♪ ♪ KENTUCKY HAS ITS FULL REOPENING DATE.

JUNE 11.

CAPACITY LIMITS WILL BE LIFTED AND THE MASK MANDATE WILL END.

REVENUE IS COMING IN STRONG FOR THE STATE.

IT COULD RESULT IN A MAJOR BUDGET SURPLUS JUST AS CITIES AND COUNTIES GET GUIDELINES FOR FEDERAL RELIEF MONEY.

GAS SHORTAGES POP UP OVER A DISRUPTED PIPELINE AND PANIC BUYING.

AND KENTUCKY DERBY WINNER ARRIVES FOR THE PREAKNESS WITHOUT HIS TRAINER.

WARMER FOR THE WEEKEND.

COMMENT IS NEXT ON KET.

>> GOOD EVENING.

I'M BILL BRYANT.

AND WE WELCOME YOU TO COMMENT ON KENTUCKY, A LOOK BACK AT THE WEEK'S NEWS IN THE COMMONWEALTH AND SOME ANALYSIS.

AND THE GAS ON OUR PANEL OF WORKING JOURNALISTS ARE ALEX, REPORTER FOR THE LEXINGTON "HERALD-LEADER," MORGAN WATKINS, CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER FOR THE "COURIER JOURNAL" AND LAWRENCE SMITH, REPORTER FOR WDRB IN LOUISVILLE.

ALSO TONIGHT, SENATOR MITCH McCONNELL ARE AMONG THOSE WHO MET WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN TO TALK INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND NATIONAL DEMOCRATS CREATE A RED STATE FUND FOR STATES LIKE KENTUCKY TO CHALLENGE REPUBLICANS.

BUT FIRST, KENTUCKY NOW HAS THAT DATE CERTAIN FOR A FULL REOPENING.

>> TODAY I'M ANNOUNCINGS THAT WE WILL RETURN TO 100% CAPACITY FOR ALL VENUES AND EVENTS IN ONE MONTH, JUNE 11.

ON JUNE 11 WE WILL ALSO ELIMINATE OUR MASK MANDATE FOR ALL KENTUCKIANS WITH THE EXCEPTIONS OF PLACES WHERE PEOPLE ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE.

ON JUNE 11, JUST ONE MONTH FROM TODAY, LIFE WILL BE ALMOST FULLY BACK TO NORMAL.

>> TO NORMAL IS WHAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN YEARNING TO HEAR, ALEX.

THIS MAJOR NEWS CAME AFTER THE CDC CHANGED ITS GUIDELINES AND THE NUMBERS CONTINUE TO LOOK CONSIDERABLY BETTER IN KENTUCKY.

>> THEY DO.

THE POSITIVITY RATE HAS BEEN DROPPING.

YESTERDAY AS YOU SAID, THE CDC SAID IT IS SAFE FOR FULLY VACCINATED PEOPLE TO REMOVE THEIR MASKS LARGELY IN MOST PUBLIC PLACES INDOOR AND OUTDOOR.

BESHEAR SAID THE STATE WOULD IMMEDIATELY ALIGN ITS POLICY WITH THAT AND THEN TODAY, HE CAME OUT WITH THE REOPENING DATE OF JUNE 11.

AT THAT POINT, THE FULL MASK MANDATE WILL BE REVOKED, INCLUDING FOR UNVACCINATED PEOPLE.

JUNE 11 IS ALMOST A YEAR TO, WELL A MONTH SHY, THE MASK MANDATE HAS BEEN IN EFFECT SINCE JULY OF 2020.

AND AS HE SAID, CAPACITY WILL BE BACK TO 100%.

THINGS WILL LARGELY BE NORMAL AGAIN.

>> BUT OVER THIS MONTH, IN THE MEANTIME, IT'S A LITTLE STRANGE IN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHAT THE RULES ARE, RIGHT?

I MEAN THE ATTEMPT TO BRING SOME CLARITY SEEMS TO HAVE BROUGHT A LITTLE MORE CONFUSION ABOUT THE MASKS IN PARTICULAR.

>> IT IS MUDDY BECAUSE IT STILL IS ADVISED THAT IF WE EVEN FULLY VACCINATED FOLKS WHO ARE IN LARGE GROUPS OF PEOPLE, CROWDED PLACES, EVEN WHEN THE MASK MANDATE IS FULLY REPEALED, WE WILL STILL HAVE TO BE REQUIRED TO WEAR THEM IN CERTAIN PLACES, HOSPITAL, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

IN THE MEANTIME, IT IS CONFUSING.

IT'S SAFE FOR UNVACCINATED PEOPLE TO NOT WEAR MASKS INSIDE PLACES.

DOES THAT MEAN THAT PEOPLE SHOULD NOT WEAR MASKS IN GROCERY STORES?

DOES IT MEAN THAT PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE TO WEAR MASKS ARE GOING TO BE COMFORTABLE NOT WEARING MASKS?

AND IT'S CONFUSING.

IF YOU ARE GOING TO A LARGE GRADUATION CEREMONY INDOORS THIS WEEKEND, YOU SHOULD PROBABLY WEAR A MASK.

IF YOU ARE GOING TO A LARGE FARMER'S MARKET OUTDOORS, VACCINATED PEOPLE DON'T NEED TO.

SO IT IS SORT OF HAZY.

>> AND LAWRENCE, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT BUSINESSES ARE GOING DIFFERENT WAYS ON THIS.

WE HAVE MAJOR GROCERY CHAINS THAT ARE TAKING DIFFERENT APPROACHES AS WELL.

>> YEAH, I THINK WILL YOU SEE A PATCHWORK OF RULES FOR A WHILE; FOR EXAMPLE, KROGER CAME OUT TODAY AND SAID THAT FOR NOW AT LEAST, IT WOULD REQUIRE MASKS IN ITS STORES.

BUT WAL-MART AND SAMS CAME OUT AND SAID THAT THEIR EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS WHO ARE VACCINATED, WILL NOT HAVE TO WEAR MASKS.

CUSTOMERS WHO ARE NOT VACCINATED WILL BE REQUIRED, RECOMMENDED TO WEAR MASKS.

REQUESTED TO WEAR MASKS AND EMPLOYEES WHO ARE NOT VACCINATED WILL BE REQUIRED TO WEAR MASKS.

SO EVEN IN THAT ONE STORE, THERE IS A PATCHWORK OF REGULATIONS.

BUT THE QUESTION IS IS IT ENFORCEABLE?

THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT THAT YOU SHOW ANY KIND OF PROOF THAT YOU HAVE BEEN VACCINATED SO IT'S ALL ON THE HONOR SYSTEM.

>> PARTICULARLY AFTER OF CDC HAS COME WITH THIS NEW GUIDANCE, PEOPLE HAVE PRETTY WELL MADE THEIR DECISION AT THIS POINT WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO AND WHAT THEY'RE COMFORTABLE WITH, RIGHT?

>> YEAH, I WOULD SAY SO.

THE BIG GROUP THAT IS STILL UNVACCINATED THAT WE PAY SEE SOME SIGNIFICANT IS THOSE WHO STARTED EARLIER THIS WEEK, THOSE AGED 12-15 BUT I THINK MOST ADULTS WHO WANTED TO IT GO THE VACCINE HAVE GOTTEN IT.

THERE MAY BE A FEW TRICKLING IN, BUT I THINK UNLESS THERE IS SOME MOTIVATION TO DO IT, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO SEE A WHOLE LOT MORE PEOPLE, MORE THAN LIKELY, GO GET THE VACCINE UNLESS IT'S VERY CONVENIENT FOR THEM TO DO IT.

THEY WON'T SEEK OUT TO DO IT.

>> WHEN THE GOVERNOR WAS ASKED WHY THAT DATE, WHICH IS A MONTH AWAY, HE SAID IT IS TO GIVE THE KIDS IN THAT CATEGORY, 12 TO 15, A CHANCE TO GET VACCINATED.

>> RIGHT.

BECAUSE THE FDA JUST THIS WEEK GAVE EMERGENCY APPROVAL FOR KIDS 12-15 TO TAKE THE PFIZER VACCINE.

IN KENTUCKY, IN EFFECT, CHILDREN LARGELY WERE JUST ABLE TO START GETTING DOSES OR SIGNING UP FOR THEM YESTERDAY.

SO THE MONTH IS SUPPOSED TO BE A BUFFER PERIOD TO GIVE THEM TIME BEFORE EVERYTHING IS SORT OF A FREE FOR ALL AND THE HOPE IS THAT IF YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN YOUR VACCINE YET, MAYBE YOU HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT IT, YOU HAVE TIME TO SCHEDULE IT WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH TO KIND OF PREPARE WHEN EVERYBODY TAKES THEIR MASKS OFF.

>> ALL RIGHT.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE POLITICS OF ALL OF THIS.

>> THERE'S POLITICS INVOLVED IN THIS, REALLY?

[LAUGHTER] >> REALLY.

AND THERE HAS BEEN.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS.

REPUBLICANS, YOU KNOW, WERE PRETTY UNIFIED ON THEIR MESSAGE TODAY, AND AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER RYAN QUARLES RELEASED THIS STATEMENT.

WE ARE GOING TO PUT IT ON THE SCREEN.

WITH TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT, THE GOVERNOR HAS ABANDONED HIS VACCINATION GOAL BUT HOLDING KENTUCKY HOSTAGE FOR ANOTHER MONTH.

AS A RESULT OF THE SLOW ACTION, KENTUCKY WILL BE ONE OF THE LAST STATES IN THE IN THE REGION TO FULLY REOPEN.

MORGAN, DOES THIS KEEP THE DOOR OPEN FOR REPUBLICANS TO STILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTACK THE GOVERNOR ON HIS POLICIES?

>> SURE.

I MEAN THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT COMMISSIONER QUARLES AND SOME OTHER KENTUCKY REPUBLICANS DID TODAY.

GOVERNOR BESHEAR MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT WE ARE GETTING RID OF THE RULES IN A MONTH AND THE RESPONSE WAS, WHY NOT NOW.

DEFINITELY, COMMISSIONER QUARLES IN PARTICULAR HAS BEEN PUSHING PUBLICLY FOR BESHEAR TO REOPEN THINGS AND GET RID OF THE REMAINING RESTRICTIONS FASTER SO, YOU KNOW, BESHEAR DID THAT WITH THE CDC SAYING, PUTTING OUT THEIR MASK RULES AND REPLAQUESING THE REQUIREMENT GAVE BESHEAR THE PUSH TO GO AHEAD AND SAY IN A MONTH WE WILL BE DONE BUT ABSOLUTELY.

REPUBLICANS, INCLUDING COMMISSIONER QUARLES, ARE SAYING WE STILL HAVE THINGS TO CRITICIZE HIM ABOUT.

WE ARE NOT THRILLED WITH THIS.

WE WANT TO IT HAPPEN QUICKER AND YEAH, THEY'RE GOING TO HIT HIM ON THAT.

>> IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE UP UNTIL LAST WEEK, BESHEAR'S GOAL WAS TO GET 2.5 MILLION PEOPLE PARTIALLY VACCINATED BEFORE HE REMOVED RESTRICTIONS.

WE WON'T GET ANOTHER HALF MILLION IN THE NEXT MONTH.

COMMISSIONER QUARLES WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE CRITICIZING THE GOAL AS BEING TOO LOFTY, WE NEED DO IT NOW.

EVEN THOUGH BESHEAR HAS GONE BACK ON THAT GOAL, HE IS STILL GETTING CRITICIZED NOW FOR NOT DOING IT SOON ENOUGH EVEN THOUGH IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN SOONER THAN IT WOULD HAVE.

>> DID YOU TALK TO QUARLES?

THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.

>> I DID TALK TO HIM AFTER HE RELEASED THE STATEMENT AND IT'S AS ALEX SAID EARLIER, HE HAS BEEN CRITICAL OF THE GOVERNOR FOR NOT SETTING A SURE DATE TO REOPEN.

NOW HE HAS.

BUT QUARLES SAYS HE SHOULD HAVE DONE IT A LONG TIME AGO FOR THE BENEFIT OF BUSINESSES LIKE RESTAURANTS, WHO NEED TO BE REOPENED.

SO ESSENTIALLY, AS YOU SAID IN THE STATEMENT, HE BELIEVES THAT THE GOVERNOR IS STILL HOLDING THE STATE HOSTAGE.

THE GOVERNOR SAYS HE IS JUST FOLLOWING THE SCIENCE.

THAT THERE IS NO POLITICS BEHIND THIS.

HIS ORIGINAL GOAL WAS 2.5 MILLION PEOPLE BUT WITH THE NEW CDC GUIDANCE, HE FELT COMFORTABLE AT THIS POINT GOING AHEAD AND FIRST RELAXING AND THEN TOTALLY FREEING UP THE ECONOMY ON JUNE 11.

>> WE ALL KNOW THAT ELECTIONS ARE COMING AND BIG YEARS, 22 WITH THE LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS AND 23 THE GOVERNOR'S RACE AND THE OTHER STATEWIDE ELECTIONS.

YOU KNOW, GOVERNOR BESHEAR HAS INDICATED HE HELD ALL OF THOSE BRIEFINGS THAT WERE TELEVISED, ESPECIALLY EARLY ON, TO KEEP PEOPLE INFORMED.

IT ALSO HAD THE EFFECT OF MAKING HIM VERY VISIBLE AS GOVERNOR.

HAVE THE REPUBLICANS BEEN, YOU KNOW, RESENTFUL OF BOTH HIS POLICIES, WHICH THEY HAVE CRITICIZED, AND THE POLITICAL CURRENCY THAT MAY COME ALONG WITH THAT KIND OF VISIBILTY, LAWRENCE?

>> THE WORD I WOULD USE IS FRUSTRATED.

THEY HAVE BEEN FRUSES STRAIGHT FRUSTRATED THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS GOTTEN ALMOST THE FULL ATTENTION OF THE ENTIRE STATE FOR MONTHS, ESPECIALLY EARLY IN THE PANDEMIC WITH THE CONSTANT BRIEFINGS AND PEOPLE HANGING ON HIS EVERY WORD AND TV AND RADIO STATIONS ACROSS THE STATE BROADCASTING HIM LIVE.

SURE, THERE IS FRUSTRATION THAT HE IS GETTING ALL OF THIS ATTENTION AND BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC EARLY ON THERE WERE VERY CAUTIOUS ABOUT BEING TOO CRITICAL OF HIM BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE VIRUS THEN.

THE CRITICISM CAME LATER AS MONTHS WORE ON, PEOPLE GOT TIRED AND WE KNEW MORE ABOUT THE VACCINE CHT THAT'S WHEN THE CRITICISM CAME TO RUSH AND GET THESE RESTRICTIONS LIFTED SOONER AND SOONER, BUT YES, CLEARLY, THEY HAVE BEEN FRUSTRATED THAT HE HAS HAD THE BULLY PULPIT ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY FOR SO LONG.

>> MORGAN, THE LEGISLATURE CLEARLY DOMINATED BY REPUBLICANS, THEY FEEL THEY WERE ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE FROM THEIR DISTRICTS AND THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN HEARD MORE OFTEN THROUGH THIS AS WELL.

>> SURE, I MEAN THE LEGISLATURE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ONLY IN SESSION FOR THE EARLY PART OF THE YEAR, AND, YEAH, I MEAN GOVERNOR BESHEAR FOR A YEAR PLUS NOW HAS HAD MULTIPLE DAYS PER WEEK WHERE HE HAS GOTTEN IN FRONT.

ANYBODY CAN LOOK HIM UP ON YOUTUBE.

I'LL SAY THAT THE PRESS CONFERENCES HAVE BEEN GREAT FOR REPORTERS.

BUT YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THING THAT I THINK IS REALLY NOTICEABLE IS BESHEAR REALLY USED-- IN THE PRESS CONFERENCES HE HAD A VERY CONVERSATIONAL TONE, REALLY TRIED TO DIRECT, TALK TO KENTUCKIANS THROUGH THE SCREEN.

SURE, HE IS DEFINITELY GOTTEN A LOT MORE COVERAGE AND ATTENTION AND PEOPLE WATCHING BECAUSE HE'S THE GUY IN CHARGE OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH DURING A CRISIS.

BUT, YEAH, I'M SURE, ALL POLITICIANS WANT TO GET THEIR MESS AM OUT THERE, WANT TO HAVE THEIR VIEWS HEARD AND GET THAT OUT TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS.

THERE IS NO WAY THE LEGISLATORS COULD COMPARE TO THE BULLY PULPIT BESHEAR HAS HAD.

>> THE PANDEMIC IS NOT OVER.

THERE IS MORE TO GO.

THERE COULD BE MORE TO GO THAN WE REALIZE, ALEX BUT WE KNOW U.K. IS TAKING DOWN THE MASS VACCINATION CLINIC AT KROGER FIELD.

A DIFFERENT STRATEGY NOW IN GETTING THE REMAINING PEOPLE VACCINATED WHO ARE WILLING.

IF BOOSTERS ARE NEEDED, AS SOME ARE PREDICTING, MANY IN THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY ARE, DOES IT LOOK LIKE WE WOULD SET UP THE SAME KIND OF STRUCTURE WITH MASS VACCINATION CLINICS BE THE WAY WE GO AGAIN OR WOULD IT LOOK DIFFERENT, DO YOU THINK?

>> I MEAN IT'S MARRED TO SAY.

IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE ONE OF THE NEEDS THAT MASCULINICS SERVED IS WHEN HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE FRANTICALLY TRYING TO SIGN UP AT ONCE, AND EVEN IF YOU TRIED TO SATURATE DRUGSTORES, YOU KNOW, CONVENIENT STORES, GROCERY STORES IN YOUR COMMUNITIES, IT COULD NOT MEET THE DEMAND FAST ENOUGH.

ONCE WE HAVE MORE PLANNING, LOOKING AHEAD TO THE BOOSTER, IT'S HARD TO SAY-- SO FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THE HEIGHTENED DEMAND ON MASCULINICS, AS FAR AS I CAN TELL WAS-- PLAS-- MASS CLINICS BECAUSE VACCINE DEMAND IS DROPPING SLIGHTLY AND BECAUSE WE HAVE SEVERAL HUNDRED LOCATIONS ACROSS THE STATE IN ADDITION TO THESE HANDFUL OF MASS SITES WHERE YOU CAN GET A VACCINE.

KROGER, WAL-MART, CVS PHARMACIES, INDEPENDENT PHARMACIES.

PLANNING AHEAD, I WONDER IF THE PLAN WOULD BE TO SATURATE A VARIETY OF COMMUNITY STORES WITH VACCINE WHERE COULD YOU GO ANYWHERE AND NOT MISS IT.

I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WOULD BE A NEED FOR, YOU KNOW, TWO REGIONAL SITES IN LEXINGTON, FOR EXAMPLE.

BUT IT'S HARD TO SAY.

>> SCHOOLS ARE PLANNING.

THEY HAVE TO BE LOOKING AHEAD.

SOME OF THEM WITH SUMMER SCHOOL AND THEN OF COURSE BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, THEY'RE BACK FOR THE FALL SEMESTER.

>> YEAH, OF COURSE, THE CHANGES IN THE MASK MANDATE AND THAT DOESN'T CHANGE ANYTHING FOR THE REST OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.

IT'S NOT UNTIL JUNE 11 SO THE SCHOOL YEAR WILL END AS IT IS RIGHT NOW.

THE SAME REQUIREMENTS.

IT WILL BE INTERESTING GOING FORWARD TO SEE WHAT SCHOOLS DECIDE TO DO ABOUT SUMMER SCHOOL AND ABOUT THE FALL.

THEY WILL BE WAITING FOR GUIDANCE FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO SEE HOW THEY'RE GOING TO HANDLE MASKING, BUSINESSES, WILL THERE BE MORE RELAXATION, MORE NORMAL, A COMBINATION?

THOSE ARE THE DECISIONS SCHOOLS HAVE TO TO MAKE OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

>> IT SEEMS TO BE A TREND THAT THE DO OVER YEARS ARE BEING APPROVED AS WELL AS THE DISTRICTS ARE MAKING THEIR DECISIONS ON THAT.

>> I DON'T HAVE NUMBERS ABOUT HOW MANY REQUESTS THEY'VE HAD, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ALL THAT MANY STUDENTS WHO WANT A DO OVER YEAR.

>> LAWRENCE, IS THE ECONOMY, YOU KNOW, SEEMS TO REALLY BE BOUNCING BACK HERE.

BUSINESSES ARE HAVING A REAL CHALLENGE IN TRYING TO FILL POSITIONS.

WE KNOW THAT TENNESSEE, OHIO AND MISSOURI, ALL KENTUCKY BORDER STATES, ARE ENDING THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE FEDERAL PROGRAM THAT ENHANCES UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.

BUT IT DOES NOT APPEAR THAT GOVERNOR BESHEAR IS CLOSE TO DOING THAT HERE.

DOES IT?

>> IT DID NOT COME UP IN TODAY'S BRIEFING.

AND LATER, WE, IN OUR NEWSROOM, MARCUS GREEN AND I, ASKED THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE WHAT THE PLAN WAS FOR THIS ENHANCED BENEFIT, THIS EXTRA $300 THAT UNEMPLOYMENT-- UNEMPLOYED FOLKS HAVE BEEN GETTING.

WE DID NOT GET A RESPONSE.

WE DON'T KNOW YET WHEN THE GOVERNOR PLANS TO PULL THE PLUG ON THAT EXTRA BENEFIT THAT IS STILL GOING OUT TO THOSE WHO ARE UNEMPLOYED.

>> MORGAN, THE WORKFORCE SHORTAGES NATIONWIDE, MONTANA IS GIVING BONUSES TO PEOPLE 1200 TO TAKE A JOB.

IS THE PRESSURE OUT THERE ALSO GOING TO FORCE COMPANIES TO INCREASE THEIR PAY TO RECRUIT WORKERS?

>> WE'LL SEE.

I MEAN I KNOW CERTAINLY SOME COMPANIES AT LEAST HAVE DONE THAT, YOU KNOW, HAVE STARTED TO OFFER, YOU KNOW, HIGHER PAY TO TRY TO GET PEOPLE TO COME IN.

OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE A TON OF EMPLOYERS AND SOME OF THEM ARE TAKING DIFFERENT APPROACHES.

IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE YOU HAVE THE UNEMPLOYMENT.

SOME REPUBLICAN-LED STATES, THE GOVERNOR SAYING WE ARE GOING TO STOP THE 300 WEEKLY BONUS IN UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS BECAUSE BASICALLY THE IDEA IS THAT PEOPLE ARE GETTING PAID MORE TO SIT AT HOME THAN TO GO GET A JOB AGAIN, WHICH CERTAINLY THAT IS TRUE FOR SOME PEOPLE.

BUT IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE IT IS MORE COMPLEX.

YOU NOT ONLY HAVE MAYBE THAT SITUATION HAPPENING, BUT IN A LOT OF CASES, WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC.

SO THERE ARE PEOPLE STILL STRUGGLING POTENTIALLY WITH OTHER ISSUES.

PEOPLE ARE HAVING A HARD TIME FIGURING OUT CHILD CARE WHICH HAS BEEN A HUGE PROBLEM DURING THE PANDEMIC.

PEOPLE WHO ARE TAKING THE PUBLIC HEALTH RISKS STILL UNDER COUNT AS FAR AS DO I WANT TO GO BACK TO THAT CUSTOMER SERVICE JOB WHERE I'M OR DEALING WITH PEOPLE FACE TO FACE ALL THE TIME.

THIS THING ISN'T TOTALLY OVER.

SO THERE ARE A LOT OF REASONS, I THINK, THAT GO INTO PEOPLE'S DECISIONS ABOUT LOOKING FOR WORK AND WHAT JOBS TO TAKE AND, YOU KNOW, FOR SOME GOVERNORS THEY'RE SAYING WELL WE ARE GOING TO GET RID OF THE UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT.

OTHER PEOPLE SAY ALL THAT IS GOING TO DO IS HURT PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY HURTING TO LOSE THAT $300 A WEEK.

BUT ABSOLUTELY, THERE ARE A LOT OF EMPLOYERS OUT THERE WHO ARE SAYING LOOK, WE HAVE ALL THESE JOBS AND WE CAN'T FILL THEM.

RESTAURANTS SAYING I CAN'T, I NEED TO MAYBE NOT BE OPEN AS LONG AS I NORMALLY WOULD BE BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE STAFF AND THE STAFF THAT THEY DO HAVE ARE STRETCHED THIN.

SO IT'S CERTAINLY AN ISSUE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

AGAIN, WE HAVE SOME THAT HAVE HAD TO SHUT DOWN DAYS AND HOURS AND SO ON.

WE'LL FOLLOW THIS TREND.

YOU KNOW, AND LAWRENCE, DESPITE ALL THE CHALLENGES, THERE IS STRONG EVIDENCE THAT KENTUCKY'S BUDGET IS REALLY BOUNCING BACK.

THE STATE BUDGET DIRECTOR REPORTED RECORD SALES TAX RECEIPTS IN APRIL.

THE STATE COULD BE ON TRACK TO HAVE A SURPLUS OF CLOSE TO $600 MILLION.

IS THAT JUST A LOT OF PENT UP DEMAND OF BUYING GOING OUT OUT THERE?

>> YEAH, I THINK THERE IS PENT UP DEMAND, THERE IS STIMULUS MONEY BEING SPENT.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FACTORS.

THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID HIS SOUND FISCAL MANAGEMENT THAT HAS CAUSED THE BUDGET TO BE IN THE SHAPE IT'S IN.

REPUBLICAN LEGISLATORS SAY IT'S THEIR CONSERVATIVE POLICIES.

IT'S PROBABLY A COMBINATION OF ALL THOSE THINGS.

PLUS DON'T FORGET THE STATE HAS GOTTEN $2 BILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDS AND THEY'RE GOING TO GET $2 BILLION MORE IN THE COMING YEAR.

SO ALL THOSE FACTORS HAVE LED TO WHERE WE ARE NOW, WHICH IS SURPRISINGLY GOOD STATE BUDGET.

>> AND THE LEGISLATURE HAS PLANNED CONSERVATIVELY FOR THE NEXT FY'THAT FISCAL YEAR THAT STARTS JULY IS.

IF IT CONTINUES THIS TREND THAT THERE IS MORE MONEY COMING IN THAN HAS BEEN ALLOCATED, I'M GET GUESSING THAT'S NOT SENT BACK TO THE TAXPAYERS.

SO HOW WILL THAT BE HANDLED?

>> I THINK THE LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO HAVE TO GET INVOLVED IN THIS AND PERHAPS THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR CAN COME TO SOME KIND OF AGREEMENT ON HOW THAT MONEY IS GOING TO BE SPENT.

THERE ARE A LOT OF OPTIONS, OF COURSE.

THE RAINY DAY FUND IS AT A RECORD HIGH.

THEY COULD ADD TO THAT.

THEY COULD DEAL WITH THE PENSION CRISIS, PUT SOME MORE MONEY TOWARDS PENSIONS.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OPTIONS, A NUMBER OF DECISIONS THAT HAVE TO BE MADE, THE KIND OF DECISIONS THEY LIKE TO MAKE.

IT'S HOW TO SPEND MONEY OPPOSED TO CUT.

>> ROAD FUND RECEIPTS SET A RECORD IN APRIL.

THAT WAS STRONG AS THE LEGISLATURE HAS BEEN WRESTLING WITH WHAT TO DO ON THAT.

SO SPEAKING OF ROADS, THE PANDEMIC SHOWED US THAT THERE CAN BE RUNS ON VIRTUALLY EVERYTHING.

WE ALL REMEMBER THE RUNS ON FOOD AND TOILET PAPER LAST YEAR.

THIS WEEK THE GAS LINES WERE LONG OVER FEARS OF SUPPLY AFTER A HACKING INCIDENT INVOLVING COLONIAL PIPELINE.

IT WAS WORSE FOR STATES TO OUR SOUTH, BUT WE HAD SOME LINES AND SOME STATIONS WITHOUT GAS HERE IN KENTUCKY AS WELL WITH SOME PANIC BUYING, LAWRENCE.

>> YEAH, YOU CAN COMPARE IT TO THE TOILET PAPER RUN EARLY ON IN THE PANDEMIC.

PEOPLE WERE AFRAID THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE A SHORTAGE OF GAS AND ENDED UP CAUSING A GAS SHORTAGE.

SO PART OF THAT WAS CONCERN ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO GET GAS.

THERE WAS ALSO CONCERN ABOUT PRICES INCREASING.

SO THERE WAS A RUN ON GAS STATIONS WHICH RESULTED IN SPOT SHORTAGES THROUGHOUT KENTUCKY.

>> MORGAN, FEDERAL MONEY HAS FLOWED INTO THE COMMONWEALTH IN LOTS OF FORMS.

WE TALK ABOUT THE STATE MONEY COMING IN AND NOW THE CITIES AND COUNTIES WILL BE GETTING THEIR OWN CHUNK.

THEY HAVE GUIDELINES NOW FROM THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT.

LOCAL LEADERS TAIS SOME BIG DECISIONS RIGHT NOW.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT'S GOING TO BE COMING TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ACROSS KENTUCKY.

AND FOR THE MOST PART, THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF FLEXIBILITY IN HOW THEY USE IT.

THE IDEA IS TO USE IT TO DEAL WITH ISSUES THE PANDEMIC RAISED, WHICH OBVIOUSLY THE PANDEMIC TOUCHED EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES AND EVERY ASPECT OF GOVERNMENT.

AND THEN ALSO ANYTHING THEY CAN DO TO TRY TO HELP REBUILD THEIR ECONOMY.

SO THEY HAVE A LOT OF LEEWAY.

I THINK IT JUST COMES DOWN TO, WE HAVE A TON OF PRIORITIES, WHICH ONES DO WE PRIORITIZE AND GIVE THE MONEY TO FIRST.

>> HOW MUCH PRESSURE DO YOU THINK THERE IS ON LOCAL LEADERS TO LEAN TOWARD PANDEMIC-RELATED OR HEALTHCARE PREVENTION OR EVEN THE PUBLIC HEALTH SECTOR THAT WE HAVE BECOME SO AWARE OF OVER THE LAST YEAR.

>> RIGHT.

I THINK THAT-- I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH PRESSURE LOCAL LEADERS ARE FEEL AGO CUTELY, BUT I THINK THAT ONE THING I'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTORS ABOUT IS HOW THEY WANT TO YUS, BASICALLY THE PAST YEAR, AS LEVERAGE TO SHOW THE STATE, YOU KNOW, WE PLAY A VITAL ROLE.

THE PANDEMIC PERFECTLY DEMONSTRATED THAT BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH WE RELIED ON PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH, BEFORE BASICALLY THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, FOR DECADES, IT HAS BEEN UNDER FUNDED IN ACCOUNT CAN.

SO HOW-- IN KENTUCKY.

HOW TO CONVINCE THE STATE TO BETTER FUND PUBLIC HEALTH JUST HOW TO GET THEIR VOICE OUT THERE MORE BECAUSE ANYBODY WHO IS ANYBODY NOW KNOWS WHAT THEIR LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT DOES.

PEOPLE RELIED ON THEM FOR NOT ONLY CONTACT TRACING TO MITIGATE THE VIRUS BUT FOR INFORMATION, TOO.

>> BACK TO THE RAW POLITICS OUT THERE.

MORGAN, KENTUCKY REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN ON A ROLL IN RECENT YEARS.

THEY CONTROL THE LEGISLATURE.

THE STATE'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, EVERY STATEWIDE OFFICE EXCEPT GOVERNOR AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.

NOW THE DEMOCRATIC STATE PARTY SIGNED AN AGREEMENT WITH THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY THAT WILL BRING SOME MONEY IN FOR THEM.

>> YEAH THERE IS GOING TO BE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT THE NATIONAL PARTY PLANS TO SEND TO STATE DEMOCRATIC PARTIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY INCLUDING ROUGHLY $2 MILLION RED STATE FUND.

THE IDEA IS TO SEND THAT MONEY SPECIFICALLY TO STATE DEMOCRATIC PARTIES IN STATES WHERE DEMOCRATS HONESTLY DON'T HAVE MUCH POWER AT ALL IN AND KENTUCKY CERTAINLY WOULD QUALIFY FOR THAT WITH SUPER MAJORITIES IN THE LEGISLATURE ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE AND ONLY ONE DEMOCRAT IN CONGRESS.

SO THE IDEA IS, I GUESS THAT THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE, THE NATIONAL PARTY IS LOOKING TO TRY TO SPREAD THE WEALTH A BIT AND NOT LEAVE RED STATES HANGING.

>> LAWRENCE, DO DEMOCRATS HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, TAKING THAT MONEY FROM THE NATIONAL PARTY AND THEN BEING TIED TO IT?

>> WELL, IT'S CERTAINLY GOING TO GIVE REPUBLICANS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.

THE STATE PARTY IN THE PAST HAS HAD A KIND OF DISTANCE ITSELF FROM THE NATIONAL PARTY.

THE STATE PARTY IS GENERALLY MORE CONSERVATIVE THAN THE NATIONAL PARTY BUT I CAN SEE REPUBLICANS RUNNING ADS SAYING NANCY PLEASE' PELOSI IS INTERFERING WITH KENTUCKY.

YOU WILL PROBABLY SEE ADS LIKE THAT.

>> THERE ARE DISAGREEMENTS ON THE SCOPE OF THE BILL AND HOW IT WOULD BE PAID FOR.

McCONNELL DOES NOT WANT TO SEE IT CHARGED TO CORPORATIONS IN A TAX HIKE.

HE CALLS THAT A RED LINE.

>> FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THIS DISCUSSION ABOUT THE WAY FORWARD ON INFRASTRUCTURE WILL NOT INCLUDE REVISITING THE 2017 TAX BILL.

>> MORGAN, McCONNELL PUSHES USER FEES AND TOLLS THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN SAYS THAT HITS THE WORKING POOR TOO HARD.

>> YEP, USER FEES COULD INCLUDE SOMETHING LIKE INCREASING THE GAS TAX WHICH AFFECT ANYONE WHO DRIVES A CAR, SO ESSENTIALLY, SENATOR McCONNELL IS SAYING LET'S LOOK AT MORE TRADITIONAL WAYS OF FUNDING INFRASTRUCTURE.

BUT BIDEN IS SAYING, HE DOESN'T WANT TO RAISE TAXES ON PEOPLE MAKING UNDER $400 GRAND AND HE IS SAYING LET'S GO TO THE ULTRAWEALTHY AND THE CORPORATIONS TO FUND THE BIG PROJECTS FOR McCONNELL, THE 2017 TAX CUT BILL THAT REPUBLICANS PASSED WAS A MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR HIM AND HE DOESN'T WANT TO HAVE THAT TOUCHED AT ALL.

IT IS GOING TO BE A FLASH POINT IN THE DEBATE.

>> THE STORY THAT EVOLVED AS THE WEEK WENT ON, MEDINA'S SPIRIT WENT ON TO THE PREAKNESS UNDER THE AGREEMENT THAT HIS TRAINER WOULD NOT BE THERE.

>> BAFFORD SAID HE WOULD NOT GO TO THE PREAKNESS BECAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT TO BE A DISTRACTION.

BUT THERE IS AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN BAFFORD'S BARN AND THE PREAKNESS FOR MORE TESTING FOR HIS ENTRIES, INCLUDING MEDINA'S SPIRIT.

THEY PASSED THE FIRST WAVE OF TESTS SO AS OF NOW, THE HORSE WILL RUN IN THE PREAKNESS DESPITE THE CONTROVERSY BACK IN KENTUCKY.

>> IN EASTERN KENTUCKY MANY REMEMBER ULA HALL WHO MET WITH PRESIDENTS AND PAUPERS AND FOUNDED A HEALTHCARE CLIN CLINIC NAMED FOR HER IN FLOYD COUNTY.

FRIDAY IS THE 33rd ANNIVERSARY OF THE WORST DRUNK DRIVING IN THE COUNTRY AND IT HAPPEN IN KENTUCKY MAY 14, 1988, 27 PEOPLE, INCLUDING 24 CHILDREN DIED WHEN A DRUNK DRIVER HIT BY BUS ON I-71 NEAR CAROLTON.

RADCLIFF CHURCH GROUP WAS RETURNING FROM A TRIP FROM KINGS ISLAND.

LARRY MAHONEY SERVED 11 YEARS IN PRISON AFTER THAT.

TUNE IN MONDAY FOR KENTUCKY TONIGHT, RENEE SHAW WILL HOST A DISCUSSION ON JOBS AND THE ECONOMY.