♪ >> While state lawmakers wait to see what bills the governor vetoes.

He's already using his pen to sign some pieces of legislation into law.

>> But at the end of the day, the Healthy Berman industry to help the spirits industry.

Is this part of what makes I'm the communities thrive.

>> What leaders are saying about the current state of Kentucky's bourbon industry.

>> These are the top of things we want to see going on across the Commonwealth.

>> Going all in for AG in Kentucky.

Schools.

>> It just doesn't get any better than that in talking about dreams come true.

Yes, they do.

They do.

>> And at 82 years-old drains are common true for a Louisville man known as Sunshine Joe, when he makes a special delivery to the Obama presidential center in Chicago.

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

♪ ♪ >> Good Evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Tuesday March, the 18th, I'm Renee Shaw.

Hopefully you're enjoying the sunshine and we thank you for spending some of your night with us.

The 2025 session of the Kentucky General Assembly is on VITA recess until next week.

>> When lawmakers gavel land for the final 2 days of this year's lawmaking session.

On those days, they'll be able to overturn any vetoes by Governor Andy Beshear as well as pass new legislation.

That is not a veto proof.

State lawmakers made a mad dash to finalize legislation before midnight last Friday to block the governor's veto pen.

One of them was Senate Bill 89, a controversial bill that redefines Kentucky waterways to align with federal standards.

Lawmakers for and against the bill discuss their rationale last night on Kentucky tonight.

>> My husband grew up downriver from Dow Chemical in Michigan.

And they have regulations that are much closer to what we just passed.

The cancer rates are sky-high.

He can't eat fish out of the river.

Boats were in the river.

And that's not what I hope for the people of Kentucky.

So I was very just heart and very frustrated that we've chosen to give away some of our protections.

I especially as you look at the federal level and the the EPA is slashing there control right now.

So not only did we go to a lower standard, we want to lower standards set by agencies that are currently low.

It lowering their standards even further.

I fear that we went way too far with this and the attempts to bring it back to the middle.

Unfortunately, didn't make the kind of difference that was necessary >> I'm I'm a former prosecutor and former coal company, general counsel.

And there's a balance to be struck.

I don't think we struggled at the end about it.

Now.

But certainly there was a need for this.

There was agency overreach.

Whether your answer or coal company, Aaron developer there was I didn't see overreach and the application of this law, things were getting held up in perm.

And so we're getting shut down.

So it was needed to reconciliation with spring Ports, Asian and federal law.

But we in so doing we are the only state that has given up everything and the corrections that were made do not protect groundwater like I would like to see groundwater protected.

>> Sometimes these bills are brought about by reactions.

And we had some problems with the cabinet issuing the appropriate permits and and essentially trying to kind of hack like California or the Kentucky.

And and and you know, this bill, I think was actually worked on are started by my colleague, the late Senator Johnny Turner, and then picked up by his successor, Scott Madden.

And, you know, I do think the bills might better with the additions in the House.

I think everybody got a lot more comfortable with it.

And, you know, at the end of the day, I thought it was a sweet spot that strikes a balance between protecting our natural resources in and allowing builders and farmers in and come companies and to 2 to be economically productive.

And so, you know, that's how I got to yes on it.

>> Our guest last night also discussed Senate Bill one which seeks to establish the Kentucky film Office and House Bill 695, which adds work requirements for most Medicaid recipients.

You can see our full one-hour conversation online on demand at KET DOT Org.

Governor Andy Beshear has received Senate Bill 89 and has not yet taken any action on the bill, but he has already signed 2 dozen pieces of legislation into law that includes House Bill one priority Bill that lowers the state income tax by another half percent to 3.5% beginning in January House Bill one was the first bill to be passed this session.

Another high priority Bill signed into law Senate bill 3 designed to modernize, modernize Kentucky's name image and likeness or nil laws.

And a bill making sexual exploitation, a felony.

He's also signed into law Senate Bill.

73 also provides legal remedies to victims and prioritizes prevention education for students and judges will now be able to finalize adoptions for families who lost a child during the adoption process.

Under a bill known as Braylon slaw Governor Beshear signed House Bill 164, into law on Saturday.

And other news, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security arrested 81 people in Kentucky last week.

A press release from Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE says the individuals are accused of being in the country illegally.

Ice would not say where in Kentucky the arrest occurred.

25 of the 81 individuals arrested were charged with criminal offenses including gun and drug charges.

The others will remain in custody until their cases are processed through the immigration court system.

Arrests included people from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Cuba and India.

U.S.

Senator Mitch McConnell says a trade war could hurt Kentucky farmers.

It's been 2 weeks since President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods went into effect.

Both countries have responded with their own tariffs and Trump's Treasury secretary announced today there are more to calm.

Senator McConnell has long warned against tariffs, but now that they're a reality, all he says he can do is complain and hope for the best.

>> I'm not a fan of tariffs.

Of work.

If it goes on very long, we'll have more of what we've already experienced encounter.

That was the taber but off to.

Show.

And American farmers.

We have 70,000 farmers and Kentucky.

Basically make their money off of trade.

Export.

So I think a long-term trade war.

Would be a mistake.

They did that in the 30's.

This call this move Hall a very protection us.

Did not work.

Tended to extend.

American depression.

Other countries.

So hoping the president will.

The set aside here sometime soon.

By the way, this is not a legislative matter.

He is authority to do this.

We don't.

The new and the other.

Complaining, as I just did.

But he has a job to do what he's doing.

>> McConnell spoke to reporters in Elizabeth Town today.

He was in Hardin County to meet with the Knox Regional Development Authority, which promotes Fort Knox and the region's defense industry.

More than 1000 spirits, industry professionals have convened on the University of Kentucky as the James B Institute holds its annual bourbon event.

Some of the main topics of conversation this year.

Tariffs expansion and what's next?

>> But this business is like being at a farm and business every year.

That's a challenge.

One year, the above sea to the crop.

It's a mighty one year we had a barrel shortage and now, you know, buys concerned about the tears.

Obviously, tariffs are dynamic situation.

We had a more.

36 are Trevor Reed comment?

>> So it's really hard to predict.

Well, it is a little concerning about the tears.

Don't know where it all and hopefully that and all get worked out before it gets really critical and >> if the people in the world's got it during his and they don't like to tear see there.

So hopefully these other countries would come around and set on a set on a great if you look at the overall spirits industry.

>> Obviously challenging year in 2024.

But there are still really interesting pockets of growth.

I think.

For bourbon in particular, there's just 2 things we really need to think through.

The first is one of the global opportunities and where can wear can bourbon.

A bourbon whiskey industry grow.

And the second is how do we make sure we're keeping them relevance?

To consumers on the geographic standpoint, there's huge opportunities for the if you look at the profit cool school for for whiskey around the world are shoes, opportunism.

Lot America for bourbon.

Huge opportunity in India for Bourbon Day Conference is really build on transparent.

>> Sharing data.

>> I love now that we're drawing people from all of its not on the United States will of the well.

>> And stays ideas, too.

>> Reduce at improve the efficiency of supply chain for the from coal.

And we had many about growers in the audience.

Then that's really exciting to me to see just becoming too.

But the between the place and the product and a lot of discussion during that.

>> And the end of the day, the Healthy Berman industry to help the spirits industry.

Is this part of what makes the communities thrive?

>> That's sustainability is court of that as well.

Because our right to operate is depending on the water healthy would healthy grand.

Also a right to operate depends on staying relevant.

And so making a bigger table for the next generation distillers and innovators to come in and challenge the industry, pushing the nation that keeps us relevant.

You see in Mister Obama, que suburban relevant.

>> The three-day conference ends tomorrow.

Kentucky commissioner of Agriculture Jonathan Shell is expected to close the conference by signing a proclamation making March 19th Kentucky Agriculture trade today.

Congressman Thomas Massie says he's seeing a surge and support after going against President Donald Trump representing Northern Kentucky's 4th congressional District.

Massey was the only House Republican to vote against the spending bill to avert a partial government shutdown last week.

His vote drew the ire of President Trump who blasted masse on social media, calling him a grand stander and said he would lead the effort to challenge Massey in a primary election.

Speaking to Spectrum News, Massey says in just a few short days sense that post he had his best fundraising total ever bringing in more than $370,000.

Massie ran unopposed in last year's general election and has held his seat since 2013.

Kentucky's longest-serving death row inmate finds out if he's moving off death row reaction after a roundtable discussion on flooding in eastern Kentucky and a new breed of cicadas are making a comeback.

After more than a decade underground.

Those stories and more as we take a look at headlines around Kentucky.

♪ >> A federal appeals court has upheld the capital sentence of Kentucky's longest-serving death row inmate.

The Kentucky Lantern reports in a 2 to one ruling.

The 6th U.S.

Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the death sentence of routine like White was 19 when he and 2 juveniles were charged in the 1979 murders of 3 elderly people and a breath.

It county grocery store White said he had heard the 3 kept a large amount of cash in store.

White was convicted and sentenced to death in 1980, in 2010 ruling by Franklin Circuit.

Judge Phillip Shepherd, but executions on hold in the state.

Shepherd ruled the state's lethal injection protocol was inconsistent with state law and provided no safeguards to prevent the execution of an inmate who is intellectually disabled or criminally insane.

25 people are on Kentucky's death threat.

In eastern Kentucky.

Officials say they are cautiously optimistic following a round table discussion with members of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers about ways to mitigate flooding in the region.

U.S. representative, how Rodgers spearheaded the meeting in Hazard were numerous flood proofing methods were discussed.

Those included dredging streams and rivers building additional flood walls, structural changes and relocating homes.

Pike County Judge Executive Reyes, Jones told the app election News expressed bureaucracy and financial constraints for the biggest obstacles when it comes to flood proofing projects and solutions and funding are needed quickly.

Jones told the newspaper, quote for us it is not a question if another event will happen.

It is a matter of when time is of the essence of this manner.

And what state Senator Phillip Wheeler of Pikeville also participated in the round table is quoted in the newspaper as saying the Army Corps of Engineers was, quote, long on sympathy and short on promises and clothes.

He said the only firm commit that they received was to conduct a study on the issue.

Expect things to get a little noisy this spring as a big batch of cicadas emerge from the ground in central and eastern Kentucky.

Rick, this is an extension entomologist at the University of Kentucky told Wv KET, you radio soil, moisture and temperature will play a role when the batch known as brood 14 will come out.

The crude went underground 17 years.

Besson tells Deputy KU to expect to see and hear them in early may.

Annual cicadas will show up late June or early July.

Besson said the bug guy in sex will stay active through May and will be followed by annual cicadas that will show up in late June and early July.

And new species of shark has been discovered at Mammoth Cave National Park, but its size and name don't exactly say here's president the chip, much shark species measured 3 to 4 inches in length and lived roughly 340 million years.

It gave specialist Rick Toomey tells Louisville Public Media that while the fossils themselves were discovered years ago, the park just recently fired the resources and expertise necessary to identify.

And that's this week's headlines around.

♪ >> Now to a learning opportunity that goes beyond the nursery rhyme.

Old McDonald had a farm kids as young as 5 years old are getting hands-on experience in agriculture and the Central Kentucky School District.

Our Laura Rodgers takes us to Hardin County where state leaders officially kicked off all in for AG Week.

>> Of the children love coming back to class weak side elementary school in Sonora created in agriculture classroom with COVID relief funds.

And it's another level of of learning is no level of analysis.

It's among the first to elementary schools in the state to develop AG curriculum.

>> Starting in kindergarten, it's taking what we're doing, classrooms already and making it relevant and I can build on what they've already learned.

And >> and apply what we've learned in kindergarten to, you know, growing things outside in 5th grade.

Students grow a vegetable garden grow.

>> Crops like corn and soybeans.

Even mystery crops.

I planned it, but they don't know what their plan then we watch it grow and also saying they get to try to guess what, what they think the crop us to tobacco, Cotton and Papa and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture says the industry provides just shy of 50 billion dollars to the state's economy.

Our crops in Kentucky are commodities that are traded on the New York Stock Exchange there.

It's big business and we want our teachers to really understand that for professional development to teachers visited Kentucky Farms to see how the industry has modernized.

Farmers are operating the machinery with IPads.

>> And there are drones involved in, you know, planning for farms.

And if it's a whole different dimension that they get really excited about.

>> That excitement translating to the classroom said that today the students are learning and comparing the digestive systems of farm animals with a hands-on activity.

They got to draw and they got to label Kentucky commissioner of Agriculture Jonathan Shell says studies show when AG is integrated into curriculum.

Test scores go up.

It's about them being able to retain and understand what they're learning.

>> For me when I was going through school, it wasn't until I actually figured out how things correlated to reality for me.

Not just in a text book tour that were really retained and understood the information.

>> Can also be used to supplement course work in other subjects like science and math.

When we look at time standards, I can say, okay, let me teach this because this is so agro culture.

I stand.

I can tie lots of things.

And with this when you're building a barn or use and geometry.

>> When you're trying to figure out how much grains and a grain bin you're using Volumetrics, when you're trying to figure out how many candles in a field you've got a cat one to the other.

It's also incentive to get outdoors, which can lead to better physical and mental health.

Among other advantages, people made the same things point Stillwater, Sunshine and fresh air and love kids get their hands dirty out in the sunshine there, working together.

They're solving problems and they're doing it all through the lens of act.

Homes.

>> With no major grocery store within several miles.

Sonora is considered a food desert and the produce they grow.

But nutritious food on local families, tables, squash beans, cantaloupe, watermelon, united.

We pretty much tried.

>> We put it out on the front porch and it's all gone.

They are coming at it as the students grow vegetables.

The classroom is also growing.

Future farmers, producers and problem Solvers.

>> Commissioner shall using the current challenge of avian influenza or bird flu.

As an example, when we look at from generation.

>> So instead of us have come to the populate Tim Barnes and in the same area, maybe the ventilation that we have.

One of these kids want a ventilation system that tore that encapsulates that barn alone, that where the infection is.

And that's all you have to be popular instead of the populate the rest of the night.

>> A chicken coop is the newest addition.

The Greek side.

I'm hoping the kids are going to love come in and collecting eggs and I hope we know we can start serving them in the cafeteria.

It's all part of the goal to provide a meaningful relevant educational experience.

It's an amazing outcome for kids because you don't always remember what people tell you.

But you remember what you did for Kentucky Edition to the lake or Rogers.

Thank you.

Laura Creekside has plans to build a barn and fence on a couple of acres for livestock.

>> The Lieutenant Governor and commissioner and commissioner of Education are traveling around Kentucky this week to see how schools are incorporating AG into classroom.

Learning.

♪ ♪ Last year we launched an initiative called the next chapter focusing on the rewards and challenges of growing older as part of the initiative, we're celebrating older Kentuckians who are drivers and making the most out of life in their golden years.

Like the man you're about to meet known as Sunshine.

Joe.

He's created a quilt that will be on permanent display at the New Obama presidential Center in Chicago.

But it isn't the first time Joe Mallard has created a tapestry for President Sunshine.

Joe shares his story on the next and side.

and my grandmother, my my great, great grandmother.

>> Instilled this value in me.

She said to me and she would tell me often anybody can start a project, but it takes a special person to finish what you start.

And that's talk with me over the years.

2 things don't worry about what other people say.

You can't do you you you get a dream and you focus on and then once you get it, you have to you have to finish it.

So I go into classrooms around Kentuckyian not only in Kentucky, the the the National Children's Bureau has commissioned me to come to Minneapolis, Minnesota, then there 2 to one of the freedom schools to teach kids.

We do embroidery.

But the whole lot of tears.

We know every kid is not going to grow up and border read.

But it's a perfect medium to utilize to show kids that anybody can start.

But you got to finish.

And if you don't finish year square, the whole project will be incomplete.

in school, classrooms in Jefferson County, all over Kentucky, other states are going to go to quilt and deals.

Juvenile detention centers, homeless shelters, Kentucky School for the Blind the Cerebal palsy School and to look at these children become inspired to work and then use their square.

And here's what we do.

Each child is given a square to embroider.

And when the squares of completed, take them and put them all together to make a wall hanging to be left at the institution.

Now, in many cases, the institution will allow the students to KET their squares.

But in most cases, they want to showcase it for the children to see it for the parents to see it and other people who come to that particular institution.

And I get so much.

Gratification from it because I can see the lights come on in these kids eyes that I can do it.

I can do is Sunshine.

Joel.

I can do it.

>> What an inspiration he is.

And you don't want to miss the full conversation with Sunshine, Joe on the next inside Louisville with Kelsey Starks this Sunday at noon 11:00AM Central right here on KET.

♪ ♪ Happy Birthday to Lexington.

The horse that is that there are bred who helped make Lexington the city, the horse capital of the world was honored Monday on what would have been his 100 and 75th birthday for 20 years.

Lexington held the title as the fastest horse in the world.

He also sired a phenomenal line of Champions.

One of his descendants tap.

It stands at games.

Why farm where there was a celebration for the 170th anniversary of Lexington's birth and the city of Lexington's 200 and 50th anniversary at the celebration.

Mayor Linda Gorton reflected on Lexington's legacy on horse racing and the city he's named after.

>> Lexington left a powerful image filled with champions, including more Admiral Citation, Secretariat affirmed and justifying.

Lexington's tradition of siren.

Winners lived on in his descendant tap and now stands here at Gaines Way.

Both Lexington and Tappan sired for winners of the Belmont, the tap and is recognized as one of the most influential and breed shaping stallions of the past 50 years, Lexington serves as the symbol of our city, the horse, Lexington, the city's modern logo features that famous of oil painting by Edward and of course, the logo of is that LAX is none other than big lax.

>> According to visit lacks Lexington's first formal racetrack opened in 17.

89 the first in Kentucky.

The city is now home to approximately 450 horse farms.

The CDC calls mental health issues and young people.

A major public health concern and getting help for those issues remains a challenge for many.

>> The treatment is not one size fits all that.

We're all the same and that we need to kind of thing outside the box and beyond just your traditional outpatient therapy in traditional medication to see.

>> Tomorrow night on Kentucky Edition, a look at the effort to get more resources to teens and young adults in Kentucky who are struggling with their mental health.

That story and so much more we have for you tomorrow night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central on Kentucky.

Addition for we inform connect and inspire.

We hope you'll connect with us all the ways you see on your screen.

Facebook X warmly, Twitter and Instagram to stay in the loop on programming on Kentucky edition and across our public affairs platforms.

And you're welcome to send us a story idea by email to public affairs at KET Dot Org and look for us on the PBS app that you can download on your smart device and time.

>> Thanks so very much for watching.

I'm Renee Shaw.

Have a good night.

Enjoy the sunshine and we'll see you right back here again tomorrow night.

Take a kid.

♪