EDUCATION NEWS.

MOST KENTUCKY KIDS FAIL TO MEET STATE standards.

THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL IS HOT WITH U.S. SENATE C CRISSCROSSING THE STATE.

SUPPORTERS AND OPPONENTS OF A PROPOSED ABORTION AMENDMENT WOR HARD TO CONVINCE VOTERS TO GO THEIR WAY.

GOVERNOR BESHEAR EXP MEDICAID BENEFITS FOR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF KENTUCKIANS.

A REBOUND AFTER AN OCTOBER TASTE OF WINTER.

AND "COMMENT" IS NEXT ON KET!

GOOD EVENING.

I'M BILL BRYANT, AND WE WELCOME YOU COULD "COMMENT ON KENTUCKY," A LOOK BACK AT AND SOME ANALYSI OF THE WEEK'S NEWS IN THE COMMO AND THE GUESTS ON OUR PANEL OF WORKING KENTUCKY JOURNALISTS TONIGHT ARE: CHRIS OTTS, REPORTER FOR WDRB IN LOUISVILLE AMANDA MCLAREN, INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER FOR THE COURIER-JOURNA AND MARK VANDERHOFF, REPORTER FOR WLKY IN LOUISVILLE.

ALSO TONIGHT, THOUSANDS OF KENTUCKY KIDS CAN'T READ.

MANDY TOOK A DEEP DIVE INTO THAT HUGE CHALLENGE FOR STUDENTS AND SCHOOLS, BUT FIRST, KENTUCKY SCHOOLS GOT THEIR REPORT CARDS THIS WEEK.

THE RESULTS SHOWED LESS THAN HALF OF KENTUCKY STUDENTS WERE SCORING PROFICIENT OR HIGHER IN EVERY SUBJECT.

OH, AMANDA EVER MANDY, THE RESULTS ARE NOT GOOD.

THEY WERE EXPECTED 1 THOUGH, RIGHT?

>> Mandy: OF COURSE AFTER TWO YEARS OF INTERRUPTED LEARNING THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE REALLY HAD STATEWIDE PARTICIPATION IN A STATEWIDE STANDARDIZED TEST.

NO, THE RESULTS ARE NOT GOOD.

MORE THAN HALF OF KENTUCKY INTERESTS CEDAR NOT PROFICIENT IN EITHER READING OR MATH, WHICH IS CLEARLY TROUBLESOME.

BUT DISTRICTS HAVE KNOWN THESE RESULTS FOR SEVERAL WEEKS NOW AND SCHOOLS REALLY HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR TO DO EVERYTHING THAT THEY CAN TO START MAKING UP FOR WHAT ESSENTIALLY IS LEARNING LOSS.

>> Bill: IS THIS ACROSS ALL AGE GROUPS OR IS IT PARTICULARLY -- >> Mandy: RULES AGE GROUPS AND SUBJECTS.

YOU'LL SEE MATH PARTICULARLY HAS BEEN HIT HARD AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS TO THINK ABOUT IS WHEN YOU'RE HOME WITH YOUR KIDS -- CHRIS, YOU PROBABLY DO THIS, MARK -- YOU SAY, LET'S READ A STORY TOGETHER OR WHY DON'T YOU GO READ A BOOK IN YOUR ROOM.

RARELY DO YOU SAY WHY DON'T WE SIT DOWN AND PRACTICE MATH EQUATIONS TOGETHER.

SO BEING BACK IN SCHOOL NOW WITH DIRECTION INSTRUCTION IS EXTREMELY CRITICAL.

>> Bill: WE KNEW THAT REMOTE LEARNING WAS TAKING ITS TOLL BUT WERE SCHOOLS PREPARED FOR THIS DEEP HOLE THEY FIND THEMSELVES?

>> Mandy: I DON'T THINK ANYONE COULD BE COMPARED FOR WHAT WE WENT FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS AND COMPOUND ON THAT IS THE TEACHER SHORTAGE.

YOU HAVE SO MANY CLASSROOMS EVEN THIS SCHOOL YEAR THAT ARE WITHOUT SUBSTITUTES.

YOU HAVE STAFF JUGGLING AROUND THEIR DAYS TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A CERTIFIED ADULT IN IT.

SCHOOLS ARE DOING THEIR BEST BUT THEY'RE CERTAINLY WORKING FROM A DISADVANTAGE.

>> Bill: AS YOU TRY TO BE FORWARD-LOOKING, THIS HAS IMPLICATIONS, CHRIS, AS WE LOOK DOWN THE LINE FOR FUTURE EMPLOYERS AND SO ON.

>> Chris: YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS TO THAT WAS KINDS OF ADJUSTING THIS PAST WEEK FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF THESE NUMBERS IS THAT THE EDUCATION OFFICIALS IN THE STATE WERE ALSO SAYING YOU REALLY CAN'T COMPARE THIS TO ANYTHING THAT CAME BEFORE, BUT THIS IS OUR NEW COMPARISON FROM THIS TIME GOING FORWARD, AND WE'RE TRYING TO REALLY MAKE SENSE OF WHAT THESE NUMBERS MEAN AND HOW DO THEY SHOW THE LEARNING LOSS FROM THE PANDEMIC, BUT I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT -- THAT THE NUMBER WERE NOT GREAT.

>> Bill: AND JUST AS THE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ARE TRYING TO GET TO A POINT WHERE THEY'RE NOT DOING A LOT OF REMEDIATION, WHEN THEY GET NEW STUDENTS IN, WE HAVE THESE RESULTS.

>> Amanda: WE DO.

AND AMONG NEM IS AERS WOULDENING ACHIEVEMENT GAP.

BLACK STUDENTS ARE PERFORMING ABOUT 25 PERCENTAGE POINTS WORSE THAN WHITE STUDENTS IN THE STATE.

>> Bill: IS THERE A WAY THAT YOU TARGETED THAT AND GETTING INTO AN ISSUE LIKE THAT?

>> Mandy: ENSURE.

SO KENTUCKY I BELIEVE HAS RECEIVED ABOUT $2 BILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING TO ADDRESS WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE PANDEMIC, AND ONE THING THAT'S SHOWING A LOT OF PROMISE ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS SOMETHING CALLED HIGH DOGE TUTORING -- HIGH DOSE TAJ TUTORING.

IT SOUNDS A LITTLE BIT LIKE MEDICINES A SPEND GO TYPE WITH CHILDREN TO WORK ON SKILLS THEY NEED AND HONESTLY NOT FOCUSING ON SKILLS THAT THEY MISSED.

JUST PUSHING THEM FORWARD.

>> Bill: AMANDA, YOU HAVE DONE EXPENSIVE WORK ON STUDENT PERFORM IN THE STATE AND PARTICULARLY ON READING.

YOU ARE A FORMER TEACHER.

YOU'RE NOW AN INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER.

AND YOU STARTED LOOKING INTO THIS, AND IT IS TURNS INTO A FIVE-PART SERIES AND IT TOOK YOU MONTHS TO GET IT ALL TOGETHER.

YOU FOUND THAT THERE ARE BIG CHALLENGES FOR STUDENTS IN READING, THOUSANDS OF KIDS CANNOT READ AT ALL, AND CERTAINLY MANY OTHERS DON'T READ VERY WELL.

>> Mandy: I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY OUR STATE AND ALSO TO BE FAIR A LOT OF STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE IN A LITERACY CRISIS, AND WE KNOW THAT HAS HUGE IMPLICATIONS US THAT KIDS THAT ARE NOT LITERATE GROW UP TO BE ADULTS THAT ARE NOT WILL IT RATTED, AND RIGHT NOW IN KENTUCKY ONLY ONE IN FOUR ADULTS CAN READ AND COMPREHENSIVE BASIC MATERIAL.

SO WHAT I TRY TO LOOK AT IS HOW ARE WE GETTING TO THAT POINT?

WHAT'S HAPPENING, ESPECIALLY IN EARLY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT IS LEADING CHILDREN TO NOT BE PROFICIENT READERS?

BECAUSE TO BE CLEAR, THIS WAS AN ISSUE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.

150,000 STUDENTS WERE NOT MEETING OUR OWN BAR FOR PROFICIENCY, AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BOTTOM RUNG, STUDENTS WHO ARE ACTUALLY FAILING TESTS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS IT WAS ONE IN THREE.

>> Bill: WHAT ARE YOUR KEY FINDINGS WHEN YOU LOOK INTO THAT?

WHEN YOU DIG INTO THE DETAILS, WHAT ARE THEY?

>> Mandy: SURE.

I THINK ONE THING TO PROBABLY GO OVER FIRST IS SOMETHING CALLED THE SCIENCE OF READING.

NOW, THAT IS AN EXHAUSTIVE BODY OF RESEARCH THAT GOES BACK DECADES, AND IT ACTUALLY SHOWS SPECIFICALLY HOW THE BRAIN LEARNS TO READ.

IT IS NOT A NATURAL PROCESS.

IN ORDER TO BE AN EFFECTIVE READING TEACHER, YOU REALLY DO NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING IN OUR TEACHER PREPARES PROGRAM AT OUR -- PREPARATION PROGRAM AT OUR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IS TEACHERS HAVE NOT BEEN EXPOSED IN DETAIL OR AT ALL TO THIS SCIENCE OF READING, SO WHEN THEY GO INTO CLASS WITH THEIR FIVE, SIX, SEVEN-YEAR-OLDS AND THEY DON'T HAVE THAT KNOWLEDGE, THAT'S A PROBLEM.

THE OTHER PROBLEM IS THAT THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY ARE BRINGING IN IS TEACHING STUDENTS THE HABITS OF POOR READERS.

A LOT OF TEACHERS ARE BEING TAUGHT TO INSTRUCT STUDENTS TO LOOK AWAY FROM WORD THAT THEY DON'T KNOW, TO LOOK AT PICTURES AND TO USE CONTEXT TO ESSENTIALLY MAKE A GUESS AT WORDS.

>> Bill: PHONICS WAS THE BIG THING WHEN YOU WERE IN SCHOOL.

YOU SOUNDED WORDS OUT.

IS THAT THE WAY TEACHING CONTINUES NOW OR IS THAT PART OF IT?

>> Mandy: THAT IS A HUGE PART OF IT.

SO THERE ARE FIVE COMPONENTS TO READING.

I WON'T GO INTO ALL OF THEM RIGHT NOW.

BUT PHONICS IS ONE OF THEM AND SCIENCE SHOWS THAT 60% OF ALL CHILDREN NEED EXPLICIT SYSTEMIC INSTRUCTION IN PHONICS, THAT MEANS PROBABLY THE PHONICS LESSONS THAT YOU'RE THINKING OF, WHERE YOU'RE GOING OVER RULES, WHERE YOU'RE PRACTICING IT, BUT BECAUSE A LOT OF KIDS OF BECAUSE OF SOMETHING WALLED BALANCED WRIT LEARS NOT GETTING THAT RIGHT NOW.

>> Bill: YOU SAID THERE ARE STUDENTS WITH DYSLEXIA THAT APPEAR TO BE NOT GETTING THE ASSISTANTS THAT THEY NEED.

>> Mandy: YEAH, WHEN YOU HAVE HALF OF YOUR KIDS NOT ABLE TO READ IN THE STATE THIS IS NOT JUST A DYSLEXIA PROBLEM BUT IT CANNOT BE I GO FORD AND WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING IN KENTUCKY TO BE HONEST, BILL, SCHOOLS WILL NOT EVEN SPEAK THE WORD.

I'VE TALKED TO PARENTS FROM ALL ACROSS THE STATE THAT GO IN AND SAY, HAVE YOU TESTED FORE DYSLEXIA?

SCHOOLS WILL NOT EVEN SAY THAT WORD OUT LOUD.

IT'S BECOME THIS CULTURE IN THE STATE AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY STINTS OF.

>> Bill: CONSTITUENT STIGMA?

>>> EVER.

>> IT'S A STIGMA AND A RELUCTANCE TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT BECAUSE ONCE YOU ACKNOWLEDGE IT YOU HAVE TO SUPPORT IT.

YOU HAVE TO SERVE THAT NEED.

>> Bill: HOW DO WE GET OURSELVES OUT OF THIS HOLE?

THE STATE HAS POURED $335 MILLION INTO TRYING TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES.

MANDY, TEACHERS DESPERATELY WANT THEIR STUDENTS TO DO WELL, RIGHT?

>> Mandy: THEY DO, AND SO PART OF THIS IS GOING TO BE WORKING WITH TEACHERS AND LONG-HELD BELIEFS ABOUT WHAT IS BEST FOR KIDS.

YOU DO HAVE A CONTINGENT OF TEACHERS RIGHT NOW THAT IS SIGNED UP FOR TRAINING FROM THE STATE FOR SCIENCE OF READING.

WE'VE HAD TEACHERS HONEST FLIT PAST U CAN YEARS WITHOUT EVEN THE STATE'S HELP JOINING TOGETHER ON ONLINE FACEBOOK GROUPS TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE.

BUT YOU ALSO HAVE A LARGE GROUP OF TEACHERS WHO HAVE BEEN DOING THIS TYPE OF READING INSTRUCTION THAT OVERA HAS NOT BEEN EFFECTIVE BUT WHEN THEY ARE THINKING ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES IN THEIR CLASSROOMS AND IT FEELS LOVING AND IT FEELS LIKE THINGS ARE GOING WELL, IT'S HARD FOR YOU TO LOOK AT SOMEBODY AND SAY, YOU'VE BEEN DOING IT WRONG.

YOU NEED TO CHANGE.

>> Bill: DID YOU COME AWAY FROM YOUR REPORTING ENCOURAGED OR DISCOURAGED?

>> Mandy: I THINK KENTUCKY IS AT A CROSSROADS.

WE HAVE THIS NEW READ TO SUCCEED ACT THAT PASSED IN THE SPRING AND IT HAS A LOT OF POTENTIAL TO IMPROVE LITERACY INSTRUCTION ACROSS THE STATE, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE UP TO WHETHER CERTAIN GROUPS IN THE STATE, INCLUDING THE STATE'S TEACHER UNIONS, GET BEHIND IT.

>> Bill: AND BUSINESS HAS QUITE AN INTEREST IN SEEING THAT THIS IS TAKEN CARE OF, RIGHT?

>> Chris: AND AS FOR A LONG TIME.

THERE I WAS PROGRAM CALLED EVERYONE READS IN LOUISVILLE THAT I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO IT.

IT'S BEEN A WHILE.

BUT I THINK THERE'S BEEN A RECOGNITION BY THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY THAT, YOU KNOW, WORKFORCE PREPARATION STARTS WITH EDUCATION, AND THEY GO BACK TO COLLEGE AND SAY, HOW COME WE DON'T HAVE HIGHER RATES OF PEOPLE COMPLETING COLLEGE, AND THEY GO ALL WITH A THE WAY BACK TO PRIMARY SCHOOL AND REALIZE THIS IS THE FUNDAMENTAL BUILDING BLOCK OF WHAT COMES NEXT.

I JUST WANT TO SAY ONE THING, READING MANDY'S STORIES, YEARS AGO BEFORE I HAD MY OWN KIDS I WAS MENTORING A KID IN LOUISVILLE THROUGH BIG BROTHERS, BIG SISTERS AND I REMEMBER BEING MORTIFIED ONE TIME WHEN HE TOLD ME THAT HE LIKES GOING TO MCDONALD'S BECAUSE THEY HAVE PICTURES AND NUMBERS ON THE MENUS.

BECAUSE HE'S INTIMIDATED BY READING.

HE HAD THAT MUCH TROUBLE WITH IT.

AND ONCE YOU GET TO BE A CERTAIN AGE, IT BECOMES REALLY HARD TO DO THE WORK NECESSARY TO GO BACK AND FIX WHAT HADN'T BEEN TAUGHT BEFORE.

>> Bill: WILLIAM VERY INTERESTING WORK, CERTAINLY GOOD WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE, AND WE'LL SEE WHERE IT GOES FROM HERE, RIGHT?

WE'RE GOING TO CHECK MARK INTO THE GAME AND GET TO THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL.

NOW JUST OVER TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE ELECTION.

SENATOR RAND PAUL AND HIS CHALLENGER CHARLES BOOKER ARE ON THE MOVE.

PAUL HAS A HUGE RUND FUNDRAISING ADVANTAGE.

BOOKER IS TOURING THE STATE A BUS, AND THE TWO HAVE DIFFERENT VISIONS OF WHAT A U.S.

SENATOR SHOULD FOCUS ON.

>> I HOPE THAT THIS STATEMENT WE'RE MAKING NOW, THIS CAMPAIGN CAN BE A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION FOR A LOT OF REGULAR PEOPLE THAT FELT LIKE THEIR VOICES DIDN'T MATTER.

SAW HARD TIMES 1 CONDITION KNOW IF THEY COULD MAKE IT THROUGH THEM.

WE CAN.

WE CAN OVERCOME, BUT WE CAN ALSO MOVE MOUNTAINS AND OBSTACLES OUT OF THE WAY.

>> ALL THAT MONEY WE PADS OUT WHEN THE GOVERNMENT SHUT THE ECONOMY DOWN, THAT $6 TRILLION WE BORROWED AND PASSED OUT HAS LED TO RAPIDLY PRICING PRICES.

GASOLINE UP 45%.

EGGS UP 36%.

MEAT, GROCERIES, EVERYTHING GOING THROUGH THE ROOF BECAUSE WE BORROWED SO MUCH MONEY AND THEN THE FEDERAL RESERVE BOUGHT THE DEBT, INCREASED MONEY SUPPLY AND GAVE US THIS INFLATION.

>> Bill: SO, MARK, POLLING SHOWS THE ECONOMY IS THE TOP ISSUE TO VOTERS RIGHT NOW.

SENATE CANDIDATES BOTH SEEM TO SENSE THAT 80 APPROACH IT DIFFERENTLY.

PAUL WANTS TO CUT SPENDING.

BOOKER SAYS THE GOVERNMENT CAN DO MORE TO HELP PEOPLE.

>> Mark: BUY WITH YOU JUST DESCRIBED THE CLASSICS REPUBLICAN VERSUS DEMOCRATIC ON THAT SUBJECT.

YOU HAVE BOOKER WHO IS PROGRESSIVE SO HE'S A LITTLE FURTHER LEFT MAYBE THAN AIR AVERAGE DEMOCRAT AND YOU'VE GOT PAUL A WILL I BE TO ATARIAN SO A LITTLE FARTHER RIGHT THAN YOUR AVERAGE REPUBLICAN.

BOOK AREAS IS CALLED THE KENTUCKY NEW DEAL THAT CONSISTS OF EXPANDING GOVERNMENT SERVICES AND MORE GOVERNMENT SPENDING, AND PAUL SAYS THAT IS WHAT GOT US INTO TROUBLE THE IN FIRST PLACE.

>> Bill: BECAUSE OF THE FUNDRAISING ADVANTAGE, AND PAUL HAS RAISED ABOUT $26 MILLION AND BOOKER HAS RAISED ABOUT $6 MILLION, PAUL CAN SATURATE THE AIRWAVES.

HE CAN BE EVERYWHERE, AND HE CAN TALK ABOUT A LOT OF DIFFERENT MESSAGES.

DOESN'T BOOKER HAVE TO BE MUCH MORE INTENTIONAL ABOUT WHERE HE GOES AND WHAT HE SAYS AND DOES IN THESE DAYS AHEAD?

>> Mark: YEAH, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THEIR TELEVISION ADS.

I'VE ONLY COUNTED TWO BOOKER TV ADS AND SIX PAUL TV ADS, AND BOOKER HAS ALSO JUST EMBARKED ON A STATEWIDE BUS TOUR THIS WEEK.

HE WAS COMING UP THE I-65 CORRIDOR TODAY.

I THINK PAUL ALSO HAS SOME ADVANTAGES IN TRAVEL.

YOU'VE JUST SEEN HIM CROSSING WIDER GEOGRAPHIC AREAS, SO I DOUBT HE'S EVEN TAPPING MUCH OF HIS WAR CHEST.

>> Bill: BOOKER CALLS HIS EFFORT HOOD TO THE HOLLER AND I GUESS THE QUESTIONS BECOMES CAN WE GET ENOUGH SUPPORTED IN THE HOLLER.

>> Mark: THE ELECTIONS ARE GOING TO TELL US, AND IF HE DOES, WIN OR LOSE, IF HE MAKES ANY STRIDES IN ANY PARTS OF THE STATE, ANY KIND OF PROGRESS, YOU CAN BET THAT THE KENTUCKY DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS GOING TO BE USING US THAT DEM TEMPLATE.

>> Bill: AND LOOK TO WHERE THAT SUPPORT CAME FROM.

CHRIS, THERE HASN'T ABOUT AN A LOT OF PUBLIC POLLING IN THIS RACE, AND MEDIA YOU THE YO LETS GOT BURNED IN RECENT YEARS WITH GETTING INACCURATE POLLS.

IN FACT, THEY TOTALLY MISSED SENATOR McCONNELL'S 2014 LANDSLIDE VICTORY.

HERE WE ARE VERY LATE IN THIS RACE AND REALLY OPERATING WITHOUT ANY NUMBERS THAT THE PUBLIC IS SEEING.

WE ASSUME THE CANDIDATES HAVE THEIR OWN POLLS.

>> Chris: RIGHT.

THAT'S UNFORTUNATE, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S ANY SECRET THAT -- TWO THINGS, REALLY.

NUMBER ONE, IT'S BECOME HARDER AND MERE EXPENSIVE TO -- MORE EXPENSIVE TO DO RELIABLE POLLS WHERE THE RESULTS ARE MEANINGFULLY PREDICTIVE, AND NUMBER TWO, A LOT OF THE MEDIA OUTLETS IN THE STATE THAT TRADITIONALLY PAID FOR THOSE ARE HAVING THEIR OWN FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES.

SO UNFORTUNATELY, THERE IS JUST IDITAROD OF POLLING ON ALL THE RACES -- DIRTH OF POLLING IN ALL THE PRAISES IS AND I'D LOVE TO SEE A POLL IN THE UFL LOO MAYOR'S RACE FOR EXAMPLE BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S BEEN ONE BIT ASSUMING THE CANDIDATES ARE USING POLLING TO IDENTIFY ISSUES AND WHAT RESONATES, PAUL HAS TALKED ABOUT ENERGY INDEPENDENCE AS A MAIN CAMPAIGN STANCE, BUT IN AN INTERVIEW WITH ME THIS WEEK HE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT ELECTRIC VEHICLES CAN BE PART OF THAT SOLUTION.

HE SAYS IT'S GOING TO TAKE A WHILE.

BUT WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN GREEN POLICY, DIFFERENCES THERE BETWEEN BOOKER AND PAUL?

>> Chris: WELL, JUST IN GENERAL YOU HAVE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS.

REPUBLICANS BEING MORE IN FAVOR OF THE FOSSIL FUEL ECONOMY, PROTECTING COAL, FOR EXAMPLE, IN KENTUCKY.

BUT I THINK WITH ELECTRIC VEHICLES, IT'S ACTUALLY -- THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF A TECHNOLOGY THAT REALLY DOESN'T HAVE A YOU -- MUCH OF A PARTISAN DIVIDE RIGHT NOW.

I THINK EVERYONE IN KENTUCKY IS REALLY EXCITED TO SEE ALL THE NEW JOBS THAT ARE COMING FORWARD WITH THE VARIOUS ELECTRIC VEHICLE ANNOUNCEMENTS AND THERE ACTUALLY WAS A START OF CONSTRUCTION ON ONE IN HOPKINSVILLE, TO SEND ELEMENTS THIS WEEK, AND WE GOT A GRANT FROM THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL THAT'S GOING TO HELP THEIR CLOSED BATTERY LOOP RECYCLING TECHNOLOGY, AND ONE THING IS THAT THE AUTO INDUSTRY IS A TREMENDOUSLY BIG, IMPORTANT EMPLOYER IN KENTUCKY, AND RIGHT NOW IT SEEMS LIKE EVS ARE ONLY JUSTED A ADDING TO THE PIE.

THEY'RE NO TAKING FROM ANY JOBS IN THE TRADITIONAL AUTO INDUSTRY.

SO IT SEEMS LIKE NOTHING BUT UPSIDE.

>> Bill: AND THE TRADITIONAL MANUFACTURERS ARE GOING THAT DIRECTION, RIGHT?

IT'S WHAT YOU'RE SEEING AT FORD AND TOYOTA AND ELSEWHERE.

>> Chris: THEY'RE TRYING, YES.

FORD IS LITERALLY BUILDING A WHOLE SEPARATE NEW COMPANY AND SPLITTING THEMSELVES INTO TWO.

BILL, I DON'T THINK IT'S SUSTAINABLE THAT BOTH WILL LAS AT THE SAME SITE.

THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH DEMAND FOR CARS IN THE ECONOMY, BUT I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE TEN YEARS OF TRYING TO BUILD UP THE EV SUPPLY CHAIN AND TRANSFORM THE COMPANIES.

THEY'VE COMMITTED TO THAT.

OH FOR A WHILE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE BOTH OF THESE SECTORS HUMMING ALONG, I THINK.

>> Bill: KENTUCKY VOTERS WILL NOT ONLY CHOOSE SOME CANDIDATES BUT ALSO CHOOSE A DIRECTION FOR THE STATE ON SOME ISSUES, AND ABORTION IS ON THE BALLOT IN THE FORM OF AMENDMENT 2.

MANDY, BOTH SIDES WORKING VERY HARD TO GET THEIR SIDES OUT, AND THEY KNOW THIS WILL BE CONSEQUENTIAL BECAUSE THE STATE SUPREME COURT WANT TO SEE WHAT VOTERS HAVE TO SAY BEFORE THEY DECIDE WHETHER TO UPHOLD THE STATE'S NEAR TOTAL BAN ON ABORTION.

>> Mandy: EXACTLY.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, WITHOUT THE PUBLIC POLLING, WE CAN'T QUITE SAY WHERE VOTERS STAND ON THE ISSUE, BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY SAY THAT THIS IS NOT A REGULAR CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.

THIS SAYS A YEAR WHERE A LOT OF VOTERS DO KNOW, WHEN YOU SAY AMOUNTED 2, THAT THAT IS ABOUT ABORTION, AND I'M SEEING IN LOUISVILLE YARD SIGNS POPPING UP BECAUSE THIS IS -- THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING OF ABOUT VOTERS THAT ACTUALLY HAS A REAL IMPACT ON LIVES, ON VALUES, AND SO PEOPLE ARE PAYING ATTENTION.

>> Bill: AND, YOU KNOW, IN KANSAS THERE WAS A SIMILAR VOTE.

WE KNOW THE RESULTS THERE.

>> Chris: RIGHT.

SURPRISINGLY I THINK FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, THERE I WAS REJECTION OF A CONSERVATIVE STANCE ON ABORTION, IN OTHER WORDS, A PRO-ABORTION ACCESS RESULT THERE BY SOMETHING LIKE 20 POINTS, I THINK, AND -- BUT I THINK FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD, PURE SPECULATION, BUT KENTUCKY MAY BE NOT DIRECTLY COMPARABLE TO THAT FOR A FEW REASONS.

ONE IS THAT KENTUCKY IS A LITTLE BIT MORE CONSERVATIVE THAN KANSAS IN TERMS OF MARGIN.

AND SECONDLY, THE KANSAS ELECTION WAS A SPECIAL ELECTION, WHERE TURNOUT IS VERY ISSUE-SPECIFIC, AND THIS AMOUNT OF IS ON THE BALLOT ALONG WITH EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S HAPPEN IN THE MID-TERM ELECTION.

SO THE ELECTORATE MAY BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CONSERVATIVE THAN IT WAS IN THE SPECIAL ELECTION IN KANSAS.

>> Bill: AND THAT INCLUDES O AMENDMENT 1, WHICH IS LONG AND DETAILED AND ESSENTIALLY ALLOWS LEGISLATURE TO CALL ITSELF INTO SPECIAL SESSION, MARK, THAT WOULD BE A CHANGE IN THE POWER STRUCTURE IN FRANKFORT.

MARLIN FOR SURE.

BILL, I SPOKE WITH SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE DAVID OSBORNE THIS WEEK AND HE BROUGHT UP THOSE TEST SCORES, AND HE SAID THAT HE WISHED THE LEGISLATURE HAVE HAD WOULD MORE SAY IN THOSE COVID RESTRICTIONS OF 2020, AND IF THEY HAD SOMETHING LIKE AMOUNTED 1 THAT HAD ALREADY PASSED THEY WOULD HAVE HAD MORE SAY.

THEY COULD HAVE CALLED THEMSELVES INTO SPECIAL SESSION AND PROBABLY UNDO THOSE COVID RESTRICTIONS.

NOW, I GOT TO TELL YOU THAT 14 STATES IN THE U.S., ONLY 14 STATES ONLY HAVE THE GOVERNOR WHO CAN CALL A SPECIAL SESSION.

AND THE 36 OTHER STATES, THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE CAN CALL A SPECIAL SEG.

SO THIS WOULDN'T BE UNUSUAL IF AMENDMENT 1 PASSES BUT DEMOCRATS ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE BALANCE OF POWER.

WE'VE GOT THIS GOP MAJORITY CONTROLLING THE LEGISLATURE AND DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR AND THIS WOULD TAKE SOME OF THAT POWER WITH MOVE IT OVER TO THE GOP LEGISLATURE.

>> Bill: GOVERNOR BESHEAR SEIZED ON THE ISSUE THIS WEEK AND EXPANDED MEDICAID BENEFITS FOR ABOUT 900,000 PEOPLE, PROVIDING THEM WITH DENTAL WITH HEARING AND VISION BENEFITS.

>> BEGINNING JANUARY 1 OF NEXT YEAR IT IS EXPAND TO THE ADULT POPULATIONS SERVICES UPPED MEDICAID THAT WE ALREADY PROVIDE ON OUR CHILDREN, AND THE GOAL HERE IS TO GET FOLKS TO WORK, TO ULTIMATELY GET THEM OFF MEDICAID, BUT AGAIN, IF YOU CAN'T SEE AND YOU DON'T HAVE THE ACCESS TO RESOURCES TO GET THE VISIONCARE YOU NEED, IT DOESN'T HAPPEN.

IT'S AN IMPEDIMENT WE HAVE TO PUSH THROUGH.

>> Bill: CHRIS, THE GOVERNOR SAYS THE LACK OF ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE IS ONE REASON FOR KENTUCKY'S LOW WORKER PARTICIPATION RATE.

>> Chris: YEAH, AND I THINK INEAUTIVELY THAT MAKES SENSE.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU CAN'T GET A HEARING AID OR YOU CAN'T GET GLASSES OR YOU HAVE DENTAL PAIN, OBVIOUSLY IT MAY BE DIFFICULT TO HOLD DOWN A JOB, BUT ALSO A DID A LITTLE HOMEWORK ON THIS TODAY, BILL, AND I THINK LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION IS PROBABLY A BIT MORE COMPLICATED.

SO IF YOU LOOK AT -- THERE ARE 12 STATES THAT, UNLIKE KENTUCKY, DID NOT EXPAND MEDICAID UNDER THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT.

AND NINE OF THOSE STATES HAVE -- STILL HAVE A HIGHER WORKFORCE PARTICIPATION RATE THAN KENTUCKY DOES.

SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE'S DEMOGRAPHICS AND POVERTY, GEOGRAPHY, OTHER ISSUES THAT AFFECT WORKFORCE PARTICIPATION.

BUT AT THE MARGIN THIS NEW POLICY COULD IN THEORY HELP.

ADDITIONALLY, THERE ARE INDUSTRIES, OPHTHALMOLOGISTS, ET CETERA, THAT ARE PROBABLY VERY HAPPY ABOUT IT IN THE STATE.

HI THE ISSUE IS THE COST.

THE GOVERNOR SAYS MOST OF IT'S GOING TO BE COVERED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND IT'S REALLY COPY OF A MARGINAL COST FOR STATE GOVERNMENT, AND SO THEY WENT AHEAD AND DID IT.

>> CHRIS: >> Bill: CHRIS, YOU DID AN INVESTIGATIVE STORY THIS WEEK ABOUT A LOUISVILLE DEVELOPMENT THAT IT COULD BE USING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN TAXPAYER MONEY TO FINISH UP, AND THAT'S THE TIF MONEY.

>> Chris: RIGHT.

AND THE QUESTION IS WILL THEY GET APPROVED FOR THAT REQUEST.

RIGHT NOW WE'RE WAY AHEAD OF THE GAME.

THIS IS JUST A PROPOSAL THAT'S BEEN FLOATED AND TALKED ABOUT AND NOT FORMALLY BROUGHT FORWARD, BUT T.I.F.s ARE SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF KENTUCKIANS MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH.

IT'S ONE, OF THE MOST USED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLS THAT WE HAVE, AND THERE'S A LOT OF DEBATE AROUND THEM.

THEY OFTEN DID NOT LIVE UP TO PROJECTIONS.

AND YOU KNOW THERE'S A DEBATE ABOUT WHETHER THE GROWTH THAT THEY PROMISE IS ACTUALLY REAL ECONOMIC GROWTH OR ILLUSORY.

BUT THIS WOULD BE ONE OF THE BIGGEST PRIVATE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE HISTORY OF LOUISVILLE, THE KIND OF DEVELOPMENT THAT CITY OFFICIALS WANT TO SEE.

IT'S JUST A QUESTION AS TO WHETHER IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WILLING TO SUBSIDIZE WITH TAX DOLLARS.

>> Bill: MARK, THE LOUISVILLE MAYOR'S RACE FASCINATING, ESPECIALLY TO MOST KENTUCKIANS DON'T SEE PARTISAN MAYORAL RACES, BUT YOU HAVE THAT IN LOUISVILLE, AND THE NOMINEES ARE IN A PRETTY GOOD CONTEST WITH THE LAST FEW WEEKS TO GO.

>> Mark: YEAH, FOR THE FIRST PART OF THIS RACE THEIR ANSWERS WERE REMARKABLY SIMILAR.

THEY WERE REALLY GOING TOWARDS THE MIDDLE AND IT ALMOST MADE DOING STORIES HARD BECAUSE YOU HAD TO TRY SOUNDBITES TO SHOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO CANDIDATES.

>> Chris: COMMUNITY POLICING.

>> Mark: SOME OF THAT STUFF, THEY BOTH SAID.

IT NOW, IN RECENT WEEKS, LIKE YOU SAID, THERE I WAS REASON FORUM IN WHICH GREENBERG CAME OUT RIGHT AWAY IN HIS OPENING REMARKS THROWING SOME PUNCHES.

BASICALLY IT'S SAYING I WANT TO REMIND FOLKS THIS GUY IS REPUBLICAN.

HE'S PRO-LIFE.

HE'S PROBABLY GOING TO VOTE YES ON AMOUNTED 2.

HE TALKED ABOUT THE SUPER PAC THAT'S LINKED TO REPUBLICANS.

BILL DUR OFF IS THE GUY WITH MITCH McCONNELL OVER HERE.

SO IT KIND OF PUT HIM THAT I UNIQUE SITUATION FOR DURHALF IS THAT HE HAD TO PLAY DOWN HIS REPUBLICAN AFFILIATION.

>> Chris: HE WAS TALKED ABOUT ENDLESSLY ABOUT BEING NON-PARTISAN P THE FACT THAT HE'S A REPUBLICAN IS NOT SOMETHING THAT HE EVER HE EVER VOLUNTEERS.

HE TALKED ABOUT AS THE MAYOR OF J-TOWN, A NON-PARTISAN POSITION HE WANTS TO BE THE CENTRIST IN THE RACE.

I THINK, NUMBER ONE, ACTUALLY SORT OF TEW TEW HAVE TRUE OF HIS OWN PROBABLE BACKGROUND IN -- POLITICAL IN JEFFERSONTOWN AS THE BIGGEST SUBURBAN CITY IN LOUISVILLE.

BUT NUMBER TWO, I THINK THAT'S ALSO DEMANDED BY POLITICAL DYNAMICS OF LOUISVILLE WHERE, YOU KNOW, WITH POLARIZATION, LOUISVILLE HAS GONE MORE TO THE LEFT, AND SO IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT FOR A REPUBLICAN TO BE ELECTED MAYOR, AND SO HE'S OBVIOUSLY TRYING TO OCCUPY THIS CENTRIST POSITION.

>> Bill: WE HAVE A LOT OF LEGISLATIVE RACES THAT WE'RE ALSO WATCHING THAT WE WILL BE DISCUSSING IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.

MARK, STATE SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE JOHN MINTON RETIRING.

HE GAVE HIS FINAL STATE OF THE JUDICIARY ADDRESS.

HE TALKS ABOUT THE CHALLENGES HE FACED AS 14 YEARS AS CHIEF JUSTICE AND ALSO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE FUTURE.

>> Meteorologist: YEAH, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT HE HAS HAD SOME BIG CHALLENGES.

THERE WAS THE GREAT RECESSION, 2008.

HE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT HAD.

THERE WAS A THE MANY, THE EFFECT THAT THAT HAD ON THE COURTS.

WE'VE ALSO HAD A COUPLE OF NATURAL DISASTERS IN REASON YEAR, AND HE TALKED ABOUT THE NEED TO BEGIN PAPERING FOR MORE OF THESE NATURAL DISASTERS UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT THEY'RE BEING CAUSED BY CLIMATE CHANGE, AND THAT DID NOT SIT WELL WITH SOME OF THE REPUBLICAN STATE LAWMAKERS WHO WERE ON THAT COMMITTEE.

THEY GOT PRETTY UPSET.

>> Bill: TENSION THAT HE MADE THAT COMMENT, THOUGH, RIGHT?

>> Mark: VERY MUCH SO.

WE LIVE IN A STATE IN WHICH WE'RE DEPENDENT ON FOSSIL FUELS FOR A BIG PART OF OUR ECONOMY.

>> Bill: YOU'RE DOING A MAYORAL DEBATE OVER THE WEEKEND, RIGHT?

>> Mark: SURE AM.

IT'S GOING TO BE TOMORROW NIGHT FROM 8:00 TO 9:00.

THAT'LL BE LIVE.

IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THE MAYORAL CANDIDATES COME OUT ON THAT ONE IF THEY GET MORE FIERCE.

>> Bill: FORMER CORE OF APPEAL CHIEF EMERSON HAS DIED IN A AGIC HOUSE FIRE.

THE REPORTS MADE SURE EMBERTON MADE SURE HIS WIFE GOT OUT SAFELY BUT EMBERTON LOST HIS LIFE TRYING TO SAVE HIS HOME.

EMMER UPON WAS THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE IN 1971 HELPIS.

RUNNING MATED JIM HOST.

EMERSON ALSO RAN A STRONG RACE FOR CONGRESS IN 1980 LOSING TO A GUY NAMED HAL ROGERS.

EMBERTON WAS WELL-KNOWN FOR HIS ABILITY TO REACH COMPROMISES AND HE WAS 90 YEARS OLD.

THAT'S "COMMENT ON KENTUCKY."

HAVE A GOOD WEEK AHEAD.