Why many eastern Kentucky flood victims say government cleanup efforts and flipped rounding and debris.

♪ The response from the city of Louisville after the Kentucky Supreme Court says it improperly removed a controversial statue.

And that's our The a Vietnam veteran honor for his service to our country a second time.

>> The small is the first thing that you notice about a person in my head.

>> A student in eastern Kentucky is working to make brushing and flossing with the kids.

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

Leonard Press Endowment for Public Affairs and Okay, 18 Millennium Fund.

♪ ♪ >> Good evening and welcome to Kentucky.

Addition for Monday.

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

Thanks for joining us.

>> Kentucky's primary election is just a little more than 2 weeks away for the first time in this race, the 2 front-running Republican candidates for governor will share the stage tonight on KET.

The latest poll by Emerson College and FOX.

56 News shows Attorney General Daniel Cameron and former United Nations Ambassador Kelly Craft leading a crowded field heading into the May 16th primary.

Both have taken to the airwaves with ads and both have been active on the campaign trail.

They're among a dozen candidates, including another statewide officeholder, Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles.

The meeting for the GOP nomination.

The latest report filed with the Kentucky registry of election finance shows corals had more cash on hand than his competitors.

Another candidate who is trying to separate himself from the pack and Somerset Mayor Alan Keck in a televised debate earlier this year.

Tech was the only candidate who supported more exceptions.

Kentucky's near total ban on abortion.

Former attorney Eric Deters also be on tonight's program.

We're less than 90 minutes away from that special edition of Kentucky tonight.

Hear from all 5 of the candidates you see here.

Plus, we want your questions for the candidates by phone e-mail and tweet.

Join us for that at 8 Eastern 7 central right here on KET.

What the Eastern Kentucky floods didn't destroy some cleanup crews did the Kentucky Center for Investigative reporting found that contract cleanup crews bulldoze homes with no notification warning or permission from survivors.

And they have littered streams with debris that's causing flooding problems for the people who still live there.

The Kentucky Department of Transportation is overseeing cleanup efforts after the floods.

But other agencies are involved.

Renee Shaw talked with reporters, Justin Hicks and Chair Bennett last week about their findings.

>> We talked to the transportation cabinet who oversaw this project and they said, you know, we advised contractors to go ahead and make contact with homeowners where possible.

But because of the urgency of the mission that wasn't always possible.

And so, you know, that.

We don't know how many demolished homes were demolished without homeowners permission.

With it in the similar circumstances.

Because there's no real records of that.

And also this was sort of the norm.

Contractors were sort of given really brought the way to make decisions about what's debris.

What needs to go now and what needs to be taken and so that's one of the stories that came as we started reporting this.

But Justin said we'd sort of came at it from a different angle.

I was in eastern Kentucky afterwards doing of how would these counties were preparing for floods and how they're preparing for the next floods?

And I started to hear I'm sort of the opposite story where instead of taking too much material, trees and homes and things crews were leaving too much material behind, especially in the streams and the neighbors.

People who had survived the floods this area really well, we're really very scared because they said, you know, if they don't clean, need my creek out the next time, it rains.

It's just going to clog up and flood again.

So just a nice start talking about this.

And we at first were kind of a little confused because it seems like opposing ideas here.

You know, they're taking too much stuff But Ariel and some places leaving too much behind.

In other words.

So we start filing some records requests and with no start coming back.

These daily reports from Army Corps of Engineers.

That's where the story really came from it as I'm seeing, you know, that.

The confusion over what counts as debris.

What these crews were allowed to take and what they would get paid which is really where these decisions came from.

>> So, Justin, I just want you to clarify, too, that the Kentucky Department of Transportation contracted with these third-party companies.

I think the one that she really highlight is a Florida based company called Ash Brit Incorporated, where they the ones that are responsible for the Young's home being demolished.

>> So trying to get responsibility is a very tricky thing.

In this instance because no one wants to take responsibility really.

But what happened is yes, the Kentucky Department of Transportation they issued a contract to has frequent rated, which is a sort of based company and it comes in and they say, hey, we're going to hire tons of subcontractors.

So you have to kind of think this is a little bit of a tree.

Yeah.

Can't wait to see up here after just beneath them.

And then the next here you had dozens and dozens and dozens of 7 contractors.

Some of the more local, some of them came from this or as far as we're getting, we I think maybe a few from Washington state and it is these people come from all over the country with their heavy equipment and that they know after disaster happens, there's money to be made it up to 3.

>> Well, so you're reporting also points out in your analysis, cleanup crews removed less than 60% of the debris found in early estimates by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Why is that so significant?

Can you explain that for us?

>> Yes, so we got data from the state that showed the locations of every single piece of debris picked up as long and as well as every truck load of classified by type of debris that was in that truck no significant to us because we're trying to figure out.

How much debris was picked up.

And if that was the right and debris picked up, they actually do a thorough job.

So we found that there was only one estimate ever done in the entire six-month project, Army Corps of Engineers and people out to the surveys they estimated.

I want to say it was.

>> Close to 2 billion are cubic yards of debris.

And so we just want to compare it to what was estimated to be out there.

We want to do some data analysis to find out how close to that estimate it we actually get in our conduct process and the answer was not very close.

Yeah.

>> And we should note that the state has paid at this Ash Britt Company 157 million dollars since the July floods.

And they're still print plenty of debris left or right.

As we've been saying from from your reporting.

And but they'd states role and debris removal and the cleanup mission is done that into Denise Amber, right?

So they just turned it over completely to Ash Britt who subcontracted to, however, many dozens of other companies to get the job done right?

>> Yes, and KET still have a ton of authority because they are the ones who issued the contract.

They still have a ton of authority over what happened and what has not But yes, they did.

They did Iran trick to do a lot of the hiring of the subcontractors and then a lot of the monitoring.

Monitoring is maybe not the right word to use that.

But a lot of oversight of those subcontractors.

>> We have also heard from some Republicans, one Republican state Senator Johnny Turner said, you know, this isn't just the state's fault.

It's the federal government's fault.

So whose fault is it and do they have shared blame here?

Is that something you can answer?

Jared?

>> The Department of Transportation.

This this was their to lead and to make decisions on.

So as far as you know, who's at fault and where does the buck stop?

Unfortunately, com complicated answer.

But, you know, and we did the best we could to answer that.

I think that was one of the problems with the system that we identified, that there was a clear chain of command or and left a lot of room for interpretation, even down to the ended individual workers.

And that's one of the things that cause so many miscommunications and problems that we saw.

>> The reporter say the FEMA cleanup rules work well for Florida Hurricanes, but our is applicable to inland flooding in Appalachia.

The governor has said he will look into the report's findings and address the concerns.

There was another protest in Carroll County over the hiring.

A former Louisville metro Police Department officer Myles Cosgrove.

The Carroll County Sheriff's Office hire Cosgrove last month.

Cosgrove was involved in the 2020 shooting death of Breonna Taylor.

He was fired from the LMPD for violating use of force procedures and failing to use a body camera last week a group gathered outside the Carroll County courthouse to protest cosgrove's hiring.

They held a protest again on Saturday.

There's no word on future planned protests.

The city of Louisville is responding to a recent Kentucky Supreme Court ruling involving a Confederate statue late last week.

The Kentucky Supreme Court overturned a lower court ruling on the removal of the John Breckenridge Castleman Monument from Cherokee Triangle.

The court said the city violated due process and getting approval to remove the statue.

The city of Louisville sent a statement today on the decision.

It reads Louisville Metro government has no plans to place the Castleman statue back in its original location nor any interest in doing so we're exploring our options on what to do with the statue and we'll KET the community informed as we move forward.

And a little bit of good news on injured Louisville Metro Police Officer Nicholas Wilt as he continues to show improvement.

What was shot in the head last month over spawning to a mass shooting at Old National Bank.

Louisville Metro Police Foundation posted an update on Wilt saying he's been able to open his eyes and his medical team is making progress and getting him off a ventilator.

The 26 year-old wilt was one of 8 people injured when a gunman armed with an AR 15 rifle opened fire at the bank.

5 people were killed along with the gunman was shot and killed by will to partner.

Last week.

Republicans in the U.S. House pass a bill that would raise the debt limit and cut spending.

But the limit save grow act, but also make changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP new work and reporting requirements put some Kentuckyian at risk of losing the benefit to helps needy families.

Purchase food.

I spoke with Jessica Klein from the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy.

But how the new proposal could impact Kentuckians.

Just go.

The U.S. House has just passed a plan to lift the debt limit that this plan will have some impact on people who are on snap.

So what are these changes and how would impact people in Kentucky?

>> Yeah, let me tell you a little bit about these that the teachers and the debt limit in cuts is to the snap work requirements and these are requirements that already exist within snap.

And they're actually being re implemented.

This summer's a large number of Kentuckyian about 20 of over 26,800 Kentuckians between the ages of 18 to 49 currently.

And that's those without children in the home.

And without a document, a disability.

So in the bill, what it would do is extend that work requirement to older people between 50 and 55 years of age and in Kentucky.

That's particularly concerning for us because we have the second highest rate of hunger in that group.

>> With this extension, how will that actually change for these people from what they're doing right now?

So what we do is require them submit additional either documentation of and exemptions.

So they have, you know, I'm a change in their case.

They haven't.

You been a family member in the home or they do have that document a disability.

There are few other exemptions like being mentally or physically unfit for work.

Those kinds of things they have to be sure to submit that documentation or they be subject work reporting 20 hours per week and what they would have to do for that assessment, documentation of it that to the Department for community-based services.

>> Yeah.

For that 50 to 55 group.

Do we have a sense of how many people might lose benefits because of these work requirements?

>> Well, right now, just as it is, you know, that's 26,800 Kentuckians at risk.

If we extended 50 to 55, that's even more in the past.

When we have the time limits over 33,000, Kentuckians lost their benefits.

So it does put a huge number of people at risk.

>> Just go to we have any sense or that any studies that show whether these work requirements actually people to go back to work or to pick up better work as they go on.

>> There is a lot of evidence about work requirements that all of it shows that it is ineffective of actually changing work in Kentucky.

What it actually does create a mandate that really makes a harder for people to access their basic needs.

So again, taking away the fact that this isn't some folks.

>> Obviously, this is about people, not just the numbers behind who's getting What does it really mean to somebody if they did lose their snap benefits.

>> yeah.

City systems is so important.

People really do need this yeah, we're talking about this.

This is I think people often I'm sure that applies to.

So I really do want to say, you know, the majority of SNAP participants do work.

And there is a chance, a one in 4 chance that the person at your grocery store or a cooking restaurant, you snap to buy their food.

>> All 5 of Kentucky's Republican congressman voted in favor of the Grow act.

Louisville, Democrat Morgan McGarvey voted against it.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has already said that the bill is, quote, dead on arrival in the Senate.

Nearly 18 million will be used to protect waterfowl habitat in Kentucky.

U.S.

Senator Mitch McConnell along with the Department of the Interior announced more than 11 million dollars will be used to purchase waterfowl habitat in Green River.

National Wildlife Refuge in Henderson County.

Another 6 million will be used by habitat in Clark's River National Wildlife Refuge in McCracken, Marshall and Grace counties.

The Department of the Interior plans to buy close to 4,000 acres of waterfowl habitat in the state.

The McLean County veteran who lost his military medals and a House fire now has them back.

Senator Rand Paul recognize the American hero and a special ceremony today.

Laura Rogers was at the American Legion Post in Bowling Green for the special Day.

>> This is our Richard Smith of Sacramento, Kentucky served as a sergeant with the 100st Airborne Division and Vietnam.

>> He put his life on the lawn.

I've got the silver medal which goes for extraordinary heroism and a lot that.

Silver Star was one of several awards and honors that Smith lost when his home caught fire in 2020 and burn fat.

35 minutes the structure was gone.

He initially was just thankful.

No one was hurt, but over time would reflect on the military honors that defined.

>> Such a pivotal time in his young life.

>> They were all put on the 105 General Pan de Silva from Smith's nurse learned he had lost his medals.

She encouraged him to reach out about having them replaced.

>> It is a very exact process because we don't get people battle they don't deserve.

So we have to go back.

We have to document who they were when they We have to document the things that happened.

All the evidence was there and we're glad replaces Battles.

>> Smith's commander was in attendance today to speak on the heroic and quick thinking actions that help save lives back in April 1969, I talked to me.

>> It's like a fraction been put on it.

They don't.

Hart.

It's similar to when combat brother family.

And that got me to the reunions.

>> He says he takes pride in fulfilling his patriotic duty.

>> I believe if you're not proud of yourself, you can be proud to be flying around.

And so with that, go with it, material, things.

Thank you for your heart.

You care for people.

I'll ask.

Great show for it.

He's a big time.

>> Much of today honoring the past, but also the future of the military with a show of support from the McLean County ROTC.

to me are warming effort to try say thank you for your service to the country.

>> He's really an And so >> We work hard and and we try to do right by everybody for Kentucky edition.

I'm Laura Rogers.

>> Smith was awarded 13 medals for service in the Vietnam War, including the Silver Star Purple Heart and Combat Infantry Badge.

♪ ♪ >> The Clay County High School student has made it her mission to educate kids about taking care of their teeth.

But she's not alone.

Ek use Manchester campus hosted a health and wellness fair last week.

♪ ♪ >> Since I was younger, my parents are really always maybe importance of oral health like we've always so to my house to KET the tape.

Klain, you know, and that is all the time when I was little.

>> And I just think small is the first thing that you notice about a person in my opinion.

>> There's a link between having it healthy teats and feeling confident about yourself when you feel confident, you know, you can slice the world right?

But if you're paired with that, even small, it can really limit you.

>> Eastern Kentucky does have a really big stigma around their mouth.

So one of my main goals is just get as many people involved, even if I can just affect one person in taking care of their teeth.

More, I would just like to help get into the schools.

Deliver toothbrush toothpaste.

Just make sure the kids have what they need.

>> So in dentistry, we like to tell, showed a model.

So we usually show them, you know what, we provide him with the oral hygiene kit that consists of a toothbrush tooth paste in flies.

So that's typically how we provide those oral hygiene instructions will get the toothbrush out.

We'll put the appropriate amount of toothpaste on the toothbrush and then will demonstrate, you know, to the proper way of brushing their teeth.

>> One of my favorite things I've done is I had this big story book that I borrowed from our library and the kids are actually I want to go in like brush different animals tape.

And I thought they found that lots of fun.

I've had animals with tape that they can Faso a practice Boston together.

And that was just I want to really get them all engaged an kind of laughing and actually enjoying it.

>> We also provide little tools like of Samos and timers and and little things like that that that really interest kids and they get excited about saying they love the little sand timers will provide, you know, coloring sheets to something that you know is gauging their interest.

But at the same time, teaching them those important concepts of taking, you know, great care team.

>> Doctor Fields recommends everyone visit their dentist every 6 months.

Continuing our look at education News.

A group of Louisville High School students have been chosen as finalists in the national modeling.

The future challenge.

It's a scholarship competition were high.

School students predict the future and solve real world problems using meth, Kentucky additions, Kelsey Starks has more.

>> 227 teams of students from up across the country competed in this challenge.

Just 13 our chosen as nationwide finalists.

And that includes side Javadi and his team of 5 at Manual High School.

I got so much for being It up.

>> First, tell us what this competition is all about them.

Yes, so.

>> Among the future challenger and TFC is a nationwide math modeling competition.

So math modeling is essentially the application of mathematical and statistical to solve real-world problems or, you know, just analyzing different kinds of trends.

So with this competition in particular, you could choose any kind of problem.

So the sky's the limit really says a lot of creativity involved with this process.

And so me and my for others.

It was a team of 5.

We decided to focus our efforts on, you know, chronic disease and essentially we have an extensive background phase of the project after the background fees, we really for data so different data sets across the Internet and we use mathematical and statistical techniques to analyze that data and we come up with results.

And so our entire kind of methodology, you know, including a background research or methodology results.

We report that in a pretty extensive paper that's kind of a competition like the overview.

>> Wow.

So how did you focus on chronic disease?

What I mean, like you said, the sky's the limit and why did you choose that?

And then what did your analysis find about it?

So >> all of my team we all have experience with, you know, waking with health care data and we KET that we wanted to focus specifically on our surrounding communities in the city of Louisville.

And so our entire research question was identifying the trot, the socioeconomic and demographic factors that drive chronic disease incidents within the city of Louisville.

And so really our first step was just kind of like, you know, doing research about the problem.

And we figured out that move in is more prone to chronic dislike, has a higher rate of chronic disease incidence than other cities and even other states around the country.

And so we figured out that, you know, that's a pretty big deal.

And and we were able to actually highlight 3 particular factors.

And those factors were college education, sedentary leisure activity.

So just leisure time spent doing non-physical things like sedentary activities.

And the final factor that we focused on was binge drinking or just the consumption of large amounts of alcohol.

And one occasion.

>> Not only identifying the problems and identifying the solution is so important.

You know, good luck.

Yeah.

Weird written for you.

The finalist teams will end up resenting those models at the virtual modeling.

The Future Challenge symposium.

And that happens this week.

So best of luck to you all.

Back to you.

>> The winning teams are awarded up to $55,000 in scholarship awards.

♪ >> All eyes are on the Commonwealth this week, 140th bracing of the Kentucky Derby is Saturday.

More than 150,000 people are expected at Churchill Downs.

Many will be under the twin spires.

Impeccably dressed as they drink mint juleps, puff on cigars and hope their bets on horse racing marquee event.

Payoff.

There's a lot happening leading up to the Derby.

The Pegasus Parade was yesterday.

The great bed races are tonight and the great Steamboat race is Wednesday.

We will be at the track on Friday for the Kentucky Oaks and look for a recap of the main event, the 100 49th run for the Roses Monday right here, Kentucky edition.

Here with some more for Derby.

Facts is Toby Gibbs with a look at some important or at least interesting events that happened this week in Kentucky history.

♪ >> The first week of May includes many Kentucky Derby.

Moments citation won the Derby on May.

First 1948.

On his way to that year's Triple Crown.

WHA S and Louisville first broadcast the Derby on television on May 6, 1950, 2 years later, it would air for the first time nationally on CBS.

On May.

Second 1970, Diane Crump became the Derby's first woman.

Jackie Course bad them vanished.

15.

Happy birthday to actor, writer director and Kentucky native George Clothing.

Born May 6, 1960, want.

Congress officially recognized.

Bourbon has a distinctly American product on May.

4th 1964.

A congressional resolution says no whiskey made outside the United States can be labeled are about.

Kentucky dedicated the state Capitol floor o'clock on May.

4th, 1961, o'clock measures 34 feet in diameter and as amended hand, that's 20 feet long.

The clock face as more than 10,000 flowers.

25,000 people turned out for the grand opening of Louisville Seelbach hotel.

All of the South's first Roof Garden.

Eventually the Seelbach would welcome a president's and mobster Al Capone.

And that's a look at this week in Kentucky history.

I'm Toby Gibbs.

>> We hope you'll join us again tomorrow night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky Edition, we inform connect and inspire subscribe to our weekly Kentucky Edition email newsletter watch full episodes and clips at KET Dot Org.

We also find Kentucky Edition on the PBS video app on your mobile device and your smart TV and send us a story idea.

Public affairs, a K E T Dot Org.

We hope you enjoyed Kentucky Edition.

Take a look at Kentucky tonight and have a good night.

♪