November 17, 2025

Congressman Thomas Massie talks about Republicans who could join Democrats to vote for the Epstein files' release and responds to President Donald Trumps criticism of his recent wedding, a community conversation about the Bowling Green’s growth goes nationwide, and  we pay a visit to the most populated city in Eastern Kentucky that’s also in the running for the "best cityscape" in the nation.

Episode Transcript

(00:05):
>> Dogs
>> don't bark at parked cars
and we are winning. I'm not
tired of winning yet, but we're
winnings and mask. And thank
you for being here.
>> A Congressman Thomas Massie
looked ahead to the Epstein
files boat and he talks about
President Trump's criticism
of his recent wedding.
He asked me to come up to more
lingering to actually see what

(00:28):
was going on.
>> What began as a community
conversation here in Kentucky
now goes nationwide.
>> We had that little voice in
the back of your head saying
maybe I should get that checked
out. That would be something I
would encourage them to do.
>> What can you do to find a
type of cancer that's hard to
detect until it's too late.

(00:49):
>> For some of these were all
counties in this area, if you
don't get to experience quality
performing arts, that's an
experience that can't be
replicated in not need to be
preserved.
>> We'll take a trip to
Northeast Kentucky where one
city is setting the stage for
arts, entertainment and
history.

(01:10):
>> Production of Kentucky
Edition is made possible in
part by the KET Millennium
Fund.
♪
♪
>> Good Evening and welcome
to Kentucky EDITION for this

(01:31):
Monday, November, the 17th,
I'm Chrissy Dan filling in for
Renee Shaw. Thank you so much
for joining us.
In another reversal, President
Donald Trump now says House
Republicans should vote in
favor of releasing the Jeffrey
Epstein files posting on social
media last night. President
Trump said, quote, We have

(01:51):
nothing to hide and it's time
to move on from this Democratic
hoax perpetuated by radical
left lunatics in order to
deflect from the great success
of the Republican Party.
Trump campaigned on the idea of
releasing files and the years
old sex trafficking
investigation into Epstein.
Shortly after taking office for

(02:12):
his second term. He's fought
against releasing the files,
going against many in his own
party. His sudden shift comes
as the House prepares to vote
tomorrow on a bill that would
force the Justice Department to
release all files and
communications related to
Epstein. If it passes the
House, the bill would move on
to the U.S. Senate and it's not
clear what would happen there.

(02:36):
Congressman John Thomas Massie,
a Republican from Kentucky's
4th district is one of the
leaders of the movement to
release the Epstein files.
He appeared on ABC Sunday about
how many Republicans could join
Democrats to vote for the files
released.
I think we could have a deluge
of Republicans. There could be
100 or more. I'm hoping to get

(02:56):
a veto proof majority on this
legislation when it comes up
for a vote. And, you know, the
president's been saying this is
a hoax. He's been saying that
for months.
>> Well, these just now decided
to investigate a hoax. It's a
hoax. And I have another
concern about these
investigations that he's
announced. If they have ongoing
investigations in certain
areas, those documents can't be

(03:18):
released. So this might be a
big smoke screen. These
investigations to open a bunch
of them to as a last ditch
effort to prevent the release
of the Epstein files. I mean,
it is extraordinary to demand
an investigation and only
mention Democrats only mention
his political opponents, but
you're saying it doesn't really
you may not leave want any
investigation. He wants to

(03:40):
prevent the release.
>> Why does he want to prevent
this? What does he what is he
afraid of?
>> You know, I've never said
that these files will implicate
Donald Trump. And I really
don't think that they will.
I think he's trying to protect
a bunch of rich and powerful
friends, billionaires, donors
to his campaign friends and his

(04:02):
social circles then die.
That's my operating theory on
why he's trying so hard to KET
these files closed. What do
you think is actually in these
files? And we've seen so much.
>> Epstein material from the
criminal case is the stuff that
just came out this week.
You know, from the estate.
What do you think his last?
>> Yeah, I don't have to guess

(04:23):
it once in the files of talk to
the survivors through their
lawyer and we know they they're
at least 20 people in those
files, their politicians,
billionaires, movie producers
who are implicated criminally
who haven't been investigated
and it's up to the FBI, not the
survivors and the DOJ to
release those names or at least
to investigate them. And when I

(04:43):
see Donald Trump announced a
bunch of investigations, I
don't see him going after these
Rich believes that are
implicated in these files,
according to the survivors.
>> That's the also talked about
Trump's criticism of him after
his recent wedding Massey just
married a former staffer of
Senator Rand Paul and a truth.

(05:05):
Social Post. The president said
Massey's wife will discover
she's married to a loser.
Massey says he's taking the
criticism with a grain of salt.
He says Trump is just being
a bully and that Trump is
probably just mad. He wasn't
invited to the wedding.
Congressman Andy Barr, a
Republican from Kentucky's 6th
district, appeared on FOX News

(05:27):
over the weekend bar talked
about his campaign for the U.S.
Senate and his continued
support for President Trump.
We're surging in the polls were
the only campaign in the
Republican primary where we're
actually growing in the polls.
The other.
>> Candidates are either stuck
in the basement are declining
in their support. And the
reason is that they recognize

(05:48):
that and they appreciate the
Republicans of Kentucky.
Appreciate the fact that I was
chairman of President Trump's
campaign in 2024. In
Kentuckyian that, you know,
these other candidates like to
talk about supporting President
Trump. I'm actually doing it
every single day in the
Congress supporting his agenda
and Kentucky. Republicans don't
want to lose in points in the
United States Senate and they

(06:09):
see that you've got a proven
winner with me and someone who
can hit the ground running on
day one and doesn't need
on-the-job training.
>> And a poll conducted about a
month ago former Attorney
General Daniel Cameron led bar
39 to 22%. Nate Morris was in
3rd place with 8% of the vote.
The poll was from coefficient

(06:33):
polling. Well, it appears the
snap. Our food stamps program
is getting back to normal and
Kentucky on Saturday, Governor
Andy Beshear announced the
federal government had given
Kentucky approval to fully fund
SNAP benefits. The governor
said SNAP recipients would
begin seeing benefits loaded
on their cards. Governor
Beshear praised the state
workers who worked through the

(06:55):
night to process SNAP benefits.
The Trump administration paused
snap on November first a month
after the federal government
shutdown began, the shutdown
ended last week after 43 days
on the 600,000 Kentuckians
receive SNAP benefits.
We have previously covered the

(07:17):
efforts of what could be JB
the digital town hall collected
ideas and see and conversation
to help Bowling Green prepare
for growth over the next 25
years. That dialogue has
inspired a new nationwide
survey. Rodgers was there as
organizers gathered in Bowling
Green to explain the process.

(07:39):
>> There's a tremendous degree
of this is an opportunity to
use technology to sell its
get opinions from everybody
across the country. That's
that's reflected.
>> Of the national mood, not
just individual moves.
>> That opportunity is called
we the people a focus group
of around 2500 Americans
representing every
congressional district and the

(08:01):
United States. We have.
>> You a really great national
conversation. It's never
happened before 5 people from
every congressional district,
public opinion pollster Scott
Rasmussen says the participants
were chosen at random, but we
made sure that the overall
national sample was
representative in terms of
gender age race, political
party, education, all the

(08:23):
things that you would normally
consider.
>> It was inspired by the work
of Google's jigsaw division
on what could be GB, wanting
to use the same platform for a
national conversation. We're
going to ask about America's
future. Just like Bowling
Green's, forward-looking
approach. It launched in
September. Among the
discussions first brought an
open ended questions. What does

(08:45):
freedom mean to you? We
collected over a million words
from people in terms of their
views on freedom and equality.
Jigsaw takes those words in
uses artificial intelligence to
prompt more input. And what in
your own life experiences help
to get to that point?
Participants then get to see
and react to what others had
to say with the goal of finding

(09:05):
common ground. When you begin
to realize that way, you know,
you and I may start in
different places, but we at
least have some common ideals.
Then you can have a
conversation. Many say we need
more civil discourse.
>> As political divisions grow
deeper, running a country and
open democracy is a difficult
thing to do. But as things we
have to, we have to get it

(09:25):
right. Congressman Brett
Guthrie pointing out the
regional differences in
America's.
>> 435 congressional districts.
Lawmakers elected to represent
their constituents back at home
to get people in.
>> A Queens, New York people in
Los Angeles, California, people
in in the South Central
Kentucky, people, Wyoming, that
that everybody has different
perspective in on some places

(09:46):
that wide open land, big spaces
and some people are and, you
know, represent neighborhoods.
>> He's hopeful this initiative
can get a better look at the
consensus of the country as a
whole. The conversation will
continue into 2026. We're going
to be talking about what is the
American dream today. It will
lead to a final report for
America's 200 50th birthday

(10:08):
on July 4th of next year.
We're hopeful that when the
Tricentennial comes, even
though I won't be around for
it.
>> Historians then will reach
back and be able to capture
this snapshot of America at
this point in time.
>> And that snapshot may show
we have much more in common
than we realize for Kentucky
edition. I'm Laura Rogers.

(10:28):
Thank you. Laura Insights from
the first conversation will
be released soon.
>> At we the people hyphen 2,
5, 0 dot org. You can also
learn more and sign up for
updates on the website.
There's a new development in
the Breonna Taylor shooting
case 5 years after her death
in Louisville, according to the
Term Courier Journal, the

(10:49):
Department of Justice wants
former Louisville police
Detective Brett Hankinson
released from federal prison
while he appeals earlier this
year. The Justice Department
recommended Hankison spend one
day in prison. A judge ignored
that recommendation and
sentence Hankison to 33 months
in prison for firing shots

(11:10):
during the 2020 raid that
killed Taylor. The raid was
part of a drug investigation,
but police didn't find any
drugs in Taylor's apartment.
It's unclear when the 6 Circuit
Court of Appeals will schedule
arguments in Hankison's appeal.
The Republican Party of
Kentucky is expanding quite
literally. Over the weekend,

(11:32):
the party held a ribbon cutting
for its headquarters into
expansion in Frankfort, U.S.
Senator Mitch McConnell for
which the building is named was
on hand for the ceremony.
♪
♪

(11:55):
In November. Is pancreatic
cancer Awareness Month. And
now there's a new tool in the
fight against pancreatic
cancer. I recently sat down
with the first and only
physician in Kentucky to
perform this life changing
treatment. More in today's
medical news

(12:16):
>> Doctor William Evans is here
from Norton Healthcare. So Dr
Evans, why is pancreatic cancer
so hard to treat and so hard
to hear? Why is it so deadly?
>> That's a great question.
It's because pancreatic cancer
is diagnosed so late. That has
to do with the anatomy of the

(12:37):
pancreas. It is an organ that
is deep in the abdominal cavity
delivers on top of it. The
stomachs in front of it and
surrounding the pancreas or
number of vital organs. And so
patients don't have symptoms
until this tumor has actually
grown and spread locally and
affected some of those
important blood vessels or even

(12:59):
travel to the liver. So that's
what makes it so hard. Is that
symptoms come on so late.
And by the time they're there,
it's already spread to areas
where doing surgery to cure.
It is not an option.
>> Wow. So a silent most yes,
as it gets started. So when
there are symptoms, what are
they are there in the early

(13:20):
symptoms?
>> There?
>> Some when you talk to and
I've talked to my patients with
pancreatic cancer, we can go
back. And in hindsight, the
most common thing is going to
be a vague upper gnawing at
dominant discomfort and a lot
of patients wish they would
have pursued a little bit
harder. So I would encourage

(13:41):
people that if they have a
persistent pain, more likely
after they eat, it's not enough
to where he even most patients
would say I need to go to are
immediate care center or the
emergency room. But something
that just doesn't feel right.
You have that little voice in
the back of your head saying
maybe I should get that checked
out. That would be something I
would encourage them to do.

(14:02):
Patients in their 20's 30's,
probably not going to need to
do that. But patients 50 and
above. That's when those are
the ones that really want to
pay attention to it. Other
things are going to be a little
decrease of appetite,
unexplained weight loss.
And one of the bigger things
that I'd like to let people

(14:23):
know about is patients who are
in their 6th 7006th decade.
So light life and they have new
onset diabetes. They are not
obese, but somebody says, well,
you might have diabetes that
can be an early detector of a
pancreatic cancer. Okay.
I had never heard that before.
You.
>> Okay. So is there any way to
reduce our risk of developing

(14:44):
pancreatic cancer? Anything we
can do?
>> Yes, yes, I think the most
important thing is knowing your
family history and that and not
just for pancreatic cancer,
but any cancers that run in the
family, grandparents, mom dead
ants on calls and the more
cancers that tend to run in
the family. Multiple

(15:05):
generations. I would inquire
with your primary care doctor
to get genetic testing.
There are different genetic
mutations that increase
people's risk for pancreatic
cancer. So if they have a
family history of different
cancers, they get genetic
testing. They have a certain
gene after malady that's going

(15:26):
to increase their risk of
pancreatic cancer and we can
start really thinking about
those other risk factors.
They may have think about their
symptoms. And when we get a
good screening program are
screening test, we can get him
involved in that.
>> Okay. We'll talk about
advancements in this field and
you're the first position to

(15:47):
bring a procedure to Kentucky.
Yeah, it during health care.
Talk about what that is it and
how it helps patients. Sure.
>> It's called endoscopic
ultrasound radiofrequency
ablation, which is a very big
complex were out for. It is
a mouthful. So what it is, it's

(16:07):
an outpatient procedure, not
surgery. It's an in docks P
procedure, meaning we use a
flexible scope that once
patients are completely asleep
with anesthesia, it goes into
the mouth. The scope goes to
the stomach and small bow.
And with that scope is attached
to little ultrasound probe.
Ultrasound is simply sound
waves that bounce off tissue.

(16:30):
And with that ultrasound probe,
I can visualize the pancreas
and examine it in its entirety.
I can look at the other
structures in the area, the
liver, the gallbladder,
et cetera. This in just got the
culture sound was used
initially when I I had my
training, we would use a needle
and past that needle into

(16:50):
different tumors to get tissue
or a biopsy and make the
diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.
Well, as medical technology
has evolved the same needle
now has a stainless steel tip
and through that tip, we can
deliver high energy
electricity, kalb
radiofrequency ablation, which

(17:12):
is kind of like cooking or
microwaving the tumor from the
inside. That has a really good
effect. Okay. It's not a cure,
but but it helps significantly.
Yes, a lot of studies have
shown that no, this is
absolutely not a cure. Iran.
>> We do this along with
standard treatments in patients

(17:32):
who have pancreatic cancer that
have been diagnosed. We are not
doing it on patients that may
become surgical candidates down
the road. But those that are
unfortunately not surgical
candidates for a cure. They're
undergoing chemotherapy.
Those are the ones we want to
offer in this Catholic Ultra

(17:54):
sound, too. what it does is
it decreases the tumor size in
over half of the patients that
decrease in the tumor size can
help with their pain. As well
as what we call their
performance status, though,
overall well-being, their
degree of fatigue, nausea,
weight loss, maybe even improve
their appetite. And a couple
of studies have shown that it

(18:14):
does increase survival rates.
Okay.
>> Dr Evans, thank you so much
for your time for being here.
Thank you for having me.
>> Pancreatic cancer remains
one of the most challenging
cancers to treat.
>> With many patients diagnosed
at an advanced stage. It's also
the 3rd leading cause of cancer

(18:35):
death in the U.S..
Well, it is a good week to roll
up your sleeves and give blood.
This is the 38 in more big Blue
crush.
>> In a real competition
between the Kentucky Blood
Center and a blood center in
Tennessee. Most donor centers
are open from 09:00AM to
06:00PM and you're encouraged
to make an appointment. But
walk-ins will be accepted as

(18:58):
space allows Kentucky has won
3 straight times and leads the
series. 22 to 14 with one tie.
Donors will receive a white
long sleeve T-shirt while
supplies last.
♪
It's the most populated city in

(19:18):
eastern Kentuckyian it's also
in the running for the best
cityscape in the nation.
Ashland, Kentucky, which is
located in Boyd County, is
making strides to attract
downtown businesses and bring
in more visitors.
Our Emily Sisk pay the city a
visit for tonight segment of
Monday's on Maine.

(19:40):
Ashlyn Kentucky of the Mid 20th
Century was known for its
industries like steel oil and
the railroad.
>> Today the city is home to
around 21,000 people, Ashton's
mayor said its downtown
businesses and even its art
pieces pay homage to the city's
heritage. We've become.

(20:01):
>> From an industrial focus to
more medical more service
related and it's becoming a
shopping location. And for
restaurants. Downtown Ashland
boasts around 35 local within a
few blocks.
>> And right in the middle is
the Paramount Arts Center.
It opened in 1931 and was owned

(20:22):
by none other than the
Paramount Pictures. Film
company. The idea was
Paramount. Pictures wanted to
make a quality arts
organization. I building to
House the arts organization in
every single state in the
United States. They picked the
location of each Paramount Arts
center based off what city they
thought was going to thrive.
And because we're on the river
and the steel industry, coal

(20:44):
industry.
>> They thought that we could
become something like Savannah,
Georgia or something like that
because of the Great
Depression. Paramount Pictures
had to stop construction after
finishing around a dozen of
its theaters. That might not
have worked out for Paramount
Pictures, but it definitely
worked out for Ashland, right
where over 90 years and to
having this beautiful,
beautiful building in our
tri-state, even if you've never

(21:04):
stepped inside the Paramount
Arts Center, you might have
seen it before as the location
for a famous music
video. Probably.
>> The most notable Billy Ray
Cyrus did his achy Breaky Heart
video and the pair met. You can
see them beginning with the
marquee up.
>> Today the Art Center hosts
Concerts, theater, productions

(21:25):
and festivals and UK shunned
director Matt Hammond said the
Paramount serves more than
50,000 students each year.
>> My favorite thing about
watching kids coming here as
they block in, they look up and
for some of these rural
counties in this area, you
don't get to experience quality
performing arts. So far.
I think the most expensive
ticket we have for an
educational show. This here is

(21:45):
$10. That's an experience that
can't be replicated in not need
to be preserved.
>> Preservation of local
history is what the Highlands
Museum and Discovery Center is
all about located just a couple
blocks down from the Paramount,
the museum showcases the
history of the tri-state.

(22:06):
>> And we do country music
industry. We to clothing and
textiles. There's also an
interactive space for little
ones. The my favorites is
actually wanted to grandparents
bringing a child because we
have the the child, the
children's area for the kids.
But then grandpa can say, OK,
well, now we're going to go
look at the exhibit about pump
laser because he was over
Ashlynn oil. And that's

(22:27):
something I remember.
>> The museum curator said some
people in town are still
discovering the attraction,
but she believes it brightens
up the downtown scene. I hear
from people all the time.
They had no idea it was here.
They had no idea. There was
something like this in Ashland
and there are many other sites
to see from the river ports to
an old arcade. We have the

(22:48):
arcade, which is down here in
Winchester.
>> It's the small in Kentucky.
It's going to celebrate it 100
here next year. We have 3
statues that were actually
donated to the city that
really.
A lot of our history and how

(23:09):
we were connected to still
making. And they're the
largest, as I understand, the
statues of that type on a river
port. You can find in there.
They're gorgeous.
>> For Celeste to comes, the
executive director of visit
AK Why it's her mission to
bring in folks from all over to
see Ashland and maybe find
their new home. Of course, we
want them to come in and tore
here and be here. But how

(23:29):
awesome would it be if they
fell in love with it and came
back in state? What we have
here is something special.
I truly believe that.
>> For Kentucky edition, I'm
Emily Sisk.
>> Thank you, Emily. It is
special this weekend, the
Paramount Arts Center kicks
off its annual festival of
trees and trains. It's a
holiday fundraiser that
supports the historic arts

(23:50):
center and get this Ashland
has the second largest festival
of trees in the entire country.
♪
♪
As expected University of
Louisville moves up and
University of Kentucky move

(24:11):
down in the new Associated
Press men's basketball poll
which came out this afternoon.
More tonight in this. Look at
sports.
The Cardinals beat the
Wildcats, 96 to 88 last Tuesday
in Louisville with the win,
Louisville moved up from 12th
to 6th and Kentucky dropped
from 9th place to 12th. And

(24:32):
if you wanted to know Purdue
is number one in this week's
poll.
Only one vice president of the
United States married while
in office. And he was from
Kentucky and meet the man who
put the Clark in Clark County.
Our Toby Gibbs has more in
this. Look back at this week

(24:52):
in Kentucky history.
♪
>> Explorer and Revolutionary
War General George Rogers,
Clark, namesake of Clark
County, was born November 19th
17. 52 in Virginia. His
leadership during the American
Revolution led to his nickname
Conquer of the old Northwest.

(25:14):
Only one U.S. vice president
has married while in office,
Kentucky, an album Barkley,
a widower. Mary Jane Hadley
on November 18th 1949. Barkley
was 71 at the time.
Another vice President George
HW Bush. This isn't like Sinton

(25:36):
on November. 18th 1985, the
dedicated Lucille Park are
marquee cancer center at the
University of Kentucky.
November 18th 1967, U.S.
Supreme Court Justice William
O Douglas, let a 5 mile hike
through the cliff. The
wilderness area to show
opposition to the proposed
damming of the Red River Gorge.
He'd been invited by the Sierra

(25:58):
Club is hike help stall the
project. And in 1993, the area
was named a national wild and
Scenic River.
>> Lexington's Phoenix Hotel
was demolished November 17,
1981 businessman and future
Governor Wallace. Wilkinson
plan to build the World Call
Center skyscraper there.
But that never happened today.
The site is on the Park Plaza

(26:18):
Apartments and Phoenix Park.
And that's what was going on
this week in Kentucky. History.
I'm told he gives.
>> Thank you to the gives.
And thank you so much for
joining us. Have a good
evening.
♪