♪ It's not just a number.

We need to do that.

It represents 5,500 lives saved.

>> And that's just the beginning.

As a federal grant means more weapons and the war against overdoses.

In America.

The number one cause of death for our children and teens is gun violence.

And for this woman, gun violence hits home.

What's her strategy as she fights for change?

>> We strive to remain at the forefront of medical advancement, ensuring that patients receive the best possible care.

>> A Kentucky health leaders celebrates 60 years of organ transplants.

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

♪ ♪ >> Good Evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION for this Friday, October 18, I'm Laura Rogers filling in for Renee Shaw.

Thank you so much for being here with us.

Kentucky is getting more federal help end the fight against overdoses.

Kentucky will use a 37 million dollar federal grant to increase access to prevention treatment and recovery services.

Some of the money will be used by Morton Arcana brand of naloxone that is used to reverse the effects of opioid overdoses.

It is a drug that has saved thousands of lives in the past.

>> In our biz, we are 2024 110,000 to those units in the locks were given individuals.

And here's the report said 5,500 overdoses were reversed.

Let's just what was reported to us to like the number is likely much higher than that.

That's not just a number.

We need to remember that.

That represents 5,500 lives saved by 1500 more opportunities for individuals to find healing and recovery.

And so it's always important for us to to put numbers in the context of the people.

And as the governor said, there's someone's loved one child spouse, brother, sister.

And so you never need.

Forget that.

>> And here's some reaction from Eric Frein lander, secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

Quote, We are grateful for the continued investment from our federal partners and addressing the overdose crisis in Kentucky.

This grant ensures we can continue implementing programs that save lives from this work.

We see that treatment works and recovery is possible, unquote.

Eastern Kentucky is getting more than 30 million dollars to boost economic growth.

The money is from the abandoned mine land, economic Revitalization program.

And we'll go to 12 organizations in 8 counties.

You're seeing pictures here from the check presentations during that sore summit in Pikeville source stands for shaping our Appalachian region.

The money will go to a variety of programs involving health care, clean water, tourism, job training and more.

Kentucky edition has a crew in Pikeville will have much more on the That's coming up on Kentucky.

Addition this Monday.

6 years ago, Whitney Austin became the victim of a mass shooting.

Since then, the Louisville woman has been championing ways to combat gun violence, including introducing recent legislation and the Kentucky General Assembly this Sunday on inside Louisville, Kelsey, Starks shares her story.

You mentioned how so much of what you do is bringing both of these sides together.

Why is this such a political?

>> The issue.

Well, that that that is also a question that would take a lot of time to answer.

But it.

>> This sadly one of those issues that has been politicized to the point that it's hard to even have conversations with people.

But what we found is the treating it for what it really is, which is a public health crisis.

We now know that this in America, the number one cause of death for our children and teens is gun violence that that is one way to take the political nature out of the conversation.

We're talking about our kids and we're talking about wanting less kids to die.

So let's do everything we can to make a difference.

And then the other thing that we found is really important in our work.

And it's in our mission statement finding common ground to end gun violence are data driven responsible gun ownership solutions is to find what solutions are common ground.

And for us what that looks like is mostly following the data.

So when it comes to solutions that are evidence-based, where's their broad support?

So if there is a solution that doesn't see broad support from Republicans, but does from Democrats.

We're not going to pursue that solution.

We're going to stick to the ones that have broad support and there have been really quite a few polls conducted in the last several years, sadly, with incident of mass violence after incident of mass violence.

And we know that there are many poll sees that see broad support.

And so I know that there's common ground, not just because the data tells me that, but also because of the informal focus group that happened back when I was in the hospital and then that, of course, extends into the many, many conversations I've had with constituents across the state and also with elected officials.

So does that make it not political?

No, I haven't solved that problem yet.

But I know that many minds and hearts have been changed by taking this more compassionate approach to bring people together.

This Sunday, Kelsey sits down with Whitney Austin to share the mission.

>> Of the Whitney Strong organization created in the aftermath of that shooting.

See their conversation this Sunday at noon 11 Central right here on KET and join us Monday night for Kentucky tonight.

As we discuss constitutional amendment 2, the school Choice Amendment will have guests from both sides of the issue and we'll take your questions and comments that is Monday at 8 Eastern 7 central right here on KET.

Stoop.

It ill tempered a narcissist, a despicable human being.

Those are all comments.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky reportedly made about former President Donald Trump shortly before the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.

That's according to a new biography of McConnell that's being released later this month.

Author Michael Tackett says the remarks are part of a collection of private comments that McConnell made available to him.

In a statement out yesterday, McConnell said, quote, Whatever I may have said about President Trump pales in comparison to what JD Vance, Lindsey Graham and others have said about him.

But we are all on the same team now publicly, McConnell has endorsed Trump in next month's election.

McConnell is the longest-serving party leader in the history of the U.S. Senate earlier this year.

The 82 year-old announced he is stepping down as Republican later after the election.

But that he plans to finish out his term which runs through the end of 2026.

And speaking of McConnell, he was apparently targeted by TikTok that supporting to Kentucky public radio, Sylvia Goodman, who last week uncovered poorly redacted documents in Kentucky's lawsuit against the social media platform.

The suit alleges TikTok sought to sway politicians by identifying small business accounts of companies.

They may favor TikTok is being sued by Kentuckyian more than a dozen other states who argue that among other things, the app is designed to be addictive to children.

>> Time now to go inside Kentucky politics with 2 of our faves and made no big introduction.

Bob Babbage drag racing.

He'll be here on November.

5th, of course, for election night.

Good to see you all.

where, what?

17 days away.

And one of the big items that we're talking about in Kentucky's Constitution amendment number 2, which we short handling for to a school choice.

I tried just kind of set this up for us.

Tom Loftus did a good piece for the Kentucky Lantern talking about Jeff.

Yeah.

As the Pennsylvania billionaire whose pumpkin 5 million dollars for a constitutional amendment.

Number 2, who and why is this issue mattered to him?

>> Sure.

So so amendment 2 is designed to give us some flexibility to legislators to pass school choice legislation.

Charters, public charter schools, vouchers, scholarship opportunity tax was a lot of things have been done in other states.

Our court struck it down.

So that's the amendment to try to give legislators the flexibility.

These are this is a big national issue.

And then Jeff, yes, to somebody who cares a lot about this issue has cut some big checks and other donors have cut some big checks.

Has been a lot of money to defeat the effort.

It's one of the more high-profile down.

We're just talking off camera.

Bob mentioned there's 150 questions across the country.

This is an amendment.

So this is a high profile and it's our biggest.

Issue.

It's also complicated.

And I think that's why on the yes side you're seeing a lot of money being spent, but no side has a very kind of concise, public dollars for public schools.

That's all I have to really have to say.

That's their argument.

The positive argument, the yes argument is more complicated.

I think Kentucky voters generally start with on some of these complicated amendments as they probably should.

So it will take more money, more resources to make an argument.

And it's a little bit different depending upon what part of the state in which you live, right?

Hence the need to educate them public.

And we know on the no side, the governor and Lieutenant Governor have been out and about really talking down this amendment.

And but talk to us in the context of that, the other 150 ballot questions.

>> That will be appearing on ballots across the nation.

So those are on or taxes or housing.

We have 100 ballots in Kentucky where I think medical marijuana and the right.

Yes, completely fascinating compared to a normal ballot and our state.

To have.

7 and a half a million dollars of outside money funding.

Almost all the activity on this race.

I guess the number and we were in shock to me.

All right.

Can't be that much.

What he said 5 to 10 million dollars, a lot of question about a lot of people talking about a lot of national interest for sure, because so many other states have moved on this and one way or another straight for the decision warming up by other Democrat leaders were for charter schools.

National leaders over time, but it's become more partisan.

And that's unfortunate because we're cut velvet, right?

Age group and the advertising incumbent area.

That's not fair to Republicans or Democrats are other people who care a heck of a lot about education arrested and so on Tuesday night, we're tracking, of course, the things that are on the statewide ballot, if you will.

But when it comes to medical marijuana, we're gonna have to call the Kentucky Office of Medical Cannabis.

>> Right?

Yeah.

To track that because they're going to be tracking it that night.

Yeah, it's tricky because what you've got is in some counties like Shelby County, for example, a fiscal court just words putting on about.

That's right.

And then some cities the city said no.

>> Or sometimes you can get petitions.

There's all kinds of different ways.

You can do this.

And so sometimes the city, sometimes it's a county.

And that being said that only a cup, there's only with a couple dozen licenses at the first in the first go-round anyway.

So a lot of communities are going to maybe vote yes, and then not get a license approved for a business in their community for a long time.

If ever rival the way limited to the scum.

And I thought we passed a legislative action.

That's a yeah.

But for North Kentucky communities councils have voted already.

Yeah, it's it's very different.

Yeah.

>> There is another amendment that gets no love for them.

Even shame it out.

But we're going to get a First Amendment is the First Amendment of all things said, you know, if passed the amendment would add the following sentence to Kentucky's constitution.

No person who is not a citizen of the United States shall be allowed to vote in the state.

Some say this is a problem in search of a solution.

You agree with that.

Bob Babbage pretty are solutions.

34 problem.

>> Pretty much at all.

If anybody who worked on this, however, most people say, isn't that it is a Incumbent said this is vote.

Now.

I don't think so.

And they haven't been not a Kentucky across the country.

There are some communities, some some city, some school districts that allow non-citizens to vote.

You can vote in federal elections.

That's the law.

I don't think you can vote any state elections that would be subject to state constitutions.

What this does is tries to any kind of little bit of a light in an interpretation that maybe kind of sort of see it.

That's of this is designed to do.

I think the proponents would say, look, we've seen the Supreme Court strike down some things that we thought were pretty clear cut.

We want to make this ironclad.

That's the argument for this one will pass overwhelmingly and has gotten a lot of attention because the end of the day, right?

It doesn't do much.

It just 3 states essentially a more clear and can weigh the status quo in Kentucky, which is non-citizens can vote.

>> And with all the rhetoric around immigration and national level that we can see where this yeah going for Kentucky voters.

Real quickly next 2 weeks.

Can you believe it that we're so close to November?

Ship in early voting starts on 31st right here in Kentucky.

It's cost them where you've got to kind of my daughters dressing up in a costume.

Want to vote on early voting day.

Can you do Yeah.

Lawson don't like to wear your hair.

Is a Trump causing right?

That's right.

You know he can be over here.

Yeah.

It's not Fancy Farm and to find the right.

So any October surprise, what are you looking for?

Well, we've got to we only have a handful of competitive legislative races.

Just saw a nice piece.

Rice, wheat out on the 3 levels.

There's one in central Kentucky, one in order to KET the Democrats a target of these 5 is probably another 5 that want to talk about on election night.

But we don't anticipate a lot of lot of movement, you know, one way or another.

And it's so.

>> I think to me the biggest the finches could be on the sun and the 2 were talking about earlier.

Yeah.

For a lot of places, there's not a competitive race for Qatar.

We're back.

And yeah, so that's a very small universe that were watching.

But all those matter heck of a lot interest despite the belief just based on the sector said Adams reporting the last tranche of voter registrations compared to 4 years ago.

It's 3 times as many and fascinating to look at because one in 5 registered, independent or other as we call it, that's a lie.

And for every Democrat who registered, there were 15 Republicans.

We've seen the trend, but that's an overwhelming trite and the northern Kentucky counties and my wonderful colleague Rebecca Hart.

So I did the research to see Bankhead-kendall have over 15%.

Independent or other registering there.

So while the state average is 10, it's much higher in northern Turkey.

Those are folks who've conscientiously said I reject the other party.

I'm not choosing either one.

I'm going to be myself.

I want to be independent.

Just interesting because we think of them as more right leaning or more Republican leaning.

>> Also say that Democrat numbers very small.

So the Republican numbers still really large, especially my county, right on for I live.

>> But it likely means you're not voting for local county officials because you're you don't have a say in the primary and all those races basically settled the primers.

Yeah.

>> We're going to have fun on November 5th when we know we will always have fun, but even more.

So then.

Yeah, I see guys that have a good one.

Thank you.

♪ ♪ >> The group responsible for expanding the Brent Spence Bridge as being sued and federal courts.

The Kentucky Lantern reports a number of transportation and environmental groups argue the project could add negative environmental impacts, particularly for non-white communities.

The lawsuit once an environmental impact statement completed, which is common for large federal projects back in May.

The Federal Highway Administration released the results of its own environmental review and found no major issues.

The Brent Spence Bridge spans the Ohio River connecting Covington and Cincinnati construction on the 3 and a half billion dollar project is expected to begin next year.

It's been 2 years since Eastern Kentucky was devastated by historic flooding that killed 45 people and left thousands displaced researchers at the University of Kentucky home to get help to gain a better understanding of why these disasters are happening in Appalachia and help the region predict and prepare for flash flooding.

>> So we've been collecting that precipitation and stream stream water stream flowing water, quality data for over 40 years.

So we've got is a great long-term record.

It's incoming rainfall, ongoing stream flow.

Then it does small headwater streams as well as the larger streams that that they flow into the central goal is to better understand now flash floods happen in this particular region.

Certainly in light of the 2022 floods in eastern Kentucky.

But also with us, you know, the much more recent floods flowing in Tennessee and North Carolina.

So first kind of understand scientifically what's going on.

I do want to clean with >> To develop the slides.

Figure out how to better predict.

When that kind of flat might happen based on existing terminal conditions that incoming rain fall.

Yeah, a lot of the environmental data that will be working with 2.

>> And build the models like to predict flooding will be using data from moms and for U.S. Robinson Forces UK's research Forest and it's located and breath it.

Perry and Knott counties in eastern Kentucky, the their arms and forest.

We have basically a monitoring network that collects data on stream flow, precipitation and air temperature.

And then developed systems are technologies are approaches to help.

Good morning.

That unit.

There's a risk of a flood.

You know, get in, get in those conditions.

And so we won't stop.

Its publishing are peer reviewed journal articles that will be a great products that would be really helpful for improving scientific understanding of small headwater streams and how they contribute to flash flooding, especially in mountainous regions.

All of that kind of stuff that we really important science.

But our communication will end it.

There.

It will be and ongoing conversation with local community members and that no members of our team that worked with that I think will really benefit from those relationships because we'll be able to enter into a conversation.

Community members about what we think our results mean and we'll be live here from can community members what they're actually concerned about it.

There's there's a lot of opportunity for us to learn.

>> You know what might be her what might be endurance is to folks getting prepared for the sliding.

Some people don't want to leave their homes.

When Fletcher for care.

So we want to gain a better understanding.

Know.

Of 100 says that people face from our side and then at the same time, communicate with folks about what we're learning and the steps that we've taken to.

The 2 reach our results and communicate those results in The most informative, way possible and thankful that we're not just kind of >> going to be scientists and it's doing these things in a way that's disconnected from the community members that were really hoping to support.

>> Another way the researchers plan to work with the community is my helping high school and middle school teachers developed science-based programming and offering field day experiences to students.

They say students will be able to plant a tree set former surface mine sites and learn how reestablishing forest on those sites can help mitigate flooding.

♪ A teen smoking in the U.S. is now at a 25 year low details in tonight's look at medical news.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and 2020 for Tobacco use dropped by 20% among middle and high school students.

That translates to a half a million American teenagers quitting the use of tobacco.

The CDC says the decline in vaping is the main reason for the overall decline.

A CDC spokesperson says with 2 million young people still using tobacco, there is still work to be done.

5,800.

That's how many transplant procedures have taken place at U of L Health Jewish Hospital and the Traeger Transplant Center.

Among those procedures are many firsts in the field like the world's first implantable replacement, heart and Kentucky's first dual heart liver transplant this week, the trigger transplant Center celebrated 60 years of providing transplants.

>> It's just overwhelming.

Body of giving you laugh.

you feel.

>> Each organ transplant represents a second chance, a new beginning, if you will.

And it is not lost on me.

That today is actually Mulligan's day.

For those of you who don't play golf Mulligan.

The second chance.

Over the past 6 decades, we have embraced cutting edge research and technologies that have transformed the landscape of transplantation.

From key surgical procedures.

To exploring advanced immunosuppressive therapies.

Most recently machine perfusion.

We strive to remain at the forefront of medical advancement, ensuring our patients receive the best possible care.

Today.

We also take a moment to honor the selfless donors and their families who made the ultimate sacrifice, their generosity and courage have given life to countless individuals and we are forever grateful for their gifts.

>> I hope you'll sign up for donate life.

Kentucky.

Because there's only about 3 at 3.5 people per 100,000 in the United States who are signed up to donate to get a life.

And there are about 6,000 people.

Who die a year.

Waiting on the list.

>> I live my life to give him a lot.

>> U of L health also noted that living donors can easily donate kidneys.

And the transplant program has seen a record number of adults live kidney donations.

♪ As we get closer to Halloween, we have some fun, but frightening entertainment options for you.

And you can check out of Montgomery County tradition.

That's more than 2 centuries old.

Our Toby gives has a look at what's happening around the Commonwealth.

♪ >> 200 21st Court Day Festival is this weekend in Mount Sterling.

This annual trading day is a unique shopping experience for participants from around the country.

Check out more than 500 vendors.

Enjoy live music and be a part of one of Kentucky's longest running traditions.

There are 2 more fall family fun days left in Wickliffe Mounds, State historic site.

Bring the whole family out to grind corn, try the scavenger hunt and taking all the fall colors.

Plus their story time at 11 and you'll leave with a special goodie bag.

He sure to check it out.

Something's Brewing at General Burnside Island.

Get ready for 2 weekends of Halloween.

Spoke out.

Decorate your campsite, carve a pumpkin and even get in some early trick or treating.

There's lots of festive fun happening at this great event.

More than 80 luminous art installations are lighting up Cincinnati and northern Kentucky this weekend, the Blank Arts and Light Festival only comes to town every other year.

So bundle up and explore the country's largest immersive art event.

While it's still here.

If you're looking for a one of a kind, scary experience, check out the haunted boat ride and death Jenny Wiley State Resort Park scare started dusk.

So take your chances on this bone-chilling boat ride.

Here's a walking tour.

You don't want to miss the Real Housewives of Bowling.

Great.

Learn about the powerful women who shaped the city through their ambition, perseverance and scandal.

Bring your walking shoes and curiosity to this unique historical tour.

And that's what's happening around the commonwealth.

I'm told the >> Lots going on this lovely fall weekend in Kentucky and Kentuckians have a few more days to mull over amendment 2 on the November ballot that could create a path for public dollars for private school education and Arizona.

Mother of 5 with Louisville ties shares how school choice is helping 2 of her kids with learning challenges and encourages Kentuckians to vote yes on that ballot question.

>> Idk shown is all about students and I believe that we shouldn't critiquing students first, whether that's a public school, a private school or home education we always deserve to have adequate for education funding.

They can make the best choice for their student.

>> Spain, Ginny Clarke of Arizona says opponents of amendment 2 in Kentucky are painting a distorted view of how educational options are playing out in her states.

Learn more about that Monday night on Kentucky edition.

And we do hope that you'll join us again Monday at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky edition where we and form connect and inspire.

You can subscribe to our Kentucky Edition.

E-mail newsletters have a great weekend.

See you back here Monday.