♪ >> Could this man and op and president of what Donald Trump's cabinet?

In airports, security requirements are changing and 2025 and it means you may need a new ID.

>> It's a way to show the public some of these veterans who've served their communities and their country.

>> And days before Veterans Day, Lexington salutes the men and women who served.

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

♪ ♪ Good Evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Thursday.

It's November, the 7th, I'm Renee Shaw.

We thank you for spending some of your Thursday night with us.

Kentucky now has a state Sen elect pick through a write-in campaign necessary after the incumbent died.

Details in tonight's look at election 2024.

Scott and Matt and the mayor of Pine Bill.

One, the write-in contest and state Senate district.

29 and southeastern Kentucky.

There were 11 candidates in the race and here are the top 3 finishers.

Madden was first with 35% of the vote followed by Willie craze with 15% and Tyler Ward with 10 Madden will take over the seat held by Republican Johnnie Turner.

Turner was unopposed for re-election when he was hurt in a riding lawnmower accident in September.

He then died on October 22nd Turner had been in the Kentucky Senate since 2021. and had served in the Kentucky House before that the write-in election became necessary since there was no one else on the ballot.

Madden, who is also a Republican, says he will carry on Senator Turner's legacy of service.

Governor Andy Beshear talked about Tuesday's election results and voters decisions on the makeup of the Kentucky General Assembly and on amendment 2.

>> On Tuesday night, the people of Kentucky overwhelmingly rejected an amendment to.

They sent a clear message that in Kentucky public dollars are for public schools, period.

>> This should end the inning.

>> In all debate.

>> And this should end any attempts to take money away from our public schools to send them to unaccountable private schools.

So now let's focus on the work fully funding our public schools, providing our educators with real raisins in implementing universal Pre-K all across the Commonwealth.

The people have spoken and it's our job to carry their will for one.

Also on Tuesday night, I want to congratulate based on Tuesday night going to congratulate Pamela good one who will be our next Supreme Court justice.

When I think of our Kentucky results, despite the presidential election and how lopsided it was in Kentucky.

The numbers of Republicans and Democrats in our state House and Senate did not change.

That.

To me sends a clear message that voters expect us to work together.

The continue to get things done.

And that's exactly what I'm gonna do.

Vice President Harris put together a good campaign in a short amount of time.

She focused on everyday challenges too.

People's lives to middle class tax cut, expanding the child tax cut in tax credits.

>> Affordable housing, all things that could lift.

But every American and I'm disappointed.

And then ultimately that effort came up short in and for many of us who hope to see him into anger politics and a restoration of civility in the way.

Not just that we talk to each other, but the way that we run certainly disappointing in the results from that standpoint.

>> The governor also discuss the medical marijuana votes that took place Tuesday voters and 53 counties and 53 cities way down whether or not to allow medical cannabis businesses in their communities.

Sam planned executive director of Kentucky's Office of Medical Cannabis says Kentucky hands are overwhelmingly in favor of the program.

>> We believe that it has past and every single jurisdiction where it was on the ballot.

So all 106.

And that's from communities all across Kentucky, rural.

>> Suburban X, Irvin, Irvin and small communities, large ones throughout the state.

Folks in Kentucky for a long time have known that medical cannabis can be beneficial to folks around Kentucky.

There's certainly many folks that have one of the qualifying conditions that we have here in Kentucky.

So cancer, PTSD, epilepsy product, not a chronic pain of multiple sclerosis.

And these folks of their neighbors and they see their neighbors suffering in, you know, like like Kentucky's do, they want to help.

And certainly this is one way that that they were able to help, which is a vote to allow medical cannabis businesses to operate.

And there's those communities which means that medicine can be closer to the folks that act.

We need that medicine.

>> Currently, 21 counties have opted out of the medical cannabis program, meaning they've chosen not to allow medical cannabis businesses to operate in their communities.

You can see those counties highlighted in red on this map.

Nearly 4 dozen of Kentucky's 419 cities have done the same by law.

Kentucky's medical Cannabis program officially begins January 1st, the 2025 General Assembly starts just 6 days later.

Flynn says there's a push for new legislation that could expand the program to more patients.

>> Certainly a priority of the governor and something that he has pushed the through with the Legislature last year was pushing for the expansion of the qualifying conditions.

And that is something that we certainly push for through this office with respect to legislation last year was not included in the final bill and House Bill 829. was included in a in a Senate bill that was sponsored by Senator West.

We certainly encourage them to take that up again.

There's a lot of really important qualifying conditions that are included in that list that we would like to add that are not included in the in the current law and those are some really important conditions impact a lot of people and ultimately their inclusion.

What allow for additional care for folks that are suffering.

And, you know, I can tell you that one of the conditions that's president numbers, every single state that you might look at for medical cannabis programs as terminal illness, not included in in Kentucky's law, but certainly included in many other states sickle cell anemia is another one that is included in many other states laws, but not Kentucky's ALS, Parkinson's.

some other serious conditions as well included in that list.

>> Last month the state awarded.

26 medical cannabis licenses to cultivators and processors.

The first of 2 lottery drawings for dispensary licenses is scheduled for November.

The 25th the second will take place next month.

Kentucky's congressman representing parts of Western and central Kentucky won reelection.

Republican U.S. Representative James Comer will serve a 5th term in Congress.

Our June Leoffler spoke to the congressman on election night and has this report.

>> Comer picked up more than 70% of votes in his district, crushing Democratic opponent Aaron Marshall.

>> We worked very hard to get a grassroots organization.

I have a 7, I think Republican or 7 Democrat County judges in my congressional district.

We work very closely with the Democrat judges with the Democrat mayor.

I believe that the knot records organization speaks for itself.

>> The congressman has led the House Oversight Committee since 2023.

He dropped investigations into President elect Donald Trump and pursued and queries into President Joe Biden's administration and family.

He hopes a new president and Congress can pass immigration reform.

>> The federal government under the Biden administration made it harder to get people to come in to be legal guest workers.

And I don't think that's what needs to happen.

We need there's a process for illegal immigration.

We certainly need to have a quick efficient process to get people over here legally.

But that for the people that have come here illegally, that's a problem.

>> Congress rejected 2 immigration bills this year.

It did pass billions to support allies in foreign wars that spending Comer hopes to KET to a minimum.

>> That support Israel.

I support Ukraine, but we've already giving Ukraine a lot of money and it has been a lot of time campaigning with the 250,000 people in the first Congressional district.

They want our tax dollars bit own America first.

>> On home state matters.

The congressman doesn't say how he voted on Kentucky's constitutional amendment to allow school choice which was defeated.

>> That's a state issue.

And I kind of tried to stay back and let the state legislators work on trying to promote those those issues.

So I'll talk about those more on down the road.

>> A veteran Kentucky journalist says that response is telling.

>> The statement that the congressman made that get the most reaction from all of us in the studio was.

I'll be having a lot more to say about public education in Kentucky, which means he's going to run for governor in 2027.

You know, that's the job he really walks and almost got nominated for sort of 83 votes in 2015.

So he did not want It's a very much substantive on the issue of public versus private education.

>> Comer and in the Republican gubernatorial primary in 2015, Matt Bevin won that race and the governor seat that year.

Comer served as the state's agriculture commissioner from 2012 to 2016 for Kentucky edition.

I'm Jeanne LaFleur.

>> Voters re-elected all 6 of Kentucky's U.S. House members on Tuesday.

2 of the 6 were unopposed.

Could a Kentucky congressman and up and president elect Donald Trump's Cabinet.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports that Congressman Thomas Massie, a Republican from northern Kentucky's 4th congressional district has been mentioned for a possible role in the Trump administration.

One job in mention Secretary of Agriculture and Massey seems to be open to the idea.

In a statement to the Herald later, Massey said, quote, I stand ready and willing to help the president with any part of his bold agenda to focus on the health and well-being of Americans.

But I have received no commitments or offers from President Trump's team and any discussion of the transition to premature or unquote.

Kentucky Supreme Court Chief Justice Lawrence Vanmatre gave his final state of the Judiciary address before state lawmakers today in Frankfort.

Van Meter will retire from the bench in January.

In his remarks, vanmeter outline the progress being made in the judicial branch's new case management system.

He also discussed the expansion of the court's mental health initiatives after Van Meter's remarks, outgoing Republican state Senator John Schickel said he felt compelled to once again question whether the courts mental health initiatives.

We're shifting the focus from justice to social services.

>> The Supreme Court remains committed to supporting the Kentucky Judicial Commission on Mental Health.

The justices have added 9 new members to drive systemic change for justice, involved individuals with mental health challenges.

>> Substance use disorders and dismembered developmental disabilities.

So this year's House Bill 3.85, known as Seth's Law has said a transformative president by reducing Al Paciente competency evaluation and from 12 months to just 3 to 5 weeks significantly improving competency and guardianship practices statewide.

We thank you for supporting this impactful legislation and are pleased to announce additional legislative recommendation from the Commission for the upcoming Sessions.

>> I am concerned and I know this is the minority opinion.

But I am concerned and I know of others that are very concerned about a court of justice turning into a social service agency.

The name of the agency court of Justice.

I think says it all.

And that is what ought to be the primary focus of our courts.

On the criminal side, determing innocence and guilt and punishment and on the civil side deciding civil disputes.

It troubles me that the focus of the judiciary is so much on social services, not that social services don't have a role.

But I don't think it's the role of the judiciary >> state Supreme Court Deputy Chief Justice Deborah Hembree.

Lambert will take Van Meter's place on the bench, becoming the first woman to be Kentucky's chief justice.

And more first for the court after winning her race on Tuesday, Court of Appeals Judge Pamela Goodwine becomes the first elected black female justice on the high court.

Her edition marks the first time the Kentucky Supreme Court will have a female majority.

Mom gets 7 members.

Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton has some thoughts on several local elections and ballot initiatives.

There are 5 new members set to join the 15 person, Lexington, Fayette, Urban County Council with incumbent Councilwoman Brenda Menard as and Tata Fogle losing their bids for reelection.

The city also voted to create a new tax with the passage of the parks funding referendum.

>> I'm very interested in the local council races in particular because I work really hard with the council members and we will be having 5 new council members out of 15.

They'll have a large learning curve.

And there they all seem to be pretty excited from the phone calls that I was making last night.

So it's always kind of an interesting time to have new council members, particularly quite a few along the way of the campaign.

I watched pretty carefully the parks tax issues that was on the ballot here.

And I felt.

All along that it would pass because a lot of people talk to me about supporting it.

There was a lot of excitement around it.

So this will be good for our parks department and the and the assurance that every year there will be dedicated money to the Capitol needs for parks in Fayette County.

>> Emma Curtis, one of the newly elected Urban County Council members makes history as the first openly transgender person elected to the council and the first in the state to be elected to a city office.

You can hear from Mayor Gordon a little later about a special tribute to Lexington's Veterans.

Changes are coming to the way TSA conducts its screenings at airports soon.

Your standard, Kentucky driver's license will be enough.

Here's more about the real ID why you need it and how soon.

>> If you've ever flown on a commercial airplane, he's been through the TSA screening process, removing your shoes emptying your pockets and sending your bags through the scanners.

Starting in about 6 months, TSA will require all air travelers to use a real ID at check-in.

The real ID is a specific type of driver's license.

The state issues that meets federal identification requirements.

>> Today, state transportation officials urge Kentuckians to get the real ID sooner rather than later.

>> 32% of Kentucky ID holders are already ahead of the curve by securing their real ID driver's license or ID card before the 5/7/2025 Federal Enforcement date.

Today in Kentucky.

We have.

About 3.3 million drivers.

Just over a million are holding the real ID form of real ID allows.

Our citizens to hop on a plane and fly throughout the country and beyond.

We know that some of you never planned to fly.

What emergencies happen.

Circumstances change and all we can do is be prepared.

Having the option to fly can make a world of difference.

When you're operating in a crisis or on short notice.

I think people sometimes think that they just need that idea if they're flying internationally.

>> That's not true.

They needed to fly to Florida and other domestic locations as well.

So please, everyone, please take advantage of this time and upgrade your driver's license to make it a real ID.

And that will help you continue to come through the convenience of flying through airport likely grass.

>> Secretary Gray reminded Kentuckians how they can apply for the Real ID.

>> To make things easier we have in the commonwealth through the transportation cabinet.

We have 33 driver licensing regional offices.

They're available to Kentucky INS schedule an appointment and a place for their real ID.

The driver's license or an ID card in one several visit.

A real ID version of your driver's license can be purchased with a 4 year lifespan for just $24 or a year for $48.

For Kentucky edition.

I'm Clayton Dalton.

>> Thank you, Clayton.

Other federal forms of identification like a passport or permanent resident card will still be accepted for a TSA screening after the Real ID deadline kicks in for more information on getting your real ID go online to Real ID K Y dot com.

♪ ♪ The day after the election students and the cybersecurity pathway at Fairdale High School in Louisville investigated a fake cyber security threat at the polls through a partnership with the KC 7 Foundation students got the chance to be a cyber security analyst for the day.

>> The majority, what my students during class is cybersecurity related things.

We did a brief focus on hardware software, taking part computers, put them together.

Robotics code.

But recently we put a heavy focus on actual cybersecurity threat investigations.

We have a case of an event where basically the 2 creators of KC came to our high school.

>> And we had a like exclusive module basically where we explored a bunch of like data like digital data of what people are looking through.

Like website, IP addresses their personal information for like a certain company like email addresses and like a machine names.

And we look through all that data and we try to figure out who like try to access certain types of information.

That's confidential and that they should be able to access and like what they're trying to do with a story here, bringing a custom game that's actually elections team to the students are fair.

Dale.

And so here they're learning about and elections board that is trying to secure, you know, the vote or trying to help people vote at the polls.

>> And they could see, OK, what are hackers trying to do to hack this this company or try to alter the votes and how is that working and how is that not working?

It's very tedious work.

Yes, but it's very rewarding because it is like it might take you a little while to learn this in bike, be able to understand it.

But what you do, it's a very rewarding.

It's very satisfying work to do.

I hope that students understand that what they're doing is real and it's really impactful.

>> They are using the actual query language they're using actual data.

They are doing everything that an actual threat analyst at Microsoft could do so if they realize that they're good at it and their brain works this way or they can train themselves to be a little better.

And I want them to know that they've got a job waiting for him.

Cyber is naturally a game, right?

There's winners and losers, right?

You lose when someone ransoms organization and you or ransom to the hospital, you can't provide care to people you when we are able to protect protect the people that you care about.

And so in every cybersecurity scenario, there's a story in this.

People whose lives or risk or there is it is organization you care about that at risk and we can really tease out those stories and you can put it in front of students, right?

And they can understand why we're doing what we're doing and who were trying to protect.

I think it makes it so much more appealing to them than just saying, okay, well, we're doing a bunch of ones and zeroes without any contacts, just a hands-on experience and be able to the kind of the trains you for, like the type of tone kind of going to.

And I and like put me ahead of some other people.

And I really like that as well.

Like just being able to party into this type of environment and been able to go through these mock trials of like what real life people do in this field is really for me.

When you have like teams like we're having a KC 7.

>> Being able to compete with one another and like make each other want to improve.

I think that is such a valuable thing that we're doing.

It's such a nice thing scrape.

I'm just enjoying myself.

>> The KC 7 Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to diversifying the cybersecurity workforce.

♪ ♪ The city of Lexington is joining the Lexington History Museum for a special tribute to veterans in the community through Veterans Day, which is next Monday.

You'll see a series of banners depicting local veterans along Vine Street Mayor Linda Gorton says it's just a small way to fight Lexington's veterans.

>> I'm a huge supporter of veterans.

I have lot of veterans in my family and someday both my son and son-in-law will become veterans and we have about 150 veterans in our Urban County government.

So its important to me always to honor them.

So this is the first year for our Veterans Street banner program.

And this is a program where we have banners representing individual veterans who are in the Kentucky Veterans Hall of Fame.

And so the banners are hanging on Vine Street.

And the to be in the Veterans Hall of Fame.

Not only do you have to have served your country and be a veteran, but you also have to be someone he's now serving your community.

There is a digital representation of these veterans that's housed at the Lexington History Museum so people can go see the digital, all the information and everything.

It was a kind of a joint discussion among the commission.

My Veterans Commission and my Veteran's Liaison here in my office.

And, you know, they're always looking for ways to a list veterans who've served.

And I think this is a perfect example of how to do that.

Many of them are people who are still living.

Some are deceased.

So I'm hopeful that as our community people go on Vine Street driving and maybe walking.

They look up and say, oh, my gosh, I know him or her and they might even see themselves.

We're hoping that we can do this every year.

And I imagine we'll get some good feedback from the public.

And our public is in general, very supportive of veterans.

>> So I'm hoping to continue.

>> 24 members of Kentucky Veterans Hall of Fame are from Fayette County.

♪ ♪ If you use the Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, something's changing.

Hopefully for the better.

The airport is investing.

45 million dollars to expand security checkpoints.

What does that mean for frequent fliers where in Louisville for tomorrow's groundbreaking and you can see that and more tomorrow on Kentucky EDITION, which includes and side Kentucky politics with Tre Watson and Jarrett Smith.

All that starts tomorrow at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central on Kentucky.

Addition, we inform connect and inspire.

Connect with us all the ways you see on your screen, Facebook, X and Twitter to KET in the loop and Instagram on what's happening on Kentucky edition and KET programming and look for us on the PBS app that you can download.

>> To your phone and your smart tablet as well.

And of course, you can send us a story idea to public affairs at KET Dot Org.

Thanks so very much for joining us this Thursday night.

Take really good care.

And I'll see you right back here on Friday.

So long.

♪ ♪