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>> Bill: THIS WEEKEND MARKS A YEAR SINCE DEADLY TORNADOES DEVASTATED PARTS OF WESTERN KENTUCKY. GOVERNOR BESHEAR OFFICIALLY FILES FOR RE-ELECTION. HE'LL HAVE TO OUTRUN MORE THAN A

DOZEN CHALLENGERS, AND WE'LL LOOK AT THAT AND SOME OTHER RACES. THE U.S. TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY VISITS LOUISVILLE AND TALKS ABOUT HIS KEY ROLE IN THE FLOW OF GOODS. THE LEGISLATIVE

SESSION NOW WEEKS AWAY AND THE TOAD LIST IS LONG AS SOME LEADERS HAVE DOWNPLAYING EXPECTATIONS. IF TOILED SEASON ROLLS ON, AND "COMMENT" IS NEXT ON KET. GOOD EVENING. I'M BILL

BRYANT, AND WE WELCOME YOU TO "COMMENT ON KENTUCKY," A 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 AR: CHRIS OTTS, REPORTER FOR WDRB IN LUOL. LAURA CULLEN GLASSCOCK, EDITOR AND PUBLISHER OF THE KENTUCKY GAZETTE. AND BILL ESTEP, SOUTHERN AND EASTERN KENTUCKY REPORTER

FOR LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER LEADER. ALSO TONIGHT LEADERS AT THE KENTUCKY HORSE PARK ARE LION TO REMOVE NEW-HIRES FROM THE MERIT SYSTEM AND TO GET SOME OF THE HOTEL TAX THAT IS COLLECTED IN

THE BLUEGRASS. AND MORE CHANGES ARE ANNOUNCED FOR THE KENTUCKY JUVENILE CORRECTION SYSTEM AFTER SOME MAJOR PROBLEMS. IT HAS BEEN A YEAR NOW SINCE THAT AWFUL WEEKEND WHEN DEADLY TORNADOES

TOOK AIM AT KENTUCKY. WE WERE ON THE AIR JUST ABOUT AN HOUR BEFORE THE TWISTER DID SO MUCH DAMAGE IN MAY FIELD AND THEN CONTINUED ON THE LONG TRACK TO THE EAST. DAWSON SPRINGS AND BOWLING

GREEN ALSO HAD DEATH AND DESTRUCTION. BILL, NOW A YEAR LATER THERE IS PERSPECTIVE AND SOME HEALING, BUT IT'S STILL A LONG WAY BACK IN SOME WAYS. >> Bill Estep: IT IS. I WAS IN

BOWLING GREEN RECENTLY AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF THE HOUSING RECONSTRUCTED THERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WAS HIT SO BADLY BUT WE HAVE HAD FOLKS IN BREMON AND MAY FIELD IN RECENT DAYS

AND MAYFIELD THERE ARE STILL BIG GAPS IN DOWNTOWN. NOT MUCH. THEY'RE TORN THE COURTHOUSE AND THERE'S NO MUCH THAT'S BEEN REBUILT. SO IT'S OBVIOUSLY GOING TO TAKE A LONG

TIME. PEOPLE OUT THERE, WE TALKED TO A LADY WHO, YOU KNOW, SAID WHEN IT THUNDER WHEN THERE'S A TORNADO WATCH OR EVEN A THUNDERSTORM WARNING SHE STILL GETS SCARED, SO THE -- IT'S

GOING TO BE ON A LOT OF PEOPLE'S MIND FOR A LONG, LONG TIME. >> Chris: MY COLLEAGUE CHIN WENT DOWN TO DAWSON SPRINGS TO CHECK ON THE RECOVERY THERE. SMALL COMMUNITY WHERE MORE

THAN A DOZEN PEOPLE DIED. AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT SHE FOUND WAS THAT A LOT OF THE DEBRIS AND THE MESS HAS BEEN CLEARED, BUT THERE ARE ALL THESE HALLMARKS OF THINGS THAT USED TO BE, LOOK A

DRIVEWAY OR A FOUNDATION, AND SHE TALKED TO ONE PERSON WHO HAD LOST HER HOME AND IT WAS REBUILT AND SHE SAID THAT IT FEELS LIKE EVERY DAY SHE'S REGAINING A NEW NEIGHBOR ON THE STREET,

BUT IT'S NOT A REALLY QUICK PROCESS. >> Bill: AND YOU LOSE YOUR LANDMARKS. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WE WERE BOTH AT FANCY FARM, AND TOOK A SIDE TRIP OVER TO MAYFIELD. >> Laura:

I GO THROUGH MAYFIELD ON MY WAY TO FANCY FARM AND WHEN I GO THROUGH THE TOWN I'M YOU'D TO GOING A CERTAIN WAY TO LOOPING THE COURT LOUSE AND GO TO FANCY FARM, AND I HAD TO STOP

AND ASK DIRECTIONS. DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO GET AROUND MAYFIELD. EVEN ON THE THE WAY BACK I GOT CONFUSED COMING BACK THROUGH TOWN FROM FANCY FARM AND HAD TO ASK DIRECTIONS AGAIN TO GET TO

MURRAY. >> Bill: THERE WAS BEEN RESILIENCE FROM THE PEOPLE AND ALSO FRUSTRATION AT THE PACE OF RESTORING THINGS, BUT THERE IS HOPE IN SOME CASES THAT THE MATERIALS BEING USED NOW AND

THE PLANNING GOING FORWARD MIGHT BE ABLE TO MAKE THINGS SOMEWHAT BETTER. >> Bill: YOU'D HOPE COMING IDENTIFY THAT MAKE MAKE COME IMPROVEMENTS GOING FORWARD. IT'S THE SAME

WITH THE FLOODS IN EASTERN KENTUCKY A FEW MODS AFTER THAT. THERE'S A LOT OF TALK ABOUT HOW DO YOU CREATE SOMETHING BETTER IN THE WAKE OF THAT, AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT PEOPLE ARE

LOOKING AT IN BOTH THOSE DISASTER AREAS. >> Bill: YOU INTERVIEWED THE GOVERNOR IN WEEKEND AND WALKED THE DIFFERENCE IN THE FRUSTRATION BEING A LITTLE WORSE AFTER THE FLOOD IN EASTERN

KENTUCKY, THEN THE TORNADOES. >> Bill Estep: RIGHT. UNBEFORE THE THINGS THAT STRUCK US, I COVERED BOTH OF THE TORNADOES AND THE FLOODING, AND AFTER THE FLOODING WHICH WAS IN JULY, WE

HEARD A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT FEMA, THE DENYING PEOPLE OR AWARDING VERY LITTLE MONEY IN A LOT OF CASES, AND I ASKED THE GOVERNOR ABOUT THAT, AND HE SAID THE BIG DIFFERENCE WAS IN THE

TORNADO AREA, THERE I WAS LOT OF INSURANCE COVERAGE BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE HOMEOWNERS POLICIES THAT COVERED THEM FOR TORNADO, BUT IN THE FLOODED AREAS MOST PEOPLE DID NOT HAVE FLOOD INSURANCE

TO COVER THEM ON THAT. SO IN WESTERN KENTUCKY FOLKS WERE GETTING INSURANCE SETTLEMENTS. IN EASTERN KENTUCKY THEY WERE NOT. SO THEY'RE RELYING SOLELY ON SEEM FEMA AND THAT CREATED A LOT

OF FRUSTRATION THAT THERE WASN'T THE THE SAME ASSISTANCE FOR THEM. >> Bill: CHRIS, THERE ARE GLIMPSE OF HOPE, COMPANIES KILLING WILLING TO SOUTHWEST AND REALIZED THERE CAN BE A

GOOD IN WESTERN KENTUCKY. >> Chris: I THINK SO, BUT ONE OF THE THING WYE COLLEAGUE NOTICED WHEN SHE WAS DOWN THERE AND TALKING TO PEOPLE IS THAT YOU DO HAVE THE INSURANCE MONEY THAT IS

PAYING FOR A LOT OF WORK THAT'S GOING ON THERE, BUT ONE BIG DIFFERENCE A YEAR LATER IS THAT A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS WHO FLOODED IN AT THE BEGINNING TO JUST DONATE THEIR TIME DOING THINGS

AROUND THE COMMUNITY ARE NOT THERE AS MUCH AS THEY USED TO BE. >> Bill: THAT CERTAINLY IS A CHANGE. OUR THOUGHTS ARE WITH FOLKS THERE THIS WEEKEND AS THEY REMEMBER AND PLAN THE WAY

FORWARD. GOVERNOR BESHEAR GOT A LOT OF ATTENTION IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE TORNADOES AS WELL AS THE FLOODING LAST SUMMER IN EASTERN KENTUCKY, AND HE HAD ALREADY BEEN HISTORICALLY VISIBLE

DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC. THAT IS NOT STOPPING MORE THAN A DOZEN CANDIDATES FROM HOPING TO REPLACE HIM IN NEXT YEAR'S ELECTIONS. LAURA, BESHEAR FILED FOR RE-ELECTION THIS WEEK. WE

ALREADY KNOW THAT HE WILL FACE 1999 BL REMEMBER GUBERNATORIAL CANE PEPPY MARTIN FOR THE NOMINATION THIS COMING YEAR, AND REPUBLICANS WILL HAVE TO SHORT OUT A VERY CROWDED PRIMARY. CAN

BESHEAR WIN A SECOND CERTAINLY TERM? >> Laura: WELL, BILL, THAT DEPENDS WHO YOU ASK. THE DEMOCRATS AND THE BESHEAR CAMPAIGN SAYS, OF COURSE,. HE'S DR. POPULAR. THE POLLING SHOWS

HIS POPULARITY. HE HAS A 60 SOME -- >> Bill Estep: 62% IS WHAT HIS OFFICE TOLD ME. >> Laura: THINGS, BILL. THAT MEANS A LOT OF REPUBLICANS ARE SUPPORTING HIM ON. ON THE

REPUBLICAN SIDE, THOUGH, THE BIGGER THE FIELD, THE LARGER THE CHANCE OF WINNING. I LOOK AT SOME NUMBERS EARLIER TODAY, AND IN 2019 THERE WAS A FOUR-PERSON FIELD RUNNING THE IN REPUBLICAN

PRIMARY. 260,000 VOTES WHY CAST IN THAT RACE. SO IF YOU CONSIDER MAYBE THE SIMILAR TURNOUT AND DIVIDE THAT 260 BY 12 PEOPLE, SOMEONE COULD WALK AWAY WITH THIS REPUBLICAN NOMINATION WITH

FEWER THAN 25,000 VOTES, AND SO IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE WIN WITH SUCH A SMALL NUMBER OF VOTES IN A PRIMARY, WHICH IS A LOW TURNOUT ELECTION ANYWAY, YOU HAVE TO -- THE REPUBLICANS WOULD HAVE TO

CREATE A COALITION AND BACK EACH OTHER IN ORDER TO BEAT GOVERNOR BESHEAR. I DON'T ANY HE'S GOING TO HAVE ANY TROUBLE WITH PEPPY MARTIN IN THE PRIMARY THERE. BUT THOSE NUMBERS ARE

INTERESTING BECAUSE IT SPREAD OUT VOTES. >> Bill Estep: I TALKED TO BESHEAR ABOUT THE RELAX THIS WEEK, AND HE SAID HE WAS -- FELT VERY GOOD ABOUT IT. HE SEEMED VERY UPBEAT. AND I ASKED

HIM ABOUT THOSE NUMBERS. I MEAN, IT WAS JUST IN THE LAST 2020 MONTHS BEE COT GOT CONFERENCE THERE ARE YOU THERE ARE MORE REGISTER REPUBLICANS THAN DEMOCRATS FOR THE FIRST TIME. I ASKED WHAT

HE DOES TO GET AT LEAST SOME OF THOSE REPUBLICANS TO VOTE FOR HIM. THAT'S WHAT HE BROUGHT UP HE IS HAD A 60% ROUGHLY APPROVAL RATING GOING ON TWO YEARS NOW. NOW, OBVIOUSLY -- AND HE

SAYS THAT MEANS I'VE ARE THE ALREADY GOT REPUBLICANS SUPPORTING ME, WHICH IS TRUE, BUT THAT TRANSLATE TO VOTES? IF YOU GET A CALL ON THE PHONE FROM A POLLSTER SAYING, DO YOU LIKE THE

GOVERNOR? YEAH. THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE GOING TO VOTE FOR HIM. STILL, HE FACES A REGISTRATION DEFICIT BUT HE SEEMED VERY UPBEAT ABOUT THAT. >> Bill: ON THE REPUBLICAN -- GO

AHEAD. >> Laura: I WAS JUG GHOST TO SAY PEOPLE VOTE OUTSIDE THE REGISTRATION ALL THE TIME. WE SAW THAT WITH THE DEMOCRATS. VOTER REGISTRATION HAD BEEN DEMOCRATIC FOR GENERATIONS

GENERATIONS AND PEOPLE WERE STILL VOTING, VOTER PERFORMANCE WAS REPUBLICAN. SO I HEAR YOU. I THINK THAT'S RIGHT. >> Bill: THE OTHER THING IS A LOT OF THOSE REGISTERED DEMOCRATS

WERE POLITICALLY CONSERVATIVE THAT'S WHY YOU HAD RAND PAUL AND McCONNELL BEING ELECTED. >> Bill: IF YOU TAKE THIS 25,000 VOTE MATH THAT LAURA HAS DONE HERE. >> Laura: HYPO

THEY THAL CA. >> Bill: HYPOTHETICALLY, YOU COULD MAKE A CASE FOR ANY OF THOUGH CANDIDATES. >> Bill Estep: THAT'S WHAT SOME OF THEM ARE BANKING ON. IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE --

YOU THINK OF OF THE QUA, QUARLES AND CAMERON START OUT AT THE TOP BECAUSE THEIR IN OFFICE, THEY HAVE MAIN, THEY'VE GOT ADVANTAGES, SO WHAT SOME OF THE OTHERS HOPE IS THEY SORT CANCEL

EACH OTHER OUT. YEAH, WITH 20,000, 30,000, WHATEVER, YOU CAN WIN THAT RACE. >> Bill: CHRIS, THERE WAS SOME BUZZ THIS WEEK WHEN THE KENTUCKY FRIED POLITICS BLOG RAN A PIECE INDICATING

THAT RYAN QUARLES MAY BE LOOKING AT BILL DUR YOU HAVE AS A POTENTIAL RUNGMATE HE RAN A STRONG RACE FOR LOUISVILLE MAYOR. THE QUARLES CAMP WOULDN'T COMMENT ON THIS BUT YET THEY'VE

APPARENTLY BEEN SEEING TOGETHER SOME. >> Chris: IF YOU JUST LOOK ON PAPER WHAT MIGHT BILL DURUFF DO FOR A CANDIDACY WEEKS, YOU LOOK AT THE MOST RECENT RESULT, HE GOT ABOUT 26% OF THE

VOTE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY. AND THE PREVIOUS REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER TO A DEMOCRAT INCUMBENT AT THE TIME, NOT AN OPEN SEAT,S BUT WAS ANGELA LETE IN 2018 AND SHE ONLY GOT 36% SO HE RAN 10 POINT

BETTER THAN THEY RAN PREVIOUS TIME. AND SHE WAS NOT JUST SOME TOKEN CANDIDATE. SHE WAS A MEMBER OF THE METRO COUNCIL AND RAN A LEGITIMATE CAMPAIGN. SO DURRUF IN HIS ELECTION IN THAT CAMPAIGN

TRIED TO PORTRAY HIMSELF AS THE SORT OF PRACTICAL DENIED-MINDED, DOWN-TO-EARTH PERSON THAT HE, YOU KNOW, WAS AS THE MAYOR OF JEFFERSONTOWN WHICH IS A NON-PARTISAN POSITION, SO, YOU KNOW, I

THINK HIS NAME RECOGNITION, ET CETERA, IN THE LOUISVILLE AREA COULD POTENTIALLY BE A STRONG POINT FOR ANY CANDIDACY. >> Bill: IF YOU ASSUME THAT QUARLES' BASE MIGHT BE MORE RURAL

AND A METRO ---B STRONG TIES IN FARM COMMUNITY, BASED ON HIS WORK. MAYBE YOU COMBINE THAT WITH A STRONG SHOWING IN LOUISVILLE, AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, HE'S LOOKING AT THE

DEMOGRAPHICS THERE. >> Bill: LAURA, THE NEW LAW SAYS CANDIDATES DON'T HAVE TO NAME A RUNNING MATE. THEY CAN WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE PRIMARY YET KELLY CRAFT HAS CHOSEN TO ANNOUNCE

HERS AND SENATOR MAX WISE. MIGHT THERE BE BENEFITS TO HAVING TO CANDIDATES WHO CAN OUT THERE ON BEHALF OF A CAMPAIGN? >> Lawrence: I THINK SO. THE STRATEGY OF PICKING A RUNNING MATE

HALLS BEEN CAREFULLY CONSIDERED BECAUSE YOU DID DO WANT TOO CONSIDER GEOGRAPHY, FUNDRAISING CAPABILITIES. I THINK KELLY CRAFT IN PICKING MAX WISE, SHE'S BRINGING HIS RURAL ROOTS TO HER

CAMPAIGN, BRINGING SOME LOCAL LEGITIMACY LEGITIMACY==. THERE'S CRITICISM OF HER NOT HAVING LIVED IN KENTUCKY. MAYBE BEING A FLY-IN TYPE OF CANDIDATE. I DON'T KNOW HOW ACCURATE THAT

IS, BUT THAT'S A PERCEPTION THAT SHE HAS TO BATTLE. AND MAX WISE IS A GOOD FUNDRAISER. HE'S RAISED SIX FIGURES FOR HIS LAST SEVERAL RACES FOR THE STATE SENATE, AND HE'S

WELL-KNOWN. PEOPLE IN THE STATE KNOW HIM. HE WAS A TEACHER. AND SO I THINK FOR HER THAT WORKS. FOR SOME OF THE OTHERS TO BILL'S POINT, RYAN QUARLES DOESN'T REALLY NEED THAT RIGHT

NOW MAYBE BECAUSE HE'S GOT A NETWORK OUT IN THE STATE. SAME WITH DANIEL CAMERON. HESS A STATEWIDE ELECTION OR OFFICE HOLDER ALREADY. SO FOR THEM IT MATE NOT BE AS BIG OF A DEAL. AND

JUST REAL QUICK -- SORRY -- >> Bill: CRAFT, OBVIOUSLY. I WANT TO POINT OUT SHE IS A KENTUCKY NATIVE BUT TO YOUR POINT SHE WAS IN NATIONAL POLITICAL CIRCLES IN RECENT YEARS. >>

Laura: AND SHE DOESN'T HAVE THE NAME ID AND MAX WISE CAN BRING THAT. >> Bill: YOU DISCOVERED VERY INTERESTING ABOUT DANIEL CAMERON'S ACCOUNT. >> Laura: DANIEL CAMERON

HAS HIS ACCOUNT OPEN FOR ON REGISTRY OF GENERAL FINANCE AT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFICE. I CALL OUT THERE TODAY AND THEY SAID, YEAH, IT'S STILL OPEN. HE HASN'T COLOIT YET. >>

Bill: YOU'RE KEEPING AN EYE ON ON THE DOWN BALLOT RACES. >> Laura: I AM. THE DEMOCRAT HAVEN'T FIELDED CANDIDATES ARE FOR ALL OF THOSE OFFICES YET, SO ON THE BALLOT NEXT

SPRING OR NEXT YEAR ARE THE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICES IN THE RACE FOR AG COMMISSIONER, THERE IS A REPUBLICAN PRIMARY STATE REP, RICHARD HEATH, AND FORMER STATE REPRESENTATIVE JONATHAN SHELL ARE

RUNNING AGAINST EACH OTHER. ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS A DEMOCRAT, PAMELA STEVENS IS RUNNING THERE AGAINST RUSSELL COLEMAN. AND THEN DANIEL CAMERON'S ACCOUNT IS STILL OPEN. THE

AUDITOR'S SEAT IS JUST ON. TREASURER ALLISON BALL IS RUNNING THERE AGAINST DEMOCRAT I AM CAN BERYL REID AND SHE'S BEEN OUT AND ABOUT. THE THE COMMONWEALTH JOURNAL HAD A STORY ABOUT

HER BEING IN SOMERSET RECENTLY, AND SO SHE'S MOVING AROUND THE STATE. MICHAEL ADAMS, THE SECRETARY OF STATE, HAS A PRIMARY. ALLEN MECHEEL. AND NEB IN THE TREASURER I WAS ANDREW

COOPERRIDER, THE LIBERTY CANDIDATE WHO RAN AGAINST STATE SENATOR DONALD DOUGLASS IN 2022 IS RUNNING SO IS OJ OLEKA AND OJ USED TO BE A DEPUTY TREASURER UNDER ALLISON BALL. SO DEMOCRATS ARE

ONLY SO FAR RUNNING IN THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S RACE AND AUDITOR'S RACE. >> Bill: STARTING TO STIR, THOUGH, RIGHT? YOUD SAID IT'S INTERESTING SOME OF THE WEBSITES IN THE

CAMPAIGNS ARE STILL IN DEVELOPMENT. >> Laura: SO WHEN I WAS LINING AT THE WEBSITES TODAY AND SEEING WHO WAS GOING AFTER BESHEAR, THE RECEIVERS ATTACKING BESHEAR RIGHT NOW, NOT EACH

OTHER, BUT I THINK SOME OF THEM STILL SEEM TO BE WORKING ON MESSAGING. FOR EXAMPLE, RYAN QUARLES' ELECTION WEBSITE UNDER THE ISSUES TAB, IF YOU CLICK ON THE YOU, IT SAYS COMING SOON, SO

HIS ISSUES AREN'T SET UP THERE YET. SO, YEAH, THEY'RE STILL WORKING ON THINGS. >> Bill: THERE WAS A NATIONAL POLITICAL FIGURE IN KENTUCKY THIS WEEK U.S. TRANSPORTATION PETE

BUTTIGIEG VISITED THE UPS GLOBAL HUB IN LOUISVILLE, CHRIS, THAT VISIT COMING AT THE HOLIDAYS WHEN THE GOODS ARE MOVING THROUGH THAT FACILITY FAST. >> Ryland: WELL. SECRETARY BUTTIGIEG

BEING THE LEONARD TALENTED COMMUNICATOR THAT HE IS GAVE A SPEECH AND TALKED TO REPORTERS AFTERWARDS, AND HE SAID, WITNESSING THOSE MILLIONS OF PACKAGES MOVE THROUGH WORLD PORT WAS LIKING

EVER WATCH A GREAT OH, DISTRAUGHT A WORK. IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE THERE WAS MUCH OF A POLICY AGENDA OR ANY NEWS IN THIS EVENT BUT HE WAS MAINLY THERE TO SORT OF PROMOTE THE BIDEN AGENDA IN

GENERAL ON TRANSPORTATION AND INFLATION AND SUPPLY CHAIN, ET CETERA, AND THEN TO WALK AROUND TO HOLD GIANT AIRPLANES AND TALK TO WORKERS AND BE PHOTOGRAPHED, ET CETERA. THE CEO OF UPS WAS

THERE AS WELL. OF COURSE, THE COMPANY IS BASED IN ATLANTA BUT SHE DID NOT MAKE ANILY MARKS. >> Bill: ALSO THIS WEEK FORD CELEBRATED THE PROGRESS IT HAS MADE. AT LEAST IT IS A MAJOR

STAKEHOLDER IN THIS $6 BILLION BATTERY SITE BEING BUILT NEAR e-TOWN. >>> >> THIS IS THE BIGGEST. SPEAKING GOVERNOR BESHEAR'S RE-ELECTION YOU CAN BET WE ARE GOING HEAR

ABOUT THAT ONCE OR TWICE IN THE CAMPAIGN. THERE WAS A GROUNDBREAKING THIS WEEK BUT GROUND HAS BEEN BROKEN. IT'S BEEN UNDER CONSTRUCTION FOR A FEW MONTHS. AND SO THE EVENT ACTUALLY -- I

WAS HOPING ON GET SOME ANSWERS FOR PEOPLE TO SOME QUESTIONS BEACHED FOR EXAMPLE, THESE 5,000 JOBS, HOW DO YOU GET ONE? WHAT EXPERIENCE DO YOU NEED? WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW? >> Bill:

LAURA HAD ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT IT. >> Laura: YEAH, I WONDERED IF IT'S GOING TO BE A UNION SHOP. >> Chris: WE'LL GET TO THAT. BUT ON THE JOBS PART THERE WERE NO

ANSWERS BASICALLY. THE IT'S BASICALLY STAY TUNED. AND ON THE UNION PART, THAT IS A BIG UNANSWERED QUESTION WITH ALL OF THESE BATTERY PLANTS. REMEMBER, FORD IS NOT THE EMPLOYER HERE. THE

EMPLOYER IS BLUE OVAL SK WHICH IS A JOINT VENTURE BETWEEN FORD AND THEIR KOREAN PARTNER SK, AND WHAT FORD'S MANAGEMENT HAS SAID ABOUT THIS IS THAT IF THE WORKERS WANT TO UNIONIZE, THAT

OPTION WILL BE AVAILABLE TOO THEM, BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO JUST TRANSFER UAW STATUS OVER TO THESE NEW JOINT VENTURE BATTERY PLANTS. THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE

PROCESS. >> Bill: AND YOU REPORTED THAT THAT PLANT DOES CARRY A SIGNIFICANT COST TO TAXPAYERS. >> Chris: IT DOES. SO THE BIGGEST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IN HISTORY IS ALSO

LIKELY THE MOST GENEROUS CORPORATE SUBSIDY THAT KENTUCKY HAS OFFERED. EARLIER THIS WEEK THE STATE APPROVED A $250 MILLION GRANT/LOAN -- DON'T, THOUGH, KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO CALL IT.

THEY CALL AT A FORGIVABLE LOAN. TO THIS JOINT VENTURE. AND HERE'S THE BIG DIFFERENCE, BILL. NORMALLY THE WAY THESE INCENTIVES WORK IS THAT THEY ARE STRETCHED OUT OVER TEN YEARS AND THE

COMPANIES CLAIM THEM IN BLITZ, AND THE IDEA IS THAT THIS -- LITTLE BITS AND THE IDEA IS THAT THIS REDUCES THE RISK, THAT THE COMPANY IS NOT GOING TO DO WHAT IT SAID HEIR GOING TO DO SAVE

LONG TEMPERATURE PRESENCE. HERE KENTUCKY IS GIVING THE MONEY UP FRONT. YOU WOULD THINK THERE MAYBE SOME ASSISTANTS RESISTANCE AFTER THE BRAIDY INDUSTRIES SITUATION IN WHICH THE STATE WAS

LUCKY TO GET ITS MONEY BACK, AND SO I ASKED GOVERNOR BESHEAR ABOUT THAT AND HE SAID, NUMBER ONE, THIS IS A REALLY BIG ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT SO WE HAD TO DO THINGS A LITTLE

DIFFERENTLY, AND NUMBER TWO, THESE ARE REPUTABLE COMPANIES THAT ARE BIG PLAYERS AND JUST LOOK BEHIND ME, YOU CAN SEE IT GOING UP. HE FEELS LIKE KENTUCKIANS WILL FEEL THIS IS MONEY WELL

SPENT. >> Bill: THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS FAST APPROACHING, AND THE KENTUCKY CENTER FOR ECONOMIC POLICY RELEASED A REPORT THIS WEEK SAYING THAT TEACHERS IN THE STATE HAVE LOST

CONSIDERABLE BUYING POWER IN RECENT YEARS. IT NOTED THAT THERE ARE MORE STUDENTS AND FEWER TEACHERS IN CLASSROOMS THAN THERE WERE IN 2008. LAURA, THE GOVERNOR AND SOME STUDENTS PRESSING

LAWMAKER TO ADDRESS THE TEACHER PAY AND RECRUITMENT, BUT THE LAWMAKERS, LEADER AT LEAST, SEEM TO BE DOWNPLAYING EXPECTATIONS. >> Laura: THAT'S RIGHT. LAST YEAR WHEN THE BUDGET

BILL PASSED, THERE WERE RAISES IN THE BUDGET BILL FOR STATE WORKERS BUT NOT FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS, AND SO THAT'S PART OF THIS, SO GOING FORWARD -- AND THAT PLAYS INTO THE ELECTION,

TOO, WE ALL KNOW THAT TEACHERS AIR BIG VOTING BLOCK. BUT THE GOVERNOR'S ALSO STILL CALLING FOR UNIFORMITY PRE-K AND SOME OTHER TRAINING PROGRAMS I THINK FOR TEACHERS. UNIVERSAL PRE-K.

RIGHT NOW I LOOKED TO THAT THE PRE-FILED BILLS AND AS OF FRIDAY THERE WERE 37 PRE-FILED BILLS. NONE OF THEM DEALT WITH EDUCATION AT THIS POINT. THEY DEALT WITH A LOT OF OTHER THING LIKE

REQUIRING TRAINING FOR BAR BOUNCERS. THEN THERE WERE A COUPLE THAT WERE MORE SERIOUS ISSUES LIKE THERE WAS TRANSGENDER BATHROOM BILL PRE-FILED ALREADY AND THERE WAS ALSO ONE THAT WOULD OPEN

THE ROAD BEHIND THE CAPITOL, AND THEN STATE REPRESENTATIVE RACHEL ROBOTS HAS PRE-FILED A BILL TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA AND CREATE THE DEPARTMENT OF CANNABIS CONTROL WITHIN STATE GOVERNMENT. SO

THERE'S SOME HEAVY, HEAVY LIFTING GOING ON. >> Bill Estep: IN ADDITION TO THE ISSUE OF MONEY FOR PAY, BESHEAR ALSO SAID THIS WEEK THAT THE STATE IS SHORT 11,000. HE SAID THERE

NEEDS TO BE MORE. HE SAID WE'RE SHORT 11,000 TEACHERS. HE SAID WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO I CAN MAKE UP FOR THE LEARNING GAP IF WE DON'T FILL THAT GAP. >> Bill: BILL

WITNESS ARE THERE A MARILYN REVENUE CHANGE. THEY INTEND TO LOWER THE STATE INCOME TAXES NOW THAT THE STATE HAS MET THE TRIGGER FOR THAT, AND THERE WILL BE SALES TAXES GOING ON SOME THINGS

THAT PEOPLE MAY BE SURPRISED BY. >> Bill Estep: THERE WILL BE. THIS IS PART OF THE PACKAGE THAT WAS PASSED EARLY EARLIER TO SWITCH TO A CONSUMPTION-BASED TAX AWAY FROM INCOME TAXES. SO

PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SEE TAXES THAT THEIR NOT USED TO. >> Chris: THERE ARE A LOT OF WRINKLES THAT AREN'T BEEN WORKED THROUGH. ONE OF THE THINGS WE THE A STORY ON THIS WEEK IS

THERE'S A NEW PROFESSION WHERE THEY'RE NOT AUTOMATICALLY EXEMPTING RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY FROM SALES TAXES ON UTILITIES, LIKE WATER, POWER, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, AND IF YOU OWN MORE

THAN ONE, THERE'S A PROCESS. IF YOU ARE A LANDLORD WHO PAYS THE BILL ON BEHALF OF YOUR TENANT, SAY IT'S A BIG SHARED METER, THERE IS A PROCESS TO GET EXEMPTED FROM THE SALES TAX,

BUT THERE ARE SOME HICCUPS INVOLVED WITH THAT IN TERMS OF GETTING TENANTS TO SIGN DECLARATIONS. AND SO THIS IS ALL NEW TERRITORY, THINGS THAT ARE BEING WORKED OUT AS THE STATE TRIES TO

EXTEND THE SALES TAX AND WRING MORE MONEY FROM THINGS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY UNTAXED SO THAT THEY CAN LOWER THE INCOME TAX. >> Bill: BILL, A BLAST FROM THE PAST, JACK BRAMMER

REPORTERRING FOR THE KENTUCKY LANTERN, AND THE KENTUCKY HORSE PARK IS SEEKING SOME CHANGES THAT THEY'D LIKE THE THE LEGISLATURE TO ACT ON. >> Bill Estep: YEAH, THEY'VE

FLOATED THE IDEA, AND THEY HAVE A LEGISLATOR SIGNED ONTO HAVE -- LEGISLATOR SIGNED ON, NOT CURRENT EMPLOYEES BEAUT NEW-HIRES WOULDN'T COME UNDER THE STATE MERIT SYSTEM FOR DEPRECIATION

A SYSTEM THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR DECADE, SO THAT EMPLOYEES WERE POLITICAL INTERFERENCE. THEY'VE ALSO DASH AND THAT'S OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT THE STATE EMPLOYEE ASSOCIATION

IS NOT GOING TO BE HAPPY WITH AND IS GOING TO TRY TO OPPOSE THAT. >> Bill: IN WASHINGTON SENATOR McCONNELL HAS NOT HAD MUCH ON TO SAY ABOUT A SNUB THIS WEEK OF FALLEN CAPITOL POLICE

OFFICER FAMILY RECEIVED A CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. HE PUT OUT HIS HAND, DID NOT WILL HAVE A HANDSHAKE, BILL. >> Bill Estep: WHAT IT REALLY SHOWS, YOU WOULD SAY, IT SHOWS HOW RAW THE

EMOTIONS CONTINUE TO BEOVER THE JANUARY 6th INSURRECTION AT THE CAPITOL WHERE THERE WERE SO MANY POLICE OFFICERS INJURED. IT JUST SHOWS THAT THERE'S STILL A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF

DIVISION OVER THAT AND HURT FEELINGS OVER THAT SITUATION. >> Bill: ALL KENTUCKY HOUSE REPUBLICANS VOTED AGAINST THE RESPECT FOR MARRIAGE ACT. THE STATE'S TWO U.S. SENATORS HAVE

DONE THAT THE PREVIOUS WEEK. CONGRESSMAN ANDY BARR CALLED IT WHOLLY UNNECESSARY. CHRIS, DEMOCRATIC JOHN YARMOUTH THE ONLY KENTUCKY VOTE IN FAVOR. >> Chris: IT'S NOT SURPRISING

THAT THIS DEVISED RELATIVELY ALONG PARTY LINES. IP SUPPOSE WHAT THE DEMOCRATS NATIONALLY ARE DOING IS TRYING TO PROTECT SOMETHING THAT THEY THOUGHT WAS SETTLED AND HIGHLIGHT HOW THE SUPREME

COURT'S RIGHT OF RETURN MAYBE PUTS THINGS THAT WERE SETTLED UP IN THE AIR AGAIN AND ALSO TO HIGHLIGHT AN ISSUE WHERE THEY THINK THAT ASSOCIATE MORE BROADLY IS -- SOCIETY MORE BROADLY IS

MORE ON THEIR SIDE. THAT'S EMPLOYEES GOING ON WITH THIS BILL. AND I DON'T THINK THE RESULTS OF THE VOTES IN KENTUCKY SURPRISED BIN-B THE OTHER THING THAT'S GHOST ON IS

CLARENCE THOMAS SAID AT THE EARLIER DECISIONS ON ABORTION, WE OUGHT TO REVIEW ALL THE OTHER DECISIONS BASED ON PRIVACY. >> Bill: BILL, CHASING FROM THE KENTUCKY JUVENILE JUSTICE.

>> Bill Estep: THERE WAS RIGHT AT A JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER IN NOVEMBER, SOME STAFFERS INJURED. ONE WOUND UP IN THE HOSPITAL. AND SO WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO DO NOW,

THEY'VE ALREADY -- BESHEAR ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO CREATE A FEMALE ONLY JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY, AND NOW THEY ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK WE'RE GOING TO

HAVE A NEW CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM. RIGHT NOW A JUVENILE GOES TO THE DETENTION CENTER BASED ON GEOGRAPHY, CLOSE TO WHERE THEY LIVE. WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO IS COME UP WITH A SYSTEM TO

SEPARATE MORE POTENTIALLY VIOLENT OFFENSE WITH OTHERS. >> Bill: CHRIS, HAS A NEW POLICE CHIEF. >> Chris: WALKERS JACKIE QUINN VIA RUE EL. I HOPE I GOT THAT RIGHT. BUT SHE IS --

SHE WAS THE DEPUTY AND CAME IN FROM ATLANTA WITH THE CURRENT CHIEF YEA,A SHIELDS WHO KNEW MAYOR CORRECT GREENBERG, IS NOT RETAINING. THERE'S A LOT OF HEAD PER FOR THE LOUISVILLE POLICE

DEPARTMENT. >> Bill: NEW FOOTBALL TORCH AT U UOFL. >> Chris: YES, JEFF BROM A HOMING. HE FELT HE HADN'T BEEN AT PURDUE LONG ENOUGH BUT NOW FEELS HE IS READY TO GO. ANOTHER A

LATERAL MOVE IN TERMS OF FOOTBALL PRESTIGE BUT LOUISVILLE MEANS A LOT TO HIM AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF EXCITEMENT ABOUT HIS HIRE. >> Bill: BILL, A FEW SICKED. AT A TIME IS GETTING

MONEY FROM A NATION WYATT SETTLEMENT WITH JUUL. >> Bill Estep: $14 MILLION AGAINST THIS e-CIGARETTE CIGARETTE AND KENTUCKY HAS A GREATER USE OF e-CIGARETTE USE AMONG SCHOOL STUDENTS

THAN THE REST OF THE NATION DOES. >> Bill: THAT'S "COMMENT ON KENTUCKY." P.