>> An announcement.

Pretty incredible announcement.

One that I did not think I would be able to make as Governor.

>> So what's the big announcement?

Stay tuned.

If someone calls you, you can never know who you're talking to.

Regardless of what color ad says.

Kentuckians are getting more scam calls who's targeted the most?

She really.

>> We fought to make a quality across the board for everyone.

>> And this may not be the face you expect to see Winchester Bar.

Production of Kentucky Edition is made possible in part by the KET Endowment for Kentucky Productions.

Leonard Press Endowment for Public Affairs and the KET Millennium Fund.

♪ ♪ >> Good evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Thursday, September, the TWENTY-NINTH, I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you for spending part of your Thursday night with OSS.

>> President Joe Biden says hurricane and could end up being the deadliest in Florida's history.

The storm is now a hurricane again as it threatens to make landfall again, this time in South Carolina and Naples, Florida, the fly fire departments spent the last 24 hours rescuing people from high water, including this woman.

Yesterday we introduced you to a Kentucky man who was now living in Naples.

We caught up with him again today.

Darryl Brock says his home wasn't damaged but says he may without power for up to 10 days.

>> I mean, the water, the surge was so high, either cars or, you know, washed up on the streets and just so much so many trees down the ruptured water and set up a sting.

I think think it's a mistake.

We're saying at no, no power.

You know, we do we we have a generator, but not here with us.

So we're going to either get a generator or here are go over to, you know, on the Miami shot, makeup and generator come back.

The problem is the fuel for the generator.

All the top all service stations almost are down at it.

You know, not business right now because that they don't have power.

Probably 3 service stations around that powers other.

There's a long line we are like, yeah.

>> Tell you this.

If they do mandatory evacuation, you it, you better believe in that spot because a lot of those spots were and think they put water.

So it's a it's a valuable lesson will say firsthand that.

You know, they called for evacuation.

You need to go.

>> The Kentucky National Guard is sending 5 blocks called helicopters and crews for those helicopters to Florida to help with the search and rescue operations.

Governor Andy Beshear says Florida helped eastern Kentucky during the recent floods.

And now it's time to return the favor.

>> For us, it's a simple as the fact Florida emergency management was there for us.

Our time in 8, they throughout our emergency operation centers helping U.S. day today.

Florida was there for Kentucky.

Kentucky is going to be there for Florida.

>> During his news conference today, the governor also made an announcement.

He said he never thought he'd make.

>> Today I'm announcing the secured the return.

Governor Matt Bevin's administration is 15 million dollar investment and an aluminum mill known as the Brady Industries Project in northeastern Kentucky that never materialized.

>> In 2017, the state approved a 15 million dollar investment so Brady Industries could build an aluminum ill and Boyd and Greenup counties.

Brady is now known as unity, aluminum.

The mill was never built.

Governor Beshear says Kentucky will get back its money and local communities will get the land back for possible future projects.

He used to send people to prison.

Now he's going there himself a judge to sentence Michael Hogan, former county attorney in Lawrence County to 3 and a half years in prison, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader Hogan admits he over billed the state for work to collect child support payments and told his wife joy to write checks to herself from an account for delinquent property tax collections.

He will report to prison December 6th.

The judge sentence Hogans wife to a year and one day in prison.

She will report January 3rd, Mike Hogan was a Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor in 2019 running on a ticket with state Representative Robert Goforth.

Scams are out of control and the FBI says senior citizens are victimized the most.

And Kentucky's scam reports went from 622 2019 to more than 1500 so far this year and the amount of money last went from less than 2 million to 26 Million.

And according to the attorney general, most of that lost money belonged to seniors.

>> For one scam has increased exponentially during COVID.

I think COVID created the perfect storm for scammers to take advantage of consumers, especially seniors.

We know that just this year alone, Kentucky seniors have reported to our office over 16 million dollars in losses.

>> Senior citizens have become the preferred target.

And there are multiple reasons they have financial savings that they've made.

Social Security veterans benefits, perhaps.

So there's more assets that can be taken.

>> From individuals who are older, younger get to scammed more often.

But they have less money that is lost.

>> The research tells us that about one in.

44 seniors will report when they've been a victim of fraud or scams.

It's under reported, especially by elderly because of the shame.

>> People shouldn't be embarrassed about it.

Everyone can fall for the right thing.

These people are sophisticated.

They've got technology.

This is how they're making their money.

And it's it's been working for the unfortunate thing of financial frauds is that once the money is gone.

>> The money is gone.

>> It's very difficult to prosecute and and track down to the scammers are and one of the key reasons people are scanned in a number of ways they may receive a phone call that appears to be from their bank.

And the caller ID actually shows the name of their bank.

Telephone numbers can be spoofed and quite frankly, what we advise people is if someone calls you, you can never know who you're talking to.

Regardless of what caller ID says, the scammers are very good at their professional.

This is billion dollar industry and they're going to sound like the real deal.

>> I think the key thing is is education because if you can spot a fraud, you can stop a fraud.

>> The way most scams work is they always work on your emotions and they want you to act quickly.

If you get a text message and email or phone call from someone who says you owe money or your bank accounts being compromised.

The best thing you can do is to hang up and actually call your financial institution on your own from a number that you've looked at that, you know, is legitimate to say if you need assistance because there's just no way to know who you're talking to.

Any more follow your gut.

Don't.

>> Be afraid to report.

Don't be afraid to.

>> Question the biggest message we want to get out as we want to tell people to report so we can help them.

You made not likely to get your money back, but the information help someone else.

>> The attorney general's office says that last year investment and romance scams cost seniors the most money.

But identity theft scams were the most common.

2 survivors of the July 4th shooting in Highland Park, Illinois are suing Buds gun shop in Lexington and other companies that sell guns.

According to the Lexington Herald-Leader.

The lawsuit says that buds illegally sold a semiautomatic rifle to the accused gunman.

Robert Crimo.

The victim's attorney says it's illegal for residents of Highland Park to buy assault weapons and buds was negligent to sell one to someone who lives there.

7 people died in that mass shooting and 30 were hurt.

Over half of all suicide deaths in the U.S. occur with a firearm.

A Kentucky lawmaker has a plan to put some distance between a person at risk and the lethal means to take their lives.

State representative Lisa Willner is filing legislation that would have the state create what's called the Kentucky voluntary.

Do not sell firearms list for those 18 and older who are otherwise not barred from owning a firearm.

Their names would then be added to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.

She talked with us yesterday about the bill that's modeled after a Virginia law.

>> The bill would create a list that would be voluntary.

No one would be coerced into signing onto this list.

If someone knows that they're having suicidal thoughts, suicidal impulses that they could put themselves on a list that they could not be sold a firearm.

And I'll tell you, Renee, when I talk to folks in my community, people are very, very concerned about the mental health crisis that we're experiencing right now.

People are very concerned about gun violence and what I think a lot of people don't know is that gun fatality is well, it's very high in Kentucky.

Well, over half of gun fatalities are deaths by suicide.

>> You are a licensed psychologist and I know you've been director of the Kentucky Psychological Association.

So did you consult with other mental health professionals to come up with this idea or how did you arrive that maybe this is a good starting point for the conversation and making it voluntarily.

Our voluntary might make it more politically palatable.

So actually, the state of Virginia has passed a similar bill into law.

It's the law in Virginia.

>> Other states other municipalities have discussed it and I and and frequent contact with folks in the mental health community, mental health advocates as well as other professionals.

And there really is a lot of concern about suicide, ALA t always, but that it seems to be on the rise.

So this was, you know, taking an idea from another state that has been put into law and adapting it for Kentucky's purposes.

And in consultation with suicide prevention experts and consultation with other mental health professionals.

We thought like this would be a very good positive approach saving saving lives.

>> What would be the argument for why this is not the direction Kentucky should go.

>> And you and we see this across the nation that states that have the most to wean and gun laws that get rid of restrictions that get rid of common sense gun regulations have high fatality for both suicide and homicide in Kentucky is certainly in that state.

So I think for some the idea of talking about any limitations on gun ownership.

It even if it's temporary, that could be problematic, can create anxiety.

But I want to emphasize again, this is completely voluntary.

We're not talking about anyone taking away anyone's guns and it's a reversible decision.

If a person were to place him or herself on this list.

21 days later, they can have themselves removed from the list.

So honestly, you talk about a no-brainer.

We can sit here and imagine reasons why people might oppose this.

But I think is people understand what the legislation would do and especially what it would not do.

I think we can come to some good bipartisan agreement on this issue.

>> Representative Boehner's bill would also make it a crime to falsely try to add or remove another person from the registry and it creates protections for those who add their names to the no firearms list from being discriminated against in employment, housing, health care and education.

>> And today's medical news, Kentucky's COVID picture is improving, but COVID is still around.

Today.

People turned out at a COVID booster shot clinic at Consolidated Baptist Church in Lexington.

And it was a packed house.

>> This has been an amazing turnout.

We're going to post 1000 people with by the time the day is over.

We're not able to do walk-ins because the clinic did and then just shows they're still a demand for people and fighting this and trying to slow it down.

Great news in Kentuckyian here in Lexington is that COVID cases are trending downward and we want to KET it that way.

Getting this bivalent booster is a step toward that.

We're in right now with the moderna.

Yes, the demand is outpacing the supply simply because we have about 1000 doses.

And we're going to do close to that today.

We've ordered more and hope to have that available for next week in future weeks.

We have plenty of Pfizer available and that's in the best vaccine is the one that's available to you.

We don't recommend Pfizer versus Moderna one over the other.

Whatever you're comfortable with.

So it's whatever's available.

Get that.

>> If you received your last primary or booster dose more than 2 months ago, you can get the new booster to protect yourself against the original strain.

And the latest variants.

Kentucky needs nurses today.

The Kentucky Hospital Association told lawmakers 22% of hospital nursing positions are now unfilled and the association CEO talked about what the staffing shortage and staffing costs could do to Kentucky men's health.

>> Our our population is more chronic conditions and certainly we need preventive care.

We don't want people to wait to the last minute we're seeing or delay care, actually, since the pandemic.

But at the end of the day, when 80% of the patients in a hospital or on these government programs that are paying less than cost Kentucky, you know, the Medicare program does not pay every state.

The same.

And we're in one of the states that we get paid a lot less than other states get.

And yet we're facing the same labor shortage.

The same, you know, rates for travel nurses, and so that in the hospitals that is not a sustainable model for hospitals, you know, are are very struggling and we're in a state that has a lot of, you know, elderly has lot of people on Medicaid program.

And so we have I'm much more financial strain and then a lot of other states.

>> We're not sure that the young people realize all the different careers that are in the hospital.

There's nurses, there's lab imaging, so many different things.

And there are so many scholarships out there that we think of people don't realize that they also don't you know, the great pay this debt with his review.

I mean, it is is highlighted in reality we're facing every day is hospital leaders is more challenging than it's ever been.

>> And we don't see any light at the end of the tunnel yet for hustles across You know, we try to provide high quality care.

Our communities deserve while struggling.

The skyrocketing cost and have enough professionals by over 5.

That care is continually a challenge.

>> It doesn't matter how many beds the hospital has.

If they're not enough professionals to staff them.

Our hospitals will have no other choice than to reduce services.

And as we've heard and we've seen in other states, sunlight have to close their >> The report says to solve this problem, many hospitals are providing incentives to recruit new professionals and retain the ones currently on the job.

You can see today's full hearing on our website at KET Dot Org.

Slash legislature.

Kentucky's tourism industry now has 75 million dollars in state funds to work with state senator and Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer handed over a ceremonial check today.

He says the money okayed by the Kentucky General Assembly will help Kentucky tourism bounce back after the COVID pandemic.

>> As someone who loves all that Kentucky has to offer, especially our signature and world class horse racing and bourbon industry's.

It is my hope to see our tourism industry thrive once again.

So I was.

The lead.

The charge for 75 million dollars in these arpa funds.

That the General Assembly agreed to do during the most recent budget.

>> Before the pandemic, Senator Thayer said Kentucky's tourism industry generated approximately 12 billion dollars that fell below 9 billion during the pandemic.

♪ >> September is Bourbon Heritage Month.

A time when we can appreciate the multi-billion dollar industry that continues to boom in Kentucky.

One of Kentucky's new U.S. distilleries is a first of its kind.

Kentucky Edition contributor Kelsey Starks introduce us to one of the founders of the Bro Brothers Distillery Kelsey.

>> Well, Renee, you know, there are more than 40 bourbon distilleries all around the Commonwealth bourbons origins date back to before Kentucky was even a common wealth.

>> But in fact, the first black owned distillery just opened in 2020 and Chris Yarbrough, one of the Borough Brothers who opened the Bro Brothers Distillery here 2 years ago is here to tell us a little bit more about it.

Thank you so much for being here.

And honor to me.

You, you and your brothers came up with this idea and now it's a reality.

Take us back to the beginning.

How did that happen?

>> Yes, what?

Thank you, Cassie.

And I'd like to thank Kay Tee for having brought this on.

we are Kentucky's first African American distillery.

It's been a long I would say a short and sweet, but it has been long as sweet.

We have been over since pricey Arbor or master distiller and Kentucky's first black master distiller.

He filled our heritage Burrows in 2020 and we actually became open to the general public in 2021.

And actually, Mayor Fischer declared July 16th program this day here.

So that's something exciting that we haven't really had a chance to announce, but it does come along with with Kentucky's first African American distillery.

>> That >> Great.

And not only the first black owned distillery.

as you mentioned, black master distiller.

>> Why do you think it's taken so long for this?

>> A very big industry here to expand into the black community.

>> Well, I think it's it takes key components out.

Think some people realize.

So with myself, you have Chris Charbonneau.

You have CEO Victor Yarbro Cosio Price Yarborough and Victor Yarbrough.

So he is with say the brains behind the operation.

So his skill set is business and finance and he's been abroad will say for about 12 to 14 years actually in Europe and price Yarbro Kentucky's first black masses seller.

He has chemistry background.

So that is the make up for the Masters silly.

So it takes, I some 3 key components that we have that we're able to put unless I believe that was formed.

I'm so fortunate took this long, but we're excited and we're ready here to just take the torch and take it to a different level.

>> And that you are expanding already.

your main location, though, is in the west and tell us why that's so important to you.

And you say you always be there.

>> Yes, so we want to be a economic anchor formally West and for the community for the city and the state in general.

But that is where we come That's where lineages from Weber taught a lot of gray skills and lessons.

Everything that makes up the brothers.

I believe came from the west and the city of Wuhan said Kentucky, but it's important just to be able to inspire people that look like myself and let them know that there's literally anything in the world that you can't complete.

If you just add a few steps discipline and the process to it and you all are expanding now soon to your day and doing renovations right now.

Yes, yes, yes.

And then expanding.

Yes, we're renovations to the It's going to be exciting year here.

Wrapping up the 2022.

Going to 2023.

We have exciting news for everyone here coming up in fall.

But yes, we're we've been expanding so rapidly is just it was time for just us to kind of just.

Step back and renovate some and just be ready to allow the people that want to support us.

>> And the demand is really there have been surprised by >> Yes, yes, I have actually especially on the islands.

I know mean, Kentucky?

This is the home of Perry.

But the demand for it as side of the state has actually has been.

What's a surprise to most.

But definitely support and the Kentucky support.

It's been phenomenal.

>> And that so how do we get in there and get a taste of of this great guests.

>> So if you not falling us already, please go to for our brothers, our social media brothers, everything, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok Twitter.

You got it off.

Just make sure you follow us for ice and then go to broker this dot com.

And you can just click on the tour's tab or you can just reach out through the direct messages on its social media pages.

And we will be happy to get back to you with that, too.

>> Okay.

That's wonderful.

Well, you are a great addition to Louisville and that we're excited to hear about your big expansion announcement coming up very soon.

So stay tuned to that.

Renee, back to you.

>> Thank you, Kelsey.

And we will KET raising a glass to Bourbon and Bourbon Heritage Month tomorrow.

We'll take you to inside Fresh Bourbon.

Distilling company's new tasting room and Lexington.

♪ Large mural of Ruth Bader Ginsburg went up and one central Kentucky city this month.

It was painted on the side of a building in downtown Winchester and the owner of one of the businesses housed in that building.

So she could not be happier.

She is sharing space with the late U.S. Supreme Court justice.

>> Getting the drive by and see people just stopping in their tracks and staring at it is it's amazing.

>> We originally started the project about 2 years ago and that we're trying to do the hype and she passed away.

And at the time it just wasn't much of it pretty where we were actually approached by square peg.

>> Asking if we would be interested.

They had been looking for somewhere to paint this and had not been able to secure location.

And I talked to our landlord about point painting a mural.

It just worked out perfect that they needed a place to put her.

And we wanted to hear.

>> We wanted something that was coming.

Something the property owner also into the business owner.

we sat down with her for a while and kind of show what might possibly be quiet or even considered a couple of people that this seems like the most perfect fit, either support >> Just meant so much to me.

She really was just a people, a person of the people.

She really fought to make a quality across the board for everyone.

And I think that, you know, being able to honor her, it's a reminder, you know, that.

>> Everybody deserves the same treatment.

And you know, that's that's how we treat everybody that walks and thus far.

I've been asked if it's my grandmother I've been asked, you know, if she's a resident of Clark County, a lot to learn and thought it was like a family member sign passing it.

>> And that that was actually in.

They cite as it came in full detail and we started the brighter around the neck and the Krb.

So they they KET her attachment to the Roe versus Wade and, you know, the Supreme Court returning that.

I expected there to be, you know, some controversy about it.

We have had no negative comments on social media.

I've had no negative comments in the bar, but honestly, I wasn't hesitant about putting it out there.

I was hesitant about the feedback we've at tearful.

>> Responses from some people which is always.

Wonderful to just that.

Happy to see something adding to the community through sounds that's kind of nice to will that come?

You think?

>> That wind up with, you know, our pioneer Festival and Winchester.

So a lot of people got to see it through the foot traffic while they were painting a while it was being rendered and you know, it caused people just opened my door and said, what are they paying?

What's going on?

So we've got to share that with them since the murals been up, the bar has been tagged probably 100% more by people who stopped by the Sea, Ruth and maybe stop by the sea making have a beer.

>> Some of the wind when winds we want to encourage local businesses such as support artists and the community want community support.

Obviously the arts and then also the local businesses.

We have just had so much positive feedback from.

>> Women men.

I think it's, you know, allows people to actually talking celebrate, you know, strong women that work hard in the community every day.

I think it's created a lot of love and I think it's created a lot of good feeling it for everybody that comes into the bar walks past.

>> Square, peg studio and design has created more than 100 murals around.

Can talky.

The Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Merrill is one of 12 in the studios Inspiration series.

Others in the series include Harry Dean Stanton, Tom T Hall and John Prine.

There is plenty to see tomorrow on Kentucky edition, including a chat with Murray State University's president.

And that's in Mammoth Cave.

Plus, an interesting weekend space will talk to an expert about a rocket hitting an asteroid on purpose.

And I once in a lifetime chance to see Jupiter up close.

That's tomorrow on Kentucky Edition, we hope to see you 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central where we inform connect and inspire subscribe to our weekly Kentucky Edition, e-mail news letter and watch full episodes.

It KET Dot Org.

Sure.

Hope I see you again tomorrow night at 6.30.

Until then.

Take really good care.

Have a great night.

♪