♪ >> This is the day the Lord has made.

Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

>> A lawmaker gets biblical to express his joy at the passage and signing of a Kentucky law legalizing medical marijuana.

Kentucky Republicans react as a grand jury indicted former President Donald Trump.

>> There's mask.

There's creative writing.

There's all kinds of skills that students can use.

>> And how old playing games are helping students learn?

>> 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 this last day of March, March 31st.

I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you for starting off your weekend with U.S.

Governor Andy Beshear has already declared a state of emergency as dangerous weather moves through Kentucky.

>> And the worst danger for tornadoes is in the far western part of the state.

The same area hit by deadly storms in December of 2021.

Here's Governor Beshear on the weather about 10 eastern this morning.

>> We were just advised meteorologists that especially the Jackson purchase area.

Is in significant danger.

Tonight, the words that the meteorologist used is that it was probable that we would see long-track, violent tornadoes.

This is an area that was hit in December of 2021.

By the unimaginable and there is far too high of a probability.

We will see that again tonight.

>> The governor urges everyone to stay aware of the weather and to stay in a safe place.

Rain and wind are slowing efforts to investigate Wednesday night's Black Hawk helicopter crash that killed 9 soldiers in Trigg County.

2 helicopters crashed during an Army training exercise.

The military says the service members who died ranged in age from 23 to 36 non were from Kentucky.

Governor Beshear has ordered flags at all state buildings be lowered to half-staff through Monday in honor of the victims.

The Kentucky General Assembly gave final passage to a bill legalizing medical marijuana for the first time ever yesterday.

The bill is now law and then our legislative update.

Casey Parker Bell breaks down what the law means for Kentuckians.

>> Kentuckians will be able to purchase medical marijuana for the first time in 2025. now that legislators have passed Senate Bill.

47 legislators say the delay before sales become legal is to allow time to create new regulations and make changes to the law.

And I promise you.

>> This is the most tightly regulated cannabis bill in the United States.

>> Kentuckians will be eligible to receive medical marijuana cards if they have certain medical conditions.

Those include cancer, epilepsy, chronic pain and post traumatic stress disorder.

But some legislators are concerned that opening the door for medical marijuana.

I mean, the next push will be for recreational marijuana.

>> I really feel like that.

We are going possible s****.

Toward recreational marijuana.

The Cabinet for Health and Family Services will oversee the new medical cannabis program.

>> The Cabinet will regulate all aspects from production to dispensing of the new drug Taylor Mill Representative sure took issue with that part of the legislation.

>> Is creating a giant taxpayer funded.

Government bureaucracy around one drug.

>> Last legislative session Mosher sponsored a bill creating the center for Cannabis Research at the University of Kentucky.

She and other legislators called for more research before passing a bill to legalize under Senate Bill.

47 smoking medical marijuana is not allowed but card holders will be able to vape the product.

The distinction some legislators took issue with.

>> This doesn't have to be run through.

It's been mentioned a number of times.

I watch committee today so we can do some things in January.

It doesn't take effect in 2025. while the her.

>> Despite the pleas to halt Senate Bill, 47, the state House gave the measure final passage.

66 to 33 making the last day of the 2023 Legislative session.

Historic for Kentucky edition.

I'm Casey Parker Bell >> thank you, Casey Governor Beshear signed the medical marijuana bill this morning surrounded by longtime advocates and legislators who supported it, including Representative Jason Amos.

>> Filled with.

There are governors, you know.

Thousands and thousands of Kentuckians who just want to be.

And what to feel better.

And this will help them with that.

We walked through the hallway, Senator West, as you know, in Frankfort and we hear so many people who whisper to us.

Please fight for us because they don't want to be felons.

They want to do right?

They want to be right.

They want to do good things for their family.

>> The governor also signed House Bill 5.51, the bill that legalizes sports betting in Kentuckyian that Bill House Bill 5.51, authorizes the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission to regulate the new gaming option.

Kentucky will now become the 37th state to legalize sports wagering since the U.S. Supreme Court and powered states to do so in 2018, supporters say tens of thousands of Kentuckians are driving across state lines to make legal sports wagers.

It's expected that revenue from the new gambling option would add about 23 million dollars to the state's general fund.

The state's 9 horse racing tracks would be licensed to provide sports betting and allowed to contract with online gaming providers for Betts may through a website and mobile app.

The Senate coast on the measure last night on a 25 to 12 vote.

>> We are sports crazy state.

We love our sports in the Commonwealth.

And people want to be able to make the choice of their own free will.

To make a wager on a sports event.

Like almost all of our surrounding states.

>> License fees at the horse racing tracks is set at $500,000 and a $50,000 would be for gaming providers.

Annual renewals are 50,000 for tracks and 10,000 for gaming providers, House Bill 5.51.

Does not legalize online poker or fantasy sports.

It's an issue that splits party alliances.

>> Remember that most of this betting is going to be happening on this.

Through an act.

Already in existence.

Bill.

But some company out of Kentucky that's maintained out of consecutive creates no jobs in Kentucky.

The money that is spent there.

There's a finite, a a specific.

Amount of disposable income within your family, for the families of Kentucky, within our communities and whatever money is spent on that app.

Gambling on whatever sport you want to bet on his money that's not spent.

And church offering plate this not spent on a United Way campaign that's not spent in a nonprofit that needs you.

I made a promise to my constituents when Iran that the only way I would vote for game one.

We'll be on a constitutional Amendment.

Kentucky's constitution only allows 3 types of game one.

Lottery, charitable gaming in pari-mutuel and this doesn't fit in any of those categories.

>> A lot of people were already making a bet on their phone.

They're already doing it.

They're already had the bookies.

They already have that set up.

Now it's all around us.

And one thing we do know from experience is that prohibition doesn't work.

What does work is a calculated, intelligent regulation and oversight.

And I think this bill does that.

>> Tampering with the outcome of a sports event is a class C felony.

As you saw, the governor signed the measure earlier today.

A measure ensuring that drug users aren't arrested when they're trying to prevent overdoses headed to the governor's desk House bill 3.53, by state Representative Kim Moser removes fentanyl test strips from the drug paraphernalia laws.

Fentanyl test strips are low cost method of helping prevent drug overdoses and reducing harm by detecting the presence of fentanyl and different kinds of drugs and drug forms.

The bill also requires the state health cabinet and the justice and public safety cabinet to conduct a fentanyl, education and awareness campaign.

0.

Retired nurse says report show that fentanyl the potent synthetic opioid is in more than 70% of all all overdose deaths.

>> Given the insidious introduction of fentanyl into the illicit drug supply that we're seeing now such as in counterfeit drugs are counterfeit pills bought on the street.

The risk of accidental overdose and even an intentional acts.

So sure is extraordinarily high.

But no accounted for 40.0.

2 1% of Kentucky drug overdoses in 2021. while heroin that got all the attention numerous years ago, several years ago is down to 3.7%.

>> That Ingram head of the Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy backs the measure as a common-sense harm reduction method that he believes will and can save lives.

>> We've got to learn a new term recently.

It's not drug overdoses that struck poisoning.

A college student who thinks they're buying in at all off the street to study all night ends up dying of an overdose of fentanyl because that's what's the active ingredient is in the substance.

A young person who buys but they think it was an X off the street.

To help him sleep.

Turns out to be fentanyl and the poison they overdose.

That's why we need this bill.

We're just trying to save lives.

You know, it's not every day we have the Chiefs of police in the ACLU agreeing on the same bill.

So as purpose, pretty exciting.

And I think that speaks a lot of why we need to pass us.

>> On a unanimous vote of 96 to 0 and the House last night, House Bill 3.53 was sent on to the governor.

And the final hours of the session.

Several Republican state representatives were removed from their assigned committees.

Here they are representatives Felicia Rayburn of Pendleton, Josh Callaway of Irvington.

Steven, don't of our Langur Mark Heart of Falmouth Kim Porter Moser of Taylor Mill and Nancy Tate of Brandenburg being removed from a committee can only be Don by House leadership, Representative Rayburn, who was stripped of all.

But one of her committees told Austin Horn with the Lexington Herald-Leader that the move was, quote, retaliation for challenging leadership.

We'll discuss those changes and the legislation that affects you that goes into law Monday night on Kentucky tonight at 8 Eastern 7 central right here on KET.

Don't want to miss that conversation.

State Senator Whitney Westerfield, a Republican from Fruit Hill in Christian County, says he will not seek reelection in 2024.

In a letter, Westerfield says his wife and 2 children have sacrificed so he can serve in the General Assembly, but he says they sacrificed an off.

He is in his 3rd term as a state.

Senator Westerfield is also the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Former President Donald Trump is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday following his indictment and New York City.

The move will usher in the unprecedented scenario of a former U.S. president being arrested and forced to stand before a judge.

Trump's indictment was announced late yesterday afternoon.

It follows a grand jury probe into hush money paid during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence allegations of a sexual encounter with a former adult film actress.

The indictment itself has remain sealed for now, the Republican former president denies any wrongdoing and is denouncing the investigation as a witch hunt and political persecution by a Democratic district attorney.

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron who was endorsed by the former president, his run for governor of Kentucky, reacted to the news on Twitter.

He said, quote, like many Kentuckians, I'm appalled by the political weaponizing of our justice system against President Trump.

Other GOP candidates for governor of Kentucky also weighed in.

Kelly.

Kraft said, quote, left us will stop at nothing including political prosecution to stop President Donald Trump.

Meanwhile, Biden and George Soros-backed district attorneys like criminals walk the streets.

Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles acco those sentiments.

He tweeted, quote, The New York City DA is spending his time in office focused on going after President Trump.

Instead of prosecuting violent crime.

>> Time now for in the week.

Look at some major political happenings here in Kentucky, especially when it comes to the recent legislative session.

>> That just ended on Thursday night.

We're glad to have a husband and wife duo from the boutique.

The government relations and Public Affairs Relations, a boutique Piper Smith with us.

We have Jarrett Smith was on screen left and at the Piper whose on-screen, right?

We thank you both for being with us after a very hectic breakneck Pace session.

Hope you're going to get some good rest this weekend.

So let's start talking.

Ladies first, I do to you, Abby, let me ask you to if you can encapsulate a theme.

>> For hashtag K why GA 23, what is it?

>> getting more divided.

>> Wow.

Okay.

The divides are getting more divided.

What do you say?

Jared?

Everything everywhere.

All at >> I agree with that one.

I like that.

And that should be on some kind of bumper sticker somewhere.

So let's start there, Jared, because, you know, we we went from we were told it was going to be a slow session, just tweaking some legislation.

So you had the income tax get another half percent.

And then 30 days later, we end up without legalizing sports betting and medical marijuana.

And then we have this anti-trans legislation in between that really took up a lot of the oxygen in the room for a long time.

Talk to us about how you think leadership handled this session and and what it says about their ability to KET things under control.

When there's so much happening everywhere.

All at once.

>> Well, it's it's you know, it's the problem of when you have states many members as as the Republican Party has in the in the Legislature, you know, it's almost you can't please everybody.

And you're going to see people be upset and, you know, and good leadership is always everything's behind closed doors.

We get upwards around.

75 80 members as they are now.

It's going to come out in the open.

We saw that in the with the greatest shame tabling and you saw a little bit over in the Senate.

When Jay with the Senator Williams much less harming a version of one, 50.

That Senator Carroll and Senator Meredith were behind.

And so, you know, when you get this many people, it's going to happen.

We saw, you know, it's no secret.

The leadership uses committee assignments to reward and punish people they've been doing in Congress for every day to every state legislature and they did it again last night in, but they waited till after the session instead of doing it during session, which I thought was But they get a bunch of people off of committees.

And, you know, 2 of the mortgage, what I would part of a group just not friendly to leadership.

>> and then I don't know.

You know, no representative Moser one off of Ellen or they had to do something for her because of the Neanderthal and Athol comments.

>> So it's just, you know.

I think they did the best they could do with the numbers they had and the controversial legislation that they decided to bring to the floor of the smallest in a small session.

>> So I want to get Abby's opinion on this because, yes, I mean, you know what, how do you assess the fishers?

And let's just talk about the GOP contests is in both the House and Senate.

And then let's talk a little bit more.

Give our audience some context about these committee reassignments that happen really on the 11th hour before they inside.

He died, as we say, which is not what you're supposed to say, but the floor is yours.

Miss Abby.

>> Sure.

Thank you.

And you I think yours is the right word.

And when we talk about a major fractures, they're not great right?

And that we have to remember that these are internal matters in the caucus.

I don't expect that you will get a public statement from leadership on the committee but they've been very much as Garrett, that it's normal procedure in aid every nearly every that operate this way.

So and we have to remember at the same time, I think it does.

Really beg the question of where is the Republican Party headed?

We thought the couple about that 5th session that we're very indicative of an group of power in both chambers.

From Liberty candidate, the party candidate that quite frankly, I'm not really have any power before.

So something to watch for sure.

And I expect will be it at an increasing rate in the interim and maybe even through next session.

I do also think that the controversy around all the bad and the 3rd det cord that happened in caucus when you have that kind of a divided that that be to grow may cause a lot of people that aside, I don't know if I want to do that anymore and that we want to see how that turns out that obviously next year, all 100 members, a pond on the ballot for election.

And how so the interesting thing and one thing we learned on the last day, day 30 of the session was that Whitney Westerfield, who was chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, announced he would not seek reelection.

Now he'll be there.

>> For the 24 session, but he's not going to seek re-election.

Was that surprising to you, Abby?

>> Yeah, certainly it was the right thing to most people I think that it would be a huge or it will be a huge loss.

Senator Westerfield has been diligent to take on issues those that's Republican senators don't take on or how members guys worked very hard.

You about that.

The he's worked h*** o* issues related to maternal mortality.

And you've got a lot of things that if about complex issues, they're not easy.

Both the PAC, I think.

The fact of the Crown Act and get out of the Senate this year is surely a disappointment.

And that's something he's been passionate about a long time.

I'm and he might be one of the fact that it was bad enough is enough.

I need to go home to my family and actually make the money at one that will convey So I wish him the very best of luck.

But but we we will make it a deeply.

>> Yeah, Jerry, just for you to weigh in on the Crown Act, which would, you know, ban racial discrimination based on hairstyle wearing.

And he'd also been a big proponent for disproportionate minority contact, not just with the juvenile and criminal justice system, but with all systems, right, and even had bills that would have asked just to gather data about that, but had some resistance within his own party.

So we think about him and we think about folks like Danny Carroll, he made some pretty courageous and bold moves, a Republican from Benton in western Kentucky.

I mean, so what does this say about where the Republican Party is moving when it comes to legislative lay governing themselves?

>> Well, unfortunately, I believe that Senator Westerfield is a canary in the coal mine.

I expect others to follow suit.

Senator Carroll gets very courageous things the session and my hat's off to him for stuff that he did as well representing Moser.

You know, they took the courageous stance against their caucus and they're not rabble-rousers.

You know, they're not Tea Party liberty candidates.

You know, there are.

>> Solid rank and file committee chairs.

And so, but unfortunately, I think some people are like a bomb had to go up there and feel that again, you know, I had to queue chairs, complain about the process.

They can get stuff done that you that you should be able to get done.

And so it's just, you know, I think there's good thing.

You're going to see a lot more people just saying I I'm not doing this anymore.

You know?

>> Well, we never have enough time to talk about all that's happening in Frankfort.

So we'll have to have another opportunity some other time because they'll be more stuff to talk about.

Now.

We thank you, Abbi.

Fiber and Jared Smith for joining us today.

Have a great restful weekend.

>> Thank you.

Thank you.

♪ ♪ >> For years, Dungeons and Dragons has been played in the home.

Now it's making its way into the classroom.

Educators around the country are using role playing games and making learning fun.

We went to Shelby County to learn more about role playing games and how they help kids learn.

>> When it comes to game-based learning, the idea of it is that the game is how you learn the process upon which you as a student to learn the content on the scars.

And in that sense role playing games, especially tabletop, roleplaying game like Dungeons and Dragons can be really powerful way of achieving both the academic and also that social emotional tone.

>> You've got to be a critical thinker.

You have to be an effective communicator.

You have to be responsible collaborator working with teams.

There's mask.

There's creative writing.

There's all kinds of skills that students can use these ideas, a critical thinker, productive collaborator, effective communicator.

Exactly along the lines.

>> Of things that the state of Kentucky has started to craft a called the portrait of a learn.

And it's something that many districts now throughout the state of Kentucky are also doing in their own portable learner profile to graduate from the different districts.

>> Is it a little bit early for these kind of hi, James.

>> I used to not be that very imaginative and creative.

But like just going in the dot that's helped me expanded my like outlines of what makes a good story and what not and so went on like in the only way I can and usually write better.

I love to use them in the classroom.

You could use it in English language arts, with creative writing, you could use it in mass with learning statistics and probability.

One of my buddies, Patrick Amar, he created a Dungeons and Dragons style game with the Oregon Trail.

And so students had to use a D 20 Dyson.

They had different classes like blacksmith with the different skills and as they encountered problems, they had to roll the dice to see how successful they would survive in the Oregon trail.

So I kind of took his idea and turned it into ancient history with life as a Roman soldier and some of the students like a really blown away by how some of them didn't survive.

Some of them barely made it more like the Roman soldiers really have to deal with this.

When you have something like a role playing game, the story is alive.

You are part of that story.

>> That changes the whole idea of what history feels like or science.

Instead of reading a book, you're a character in the book.

It's all those opportunities and to bring in us to experience to create deeper learning experience for you are going on some of the imagination.

And creativity was just like really fun.

The game, a fine learning makes us a much more engaging heads.

Students who came to me saying this is the one time every week that I know I'm going to smile and have fun and that stuff does make a difference in how you learned.

I think anything that gets okay to excited to go to school is important because we need that.

>> True story.

>> To learn more about how role playing games can be used in the classroom.

Visit K Y E D RPG dot com.

♪ ♪ April begins tomorrow with plenty of spring, famed activities all over Kentucky.

Toby Gibbs has more in this.

Look at what stop around the Commonwealth.

♪ >> Around 20 local artisans and small business vendors will be showing off their work at the spring Craft and vendor Fair in Sandy Hook this Saturday.

Choose from a variety of products such as wood work, seasonal decor sweet treats and more to fill up those Easter baskets or treat yourself to something special.

Get ready for the Egg-citing Easter Fair and Richmond this weekend full of games, a parade crafts, an Easter egg hunt and more.

This is sure to be a hop a good time.

First come first served at the city of Vanceburg trade days.

The Saturday set up a table and join in this community yard sale in this city-wide events.

The annual John James Audubon State Park wallflower extravaganza is this Saturday and Henderson enjoy a leisurely walk to the was an indoor photo presentation of the local spring.

Flora and finished the day off with the wildflower walk and scavenger hunt.

As you try to see how many flowers you can check off the list.

Have you ever wondered of life as possible on the moon or other planets, the right option or should we be looking to their moons for life?

Answer those questions and more in Bowling Green this Sunday tearing wk used Mo beings presentation.

Downtown down.

Debate starts back up next.

Thursday and Danville, enjoy the best of local ease shopping.

Live music and more at this monthly celebration of all things.

Kentucky.

Hop skip and run on down the hip hop many golf and Cumberland this weekend and next compete with your family and friends.

As you put your way through this nine-hole Easter themed many golf course.

Spring has sprung.

Enjoy all this spring during the wildflower walk in Goshen this Saturday.

Grab your binoculars, comfortable shoes, a camera and plenty of curiosity for this family friendly hike.

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

I'm told the Good News.

>> Thank Youto begins.

That's making a great weekend to come and we hope we'll see you here again Monday night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky edition where we inform connect and inspire subscribe to our e-mail newsletter and watch full episodes and clips a K E T Dot Org can also find us on the PBS video app on your mobile device and Smarty TV and send us a story idea.

>> And public affairs at KET Dot Org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay in the loop.

Thank you so much for watching this From all of us here at KET, I'm Renee Shaw and have a great weekend to come.

Take a tear.

♪