♪ ♪ >> That's why today I'm proud to stand with all of you to sign an executive order officially banning the practice of conversion therapy on minors in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

>> Details on the ban and reactions ahead.

If you like food.

Today's the day to stop and thank a farmer.

It must do the same thing to do so.

China got on the pilot away.

>> And that one Fayette County school, the students really are a cut above.

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

♪ ♪ >> Good Evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION for this Wednesday, September 18.

I'm Casey Parker Bell filling in for Renee Shaw.

Conversion therapy is now banned in Kentucky today.

Governor Andy Beshear signed an executive order making it illegal to use state or federal funds to provide conversion therapy to minors and licensing boards can take action against license businesses to practice conversion therapy.

Inversion therapy was first to the use of a psychotherapy behavior modification and other practices to change someone's sexual or gender identity.

>> The practice of so-called conversion therapy hurts our children.

And it's something that I've spoken out against time and time again.

It has no basis in medicine.

It has no basis in science.

>> The American Medical Association, the American College of Physicians and the American Psychiatric Association all agree.

This is a dangerous practice that it can cause significant long-term harm to our you.

This harm includes increased anxiety and depression.

It leads to lower self esteem and it can result in suicidal behavior.

>> Few practices, destroy families.

>> And lives like so-called conversion therapy.

One we've already heard former state Senator Alice Forgy Kerr referred to as conversion torture.

It's a debunk medical practice.

Not just snake oil, but snake venom that every major medical and education Association strongly opposes on minors.

>> This band has its critics.

Many of them conservative.

We spoke to Nicholas Spencer with the Family Foundation who says the executive order is both unlawful.

An attack on counselors of faith.

>> Number one, I think it's the governor attempting to legislate if it got, you know, the language of the executive order has been tried to pass through the General Assembly before it failed and because it didn't go the governor's way, he's now taking that exact same language putting into an executive order and attempting to legislate this way.

It's dangerous.

It infringes upon sincerely held religious beliefs of many, many individuals in the counseling profession and it prevents them.

From doing what they believe is best for individuals who are struggling with things like same sex attraction.

And I think another thing that needs to be understood about this executive order is it's a one-way attack on counselors of sincere religious faith.

>> According to the Williams Institute, Kentucky is now the 28 state to ban the practice of conversion therapy on LGBTQ youth.

The new electric vehicle charging station was unveiled yesterday in Madison County.

The governor's office says it's the first in Kentucky to be built with funds from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program.

It's located at the Circle K enrichment, which is offering 2 weeks of free charging Governor Beshear says the state hopes to add up to 50 fast charging stations long Kentucky's interstates and parkways by the end of 2026.

The federal government faces a partial shutdown October 1st, House Speaker Mike Johnson is linking a spending bill with a plan requiring Americans to prove their citizenship before they can register to vote.

Many lawmakers believe a bill like that can't pass U.S..

Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky says a government shutdown would only hurt his fellow Republicans.

>> One thing you can count on the government open.

The politically beyond stupid Russian do the right before the election because certainly we get the blame.

The and one of my favorite rules sayings is there's no education in the second kick of a mule.

We've been here before the whatever room, voids, a government shutdown.

>> A vote on Speaker Johnson's bill is expected soon.

U.S.

Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky is pushing a bill that restricts the president's ability to levy tariffs on imports.

The bill would require Congress to approve the tariffs.

Former President Donald Trump has said if he becomes president again, he would order higher tariffs on incoming goods.

Senator Paul says the U.S. Constitution was designed to prevent any branch from overstepping its bounds.

If you eat.

Thank a farmer.

Farmers Appreciation Day in Bowling Green show gratitude for those who clothe feed and fuel us first responders held safety demonstrations and shared life saving techniques.

There were also health screenings, a career fair awards and lunch.

Several area FFA chapters took part in the festivities.

A lot of times in the Bay side.

We just take for granted what?

>> We can go to the grocery store and get the gas station to get the clothes on our backs, all the resources that agriculture and farming gives us.

And so given back an extra day of been able to say thank you and showing that appreciation is extremely important.

It's a job that's really hard.

Just one of the hardest occupations in the world has been farming.

It's it's hot.

Capital usage is a lot of investment.

A lot of factors that go against you sometimes with the weather in the markets and so showing that appreciation for the hard work.

The farmers puts an extremely valuable not only to our farmers, but the local communities, because the more we can show appreciation and gratitude is free.

And so that's what we're doing here today is to say thank you to our farmers.

Thank you to their culture community for what they're able to help us do here in Kentucky.

Razing hope was the main organizer of today's events, a state organization that focuses on farmer safety, health and rescue in our rural communities.

>> It also works to prevent suicide among the farming population West Years, Farmers Appreciation Day was held in Frankfort.

They hope to host it in the far Western Kentucky next year.

>> And Marie Rogers and Rylan Barton joining us for our midweek.

Check in on things related to Kentucky politics and Rylan.

We'll start with this story about an ethics complaint being filed against another Democratic state lawmaker.

Tell us more about that.

>> And so this is a Republican activists filed this ethics complaint against Democratic Representative Sharon Stevenson, saying that her recent purchase of a condo she purchased with a Frankfort lobbyist violate state ethics rules.

Now that lobbyists actually and Representative Stevenson that fix a ruling on this earlier in the year to make sure that everything's fine.

They say that the ethics commission said it would be a fungus or things properly.

Nonetheless, the this complaint still filed saying that there could be some material benefit that Representative Stevenson got out of, you know, purchasing this along with that lobbyist of the building is actually owned by outgoing state Representative Rachel Roberts, which just adds another will turn to this, the lobbyist and representative students and we're purchasing it from them.

There is some precedent that to this kind of situation, a similar situation took place in 1994.

The ethics commission reviewed that back and and said that that was OK.

So it's one of those things where I think that no matter what this is something they are Republican activists is is raising this and the matter what, we're talking about it now.

So it's becoming a little bit more of an issue.

But there hasn't really been legal filings filed over this of this moment.

So at this moment, it is just it's still pretty internal within the legislative ethics proceedings.

>> Also want to get your take on some developing news that just happened this morning at the state capital.

Governor Andy Beshear signing an executive order banning conversion therapy.

What are you hearing about this story?

>> This is this has been after for several years in the legislature, from many Democrats and some Republicans too called for the banning of this practice.

It's a don't practice.

Medical professionals have said that this does not work in the top and it's cruel to that to the the kids, the people who are put through this practice oftentimes by their parents.

But even though this has been proposed several times during the legislative session, it's never moved very far.

It hasn't gotten that much team.

And I will say there have been Republican co-sponsors of this in the past.

A Republican representative Kim Banta and also a Republican Senator, Alice Forgy, Kerr and openness.

They're for her former state senator.

but it just hasn't garnered.

Governor Beshear issued an executive order saying that any state funds to organizations that provide the conversion therapy with would be would be allowed to go to those organizations.

I think what's become pretty notable about this, there have been I think some of the 24 states across the country have already banned or heavily restricted conversion therapy of Kentucky's really the firm would be really the first one in the in the South and the southeast.

And really one of the first Republican led states, although we have a Democratic governor and the legislature, 80% controlled by Republicans, North Carolina's kind of summit similar place and they have restricted conversion therapy as well.

So it's a it's a pretty novel approach there.

And it's not all that it's the governor doing this.

You know, ultimately an executive order often doesn't last pass the governor's administration.

So it would be up to the legislature to pass a law like this to make it permanent.

>> And then election news, des Jefferson County Teachers Association, Political Action Committee.

They are rallying behind a candidate for the Kentucky Supreme Court and been raising some big money.

A couple $100,000 for the candidate that they're doing their support behind.

>> Yeah.

According to Kentucky, Public Radio's chose talk to the Jefferson County Teachers Association, which is the advocacy arm of the local teachers union is spending $200,000 on ads to support Judge Pamela Goodwine who's running for the Kentucky Supreme Court.

This is really a continuation of the a lot of the spending.

And also you could say the politicization of some of the state Supreme Court race to saw this a couple years ago.

A big race in northern Kentucky between incumbent Supreme Court justice and a very conservative state representative who's running against or and this is something that the parties really got behind that judicial candidates are supposed to be non-partisan races.

Governor Beshear has gone into this race as well.

But also of this, the JCT, just kind of teachers association is saying they're, you know, they're getting into this because they know that these justices will be weighing in on issues related to public education, to say like, like many Kentucky voters will be weighing in on this year.

The of the so-called school Choice Amendment to the state constitution.

But other things related to union representation.

The power of unions in the state which a lot of Democrats and union advocates are worried the powers of which are being undermined by the Republican state legislature.

So there's a lot more money.

Lot more attention in these races because these justices do get the final legal say on a lot of these matters in Kentucky, politics and governance.

>> Alan Barton, a senior editor for the nbr States team.

It is so good to catch up with you as always.

Thank you so much for your time today.

>> They still are.

>> Kentucky has several substance abuse centers known by the name Isaiah House on September, 7th to Harrisburg Looks large U.S. graduation in history.

We sat down with 2 graduates to hear about their experience and their hopes for the future.

I first came here back in August of 2023.

>> I came in kind of hopeless and broke in.

Just tired of existing in and has a house gave me a place to.

Find my relationship with Christ you know, learn more about the the disease of addiction and a lot more about myself and you know, get get my life back together and have.

Peace and serenity and my after 11 months, that's when I graduated a long-term program.

>> Graduation is really one of the best day that we all look forward to, including a staff being able to see people who come in broke in and and have just lost all faith in being able to accomplish anything in their life, find their purpose again and be able to walk across that stage is extremely inspiring and humbling.

I came here 10/15/2023.

They really go above and beyond to.

>> Happy.

Put your life back together because I was at rock bottom.

I didn't have anything.

And now a full-time employee, a graduate and I work for the it Department, which I love and now and college learning more about it.

I graduated with a bunch of girls that I have been through the program read since day one.

>> And I think there is 11 of us girls about 8 of us are still close with each other today.

We would do anything in the world for each other and we're there for each other when we need anything.

>> It's just a good sisterhood.

I got to see my family that for my family came So it was it was amazing.

That was a lot of >> a lot of.

A lot of hope to see a lot of people's lives restored and >> it's a really good day.

>> Most of them had lost those relationships with their family.

So it's not only seeing and chief something for themselves but being able to mend back those relationships at their addiction has broke in.

>> It was a big accomplishment for all of us.

I believe in them myself.

>> And and how confident to myself?

And they encouraged me that I was enough and that I could do things, although I may have messed up in my life and they just influence me to do better and then do better things with my life and the store, you know, relationships with my kids and my family and I felt like a failure at life.

And now I feel like I could take the world on.

>> You know, it's a graduation, but it's also a continuation because that doesn't mean, you know.

Your recovery stops or your completed.

That means, you know, that's it's still a continuation of now.

You you have to apply everything you've learned through Isaiah House.

I'm going to stay with us as a house work with as a house as long as I can.

But I'm definitely going to be working in recovery.

Given back is a.

Is a big part.

That helps helps me.

>> Our goal is is that we have a clip them with the tools to be able to maintain their sobriety and realize that they no longer have to settle for anything anymore.

>> 130 graduates received certificates of completion.

Old records.

Help us understand history.

The Kentucky departments for libraries and archives is partnering with family search digitize thousands of records, including marriage certificates to help make family records more accessible to Kentucky.

Inc. Family searches.

A nonprofit was founded by the Church of the Latter-Day Saints.

>> In 18, 94 us, they've been around a long time there originally created or founded as the Utah Geological Society.

They've since rebranded his family searching kind of recognition of the global outreach outside of just the boundaries of Utah survey found that people that are connected to their families both historically and and in the president.

Read benefits through those connections.

And then in the 20th century or 21st century, they've since moved into the digital age.

Dave digitize those 21 million rolls of film and are adding collections like her own to, to continue to make more family history accessible in terms of our part of the partnership, we are the grieving family search to grant them access to our facility so they will come in with their standing equipment.

We've made space of an available for their use do have their own personnel operating that equipment.

The actual contract contractual agreement will be between family search in each respective clerk.

So there's 120 counties in Kentuckyian family search s negotiate and reach agreement with each of those 120 clerks in order for us to make accessible their respective records.

>> We >> are committed to making sure that.

The history.

>> What we >> have here is available to the public.

We we're storytellers in a in a sense because we are providing a variety of different records that tell the stories and it depends on what you're looking for, whether you're a researcher or you're a reporter or you're just an individual who wants to know more and we want to make those available as much as we can.

The local workers that their interest and they provide the largest.

>> Single collection of records in the state.

They may date back to the origin to the state in places where a lot of the state agency records do not.

They've been created since since the county's formation basically is when these records will start.

So they're the single source that researcher family historian can turn to to get an illustration of the life of the Commonwealth's.

From past to present.

So I think incredibly invaluable in that sense.

It's it's one thing to to know that Jim was was Jeffs brother, but it's an entirely different thing to know to go to the court Know that Jim was a farmer that on 5 horses in had to accept guardianship of Jeffs, children.

That gives you an entirely different perspective on people.

We think that this is going to be.

>> Tremendous way to have greater access.

And we know that genealogy continues to be a huge request, not just a farce, but as a whole, especially in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

>> The partnership will last for about 2 years, but the digitize records will be available online for free.

♪ ♪ Patients and their doctors will have even more information about mammography results under a new FDA rule.

Mammography facilities are now required to notify patients about breast density DR from U of L Health Brown Cancer Center explains why having this information is important when it comes to detecting breast cancer early.

>> So breast density is basically your breast is made up of fat and klingler tissue and the more ladylike you have, the more dense you are.

And so that is a category or section on your report that the FDA is now requiring us to put an alternative airports.

Best densities, important for 2 reasons.

One, it can make it very difficult to detect breast cancer if you have very dense breast, the 9 at things such as your dense tissue and other benign masses can actually look a lot very similar to breast cancer on your mammogram.

And so when you have a lot of dense breast tissue, it can really obscure some very small and subtle masses.

The other thing is that density itself actually increases your risk of developing breast cancer, women who have really dense breasts had a 1.5 times higher risk of developing breast cancer compared to the average woman.

Just one in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.

That with the fact that about half of the patients that we're seeing have dense breasts are all, you know, really important factors in in discussing and deciding whether or not you need any additional supplemental screening for the average woman and that hurt the American College of Radiology and says the society of breast imaging.

We recommend starting your yearly mammogram at the age of 40.

Now, if you have any family history of breast cancer or any question of whether or not you might be high-risk starting at age of 25, we should be discussing with your primary care.

Doctor, weather.

It started with screening earlier and 40.

But really the goal and this requirement by the FDA is to help inform and empower our patients.

So I would encourage patients the app you receive your mammogram report is to have an important discussion with your primary care doctor about your risk factors for breast cancer, including that density that's listed in the report.

Your age and other risk factors such as family history of breast cancer.

>> The new rule went into effect last week in all 50 states.

♪ ♪ >> If students in Lexington can now get a new haircut during the school day, along with some one-on-one mentor ship.

>> Chart Futures is a nonprofit organization that puts licensed barbers into schools and Tate's Creek.

Middle School is the second in the state to open an in-school barbershop.

Students can sign up for fresh cut with Nick.

The school's barber as well as a bus monitor for Fayette County.

More on the Creek Cuts Barbershop in tonight's Education News.

It definitely.

>> This >> is the actual opportunity for us to actually mentor young man to be able to have firsthand actually touch them.

And in a place like this, a barber shop just a safe space.

The idea is to have one dedicated partner for each barbershop.

>> Just due to the fact of first place in shipbuilding that allows for the kids to really have a constant, which is one of the most important things is that consistency.

So if we have one barber at each school, it allows for that relationship building to actually to go ahead and to actually build some trust, which goes a long way.

Kids got to his store, that different backgrounds.

So a lot of times you'll never know what they're going through.

So >> my barbershop becoming the the U.S. to to save in terms of I try to guide on the part of the way a little basket, whatever they want to.

We'll come back and tell me what this is what is going on in life to come back and tell me if that's the one that about it.

they just go online or if something's not, do I go?

I try to figure it out of nowhere to be able to open up to an adult, you know, who serves as a role model can serve as a counselor, know, to that listening ear are that shoulder to lean on?

It's of great benefit for these young men and women because a lot of times they don't have access to that.

>> Now, south side of the school setting, this expansion was like very good because you might buy every this is amazing.

>> Well done.

Its goal is not to have it in this cool having gas in Haiti.

You look, I feel.

>> County feel like so if you got to have the ability as you don't want everybody to see it going to be confident you're going to be.

>> Of.

>> It'll be more positive about everything, you know, some of the not confident.

Without her cover.

This was a good you can tell in this Mellon and they get a fighter.

He's but we're going to be.

>> He gives the problem.

>> My barber shop is in Louisville, Kentuckyian, we're in one of the most contests in parts of the city to be able to have a firsthand knowledge of what it's like.

You know, some of the realities that these young men and women face want to rely on every day bases just allowed me to to see what was needed.

>> Let's show our buses of kids and we love the barn because its lights on.

>> I have one of them.

A K. He kind of goes head to one side.

They want he's going to heat up the mountain and Idaho the rest of the year.

He's good on the bus.

The meantime, back in like every time I gotta love, he got on the phone.

So I like that about him.

>> To be able to establish this in a place like takes Creek middle school.

And it's really a blessing because now we can offer this support of space to the young men and women that we serve.

>> Chart futures will open a 3rd barbershop in Weston School in Louisville next month.

On the job Hunt, Kentucky is rolling out a new virtual program and helping you know your options.

And allows him to explore.

Now Kentucky is helping job seekers test the waters and figure out what career is right for them.

That's tomorrow.

Right here on Kentucky EDITION.

We hope you'll join us again tomorrow night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky Edition, we inform connect and inspire.

You can subscribe to our Kentucky Edition, e-mail newsletters and watch full episodes and clips of the show at KET Dot Org.

It can also find Kentucky Dish on the PBS video app on your mobile device and smart TV.

Send us a story idea.

Public affairs at KET Dot Org.

Follow KET on Facebook acts and Instagram to stay in the loop.

I'm Casey Parker Bell.

Thank you so much for joining us and have a great night.

♪