We want to honor them and to teach other individuals about the meaning of Memorial Day.

This weekend is more than just a dip in the pool.

This is one of those unusual years where the tree pollen season has become more extended for the commonwealth.

Why those with seasonal allergies may notice them lasting longer than expected.

I'm not giving up because I'm still here, so why would I give up?

Many students have to overcome adversity.

But wait until you hear this series.

Incredible story.

Production of Kentucky Edition is made possible in part by the KET Endowment for Kentucky Productions, the Leonard Press, Endowment for Public Affairs and the KET Millennium Fund.

Good evening and welcome to Kentucky Edition for Friday, May 26th.

I'm Casey Parker Belle, filling in for Renee Shaw.

While promising continued transparency, Louisville's mayor and interim police chief today released police documents related to a recent Department of Justice report that criticized Louisville police for violating citizen's constitutional rights, especially black citizens.

You'll recall in March, US Attorney General Merrick Garland visited Louisville when the DOJ released a 90 page report after an investigation that began after the 2020 Breonna Taylor shooting.

That report said between 2016 and 2021, the police department sometimes used excessive force, invalid warrants and unlawful stops and searches, and that it violated protesters free speech rights.

The report cited 62 incidents.

Today, Louisville released documents that provide specific details about those incidents.

The public can see the documents on a new website found at Louisville Dash Police talk.

Under the heading Department of Justice, Community Resources Mayor Craig Greenburg says he believes this move is unprecedented.

This is not something that we we had to do.

We did this because, as I mentioned earlier in my remarks, the chief, myself, others of my administration, her senior leadership team, thought this was important to be transparent with the community.

We don't believe that any city who has been presented with a findings report by the DOJ has done something like this before, trying to make it user friendly so that even notwithstanding the vast amount of information that is here, individuals who want to know more can learn more.

Police are not releasing video of the incidents listed on the new website yet because of the redaction process used to protect the privacy of those involved.

Mayor Greenburg says video will be released within 60 days.

A Kentucky man is now charged with involvement in the January 6th, 2021 insurrection at the US Capitol.

Daniel Edwin Wilson of Louisville faces several charges, including disorderly conduct.

Court documents say in the winter of 2020, Wilson started planning to interfere with the January six joint session of Congress, with President elect Joe Biden would be certified as the winner of the 2020 election.

Prosecutors say they have video of Wilson in the Capitol, even though he denied being there.

They also say Wilson wrote, quote, It is a time for good men to do bad things.

In an online group chat, Kentucky's Department of Juvenile Justice continues to work toward implementing new legislation.

The department came under intense criticism after a number of violent incidents at several youth detention centers during the 2023 legislative session.

Lawmakers passed two key bills.

Senate Bill 162 appropriated more than $25 million for DOJ staff, raises, security upgrades and more.

It also set standards for emergency responses at juvenile facilities and allows the state to enter contracts with third party organizations that provide mental health services.

House Bill three appropriated almost $20 million to reopen a youth detention center in downtown Louisville.

Testifying before the Juvenile Justice Oversight Council this morning, Public Safety Cabinet Secretary Kerry Harvey said the legislation is now helping attract new employees, which he says is the foundation for success.

The overarching difficulty, I think, that has existed in the detention centers not over the last year, but over the last many years.

And it was identified publicly as certainly as early as 2017 was the inability to recruit and retain sufficient staff for these facilities.

And I think we could all agree that if we don't properly staff these facilities, the rest of your plan just really doesn't matter very much because it's not going to work.

Secretary Harvey also discussed the department's revamping of its security policies, which includes arming staff with non-lethal defensive weapons.

But he also said a provision in House Bill three, which will require youth be detained until they have a detention hearing, will lead to a bed shortage.

That provision of the bill doesn't go into effect until July of next year.

It's time for our end of the week political check.

Today, we have two leaders from Kentucky's young party infrastructure.

Here in the studio is Michael Frazier, political director for the Kentucky Young Republicans.

And joining us via Skype is Alison Wiseman, president of the Kentucky Young Democrats.

Thank you all for joining.

Appreciate you both.

Happy to be here.

Of course.

Thank you.

Alison, I'll start with you.

The governor's race has gotten off to a quick start.

Governor Andy Beshear started this week with a bus tour all across the state.

But most people see you fancy farmers the kickoff for the general election season.

So why is it important for the governor candidates to get started so early?

I think the biggest thing is everyone knows this is going to be a hot race.

It's going to be one of the most watched races, if not the most watched race in the country that we have going on this year.

Fancy farms, all fun and games.

But the second that primary was over, it was general election time.

It was general election season for both candidates.

And I think it's really important that they start the groundwork now and get the ball rolling, especially with TV ads, groundwork, because this is going to be a very long six months.

Michael, of course, candidates are already racking up endorsements, but it is early.

So how important are these endorsements?

And are people paying this much attention this early in the race?

I don't think that people are paying too close attention this early in the race.

But I do want to carry on to Alison's point about this being a hot, contested race and the importance of the early ness of getting out there.

And that gets into the early ness and the endorsements, right?

The candidates are trying to nationalize this race, say Andy Beshear with Joe Biden and then Daniel Cameron with who will ever become our party nominee for president, either Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, or so forth.

The committee candidates all enter into the race, I suspect.

So the earlier that they're getting out, one distinguishes them, but also it ties them into and gets name recognition.

So the endorsements help with that, certainly, especially when they're trying to appeal to a statewide field that's going to be a very hot, nationalized race.

And I think that that's important for both candidates.

Yeah.

Michael, this week, The Courier Journal reported that the Kentucky Board of Education has had two seats vacant for over a year.

And I was curious if you think that this is something Republicans can use to attack Governor Beshear, who's spent a lot of time trying to say that he's an education first candidate?

I certainly do.

I think that when Governor Brashear came in, he took the time, a measure to build a Kentucky Board of education that was very structured to him, especially nominating having nominations for the Kentucky Board of Education that would oust then Wayne Lewis and replace him with who is now the commissioner of education, Jason Glass.

I think it's very interesting and quite frankly, hypocritical of a governor who claims to be education first is now completely either, in my opinion, lost ability or right or sees ghost on the board where we have to there so happens to be Republican chair is sitting there empty.

We haven't a majority of registered voters and a plurality of registered Republicans.

That's a statement saying that he has yet to find somebody qualified to fill those chairs.

What he's saying that Republicans, Kentucky Republicans are not qualified.

I think that's a huge misstep.

And frankly, it's we're already seeing it backfire on him.

Yeah.

Alison, is this something that could hurt the governor among teachers and do you think he's feeling pressure to make appointments to the board now?

I think, first of all, speaking of endorsements, Kia has endorsed Governor Beshear, the educators of Kentucky fully support him.

It is obvious with this endorsement and that Kentucky educators put him in the governor's office in 2019 when they voted out then Governor Matt Bevin.

They're going to do it again this November in 2023 against Attorney General Daniel Cameron.

But also Governor Bashir has a record of appointing Republicans to the KBI, such as former Boone County Superintendent Randy Poe, for example, and others.

This is all just unnecessary political theater from the Republican Party.

Earlier this week, State Representative Josh Callaway received some criticism for a tweet about his podcast.

We'll show you the tweet.

It says, The LGBT community is a disease.

Michael, you have published work where you say you are a gay Republican.

You backed Representative Callaway when he lost some committee assignments earlier in the year.

Does this change, Representative Callaway, his standing in Kentucky's Republican Party?

I'm not sure if this changes his standing in the Kentucky Republican Party, but I think it has to shift and also change in which the how the Republican Party responds to Mr. Callaway, to Representative Callaway.

We're see, we saw in the 2022 elections in regards to a home base of Republicans, particularly moderate Republicans, stay home.

We also have seen in the gubernatorial primary with Kelly Craft, who ran on similar messaging, but not to be at the extreme of at the extreme of representing Callaway to refer to LGBT people as labeled by his producer in the video as disease.

But we see these extremes in the messaging, the extremes of the messaging that are keeping people home.

Frankly, I don't find and something I would disagree with.

Robertson Callaway I am a Republican.

I am a gay Republican.

I believe in small government.

I believe in fiscal responsibility.

I believe in the Constitution.

For people to be able to speak freely, express freely, belief freely, including Mr. Callaway.

But at the same time, I also believe not giving Democrats free fund raisers and also driving people out and giving Governor Beshear a free messaging day.

I also want to say that the Kentucky Republican Party, the young Republicans that I speak to during some of the passage of the bills that we saw in this past General Assembly session, I receive countless emails saying that this is this is what's going politics, go home.

This is the issue we'll switch parties for.

And we're already seeing an uptick, a third party registration.

Well, we have to ask ourselves why the fall?

Deborah, This is not within our stars, but within ourselves, perhaps our party and the future of the party is LGBT accepting.

And I just want to, first of all, echo Michael's acceptance of people in the community.

I hate it for Michael that he feels this way and feels this pressure and abandonment from people who he supports.

No Kentuckians should feel that way, especially not you, Michael, doing the work that you were doing.

Being a young political activist is it's hard and it's a lot.

And I am thankful for the work that you were doing with banned conversion therapy Therapy.

Kentucky.

Some of my friends in the organization as well.

But with these issues, specifically Senate Bill 150 and other anti LGBTQ issues and bills that were filed this past session, we are seeing in quality Kentucky young Democrats a huge uptick in membership for us because these young voters are seeing the future of Kentucky being accepting of members in this community, and they know that they feel accepted and feel like they have a home in the Kentucky Democratic Party, specifically with Kentucky.

YOUNG Deb, a federal judge is siding with Churchill Downs against trainer Bob Baffert.

Churchill Downs suspended Baffert in June of 2021 after Medina Spirit won the Kentucky Derby but was disqualified for failing a drug test.

Baffert sued, saying the track failed to follow due process.

Judge Rebecca Jennings has ruled for Churchill Downs.

She rejects Baffert's claim the suspension devalued his trainer's license since he won more than $1,000,000 equipment.

Electric cooperatives working in most rural areas provide power to over 42 million people.

But serving rural areas can be expensive, and in some places, aging infrastructure is creating issues serving customers.

Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act last year and the bills providing hundreds of millions of dollars to rural electric cooperatives to modernize their grids and make the move to renewable energies.

In Kentucky, rural co-ops are making plans to apply for some of this federal money and for furthering their transition to renewable energies.

We are really hoping that co-ops can really take the lead and show how investments in clean energy and energy efficiency can really impact our local places.

The Mountain Association is working to help Kentucky's rural electric cooperatives access federal dollars to update infrastructure and invest in renewable energies.

More than $1,000,000,000 will be available to improve energy resilience in communities of less than 10,000 people.

That opportunity, though, is not easily grasped, especially in Kentucky, where we just haven't over time, built the infrastructures that we would like to see today.

Nationwide co-ops power over 21.5 million homes and businesses over more than 56% of the nation's landmass.

In Kentucky, these not for profit electric co-ops send power to more than 1.8 million people in 117 counties.

Today, the co-ops serve the rural areas in places where for profit utilities won't go.

Investor owned utilities serve about 34 people per mile compared to the 7.4 people per mile for co-ops nationwide, according to the in our ACA.

We have to start building we have to start planning the tree that we didn't plant 20 years ago.

And the opportunities right are in the billions.

Rural co-ops are already making plans to build on the renewable energies they already have in West Liberty, the Licking Valley, rural co-ops, Malone Solar, Farm powers, about 50 homes.

We're actually very pleased to be able to provide our members some renewable energy directly.

And the solar farm you see behind us was a partnership that we had done with a former resident of Wolfe County who did quite well in his professional life.

We tried to do what we can to provide electricity as reliably and affordably to those Kentucky residents.

Nick Comber works for Touchstone Energy.

The group represents electric co-ops in 46 states.

He says rural co-ops are working toward securing funding to help move toward renewables, but that implementation will take time.

We're putting together proposals for how we might be able to use that money.

It's going to take a number of months, probably not this year, probably in the next year, before we can kind of learn what are the projects there that are going to be funded.

But Comber says co-ops will do whatever best serves their customers and says keeping the grid reliable is their biggest concern.

And as we move to less carbon intensive forms of energy production like solar or wind, those are what we call intermittent forms of energy production, meaning the sun doesn't shine 24 hours a day, the windows and blow 24 hours a day.

So we have to have something available to provide electricity during those times when those are not available.

What if we invest it in our homes and our businesses and our places of worship instead, and create a resilience at home?

Resilience within the community?

Emergency resilience at our schools and at our grocery stores.

All those jobs are going to happen right there in the local community.

The US Department of Energy is already taking applications for grants from its energy improvements and remote Rural areas program.

$315 million are available for rural communities.

Applications for the funds are due in June.

This holiday weekend, we pause to remember those who gave their lives for our country.

A memorial Day ceremony was held this morning at Fairview Cemetery in Bowling Green.

The Greenwood High School in JROTC led the presentation of Colors National Anthem 21 Gun salute and playing of the taps.

It's important because a lot of people fought for our country and they sacrificed their lives for this country.

And I think it's only right that they get recognized for their hard work and their dedication to this country.

We want to remember our fallen veterans.

We want to honor them and to teach other individuals about the meaning of Memorial Day.

Daughters of the American Revolution help the cadets place more than 1100 flags on gravesites.

Tens of thousands of veterans are buried at Fairview Cemetery, which dates back to the 1860s.

Continued good news about Officer Nicholas Wilt of Louisville, who was shot in the head during the April 10th mass shooting at Old National Bank.

The Courier Journal reports Wilt is now walking with a harness, saying short, simple words and responding yes and no to questions.

Wealth has been in rehab since May 10th, on December 21, 2021.

High schooler Justin Cottle was heading home from a school basketball game while he was waiting for the bus.

He was shot in a random drive by shooting and suffered serious injuries.

After numerous hours of recovery and training.

He was able to get back on the soccer field this past fall.

And now two and a half years after the event, he is a week away from walking across the stage to graduate high school.

I am very excited and amazed that my son was able to make it to senior year.

There was times we didn't know he was going to make it and hour even to even get on the field to play soccer are a part of sports that he's playing now.

This is amazing.

We try not to remember it, but sometimes it's hard for me not to remember what happened because I was at home.

And for any mom to get the shock of a phone call from your child saying, Hey, I've been shot, it was rough.

When I finally got to talk to the doctors, they told me he had been shot one time in the bottom area.

It ricocheted nine times throughout his whole body, his intestines, private intestines.

His car, where he had a portable was removed.

It hit a major artery in his leg.

They had a tidal they couldn't repair, and then he had to have a colostomy bag.

But me trying to forget, because I remember it was hard.

And it's hard to get life work done in my classes.

So I asked my teacher, my teacher, they helped me out, even though, like I was feeling they gave me more time to get my work done.

And I had like people in my class to help me.

Try not think too much about it.

All the stuff I missed out on in a big game to the whole thing's music and like the community around it was.

It was struggle.

There was struggle.

He don't want to talk about it because it just bring back so much memories and he wants to move forward with it.

But mentally, it's a toll on his body.

And I sometimes I see it sometimes.

I thought at one point he was going to give up and actually quit because he was so frustrated because he was in pain.

And now that his pain level is manageable, he is like, I got this, I can do this.

And I'm so happy that he has at my frame.

If none of this never happened, I think I'll still be like goofing around.

But now I take like life a more serious now.

And like, tomorrow, I promise.

For some people and you think happy just because, like, bad right now it gets bad, but to just keep pushing for it.

Justin will graduate next Friday, June 3rd.

He plans to work after graduating before heading to college, where he hopes to continue playing sports.

Sneezing, coughing, watery eyes.

All classic symptoms of allergies.

And you may notice those pesky symptoms are sticking around.

Reports show that allergy season has gotten longer.

Laura Rogers talks to a meteorologist at the Kentucky Maisonette about why that's the case.

This is one of those unusual years where the tree pollen season has become more extended for the commonwealth, and that's not good news for those with seasonal allergies triggered by exposure to tree, grass and weed pollens.

We had our second warmest February all time, and as a result, a lot of the trees started to bud out and blew out about three weeks earlier than normal this year.

Shane Holland is a meteorologist at the Kentucky Maisonette and Climate Center, which has nearly 80 sites and automated stations across Kentucky.

We are looking at trends such as growing seasons, the length of them.

We know over the last couple of decades that the growing seasons of Kentucky are getting a little bit longer.

In other words, the last frost or last freeze of spring is usually coming a little bit earlier now than it did, say two or three decades ago.

And the first frost or first freeze of fall is also coming a little bit later than it did 20 or 30 years ago.

He says right now we're seeing an overlap between tree pollen season, which normally comes to an end as we head into June.

And grass pollen that is coming on strong now as we head toward meteorological summer.

That being June, July and August.

Kentucky is known for having a strong allergy season.

Our geographical location does have bearing on the allergy season here.

It's often said that Louisville is one of the top ranking cities for allergy sufferers in the United States, that our lush vegetation has a lot to do with that.

Some of that vegetation took a hit during a bitter blast of Arctic air in December.

It's now making a slow comeback.

But most trees, for example, usually start to leaf out in late April world.

They're leafing out about three weeks later than usual.

And because of that, they won't be blooming until we get well into June.

So that is going to also extend the tree pollen season by a few more weeks across the state.

Something else creating an atmosphere for allergies.

When we go several days without a good widespread rainfall.

Allergens will climb.

Parts of Kentucky have had a rather dry spring season, particularly since April 1st, and that's particularly true for the eastern and southeastern parts of the state.

So we really haven't had a good widespread soaking rain to wash out a lot of allergens, at least not in the last week or so.

All this to say if you're prone to seasonal allergies, you may have to deal with them a little longer than normal.

For Kentucky Edition, I'm Laura Rogers.

It's Memorial Day weekend and there are many other activities also planned around Kentucky.

Toby Gibbs takes a look at what's up around the Commonwealth, grabbed the whole family and head on over to Wilmore this weekend for summer Fest.

One part car show, one part arts and crafts fair, one part family activities, including a petting zoo and inflatables and all parts fun.

You don't want to miss it.

Do you love arts and crafts as well as the outdoors?

Then come on down to the Kentucky Dam Village Arts and Crafts Festival in Gilberts Mill this Saturday, featuring a number of vendors, delicious food and drink, tents, live music, arts and crafts, and the beautiful nature of the Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park.

It's the perfect way to kick off Memorial Day weekend.

Enjoy the beautiful sounds and artistry of the native flute in Harrodsburg this weekend.

The native Dawn flute gathering will include demonstrations, dancers, drummers, food trucks, craft vendors and, of course, plenty of music for all to enjoy.

Live On the Levee starts back up this Thursday in Newport with the Naked Karate Girls.

Grab a blanket or chair your friends and family and come on down to groove to the sounds of your favorite local bands.

All summer long spring into summer.

This weekend in Oak Grove, during the 16th annual Spring into summer festival featuring a six man parachute jump show, Fireworks, the much anticipated bubble zone, carnival rides and country music singer songwriter Chris Janson.

This is a perfect way to usher in summer kick off Memorial Day weekend with red, white and blue in Paris.

Take in the beautiful sights of the large field of red poppies before taking the hayride to the other flower fields to pick your own race, then partake in different games of farm animal area and the one of a kind grain bin market.

Celebrate one of Kentucky's oldest festivals, the Kentucky Mount Laurel Festival this weekend in Pine Valley.

Grab a snack from the countless food vendors, browse different shopping booths, listen to national and local entertainment, and tune in to see who's crowned this year's Queen.

Calling all strawberry lovers celebrate the delicious fruit and enjoy a weekend of fun during the Beaver Dam Strawberry Festival this weekend.

Make your way through over 50 vendors and food booths.

See all the precious pets during the pet show.

Test your skill during the cowboy fast draw or soar above it all in a helicopter ride for a weekend you won't want to miss.

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

I'm Toby Gibbs.

We hope you'll join us again Monday night at 630 Eastern, 530 Central for Kentucky Edition, where we inform, Connect and Inspire.

You can subscribe to our weekly Kentucky Edition email newsletter and watch full episodes and clips at Georgie.

We hope you enjoyed our show.

We'll see you Monday.

Have a great weekend.