ITS TOUGHEST MONTH YET IN

DEALING WITH COVID-19 AS SCHOOL

AND BUSINESSES NAVIGATE HOW TO

MOVE FORWARD.

KENTUCKY LEADERS REACT TO THE

NEWS THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS

TESTED POSITIVE FOR THE VIRUS.

REDACTED RECORDING OF THE GRAND

JURY INVESTIGATION OF BREONNA

TAIR'S DEATH ARE released POLICE

REFORM IS ANOTHER ITEM ADDED TO

THE GROWING AGENDA FOR THE

UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

OCTOBER ARRIVES WITH A REAL

CHILL IN THE AIR, AND "COMMENT"

IS NEXT ON KET.

GOOD EVENING. I'M BILL BRYANT,

AND WE WELCOME YOU TO "COMMENT

ON KENTUCKY," A LOOK BACK AT THE

WEEK'S NEWS IN ITS COMMONWEALTH

AND SOME ANALYSIS. AND THE

GUESTS ON OUR PANEL OF WORKING

KENTUCKY JOURNALISTS TONIGHT AR

BILL ESTEP, SOUTHERN AND EASTER

KENTUCKY REPORTER FOR THE

LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER. MANDY

MCLAREN, EDUCATION REPORTER

FOR THE COURIER-JOURNAL. AND

CHRIS OTTS, REPORTER FOR WDRB I

ALSO TONIGHT, A BATCH OF NEWS

IMPACTING TOURISM FROM THE

KENTUCKY SPEEDWAY TO HORSE

RACING TO A PROPOSED MAJOR

DEVELOPMENT AT THE RED RIVER GO

BUT FIRST, KENTUCKY LEADERS HAVE

BEEN REACTING TODAY TO THE NEWS

THAT BROKE THIS MORNING FROM

PRESIDENT TRUMP AND FIRST LADY

MELANIA HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FO

SENATOR MCCONNELL TWEETED THAT

THE PRESIDENT WAS IN GOOD

SPIRITS WHEN HE TALKED TO HIM T

MCCONNELL'S OPPONENT IN THE

ELECTION, AMY MCGRATH, ALSO

TWEETED HER WELL WISHES TO THE

FAMILY AT THE WHITE HOUSE AND

THE STAFF THERE.

AND GOVERNOR BESHEAR WISHED THE

PRESIDENT AND FIRST LADY A

SPEEDY RECOVERY AND WENT ON TO

SAY, "THIS VIRUS CAN IMPACT

YIN."

SO, BILL, IT WAS SOBERING NEWS

TO WAKE UP TO TODAY AND NO DOUBT

THE TOPIC OF CONVERSATIONS

AROUND THE COUNTRY AND HEAR IN

HERE IN KWE BEVERAGES NO

QUESTION.

THERE WAS NOTED THAT THE

PRESIDENT WAS MOVED THE WALTER

REED MEDICAL CENTER.

IT SAID HE HAD F.E.A.R AND.

TRUMP HAS A LOT OF SUPPORT IN

KENTUCKY LIFE AND FOLKS

CONCERNED ABOUT THAT,

OBVIOUSLY.

THERE ARE FOLKS ON THE OTHER

SIDE OBVIOUSLY WHO FEEL LIKE

TRUMP HAS KIND OF MINIMIZED THE

DISEASE AND KIND OF MADE IF YOU

KNEW PEOPLE WEARING MASKS.

MEANINGSED THAT DURING THE

DEBATE TUESDAY NIGHT WITH JOE

BIDEN.

FOLKS KIND OF ACROSS THE

SPECTRUM.

BUT NOBODY WANTS THE PRESIDENT

TO BE SICK.

IT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE COUNTRY,

AND SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF

CONCERN.

>> Bill: AND AS WE SAID A LOT

OF THE DISCUSSION AND WELL

WISHES GOING THE PRESIDENT'S

WAY.

THIS ALL COMES AS KENTUCKY IS IN

A TOUGH PATCH RIGHT NOW WITH

CORONAVIRUS.

SEPTEMBER WAS THE DEADLIEST

MONTH YET FOR THE PANDEMIC IN

THE COMMONWEALTH, AND THIS WEEK

WE HAD SEVERAL DAYS OF CASES

CLOSE TO OR ABOVE 1,000,

ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THERE IS

COVID FATIGUE OUT THERE, THE

GOVERNOR REEMPHASIZED THE

IMPORTANCE OF TRYING TO SLOW THE

SPREAD.

>> I BELIEVE THAT SINCE MAYBE

THE TRADITIONAL START OF SCHOOL,

WE HAVE BECOME MORE CASUAL IN

OUR APPROACH TO COVID AND OUR

CONCERNS ABOUT COVID AND HOW

WELL WE FOLLOW THOSE RULES AND

GUIDELINES THAT ARE OUT THERE.

IT CAN BE NATURAL.

IT'S BEEN SEVEN MONTHS.

AND WHEN WE GET CASUAL, WHEN WE

DON'T SHOW URGENCY, WHAT WE SEE

IS ALARMING TRENDS IN THE VIRUS,

MORE CASES, AND ULTIMATELY MORE

PEOPLE PASSING AWAY.

>> Bill: SO, MANDY, OUR

SCHOOLS ARE HAVING A REAL

CHALLENGE AS THEY TRY TO RETURN

TO IN-PERSON LEARNING AND

THEY'RE HAVING TO RETREAT IN

SOME CASES OR DELAY IN OTHERS.

WHAT IS THE LANDSCAPE OUT THERE

FOR SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW AS IT

RELATES TO COVID-19?

>> Mandy: SO THE MAJORITY OF

SCHOOL DISTRICTS, ALL BUT I

THINK ABOUT 50 OF KENTUCKY'S

SCHOOL DISTRICTS, ARE OPEN TO

SOME FORM OF IN-PERSON LEARNING

RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'VE GOT TO ASK

HOW MUCH LONGER IS THAT PATTERN

GOING TO HOLD WHEN WE ARE SEEING

THESE BIG SPIKES IN CASES ALL

ACROSS THE STATE, REALLY, AND WE

KNOW THAT AS YOU MENTIONED AT

THE TOP OF THE SHOW, IT'S

GETTING COLDER OUT THERE.

PEOPLE ARE GOING TO START

SPENDING MORE TIME INSIDE, A

SURE WAY FOR THIS VIRUS TO

SPREAD QUICKLY, AND THAT'S GOING

TO IMPACT SCHOOLS.

RIGHT NOW THERE ARE MORE THAN

2,000 STUDENTS ACROSS THE STATE

THAT ARE QUARANTINED DUE TO SOME

SORT OF INFECTION BEING

CONFIRMED AT THEIR SCHOOL.

I BELIEVE THERE IS 862 ACTIVE

INFECTIONS RIGHT NOW AMONG

STUDENTS AND STAFF MEMBERS.

AND ONE THING THAT HAPPENED THIS

WEEK IS THE STATE RELEASED ITS

SCHOOL COVID DASHBOARD, SO

PARENTS CAN GO ONLINE, GO TO THE

STATE WEBSITE AND LOOK AT THEIR

CHILD'S SCHOOL AND SEE HOW MANY

ACTIVE CASES THERE ARE, HOW MANY

PREVIOUS CASES THERE ARE.

THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO BE ABLE TO

FEEL YOU HAVE SOME POWER AND

SOME CONTROL OVER WHAT'S

HAPPENING TO YOUR CHILD'S

SITUATION.

ANOTHER THING THAT'S GOING ON IS

THE SCHOOLS ARE USING THAT DATA,

AND WE'VE ALL SEEN THAT MAP NOW

GOVERNOR SHOWS ABOUT THE

INCIDENT RATE FOR COUNTIES.

AND WHEN YOUR COUNTY TURNS RED,

SHOULD NOT BE IN SCHOOL.

IF YOU LOOK ACROSS STATE, WE'RE

SEEING RED COUNTIES FROM FAYETTE

COUNTY IN THE CENTRAL FOR FULTON

IN THE WEST, TO HARLAN IN THE

EAST.

AND THEN BEYOND THAT WE'RE

SEEING A LOT OF ORANGE WHICH

MEANS YOU SHOULD REALLY BE

THINKING ABOUT NOT BEING IN

SCHOOL BECAUSE THE COVID IS SO

WIDESPREAD THAT IT COULD CREATE

A SERIOUS SCHOOL-RELATED

OUTBREAK.

>> Bill: BILL, YOU KNOW, THE

SPREAD IN KENTUCKY HAS BEEN

WIDESPREAD FROM THE BEGINNING,

BUT IN THE EARLIER DAYS, THE

EARLIER MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, IT

SEEMED MORE CONCENTRATED NUR

ABOUT AN AREAS, AND NOW IT SEEMS

AT THIS POINT BEGIN IN YOU ARE

BAN BUT IT SEEMS THE RURAL AREAS

GETTING IMPACTED HARD.

>> Bill Estep: THAT I WAS

PATTERN NATIONWIDE, THEAT FIRST

NEW YORK CITY, NEW JERSEY WAS

ONE OF THE HOT SPOTS EARLY ON, A

LOT OF DEATHS.

THEN THAT MOVED TO THE MIDWEST

AND THE SOUTH.

SAME IN KENTUCKY.

THE YOU ARE BAN URBAN AREAS WAS

THE FIRST PLACE WHERE THERE I

WAS LOT OF SPREAD BUT IT HA

MOVED INTO THE RURAL AREAS.

THE GREENSBORO REPORTED THEY HAD

THEIR HIGHEST DAY YET TODAY.

THE AM CA RON, THE SOMERSET AREA

SAID IN A POST LAST NIGHT THAT

THE CASES WERE RISING RAPIDLY.

IT IS, SOME OF THE RURAL AREAS

ARE, SOUTHEAST KENTUCKY, HARLAN,

SOME OF THOSE COUNTIES A PRET

SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN RECENT

DAYS.

>> Bill: AND SOMETIMES THOSE

ARE TIED TO SPECIFIC SITUATIONS

THAT BECOME KNOWN.

>> Bill Estep: YEAH, SOME OF

IT HAS BEEN TIED, AS MANDY SAID,

GOING BACK TO SCHOOL, SOME OF

IT'S TIED TO OTHER EVENTS.

SO, YEAH, IT'S DIFFERENT

THINGS.

BUT AS THE GOVERNOR SAID, I

THINK PEOPLE HAVE SORT OF GOTTEN

TIRED.

AND THE JUDGE EXECUTIVE IN

HARLAN COUNTY DAN MOSLEY, I WAS

TALKING WITH HIM RECENTLY, AND

HE SAID YOU HAD THAT SAME

SITUATION THAT EARLY A SAW A LOT

OF PEOPLE WEARING MASKS.

OVER TIME THEY GOT TIRED HAVE

IT, THERE WAS FATIGUE AND THEY

LET THEIR GUARDS DOWN AND THE

CASES WENT UP BENEFITS AND THEY

ONLY HAVE SO MUCH MANPOWER, SO

THE WITH THE LARGER RETAILER

THAT ALREADY HAVE NATIONWIDE

POLICIES IN PLACE IT'S EASIER TO

DO THE ENFORCEMENT THEN IN THE

MOM AND POP STORES AND THE

CONVENIENCE LOCATIONS ALONG THE

ROAD.

>> Bill Estep: I'M OUT QUITE A

BIT.

I WAS IN HARLAN COUNTY, GARRETT

COUNTY TODAY, OF COURSE, I'M IN

PULASKI COUNTY.

EVERYWHERE I GO, EVERY STORE HAS

A SIGN ON THE DOOR THAT SAYS

"MASK REQUIRED."

BUT IN ALL OF THEM THERE ARE

PEOPLE WITHOUT MASKS AND THERE'S

NOT ANYTHING DONE TO ENFORCE

THAT.

AND PART OF IT IS THEY DON'T

WANT TO ALIENATE THEIR

COMMERCE.

THEY DON'T WANT TO RISK

RETALIATION BEANS ONE OF THEIR

EMPLOYEES.

IT IS DIFFICULT AND THE HEALTH

DEPARTMENTS, I KNOW THEY DO

RESPOND WHEN SOMEBODY SAYS,

STORE X IS NOT DOING THIS THE

RIGHT WAY.

I KNOW THAT CHECK ON THAT BUT

THEY'RE LIMITED IN WHAT THEY CAN

DO.

>> Bill: CHRIS, THE ECONOMIC

FALLOUT OF COVID IS OBVIOUSLY

WIDE AND DEEP, AND BUSINESSES,

THEY TRY TO GET GOING AGAIN,

THEY TRY TO GET A PLAN.

THERE MIGHT BE A LITTLE OPTIMISM

THAT THINGS ARE COMING TO SOME

SORT OF NEW NORMAL.

AND THEN THE NUMBERS START

CLIMBING AGAIN.

FRUSTRATION ISN'T A STRONG

ENOUGH WORD, I'M SURE, FOR THOSE

WHO HAVE THEIR LIVES INVESTED IN

THEIR BUSINESSES.

>> Chris: YEAH, IT'S IMPORTANT

TO REMEMBER THAT WE'RE STILL

DOWN A LOT OF JOBS NATIONALLY

AND IN KENTUCKY, SO THE JOBS

REPORT NATIONALLY TODAY, THE

RATE OF JOB GROWTH, OF RECOVERY

IS SLOWING, AND WE'RE STILL IN

THE HOLE RELATIVE TO WHERE WE

STARTED WITH THE PRE-PANDEMIC,

AND IN KENTUCKY WE'RE DOWN ABOUT

120,000 JOBS, ACCORDING TO THE

MOST RECENT FIGURES FROM WHERE

WE WERE AT THE SAME TIME LAST

YEAR IN AUGUST.

AND IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE

INDUSTRIES.

THERE'S A VERY UNEVEN IMPACT OF

THIS, WHICH IS REALLY

UNFORTUNATE, AND FOR INDUSTRIES

LIKE RESTAURANTS, HOT, TOURISM,

TRAVEL, I -- HOSPITALITY,

TOURISM, TRAVEL, THESE

INDUSTRIES HAVE BEEN

DEVASTATED.

IN LOUISVILLE SOME OF OUR

BIGGEST HOTELS DOWNTOWN HAVE HAD

TO FILE NOTICES RECENTLY SAYING

THAT THEY REALLY HOPE TO BRING

BACK MOST OF THEIR WORKERS, BUT

BECAUSE IT'S BEEN SIX MONTHS,

NOW IT TRIGGERS THIS NOTICE

REQUIREMENT WHERE THEY HAVE TO

SAY, IN FACT, THIS HAS GONE ON

LONGER THAN WE HOPED OR WE

THOUGHT AND THESE FURLOUGHS ARE

CONTINUING INDEFINITELY.

SO THERE'S STILL QUITE A BIT OF

JOBLESSNESS.

AND WHILE AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL

THE NEW CYCLE HAS MOVED ON TO

THE SUPREME COURT AND TO THE

PRESIDENT'S CORONAVIRUS

DIAGNOSIS, BUT A LOT OF WHAT

PEOPLE CARE ABOUT, THERE'S NO

PPP LOANS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

ANYMORE, THERE'S NO $600 A WEEK

TO BE THE UNEMPLOYED ANYMORE,

AND THAT MONEY WAS REALLY

PROPPING THINGS UP, AND SO I

THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE

STRUGGLING WITHOUT THOSE

SUPPORTS AND NO AGREEMENT TO

PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.

>> Bill: AND IT CONTINUES TO

BE FRUSTRATION ABOUT

UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS BEING SENT

OUT, WHICH IN SOME CASES PEOPLE

GO BACK TO THE SPRING AND THEY

STILL ENT HAVE THEIR BENEFITS.

>> Bill Estep: THE STATE HAS

BEEN TRYING TO WHITTLE THAT DOWN

BUT THERE'S PEOPLE THAT ARE

STILL HAVING TROUBLE GETTING

THEIR UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.

OBVIOUSLY THE STATE WAS

INUNDATED, THE SYSTEM WASN'T

PREPARED FOR THE NUMBER OF

CLAIMS, AND THEY'VE MADE SOME

IMPROVEMENTS TO TRY TO FIX THAT

BUT THERE ARE STILL SOME FOLKS

WHO FEEL THEY'RE FALLING THROUGH

THE CRACKS.

>> LINDA:

>> Bill: THE LATEST HAVE TO

BREONNA TAYLOR CASE IS THAT

REDACTED VERSIONS OF THE GRAND

JURY WAS RELEASED ON FRIDAY.

A JUDGE GRANTED THAT REQUEST FOR

THE PROCEEDINGS TO BE RELEASED.

CHRIS, REPORTERS INCLUDING

YOURSELF HAVE SPENT HOURS GOING

OVER 20 HOURS OF RECORDINGS,

INCLUDING A LONG PROCESS TO HEAR

WHAT THE GRAND JURY WAS AND

WASN'T TOLD.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW SO FAR ABOUT

THE RELEASE?

I KNOW THIS IS AN ONGOING

STORY.

>> Chris: YEAH, BILL.

I'D REALLY PLEAD WITH YOUR

VIEWERS TONIGHT TO STAY WITH US

IN THE LOUISVILLE MEDIA AND

ELSEWHERE BECAUSE THESE

RECORDINGS ARE NOT VERY HIGH

QUALITY.

A LOT OF TIMES WHAT WE'RE

LISTENING TO IS A RECORDING OF A

RECORDING BEING PLAYED THROUGH A

SPEAKER AND THERE MAY BE

OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS OF THESE,

BUT WE DON'T HAVE THOSE, AND

WE'RE NOT GIVEN THEM, SO IT'S

VERY DIFFICULT TO MAKE OUT WHO

IS TALKING, WHAT EXACTLY IS

BEING SAID.

SO YOU'RE JUST SEEING NUGGETS

DRIBBLE OUT RIGHT NOW ABOUT

REVELATIONS OF THINGS WE DON'T

KNOW BEFORE.

AND I WOULD SAY FOR THE MOST

PART THEY HAVEN'T CHANGED THE

OVERALL PICTURE.

I THINK THE NEXT REAL SCRUTINY

ON THIS CASE IS THE SEARCH

WARRANT THAT LED OFFICERS TO

BREONNA TAYLOR'S APARTMENT, AND

WE HEARD TODAY THAT THE GRAND

JURORS WERE TOLD THE SAME STORY

THAT THE COPS TOLD INITIALLY,

THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD THERE WERE

SUSPICIOUS PACKAGES FROM A

SUSPECTED DRUG DEALER THAT WERE

GOING TO THE APARTMENT.

BUT MY COLLEAGUES AT WDRB AND

THEN THE COURIER GOT THIS REPORT

AS WELL THIS WEEK FROM

LOUISVILLE METRO POLICE THAT

RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT

POLICE KNEW ABOUT THE VER AS

TIFF THAT INFORMATION AND --

VERACITY OF THAT INFORMATION AND

THE TIMELINE FOR THAT.

I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE

SCRUTINY IN THE CASE IS HEADED.

AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO SLOG

THROUGH THIS NEW INFORMATION

THAT WAS PROVIDED TODAY.

>> Bill: BILL, HOW UNUSUAL IS

IT FOR THE PUBLIC TO HEAR GRAND

JURY TESTIMONY?

>> Bill Estep: IT IS UNUSUAL.

I MEAN, GRAND JURY TESTIMONY IS

OLDER ORDINARILY CONFIDENTIAL,

SO IT'S PRETTY UNUSUAL TO GET

THIS MUCH EVIDENCE WHICH IS

GOOD.

IT'S GOING TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO

KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS.

BUT I THINK SOME PEOPLE ARE

GOING TO BE -- THEY'RE STILL

GOING TO BE FOLKS WHO FEEL THEY

HAVE NOT GOTTEN THE FULL STARE

BECAUSE THE QUESTIONS BY --

STORY BECAUSE THE QUESTIONS AND

STATEMENTS BY PROSECUTORS, ANY

RECOMMENDATIONS THEY MADE WERE

NOT RELEASED AS PART OF THIS

PACKAGE TODAY.

I MEAN, GRAND JURIES

THEORETICALLY ARE INDEPENDENT

BODIES, BUT THEY'RE ALSO PLAY

PEOPLE, SO THEY LOOK TO

PROSECUTORS TO TELL THEM THE LAW

TO HELP THEM GET THROUGH THIS.

SOMETIMES THEY'RE SEEN AS TOOLS

OF PROSECUTORS.

THE OLD JOKE ABOUT A GRAND JURY

WOULD INDICT A HAM SANDWICH IF

THE PROSECUTOR SAID TO DO THAT.

SO SOME FOLKS, BECAUSE WE DON'T

HAVE THAT PIECE OF THE STORY,

SOME FOLKS ARE GOING TO FEEL

THERE'S STILL SOMETHING

LACKING.

>> Bill: CHRIS, YOURIZATION

WDRB HAD AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

THE IN WHICH THE ATTORNEY

GENERAL ACKNOWLEDGED THE GRAND

JURY WAS NO PRESENTED WITH

MURDER CHARGES IN BREONNA TAYLOR

TASE.

>> Chris: YEAH, I THINK THIS

WAS AN IMPORTANT ACKNOWLEDGMENT

BECAUSE IN THE LONG PRESS

CONFERENCE THAT CAMERON GAVE A

FEW WEEKS AGO WHEN HIS FINDINGS

WERE FINALLY RELEASED, HE WASN'T

WILLING TO GO THAT FAR.

BUT WE WERE HOPING TO HEAR WHAT

PROSECUTORS TOLD THE GRAND JURY,

AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY -- HOW

THEY INFORMED THEM ABOUT THE LAW

AND THE LIMITS.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, AS BILL JUST

SAID, THAT WAS NOT MADE

AVAILABLE BY CAMERON IN A PRESS

RELEASE.

HE SAID, PROSECUTORS'

STATEMENTS, THAT'S NOT

EVIDENCE.

SO WE DIDN'T RELEASE THAT.

SO THAT IS DISAPPOINTING BECAUSE

PROSECUTORS DO HAVE A TREMENDOUS

INFLUENCE ON HOW THE GRAND JURY

PROCESSES INFORMATION.

AND IF YOU WANT ANY DOUBT ABOUT

THAT, IT TOOK A GRAND JURY TWO

MINUTES, ALL OF TWO MINUTES TO

INDICT KENNETH WALKER, THE MAN

IN BREONNA TAYLOR'S APARTMENT

WHO SHOT AT POLICE AND TO CHARGE

HIM WITH MURDER.

THAT CHARGE WAS EVENTUALLY

DROPPED, BUT THAT GRAND JURY MET

AND HEARD ONE POLICE OFFICER

TESTIFY AND INDICTED HIM AFTER

TWO MINUTES.

SO PROSECUTORS DO HAVE

INFLUENCE.

>> Bill: BILL, WE ALSO HAVE

LEARNED THAT NAACP'S LEGAL

DEFENSE AND EDUCATION FUND SAID

IT WILL DOTS OWN REVIEW OF WHAT

HAS COME DOWN.

>> Bill Estep: THAT'S ONE OF

THE GOOD THINGS ABOUT HAVING

THIS INFORMATION RELEASED IS

OTHER PEOPLE, OUTSIDE EXPERTS

AND ATTORNEYS ARE GOING TO BE

ABLE TO LOOK AND SEE WHAT

EVIDENCE WAS PRESENTED AND

FIGURE IT OUT IF THEY BELIEVE

THAT WHAT ULTIMATELY CAME OUT OF

THE GRAND JURY WAS THE PROPER

OUTCOME.

>> Bill: SENATE PRESIDENT

ROBERT STIVERS SAID THERE WILL

NOT BE A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE

SESSION ON POLICE REFORM BUT

ALSO SAYS IT HAD WILL PROBABLY

BE ADDED TO THE 2021 SESSION.

>> Bill Estep: BE GIVEN

EVERYONE EVER EVERYTHING THAT'S

HAPPENED, THERE'S ALMOST

CERTAINLY GOING TO BE A BILL

DEALING WITH POLICE PROCEDURE IN

THE NOTION LEGISLATURE.

NOW, NEXT LEGISLATURE.

WHERE THAT GOES, IT'S NOT SHEEN

AS BIG AN ISSUE IN RURAL AREAS

AS IN URBAN.

WHERE THAT GOES IS HARD TO

TELL.

>> Bill Estep: LOUISVILLE HAS

A NEW INTERIM POLICE CHIEF AND

YVETTE GENTRY HAS TAKEN OVER AT

THIS POINT.

MANDY, IT'S A TIME OF NO

QUESTION, SOME HUGE CHALLENGES

FOR THAT DEPARTMENT, AND SHE HAS

HUGE RESPONSIBILITY AHEAD.

>> Mandy: ABSOLUTELY.

AND WHILE SHE'S NOT A CANDIDATE

FOR THE FULL-TIME JOB, SHE'S

STEPPING INTO THIS POSITION,

IT'S A DIFFICULT JOB AT ANY

TIME, BUT CERTAINLY RIGHT NOW

IT'S UNDER NATIONAL SCRUTINY.

WITH THE DEPARTMENT ITSELF,

REALLY FRACTURED AND FEELING

LIKE IT HAS NOT BEEN SUPPORTED

BY ITS LEADERSHIP OR BY MAYOR

GREG FISCHER'S OFFICE.

AND THEN OUTSIDE OF THAT, A LOT

OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS

INTERACTING WITH THE COMMUNITY

AND, AND THE COMMUNITY ITSELF

YOU HAVE STRONG CALLS FROM SOME

OF THE PROTESTORS TO OUTRIGHT

ABOLISH THE POLICE OR

SIGNIFICANTLY DEFUND THEIR

BUDGET.

SO IT'S A DIFFICULT JOB, NOT TO

MENTION THAT SHE'S ALSO IN

CHARGE OF FIRST RESPONDERS IN

THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC RIGHT

NOW.

>> Bill: THAT IS CERTAINLY A

LOT TO TRY TO NAVIGATE THERE.

WELL, KENTUCKY'S NEW EDUCATION

COMMISSIONER, DR. JASON GLASS,

SAYS SCHOOLS HAVE AN IMPORTANT

ROLE TO PLAY IN THE ONGOING

DISCUSSIONS ABOUT RACE RELATIONS

AND SOCIAL JUSTICE.

I INTERVIEWED HIM FOR THIS

WEEKEND'S KENTUCKY NEWSMAKERS

PROGRAM OVER ON KWKYT.

>> SCHOOLS HAVE A

RESPONSIBILITY, AS DOES

EVERYONE, TO EXAMINE DO WE HAVE

RACIST PRACTICES THAT ARE

PRESENT WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS AND

DO WE HAVE SYSTEMIC BIAS THAT'S

PRESENT WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS.

AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO CHANGE

THAT?

AND REALLY WE WANT JUST AS A

MORAL OBLIGATION FOR EDUCATORS,

WE NEED TO SERVE EVERY CHILD

REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEIR SKIN

COLOR OR BELIEF SYSTEM OR

BACKGROUND IS, WE NEED TO MAKE

SURE THEY HAVE ACCESS TO A

QUALITY EDUCATION.

>> Bill: MANDY, DO YOU SENSE

THAT RACIAL JUSTICE AND

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES WILL BE

TAUGHT IN SOME NEW WAYS?

>> Mandy: WELL, I JUST WANT TO

SAY IT'S CERTAINLY SIGNIFICANT

TO HEAR THIS COMMISSIONER COME

IN AND IMMEDIATELY ADDRESS THE

FACT THAT THERE COULD BE

POLICIES ACROSS KENTUCKY THAT

ARE RACIST, AND I THINK YOU

UNDERSTATE THE SIGNIFICANCE WHEN

YOU DO HEAR THAT FROM A WHITE

MAN.

FORMER COMMISSIONER WAYNE LEWIS

WHO WAS BLACK, HE TALKED ABOUT

THE ISSUES, THE DISPARITIES

FACING BLACK CHILDREN HIGHLY

WHILE HE WAS IN THAT POSITION.

BUT I THINK IT'S A ANOTHER THING

THAT HOLDS SIGNIFICANCE IN THE

STATE TO HEAR IT COMING FROM A

WHITE MAN, AND I THINK WE'RE

ALREADY SEEING SOME TRACTION ON

THIS FRONT.

WE SAW THIS WEEK OWENSBORO

PUBLIC SCHOOLS MOVING FORWARD ON

ITS OWN RACIAL EQUITY PLAN.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT JEFFERSON

COUNTY HAS DONE ALREADY.

I DO THINK ONE THING THAT I WANT

TO POINT OUT FOR A SECOND IS

JUST SCHOOLS MAKING THE SPACE

FOR KIDS TO TALK ABOUT RACE AND

TO TALK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON

WITH BREONNA TAYLOR AND GEORGE

FLOYD AND BEYOND THAT, AND WE

SAW THAT LAST WEEK AFTER THE

GRAND JURY ANNOUNCEMENT WHERE

YOU HAD SCHOOLS IN LOUISVILLE,

OF COURSE, BUT ALSO ALL THE WAY

OUT IN HAZARD WHERE THEY HAD

KIDS TAKING THE TIME AND BEING

ALLOWED THAT TIME, IS WHAT I

SHOULD SAY, TO TALK ABOUT THIS

REALLY TOUGH STUFF THAT'S

IMPACTING THEIR LIVES AND

THEY'RE SEEING IT ON SOCIAL

MEDIA AND TV, AND THEY HAVE

QUESTIONS ABOUT IT AND NEED SOME

GUIDANCE FROM AN ADULT.

BEYOND THAT WE'RE SEEING IN

LOUISVILLE A MOVE TO REVIEW ALL

OF THE SCHOOLS' MASCOTS AND

SCHOOLS' NAMES TO SEE IF THEY

HAVE ANY RACIAL BIAS TO THEM.

JUST THIS WEEK I WROTE A STORY

ABOUT THE BROWN SCHOOL, WHICH

ONLY A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO

ACTUALLY TOOK THE FULL NAME OF

JAY GRAHAM BROWN WHO, OF COURSE,

WAS A VERY PROMINENT BUSINESSMAN

AND PHILANTHROPIST IN LOUISVILLE

BUT HE ALSO HAD A HISTORY OF

BEING A STAUNCH SEGREGATIONIST.

SO THAT SCHOOL'S PARENT/TEACHER

COMMITTEE IS MOVING FORWARD WITH

THE PROCESS OF POSSIBLY CHANGING

THAT NAME.

OBVIOUSLY, NAME CHANGES ARE

SYMBOLIC, THOUGH, BILL, SO

BEYOND THAT I THINK WHAT'S GOING

TO REALLY NEED TO BE DONE TO

MAKE A DIFFERENCE, AND THIS IS

WHAT EDUCATORS WOULD TELL YOU

YOU, IS A HARD LOOK AT THE

CURRICULUM AND WHAT STUDENTS ARE

BEING TAUGHT, HOW THEY'RE BEING

TAUGHT IT WHEN IT COMES TO

AMERICAN HISTORY.

>> Bill: AND IT SOUNDS LIKE

THE NEW COMMISSIONER WANTS TO GO

THERE WITH THAT.

2020 IS QUITE AN ELECTION YEAR,

AS YOU KNOW.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS NOT

APPROVED FAYETTE COUNTY'S PLAN

FOR THE ELECTION.

SECRETARY OF STATE ADAM SAYS

THAT THERE AREN'T ENOUGH

IN-PERSON POLLING PLACES.

THE COUNTY CLERK SAYS HE'S OUT

OF OPTIONS.

BILL, THE PROCESS OF THE

ELECTION IS STILL AN ISSUE.

>> Bill Estep: IT IS.

AND WE'RE A MONTH OUT AND IT'S

SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE

RESOLVED PRETTY QUICKLY.

EVERY COUNTY IS GOING -- THEY

HAVE TO HAVE THAT APPROVED BY

ADAMS, BY THE SECRETARY OF

STATE'S OFFICE.

I THINK THE LAST I CHECKED,

ABOUT 60 OR 70 HAD BEEN

APPROVED.

SO THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT

PROCESS.

BUT THEY DO NEED TO RESOLVE THAT

PRETTY QUICKLY.

>> Bill: IN THE CLOSECLY

WATCHED U.S. SENATE RACE THERE

WILL BE A TELEVISED DEBATE

OCTOBER 12TH WITH AMY McGRATH

AND SENATOR MITCH McCONNELL,

GREAT TV STATIONS THAT BE BE

CARRYING THAT.

CHRIS, THIS IS A RACE WATCHED

AROUND THE COUNTRY WITH A LOT OF

MONEY FLOWING IN.

>> Chris: YEAH, THERE'S

OBVIOUSLY LIGHT OF ANTICIPATE

PATHY FOR MITCH McCONNELL

AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT HAS

FLOWN INTO THE COFFERS OF AMY

McGRATH, SO IT'S GOING TO BE A

VERY EXPENSIVE RACE, BUT IF YOU

JUST LOOK AT WHAT WE DO KNOW

FROM THE POLLS, AT 5:38 THE DATA

WEBSITE, ACCORDING TO THEIR

MODEL WITH McCONNELL HAS A 96

IN 100 CHANCE OF CARRYING AND

BEING RE-ELECTED AGAIN IN

KENTUCKY.

SO THERE'S DISCUSSION NATIONALLY

ABOUT WHETHER DEMOCRATS SHOULD

BE SPENDING THAT MONEY ON MORE

COMPETITIVE RACES.

>> Bill: AND YOU HAVE TO THINK

THAT AMY McGRATH SEES THE

OPPORTUNITY FOR DEBATE AS AN

OPPORTUNITY TO MAYBE GAIN SOME

MOMENTUM.

>> Bill Estep: THAT'S JUST A

FREE -- THAT'S SOMETHING YOU GET

TO SCORE POINTS FROM WITHOUT

HAVING TO SPEND A BUNCH OF

MONEY.

>> Bill: TOURISM IS ANY LARGE

GROWING SECTOR IN KENTUCKY AND

MANY ARE MAKING PLANS OR FOR

AFTER THE PANDEMIC.

FIRST TOUGH NEWS.

IF KENTUCKY SPEED WAY AT SPARTA

HAS LOST ITS FILL NATION WITH

NASCAR, BILL.

>> Bill Estep: THAT'S

SOMETHING THAT HAD THAT RACE FOR

MANY YEARS, THE NASCAR RACE.

AND A LOT OF FANS HAD GOTTEN

USED TO IT.

IT WAS OBVIOUSLY REAL POPULAR IN

KENTUCKY.

BUT IT'S IN A SPACE, A LOT OF

THE OTHER TRACKS ARE FURTHER

DEEP SOUTH.

BRISTOL, VIRGINIA'S PROBABLY THE

CLOSEST ONE.

YOU HAVE MICHIGAN NORTH OF

HERE.

SO THAT WAS KIND OF A CENTRAL

SPOT WHERE FANS REALLY WERE USED

TO COMING TO.

>> Bill: BULK OF THE GENERAL

MANAGER IS OPTIMISTIC.

HE SAID THERE WILL STILL BE WILD

ADVENTURES HEAD HOOD.

WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS THERE.

KEENELAND AND THE OWNERS OF

KENTUCKY DOWNS HAVE BIG PLANS IN

SOUTHEASTERN KENTUCKY FOR RACING

FACILITIES IN CORBIN AND

WILLIAMSBURG, BUT THERE'S THE

SUPREME COURT RULING ON

HISTORICAL RACING THAT COULD BE

A FACTOR ON HOW AND WHETHER AND

IF THEY GET TO PROCEED.

>> Bill Estep: YEAH, THAT'S

GOING TO TAKE A WHILE TO SHAKE

OUT BECAUSE THE SUPREME COURT

SEND IT BACK TO JUDGE WIN KATE

IN FRANKLIN CIRCUIT, SO HE'S

GOING TO HAVE TO ROLE RULE GOING

FORWARD FROM THAT.

WE WERE GOTTEN KNOW WHAT'S

EXACTLY GOING TO HAPPEN PUT BUT

THERE IS WITH A NEW PRANN FOR A

NEW SARN BRED TRACK IN CORBIN

AND GAMING PARLOR IN

WILLIAMSBURG WITH 400 OF THESE

HISTORICAL RACING MACHINES.

THE MAYORS DOWN THERE, I TALKED

TO BOTH OF THEM.

THEY EXCITED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATED

WITH THAT.

WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHERE THAT

GOES.

SOME LEGISLATORS HAVE SAID WE

MAY NEED LEGISLATURE TO ADDRESS

THAT ISSUE TO SPECIFICALLY

LEGALIZE THOSE.

>> Bill: CHURCHILL DOWNS IS

GOING AHEAD WITH PLANS FOR A NEW

STILT IN, WHAT, NEWPORT?

>> Chris: YEAH, AND OPEN

TODAY, ACTUALLY.

NEWPORT GAMING AND RACING OR

RACING AND GAMING.

AND IT IS HISTORICAL HORSE

RACING MACHINES, WHICH YOU'D BE

HARD PRESS TODAY TELL THE

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SHOWS AND

SLOTS MACHINES.

THEY'RE CERTAINLY DESIGNED TO

LOOK AND FEEL LIKE SLOT

MACHINES.

AND THAT SUPREME COURT DECISION

DOES THROW A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY

INTO THIS VERY BIG GROWING

INDUSTRY IN KENTUCKY.

NOW, CHURCHILL DOWNS SAYS

BECAUSE THEIR PARTICULAR GAMING

SYSTEM WAS NOT EXAMINED AS PART

OF THE COURT CASE THAT MADE ITS

WAY UP TO THE SUPREME COURT,

THAT THEY ARE NOT MEL IMPACTED

BY THIS.

I THINK IN ADDITION TO LOOKING

AT THE TRIAL JUDGE, ALSO I GOT

WORD TODAY THAT THE STATE HORSE

RACING COMMISSION AND THE

RACETRACKS HAVE ASKED FOR AN

EXTENSION OF TIME TO FILE

PLEADINGS WITH THE SUPREME COURT

TO ASK THEM TO RE-HEAR THE CASE

AND CHANGE THEIR 7-0 DECISION.

SO THE LEGAL BATTLE CONTINUES.

>> Bill: SOME DEVELOPERS BIG

PLANS FOR A MAJOR RESORT IN THE

RED RIVER GORGE, BILL.

>> Bill Estep: THAT WOULD BE A

LUXURY RESORT, TRAIL

ENHANCEMENTS, REGIONAL MASHING,

VISITOR CENTER, THOSE SORTS OF

THINGS THAT COULD REALLY

INCREASE TOURISM IN THAT AREA.

THERE ARE STILL SOME QUESTIONS

ABOUT WHERE THE FINANCE, WHERE

THE MONEY COMES FROM FOR THAT.

>> Bill: LONDON AND CORBIN ARE

FIGHTING FOREVEROVER A NAPE

CHANGE DOWN THERE, WHO CAN ANNEX

IT.

>> Bill Estep: LONDON HAVE

ANNEX IT, THE RIGHT OF I-75 TO

GET TO CORBIN.

THERE'S GOING TO BE PART OF

LONDON THAT'S NINE MILES WEITZ

AND 250 FEET WIPED.

CORBIN HAS CHALLENGED THAT IN

COURT.

THERE'S TO A LAWSUIT.

>> Bill: MANDY, QUICKLY, FALL

BREAK FOR SOME SCHOOLS.

I KNOW THE PERSONNEL AT THOSE

SCHOOLS HOPE EVERYBODY IS SAFE

OUT THERE WHEN THEY'RE AWAY.

MESSENGER STAY SAFE.

AND A MARILYN IN KENTUCKY THE

THING TO DO IS TO GO TO FLORIDA,

WHICH I KNOW THE GOVERNOR IS

HOPING FOLKS CHOOSE NOT TO DO

THIS YEAR, BUT HOPEFULLY

EVERYBODY DOES HAVE TIME TO

RELAX AND GEAR UP FOR WHAT'S

GOING TO BE A COLD WINTER, I

THINK.

>> Bill: THE NEW GRASS CROYLE

SURVIVAL WAS AMONG THOSE

INDUCTED INTO THE BLUEGRASS HALL

OF FAME IN OWENSBORO.

HAD A VIRTUAL CEREMONY.

THE JOHNS BOYS AND THE STATION

OWNER J.T. GRAY ALSO INDUCTED.