>> I'm the McConnell boy.

Proud of it.

Thank you, Senator McConnell.

>> Hundreds of dignitaries and business leaders gathered to honor the legacy of U.S.

Senator Mitch McConnell.

>> If you're not guilty by reason of insanity, but you've done the crime, we cannot allow you to just walk.

>> A state lawmaker wants new rules for criminals found legally insane.

>> We tend to be insulated at times from natural disasters.

We have a great cost of living, and so we're attractive to many folks.

>> And why are so many people moving to rural parts of Kentucky?

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

>> Good evening and welcome to Kentucky Edition for this Wednesday, October the 15th, I'm Renee Shaw, and we thank you for winding down your Wednesday with us.

Daniel Cameron, Kentucky's former attorney general, leads his main Republican opponents in the 2020 race for the U.S.

Senate.

That's according to a poll with ties to the Cameron campaign.

The poll is from Coefficient Polling Co, founded by Brandon Moody, general consultant to the Cameron campaign.

In the poll, Cameron has 39% of the vote.

Congressman Andy Barr of Kentucky's sixth district has 22%, and Lexington businessman Nate Morris has 8%.

In the poll, 4% of the people surveyed said they supported someone else and 27% were undecided.

In TV commercials, both Barr and Morris have stressed their support for President Donald Trump.

According to the Lexington Herald-Leader, the poll shows 91% of Republicans approve of President Trump's performance in office.

In response to the poll, Andy Barr says it's clear this is a two man race.

He says Nate Morris has spent millions of dollars on TV ads without anything to show for it.

The man they're hoping to replace was honored last night.

He was the guest of honor at the Kentucky Chamber's annual meeting.

Business and civic leaders gathered in Louisville to celebrate the longtime leadership of U.S.

Senator Mitch McConnell.

Our Laura Rogers was there and has this recap.

>> Lightning only strikes once.

It's always said, and it has struck the state of Kentucky and Mitch McConnell.

>> It was a night to celebrate the longest serving party leader in the history of the U.S.

Senate.

>> I'm a McConnell boy.

Proud of it.

>> With praise for his efforts to elevate the state and nation's business interests.

>> Longevity and leadership is not just about years served, but responsibility carried.

>> Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell has carried that responsibility more than four decades.

>> We are talking about the most consequential Kentucky leader of our time.

>> House Speaker David Osborne, saying McConnell's legacy is, quote, woven into the fabric of Kentucky's history.

>> McConnell has always been, first and foremost a Kentuckian.

And every decision, every vote and every negotiation reflects that grounding.

>> That includes infrastructure projects like federal funding for Northern Kentucky's Brant Spence Bridge.

McConnell has also had a major impact on the federal judiciary.

Under his leadership, the Senate has confirmed more than 200 federal judges and three Supreme Court justices.

>> His impact on the United States will last 30 and 40 years.

Beyond his term.

Thinking of the long game.

>> McConnell sitting down with Republican state Senator Julie Adams.

He says his current priority is national defense and foreign policy.

>> Having a war is a lot more expensive than preventing one.

This is a serious challenge, the biggest challenge in the world.

>> As chair of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, he'd like to see increased military spending and an end to the tariffs.

>> So we're in a terrible war with our allies and not doing enough to be ready for our potential enemies.

>> He also continued to express support for sending U.S.

aid to Ukraine.

>> I can guarantee you Ronald Reagan would roll over in his grave if he knew that we were reluctant to give the Ukrainians what they need to shoot Russia.

>> McConnell, acknowledging the tense political climate, calling it a very divided time in the country, but says compromise is essential.

>> The Constitution itself is a whole series of compromises.

And yet today, I think a lot of people think you get results by just being angry.

>> Much of that anger often directed at party leadership, lending itself to some humor.

>> So Chuck Schumer's approval rating the other day, it was 21%.

I'm going to talk to him this week and say, I know what it's like.

>> For Kentucky Edition.

I'm Laura Rogers.

>> Thank you Laura.

At times, President Donald Trump and Senator McConnell have been at odds.

But he praised President Trump last night for his role in the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Another Republican has entered the race for Kentucky's sixth congressional district, Greg Luzinski is a Wisconsin native who now lives in Nicholasville.

He moved to Kentucky in 2002 and is a retired president and CEO of a small pharmaceutical manufacturing company.

In announcing his run for Congress, Plucinski said, quote, Kentucky needs a congressman who will work with President Trump to improve the lives of Kentuckians, end quote.

He is the fourth Republican to enter the primary, alongside former state Senator Ralph Alvarado and current state representatives Ryan Dotson and Deanna Gordon.

Yesterday we told you about one state lawmakers idea for correctional change following the early release of Ronald Exantus.

He fatally stabbed Six-Year-Old Logan Tipton in Versailles in 2015.

Exantus was found not guilty by reason of insanity for Logan's murder, but he was convicted of assaulting members of Tipton's family.

Tonight, our Emily Sisk spoke with another state lawmaker who says he wants to keep criminals like Exantus off the streets.

>> We are joined now by Representative Jason Nemus.

We so appreciate your time and we want to jump in and go ahead and start with this piece of legislation that you would like to file for the upcoming session.

We know this is related to the case of Logan Tipton, the six year old from Versailles who was stabbed to death.

Representative Amos, can you start by telling us about this legislation and how it came about?

>> So Logan's law is going to try to address some of the problems that we've had or that we've experienced in this situation.

It's going to try to improve the notifications to the families and to the victims.

When there is going to be a release of a criminal, it's also going to change the law.

If you're not guilty by reason of insanity, but you've done the crime, then I understand the law doesn't allow you to go to prison, but we cannot allow you to just walk.

And so you need to go to a maximum security mental health institution.

And so that's another change here in this situation.

The criminal was was found not guilty by reason of insanity for stabbing and killing Logan, a beautiful six year old boy, also in in my view, my review of this the insanity defense in Kentucky is one of the broadest in the country.

We don't want to be one of the broadest in the country.

Four states have gotten rid of their insanity defense, so we're going to discuss whether to do that.

But even if we don't do that, we need to tighten down the insanity defense in Kentucky.

>> I want to ask you, you know, a Republican colleague had kind of made the comment that in this case and sometimes in other cases, the insanity defense is kind of used as a get out of jail free card.

Was the quote there?

What's your take?

Do you agree with that?

>> Well, yeah.

And I don't agree with that.

And I don't understand what happened here.

And I don't think anybody does.

It doesn't make sense that you could have insanity for the murder, but not for the assaults that occurred simultaneously.

>> Your legislation would be called Logan's Law, of course, in honor of Logan Tipton.

You mentioned this, but I want to ask, have you gotten to talk with the family or heard their thoughts about the legislation?

>> I have, yes, I talked to the father.

The first thing I did, I can't imagine what this family had to go through.

And so I immediately wanted to talk to Mr.

Tipton.

A couple other of his family members were on the call as well.

And and he has he's allowing us to call it Logan's Law to honor his son in that way.

Can bring him back, obviously, but it can hopefully do things one to protect us against this individual criminal, but but also protect families in the future.

>> Well, Representative Jason Amos, we thank you for telling us about Logan's law, and we will keep our eyes on it for the upcoming session.

>> Thank you.

Emily.

>> Another Republican state representative, TJ Roberts, says he would like to file legislation to prevent juries from giving split insanity verdicts, which is what happened in the Ronald Exantus case.

You can learn more about that proposed bill by checking out yesterday's episode of Kentucky Edition online on demand@ket.org.

Two Kentucky airports are refusing to play a video message from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

The video blames Democrats for the federal government shutdown and its impact on TSA operations.

A spokesperson for Bluegrass Airport in Lexington told the Herald Leader the decision was, quote, in accordance with our policy, not to display content of a political nature.

End quote, a statement from the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport to KY TV says the video isn't being played there either.

Instead, the airport is showing videos promoting tourism and to help passengers find their way through the terminals.

In March of this year, state universities received a letter from the Kentucky Department of Revenue stating that it is no longer has the resources to collect student debt on their behalf.

Today, representatives from the Revenue Department spoke to the Budget Committee in Frankfort.

Our Mackenzie Spink tells us how this is affecting universities and how the committee reacted that in tonight's legislative update.

>> By law, the Kentucky Department of Revenue or do has the authority to collect debts on behalf of state institutions like public universities.

The door has more flexibility to place liens on a debtor than a third party collector.

The chief financial officer of Northern Kentucky University says they recover 54% of debts with the door, and only about 12% with third party collectors.

He says another benefit is the intimidation factor that comes with your debt going to the state.

>> We get a significant response rate just upon notifying our debtors that they're going to be placed with the state, so not reflected in these numbers or the amount that we collect before it even goes to that, that stage.

>> However, also by statute, the Revenue Department can determine whether a debt collection agreement is workable due to short staffing, the door has chosen to stop collections for universities to focus on collecting tax debt, which they say is more cost effective.

>> Collecting student debt is discretionary.

Collecting taxes is mandatory, and is the core mission of the Department of Revenue for the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

As you can see, it's the best interests in the Commonwealth to collect taxes versus student debts.

The Commonwealth generates 39 times more revenue by collecting tax debts instead of university debts.

>> The Revenue Department says that since 2020, it's gotten harder to attract and keep collection staff because of the stress of the position.

Some state lawmakers suggested changing the current laws to allow third party entities or attorneys to partner with the door and relieve the staffing pressure, but the department had reservations.

>> Would you be opposed to a statutory opportunity to work with a third party on behalf of the universities and utilize the tools you have to do the work of the Commonwealth?

>> I would like to see that in.

Complete form.

In theory, could a third party do what we do?

I don't think they could do it as effectively.

I'm also somewhat concerned about the legality of it.

>> The Revenue Department may not have a choice in the matter, given this from Senator Givens.

>> Respectfully, again, you're getting ready to have something run over you in the next session in the form of statute telling you to do this.

That's what this panel here to do, put your thinking cap on between now and the start of session and decide if you'd rather have us tell you to do it via statutory directive, or whether you'd like to have the latitude of a third party assisting you in doing it, and just come back to us with a recommendation.

>> Northern Kentucky University says it gains roughly $1 million a year from the DRS debt collection for Kentucky edition.

I'm Mackenzie Spink.

>> Thank you Mackenzie.

By current law, the Department of Revenue cannot currently hire third party contractors to do collections work.

A law would have to be passed next legislative session to change that statute.

Kentucky State University hopes to start two new PhD programs.

Agriculture and agroecology would be the first doctoral programs within CSU's College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources.

>> We train master's level students in year after year.

We see them leaving the state and apply for PhD program elsewhere.

If Kentucky is going to remain the premium state in terms of producing highly skilled workforce, we have to train highly specialized PhD holders.

>> KSU faculty say these graduates could work for state and federal agencies like the Kentucky Department of Agriculture or the U.S.

Department of AG, or private sectors like seafood production.

KSU pitched the programs to Kentucky lawmakers yesterday.

The Kentucky General Assembly has to approve any new degree programs at the state's public universities.

Jefferson County Public Schools is changing how it hands out equity funding due to pressure from the federal government.

The Courier Journal reports that over the last three years, JCPS gave more equity funds to elementary schools with higher percentages of students of color.

That formula took into account the percentage of students who came from impoverished backgrounds, have special needs, or are learning English.

The U.S.

Department of Ed sent the school system a letter saying that's discriminatory and illegal, so the Board of Education will change the funding formula starting next year.

Fayette County Public Schools Superintendent Demetrus Liggins charged more than $150,000 on a special credit card from January 2023 to May of this year.

The money went to meals, hotel rooms, plane tickets, Uber rides, rental cars and more, according to an analysis of 950 public records by the Lexington Herald-Leader.

The card was also used to pay for student field trips, student activity supplies and teacher trips to conferences.

The new information comes at a time when some state lawmakers have called for Liggins to resign over the school district's finances.

With construction work underway at the state capitol, the state Supreme Court hit the road today as it heard arguments regarding criminal cases.

State prosecutors sought to omit police body camera footage as evidence in a criminal trial, but a public defender is asking the state's highest court to rule that a trial judge should see the evidence and decide if it would serve the jury.

Our June Leffler has more in this report.

>> A lawyer appealing for a man accused of raping and strangling a woman says the trial court should have considered body cam footage from the scene as possible evidence for the criminal trial.

>> The Commonwealth filed a motion in limine to, and I quote, prevent witness opinion about the truth of testimony of another witness, specifically opinions of Lexington police officers heard in the body worn camera worn by the officers.

The trial court issued an order, and in the opinion and order they said or she said that she believed that it was a statement made by an officer under his breath that he did not believe the victim.

But then the trial court footnoted that statement and said, since the body cam was not made for me, I don't know for sure.

>> Justices questioned the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the prosecutor in the criminal case, why it would request to withhold evidence from a trial judge.

>> I guess the question for all of us is why wasn't the body cam footage admitted during the evidentiary hearing?

Why didn't the Commonwealth seek to do that?

>> When viewing the hearing?

What seems pretty clear is that everybody understood the nature of these statements, so there was no need to view, because everybody understood the nature of these statements, was to exclude improper opinion testimony.

So even though it didn't happen, it didn't happen.

The video is not in the record.

Everyone understood what the statements were.

>> But the trial court is simply don't it?

Simply going off of what the arguments of counsel are.

Wouldn't it have been a better practice for the trial court to view the body cam footage and determine for itself whether or not the statements were as they were represented to be?

>> Justices also questioned a lawyer for the accused why any body cam evidence would be allowed in court.

>> Name a situation where it would not be hearsay to to allow the verbal part of a body cam, the audio to be played to a jury when it has, when it's somebody narrating a scene or vouching for a witness, or when would it ever not be hearsay?

>> The justices met outside their usual chambers.

Arguments this week are being heard at the University of Kentucky's Law School for Kentucky edition.

I'm June Leffler.

What was declining is now seeing an upswing.

That's in reference to the numbers of small town Kentucky residents.

After nearly a decade of losses, rural Kentucky as a whole experienced population growth the last four years, partly driven by the uptick in remote and hybrid work arrangements during and after the Covid 19 pandemic.

But not all rural communities are seeing a growth spurt.

I talked earlier this week with Alison Davis, a professor of agricultural economics at the University of Kentucky and the executive director of Blueprint Kentucky, which is an integrated engagement and research center.

She tells us that while the data trend may be surprising, the reasons behind them may not be.

We learn more in tonight's Business Beat interview.

>> When a couple of years ago, a report came out nationally saying rural communities were gaining population.

We all sort of twisted our head a little bit and said, that can't be true for all rural communities, but when you aggregate them together, it seems like certain pockets of rural places are inviting to new populations.

In our report, we found that a lot of communities that are just near an urban area tend to be increasing in population.

Unfortunately, in some of our our Far Eastern communities and far western communities, particularly those that are right on the Mississippi River and Appalachia, continue to see a population decline.

But some communities that surprised me are increasing in population probably will continue to do so, particularly as like the blue Oval plant is coming to be.

>> That's a big Glendale.

Yes.

>> Down.

You know the Bowling Green area right?

E town area was growing.

And this was prior to some of this economic activity.

So I expect that to continue.

>> So I'm real curious about what is the definition of a rural community.

>> We are to there is you would think by now there would.

>> Be.

>> Some consensus, but yet there is not really.

Yes.

Every federal agency has a different definition.

And so when we do reports like this for different agencies, that definition is different and it often changes.

And it's really important though because rural designations determine investments and priorities.

And so we chose one definition here and we stuck with it.

But you could easily find a different agency that says, well, that's kind of rural kind of urban.

And so it's really tricky.

>> So what's your definition?

>> Our definition is basically anything that is touching an urban area okay.

So we you know, we had I think about eight regions that were considered urban, including even out in like Owensboro obviously Bowling Green down in Murray, Paducah, even in let's see obviously Northern Kentucky and so forth.

Yep.

>> But do you think about Eastern Kentucky and I think of like Pikeville or Prestonville or Prestonsburg are hazard, but they may not be considered urban centers.

>> No, they are definitely.

They're not even micropolitan yet.

But they have I think Perry County and Hazard saw a bit of a population increase, which was really.

>> That's encouraging.

>> An increase in per capita income, which is great, over 50% increase in per capita, per capita income.

So it looks like some of the great initiatives going on in eastern Kentucky are beginning to pay off.

>> So the big question is why the some of these areas are seeing population increases.

>> Well, you know, Covid we're still I can't believe we're still talking about Covid, but we are because Covid has sort of led to this very kind of structural shift in how people live and work and what what some had hoped for is that folks would leave sort of our coastal areas that were really expensive and move to any place.

Right.

And so a lot of our really small places were kind of fighting for these new populations.

But really what happened is that folks were going kind of one tier down in terms of kind of the population density and sort of amenities.

And so if they left San Francisco, they wouldn't necessarily go to a small pocket rural area.

They would go to sort of a suburban area where they still had proximity to some of those urban amenities, but they were able to enjoy kind of the rural esthetic and quiet and peace.

And so we did see post-Covid that folks were moving.

Yeah.

And Kentucky was a good home to them.

You know, we have lots of water.

We tend to be insulated at times from natural disasters, and we have a great cost of living.

And so we're attractive to many folks.

>> And what should be the take away from policymakers and decision makers when they think about how to to buoy the entire state's economy, but particularly putting some emphasis on rural communities?

What is the message to them?

>> Right.

I saw a great quote the other day that said something about, you know, there's urban and rural is not urban echo.

Right?

And I thought that was just it really resounded with me.

I don't remember who said it, so I can't give credit, but I just thought we tend to treat rural as like a smaller urban, and that just doesn't do it justice.

And we have to recognize that rural communities are where food is made, where a lot of products are made.

Manufacturing is much heavier in rural places than urban places, but recognizing that infrastructure is different, access to services is quite different.

Health of our folks is very different, and so blanket policy is just not going to be successful across the board.

And we just tend to think that, you know, well, we'll do it for for urban and it should work for rural.

Maybe we'll just take a little bit longer.

And I just don't think that's the case.

>> The University of Kentucky Sanders Brown Center on Aging is one of just 37 designated Alzheimer's disease research centers in the country.

It plays an important role in research and improved patient care for people with dementia.

And the center is celebrating a big milestone.

We'll tell you all about that tomorrow on Kentucky Edition, which we hope you'll join us again for at 630 eastern, 530 central, where we inform, connect and inspire.

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And all of our programs are streamed online at ket.org.

We thank you so much for watching this evening.

Take really good care.

Have a great night and I will see you right back here again tomorrow.