♪ >> Police change tactics 11 days into the search for a suspected law role county mass shooter.

>> Impose taking public dollars and sending them to an accountable private schools.

>> Here are the pros and cons of amendment to add school choice.

>> With people a lot.

And the more you're with people.

Especially younger people.

And then you thrive.

>> And advice from honorees who are, quote, aging optimally on how they are thriving after 85.

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

♪ ♪ >> Good Evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Tuesday, September, the 17th, I'm Renee Shaw.

We thank you so much for winding down or Tuesday night with us.

>> A sheriff's deputy is dead and Russell County State Police and the Russell County Sheriff's Office say they were searching for a man on Bluebird.

Drive-In Russell Springs.

One gunfire began according to State Police Deputy Josh Phipps and the suspect were both hit.

Both died.

Governor Andy Beshear posted this on ax.

Quote, Tragic news for our Commonwealth has a Russell County deputy was killed in the line of duty last night.

Brittany and I ask all of Kentucky to join Austin Prime for his family, fellow law enforcement officers and the entire Russell County community, unquote.

The search for the alleged I-75 gunman and South Eastern Kentucky is now in its 11th day today, officials announced their reallocating resources and the manhunt for Joseph Couch.

That means they're reducing the number of officers actively searching in the Daniel Boone, National Forest and beefing up security and surrounding communities.

Governor Andy Beshear joined Kentucky State Police, the FBI and others today to explain the reason for the shift.

>> With the evidence right now, I don't think you can definitively say he's still in the forest.

These outside the forest or that he's still alive.

And so what do you do when when that's the instant you bring as much of the public safety personnel to the public to make sure that we're prepared, regardless of which of the 3 of those is this true.

And remember, the manhunt continues just through different means.

The deployment of a lot of cameras should help us detect movement within the forest.

If he is still their aircraft, when available will still be used is just changing the way we're going about that piece and putting more of our sworn personnel are uniformed law enforcement in the community so that if he still out there, he knows he shouldn't come anywhere near our people because he's fine.

Law enforcement officers are ready.

>> We thank W Lex TV for the use of that video Couch is accused of shooting and hitting 5 people in a dozen vehicles along Interstate 75 in Laurel County on September.

The 7th, fortunately, no one was killed.

Police quickly found the suspect's SUV and an assault rifle near the scene and have since followed up on hundreds of tips.

But today State police said there's no new evidence in their search.

5 university presidents told Kentucky lawmakers today what their schools are and are not doing in the name of diversity, equity and inclusion or what's commonly known as dei.

Our Dew Leffler has more in tonight's Legislative update.

>> Some state House Republicans attempted to Ban Dei on college campuses at the start of the year.

Since then, lawmakers have brought universities back to the Capitol for questioning on the practice.

>> First, we eliminated our office for Institutional Diversity.

The work of representing everyone.

Needs to take place everywhere.

>> Republican questions if UK is really doing away with Dei.

>> I think we look at things in a different level here like diversity, equity, inclusion, people understand the value of that.

But it's the things that are taught within that bubble.

Some examples like victim ideology.

Microaggressions intersectionality, which includes white privilege.

Some of the things you talked about, maybe a subject of inquiry in a classroom, a fair debate.

>> But it's not going to be part of trainings and things like that.

We do.

>> Some Democrats question if universities are caving to pressure at the state house because from my perspective, the problem is the demonization of diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

>> By certain members of this body, more than a quarter of U of L students are not white, but u of l's president says the Office of Institutional Equity.

>> Doesn't just look at race.

>> One of the first steps that we did when I came to campus was to change the name of the office of Diversity, Equity Inclusion to the office of Institutional Equity.

And that was in the fall of last year.

Before the 2024 legislative session.

I might point out why did we pick the name equity within that department?

Equity means no preference, no bias, no discrimination, institutional equity.

We feel all is all.

>> WKU Ek you and Maurice Tate also spoke to lawmakers about their services to help all students succeed for Kentucky Edition.

I'm Jim LaFleur.

>> Thank you.

June UK and northern Kentucky University have closed their diversity offices and are making other adjustments.

The Kentucky community and technical college system home to 16 colleges and more than 70 campuses across the state is in the process of examining its dei programs.

Now, last week, Kctcs President Ryan corals.

Talk to us about that.

And he also told us how and what he's looking ahead to in the 2025 legislative session.

Did you know?

>> That Kctcs has the only governing board to our knowledge in the United States of America where there are regents who have half votes.

Half vote half but was a half the meeting and this was done in order and 97 to get the bill passed.

But we have reagents for trustees.

On our board debt have half a vote.

So you could theoretically be at a meeting and the vote could be 9 and a half.

Yes, a 3 and a half.

Even though this 14 people.

What's that doesn't mean that?

Well, I think historically it was done when Governor Paul Patton had to merge the technical College A's along with the community colleges.

And so there are half votes for a half for 2 regions that are represent faculty to staff to students.

And so we're going to modernize that.

Yeah.

And so that's just one example.

We need legislative approval.

We're also taking a deep dive into our budgeting system.

We might adopt a different budget model where with about a billion dollar budget and we might look at more of an outcomes based for performance-based, a solution to that.

And so that's another legislative change.

But there might be some more creative things we're looking at, I think will better off Kentucky specially a focus on workforce.

The second thing or a look at is there's a bigger conversation with the other universities and they're pretty their respective presidents and CP as well about performance-based funding as well.

And so we welcome some edits to that and kctcs.

So I want to get to that about the performance based funding piece because I think in terms of how it works for the four-year institutions.

>> Does that Templet work as well for your system that has the 16 colleges?

Would they be in competition with each other and would that not be harder to measure than what the 4 year institutions are required to do.

What we welcome competition.

The kctcs but I think there's some logical tweaks that we can make or currently conversations.

As give you one example, this right now, your reward money for the amount of square feet that you have in facilities.

We just talked earlier that perhaps we're a little too big.

Yes, and that was shrinking your footprint right to shrink and so I think there's consensus right now to remove that metric right and change.

It was something else.

And so we want to make sure that the goals that that I've been asked to perform and achieve line with performance funding as well.

The other thing is with 16 colleges, 4 of our 16, I have never received a single dollar performance-based funding since 2018.

And so we may want to re imagine a model that's more outcomes based.

And so we're we're really it's really kind of fine with this joint resolution to really trying to think outside the box gather community and internal input as well as we make suggestions for the next legislative session.

So we think about the four-year performance funding model.

One of the metrics was based on and the matriculation of underrepresented.

It was called underrepresented minority groups.

You are.

And now that language is being tweaked because of the Anti dei push that happening in many states across the union.

>> To remove the word minority.

But underrepresented is being redefined in terms of geography, socio, economic status and other indicators because quite frankly, 97% of the state of Kentucky would be considered a DUI, right.

So when we think about how that affects kctcs and and going to a performance, more of a performance funding system, what would your metrics be when it comes to making sure that more Kentuckians are earning credentials, associate degrees, et cetera?

Well, we talked about the kctcs student.

It means many things.

We again are just charged Haitian provider in Kentucky.

>> Our students come from all backgrounds.

We have adult learners.

We have Kentucky INS and recovery.

We talked about our GD footprint in Kentucky.

We have Kentucky INS or jails and prisons.

We also have military veterans.

We have single parents.

We have a sort of our students are high.

School students are actually we talk about diversity.

A lot of people focus on race.

But that's just one component of what diversity means.

And so I want to tell people that Kctcs is a college for all Kentuckians.

And we mean it that were open.

Admissions will take anyone that wants to better their life.

And so for us when we talk about performance based funding or dei, it really is a reaffirmation of who we are as a system because we're for everybody.

And we want to focus on of student success.

>> You can see part one of my interview with Kctcs President Ryan curls that aired last night online on demand at KET Dot Org.

Kentucky voters will vote yes or no on amendment to this November.

It's the so-called school Choice Amendment.

If it passes the Kentucky General Assembly could then authorize public money for private schools in Kentucky.

Critics and supporters in the education community talked about amendment to last night on Kentucky tonight.

>> We have no problem with school choice.

Choice already exist.

This does not create any choice.

It was an already there.

What it does is it takes public dollars to pay for that choice.

It is a means of privatization.

Me finish.

Sure.

Okay.

This is a means of taking money that is set aside for the public common good for public schools and taking it and sending it to unaccountable private schools.

That's that's the first thing.

We don't have a problem with school choice school choice.

As Matt mentioned, when we first started has been there.

For hundreds of years and will continue to be.

That's the first thing.

So we're not a good we don't oppose school choice.

We oppose taking public dollars and sending them to unaccountable private schools.

Second thing is is fact that your numbers about the spending are completely inaccurate and false because you're including in that the amount of money that the state is putting into fund the on funded liability of the pension system.

That is a lot better teachers as of that to help testifying that a lot of all that.

But then they benefit from that system.

They're paying back that a lot of ability that what the unfunded in the past.

But it's a part of the annual spending.

Okay for so your first warning about about were not oppose the choice.

Okay.

I think this is really.

>> This is a form of the leaders in that.

I've been surprised that even in Kentucky cause because our governor has said, hey, you know, we're not we're not opposed to choice.

You have school choice.

Well, yeah, we do have school choice in Kentucky.

I do agree with that.

If you're a wealthy family in Kentucky, you have choice.

You can write a check to a private school and to cover the tuition.

You can not been moved to a better of performing public school district.

And that's the thing we still don't hear and that and that there there are failing schools in our state.

We've got more than half of our students are failing to reach proficiency.

And we still haven't heard much about that.

But yeah, we do have a choice.

I agree.

But if you don't have a large income or you don't have the means to do that, you don't have those options.

>> You can see all of last night's very lively discussion online on demand at KET DOT Org.

Slash K why tonight?

Today is national Voter Registration Day and Lexington's NAACP chapter and the Delta Sigma Theta sorority hosted a voter registration drive downtown this morning.

Just a few weeks away.

October 7th is the deadline to register to vote in November's general election, even though there is a presidential race at the top of the ballot, those working the registration drive say this is about much more.

Then a single national election.

It's important to exercise your right to vote, to have a voice in what happens around you.

>> What our bowl is not only to register people for national elections but to understand and get them engaged in the process of voting on local as well as state levels.

So they understand the impact that those elections have on their daily life.

>> It is very important to vote.

And that is just one of the missions.

It's a statement of the NAACP is to educate folks on the importance of voting and make sure that they do vote.

One of the things that we generally do as voter education.

>> So not only showing them what what's on the ballot and what a ballot looks like that where you get a sample ballot, those type of things so that once they get in the booth, they're not intimidated by the process.

And just to be able to explain to them what voting looks like and what that means.

>> If someone comes up to the booth today, we will register them.

All they have to do is complete the form sign it.

And we will see to it that it's delivered by to the county clerk's office here in Lexington.

We should get out here and vote register to vote.

>> You know why we are.

There's a lot of young people around my eyes don't ear as to vote for you to try to vote.

Time to time.

I would try to encourage them.

Do it is easy to sell.

>> And other election news, Kentucky secretary of state Michael Adams as independent voters should be allowed to vote in Kentucky's primaries, which they currently are not allowed to do.

He says their taxpayers and the fastest growing voting bloc and their involvement would help the process.

He says.

>> I think when you look at it over to our primary, but most states do one is to stop the charade.

It's the largest growing border wall in her home.

But the other reason actually is a little more so serving to me.

It's with what's my party to be to be good succeed and offer solutions for the future, which is when you close your primaries and you've got some 14% right now, is it the most said what people showing up on those sites and the Middle Soccer semifinals of the classes.

I think if you bring in the Senate to bring independents, it's not just good for the system.

It's such as that for turnout.

It's good for the parties because now they have an incentive to court the middle to resist the extremists and focus on the center.

Most of us are.

>> Kentucky is one of 10 states that deny independent and unaffiliated voters a voice during primary elections.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, other states offer varying degrees of primary ballot access to these voters.

>> major distillery expands and a Kentucky town deals with yet another sinkhole.

Our Toby Good says details and this look at headlines around Kentucky.

♪ >> Another sinkhole has opened up in Bowling Green.

The Bowling Green Daily News.

Reports of a sinkhole measuring 14 feet deep.

It's in the same neighborhood where another appeared a few months ago.

City crews have been monitoring the area after the first sinkhole caused the roadway to get 6 inches.

The Bowling Green Daily News reports crews will big 25 feet around the same call to excavate and repair it.

The city tells the newspaper the Saint Paul poses no risks to nearby homes.

Bowling Green has been the site of some massive sinkholes in recent years.

Last year, a 40 foot sinkhole appeared in front of a Bowling Green Elementary School.

And in 2014, it was a sinkhole collapse of the Corvette Museum that made headlines around the world after it swallowed up several classic Corvettes.

♪ A Kentucky researchers studied the potential impact of a fentanyl vaccine.

Researchers at the University of Houston have developed a vaccine that could block fentanyl from entering the brain.

They say it could prevent a relapse for people trying to quit using opioids.

Tom prisons a research professor at the University of Kentucky has been studying the vaccine and tells W E KU at an injection of the vaccine would remove the toxic effect of fentanyl and the high affect people receive from it.

But he said he doesn't believe it will be a game-changer like many are calling it because drug use is a complex issue and there's nothing preventing a user from moving to a different drug last year.

More than 1500 overdose deaths in Kentucky were caused by fentanyl.

♪ Maker's mark is making an even bigger market.

Kentucky with 18 and a half million dollar expansion.

A Kentucky standard reports the Loretto based Distillery will seek clearance from the Kentucky Tourism Development Finance Authority and development.

The project.

It's scheduled to wrap up in early 2026. under the expansion.

The distillery will have cocktail and culinary education, fine dining and a bourbon Library, a Kentucky standard reports the project positive economic impact is listed at close to 64 million dollars.

And with great 21 full-time and 6 part-time jobs.

With headlines around Kentucky.

I'm told he get.

>> Thank youto be season wild land.

Firefighters from across the country gathered in Pine ball last week for the southern area.

Heavy equipment operator academy.

The firefighters trained to use heavy machinery like bulldozers to combat wildfires in the mountains.

>> I've been doing this for 26 years and Iran and those are on fire.

One of the most dangerous jobs or is not in my opinion when I started this trial in the air.

So we won by mistakes in the way to counter sales.

What would normally take a decade or better for >> these students to gain this experience at their local unit.

Now they're getting this experience here in a week-long training.

>> That's what we've been telling the students.

Take advantage of this class.

The cows.

When it's not on the fire, you're with a bunch of good coaches.

You're going to learn so much with dozers and being in a forest and environment.

>> Those machines have to be capable of going in very adverse to rain.

And this academy takes those students gives them exposure to that adverse to ring with the different types of equipment that we use.

I can tell you had to do it, but until you're actually set in the same.

>> That when you do your best learning.

So a hands-on is by far the best way.

>> I've led a lot of dozers on fire line, but I've never said in the seat per se.

So this is my first opportunity to to actually sit in the machine and see what the capabilities was, you know, of the machine and put men adequate fire line and the way that I've seen over the last 19 years, you know, my my co-workers do with those are, you know, it's a it's a new game.

Respect for.

>> For what some of these guys, the day in and day out on our firearms.

We were in that 80 to 90% range of taking the machines and the personnel to the Max.

>> What they would see in most of it.

It deals with.

Steve ground heavily.

Tim Byrd, a lot of rock involved in all of those things.

Land to a safety factor that causes our operators to be exposed to risk.

And so if we can take them in this controlled environment.

>> Like we have this week and and teach them the proper way to operate in this environment.

Whenever it comes time for the fire, they can concentrate more than on on fire response.

>> It's it's very neat.

And you know, this academy, you know, shed some light on our local guys.

You know, the some things that I could take home to Mount Unit that.

Hey, we're gonna we're gonna focus more on some of this training.

Some of this a detailed tactics and things that we may not have thought of fighting fire with.

Those are there's there's added levels of of tactics and safety that goes into playing when you're effectively putting and fire line with the those are says so-called that even if you're not on the tractor.

>> Talk to one of these operators and you can learn you can learn a lot.

A lot.

I just talking to.

>> The 49 instructors at the academy have more than 700 years of combined experience operating heavy equipment and wildfires.

♪ What is it may never even look like to thrive when your over.

85 are.

There are 57 recent honorees who can tell ya they were named at the gold standard of optimal aging awards ceremony last week in Louisville.

Our Kelsey Starks add videographer Kevin Collins were there and share the story.

As part of cake.

>> He is a a age is just a number.

>> And no one knows that better than these.

57 older adults honored in Louisville.

>> I ended up writing a book and now I'm writing another one.

I'm still driving.

Believe it or not.

And no wrecks.

>> For 13 years, u of L's Trigger Institute of Optimal Aging.

He's honored adults over 85 who are considered the gold standard of optimal aging.

>> Although some awesome breweries olango love but not as much about you want to do.

>> Like Washington who hops on the bus twice a week to volunteer at a local homeless shelter.

>> And give me some of the new a lot of work in them or use the word.

So as I said, you the know.

>> And 97 year-old doctor Leo Jenkins, a retired electrical engineering professor at U of L who still works with the program after serving for 42 years.

When you get old people really nice to you that they treat you like to somebody.

>> The Traeger Center for optimal Aging is all about that.

Treating older adults with a lot more than health care.

We know that more than 80% could help out cars.

>> Is a result of other determine as other than the clinical care live where they live like, you know, do you have transportation, food and security, et cetera?

So all those things we could be addressed and taken care of in order for a person to have to help out.

We often try to engage our older adults with this statement.

As I age, I dare to write.

So we've got all kinds of pictures with them holding up that little placard that side as I age, I dare to.

And then they complete the set with us.

People can flourish.

People can live optimally as they age, even with a chronic condition, even with 2 or 3 chronic conditions.

We can continue to flourish of age.

Well.

>> Like an a retired art teacher.

He's now working on her second book.

She says her artwork gets better with age for I would plan that carefully and are drawings and sketches and getting ready for now.

I trust that the intuition.

Welcome.

>> And they're a lot of layers that go on and then I can pick up from one layer to another and KET building on it.

So it's a building exploring process.

It's more >> It's so what makes you drive after 85.

Here's some advice.

>> Well, guess what?

Even move with just write it.

I have a decent guy.

out be with people a lot.

And the more you're with people.

Especially younger people, you can't you then you thrive.

can find.

>> edition.

I'm Kelsey Starks.

>> Thank you, Kelsey.

Some great advice there.

You can nominate seniors.

You think are the gold standard of optimal aging through the Trigger Institute's Web site and to see all of our next chapter contact about aging.

Go online and look at the all that great material akt dot org's locks next chapter and that'll do it for us tonight on Kentucky Edition.

Hope to see you right back here again tomorrow night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central where we inform connect and inspire.

Take really good care.