November 3, 2025

A look back at the legacy of Kentucky's only female governor, the Trump administration says it will partially fund SNAP, how communities are stepping up to help feed Kentuckians, and Congressman Massie remarries.

Episode Transcript

(00:09):
>> Education and economic
development because I think
they're the key to everything.
>> A look back at the legacy of
Kentucky's 56th governor.
>> The uncertainty is real and
the fear is growing.
>> How one of the state's
largest cities is responding to
concerns about Snap benefits
and food insecurity.

(00:30):
>> They usually don't mix like
this, so it's a great
opportunity for them to learn
from each other and hear each
other's goals.
>> How young men are learning
to navigate life as a student
athlete.
>> I am able to use my voice to
share my story, but many people
don't have that privilege.
>> And this year's Miss
Kentucky is making history.

(00:52):
Hear how she's using her own
story to change the lives of
children in foster care.
>> Production of Kentucky
Edition is made possible in
part by the KET Millennium Fund.

(01:15):
>> Good evening and welcome to
Kentucky Edition for this
Monday, November the 3rd. The
start of a brand new week. I'm
Renee Shaw, and we thank you
for joining us this evening.
Flags were at half staff today
in honor of former Kentucky
Governor Martha Layne Collins,
the state's first and only
female governor. Collins died
on Saturday. She was 88 years

(01:37):
old. Tonight, our Toby Gibbs
looks back at her legacy to the
Commonwealth.
>> She came from a little town?
No stoplight.
>> Martha Layne Collins was
born Martha Hall on December
7th, 1936, in the town of
Bagdad in Shelby County. Her
family moved to Shelbyville
when she was in the sixth grade.

(01:58):
Her father became a funeral
director. She believed that
background shaped her.
>> I'm proud I keep referring
to my roots in Bagdad, in
Shelbyville in Kentucky. It's
where you develop your values
and your sense of yourself.
>> The future governor
graduated from Shelbyville High
School and went to Lindenwood

(02:19):
College in Missouri before
transferring to the University
of Kentucky. She graduated in
1959 with a Bachelor of Science
degree in home economics. She
married Bill Collins, a future
dentist, shortly after
graduation. They would have two
children, Steve and Marla. The
Collinses moved to Versailles
in 1966. She became a teacher

(02:39):
at Woodford County Junior High
School and soon became involved
in Democratic politics. She was
named secretary of the state
Democratic Party in 1975, and
was elected clerk of the
Kentucky Court of Appeals. In
1979, she was elected
lieutenant governor under
Governor John Y. Brown in 1983.
Collins was elected as
Kentucky's 56th governor, its

(03:01):
first and only woman governor,
defeating state Senator and
future U.S. Senator Jim Bunning
54 to 44%. She took office with
two main priorities.
>> Well, I'd stick with the
priorities I had when I was
there 20 years ago, education
and economic development,
because I think they're the key
to everything.

(03:21):
>> She pushed for more money
for public schools.
>> Being a schoolteacher, I
felt like education was very
important. And I did try to
start an educational reform.
>> She backed mandatory
kindergarten teacher testing,
teacher races and smaller class
sizes. She helped persuade
Toyota to locate an $800
million manufacturing plant in
Georgetown. It's probably her

(03:43):
best known achievement. Today,
the plant turns out more than a
half million vehicles a year,
and it's produced 14 million
vehicles since 1988. Governors
at the time were not allowed to
succeed themselves. She left
office in 1987 and never ran
for public office again. She
became president of Saint
Catharine College near
Springfield in 1990. In 1993,

(04:05):
her husband, doctor Bill
Collins, was accused and
convicted of influence peddling
during Governor Collins term in
office. He served time in
prison and was released in 1997.
Governor Collins was not
charged with any crime. In her
later years, Martha Layne
Collins stayed busy. She became
director of the International
Business and Management Center

(04:25):
at the University of Kentucky.
She stayed active in Democratic
politics, and in 1998 took a
part time position at
Georgetown College as Executive
Scholar in Residence, and
served on the boards of
directors of several
corporations. For Kentucky
edition, I'm Toby Gibbs.
>> Thank you. Toby. Funeral

(04:46):
arrangements for former
Governor Martha Layne Collins
have not yet officially been
announced. We will update you
as we learn more. Reacting to
the news, U.S. Senator Mitch
McConnell of Kentucky said
Collins was known for breaking
barriers. In a statement, he
said she was, quote, a tireless
advocate for all levels of
education in Kentucky. Kentucky

(05:07):
Attorney General Russell
Coleman said, quote, as a dad
of two daughters, I applaud
Governor Collins's service to
Kentucky and busting through
the glass ceiling to show that
there are no limitations in our
Commonwealth. End quote.
Governor Andy Beshear called
Collins a friend, adding, quote,
she created a foundation for us
to build a strong future upon,

(05:28):
and her legacy will continue to
benefit Kentucky families for
generations. End quote. In
other news today, President
Donald Trump says his
administration will partially
fund the SNAP food aid program.
The decision comes after two
federal judges ruled payments
needed to continue. It remains
unclear how long it will take

(05:48):
for Snap recipients to receive
their benefits. Funding for the
program dried up on Saturday
due to the government shutdown,
leaving more than 40 million
Americans without money for
groceries on Friday. Kentucky
Governor Andy Beshear signed an
executive order declaring a
state of emergency, saying a
loss of SNAP is a threat to
public health and safety. The

(06:09):
order directs $5 million from
the state's Budget Reserve
Trust Fund to help support
Kentucky food banks. Nearly
600,000 Kentuckians rely on
Snap, with almost 40% of them
being children. Uncertainty
surrounding Snap benefits has
led the state's second largest
city to launch a community wide

(06:29):
food drive. Mayor Linda Gordon
says the idea for Lexington's
Big Give Food drive came after
a meeting last week with city
leaders, where someone shared
concerns raised by families at
one center about continued food
assistance.
>> As mayor, I naturally want
to ensure the programs and
facilities our city runs are

(06:51):
supported that those who rely
on them receive the services
they need. That's why our
initial focus was getting
nutritious food to the families
served by the family care
center. However, I recognize
that many other families all
across our community need our

(07:13):
help. There are many families
who need food assistance and we
need to pitch in.
>> We are hearing from families
who have never needed help
before. Parents who are
skipping meals so their
children can eat. Seniors who
are stretching every dollar,
and workers who are suddenly
without a paycheck due to the
government shutdown. The

(07:34):
uncertainty is real and the
fear is growing for many. The
question isn't what's for
dinner? It's will there be
dinner at all? But in the face
of these challenges, we see
something powerful. Community
volunteers, donors and partners
are coming together to make
sure no one goes hungry.

(07:55):
>> The city has set up blue
barrels throughout Lexington to
collect nonperishable food
items. The food drive will
continue through November. Food
pantries are working to meet
the need as more families reach
out for help. Many of them are
seeing an increase in requests
as Snap benefits remain in
limbo. Our Laura Rogers has

(08:15):
more from Bowling Green.
>> We give a box of crackers.
We give a box of instant
oatmeal. Different packets.
>> Doug Watson volunteers three
days a week at the Hillview
Heights Church Food Pantry.
>> The risk of running out is
if we underestimate how much to
order week to week, which we
did this week.
>> They had to make an

(08:36):
emergency run to restock. As
the church gave out well over
100 food boxes the last week of
October, close to double an
ordinary week.
>> It's just like a mad rush to
get here and get some food.
>> A lot of people calling in
with concerns about losing
their Snap benefits.
>> United Way of Southern
Kentucky's 211 connects callers
to agencies and resources to

(08:56):
help with food, housing, rent
and utility bills, and numerous
other needs and concerns.
>> Since the first full week of
October, we noticed an uptick
in our calls.
>> Predominantly about food
insecurity.
>> One thing with 211 is that
we're not even just sharing
where to go, but we're already
screening them and giving them
the list of the ones that

(09:17):
specifically can help them.
>> For many of those callers,
that's House on the Hill.
>> We have basically doubled in
the last month.
>> Executive Director Joel
Hawkins says they prepare 350
food boxes a month, helping
more than 600 families through
their food programs, free
grocery pickup and delivery.
>> We've had a lot of people

(09:38):
coming who are out of their
food stamps. They know they're
not going to be getting, or
they believe they're not going
to be getting, as we all
believe, they're not going to
be getting food stamps in the
next month.
>> Friday morning, there was a
virtual meeting among area food
pantries and nonprofits, along
with family resource and youth
services centers in the school
systems to discuss challenges
and solutions.
>> Some of the smaller pantries,

(10:00):
feeling like they're not going
to be able to sustain the need
of the community, you know,
they're smaller, they don't
have a lot of food anyway.
>> We're all working together
to try to figure out how do we
all maintain one, the clients
that were already serving and
then the influx that we might
see.
>> Hawkins says. House on the
Hill is preparing for that

(10:21):
influx by purchasing more food.
>> We plan ahead. We always
have extra food on hand. It's
just part of our model.
>> Especially as they plan to
make 1000 Thanksgiving boxes
for area families in need.
>> We have ordered stocked a
little bit of extra food
knowing what was going to
happen.
>> He says there are
misconceptions about many
people who rely on government

(10:42):
assistance.
>> People that are on Snap
benefits are not people who are
not working. They're not people
who are just sitting around
their house waiting for
somebody to give them food and
do everything for them.
>> Hawkins says. Many of those
they help are employed, but
their wages are low and Snap
benefits make up a fifth to a
quarter of their household
expenses.
>> Without those Snap benefits,

(11:03):
they're going to have to make
up for, you know, between 5 and
$600 in their in their monthly
budget.
>> And that's difficult for
those who may live paycheck to
paycheck.
>> We need the government to
open back up. People need their
Snap benefits.
>> And then a can of soup.
>> But there are people
stepping up and helping out.
Until that happens.
>> Our community is really

(11:24):
coming together so that people
don't go hungry.
>> For Kentucky edition chicken.
I'm Laura Rogers.
>> And thank you so much, Laura
from Bowling Green. Now groups
in Northern Kentucky are also
ramping up food drives. Our
Emily Sisk was in Maysville,
where a church is working to
make sure no one in the
community will go hungry.

(11:44):
>> There is no shame in wanting
to eat.
>> Leaders at Crosspoint Church
in Maysville are doing their
part to make sure there's no
shame in getting food. The
church is partnering with the
local Save-A-Lot grocery store
to provide $5 bags of
nonperishable food items.
>> We're getting in some

(12:04):
monetary donations, and then
also people can go to
Save-A-Lot themselves, purchase
a $5 bag of food, and then our
team of volunteers will be out
once a week to distribute that
food to families in the area
that are in need.
>> This isn't the first year
for Crosspoint Church to
partner with Save-A-Lot, but
due to the loss of SNAP

(12:26):
benefits, they want to increase
their impact.
>> So we're really ramping up
this year because of
circumstances years past. Chad,
our pastor has just kind of
done this himself. But this
year we are anticipating the
need being much larger.
>> In Mason County. Nearly 20%
or 1 in 5 households typically

(12:47):
receive Snap benefits. The
percentage is even higher in
bordering Robertson and Lewis
counties. State Representative
William Lawrence, who serves
the northeast Kentucky region,
said he believes snap
recipients in his district are
hard working people.
>> The things that I'm hearing
about, people aren't working or
they're not trying. I don't
find that necessarily true. And

(13:08):
you were just talking about the
numbers of the participants on
that program that are in my
district. A lot of the jobs in
our district are just low
income jobs. If you look at the
price of groceries, especially
in the last couple of years, I
honestly don't know how anyone
can make it on minimum wage.
>> Gary Zornes said the church
wants to put politics aside and
help anyone who is in need.

(13:29):
>> The majority of people who
receive Snap benefits are
children, are the elderly and
are people with disabilities.
Feeding people health care.
These things aren't political.
We've made them that way.
>> And there are other local
businesses pitching in to
provide meals like Kims
Southern Table in Germantown.

(13:49):
>> If you come in and say
Southern Special, they're going
to feed you with no questions
asked and it's free of charge.
And of course, they're asking
people that need it to come in
there and just say it. Don't
feel don't be embarrassed about
it. Just tell them.
>> Representative Lawrence said
he's not surprised by how many
people have stepped up to help.
>> I know the people in my
community and when push comes
to shove, we are there for one

(14:11):
another and you better believe
that we will show up.
>> Crosspoint church leaders
said regardless of the outcome
with Snap benefits and if they
are reinstated, they will
continue their donation drive
through the month of November
for Kentucky edition. I'm Emily
Sisk.
>> We thank you, Emily. Now
we'll talk more about how
Kentuckians are dealing with
the uncertainty around Snap and

(14:32):
other government food
assistance programs. That's on
Kentucky tonight, this evening
at eight eastern, seven central.
And we invite your questions
and comments right here on KET.
U.S. Representative Thomas
Massie of Kentucky says he's
remarried in a post on social
media, the Republican from
Kentucky's fourth congressional

(14:52):
district introduced his
followers to Carolyn Moffa.
Massie says they were married
in Kentucky on October the 19th
and had a wedding ceremony over
the weekend in Pennsylvania,
where Moffa is from. He says he
first met Moffa in 2016, when
she was working for U.S.
Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky.
Massie's, wife of 35 years,

(15:13):
Rhonda massie, died
unexpectedly in June of last
year. They have four children.
And another note we are
remembering journalist Barry
Peele, who many of you saw
right here on KET. He covered
Kentucky politics for decades
during his time at KET and Wtvc
in Lexington. He was also a

(15:33):
frequent guest on WKYT's
Comment on Kentucky. And you
saw him often. Peele was from
Garrard County. His obituary
says he died Friday at a
nursing home in Lincoln County.
Funeral arrangements are
pending. Barry Peele was 80
years old. There are currently

(16:03):
more than 8600 children in
foster care in Kentucky. This
year's Miss Kentucky was one of
them. On the latest episode of
Inside Louisville, our Kelsie
Starks sits down with Arianna
Rodriguez, who made history as
this year's Miss America
pageant by becoming the first
former foster youth to earn a

(16:23):
spot in the top 11 of the
national competition at just 20
years old. Her platform is
making life better for other
foster kids in her situation.
>> You are well known around
the state for traveling and to
talk to kids, particularly kids
who are in the same situation
that you found yourself in.
What are some of the things

(16:44):
that you tell them, and what do
you hope they can learn from
your story?
>> Just telling them, you know,
we're all people and I might
wear a crown and sash, but I
used to be a kid just like you.
So before I even tell my story,
I like to set the tone by just,
you know, getting on their
level, getting down to their
level, you know, squatting down
so that they can see me and

(17:04):
they see I'm just a normal
person. I wear a crown and sash,
but at the end of the day, I
take it off and I'm Arianna,
and I want them to know that
this personal connection isn't
just because I'm Miss Kentucky
and I have to go into schools,
but because I really want to
learn from them in the same way
that they're able to learn from
me. So I go into schools and I
tell my story of being in

(17:25):
foster care, and even those who
haven't grown up in the system,
I feel, are able to relate to
that. I always say in my
speeches how many people have
went through something
difficult, and even the
kindergartners raised their
hand. They're like, oh, my
brother broke my crayon. But
some of them really do have
stories like mine where they
might be in kindergarten, but
they have experienced those
really difficult things in
their life already. And so I'm

(17:46):
able to talk to them and tell
them, you know, your past
doesn't define your future.
You're the one who gets to
control that. And you can turn
your pain into purpose. If you
truly believe in yourself and
continue doing work that
uplifts others and that makes
yourself a better person. So I
go in and I try to share that
story of inspiration and even
people who don't have
experience within the foster

(18:06):
care system will come up to me
and say, you know, that really
inspired me. I just visited a
an elementary school where a
little boy. He's a military kid.
And he came up to me and we
were talking about how
difficult it was for me to move
from school to school all the
time, because you have to in
foster care. In the ten years
that I was in kinship and
foster care, I was in 20

(18:27):
different placements. That's
once or twice a year that
you're moving. And he really
related to that as a military
kid. And he came up to me and
he said, I have to move at the
end of this month. And so all
of the kids in his class, we
all got together and we wrote
notes to him, to his new
address, and we're sending them
to him so he can have those
friends and those connections

(18:47):
from his old school and take
them to his new school, because
that's one thing that I really
felt was one of the most
difficult parts of being in
foster care was not only are
you transitioning from home to
home, from family to family
constantly having to adjust to
that, but you're also a kid.
You're losing the friends that
you have at school. You're
losing those personal
connections that you have with
your teachers. And so I was

(19:08):
really thankful to be able to
be a small part of his journey
and to let him know that
although he might be in a
different state, he still has
the community here in Kentucky.
>> Yeah, it's that is hard for
a kid. That's hard for anyone,
much less a kid. I want to talk
about the Lucky Ones Foundation,
which is the foundation that
you created to help children

(19:31):
who were in that same situation.
Tell me about how you came up
with the idea and and what it
is you all do. Yeah.
>> When I was in foster care,
when I was placed at the
doorsteps of my first home,
given a trash bag, and you're
placed at the doorstep of a
stranger, and I had just been

(19:52):
separated from my sister. It
was a very difficult and
traumatic time in my life, and
I remember just getting in the
car of the CPS worker and just
crying. I mean, I was very
upset. I was very young and
having to deal with all of
these things that were changing
in my life. And I remember the
CPS worker looked at me and she
said, you should be grateful.
You're one of the lucky ones.
And she told me about stories

(20:13):
of children just like me, who
were raped, who were trafficked,
and who were abused far worse
than I am or far worse than I
was. And I just remember
sitting there and thinking, how
am I one of the lucky ones, you
know, feeling guilty, I guess
that I had it easier than other
kids, but also just feeling
this pain of everything that I

(20:35):
had experienced. And so I knew
that something had to change.
And that's when I started the
Lucky Ones Foundation. The
nonprofit is designed to
amplify the voices of youth in
foster care and educate the
public about the issues that
they face.
>> Well, what an inspirational
and impressive young woman. You
can learn more about the Lucky
Ones Foundation and some of the
policies this young woman is

(20:55):
working to change in the
current system. That's on
inside Louisville, which you
can stream online and on demand
at ket.org. Some student
athletes from every Jefferson
County public, middle and high
school recently spent a day
learning how to be more
successful at sports and life.
They took part in the first

(21:16):
ever Boys Brotherhood
Conference hosted by JC
Athletics. The goal to provide
them the resources and
information they need to
navigate life as a student
athlete in today's world.
>> Today is our first ever Boys
Brotherhood Conference. This is
an opportunity for students to
visit workshops, hear from a
keynote, have the opportunity

(21:37):
to see vendors from around the
community so that we can pour
into them about leadership and
grooming and just how to be a
good athlete inside and outside
the classroom.
>> I'm just looking for advice,
honestly, advice to go to the
next level. Advice that I can
take back to my peers to go to
the next level. Advice that I
can take back to the younger

(21:59):
ones. To go to the next level
and meeting new people. You
know what I mean? Exploring new
connections.
>> We've got middle school and
high school students, so
they're grouped together by
their grade level, and some of
them are doing interview skills,
they're doing grooming, they're
doing building relationships.
How to build your brand. Now
that Nil is very important to
students. And so they're
getting a little bit of
everything. I hope that they're

(22:19):
learning some leadership from
other males. I think it's
important for them to have role
models. So it's a great
opportunity for them to learn
from fraternities, from other
male athletes that have already
walked the journey and path
that they're going to go.
>> I want to I want to make
sure the middle schools I know
there's a lot of middle schools
here. I want to make sure
they're not nervous or scared
or anything like that coming

(22:39):
into high school, because, yeah,
going into high school, it can
be very scary and everything.
But just like the Lil Wayne
song, let it all work out to
see that JC and Doctor Brooks
is doing so much to help the
middle schoolers transition to
high school and high school.
Transitioning to colleges. It's
honestly just amazing.
>> As an athlete, it's all
about teamwork, so you learn
from each other. So this is a
great opportunity for schools
to come together and have an

(23:01):
opportunity to hear from
golfers and track stars and
basketball players and football
players. They usually don't mix
like this, so it's a great
opportunity for them to learn
from each other and hear each
other's goals.
>> What it means to me is a it
helps me understand a bigger
picture. Like now, oh, you
going through this? Or I'm
going through this and we put
that together. Oh, now we got a
better solution and a bigger

(23:22):
solution for that problem. I
just want to say that I
honestly am grateful for this
experience. I'm grateful for
this opportunity, this thing
that Doctor Yearwood is doing
with all the JC Athletics. And
I'm so grateful to be a part of
the junior program being the
first of many, and I just can't
wait to see how far we can go
with Jason.
>> PS first.

(23:46):
>> And finally tonight we have
everything from the giant of
Letcher County to a New York
Giant with Kentucky ties is our
Toby Gibbs looks back at This
Week in Kentucky history.
>> Kentucky lawmakers met for
the first time in a permanent
Capitol building when the

(24:06):
General Assembly convened in
Frankfort on November 3rd, 1794.
The first floor housed the
state treasurer, auditor,
registrar and public printer.
The House of Representatives
met on the second floor. The
Senate and the Secretary of
State were on the third floor.
The building burned down in
November of 1813. Kentucky's

(24:28):
second permanent capitol
building also burned down on
November 4th, 1824. Hodgenville,
Kentucky native Abraham Lincoln
married Lexington native Mary
Todd in Springfield, Illinois
on November 4th, 1842. Lincoln
was elected president on

(24:49):
November 6th, 1860. And
President William Howard Taft
visited LaRue County on
November 9th, 1911, for the
dedication of a Lincoln
Memorial. James Gresham, a
native of McLean County, was
one of the first Americans
killed in World War One. On

(25:10):
November 3rd, 1917, a German
raid killed Gresham and two
other Americans while wounding
three more. Happy birthday to
Phil Simms, born November 3rd,
1955, in Washington County. The
former Morehead State
University quarterback led the
New York Giants to a Super Bowl
win in 1987. And happy birthday

(25:34):
to Martin Van Buren Bates, the
giant of Letcher County, born
November 9th, 1845, Bates grew
to seven foot 11 and 525 pounds.
He served in the Confederate
Army during the Civil War, met
presidents, and was received by
Queen Victoria while touring
Europe. And that's a look back

(25:54):
at This Week in Kentucky
history. I'm Toby Gibbs.
>> Thank you, Toby Gibbs. That
will do it for us tonight, but
be sure. Thank you for being
with us tonight. And you can
watch full episodes and clips
online on demand at ket.org.
You can also look for us on the
social media channels Facebook,
Instagram and to see all what's
happening here at KET and send

(26:16):
us a story idea by email to
Public Affairs at ket.org. I'll
be back at 8:00 on Kentucky
tonight to talk about SNAP and
other food assistance programs.
Sure hope you'll join us. Until
then, take really good care. So
long.