>> The other thing I believe is that sadly can cause an increase in the suicide here in Kentucky.

>> Governor Andy Beshear vetoed a Republican backed transgender Bill.

It's a home.

With all the comforts of home.

The new Lexington Fisher House officially opens its tours to veterans and their families.

>> Some 72 years later, we take this magnificent new World.

>> And they fought for freedom abroad, but were often tonight at home.

>> Production of Kentucky Edition is made possible in part by the KET Endowment for Kentucky Productions.

The only entered Press Endowment for Public Affairs and the KET Millennium Fund.

♪ ♪ >> Good evening and welcome to Kentucky edition on Friday March 24th.

I'm Casey Parker Bell filling in for Renee Shaw.

>> He's criticized the bill for weeks today.

Governor Andy Beshear vetoed Senate Bill one 50 the bill that bans gender transitioning medical care for trans youth.

It also allows teachers to use a student's gender pronoun at birth.

Even if that means ignoring the students wishes and it bans schools from providing instruction on sexual orientation.

The governor put out a statement about the veto, which echoed many of the things he said during his news conference yesterday.

>> I believe Senate Bill, one, 15 tears away.

The freedom of parents to make important and difficult medical decisions for their kids in tears away the freedom to parents to do what those parents believe is best for their kids going stand has been government making those decisions board.

Everyone.

>> Even if the parents disagree.

The other thing I believe is that sadly is going to cause an increase in teen suicide here in Kentucky.

You look at the American Medical Association, the Trevor Project and all the data.

It's very clear now we should be in the business of preventing teen suicides and never contributing to it.

>> The Family Foundation is criticizing Governor Beshear for the veto executive director David was put out a statement saying SB One 50 will save the lives of Kentucky children by setting policy in alignment with the truth that every child is created as a biological, male or female and deserves to be loved, treated with dignity and accepted for who they really are.

We look forward to the General Assembly, overriding Bashir's, shameful veto so that the commonwealth's children and their dignity can be protected in, quote.

Here's reaction from state Senator Max Wise, a Republican from Campbellsville, a candidate for Lieutenant Governor and the sponsor of SB One 50.

Parents should look at this as a slap in the face.

It's clear Governor Beshear cares more about woke ideologues and DC bureaucrats and parents of students here in Kentucky.

I look forward to the legislature override this veto, protecting children from the irreparable harm of gender transition surgeries by making SB One 50 law.

The Fairness Campaign put out a statement in support of the governor's veto.

It says SB One 50 will only lead to disaster and despair for transgender, Kentucky kids and their families.

That's why thousands of Kentuckyian sent messages opposing SB One 50 and countless Kentucky doctors showed up in Frankfort to testify against it.

We urge state lawmakers to read the governor's veto message.

Listen to medical professionals and sustain Governor Beshear's veto.

Opponents of Senate Bill one 50 are taking their message to the streets, progress, Kentuckyian other allies of the LGBTQ+ community organized what they call a caravan of compassion, the process, a procession of cars to show support for transgender.

Kentuckians opposition to SB One 50.

There were 2 stops in Lexington and one in Berea.

The group is urging Republican lawmakers to vote against overturning today's veto by Governor Beshear.

It wasn't just Senate Bill.

One, 50 governor Beshear also vetoed Senate Bill 107 a bill that requires the commissioner of education to be subject to Senate confirmation.

If you told House Bill 4 a bill requiring the operators of electric generating facilities to submit plans in advance for how they will eventually removed their equipment when the facility is no longer operational.

The governor says he agreed with many things in the bill but doesn't like that.

Removes local input from important decisions and he vetoed Senate bill one.

26 Kentucky is challenging the constitutionality of a law or executive branch decision could ask for the case to be moved out of Franklin Circuit Court to a circuit court picked at random.

Some Republicans don't like decisions made in the past by the Franklin Circuit Court in his veto message.

The governor called SB One.

26 a power grab by the General Assembly.

The governor signed 3 bills supporting police Senate Bill 89 allows an urban county government to re-hire retired police officers as needed House Bill 3.80.

What's future officers train before they are?

21 years old.

As long as they're 21 by the time their certification takes place and House Bill 5.40, will allow for school resource officers for private and parochial schools.

During the session, the Kentucky General Assembly passed bills related to higher education but didn't pass others.

Yesterday, Renee Shaw sat down with Doctor Aaron Thompson, president of the Kentucky Council on Post-secondary education, trade with legislators on what they did for higher Ed.

>> How do you rate of the session for higher education?

What did you get that you asked for and what may be did you combat that was defeated?

>> Well, I mean, we're asking for a lot.

Obviously, we want to save some money going into what we're doing with building our P 20 and that work.

Has we have 47.8% of the students graduating from high school won the college.

We were able to get some money for the last.

Our profiles through Kentucky Department of Education Bill out these bridge programming to help those students that are academically socially, emotionally, culturally, not prepared for college can be prepared.

This working our hope was to get money, but they didn't open the budget out for that were open.

That comes next year.

You know, we did get HB 200, which is a healthcare PCP working with employers to build what was going tied to it.

But good legislation.

You know, the guns on campus Bill was kill.

That was just a bad bill.

I mean, to have guns on campus given the great thing.

I promise you and the university president supported that.

And we heard testimony from one of the police chiefs and >> Western hit that the chief there who said none of the university police chief supported that.

and that's not.

I mean, the bill is dead for this session, but it could be revived next year.

>> It could be.

I hope not.

I really do.

I think that you have no chief of police, but we know pull.

He's I mean, you may find in there police person somewhere but not all of the presidents are community colleges or our four-year institutions, nor me who's been in the area.

>> And what about your student body?

Presidents are groups like they were good.

Guess that, too.

So it just it didn't.

It doesn't make sense.

This is a situation whereby here.

I mean, it's not a Second Amendment issue, a man from the hills of Kentucky.

You know, it's not about that at all, but it is about creating, you know, issues well and behavioral health are increasing ever more in Kentucky as a whole but surely on our campuses, you know, and a variety or look at suicide rate, Jed Foundation.

This came out with new stuff today.

I mean, look at the rise of know, I mean diagnose mental health needs.

There are good and im not tree.

There are those that are undiagnosed.

This is not a good thing to do.

So there are many things that didn't happen.

I think Harry Reid came out fared You know, there are some things that we do need to bring next year.

We're going to performance relook mean we've got to help.

Her institutions are smaller, truly to get dollars to be able to serve the populations that are in most need that are in And so they are most needed.

But all of our institution, we are a solution.

you know, and out the problem.

So I hope we are.

We've kept tuition down we're going to continue to do our best to KET it down with inflation rates up as high as 9%.

We're still going to be put down way below that.

So all of things that I hope we're able to do and that, you know, I work well with the General and they were, quote me with the governor's office with a higher Ed.

And I hope we continue to do that to work.

You ever look for solutions not to spend her time combating things that are harmful but to do things together and bad are good for our it and contact.

During that conversation.

Doctor Thompson also discussed a just-completed audit.

>> Of Kentucky State University's finances in 2018 2021. that audit found questionable spending poor record keeping and poor communications.

Doctor Thompson says he was not surprised by those findings.

The number of registered voters has declined in 82 of Kentucky's 120 counties since January 2020.

This is after effort to purge Kentucky's voting rolls of people who have died who've moved out of the state or who have been convicted of felonies or been judged mentally incompetent Secretary of state Michael Adams praised election officials for their diligent work.

>> Time now for in double check in on some major political developments this week inside Kentucky politics with our dynamic duo for McCarthy Solutions we have on the left side of the screen, German Brown and Democratic strategist on the right side and the Wickliffe a Republican consultant and strategist.

Thank you both for being with us.

So let's just talk about the bills that the governor signed the time.

We should say a disclaimer.

We taped this conversation on Thursday afternoon shortly after 04:00PM lot could happen by the time we make air on Friday.

But Sherman, can you give us some perspective about the kinds of bills that the governor has been signing up to this point?

>> I think what you've seen so far as the bringing people signing some some bills that bipartisan in nature is a lot of a lot bills that he's had >> and Bledsoe first bill that she had passed.

>> Recognizing her for that.

He's had folks come called together kind of doing several bills at a both on Wednesday and on Thursday during his regular address and talking to folks have and, you know, 4 or 5 bills sino was going over each of those individually.

He's done some of these done more bills than that overall, as far as as far as signing throughout the throughout the day and getting those over 2 secretary of State a to be enrolled.

I want to go to you me and ask you about there's some.

>> Bills that are pretty substantial that are left for the General Assembly to reconcile when they go back into session Wednesday and Thursday.

Talk to us about what we still could see.

And of course, they forfeit their opportunity to override any veto.

So this must be fairly safe bipartisan legislation that they think the governor well also favor that they're going to pass.

>> I think you would hope so.

And you're the worst.

Certainly going to see a medical marijuana probably take its next step and hopefully final step here in the House.

Sports betting is still a bill that awaits action in the Senate.

I know that they are looking to that to make sure that they've got those votes in the Senate as proponents try to work to see that across the finish line.

The Bourbon Barrel tax issue is one that remains on the list of things to get done.

This is a bill that is supported back Kentucky's distillers to try to make sure that we maintain the competitiveness in the distillery business here in by trying to phase out that tax on a local level to make sure that that is not a barrier for more businesses to grow throughout the state.

So lots more work to be done.

There's a lot of also low hanging fruit as well to be done there.

Senate Bill 17 on which is a great Kuzma Senator Julie, Rocky Adams alongside Secretary of State Michael Adams, which seeks to expand the address confidentiality program for victims of domestic violence and stalking.

So a lot of those issues that don't necessarily make the news every day that are going to be real tangible winds once they cross the finish line.

Absolutely.

And and we've covered all of those bills.

And I want to ask you a little bit more about some of the Bills Sherman and talked about that them.

>> The governor was taking approach almost the Matic Lee about what he was getting special highlight attention to and there are some measures that he signed that have real implications and we don't talk a lot about them.

But the key scholarship program and that expansion to cover proprietary schools and military.

I just want to give you a little bit of time to talk about how significant that piece of legislation is.

>> Yes, in about 15 people were which was sponsored by Sen Jerry Cartoon Carpenter.

This is been a bill that proponents have worked on for several years at the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce supports at the Kentucky Farm Bureau.

The Homebuilders Association.

It really seems to make sure that those keys dollars that are that students are in while they're in high school can follow them where they go.

So those students choose to want to go directly into a trade school, specifically and a program that is how workforce demand sector, meaning we need more workers in those job sectors that those key scholarships could follow that student there.

So we believe that that is going to open up a lot more help to address our workforce.

Workforce shortage in some key areas.

Clearly the governor saw that is part of a group of bills that would help address the worker shortage that we are grateful to see him sign that bill.

Yes, so let's talk a little bit in the time remaining of there's been some action and the governor's race on the Republican side in that primary and we get so consumed with the legislature.

Oftentimes we give short shrift.

>> To this.

But I'll start again with you, Amy, on this.

A lot of movement here the candidates are seeking to stake their claim from an op-ed from Alan Keck, too.

A new plan by Ryan corals.

And it seems that Cameron and Craft is mix it up on these ads.

>> That's right.

We have in our the time of the giving a primary with where it's a matter of how many hands can you shake across the state and how many living rooms can you be an by virtue of our media or paid media on TV and the we did see op-ed from Alan Keck out this morning talking about how he is the authentic candidate in the race.

Ryan Quarles is talking about a tax plan about ending the death tax about making sure that coal severance tax dollars go solely back to those counties who earn those dollars but also talks about foster care adoption and making sure that our kids have an easier way to work themselves through the process and asking churches to step up.

And then of course, we've seen on the Kelly Craft, of course, has been on TV, I believe since December.

She is the only candidate who has been on TV, although I will say, I believe I saw that Eric Deters made a tiny back up in northern Kentucky were unsure what that is.

I would expect more candidates to go up on air as we near.

I think we're going to be about 7 weeks out from the primary.

So now's the time for all of our focus will really shipped to that race.

Not think you'll see candidates try to make very good distinctions between themselves to try to separate themselves from the pack.

>> The governor has a primary.

He has a peppy Martin and there who is a Republican before in the late 90's.

And of course, Jeff Young.

So what what does the governor do during this time?

Sherman Brown?

>> I think you're going to you're going to see him KET doing what he's been doing as far as just does his talking across the board.

The good part is that the talking points, the using things that he can talk about for the last, you know, 3 years for the, you know, the prices, governor, looking at what he's done both the floods, the tornadoes, ice storms going through there and showing up for Kentucky families.

>> The economy, I mean, where we are right now with just the electric battery.

Just that part of the electric battery capital of the world are going to hear those over and over and over with the order.

>> As Kaitlin sentiments in Hopkinsville and ASC.

Maureen, you can hear a lot about over the next couple months.

>> And I think also there's the bipartisan nature of the things that he's been able to do.

I'm getting things done.

And you look at the Brent Spence Bridge Project in northern >> That has been a project has been going on for, you know, the been needed for 4 decades being able to get an issue that the clean water programs most of which are uninsured and to just announced the facts we you know, that I think those are going to things are going to come out for over the course of not just for the next 6 weeks, but but ongoing.

I think that's where me and he enjoys being the most popular governor in the country right now.

And again, another thing you're going hear about it.

He's got that.

And it's just from, you know, being out in front of everybody.

And you talk about shaking hands and being on TV in earned media having an hour and a talk about what answer any question that was thrown at him during COVID.

I'm literally just anything that people want to ask, he says and that's going to that's going get just a over the next over the next, you know, 7 months.

Yeah.

>> Well, I'm certainly will say that even some of the Republican contenders have taken up some of the ideas of Governor Beshear medical marijuana.

We've had some endorsement of that and teacher pay.

So we'll see how those messages continue to play out in the weeks to come before May 16th.

Thank you, Chairman Brown.

Thank you, Amy Wickliffe.

It's good to see you.

Hope you're getting some good rest and I'll see you next week.

>> Thank you.

♪ >> Kentucky veterans and their families have a home away from home in Lexington today.

The doors officially opened on the new Lexington Fisher House and 9 million dollar facility located on the campus of the VA Medical Center.

On least town road in Lexington, we took a look inside the place where veterans and their families can stay for free while their loved ones receive care.

♪ ♪ >> How do you thank someone who has given you everything?

That's what veterans have done.

I have met families who have stopped by.

>> Walmart to a tent for blankets of it.

They don't know where they're going to stay.

But they know they want to be there.

And so to have a house where they can come and be supported is so important.

>> We have 16 private suites.

It's almost 15,000 square feet.

And again, it's not a hotel.

It's not a dormitory.

It's a home.

With all the comforts of home.

And you can have as much privacy as you want.

But you also have a built-in support group.

Because you're staying here with other families who are in similar situations.

The true secret of the Fisher Houses the way family support one another.

>> You know, you ask how your loved one is doing.

I got a call saying he had been injured in Iraq.

>> And so that was in 2004.

And so I was on a plane that evening and head over to land.

So Germany and I didn't know what a Fisher House was or where I was going when I walked in.

It felt like home.

>> They agree that it would beneficial for me to stay there with her.

To the hoop ration period, which was about 2 weeks of time.

And during that I definitely feel like it encouraged faster healing for me.

So to be able to provide here in Lexington is is amazing.

>> There are times you're wondering, is this ever going to get done?

And to finally have the ribbon cutting today and then accepting families in the days and weeks to come is so gratifying.

It's a blessing for the numerous soldiers who have done so much said to be able to provide a little bit of support.

>> For their family here to Fisher when they're going through a tough time.

There's a tremendous emphasis on bringing the family, the caregivers N. >> To give a better experience for all and to give the highest quality of life to those who served.

And that's what this is about.

There are 94 Fisher Houses in the U.S. and Europe.

This is the second Fisher House in Kentucky.

>> The other is located at Fort Campbell.

The Lexington Fisher House will open to military veterans and their families at the beginning of April.

It's no secret that our diet can impact our health.

But not everyone has the same access to food.

Doctor Heather Nordenberg off with the University of Kentucky says the food insecurity rate in the commonwealth is above the national average of about 12% in some communities.

It's way above.

>> I said one in 8 across Kentucky, but we have some communities.

Some counties that have food insecurity rate to 25% or higher.

So that's one in 4 adults in a community that really do not have consistent access to food that meets the needs of for themselves or their household.

So this is an incredibly it pervasive issue that we have that we really need to dress up.

We want to have some bigger conversations about how nutrition impacts health.

>> You can learn more about the correlation between food and health this weekend on Kentucky Health with Doctor Wayne Tuckson.

The show airs Sundays at 12, 30 Eastern 11, 30 central right here on KET.

♪ >> Yesterday was Tuskegee Airman Commemoration Day and the city of Richmond celebrated in a big way.

7 service men and women were honored for their military service.

One man in particular have been memorialized in an incredible way.

>> From 1940, Y 1946.

In 96 plate.

It's what trained to ski Army airfield.

Approximately 445 pilots were deployed overseas 150 lost their lives during this period.

The complete and total success at the Tuskegee Airmen and their support personnel experiment transform there.

Country in the military and transformed our society.

Some 72 years later the day.

KET, this magnificent mural, a first lieutenant Frank Douglas Walker.

Those courageous thanks.

>> Frankie Walker was a Richmond native and a pioneer in more than one way.

Mister Walker joined the U.S. Army Air Force and Fort Thomas Kentucky on April 15th 1942. selected to become a combat pilot.

He was trained and assigned to the 300 32nd fighter group.

The 300st squadron of the famed Tuskegee Airman.

>> Mister Walker flu.

55 missions escorting and defending bombers in the European theater.

After a service Mister Walker became the first African-American U.S.

Postal service carrier here in Richmond.

This mural is a vivid tribute to this amazing man's life along with it.

We're dedicating a historical marker to celebrate Mister Walker and 6 others from Madison County served in various roles with the Tuskegee Airman.

Let us work to be worthy of their sacrifices, but being better people, a better community, but make sure that everyone is included and no one is left behind too.

>> The mural of Frank Douglas Walker and the historical marker can be seen on Madison County's public libraries, Richmond branch, building.

♪ >> Enjoy arts and crafts and an early taste of Easter.

Toby Gibbs tells us more in this.

Look at what's happening around the Commonwealth.

♪ >> Vintage market days is making its way to Lexington this weekend featuring original art and takes handmade treasures, outdoor furnishings and much more this evening has something for everyone.

The second action for Autism Egg Hunt is happening in London the Saturday.

Grab your basket and head on down to this excellent celebration that will include crafts, a reading of the Easter story and the one and only Easter bunny.

Enjoy a night under the stars with Star Party this Sunday.

Our Park Arboretum in Madisonville invites one and all to a night sky presentation led by Ross Workman with plenty of telescopes to observe the beauty and vastness of our Galaxy.

You may know the classic stories of snow, white and sleeping beauty.

But did you know the dwarfs are amazing dancers and that Aurora went to Prince of School before she fell asleep.

Experience the magic of both tales in the Princess Place showing this weekend.

And next at Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights.

Watch mom and daughter swapped places in freaky Friday.

The musical at Playhouse in the park in Murray this weekend based on the celebrated novel and hit Disney movies.

This story is full of laughs and love and a reminder of the importance of self acceptance and respect for what others may be going through.

Wil Wheaton, Crystal Wilkinson, Kevin Wilson and more will all be at the Southern Kentucky book Fest in Bowling Green this Saturday at your favorite authors get signed copies of their books and enjoy all things literature or and this celebration of how stories bring us together.

Get ready for the Spring Derby with the Main Street Derby in LaGrange.

The Saturday Craft.

Your own noodle horse.

Join in the parade and make your own Derby had in this family friendly event.

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

I'm Toby gives.

We hope you'll join us again Monday night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky Edition, we inform connect and inspire.

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That's Kentucky Edition.