and community gatherings.

And that's what's happening around the Commonwealth this week.

I'm Toby Gibbs.

>> Thank you, Toby Gibbs.

Well, many women going through menopause or perimenopause are prescribed an estrogen patch to help deal with symptoms like hot flashes and poor sleep.

But those patches are becoming harder to get as demand is bigger than the supply.

I spoke to a nurse practitioner about the shortage.

>> Because the supply issues might last for several months, or even some.

Some are saying up to a few years.

As demand continues to increase.

>> Hear more about this coming up Monday on Kentucky edition.

And we hope that you'll join us again on Monday 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.

Send us a story idea Public affairs@ket.org.

That's all the time we have.

Have a wonderful