>> We are solidly now and be living with COVID phase.

>> But Kentucky's top doctor says COVID is not over.

♪ >> Why did for people just to save a life?

That's it.

I've been accused of promoting socialism and universal health care.

And that's not that's not this.

>> This vending machine is not stopped with chips and drinks but medicine that could save a life.

Hit the trail and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature without leaving the middle of a Kentucky city.

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 EDITION for this Thursday, October, the 13th, I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you so much for spending some of your Thursday night with us.

>> Kentucky's drought picture is getting worse all the time to maps.

Tell the story.

This is how Kentucky looked on August 20 night.

Notice most of the state is normal with some drought conditions in western Kentucky.

This is the new map from the U.S. Drought Monitor.

A huge section of the state is yellow, meaning abnormally dry, much of southern and central Kentucky is light orange, meaning moderate drought and the darker orange is severe drought drought was discussed today by the Kentucky Legislators, Tobacco Oversight Committee, the chair representative Myron Dos.

It talked about the impact the drought is having in his district.

>> Over the last week or so, they're within Christian County and West Kentucky were receiving quite a few phone calls concerning drought conditions that we're experiencing a issues.

There are no individuals that have so past here over the last month or with the lack of rain, I think we've been over 30 days without any rain there and that crops not camp is not coming up and looks like her past years.

We've lost our pastors and then going back earlier in the summer with extensive heat.

It damaged our corn crop and it was damaging there as well.

>> A specialist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture told the committee that programs exist to help farmers hurt by the drought, but certain levels of drought known as D 2 D 3 and D 4 have to be present for a set amount of time for that help to kick in.

>> So the drought is defined 7 Cfr section 14, 16.1.

0, 2, And it is any area of the county that is rated by the U.S. Drought Monitor as having ad to severe drought, intensity for at least 8 consecutive weeks for the specific type of eligible grazing land or pasture land or a D 3 extreme drought debt drought or D for exceptional drought, intensity for the specific type of eligible grazing land for the county has determined by the secretary.

>> In Shelby Kennedy, 0.

Normally you would start feeding hay and supplement the food source for the last stop until in the November.

Something like that.

And they're doing that already.

So just some of the past up the chain the way that is done maybe isn't sufficient enough to cover some of the hardships of farmers.

I have.

>> And chairman by both the all made points that are that we understand, in fact, it's like right now you look at this map how much it changed the week.

You county hope it doesn't rain because if it doesn't rain, we get more.

This is asked are you know, it's like the damage has already been done.

It's like that.

A lot of this damage already been done.

So, you know, when you get a rain and then it resets everything.

And when the it resets the monitor that the programs are paid when the damage is really has really already been done.

>> As a result of the drought, 20 Kentucky town to counties are now under burn bans according to the Kentucky Division of Forestry.

Most of them are in Southern and western Kentucky in most places that means no outdoor burning of any kind, including grills and campfires.

Continued good news today about COVID in Kentucky from the commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health.

Doctor Steven Stack.

>> We have less than 300 people in the hospital for COVID-19.

We have less than 15 people on ventilators presently for COVID-19 to say it differently.

That's 1, 8, of our high all-time peak for people in the hospital for general hospitalizations and one 36th of the critical care use for ventilators from our all-time peak.

So we are solidly now in the living with COVID phase living with COVID phase does not mean folks, though that COVID is gone.

We still sadly announce 60 to 80 deaths every week from COVID.

It will still be the 3rd leading cause of death in Kentucky this year.

And we still have more than 300 variants that the World Health Organization tracks across the world.

Subset of those are ones of particular concern.

So what can we do about it?

Thankfully now what we're asking is much more tailored, much more focused.

Please get your booster.

>> Doctor Stack spoke during Governor Andy Beshear's weekly news conference.

The governor says now that the death toll from the July floods in eastern Kentucky is now 43.

That includes 2 people and lecture and breath of counties who died of health problems directly related to the floods.

And the governor announced a new effort to help flood victims involving the UK men's basketball team.

>> So this year, the University Kentucky's men's basketball annual blue-white game will be held in Pikeville at Kentucky's Appalachian Wireless Arena on Saturday, October 22nd.

We're asking for people to donate $100 to the team.

D-ky Flood Relief Fund DOT K Y dot Gov.

And that's going to sponsor a flood victim to attend the blue liking.

This is something an idea that came from University of Kentucky athletics about how we can get folks that have been through a lot to be able to go to the special game and all ticket revenue all $100 that you would be putting into sponsor flood victim to go to the game is going to go to the fund and then be there to help those and other individuals.

>> On another flooding know, Governor Beshear says Kentucky now has 284 travel trailers and 10 different locations.

Kentucky Supreme Court delve into another legal fight today.

This time between Governor Beshear and the Republican led legislature at issue was whether individual lawmakers are shielded from being named as defendants when the executive branch sues to challenge legislative actions.

The question stems from Governor Beshear's court battle against GOP backed legislation limiting his emergency powers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The governor named state Senate President Robert Stivers and House Speaker David Osborne as defendants in the suit.

The 2 top legislative leaders filed a motion to be dismissed from the suit arguing they were covered by immunity as legislators.

A Franklin County Circuit judge, though, denied their motion and Stivers and Osborne appealed.

Ultimately send the case to the state's highest court.

Both sides presented their arguments during a Supreme Court hearing today.

>> Separation of powers.

Would be distorted beyond recognition.

Its executive officials could open a second front.

In the legislative process.

By attacking members of the General Assembly.

In court.

For the bills that they enact.

Again, this is one of those cases where one branch of government alleges in other branches exercise power.

>> That belongs to it in violation of separation of powers, perhaps the strongest constitutional mandate in the Commonwealth.

>> The case stems from a larger separation of powers fight over COVID policies and a landmark ruling last year the Kentucky Supreme Court cleared the way for new laws to rein in the governor's emergency powers in combating the spread of COVID-19.

One of the contested law's limits.

The governor's executive orders in times of emergency to 30 days unless extended by lawmakers.

Turning now to economic news, only a slight decline in inflation last month.

The inflation rate was 8.2% in September.

That means on average the things you buy cost about 8% more than they did a year ago, Kentucky senior citizens will see a Social Security benefits increase because of inflation benefits will increase by 8.7%.

The biggest increase and 40 years Social Security benefits are tied to inflation.

Senator Mitch McConnell reacted to today's inflation news.

He compared inflation now to win.

President Biden took office in January of 2021.

Senator McConnell said, quote, grocery costs are up 18%.

Since then gasoline is up.

59%, housing costs and utility bills are through the roof, clothing, furniture and cars have become unaffordable.

Democrats have slashed families purchasing power and dramatically raise the price on every good and service that Americans need, unquote.

Kentucky's 2 U.S. senators are teaming up to help a fellow Republican and Ohio Senators Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul will take part in a fundraiser for JD Vance, the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate in Ohio.

He's in a close race with Democrat Tim Ryan.

A reception and dinner are planned Friday in Louisville at the home of an and meal Ramsey.

It's $2900 per couple for dinner and $1000 per couple for the reception.

Kentucky voters will say yes or no to 2 constitutional amendments on November 8 Ballot Amendment 2 says this.

Are you in favor of amending the Constitution of Kentucky to stay as follows to protect human life.

Nothing in the Constitution shall be construed to secure or protect the right to abortion or require the funding of abortion.

So far opponents of that amendment have raised more campaign money than supporters.

The Courier Journal reports that a group backing the amendment called yes to life has raised about $595,000.

An abortion rights group called Protect Kentucky Access has raised 5 times that much.

According to the latest campaign finance reports.

A police department in Hardin County is the first in Kentucky to install a narc can vending machine.

The prescription medication can reverse the effects of a drug overdose since it was unveiled 2 weeks ago.

The vending machine has been stocked with 148 boxes of Narcan.

>> I want to call earlier this year to a residence here in town Citizen had actually administered a dose of Narcan to one of her friends.

She was recovering addict.

He's alive today because she administered the first dose and she had available to her 3 college age girls a couple of months ago.

>> I thought they were using cocaine and it was actually fentanyl.

Fortunately, deputies got to them quickly enough or able to give them Marchand and reverse that, get him to the hospital and they all survived.

>> We have a law enforcement over vehicles and we can administer to emergency situations.

But here's a normal citizen that has a dose of Narcan a illegal substance that she can administer.

And that's a different light.

>> We're losing at least 6 people today to drug overdose deaths.

Thing was over.

2200 last year in Kentucky.

>> I'm a very small department.

And if one of my officers goes to a death investigation, even if it's a simple death, Clinton overdose, it's very taxing on us.

My goal was to alleviate some of those things and provide people in the public.

A tool to provide people who do overdose, at least a chance to revive and get to the hospital to receive some treatment.

>> Well, there's a lot of young kids and teenagers use drugs.

So it be better to had not had a good night.

>> I want people to come and take them, put them in your kitchen, put them in your car, put in your bathroom, put him wherever you might have a neighbor.

You might have a family member that's experiencing an issue that I have an adopted daughter.

This bad on drugs.

>> And in case an ad that I have it.

>> All I was trying to do.

I am trying to do is to provide a resource for people to survive until first responders in the mess can get there and get into the hospital.

I think anything you do to save a life is is is certainly a positive step.

>> Tragic that we've gotten to the point in this country.

We have to put out an arc and vending machine to save lives.

I certainly see nothing wrong with it.

It's just just a shame that we've gotten to that point to be that we made that.

>> I know with the stuff can do.

I know it can reverse the effects of an overdose and I know that they can save your life.

>> I hold on to it to you know, if I have to talk about it.

>> I need indeed.

Chief Mattingly says it's a community effort, communicate air and the Lincoln Trail District Health Department have provided the machine supplies and information on addiction and recovery services.

Now on the jobs front flash still works is headed to middlesboro.

The company broke ground yesterday on a 12 million dollar facility which will mean 250 full-time jobs over the next 15 years.

With 100 of those in the next 3 years.

>> Flash still works.

Makes military-grade plate steel.

Well, it took 10 years.

And 22 million dollars.

But Lexington now has its town Branch Commons trail.

It's a trail of more than 2 miles that follows historic town branch Lexington's original water source through the downtown area.

It has space for both walkers and cyclists.

Jim Gray, who is now the state transportation secretary landed a federal grant to fund much of the trail when he was mayor of Lexington and 2016.

>> Took a community so many that are here today.

And as I said earlier, it's wonderful to crown the winner's circle.

It's a milestone for the entire city and I'm all for one and the transportation.

We're all recall, complete streets designed for all users.

>> The trail is already getting praise.

That won a 2022 Environmental Excellence Award from the Federal Highway Administration.

♪ ♪ From Lincoln and Douglas to Kennedy and Nixon.

Candidates make news when they square off face to face.

But is that tradition becoming a thing of the past?

Some politicians, including some here in Kentucky no longer see the value in debates and joint TV appearances.

We talked to University of Kentucky political science professor Stephen Voss about the declining participation in candidate forms.

That's trending this midterm cycle.

Presser Vause, thank you so much for your time.

Thanks.

Haven't read it.

Really want to talk to you about the decline of candidate participation and TV appearances jointly or debates.

What seems to be that that's a growing trend that particularly in these U.S. Senate races, this particular cycle that they're taking a pass.

Do you think that's good or bad for democracy?

An informed citizenry?

>> For sure it's bad for democracy that the candidates aren't coming in front of us in an unscripted way.

I mean, they've learned that through control of TV ads through control social media.

They can speak to the voters through megaphone rather than something that involves even a give and take with their opponents are with, you know, neutral questioners, bad for democracy that we don't see them in a less scripted environment and that they're there for being filtered.

You know, Sir consultants and through handlers, we we know of campaigns where even for before tweet goes out, it's vetted by a campaign committee and not an expression at all of the Clearly we lose there.

The question is why the candidates don't lose my refusing to appear in front of us.

And you know that there are multiple reasons, but that may be the main one is so few voters are up for grabs these these days.

There are so few swing voters, but they can try to get.

And so few voters decide how to vote based on neutral criteria, such as competence or intelligence or honesty.

Things have become so polarized.

So ideological or partisan that there's really no percentage for them anymore to try to go get those swing voters.

They're focused on mobilizing their base.

>> And it's a lot of risk here.

If they come on a live broadcast, are they making a parent's that is going to be recorded regardless of or not their TV cameras there that could be used on social media.

There's far more to lose than there is today.

>> Yeah, I mean, let's face it.

Who watches political debates.

It's the people who like that sport, right?

The people who are into politics and they are, you know how they're voting.

So, you know, good things.

You say things that you that are cleverer, sound, intelligent, only rich people.

You can't sway mostly.

How do you reach the general audience with a debate?

You mess up and then the mistake goes all over the place.

So it's it's high risk.

Low reward.

It's understandable why they they don't want to roll those dice, at least if they're safe, if they feel safe.

>> We're hearing the response from candidates who are declining invitations to appear on television or in joint appearances with their opponent, that they're going to take their message directly to the voters, which folks who work in the media would say where there's no better outlet to get to directly to your voters.

Then appearing in a media outlet in a media platform.

But they're going through like you said, social media and other forms.

You think this is going to just KET growing that there was this?

But there's a point of no return now that there is not an incentive for candidates to take up on those invitations to appear with their opponents and television or other formats.

So candidates who don't know they're winning.

>> Candidates who are behind for sure.

But even the ones who are in a close race, they may not be willing to sacrifice.

Even the the one percentage point of the vote that they might lose buys by failing to show up at a at a debate event.

But once you start to get safer, then then they're focused on mobilizing the people that they know are supposed to be.

There's the people who are already leaning their way and they can reach likely supporters through other means.

And in fairly large number, it's harder for them to reach, you know, swing voters.

But, you know, there just aren't so many of them.

>> But some would say that even though they might appear in a debate format, a quote, unquote, that they're still going to answer the question the way they're scripted to answer the question and very few times does a candidate throw off their messaging unless they're just not disciplined or there new to to the whole atmosphere of that that they are so structured and program to repeat the same things they would say on social media anyway.

What's the risk?

And they were Hurst, you know, usually the lines they deliver.

They've already given in 5, 6, speeches there pretty well rehearsed in this.

>> Now, that's right.

If you're OK with being boring, you're you're you're okay was just showing up on the show and going through your road answers and maybe not exactly answering the question than leaving it at that.

That's pretty And it's on like a few be thrown.

There is a a second risk for someone who thinks they're pretty safe.

And in the lead, though, which is that means they're appearing on a stage or on a platform with a candidate who's not likely to be able to beat them and by appearing side by side with some treating them as an equal, they give the name recognition.

They treat them as more credible than maybe they want the audience to perceive.

The opponent is being.

>> October is b***** Cancer Awareness Month.

It's the busiest month of the year for the Kentucky Cancer Program.

In addition to hosting screening events across the state, they also are raising awareness with a walk, a car tour and even a rodeo.

Kentucky Edition contributor Kelsey starts tells us what they are hoping to accomplish.

Kelsey.

Well, Renee b***** cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide.

And in Kentucky, we consistently rank as having one of the highest death rates in the country.

Well, the Kentucky Cancer programs mission is to change that.

>> And that Pan Temple Jennings is here with the Kentucky Cancer programs.

Thank you so much for being Tell us what the Kentucky Cancer program is.

What you do.

And you all have a ton of events coming up for b***** Cancer Awareness Month.

We do October's one of our biggest month.

Obviously, but the Kentucky Cancer program, we are a state funded program through a state legislature and the allocate.

The money is down to the University of Louisville and University of Kentucky.

So it comes through the Brown Cancer Center, which is part of U of L and the Marquee Cancer Center, which is part of UK.

So statewide.

We do efforts in trying to raise awareness about cancer screening early detection prevention.

And then of course, we like to focus on at times, too.

Sure.

And that's one of the things that, you know it because why Kentucky consistently ranks.

>> With this high death rate and it's because of the lack of screening.

It is.

It is.

We see across the board that people are not going in to get screened weather be for their mammograms.

The Pap smears now lung cancer screening caller, r***** cancer screening.

All of these are things that individuals can do on a routine basis to reduce the risks of having an advanced cancer.

So that's why it's so important.

>> I'm in it.

So a lot of people say, oh, it's b***** cancer awareness month.

And you know, so we do walks and we get together.

And what does it actually do?

And you've seen some real change come out of these awareness efforts.

So tell us about that.

We have, you know, b***** cancer is something that everybody hears about pink.

And some people say pink isn't pretty.

>> But it's what people identify with its what women identify with.

You know that, hey, its peak months, let's go get a mammogram.

That's helps a lot of people to think lot.

Ladies remember It also is just a special time to recognize those ladies who have fought so hard and who are thriving.

so it's a time for them to come.

Celebrate to get with their sisters, although b***** cancer survivors, they celebrate every day because, you know, each day is a triumph.

When you're dealing with any type of cancer.

So we really use October as to celebrate with survivors.

Another time to emphasize for those women, if you've not been screened, especially during COVID, so many people stop getting screened by.

And so we really are still emphasizing to ladies.

It's time to get out there.

Get screened if you haven't done it yet.

Yeah, it's not something to put off.

>> Is what it what is your biggest challenge?

Is it the uninsured population?

Is it getting screened?

Is it helping people before during after treatment?

What's the biggest challenge will face?

The biggest challenge is getting people screened and you know, for ladies it, there's opportunities out there everywhere.

There's programs in the state if they're uninsured.

And that's what we really try to emphasize across the state with Kentucky Cancer program and even going to provider offices.

So if they have patients who are uninsured, there's a program out there called the Kentucky Women's Cancer screening program and it's through the state Health Department, which is funded through CDC.

And it's an opportunity if women do not have insurance for their under ensure that they have this really high deductible, that they can actually get a mammogram or Pap smear for free.

And then if something is found, it will still pay for diagnostic screening.

And then it can help pay for treatment options or any sort of surgery.

Chemotherapy, radiation.

So there's opportunities and resources out there.

So we try to get out there and let the women know that in weekend is when you can get involved with this 3 cases, just read where everybody can and do a walk on.

Are those survivors help to raise awareness and give thanks to those survivors and that pledge their support.

It is.

This is a fairly new but it's going to be at the Norton Sports complex down the West.

Muhammad Ali.

And it is a time it's a special walk run actually our Kentucky African-Americans against cancer.

They're going to be part of the benefactor of this race.

But it is fun.

we bring a lot of sisters, Kentucky.

African-Americans against cancer has their support group that comes out and We're even going to do special things for survivors to come to this walk.

And it is.

It's it's it's fun.

Yeah, they come.

They wear their pink to Tuesday and on pink wigs.

It's just a lot out.

Yeah.

It's a group that sure loves life.

Thank you so I appreciate you being here and again.

And this is just right is in downtown Louisville this weekend on October 15th.

Renee, back to you.

♪ >> Thanks, Kelsey.

He's been to space 6 times and he calls Lexington home.

Hear from Doctor Story Musgrave about his career as an astronaut and about the challenges of space travel.

That's tomorrow on Kentucky EDITION, which we hope you'll join us for 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central Kentucky Edition where we inform connect and inspire.

We hope you'll subscribe to our weekly Kentucky Edition email newsletter and watch full episodes at KET Dot Org.

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

>> And we hope you'll follow KET on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay in the loop.

And I invite you to follow me on Twitter at Renee K E T. Thank you so very much for joining us tonight.

We will have inside Kentucky politics segment for you tomorrow night with Republican strategist Scott Jennings and Democratic strategist will Carling.

We'll catch up on the big political news of the week.

That's tomorrow night.

When you tune in at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky edition.

I'm Renee Shaw.

Have a great rest of your evening and I'll see you tomorrow night.

Take good care.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪