♪ >> And some of our best responders are.

>> Well into their 60's.

70's 80's and up.

And they're out there, you know, rocking it with the best ever.

>> Kentuckians go to work, helping victims of Hurricane I think the year of 25, we're going to be a big mess down here.

It's going to be construction mask is so wonderful.

Building back after tornadoes ravaged downtown Mayfield.

It's really about >> even though it's a sound project that's getting them to see things a little differently.

>> And we'll see and hear how solar is powering part.

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

♪ ♪ >> Good Evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Thursday, October, the 3rd, I'm Renee Shaw.

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

>> The death toll is now more than 200 from Lane as the states of Georgia and North Carolina report, more deaths after the devastating Hurricane American Red Cross volunteers are working to offer food, water and medical care to those in need.

And many of those volunteers are from Kentucky.

And you can join them.

>> We've guy well over 1200 volunteers out on the ground from across the country in.

Florida, Georgia and North South Carolina, Tennessee.

We did have impact into Virginia Central and southern Ohio, Kentucky.

So West Virginia, all of those folks have their own smaller sized operations that they've got people assigned to as well as we had over 30 homes impacted by downed trees and roof damage because of the high winds over the weekend.

So we've actually got 3 people from the bluegrass chapter who are supporting our own disaster relief operation here in Kentucky.

But we still need more help.

And so we we can use volunteers and every single one of those whether it's being impacted by the hurricane or the wildfire or honestly in a week or 2, whatever is next, right?

We actually have trading opportunities just about every day between now and a Tobar 19th for people to be able to get registered to sign up for those classes.

But first, people do need to register to be a volunteer with the Red Cross and they can do that by going to volunteer connection that Red Cross dot work and then filling out the application there and indicating their interest in disaster services and deployment.

And we've got an entire onboarding team of folks that are following up with them very, very quickly, too.

Get them, you know, get them through the process, get them into a training.

Find out when they're available and then sending them out the door.

Some of our best responders are well into their 60's 70's 80's and up and they're out there, you know, rocking it with the best of them.

So there's definitely no limit.

It really is just, you know, are you physically able to handle relatively austere conditions and be able to do that for 14 days.

It's challenging, but it's also valuable, right?

Because we're able to step into that space and provide that help and provide that hope to folks that are really struggling, right?

I mean, we've had that here in Kentucky with our tornadoes.

We've had that with our floods.

So we know firsthand what that's like to be impacted by that to have family and friends who are impacted by that and to be in those communities.

>> Yeah.

Neighbors helping neighbors from wherever they are.

While the rain from Lane has helped ease Kentucky's drought problem.

This is the map from 2 weeks ago as of September 17th, we had drought conditions throughout the state.

The darkest red you see here is extreme drought.

Now let's switch to the U.S. drought monitor map for this week completed on Tuesday.

All of the red and orange colors are gone.

Some parts of the state are still yellow, which means abnormally dry.

Much of the state is white, which means normal conditions.

It's a big day for rebuilding efforts in Mayfield in western Kentucky, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear help the community break ground on a new city hall and police department.

It comes close to 3 years after a deadly tornado swept through western Kentucky.

Devastating downtown Mayfield.

The project is funded through insurance, FEMA and more than 48 million dollars from the state legislature.

>> Or the top us to people in Kentucky.

We care about each other.

We loved one another.

And even in those moments afterwards, he saw people putting one foot in front of the other to get to this day mean, just think about everything that's been done.

Hundreds of new homes this downtown.

>> Coming back, hundreds of millions of dollars that had to be secured with the funding being the hardest part of it.

And now that peace is done.

Now we see the construction.

Now we see all the progress and we get closer and closer to that day where we can say we completed this mission and now it's time to bring in more business.

It's time to bring in more people.

It's time to not rebuild Mayfield, but growing bigger and better than ever before.

>> In the backdrop of your life disappears or is in rubble on the side of history and no matter what the disaster takes a while to realize our lives will never be the site.

And we now have to think, okay, what used to sit on that corner was used to sit here, but it's what it's the news like the governor said.

We're going to be the newest town in Kentucky.

And we're to the point now where that is extremely exciting for us.

>> This will be the first time may feel police have had their own department building.

They were among the first on the ground in response to the December 2021.

Tornadoes.

>> By the time I got to tell you, every member of the department had self the boy.

>> And that one of the toughest jobs was deciding who had to be sent home first because we KET that we were going to need really shifts and nobody wanted to go home.

The guys and gals of this department, I mean, just unilaterally, they did whatever was necessary.

>> True heroes, indeed.

Mayfield police hope to be in the new state-of-the-art building by late 2026.

The city also broke ground on a new fire station early last week.

Now to education news as we know, Education Matters.

Kentucky's school report card is out.

The Kentucky Department of Education released new standardized test results for the state's public schools.

The results are based on assessments taken in May, Kentucky Education Commissioner Robbie Fletcher, who took over the position in July said the data does not give a straight forward picture.

He spoke recently about the results where there are areas of improvement and concern and what he sees as barriers to student achievement.

>> There's always room for improvement.

And we've taken great strides when it comes to literacy and numeracy.

There was a collaboration among Kentucky Department of Education all along with our legislators to move forward legislation that would improve instruction.

Within our classrooms.

We're thankful for that partnership or thankful for that investment.

Specifically Kde launched the language essentials for teachers of reading and spelling.

The first co are teachers that went through the letters.

Training just finished a 2 year training course in spring of 2024.

So we expect more and more positive results and a positive impact in years to come.

KET is developing a number of statewide support for mathematics and teaching and learning such as the new K a teacher academies that provide professional learning for educators on evidence based practices instruction, construction materials, an assessment, mathematics.

We're also working on new screening and diagnostic mathematics assessments provide reliable guidance on where a child is with their learning.

There are some areas of concern.

First and foremost, we need to see improving our scientists across all grade levels.

We need to take a deep dive into our science assessment, our instruction and or student performance.

With the goal of developing actionable steps to improve science, education and performance with our Kentucky students.

We also want to improve the transition readiness.

I think that's what to me personally as a former high school principal.

I think it's one of most important measures if not the most important measure.

It is a student ready for what's to come.

Once they leave your doors.

We were always going to focus in on graduation rate.

We're not going to shy away from that.

But we also want our students to have that opportunity to see how what they're learning in the classroom is relevant in the real world say as it comes to lower performing schools when it comes to state tasting, there's different factors that contribute to these results.

After all, we've had historic flooding.

Probably not.

We've had tornadoes.

We've had students have been displaced.

We also still trying to deal with and I think we're coming out of having COVID to make this impact is still yet.

We have some lingering effects of COVID for 3.

We're facing teacher shortages.

We're facing chronic absenteeism and again, different reasons.

We're going to have different levels of that chronic absenteeism.

You may find one district that has maybe 62.5% of their students that are chronically absent.

And how can we reach and that they're not in school.

But you may have another district that's just maybe a few miles away.

That only has 5% again, one person's too much.

But again.

Each district has their own story.

The tale.

Each district has unique factors and unique obstacles that they're going to have to go overcome.

There's always going to be a bottom 5% because when you compare other districts, when you look at the bottom 5%, there's always going to be a bottom 5%, regardless of how hot the state test scores are or how low they are.

There's always going to be a bottom 5%.

And then as you move up the categories from read, you have orange, yellow, green and blue.

I'm not looking for comparisons.

What I'm looking for is how can we improve whether you're in the top 10%.

Bottom 5% or anywhere in between.

Our goal here is to help our school systems.

Stay on a path of the continuous improvement.

We understand that.

We want to make sure that our students had Avery, every single student has every single opportunity to perform at their best.

>> Commissioner Fletcher was also asked about test scores for the state's largest school district that Jefferson County and the impact it has on overall test scores for the entire state.

Here was his response.

>> We served 90% of the students across the state with the other 10% were either at home school, private schools.

But we serve 90% of students.

That's 600,000 over 600,000.

So you're looking at several 1010, I'm sorry.

And, you know, somewhere between one-fifth, I'm one of those students.

I located within Jefferson County.

So they're test results.

Make a huge impact on the results across the state.

>> One major obstacle to student learning in Jefferson County during the 2023 24 school year.

Transportation, the district faced a severe shortage of bus drivers leading to delays, getting students to school and causing them to miss time in the classroom.

Jefferson County Public Schools Superintendent Marty Pollio says he knows that affected test scores but admits he expected the results to be much worse.

>> First of all, we know well documented our students missed millions of instructional minutes last year.

And I'll be quite candid with you.

I'm surprised that the impact on student outcomes wasn't greater.

Then what we saw here today because of the millions of instructional minutes that were lost.

We had kids lit missing math inning LA and an math every single day.

Even if it was just 15 minutes, those add up.

And so we have corrected that issue.

And so, you know, those we are seen very little as a result of transportation issues around kids late to school, which we're proud of.

We had to make tough decisions.

But I know moving forward and up, put it on me to make those tough decisions if we were going to be successful with student outcomes, long term, we had to eliminate the millions of instructional minutes last.

>> A new state law House Bill, 611 requires Kentucky students with 15 or more unexcused absences to be referred to the county attorneys office.

Officials in Jefferson County discussed that law and what it means for students.

>> When a student is chronically absent the likelihood of them being proficient in reading and math drops dramatically.

Chronic absenteeism is a crisis across this nation right now.

It is not just a Jefferson County problem.

It's not just a Kentucky problem.

It is across this nation.

But in the state of Kentucky and the chronic absenteeism is missing.

10% of the school days.

So we have approximately 175 school day.

So you're talking about 17 and a half school days missed.

So anyone who misses over 17 school days, a cumulative.

And that includes minutes added up for being late or early dismissals means that a student is chronically absent.

Our schools have robust systems in place right now that we are working.

We have grown these over time.

They include dedicated attendance teams, each school as a team focused on monitoring student attendance, counseling and mental health services.

We offer access to counselors, social workers, mental health professionals that are present at every school.

This communication with my office could provide an additional check in many instances.

We anticipate finding absences that are understandable, say for medical reasons or other reasons but have not been documented.

I want to be clear.

An excuse absences occur when the school is not told.

The reason for students absence or when an absent doesn't meet the criteria from the Kentucky Department of Education for being excused.

Neither my office are JCPS System wishes to prosecute anyone.

We simply want your child to receive the education that all children deserve in instances where guardians continue.

To be unwilling.

To accept support services or are unresponsive.

JCPS will then consider filing an affidavit against the Guardian.

For possible prosecution for my office under the offense of unlawful transaction with a minor in the 3rd degree.

This is a class, A misdemeanor which is punishable by up to 365 days in jail or up to $500 fine or both.

>> The attorneys office will start sending letters to families whose children in grades kindergarten through 5 are chronically absent this month, law dictates that students in grades 6 through 12 or go through the court designated worker program.

Instead.

Kentucky Attorney General Russel Coleman is warning another Kentucky school district not to campaign against amendment to the school Choice Amendment.

That's on the ballot this November.

The Kentucky Lantern reports Coleman sent a cease and desist notice to the Augusta Independent school system and Bracken County Landrum says the school system posted its opposition to amendment 2 on both Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter.

The Post said the amendment if passed, would take public taxpayer dollars and give them to private schools, leaving public schools with fewer resources.

The attorney general's office sent the superintendent a letter saying The post were partisan and should be taken down last month, Coleman's office criticized the Pulaski County school system for similar public posts.

Amendment 2 is on the November 5th ballot.

If passed, it would let Kentucky General Assembly consider legislation allowing the spending of public money on schools outside the public school system.

Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman, a former teacher, was in northern Kentucky to voice her opposition to amendment 2.

She says supporters of the amendment had been sold, quote, a false bill of goods.

>> In every situation where school vouchers exist in every other state.

Those vouchers do not equal the cost of private school tuition, which is why what you typically see a 70 to 80% of the students to access school vouchers.

They're already in private school.

So it's almost like he could think of it as like a rebate.

>> You'll hear more from the Lieutenant Governor on this issue tomorrow as well as from northern Kentucky educators on why they think Kentuckyian should vote no on amendment to that on tomorrow's Kentucky attention.

♪ ♪ Nestled in the Upper Highlands area of Louisville is a one of a kind swimming pool built into a rock quarry Lakeside Swim Club turns 100 years old this year.

A lot has changed, but somethings are still the same.

Our Chris T-dot and takes us inside Lakeside Swim Club on the next inside Louisville.

Here's a preview.

♪ >> Lakeside Swim Club is nestled into the bell.

That neighborhood in the highlands here in Louisville.

And it is a desirable landmark.

A highlight for this neighborhood.

But in its 100 year history, that wasn't always the case.

In the 1920's, Lakeside was a rock quarry similar to this one were minors.

DeKalb Limestone for construction and 2 workers accidentally.

>> In an underground spring.

>> And then it's filled and they couldn't get the equipment out fast enough.

So there was equipment on the bottom of the lake in the 20's, 30's and 40's decades under water into the lake was drained to remove the equipment.

There were tractors, mining tools and railroad tracks.

>> But that wasn't the only thing in the water.

It was dark.

It was murky.

Their work at tales.

There were fish.

There were snakes.

There were frogs.

>> The lake was even stocked with smallmouth bass for fishing.

But soon the community was craving something more competitive.

>> They started to swim team and became like a swim carnival initially to have races to see who could get across the pool.

The fastest.

Some talent showed up and you could tell they were swimmers and their athletes and they become they hired coaches and start of the swim team in 1928.

>> Lakeside swim team has produced 11, a limp and the first 2 in 1940.

>> Mary Morning Ryan and Harden both qualified for the 1940, Olympics.

>> But did not get to compete because of World War.

2, why women?

Because the men were getting shipped off over to World War 2.

So they focused on women's swimming.

>> Certificate member Martha Puckett remembers this focus on swimming and this one's carnivals in the 40's, even being a focal point herself at just 3 years old.

And I had a little bit into it with sequins all over.

>> And I would jump off the diving board.

The head of and then I would swim over to the fat and that was like, like I was like a star.

>> Arthur joined the swim team in the 1950's as Chlorination made lakeside a cleaner and safer place to swim.

But it left a mark.

>> And remember, I had blond hair at the time and it would turn critiquing every kind of a chartreuse a color.

So you KET if somebody plan for likes ad and LeBron, they had green hair.

It would been a hit today.

>> General manager Mary Graves has her own history here beginning in the 1950's and 60's >> as a child growing up here, this was our playground.

Mary's earliest memory of Lakeside is joining the swim team when she was 5 years old.

>> Made lifetime friendships beginning at the age of 5 and a lot of those friends are still my best friends today.

>> She even remembers a brief time in the 70's when they traded in swimsuits for ice skates.

>> And it really wasn't a smooth ice skating rink like we know of today was truly just frozen water on a section of the deepest part of the lake.

So it's like a pond.

But we had fun creating their own winter fun and their own summer games.

>> A popsicle But I had popsicles back then its to cut down in the sand and eventually it would come up.

And whoever SOT first yells, double dabble in dove in and to ever grabbed it.

They got to be the height or the next time >> Mary became the operations manager in the 80's and then general manager in 2015 helping to shape lakeside to what it is today.

>> A special place.

Other people have neighborhoods but they don't have neighborhoods like this.

And we have like said right in the middle of it and go in my backyard.

And you ♪ That happy saint.

>> So those memories of saying my grandchildren and my children playing in the four-foot area and jumping off Mermaid rock and playing and having fun.

It's the same memories that my sister and I had here.

>> It's hard to sum up Lakeside's 100 year history, which includes everything from fishing to ice skating to competitive swimming were limp.

Ian's were made.

But as we look ahead to the next 100 years, it's exciting to think of how things will continue to evolve and what things will remain exactly the same for KET, I'm Christina.

>> Thank you, Chris.

Stay on the next inside Louisville.

Our Kelsey Starks talks to local musician and author Brigid Kalen who recently wrote a book detailing the storied history of Lakeside Swim Club.

You can see that full interview Sunday at 12 noon Eastern.

11:00AM central right here on KET.

♪ ♪ Walking through Ash One, the Henry Clay estate this week.

You may notice something a little different but you will likely hear it before you see it.

And new art exhibit inspired by they use sustainable energy called son boxes can be found on the property.

♪ >> Some boxes as a solar powered sound insulation.

There are 20 boxes that each have a different target that's been recorded and programmed to ♪ Right now.

We're at set up.

It is just engulfed by these beautiful trees that have been here longer than any of us.

>> And I think that's one of the bulls.

Some boxes, too.

>> Just be part of the environment.

Unlike some other pieces, you know, giant pieces of sculpture.

I love that.

But I want to do something else.

You know, I want to create something where people you come and be part of it.

And not feel like.

We're standing up in the middle and, you know, disrespecting this beautiful place.

>> Wanted people to >> have a different experience here.

>> We know that people love to come here.

>> When Lex and and enjoy the space.

But >> I decided to do some.

>> From the some boxes would.

Get people to look at the place differently.

You know, we've had large-scale sculptures on the property and it causes people to.

Really left 3rd eyes of them.

>> See things differently.

>> And this way, the sound, I think, causes people to just sort of stopped.

>> We compose themselves.

>> And take in.

Taken the environment and different light.

♪ >> You know, it's basically a system that is a design to interact with the variables of the environment and not just on like the technical aspects of like the sun and and the volume.

But more like.

When we're in the middle of it, like I can hear the traffic in the background.

And, you know, usually traffic is sort of an irritating sound, but I find it to be very musical in the context of this.

I think some boxes.

Makes everything sound musical and just makes it sound like it's part of it.

And, you know, I can hear birds.

I can hear people talking and I could hear people's.

>> middle of the sound is just.

>> It's amazing.

But all of that is really it's part of the peace now.

And I think that's kind of cool.

I think.

Aside from our it's just back to that.

You know, we're all in this together.

And I think some boxes you.

Illustrates that lesson very well.

>> It's really about having people.

>> Even though it's a sound project that's getting them to see things a little different.

>> It accomplishes that indeed.

Son boxes will remain at the Henry Clay estate through Sunday October.

The 6th tomorrow is Friday.

So we'll have our usual look inside Kentucky politics this time with Kentucky Lantern State politics reporter McKinney McKenna, Coors Light.

So you see that tomorrow at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central right here on Kentucky Edition.

And in the meantime, you can connect with us on all the ways you see on your screen, Facebook, X and Instagram to stay in the loop and send us a story idea to public affairs at K E T Dot Org.

And look for us to find the PBS app that you can get on your mobile device and smart TV.

>> Thanks so very much for watching.

I'm Renee Shaw and I will see you right back here again tomorrow night.

Take good care.

♪