♪ >> You in your piece and beer weather threat really beginning later today, 2 Thursday morning.

>> Is more this on a way to Kentucky?

As Lexington deals with another case of pertussis or whooping cough, we ask an expert who should get a booster shot.

>> support him the last best earns the Regis and totally unnecessary >> faculty members at the University of Kentucky Express their feelings about the sitting president.

>> Production of Kentucky Edition is made possible in part by the KU Team Millennium Fund.

♪ ♪ Good evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Tuesday.

May the 7th, I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you for spending some of your Tuesday night with Oz.

Kentucky is getting severe thunderstorms and more are on the way today.

Tomorrow and Thursday.

We can expect rain with the potential for flooding.

Strong winds, hail and the possibility of tornadoes this morning, Governor Andy Beshear and other state leaders talked about what Kentuckians should expect and how the state will be responding.

>> Our number one priority is to make sure that everyone stays safe.

We know severe weather can come quickly and this weather has the possibility of tornadoes potentially significant tornadoes of hail and high winds flooding.

We've been through all of those and we've seen how deadly they can be.

So we need everyone to take action now by making a plan to KET yourself and your family safe.

I want to start by saying the National Weather Service calls this a very concerning forecast.

One of the most concerning forecasts have been seen in a while.

Let's put up our first line.

According to the National Weather Service.

Straight-line winds, large hail, flash flooding and tornadoes will be possible with today's storms, especially into the mid to late afternoon and evening.

The severe storm threat will continue into Wednesday with other rounds of storms during the day evening in over night.

And we'll get into this in a minute.

The most today and tomorrow.

Our biggest concern is after 04:00PM.

Into the evening.

Everybody needs to make sure they have an emergency weather radio because one of our biggest concerns is tornadoes or flooding in the late night hours.

You need to be weather aware and make sure you get that information even after you've gone to bed during this time.

If you were to experience and damage to your home or property police document then report before beginning any of the cleanup efforts.

>> By doing that and that documentation, we battle for the recovery assistance programs are available into improving future preparedness.

The safety of each Kentucky is our top priority.

We're here to support the citizens of the Commonwealth, provide the most updated information that we have.

Please take the warning seriously and prepare accordingly.

You can continue to provide updates throughout the day is a situation that if we experience a wind event, our crews will read respond, should downed trees or other debris impact, travel nurse think maintain routes due to the high winds.

If you're on the road during a high wind event.

Slow down, KET your hands on the wheel and KET a safe distance from other cars, especially the large semi trucks that would be you may see a movie or even better to safely pull over.

If you're out in the weather and you have a high wind event that you're experiencing.

>> The governor closed state office buildings today at 2 this afternoon.

They will be closing at 2 again tomorrow.

The governor has not made a decision yet about Thursday.

Lexington has another confirmed case of pertussis or whooping cough.

>> This is the 3rd confirmed case of the highly contagious respiratory illness out of Fayette County School since late April health officials are encouraging people to take steps to protect themselves, including getting a booster shot.

But as the Lexington, Fayette County Health Department explains, and today's medical news, only certain people should consider getting the booster.

>> There are now 3 confirmed cases of pertussis or whooping cough in schools and Lexington.

So 2 of those are Bryan Station High School.

Once that likes to Catholic High school.

The first 2 of those were reported in late April in the most recent one came from Bryan Station, High School on Monday.

This is not a reason to panic, but it's a reason for caregivers.

People at the school's be mindful of their vaccination status in any lingering costs.

This system is pretty common during the school year.

You do see it spread to its among school-age kids fairly often here in Lexington, we have not, though, had a reported case in school-age children since February of 2022.

So do some of that is kids worn in schools.

People were wearing masks.

There are other protections in place.

So this just shows the reason this shows the importance of vaccinations, proper hand washing and staying home when you're sick.

Right now, the symptoms to be watching for our typical cold symptoms.

That's how hoping cough shows himself first.

So anyone though, who has a nagging cough?

So you've been coughing for weeks.

You're not getting that relief.

It doesn't have to be the big violent hooping cough that goes with the name.

Just a cough that will go away.

It's a good idea to get checked out by your provider.

So it's something that if you have that cough that won't go away.

Get checked out.

If you've been exposed to follow the guidelines from the health department, a new provider to make sure you're not at risk potentially spreading this to other people.

It is highly contagious and is spread through the air to those causes.

Right now.

This is not an outbreak.

Status is not a reason for Mike's large peak concerned or in a panic.

But just to be mindful and take the steps to make sure those vaccines are up to date.

It is a requirement for school age children.

So most kids in Kentucky already have this vaccine.

This can affect anyone.

It's a high risk for babies and older adults but babies and infants.

It can cause death.

Unfortunately.

So you want to take steps to not only protect yourself but to really protect those who are at highest risk.

So that's again, why it's so important to protect the younger members of the community.

These babies in the immigrants who can't get the vaccine or out of received that the booster is available for anyone older than 11 and it does weaken over time.

So if you are someone who is pregnant or about to be pregnant, if you're someone who you're a caregiver, I'm a young child or European uncool grandparent or somebody is going to be around that be now is the time to make sure that you're up to date on the vaccine and the booster and to get one if you need it.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> The Biden administration recently announced new regulations for long-term care providers like nursing homes.

The new rules require registered nurses to be on site.

24 7 and set new minimum staffing standards for nurses.

The announcement has been polarizing with some patients entered groups worried the new rules don't go far enough.

Meanwhile, some long-term care providers say they're worried the regulations could put certain facilities out of business.

>> Outside of a nuclear power plant, the long-term care industry is about the heaviest regulated industry.

There is.

And we certainly understand the need for regulations because it's our job to KET our residents And and provide a holistic approach to their care while they're under our care at our the new staffing mandate has been something that has been in discussion for quite sometime for the state of Kentucky.

It is something that the industry as a whole is a little were shivering about because it does make us nervous.

There's no funding for this.

I think HHS agreed to put 65 million dollars nationally.

>> Into recruiting individuals into health care workforce.

But that's really a drop in the bucket of what we need.

The individuals were going to facilities can just be cooling down every day.

You know, there's education certifications that need to happen.

And then unfortunately, we just they're not in the pipeline.

I don't know that this is a problem that we can just throw money at it.

The frankly the people aren't there.

So the workforce isn't to even if we.

An exhausted amounts of money there's just no one to pick up these roles.

We're the lowest reimbursed and to do when you look at acute care and obviously it requires a special person to work with our population.

>> Our challenge with this mandate will be recruitment and retention of Ahrens specifically.

>> Because we're up against the hospitals who have all of the new and shiny.

They are where new nurses, a lot of times tend to want to be and they're paying compensation and even the benefit packages that these large hospitals cannot provide unique and as a challenge for facilities like ours, particularly like asked as a nonprofit stand-alone facility.

There's a small pool of people.

How do we get that full of people interested to work in an environment like ours?

>> There is a stigma attached to long-term care.

That's kind of a necessary have billboards from attorneys saying that your grandmother phone, the nursing home, you know, seen other.

You're seeing that subliminal subliminally.

You don't even realize.

But, you know, you're already attaching us now.

You're attaching a statement to the to the skilled nursing home.

>> Until we until we revisit.

And create.

a new image to remove lead that stigma of long-term care.

It's going to continue to be a challenge.

I think what's going to happen is we're going to put this thing in play and then I think we're going to see that we're going to have to back up and punt again because I don't it's realistic that a lot of these facilities are going to be able to survive even if there are exemptions.

>> The Kentucky Center for assisted living is supporting the protecting rules.

Seniors access to CARE Act, which would prevent the minimum staffing regulations for nursing facilities.

Transformation was the word of the day as some of eastern Kentucky's state senators began a tour through the region.

The group which included Senate President Robert Stivers and Senator Brandon Storm kick things off in London this morning before moving farther east into hazard and Whitesburg.

The group says the General Assembly's new infrastructure funding could help Eastern Kentucky grow.

>> Synergy in the mountains just kind of turn that off point here lately because some of the project should say more to talk about just these aren't just any impact.

London, Laurel County, our neighbors in Noxen Whitley, but they're going to impact people in eastern Kentucky where the checks will talk about the moments going to help to widen how robbers parkway from London all the way to hazard.

And we're also going to be working on the projects, too wide and 4 from London all the way to court and out of mouth and chin judgment.

Some people call it.

We want to we want to change that.

That man, but we want to make it a We want to make sure that our neighbors, our friends, our communities, are are thriving.

How to score to work on the run.

Work with Manchester, Manchester with Hazard.

>> Bell County in and Kabul and Middlesboro coming back this direction because we have a region now has a lot of offerings, but it's in a region not in one specific spot.

So we've got a really good group to the working on >> Senator Brandes Storm also announced 1 million dollars in funding to expand London's fairgrounds.

The Kentucky primary election is 2 weeks from today as we pick Republican and Democratic nominees for the U.S. House statehouse, states, Senate and local offices.

>> If you want to vote by absentee ballot, you have just a few hours left to request that ballot.

The website is go vote DOT K Y dot Gov.

You go there before 11:59PM.

Eastern time tonight, we heard from 2 candidates for Congress last night on Kentucky tonight in the 5th District Doctor.

Dana Edwards is challenging incumbent Republican Hal Rogers, Congressman Rogers declined our invitation to appear.

Edwards calls himself pro-life on abortion.

I asked him to explain his abortion views >> abortion first of all, I believe is a state issue.

That's the first thing that is not a federal issue.

The federal government has no business relegating when a when a woman or if a woman can have an abortion, that federal that medical freedom, I think should not.

You know, I believe a woman has a light if she was having abortion should have a legal right to have an abortion.

The issue comes in and do I believe that she should our own issues?

No, I don't think she should, but she has a legal right and the state should provide some sort of legal protection for her to be able to have an abortion.

So many people, doctor, it was decided that doesn't make the pro life.

>> Well, I am pro life in the sense that I believe that life begins at conception.

That is God's plan.

>> And to honor God, we should we should not have an abortion.

But the reality of life is women find themselves in situations that make them think about abortion, be the best solution is not.

But it comes down to my my friends are it's not about being against abortion is about about being for the woman and becoming her.

Explain her in your situation.

You do have options besides abortion.

But if she was abortion, I think the best her legal right as a citizen of America.

That's the freedom that she should have.

I don't think she should do it.

And I think there are better alternatives to that situation.

>> Shawna Ride is a Democrat running in the 6th congressional district.

Her Democratic opponents did not meet our criteria to appear last night on Kentucky tonight she's been criticized for being anti-Israel in its war with Hamas.

I asked her if she's Anti-Semitic.

>> I do not support any form of violence and anyone that knows me knows that if I am in no way Anti-Semitic, I love my Jewish brothers and sisters.

If the roles were reversed, if we've had 40,000 Israeli said I would be just as angry.

It's really not about who the people are.

It's about who the genocide is being committed against.

>> Do you support the federal aid package was approved by Congress?

95 billion dollars worth of aid.

No.

Why not?

I believe there's about 8 or 9 billion of that was to go to humanitarian aid for Palestine.

>> But there was a much greater number that was supposed to go to find Israel.

And I do find that ironic where including a small amount of aid in a nearly 100 billion dollar package.

At the same time supplying 3 times that amount and munitions to the country who is carrying it out.

>> So I just it is an expensive bill and it seems like it would just do more damage, perpetuate the genocide.

Further.

>> Now you can see more of last night's interviews or take a look at past episodes of Kentucky tonight.

You can stream it online on demand at KET DOT Org.

Slash K why tonight?

♪ ♪ The president of the University of Kentuckyian the Board of Trustees recently approved changing the role of the university Senate, a faculty group that made decisions on academic policies.

President Eli Capilouto wants the Senate to have an advisory role only as a result.

Some of the university senators say they have lost confidence and his ability to lead.

Here's more on where that stands from Kentucky additions, Clayton Dalton.

>> All part of the University of Kentucky Senate met yesterday to hold a vote of no confidence against sitting President.

Eli Capilouto, one senator who cast a vote of no confidence says Cap Alito spread misinformation throughout this process.

>> The president so to create its 3 groups siloed, the students, the staff, the faculty, spoke to individual groups, told them different things to each group and as a result pitted especially the students against the faculty.

And so demoralized, the whole community and and created this does really what is the word on a climate of distrust in university?

>> Capital you do in the board of trustees say changing the role of the university Senate will put student and staff voices on an equal playing field with faculty.

One student who spoke at the meeting says he agrees and that he takes issue with the timing of the Senate's no confidence vote.

>> I heard repeatedly denied a spot in wants to hear Singapore says more and more.

Yeah, you are considering a vote of no confidence in the president argued Mercy.

3 day at 40 students have gone out.

They want her to place all across the country and are not here to defend yourself harm's way.

>> But some senators say casting a vote of no confidence is the wrong move and that some faculty members support the proposed changes.

That would be decision time away from the Senate.

Where the college level faculty members can make decisions.

So yes, it is some of that is good.

And there's a large volume flatly that he continue to be >> the vote of no confidence prevailed.

58 senators cast a vote of no confidence.

24 opposed the measure and 11 abstained for Kentucky edition.

I'm Clayton Dalton.

>> Thank you, Clayton.

The next step in the process, the UK Board of Trustees will decide whether to take action against President capital to do based on the Senate's action.

How does the teacher pay in Kentucky stock up to the rest of the U.S. and where are Kentucky's most expensive houses?

>> Our Toby Gibbs has those numbers and more in tonight's look at headlines around Kentucky.

♪ >> Average pay for teachers in Kentucky is not holding up well compared to teacher salaries and other states.

According to reports by the National Education Association, Kentucky ranks 41st nationally.

The state previously ranked 40th nationally looking at numbers from 2022.

To 2023.

The Kentucky Lantern reports the national average for teacher pay.

He's $69,544.

Well, Kentucky's average is $56,296.

The Campbellsville University student accused of killing his wrestling team mate has been indicted for murder and related charges.

That's according to the Central Kentucky News Journal.

21 year-old Charles Escalera was arrested February 24th and charged with the murder of 18 year-old Josiah Malachi kill month murder conviction in Kentucky can include the wife imprisonment or the death penalty.

The Central Kentucky News Journal says Tillman was found unresponsive in the dorm and his death was attributed to as fixation by manual strangulation.

The number of drugs, alcohol and tobacco event recorded by Kentucky schools has increased significantly.

The Highland Enterprise reports data from Infinite Campus and online student information tracking system shows from 2017, 2018 2022.

Through 2023 Elementary School saw the number of drugs, alcohol and tobacco related events jumped from 140 to 805.

That's up 475% increase.

The Harlem Enterprise also reports the Kentucky Middle Schools saw a 281% jump and high schools.

107% increase.

3 cities with the most expensive homes in Kentucky are in the Louisville metro area.

The Richmond Register reports Prospect Gotion and Crestwood.

We have the most expensive homes respectively.

That's according to new sites Stacker which compiled data from real estate marketplaces.

Zillow.

As of March 2024.

Willis says the typical home value is almost $600,000 in prospect.

More than $450,000 in Gotion at about $434,000 in Crestwood in March.

The typical home value of the United States was around $355,000.

4.6% increase from last year.

With headlines around Kentucky.

I'm told the gift.

♪ ♪ >> One of Kentucky's most popular tourist destinations is deep in the heart of eastern Kentucky.

In recent years, the Red River Gorge has become synonymous with rock climbing with so many tourists coming in.

Someone has to ensure their safe climbing trails for those looking to test their strength.

That's where the Red River Gorge climbers coalition comes in our Kentucky life team pay them a visit to see what it takes to KET the climbers on the rocks.

♪ >> The Red River Gorge as a 29,000 Acre Canyon so when people come here, they think that there might be in the mountains.

We're actually not in the mountains, technically, those don't start closer over told Jackson when you get to the foothills of the Appalachians.

>> But we it's a big canyon system basically where a geological a national geological area.

>> Rock climbing out here is is a huge draw.

We see over 100,000 rock climbers every year.

So that's a good chunk of people coming just to rock climb.

So there's there's hundreds 100's of routes out here.

There's the Red River climbers coalition that is a coalition for the area that helps preserve, protect and maintain a lot of the the crags of the areas out here that that really need some help and some protection.

>> So the Red River Gorge climbers, coalition is dedicated to securing and conserving open public access to rock climbing here in Kentucky's Red River Gorge.

also, you know, owned property here before climbing for recreational access and and a lot of the work that we do goes into conserving in stewarding those lands that we record it on.

We are founded in 1996.

It was founded originally by Shannon Stewart's myths and a small group of other mostly out of Lexington.

But also, you know, in the surrounding the main reason for that was because the Forest you know, it's the right of the gorge proper.

They were going to possibly shut down rock climbing in the North, Florida, where most of the climbing was at that time and time.

You know, to to access funds who is based in Colorado.

They're kind of like the national climbing organization.

They reached out to a game in Lexington and there is no organization here.

And Shannon, happy walking by the front desk in the person.

Pastor, the found and she ended up talking to, you know, get people together to help work with the Forest Service.

You know.

We teach them about why rock climbing is an important, you know, for recreation and why shouldn't all be closed down and, >> you know, went from working on a lot of stuff in the Northern to you, you know, buying this property in the southern region in 2004 and continue to you know, our region, our access and all that.

♪ ♪ >> I think I'm in the gorge since I got I started climbing, Mike, maybe a month.

And so for years I'd say the coach work is important because if not, they may or may not be a little community that would pick up the slack.

They would take to maintain the trails in the boats here but with the coalition, all that stuff is like taking care of the assessed who looked after.

>> They do often stuff.

They do a lot of trail work maintenance.

They do a lot of education, which is the main and in their work that they do, they're they own more land than any other coalition for rock climbers and anywhere in the country, including Chattanooga.

So I think that's pretty incredible statement to the fact that they're doing all summer here in preserving and protecting the land that we do have that that that climbers are using.

They also are really good at educating and leave.

No trace principles and they have different rules.

Are there cracks and stopping the really help, you know, protect the last 2 years there, too.

>> Beautiful.

Indeed.

You can see the rest of that story and many, many more adventures of the Kentucky life crew by logging on to KET DOT org, slash Kentucky life.

The new season will premiere in the fall.

We're keeping an eye on the storms moving through.

Kentucky will have the latest for you tomorrow night on Kentucky EDITION.

Also tomorrow.

>> Every show they come to their This is the best one you've ever done.

Jay is on the U.S.. >> A jessamine County theater troupe takes the community back in time by recreating old Time radio shows.

So tune in tomorrow on Kentucky.

Addition to hear all about it.

Thank you so much for watching tonight.

We'll see you right back here again tomorrow night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky edition where we inform connect and inspire.

>> Connect with us.

All the ways you see on your screen there, Facebook X, formerly Twitter and Instagram to stay in the loop.

Send us a story idea to public affairs at KET Dot Org and look for us on the PBS app for your smart device and phone.

Thanks again for watching.

Stay safe and we'll see you right back here again tomorrow night.

♪