♪ >> Examples the kind of scandal that supposedly are occurring in Kentucky that this bill is designed to prevent.

>> Lawmakers engage in spirited debate over a bill some say will protect Kentucky's kids.

>> It's just simply not in common course.

Curriculum.

Is person heading for a comeback.

This program doesn't take people kicking and screaming into it.

We've got to have some acknowledgement that there is an issue.

A program helping parents struggling with addiction issues.

Get back their lives and their children.

>> All of, you know, that quality health care is best delivered close to home.

>> And people living in one of Kentucky's largest counties can now skip the long commute to get to the care they need.

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

♪ ♪ >> Good evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION for this Tuesday March 19th.

I'm Laura Rogers in for Renee Shaw.

Thank you so much for joining us.

Some call it a simple consumer protection measure.

Others say it is anti drag.

>> A controversial Senate bill is making its way through Kentucky's lower chamber.

The statehouse with only 8 legislative days left before session ends.

Lawmakers are starting to make their final pushes.

Here's more from our Clayton Dalton as we begin tonight's Legislative update.

>> Lawmakers at a House committee heard Senate Bill one 47 which regulates adult-oriented businesses that sell material or holes shows that are sexually explicit.

Supporters say the bill is common sense.

SB One.

47 with simply provide reasonable regulations to protect children from exposure and harm from adult businesses and performances.

>> By setting a minimum minimum distance for nearby locations where children are present, including churches, education and child care centers and parks.

You know, I believe most Kentuckians may even be surprised at some of these protections are not already in place.

Opponents chime in to arguing the bill targets drag performers.

>> This bill.

It just seems mean at this point.

I am grateful that a lot of it has been subbed out that it seems less harmful, but it still seems mean it seems like we're trying to target a specific group of people who are already marginalized that were started taking away some of the the fun and the color and the brightness of our communities.

>> 2 Republicans, one former lawmaker and one current expressed their differing opinions.

>> This bill and a lot of bills, the target, gay people across Kentucky.

>> R I.

>> Of course no one would ever say that explicitly.

They're there for protecting children.

And and so I always want to know where the children's advocacy groups where where the mayors and county judges, the PTA is where where these groups.

Welcome here and say this is this is the kind of law we need.

>> You know, I got a lot of calls when we had a family family friendly drag show in downtown Ashland one Saturday morning across from a farmer's market.

In a lot of parents were quite upset.

So they may not be here in the room.

What they do is they pick up the phone.

They call the representatives and senators and that and they expect us to advocate for them, which I'm sure, you know, some opponents described the bill as an attack on LGBTQ people, particularly drag performers.

>> Today debate took a turn as some lawmakers shared their personal views on drag shows and LGBTQ people.

These drag queen shows and all this garbage.

Trying to infer you can shake your head.

No, no, you don't intimidate.

Maybe don't scare me.

>> The truth is the truth won the world are we thank.

How could we be for somebody dressing up?

Like a lady or like a woman?

And reading books to our kids.

What were we thinking?

>> And I I feel differently than some of my colleagues.

I have a nice that he's gay.

I people that live in my neighborhood that are gay.

I've been representing gay couples and same sex couples and adoptions in custody cases since before the long Kentucky was changed.

So have a litd.e bit different perspective.

A how I view that population.

And I guess for my party, I I I don't share e same sentiments that I feel that that that someone sick or that we need change them.

So I just needed to say that in and be protective of, you know, the constituency that I represent.

>> Senate Bill, one 47 passed out of committee with bipartisan support.

Only 2 Democrats voted against the bill.

It now heads to the House for foa full vote for Kentucky edition.

I'm Clayton Dalton.

>> Along Democrat State representative Ashley Tackett Lafferty from eastern Kentucky, voted in support of the bill.

State lawmakers are calling for a cur siv comeback as Kentucky additions June Leffler reports.

Science says curses can help with more than a signature.

>> And Oldham County Republican has become the curse of crusader.

This legislative session.

She pointed to research that says handwriting can improve comprehension and also objects.

So what they were seeing with the pin to paper or even the stylist to the device.

>> Was that the nuance that the connections in the brain just firing up and in in opening the brain's ability to receive knowledge as opposed to typing cursive head.

It's falling out more than a decade ago, 2010, the U.S. Department of Education introduced Common Core which quickly spread across the country.

It the adoption.

The one thing 2 things actually they left out of Common Core and you can Google it still is the word cursive in the word handwriting.

It's just simply not in common course.

Curriculum.

However, in 2017, our commissioner at the time for the Kentucky Department of Education brought cursive back into our standards for first second and 3rd grade.

But on a minimal level and with no requirement to meet a level of proficiency and the result, most students who have graduated within the last decade have little to no ability to write or read curses.

And as I mentioned, may not even be able to sign their name Senate Bill.

One 67 would mandate proficiency in cursive by the 5th grade.

>> The House Education Committee handedly signed off on the bill but offered some caution about adding another expectation for kids and teachers.

>> Because I do agree that children need to put the pencil to paper.

But then that time trade-off of and I've attempted to teach cursive to sum up and it's and then kind of backed off to just try to teach them how to sign their name.

In order to do it right.

It has to be systematic and intentional and that would take time.

And so I need to look into the time tradeoffs for that for says all of the other things that were measured on for accountability.

>> The committee also advanced to change to alternative teacher certifications.

These programs get new teachers in the classroom sooner.

>> A lot of our schools right now currently have someone that may have a bachelor's degree or even a master's degree in a particular area.

And they'rend coming from a professional setting for say we have somebody that works at Dow Chemical.

We would definitely want that person teaching chemistry to our high school students are will overqualified.

So eris just gives them the ability to enroll in a program to gain that certification and to join our ranks.

>> Senate bill 2.65 would get these people in the classroom before they even start taking college courses in education.

Currently people seeking this kind of certification have to have half of their coursework completed before they can start teaching for Kentucky edition of John Leffler.

>> Alternative routes to certification are open to college professors, professionals and veterans helping to teach in Kentucky's public schools.

More education news now, the Kentucky Board of Education is getting closer to naming its pick for the next commissioner of Education.

At the meeting today, board members gave the Kde chair the go ahead to enter into contract negotiations with their preferred candidate.

The board did not say who they selected.

The 3 finalists for Education commissioner, our Buddy Barry current superintendent of minutes and dependents, schools in Henry County.

Robby Fletcher, the superintendent of Lawrence County Schools and Jim Flynn, the executive director of the Kentucky Association of School Bus, the new commissioner will be named after the contract is approved by the full board.

The state Senate will then need to confirm the board selection that's expected to happen by the end of the month.

A former opponent of Democratic State Representative Nima Kulkarni of Louisville is trying to get her kicked off this year's ballot.

The lawsuit was filed by Dennis or land or a former Democratic state representative who Kulkarni defeated in 2018 and again in 2020 Louisville, Public Media reports or lander is claiming McCartney failed to get the required signatures on her candidacy filing making her ineligible to run 2 signatures from registered Democrats who are eligible to vote in that party's primary are needed or lender said one of the people who signed was a registered Republican at the time of Kulkni is filing in a statement school Carney called for lenders lawsuit of, quote, meritless.

A celebration of faith at the state Capitol today.

Members of the Jewish communie gathered for the first Kentucky Jewish Heritage Day.

The day also included another first naming a Kentucky Jewish heritage icon.

Have you seen a lot of changes to the Kentucky Jewish community and >> the issues we've dealt with and face both in the commonwealth across the world.

The leaders felt there should be some of the positivity.

Kentucky has a long and proud history in the Commonwealth dating back from a former state.

And an opportunity to celebrate that with our elders, with our heroes, with our youth and to come together to acknowledge the great heritage, we have a future we have here in Kabul.

>> I do want to say that it's been a great thing for me to be able to see the whole cost of education has improved and increased in our state, which has been a flying experience for me to meet teachers from around the state who are helping us do that because it is so important.

It's so important for him for kids and for this generation and for adults for that matter because people to remember what has happened.

>> To see junior isn't welcome in the capital for me is incredibly heartwarming and shows that there is a difference in America that America great years of all the time of the initial cost legacy in Jewish.

It.

>> John Rosenberg arrived in the United States and 1940 after surviving thteHolocaust.

He worked as an attorney for the Civil rights division of the Department of Justice before working as the director of the Appalachian Research and Defense Fund also known as Apple Red.

A Kentucky college is preparing for the appearance of a controversial figure and a bridge that was the scene of a dramatic rescue is temporarily shutting down those stories and more in our look at headlines around Kentucky with Toby give.

♪ >> Western Kentucky University is preparing for an on-campus apparent spike controversial figure Kyle Rittenhouse Rittenhouse killed 2 protesters and shot a 3rd during a racial justice protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

In 2020, he was 18 at the time.

He was acquitted in a criminal trial in 2021, according to Louisville, Public Media, a registered student organization, western Kentucky University's chapter of Turning Point USA has invited Rittenhouse to speak on campus on March 27th.

The chapter is part of a national organization that advocates for right-wing causes Louisville Public Media reports a Western Kentucky official says the event is, quote, not organized or sponsored by the university and that as a public institution, we cannot restrict or censored these types of events and quote, several student organizations on campus have condemned the event.

Louisville public Media says at least one group is planning to protest and police will be on campus during the event.

Louisville Public Media is also reporting emergency repairs will begin on the Second Street Bridge in Louisville Wednesday after being temporarily closed following an accident.

The accident earlier this month left a semi truck dangling over the bridge.

The driver was pulled to safety by emergency crews.

The rescue received national attention the wreck damaged several steel beams as well as the sidewalk.

A local public media reports the bridge will be closed while repairs are being made.

Some planes are expected to reopen for rush hour traffic repairs to the bridge are expected to be complete by mid April.

♪ Officials with the Paducah Convention and Visitors Bureau are asking people to recycle or return.

It's 2024 total solar eclipse glasses.

The new the sun reports, the glasses or What NASA considers crucial information.

The international Organization for standardization number and logo and the manufacturer's name that information ensures the glasses have been inspected and tested so people can safely look at the eclipse on April 8th.

And officials says the B***** gave the bureau a certification that was not displayed on the glasses.

♪ A Glasgow company's devices that help and the nationwide baby formula Shortage is in the coolest thing made in Kentucky tournament.

The Bowling Green Daily News reports Pan Tak created for out runner spirals for baby food company by heart formulas newest factory in Washington.

One official says the machines spiral shape allows products to move up or down the line more efficiently than a standard conveyor.

A winner will be announced in April.

♪ Officials with the Louisville Zoo announced the zoo's only 2 elephants will be moving to an elephant sanctuary in Tennessee.

Louisville public media reports aging elephants punch and Mickey are relocating in spring of 2025. punch came to the Louisville Zoo in 1973 and macie in 1987.

Zoo.

Officials say they plan to convert the elephant enclosure into a habitat for its to southern white rhinoceros is they will also consider building a new elephant enclosure right?

Multigenerational heard.

With headlines around Kentucky.

I hope we get.

♪ >> There are new options in some Kentucky counties for families affected by drug and alcohol abuse.

Parents at risk of losing custody can opt into a program.

>> That helps them get their lives back on track.

It's called Family Recovery court and judges and advocates say it brings stability to those who have suffered addiction.

Judged on in Blair became family court judge in Hardin County 2 years ago.

>> Near the top of her to do list was one of the things that was really important.

Offering family recovery, court and dependency abuse and neglect cases.

>> Which we're now work together at the county attorney's office and spent lots of time talking about, you know, kind of the dream of having something like that.

>> That dream is becoming reality with new FRC offices in Elizabeth Town and Somerset offering a three-phase program that connects parents struggling with substance abuse to resources for recovery.

And if the courts and government can be a part of providing those supports, that's what we need to be doing old and says those cases account for 30 to 40% of petitions they see in family court.

What we find if you look at the rest of them, if you peel back the onion, it's there in the other cases to this program doesn't take people kicking and screaming into it.

We've got to have some acknowledgement that there is an issue.

I can't for Xi to get help.

I can order it.

But ultimately you're going to be the one that can comply with this.

I started using drugs at a very young guy and addiction that would follow Kelly Sam's into motherhood until she became sober through family recovery court.

As soon as I walked through the doors, I KET I was in the right place.

Sam's is a program graduate in Clay County where she now works as a peer mentor, abstain.

So many girls walking here, you know, upset because, you know, they lost her child.

>> We're here to help.

He it's just a helping hand.

Judge Clint Harris says the program bundles together, intensive addiction treatment, mental health assessments and parenting classes.

>> Instead of giving somebody a piece of paper and say, here's what you need and then we say here is what you need to do it with a headache.

>> He says he's seen much success with FRC in Clay County and it's rewarding to watch the transformation.

>> It's kind of like the last week they suddenly the light comes on that what they've been doing is probably not the bays and I suddenly realized they can do different things.

They can do better.

>> We say the slow but steady progress.

>> Volunteers of America amid states oversees the program, which includes weekly court sessions, drug screens and meetings.

The ultimate goal is long-term sobriety.

>> And family reunification and some cases the children are never removed from the home.

If conditions are deemed safe anytime a child from their that's a loss to that child.

We can never really make up for that loss.

>> By using this type of program, it gives us the option and the ability to leave kids in the home with lots of services or if we still have to remove the children, it gives us the ability lot of times to return.

The children are enough on the family o quicker.

>> Family recovery courts goal is to restore the home to a healthy functioning family unit.

We do want this to be a long time.

>> We don't want to just put a Band-Aid on it.

And then, you know, we see him back in in family court again in 6 months.

>> The chances of relapse and ending back up in the court system go down dramatically for individuals that successfully complete recovery court.

It's just a nice and family for Kelly.

It's meant lasting sobriety and a chance to help others become the best version of themselves.

This program helped me so much and I know how good this program and its job.

It's not just a job to me.

I landed it.

>> I want by now I get the help and I get to eat all the toes.

It I went through when I E help And in Hardin and Pulaski counties where the program is brand new.

>> They hope to see the same success, the success stories and fan the climb too, a year or 2 years later, come back to us and they're working and they got their kids and I've got a half.

That's really kind of why you do it.

>> And there are many facets to family recovery Corps.

You heard them mention those parenting classes, life skills, class, isn't it needed?

The help participants find a job in a stable place to live the new offices in Hardin and Pulaski counties are still in the planning stages.

They are hiring staff and onboarding.

They hope to be officially up and running by early to mid summer.

♪ >> It is the 10 most populous county in Kentucky.

But for those living in bullet County access to medical care often requires a trip to Louisville.

For some that's nearly 40 minutes away.

Well, that's no longer the case with the opening of the University of Louisville Health, South Hospital, a 78 million dollar full service hospital located in shepherdsville.

In today's medical news, we look at what the new hospital has to offer a bullet county and the surrounding area.

>> Health care access just got better for people in bullet County and all of our surrounding areas along that 65 Corridor.

South Hospital is uniquely positioned to serve people from all of those areas.

>> It was just 2 years ago that we all stood at U of L health to make a promise and we announced plans to expand services at this South Campus medical facility.

It was incredible.

News was hope for the people of Bullet County and the surrounding region.

The community had fought for a hospital of their own for decades.

And now that full hospital was in sight.

>> Are you of ill positions have been taking care of you and your families for many years here at this medical center.

But now now has a full service hospital.

There is much more care we can provide proximity is a significant factor.

When it takes you longer to drive to an appointment.

Some people just don't go.

I having this hospital and one of the fastest growing areas in Kentucky.

We are able to reduce that barrier to care.

>> You should never have to drive an hour or take 2 buses to see your doctor or to get the health care you need.

And now the residents of Bullet County well, never have to again, not only U.S. health carry basic human, right?

It is a basic building block of our economy.

What you see around you is economic development since this expansion was announced coming into today.

This facility has already hired 150 additional nurses and staff workers.

That's 150 additional Kentuckians are able to put food on their tables and create better opportunities for their families.

>> We're going to be open in 40 bets.

We have room to grow.

We have a shelf space to be able to get 20 more quickly and then the infrastructure the building is built so that we can get a 4th floor, maybe get up to a close to 100 beds if needed on this campus.

>> These improvements help fill a gap and hospital care at one of Kentucky's fastest growing regions.

Where access to a nearby hospital as so desperately need it.

>> And officials say among future plans for the hospital creating a cancer center in Bullet County.

Turning now to more education news.

College admissions can be a tricky process for students and their families.

And that is one reason that Northern Kentucky University is implementing a new program to streamline the procedure and directly at Mitt qualifying students.

>> With us rolling out the directed meant program and KU will be the first public university in the state of Kentucky as well as within the region to have attracted MIT program for its students and for its families.

The direct admit program provides the opportunity for students who but above a 2.7, 5 high school GPA to be directly admitted into the university, not having to complete an application and not having to pay application fee.

When we step back, we said if we hold our academic criteria where we wanted to be, so we're not the barrier, the parameters for that.

What are some of the ways in which we can simplify the time-consuming process around the college application.

And so we started to look around United States.

It's what other universities we're going.

We start to hear a little bit more and more about the direct admit program.

And we said this is actually a no-brainer for us.

When we step back and look at who we are, what our mission is.

University, the direct admit process aligned perfectly with that we can to communicate with students and families, not about the application itself, but to say, hey, you've been directly admitted into and KU, let's start talking about financial aid and scholarships.

Let's talk about your first year Class is what major you're interested in how that aligns to a career you're interested in and pursuing in that for us is very, very exciting because it engages the students earlier and often.

And so they can make their decision to say, hey, I'm going to nku but say in August or September of my senior year, that's of eliminating all that stress about that college choice process and allows them to focus on their senior year and allows us to communicate with the student, the family to prepare for their transition into nku that following fall.

>> Nku is directed at MIT program will open on August.

First for students planning to attend and the fall of 2025.

♪ ♪ >> And now an update to a story that we first brought you back in October.

There are new plans for a historic property and downtown Bowling Green.

The Southern Queen Hotel serve African-Americans during segregation.

It was included ina the Green Book and is believed to have hosted entertainers like Tina Turner and Ray Charles.

The property has been vacant and in need of repairs for a couple of decades.

The city is now needed it to a couple who plan to revive the southern queen and they are donating the hundreds of items found inside the WKU Special Collections Library.

Those items include photos, books and newspapers and will be part of a future shake rag History Gallery.

Well, you may have been a child the last time you painted with watercolors but professional artist prove the medium is more than child's play.

>> You can need to be alive to puts here as opposed to what's out.

There was some photographs for what's in your mind in terms of the image that you're thinking because if it's turned into a different piece, then that the piece is.

>> Tomorrow on Kentucky edition, we'll take a deep dive into water color painting and what makes it such a unique art form.

We do hope that you'll join us again tomorrow night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky edition where we inform connect and inspire subscribe to our Kentucky Edition email newsletters and also send us your story.

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