November 12, 2025 • 26 mins
Journalists from around the state discuss the news of the week with host Bill Bryant, including government response to a devastating UPS jet airliner crash at Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville and the passing of fomer Gov. Martha Layne Collins. Panelists: McKenna Horsley, Kentucky Lantern; Mario Anderson, Spectrum News 1; and John Cheves, Lexington Herald-Leader.
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(00:10):
>> A tragic cargo plane crash
in Louisville, leaves more than
a dozen dead and lots of
questions. Kentucky remembers
Governor Martha Layne Collins,
the only woman ever elected to
the state's highest office.
Kentuckians try to help each
other as the federal government
shut down drags on. The filing
window opens. Canada start to
(00:30):
officially enter those 2026
races. Looks like we'll get a
little winter preview on this
November weekend, and comment
is next on KET. Good evening.
I'm Bill Bryant, and we welcome
you to comment on Kentucky, a
(00:51):
look back at and some analysis
of the week's news in the
Commonwealth and the guests on
our panel of working Kentucky
journalists tonight are John
Cheeves, reporter for the
Lexington Herald-Leader.
McKenna Horsley politics
reporter for the Kentucky
Lantern, and Mario Anderson,
anchor and host of InFocus
(01:11):
Kentucky on Spectrum News one.
Also tonight, remembering Barry
Peele, a frequent guest in the
early days of Comment on
Kentucky. Let's begin with the
tragic crash of a UPS cargo
plane in Louisville. The images
and the video are horrifying,
and in the aftermath, the death
toll has climbed to 14. That's
a new number just announced
(01:32):
this evening. Governor Beshear
and others hurried to that
scene.
>> As governor, I've seen a lot.
I've had to order freezer
trucks in a pandemic. I've
walked the line of an EF4
tornado through my dad's
hometown. I've seen towns hit
by flooding we only describe as
(01:52):
biblical. And what this scene
is, is violent.
>> What we just saw at the
crash site is devastating
beyond words. The impact and
intensity of the wreckage of
the charred wreckage is unlike
anything I've ever seen before,
(02:14):
and certainly nothing that I
ever want to see again.
>> Mario. We all knew it would
be a major disaster when we saw
the initial images coming in,
but you see these officials
really struggling for the words
to describe.
>> That's exactly right. And a
lot of them shared that. It was
like a scene out of a movie. A
(02:35):
they refer to it like
Terminator, just how intense
seeing the images up close and
personal were. Congressman
Morgan McGarvey, who also
represents Louisville and
Jefferson County. He was there
at that press conference that
we had those soundbites from,
and he said it looked like an
apocalyptic hell hole, hell
space. That's a direct quote,
very shocking for many people
(02:56):
to hear about it, see it on
your phone or on television.
But when you're actually seeing
it in person and walking
through the trail of the
aftermath definitely tugs at
your heart. And then to know
that there are still people
missing, lives lost, and a
major impact. A sad situation
for the tragedy.
>> By all accounts, the
response to it was amazing. The
(03:17):
airport, of course, was closed
for a time, but there was just
so much to contend with.
>> There was in the NTSB, you
know, they came and had boots
on the ground and started their
investigation. And it's a long
process to look at every single
piece of debris that's left
behind, using drones to be able
to capture the various images,
(03:37):
but then also just literally
tracking down who is missing
and where do they come from?
Were they in a business? Were
they a part of a living in the
neighborhood, nearby
neighborhood, or were they just
passing through? And so they
are. It's a very detailed
process. And again, it makes it
more difficult since what's
left behind, some of it's
unrecognizable. You don't even
know if it's from a vehicle or
from a person's home. So a lot
(03:59):
to take in for sure.
>> McKenna, you live there in
Louisville. What was it like to
to because you were under a
shelter in place order, right?
Yes. And people were trying to
just figure out what was going
on.
>> Yeah. You know, there was a
lot of evolving information,
especially in that early part.
Immediately after the crash, a
lot of people received news
alerts on their phone,
(04:20):
emergency alerts telling them
that they were in shelter in
place, where the shelter in
place was, and how that changed
throughout the evening. As the
evening went on, that range got
smaller and smaller, but the
next day schools were closed
because there are a few schools
near the airport and things
like that. But I believe by the
(04:41):
next morning that shelter in
place had been very narrow near
the airport.
>> Are there lingering concerns
about environmental issues, the
impact in other ways? Mario?
>> I think they're still
monitoring it each day. But,
you know, at its height, they
were checking on air quality
issues. The water in the nearby
vicinity vicinity, there's a
quarter mile radius from where
the crash site was, where there
(05:03):
were several issues of concern,
but a lot of those have been
tamped down in the recent days.
>> John, this is the worst air
disaster in Kentucky since the
2006 Comair crash in Lexington.
There is a lot to figure out
here. Investigators looking at
all aspects, because everybody
hopes that there are some
(05:25):
lessons learned.
>> Yeah, the National
Transportation Safety Board
says it's investigating
everything, including the full
maintenance history of this
plane. There was a major
overhaul of the plane for
inspection and any necessary
repairs not long ago, just in
September and October when the
plane was in San Antonio, Texas,
(05:46):
UPS says no maintenance was
done on the plane immediately
before takeoff on Tuesday. So
what caused the left engine to
detach from the plane as it was
taking off? We already have
seen a federal lawsuit filed
Thursday, a Louisville woman
and two Louisville businesses
who say they suffered damages
as a result of the crash are
(06:06):
suing UPS, which owned the
plane. Boeing, which made the
plane, and General Electric,
which made the engine.
>> McKenna. Just as we were
sitting down to do the program,
we learned of this 14th
fatality that Governor Beshear
confirmed, right.
>> You know, there's still, I
believe, some search going on.
(06:27):
There are people still missing
and also people in the hospital
as well. We haven't had a lot
of details about the names of
the victims, besides those that
that were part of the crew. So
a lot of that, those details
will be coming probably soon.
>> And Mario, in the midst of
this, there have been efforts
to help people cope. There have
been efforts to to help some
(06:48):
who are impacted in some way by
the by the crash.
>> That's right. It's been a
big push on sharing mental
health resources that are
available for people just
seeing those images on their
screens or coming across it on
social media. But again, the
people directly impacted
families, people who have lost
loved ones. But then also
there's been some community
events, public vigils that have
(07:09):
been hosted in the Louisville
area and then beyond. But then
the governor declared a state
of emergency and basically made
an amendment to the team,
Kentucky Emergency Relief Fund,
so that money can be able to be
used to cover the expenses of
funerals for people that were
lost during this tragedy. So
kind of all hands on deck, but
(07:30):
obviously centered in
Louisville, but has grown
across the state with people
looking to try to support and
help out where they can.
>> Again, the time frame for
the investigation, maybe
preliminary report in a month
or so.
>> Potentially, but there's a
lot to comb through. So it
could be extended to a little
bit later after that. But
they've already have access to
the black box and the recorder
from the the plane. So that's
(07:51):
going to help them a lot with
those final moments. But then
they've got a wide range of
things they're checking on
during the investigation.
>> All right. And we were told
maybe a year or so before
there's a final report, we will
of course be following up. Well,
Kentucky is remembering
Governor Martha Layne Collins,
the first and only woman
elected to lead the
(08:11):
Commonwealth. She was governor
from 1983 to 1987 and was a
champion for education and
economic development. Collins
was considered for the vice
presidential nomination by the
Democrats, and chaired the
Democratic National Convention
in 1984. She died last Saturday
at the age of 88. During her
time in office and after, she
was an icon on the Kentucky
(08:33):
stage.
>> And 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.
>> I would suggest that there
are three things that are basic
to leadership strength of self,
strength of heart, and strength
of vision. Leadership doesn't
always have to be found in bold
(08:55):
headlines, or someone out
carrying a placard, or someone
screaming and yelling.
Leadership is often given in
very quiet ways, but in ways
that are very effective.
>> Being a woman school teacher,
I felt like education was very
important and I did try to
start an educational reform.
>> It's time we open our eyes
and we recognize it. We can't
(09:17):
afford business as usual in our
schools any longer. Now, I'm
not here to claim that better
schools will magically turn
everything around overnight.
It's going to take some time,
but I tell you, and I mean this
most sincerely, we have got to
(09:37):
get serious about our future.
We've got to get serious about
it now.
>> Governor Collins, always
very aspirational for Kentucky.
And John, she was a teacher
turned political leader and had
an impact on Kentucky in so
many ways.
>> She she did. Governor
Collins obviously is synonymous
(09:58):
now with the word Toyota. She
helped negotiate the Toyota
manufacturing plant in
Georgetown, just north of here
in Lexington in 1986. Since
then, in 40 years, Toyota has
invested 11 billion with a B
dollars in Kentucky, tens of
thousands of people have been
employed there directly or
(10:20):
indirectly. In in all of the
offshoots, Kentucky has now
become a passenger vehicle
production hub. It's become a
key part of our economy, far
more than tobacco or coal,
which have faded away. It's
become so important to what we
do. Scott County alone had
25,000 people in it. When she
got the Toyota plant here today,
(10:42):
it has 63,000 people. You can
just see in central Kentucky
all of the effects of what she
did. And every governor who has
followed Governor Collins has
come in and said, please let me
get a Toyota.
>> Right. Well, it was a game
changer. No question about that.
>> Yes. She was also very
passionate about education.
What you saw that in a lot of
(11:02):
those clips that we just heard
while she was governor, she
backed a lot of education
legislation, particularly in
1985, she unveiled a package
that raised teacher salaries,
reduced class sizes, funded
construction projects and more.
And you know, that sounds very
familiar, I think, to Kentucky
Democratic politics today.
>> Clashed with the legislature
(11:24):
sometimes. Yes, that's true.
Funds were limited in those
days, right?
>> Yes. So, you know, it was a
very tough battle to get those
through. But she persevered and
backed those policies.
>> And some said really paved
the way for the Kentucky
Education Reform Act. That
would come a few years after
she left office.
(11:44):
>> Right? Yes. And she
continued to be involved in
education, particularly after
she left office as well.
>> Mario, there were other
places that wanted the Toyota
plant, obviously, but she
dazzled those Japanese
executives who came on a visit
to Kentucky. Huge welcome at
the Capitol and a big event
that apparently made the
(12:05):
difference.
>> That's right. And she had
her personal touch of being
able to just to communicate, as
we've heard in those soundbites
and being able to showcase why
Kentucky is what it is, very
special place, and especially
in Georgetown in central
Kentucky. And as John was
mentioning, you know, current
present day Toyota has an $11
billion investment. But back
then they were projecting it to
be only about $400 million
(12:26):
investment. And at that time,
back in the early 80s, about
3000 workers, they were
projecting. Well, they've got
now about 9000 workers across
the world. So a lot of
visionary kind of things going
on there, especially again, she
was from Baghdad, Kentucky, and
Shelby County and but had far
wider reaching appeal.
>> Yeah. And the spinoff plants
(12:47):
that supply Toyota and so on.
Also major employers. McKenna
some observers wanted to make
it clear this week that it was
not Collins fault that she has
been the only woman governor of
Kentucky, because she handled
the job well. Others have run,
but she was the only one to
reach that that pinnacle of
power.
>> Right. And, you know, I
(13:08):
think a lot of women in
Kentucky politics kind of view
her as a trailblazer for them.
And, you know, she had an
influence not just here in
Kentucky, but nationally as
well. When she was elected
governor, she was the third
woman in the country to be
elected governor in U.S.
history. So paving the way
there nationally. She had some
influence in Democratic
(13:29):
politics nationally. And, you
know, I think it's important to
note that two days, a few days
after she died this weekend,
there were two female
Democratic governors elected on
Tuesday as well.
>> Which was a first for at
least in Virginia.
>> It was first in Virginia.
>> Right, John. So we note this
image that Governor Collins had
in Kentucky. She, when she ran
(13:50):
for governor, said, you know, I
have been in all 120 counties.
That was a line, she would say,
in each county. She liked to
travel. She was well known in
the state. But, as McKenna
notes, also with that being
considered for the vice
presidential slot on the 84
ticket and chairing the
national convention, she was an
image for Kentucky beyond our
(14:11):
borders.
>> Yeah. Walter Mondale
apparently came very close to
picking her as the first woman
to be nominated vice president
by a major party. He went with
Geraldine Ferraro instead, as
we know. Maybe if he'd picked
Governor Collins, he would have
beaten Ronald Reagan in 1984.
Who knows? Probably not. But,
you know, we'll never know.
>> Governor Collins will lie in
state at the old state Capitol
(14:33):
in Frankfort on Sunday
afternoon until 3:00. So noon
until three, and then there
will be a funeral service for
her there at 430. KET will
provide live coverage again,
that is Sunday at 430 eastern
time. 330 central on KET for
Governor Collins funeral
services on Sunday. Kentucky's
(14:54):
filing window has opened for
candidates this week, and some
have already signed up for the
2026 races and started
speculation or ended
speculation. McKenna the top
races to watch, of course, in
Kentucky for the U.S. Senate
and the congressional seats.
But we have legislative races.
Local races, mayors and county
judges. This is going to be a
(15:14):
busy 2026 cycle.
>> Yes. All those people that
were hoping to vote this week
in Kentucky, as Secretary Adams
said, will be very excited for
next year, I'm sure.
>> Give folks on that. When we
had Election Day around the
nation, Secretary Adams kept
getting calls. Why are the
polls not open? Right.
>> And people were very eager
to vote in Kentucky, but they
(15:35):
will be able to next year. Of
course, the only federal
candidate that filed that first
day on Wednesday was Republican
US Rep Hal Rogers in the fifth
Congressional District. But,
you know, we'll definitely see
a lot of these people who have
been launching campaigns in the
past few months go in and file.
They have until January to do
it. So there's definitely time
(15:55):
to do it. We did see US rep
Andy Barr make an appearance
today at the Secretary of
State's office to file for the
Senate race, but this is also
kind of an interesting time,
because candidates aren't going
to the Capitol like they
normally do to file with the
secretary of state, because the
Capitol is closed for
renovation. So they are going
(16:17):
to another place in Frankfort,
the temporary office as well.
So it's definitely adding a bit
of a new element to.
>> This and limited space and
Barr. Yet today Mario made an
event of it.
>> He sure did. I was in
Frankfort there to watch the
filing process of the first
high profile candidate and Andy
Barr. Before he even showed up,
(16:39):
he had about 30 supporters
outside with rain on the way,
ready with signs. But then, as
he was preparing to do his
filing, he had a campaign event
with his supporters in the room
and he was giving some of his
top priorities if he was
elected and winning that
primary. But he was talking to
an audience at the temporary
office of the Secretary of
(17:00):
State. And this does usually
turn into turn into an event.
And I anticipate it only
growing as more candidates
start showing up, especially
all in the same day. Turning
into a big news event for
Kentucky.
>> Yeah, and it doesn't end
with those. There will be
judicial races as well. John, I
think an appeals court race in.
>> Central Kentucky, Fayette
Circuit Judge Lucy Van Meter is
(17:21):
running for the Kentucky Court
of Appeals represent central
Kentucky. That's true.
>> So there will be a whole lot
to watch in the campaign in
2026. Well, the federal
government shutdown is dragging
on. It's now the longest in US
history. The number of flights
around the country being
reduced to efforts are
springing up to help those
(17:41):
federal workers who are missing
those paychecks. We did get
word, McKenna, just before air
time, that the U.S. Department
of Agriculture apparently will
fund Snap benefits for November,
right.
>> The USDA told states earlier
today that it will be releasing
the full November Snap benefits
funding. And it they said that
(18:02):
that funds will be sent to
states starting tomorrow. Trump.
President Trump is still
appealing, though, this lawsuit
that centers around this in
court. But because of the
judge's order saying that the
government must comply and
produce this funding, they have
to do that until or if another
judge overrules that.
(18:22):
>> John, you know, this is now
unprecedented, as we said, the
longest shutdown ever. And lots
of people are truly casualties
of Washington political fallout.
Right?
>> There are in Kentucky, there
are about 24,000 people who
work for the federal government.
And that's not counting
soldiers or federal contractors.
And so for all this time, their
(18:43):
livelihood, their paychecks
have been in limbo. That's a
population of a town the size
of Radcliffe. There are 600,000
people in Kentucky who need
Snap benefits to buy food. For
the past week. They haven't had
them. Now, apparently the money
is flowing again, so hooray!
But that's a week now that
they've been going without, the
FAA is reducing air traffic by
10%, and it may go up at 40
(19:05):
airports across the country
because we've not been paying
the air traffic controllers.
Louisville and Cincinnati,
Northern Kentucky are two of
those airports. You know, for a
little while you can close the
federal government, and most
people don't feel it. I think
now we're all starting to feel
it.
>> And you think about those
employees whose backs are to
the wall, who are having to
call their mortgage companies
(19:25):
and see if they can get some
delay and maybe credit card
payments and so on.
>> Right. I have only a few
times in my life had to go
without a paycheck. I didn't
enjoy it. I don't think anybody
does.
>> Mario, another casualty of
the shutdown. The Veterans Day
event at Camp Nelson National
Cemetery canceled.
>> Yeah, canceled. And they say
(19:46):
they're citing it due to a
lapse in funding federal
appropriations. They were
counting on money to be able to
pay the volunteers and staff
and the big production that
goes on to execute that event.
And for the first time that
many of us are aware, this
won't be happening in
Nicholasville and Jessamine
County on Veterans Day.
>> We are getting more hints
about the issues coming up
before the Kentucky Legislature
(20:07):
in 2026, just a few weeks away,
state Senator Jimmy Higdon is
retiring after this term, but
he wants to do something about
distracted driving before he
leaves Frankfort.
>> Every time I hear a traffic
fatality, either a head on
collision, road departure,
motorcycle hit by a vehicle,
(20:28):
pedestrian hit by a vehicle, or
bicyclist hit by a vehicle, I
ask myself the question, could
this been caused by distracted
driver? And I believe a
majority of the times that's
what caused the accident is the
driver was distracted.
>> McKenna, what is Senator
Higdon proposing to do?
(20:50):
>> So he is in that clip. He
was presenting the phone down
Kentucky act, which is kind of
his way of building off some of
those laws that ban texting
while driving before he leaves
office. If enacted, the
proposal would require drivers
to use more hands free
technology rather than using
(21:10):
their cell phones directly. A
copy of the draft that I read
says that drivers cannot hold
mobile devices while they're
driving, read or write any kind
of messages, you know, so not
just text messages, but an
email per se. And they cannot
watch moving images like
watching videos or playing
games or something like that.
(21:31):
So the legislation does have
some exemptions for people who
are first responders and the
performing official duties and
things of that nature. But the
committee did have some
questions about fine tuning,
how this looks and how it could
be enforced as well. So we
might see some changes before
the next legislative session.
>> Would it put Kentucky in
line with most states?
>> There are some other states
(21:53):
that have this legislation. I
think Senator Higdon said that
all the states bordering us
have some kind of similar
legislation, so this would be
on par with them.
>> Other issues you see coming
up.
>> You know, one issue that
came up this week, the Kentucky
Supreme Court Chief Justice,
Deborah Lambert, she gave her
state of the judiciary, which
is common for the chief justice
(22:15):
to do. This was her first one.
And she outlined a lot of
funding priorities that she
hopes the legislature takes up,
particularly a 15% pay increase
for all judicial branch
employees, which would put them
in line with other states, more
on par with their executive
branch counterparts. And this
is a budget session for the
legislature. So this is
definitely a time for them to
(22:35):
talk about that.
>> All right. Child care. We
hear that. Lots of discussions
ahead. No question. Attorney
General Russell Coleman is
keeping an eye on artificial
intelligence. He says it can
bring tremendous benefits. But
he also told me this week he
has concerns about those who
use it to scam others.
>> This is how we see AI used
in a way that's dangerous. We
(22:57):
hear people that get phone
calls with their grandchild's
voice. An AI is used. This is
very sophisticated stuff.
>> AI concerns you.
>> It concerns me greatly. AI
concerns me greatly because I
see it how I see how it is done
for harm. We see how criminals
are using it, and certainly it
does. Now. There are positive
uses for AI. We use it for
(23:18):
evidence review. We use it in a
law enforcement context, but
it's a double edged sword. Most
certainly Mario.
>> We all see it coming and is
in use right now in many ways,
but our regulations keeping up
with AI development.
>> That's something that the
state legislature and lawmakers,
there's a Kentucky AI task
force. They're monitoring this.
(23:40):
They've been meeting for about
a year. There's a lot to take
in. They've got a lot of
priorities that they're trying
to keep eyes on. They also
shared that they are waiting on
the federal government to take
action. But whether it's
addressing child predators who
are using social media or
there's texting, messaging
scams, but then also deepfakes
and election integrity, but
(24:02):
then also there's chatbots out
there that school systems are
utilizing for mental health
resources, but making sure that
the AI is set up and set up in
a way that it's actually
helping kids and not sending
them down a different path. So
it's a wide ranging and an
evolving discussion they're
going to be continuing to have
for quite a while.
>> Voice cloning is another
issue. The US District Court
(24:24):
for Eastern Kentucky will cease
its operations in Pikeville at
the end of the year. Those
cases will then be transferred
to London or Ashland. John.
This was approved by the
Judicial Council of the Sixth
Circuit. It will be a change
for the legal community and for
those involved in criminal or
civil cases in eastern Kentucky.
>> It will. I don't think a
federal judge has sat in
(24:45):
Pikeville full time in many
years. They just visited when
they needed to, but it was
convenient for people at that
far end of the state to be able
to conduct federal court
business in Pike County, rather
than have to drive two hours
north to Ashland or two hours
west to London. And that's just
not going to be an option for
them anymore.
>> Imagine it might have an
economic impact as well on a
city where there's such a legal
(25:06):
community.
>> Frankly, I spent a week
attending a trial at that
courthouse in Pikeville, and I
know I spent a week buying
restaurant meals and staying in
the hotel. And, you know, other
people did as well. So that's
that's gone now.
>> Coal mining, new employment
has come down to the lowest
number that it has been a
record low. EKU citing some
state numbers that show that
coal mining employment dropped
(25:28):
below 3800 for the first time
on record back in the year 2000,
there were 15,000 employed in
coal mining statewide. What a
change that is in that industry.
>> Very big change, and we'll
continue to see those numbers
unfortunately, probably dip
over the next several years to
go.
>> Here at KET, we are
remembering Barry Peel, who is
(25:48):
a frequent panelist on comment
on Kentucky. And in its early
days and even early in this
century, he was on it for
decades. Peel was a historian
at heart who knew how we got
here. He covered state,
government and politics for
more than 30 years for
Lexington TV stations KET and
Wtvq. Barry was known for his
(26:10):
integrity as a reporter and his
ability to explain complex
issues in simple terms. He
would eagerly hit the road for
fancy farm or other political
gatherings, and truly enjoyed
his friendship with others in
the press corps. He was always
a fun storyteller who could
also cut to the chase in his
reporting. Barry Peel was 80
(26:30):
years old. That's comin on
Kentucky have a good week ahead.
>> A tragic cargo plane crash
in Louisville, leaves more than
a dozen dead and lots of
questions. Kentucky remembers
Governor Martha Layne Collins,
the only woman ever elected to
the state's highest office.
Kentuckians try to help each
other as the federal government
shut down drags on. The filing
window opens. Canada start to
(00:30):
officially enter those 2026
races. Looks like we'll get a
little winter preview on this
November weekend, and comment
is next on KET. Good evening.
I'm Bill Bryant, and we welcome
you to comment on Kentucky, a
(00:51):
look back at and some analysis
of the week's news in the
Commonwealth and the guests on
our panel of working Kentucky
journalists tonight are John
Cheeves, reporter for the
Lexington Herald-Leader.
McKenna Horsley politics
reporter for the Kentucky
Lantern, and Mario Anderson,
anchor and host of InFocus
(01:11):
Kentucky on Spectrum News one.
Also tonight, remembering Barry
Peele, a frequent guest in the
early days of Comment on
Kentucky. Let's begin with the
tragic crash of a UPS cargo
plane in Louisville. The images
and the video are horrifying,
and in the aftermath, the death
toll has climbed to 14. That's
a new number just announced
(01:32):
this evening. Governor Beshear
and others hurried to that
scene.
>> As governor, I've seen a lot.
I've had to order freezer
trucks in a pandemic. I've
walked the line of an EF4
tornado through my dad's
hometown. I've seen towns hit
by flooding we only describe as
(01:52):
biblical. And what this scene
is, is violent.
>> What we just saw at the
crash site is devastating
beyond words. The impact and
intensity of the wreckage of
the charred wreckage is unlike
anything I've ever seen before,
(02:14):
and certainly nothing that I
ever want to see again.
>> Mario. We all knew it would
be a major disaster when we saw
the initial images coming in,
but you see these officials
really struggling for the words
to describe.
>> That's exactly right. And a
lot of them shared that. It was
like a scene out of a movie. A
(02:35):
they refer to it like
Terminator, just how intense
seeing the images up close and
personal were. Congressman
Morgan McGarvey, who also
represents Louisville and
Jefferson County. He was there
at that press conference that
we had those soundbites from,
and he said it looked like an
apocalyptic hell hole, hell
space. That's a direct quote,
very shocking for many people
(02:56):
to hear about it, see it on
your phone or on television.
But when you're actually seeing
it in person and walking
through the trail of the
aftermath definitely tugs at
your heart. And then to know
that there are still people
missing, lives lost, and a
major impact. A sad situation
for the tragedy.
>> By all accounts, the
response to it was amazing. The
(03:17):
airport, of course, was closed
for a time, but there was just
so much to contend with.
>> There was in the NTSB, you
know, they came and had boots
on the ground and started their
investigation. And it's a long
process to look at every single
piece of debris that's left
behind, using drones to be able
to capture the various images,
(03:37):
but then also just literally
tracking down who is missing
and where do they come from?
Were they in a business? Were
they a part of a living in the
neighborhood, nearby
neighborhood, or were they just
passing through? And so they
are. It's a very detailed
process. And again, it makes it
more difficult since what's
left behind, some of it's
unrecognizable. You don't even
know if it's from a vehicle or
from a person's home. So a lot
(03:59):
to take in for sure.
>> McKenna, you live there in
Louisville. What was it like to
to because you were under a
shelter in place order, right?
Yes. And people were trying to
just figure out what was going
on.
>> Yeah. You know, there was a
lot of evolving information,
especially in that early part.
Immediately after the crash, a
lot of people received news
alerts on their phone,
(04:20):
emergency alerts telling them
that they were in shelter in
place, where the shelter in
place was, and how that changed
throughout the evening. As the
evening went on, that range got
smaller and smaller, but the
next day schools were closed
because there are a few schools
near the airport and things
like that. But I believe by the
(04:41):
next morning that shelter in
place had been very narrow near
the airport.
>> Are there lingering concerns
about environmental issues, the
impact in other ways? Mario?
>> I think they're still
monitoring it each day. But,
you know, at its height, they
were checking on air quality
issues. The water in the nearby
vicinity vicinity, there's a
quarter mile radius from where
the crash site was, where there
(05:03):
were several issues of concern,
but a lot of those have been
tamped down in the recent days.
>> John, this is the worst air
disaster in Kentucky since the
2006 Comair crash in Lexington.
There is a lot to figure out
here. Investigators looking at
all aspects, because everybody
hopes that there are some
(05:25):
lessons learned.
>> Yeah, the National
Transportation Safety Board
says it's investigating
everything, including the full
maintenance history of this
plane. There was a major
overhaul of the plane for
inspection and any necessary
repairs not long ago, just in
September and October when the
plane was in San Antonio, Texas,
(05:46):
UPS says no maintenance was
done on the plane immediately
before takeoff on Tuesday. So
what caused the left engine to
detach from the plane as it was
taking off? We already have
seen a federal lawsuit filed
Thursday, a Louisville woman
and two Louisville businesses
who say they suffered damages
as a result of the crash are
(06:06):
suing UPS, which owned the
plane. Boeing, which made the
plane, and General Electric,
which made the engine.
>> McKenna. Just as we were
sitting down to do the program,
we learned of this 14th
fatality that Governor Beshear
confirmed, right.
>> You know, there's still, I
believe, some search going on.
(06:27):
There are people still missing
and also people in the hospital
as well. We haven't had a lot
of details about the names of
the victims, besides those that
that were part of the crew. So
a lot of that, those details
will be coming probably soon.
>> And Mario, in the midst of
this, there have been efforts
to help people cope. There have
been efforts to to help some
(06:48):
who are impacted in some way by
the by the crash.
>> That's right. It's been a
big push on sharing mental
health resources that are
available for people just
seeing those images on their
screens or coming across it on
social media. But again, the
people directly impacted
families, people who have lost
loved ones. But then also
there's been some community
events, public vigils that have
(07:09):
been hosted in the Louisville
area and then beyond. But then
the governor declared a state
of emergency and basically made
an amendment to the team,
Kentucky Emergency Relief Fund,
so that money can be able to be
used to cover the expenses of
funerals for people that were
lost during this tragedy. So
kind of all hands on deck, but
(07:30):
obviously centered in
Louisville, but has grown
across the state with people
looking to try to support and
help out where they can.
>> Again, the time frame for
the investigation, maybe
preliminary report in a month
or so.
>> Potentially, but there's a
lot to comb through. So it
could be extended to a little
bit later after that. But
they've already have access to
the black box and the recorder
from the the plane. So that's
(07:51):
going to help them a lot with
those final moments. But then
they've got a wide range of
things they're checking on
during the investigation.
>> All right. And we were told
maybe a year or so before
there's a final report, we will
of course be following up. Well,
Kentucky is remembering
Governor Martha Layne Collins,
the first and only woman
elected to lead the
(08:11):
Commonwealth. She was governor
from 1983 to 1987 and was a
champion for education and
economic development. Collins
was considered for the vice
presidential nomination by the
Democrats, and chaired the
Democratic National Convention
in 1984. She died last Saturday
at the age of 88. During her
time in office and after, she
was an icon on the Kentucky
(08:33):
stage.
>> And 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.
>> I would suggest that there
are three things that are basic
to leadership strength of self,
strength of heart, and strength
of vision. Leadership doesn't
always have to be found in bold
(08:55):
headlines, or someone out
carrying a placard, or someone
screaming and yelling.
Leadership is often given in
very quiet ways, but in ways
that are very effective.
>> Being a woman school teacher,
I felt like education was very
important and I did try to
start an educational reform.
>> It's time we open our eyes
and we recognize it. We can't
(09:17):
afford business as usual in our
schools any longer. Now, I'm
not here to claim that better
schools will magically turn
everything around overnight.
It's going to take some time,
but I tell you, and I mean this
most sincerely, we have got to
(09:37):
get serious about our future.
We've got to get serious about
it now.
>> Governor Collins, always
very aspirational for Kentucky.
And John, she was a teacher
turned political leader and had
an impact on Kentucky in so
many ways.
>> She she did. Governor
Collins obviously is synonymous
(09:58):
now with the word Toyota. She
helped negotiate the Toyota
manufacturing plant in
Georgetown, just north of here
in Lexington in 1986. Since
then, in 40 years, Toyota has
invested 11 billion with a B
dollars in Kentucky, tens of
thousands of people have been
employed there directly or
(10:20):
indirectly. In in all of the
offshoots, Kentucky has now
become a passenger vehicle
production hub. It's become a
key part of our economy, far
more than tobacco or coal,
which have faded away. It's
become so important to what we
do. Scott County alone had
25,000 people in it. When she
got the Toyota plant here today,
(10:42):
it has 63,000 people. You can
just see in central Kentucky
all of the effects of what she
did. And every governor who has
followed Governor Collins has
come in and said, please let me
get a Toyota.
>> Right. Well, it was a game
changer. No question about that.
>> Yes. She was also very
passionate about education.
What you saw that in a lot of
(11:02):
those clips that we just heard
while she was governor, she
backed a lot of education
legislation, particularly in
1985, she unveiled a package
that raised teacher salaries,
reduced class sizes, funded
construction projects and more.
And you know, that sounds very
familiar, I think, to Kentucky
Democratic politics today.
>> Clashed with the legislature
(11:24):
sometimes. Yes, that's true.
Funds were limited in those
days, right?
>> Yes. So, you know, it was a
very tough battle to get those
through. But she persevered and
backed those policies.
>> And some said really paved
the way for the Kentucky
Education Reform Act. That
would come a few years after
she left office.
(11:44):
>> Right? Yes. And she
continued to be involved in
education, particularly after
she left office as well.
>> Mario, there were other
places that wanted the Toyota
plant, obviously, but she
dazzled those Japanese
executives who came on a visit
to Kentucky. Huge welcome at
the Capitol and a big event
that apparently made the
(12:05):
difference.
>> That's right. And she had
her personal touch of being
able to just to communicate, as
we've heard in those soundbites
and being able to showcase why
Kentucky is what it is, very
special place, and especially
in Georgetown in central
Kentucky. And as John was
mentioning, you know, current
present day Toyota has an $11
billion investment. But back
then they were projecting it to
be only about $400 million
(12:26):
investment. And at that time,
back in the early 80s, about
3000 workers, they were
projecting. Well, they've got
now about 9000 workers across
the world. So a lot of
visionary kind of things going
on there, especially again, she
was from Baghdad, Kentucky, and
Shelby County and but had far
wider reaching appeal.
>> Yeah. And the spinoff plants
(12:47):
that supply Toyota and so on.
Also major employers. McKenna
some observers wanted to make
it clear this week that it was
not Collins fault that she has
been the only woman governor of
Kentucky, because she handled
the job well. Others have run,
but she was the only one to
reach that that pinnacle of
power.
>> Right. And, you know, I
(13:08):
think a lot of women in
Kentucky politics kind of view
her as a trailblazer for them.
And, you know, she had an
influence not just here in
Kentucky, but nationally as
well. When she was elected
governor, she was the third
woman in the country to be
elected governor in U.S.
history. So paving the way
there nationally. She had some
influence in Democratic
(13:29):
politics nationally. And, you
know, I think it's important to
note that two days, a few days
after she died this weekend,
there were two female
Democratic governors elected on
Tuesday as well.
>> Which was a first for at
least in Virginia.
>> It was first in Virginia.
>> Right, John. So we note this
image that Governor Collins had
in Kentucky. She, when she ran
(13:50):
for governor, said, you know, I
have been in all 120 counties.
That was a line, she would say,
in each county. She liked to
travel. She was well known in
the state. But, as McKenna
notes, also with that being
considered for the vice
presidential slot on the 84
ticket and chairing the
national convention, she was an
image for Kentucky beyond our
(14:11):
borders.
>> Yeah. Walter Mondale
apparently came very close to
picking her as the first woman
to be nominated vice president
by a major party. He went with
Geraldine Ferraro instead, as
we know. Maybe if he'd picked
Governor Collins, he would have
beaten Ronald Reagan in 1984.
Who knows? Probably not. But,
you know, we'll never know.
>> Governor Collins will lie in
state at the old state Capitol
(14:33):
in Frankfort on Sunday
afternoon until 3:00. So noon
until three, and then there
will be a funeral service for
her there at 430. KET will
provide live coverage again,
that is Sunday at 430 eastern
time. 330 central on KET for
Governor Collins funeral
services on Sunday. Kentucky's
(14:54):
filing window has opened for
candidates this week, and some
have already signed up for the
2026 races and started
speculation or ended
speculation. McKenna the top
races to watch, of course, in
Kentucky for the U.S. Senate
and the congressional seats.
But we have legislative races.
Local races, mayors and county
judges. This is going to be a
(15:14):
busy 2026 cycle.
>> Yes. All those people that
were hoping to vote this week
in Kentucky, as Secretary Adams
said, will be very excited for
next year, I'm sure.
>> Give folks on that. When we
had Election Day around the
nation, Secretary Adams kept
getting calls. Why are the
polls not open? Right.
>> And people were very eager
to vote in Kentucky, but they
(15:35):
will be able to next year. Of
course, the only federal
candidate that filed that first
day on Wednesday was Republican
US Rep Hal Rogers in the fifth
Congressional District. But,
you know, we'll definitely see
a lot of these people who have
been launching campaigns in the
past few months go in and file.
They have until January to do
it. So there's definitely time
(15:55):
to do it. We did see US rep
Andy Barr make an appearance
today at the Secretary of
State's office to file for the
Senate race, but this is also
kind of an interesting time,
because candidates aren't going
to the Capitol like they
normally do to file with the
secretary of state, because the
Capitol is closed for
renovation. So they are going
(16:17):
to another place in Frankfort,
the temporary office as well.
So it's definitely adding a bit
of a new element to.
>> This and limited space and
Barr. Yet today Mario made an
event of it.
>> He sure did. I was in
Frankfort there to watch the
filing process of the first
high profile candidate and Andy
Barr. Before he even showed up,
(16:39):
he had about 30 supporters
outside with rain on the way,
ready with signs. But then, as
he was preparing to do his
filing, he had a campaign event
with his supporters in the room
and he was giving some of his
top priorities if he was
elected and winning that
primary. But he was talking to
an audience at the temporary
office of the Secretary of
(17:00):
State. And this does usually
turn into turn into an event.
And I anticipate it only
growing as more candidates
start showing up, especially
all in the same day. Turning
into a big news event for
Kentucky.
>> Yeah, and it doesn't end
with those. There will be
judicial races as well. John, I
think an appeals court race in.
>> Central Kentucky, Fayette
Circuit Judge Lucy Van Meter is
(17:21):
running for the Kentucky Court
of Appeals represent central
Kentucky. That's true.
>> So there will be a whole lot
to watch in the campaign in
2026. Well, the federal
government shutdown is dragging
on. It's now the longest in US
history. The number of flights
around the country being
reduced to efforts are
springing up to help those
(17:41):
federal workers who are missing
those paychecks. We did get
word, McKenna, just before air
time, that the U.S. Department
of Agriculture apparently will
fund Snap benefits for November,
right.
>> The USDA told states earlier
today that it will be releasing
the full November Snap benefits
funding. And it they said that
(18:02):
that funds will be sent to
states starting tomorrow. Trump.
President Trump is still
appealing, though, this lawsuit
that centers around this in
court. But because of the
judge's order saying that the
government must comply and
produce this funding, they have
to do that until or if another
judge overrules that.
(18:22):
>> John, you know, this is now
unprecedented, as we said, the
longest shutdown ever. And lots
of people are truly casualties
of Washington political fallout.
Right?
>> There are in Kentucky, there
are about 24,000 people who
work for the federal government.
And that's not counting
soldiers or federal contractors.
And so for all this time, their
(18:43):
livelihood, their paychecks
have been in limbo. That's a
population of a town the size
of Radcliffe. There are 600,000
people in Kentucky who need
Snap benefits to buy food. For
the past week. They haven't had
them. Now, apparently the money
is flowing again, so hooray!
But that's a week now that
they've been going without, the
FAA is reducing air traffic by
10%, and it may go up at 40
(19:05):
airports across the country
because we've not been paying
the air traffic controllers.
Louisville and Cincinnati,
Northern Kentucky are two of
those airports. You know, for a
little while you can close the
federal government, and most
people don't feel it. I think
now we're all starting to feel
it.
>> And you think about those
employees whose backs are to
the wall, who are having to
call their mortgage companies
(19:25):
and see if they can get some
delay and maybe credit card
payments and so on.
>> Right. I have only a few
times in my life had to go
without a paycheck. I didn't
enjoy it. I don't think anybody
does.
>> Mario, another casualty of
the shutdown. The Veterans Day
event at Camp Nelson National
Cemetery canceled.
>> Yeah, canceled. And they say
(19:46):
they're citing it due to a
lapse in funding federal
appropriations. They were
counting on money to be able to
pay the volunteers and staff
and the big production that
goes on to execute that event.
And for the first time that
many of us are aware, this
won't be happening in
Nicholasville and Jessamine
County on Veterans Day.
>> We are getting more hints
about the issues coming up
before the Kentucky Legislature
(20:07):
in 2026, just a few weeks away,
state Senator Jimmy Higdon is
retiring after this term, but
he wants to do something about
distracted driving before he
leaves Frankfort.
>> Every time I hear a traffic
fatality, either a head on
collision, road departure,
motorcycle hit by a vehicle,
(20:28):
pedestrian hit by a vehicle, or
bicyclist hit by a vehicle, I
ask myself the question, could
this been caused by distracted
driver? And I believe a
majority of the times that's
what caused the accident is the
driver was distracted.
>> McKenna, what is Senator
Higdon proposing to do?
(20:50):
>> So he is in that clip. He
was presenting the phone down
Kentucky act, which is kind of
his way of building off some of
those laws that ban texting
while driving before he leaves
office. If enacted, the
proposal would require drivers
to use more hands free
technology rather than using
(21:10):
their cell phones directly. A
copy of the draft that I read
says that drivers cannot hold
mobile devices while they're
driving, read or write any kind
of messages, you know, so not
just text messages, but an
email per se. And they cannot
watch moving images like
watching videos or playing
games or something like that.
(21:31):
So the legislation does have
some exemptions for people who
are first responders and the
performing official duties and
things of that nature. But the
committee did have some
questions about fine tuning,
how this looks and how it could
be enforced as well. So we
might see some changes before
the next legislative session.
>> Would it put Kentucky in
line with most states?
>> There are some other states
(21:53):
that have this legislation. I
think Senator Higdon said that
all the states bordering us
have some kind of similar
legislation, so this would be
on par with them.
>> Other issues you see coming
up.
>> You know, one issue that
came up this week, the Kentucky
Supreme Court Chief Justice,
Deborah Lambert, she gave her
state of the judiciary, which
is common for the chief justice
(22:15):
to do. This was her first one.
And she outlined a lot of
funding priorities that she
hopes the legislature takes up,
particularly a 15% pay increase
for all judicial branch
employees, which would put them
in line with other states, more
on par with their executive
branch counterparts. And this
is a budget session for the
legislature. So this is
definitely a time for them to
(22:35):
talk about that.
>> All right. Child care. We
hear that. Lots of discussions
ahead. No question. Attorney
General Russell Coleman is
keeping an eye on artificial
intelligence. He says it can
bring tremendous benefits. But
he also told me this week he
has concerns about those who
use it to scam others.
>> This is how we see AI used
in a way that's dangerous. We
(22:57):
hear people that get phone
calls with their grandchild's
voice. An AI is used. This is
very sophisticated stuff.
>> AI concerns you.
>> It concerns me greatly. AI
concerns me greatly because I
see it how I see how it is done
for harm. We see how criminals
are using it, and certainly it
does. Now. There are positive
uses for AI. We use it for
(23:18):
evidence review. We use it in a
law enforcement context, but
it's a double edged sword. Most
certainly Mario.
>> We all see it coming and is
in use right now in many ways,
but our regulations keeping up
with AI development.
>> That's something that the
state legislature and lawmakers,
there's a Kentucky AI task
force. They're monitoring this.
(23:40):
They've been meeting for about
a year. There's a lot to take
in. They've got a lot of
priorities that they're trying
to keep eyes on. They also
shared that they are waiting on
the federal government to take
action. But whether it's
addressing child predators who
are using social media or
there's texting, messaging
scams, but then also deepfakes
and election integrity, but
(24:02):
then also there's chatbots out
there that school systems are
utilizing for mental health
resources, but making sure that
the AI is set up and set up in
a way that it's actually
helping kids and not sending
them down a different path. So
it's a wide ranging and an
evolving discussion they're
going to be continuing to have
for quite a while.
>> Voice cloning is another
issue. The US District Court
(24:24):
for Eastern Kentucky will cease
its operations in Pikeville at
the end of the year. Those
cases will then be transferred
to London or Ashland. John.
This was approved by the
Judicial Council of the Sixth
Circuit. It will be a change
for the legal community and for
those involved in criminal or
civil cases in eastern Kentucky.
>> It will. I don't think a
federal judge has sat in
(24:45):
Pikeville full time in many
years. They just visited when
they needed to, but it was
convenient for people at that
far end of the state to be able
to conduct federal court
business in Pike County, rather
than have to drive two hours
north to Ashland or two hours
west to London. And that's just
not going to be an option for
them anymore.
>> Imagine it might have an
economic impact as well on a
city where there's such a legal
(25:06):
community.
>> Frankly, I spent a week
attending a trial at that
courthouse in Pikeville, and I
know I spent a week buying
restaurant meals and staying in
the hotel. And, you know, other
people did as well. So that's
that's gone now.
>> Coal mining, new employment
has come down to the lowest
number that it has been a
record low. EKU citing some
state numbers that show that
coal mining employment dropped
(25:28):
below 3800 for the first time
on record back in the year 2000,
there were 15,000 employed in
coal mining statewide. What a
change that is in that industry.
>> Very big change, and we'll
continue to see those numbers
unfortunately, probably dip
over the next several years to
go.
>> Here at KET, we are
remembering Barry Peel, who is
(25:48):
a frequent panelist on comment
on Kentucky. And in its early
days and even early in this
century, he was on it for
decades. Peel was a historian
at heart who knew how we got
here. He covered state,
government and politics for
more than 30 years for
Lexington TV stations KET and
Wtvq. Barry was known for his
(26:10):
integrity as a reporter and his
ability to explain complex
issues in simple terms. He
would eagerly hit the road for
fancy farm or other political
gatherings, and truly enjoyed
his friendship with others in
the press corps. He was always
a fun storyteller who could
also cut to the chase in his
reporting. Barry Peel was 80
(26:30):
years old. That's comin on
Kentucky have a good week ahead.
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The Burden
The Burden is a documentary series that takes listeners into the hidden places where justice is done (and undone). It dives deep into the lives of heroes and villains. And it focuses a spotlight on those who triumph even when the odds are against them. Season 5 - The Burden: Death & Deceit in Alliance On April Fools Day 1999, 26-year-old Yvonne Layne was found murdered in her Alliance, Ohio home. David Thorne, her ex-boyfriend and father of one of her children, was instantly a suspect. Another young man admitted to the murder, and David breathed a sigh of relief, until the confessed murderer fingered David; “He paid me to do it.” David was sentenced to life without parole. Two decades later, Pulitzer winner and podcast host, Maggie Freleng (Bone Valley Season 3: Graves County, Wrongful Conviction, Suave) launched a “live” investigation into David's conviction alongside Jason Baldwin (himself wrongfully convicted as a member of the West Memphis Three). Maggie had come to believe that the entire investigation of David was botched by the tiny local police department, or worse, covered up the real killer. Was Maggie correct? Was David’s claim of innocence credible? In Death and Deceit in Alliance, Maggie recounts the case that launched her career, and ultimately, “broke” her.” The results will shock the listener and reduce Maggie to tears and self-doubt. This is not your typical wrongful conviction story. In fact, it turns the genre on its head. It asks the question: What if our champions are foolish? Season 4 - The Burden: Get the Money and Run “Trying to murder my father, this was the thing that put me on the path.” That’s Joe Loya and that path was bank robbery. Bank, bank, bank, bank, bank. In season 4 of The Burden: Get the Money and Run, we hear from Joe who was once the most prolific bank robber in Southern California, and beyond. He used disguises, body doubles, proxies. He leaped over counters, grabbed the money and ran. Even as the FBI was closing in. It was a showdown between a daring bank robber, and a patient FBI agent. Joe was no ordinary bank robber. He was bright, articulate, charismatic, and driven by a dark rage that he summoned up at will. In seven episodes, Joe tells all: the what, the how… and the why. Including why he tried to murder his father. Season 3 - The Burden: Avenger Miriam Lewin is one of Argentina’s leading journalists today. At 19 years old, she was kidnapped off the streets of Buenos Aires for her political activism and thrown into a concentration camp. Thousands of her fellow inmates were executed, tossed alive from a cargo plane into the ocean. Miriam, along with a handful of others, will survive the camp. Then as a journalist, she will wage a decades long campaign to bring her tormentors to justice. Avenger is about one woman’s triumphant battle against unbelievable odds to survive torture, claim justice for the crimes done against her and others like her, and change the future of her country. Season 2 - The Burden: Empire on Blood Empire on Blood is set in the Bronx, NY, in the early 90s, when two young drug dealers ruled an intersection known as “The Corner on Blood.” The boss, Calvin Buari, lived large. He and a protege swore they would build an empire on blood. Then the relationship frayed and the protege accused Calvin of a double homicide which he claimed he didn’t do. But did he? Award-winning journalist Steve Fishman spent seven years to answer that question. This is the story of one man’s last chance to overturn his life sentence. He may prevail, but someone’s gotta pay. The Burden: Empire on Blood is the director’s cut of the true crime classic which reached #1 on the charts when it was first released half a dozen years ago. Season 1 - The Burden In the 1990s, Detective Louis N. Scarcella was legendary. In a city overrun by violent crime, he cracked the toughest cases and put away the worst criminals. “The Hulk” was his nickname. Then the story changed. Scarcella ran into a group of convicted murderers who all say they are innocent. They turned themselves into jailhouse-lawyers and in prison founded a lway firm. When they realized Scarcella helped put many of them away, they set their sights on taking him down. And with the help of a NY Times reporter they have a chance. For years, Scarcella insisted he did nothing wrong. But that’s all he’d say. Until we tracked Scarcella to a sauna in a Russian bathhouse, where he started to talk..and talk and talk. “The guilty have gone free,” he whispered. And then agreed to take us into the belly of the beast. Welcome to The Burden.