10.26.25

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the reading of the Lexington Herald Leader. Today
is Sunday, October twenty sixth, twenty twenty five, and your
reader is Roger Hamperion. As a reminder of Radio Eye
is a reading service intended for people who are blind
or have other disabilities that make it difficult to read
printed material. We'll start with a seven day forecast brought

(00:23):
to you by ACI Weather. The weather Sunday will be
cloudy with a shower with a high of fifty seven
degrees and a low of forty nine. Monday will see
a shower or two with a high of fifty seven
and a low of fifty one. Tuesday will see periods
of rain with a high of fifty six and a

(00:43):
low of forty five. Wednesday will see a couple of
showers with a high of fifty and a low of forty.
Thursday will have partial sunshine with a high of fifty
and a low of thirty nine. Friday will have variable
clouds with a high fifty eight and a low of
forty seven. Saturday will be mostly cloudy with a high

(01:05):
of fifty three and a low of forty one. In
the Weather Almanac, the high temperature is sixty one degrees
and the low thirty seven. The normal high sixty six,
normal low forty four. Last year's high was seventy nine degrees,
last year's low fifty seven. Record high eighty four degrees

(01:28):
in nineteen sixty three, record low twenty six degrees in
nineteen ninety seven. There was zero precipitation Thursday. Month to
date six point two inches normal month to date two
point seven three. Year to date fifty two point six
one normal year to date forty one point three four

(01:52):
last year to date forty one point three two record
for the date four point three three in two thousand.
Pollen is in the low category. Main offender being weeds
and mold. Sunrise today will be at seven fifty eight am.
Sunset will be at six forty seven pm. Moonrise today

(02:17):
twelve four pm. Moonset today nine oh four pm. In
the moon phases, first quarter will be October twenty ninth,
full moon November fifth, Last quarter November twelfth, New moon
November twentieth. Now we will read the front page headlines

(02:37):
from today's edition. Fayette Superintendent's expenses at least one hundred
fifty two thousand dollars in charges for months taxpayers have
been questioning the spending habits and budget decisions at Fayette
County Public Schools. The Herald Leader analyzed nearly one thousand
public documents that revealed Superintendent Demetria Ligands charged nearly one

(03:01):
hundred fifty two thousand dollars in expenses from January twenty
twenty three to May twenty twenty five. Another thirty thousand
dollars in expenses were charged for his executive level transition
in the weeks before he started as superintendent in July
twenty twenty one. Next headline Kentucky food banks pantries braced

(03:25):
for November first snap cut off. The first article from
today's edition is titled FCPS Superintendent's expenses twenty nine trips
twenty eight thousand dollars on food Nearly one hundred fifty
two thousand dollars total. Bill by Valerie honeycut Spears and
Beth Musgrave. As questions continue to swirl about how Fayette

(03:50):
County Public Schools officials are spending taxpayers dollars, a Herald
Leader analysis revealed Superintendent Demetrius Liggins charged nearly one hundred
fifty two two thousand dollars in expenses from January twenty
twenty three to May twenty twenty five, and another thirty
thousand dollars in expenses were charged for his executive level

(04:10):
transition in the weeks before he started as superintendent in
July twenty twenty one. The Herald Leader analysis of nearly
nine hundred fifty public records showed at least one hundred
fifty one thousand, nine hundred twenty dollars was racked up
on Ligan's Procurement Card, a specialized credit card that businesses
and governments used to streamline the purchase of goods and services.

(04:35):
Receipts for Liggins's charges showed the superintendent spent public funds
on meals, hotels, plane tickets, uber rides, rental cars, parking,
a trip to the Cleveland Clinic, and routine office supplies.
His card was also used to send teachers to conferences,
pay for student field trips, and to buy tickets and

(04:56):
supplies for student activities. School Board sh chairman Tyler Murphy
said Tuesday the board's role is one of governance and oversight,
but board members don't review all receipts and spending. Board
members approve all staff overnight travel, including Liggins's professional conferences.
We approved the policies and overall budget and rely on

(05:19):
internal controls for district operations.

Speaker 2 (05:22):
He said.

Speaker 1 (05:23):
These exist because no Board of Education can feasibly review
every individual day to day receipt. The Herald Leader investigation
of ligans spending shows at least twenty five thousand, nine
hundred sixty nine dollars was charged for food, including meals
for staff, students and others, forty four thousand, one hundred

(05:44):
fifty dollars on hotels and eight thousand eighty four dollars
on airfare. Among the receipts were twelve food orders or
meals that cost between three hundred and one thousand dollars
and at least eight that cost more than one thousand dollars.
At least nine thousand, eighty eight was for meals for
his cabinet, district chiefs and administrators at Lexington restaurants such

(06:08):
as Malonees, Poppies, Wild Eggs, and Sedona Taphouse. Liggins also
went on twenty nine Board approved trips during that twenty
eight month period, crisscrossing the country to attend conferences or
group meetings. He traveled to San Francisco and San Diego,
as well as New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, d c.

(06:31):
There were travel receipts from Dallas, Atlanta, San Antonio, Salt
Lake City, and Lincoln, Nebraska, and several other cities. Liggan's
travels actually started before he officially started July twenty sixth,
twenty twenty one. Records reviewed by The Herald Leaders show
the newly hired superintendent was reimbursed twenty nine thousand, two

(06:54):
hundred four dollars for airfare, lodging and moving costs prior
to starting at Fayette County Schools in twenty twenty one.
Miranda Scully, a spokesman for the school district, did not
provide a breakdown of itemized costs. The prestart expenses were
needed to facilitate a smooth transition from his previous location

(07:15):
in Texas, she said, adding the board was committed to
Liggins's executive level transition. On June four, twenty twenty one,
board members announced Liggans, then a superintendent of a district
near Dallas, was hired to succeed Manny Kalk, who died
in December twenty twenty. In the seven weeks before he

(07:35):
started in Lexington, Liggins's expenses meant taxpayers paid more than
four thousand dollars weekly for his transition, records show The
Herald Leaders analysis of receipts from charges on Liggan's procurement
card come as some board members, taxpayers, parents, and lawmakers
have questioned how the district, with an eight hundred twenty

(07:57):
seven point two million dollar budget, is spending taxpayer money.
The dust up over the district's finances has led some
in Frankfort to call for Lyggins's resignation. School Board member
Amanda Ferguson has served alongside four superintendents, including Liggins. She
said he is more likely to travel than his predecessors.

(08:18):
While I do not have specific records or exact numbers,
I feel that doctor Liggins definitely travels more than previous
superintendents I've worked with, and the trips tend to be
nationwide more than throughout Kentucky or the region, Ferguson said.
In addition, it sounds like he incorporates more of his
staff when dining out and entertaining, given some of the

(08:41):
charges the Herald Leader has cited. Other school board members
did not respond to questions about Liggins's travel. District defends spending.
The Herald Leader's analysis reveals that in some cases, high
priced meals Liggans charged taxpayers involved other district officials. In
February twenty twenty three, for instance, Liggans and Fade County

(09:04):
board members dined at Morton's the Steakhouse in Louisville. The
eight hundred thirty four dollars receipt included filet mignon and
a chilled seafood platter. School officials said the dinner was
in conjunction with a professional conference. On April twenty first,
twenty twenty three, Liggans and district staff members had a

(09:25):
working meeting dinner in Los Angeles. The meal at Fogo
de Chaio, a Brazilian steakhouse, cost one thousand, one hundred
eight dollars for fourteen people at sixty nine dollars each.
Local officials were in LA for the College Board's Preparate Conference,
a national gathering focused on preparing Latino students for success.

(09:48):
On December fourth, twenty twenty four, Liggans charged more than
three thousand, three hundred for lunch for principals at Sedona
Taphouse in Lexington, the annual off site appreciation and working
lunch meeting for principles and district leaders is a long
standing tradition that predates Ligan's tenure, a district spokeswoman said.

(10:10):
In addition to food, Ligans also used public funds to
purchase table sponsorships at local fundraisers and charitable events. The
list included gatherings related to Martin Luther King Junior Day,
the Urban League, and the Children's Advocacy Center, totaling five
two hundred dollars. It's a practice district officials are ending,

(10:31):
Ligan said in an August school board meeting. The district
and Ligands and its top lieutenants have been ensnared in
controversies since around Memorial Day, when it was revealed the
district was quietly planning to increase the county's employment tax
and using additional dollars to offset a budget deficit. As

(10:51):
a Herald Leader and other media outlets focused more attention
on district spending, and state legislators leveled harsh criticisms at
Ligan's the district began to institute changes to its travel policies.
The school board is in the process of hiring an
external auditor. That individual will examine the district's budget and

(11:11):
spending patterns, including any potential changes to its travel policy.
The district is also considering changing its policy to limit
the amount spent per person per meal. Officials are considering
other changes regarding travel and food to have more efficient practices,
Scully said. After the Herald Leader asked about Liggins's and

(11:32):
other school personnel travel, All of Liggins's expenses were vetted
and approved by district's finance personnel. That vetting includes providing
documentation for the charges, school officials said. Those school personnel
also report to Ligans. Scully said the district is in
the midst of multiple audits related to its expenses and budget,

(11:55):
including one by state auditor Alison Ball. It has also
quit buying ten at sponsored events and stop buying staff gifts.
We want to remind the Herald Leader that we have
proactively requested and are engaging in scheduled internal and external
investigations and examinations by the state, the school board, and

(12:16):
are Superintendent, Scully said in a written statement. To ensure
a fair and comprehensive review of all practices, we respectfully
ask our community and all stakeholders to allow these processes
to be completed and the facts to be fully determined
before drawing final conclusions. In a statement to the Herald Leader,

(12:36):
Liggins defended his travels and related expenses personally. Throughout my
tenure as superintendent, I have intentionally sought out local, statewide,
and national professional learning experiences to stay on the leading
edge of educational innovation.

Speaker 2 (12:52):
He said.

Speaker 1 (12:53):
Each conference I attend is carefully chosen and board approved
with the clear goal of bringing back actionable ideas to
enhance FATD County Public Schools programs, operations, and culture of
continuous improvement. When asked for specific examples of house trips
helped students achievement or improved operations, Liggans said travel to

(13:15):
conferences has helped ready the school district for new challenges
post pandemic, but he did not offer any concrete or
specific examples. Questions about spending on travel and food continue.
In May, school officials in the state's second largest district
said that they had a projected sixteen million dollars shortfall,

(13:37):
which they now say has been corrected. The contingency fund
has dwindled by millions. That has triggered heightened concerns about
how other parts of the budget are being spent, especially
related to food. Meals and travel. The Herald Leader reported
September twenty ninth, fatd County Public Schools employees racked up

(13:57):
more than two point five million dollars in US charges
on school issued credit cards from August twenty twenty four
to January twenty twenty five, according to the district's financial records.
The Herald Leader reported on travel related expenses by district staff.
In December, the newspaper reported the district had spent three

(14:17):
point six million dollars on more than two hundred trips
for administrators and teachers during the twenty twenty three twenty
four school year. That's more than Kentucky's other large school districts,
including Louisville's Jefferson County Public Schools, which spent two point
three million dollars during that same time frame. The school

(14:37):
board approved twenty nine trips for liggans from January twenty
twenty three to June twenty twenty five, at a projected
total cost of sixty six eight hundred twenty four dollars,
according to school board agendas to places ranging from California
to New York. Calvin D. Cranville is a certified public

(14:58):
accountant who was a contry investigator for the Kentucky Office
of Education Accountability for a decade. He said, even if
Liggans followed school policy on expenses, Cranfill would have flagged
many of the meals the superintendent charged if we thought
it was necessary, even if it followed board policy, we
made a point about it, Cranfil said. The Herald Leader

(15:21):
relayed information about Liggins's expenses to Cranville for his analysis.
Liggan's paying for loans for students on an advisory council
is likely a non issue, but spending thousands on dinner
for principles and school staff should raise eyebrows, he said. Moreover,
there were times when receipts Ligans provided to school administrators

(15:43):
did not make it clear how many people attended the event.
That's a no no, Cranfil said. Internal revenue service standards
require itemized receipts that show the purpose of the meeting
and how many people attended.

Speaker 2 (15:57):
He said.

Speaker 1 (15:58):
The school district has said one hundred and thirty five
employees have procurement cards. Those cards are largely for school
principles and top administrators, school officials have said. Cranfil said
one way to cut expenses is to dramatically curtail the
number of people who have those cards. Making people pay
for those expenses up front and then get reimbursed by

(16:20):
the school district may stop some of the more questionable expenses,
including multiple meals for more than one thousand dollars. If
you want to control expenses, that's how you do it,
Cranfil said. Five thousand dollars leadership trainings, two thousand dollars dinners.
Here are some receipts and other records from Ligan's procurement

(16:42):
card charges from twenty twenty three to twenty twenty five
and the district's explanation for some of those costs. Five
thousand dollars Invitation only Leadership Training Series. Scully said this
is a year long professional learning program designed for accomplished
superintend The program is by invitation only, with a limited

(17:04):
number of superintendents across the nation selected for a program
focused on innovation, system improvement, and continuous growth. Their seat
does not provide details on where the training series was held.
One thousand, eighty eight dollars Student Advisory Team Luncheon. This
was held at Sedona Taphouse on April twenty ninth, twenty

(17:25):
twenty three. It was for the Superintendent's Student Advisory Council's
end of year celebration and debrief session. Students were brought
off campus during their lunch period to engage in reflection
on their experiences, provide feedback on district initiatives, and celebrate
their contributions to the council's work throughout the year. Nine thousand,

(17:48):
two hundred sixty one dollars for professional fees with consulting
company called Prime Chief of Staff in twenty twenty three.
It was a twelve month professional learning and consulting engagement
designed to support Tracy Bruno, the district's Chief of Staff,
in leadership development and organational effectiveness. Charitable expenses two thousand

(18:10):
dollars Urban League dinner table October twelfth, twenty twenty three.
One thousand fifty dollars for seats for principals at Martin
Luther King Junior Day event January fourteenth, twenty twenty five.
Two thousand dollars table for Children's Advocacy Center of the
Bluegrass at Lexart's twenty twenty four. District officials said they

(18:31):
will no longer buy tables at fundraisers. Two thousand, one
hundred fourteen dollars at Malone's for the Superintendent's Advisory Council
lunch in May eighth, twenty twenty four. The advisory council
consists of students who weigh in on issues affecting the district.
One thousand, six hundred and two dollars at Poppy's Mexican

(18:52):
restaurant for a December sixth, twenty twenty three district leadership meeting.
More than one thousand dollars for a medical hotel and
rental car when Liggans went to Cleveland Clinic in July
twenty twenty four. A twenty twenty four addendum to Ligan's
contract says the superintendent shall submit to an annual physical

(19:12):
examination of his choice, and the district will pay the
portion not covered by his health insurance to a maximum
of five thousand dollars. He must provide the board with
a written report from his examining physician that attests to
his fitness to perform the job. Two thousand, three hundred
ten dollars for a school board retreat in Bardstown in

(19:33):
twenty twenty four. It included hotel and food. Eight hundred
forty two dollars on nothing bunt cakes for teacher gifts.
In November twenty twenty three, District officials have said they
are no longer going to spend money on staff gifts.
Four hundred forty four dollars at Wild Eggs March eleventh,

(19:53):
twenty twenty three for a full day cabinet meeting. The
sessions started in the morning and extended through the day.
Five hundred and one dollars at MOSE for food served
at an April seventeenth cabinet meeting.

Speaker 2 (20:08):
Where did Liggins go?

Speaker 1 (20:10):
Liggins continue to travel from January twenty twenty three to
May twenty twenty five from New York City to California.
Receipts show the twenty nine board approved trips were held
on seventy six work days, according to school board agenda documents.

Speaker 2 (20:26):
In twenty twenty.

Speaker 1 (20:27):
Three, the board approved his travel to fifteen conferences that
included the School Superintendent's Association National Conference on Education in
San Antonio, springs together education innovators, the Learning Ideas Conference
in New York City, which focuses on innovation in research
and learning, and the National Executive Leadership Conference in San Francisco.

(20:50):
That conference is geared towards superintendents. According to its website.
In twenty twenty four. His travel included conferences for superintendents,
including the Nation Alliance of Black School Educators in Atlanta,
the Superintendent's Collaborative in Henderson, Nevada, and the National Superintendent
Networking Event in Nebraska. In twenty twenty three, Liggans went

(21:12):
on these school board approved trips San Antonio February fourteenth
through eighteenth, Washington, d C. March seventeenth through twenty first,
New York City June twelfth through seventeenth, Atlanta June nineteenth
through twenty second, Philadelphia June twenty fourth through twenty ninth, Rochester,

(21:34):
New York, July eighteenth through twenty second, Chicago August twenty
three through twenty fifth, Louisville September twenty first through twenty eighth,
multiple meetings, Nashville October sixteenth through nineteenth, San Francisco October
twenty fourth through twenty ninth, San Diego October twenty fifth

(21:54):
through twenty eighth, Louisville November ninth through the tenth, New
Orleans November twenty eighth through December third, Louisville December three
through fifth. In twenty twenty four, the school board approved
these trips for Lincoln's San Antonio February fifteenth through seventeenth, Austin, Texas,
April twenty four through twenty sixth, Henderson, Nevada, June twenty

(22:19):
sixth through twenty ninth, Salt Lake City July twenty one
through twenty third, Dallas, Texas October fifteenth through twentieth, Hampton, Virginia,
October twentieth through twenty second, Lincoln, Nebraska October thirty first
through November three, Atlanta November twentieth through twenty fourth. In

(22:39):
twenty twenty five, these trips were approved by the school
board through June. Anaheim, California, February eighteenth through twentieth, Oceanside, California,
March twenty fifth through twenty eighth, San Antonio June twenty
eighth through July third, Washington, d c. April twenty four
through twenty fifth, Atlanta June nineteenth through twenty first. The

(23:03):
board approof conferences also have other costs. In addition to
hotel and airplane tickets, there was fourteen thousand dollars in
conference registration fees for ligands and others, including one conference
for the Great City Schools Council in July twenty twenty three,
with registration costs of one thy two hundred seventy five dollars.

(23:24):
There were thousands of dollars in professional memberships and subscriptions,
including four hundred forty six dollars for Herald Leader subscriptions
over that two year period. The district has clearly outlined
procedures regarding professional learning opportunities and the travel associated with
those learning opportunities. Scully said. In its travel policy, the

(23:45):
district limits the amount and employee can charge for out
of state meals to sixty five dollars per day. For
in state meals, it is fifty dollars per day. Not
all of Liggins's travels since he became superintendent in twenty
twenty one was in the US. The district spent at
least six eight hundred and sixty nine dollars in twenty
twenty two for Liggins to attend a conference in Australia

(24:08):
or Stiet shows. It was part of the Global Cities
Education Network, which encourages the best practices for school districts
in larger cities in the world. Liggins has previously said.
Liggins defends spending. Liggins told lawmakers when he was summoned
to Frankfurt to discuss his travel, his spending and professional

(24:28):
learning had been helpful to increase academic success in a
post pandemic world. At least seven plane tickets between five
hundred and one thousand dollars were charged to Liggins's procurement card.
Some of the expenses included plane tickets and hotel rooms
for other FCPS staff. Out of September sixteenth, Kentucky General

(24:49):
Assembly Interim Joint Committee on Education meeting, Senator Lindsay Titchener,
Republican of Smithfield, questioned if some of his plane tickets
were for first class tickets. I've never flown first class
on the district's dime ever, so that's simply not true,
he replied. Receipts and other district documents show at least

(25:10):
forty four one hundred and fifty dollars was charged to
Lyggins's card at hotels at education conferences across the country
and other travel. Some hotels stays charged to his procurement
card were for other educators in the district. School travel
policy allows administrators to stay in hotels if the distance
is more than sixty miles. From twenty twenty three, to

(25:33):
twenty twenty five, Liggan's charged at least three six hundred
and twenty one dollars on hotel stays in Louisville connected
to education conferences or professional learning. Every single trip that
takes place is scrutinized, Liggins told lawmakers during the September
sixteenth meeting there were some trips. He said that more
people staff went on than should have. The next article

(25:56):
from the front page of today's edition is titled Tucky
food Banks pantries braves for November one snap cut off
by Beth Musgrave. Nicky Stacey was scrambling Thursday. The founder
of Hazel Green Food Project in Wolf County. She typically
gives out food on the second and fourth Fridays of
the month, but she had to cancel this week's giveaway.

(26:20):
The community's needs had been too severe earlier in the
week and the organization didn't have enough food to give
away more.

Speaker 2 (26:27):
On Friday.

Speaker 1 (26:28):
Just today, I got calls for twenty emergency food boxes
for families twenty, Stacy said. Two months ago, those types
of calls were rare, maybe once or twice a week.
The skyrocketing cost of food, utilities and other basic needs
means more people are turning to food banks and programs
like Stacy's for food, and as the federal government shut

(26:51):
down stretches into its third week, advocates worried the demand
for free food may explode again. The federal government has
warned that starting November first, because of the shutdown, it
will not fund the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, which helps
low income Americans pay for groceries. Nearly six hundred thousand
people in Kentucky use SNAP benefits. If those benefits disappear,

(27:16):
Stacey and others who run free pantry and feeding programs
worry they won't be able to meet the surge and demand.
Governor Andy Basheer said earlier this week the state does
not have money to fund the program for November. According
to federal data, it would cost about one hundred six
million dollars a month. Another chief concern is a dwindling

(27:37):
inventory of food at area food banks, which provide food
for programs like Hazel Green. A US Department of Agriculture
program that allows food banks to order food directly from
the USDA has closed because of the shutdown. Food orders
that were previously sent will be honored, so those shipments
will arrive through the end of December set officials at

(27:59):
Kentucky Fee Banks, but it's not clear how long that
inventory will last if there was a steep spike in demand.
Due to time constraints, we'll need to end this article
at this time. And now, after a short pause, I
hope you'll rejoin us for a continuation of the reading
of the Lexington Herald Leader for today. Thank you for listening,

(28:21):
and now please stay tuned for more news.

Speaker 2 (28:24):
Right here on RADIOI. Now we will.

Speaker 1 (28:27):
Continue reading from the Lexington Herald Leader for Sunday, October
twenty sixth, twenty twenty five. Your reader is Roger Hamperion.
We will start with the obituaries. We read only the name, age,
and location. If you would like further information on any
of the obituaries, please see their website or call us

(28:48):
during the weekdays at A five nine four two two
six three nine zero, and we will be glad to
read the entire obituary for you. I will repeat that
number at the end of the listings. There is one
obituary listed for today, Audrey Rooney, eighty six of Lynchburg.
If you'd like any further information about today's listing, please

(29:11):
visit the following website www dot legacy dot com slash
obituaries slash Kentucky. Again, that site is Legacy dot com
slash obituary slash Kentucky.

Speaker 2 (29:24):
You can also call us.

Speaker 1 (29:26):
At our RADIOI studios at eight five nine four two
two six three nine zero and we will try to
read them to you over the phone. There is no
Paul Prather column this week, so we will continue reading
the next article from today's edition of The Herald Leader,
titled bird flu is Back, killing millions of farmed birds

(29:47):
by Emily Anthos and Apoorva Mandavilli. The New York Times
News service syndicate stories bird flu is back. After a
quiet summer, the virus has hit dozens of paltry flocks,
resulting in the deaths of nearly seven million farmed birds
in the United States since the beginning of September, among

(30:07):
them one point three million turkeys, putting pressure on the
nation's turkey supply in the run up to Thanksgiving. Reports
of infected wild birds have also surged this fall, and
three states, Idaho, Nebraska, and Texas have identified outbreaks and
dairy cows. The virus often flares up in the fall,
as wild birds begin migrating south this year. The uptick

(30:31):
is occurring during a government shutdown, as federal agencies that
are typically involved in the response are working with skeletal staff.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which tracks human cases,
and the Department of Agriculture, which monitors animal outbreaks, have
both suspended routine communication with states, leaving many officials without

(30:53):
up to date guidance on how to detect and contain
the disease or a clear national picture of the surge.
Because the government shut down, I know less than I
would normally know, said doctor Amy Swinford, director of the
Texas A and M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, which is
part of a national network of labs that conducts bird

(31:14):
flu's surveillance. The Agriculture Department did not immediately respond to
a request for comment. Emily Hilliard, a spokesperson for the
Health Department, said the CDC was maintaining its Emergency Operations
Center and its ability to detect and respond to urgent
public health threats, but immigration raids are scaring away workers

(31:35):
at dairy and poultry farms who might otherwise seek help
for their symptoms, and the nation is on the cusp
both the fall flu season, which may further complicate efforts
to distinguish cases of bird flu. Some experts said the
new wave of detections makes clear that the past several months,
during which the virus all but vanished from the nation's

(31:56):
poultry farms and egg prices fell from record highs where
a temporary respite. This false surge began earlier than usual,
and experts are bracing themselves for an acceleration in the
months ahead. The virus has settled into this seasonal pattern,
said Richard Webbe, an influenza expert at Saint Jude's Children

(32:16):
Research Hospital. This is going to continue to be the
new norm. The resurgence of the virus also means that
as the holidays approach, Americans could see higher prices for
both eggs and turkeys. Our turkey guys are getting hit
pretty hard this fall, said Brent Nelson, an economist at
the American Farm Bureau Federation. Wholesale turkey prices are already

(32:40):
forty percent higher than last year. Nelson said since early
twenty twenty two, the virus has affected more than one
hundred and eighty million farmed birds and killed countless wild ones,
but has also infected dozens of new species, suggesting that
it has changed significantly over time. In early twenty two
twenty four, it spilled over into dairy cows, eventually spreading

(33:03):
to more than one thousand herds in eighteen states, and
it has infected at least seventy people, mostly farm workers,
resulting in several hospitalizations and one death. The USDA has
said that it would use emergency funds to support its
bird flu program during the shutdown, and the CDC has

(33:24):
maintained some essential staff members who could help in case
of an emergency. Layoffs at the CDC this month initially
affected infectious disease experts, including the acting director of the
National Center for Infectious and Respiratory Diseases, as well as
her entire office.

Speaker 2 (33:42):
Trump administration also.

Speaker 1 (33:43):
Initially laid off dozens of the agency's disease detectives fellows
of the Epidemic Intelligence Service who are deployed to help
extinguish outbreaks, but less than twenty four hours later their
firings were rescinded. Still, many scientists with expertise and bird
flu have been furloughed, and the CDC has suspended multiple

(34:04):
regular calls that it hosted to keep state public health
and veterinary officials apprized of outbreaks. Agency officials would normally
be updating state officials on the scale of the outbreaks,
any changes in the virus, and the recommended containment measures.
The National Animal Laboratory Health Network, which is coordinated by

(34:25):
the USDA, has also suspended its weekly calls, which allowed
labs to share information. The labs play a critical role
in bird flu surveillance, receiving federal funding to test birds, cows,
and other animals for the virus. The suspension of the
calls means that none of the labs are talking on
a national basis, said doctor Keith Polson, director of the

(34:49):
Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, So if something changes, then we
don't have a good way to disseminate that information. The
virus also remains a threat to work birds, including many
threatened species. Last month, the International Crane Foundation announced the
first confirmed death of an endangered whooping crane from bird flew. Crane,

(35:12):
which had been raised in a camptive breeding program had
been scheduled for release into the wild. Or Fewer than
one thousand whooping cranes remain the next article from today's
edition of The Herald Leader is titled bon Jovi talks
about vocal cord injury Recovery From US Weekly, John bon

(35:32):
Jovi is reflecting on his vocal cord injury and is
rode back to recovery. While interviewing bon Jovi sixty three
on the Thursday episode of Today, Savannah Guthrie said, there
was a moment when it was if I can't sing
the way I want to sing, I'm not going to
do it anymore. That's right, he replied. I don't do

(35:52):
it for the applause. I'm not that applause junkie. I
do it for the joy, and I do it.

Speaker 2 (35:58):
For the art. The rest of it is.

Speaker 1 (36:00):
It's great because I'm good at it, But if you
couldn't do it from a place of joy, what's the motivation.

Speaker 2 (36:06):
In twenty twenty two.

Speaker 1 (36:07):
Bon Jovi underwent surgery to fix in a trophying vocal cord.
The rocker explained that his stronger vocal cord was pushing
the week one around and it was dying. Bon Jovi
ultimately found a surgeon who placed an implant on the
outside of his vocal cords. Now, bon Jovi announced studies
returning to the stage for the Forever Tour, which kicks

(36:29):
off in twenty twenty six with four shows at New
York City's iconic Madison Square Garden before traveling to Europe.
The road has been long, it's been tough, but I persevered,
he said. The next article from today's edition of The
Herald Leader is titled Trump reopens Alaska Arctic coastal plane
to oil leasing by Aery Natter Bloomberg News The Tribune

(36:53):
Content Agency. Trump administration is opening the entire coastal plane
of Alaska's Arc National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas leasing,
reversing a Biden administration decision that put the pristine wilderness
area off limits. Interior Secretary Doug Burgham announced Thursday the
agency was opening the one point five to six million

(37:16):
acre expands of tundra on Alaska's north Slope. It's the
latest move by the administration to boost domestic fossil fuel
production and makes good on President Trump's pledge to resume
leasing in the region. This land should and will be
supporting responsible oil and gas leasing, Bergham said during an
event at the Interior Department's headquarters in Washington on Thursday.

(37:40):
The refuge's coastal plane is estimated to hold billions of
barrels of crude, but many oil companies have been reluctant
to target the area given the high costs. Environmentalists and
Native Alaskans argue oil development in the region risks imperiling
Arctic foxes, polar bears, and caribou. Drilling in the Arts
Arctic Refuge is reckless, Bobby mcinanny, a director with the

(38:04):
Natural Resources Defense Council, said in a statement. The market
has said no, banks and insurers won't back it. Lease
sales flopped and taxpayers are left holding the bag. Public
lands must serve people, wildlife, and a livable climate, not
host a firesale for fossil fuel companies. During Trump's first term,

(38:25):
Congress lifted a forty year old ban on energy development
in the Refuge in twenty seventeen, mandating lease sales. President
Joe Biden suspended those sales and took steps to thwart
oil development in the region, canceling leases sold in twenty
twenty one and barring exploration in more than half of
the nearby National Petroleum Reserve. Not a single company opted

(38:48):
to bid in two additional lease sales in the region,
mandated by Congress and held just days before President Joe
Biden left office. Oil industry representatives and Alaska officials, however,
complained the Lee sales structure discouraged bidding from the start.
The next article from today's edition of The Herald Leader
is titled McConnell pick. Chad Meredith gets Senate nod to

(39:12):
become next Kentucky federal judge by Austin Horn. Chad Meredith
will be Kentucky's newest federal district judge after being tapped
by President Donald Trump over the summer. Meredith passed the
last trial of the judicial nomination process Thursday afternoon full U. S.
Senate confirmation. Meredith was confirmed to join the U. S.

(39:35):
District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky in a
forty eight to forty five vote by the Senate, which
is controlled by Republican majority. He will fill the seat
of Judge Danny Reeves, who took senior status earlier this year.
Meredith is currently employed by the Cincinnati based law firm
Squire Patent Boggs, where he was recently promoted to partner.

(39:58):
The path Meredith took to the post not without its bumps.
Three years ago, Meredith was slated to be nominated by
former Democratic President Joe Biden in a rare deal between
Biden and Kentucky GOP Senator Mitch McConnell. The plan was dropped, however,
due to the opposition of Kentucky Senator Ran Paul. This

(40:18):
time around, Paul supported McConnell's nomination of Meredith. Meredith faced
some moderately oppositional questioning from Democrats in a Senate Judicial
Committee hearing. Those questions cenated around his views on abortion
and his time in the office of former Governor Matt Bevan.
Though Bevan's team carried out a number of highly controversial pardons,

(40:39):
Meredith maintained he was not involved. McConnell llotted Meredith's confirmation
in a statement, Chad's impressive legal background in the private
sector and devotion to serving the public make him an
excellent addition to the federal bench. His thoughtfulness and commitment
to our Constitution will serve him well as he carries
out his new duties, McConnell wrote. Meredith interned for McConnell

(41:03):
in two thousand and three. He graduated from Washington and
Lee University and holds a law degree from the University
of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law. Before entering
private practice, Meredith clerked for Senior Justice John Marshall Rogers
on the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
and for Amula Thapar in the U S District Court

(41:25):
for the Eastern District of Kentucky before the par was
appointed to the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Both of those judges were first appointed to the bench
by former President George W.

Speaker 2 (41:37):
Bush.

Speaker 1 (41:38):
In a statement, Kentucky Senate GOP leadership called Meredith one
of Kentucky's finest legal sons. His father is Stephen Meredith,
Republican of Litchfield, a longtime member of the Senate GOP Caucus.
This is a momentous occasion for Kentucky and a proud
milestone for the Meredith family. Chad Meredith's distinguished legal career,

(42:00):
steadfast commitment to constitutional principles, and unwavering integrity have earned
him broad respect across the legal community. His confirmation not
only recognizes his impressive qualifications, but also affirms the importance
of judicial restraint and constitutional fidelity. Kentucky Senate GP wrote

(42:20):
in the statement, the U S District Court for the
Eastern District of Kentucky covers the entirety of eastern Kentucky,
Northern Kentucky, and the Bluegrass Region. It also includes part
of south central Kentucky. The next article from today's edition
of The Herald Leader is titled daughter of ex Kentucky
sheriff charged with killing judge speaks out about case by

(42:43):
Christopher Leech. The daughter of a former county sheriff charged
with killing a judge last year, took to social media
this week to deny rumors the judge had an inappropriate
relationship with her. Lilah Steines posed a pair of TikTok
videos October twenty five first and October twenty second, urging
people not to spread the rumor and claiming that any

(43:05):
stories about her and the other party were made up.
Do you all not have anything better to do than
sit and gossip?

Speaker 2 (43:13):
She said.

Speaker 1 (43:14):
You are taking my pain and making it your pleasure.
You're taking our stories and turning them into big entertainment pieces, jokes,
and for that matter, you're making it your income. Since
when did that become okay? The videos come after Lllah Steines,
who is now eighteen but was a minor when the
shooting happened, and her mother also denied to investigators that

(43:36):
she had any contact with former Letcher County Judge Kevin Mullins.
According to grand jury transcripts, her father, former Letcher County
Sheriff Sean Mickey Stein's forty four, is accused of shooting
and killing Mullins inside the judge's chambers on September nineteenth,
twenty twenty four. The shooting was captured on video, and

(43:58):
the motive for the shooting has remained a miss. Mickey
Stein's is charged with murder and his case is pending.
His lawyer, Jeremy Bartley, has claimed his client was under
extreme emotional dress at the time of the shooting, and
he said he'd planned to use an insanity defense. The
case garnered national attention, including from true crime personalities on

(44:19):
social media, who claimed the judge had an inappropriate relationship
with mickey Stein's minor daughter. Clayton Stamper, a detective with
Kentucky State Police, testified that the sheriff used Mullen's phone
to call his daughter before the shooting. In video footage
of the shooting, Mickey Steins appears to ask for Mullen's
phone and make a call on it, but Stamper said

(44:41):
there was no evidence of previous communication between Mullin's and
the daughter, including through social media, texts, or phone calls,
according to grand jury transcripts. Lilah Stone's videos this week
went viral, increasing her follower count from about nine hundred
fifty to more than seven thousand.

Speaker 2 (45:00):
She clarified in a.

Speaker 1 (45:01):
Second video that she wasn't addressing the shooting specifically, only
the rumors about a relationship with Mullins. I am aware
of how serious this is and how much of a
big deal this is, Stein said, I was not talking
about news or social media. I was simply talking about
the people who sit at home behind a keyboard all

(45:21):
day and say terrible things about my name. The next
article from today's edition of The Herald Leader is titled
Basheer says technicality keeping him from executing Kentucky death row
inmate by Austin Horn. Governor Andy Basheer is for now
opposed to signing a warrant to execute a Kentucky death
row inmate convicted of killing a sheriff and a deputy

(45:44):
in Powell County, but the Democratic governor didn't express any
wider opposition to the death penalty. Rather, Bashir told reporters
Thursday at a news conference the state has not gone
through the full regulatory process and still lacks the drugs
needed to carry out an execution, despite a push from
Republican Attorney General Russell Coleman and Senator Brandon Smith, Republican

(46:07):
of Hazard who represents Powell County. Basheer said he reads
a recent court order differently than Coleman and Smith. They
think it means that I can go ahead and sign
one of those warrants, But there is another part of
the order that says before I can sign any of
the warrants, we have to have another regulation go through
the process. We very promptly wrote that, and it's going

(46:30):
through the process right now. So I believe, being a
member of the bar, that I've got to follow those
orders and that that part of the order prevents me
from signing it at this time.

Speaker 2 (46:40):
Basher said.

Speaker 1 (46:42):
Before nineteen seventy six, Kentucky executed four hundred and twenty
four people. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, Since
nineteen seventy six, just three people have been executed Marco
Allan Chapman in two thousand and eight, was the most recent.
The inmate is Ralph Bayes, a now fifty five year

(47:02):
old man who was sentenced to death by a jury
in nineteen ninety four. Bayes's case went before the U. S.
Supreme Court in two thousand and seven as lawyers questioned
the constitutionality of lethal injection. The case prompted a seven
month pause on executions nationwide. While the highest court considered
a ruling, lethal injections resumed in many states. They did

(47:26):
too in Kentucky, although only briefly and not for bays.
Kentucky has had a pause on lethal injections since twenty ten,
when Franklin's Circuit Court judge Philip Sheppard ruled that executions
should be prohibited for several reasons, including the state's lack
of an automatic stay for intellectually disabled death row inmates

(47:47):
and changes to legal injection protocols. Basher added that companies
with the proper lethal injection drugs won't provide them to
Kentucky right now. Kentucky does not have the necessary drugs
that would be required to carry out any execution if
one went forward. The companies are saying that they won't
provide it now. The Attorney General has offered to help

(48:09):
on that, but we haven't seen other states be able
to secure, at least from what I've seen, what's required
under Kentucky's regulations, Basheer said. Coleman has sought to bring
back the death penalty in Kentucky since the early days
of his tenure, starting in twenty twenty four. His office
has insisted throughout the summer that Basher should set a

(48:30):
date for Bayes' execution. Smith, in a letter to Basher,
asked for the governor to say the victim's names, Sheriff
Steve Bennett and Deputy Arthur Briscoe, as well as respond
to a family member's letter and request the appropriate legal
injection drugs from the federal government. Smith's final request was
for Bashir to commit publicly to signing Bayes's death warrant

(48:53):
until no artificial barriers remain, something that Basheer has not
yet done, though in his common he said he's working
toward getting the regulations approved to do so. Red tape aside,
nothing stops the governor from saying whether he supports this
death warrant. These families want to know where he stands,
Smith wrote in a Herald Leader op ed. Basher has

(49:16):
expressed some support for the death penalty in recent years,
including one asked about it at a debate during his
re election campaign. On the debate stage, he said, some
crimes are so terrible and some people so dangerous that
I do believe this law, the death penalty, needs to
continue to be on the books. When asked about expanding

(49:38):
the death penalty, Basheer said it would depend on the crime.
Steve Basheer, the governor's father, was in office when Marco
Allan Chapman was executed in two thousand and eight for
fatally stabbing two children in Gallatin County. I remember that case,
and I remember those kids that never had an opportunity
to grow up in this commonwealth to make memories like mine.

(49:59):
Andy Bashir said that was a heinous crime that I
believe still deserves this type of penalty. The base question
could prove tricky for Bashir, who is not shy about
a potential run for the Democratic nomination for president in
twenty twenty eight.

Speaker 2 (50:15):
According to a twenty twenty.

Speaker 1 (50:16):
Four Gallop poll, about fifty three percent of Americans support
the death penalty in cases of murder. That number is
much lower for registered Democrats. Gallop found thirty eight percent
of Democrats in Generation X or older support the death
penalty for murders, and the numbers twenty seven percent for
Gen Z and millennials. The next article from today's edition

(50:39):
of The Herald Leader is titled UK plans full scale
crisis simulation for campus. Here's When and how to volunteer
by Monica Caste. The University of Kentucky is seeking volunteers
to participate in a full scale crisis drill on campus
next month. Police officers and first responders in Lexington, including

(51:01):
the UK Police Department, will converge on campus to train
in a high stress, realistic scenario Thursday, November twentieth. Volunteers
will play the role of patients, bystanders and evacuees during
the simulation to help responders practice life saving skills in
realistic conditions. UKPD will work with UK Healthcare, Public Relations

(51:23):
and the Emergency Operations Center to practice the Emergency Response Plan.
This training provides an opportunity for first responders to conduct
drills that they cannot run while classes are in session.
The university said in a news release, Volunteers will participate
from seven thirty am to three pm. No special skills

(51:44):
are needed, just enthusiasm and willingness to participate. The university
said volunteering will give community members the opportunity to support
local first responders and better prepare themselves for emergency situations.
The university said those interests that in volunteering can register
at go dot uky dot edu Slash Crisis Exercise through Friday,

(52:09):
November fourteenth. Questions about the simulation can be directed to
ukpd's Division of Crisis Management and Preparedness at CMP at
uky dot edu. Next article from today's edition of The
Herald Leader is titled one dead, one injured in crash
on Athens Boonsborough Road in Lexington by Christopher Leech. One

(52:31):
person died and another person was seriously injured in a
car crash in Lexington early Thursday morning. According to the
Lexington Police Department. The crash happened around twelve fifty five
am at Athens Boonsborough Road and dough Run Trail. Lexington
Police Lieutenant Stephen Wiggins said two cars collided and each

(52:52):
car had one occupant. One of the drivers was pronounced
dead at the scene. According to Wiggins, the Faett County
Corner's Office identified the driver as Benjamin Gabbard, forty eight.
The other driver was taken to a hospital with serious injuries.
Wiggins said it's unknown what caused the crash, but the
Collision Reconstruction Unit investigated the scene. The road has since

(53:14):
been reopened. The next article from today's edition of The
Herald Leader is titled FCPS and Kentucky's student Act scores
are declining. Data shows by Valerie Honeycutt Spears ACT scores
for Fayette County Public School's class of twenty twenty five
and counterparts across Kentucky declined from last year, continuing a

(53:36):
drop in achievements since twenty twenty three. New testing data
shows Kentucky students in the graduating class of twenty twenty
five earned an average composite score of eighteen point four
on the ACT. State Department of Education officials said in
an October fifteenth news release, as with any assessment, the
Kentucky Act, results from the class of twenty twenty five

(54:00):
a complex picture. Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher said in
the release, we at the Kentucky Department of Education are
proud of where we stand nationally among states where every
student is tested, which reflects our dedication to preparing every
student for success in college, career and life. The Commonwealths
class of twenty twenty four performed a bit higher according

(54:22):
to the KDE, with a composite score of eighteen point six.
The number of students from the class of twenty twenty
five taking the ACT rose from the previous year, however,
by three point eight percent fifty two nine hundred forty six.
The state's composite score in twenty twenty two was also
eighteen point six, though it ticked up to eighteen point

(54:45):
seven in twenty twenty three. Composite scorer and each individual
subject score English Mathematics, Reading, and Science range from one
low to thirty six high. The composite score is the
average of the English math and reading test scores, rounded
to the nearest whole number. Fractions less than one half

(55:06):
are rounded down, fractions one half or more are rounded up.

Speaker 2 (55:10):
According to the ACT.

Speaker 1 (55:12):
In addition to a falling composite score, English reading, math,
and science scores across Kentucky and FCPS were lower in
twenty twenty five than in previous years. According to the
latest data, FCPS class of twenty twenty five students earned
an average composite score of eighteen point seven. That's higher

(55:32):
than the statewide average, but point three lower than the
twenty four and well below the class of twenty twenty three,
which averaged nineteen point six. While we acknowledge that ACT
scores for both FCPS and the state have mirrored a
slight decrease over the last three years, this trend is
consistent with national results reflecting the challenges of the past

(55:55):
few years, FCPS spokesperson Miranda Scully told The Harold Leader. Crucially,
our district continues to demonstrate academic achievement. Fcps's English, Mathematics, reading, science,
and composite ACT scores continue to outpace the state average.
Scully continued. Every accomplishment starts in the classroom, and we

(56:18):
owe this success entirely to the integrity and dedication of
our schools and students. Our focus remains on supporting our
staff to ensure every student is prepared for their post
secondary future. Kentucky's average composite score ranks fourth among states
testing all of their graduates, behind Nebraska, Wyoming, and Tennessee.

Speaker 2 (56:39):
KDE reports due.

Speaker 1 (56:41):
To time constraints, we'll need to end this article at
this time. This concludes the reading of the Lexington Herald
Leader for today Sunday, October twenty sixth, twenty twenty five.
Your reader has been Roger Hamperion. Thank you for listening,
and please stay tuned for sports news here on Radio
I