October 21, 2025

Learn how the government shutdown is impacting Kentucky's Caveland region, legislative leaders focus on the housing shortage, a lawmaker will introduce fluoride legislation for a ninth time, groundbreaking advancements in breast cancer care, and a celebration of a big bat in Louisville.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
♪

(00:06):
>> Most everybody was was
viscerally this point.
>> How the government shutdown
is affecting Mammoth Cave
National Park and what's being
done to help travelers with
interrupted vacation plans.
Kentucky's Lieutenant Governor
talks about her political plans
for 2027.

(00:28):
>> Treatment is very focused on
the individual on the case on
the type of cancer in on the
stage. And so we really have
very personalized breast cancer
treatment. Now.
>> And there is an all new
approach to fighting breast
cancer.
Production of Kentucky Edition
is made possible in part by
the KET Millennium Fund.
♪

(00:52):
♪
Good Evening and welcome to
Kentucky EDITION for this
Tuesday, October, 21st, I'm
Renee Shaw, me thank you for
winding down your Tuesday with
us. Kentucky is facing a
housing crisis, as we've told
you before, the state is more

(01:14):
than 200,000 housing units
short, new affordable housing
is headed to Lexington on a
baseball field previously owned
by Transylvania University
today in Frankfort, the
Kentucky General Assembly's
Legislative Housing Task Force
talked about it details as we
kick off our legislative
update.
♪

(01:40):
The project is a mix of
detached units, single-family
townhomes garden style units
and senior housing. In addition
to the 180 rental units, homes
will be available to buy
through Habitat for Humanity,
the House and will serve.
People making 30 to 80% of the
area's median income. The
developers say they expect the
units to fill up quickly.
Lexington's High Rental

(02:02):
demands?
>> So once that process starts,
what are you envisioning the
timeline of filling all 242
units. We can absorb. It's
quickly as we can. The rental
market in Lexington, 12 to 15
minutes a month with staff on
site to lease these up. So we
think within 6 months of
completion, all the rental

(02:23):
units will be filled. That's
based on previous projects past
knowledge. We could do more
than that with more staff.
But there's really no. We're
so deep in the hole in terms of
number of rental units in the
in Fayette County, pretty much
across the state from the
other. Things that you seen
that. Well, how's he released
them as fast as possible?
>> Construction on the
infrastructure will be

(02:43):
completed this winter and full
construction will be underway
by the fall of 2026. members of
the housing Task Force also
heard from leaders in northern
Kentucky about their housing
blueprint. The blueprint has
4 different priorities,
including building middle level
housing for young families and

(03:04):
seniors and asking employers to
step in and assist with housing
programs. A big concern having
enough construction workers,
which some said could be eased
with additional support for
high schoolers interested in
construction work.
>> If we invest in trades, how
do we make sure

(03:26):
that those folks stay in
Kentucky have successful jobs
and that investment goes toward
building housing units in our
state, the communities in the
United States to figure out
the key is saw this housing
crisis are going to be economic
development. Winners in the
future.
We're able to build more
housing. It will just in
actually stand to reason that
people have more of a chance to

(03:48):
stay here. If the jobs are not
here.
>> Your children and your
grandchildren will not stay
>> Regarding Senator Mills said
the task force will hold one
final meeting this year to
discuss their findings and
report back to the Kentucky
General Assembly. And we'll
have more from today's meeting
tomorrow night on Kentucky
edition.
Kentucky state lawmakers are

(04:09):
once again debating the pros
and cons of fluoride in
drinking water with some
arguing it all boils down to
local control as our June
Leffler reports, some
Republicans thing cities, not
the state should decide if
fluoride is a necessary public
health measure.
>> This northern Kentucky

(04:30):
Republican says it's his 9th
time proposing Kentucky
eliminate a state mandate on
fluoride.
>> Our emphasis is undoing the
unfunded mandate and allowing
people to have the freedom of
choice when it comes to in this
case. treatment. We're not
promoting fluoride one way or
the other.

(04:50):
>> The northern Kentucky
Democrat pushes back on that
argument. Do you KET saying
this is not a fluoride
anti fluoride discussion but we
have to have your colleagues
to your left. We're telling us
that fluoride is terrible for
us. These 2 lawmakers testified
alongside a nurse in a
dentist's skeptical of
fluoride.
>> Federal agencies like the

(05:11):
National Institutes of Health
say adequate fluoride intake
reduces the risk of cavities,
but
>> this is like at the highest
level of government. These are
researchers in PhD scientist
looked at all the literature
being published over
the years and we're not talking
about one or 2 studies

(05:32):
were talking, 64 studies
identified 18 of which were
very high quality. These are
studies funded by the National
Institutes of Health grants.
And conclusions that there is a
moderate confidence and the
body of evidence that estimated
for an exposure is inversely
associated with IQ in children.
So more fluoride exposure means

(05:55):
drop in IQ.
>> The current NIH fact sheet
on Floyd does highlight these
findings, but also says, quote,
the review did not address
lower concentrations of
chloride such as the 0.7
milligrams per liter
concentration recommended by
the U.S. public health service
for community drinking water,
Kentucky's Dental Association

(06:16):
offered this testimony.
>> That we have 79 years of
quality signs showing that this
is effective. And, you know,
it's no different. Then the
Biden in the salt, which was
last time you saw somebody with
a goiter
you know where the vitamin D in
the milk. So I think, you know,
there's different ways to look
at a lot of different things.

(06:38):
This is considered one of the
top public health campaigns in
history of the United States.
America's the fluoridation of
water.
>> The water company
representative says this bill
would create a patchwork of
fluoridated and non fluoridated
communities. That would be
difficult to served.
>> So I think it's highly
probable throughout the
commonwealth that you're going
to have conflicting positions

(06:58):
that different governing boards
are making. And so even if for
the example say Shelbyville,
if they determined to remove
fluoride. If an and by
contrast, Louisville water
makes a determination to
continue adding fluoride
fluoride is still going to be

(07:19):
provided to those those
communities, even though the
governing by body of
Shelbyville took a position to
remove fluoride because there's
no way to effectively remove
fluoride once it's in the
drinking water. Water source.
>> This year, similar
legislation passed out of the
House, though more than 10
Republicans voted alongside
most Democrats in opposing the

(07:40):
measure for Kentucky edition.
I'm Jeanne Leffler.
>> Thank you. June the Trump
administration announced in
April that it will review
potential health risks of
fluoride in drinking water.
A state lawmaker is under house
arrest for 10 days. A judge
sentenced State Representative

(08:00):
Beverly Chester Burton, a
Democrat from Louisville after
a DUI incident last year.
The Lexington Herald-Leader
reports that in August of 2024
police saw Chester Burton's
vehicle drive into an oncoming
lane. Then stop an idol there,
which forced an oncoming
vehicle to drive around her
Chester burden entered an
Alford plea made in she

(08:20):
maintained her innocence but
admitted there was enough
evidence to convict her.
She is required to receive
alcohol treatment. Chester
Burton also faced a DUI arrest
in 2020, the Home Incarceration
Program began or property home
incarceration began last
Wednesday and ends this Friday
under Kentucky law. She's
allowed to leave her home for

(08:42):
approved work. She was in
Frankfort for committee
meetings today.
The Republicans now have their
candidate for a special state
Senate election December 16th.
The party has chosen Calvin
Leach, a U.S. Army veteran,
the county chairman praises
Leach has, quote, patriotic
community oriented and

(09:03):
disciplined. This is a special
election to replace Senator
David Yates who resigned to
become interim Jefferson County
clerk. We told you yesterday
the Democrats have picked Gary
Clemens as their candidate.
Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline
Coleman is considering the
state's top job. Coleman told
WLKY TV in Louisville that

(09:23):
she's thinking about running
for governor and 2027 and a
one-on-one interview with the
TV station. She said she hasn't
made a decision yet, but as she
travels the state, she's having
conversations with people.
The federal government shutdown
is in its 21st Day. Democrats
oppose the Republican budget

(09:44):
plan because they say it
doesn't continue some subsidies
for people who get their health
insurance through the
Affordable Care Act. This week,
the only Democrat in Kentucky's
congressional delegation,
Congressman Morgan McGarvey
discussed how some of his
constituents would suffer
without those subsidies.
>> The Kaiser Family Foundation

(10:06):
says that half of adults who on
the Affordable Care Act right
now they're going to small
businesses. We're going to
small businesses. This reflects
exactly what I'm seeing moving
just this week, I talked to a
woman named Mary 63 years old.
She owned her own business for
23 years. And now she works in
a small business. She's also a
cancer survivor says she has
health insurance to get the
check comes in the care she
needs right now on the silver

(10:27):
plan that calls for $72 a
month. It would go up to $935
per month with how the tax
credits the calmest place
solely I talked to Navy in she
still a small business owner.
She suffers from the autoimmune
disease and asthma. Should
these $350 a month for her
silver plan on the Affordable

(10:49):
Care Act that will go to
$1275.69 per month. That is the
year.
>> Some GOP folks also opposed
the Republican plan. U.S.
Senator Rand Paul is against it
because he says it would add
too much to the national debt.
We're learning more about how

(11:10):
the shutdown is impacting
tourism in Kentucky's Kalen
region. Mammoth Cave National
Park is closed, which creates
both hardship and opportunity
for other attractions in the
area. Our Laura Rodgers takes
us to Hart County.
>> It's like to work a lot of
people in the world, especially

(11:30):
in the United States, make
their vacation plans around
national parks. But those plans
have been disrupted for
travelers this October hate to
lose a major attraction for a
long period of time. Other
tourist attractions are making
the best of it. This has been
probably the best October we've
ever had.
>> Couldn't have come at a
better time for Hidden River
Cave, which was closed due to

(11:52):
flooding nearly 50 days back in
the spring. Hard part was we
lost all of spring break.
When you've got a long winter,
we're not a lot of jurors.
Spring breaks. When you finally
start paying the bills, they're
one of several show caves in
the area. Hosting guests
looking for alternate plans
when they realized Mammoth
Cave.
>> Is close to getting a lot of
customers that we would

(12:12):
normally be getting. We said
that if they are to Cairo
Scherzer's Bayer's. Andrew
Wilson is executive director,
of course, Capehart County
Tourism, which has a presence
on the grounds at Mammoth Cave.
We were as far as we know, the
first in the nation group of
are kind to be able to sign a
contract with the federal
government to have a traveler
info center inside a visitor

(12:33):
center in a national park.
>> That's been especially
helpful in times such as these
to assist her wrist,
disappointed to learn their
case to or has been canceled
thousands every day from all
over the United States and
outside the country.
>> I would say probably 90% of
them walked up with no clue.
They're not able to even put

(12:56):
on their website that tours
have been canceled. The good
news is as of Saturday, there
are some self-guided tours now
open. It was actually wrapped
around the building for people
getting into the visitor center
to get tickets to go. Friends
of Mammoth Cave is raising
private donations and budgeting
some of their own funds to make
those tours happened there.
So many people coming from out

(13:17):
of the state.
>> That are unaware that it is
been affected by the shutdown
because other national parks
are wide open. Jake Lingle
Smith says parks like
Yellowstone and the Great Smoky
Mountains are open with local
and state funding and support
from friends and other
fundraising groups. Even though
our friends organization has
been around for 24 years, we do

(13:38):
not have the budget that they
have roots fall break. So
people traveling through David
Foster says he recently
traveled out west for the
National Cave and Karst
Management symposium usually
there's representation from
U.S. government agencies,
people that are managing case
on federal lands and they come
to interact with a scientist in
the in the private cave owners.
>> And it's a great synergy
that we lost a lot of that this

(13:59):
year because those folks could
be the cause.
>> We're not sure how long the
shutdown lasts, but until it
reopens the community is
pulling together to show
support. However it can.
We just try to give them and
that's good tours and get in.
>> I think they go away feeling
like Kentucky's your friendly
place and where we take care of
them. For Kentucky edition.

(14:19):
>> I'm Laura Rogers.
Thank you, Laura. We did reach
out to the National Park
Service about current
operations. They tell us
critical services pertaining to
law enforcement.
>> Emergency response, fire
management and visitor safety
continue to be staffed. Most
trails and rivers at Mammoth
Cave are also still open.

(14:40):
While we were at a Hidden River
cave. We also asked them about
a recent article in The New
York Times.
The Times is featuring an
environmental success story in
each of the 50 states and
Hidden River cave in hard
counties for skate community
is in the prop. Is the project
chosen in Kentucky. They tell
us it was watch the most

(15:01):
polluted cave in America.
Horse Cave had no sewer system
prior to the 1960's meeting.
Sewage, we're going to sink
holes and then flow into the
cave.
>> It's taken this close to 40
years to turn the cave around.
We've been successful at that
and turning the cave around.
Not only do we get the

(15:23):
pollution problems fixed.
Well, we've turned around the
industrial base in the town
because in the old days we
didn't have a sewer system and
you couldn't get any more
factories in the town today.
We have almost 3,000 factory
jobs in a town, a 3,000 people
because we have the sewage
infrastructure. To take care

(15:44):
that industrial waste. That's a
pretty incredible story.
>> And you can read more about
that incredible story on The
New York Times Web site in the
climate section under 50
states, 50 fixes.
>> A Fort Campbell soldier has
died during a training accident
in Germany. The army says

(16:06):
Sergeant Terrell Sales of New
Jersey died after a vehicle
accident over the weekend.
He was just 34 years old.
The commander of the second
mobile brigade combat team says
Sergeant Seals was an
exceptional leader and soldier
who inspired others to give
their very best.
In medical news flu cases were
up last year and the state

(16:28):
wants you to take action this
year. And Kentucky could change
its laws about how paramedics
handle snakebite victims.
Our Toby Gibbs tells us more
and this look at headlines
around Kentucky.
♪
>> Flu Spike is prompting new

(16:50):
calls for Kentuckians to get
flu shots. The CDC says flu
cases during the 2020 for 2025.
Flu season. We're the highest
in a decade. The Paducah Sun,
quote, Health officials as
saying during the COVID
pandemic, people were focused
on getting COVID shots and
sometimes overlook the need for
flu shots.

(17:12):
Its case dismissed for 2 Powell
County paramedics who gave anti
Venom serum to a snake bite
victim earlier in the year.
gave the serum to Jim Harrison,
a snake expert who's been
bitten by a black Mamba.
Paramedics in Kentucky are not
authorized to give anti-venom
serum and the 2 could have lost
their licenses. But according

(17:33):
to the baby Bill Enterprise,
the Kentucky Board of Emergency
Medical Services dismissed the
case citing unique
circumstances. State Senator
Brandon Smith says this could
lead to changes in the law to
protect first responders acting
in similar situations.
The Arrow reports Judge
Executive David Vogel is asking
the Oldham County Fiscal Court

(17:57):
by 225 acres of land off
Stewart Lane in LaGrange for
Conservation and Recreation.
The land is worth more than
5 million dollars. Vogel says
this is a rare opportunity to
preserve a large undeveloped
tract of land.
Carroll County is borrowing up
to 10 million dollars from the
Kentucky Association of
counties for for Major
Projects. The Madison Courier

(18:21):
says they are a new
communications tower courthouse
renovations and energy-saving
project for county buildings.
In an update to Carroll
counties, early warning siren
system.
The Murray Ledger says progress
is steady on a new training
facility where people plumbing
and electrical work. The
facility is known as the Marie

(18:43):
Calloway Industrial Training
Center. It could be finished
next February.
With headlines around Kentucky.
I'm told he gives.
♪
>> October is breast Cancer
Awareness Month Unknown.
Best Buy its pink paint color.

(19:04):
It's a time dedicated to
raising awareness, supporting
those affected and promoting
early detection. Our Christy
Dot and speaks with a leading
breast cancer surgeon about
prevention treatment options.
And groundbreaking advancements
in breast cancer care. That and
tonight's medical News.

(19:24):
>> We have with us here today.
Dr. A listed off from Norton
Healthcare. She's a breast
surgeon. Dr Doll is Breast
Cancer Awareness Month. So what
are the most important things
you wish everyone KET about
breast cancer? Yeah, I think
first and foremost, most
importantly, screenings.
So screenings are very
important. We recommend yearly
mammograms for patients.

(19:44):
>> Any women above the age of
40 should have yearly mammogram
to detect for any signs of
breast cancer. We know that
screening mammograms helped to
detect cancer at the early
stages. Okay.
>> Over the last 10, 20 years,
how has breast cancer research
and treatment evolved? Yes,
there have been just explosive

(20:05):
growth in breast cancer
treatment. Research changes
the treatment. I think every
year we're constantly learning
more and one of the benefits I
think of working at a place
like Non-healthcare being a
part of the breast program is
is being up today and working
with teams that are constantly
growing and staying up to date

(20:25):
with that research.
>> OK, well, what something
new and exciting that's on the
horizon that we need to be on
the lookout for.
>> Yeah, I think the biggest
thing in breast cancer right
now is this idea of personalize
ation of their breast cancer
treatment. And so. Breast
cancer used to be treated the
same in every patient had
breast cancer. But now

(20:45):
treatment is very focused on
the individual on the case on
the type of cancer and on the
stage. And so we really have
very personalized breast cancer
treatment. Now, OK, what are
some of the treatment options?
And nays is one more common
than another. Yeah. So in
general breast cancer is
treated with 3. I call them
3 pillars of treatment are

(21:05):
basically 3 specialist. One is
surgery, which is what I do
to is radiation. And then 3 is
medicines. So a surgical
oncologist, radiation
oncologist in a medical
oncologist. There are different
options kind of within each
specialty and for surgery.
You know, the 2 surgical
options are breast conserving
surgery and mastectomy. The

(21:25):
other thing we evaluate or the
lymph nodes so that's one
example. Another example is
medical therapy. So some people
think that when you're
diagnosed with cancer,
everybody needs chemotherapy,
which used to be the case.
But now we know that not all
women would benefit from
chemotherapy. And so there's a
very personalized approach to.

(21:47):
>> Who?
>> Chemotherapy would be
beneficial in versus maybe
there's another approach I
medication or an estrogen
blocking medication that would
be more appropriate in certain
select case. Okay.
>> So walk me through this that
say you have a patient come in
and May who has been diagnosed
recently diagnosed. What can

(22:08):
they expect? What are going
to be the next steps? Yeah.
So with in Norton. Once they
have their biopsy, they're
usually called informed of the
results. And then pretty
quickly we get patients and to
see different specialists.
>> The surgeon, sometimes
radiation oncologist in the
medical oncologist as well to
talk about next steps. When I
meet with patients, the first

(22:28):
thing I do is discuss the
biopsy results and kind of
explain what's going on what
this means and break down all
the details of the report from
the biopsy. The next thing I
talk about during that initial
appointment is what are in
general the treatment steps and
then specific to that patient?
What are the next steps?

(22:48):
Okay. Let's talk about
prevention for a minute
because, you know, and
prevention will KET a mini from
having to go through this at
all.
>> So what are the best ways
to prevent one thing we that
increases somebody is risk of
breast cancer is increased
alcohol consumption, increased
weight or lack of exercise.

(23:10):
So those are things that women
can do to positively affect
their risk of breast cancer.
Okay. What advice do you have
for somebody who is going
through breast cancer treatment
right now? It's a very
difficult time. And the first
thing I would say to patients
as you are not alone, breast
cancer is one of the most, if
not the most common cancer in
women. One in 8 women are
diagnosed with breast cancer in

(23:32):
their lifetime. And I think
knowing that you are surrounded
by people who have been through
this before as well as trust in
your healthcare team. Knowing
that. You have very qualified
people that are going take care
of you and get you to the other
side. So the other thing that
I remind patients is our goal
for treatment of breast cancer

(23:53):
and the vast majority of cases
is cure is to treat the disease
and put it behind you so that
you can continue to live your
life. Yeah, that's great
advice. Dr listed out. Thank
you so much for your time and
expertise in helping to raise
awareness. Thank you so much.
♪
♪

(24:18):
♪
>> The home of the Louisville
slugger has reason to celebrate
the 120 foot replica of Babe
Ruth's bat towering outside the
Louisville Slugger Museum and
factory turned 30 years old
today the museum marked the
occasion with a special cake

(24:39):
and a giant 7 foot card for
guests to sign inside. You can
find more than 3,000 original
bats used by legends like Hank
Aaron, Jackie Robinson and
Derek Jeter. We learn much more
about the museum during an
episode of inside Louisville.
>> We're a 5th generation
family owned business. Which is

(25:02):
very unique to be working with
the family owned company with
such a legacy in regards to
Americana in baseball. It's
just it's really, really cool.
Some people think about
baseball. They think about
Louisville slugger. That name
is just synonymous. It is an
American icon as representative
of a Coca-Cola, for example.

(25:24):
Will slug. It has a name that
transcends baseball.
>> It sure dies. And you can
learn a whole lot more about
the museum online on demand by
going on KET DOT Org and
looking for inside Louisville.
Speaking of which Louisville
has a new one stop shop for
those in need, especially those

(25:46):
experiencing homelessness.
Not only the 24 we serve now,
but and another. 29 in the goal
really is that?
>> At some point, there is not
a waiting list and went to
families experiencing a crisis
that call and they're told yes,
has a bed for you tonight.
>> Here an update on the new
community Care Center in
Louisville tomorrow on Kentucky
EDITION, which we hope you'll

(26:08):
tune in for again at 6.30,
Eastern 5.30, central where we
inform connect and inspire.
We hope that you'll connect
with us all the ways you see on
your screen, the social media
channels, Facebook, Instagram
and X, formerly known as
Twitter. We thank you for
joining us tonight. I'm Renee
Shaw and I hope to tomorrow
night, take good care.
♪

(26:29):
♪