>> Daniel Cameron is no strong.

Kentucky conservative.

>> Daniel Cameron reacts to a new commercial that compares him to a teddy bear.

We saw this as a great opportunity to recruit the best and brightest in our own hometown.

>> A school district with its own approach to easing the teacher shortage.

>> No matter what, no matter how old you are, you know, it is cool to read.

>> And students get a message and from all walks of life.

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

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

♪ ♪ >> Good evening and welcome to Kentucky.

Addition for Tuesday March, the 7th, we thank you for joining us.

I'm Renee Shaw coming to you from the KET studios at the Capitol Annex in Frankfort.

Well, we have the legislative news of the day from front for just a moment.

But first, Kentucky continues to cleanup and power off after last Friday's storms and high winds.

This was the same today.

And Louisville, like people throughout Kentucky, people there are dealing with downed trees.

Some fell on houses, some uprooted sidewalks and trees knocked down power lines.

Utility crews continue their work, restoring power after last Friday's storms of the state's 2.2 million households about 41,000 are now without power.

The Kentucky Electric Co-operative says crews from 11 other states are now helping in Kentucky to restore power.

One of the state's helping out our neighbor to the West, Missouri.

This Warren counties would burn community where a crew from the show me state was helping get the lights back on for Warren are ECC customers.

>> These guys have been also they they got here early this morning and they've been working on the parents lined with some poles down.

So it's going to be real nice to have that backup in service around.

We take pride in what we do.

We're just glad to get the opportunity to come over here and help.

We want to get the power back on.

>> As quickly as possible.

But we have to do in in a safe manner.

Also.

>> This crew arrived in Kentucky Saturday and tell us they've been working 16 hours a day.

They say most of the power outages stem from trees falling on power lines.

They expect to be here through the end of the week.

Now, tough ride for a bill filed to deal with economic development became a vehicle for a Second Amendment gun issue during a committee hearing this morning, Dry Ridge, Republican Savannah Maddox is the sponsor of House Bill 5.42. that now removes the ability of a post-secondary education institution to restrict gun owners ability to carry firearms on campus.

Current law lets universities decide where their firearms can be carried on campus and non in Kentucky right now allow for what's often called campus carry our tom of the National Rifle Association testified that claims of increased crime and heighten risk to public safety are unfounded.

When it comes to campus, carry that big ends.

Tonight's legislative update.

>> This bill seeks to empower men and women to protect themselves.

From violent attacks while eliminating a proven weak point for deranged individuals seeking to do harm.

Threats to personal safety, don't disappear.

Once you step on campus.

Denying women their constitutional rights of self-protection empowers criminals.

That leaves women vulnerable to criminal attack.

Criminals do not abide by gun-free zones and gun-free zones make law abiding citizens sitting ducks for criminals.

>> We all remember Virginia Tech and the fact that 32 people lost their lives.

23 were injured just recently, Michigan State 3 killed to community college, 9 killed Northern Illinois University 5 killed Oikos University.

7 Santa Monica College.

5 time and again, gun-free zones do not work.

And every one of these tragedies occurred in a gun-free zone.

>> The general counsel for the Kentucky Council on post-secondary education and a campus police chief register their concerns with the bill.

No university in Kentucky has voiced support for the bill and higher at officials say Kentucky colleges want the flexibility they have now in current law to make their campuses gone free.

All campus chiefs of police are united against the bill has more.

The Democrats present on the committee today.

>> We're concerned about the fact that people are trained are not having of training knowing how to store these weapons and things like that.

We have an active shooter situation understanding who the the bad guy is when responding.

>> I'm not opposed to guns, but what I am opposed to is the General Assembly's on willingness.

To really pass any sort of meaningful legislation that will actually protect people and that it includes all the things we've been hearing for quite some time.

Mental health, registering guns, making sure that people actually have training and the ability to store their weapons safely.

These are all what I would call very common sense, low hanging fruit.

Best practices that we are continuing.

So I >> represented the measure advance from the committee 16 to 3, all 3.

No votes were from Democrats.

A dozen other states have similar laws last week.

Best West Virginia's governor signed a bill allowing people with concealed carry permits to take firearms on to public college and university campuses.

The Kentucky Senate today moved to bills that seek to improve the state's juvenile justice facilities.

Senate bill.

One 58 would require a third-party complete an audit of the Department of Juvenile justice.

More than 55 million dollars would be appropriated of Senate Bill.

One 62 becomes law that money would go toward giving pay increases to juvenile justice employees supporting reforms at improving facilities.

The sponsors for the Bills made it clear that improvement to the juvenile justice system was needed.

>> This is not going to resolve the crisis.

Their next bill is not going to solve the crisis because this is a crisis of leadership.

And mister president.

It doesn't matter how much money we put toward resolving the crisis at the J J.

Until there's leadership.

The problem will not be solved.

>> All the things that have been occurring are without question a recipe for disaster and that disaster has manifested itself repeatedly over the past couple years.

And today, even though temporary safety measures are in place and overall progress in staffing is slowly improving.

Make no doubt the djj remains in a state of crisis in many areas.

>> Senate Bill, one 62 also such training standards for emergency situations and requires memorandums of agreement with local police departments for emergency response and SB One 62 would ensure mental health treatment was available for children in the facilities.

Senators approved the 2 measures unanimously.

Now they go on to the House.

More Frankfort news, a bill that the sponsor says would protect religious freedom for Kentucky's teachers is taking its first steps.

House Bill 5.47.

Would allow school faculty and staff to engage in religious expression.

Our Casey Parker Bell breaks down what legislators have to say about the bill.

>> House Bill 5.47, is a bill that per text the faculty and staff religious freedom in the public schools.

>> The bill that allows public school employees to engage in religious expression, moved out of the House committee today.

House Bill 5.47.

Would allow faculty and staff to share religious materials with other employees participate in prayer during breaks or lunch.

But some legislators had questions about the need for the bill, including Louisville Representative Tina Bojan asking.

>> Why do we need this legislation and why isn't it already with the First Amendment?

Truthfully?

>> We should not have to have this legislation.

But because of outside groups that come from out of state.

Atheist groups that would protest.

Prayer before football game.

>> Representative Kevin Jackson, an educator and a Republican from Bowling Green, voted in favor of the bill.

He says he's worried about the pressures being put on teachers.

>> And I just worry sometimes if we're going to.

Give our teachers and our schools and our educators.

So many different.

Things that they have to KET up with.

we're going to continue to have a shortage of educators in the state of Kentucky.

>> Bill sponsor Chris Fuga says the bill was brought after the Supreme Court ruled on Kennedy versus Bremerton School District football coach Joseph Kennedy, Super Merton for violating his First Amendment rights after being given direction on his prayers.

The 50 yard line after games.

But the ACLU is KET Miller says the bill's broader than the Supreme Court's world school districts.

>> Could potentially see increased litigation as a result students or families.

You know, having House Bill 5.47.

As Kentucky state law.

And then of course, having a different set of rules under the United States and Kentucky constitution for Kentucky Edition.

I'm Casey Parker Bell.

>> House Bill 5.47.

Also states that no one should be required to participate in religious activities.

The House Education Committee also passed Senate Bill 49, which would extend the period to acquire alternative teaching certifications.

Over the last year.

There have been nearly 11,000 job postings in school districts across Kentucky.

Now there are more than 1500 certified positions that are vacant House Bill 3.19, by House Education Committee Chairman James Tipton, 6 to close that teacher workforce gap.

His plan relaxes barriers to license transfers.

Unemployment.

It would allow people wanting to teach those subjects of expertise to get certificates.

They would need a bachelor's degree in that subject and have at least 4 years of work experience related to the subject.

Mentor teachers would work with them.

The measure also creates a statewide online application portal in the Appropriations and Revenue Committee this morning funding was removed for marketing plan and expansion of the go teach Kentucky program after clearing the House Budget Committee today.

The bill now waits for placement on the full House docket for approval by the entire membership.

A Central Kentucky school district has devised its own plan to fight the teacher shortage.

It's giving students money to become certified teachers as our Laura Rogers tells U.S., Hardin County Schools will offer financial aid to graduates going into teacher education programs as long as they promise to bring their talents back home.

>> Emails like so many across the state and nation.

Hardin County schools has felt the pinch of the teacher shortage.

Most recently was 14 open positions.

We saw this happening years ago.

What we didn't anticipate is getting to this level of an emergency.

This soon.

>> The school district now providing an incentive for high school graduates who want to become teachers to return to the classroom where they were once a thing else.

Why are district is going to pay one 3rd of the tuition up to $350 per Western Kentucky University will match that meeting.

The students will only have to cover one 3rd of the tuition to become a certified teacher.

This is just Hardin County's way of encouraging our best students to go into the teaching field.

>> Students like Ellie, right?

I always KET I kind of want to go in education.

Maybe both.

My parents are in education, SOS cows in the back of my mind, right will attend WKU in the fall.

Majoring in elementary education.

Being able to have such an impact on students and just know that like you might just be the one thing they need to get through the day or your smile might just like other day.

So what do you think that's true?

>> There's an added bonus for those who want to teach middle or high school math or science because those positions are so difficult to compete with industry for.

We're actually going to pay half of their tuition and western Kentucky is going to match half of their tuition.

So basically you are going to go to school for free if you're majoring in math or science, middle or high school mentor, the funds come from the federal grant.

Morgan says the school district sees it as an investment in the future.

>> We want them to come back and be the best teachers they can be because we know they already have that passion to be an educator and we know they'll do a phenomenal job when they come back to the classroom here in Hardin County for Kentucky Edition.

I'm Laura Rogers.

Even okay was made up.

Thank you, Laura.

In exchange, the student agrees to come back and teach at least 3 years in Hardin County schools.

>> The scholarships can be applied at any post-secondary school in Kentucky.

The contribution could cover as much as $2100 for one semester of education classes.

Right now in Kentucky, you are required to change aligns if you can.

When you approach an ambulance police car or other emergency vehicle on the side of road, if you can't change aligns, you're supposed to slow down House Bill 3.86.

If passed would require you to change lanes or slow down for any vehicle that's pulled over and us blind flashers flares are other warning lights.

The bill is sponsored by state Representative Mary Beth Times of Murray.

The House Transportation Committee voted in favor of the bill today.

So it now goes on to the full House.

Public workers across 3 branches, all 3 branches of state government could see another pay raise.

House budget Chairman Jason Peters House Bill 4.44.

Gives a 6% pay raise to employees and the legislative judicial and executive branches, judicial branch workers and all elected officials will see a $2000 increase with the 6% increment on top of that last year, state lawmakers approved an 8% across the board pay raise for state workers.

The pay raise plan advance from the House and our committee today.

But that opposition and now waits for action by the full House.

♪ With about 2 months left before the May primary.

We have what appears to be the first negative TV ad in the governor's race.

>> Would we rather have leading can conservative grizzly bear, Kentucky's soft establishment, Teddy bear.

>> This is an ad from a political action committee called Commonwealth PAC in support of Republican Kelly Craft.

It criticizes Attorney General Daniel Cameron saying he is soft and his opposition to President Biden's immigration policies.

Now in response camera notes that former President Donald Trump endorsed him rather than craft.

Even though c*** served as ambassador to Canada and ambassador to the United Nations and the Trump administration.

And he says it's flattering to be attacked because he says it means he has a strong lead.

As for the Teddy bear image, Cameron tweeted, quote, The latest attack ad calling me a teddy bear is laughable, folks.

You know me.

I fought the bear.

That is the radical left's observed agenda one time and again join us in continuing the fight, unquote.

And tonight, a look at health news.

Some good COVID news for Kent Hockey.

Now, here's the new map out Friday for the first time in a month, there are no counties in red meaning high COVID activity.

30 counties are yellow, which means medium COVID levels.

The remaining 90 counties are low and that includes both Jefferson and Fayette counties.

The positivity rate is just under 9%.

The federal government is giving Morehead State University 3 million dollars to help fund some of its healthcare programs.

The money will be used to upgrade equipment in the nursing skills, laboratories, research labs and imaging sciences, classrooms, more heads.

President Jay Morgan says the investment will help Morehead attract top talent and prepare students for successful careers.

♪ The passenger train service could be returning to Louisville.

A proposed new Amtrak line would connect Kentucky's largest city to other major cities like Indianapolis, Chicago and Washington, D.C., Kentucky additions.

Kelsey Starks sat down with Louisville's chamber president to talk about the plan and what it could mean for the state.

>> Well, the plan is still in its early stages.

But if it happens, the new line in Louisville would go to Indianapolis with a stop in Jeffersonville and from there it goes to routes to Chicago or Washington, D.C., which connect to other major cities to it.

Shelby, Somerville is the vice president of government affairs and communications for Greater Louisville Inc.

Thank you so much for being here to explain.

Kind of how this will all work The plan was released in 2021.

So what stage are we in now?

>> Yeah, sure.

Well, thank you for having me here today.

The Amtrak plan was released in 2021 kind of in conjunction with the federal infrastructure package that was being talked about and eventually was passed and signed into law.

So there was funding in that for passenger rail service.

And that's why Amtrak kind of prompted this because they KET there would be federal funds available right now.

We're still in the very early stages.

I'm the Federal Railroad Administration has a feasibility study grant that we're going to apply for the and the captain of the regional planning organization.

And we are going to then see if we get that grand.

The feasibility study will be able to tell us what the operating costs would be.

The maintenance exactly how much it would cost a local state federal level so that Kentucky can know what that match would look like.

And it's it's actually feasible for our region.

So the applications for that are due at the end of March and then we should find out this summer if we get the grant for the study.

Okay.

So moving right along.

But but still slow.

Now, this isn't the first time.

>> Louisville used to have trains to go to Chicago.

Even some went to Miami.

So what is different in this plan and why do you think it will work this time?

And it never was sustainable in the past.

>> Sure.

So little that for a couple years have been Kentucky Cardinal Line.

Well, it started around 2001 and in 2003, this is going to be very different from that.

And that rain only went about 30 miles per hour.

And it was one trip that was overnight that left around 9.30.

I think you got into Chicago around 02:30AM.

There is no sleeper car, no food on the Amtrak is really hoping to do multiple a ride today.

So they're hoping for 4 trips a day around 5 hours and 45 minutes.

So it is going to be driving time competitive, you know, the last train wasn't.

So it's going to be upgraded at all levels.

But I think the fact that it's driving time competitive and there are multiple trips a day makes it easier for commute, etcetera, ends talking about tourism.

I mean, what do you all think of why?

Why is this a good idea in your eyes?

>> I mean, anytime we can get more people into low, that's always a good idea.

It's really going to bolster our hospitality and our tourism industry and not only allow lose billions to get to neighboring cities, but to bring people and that may not visit if they had to drive.

So knowing that this is are out, you know, they may say let's go check out some of the Bourbon Trail and see what Mobile has to offer and so we can bring people in.

And that's kind of first step to maybe even getting them to relocate here to show all that we have to offer.

So we're very excited about it.

Okay.

Well very well could happen.

We will that KET our eyes on that.

That proposed a new line would connect.

>> Louisville to Chicago through Indianapolis with those 4 daily round trips each about 5 hours and 45 minutes, not so bad.

The city all if they get that grant later this summer.

And then that feasibility study.

>> We'll take about a year.

>> Thank you, Kelsey.

We'll KET our eyes on that.

Louisville isn't the only city in the mix.

Amtrak's overall vision for expansion is to connect up to 160 communities across 25 states in the next 15 years.

♪ You know, children will often notice and copy the things they see adults doing, especially the adults.

They respect.

And that's the idea behind Real man read a program involving the United Way and Somerset to teach young people that you're never too young to benefit from books.

>> This one is a big ad in a surprise to me.

>> Real men rate is something we started this year.

Thanks to a grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation this is a program that other United ways across the country and done.

But it's unique and every community.

So in our community, what we've done is purchased books for each school and our local community in Pulaski County that will be donated to their library.

And then at Hopkins Elementary School and a science Hill independent school, we have male volunteers in our community, her positive.

Well, male role models going into the classrooms one time per month and reading those books to students.

We know that early education as a model for future success and literacy is such an important part of that.

So we put a lot of thought into the books that we chose.

We worked with the librarian is called are what we want to make sure that they were going to be engaging hooks for the students because learning to read is hard.

But the more fun that you can make that and the more exciting the literacy can be the better.

It sets them up for success.

>> He loves cookies, left Prague because Brown, his case marginal treats and ice cream Sundays.

>> A lot of our students in and well in any in general, in any elementary school don't have a lot of mail mentors are our especially supporting the early literacy United Way's brought this program to us and the excitement and anticipation and our children as proof it's very much And then the males that come are very important to.

And Rita classes are very important to supporting this early childhood literacy.

I think it's really important for students to see.

>> A man in different career paths and that reading is important for all of those career paths.

So we've had volunteers who are in the insurance industry who are in health care, who are in finance, who are excavating.

>> I'm just a real variety and reading is essential to all of those.

So it lets them see a different side of education.

How education is applicable to real life and not just education in the classroom.

>> I think reading is such a fundamental part of every child's education.

And if we can play a small part in that process to improve their reading skills of our children in our community, then it's all worth it.

And it opens up so many windows for their future academic growth.

>> I hope that they take away from the fact there are adults out there that care for them.

But outside lure their and the principles and the no matter what, no matter how old you are.

You know, it is cool to read >> no matter if it's an elementary style or if it's an adult book or whatever.

You know, that the literacy of something that you need to have.

>> Yeah, the class will start here.

>> We know that getting students interested in reading sets them up for success in all areas of law.

You can't fill out a job application.

If you can't read the applications.

So even something that simple is a barrier.

If people can't read.

>> It is the heart's desire and my deep hope that every student in our building.

>> Sees the need.

>> And the love and how much growth they can have.

All the people around him.

Them who actually read and that they would fall in love with reading so that they can fall in love with the book they can disappear and whatever they're doing in that day or whatever is going around on around them, they can disappear in that book.

And whatever's happening and that that is the highlight of my monthly calendar.

>> And I wouldn't miss it for the world.

different.

Cool.

>> The United Way's goal is to expand this program to every school in Pulaski County.

So we leave you with this Lexington's Minor League baseball team has a new name, a name that requires an explanation.

The team has been known as the Lexington Legends.

It's changing to the Lexington counter clocks.

This is the new logo.

So what is kind of clocks, Maine?

The team says it refers to the fact that both race, horses and baseball players run counter clockwise.

That stories begins.

We have to see you tomorrow night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky edition where we inform connect and inspire.

Roland Martin will join us as we talk about this week's politics, including the first negative ad in the governor's race.

Take good care and I'll see you tomorrow night.

♪