October 17, 2025

Congressman Barr wants to require driving tests for CDLs be in English, Kentucky is helping relocate hundreds of families from flood-prone areas, how the government shutdown could impact a UofL basketball game, and a community-wide effort that's providing a hands-on lesson in how our food gets from farm to table.

Episode Transcript

(00:08):
>> We can't become content.
Just because we're seeing
progress doesn't mean we just
stop.
>> Lexington is saying its
lowest number of shootings in a
decade, but the city says it's
just getting started on curbing
gun violence.
>> He has to catch up
financially. You can't just be
popular come January against
the barrage of spending.

(00:28):
>> We break down Kentucky's
U.S. Senate race, as new
reports show who's leading in
the rush to raise the cash.
>> Our food supply is dependent
on this next generation of
students.
>> And they're learning how to
produce that food for their
friends and neighbors.
>> Production of Kentucky

(00:49):
Edition is made possible in
part by the KET Millennium Fund.
>> Good evening and welcome to
Kentucky Edition for this
Friday, October the 17th. We
have made it to the weekend.

(01:10):
I'm Renee Shaw, and we thank
you for kicking off your
weekend with us. Good news for
Kentucky seniors. State
lawmakers say there are now
funds to continue the senior
meal program. Republican State
Senator Greg Elkins says the
state's budget director
transferred money from the
cabinet for Health and Family
Services to prop up the program.
It's unclear if that has

(01:31):
happened, how much money was
moved and how far those dollars
will actually stretch. Federal
money that helped expand the
program earlier this year has
dried up. Some area development
districts who administer the
senior meal program say the
state didn't ask the General
Assembly for enough money to
keep the program running. A
number of lawmakers also
pointed fingers at the Beshear

(01:53):
administration. A spokesperson
for Governor Beshear says they
hope to finalize a plan soon,
and will have more information
to release on Monday. Want to
drive a semi? Well, you first
have to take driving tests in
English. That's the goal of new
legislation introduced today by
Congressman Andy Barr of
Kentucky's sixth district,

(02:14):
which he says will prevent
undocumented immigrants from
getting a commercial driver's
license or CDL. His bill also
gives the U.S. Department of
Transportation the power to
revoke a state's authority to
issue cdls. This comes months
after a deadly semi crash in
Florida. The semi driver got
his CDL in California. U.S.

(02:36):
Transportation Secretary Sean
Duffy says the driver shouldn't
have been given a CDL because
of his immigration status. In a
statement, Congressman Barr
said, quote, by issuing cdls to
illegal immigrants, states like
California are undermining
federal law and endangering
public safety. Our bill
restores accountability by

(02:57):
strengthening President Trump's
authority to hold liberal
states in check when they
define federal law, and
recklessly grant cdls to
illegal immigrants, end quote.
Time now to check in on some
major political news of the
week. And we've got our
favorites with us. We've got
Trey Grayson and Bob Babich who
are with us. It's the third

(03:19):
Friday of the month, so that's
our standing date. Good to see
you. Good to see you. Let's
talk dollars. The fundraising
numbers came out for this
quarter. Daniel Cameron seems
to be banking on his name I.D.
to make up for some very
lackluster fundraising. I mean,
he came in, and we're going to
put this full screen on the
screen for folks to see. Bar
raised 1.8 million. Cameron

(03:40):
brought in 411,000. And
businessman Nate Morris has 4
million. But the bulk of that,
roughly 3 million he loaned
himself. What do you make of
those numbers, Trey Grayson?
>> None of them are
particularly surprising. You
know, I think that Cameron did,
to his credit, have an increase
from this quarter to last
quarter. He's still obviously
fallen pretty far behind. Bar
is still keeping up that

(04:01):
blistering fundraising pace.
And I think the question we all
have was we knew Morris would
put money in, but how much
could he raise? In addition,
the million is pretty good.
Although most it didn't seem
like a lot of big names, a lot
of it seemed from out in the
out in the country, and he had
a long time to raise it. So I
think there's a real question
of how much, you know, how much

(04:22):
interest an individual donor
community is there in his
candidacy. But there was also
some polling that came out. And
what was striking to me about
the polling was it reinforced
the story that Cameron has
trouble raising money, getting
endorsements, but the
Republican voters still like
him. He's still leading. And so,
in some respects, what we we
learned a lot of new things.

(04:42):
But the race, I would still
analyze it the same way as
we've been. And I'll let Bob
analyze that.
>> Yeah. Because even, you know,
speaking to the polling, there
was a Daniel Cameron poll and
there was Andy bar poll and
even bars narrative has been
this is a two man race, right.
That Nate Morris is just out
there. He's the spoiler. But
it's really between Andy Bar
and Daniel Cameron.
>> And that's a good pitch for

(05:03):
bar to make. Cameron is popular.
People like him. Republicans
have had a history of voting
for him twice, for attorney
general and twice when he ran
for governor primary in general.
So when you put all that
together, he does catch on. And
the polling, that's a name, you
know, bar not so much. But in
central Kentucky, he has a
clear advantage and he's

(05:24):
getting around a lot of places.
And Nate Morris put up 3
million. If I'd put up 3
million we might have won our
last races. You never know, but
didn't quite have it at the
time or now. We have wondered
about what that would be and
also what he would raise. He's
getting some national attention
from groups that are backing
multiple candidates. 5 or 6

(05:45):
Nate Morris like candidates
with that strong message. And
and if they do that and move it
enough, then Morris will have
more funding from some of those
personalities, some of those
mega donors who are helping
multiple Republicans around the
country.
>> Is it the populist outsider
message that the same type of
folks that are behind the

(06:05):
Morris campaign that are.
>> Populist freedom, liberty
and.
>> And and business background?
I think some of the profile is,
yeah.
>> Capitalist angle there for
sure. Yeah. Cameron faces the
challenge now in this new
fundraising period. I think
Trey and you definitely weigh
in on this. He has to catch up
financially. You can't just be

(06:27):
popular come January against
the barrage of spending will.
We'll see. That's that's a
tough challenge. He has less
than one tenth on hand of what
Barr has. And Barr is going to
keep on going. That's what
people wanted to see this time.
That's definitely what we're
going to want to see when that

(06:48):
next quarter closes out. Can he
keep the popularity long enough
to raise enough money to be
really strong next May.
>> But Trey you know, dollars
don't vote, right? Right. But
it does probably sour a little
bit of the optimism about his
his vitality of his candidacy.
>> And I think that's why they
were so focused on the surveys,
even though there was some

(07:09):
slippage compared to some
surveys a couple months ago, he
still had a pretty comfortable
lead. And I think, you know,
the thing that he does still
have going for him, we talked
about this is there are
millions of dollars spent in
2023 burnishing him as the kind
of Republican, the kind of
conservative that the party
should like. And a lot of that
23 ways is trying to raise the
turnout to get more Republicans

(07:29):
to stay home in the off years
now, because that's sort of the
way the electorate is trying to
get them. That Daniel is the
kind of guy you want to come
out and vote for so that that
brand is still there. And in
Louisville, which is a tough
market to crack because it's so
expensive and so big and
western Kentucky same. It's
different. It's diffuse. And
this media market where it's
not as simple. When we were

(07:50):
running by TV, by radio, by
mail as much as you can now you
can't just do that. You have to
hit a lot of different
platforms, a lot of messaging.
And so Cameron's residual brand
is pretty powerful. And when he
gets out on the stumps, people
still like him.
>> But he's not on TV yet.
>> Well.
>> That's the challenge.
>> He doesn't have to be able
to reinforce that to remind

(08:10):
voters, hey, remember me from a
couple of years ago? You really
liked me. And they're like, oh
yeah, we did the one thing,
from what I can tell, it does
look like he's working harder
at raising money. I think he's
recognizing the challenge, and
he's going back to all these
folks reaching out. He was
making more phone calls. I got
more reports from people saying
he finally called me, and
that's going to bear some fruit.
And that may be why he did a

(08:31):
little bit better this quarter
because of the decline from the
first quarter of the second
quarter, was a real burden to
carry this quarter, raising
money. So the fact that he saw
an uptick, I think is evidence
of that.
>> Yeah. So we're still waiting
for the President Trump
endorsement, right. Would that
make a.
>> Difference on the money
thing, which we don't have any
votes to count. So counting the
money is key. Yeah, right. A

(08:51):
couple of years ago when
Cameron came out of that
primary and didn't really kick
in the fundraising apparatus
right away for the general, you
got a lot of time. But Beshear,
immediately the Friday after
the Tuesday had an enormous,
maybe record breaking
fundraiser. So he was ready to
have the financial lead the
whole race. The adage is still
true in our nation. Whoever
spends the most wins the most.
That's the way it goes. That's

(09:12):
a little shaded, because a lot
of people who spend the most
are incumbents, and we tend to
reelect most of our folks
around the country for most
offices. But money does speak
to others who want to be for a
winner, pick a winner just like
Keeneland tomorrow or Churchill
Downs. And that that edge now
is changing. But you would have

(09:33):
thought too with Cameron. Not
in the the dogfight and seeing
Maurice and Barb beating up on
each other, they might have
come down still with their name
recognition in the polling.
Everybody in Washington and
other places saying Cameron's
1517 points ahead he is. If the
election were today, he'd win.
>> Yeah.
>> But the election's not today.

(09:54):
>> That's right. Yeah. And I
think we also the other thing
you mentioned Trump. You know,
we talked about primaries here.
There's the one person primary
to get Trump to endorse. And
then there's the traditional
primary that we're all used to.
If you're Nate Morris you know
this was not an awesome quarter.
First quarter introduction.
You're still you're not pulling
all that great even though you
spent some money. You're
fundraising. You know, again,

(10:15):
lots of money around the
country. You had your own money
but not a ton from the state.
And then the the positive
negative. He is pretty much you
know, one of the polls showed
1618 right about the same. And
he's got the highest negatives
in the race for the fresh faced
outsider guy. That's a problem.
Now he's getting if he's got
enough money from his own and
from his outside, he can define

(10:36):
himself and do that outsider
lane. But if you're Donald
Trump looking at this race,
you're not going to immediately
endorse Nate Morris, which is
good for Daniel Cameron, and
that's good for Andy Barr. And
it may be that we start to see
Barr focus a little bit more on
Cameron, to try to soften him
up with some of those resources
and give credence to this. It
really is a two person race.
>> Well, we'll keep watching.
We'll keep talking. That's what

(10:58):
we do. Thank you guys.
>> Thank you.
>> Thanks. More than 600
Kentucky families stand to
benefit from a flood buyout
program. Governor Andy Beshear
s office says the state is
working with six counties to
buy up homes and flood prone
areas. The homes are in Floyd,
not Letcher, McClain, Perry and
Pike counties. You must
volunteer to participate in the

(11:19):
program. It's made possible by
more than $100 million in
federal funding, with the state
contributing a little over $11
million. The City of Lexington
is on track to experience the
lowest number of shootings in a
decade. One Lexington's
anti-violence plan, called All
Hearts on Deck, is credited
with decreasing gun violence in

(11:41):
the city by 60% since 2022. But
with 17 homicides in the city
so far this year, the director
of One Lexington says the city
needs all hands on deck. He put
out that call to action
Thursday at a symposium on
youth and young adult gun
violence.
>> Our all Hearts on Deck

(12:01):
strategy is the reason that
we've seen so much progress as
far as gun violence, and so we
want to continue moving in that
spirit of all of us coming
together. And that's what today
is about.
>> It is a community wide
strategic plan. You this is
your plan.
>> All of these community
partners that are here are the
ones that helped us create our
strategic plan. And so now we

(12:22):
want them to be a part of the
process of implementing.
>> It, seeing what the
community is doing to prevent
gun violence is interesting
because we all do it in a
different kind of way, but we
all serve the same purpose, and
that I take away just seeing
what everybody is doing at
their level.
>> I want them to see
themselves in this plan. Right.

(12:42):
It's one thing to use your
expertise and say, we need to
do this, we should do that. But
how do you see yourself fitting
into that larger puzzle? Right?
What piece do you specifically
play and represent? And so
that's kind of what we want to
we want them to envision
themselves as actually doing
the work as well.
>> I have my own nonprofit, and
with Exhilarating Ink, I wrote

(13:03):
a grant to one Lexington to do
teach teens and older adults
how to transition into
adulthood. We're teaching them
skills, and we know that a lot
of times when people are
involved with violence, it's
because they lack some skills.
They don't have jobs, so they
find ways to survive. They

(13:24):
don't have housing, so they
find ways to survive. So if we
can teach you something to help
you survive and stay off the
streets, then we feel like
we're doing something.
>> You know, we have seen in
Frankfort and our work with
substance use that, you know,
it sometimes is three steps
forward, two steps back. We

(13:44):
have really admired the way
that one Lexington has
approached this problem of gun
violence among youth and young
adults, and have really seen it
as a testament to the
importance of utilizing and
sharing data with the community
of investing in preventive
approaches, and in really

(14:04):
making the solutions to these
problems that that seem really
intractable. A whole community
effort. We really believe in
Frankfort and our work. That's
the only way to tackle these
kinds of issues. And we've seem
to be seeing the same spirit
and energy here in Lexington.
So we're just really very

(14:25):
inspired and here to learn.
>> We can't become content.
Just because we're seeing
progress doesn't mean we just
stop. But how do we keep that
progress going? We got to
continue to adjust as new
things change in our community.
So I think coming out of today,
we'll know exactly what we need
moving forward, and then it'll
just get in the war room and
start analyzing things and, and
continue this downward trend.

(14:47):
>> Some of the ways one,
Lexington wants to make the
city safer, making community
centers more accessible and
providing more mentoring and
free tutoring for students.
Kentuckians covered by Medicare.
That's the health insurance
program for those aged 65 and
older, have some of the worst
health outcomes in the country.
That's according to a new

(15:08):
report looking at how Medicare
is performing. It's from the
Commonwealth Fund, which
researches health care issues
to improve health policy. This
report was based on several key
measures, including access,
quality and cost of care and
population health. It found
that in Kentucky in 2023, 66%
of Medicare patients had at

(15:29):
least three chronic conditions.
That was higher than the
national average of 62%.
Kentucky also had more.
Kentuckians over the age of 65
also reported going without
medical care because of the
cost. Only Mississippi and
Louisiana scored worse than
Kentucky in the overall report.

(15:50):
And tonight's sports news. The
government shutdown could
impact the University of
Louisville's basketball season.
The women's team is scheduled
to take on Connecticut at a
U.S. Air Force base in Germany
on November 4th. A source told
The Associated Press that if
the shutdown continues until
Monday, the game would be moved
to a neutral site in the U.S.

(16:12):
on the same day, a Louisville
spokesperson deferred to ESPN,
which is airing the game. ESPN
said it's, quote, exploring
contingency plans, end quote.

(16:36):
October is Farm to School Month
in Barron County. A community
wide effort provided a Hands-On
lesson and how our food gets
from the farm to the table. Our
Laura Rogers takes us there for
our agricultural segment we
call rooted.
>> I need more apples.
>> The real goal is trying to
get kids to know and understand

(16:57):
where their food comes from.
>> And what better way to do
that than by hosting a hog
roast.
>> We have always felt that our
ag programs, especially in the
school district, should reflect
the community.
>> Barron County Schools have a
dedicated farm to school
coordinator and Andy Jo Moore.
>> It's one of the coolest
things when you can help
students produce food and give

(17:17):
them the opportunity to enjoy
that meal amongst their friends,
amongst their peers.
>> To do so, the school
district connects with local
farmers and Sustainable Glasgow.
>> They were doing an event and
we were doing a hog roast and
we said, hey, why don't we
partner together and make this
big?
>> And they did, selling 500
tickets and inviting the entire

(17:39):
community.
>> To enjoy the meal.
>> We'll show them what you
guys are doing, how amazing
your students are. We'll feed
them with our food locally.
Everything comes right here
from the area.
>> That is a connection to our
local economy. That's a
connection to our local
agriculturalist, our farmers.
>> There are a lot of farmers
in Barron County. The 2022
Census of Agriculture reflects

(18:01):
more than 1600 farms across
230,500 acres, the most in the
state of Kentucky.
>> When you live in an
agricultural community, the
support comes from every angle,
and that's very encouraging.
>> The connection between the
kids and the farmers. That's
what we want to facilitate.
>> Sustainable Glasgow people
from the farmers market, people

(18:21):
from the Agriculture Department
and our food and nutrition
services will begin meeting and
having discussion in June July.
>> From pressing fresh apple
cider to picking the flowers
for table arrangements, every
detail meticulously planned and
executed.
>> The kids actually churn
butter for this event from

(18:41):
country milk.
>> That's used on the menu
tonight with the cornbread.
>> Hannah Simmons says her
students get excited to see
what they're learning in class.
Translate to this event.
>> We see so many changes
within the agriculture industry,
the way technology is changing
agriculture. Our food supply is
dependent on this next
generation of students.
>> And if last night is any

(19:02):
indication, we're in good hands
for Kentucky Edition. I'm Laura
Rogers.
>> Thank you. Laura looks yummy.
The dinner supported
Sustainable Glasgow and the
Kentucky Double Dollars program,
which helps people in need get
more for their money at the
local farmers market. Did you

(19:28):
know there is a near exact
replica of New York's famous
music Box theater in Louisville?
The Brown Theater is
celebrating 100 years this year.
This week on Inside Louisville,
Kelsie Starks explores the
history of this iconic theater
that's had a tumultuous story
in Louisville.
>> In the mid 1990s, the venue

(19:50):
was facing some real, real
challenges. The first part of
that was in 1995. There was a
stage door. Johnny, which was a
Tommy Tune musical, was created
and teched and built at the
Brown Theater. And that was the
first time that a touring
Broadway production had been
made, essentially in Louisville,

(20:11):
and that also served as a
fundraiser, which then led to
the increase, you know, the
next round of fundraising,
which in 1998 resulted in the
theater reopening. Re Re Re
Christening, right.
>> As it's been through a lot.
>> Yes. Back to the brown, but
a different brown J. Graham.

(20:33):
You know, they originally in
1925 was J. Graham Brown. Now
this was named after W.L. Lyons
Brown theater. And with that
you know, there was a whole new
all new rigging system,
computerized marquee, you know,
new HVAC system, you know, all
of all of the amenities. So,
yes, that happened in, in 1998.
>> All those things that we
know and love about the Brown

(20:54):
Theater today as it continues
and now celebrating 100 years.
>> Part of the story of the
Brown Theater includes
Louisville's Fund for the Arts,
the nation's oldest United arts
fund. Learn about both legends
and the arts community on the
next Inside Louisville that
airs Sunday at 12 noon 11:00
central right here on KET. Have

(21:16):
a close encounter with little
green men. Kick up a little mud
or pick a pumpkin made of glass.
It's all possible this weekend,
as our Toby Gibbs shows us in
tonight's look at what's
happening around the
Commonwealth.
>> Load up the ATV and take an

(21:38):
off road adventure this weekend
in Harlan County as it hosts
the Fall Crawl Travel,
Kentucky's highest elevated off
road park with 7000 acres to
ride on at the Black Mountain
Off-Road adventure area, there
will be live music, food,
inflatables, train rides, and
vendors along the way for
riders to check out. Get ready

(22:00):
for a good time at the first
ever Old Town Fall Festival,
happening this Saturday in
Berea. At the center of the
festival is the Glass Pumpkin
Patch featuring handblown,
pumpkins, gourds, acorns, and
other seasonal items. There
will also be a variety of
artist demonstrations to
explore, including live pottery,
glassblowing, needle felting
and painting. Local food and

(22:22):
drink will be available
throughout the day. Evening
activities include a pumpkin
glow display and contest, live
music, kids games, and
activities. If you want to take
a road trip through history,
head to Middlesboro Saturday
for the America 250 Road Show.
The Kentucky Historical Society
and America 250 are celebrating

(22:44):
the 250th anniversary of the
signing of the Declaration of
Independence, with events
around Kentucky this weekend,
it's diving into the
fascinating history of Bell
County. You'll hear from local
historians, explore historical
markers, and engage with
history at different activity
stations. Take a journey back
in time to the 1864 Civil War

(23:06):
with The Haunting of the Hills
tour of the Battle of Frankfort.
Walk the same trail used by
Civil War soldiers over 160
years ago, and discover how
local militiamen defended Fort
Hill and saved the city from
destruction by Confederate
raiders. There will be food,
drinks and activities to enjoy
once you reach the end of the

(23:26):
tour, including trick or
treating, pumpkin painting and
games. It's fall, y'all, and
they're celebrating the season
in Hopkins County at the Hanson
Lions Club Falls Street
Festival. Browse booths filled
with vintage and craft items,
and enjoy a beer garden and
food trucks with local cuisine.
There will also be bounce
houses and a petting zoo for

(23:48):
the kids. Wear your costumes
for a chance to win prizes.
Bring a nonperishable for the
club's food drive. Color Your
World at the 17th annual Via
Street Painting Festival. Join
150 artists who will turn the
sidewalks of Louisville's
Waterfront park into jaw
dropping masterpieces. Right
before your eyes. Live music, a

(24:10):
food court, bounce houses,
local vendors, cosplay and
plenty of other family friendly
activities round out the event.
Want to show your pumpkin
carving skills are a cut above
the rest? Then check out the
pumpkin carving workshop at
Carter Caves State Resort Park.
Create your own jack o lantern
and help light up Cascade Cave.

(24:30):
Pumpkin carving tools will be
provided to create a pumpkin
masterpiece, or you're welcome
to bring your own to place in
the cave. For the glowing jack
o lantern display. Something
out of this world is landing in
Hopkinsville this weekend,
where they're paying tribute to
the granddaddy of UFO stories
at the first annual Goblin Con,

(24:51):
UFO, and Paranormal Expo. It's
been 70 years since the famous
Kelly-hopkinsville encounter,
when locals said little green
men dropped by for a surprise
visit. And now fans are
bringing the legend back down
to earth. The event features
workshops and panels with
special guests discussing all
things paranormal, from aliens
and goblins, of course, to

(25:13):
ghosts and Bigfoot. Kentucky's
oldest running festival, Court
Days, is back in session in
downtown Mount Sterling. The
four day event draws tens of
thousands of people from all
parts of the country, who come
to take part in the tradition
that includes more than 500
vendors, live music, food, a
mullet contest and other
activities for the whole family.

(25:33):
The event is free and runs
through Monday, and that's
what's happening around the
Commonwealth. I'm Toby Gibbs.
>> Thank you, Toby Gibbs.
Capitalizing on its beauty. On
Monday, we learn about a new
project to bring more tourism
to Eastern Kentucky. Plus, we
go one on one with U.S. Senator
Rand Paul to talk about the

(25:54):
federal government shutdown,
President Trump's use of the
military, and much more. Those
stories coming at you Monday
night at 630 eastern, 530
Central on Kentucky Edition,
where we inform, connect and
inspire. We hope that you'll
connect with us all the ways
you see on your screen by the
social media channels Facebook,
Instagram and send us a story
idea by email to Public Affairs

(26:14):
at ket.org and look for us on
the PBS app that you can
download on your smart devices.
Thanks so very much for being
with us this week. Go out and
make it a great weekend to come.
A lot of great things to do all
across the Commonwealth, and
we'll see you right back here
again Monday night. Have a good
one.