♪ ♪ >> we break ground today on the house that Mitch Thames.

>> The Kentucky Republican Party honors its past and looks to its future.

>> School choice will give Kentucky students the best opportunity to succeed.

>> 2 months before Kentuckians vote backers of a school choice amendment are making their case in a new TV ad.

The average person doesn't get up every day thinking that I'm going to be blood today.

>> And why blood supplies should be on your mind, especially now.

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

♪ ♪ Good Evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Friday would made it to the weekend.

It's September.

The 6th.

>> I'm Renee Shaw.

Thank you so much for starting off your weekend with us tonight.

There are new calls for Kentucky State lawmaker to resign.

State Representative Daniel Grossberg has been accused of sexual harassment by multiple women.

According to reporting by the Lexington Herald-Leader, the Legislative Ethics Commission has been investigating the Louisville Democrat for more than a month this morning.

The Louisville Young Democrats, which is an organization Grossberg lead for several years, said resigning as, quote, What is best for our members, our party and our state, the Fayette County young Democrats issued a similar statement saying, quote, Conduct of the kind alleged has no place in our Commonwealth.

Grossberg has denied any wrongdoing.

Today his attorney told the Herald-Leader that Grossberg hasn't sexually harassed anyone adding, quote, his communications with several female peers appear to have been taken out of context for the purposes of media stories in quote, Grossberg is in his first term as a lawmaker and he's unopposed in November's general election.

Former Kentucky prosecutor who admitted to doing favors for criminal defendants in exchange for sex and meth is headed to prison.

Scott Blair pleaded guilty to federal charges back in May.

He was arrested by the FBI in March.

The Herald leader reports Blair was sentenced to 4 and a half years in prison.

He was the commonwealth's attorney for Perry County, a position he was elected to end 2019.

Today.

Congressman Andy Barr of Kentucky's 6th district filed paperwork to put former President Donald Trump's name on the November ballot in Kentucky.

We caught up with him as he stopped by the Kentucky secretary of state's office to make it official.

>> Okay.

This is the certificate of nominations for Donald J. Trump and JD Vance.

From the Republican National Convention.

>> As the chairman of the Donald Trump for President campaign in I'm very honored to have the opportunity to file the official certificate of nominations for Donald Trump and JD Vance here in the Kentucky secretary of state's office.

No doubt a competitive race.

In fact, most of us believe that it's going to come down to 7 states.

North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nevada, in Arizona.

Those are the real battle ground for the White House and the polls are not been talk.

It's a toss up race right now.

I think this debate on Tuesday night is a tremendous opportunity for the trump-vance campaign because finally we will have an opportunity to hold Kamala Harris accountable for her record.

And I think the American people are ready to go back to the policies that really work policies that where we had price stability.

We didn't have 40 year-high inflation policies of a secure southern border.

The policies of a strong U.S. military where we were actually deterring our adversaries and our enemies, policies of that lead the country to energy independence and on the cusp of energy dominance.

That was one of the reasons why we didn't have inflation.

So I think the American people are ready to get back to that.

Get the country back on the right track.

I predict that because of the day inflation crisis because of the open borders because of the fact that the vast majority of Kentuckians think that the country's on the wrong track that Kentucky is going to vote overwhelmingly in 2024.

To make a change and to bring Donald Trump Trump and JD Vance back to the White House to restore that effort to make America great again.

>> And Trump one, President Trump won 63% of the vote in Kentuckyian 2016 62% and 2020.

Yesterday the Republican Party of Kentucky broke ground on its new headquarters in Frankfort.

After 50 years of using a house as headquarters, the party is able to build a new headquarters thanks to more than 3 million dollars from special interest donors and a 2017 change of state law that legalized those donations.

The headquarters is named after the man who's been the state party's leader for more than 40 years.

And many credit for turning Kentucky from blue to red.

>> I'm going to moderation.

I-eighty-four.

We're not wanted single statewide race with the Kentuckyian limits and Senate race in 16 years later found and what?

That's how Billy.

The landscape of.

But I was determined to try to change all that and turned out to be a h*** of a lot cover than I thought it was real debating.

Even my mother like I was going to win it.

>> We break ground today on the house that Mitch built.

And trust that you will hold.

This moniker is one of your greatest honors.

>> It's been a long and winding them bumpy road.

A lot of change in this building.

Not only thing changing political landscape.

I remember walking in this building when there was I saying from assailant, I walk in here whenever space heaters.

Those the 3rd us when work.

I walked in here when there was a portal that back because the plumbing was shuttle.

But one thing that has not changed along the way is the steadfast leadership >> I talked to legislators like myself from other states and guys, most U.S. senators don't come to events like this.

>> But about a pack.

>> That supports state legislators, elections.

In their state capitals.

They don't they don't have U.S. senators to give them advice and resources to help win the race.

And that's just one of the many reasons we are blessed to have Mitch McConnell here in Kentucky.

And it's only appropriate that we're going to continue to build upon the house that much Bill.

This is not just a groundbreaking for a building.

This is a groundbreaking.

>> For the future dominance.

All of our values and our policies in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

>> I couldn't be prouder.

The euro by career.

Look at the Kentucky Republican Party could die.

It's a great experience to watch that.

Grohl and develop over the years.

And for whatever role I played in the Times for the Kaaba months but are really deserve.

A whole lot of deserve credit.

>> Republican Party of Kentucky spokesman Andrew Westbury told the Kentucky Lantern that he was not certain when the project will be completed.

Look for a new biography of Senator McConnell and book stores next month.

Senator McConnell talked about the book as he spoke in Richmond earlier this week.

>> A guy walked into my office.

3 years ago.

He said I'm going to do.

Major biography of your life and career.

He wasn't asking for permission.

Going to do it.

So my reaction was, I said you won't have any trouble finding my enemy.

I love.

But I'd at least like to have an opportunity to refer to some people might have a different point of view.

So I don't know.

I was going to come out.

I haven't read the book.

It's his book, not Mine, but it's coming out in October say that I'm a little bit nervous.

Is to put it mildly because it's sort like you're getting a great if you finish.

I'm not quite finished yet, I'm hoping it turns out well I didn't call it to your attention to try to sell books.

But I just wanted to know that, sir.

Coming up in October my house were.

interested in us out comes up.

>> And so are we.

The name of the book is the price of power.

How Mitch McConnell mastered the Senate changed America and lost his party.

The author is journalist Michael Tackett.

The book is expected, as you heard to be released in October.

Time now for and week wrap-up of the major political news of the Week.

And we have our phase with us.

Bob Babbage Trey Grayson.

>> Good to see you, gentlemen.

Thank you all.

Hear more and more which is going oh, no.

Basking, right?

Nobody's complaining.

Okay.

Because you made news this week.

Mister Trey Grayson and a story about Charles Booker's 2022.

Failed run for U.S. Senate against Rand Paul that which he was beat.

What 25 points.

>> He still owes like $130,000 or the campaign owes that much.

>> How unique or rare is that this far out?

>> It is pretty rare.

You know, most folks, most campaigns when there's dead, if usually because somebody ridge, Rand lent the money as opposed to giving the money and then they lose, they can't really raise it back.

But it is unusual to have that high of a figure this far out the challenges he lost.

So he's not exactly somebody the folks are, you know, want to be a lot of money, too.

You know, I was I think the quote that was in the story was when I you know, when I ran, I was really I was paying attention.

That stuff.

I was being a candidate, but it's a lot of money.

And you hire people.

So that that doesn't happen because ultimately, even though you're not legally obligated, you're morally obligated, you know, to those to those vendors, to the FAMU, hard to get you out the it wasn't his money he owns, you know, >> consulting firm rights and right to several different groups of has money to have a little bit.

It looks bad.

It was really bad.

And if he tries to run for something again, setting aside whether somebody want to work for many want to dance.

But it's a campaign issue.

You can't you can't budget camp.

You know that kind of thing.

And so the political it's a problem for him.

Yeah.

What do you think Bob of will experience in this area?

All of us tracking campaigns and your way.

And so you.

>> If you borrow or you overspend or you're over again and then.

Mueller's a chance of getting that back.

It's hard work.

Imagine going out to raise $130,000 now to try to pay that debt off impossible.

>> Is he responsible to pay that back as an individual?

I don't think he is OK.

So the campaign still has to.

>> Yeah, the dead of a campaign that he didn't.

If you put money, if you'd given the campaign money for taking a loner with a guaranteed alone, I think if you personally guaranteed allowed to be live, look at the banking, right?

That's a banking role.

Not an FCC rule.

>> Yeah, all of that.

But there is some moral aspect to leaving folks that pay.

Yeah, absolutely.

>> The school choice amendment.

So this is the big the issue, the big ballot thang item in Kentucky because the congressional races are kind of locked up state legislative races.

Some could be interesting, but we don't expect big shifts.

Fair.

Judicial races may be interesting, but the question here is going to be real interesting and there's already in ad that's out that is Apro amendment to add.

Let's take a look.

>> The public schools more I wanted to to make a difference and help children in states that have had maturing school choice programs, their founding profound benefits in the public school students have higher test scores and there's lower suspension rates and those benefits are really for families, low-income students, that competition just elevates results for everyone.

School choice will give Kentucky students the best opportunity to succeed vote yes on amendment 2 for educational Freedom.

Protect Freedom PAC is responsible for the content of this advertising.

>> So Bob Babbage, what do you think when you have a current public school teacher, a public school teacher who was the front person saying yes to amendment 2.

That's pretty persuasive.

Is it not?

>> It is a persuasive that it's on early.

But it's an advantage to the yes campaign between the U.S. and I know they're going to be a lot of push on this issue all the way through and quite the talk and discussion.

Hopefully bring the value on education that it deserves.

>> Yeah.

And there's the attorney general, of course, has already weighed in and told a public school districts what you can and cannot do right.

And then others are also curious about how much they can advocate for this.

But, you know, it's happening then.

We had the 6th Circuit Court appeals to county political parties could way and the >> fresh election finance said you can't weigh in on a ballot question.

You could only way a non partisan political activity and the court federal court said no counties can do that.

My my home county been a couple other Republican County does want to spend money and support of issue too.

You know, I think issues folks have and have had an easier argument, you know, public dollars for public education.

That's a pretty succinct message.

Yes, but it's a little bit more complicated.

They needed this conversation to start.

And this is a good opening argument.

I think the public school teacher is it is effective.

And, you know, it'll be a chance for voters to get educated on this issue, decide what they want to.

Yeah.

How much money do you think is going to be millions millions?

Yeah.

I mean, between 5 and 10 probably combine to agree with that.

Bob.

>> The constitutional amendment that could happen to be unprecedented for sure.

Yeah.

So a lot of the Democrats in the House KET making news.

>> So we have we have one a Louisville Democrat who got busted on DUI.

We have Daniel Grossberg who was the story that keeps on giving Louisville Democrat.

We've got the young Democrats of the 2 largest cities, Louisville in Fayette County, Lexington saying he should resign immediately.

Should he resign immediately go of the credit party chair for >> It's different problem.

Attic and here is the court system takes a lot of hearing and that kind of stuff.

It's court of public opinion.

Convenes immediately and has including Governor Andy Beshear, who made the recommendation that he ought to consider resigning.

I don't imagine he wants just council is saying do that right now and she's very effective.

But it's it's a long road to go through this for anybody anywhere in the reality is he's running unopposed this fall.

If you are 2 years a long time for now for the next election, even if you're losing a primary in that district is pretty solidly Democratic.

So will be a primary.

>> Race.

You know what, if more than one run against him, even if he were to lose and he's he's there for a while.

I think one thing that's changed and politics are well to the related to one is the speed about talked about the speed at which this stuff gets out and happens.

So that's one change.

But the second changes we used to see more people stepped down when things started happening.

More people are willing to hang around.

See if they can ride it out or went on a technicality.

I don't know that that's serving politics very well because one of the challenges is in America right now is people the politicians are crooks.

In the system's crooked and rigged.

And when politicians don't do the right thing.

Don't step down when they make a mistake.

Don't apologize, don't resign.

One that's honorable, but stick around.

Like it reinforces some of these positions.

I feel badly for the other 137 folks in Frankfort because grossberg behaviors impact the alleged behavior is impacting what people think about them and their ability to do their job.

And at some point elected officials and politicians need to think about the greater good and not just the person, the mayor and the woman from all of the house with 2 DUIs.

That's serious as well.

Yeah, very, very serious for anybody.

>> Every employer thinks about that.

Every family thinks about the U.S. then a significant issue for.

It's a good, 40 years these things have to be dealt with.

As effectively as you can and we're waiting to see what happens in both these cases.

♪ ♪ >> As Kentucky's dry spell continues, more towns and counties have banned outdoor burning more in tonight's look at whether news first, let's look at the current drought map released yesterday.

Light oranges, moderate drought, yellow is abnormally dry.

Western Kentucky was normal.

According to the map 2 weeks ago.

Now, this is an updated list of the Kentucky towns and counties under a burn ban generally under a burn ban.

It's illegal to burn grass leaves and debris campfires and bonfires are also banned along with open pit cooking and charcoal grilling.

It's been one year of legalized sports betting in Kentuckyian Governor Andy Beshear says the first year exceeded expectations.

Sports betting became legal last September.

The governor says from September 2023 to the end of June of this year, which is the end of the state's fiscal year.

Kentucky made more than 37 million dollars in taxes and licensing fees.

And he says after that in July, the state made another 2 million dollars because of betting on the Olympics.

The governor says October November and December appear to be the big months for betting because of college and pro football in baseball playoffs, basketball and hockey.

All overlapping.

He says March is also big because of the NCAA basketball tournament.

Kentucky faces a blood shortage and what you can do about it.

And tonight, look at medical news.

The American Red Cross declared a national blood shortage in August.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear says it's a problem in this state to and he's urging people to give yesterday during the governor's weekly news conference, the CEO of the American Red Cross for the Kentucky region said this is something that should concern every body.

The average person doesn't get up every day thinking that I'm going to need blood today.

>> But every 2 seconds in this country, somebody needs life-saving product and lifesaving blood.

And unfortunately, you have a lot of situations that could be trauma.

Could be a car accident.

It could be on chronic disease.

Something like sickle cell, as the governor mentioned, could be cancer.

Patients going through chemotherapy.

And if that blood is not on the shelves, there is a risk.

There is a risk to our citizens right here in Kentucky.

As the governor mentioned, there are some sobering statistics on what has happened to the blood supply within the last couple of months.

The blood supply since July.

The first is down by 25%.

And when that happens, there's not blood on the shelves to go ahead and provide the life-saving products and this situation ripples through healthcare.

It ripples through the whole entire cest over the last 20 years.

The blood supply is down by about 40% and number of donors presenting are down by 40%.

That assist to stick that we simply must reversed.

And Kentucky is not immune from that statistic.

Those same time demographics and same issues play out here with the over 80,000 units of blood that the Red Cross collects every year here in Kentucky.

Blood cannot be manufactured.

You can't be stored for long periods of time.

And that means that we have to constantly and consistently get people to give the gift of life and to roll up their sleeves.

>> The governor says he and first Lady Britainy Beshear will roll up their sleeves and donate blood at the Capitol next Thursday.

September.

12th and he's urging other people to sign up to give by going to Governor DOT K Y dot Gov.

Slash give blood.

As we age.

We often hear the phrase get your affairs in order and we will help you do that Monday night.

We'll talk about everything from living Wills, medical directives trusts what it means to have a power of attorney medical power of attorney.

All those terms you here, but may not quite understand.

We're going to sort it out as part of Katie's next chapter initiative.

We're having a viewer driven Colin program.

We'll take your questions about the legal and financial issues we face at end of life and the planning we should all do to give us all and our families, peace of mind.

It's never too early to start that conversation.

And you can started by tuning in Monday night at 8 Eastern 7 central for end of life and estate planning Colin Akt forum and get your questions answered by experts.

It is must-see TV.

♪ ♪ >> Now here's a survey that's sure to start some arguments wallet hub looked at all 50 states to decide which ones were the most fun.

Well, Kentucky didn't do so well.

The survey looked at movie theaters, restaurants and golf cart courses per capita the nightlife, national parks, weather and more Kentucky finished 42nd on the list was law.

Our neighbor, West Virginia was last.

Another neighbor, Tennessee, really was middle at 25th Florida and California were number one.

And number 2, the creators of the survey can see that everyone's definition of fine is different and that we agree upon.

Now we're about to prove wallet hub wrong.

There's fun on the agenda all across this great state this weekend and beyond from possums to butterflies.

Our Toby Gibbs has it all and miss.

Look at what's happening around the Commonwealth.

>> Tomorrow morning as the brothers run 3 K race through beautiful Versailles.

This run or walk races along paved park trails.

So it's a great race for runners of all abilities.

Race proceeds support adolescent mental health services in schools.

Come on out for a great cause.

The 3rd annual fastest tomorrow.

And Cumberland.

This weird and wonderful party celebrates everyone's favorite mysterious marsupial.

Enjoy inflatables.

Tasty treats and array of unique goods to shop from grab your posse and head to PA some fast.

If you prefer monarchs to marsupials.

Check out the annual butterfly festival in Oak Grove.

There's lots of family-friendly activities happening.

But you don't want to miss the main event.

The release of over 1800 live butterflies.

Come be a part of this migration celebration.

>> Water faster 2024 at the Louisville Zoo is another great way to commemorate the autumn migration.

Is it the Maine Plaza during the next week to learn all about butterflies interact with also displays and take up a take-home craft.

If you have burning questions about butterflies, this is a great place to ask book.

Nature, art and music.

Make a great combination.

And the symphonic stroll in Frankfort is the perfect immersive evening of all 3 light-filled musicians will be paired with sculptures throughout Josephine Sculpture.

Park and Lexington Ballet.

Dancer's will make special appearances that the space as well explore at your own pace and enjoy.

If you're looking for exceptional art, Kentucky, proud products and fall plants for sale.

You don't want to miss the Waveland Art.

Fair.

This weekend stroll the grounds of Lexington's Beautiful State Park and leave with a new favorite piece of local art.

Over 100 bands are heading to Morehead next weekend for the Poppy Mountain Bluegrass Festival.

And you want to meet them there.

What better place to experience the spirit of bluegrass and the Kentucky hills in Morehead, exciting lineup for drawing big crowds.

Make sure you grab a ticket and that's what's happening around the commonwealth.

I'm told to get this.

>> Thank Youto Gibson take that wallet hub.

Well, we hope you all have a great weekend to common.

Come back here on Monday for Kentucky Edition because we start our road to war and northern Kentucky, folks who live there, you'll be especially interested in next week's program.

We're on the road there where we will be just across the river from Cincinnati.

We had stories from Florence, Covington, Newport and other places.

We hope you'll join us for that throughout the week next week here on Kentucky EDITION, which will see you again for 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central.

We inform connect and inspire.

Connect with us all the ways you see on your screen, Facebook X and Instagram and send us a story idea.

Email you see on your screen.

>> Thanks again for watching this week.

We'll see you next week when we're up in northern Kentucky.

Until then, have a great weekend to come and take good care summit.

♪