♪ >> Well, obviously we've not had to go through a ballot initiative in any other state.

Amendment whose backers and critics hit the campaign trail.

400,000 people who live here in northern Kentucky and they deserve to know about what's happening in their local area.

If you want to know what's up in Northern Kentucky.

Thank lane.

I think it was fate.

I think it was sort of divine intervention.

>> And insights from the woman who spent 30 years with the greatest.

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

♪ ♪ Good Evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Friday, September, the 13th, I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you for starting off your weekend with us.

53 days before Election Day, both sides are working overtime for and against amendment number 2.

>> Which if passed could open up school choice options in the Commonwealth.

Our June Leffler caught up with proponents and opponents of that ballot question.

That's before Kentucky voters this November.

>> The campaign to Pass Amendment 2 is revved up and hitting the road.

>> We have a goal of reaching 225,000 people just at doors, the conservative group, Americans for Prosperity pushes school choice laws across the nation.

>> But Kentucky poses a new challenge.

Well, obviously we've not had to go through a ballot initiative in any other states, but Kentucky, which is not the ideal way to have to go about this.

>> That means selling a message not just to lawmakers but all the voters they represent.

>> We know that there are problems in education and our state.

We know that math and reading proficiency is not where it should be.

>> And we know that with more options and education that a lot of those things can be addressed.

>> AFP explains those options at a qna and Oldham County.

>> How many already in this in a slide of a lot of people.

Yeah, that's great.

>> State lawmakers supports charter schools.

The General Assembly has already approved them, but Kentucky courts have blocked them.

>> It was fall underneath.

All of the theaters are safe testing that would fall under me.

All of the kde guidelines.

However, they would not fall under all of the red tape that we have in our public schools that have a little bit more freedom.

>> if he stays away from an arguably more controversial school choice mechanism.

>> I don't know why this case being called the Voucher Amendment.

>> This amendment allows us to begin moving legislation forward is in funding settings that already exist.

If doctors are going to come, it's going to come way down the road.

>> And education policy expert says vouchers are a disaster.

>> Over the last decade, Boucher have caused some of the worst academic declines we've seen on any research question on anything in the education research community.

>> School vouchers most often provide public dollars to help pay for students.

Private school tuition.

It's important to know that 70% of votes for users in state after state after state were already in private school to begin with.

>> But for the 25% or 30% or so, could you do transfer from public to private school?

You do see these record academic declines on their on their academic outcomes.

And this reason for that.

The reason is that the schools that are have open seats to take those transfers tend to be what I call some prime providers.

They're they're they have open seats for a reason.

>> Political action committee tied to Rand Paul released this ad in Kentucky.

>> Vote yes on amendment 2 for educational freedom.

>> Josh Cohen who wrote the book the private.

Here's how billionaires created a culture war and sold school vouchers says political messaging around parents choice is misleading.

When it comes to these voucher plans.

It's not school choice.

It's the school's choice.

The school to the picking nothing in any of the legislation in any state right now.

This past water system compels those private schools to take your kid.

You're still on your own.

You still have to find a school that will allow you to use that voucher there.

>> But advocates say this won't open the floodgates.

Kentuckians can set their standards.

>> You know, we're trying to talk to people at events, community gatherings about what the different types of school choice options.

There are.

And I think it will be important for constituents to talk to their legislators about what they want to see.

>> Kentucky's General Assembly hasn't touched vouchers per se.

Lawmakers did approve a privately funded scholarship system that offer tax credits to donors.

The Kentucky Supreme Court blocked that in 2022. for Kentucky edition.

I'm John Leffler.

>> Thank you, June.

And this programming note.

Amendment 2 and school choice is the topic on Monday night's Kentucky.

Tonight you'll see education leaders from both sides of the issue and we will take your questions.

That's Monday night at 8 Eastern 7 central right here on KET.

Another post, secondary education institution in Kentucky is reevaluating its programs for diversity, equity and inclusion or dei.

Today, Ryan corals president of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System released a statement quote, it says in the coming weeks Kctcs will be reviewing our system to ensure all programs, offices and goals.

Align with our commitment to success.

For all students.

Kctcs is dedicated to inclusivity and maintaining an environment that is free of discrimination where all people are treated equal.

We are reaffirming our focus on the success of all students.

I sat down with doctor corals yesterday and he offered more explanation of how the community and technical college system is responding to another anticipated Anti Dei pushed by Kentucky lawmakers next year.

And so right now.

>> This week we're having conversations about reviewing our offices and titles and functions to make sure that we are a system that lives up to its foundational go.

So that meeting and that means student success for everybody.

We want to make sure that we have a system that is free of discrimination, that we are system that treats every Kentuckyian equally.

And we're also a system that focuses on inclusivity, meaning that all of our programs are open to any Kentucky INS as well.

So we're currently performing network that want to make sure that were compliant.

And then we also maintain the message and foundation that we support student success for everybody might call Kentucky.

And so we're big system.

And so we have 16 colleges.

Sometimes you see a different approach to tease.

And so we want to number one, make sure there's consistency across Kentucky.

Number 2, I'm actually working with our peer teams across our system to prepare for these changes.

And we're going to do that.

That will make sure that again, we reinforce the the shared values that we have that were for student success for everybody.

>> You can see more of my interview with Kctcs president corals about dei and course correcting from recent audits.

That would be Monday night on Kentucky edition.

Kentucky Attorney General Russel Coleman wants a surgeon general's warning on social media platforms.

He's one of 42 attorneys general asking for federal legislation and the group includes members of both political parties.

They argue research proves addiction to social media can cause depression, anxiety and even suicide for young people.

Coleman says, quote, social media platforms are designed to addict users, especially our kids to spend countless hours digging for their algorithmic fix, unquote.

>> Last week we brought you stories focused on northern Kentucky from arts to business to education.

Recently we visited Learning Grove, a child care organization with facilities throughout the region that serves kindergartners to college goers.

We go back on the road with a look at their center in downtown Covington were even the youngest are starting their educational journey from the cradle.

♪ >> We are cradle to career organization so we serve 6 weeks all the way to college and career.

About 5,000 children.

Youth are served each year and we do it in 3 different areas.

So child care, which we're most known for.

So full-day, full-year childcare, support for working parents were part of that larger childcare ecosystem.

What distinguishes us, though, is that full-day full-year and so we've got I drop off at 7 o'clock and not pick up to 5.30.

We also before and after school programs and also an important part for working parents of the ecosystems.

And then at the far end of our continuous college and career readiness.

So we're helping middle and high school years prepare for their future.

Every child, regardless of their zip code is entitled to high-quality learning experiences.

So when you come to learn in Grove, we are developing in a critical thinkers for tomorrow.

We don't want them to just too simple, like rote memorization.

We want them to actually wonder and be curious about the world and the environment around them were familiar with Learning Grove and their centers and really likes that kind of full person approach that they take to education.

>> My wife and I were very thoughtful and intentional about where we wanted our kids to be because we recognize and no one believe and understand that those first 5, 6, years of life are so critical for brain development for social and emotional development.

So we wanted our kids to be at a Learning Grove center study after study has shown that play-based learning is the most appropriate way for children to learn.

That's where the brain is in their brain development at that age.

So when you look at our classrooms, it's play based.

>> But there's a lot of intentionality.

There's a lot of learning that's going on and you'll see teachers roaming around the classroom and wondering with children.

They're wondering when they're putting blocks and putting blocks on top of each other, which block is bigger, which one is smaller.

So they're learning those early math concepts skills when they're in the writing center, they're learning actually how to hold a pen and learning the fine motor skills.

And then you're also noticing teachers taking some notes and observations.

We believe that were part of the early intervention model so we can get in and I acknowledge any learning that the child struggling with early on we can provide speech and language supports for them occupational therapy and physical therapy.

I think, you know, kids, young kids, infants, toddlers, preschoolers.

They want to play and so making those activities making that >> useful in making those exciting engagements ways that kids are also learning is is really valuable and really helpful.

We have.

>> I think semi annual conferences with the teachers where they'll go through of what our development, appropriate milestones, both from a physical standpoint to a social emotional standpoint to an academic standpoint.

And if we have any questions or kind of suggestions on what can you do?

Things at home to help our daughter with that?

They always have tips for us.

They tell us that there's any sort of areas that we need to focus on because she she's not progressing are right on target.

We know 90% of a child's brain is developed by the age of 5.

We also know that 10 year matter.

So as early as we can get children in our program, the more prepared they are for kindergarten.

So 85% of children are prepared for kindergarten if they start with a son in fence.

And we know when they enter kindergarten ready to learn.

>> Enters 3rd Ready to learn and will be on track for high school graduation.

Apart from early-childhood education.

Learning Grove has its NAV ago program which exposes high school students to college and career opportunities.

>> As they plan for life after graduation.

Northern Kentucky is just like many cities and towns with dwindling sources for local news as traditional papers, scale back or even shut down.

One publication is trying to fill that regional information gap with a digital-first publication called Link Nky for our on the Road Reporter's Notebook.

I sat down with the president in CEO Les see Starling to learn how the small staff of 13 is improving news, literacy and even civic engagement.

One by line at a time.

>> Talk to us about what link Nky is and avoid.

It's trying to fill in the information gap.

Absolutely.

Link Nky is the voice of northern Kentucky and we were founded 3 years ago in order to give Northern Kentuckians a voice in the region and the state and nationally.

>> When the Northern Kentucky post shutdown in 2007, it did it left a void in northern Kentucky where our residents didn't have a news organization that was large enough to cover all of the issues that affected our residents.

We 400,000 people who live here in northern Kentucky and they deserve to know about what's happening in their local area.

When we talk about Northern Kentuckyian maybe this is just a media >> We always condense it down to 3 counties.

Boone, Kenton Campbell, and we say it so fast.

It sounds like one county, right?

Is that an accurate depiction of the vastness of northern Kentucky?

Its it's not now.

That is our coverage area, right?

So some of the southern counties, Pendleton County Grant County are lucky enough to still have weekly print publications.

>> That have been going for 100 150 years.

Boone, Kenton and Campbell County, which we do, we should all together, right?

They were left without that.

And so for us in order to make the most of the resources that we have, we focus on the population centers and that is that is really those 3 can 400,000 residents, citizens.

Yes, that growing and growing right.

And will they will have talked to some folks who are going to talk about the growing pains and the need not to be complacent, right?

Because there's so much happening.

You still want to KET the setting the bar higher right?

When you think about let's talk about maybe this election cycle and the a lot of eyes, of course, are focused on globally.

The presidential race.

>> But talk to us about the information you're trying to get out to readers and citizens about the important races that really hit home with them on an everyday basis.

Absolutely.

And yes, luckily we don't have to cover the presidential election.

We have lots of folks who are doing that really effectively who we partner with.

But in northern Kentucky, there are 34 cities, 23 police departments, 17 school districts.

All of those have elections that affect them and that affects the residents directly.

What is your property tax rate?

How fast the potholes get fixed on Madison Avenue in Covington.

What does your school board decide about having a school resource officer in your school or the subjects and topics that your students are taught.

>> All of that hyper-local elected officials are the ones who really affect our everyday lives.

Of course, the national election is important.

But for us, it was it's critical that we tell the citizens of northern Kentucky about the down ballot races that are going to affect them immediately.

Yeah.

Talk to us about the circulation that you all have, how often you publish.

And if there's print only digital only or mail in option mail option.

Yes.

So we are a digital-first publications.

So pretty much everything that we publish goes up online almost immediately about 100 stories a week about Northern Kentucky.

Wow, we have a weekly print publications.

So we are the paper of record for northern Kentucky.

So we have a weekly subscription paper and then 4 times a year we mailed to every single household in northern Kentucky.

And so we have an election guide that will be mailing to every house in northern Kentucky to 173,000 households.

And that's coming out in Mid-October.

That seems like such an investment on your part, right at a time where it's not even does digital first.

Its digital only right for even the large newspapers.

How are you able to provide that kind of level of service?

So for us, it was such a key part of our mission.

It's difficult in this day and age because it's been said that we all exist on different Internet writing.

I see information from different places.

Then you see them.

My has been then my daughter and our question was how do we bring the entire community of northern Kentucky together around the issues that matter whether that's the election, whether it's education, whether it's housing and print is the way to do that.

If every single mailbox in northern Kentucky has the same stories in it 4 times a year.

>> Maybe we can agree on what the situation is right?

>> We can all I'll have the same information from which we can then make decisions and we don't care what the decision is.

We just want people to be informed and to participate and the best way to participate is to be informed.

And you think that link Nky is making a sizable difference and citizen engagement and civic engagement?

>> Yes.

So one of the ways that we judge impact is how many contested races there are in an election cycle because when you lose your local news organization.

Research has shown that not only does voter participation go down, but there are fewer candidates for office.

We we started in 2021 to the 2022 election was the first when we covered, we have significantly more contested races this year than we did in 2022, which means more people are participating in the process and that means that voters have choices when they go into the voting booth.

And that makes everybody feel better, that they aren't just like, well, here's the one candidate, right?

Hope you like them.

And that for us is a sign of progress.

And we hope to maintain that.

You know, we hope also to see voter turnout increase this fall.

It's a presidential election year that typically drives greater voter turnout.

But can we see that higher level of voter turnout as well?

Because more people feel informed rights and they feel able to go into the voting booth and make decisions are often times when readers viewers, American citizens are polled about their trust in our major institutions, whether that's Congress or the Supreme Court or the media, it's not always the most flattering numbers that are returned.

>> How do you feel?

The community responds and trusts link Nky.

So this is a big problem and national news media struggles more with trust in local news media.

And I think it's because what we've discovered is when readers can look you in the eye and they know that you are part of the community.

I live in Covington.

My daughter goes to school here and they know that I have the best interest of the community at heart as well.

I'm not a national journalist whose parachuting in to northern Kentucky to tell us about ourselves.

We are from here and of here.

It's taken us time to earn that trust.

We we've been around 3 years.

We're still working on it.

The longer we're in existence, the more measured we are in our reporting.

The more folks can see that we are independent and unbiased and that we are going to do our best work to make sure that they have information to make their own decisions, the greater trust they'll develop in us.

And that's just the work we have to do as journalists.

Well, I say thank you so much for your time and your great work.

Thank you for serving the community as well as you do.

Thank you.

And I.

As we wrap up our week-long coverage of northern Kentucky.

It's important to reflect on the past to better understand present times.

>> Our Toby gives looks back at the history of the region.

>> Almost 400,000 people live in Kentucky's 3 northernmost counties, Boone, Campbell and Kenton.

It's home to about one out of every 11.

Kentuckians Boone County, of course, is name for legendary explorer.

Daniel Boone in 17.

29 before Boone arrived in Kentucky, French captain discovered one of America's biggest collections of prehistoric fossils in an area where mastodons woolly mammoths and bison came for the salt along what's now called Big Bone creek.

It became a state park in 1960, settlers from Pennsylvania created Boone County's first prominent community in 17, 85.

The county is home to the Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky Airport, which began as a for runway training facility for be 17 pilots during World War 2.

Today it employs 16,000 people and handled more than 8.7 million passengers in 2023, Daniel Boone's friend Simon Kenton is the namesake for Kenton County.

It was first explored and 17.

51 by a party sent by the Ohio Land company.

The Ohio River Borders, all 3 counties, Covington in Kenton County became a major river port and brought streams of settlers to the area.

Many of them German Fort Mitchell in Fort Wright were both built in response to the Confederate invasion of Kentucky in 18.

62, the Civil war also delayed the completion of a suspension bridge between Covington and Cincinnati Bridge finally completed in 18, 67 Campbell County was named for a Revolutionary War veteran Colonel John Campbell.

The first permanent settlement was around 17 89 Newport attracted big numbers of Irish and German immigrants.

And at one point in the early 20th century was home to the South's largest brewery and one of its biggest steel mills, although the 3 counties are heavily urban, they still have rural areas to the south that produced tobacco corn, hey, cattle and vegetables.

One of the most memorable sights in northern Kentucky is the Florence, y'all water Tower.

It was built in 1974. and originally included the words Florence Mall, which was being built and wouldn't open until 1976, the state said the tower couldn't advertise something that didn't exist yet.

So it was altered to read Florence, y'all and plenty of people see it.

The water towers next to interstate.

75.

One of America's busiest for Kentucky edition.

I'm Toby Gibbs.

>> Thank Youto be see all of this week's northern Kentucky stories by watching Kentucky Edition.

You can do that online on demand at KET DOT Org.

♪ A new season of inside Louisville with Kelsey Starks premiers this weekend with special guest Lonnie Ali.

Kelsey sits down with the wife of the greatest Muhammad Ali for an in-depth discussion about the legacy and her life with the champ.

>> A married mom.

And when I was 29.

>> Shortly before I turned 30.

And I think I sort of understood.

The man, the young boy who grew up here in Louisville, same kind of background.

Same foundations and so, you know, we were very compatible.

Plus, I KET that he needed to be out in the world to do the kinds of things he needed to do.

He needed that foundation.

He needed somebody to be there for him to be to serve in that capacity.

>> And you are both being from lot of growing up and more of all that is that foundation.

And you said as many places as he has been and lived and all the things that he has done, he always considered Louisville.

>> How absolutely, you know, and he had the same homegrown values that I had.

You know, we grew up at a certain way.

You know, his mom was a Baptist group in the church.

I grew up in a Catholic church, but it was just in it even culturally.

We were just very similar.

So.

Like I said, I think it was fair.

I think it was sort of divine intervention.

I was to meet him at that age and he was to have that influence in my life and we had 30 happy years together.

>> A lot more to learn.

And you see part one of the full conversation with Lonnie Ali this Sunday at noon 11:00AM Central.

♪ >> Brace yourself for a slew of animal ponds as our Toby gives brings you a look at your entertainment options around the Commonwealth.

♪ >> Lace up your late or hose and then head to Covington for this year's Oktoberfest.

Celebrate northern Kentucky's German heritage with games, live music, delicious food.

And of course, lots of beer.

Try your hand at Hammer, Shaw gun or just have fun at this great weekend events.

It's almost autumn and bear.

Wallow farm is kicking off its fall farm fest season this weekend from tomorrow.

Through November.

Families can take advantage of the amazing photo ops.

More than 20 attractions and pumpkin picking.

But bear wallow farm on your fall bucket list this year.

What happens when an extraterrestrial plant with a taste for blood falls into the hands of a beak florist.

Find out at Market House Theatre's production of little shop of horrors.

This darkly comedic musical is a great show to get you into the Halloween mood and it's running through September.

28.

Next Friday kicks off cow days of downtown Greensburg.

This fall festival will have more than 130 vendors live music, a parade and any allied size Holstein cow statue at the center of it all.

I calculate that this will be a legendary festival.

Pendleton County tourism invites you to the 7th annual unique art walk in downtown Falmouth tomorrow.

Check out the unique art inspired by agriculture and farming.

Plus street performers, food trucks and more.

I badly you'll have a great time.

If you better hope that the horse cave next weekend, the 23rd annual Horse Cave Heritage Festival starts next Friday.

And there's lots to do.

Take advantage of the half-price.

Hidden River cave tours.

Enjoy the live performances or check out the classic car and truck show.

Don't say nay to this great fall festival and that's what's happening around the commonwealth.

I'm going to get worse.

>> Thank youto be puns.

Promised puns delivered.

Good job, guys.

Thanks so much for watching this week.

We look forward to seeing you back here next week for Kentucky edition at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central where we inform connect and inspire.

Have a great weekend to come.

Not see you then.

♪