♪ I had to actually right.

Governors.

>> He would have to be or what he did.

And you have to be in that top 15.

>> The life and impact of Governor John Live around.

>> You know, I don't want the job.

I want the vehicle that the job It's not about a title for me and it's about opportunity to move our state.

>> A Kentucky mayor recently elected to a second term now vying for a higher office.

>> I think especially now with, you know, inflation and the grocery prices so high, even more money now problem.

It has been in the past.

>> How God's pantry helps the hungry have a better Thanksgiving.

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 22nd.

>> We thank you so much for joining us.

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

Kentucky mourns the passing of a governor.

John, why Brown junior, the man who once co-owned Kentucky Fried Chicken.

>> Married a Miss America and became Kentucky's 55th governor in 1979.

>> Is dead at the age of 88.

John Young Brown junior was born December 28th 1933.

In Lexington.

>> His father had been a state legislator and congressman in 1964, Brown led a group of investors and buying Kentucky Fried chicken from Colonel Harland Sanders.

The chain boomed in popularity and Brown sold it in 1971.

He was co-owner of the Kentucky Colonels basketball team.

And later the Boston Celtics he ran for governor as a Democrat in 1979.

Vowing to run the state like a business.

He won and served until 1983.

He ran again in 1987 but lost the Democratic nomination to Wallace, Wilkinson.

Brown never ran for public office again.

Brown was married 3 times.

His second wife was Phyllis George, a former Miss America and television personality.

Here's a statement from the Brown family, quote, Our Dad.

John, why Brown junior not only dream the impossible dream.

He lived it until the very end.

His positive attitude and zest for life was unrivaled and allowed him to beat the odds many times over every day was an exciting adventure for him.

He was a true Kentucky original who beamed with pride for his home state and its people.

He had many prominent accomplishments.

But most of all, he loved his family with all his heart and we in turn loved him with all of our hearts.

We're heartbroken by his passing, but find comfort and what he wrote in one of his final days.

Quote, I have never been so happy.

End quote.

Kentucky's current governor Andy Beshear released this statement.

Governor Brown was a remarkable leader who is committed to serving the people of Kentucky.

He made our commonwealth a better place.

Brittany and I are praying for his family and loved ones.

Governor Brown was part of a prominent political family today we fought and we spoke with Ben Chandler, former congressman and attorneys general who is from a prominent family himself.

Chandler told us that he thinks Governor Brown would point to his children as his biggest legacy.

>> Governor Brown was, of course, such a a major figure in Kentucky that both in nationally and to lose him.

I know it's got to the difficult on the family.

In addition being a loss for all of us really in many ways his family has been in politics and public service in the public arena for a long time.

It goes back to the at least the early 1930's when his father was speaker of the House here in Kentuckyian his his father that figure on the political stage in Kentucky for decades.

And of course, that informed Governor Brown's a growing up time and led him into public service as well.

His public service, of course, was also included the time as governor.

But then he passed that on to several of his children and legacies are hard to determine.

The one thing I can tell you is that I'm sure the legacy that he probably was is the children that he produced who are going on to do great things themselves.

>> During John, why Brown's tenure as Governor Kentucky faced an economic downturn and soaring unemployment rates rather than raise taxes on Kentuckians Brown chose to decrease the number of state employees, including a steep cut to the executive office staff, lobbyist and political observer, Bob Adage, who served as Kentucky secretary of state in the 1990's had these observations.

>> He changed the party in the way around the but I know where the change is legislated, independents.

Which is that which an offshoot of his thinking.

He ran the executive branch.

Why would he tried to run the other 2 branches of government.

A governor for governor Carol, before him, like many governors, a road that pitch the legislative leadership, especially could.

Brown said, I think I need to do that.

And that again for the legislature or those year, 79 80 81 and has a movement.

On the political the ground, the Political matrix because they were.

Responsible for the outcome in a different way.

so we're years before Brown became governor.

The governor.

We just send up.

To the leadership of the House and the Senate bills to be worked on and the vote they should have.

Rather that.

He did weigh on measures but the but the legislature, the legislature and that is and it during legacy of this administration.

Brown was a an uplifting, encouraging positive person.

We had a winning way out and that's what led to the success of Kentucky Fried Chicken Sunset bought it for 2 million sold for nearly 300 million dollars.

Made a number of people wealthy and made it synonymous with Kentucky.

But when you encounter it personally, he was always asking about the tales family career, other things always encouraging force in so many ways, a very positive.

Very inspiring as an individual.

Yes, yes, I'm sure.

But he had a tremendous sense of humor.

And you know what?

The job was on the property left harder.

>> This afternoon we spoke to Kentucky historian Ron Bryant about the accomplishments and legacy of Governor Brown as well as the glamour.

He and his wife brought to Kentucky.

>> He was really one of our first modern governors.

When I say modern.

He was not of the same old school most of our governors had come from.

He was a person of business and hit one of his decisions when he ran was to run Kentucky like a business rather than, you know, like it had been run.

And that was one of his legacies, the other saying he was also person who did cut down state government from how big was it one time?

And it was very unwieldy.

really streamlined a lot of things and he's remembered for that.

And also he's remembered for his contacts in the business world that probably a lot of business interest to Kentucky more than it ever had before.

I remember when John Brown junior was elected, many people referring to the Miss Kentucky's candies.

There was a beautiful wife.

There was the rather you know, and and their their lifestyle was so different from a lot of previous governors lives very much so.

But I'm very, very important.

Governor, if I had to actually right, governors.

He would have to be for what he did and he have to be in that top 15 of all governors of Kentuckyian probably the top 10.

>> Governor Beshear has directed that flags at all.

State office buildings be lowered to half-staff and Browns honor until sunset on the day of internment, the former governor will lie in state in the rotunda of the Kentucky State Capitol.

Additional arrangements are still to come.

Turning to today's politics, a city leader in southeastern Kentucky has officially announced his bid for Governor Somerset Mayor Alan Keck joins a crowded field of Republicans who will square off in the May 2023 primary.

>> For me, this is a genuine call.

A passion to help people to to provide good government that can help folks get ahead.

I don't want the job.

I want the vehicle that the job affords me.

♪ Our mission is to connect with everyday Kentucky INS understand the plight of the working family in Kentucky.

But we also have a unique ability to connect.

We've done that in Somerset.

People have seen the transformation here and, you know, name ID only get you so far.

The race is just getting started.

I think it would speed up getting to I'm the only one in the race that to my knowledge that really >> lead and both private and public sector.

I've met payroll.

I know what it's like.

>> To have that that stress outside the front of paychecks, not just the backs of them, the incentives for maternity leave.

I think we need to give families a better chance to get off on a great start.

You know, Tiffany not have been through that.

And, you know, for a mom or an adoptive parent, foster parent to try to get back into the workplace after a couple weeks is just really difficult.

Our policies need to reflect our values.

And if we're going to be pro life and pro that I think that's one policy that would suggest that we are.

Kentucky needs a strong Louisville and I think local needs the rest of the state to be strong as well.

You know, Nashville really has propelled Tennessee forward and we want to see Louisville do that for us as well as Lexington and peace in northern Kentucky.

I think we have a lot more in common than we >> I think you'll see countless mayors come forward City Council or city manager's.

I think the business community is really going to rally around us because they know I understand the struggle of finding workers in this workforce crisis.

I hear it every single The other thing is working families.

You know, Tiffany, not hear from them a lot here.

We heard from him in the pandemic when we were leading the way and you know, I'm proud of the fact that my first public comment during COVID said we need a pair of a pass.

We need to reopen safely.

But we also have to KET our economy open.

The majority of Kentucky's share Republican The governor has obviously a lot of support, but we're going to tell a story about where he has failed us where he a struggle.

We don't share each other's values on issues like women play in a men's sport and vice versa.

The transgender veto, I think is a big deal where Republican voters, regardless who the nominee is going to stand up and push back.

We're embracing the underdog.

As you mentioned, the name ID is lower than the rest of the field.

But it's also really need opportunity.

I get to tell my story in a fresh wind and I think as people learn about cake for Kentuckyian they learn about the can't game plan going to realize this is not just another cookie cutter campaign.

They're going to see somebody who's authentic, whose real, who cares about people and is willing to go against the grain if that's what it takes.

>> Alan Keck was asked what he thinks sets him apart from the long list of other Republicans running for governor.

His answer was proven leadership.

More politics just ahead as Renee talks to Rylan Barton of Kentucky Public Radio and Ohio Valley Resource.

Lawmakers are once again discussing what to do about a certain type of gaming machine that is becoming more widespread across Kentucky during the 2022 General Assembly, a bill that would outlaw so-called gray machines in Kentucky failed to pass.

Frank Thena is with peso Matic.

One of at least 2 companies operating these machines and more than half of Kentucky's 120 counties.

He says his company uses a unique business model to legally operate what he calls skill games.

>> When we enter Morgan, we do do so legally.

Our skill games fundamentally different from games of chance.

The player to win 100% of the time.

Where's games of chance or pre Cent so the the owner of the game determines how many wins there can be.

Those games are illegal.

We into the market.

We displace those games and we create again revenue that is not being paid by the league games for state and local governments.

>> Now last week scene and describe for lawmakers, a draft piece of legislation that he says will define regulate and tax the skill game industry in Kentucky.

He says the measure would make it easier to crack down on people and businesses who are operating the game's illegally.

And then it would create a source of revenue for the state Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer was outspoken against the proposed bill and says he will continue to push the ban on these machines in Kentucky.

>> Talked about having a unique business model.

Yeah, it's unique.

It's illegal.

We talked about being disruptive.

Yeah, it's disruptive.

You come in here.

You pay a lawyer to come up with.

A legal opinion that benefit your business model.

By all the FOP.

And small business owners and then get them to lobby their legislators to be for the machines.

Tried in Gray's she ate yourselves and then.

You come to the legislature and you ask for legalization, that's your business model.

>> There are currently 3 forms of legalized gambling in Kentucky.

Pari-mutuel wagering the lottery and charitable gaming.

Republican Senator Chris McDaniel urge lawmakers to take a step back and consider steps the General Assembly took to make pari-mutuel betting legal in Kentucky.

>> We want to act like we don't that mistake.

Let's let's just.

You forgive the charade.

But we do bet changing our we bet on horses.

We bet on all kinds of things, OK, we might not has the.

Sportsbooks do so online.

Sports wagering thing that everybody wants.

Mister Chairman, very regrettably.

But at the end of the day, these folks are just on the flip side of an argument that have been made in this General Assembly chose to redefine the word.

The problem is their small business.

Did.

A lot of these folks have models the come to be built around this.

>> More debate on this issue could come up during the 2023 General Assembly, which convenes on January 3rd.

The University of Kentucky president is promising action after a racist assault on campus on November.

6th police accuse a white verbally and physically assaulting a black desk clerk in the UK dormitory.

That student has been expelled and banned from campus.

Doctor Eli Capilouto says UK is working to fight racism, but there is no quick fix.

>> This is the long game.

UK must be prepared to stay the course.

We may never finished the job being the community.

We aspire to be for everyone.

But we must never shy away from taking the journey together.

Toward becoming that place.

We must hold each other accountable.

Starting with me.

To take the steps together.

I'm asking, aren't our campus to recommit to that journey?

>> Kalou doses.

UK will transfer Memorial Hall into a space to celebrate diversity and inclusion UK will hire more mental health experts of different backgrounds and the university will make it easier for students to find the diversity officers in every college.

♪ >> Time now for a little bit earlier than midweek, check-in of some major political developments here in Kentucky with Rylan Barton, who is the managing editor of Kentucky Public Radio and Ohio Valley Resource.

Good to see your island.

>> Good seat here next.

>> So let's talk about the latest Republican to jump into that very crowded primary in May for the Republican nomination for Governor Alan Check, who is the current mayor of Somerset officially toss his hat into the ring yesterday.

>> this is so another one of these candidates have been rumored that he was going to run for a long time, even kind of hinting at it.

And he finally helped you know, big announcement and in launching his candidacy.

This makes the field up to 12, 12 Republican candidates now are vying for the chance to topple Democratic Governor Andy Beshear next year.

So it's getting to be a very, very crowded primary.

>> Yeah.

So what did he say about what would set him apart from the other 11 Republican candidates who want to unseat Governor Andy Beshear?

Is there much daylight between these candidates?

>> So it's going to be interesting to see how they're able to separate themselves on policy issues at all.

We really haven't gotten there so His resumes a little bit different than than some of the other Current elected official in, you this executive position being a mayor right now.

Also former business owner.

He was really stressing a lot about as well that he wants to run the state like a But I think a lot of those differences were going to you know, play out in this campaign season.

So far the candidates have been playing pretty nice of Republicans, not wanting to show a lot of infighting, but at some point there's going to have to be kind of you know, some debate, some argument over who the best person to kind of take the state It's going to be.

>> We're going to figure out a venue to accommodate them all if they all appear in one place right now.

>> Things that.

Were split into 2 debates and split them into 2 debates.

That might be something to do.

>> Well, let's talk the results of the last election and the general election.

Just a cup weeks ago.

And particularly this constitutional amendment.

Number 2, that failed on abortion and now is it true that Republicans are thinking about are having conversations about exclusions for rape and incest when they've had this opportunity before to make such carve outs was a different now.

>> It's definitely part of the I think a couple reasons that it's happening now is one after the you know, the downfall of amendment 2 in Kentucky.

But I think also after hearing of the justices of the Kentucky Supreme Court last week, you know, talk about this abortion ban and you know how extreme it is, how how much it bans abortion, virtually all cases except for some in somebody is life is at risk so I think that that's kind of the low hanging fruit that some Republicans are kind of him to get out.

But every time you talk to elect a Republican legislators, kind of considering something like this, there's almost an inevitable 2nd half of that sentence for the go.

But I'm just not sure that there's going to be enough support in the legislature.

And I think it's very true.

There's a political reality to this, which is that, you know, Republicans have campaigned very on essentially total bans on and it to imagine a Republican politician being in favor of creating some exceptions.

You can kind of imagine what that primary is going to look like.

A primary election is going to look like after that.

We're you know, somebody is going to run to the right of them.

and constituents might not be thinking in such a nuanced way that some of these legislators are starting to think about the abortion debate to be very interesting to see how the legislature really takes in all this coming in January, but also how the state Supreme Court in this case, that's really going to tell us a lot about what lawmakers feel like they can and can't do.

>> Do we expect there to be a decision before the Kentucky General Assembly convenes in January and in earnest in February?

>> Justices of it.

It said that they plan that they plan to have this decision in before the end of this particular So under this version of justices, you know, there's a new class of justice is coming some new faces and some folks retiring.

So they're hoping to get it in December before here before this new this new Supreme Court comes in.

But you know that that there's a possibility that things could drag along and that that this would have to be kicked to the next court.

>> Final U.S.

Congressman James Comer.

Now in a pretty good position.

And this is what he's been talking about for a couple years now.

He is chairman of the or soon-to-be chairman of the House Oversight Committee that has all of the subpoena power and is going to be, as he said and talk to KD about it, you know, investigating Hunter Biden look into the origins of COVID and other issues.

And how how how much do you think he's really going to be aggressive with this Biden investigation going forward and even after doctor Fauci and the whole origins of COVID.

>> I think it's going to it's going to be incredibly powerful position.

I do Carson Palmer to follow through with One of the interesting part about this is that really this becomes one of the preeminent Republican positions in Washington, D.C., it's, you know, the this is the one part of the governing bodies of Congress and the executive branch.

The Republicans will control.

And and Congressman Conor will have that subpoena powers chair of the Oversight Committee.

So I think we can imagine a lot of he's really going to be points on a lot of those investigations or alleged misdeeds by a Democratic officials are of the president's son, Hunter just as he's we'll see how much interest there is for Republicans will also be dealing with their kind of particular in fighting with a very narrow majority in the House of Representatives.

There's a lot of different kinds of Republicans out there that would really have to, you know, try to unite together around some of these issues, which are you know, there's no guarantee that that's going to happen.

Yeah.

>> We'll have to wait and see what.

Thank you, Roland.

Martin, it's always good to connect with you.

Take care.

Have a happy Thanksgiving front.

>> Thanks for that one day.

You too.

♪ >> You can cut down a free cedar tree from the land between the lakes, recreation area with a permit permits are available starting Friday.

You have to get one online according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Now the permit.

Let's each family cut one tree through December 24th.

The trees must be cedar and less than 10 feet tall with stumps less than 4 inches tall.

For 29 years.

God's pantry.

Food bank has been providing hungry families with the necessary ingredients for traditional Thanksgiving meal.

We spoke to local volunteers and CEO Michael Halligan to get an inside look at how God's pantry is sharing Thanksgiving this holiday season.

This is our 29th annual sharing Thanksgiving distribution and over the course of the next couple of days will distribute a total of 6,600.

>> Sharing Thanksgiving meals across 6 different counties in central and eastern Kentucky with the distribution that we're doing here.

We expect to serve about 1500 households across Fayette County between Saturday today and tomorrow.

It's about 5,000.

All of the Are folks that are experiencing hunger and were referred to a spy agencies all across Fayette County, God's pantry, food bank purchases, all of the food and all of the fixings that go with a traditional Thanksgiving meal.

And then we work with volunteers and team members to assemble everything and get ready to go.

We had 350 volunteers who helped assemble all of the non-perishable food and over the next 2 days, we will probably have another 150 to 200 who are helping us.

Just we're sharing Thanksgiving.

>> I am my ticket taker which basically just to a low the meals into the cars and greet the folks in and just pushed ahead of Thanksgiving.

I recently retired and one of the things I always oys envious of is when I was working was being a volunteer for things like this that always happens.

You know, this time of year is just an opportunity to kind of be in the at the turkey station.

So I we just put her keys in the car and their stations for potatoes, eggs, butter.

And then they get some canned goods.

Also, the cards come around and everyone is set up at their station too.

Philae carts have been very blessed in my life.

I just like that.

But others are just awesome, you know, just to the smiles.

And if there's a kid in the backseat to try to get the COVID vaccine everyone is seems happy and that just a glad to be able to come through here.

I think especially now with, you know, inflation and the grocery prices so high gets even more money now, probably that it has been in the past.

We know the need is great prior to the pandemic.

We're seeing about 500 households per week.

>> And now we're seeing about 700 households per week for sharing Thanksgiving.

The year ago.

We did a little over 6,000 this year are planning to do 6,600.

So we're up somewhere in the neighborhood of 5 to 10%.

The box is exactly the same food as it was a year ago.

We're just spending more to do it.

A year ago we spent about $100,000 on turkeys.

This year.

We're spending $150,000 on Turkey.

Those are experiencing hunger are also dealing with high cost of goods.

Inflation.

And so we're trying to do everything that we can to serve as many households as possible.

>> We hope you'll join us again tomorrow night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky Edition where we inform connect and inspire subscribe to our weekly Kentucky Edition, e-mail news letter and watch full episodes and clips a K E T Dot Org.

You can also find Kentucky Edition on the PBS video app on your smart device and on your smart TV.

Also, your mobile device and follow KET on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay in the league.

Thanks so much for joining us.

Have a great evening.

♪