♪ >> A >> week after Kentucky voters reject an anti-abortion ballot measure.

The state Supreme Court hears arguments about a statewide ban approved by the Legislature.

>> This is just a step that that can provide relief to some time of our folks.

>> Governor Beshear announces a new executive order making medical marijuana legal for some Kentucky ends.

>> We all are in need of second chances.

We have all hit snags in our life or we needed someone outside of herself to help us.

>> A little hope and a lot of hard work can go a long way in helping people make positive changes.

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

Leonard Press Endowment for Public Affairs and the KET Millennium Fund.

♪ ♪ >> Good evening and welcome to Kentucky.

Addition for Tuesday, November 15th, thanks for joining us.

I'm your host Kelsey Starks filling in for Renee Shaw this evening.

The future of abortion rights in Kentucky has reached a defining moment.

The Kentucky Supreme Court heard arguments this morning over the state's so-called trigger law, which bans nearly all abortions.

>> It's the first legal test since voters in Kentucky signaled support for abortion rights by rejecting a ballot measure in last week's midterm election.

Constitutional amendment.

2 was defeated by about 5 point margin.

The amendment would have denied abortion rights in the state's constitution.

Our Casey Parker Bell has highlights from today's oral arguments.

>> The attorney general respectfully urges the court not to go down that path and not to create a Kentucky version of Roe versus Wade.

>> It is the role of the legislature to legislate, but they must do so within the confines of what this court tells them is constitutionally permissible.

>> Oral arguments in the state Supreme Court today will likely determine if abortion access is available again in Kentucky.

The justices questioned the council for the attorney general's office and counsel for the Mw and Planned Parenthood.

Abortion clinics.

The case will determine if the state's trigger law and 6 week abortion ban will continue to be in effect.

The questions were particularly pointed from female members of the state's highest court Deputy Chief Justice Lizbeth Hughes directly address the failed constitutional amendment.

2 on this year's ballot.

The vote is the purest form of democracy.

Why?

>> Are you suggesting that it has no impact on the issues before us today?

For a couple recent Justice Hughes.

The first is that the effect of the Second Amendment if it had been adopted.

>> Would have been to make explicit what we argued was already implicit.

>> The justices had other questions for the Attorney generals, representatives.

They asked about the lack of a rape or incest provision in the state's trigger law banning abortion.

>> So how would we see where a line of thought like that would say the pregnancy of a 14 year-old girl that results from either like rape or incest.

You're right.

Just as been made or that the trigger law does not have an exception in those tragic circumstances.

>> We make a couple points on that first as I was talking to Justice Nicol earlier, the General Assembly has not had a chance to meet in a post office world.

>> And asked about the lack of decision-making power for women who may need an abortion for health reasons.

>> And sometimes the risk manager isn't available.

Sometimes the attorney isn't available at 3 in the morning to give a coach an answer.

This exception for the life of the mother.

Does now allow the mother.

Any of her own decisions.

The decision is left up to whatever physician is on call when the life-threatening emergency arises.

>> The attorney representing the state's 2 remaining abortion providers in W and Planned Parenthood receive questions about what would happen if the temporary injunction is granted.

>> Self-determination cases would stick around.

La show us that this is a this is a consideration and analysis that will look different at different stages.

So for the court to ultimately consider in this case, I think will be.

At what point in pregnancy does the states interest in?

Protecting potential feel life become compelling enough to outweigh an individual's rights to make their own determinations about their bodies and about their pregnancies.

>> The Supreme Court did not make a decision on the temporary injunction today.

But protesters outside the court made their voices heard.

For Kentucky edition.

I'm Casey Parker Bell.

>> Attorney General Daniel Cameron released a statement after the arguments.

It says we have asked the court to allow these pro-life laws to stand and to recognize the policymaking authority belongs to the General Assembly, not the judiciary.

Governor Andy Beshear is taking executive action to legalize medical marijuana in Kentucky today he signed an executive order allowing some Kentucky INS to possess and use medical cannabis that is legally purchased in another state to treat specific health conditions.

The executive order goes into effect on January.

1st, today's announcement comes weeks after a new report from the governor's medical cannabis advisory group that suggests 90% support for legalized medical marijuana in Kentucky.

>> Here is our reality.

That you can purchase cannabis to treat a medical condition in Illinois.

And you can use that medical cannabis in West Virginia.

But while you're traveling through Kentucky.

Your criminal.

That's not right for something that's legal in these other states and being used to treat such serious conditions.

>> The governor's executive order does come with some limitations, though.

First, the medical cannabis must be purchased from a state where it is legal to do so.

Second, it must not exceed 8 ounces.

Finally, you must have certification from a licensed health care provider showing that you have been diagnosed with at least one of 21 qualifying medical conditions.

Those conditions include cancer en masse and PTSD.

State Representative Jason Namus of Louisville has long been a proponent of legalizing medical marijuana in Kentucky.

But the Republican lawmakers attempts to pass a bill through the legislature have been stalled today we asked him for his take on the governor's action.

>> Well, I strongly agree with the policy that he wants here.

More fundamental issue is separations of powers and the rule of law and what he's done is is a is a blatant violation of the law and he knows it.

Damming the governor's a good lawyer.

He knows he doesn't have authority to do what he's what he's doing.

and I sit it's it's unfortunate.

And I think of the better the better course the better way forward is for him to join our fight in getting the Senate to pass some medical marijuana Bill.

>> Representative Namus also said he does not think this executive order will help or hurt his efforts to pass a medical marijuana bill in the Kentucky Legislature next year.

The governor signed a second executive order today regulating the sale of Delta 8.

>> It's a chemical found in cannabis plants that contains a small amount of THC.

Governor Beshear says Delta 8 is not a controlled substance under federal and state law and that there are no rules on how it is packaged and sold.

He says establishing a regulatory structure on will provide the framework for the sale of medical cannabis when and if that it does become legal in Kentucky.

Well, flu season is well underway here in Kentucky.

And the number of confirmed cases show just that.

Take a look here in early October, the Cabinet for Health and Family Services reported just 42 confirmed cases.

That number has since exploded to more than 3300.

That includes about 2000 new cases in the first week of November alone.

Meanwhile, cases of RSV continue to put a strain on hospitals around the country.

Norton Children's Hospital in Louisville reports.

It has been operating at or over capacity for weeks now.

The hospital says this flu season has been unpredictable.

Both in the timing and the types of patients.

It is saying.

RSV is really calm.

And so traditionally >> all kids in the U.S. get infected.

That's been historically what's happened.

All kids get infected with RSV at least once by the time they're too early on in the COVID pandemic.

That burden of illness was seen in adults when children were staying home.

And everyone was wearing masks and practicing distancing.

We didn't see a lot of circulation of viral respiratory illness in kids.

And so we didn't have our typical RSV seasons.

We didn't have our typical flu seasons.

I think we are seeing we are getting to in some ways back to normal.

Another saying that we are seeing is that.

And we are seeing kids who are hospitalized, who are older so 3, 4 years old.

Why is that?

Well, these kids didn't get infected in the first 2 years to life because initially RSV wasn't circulating during the pandemic and then we were employing strategies like masking distancing and to kids just didn't see this virus.

And now we've got a lot of kids.

We don't have any prior immunity.

And so kids who would have gotten infected in the first 2 years of life are now getting infected a little bit later.

We and other children's hospitals across the U.S. are also seeing RSV in ferry young children.

So infant in the first 2 weeks of life and some of them are infected by their parents.

>> On Monday, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children's Hospital Association asked President Biden to declare an emergency to support a national response to the surge of pediatric respiratory illnesses.

7 students and a bus driver remain hospitalized following a school bus crash in the coffin county.

The bus went off the road yesterday morning.

A few students were taken to hospitals by helicopter.

The school district says 11 children have since been released from hospitals.

The driver plus 18 students ranging from elementary age through high school.

We're on the bus when it crashed.

Walmart has agreed to pay 3 billion dollars to settle lawsuits nationwide over the impact of prescriptions.

Its pharmacies filled for powerful prescription opioid painkillers.

The agreement must still be approved by 43 states to take effect.

Kentucky is currently not one of them.

In a tweet this morning, Attorney General Daniel Cameron said, quote, Our office is currently evaluating the settlement agreement and its financial terms to determine if joining it is in the best interests of Kentuckians.

A state report found that more than 2200 people died of overdoses in Kentucky last year.

That's up almost 15% from the previous year.

Opioids were involved in 90% of those deaths.

It is possible Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky could be ousted as leader of the Republican Party in the Senate.

CNN is reporting Senator Rick Scott of Florida plans to challenge McConnell for the position.

Senate Republicans are expected to hold leadership elections tomorrow.

The White House says Kentucky is benefiting in a big way from the infrastructure investment and Jobs Act.

President Joe Biden signed the bill into law today to date more than 3 and a half billion dollars has been announced to fund over 110 projects in Kentucky.

That includes more than 2 billion dollars for roads and bridges.

And the White House says more than 300,000 households are receiving affordable Internet because of the bill, the infrastructure law also sets aside money for water projects and public transportation.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and retiring U.S. Representative John Yarmouth were the only members of Kentucky's federal delegation to vote in favor of the bipartisan infrastructure law.

Well, speaking of Internet, a major project in Kentucky is nearly complete, according to Double UK and the U.S. Kentucky wired could be finished by Mid-fall.

The project was launched in 2013 with a goal of building 3,000 miles of fiber.

Broadband cable to every Kentucky County, Kentucky.

Wired has faced numerous setbacks and criticism for delays and overspending.

Interim executive Director Mike Hayden said about 36 miles of fiber still needs to be installed in western Kentucky.

Former U.S. representative Carol Hubbard of Kentucky has died.

Havard served 9 terms in the House, spent time in prison and was disbarred twice.

The Democrat was elected to the Kentucky Senate in 1967. and served there until 1974 when he was elected to Congress from Kentucky's first district.

He remained in the House for 18 years but lost his bid in 1992. following that House banking scandal.

Havard served more than 2 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges including conspiracy and obstruction of justice.

Carol Hubbard was 85 years old.

♪ ♪ >> A bowling Green nonprofit is helping people in recovery help themselves Hope.

House Ministries provides housing and employment opportunities for those who are ready to turn over a new leaf, giving them the tools and resources they need.

>> For life after they leave the program.

>> Of new Leaf and Floyd of basically I do anything home improvements to cutting grass to leaf removal.

Whether the 24 7 dads raising highly capable kids.

>> Thank the finance jobs for life.

These are all tools and resources that help house has put into place in order to help people such as myself to grow in the live a better life.

>> When we started off well, senator covering programs for men and women, we KET we needed to have a pathway for them to work and live out the things that they were learning in jobs for life, which are a weak job training program.

>> We started a social enterprise called newly service maintenance and repair.

>> It's a way for the guys to get out of the community to be part of a teen U K the biggest thing that I've seen be a part of a new leaf is each and every person that comes through.

Our new leaf program has something great.

>> Has something unique to offer.

We're warning be out here.

It was a good group of guys.

Yeah.

And what I've and construction home I've been doing this.

I worked my whole life to, you know, really do enjoy it.

>> If you enjoyed, it's not like working.

>> Years of active addiction found incarcerated.

So that is how I became familiar with help House ministries, the program living, which is a year long substance abuse program.

>> For someone entering a are men or women's golf?

Will senator covering program is they're facing legal challenges 2 felony backgrounds are potentially felony charges.

So employment is a difficult hurdle.

They have seen new leaf employees who are going through our programs who have been just very difficult rap sheets because of of of, you know, filling charges court situations that they see their work ethic and they go.

We do care about that.

>> It takes a lull time many, many years of hard.

To get to the point to where you can finally have a glimmer of hope.

>> And and finally have that that journey for change and for something different.

>> It's pretty incredible what he's been able to do to create pathways for men and women are gospel singer recovery program for individuals that are taking shots fly for the Warren County Jail and on site to then helping remove some of the employment roadblocks to get full-time employment after they're done working with new Leaf.

>> I see the success rate.

The hotel says and just be around people that has been in the same spot that out and and just see where they're at now.

It gives me a lot of the people there.

I mean, they really changed my life already.

>> The next big project Hope House Ministries will undertake this season is affordable Christmas, which gives low-income families the chance to shop for gifts at lower prices.

♪ >> Well, Bardstown Kentucky gained national attention when a true crime podcast about 5 unsolved murders in the city shot to number one on the ITunes charts back in 2019 while a second season of the hit podcast launched called Beyond Bardstown Unsolved.

>> I sat down with the host Shay McAlister to find out what this new season is all about.

>> We actually cover all over Kentuckyian not just Kentucky.

We are partnered up with a sister station of WHA U.S. on the West Coast.

He's covered on south cases over there, too.

But some of these cases might be familiar.

I mean, some of them are cases that up haunted investigators here in our state for decades and decades.

And so.

>> It took a little bit about that relationship like you get all of the scoops you know, it started with the crystal Rogers disappearance and you have to develop these relationships with the FBI and investigators to really know what's going to happen, right?

It's such a balancing act with them because they will tell me so much more than I can ever say on TV or on social media.

>> Because that could interfere with the case and they're trying to give me that background so that I you know, I'm not pushing the wrong thing.

I'm not saying the wrong thing because it, you know, at the end of the day, we just want to solve these cases to I don't want to know you put a scoop out there and then we want an investigation that isn't helping one.

So a lot of times they're telling me things so that I won't, you know, go too far.

I won't push it to a place that they can, you know, bring it back from sure.

So let's talk a little bit about the Crystal Rogers case that started the initial Bardstown.

>> Investigation.

Where does that stand?

Some new developments here lately.

>> Yeah, of Crystal Rogers been missing since 2015 was 2025 years into her disappearance that the FBI took over and ever since 2020 about once a year, there are some AG FBI search that was most recently with 3 weeks ago when they served a search warrant on Brooks Houck's family Farm.

Brooks Houck is the main suspect in her disappearance.

Her former boyfriend.

And this was a really big deal because the FBI has never really acknowledged him as a main suspect in her case.

But serving a search warrant on his family property.

That kind of tells you that.

Yeah, they're narrowing in on him.

>> Yeah.

And do you expect something to come out of that?

>> We always I mean, we hope so.

We hope so for Krystal's family, for that community, something that everyone is so invested in.

They did have cadaver dogs, heavy excavating equipment there, which leads us to believe they were digging, possibly for human remains.

I think if they found that, you know, now, 3 weeks out, we might have had an arrest by now, but they did tell us they found items of interest and they sent them to the FBI evidence lab.

That's in Quantico, Virginia.

>> Yes, so I will stay tuned for that.

But as as far as the initial Bardstown podcast.

That was not just about Crystal Rogers its it talked Jason Ellis and at another London Netherlands murder.

>> Were you surprised at the bit crazy popular parody of this has blown away and I still am I I thought that this was a really >> interesting and horrific story that I I thought people be on Kentucky would be interested in.

I had no idea, but it would turn into a across the country.

People are invested in these 5 unsolved cases in this one little Kentucky town.

But I'm so glad that's how it happened.

Yeah.

>> It pretty pretty interesting.

And so as as far as the new season goes, these are all unsolved cases and you're bringing a different one each week.

Absolutely.

Yes.

And where they're mostly from Kentucky.

There's a few from the West Coast, a journalist I've partnered up with.

This.

Also does the same thing I do where she just >> tries to bring new life into cold case investigations.

But they go back as far as the 80's and as recently as from all over the state.

And are you getting tips and are investigators going to?

Yeah, I mean, the investigators tell us every time we put something out like this, they do get new calls and new types.

Of course, they won't tell me, unfortunately where it goes, you know, doesn't pan out as it turned into something bigger than ever know that until maybe something happens in the case.

But I love to hear that people are listening and they're thinking about what they saw and the reported that the whole goal.

New episodes of be on Bardstown unsolved are released every Monday and you can hear them wherever you get your podcast.

♪ >> When this digital age of smartphones and social media board games seem to transcend the passage of time remaining a popular creative outlet for friends and family.

>> Here's the story of a Kentucky woman who became a leader in the game design industry.

>> My name is Kerry.

Brighton Stein.

And I and the owner of Twilight Creations.

I game design and I run the Our fans are very diverse.

So we get a lot of families that will play.

We have a lot of college students that will play.

There's high school students and then there's some older people.

>> That just like the zombie theme and they they like the simplicity of the game and the players.

>> We create mostly for these 4 games.

Ahora board games or basically anything you would see in a horror movie.

So a lot of our games are based on 4 movies and a lot of them are zombies.

We were just big fans of of zombies in general.

Let your imagination run.

And it's something that so close to a possibility that people wonder, Wow, could this actually happened?

And there are plenty of people who have literally prepared for a zombie apocalypse.

And we thought this would be kind of need to bridge the reality with the gaming industry.

And get people excited about it as a female game designer.

>> It wasn't a problem at first when my husband and I were on the game together, you know, because everybody assumed that, you know, he was designing everything in, you know, obviously, I don't have that mindset when in reality it was.

I was better at the mechanics and he was better at that.

when I started designing games by myself, I found a a hard time getting the respect in the community and the gaming community.

>> We have gotten more open-minded, a society that less thinking in terms of these are boys activities and these are girls activities.

When I first went to my first convention, I would guess it was more than 90% male.

Lexicon.

We are about 55%.

45% from male to female ratio as gaming has opened up there's it's no longer I'm just gaming with my friends.

Now it's an excuse to meet new people.

And so you get new people, people who are more different from you.

I think that that has happened.

You see more people who are more social as gamers and that makes it easier for people who are gamers to come in.

I think it went through a period where that brought a lot of women in the hobby.

Now there's you know, it's just as like a game group is run by a woman as it is run by a There's it's it's very on.

Gender does hobby compared to what it used to be.

It?

>> I mean, I think bringing that sort of connectedness and not to being squishy about it.

But just joy in people's lives has to be good for that.

>> Well, we hope you will join us again tomorrow night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky edition where we inform connect and inspire.

Thanks so much for joining us.

Have a great night.

♪ ♪ ♪