An investigation is launched after a dozen horses die at Churchill Downs in one month.

I feel like if I keep going, I can change the world in some way.

And that's my goal here from this high schooler who is speaking up for the autistic community.

Because we do give money, real money instead of the play money to the students.

And take a peek at summer sets Entrepreneur Academy, where youth take center stage.

We want people to come regardless of your experience.

And we try to teach anyone and everyone who comes on the court and it's polo without the ponies.

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 Tuesday, May 30th.

We thank you so much for watching.

I'm your host tonight, Chip Holston in for Renee Shaw.

And emergency summit today at Churchill Downs following 12 horse fatalities at the track in the last month, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Authority, or hisA, are conducting investigations into the deaths.

Both groups are sending veterinary teams and other experts to analyze the track and review safety measures.

Here, says the review of the track will begin tomorrow.

Churchill Downs CEO Bill Carcinogen released a statement on his investigation saying in part, quote, Together we all want what is best for the horses and participants and will cooperate with any measures to ensure the safest possible racing environment and to restore the trust and confidence of our fans and the public.

End quote.

The Louisville Bank that was the site of a mass shooting last month is moving its offices.

Old National Bank announced today that its downtown branch and offices are moving out of its current location on East Main Street.

Five people were killed along with the gunman at that location on April 10th.

Eight others were injured in the shooting, including Louisville Metro Police officer Nicholas Wilt, who remains hospitalized.

Old National Bank CEO Jim Ryan said in a release that the branch was relocating out of respect for the team members it lost and others who were impacted.

Plans to relocate the bank on West Market Street will begin immediately.

It's expected to reopen on June 26th.

The full House is expected to vote tomorrow on a plan to raise the nation's debt ceiling and prevent a U.S. default.

Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Biden reached a budget agreement that would suspend the nation's debt limit through 2025 to avoid a federal default while limiting government spending.

Senator Mitch McConnell sent out a statement after Speaker McCarthy and President Biden announced the agreement.

McConnell says he supports the deal and is calling on others to do the same.

Quote The United States of America will not default on its debt.

Today's agreement makes urgent progress toward preserving our nation's full faith and credit and is a much needed step toward getting its financial house in order.

The agreement with Speaker the speaker reached with President Biden sets meaningful limits on the administration's spending agenda.

At the same time, it secures permitting reforms and reinforces the link between federal assistance and work.

The Senate must act swiftly and pass this agreement without unnecessary delay.

End quote.

Now, Senator McConnell may be on board with the plan, but the deal does not have the support of Kentucky's other.

Senator.

Rand Paul says he will not vote for the debt limit deal and has proposed a plan of his own.

Paul calls for a proposal that is, he says it's a conservative alternative to the one struck by President Biden and Speaker McCarthy.

Now, under the plan, the debt ceiling would only be increased by $500 billion, forcing Congress to come back and negotiate additional spending reforms.

It replaces the caps on discretionary spending with caps on total spending, which would cut 5% from the entire federal budget each year.

Those cuts would include mandatory spending programs such as social Security and Medicare.

If the government continues to spend at current rates, a total of 545 billion would be cut from the budget between 2024 and 2025.

According to Paul, his proposal would balance the budget by fiscal year 2028.

If the government adheres to the caps.

Lawmakers return to Frankfort one week from today.

The 2023 interim session begins next Tuesday.

The interim allows for an in-depth look at policy issues to help lawmakers decide what legislation to consider during the regular session.

A press release from the Legislative Research Commission says topics of focus during this interim period will include infant mortality, workforce innovation and updates on the implementation of bills passed during the 2023 session.

The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing the first federal limits on harmful forever chemicals in drinking water, saying it could prevent thousands of illnesses.

The toxic group of compounds known as PFOA, yes, is linked to health issues, including low birth weight and cancer.

A 2020 study by the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection found forever chemicals and half of the public drinking water systems that it tested.

Now, last fall, we told you about a state report showing those chemicals were also detected in Kentucky fish.

As a result, the state issued an advisory warning people to limit their consumption of locally caught fish, something to keep in mind heading into the summer.

Kentucky is bouncing back when it comes to babies.

New numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show Kentucky had 262 more births last year compared to the year before.

It's one of only 15 states showing a rebound from pandemic lows.

Texas and Florida had the biggest increases in the number of births last year, while Illinois, Pennsylvania and Michigan experienced biggest decreases in births.

Nationally, there were 700 more births in 2022 than there were in 2021.

More counties are on the list to get federal funding after devastating storms.

And drivers on one stretch of road in Kentucky have a major pitfall to avoid.

12 additional Kentucky counties are now eligible for federal aid following storms back in March.

That includes Pulaski County, where the Commonwealth Journal reports storms took out power to about 7000 homes.

Some were still without power a week later.

Nearly 90 Kentucky counties are eligible for federal assistance as a result of the March 3rd storms.

A superintendent is leaving after a year on the job, The Advocate messenger reports Greg Ross is leaving Danville independent schools after accepting a position as head of school for the West End School in Louisville.

In a letter to faculty and staff, Ross said the decision had nothing to do with the district and that he's enjoyed his time in Danville.

The paper reports his resignation is effective June 10th.

A 12 foot deep sinkhole was discovered just off Interstate 24 in Leon County, according to the West Kentucky Star.

The transportation cabinet says it appears there's a natural spring at the bottom of the sinkhole.

The interstate is down to one lane near the 41 mile marker.

Work to rebuild.

The shoulder is underway.

More than 6000 cadets are descending on Fort Knox.

The News Enterprise reports the first group of cadets reported for duty yesterday.

They will compete 35 days of required training to become second lieutenants to the Army ROTC.

Later this summer, about 1000 cadets will be on base for basic training.

Some local businesses will be featured in the new season of Food Network's Guide's all-American Road Trip with Guy Fieri, the Bowling Green, Daily News reports.

Guy and his family visited the National Corvette Museum chain Eats, Dairy, Barn and Groovy Guss Donut bus while taping an episode last year.

The businesses were told to brace for increased traffic after the episode airs, which will happen later this week with headlines around Kentucky.

I'm Toby Gibbs.

A new climate prediction is cranking up the heat for Kentucky this summer and has a bull's eye right on the Bluegrass State for heavy rain.

Kate's Christy Dutton talks about the summer predictions and the impacts they could have.

Many consider Memorial Day to be the start of summer, but meteorologically speaking, June, July, August, those are the summer months.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has released its weather predictions for the summer season, and that has had a lot of people talking.

Joining us now is Gerry Brodsky, Kentucky state climatologist and the director of the Kentucky medicine.

It's good to see you, Gerry.

Thank you, Chris.

Good to be with you.

So know what released the temperature and the precip outlook for the summer?

What does that look like for Kentucky?

Temperature wise?

We'll start with that one.

Right.

Well, Noah is predicting a maybe slightly above normal temperatures for the summer.

So for this year, we have seen above normal temperatures and that looks like that will continue through the summer.

And when you talk about through, it has seemed hotter and it seems like we've been breaking a lot of heat records lately as above normal temperatures becoming the new normal.

Well, since roughly 2010, we've seen really five or top ten warmest years have occurred in the last decade.

So it does look like we'll continue that trend.

And in fact, this winter was our second warmest winter ever on record.

And now switching over to the precipitation prediction for the summer months, what does that mean for Kentucky?

Well, that no, it does have a bull's eye right over us for above normal precip.

And when you look at January, February of this year, we were very wet.

And the last few months, especially over the last six weeks, have dried out quite a bit.

In fact, we're seeing below normal crews that are currently across a lot of the state real estate during out.

So we'll see what the summer brings.

We are in this transition zone between three years of what we call La Nina and we're transitioning into what we call an El Nino year.

And typically we don't see a lot of impacts from those large scale systems, but it's still patterns in the summertime here in Texas.

But and so they don't have more influence over our winter.

So there is quite a bit of uncertainty within our forecast for the summer.

But again, they are predicting above normal precipitation.

So we'll see if that pans out.

Yeah, and heavy summer rain and that can be a trigger for a lot of people, especially after the flooding from last July in eastern Kentucky.

So what do people need to be prepared for?

You know, if we are going to be seeing above normal rainfall for the summer.

Right.

Right.

If you do live near a low lying area, we always ask that you be prepared for flooding due a weather radio.

And, you know, pay attention to that for flooding scenarios.

Of course, if you're a farmer, you're well acquainted with how to work around the weather.

But again, last year we did have a drought during the fall, which in some ways helped farmers bring in the products from the farm fields.

So again, we'll see what then over the summer rains and barns can be a problem for that, especially for agriculture.

All right.

Thank you so much, Jerry, and thank you for all this information and breaking down those summer outlooks for us.

Thank you, Christine.

Now, if you're wondering what the Farmer's Almanac predicts for Kentucky this summer, its outlook is very similar.

Using the terms oppressive, showery and thundery in 2020, Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton commissioned a report on racial justice and equality to identify and address what she called, quote, systemic racism in the community, unquote.

One of the report's recommendations is to improve food access and healthy food options in Fayette County.

Today, the city of Lexington announced a plan to do just that.

Many neighbors with limited access to transportation cannot purchase nutritious food.

So we're introducing an innovative concept that will transform the way that people access essential groceries and re-imagine convenience in our new modern era.

Today, we proudly unveil the Lexington market, a revolutionary design solution to bring fresh produce, pantry staples and everyday essentials to our communities that lack access, transportation and infrastructure.

Kroger is committed to eliminating hunger in the communities we serve by 2025.

Since rescue round up donations and investing in innovative projects and technologies that help reduce the cycle of hunger in ways just like this, food is an essential source for growth, for strength, for life.

That's a human right.

This is a way to address insufficient nutrition, as well as address childhood obesity.

As a registered nurse, I know the importance of these to improving the health of our residents right here in Lexington.

Ending hunger, reducing food insecurity and takes all of us every day.

The Mobile Market pilot project starts this July and will last for three months.

It will make about 20 different stops in areas without a grocery store nearby.

Lyla Coburn was diagnosed with autism at the age of five, but now she's graduating from high school and hasn't let her disability keep her from making an impact in her community.

When I first entered high school, I wasn't even speaking to people I didn't know.

It was just too anxiety provoking for me.

So it was really hard.

But I wrote a piece about autism and in my creative writing class and seeing the impact that that had, I was like, Wow, maybe I could really, like, do something with this.

And so I started getting more and more involved in advocacy and more and more comfortable with it.

What I thought was really missing was like community, because isolation is really common for disabled people and especially in the autism community, and it's really hard to make friends.

And so of course, my first goal with the Disability Advocacy Club was to have somewhere where we could focus on accessibility initiatives, but it was also just to have a space where everybody was understanding of each other.

I make fliers on various topics pertaining to autism.

It's designed for the parents so that they can parents of autistic children so that they can get the perspective of an autistic person.

And the other big thing that we've done has had a huge impact is we do presentations to autistic parents and therapist so or parents of autistic children and they can submit any questions they want about autism that they have for me.

And I think it's just been really rewarding to see the impact that having access to like an autistic person and to just like kind of build that relationship.

So the silent disco was specifically designed to accommodate the needs of disabled people, so we ensured it was mobility aid and wheelchair accessible.

And we also a big part of it was we had headphones in which you could connect to the music.

So you walk in, you get a pair of headphones and there are several different channels you can tune into.

And so that means all the and we had no, we didn't have flashing lights.

So that means you walk in and if you want to listen to music, you can't you don't want to listen to music, You don't have to.

And we also had, you know, areas where people could regulate themselves if they needed or if they had a medical episode they could go to.

So we had a sensory area.

We also had a board game area, and we ensured that the staff members who were there were compassionate and trained in various areas.

And we also had to accommodate allergies.

Food stayed in one place and we had allergy friendly food and it went really well.

And I really think it impacted a lot of people's lives.

Never underestimate the ability of friendship to like change somebody's life because that I've seen so many lives changed, like the Disability Advocacy Club, but also things like the silent Disco.

People don't think about that, but like having that ability to like, be with your peers and to just like, just have a night with your peers.

It changes people's lives because for once they're being considered and it's their needs too.

And so that's what we want to do, and that's what we've done with the Disability Advocacy Club is give people the ability to go to things that they wouldn't be able to go to otherwise.

And the thing is, I believe that every person with autism has something to give, Like I truly believe that.

And so you just I mean, four, eight, four years ago and eight years ago, my parents would not have believed nobody would have believed to be possible for me to be where I am, but with the right support.

I am so just, you know, get people with autism a chance.

Don't be afraid to like, you kno Leila will be attending Center College, where she has earned a full ride as a Lincoln scholar.

Summer set had its very own version of Shark Tank last week.

Middle and high school students presented their unique business plans to a board of real investors for real investment dollars.

The Young Entrepreneurs Academy is a program.

It's an 18 week long program.

We start out, we have instructors that help me to local entrepreneurs themselves that actually help teach the class through the program.

We talk about marketing, whether they'll actually have a storefront or if it's all online.

So it's just a lot of details.

They can actually walk into a bank with their business plan when they're finished and apply for a loan.

Tonight is the investor panel.

They will pitch their business.

It's kind of like Shark Tank.

They want to receive money.

They're asking for a certain amount of money and then they'll see what the investors put into their business.

And we will actually have one winner that will walk away with a scholarship, either a four year scholarship to Campbellsville University, or they can choose a two year for Somerset Community College.

One unit is one foot, and I was always for $7 with the exception of any customizations or additions to the bag.

I wanted a single item supply cause I would make a profit of $2.55 per bag.

So I wanted to get involved with the Young Entrepreneurs Academy because I have always wanted to have my own business in the future.

And this just taught me exactly how I needed to do it and all the steps I needed to do to prepare for it.

My business is a better bag coat and I use feed bags that you can find in Tractor supply or southern states or places like that.

And I when they're emptied and cleaned, I use them.

And so tote bags of various different sizes and shapes that you can use to carry anything and everything in and from the beginning class till the end of class.

The transformation from how the students perform until the end is just miraculous.

I did not like public speaking before this and I just did my presentation and it went very smoothly.

I hope to see a bright future for me and my business with the feedback that I've gotten already.

I think that a lot of people enjoy it and I think a lot of people think it's a good idea and I'm really glad it's all community.

We do the program with sponsorship through our community, whether that be monetary amounts, because we do give money, real money instead of the play money to the students and then to also assist with the program itself.

So it's all based on our community and the support.

The winning business was Lacey Johnson's plan for a mobile petting zoo.

She now moves on to the national competition in Rochester, New York, a duel to the death for a future president.

And Kentucky officially joins the union.

It's some of the events that happened this week in Kentucky history.

Future President Andrew Jackson shot and killed a man during a duel in Kentucky on May 30th, 1806.

An argument over a horse bat and a woman prompted the duel between Jackson and Charles Dickinson, both from Tennessee.

They crossed over into Logan County, Kentucky.

Dickinson died and Jackson suffered a bullet wound that bothered him the rest of his life.

It's an important week for two Kentuckians who served on the Supreme Court.

The Senate voted to confirm Louis Brandeis, a Louisville native, on June 1st, 1916.

He was the first Jewish Supreme Court justice.

And John Marshall Harlan was born June 1st, 1833, in Boyle County, Kentucky.

He served on the court from 1877 to 1911, known as the great dissenter.

He frequently disagreed with the other justices and often supported civil rights legislation that the other justices opposed.

Louisville's Ford plant rolled out its last model T on June 3rd, 1927.

The Model T was considered the affordable car for America's working class.

It revolutionized transportation in the United States.

Happy birthday, Kentucky.

The Commonwealth joined the Union on June 1st, 1792, becoming the 15th state.

And that's what was happening this week in Kentucky history.

I'm Toby Gibbs.

Polo is often called a gentlemen's sport and is played on horseback.

But as you'll see in this Kentucky life story, you don't need a pedigree or a pony to play in one Lexington Polo League.

Buffalo is.

I like to call it a mix between BMX biking, roller hockey and horse follow.

So basically it's just polo.

And bikes like polo actually was invented by an Irish guy in 1891.

So it's been around forever and they actually did a demonstration game at the 1908 London Olympics and then it kind of died off.

No one cared about it.

And then it got like an urban revival out in Seattle around the turn of the millennium.

99, 2000 and some bike messenger started knocking a ball around between their runs.

And then it sort of took off and all these clubs started playing it.

And it basically evolved through different forms until it became basically like street hockey on bikes in a pickup game.

You just throw the mallets in the middle of the court.

Whoever wants to play somebody mixes them up, makes the team's random line up with your back wheel to the boards.

So somebody says, three, two, one, play, and you take off.

You ride as fast as you can toward the middle of the court, try to get the ball first, and then it just becomes a game of who's horse five goals the fastest.

When you get a high level game with people that have been playing for for a long time, it's pretty smooth and fun to watch.

The group started playing, I believe, back in 2007.

They originally started over at Woodland Park and they started on grass.

They moved over here to Cleveland Park.

It was originally tennis courts and they restored the courts and created these courts here.

We have several different types of tournaments that goes all the way up to nationals and then to world.

We will play against other countries actually in 2017, Lexington Back Polo hosted World.

When I was first playing in 2009 ten, 11 era, we would travel all over the country.

We played tournaments and, you know, Chicago, New York, Boston, Cleveland, Toronto.

We went to Puerto Rico and played, you know, some people went to Geneva and played, went to New Zealand, went to Australia.

So the coolest part about it was, yeah, you can travel anywhere in the world for cheap, basically for the price of a plane ticket and just stay with other people that were playing.

And it was like a yeah, it was a really cool underground way to see any part of the world you wanted to see that had a club.

And I started playing an end of 2018, beginning of 2019.

I grew up playing sports.

I wanted to do something that was a little bit different.

Really, the thing that drew me to bipolar was to begin with was the community people are all kind.

We accept anybody and everyone does, and I just pick up.

So anyone's welcome to come.

We always have loaner bikes, loaner gear, mallets.

We want people to come regardless of your experience.

And we try to teach anyone and everyone who comes on the court.

Remember, you can always watch episodes of Kentucky live by going to NPR.org.

Well, their musical styles may vary, ranging from ragtime to hip hop to alternative rock, but these musicians all hail from the same place.

Coming up tomorrow on Kentucky Edition, we will show you how one museum plans to honor those who provided the soundtrack for South Central Kentucky for more than a century.

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

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Thanks so much for watching.

You take good care.