2021 HAS BEEN A YEAR OF TRAGEDY

AND SOME HIGH POINTS FOR

KENTUCKY.

TONIGHT WE LOOK BACK.

NATURAL DISASTER STRUCK HARD

FROM ICE STORMS AND FLOODING TO

THE HORRIBLE TORNADO OUTBREAK

THAT HAS TEMPERED THE JOY OF THE

HOLIDAYS.

SOME KENTUCKIANS WERE CHARGED IN

THE JANUARY 6 ATTACK ON THE U.S.

CAPITOL.

COVID REFUSED TO LET GO AS

OMICRON THREATENS AS WE HEAD

TOWARD A NEW YEAR.

ON THIS CHRISTMAS EVE, WE BRING

YOU A SPECIAL EDITION OF COMMENT

NEXT ON KET.

GOOD EVENING ON THIS CHRISTMAS

EVE, I'M BILL BRYANT.

WE WELCOME TO YOU COMMENT ON

KENTUCKY AS WE LOOK BACK ON

2021.

AND ON THE REMARKABLE CAREERS OF

TWO OF OUR LONG TIME PANELISTS

WHO HAVE DECIDED IT'S TIME FOR

THE NEXT CHAPTER.

WE TAPED THIS PROGRAM TUESDAY,

DECEMBER 21, TO GIVE OUR PANEL

AND THE CREW HERE AT KET A

CHANCE TO ENJOY THE HOLIDAY.

AND OUR GUESTS TONIGHT ARE

LAWRENCE SMITH, REPORTER FOR

WDRB IN LOUISVILLE, DEBORAH

YETTER, REPORTER FOR THE

"COURIER JOURNAL" AND JACK

BRAMMER, BUREAU CHIEF FOR THE

LEXINGTON "HERALD-LEADER."

LET'S START WHERE WE ARE BEFORE

GOING BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF

THE YEAR, THE DEADLY TORNADOES

IN WESTERN KENTUCKY WERE TRAGIC

AND YET BROUGHT THE STATE

TOGETHER AND WE ARE MINDFUL OF

THE MANY HARD SHIPS FOR MANY.

IT IT IS GOING TO BE A LONG ROAD

BACK FOR MANY.

YOU KNOW, BILL, WE THREW AROUND

THE WORD UNPRECEDENTED A LOT,

BUT THIS IS TRULY UNPRECEDENTED,

THE WORST NATURAL DISASTER IN

THE HISTORY OF THE STATE.

AND YOU'VE HAD THAN TIRE

COMMUNITIES DEVASTATED.

THREE QUARTERS OF DAWSON SPRINGS

IS GONE.

SECTIONS OF MAYFIELD,

NEIGHBORHOODS IN BOWLING GREEN

FLATTENED.

THERE ARE MANY DECISIONS THAT

MUST BE MADE ABOUT WHAT IS

REBUILD, HOW TO REBUILD IT AND

HOW TO GET PEOPLE-- HOW TO GET

THEIR LIVES BACK TOGETHER,

ESSENTIALLY.

>> THERE COMES THE QUESTION, IS

THERE GOOD REASON TO BELIEVE

THAT THERE IS HOPE THAT THERE

WILL BE THAT SUSTAINED EFFORT

OVER TIME THAT IS NOT WEEKS OR

MONTHS BUT MAYBE YEARS?

>> THAT'S THE BIG QUESTION.

WHEN THINGS LIKE THIS HAPPEN,

THERE IS USUALLY A LARGE

OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT AND

ATTENTION EARLY ON.

BUT THIS IS GOING TO GO ON FOR

MONTHS AND YEARS AND THE

QUESTION IS WILL THAT SUPPORT--

WILL THAT STRUCTURE BE THERE

DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THESE FOLKS

ARE STILL TRYING TO PUT THEIR

LIVES BACK TOGETHER?

>> YOU KNOW, THE COOPERATION

THAT WE'VE SEEN IN KENTUCKY HAS

BEEN HEART WARMING, BOTH FROM A

GOVERNMENT STANDPOINT AND

EVERYDAY KENTUCKIANS WHO HELPED

IN LOTS OF WAYS FROM SENDING

SUPPLIES AND GOODS TO JUST GOING

OUT THERE AND IN SOME CASES

GOING OUT THERE AND PICKING UP A

SHOVEL AND LITERALLY HELPING.

IT HAS BEEN SOMETHING TO SEE,

DAN.

>> IT IS REMARKABLE.

I THINK GOVERNOR BESHEAR STARTED

A FUND FOR FOLKS EARLY ON AND

IT'S PICKED UP TO MORE THAN

$21 MILLION LAST I HEARD, WHICH

IS GOING TO BE USED INITIALLY

FOR FUNERAL EXPENSES FOR THE 76

PEOPLE LOST IN THE TORNADO.

AND THEN THEY WILL START HELPING

PEOPLE WHO WERE UNINSURED,

REBUILDING THEIR HOUSES BECAUSE

A NUMBER OF FOLKS DOWN THERE DID

NOT HAVE INSURANCE AND I THINK

FEMA PAYS A MAX OF 35,000 IN

THOSE CASES SO THEY'RE CLEARLY

GOING TO NEED MORE.

>> AND THE TOY DRIVE BY THE

FIRST LADY.

THEY WERE INUNDATED WITH TOYS

FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY COMING

IN BY TRUCK LOAD.

IT REMINDS OF WHAT A TOUGH TIME

OF THE YEAR THIS WAS.

PEOPLE JUST WANTED TO GET INTO A

TRUCK AND MOVE IN AND I

UNDERSTAND THAT FEELING THAT YOU

WANT TO RESPOND THAT WAY.

I THINK A RESPONSE LIKE THIS HAS

TO BE ORGANIZED AND YOU CAN'T

JUST GO.

THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS YOU

NEED RIGHT NOW AND CERTAIN

THINGS YOU NEED LATER.

IT WILL BE A TRICK TO COORDINATE

ALL THAT FOR THE LONG HAUL.

>> JACK, THERE HAS BEEN A

TREMENDOUS GOVERNMENTAL

COOPERATION THAT MAY HAVE

SURPRISED SOME THAT WE COULD

HAVE COME TOGETHER IN THIS WAY

WHEN SO MANY PEOPLE SEE

THIFNTION IN RED OR BLUE THESE

DAYS.

>> THAT'S THE MOST SATISFYING

ASPECTED OF THIS TRAGEDY THAT

WE'VE WITNESSED.

I'VE OFTEN SAID ON THIS SHOW

THAT TWO WEEKS IN POLITICS CAN

BE AN ETERNITY AND IT'S BEEN

ABOUT TWO WEEKS NOW.

AND WE HAVE SEEN A GOVERNOR,

ANDY BESHEAR, IN MY OPINION, HIS

STATURE HAS INCREASED

TREMENDOUSLY.

JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY I'VE TALKED

TO GIVE HIM HIGH MARKS FOR THE

WAY HE HAS BEEN ADMINISTRATOR OF

THE VARIOUS PROGRAMS AVAILABLE

TO PEOPLE HOOS LIVES WERE JUST

TORN APART.

HE HAS BEEN ON THE SCENE, THE

COUNTLESS HOURS AND EVEN HAD A

REPUBLICAN FRIEND IN LOUISVILLE

LAST WEEK TELL ME, WELL, I GUESS

HE IS GOING TO WIN REELECTION

NOW.

I SAID THAT'S FARTHER THAN TWO

WEEKS AWAY.

THERE IS STILL A LOT TO HAPPEN.

BUT I THINK HE HAS-- HE DESERVES

HIGH MARKS FOR THE WAY HE

PERFORMED.

>> THAT IS GOING TO BE PART OF

WHAT HE IS JUDGED ON, PART OF

HIS LEGACY SO TO SPEAK IS BEING

THE CRISIS GOVERNOR, FIRST WITH

COVID AND NOW WITH THIS.

>> PRESIDENT BIDEN QUICKLY

DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY

AND HE WAS IN KENTUCKY AS WELL

AND CONGRESSMAN JAMES COMBER, A

FREQUENT CRITIC OF THE PRESIDENT

WAS ON AIR FORCE 1 AND TOURED

THE AREA WITH THE PRESIDENT.

>> I HAVE NOT HEARD ANY

POLITICAL BICKERING THROUGHOUT

THIS ORDEAL DURING THE

TORNADOES.

>> THEY WERE SILENT AND PRAISE

WORTHY.

A SENATE REPUBLICAN PRAISED

GOVERNOR BESHEAR THAT DANNY

CAROL FROM PADUCAH, WHO IS A

FREQUENT CRITIC OF GOVERNOR

BESHEAR WAS PRAISING HIM FOR HIS

RESPONSE IN THE COMMITTEE

MEETING LAST WEEK.

>> AND GOOD FOR CONGRESSMAN

COMBER TO PUT POLITICAL

DISAGREEMENTS ASIDE FOR THE SAKE

OF A DISPLAY OF UNITY AGAINST

THE TORNADO AND SUPPORTING THE

DISASTER RELIEF.

GOOD FOR HIM FOR DOING THAT.

>> WELL, OUR THOUGHTS ARE

CERTAINLY WITH THE FOLKS WHO ARE

STILL OR DEALING WITH THAT AND

HAVE A LONG ROAD BACK.

IT WAS A WILD YEAR IN WEATHER,

EVEN BEFORE THE AWFUL TORNADOES.

WE HAD THREE ICE STORMS EARLY IN

THE YEAR; FLOODING ISSUES BACK

IN THE SUMMER, LOTS OF

CHALLENGES FROM MOTHER NATURE.

AS WE LOOK BACK AT 2021, LET'S

GO BACK TO THE FIRST OF THE YEAR

AND HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE EVENTS

AND CHALLENGES.

FIRST OF ALL, COVID CHASED US

RIGHT INTO 2021.

BUT WE WERE ALSO JUST GETTING

VACCINES AVAILABLE.

AND THE ROLLOUT GAVE MANY

KENTUCKIANS SOME MORE FREEDOM,

AT LEAST FOR I TIME.

THEN CAME THE DELTA STRAIN AND

OMICRON STRAIN IS ROLLING

THROUGH.

BUT ONCE THE VACCINES WERE

AVAILABLE, THERE WAS A

TREMENDOUS EFFORT TO GET PEOPLE

IMMUNIZED.

THERE WAS SOME RELUCTANCE AND

THAT BECAME PART OF THE STORY

LINE AS WELL.

>> WE ARE A YEAR AWAY FROM WHEN

THE VACCINES FIRST CAME TO

KENTUCKY.

AND THERE WAS GENERAL EUPHORIA

THEY FIRST GOT HERE AND THE

GREAT HOPE THAT IT WOULD GET US

TO THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF

COVID.

IT HASN'T REALLY WORKED OUT.

WE HAVE, AFTER A YEAR OF REALLY

MONUMENTAL EFFORT, WE'VE GO THE

ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THE STATE

VACCINATED AT THIS STATE BUT

IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT AND THEY'VE

HAD TO FIGHT A LOT OF

MISINFORMATION, THE CONTROVERSY,

VACCINES HAVE BECOME POLITICAL.

THAT STILL DRAGS ON.

AND THE LONGER THAT GOES, PEOPLE

SAY THE MORE CHANCES WE HAVE FOR

MORE OF THESE PESKY VARIANTS

THAT KEEP COMING AROUND.

>> THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM WAS

REALLY STRAINED AND CHALLENGED

AS WELL THROUGH THE YEAR.

>> DURING A COUPLE OF THE REALLY

BAD SPIKES OF LAST WINTER AND

THEN AGAIN IN THE SUMMER, THERE

WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE

HOSPITALS AND WE ARE ALREADY

SUFFERING A NURSING SHORTAGE AND

THEY WERE INUNDATED WITH PEOPLE

DURING SOME OF THE BAD SPIKES OR

SURGES OF COVID.

>> THE NATIONAL GUARD BEING

DEPLOYED TO HOSPITALS, WHO

THOUGHT THEY WOULD SEE THAT,

RIGHT?

>> IT WAS A STARTLING IMAGE WHEN

I SAW THE TROOPS AT BAPTIST

HOSPITAL HEALTH SYSTEMS IN

LOUISVILLE COMING IN TO PITCH IN

BECAUSE THE HOSPITAL SHORT

STAFFED IN ALL AREAS AND THEN

THE SAME WAS TRUE THROUGHOUT

KENTUCKY.

>> DEB DEBBIE, IT MADE READILY

APPARENT THE NURSING SHORTAGE.

NOT ONLY IS IT ACUTE RIGHT NOW

WITH WAS IS GOING ON, BUT IT'S

OBVIOUS WE HAVE A LONG-TERM

CHALLENGE THERE.

>> RIGHT, THE NURSING SHORTAGE

HAS BEEN BUILDING UP FOR YEARS

AND THIS JUST KIND OF EXPOSED

IT, I THINK.

AND DURING THE PANDEMIC, THAT

ACCELERATED THE DEPARTURE OF

NURSES INTO OTHER FIELDS THAT

MAYBE THAT PAID BETTER, MORE

ADMINISTRATIVE WORK, A LOT OF

PEOPLE JUST RETIRED OR LEFT FOR

OTHER OCCUPATIONS BECAUSE IT WAS

JUST SO INCREDIBLY STRESSFUL.

>> AND RECENTLY A COUPLE MONTHS

AGO NOW ON A BRIEFING BY THE

KENTUCKY NURSES ASSOCIATION,

THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW

NURSES ARE VIEWED MORE

DIFFERENTLY NOW THAN THE

BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC.

THEY WERE HAILED AS HEROES AT

THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC

BUT AS IT DRAGGED ON AND

ESPECIALLY AS NURSES ARRIVEED

AND NURSE-- MASK MANDATES AND

THINGS LIKE THAT, THE PUBLIC

OPINION HAS CHANGED.

BUT THE NURSES HAVE DONE

FANTASTIC JOB UNDER IMPOSSIBLE

CONDITIONS, THEY NEED TO BE

APPLAUDED FOR THAT.

>> NO DOUBT.

>> YOU HAVE TO FEEL FOR NURSES

AND OTHER HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

WITH THE OMICRON VARIANT

SPREADING SO QUICKLY AND WHAT

ELSE IS GOING TO HAPPEN I THINK

NEXT YEAR'S COMMENTS, THEY WILL

BE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO HAVE

BEEN RELUCTANT TO GET VACCINATED

AND GET THEIR BOOSTERS.

>> I THINK WE ARE ALSO SPEAKING

TO SOME OF THE YOUNG FOLKS AND

THEIR PARENTS OR GRANDPARENTS

SAY MAYBE YOU OUGHT TO LOOK AT

THE NURSING FIELD BECAUSE THOSE

JOBS ARE GOING TO BE IN DEMAND.

>> DEFINITELY.

>> GOING FORWARD.

>> LAWRPS, AS 2020 WE REMEMBER

IN TERMS OF COVID AND THE

GOVERNOR'S BRIEFINGS AND THE

LOCK DOWNS AND ALL OF THAT.

WHAT DO WE REMEMBER 2021 FOR IN

THE FIGHT WITH COVID?

>> WELL, I THINK INITIALLY, IN

THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, THE

REACTION TO ALL THAT, BY THE

GENERAL ASSEMBLY, THE REPUBLICAN

LAWMAKERS REACTING TO THE

ACTIONS THE GOVERNOR TOOK AND

SEVERELY RESTRICTING HIS ABILITY

TO ACT UNILATERALLY TO COMBAT

THE PANDEMIC, REDUCING HIS

EMERGENCY POWERS.

HIM NEEDING TO GET PERMISSION TO

EXTEND EMERGENCY ORDERS SO I

THINK THE BIG THING IS THE

REACTION TO THAT FROM

REPUBLICANS IN THE HOUSE AND

SENATE TO WHAT THE GOVERNOR DID

DURING THE EARLY DAYS OF THE

PANDEMIC.

>> AND THAT LED TO A KENTUCKY

SUPREME COURT DECISION, WHERE

ALL THE JUSTICES, UNANIMOUSLY

AGREED WITH THE LEGISLATURE AND

THEY DID CURB THE POWERS OF THE

GOVERNOR.

>> AND THE GOVERNOR THEN CALLED

A SPECIAL SESSION AND HE KNEW

WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THAT

SESSION, RIGHT?

>> HE DID.

>> HE DIDN'T PUT IT ON THE

AGENDA TO CURTAIL HIS POWER BUT

HE KNEW IT WAS COMING.

>> HE HAS SAID NOW THE RESPONSE

IS ON THEM.

I'VE DONE WHAT I CAN DO.

NOW IT'S ON THE REPUBLICANS.

>> THEY DID CURTAIL HIS POWER

BUT I STILL SAY HE IS FRONT AND

CENTER OF THE STATE'S BATTLE

AGAINST COVID, BY VIRTUE OF HIS

WEEKLY NEWS CONFERENCES.

>> BIWEEKLY SOMETIMES.

>> SCHOOLS IN PARTICULAR

STRUGGLED WITH HOW TO WORK IN

THE ERA OF COVID, MOST WERE SHUT

DOWN THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND THEN

THEY TRIED TO RETURN TO NORMAL

WITH MIXED APPROACHES AND SOME

MIXED SUCCESS AS WELL.

>> I THINK WE ARE STILL SEEING

SOME OF THE IMPACT OF KIDS BEING

OUT OF SCHOOL, LEARNING REMOTELY

FOR A YEAR, BOTH IN ACADEMIC

PERFORMANCE BUT ALSO IN

BEHAVIORAL ISSUES.

A LOT OF THE SCHOOLS ARE HAVING

ISSUES WITH STUDENTS FIGHTING

AND SERIOUS AS THAT TO NOT

PAYING ATTENTION AND BEING ABLE

TO CATCH UP ACADEMICALLY.

WE SEE FOWLT FROM THAT A YEAR--

FAULT FROM THAT A YEAR LATER.

>> THERE WAS A REFERENCE ALONG

THE WAY TO A TWINDEMIC THE COVID

CRISIS MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO

ANOTHER THING GETTING WORSE AND

THAT'S THE AWFUL BATTLE WITH THE

OPIOID ADDICTION WE HAVE IN

KENTUCKY.

>> THAT DEFINITELY DID SPIKE

DURING THE PANDEMIC.

IN FACT LAST YEAR WE HIT A

RECORD NUMBER OF OVERDOSE DEATHS

AND IT'S REALLY TOUGH.

I KNOW ONE THING, DURING THE

SHUTDOWN, PEOPLE LOST ACCESS TO

MEETINGS.

A LOT OF PEOPLE LOST JOBS.

THEY WERE MORE ISOLATED SO IT

LED TO A LOT OF THE FACTORS THAT

MIGHT TRIGGER PEOPLE TO RELAPSE

AND START USING SUBSTANCES

AGAIN.

SO I KNOW THE STATE IS

DEFINITELY FOCUSED AND THEY'RE

TRYING TO GET MORE FEDERAL AND

STATE MONEY INTO PREVENTION AND

TREATMENT, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE,

I THINK, A HARD ROAD BACK.

>> YOU KNOW, THE SOCIAL WORKER

SHORTAGE REALLY CAME TO BEAR.

MORE THAN 600 HAVE LEFT THIS

YEAR.

>> IT WAS VERY STARTLING.

600 LEFT OUT OF THE WORKFORCE SO

MAYBE AROUND 4,000 SOMETHING

HAVE LEFT OVER THIS PAST YEAR,

CALENDAR YEAR, JUST CITING THE

INCREDIBLE STRESS.

MOST OF THEM WENT TO WORKING

REMOTE.

THEY HAD TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO

MEET WITH FAMILIES, MAYBE

OUTSIDE OR REMOTELY.

THAT WAS HARD.

CASES WERE PILING UP.

AND IT JUST LED TO AN EXODUS OF

RETIREES OR YOUNGER WORKERS

FINDING, ESPECIALLY WITH JOBS

BEING OFFERED RIGHT NOW IN OTHER

AREAS, THAT THEY COULD GO TO

WORK IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR FOR

HOSPITALS, FOR NURSING HOMES,

FOR HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIES

THAT NEED SOCIAL WORKERS, AND

MAKE MORE MONEY AND HAVE WAY

LESS STRESS.

>> WE'VE SEEN IN IN A LOT OF

PROFESSIONAL AND

NON-PROFESSIONAL CAREERS CALLED

THE GREAT RESIGNATION.

NURSES AS YOU MENTIONED.

WE SEE IT IN PUBLIC ADVOCATES.

WE'VE SEEN IT IN CORRECTIONS,

JAIL, WARDENS AND IT'S A

PROBLEM.

YOU GO TO ALMOST ANY RESTAURANT

AND YOU ARE GOING SEE A SIGN OUT

FRONT SAYING NOW HIRING.

>> CITIES AND COUNTIES HAVE TO

COME UP WITH WAYS TO REHIRE SOME

OF THE PEOPLE, TO HIRE NEW

POLICE OFFICERS.

THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO RAISE

THE PAY, DO MORE INCENTIVES TO

GET THE JOBS FILLED BECAUSE THEY

HAVE TO BE FILLED.

>> AT A TIME LEXINGTON AND

LOUISVILLE HAVING A REAL PROBLEM

WITH CRIME RATE, THE VIOLENT

CRIME, RECORD HOMICIDES IN BOTH

THE STATE'S TWO LARGEST CITIES.

>> RECORD HOMICIDE RATES AND

POLICE SHORTAGES, A BAD

COMBINATION.

>> SO IT'S KIND OF A SIDE TO

THAT, RAMIFICATIONS FROM THE

BREONNA TAYLOR CASE CONTINUED

THIS YEAR AND NO KNOCK WARRANTS

WERE ADDRESSED DURING THE

GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND THE TASK

FORCE WAS PUT TOGETHER BY THE

ATTORNEY GENERAL DANIEL CAMERON

WHEN REPORTED SOME

RECOMMENDATIONS AND LISTENED TO

PEOPLE ACROSS THE STATE.

>> YEAH, THEY WERE BASICALLY

EIGHT RECOMMENDATIONS HAVING TO

DO WITH TRAINING OF POLICE

OFFICERS IN DOING THESE WARRANTS

AND ALSO TRACKING ESSENTIALLY,

HOW THESE WARRANTS ARE ISSUED,

WHO ISSUES THEM, RESTRICTING

WHEN THEY CAN BE ISSUED.

THOSE KINDS OF RECOMMENDATIONS

THAT WILL HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED

BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY BUT IT

WAS ALL A RESULT OF THE BREONNA

TAYLOR CASE.

>> WE TALK ABOUT THE WORKFORCE

ISSUES AND THE CHALLENGES ARE

REALLY APPARENT IN THE DAYCARE

INDUSTRY, RIGHT?

WHICH IS PART OF WHY IT IS HARD

TO GET SOME PEOPLE BACK TO WORK.

>> DEFINITELY.

FOR ONE THING, IT'S REALLY HARD

FOR WORKERS, BEFORE VACCINES

WERE AFRAID TO GET OUT AND GET

EXPOSED.

BUT IT PAYS, DOESN'T PAY WELL.

WORKERS ARE FINDING THEY CAN DO

OTHER THINGS AND IT'S REALLY

CREATING A CRISIS IN THE FIELD

BECAUSE PEOPLE NEED CHILD CARE

THEY CAN AFFORD SO THEY CAN GO

TO WORK AND THAT'S HURTING THE

WORKFORCE ISSUES AS WELL.

>> 2021, YOU HAVE TO LOOK BACK

EARLY IN THE YEAR, JANUARY 6,

THE INSURRECTION OF THE U.S.

CAPITOL, SEVERAL KENTUCKIANS

WERE EVENTUALLY CHARGED.

>> I REMEMBER WATCHING THAT.

THE JAW DROPPED TO SEE WHAT WAS

HAPPENING AT THE CAPITOL.

BUT WHAT HAS BEEN INTERESTING

NOW, ALMOST A YEAR LATER, IS TO

SEE HOW THIS IS BEING FRAMED

DIFFERENTLY BY DIFFERENT

POLITICAL PARTIES.

YOU HAVE TRUMP ALLIES TRYING TO

DOWNPLAY THIS THING, WAS NOT

REALLY AN ATTACK ON THE CAPITOL.

THERE IS OF COURSE, A COMMISSION

INVESTIGATING THIS THE IN HOUSE

AND LIZ CHENEY FOR ONE IS ONE OF

THE FEW REPUBLICANS WHO ARE

ACTUALLY GOING TO DIG INTO THIS.

BUT CERTAINLY A YEAR AFTER IT

HAPPENED, IS STILL SHAPING

POLITICS, STILL SHAPING OPINIONS

AT THE CAPITOL AND BEYOND.

>> LEER IN KENTUCKY ON THAT DAY,

JANUARY 6, WE REPORTERS WERE

PREPARING TO HEAR ANDY BESHEAR

AS GOVERNOR, GIVE HIS FIRST

STATE OF THE COMMONWEALTH

ADDRESS.

AND BECAUSE OF THE MAYHEM IN THE

NATION'S CAPITOL, THAT WAS

POSTPONED A NIGHT.

>> WE SHOULD SAY THIS AS WELL,

SENATOR MITCH McCONNELL A FEW

DAYS AGO SAID THIS IS SOMETHING

THAT NEED TO BE LOOKED INTO.

SO HE IS SPLIT FROM FORMER

PRESIDENT ON THIS.

>> WHICH WAS ALWAYS SORT OF A

FRAGILE ALIGNS THERE.

>> YOU CAN SAY THAT.

>> BUT THEY REALLY FELL OUT OVER

THERE,-- OVER THIS, RIGHT.

>> FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS

BEEN TRYING TO GET SENATOR

McCONNELL OUSTED AS THE

MINORITY LEADER, UNSUCCESSFULLY.

HE STILL HOLDS SOLID SUPPORT

AMONG REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE,

BUT IT'S OBVIOUS THAT

RELATIONSHIP, SUCH AS IT WAS, IS

GONE.

>> WELL, HE HAD SOME OTHER, YOU

KNOW, HE BOOKED REPUBLICAN

CONSERVATIVES ON THE

INFRASTRUCTURE WHICH HE CALLED A

GOD SEND FOR KENTUCKY WHEN THAT

PASSED AND THE FUNDING OF THE

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT A COUPLE OF

COMPROMISES THAT HE WORKED OUT

ALONG THE WAY.

>> AND McCONNELL, YOU KNOW,

GOT WHAT HE WANTED DURING THE

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, AND THAT

WAS JUDGES.

HE GOT JUDGES APPOINTED

INCLUDING SUPREME COURT JUDGES.

SO THAT CERTAINLY IS PART OF THE

REASON THAT SENATOR McCONNELL

WORKED WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP BUT

THAT RELATIONSHIP AS WE KNOW HAS

BEEN FRACTURED.

>> WELL, THE STATE LEGISLATURE

DURING A SHORT OF SHORTENED

SESSION BECAUSE OF COVID OR AT

LEAST THEY HAD TO REALLY

EXPEDITE THINGS, THEY DID PASS A

ONE-YEAR BUDGET AND THE REVENUE

HAS COME IN TO FAR EXCEED THAT

PLAN.

>> THERE IS A GROUP OF

ECONOMISTS THEY MEET AND

FORECAST HOW MUCH MONEY WILL BE

AVAILABLE FOR THE NEXT TWO-YEAR

BUDGET.

IT'S CALLED THE CONSENSUS

FORECASTING GROUP AND THEY'RE

LOOKING AT A $2 BILLION SURPLUS.

SO THERE WILL BE SOME MONEY

THERE TO BE SPENT.

>> AND EXTRAORDINARY DEMAND FOR

IT.

>> AND THE TORNADO SITUATION

PLAY INTO THAT AS WELL.

>> I THINK THAT WILL FACTOR INTO

IT.

BESHEAR SAID RECENTLY THAT THAT

WILL FIGURE INTO HIS BUDGET

PROPOSAL FOR NEXT YEAR, OR AT

LEAST IT IS THOUGHT THAT IT

WOULD.

>> THERE WAS SO MUCH MONEY

AVAILABLE IS A LOT OF MONEY.

>> WHY IS THE MONEY FLOWING IN?

>> I THINK A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO

WITH THE FEDERAL RELIEF FROM

COVID THAT HAS FLOWED INTO

STATES INCLUDING KENTUCKY IN

ADDITION TO A LOT OF DIRECT

SUPPORT FOR STATE PROGRAMS AND

BUSINESSES AND HOSPITALS AND

OTHER THINGS THAT HAS GIVEN

PEOPLE MORE MONEY TO SPEND

THROUGH UNEMPLOYMENT AND OTHER

ASSISTANCE THAT HAS HELPED THE

ECONOMY KEEP GOING, I THINK.

>> THERE HAS BEEN A PROPOSAL BY

ONE SECTOR TO REDUCE THE PENSION

STATE THE STATE HAS, BUT I THINK

THERE ARE SO MANY DEMANDS BY THE

SOCIAL WORKERS AND TEACHERS,

TROOPERS, OTHER ESSENTIAL

WORKERS, THAT THEY ARE GOING TO

NEED SOME KIND OF PAY INCREASE.

>> THERE WERE SOME MAJOR BRIGHT

SPOTS FOR THE FUTURE OF THE

KENTUCKY ECONOMY.

FORD PICKED THE BLUEGRASS STATE

FOR A MAJOR BATTERY PLANT.

TOYOTA HAD A MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT.

SO REALLY KENTUCKY HAS BEEN PUT

IN THE FOREFRONT OF PRODUCING

WHAT LOOKS TO BE A FUTURE OF

ELECTRIC VEHICLES, RIGHT?

>> I THINK THE ECONOMY IS ON

FIRE.

CERTAINLY ALMOST $10 BILLION

WORTH OF INVESTMENT THIS YEAR.

>> WELL, IF CRISES ARE ONE PART

OF THE BESHEAR LEGACY, THE OTHER

PART IS GOING TO BE ECONOMIC

DEVELOPMENT, RECORD NUMBER OF

PROJECTS LAUNCHED THIS YEAR SO

WE'LL SEE HOW THAT PLAYS OUT

DOWN THE ROAD AS FAR AS THE

NUMBER OF JOBS CREATED.

AND REVENUE PRODUCED.

>> WE HAD A KENTUCKY DERBY

FILLED WITH CONTROVERSY.

THE WINNER TESTED POSITIVE FOR

STEROIDS, MEDINA SPIRIT DIED

LATER IN THE YEAR WITH SOME

QUESTIONS, MAYBE STILL UP IN THE

AIR.

>> MEDINA SPIRIT HAD ILLEGAL

SUBSTANCES IN HIS SYSTEM.

BOB BAFFORT SUSPENDED BY

CHURCHILL DOWNS FOR TWO YEARS.

LATER IT CAME OUT IT WAS A

TOPICAL APPLICATION, NOTHING

INJECTED BUT THERE IS STILL NO

RULING YET BY THE HORSE RACING

COMMISSION AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW,

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE KENTUCKY

DERBY, WHETHER MEDINA SPIRIT'S

WIN IS SUSPENDED OR PUSHED

ASIDE.

THAT'S AN ONGOING CONTROVERSY.

AT THIS POINT, BOB IS OUT OF THE

NEXT COUPLE KENTUCKY DERBY.

>> A BAD OUTCOME FOR THE FIRST

KENTUCKY DERBY WITH FANS BACK IN

THE STAND AGAIN.

>> ONE OF THE SURPRISES OF THE

YEAR CAME FROM LONG TIME

LOUISVILLE CONGRESSMAN JOHN

YARMOUTH, THE ONLY DEMOCRAT IN

THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION IN

THE COMMONWEALTH ANNOUNCED HIS

RETIREMENT AND THAT SET OFF A

SCRAMBLE THAT BECAME APPARENT

VERY QUICKLY.

>> ATICUS SCOTT, STATE

REPRESENTATIVE ANNOUNCED SHE WAS

GOING TO CHALLENGE HIM AND THEN

WHEN HE STEPPED ASIDE, QUICKLY

STATE SENATOR MCGARVEY GOT IN

THE RACE AND HAS RAISED LOTS OF

MONEY.

THOSE ARE THE TWO MAIN

COMBATANTS RIGHT NOW FOR THE

POST.

THE REPUBLICANS HAVEN'T PUT UP A

BIG NAME YET, BUT IT'S RIGHT NOW

THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION IS

BETWEEN SCOTT AND MCGARVEY.

>> 2021 DIDN'T HAVE THE

ELECTIONS EXCEPT FOR THREE

SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS

BECAUSE OF VARIOUS REASONS.

BUT NEXT YEAR IS GOING TO BE

FILLED WITH ELECTIONS,

CONGRESSIONAL, U.S. SENATE,

LEGISLATIVE, JUDGES, LOCALS EVEN

VERY BUSY.

>> TOP TO BOTTOM.

WELL, THIS IS VERY BITTERSWEET

NIGHT FOR US AS WE NOTED A

COUPLE OF OUR GIANTS ON THIS SET

ARE LEAVING KENTUCKY JOURNALISM.

JACK AND LAWRENCE BOTH PLANNING

TO TURN THE PAGE IN THEIR LIVES.

KENTUCKY SUPREME COURT JUSTICE

JOHN MINTON RECENTLY PRAISED

JACK FOR HIS DECADES OF WORK.

>> IF THE MEDIA IS THE FOURTH

ESTATE IN GOVERNMENT, THEN JACK

BRAMMER IS ONE OF THE STATE'S

FINEST STATESMEN.

HIS REPORTING HAS INFORMED THE

PUBLIC AND HAS HELPED MAKE OUR

INSTITUTIONS MORE ACCOUNTABLE.

MORE ACCOUNTABLE TO THOSE THAT

THE GOVERNMENT SERVES.

JACK'S REPORTING HAS, AT ONE

POINT OR ANOTHER, SHAKEN UP

EVERY BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT,

INCLUDING THIS ONE.

BUT MADE IT MORE OPEN AND MORE

RESPONSIBLE.

>> JACK, YOU ANNOUNCED YOUR

RETIREMENT A FEW WEEKS AGO.

WE KIND OF SAW IT COMING THROUGH

THE YEAR.

YOU WERE HINTING ABOUT IT MAYBE.

BUT YOU LEAVE THE LEXINGTON

"HERALD-LEADER" NEXT WEEK AFTER

MORE THAN 40 YEARS COVERING

FRANKFORT AND OTHER THINGS THAT

CAUGHT YOUR ATTENTION.

I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN AWAY

ABSOLUTE PILLAR OF THIS PROGRAM

FOR MANY, MANY YEARS AND TIMES

HAVE CHANGED, RIGHT?

>> IT HAS.

THAT'S A GOOD THING.

IF THEY DIDN'T CHANGE, WE

WOULDN'T HAVE NEWS.

>> THAT'S TRUE.

>> I AM VERY THANKFUL FOR THE

CHIEF JUSTICE'S KIND COMMENTS.

I'M VERY THANKFUL TO KET,

HONORED TO HAVE ME ON THIS

PROGRAM FOR SO MANY YEARS WITH

BRILLIANT JOURNALISTS LIKE GABBY

AND LAWRENCE.

AS FOR MYSELF, I LIKE TO SAY

THAT I DRANK FROM THE SAUCER OF

LIFE BECAUSE GOD HAS OVERFILLED

MY CUP WITH SO MANY BLESSINGS.

I'M A VERY BLESSED MAN AND TO

QUOTE THE GREAT PHILOSOPHER

DR. SUESS, DON'T CRY BECAUSE

IT'S OVER.

SMILE BECAUSE IT HAPPENED.

>> WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO

AFTER THIS?

>> HOPE TO BE A FREELANCE WRITER

IF ANYBODY NEEDS A WRITER OUT

THERE.

I WILL WRITE FOR FOOD.

SO A LITTLE PLUG THERE.

MY ONLY REGRET ON THE SHOW,

BILL, IS THAT I DIDN'T MENTION

ENOUGH THE TOWN OF MAYSVILLE.

>> ONE MORE TIME FOR THE GOOD

TIMES.

LAWRENCE, YOU TOOK US BY

SURPRISE THIS WEEK ANNOUNCING

THAT YOU ARE LEAVING AND GOING

IN ANOTHER DIRECTION.

WE SURE APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON

THIS PROGRAM, INCLUDING HOSTING

IT OVER THESE YEARS.

WE HOPE TO HAVE YOU BACK ONE

MORE TIME BEFORE YOU LEAVE TV.

>> LET ME SAY FIRST, I CAN'T

HOLD JACK BRAMMER'S PEN.

IT IS AN HONOR TO BE HERE WITH

HIM.

I'M LEAVING THE TELEVISION NEWS

BUSINESS AND GOING TO BE THE

COMMUNICATION NEWS DIRECTOR FOR

THE KENTUCKY BAPTIST CONVENTION.

I WILL STALE HAVE ONE FOOT IN

NEWS BECAUSE THERE IS A NEWS ARM

FOR THE CONVENTION CALLED

KENTUCKY TODAY AND I WILL BE

EXECUTIVE EDITOR OF THAT SITE.

SO I WILL STILL BE DOING SOME

NEWS.

BUT OF A DIFFERENT KIND.

>> I REFUSE TO HOLD UP A MIRROR

RIGHT NOW BUT WE WISH THESE GUYS

WELL.

>> DEFINITELY.

THEY BOTH HAVE BEEN SOLID IN THE

PRESS CORPS.

I LIKE LIKE TO CALL THEM THE

GENTLEMEN JOURNALISTS.

>> WE HAVE CHRONICLED A LOT OF

CHANGES OVER THE YEARS AND JACK,

WE WILL SEE YOU ALONG THE WAY,

ALL RIGHT?

>> I HOPE SO.

AND LAWRENCE, I'M TRYING TO GET

THAT COMMITMENT, ONE MORE SHOW

BEFORE YOU GO, ALL RIGHT?

>> HEY, I'M GOOD.

I'M GOOD FOR IT.

>> WE APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US

FOR THIS SPECIAL CHRISTMAS EVE

EDITION OF COMMENT ON KENTUCKY.

IT IS A TRUE HONOR TO HOST THIS

PROGRAM AND TO TALK ABOUT THE

ISSUES FACING OUR COMMONWEALTH

EACH WEEK.

AND WE TRULY APPRECIATE THE VERY

INFORMED PANELISTS WHO MAKE IT A

RELEVANT DISCUSSION, INCLUDING

THOSE HERE TONIGHT AND WE WISH

YOU AND YOURS THE VERY BEST IN

THIS HOLIDAY SEASON AND IN THE

NEW YEAR AHEAD OF 2022.