♪ ♪ This isn't fair.

Same for Kentucky to see that we are continuing to go after such a small >> populations of individuals who are already vulnerable.

>> Late night debate and Frank for Friday as lawmakers push through several bills to make sure their veto proof.

>> Ultimately, I decided that I wanted to do something different after being a law enforcement for 30 years.

>> Hear from a former Kentucky sheriff now serving his community in a new capacity from Frankfort.

>> This is a moment to acknowledge progress, but we know that our work is far from over.

>> Overdose deaths, a drop in Lexington.

What city leaders say is working to drive the numbers down.

>> We're looking for folks who live work.

Play.

Stay.

>> It says made it to help a Kentucky city plan for its future.

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

♪ ♪ >> Good evening and welcome to this Saint Patrick's Day.

Hope you're having a luck of the Irish.

It is Monday March.

The 17th, I'm Renee Shaw and we thank you for spending some of your night with us.

Kentucky's General Assembly is on break for a bit after sending more than 100 pieces of proposed legislation to the governor, lawmakers stayed late Friday night to wrap up business before heading into the governor's ten-day veto period as our June Leffler reports, Republican super majorities passed changes to Kentucky's Medicaid program, including bans on gender affirming care for transgender Kentuckians.

This report begins our legislative update.

>> Kentucky spends billions of dollars on Medicaid.

Republican lawmakers want to rein in that spending with changes made in House Bill 695.

>> This bill.

It's not going to be perfect.

Medicaid's too big for perfection.

There will always be differences of opinion.

There will always be changes in approach.

But this bill ensures that those of us who the people trust.

>> To make sure that we care for the vulnerable.

We have the appropriate knowledge to make sure that it's done inappropriate way and not abused but used in the way that we would hope.

>> House Bill, 695 mandates, adults without children and without a disability work, at least 20 hours a week or work with a state job placement agency to maintain their health coverage.

Kentucky has long debated these work requirements which Democrats oppose.

>> What we have seen in states that have implemented the these work requirements is that thousands of people lose health care, not because they're not eligible, not because they're not working.

>> Because they don't fill out the form and they lose their health care coverage.

Their health suffers and sometimes not all the time.

Sometimes people die.

>> Fall report from the Kaiser Family Foundation found most Kentucky adults on Medicaid do work.

Republicans carried House Bill 695.

In both chambers sending it to the governor.

Another change to Medicaid.

The program would no longer pay for Harmon therapy or gender affirming surgeries for transgender.

Kentuckians under House Bill 495, the Christian Conservative Family Foundation applauded the bill saying, quote, it's not possible to change a person's sex government has no place in promoting are subsidizing such madness.

Most Democrats voted against the bill.

>> There have been no other groups this session that I have heard of, in my opinion that I've had to fight for freedom.

They health care choices and trans people and women.

In this bill for me.

I don't know about anyone else.

But I have that family in my mind right now.

And I couldn't live with myself.

If I went home to not knowing that cast the vote.

That would lead to somebodys child not getting life-saving health care.

>> House Bill 495 passed in a final 67 to 19 vote.

The bill also overturned.

Governor Andy Beshear is ban on conversion therapy which aims to change person's sexual orientation.

And Republicans.

Advanced Senate bill 2 to prohibit gender affirming care to state jail or prison inmates even if they had already been prescribed in taking hormones before being incarcerated.

State officials have testified that 67 transgender Kentucky inmates are taking hormones.

Well, healthcare within our prison system is necessary.

>> The funds that we allocate must prioritize the health and safety of incarcerated individuals based on medical necessity.

By continuing to fund such elective procedures.

We are diverting valuable taxpayer dollars from other crucial areas.

Areas like education, public health programs and support for vulnerable communities.

>> Most Democrats also oppose this bill.

>> This is embarrassing for Kentucky to see that we are continuing to go after such a small populations.

>> Of individuals who are already vulnerable.

>> These bills are now on the governor's desk.

The general Assembly will have 2 days later this month to override any of the governor's vetoes for Kentucky edition.

I'm jeweler.

>> Thank you.

June Governor Andy Beshear has already signed nearly 2 dozen bills passed this session into law.

Today.

He signed a bill that would make minor League baseball players exempt from Kentucky wage and hour laws.

Senate Bill 15 was sponsored by Republican and amaze Bledsoe of Lexington.

It ensures baseball's new collective bargaining agreement doesn't cause players to run afoul of Kentucky's regulations.

Well, we'll talk a lot about what's happened in the Kentucky General Assembly and with just 2 more days to go, what could they still do?

What do they still hope to accomplish what?

We'll talk about it all coming up tonight on Kentucky tonight at 8 Eastern 7 central right here on KET.

During the session.

We've been introducing you to new lawmakers in the Kentucky House and Senate with just 2 days left a former law enforcer shares with our McKenzie speak, how his previous career prepared him for elected office.

8 Republican Representative Tony Hampton, a retired Scott County sheriff.

As we continue our series of profiles on the 2025 freshman class of the Kentucky General Assembly.

♪ >> Representative Tony Hampton is no stranger to public office.

He served as the Scott County sheriff for 14 years before retiring and running for representative.

>> So my career in law enforcement started in 1994. started as a deputy Sheriff Scott County Sheriff's Office.

Throughout my career.

I worked there or to Georgetown Police Department was a police chief in stepping around for 2 years.

And at that time also I was hired by the Kentucky lead, the city's for risk management for law enforcement.

It ran for sheriff twice before once or in 2002 deadly in 2006 didn't win in turn around 2010.

And I was honestly at first I didn't think I want to do it.

But ultimately I decided that I wanted to do something different after being a law enforcement for 30 years.

The share for 14.

And also be in state rep representing just Scott County.

That's still my community.

And that was appealing to me.

>> That connection to his community is what he feels is his biggest strength coming into the legislative branch after being share that and his law enforcement expertise.

>> The biggest thing is is I really got to know my community, you know, share for 4 terms of 14 years.

You know, the longer you're out in public office more get to know your community.

I think it has a lot of value.

There are probably including myself.

I'm retired sheriff.

There's to retire.

Kentucky State Troopers.

And a retired police chief.

And I'm very interested in bills related to law enforcement.

Of course.

So I think I can bring a lot of value to that.

And that was basically the first 2 bills are introduced.

I was with the Chiefs of Police and Sheriffs Association, which I was up on that board for 12 years and a past president in 2021.

>> Those 2 bills were House Bill 340, which related to federal criminal background checks and House Bill 437, which would require officers of the department for Alcoholic Beverage Control to meet peace.

Officer professional standards in order to make arrests.

>> I was approached by the Kentucky Chiefs Association and the Kentucky Sheriff's Association.

There were some ABC officers out there that were not pops or 5 but had arrest powers.

And that was concerning for them and me as well because I know the importance of training and I know how dangerous it can be out there when you're possibly arresting people.

And we really don't have any formal training in that.

>> While both bills are still trying to cross the finish line.

Representative Hampton says this session for him was about learning.

>> It's all been more than what I expected as far as the job.

It's a very busy job.

If you take it seriously, it's very busy.

It's very rewarding as well, though, to be able to vote on a lot of important bills that have come through the house.

So I've enjoyed it.

My first Bill I voted on was the House Bill.

One to lower the income tax rate by half percent.

Sounds proud to have that as my first vote.

I want to learn slowly and in more rush in start introducing a lot of bills until I know what I'm doing and the I've had some we have good leadership and our caucus.

I have a good mentor who's a retired police chief and he's representative.

So.

The big thing is learning in the process taking my time and that is I don't get more confidence.

I'll introduce more pills.

>> Representative Hampton says that while he knows he can't vote to make everyone happy, he wants his constituents to know that he takes representing them very seriously.

>> I just want to know that, you know, I'm going to work hard and do the best I can.

I'm not going to rush to judgment on open.

To listening to people and their concerns.

And at the end of the day, a vote the way to fill a need to vote.

So.

You know, want everyone to know that take this job seriously.

And everyone's opinion matters to me.

>> For Kentucky edition, I'm McKenzie spank.

Thank you.

McKenzie.

Now in other news, more federal offices in Kentucky could soon close.

>> The Department of Government efficiency or Doge the website now lists 22 offices in Kentucky that will have their lease is terminated.

Those was launched earlier this year following President Donald Trump's reelection and is run by Elon Musk.

The world's richest man.

Some of the latest federal office buildings in Kentucky to make the list include the U.S. Geological Survey in Louisville, the Environmental Protection Agency and are lying or and the mine safety Health Administration and Sturgis The Associated Press says some of the leases will end in June with more scheduled at the end of August.

2 groups in Kentucky claim some utility customers in the state are being forced to subsidize investments in other states.

The Kentucky Attorney General's Office and the Public Service Commission filed a complaint against American Electric Power and its subsidiary, Kentucky Power officials say Kentucky power customers paid about 66 million dollars over 5 years to infrastructure projects outside of Kentucky, Kentucky Power serves about 165,000 customers and 20 eastern Kentucky counties.

The attorney general's office says these customers already pay the highest residential electricity rates in the state.

The complaint to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission seeks a refund for customers and for the company's practice of cost allocation to be determined, unjust and unreasonable.

Funeral arrangements have been announced for former University of Louisville basketball star and business leader Junior Bridgeman Bridgeman died almost 2 weeks ago after collapsing while speaking at the Galt House in Louisville.

He was part owner of the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and owned Ebony and Jet magazines.

Bridgeman was also part owner of Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville.

And you served on the boards of Churchill Downs, the University of Louisville at 5th 3005th bank among others, a celebration of life is scheduled for this to begin at 11:00AM.

at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville Junior Bridgeman was 71 years old.

Lexington is making a move in the right direction when it comes to overdose deaths.

More about that in today's medical news.

The city of Lexington announced there was a 32% decline in overdose deaths last year compared to the year before overdose deaths went from 177 in 2023 to 120 last year.

Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton credits collaboration and a comprehensive approach to dealing with substance use disorder for the city's drop in deaths.

>> Our numbers were improving before the pandemic struck.

However, the isolation of those years really drove our rain back in.

And since then, we've been fighting and working to get it back down.

This improvement came with a lot of hard work by a lot of people is a testament to the collaborative effects of local programs, organizations, health care providers and harm reduction initiatives.

>> This is a moment to acknowledge progress.

But we know that our work is far from over every single person struggling with substance.

Use this to deserve a chance at recovery in every family affected by this crisis deserves our full support.

We remain committed to sustaining and expanding those led those life-saving efforts with the strategic use of opioid settlement funds.

We will continue to invest in harm reduction treatment, access recovery, support and prevention programs to drive these numbers even lower.

It's wonderful to see us going in the right direction.

Again, >> reduction program started in 2015.

It's a syringe exchange, dark and testing a whole lot of different things that we do.

You can imagine not everybody approves, then it can be quite quite controversial.

However, it's been proven to work time and time again over the last few decades.

And so what we can do it, the health department is treat people with kindness.

We can look them in the eye.

We can smile.

We can say welcome.

We're glad you're here.

And when they come to our door, were able to build that trust.

You know, if we let the harm reduction process work and believe in, leads to all the right things >> according to the city Lexington's Fire Department reversed 356 overdoses in 2024.

With the first day of spring right around the corner.

Hallelujah.

Many people are making plans to get outside doing so without the proper protection could be dangerous for your health as there is a growing risk of a tick borne disease.

It's called Alpha Gal and can cause an allergy to red meat and 2023.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated more than 450,000 Americans have developed the allergy making it the 10th.

Most common food allergy in the U.S.. Our Doctor, Wayne Tuckson discuss the topic on the most recent episode of Kentucky's of Katie's Kentucky Health.

>> What is Alpha-gal syndrome?

Well, it's it's an allergy to carbohydrate, which usually you're allergic to the protein.

When you eat a food or, you know, an environmental allergen.

But with this, it's a carbohydrate sugar.

>> And it can cause any number of allergic symptoms and the patient.

And one of the weird things about it is they can be quite delayed.

So that's what rips up a lot of, you know, diagnosis process is that someone might eat steak and 6 hours later, throw up or have a rash.

And so they don't really think it was related to that meal.

So it can be a pretty tricky allergy to diagnose.

>> What are the symptoms specific enough to say, hey, this is Alpha-gal syndrome?

>> Or they so kind of nebulous.

>> The throw most physicians off track.

>> If you're not thinking about you, you won't diagnose it because the U.S. and the huge spectrum of symptoms can definitely full U.S. and what's the time limit?

Usually from time of infection to the time, a presentation.

>> from the tick tracing back to the take Knight, who I don't know if it could be facing about 3 weeks is not very weak.

Most common.

>> Onset of symptoms is 3 weeks after a tick bite.

>> Now you KET saying take bite.

So what tick and what does this take a look like?

It's a lone star tick Lonestar ticket is the Lone Star tick because come down, Texas.

I you know what I think they call the Lone Star Tick has got a little white down on its back.

But I don't think it comes from Texas.

It's more prominent in the southeast end.

>> And the New England area actually.

>> Are there other, you know, insects that can now give us this kind of disease presentation.

>> There are some studies that suggest that actually transmit AlphaGo as well.

So it was nice to stay out of the woods.

Now get something concrete, plazas to that end.

What can we do to prevent us in getting infected?

Is there anything?

Well, yeah, tell everyone for a lot of reasons.

Lyme disease and are system various tick borne illnesses.

Be very careful up there in the woods specially in the summer months.

>> Tall grass is really a classic place.

We'll pick them up.

Watch your animals, you know, maybe treat your animals, but they have socks and other clothing that supposed to repel ticks.

But I mean, they're they're tricky.

They can say King climb on anything.

And so, yeah, I just think prevention in that respect is for the best.

>> Well, for more of that conversation that might make your skin crawl.

But it's good information to have.

You can stream the full episode of Kentucky Health and learn more about Alpha Gal, including how acupuncture has been used to treat the disease.

Watch it online and on demand at KET DOT Org and be sure to look for future episodes of Kentucky Health Sundays at one 30 Eastern 12:30PM, Central right here on KET.

♪ Population projections show a southern Kentucky County could nearly double in size in the next 25 years.

Warren County is planning for that growth by seeking feedback for the B G 2050 project.

Our Laura Rogers shares more about the month-long community conversation on what could BG be.

Well, a great has grown Hopkinsville Native Ryan.

Deer Bone came to Bowling Green in 2001 study at the university where he's now an assistant professor after we toured WKU.

I was so I was like, this is what I want to be.

Bowling.

Green is going to be home for me at least for the next 4 years.

>> 24 years later, he's now helping the city plan for the next quarter century.

The Bowling Green of his and his family's future.

I want them to have a Bowling Green that is vibrant.

That is big ear bone as one of the more than 100 listening partners involved in the what could be GB initiative.

>> How do we hear from a wider range of folks about what they imagine for the Bowling Green, the 25th?

>> The answer a month long conversation.

website soliciting ideas, feedback and input.

>> Can you replace the scrolling you usually do on your preferred social media platform with a few minutes of voting on your neighbors.

Idea.

>> Nearly 4,000 ideas have been submitted since the campaign launched in mid-February.

Everything from improving public transit, improving housing and rent prices, attracting bigger name, grocery options.

Improving downtown parking a public relations effort to get the word out has been massive from billboards and banners to even a fictitious future published by the local newspaper.

Kind of like the Marvel Universe Spike when the reporters were building ideas with the storytelling pillar, it comes with inspiration and input.

>> From the University of Southern California's Civic Imagination project.

They said you can't build a future that you haven't imagined.

First.

>> Sam, Ford's innovation engine strategy for mismanaging the initiative with tech support from Polis and Google's jigsaw division car knowledge collecting.

>> More than 6,000 ideas in just less than a month's time, I think is more submissions to any Polis that's been done anywhere in the world.

The information gathered pertains to areas of economic development, housing, public health, tourism, infrastructure.

>> And quality of life.

You'll see things in this that will surprise and delight.

You.

You know, he's the idea is you never thought of before.

You'll see very specific ideas that people have.

You'll see very grandiose ideas that people have.

>> You'll probably see a few things that make you mad and say I disagree.

I don't ever want to see that.

My town Google will then use artificial intelligence to make sense of the public input.

>> Compiling it into a document for public release.

So if you're with the housing authority.

>> Habitat for Humanity feedback on housing and affordable housing might be an area.

Their focus, whereas our public library is going to be looking for ideas about community events and cultural enhancement.

Hey, Craig.

>> It has been a vital community for years.

>> As for people like Ryan Deer bones, he wants to make sure history is preserved while he remains engaged in the city's future.

>> I've lived by the motto.

I want to leave a place better than I found it.

I just want to give back to this community and be as active a part of it as I can be for as long as I can be.

>> And the final countdown is on.

And you had just a few more hours to go online to what could be GB dot com to submit your ideas and to weigh in on those that have already been given where you can agree, this agree you can pass if you're unsure about a submission.

Voting ends at midnight for Kentucky Edition.

I'm Laura Rogers.

>> Thank you so much, Laura organizers say the number of agree votes each submission gets will help gauge its importance to the community.

Again, the website is what could be GB dot com go vote.

♪ The NCAA Basketball tournament starts this week and there are 5 Kentucky teams to watch.

Plus one Kentucky town is hosting several games.

First stop the University of Louisville men's team was awarded an 8 seed.

They will play Crichton Thursday afternoon at Rupp Arena in Lexington, which is where 2 other SEC teams, Auburn and Tennessee will also start their road to the Final 4.

And the University of Kentucky men's team earned a 3 seed.

They'll talk take on Shore a Friday night in Milwaukee.

Now on the women's side, UK U of L and Murray State are all in the big dance, earning a 4, 7.11 seed respectively.

The UK women's team will have a home court advantage as historic Memorial Coliseum is also hosting the first 2 rounds of the women's tournament.

The birth of a university, a song becomes official and some March Madness.

Our Toby Gibbs has a look at some of the interesting things that happened this week in Kentucky.

History.

♪ >> This week, March to know or the actions during the Civil War.

Confederate guerrillas burned the Raleigh County courthouse on March 20st 18.

64 on the same day, union troops fled the Bath County courthouse as rebel troops approached.

Eastern Kentucky State.

Normal school was created March.

21st 19.

0, 6, The Richmond School is known today as eastern Kentucky University.

On March 1919.

28, the Kentucky General Assembly officially adopted my old Kentucky home.

>> As Kentucky's state song.

Lakers sales became legal again in Kentucky on March 18, 1934 after prohibition when Governor Ruby love phone signed the control act.

The University of Kentucky so-called big 1, 5, one, the NCAA basketball championship on March 22nd 1958. as the Wildcats beat Seattle.

84 to 72.

It was UK's 4th national title.

On March 19th 1966.

Texas Western beat the Kentucky team known as reps runs in the NCAA championship game.

72 to 65.

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

I'm Joe begins.

>> Thank you, Joe Gibbs.

It's 3 days devoted entirely to bourbon tomorrow on Kentucky Edition, we're taking you inside the James Industry conference.

Hear what industry leaders have to say about tariffs and what's needed to KET the bourbon industry growing.

More about that and more tomorrow night on Kentucky edition at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central where we inform connect and inspire.

Connect with us all the ways you see on your screen, Facebook, X and Instagram to stay in the loop and send us a story idea at the e-mail you see on your screen.

I'm Renee Shaw.

Thanks so much for watching.

And I'll see you right back here again tomorrow night.

Take good care.

♪