>> SENATOR MITCH MCCONNELL'S

CAMPAIGN MANAGER RESIGNS, WHILE

QUESTIONS LINGER ABOUT

CHALLENGER ALISON LUNDERGAN

GRIMES' CAMPAIGN BUS.

THE COAL ISSUE LOOMS LARGE IN

THE SENATE RACE AND IS ALREADY

AN ISSUE IN THE GUBERNATORIAL

RACE.

BREATHITT COUNTY LEADERS FIGHT

TO REGAIN LOCAL CONTROL OF THEI

SCHOOL SYSTEM BUT LOSE IN

FRANKFORT.

AND SOME IN LOUISVILLE PUSH FOR

A LOCAL HIKE IN THE MINIMUM

WAGE.

IT'S LABOR DAY WEEKEND.

TAKE A LITTLE BREAK FROM YOUR

HARD WORK.

COMMENT" IS NEXT ON KET!

GOOD EVENING.

I'M BILL BRYANT, ANCHOR AND

MANAGING EDITOR AT WKYT-TV IN

LEXINGTON.

OUR GUESTS ON "COMMENT ON

KENTUCKY" ARE JOE GERTH,

POLITICAL WRITER FOR THE

COURIER-JOURNAL, ERICA PETERSON

ENVIRONMENT REPORTER FOR WFPL I

LOUISVILLE, AND JACK BRAMMER,

FRANKFORT BUREAU CHIEF FOR THE

LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER.

ALSO TONIGHT, REPUBLICANS

CHALLENGE THE SIGNATURES THAT

GOT A LIBERTARIAN CANDIDATE ON

THE BALLOT.

LEA START OUT WITH THIS LATE

BREAKING NEWS TODAY, THE

RESIGNATION OF JESSE BENTON,

SENATOR MITCH McCONNELL'S

CAMPAIGN MANAGER.

IT'S EFFECTIVE TOMORROW.

JOE AND JACK, WHAT LED TO THIS

TWIST SH.

>> WELL, IT STARTED WITH THE

2012 PRESIDENTIAL RACE IN IOWA

WHERE RON PAUL WAS COMPETING IN

THE CAUCUSES THERE.

JESSE BENTON, WHO IS MARRIED TO

RON PAUL'S GRANDDAUGHTER, WHO I

ALSO RAND PAUL, SENATOR RAND

PAUL'S NIECE, WAS INVOLVED IN

THAT CAMPAIGN, AND THERE WAS A

FELLOW WHO WAS A CLOSE ASSOCIAT

OF HIS NAMED DEMETRI KASARI WHO

ALLEGEDLY GAVE $73,000 TO KENTO

SOUTHERNSON WHO IS A STATE

SENATOR TO SWITCH HIS BACKING

FROM MICHELLE BACHMANN TO RON

PAUL IN THE CAUCUSES, WHICH IS

ILLEGAL TO DO IN IOWA.

SORENSON PLED GUILTY THIS WEEK

TO CHARGES INVOLVING THIS.

THE FBI SAID THE INVESTIGATION

IS ONGOING SO THERE MAY BE MORE

SHOES TO DROP HERE.

AND SO AT ONE POINT IN THE

TAPE-RECORDED CONVERSATION

SORENSON SAID THAT HE IS CERTAI

THAT JESSE BENTON KNEW ABOUT TH

PAYMENTS, AND SO THAT'S WHAT LE

TO THIS, THIS DECISION BY BENTO

TO STEP AWAY FROM THE CAMPAIGN.

>> SO BENTON, JACK, BELIEVES

THAT HE WAS BECOMING A

DISTRACTION BASED ON WHAT WAS

COMING UP.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AFTER THIS STORY BROKE BY

POLITICAL REPORTER SAM YOUNGMAN

BENTON PATE PRESS RELEASE

EXPLAINING HIS POSITION THAT HE

WAS RESIGNING, SAID HE HAD

BECOME A DISTRACK TO THE

McCONNELL CAMPAIGN.

HE SAID HE SPOKE TO SENATOR

McCONNELL FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

HE SAID THE SENATOR RELUCTANTLY

ACCEPTED HIS RESIGNATION THAT.

COMES SATURDAY, AUGUST 30th.

HE'LL BE NO LONGER PART OF THE

TEAM MITCH CAMPAIGN.

BUT HE SAID THE CAMPAIGN HAD

ALREADY PUT TOGETHER A TOP

FLIGHT TEAM OF INCREDIBLE PEOPL

TO KEEP IT ROLLING.

HE SAID THE DECISION BROKE HIS

HEART.

HE EVEN QUOTED SCRIPTURE FROM

JAMES 5:16, "I HAVE TOLD YOU

THESE THINGS SO THAT IN ME YOU

HAVE PEACE.

IN THIS WORLD YOU WILL HAVE

TROUBLE.

BUT TAKE PART FOR I HAVE

OVERCOME THE WORLD."

SHE WAS VERY UPSET ABOUT THIS.

RIGHT BEFORE THE SHOW STARTED

TONIGHT WE HEARD FROM THE

GRIMES' CAMPAIGN.

THEY JUST PUT OUT A SENTENCE

SAYING THAT SENATOR McCONNELL

OWES THE PEOPLE OF KENTUCKY A

FULL ACCOUNT OF WHAT HE KNEW AN

WHEN HE KNEW IT.

>> WELL, DOES THIS BLOW BACK NO

ON McCONNELL IN ANY WAY OR

DOES IT IMPEDE HIS STRATEGY FOR

WINNING THE ELECTION, GIVEN THA

BENTON WAS HIS CHIEF STRATEGIST

>> MOST PEOPLE EXPECT JOSH

HOLMES, McCONNELL'S FORMER

CHIEF OF STAFF WHO HAS BEEN

WORKING WITH THE CAMPAIGN FOR

SOME TIME NOW, TO TAKE OVER, AN

I DON'T EXPECT HIM TO MISS A

BEAT BECAUSE OF IT.

YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR THE GRIMES

PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THIS SOME.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO

HAVE LEGS.

I THINK THE BIGGEST CONCERN

ANYBODY'S GOT TO HAVE HAS GOT T

BE RAND PAUL WHO IS NOW SEEING

THE PERSON OR SOME OF THE PEOPL

THAT HE WAS GOING TO BUILD HIS

PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN AROUND,

SUDDENLY HAVING THESE TROUBLES

THAT MAYBE HE DOESN'T WANT TO

BRING ONBOARD WHEN HE GOES --

>> I DON'T WANT TO ADD TO ANY

SPECULATION BUT I THINK IT

RAPIST TO BE SEEN WHAT EFFECT

THIS IS GOING TO HAVE ON THE

CAMPAIGN AND WHETHER IT HAS ANY

EFFECT AT ALL, AND RIGHT NOW WE

DON'T HAVE ANY REASON TO BELIEV

SO ON SENATOR McCONNELL.

>> AND WE SHOULD POINT OUT THAT

WE CAN'T SAY THIS ENOUGH, THAT

BENTON DENIES THAT HE HAD

ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> JUST MEDIA SPECULATION AND

RUMOR AND INNUENDO AND THAT HE

DID NOTHING WRONG.

>> OBVIOUSLY WE REACTED TO THIS

NEWS LATE THIS AFTERNOON, HAD

THE HEADLINES BEEN TWO HOURS AG

WE WOULD HAVE BEEN TALKING MORE

ABOUT THIS AUDIO TAPE THAT

CONTINUED TO BE IN THE NEWS

AFTER IT SURFACED.

>> RIGHT.

THE NATION, A KIND OF A LIBERAL

LEANING MAGAZINE, POSTED ON ITS

WEBSITE THE OTHER DAY AN AUDIO

TAPE OF MITCH McCONNELL

SPEAKING TO A SUMMIT HELD BY TH

KOCH BROTHERS IN CALIFORNIA IN

WHICH HE SAID THAT HE WOULD NOT

ALLOW DEBATE ON ISSUES LIKE

RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE,

LIKE --

>> UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE.

>> -- UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE,

AND ALSO SAID THAT THE WORST DA

OF HIS CAREER WAS THE DAY THAT

PRESIDENT BUSH SIGNED THE

MCCAIN-FEINGOLD CAMPAIGN FINANC

REFORM ACT INTO LAW, AND A LOT

OF FOLKS ON THE LEFT ARE HAVING

SOME FUN WITH THIS, AND THEY

THINK --

>> THAT LIMITED POLITICAL

CONTRIBUTIONS.

>> RIGHT.

AND PEOPLE ON THE LEFT THINK

THAT THIS COULD BE THE 47%

COMMENT, LIKE MITT ROMNEY MADE

TO A GROUP OF WEALTHY DONORS

BACK IN 2012.

>> SPEAKING OF MITT ROMNEY, HE

WILL BE COMING TO ELECTRICS IN

SUPPORT OF McCONNELL TO --

LEXINGTON IN SUPPORT OF

McCONNELL TO RAISE MONEY FOR

HIM IN OCTOBER AND ALSO SAM

YOUNGMAN REPORTING IN THE HELLE

LEADER THIS MONTH DOING A

COMPARISON TO ROMNEY'S STRATEGY

IN 2012 TO WIN KENTUCKY WHEN HE

GOT 60% OF THE VOTE TO

McCONNELL'S CAMPAIGN THIS

YEAR.

>> YEAH, INTERESTING QUESTION O

THAT, TOO, IS ROMNEY, WHAT'S IN

IT FOR HIM?

AND MIGHT HE BE A PRESIDENTIAL

CANDIDATE AGAIN IN 2016.

>> I THINK HE SWITCHED NOW TO

CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE.

>> YES.

>> THAT'S KIND OF WHERE HE IS A

THIS POINT.

McCONNELL WENT ON WHILE THIS

WAS A RECORDING THAT WAS NOT TO

HIS KNOWLEDGE, HE WENT ON RADIO

AND DANVILLE THIS WEEK AND SAID

THAT THE RACE IS SO CLOSE

BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF OUTSID

MONEY BEING SPENT AGAINST HIM,

WHICH HE SAID HE SUPPORTS

LETTING PEOPLE DO.

>>Y THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF MONEY

FOR EXAMPLE -- OUTSIDE MONEY

BEING SPENT FOR HIM.

>> ALISON GRIMES CONTINUES TO

TRY TO COURT FEMALE VOTERS.

AT THIS POINT IT IS IT HAS NOT

EMERGED THAT SHE HAS AN

ADVANTAGE WITH THE FEMALE VOTER

THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE.

SHE ALSO THIS WEEK, THOUGH, HAD

SOME MORE QUESTIONS TO ANSWER

ABOUT THE BUS, THE MODE OF

TRANSPORTATION IN THE CAMPAIGN,

AND YOU WROTE THIS MORNING, JOE

THAT THAT BUS IS NOT LICENSED T

CARRY PEOPLE.

>> WE CAN'T FIND ANYWHERE WHERE

IT'S BEEN LICENSED WITH THE

STATE OR WITH THE FEDS TO

ACTUALLY HAUL PEOPLE AROUND.

YOU NEED A SPECIAL PERMIT TO DO

THAT, AND I HAVEN'T HEARD BACK

FROM JERRY LUNDERGAN'S BUSINESS

THE LUNDERGAN GROUP, WHICH ONE

OF ITS SUBSIDY YEARS PURCHASED

THE BUS AND IS PROVIDING IT TO

THE CAMPAIGN FOR WHAT THE

McCONNELL FOLKS SAY IS A

REDUCED RATE.

>> AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THE

GRIMES CAMPAIGN ON FRIDAY DID

ASK THE STATE FOR A PERMIT TO

HAVE CHARTER RIGHTS TO CARRY

PASSENGERS.

THEY -- THEIR UNDERSTANDING WAS

THAT THEY HAD THE RIGHT TO DO

THAT, BUT TO BE SURE THEY'LL GO

AHEAD AND TRY TO GET THAT PERMI

IN GRIMES ENDORSED BY FORMERY

SECRETARY OF STATE MADELINE

ALBRIGHT AND MARTHA LANE COLLIN

IS ON IT DOING A LOT OF SPEAKIN

FOR HER.

IS SHE HAVING DIFFICULTY

CONNECTING FEMALE VOTERS, JOE?

>> YOU KNOW, FROM WHAT WE HAVE

SEEN, WE HAVEN'T -- I MEAN,

POLLING GOING BACK TO THE

ORIGINAL BLUEGRASS POLL THAT

YOUR TELEVISION STATION, MY

NEWSPAPER, JACK'S NEWSPAPER AND

W HAAS DID HAS SHOWN SHE DID NO

HAVE THE ADVANTAGE THAT I LOT O

PEOPLE EXPECTED THAT SHE WOULD.

IT'S HARD TO TELL WHY.

>> WHICH, BY THE WAY, TRILLION

THERE BE A NEW POLL OUT TOMORRO

EVENING.

>> IT'S TOMORROW EVENING AT

8:00.

THAT'S SATURDAY EVENING AT 8:00

THEY WILL BE POSTED ONLINE AT

ALL OF THE PARTNERS WEBSITES,

AND YOU'LL GET TO SEE WHO IS

LEADING IN THE SENATE RACE.

>> WE'VE STILL GOT NINE MORE

WEEKS TO GO BEFORE THE

NOVEMBER 4th ELECTION.

ALL THESE STORIES ARE BREAKING.

I TALKED TO HOUSE SPEAKER GREG

STUMBO, HIS TAKE ON THIS, AND I

SEEM TO SIDE WITH HIM THAT THIS

IS GOING TO GO DOWN TO THE WIRE

AND USED A SPORTS ANALOGY,

WHOEVER HAS THE BALL THAT IS

WEEK OR SO IS GOING TO WIN THIS

RACE.

>> WELL, WOULDN'T YOU THINK THA

A POSSIBLE GAME-CHANGER FOR

EITHER SIDE MIGHT BE A DEBATE?

AND THERE'S GOING TO BE THE

FORUM AT KET THAT WE'LL BE

BROADCASTING, TELECAST, BUT NOW

CENTRE COLLEGE HAS CANCELLED IT

PLAN FOR DEBATE, WHAS SAYS THAT

THEIR EVENT IS OFF.

THERE IS STILL I THINK THE

INVITATION FROM THE UNIVERSITY

OF KENTUCKY AND THE LEAGUE WOME

VOTERS AND THERE ARE SOME OTHER

WHO SAY THEY WOULD SCRAMBLE AND

PUT ONE TOGETHER.

BUT AT THIS POINT DATES PIERCE

THIS WILL BE OTHER DEBATES?

>> ERICA, WE KNOW REPORTERS

HAVEN'T SUPPOSED TO HAVE

OPINIONS BUT I THINK ALL THE

REPORTERS ARE UPSET THAT THERE

HAVEN'T BEEN DEBATES ON MAJOR

ISSUES.

>> IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN

HARD THE REPORT ON WHEN YOU'RE

JUST GETTING STATEMENTS FROM

CAMPAIGNS AND SPAIN CAMPAIGN

SPEECHES.

>> WOULDN'T YOU LIKE TO KNOW

WHETHER THEY FEEL WE SHOULD PUT

TROOPS IN IRAQ OR AMNESTY FOR

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS?

>> IF YOU HAD THE BEAT FOR U.S.

SENATE CANDIDATES THIS YEAR,

WHAT WOULD IT BE?

>> WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO THIS

I KNOW IN A LITTLE BIT, BUT IT

WOULD BE I GUESS WHAT IS THE

FUTURE OF KENTUCKY COAL?

SO FAR WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF

TALKING POINTS ABOUT COAL.

WE'VE HEARD I'M PRO-COAL, COAL

IS THE FUTURE.

WHEN THE STATISTICS AND THE

FACTS DON'T REALLY SUGGEST THAT

>> LET'S GO AHEAD AND TALK ABOU

THAT.

IT IS OBVIOUSLY THE OVERRIDING

ISSUE.

SOME OF THE EARLY POLLING HAS

INDICATED THAT IT IS A MAJOR

CONCERN TO A LOT OF PEOPLE,

PARTICULARLY IN THE EASTERN AND

WESTERN KENTUCKY, AND TO THE JO

THE JOBS THAT DEPEND ON COAL BU

YOU'RE SAYING YOUR REPORTING AN

YOUR FINDINGS INDICATE WHAT?

>> WELL, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE

NUMBERS OF PRODUCTION, OF

EMPLOYMENT, PRETTY MUCH

NICOLE-RELATED NUMBERS IN --

ANY COAL-RERATED NUMBERS IN

KENTUCKY YOU SEE A COUPLE OF

THINGS, YOU SEE JOBS AND

PRODUCTION DROPPING STATEWIDE

PRETTY MUCH OVER THE PAST 30

YEARS, AND THIS IS A TREND

THAT'S BEEN GOING DOWNHILL FOR

WHILE.

IT'S NOT THE PAST SIX YEARS.

IT'S NOT THE PAST DECADE.

WE'RE TALKING AT LEAST SINCE

1980.

BUT YOU ALSO SEE IN EASTERN

KENTUCKY IT'S DROPPING A LOT

FASTER THAN IT IS IN WESTERN

KENTUCKY.

WESTERN KENTUCKY, IT'S NEVER

HAD -- IT'S PRETTY MUCH STAYED

STEADY.

IT'S NEVER HAD THE HIGHS THAT

EASTERN KENTUCKY HAD, BUT IT'S

ALSO NOT HAVING THE LOWS RIGHT

NOW.

I GUESS EASTERN KENTUCKY AND

WESTERN KENTUCKY RIGHT NOW ARE

ABOUT ON THE SAME LEVEL

PRODUCTION-WISE WILL BE WHICH

EASTERN KENTUCKY USED TO PRODUC

A LOT MORE COAL THAN WESTERN

KENTUCKY.

>> AND THAT'S FOR, WHAT, A

COUPLE OF REASONS.

MARKET FORCES AS WELL AS THESE

MUCH MORE STRINGENT REGULATIONS

ON EMISSIONS.

>> YEAH, THERE ARE A LOT OF

REASONS.

EMPLOYMENT HAS BEEN DOWN PARTLY

BECAUSE OF TECHNOLOGY WHEN YOU

HAVE CONTINUOUS MINERS AND DRAG

LINES, YOU DON'T NEED AS AM

PEOPLE, BUT RECENTLY IT'S BEEN

MARKET FORCES, IT'S BEEN CHEAP

NATURAL GAS, IT'S BEEN RECLININ

RESERVES.

IN EASTERN KENTUCKY IT'S A LOT

HARDER.

YOU DON'T HAVE THE HUGE THICK

COAL SEAMS YOU USED TO HAVE SO

IT'S LOT MORE EXPENSIVE TO MINE

COAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL

REGULATIONS ON MINING AND

BURNING COAL HAVE D CONTRIBUTED

TOO.

>> YOU HAVE RECENTLY REPORTED

THAT IT TAKES LONGER TO MINE

COAL.

>> IT DOES.

>> NOW.

WHY?

>> WELL --

>> BUS OF THE REGULATION?

>> NO, THE RESOLUTIONS REALLY

HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE

PRODUCTIVE NUMBERS, AND ACTUALL

IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE I LOOK

AT AT THESE NUMBERS, THE STATE

ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT CABINET

HAS JUST THIS TREASURE TROVE OF

DATA YOU CAN LOOK UP PRETTY MUC

ANY ENERGY-RELATED STATISTICS

YOU CARE ABOUT.

AND I CALLED THE ENERGY

INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION, THE

FEDERAL AGENCY THAT LOOKS AT A

LOT OF THIS, AND I SAID WHY IS

PRODUCT OF DOWN SO MUCH IN

EASTERN KENTUCKY?

THEY SAID THAT'S A GOOD

QUESTION.

WE'VE BEEN MEANING TO LOOK AT

THAT BUT WE HAVEN'T REALLY YET.

SO THERE ARE A COUPLE OF IDEAS.

ONE IS TECHNOLOGY, YOU KNOW,

INCREASES PRODUCTIVITY

SOMETIMES, AND IT DID YEARS AND

YEARS AGO.

IT'S REALLY THE DECLINING

RESERVES AND THE FACT THAT YOU

JUST DON'T HAVE THE THICK COAL

SEAMS YOU USED TO.

>> HARDER TO REACH?

>> YEAH, HARDER TO REACH, YOU

HAVE TO GO THROUGH MORE YORE

BURDEN TO GET TO THE COAL.

BUT IN 1997 IT HIT ITS PEAK IN

EASTERN KENTUCKY AND A MINER

COULD MINE 3.8 TONS OF COAL PER

HOUR, AND NOW THAT'S DOWN TO

2.1 TONS OF COAL.

>> COAL HAS BEEN SUCH A VISIBLE

ISSUE AS WE ALL KNOW IN THE

SENATE RACE, YET THERE COULD BE

A LEAST A BIT OF A DEPARTMENT O

NARRATIVE IN THE GOVERNOR'S RAC

NEXT YEAR BASED ON SOME COMMENT

OF SOON-TO-BE REPUBLICAN

CANDIDATE ARE TO GOVERNOR JAMES

COMER WHO, BY THE WAY, HAS NOW

BACKED OFF OF THOSE COMMENTS TO

SOME EXTENT, RIGHT?

>> YEAH.

JAIME COMER MADE COMMENTS LAST

FALL TO A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT

OUTLETS.

HE TOLD MY COLLEAGUE AT WFPL

THAT HE MADE COMMENTS TO CN2.

I BELIEVE THE COURIER-JOURNAL

REPORTED ON IT AS WELL.

WHAT HE TOLD WFPL, I'M A FRIEND

OF COAL.

I SUPPORT THE COAL INDUSTRY.

BUT THE COAL INDUSTRY'S FUTURE

DOESN'T LOOK BRIGHT AND WE HAVE

TO LOOK BEYOND THAT AND LEARN T

DEVELOP A NEW ECONOMY IN EASTER

KENTUCKY.

NOW, THIS IS FAR FROM WHAT I

WOULD CALL AN ANTI-COAL

STATEMENT.

IN FACT, AT THE TIME IT WAS KIN

OF I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE IN

THE MEDIA SAID, AH, YOU KNOW,

HE'S ACTUALLY -- THIS IS A

FACT-BASED STATEMENT.

BUT NOW THAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT

RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR, HE'S BEIN

ATTACKED BY HIS REPUBLICAN

OPPONENT HAL HEINER FOR THE

STATEMENT, SAYING, OH, YOU KNOW

HE DOESN'T BELIEVE IN THE FUTUR

OF COAL IN EASTERN KENTUCKY,

HE'S AGAINST COAL.

>> AND THIS WHOLE THING CAME

ABOUT BECAUSE OF AN EVENT IN

LOUISVILLE WHERE STATE

REPRESENTATIVE TOM BURCH SAID

SOME THINGS ABOUT COAL AND NEED

TOPPING LOOK BEYOND COAL IN

EASTERN KENTUCKY.

REPUBLICANS STARTED TO ATTACK

HIM ON IT.

AND THEN YOUR COLLEAGUE, PHIL

BALE WELL POINTED OUT THAT, HEY

COMER SAID SOMETHING SIMILAR TO

THIS A YEAR AGO.

>> YEAH, AND I THINK CALLING IT

SIMILAR.

IT'S A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT -- I

MEAN, BURCH'S COMMENTS WERE A

LITTLE BIT MORE, YOU KNOW -- I

THINK HE SAID SOMETHING LIKE --

>> COAL IS DIRTY.

>> AND COMER DOES BEGIN HIS

STATEMENT WITH "I AM A FRIEND O

COAL."

>> WHEN YOU DRILL DOWN DEEP

NIGHT THEY'RE SAYING THE COAL

INDUSTRY IS GOING AWAY AND WE

NEED TO START LOOKING.

>> I UNDERSTAND WHERE COMER

OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCES I BELIEVE

IN SEPTEMBER 9TH IN HIS HOME

DOWN OF TOMPKINSVILLE, HE'S

GOING TO HAVE HIGH-POWERED COAL

OFFICIALS WITH HIM, COAL OWNERS

AND OPERATORS AND ADDRESS THIS.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS I THOUGHT

WAS SO INTERESTING ABOUT THIS

WAS IT'S -- I MEAN, FROM MY

READING, IT'S A FACTUAL

STATEMENT.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS,

EXPERTS SAY COAL IN EASTERN

KENTUCKY ESPECIALLY IS NOT --

THERE WILL BE COAL MINING THERE

FOR A WHILE BUT IT'S JUST NOT

GOING REACH THE NUMBERS AND

EMPLOY THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THA

IT USED TO, BUT I ASKED SEVERAL

PEOPLE FOR THIS STORY IS THIS

WHAT -- WHAT WILL VOTERS IN

EASTERN KENTUCKY SAY?

IS THIS A BREATH OF FRESH AIR?

IS THIS, THANK YOU, SOMEBODY IS

BEING REALISTIC?

AND EVERYONE I TALKED TO SAID,

YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK PEOPLE

ARE READY FOR THIS YET.

>> WELL, BACK JUST FOR A SECOND

TO THE SENATE RACE, LET'S TALK

JUST FORA MOMENT ABOUT THE

REPUBLICAN PARTY OF KENTUCKY

CHALLENGING THE SIGNATURES ARE

OF THE LIBERTARIAN SENATE

CANDIDATE DAVID PATTERSON WHO

HAD TO HAVE 5,000 SIGNATURES TO

GET ON THE BALLOT, PLENTY MORE

THAN 9,000.

THEY'RE ASKING COUNTY CLERKS TO

GO IN AND VERIFY THOSE

SIGNATURES.

DO THEY WANT PATERSON OFF THE

BALLOT?

>> I THINK THEY JUST SAY THEY

WANT TO BE SURE THAT HE IS A

LEGAL CANDIDATE.

WHEN THEY WERE REVIEWING THE

SIGNATURES, THEY POINT OUT ONE

EXAMPLE THEY FOUND THE NAME OF

FELLOW NAMED BEN DOVER, AND

AFTER HIS ADDRESS, IT WAS AN

OBSCENE PHRASE, AND SO THEY

SAID, HEY, THIS LOOKS

SUSPICIOUS.

LET'S GO BE SURE HE'S LEGAL.

>> NOW, PATTERSON CLAIMS THAT

HE'S GOT -- THAT THEY VERIFIED

5700 SIGNATURE AND THEY NEED

5,000.

AND THAT'S OUT OF 9,000

SIGNATURES THEY'VE GOT, SO THEY

SAY THEY'VE GOT ENOUGH.

REPUBLICANS MAY NOT WANT HIM ON

THERE.

YOU EXPECT THAT THE LIBERTARIAN

CANDIDATE IS GOING TO DRAW

CONSERVATIVE VOTERS AND THAT

COULD HURT McCONNELL.

THIS IS A CLOSE RACE.

>> AND HE HAS ABOUT 7% OF THE

VOTE IN POLLING.

>> WE'RE HEARING FROM OTHER

CANDIDATES IN NEXT YEAR'S

ELECTIONS, AT LEAST RUMBLINGS.

JACK, A SAY THE SENATOR

CONSIDERING RUNNING FOR.

>> STATE SENATOR DENNIS PARE

OVER THE ELIZABETHTOWN, SAID

THIS WEEK HE'S SERIOUSLY LOOKIN

AT AND IT I NOTICE HE EVEN

CALLED HIS HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER

ELIZABETHTOWN AND LET THEM KNOW

SO HE REALLY IS LOOKING AT IT.

WE ALREADY HAVE ONE CANDIDATE I

THERE THAT'S A BROADCASTER,

JEAN-MARIE LAWSON.

>> AND SHE IS ACTIVELY

CAMPAIGNING.

>> YES.

>> A CHANCE FOR DEMOCRATS AND

REPUBLICANS GOT TOGETHER THIS

WEEK.

ERICA, THEY GATHERS WEDNESDAY

AND CELEBRATED A $20 MILLION

FEDERAL GRANT WHICH IS DESIGNED

TO HAVE KENTUCKY LOOK AT OTHER

FORMS OF ENERGY.

>> YEAH, IT'S $20 MILLION FROM

THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

PLUS $4 MILLION IN MATCHING

FUNDS FROM EPSCORE HERE IN

KENTUCKY, AND IT'S BAISLEY AN

R&D GRANT.

IT'S MONEY TO DEVELOP NEW

TECHNOLOGIES FOR ENERGY

GENERATION AND STORAGE.

SO WE'RE TALKING BAT

PARTNERSHIPS WE'RE TALKING NEW

MEMBRANES FOR REMEDIATION,

THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT I THINK THEY'RE SAYING THAT

IT'S GOING TO BE 150 JOBS OVER

FIVE YEARS, SOME OF THOSE ARE

NEW POSITIONS, SOME ARE TO HELP

PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY FACULTY

AT UNIVERSITIES WORK ON THIS.

AND IT'S GOING TO BE

HEADQUARTERED AT THE UNIVERSITY

OF KENTUCKY AT THE CENTER FOR

APPLIED RESEARCH, BUT

UNIVERSITIES OVER THE STATE ARE

INVOLVED IN IT AS WELL.

>> WITH LABOR DAY APPROACHING

THERE'S A PUSH IN LOUISVILLE TO

RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE WINDS TH

CITY TO $10.10 AN HOUR, A LOCAL

MINIMUM WAGE HIKE.

IN JEFFERS COUNTY ATTORNEY SAID

THAT IT WOULD BE LEGAL TO HAVE

LOCAL MINIMUM WAGE.

LOCAL METRO COUNSEL APPEARS TO

HAVE SOMETHING READY TO SPRING

NEXT WEEK?

>> THAT'S THE WORD.

THEY SAY THAT BY RAISING THE

MINIMUM WAGE GRADUALLY OVER

SEVERAL YEARS FROM $7.25 TO

$10.10 WILL HELP 61,000 WORKERS

IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, AND THEY

THINK THAT THEY -- IF THE

STATE'S NOT GOING TO MOVE

FORWARD ON IT, IF CONGRESS ISN'

GOING MOVE FORWARD ON IT, THEY

THINK THEY NEED TO MOVE FORWARD

ON IT AND HELP OUT WORKERS.

>> DOES IT LOOK LIKE IT HAS A

CHANCE OF PASSAGE?

>> YOU KNOW, WHEN THE DEMOCRATI

MAJORITY IN THE LOUISVILLE METR

COUNCIL GETS BEHIND SOMETHING,

THEY'VE GOT TO I A CLEAR

MAJORITY THERE, SO IT'S GOT A

PRETTY GOOD CHANCE OF PASSING.

>> THE COUNTY ATTORNEY BASICALL

SAYING HE WOULD DEFEND IT IF IT

WERE CHALLENGED.

>> YES.

HIS ARGUMENT IS THAT THERE'S

NOTHING IN THE LAW, THAT CITIES

HAVE PRETTY MUCH BROAD -- BROAD

ABILITY TO DO THINGS LIKE THIS

IF THEY CHOOSE TO.

>> JACK, IF FRANKFORT STATE

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WILL BE

KEEPING CONTROL OF THE BREATHIT

COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM.

THERE WERE HOURS OF TESTIMONY,

LOCALS FROM BREATHITT COUNTY

SHOWED UP BASICALLY BEGGING TO

HAVE LOCAL CONTROL RETURNED

THERE, THAT KDE, THE KENTUCKY

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SAID,

NO, NOT YET.

>> IN DECEMBER OF 2012 THE STAT

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TOOK

OVER THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THERE

THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME IN 15

YEARS.

THE STATE HAS TAKEN OVER A

SCHOOL DISTRICT.

THIS OCCURRED RIGHT AFTER THE

THEN SUPERINTENDENT ARCH TURNER

WENT TO PRISON, INVOLVEMENT IN

VOTE BUYING SCANDAL, ALSO

SHOWING ECONOMIC DEFICIENCY IN

THE STATE.

THEY PLEADED IN A NINE-HOUR

MEETING.

THERE WERE THREE NEW MEMBERS OF

THE BREATHITT COUNTY SCHOOL

BOARD THAT SAID, LOOK, WE CAME

ON AFTER TURNER.

WE REALLY WANT TO DO A GOOD JOB

WE THINK WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO

CONTROL THE STATE COMMISSIONER,

KERRY HOLLADAY SAID, NO, LET'S

KNIGHT STATE'S HANDS AND THE

STATE BOARD VOTED UNANIMOUSLY T

DO THAT FOR AT LEAST UP TO THRE

MORE YEARS.

>> WHAT DOES IT ESSENTIALLY MEA

WHEN THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIO

CONTROLS THE LOCAL SCHOOL

SYSTEM?

I MEAN, ARE THE LOCALS, IS THE

LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD POWERLESS AT

THAT POINT?

>> NO, THEY STILL STAY, QUOTE,

IN OPERATION, BUT THE STATE

WANTS TO BE SURE THE PRINCIPLES

WITH ESPECIALLY THE KEY LEADERS

IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WHO

THEY ARE, ARE THEY CONCENTRATIN

HARD ENOUGH ON THE CLASSES AND

THE ACADEMIC WORK.

THE STATE HAS A LOT OF POWER.

>> ERICA, THERE'S AN APPEAL IN

THE BLUEGRASS PIPELINE CASE

WHICH WAS SO CONTROVERSIAL AND

EVEN MADE ITS WAY INTO THE

LEGISLATURE AND THEN EVENTUALLY

THE COURTS, AND WHERE IS THAT

HEADED?

>> WELL, RIGHT NOW THE BLUEGRAS

PIPELINE IS, OF COURSE, A

NATURAL GAS PIPELINE THAT WAS

GOING TO GO ALL THE THE WAY

ACROSS KENTUCKY, AND THEY

SPENDED IT FOR MARKET REASONS.

BUT A JUDGE HERE IN FRANKLIN

COUNTY RULED THAT THEY DID NOT

HAVE THE POWER OF EMINENT DOMAI

FOR THE PIPELINE.

KEV'S EMINENT DOMAIN LAW IS A

LITTLE BIT MURKY.

AND IF BLUEGRASS PIPELINE

COMPANY, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE

OSTENSIBLY NOT MOVING FORWARD A

THIS TIME, ARE APPEALING THAT T

TRY TO GET THE POWER OF EMINENT

DOMAIN FOR THE PIPELINE.

>> WELL, IT HAS BEEN HOT OWE IN

LOUISVILLE, WE KNOW THAT, AND

THAT IS PARTIALLY BEING BLAMED

FOR THE TOWN ATTENDANCE AT THE

KENTUCKY STATE FAIR THIS YEAR.

>> THE KENTUCKY STATE FAIR HAD

ITS 11-DAY RUN AND THEY REPORTE

LATE FRIDAY THAT THEY HAD ABOUT

516,000 VISITORS, THE LAST TWO

YEARS THEY'VE BEEN HAVING MORE

THAN 600,000.

THEY BLAME THE HOT WEATHER.

THE RAINSTORMS.

THEY DIDN'T BLAME BUT A LOT OF

PEOPLE CITE THE PURGE.

>> THE LOUISVILLE PURGE.

IT WAS A RUMORED CRIME SPREE

THAT NEVER TOOK PLACE ON THE

FIRST FRIDAY NIGHT OF THE FAIR.

>> BUT THE FAIR WAS STILL ABLE

TO SELL MORE THAN 100,000 POUND

OF PORK, AND I CONTRIBUTED TO

THAT.

>> AND THERE WAS A LOT OF

POLITICAL HAPPENINGS OVER THERE

A LOT OF STORIES THAT CAME OUT

OF THERE.

THE LOW FARE CARRIER FRONTIER

AIRLINES IS GOING TO DOUBLE ITS

SERVICE OUT OF SENATE, NORTHERN

KENTUCKY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

GOING TO NOW OFFER SERVICE TO

VEGAS, TO ORLANDO, FORT

LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA, PHOENIX.

IT'S NOT THE RETURN OF THE DELT

FLIGHTS CERTAINLY, BUT

SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMEN

THERE.

WOULD YOU SAY?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> AND -- A BIG ONE RIGHT THERE

SHARON THOMPSON, A LONGTIME

WRITER NOR THE LEXINGTON HERD

LEADER WHO HAS DONE CLOSE TO --

HERALD-LEADER CLOSE TO 50 YEARS

IN THE JOURNALISM BUSINESS.

>> I WON'T SAY HOW OLD SHE IS,

BUT IT'S BEEN, SAY, MORE THAN

40, AND SHE'S JUST BEEN A

PHENOMENAL ASSET TO THE

LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER.

YOULY, RECIPES, NEW RESTAURANTS

I ESPECIALLY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW

WHERE I SHOULD EAT NOW IN

LEXINGTON.

AND SHE'S GOING TO BE SOARLY

MISSED, A TERRIBLE LOSS FOR THE

HERALD-LEADER.

>> ON THIS LABOR DAY WEEKEND TH

STATE LABOR CABINET SAYS THAT I

RECOUPS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN

WAGES TO WORKERS WHO FOR SOME

REASON ARE NOT GETTING PAID BY

THEIR EMPLOYERS.

THEY DON'T GET MAYBE -- MAYBE

IT'S THEIR FINAL CHECK OR

SOMETHING IS AMISS WITHHELD OR

WHATEVER.

THEY SAY THAT IT IS TWICE AS

MUCH AS IS TAKEN FROM PEOPLE IN

ROBBERIES IN THE STATE.

AND THAT RELEASE CAME OUT TODAY

>> YEAH, THAT WAS A STRONG

COMPARISON.

THAT'S WHAT GOT MY ATTENTION.

YOU LOSE MORE FROM THAT THAN YO

DO IN ROBBERIES IN THE STATE,

AND SO IT'S A CONCERN, WHETHER

THE LEGISLATURE SOMEHOW WILL BE

ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT I DON'T

KNOW WHEN THEY MEET BACK IN

JANUARY.

THEY HAVE SOME WORK ISSUES TO

LOOK AT.

>> ONE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS IS

LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAPPY THIS

HAVE A JOB AND THEY'RE NOT GOIN

TO REPORT THE PERSON WHO IS

PAYING THE BILLS OR SOMETHING

LIKE THAT.

>> 1.9 MILLION KENTUCKIANS

EARNING A PAYCHECK RIGHT NOW IN

THE STATE WAS THE THING.

I INTERVIEWED THE STATE LABOR

CABINET SECRETARY FOR LARRY

ROBERTS FOR THE KENTUCKY

NEWSMAKERS PROGRAM THIS WEEK,

AND HE SAID ONE OF THE CONFUSIN

AREAS IS THE AREA WHERE PEOPLE

EARN THEIR LIVING IN PART BY

TIPS AND IN PART BY WAGE, AND

THAT CAN BE DIFFICULT.

>> THE JOB MARKET DOES SEEM TO

BE IMPROVING OVERALL IN THE

STATE BUT THE WAGES AREN'T

CLIMBING AND THAT POLICE BRINGS

US BACK TO THAT ISSUE ONE AND

ONLY.

>> THEY SAY THE CAMPAIGN REALLY

STARTS AFTER LABOR DAY.

>> IT'S ALREADY STARTED.

>> WE KNOW THAT.

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT NEXT WEEK?

AND RIGHT AFTER THAT WE EXPECT

THE ANNOUNCEMENT FROM JAMES

COMER ON THE GOVERNOR'S RACE.

>> THE LAST TWO WEEKS OF THE

SENATE RACE IS ONE THING AFTER

ANOTHER AFTER ANOTHER.

I DON'T EXPECT THIS RACE TO SLO

DOWN AT ALL BETWEEN NOW AND

INNOVATOR.

THE COMER ENTRY INTO THE RACE I

GOING TO BE A QUICK PLASH FLASH

BUT NOBODY IS PAYING ATTENTION

TO THE OTHER RACES.

>> AND MANY TV ADS FOR WKYD AND

OTHER TELEVISION STATIONS.

>> ALL THE OTHERS, THAT'S RIGHT

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

GOOD DISCUSSION TONIGHT.

WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR JOININ

US FOR THIS EDITION OF "COMMENT

ON KENTUCKY."

AND WE CERTAINLY HOPE YOU HAVE

HAPPY LABOR DAY AND A GOOD WEEK

AHEAD.