♪ >> Lawmakers and constituents mourn the passing of a Kentucky state Sen. >> How the state is beefing up support for some Kentucky farmers.

>> The black kids to worry.

A lot of it is.

And so.

>> And say the exhibit that aims to change that.

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

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

It's October the 23rd we made it to the midpoint of the week.

I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you so much for spending some time with us this evening.

Kentuckians are offering condolences and praise for state Senator Johnny Turner, a Republican from Harlan who died from complications following a lawn mowing accident a few weeks ago.

He was 76 Turner served in the Kentucky House from 1999 to 20.

0, 2, he'd been in the state Senate since 2021.

Turner was hurt last month when he fell into an empty swimming pool while riding a lawnmower.

He was then sent to a Tennessee hospital and died last night with him.

State Senate President Robert Stivers released this statement.

Quote, Johnny spent his life lifting others, whether through his service in the U.S. Army as a member of the state House of Representatives and state Senate or in his private legal practice, his unwavering commitment to the people of eastern Kentucky.

His constituents, brothers and sisters in Christ whom he so fondly referred to as his people was at the heart of everything he did in, quote.

Governor Andy Beshear posted this, quote, Brittany and I are saddened by the news of Senator Johnny Turner's passing.

We send our condolences and prayers to his family and friends during this difficult time, end quote.

Senator Turner was unopposed for re-election on November.

5th.

His name will still appear on the ballot as well.

An independent candidate who withdrew from the race write-in candidates need to file by Friday, the right in with the most votes will win the seat if no one runs as a ride in a special election will be held sometime later.

Kentucky secretary of state Michael Adams says more than 130,000 voters requested an absentee ballot ahead of last night's deadline.

51% were requested by registered Democrats compared to 40% for Republicans.

He says absentee ballots typically take up to 2 to 4% of all ballots cast in Kentucky.

Meaning there could be a large turnout.

Secretary Adams is encouraging everyone to vote early.

Early voting starts next Thursday on Halloween and continues member first and second.

And of course, elections to Election Day is Tuesday, November.

The 5th.

The debate over Kentucky school Choice Amendment as it's called took center stage in Louisville last night the Courier Journal hosted a forum for advocates on both sides to make their case to voters.

Our June Leffler was there and has more.

And this election, 2024, update.

Voters will decide if state lawmakers should be able to send public dollars to nonpublic schools.

>> This public school parent is voting no.

>> The JCPS system is already stretched and has already limited resources to pour money from that system is a huge, know, far s. >> Local arguably has plenty of school choice.

Jefferson County Public Schools has a range of specialty schools for Montessori magnet programs.

Lillian Brent censored kids to Western middle of performing arts.

>> Will not only that.

I was able to choose what they will accept them regardless of what they're learning.

Challenges are.

And so that's one of the key points when dealing with JCPS, they educate all students, not just some students and they have the same opportunity as everybody to those extracurricular activities like a performing arts school.

>> And Louisville's home to many private schools largely Catholic, but some not.

>> We actually do have choice in Jefferson County.

You're right.

If you're wealthy, you have choice.

You can write a check to a private school.

You can up and move to a different area where a better school is or to a different district.

But parents who don't have the financial means that's really what school choice for us is about right now is is giving them the financial help.

They need to get the education that best fits their child.

>> Amongst all these options, JCPS also has some of the lowest performing schools in the state.

>> Sometimes public schools serve students.

Well, sometimes a student doesn't fit their needs may be a specialized opportunity.

So I would really like to see Kentucky offer that especially for a those that are in the worst performing public schools given that opportunity who may not have that otherwise.

So I'll be voting yes, on amendment 2.

>> Local newspaper held a forum to better educate voters on the issue.

Many in the audience had their minds made up some supporters and plenty of opponents like public school teachers, the president of the local teachers union made the case to vote no, the amount of education funding we have available on our budget is finite.

If we are spreading that out on most.

>> More receivers public and private schools, private schools that charge their attendees in Louisville.

$29,000 a year to then take our taxpayer funding.

Of course, we're going to suffer.

Public schools will have less money to educate the students that walking our door every day that we promised we will >> A local and state teachers unions have contributed half a million dollars to defeating amendment 2 for Kentucky edition.

I'm Jen Leffler.

Thank you.

Joan in Kentucky isn't the only state with school choice on the ballot this November.

>> The Citizen led initiative in Nebraska asked voters to repeal public scholarships for private schools and Colorado voters couldn't shrine school choice in its state constitution.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is making several appearances in Kentucky this week.

That includes in Warren County where he addressed a private event hosted by the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce.

Our Laura Rodgers was there and has more about McConnell's visit.

>> We're in a leader.

McConnell visited the Hard Ball club at Smith Stadium on the campus of western Kentucky University to address the chamber's presidents Club partners.

He was interviewed by Bowling Green Mayor Emeritus, Johnny Webb, a long time friend and supporter who talked to him about his many years of service and the United States Senate.

>> And then you're ready for a year.

And I remember trying to make conversation with her.

She looked at me like all of them and are wrong.

>> Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell reflecting on what it was like during his first run for the U.S. Senate.

Back in 19.

EIGHTY-FOUR when President Ronald Reagan was up for reelection.

>> of all.

>> Despite that Mispronunciation, a narrow majority of Kentucky voters did choose McConnell on their ballot, sending him to Washington.

There are laws.

>> And mostly over the border.

I looked around the none of these people are dead Which be debated?

>> If McConnell and the coroner know more now, the longest-serving Senate party leader and U.S. history issuing a stark warning about who we called adversaries of the United States saying they want to change the world order.

This is the most dangerous period.

The World War 2, he was later pressed on that statement reiterating his support for us aid to Ukraine.

We need to stand up.

>> The North Korean 2 Chinese, the Russians, the Iranians, Iranian proxies, all hate us is this is the problem.

We need to step defense budget is a first step.

>> A new biography on leader McConnell, the price of power by Michael Tackett set to be released later this month.

The if you want to trouble a lot of Miami.

>> But I like that.

It can direct you to you for that.

>> Excerpts from the book reveal McConnell's sharp criticism of former President Donald Trump.

Connell calling the upcoming presidential election cliffhanger.

Very, very close we'll turnout and everybody will participate.

>> We're one of the few countries in the world allows everybody to participate people take advantage of it.

>> After Election Day, McConnell will step down from Senate leadership saying he looks forward to the freedom that will provide.

>> And for the last 18 years or older were, but everybody else and try to look good.

And what for it was the Hill reports Texas Senator John Cornyn and Minority Whip South Dakota Senator John Thune R Top contenders to replace McConnell as leader.

We've got >> Vigorous contest between 2 outstanding members.

And I think the conference will be just fine, no matter which one.

Well.

>> For Kentucky edition, I'm Laura Rogers says thank you so much for that.

Laura McConnell said while he hasn't been a supporter of the Biden administration's policies.

>> He was glad to work across party lines on the infrastructure bill.

The legislation invest in more than a billion dollars toward the Brent Spence Bridge connecting northern Kentucky to Cincinnati.

Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota, the Democratic candidate for vice president visited Louisville like this afternoon.

Kentucky Edition was there and look for full coverage of Governor Walz's visit to Kentucky tomorrow night on Kentucky edition.

♪ Time now to talk about some major developments in Kentucky so far when it comes to the political scene with our good friend Roy Lynn Barton, who was an editor with NPR National Public Radio.

Good to see you.

>> Nct Renee.

>> So we're in the final stretch of the election 2024.

And we know that Governor Tim Walz, who was the running mate to Vice President Kamala Harris made a stop in Louisville today on Wednesday.

And many would question why is he doing that considering that Kentucky was solidly behind the presidential Ron's of private Donald Trump and vote 2016 2020.

So what's to be gained by this stop in Louisville.

>> Yeah, it's probably not a last-ditch effort to try and use them with Kentucky in favor of Democrats for his presidential elections.

But I think it is an attempt to kind of adds some credibility to some of the campaign messaging that they've been making around.

I think especially abortion bans all around the country.

This is something that the Harris campaign is also doing this week in Texas, campaigning against their abortion ban.

But and I think in So Hadley Duval is somebody who's been campaigning along with the with the Harris Malls, campaign shoes, somebody you mean this is going to the porch and rights advocate since just released publicly since last year.

And she campaigned alongside Andy Beshear and tell your story about how she was raped as a raped by her stepfather is a young teenagers that as a child really and and worrying about how you know, Kentucky is going for their under Kentucky's abortion ban in similar situations wouldn't be able to access access abortions if they want to get them.

It's been a really strong message for Democrats throughout this year when we have there's one we've been seeing the effects of the Roe v Wade being overturned and all these a lot of conservative states that it decided to basically legislate abortion out of existence.

So there's that part of it.

There's also the fundraising part of it.

That's just a big part of thing that both campaigns are doing are continuing to do in the final lakes of this stretch of the campaign, raising money in places like Kentucky or really anywhere they can find folks to donate to their cause and KET messages up on the airwaves and KET their big operations running.

>> As you mentioned, you know, Hedley Deval has been kind of the ambassador nationally for reproductive rights, but that issue is not on the Kentucky ballot this time, but it could resonate.

There is residue from the actions that the state has taken on some key legislative races, particularly in Jefferson County.

There's about a handful, at least 3 that are very interesting that we're going to have our our eyes on on election night.

Tell us about those.

>> Yeah, these are seats that Republicans won in the Louisville area.

In a couple years ago to kind of pad their their majorities, government.

During that year, they went from 75 to 80 seats and just in the House of Representatives such as high water mark for the Republican low water mark for the Democratic Party.

So Democrats are hoping to claw back a couple of those seats from.

So these are House district.

31 and a lot of these are kind of in a suburb in Jefferson County, but at least one of them includes a little bit of Oldham County as well.

But 31 Bird coming season witness taking on Democratic challenger Colony Davis in House district.

48 incumbent Ken Fleming, who is to come in and out of the legislature over the last few years.

He was in that he was unseated and then won his seat back.

He said facing charges against Cape Parrot and then also and House district 37, which is a suburban Louisville into Bullet County.

We're incumbent Emily Calloway's facing the challenge for John Stovall and a lot of these messaging around this has been around a portion which I think we can.

That's probably a lot of what was going to be talking about are, you know, talked about today in Louisville, but but these campaigns are focusing a lot on the Education Amendment.

The school Choice Amendment that and on, which is kind of that.

The big issue on the ballot statewide for decades this year.

>> Yeah.

When we short-handed like call school choice, even though that's not language, not attached to the amendment on the ballot, but that's how we refer to it.

public radio partners in and Western Kentucky, a couple of stories that have come out in the last few days that are very interesting.

First Hannah Saud reported on a state lawmakers renewed attacked to make fluoride optional and the water.

We know that they tried.

This was an idea that was talked about not acted on and the 2024 legislative session.

But with this creep topic wrapped up again, this time in an interim joint committee hearing earlier this week.

So could we see this legislation resurface in the next legislative session?

And 25.

>> We could end.

This is this comes from state representative of Mark Hart.

As for Falmouth and northern Kentucky.

And he's he's brought this up before and he says the local community should not be required to shouldn't have this mandate.

If they don't want to have fluoride in their water, they shouldn't.

They shouldn't have to a little bit.

What's behind this comes from a study from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that then discovered that there's some confidence that higher high fluoride exposure can lead to lower IQ levels and in children.

But part of this is that local river water departments in the Mount of Florida, the metaphor that some water systems way, way lower than that threshold.

And so there's a little bit of confusion around this And there's a lot of worries and conspiracy theories really for years about the effects of fluoride and what it can possibly do.

But the main the reason to be a foreigner waters, you can it's theirs.

The preponderance of evidence that shows the country.

>> Oral health, Derek overlay from or a public radio.

He also reported about a Ballard County, the Ballard County School District.

There has remove certain books from school libraries.

Lawmakers have passed a measure in 2023 that would allow parental complaints to go through a process by which this could happen.

And in this story, there's also a connection to constitutional amendment.

Number 2 on school choice that we talked about earlier.

So thread this needle for us.

>> Yeah, it is a it's a couple different issues there.

But this there are these mailers that were sent out by a group called Conservatives for the Commonwealth, which were took excerpts from books that were could be found in the school A couple of the books were related to the stories of of of people dealing with the gender identity issues.

There is a an excerpt from a book of where a young woman had was detailing her account would be great as a minor.

And really these experts excerpts are kind of you in shocking FOX like kind of the can you believe what your school children are being allowed to read, but then also it's it says it has this plug for your vote in favor of amendment 2 to allow.

So a lot of the so-called school choice measure, which would allow the legislature to then, you know, put public money to nonpublic schools.

It's not entirely clear how these 2 things are related.

But anyway, after this, after this mailer went out, complaints are filed.

And so this sub Dollar County temporarily took the it hasn't actually taken these books off of the shelves for now.

The so it's you know, we've seen this the last few years for this battle over of school libraries battle over how what we you know, how teachers can talk about certain issues, especially into sexuality and sex in the classroom.

And, yeah, this is the latest not front out county Dubuque.

A mess has done a good job following all these issues.

Absolutely.

So big shout out to them to Derek up early and to Hannah side.

>> And to Rylan Barton, we thank you for your insight on at all.

♪ >> We turn now to some agricultural news, cattle farmers.

You're getting some help.

Tuesday.

The Kentucky Cattlemen's Association broke ground on its livestock Innovation Center at the University of Kentucky's Sea or in Little Research Center in Versailles, the center will help local producers with the industry's challenges and be a hub for research and education.

The Kentucky General Assembly gave the association 22 million dollars for the project.

>> This is a project that's a long time coming.

Started off as a long range plan idea and developed with our livestock industry across Kentucky into why Tennessee today.

So this center will be an education research.

Innovation marketing value added most a one-stop shop for the livestock industry in Kentucky.

Kentucky has a long history of agriculture and we have 74,000 small businesses, which are our farms in Kentucky.

>> The goal out of the livestock center is to really KET those small businesses and business.

Those are our farm families and to really grow with all of the advancements in technology and innovation and help those producer stay active on their own farms.

Yes.

So this facility really is an outreach.

We will have a culinary center.

We do.

A lot of demonstrations are ready with chefs dietitians, one of our biggest audience are those health care professionals bringing them to a farm and seeing where our food comes from so that they can help meet the needs of their community better.

>> Another component of this building is the Education Center will host conferences for students for adults today, workshops and CE certified.

Trainings in this building.

Another component is a private industry offices where we can work with other industries and and collaborate and get a better programming.

>> The facility is expected to be completed and fall of 2027.

The University of Kentuckyian Toyota are celebrating a 30 year partnership.

The university and the automaker held an event Tuesday recognizing the partnership that links UK's College of Engineering and Toyotas.

Georgetown plant Perez says the collaboration has set a benchmark for how industry academic partnerships can shape engineering education.

>> Homeless students of any kind of hands-on learning experience.

>> Its worst and research opportunities that have been foresight, the embargo, new journey together.

As in the original combining to those.

I mean, that's actually.

And, you know, this is counting its ups.

Or the gates.

The partnership has visited upon that season is expertise and resources.

If you didn't want to miss it entirely.

>> at the event it was announced the Department of Engineering Technology would be named after the former president of Toyota, Kentucky, few dog Joe for his role and fostering the partnership with UK.

♪ >> The African-American community has a long history in Berea but not everybody knows about it.

>> The Brewery Arts Council and a nonprofit called Our Land of Promise trying to change that by bringing a history and heritage exhibit to the council gallery.

We went there to hear from 2 people who work to make it a reality.

More in tonight's Weekly Arts and Culture segment, we call Tapestry.

>> It's it's a shared history.

All of us, no matter your race, your background, the black history and worry a lot of that is untold.

So this was just a great opportunity to really put that on display.

>> About 2 years ago when I first started here, one of our community members, Kathy Williams approached me about some ideas that she.

Just kind of wanted to throw around for.

Exhibit idea is one of her ideas was how do we show Bree is black community and the history that comes behind that?

So not our typical visual art exhibit, but more gearing towards the humanities exhibit.

>> It just seemed like the perfect fit of how can we bring?

Different parts of communities together, the art world and humanities world of wanting to preserve history and bring it to life.

They'll see the school pictures showing history throughout time right here in Brea at the Virtual Middletown School.

>> They'll see history in so many forms and fashion and most of our items have stories to tell them.

We had to reach out to the Senate and the community to get these items.

You're going to see different.

>> photos, family, heirlooms artifacts, some history.

Some of the quotes that we've done with all narration Ys from the people that were either wants was around are still around, but just very, very through various things that's been in the house old of these families.

What I do or narration is I'm like a kid in the candy store.

Just hearing the stories of these descendants it's it's about.

>> Making that connection.

And that's that foundation.

>> If you if you think about our elders relatives once that once they pass those memories, go to and those are all in all a narration is help with that foundation.

But I've been doing it for the past 2 years.

I've traveled even outside the state to connect with us in this that are from this community to conduct will not ration.

>> Bree is pretty well known for the college's history with.

The black community here.

But one thing we've really highlighted here is how separate those 2 things actually are.

And while they do play together a lot, there's 2 totally different stories there of the community members that were the farmers and the backbones of our community in ways we don't realize and the college had a lot of important and how we deal or how we dealt with.

Racial tension of segregation and how would this approach, I think as a whole in the areas where those combined, but it's important to tell the stories beyond the college.

And I think for hopefully Kentucky to see broader that their community of well probably has so much.

Black history that they don't even realize that because we don't talk about it.

We've had so much positive feedback after the opening.

We've had a little bit of a 200 people come through our doors, which is record breaking numbers for our gallery personally.

So people want to see and they want to learn and I think they're very excited that they've been able to do that right here in their own town.

>> The exhibit opened on September 14th and closes Saturday November.

The second.

Corn mazes are a classic fall activity.

But one farm in Bourbon County has gone.

Let's say the extra mile with its design.

>> So election year, that was part of the inspiration for having it say United.

We stand.

>> Learn more about the special message carved into this corn tomorrow on Kentucky EDITION, which we hope you'll join us for at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central.

We inform connect and inspire.

You can connect with gas by getting our email newsletters and watching full episodes and clips at KET Dot Org.

Also can look for us on the PBS video app for your mobile Smart TV.

Send us a story idea to public affairs at KET Dot Org by email and of course follow KET on Facebook X, formerly known as Twitter and Instagram.

Stay in the loop with all the programming here on KET.

We thank you so much for watching tonight.

I hope to see you right back here again tomorrow night.

I'm Renee Shaw.

Take real good care.

♪