♪ ♪ >> This >> is a different approach.

Good.

And the court will ultimately decide.

>> Senator Mitch McConnell on President Trump's plan to dismantle the Department of Education.

>> I mean, they're covered in.

They're not taking any time whatsoever.

They're they're going for it right now.

What?

We're still within the first 100 days.

>> Postal workers worry for their jobs and your mail service.

>> We got pretty close to everything we wanted to get done.

>> So what's next for the Kentucky General Assembly as the 30 day session winds to a close.

>> In any of those things that kind of live in this space are now available to folks if they're taking the shot off.

>> And a free transit service is helping people get where they need to go in.

Kentucky's 3rd largest city.

>> Production of Kentucky Edition is made possible in part by the KET Millennium Fund.

♪ ♪ >> Good Evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION on this Thursday March, the 20th, I'm Renee Shaw and we thank you for spending some of your Thursday night with us.

Making good on one of his signature campaign promises.

President Donald Trump today signed an executive order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education.

>> He has called the department wasteful and filled with, quote, liberal ideology steps have already been taken to dismantle the agency.

Almost half of its workforce has been caught and hundreds of millions of dollars in diversity, equity and inclusion.

Grant funding has been canceled.

The White House says the department would not close completely right away and we'll continue to deliver certain critical functions like managing federal student loans and Pell Grants, abolishing the Education Department will likely require an act of Congress.

What is the financial impact of such a move to Kentucky?

Well, according to the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, the state receives more than 1 billion dollars annually and federal education funding.

That funding supports the employment of more than 4,000 teachers, counselors and other school employees across the state and more than 456 million in federal funding goes to support low-income students and special education programs.

It's because of those numbers that Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman says Kentucky students and their families will be irreparably harmed by the move to eliminate the Department of Ed.

She along with parents of students who rely on federal funding, spoke recently about the potential fallout.

>> Today I am here to sound the alarm because if the U.S. Department of Education is dismantled, it is states like Kentucky that will suffer the most and the people who stand to lose the most.

>> Are our most vulnerable.

>> Tyler is 14.

He's funny.

It's created caring.

He's really smart from the moment I found out I was pregnant.

I promised myself that I would always be his strongest advocate and his loudest cheerleader, no matter what.

But I never could have anticipated how that promise what really be tested once he entered a care in school.

Very quickly in kindergarten, he was diagnosed with ADHD and then.

Later on, he was diagnosed with high-functioning autism.

When he was in elementary school.

He spent most of his days in this highly structured classroom.

And that was.

Honed for his special needs.

He received the critical support that you need it every day with people that really cared.

The service is in these moments of understanding have been his lifeline.

They've allowed him to have individualized plans.

Learn coping skills, set goals, get the knowledge that you need it and the confidence to not just survive in school but to truly thrive and enjoy learning.

So without the support, I wouldn't be the flourishing and successful and happy 8th grader that he is today.

>> My son Jack is a 14 year-old 8th grader with Down Syndrome, ADHD, anxiety and a whole lot of sun.

Jack is a host of additional medical behavioral and academic challenges on his resume and the joy of watching him and navigate his education, strengthen stretches, included.

He's been pure delight.

It truly tribute to the protection of this federalize the funding and the policy.

Without these critical services and funding attached to them.

My son in countless children across the Commonwealth who have disabilities would face an education system.

It not only limits their learning that limits their opportunities.

And I know that that is in the commonwealth that we want for our children.

>> If those services are cut, it's not just his academic future at risk.

It's his emotional well-being.

I'm not just talking about services for my son, but for all the children like him, children need extra time, extra care that your understanding these cuts don't just impact families like mine.

They attacked our future.

The future of countless children who have the potential to do incredible things that they're only given the tools that they need to succeed.

>> Continuing to pivot resources away from the Department of Education means pivoting resources away from Kentucky schools and districts that have already have the least will be hurting the most.

>> We have to stop torch or changing our schools.

We have to stop using our teachers and most certainly our students as political footballs.

Just think about what it says to our kids.

Our communities, our country in the world that the United States of America would rather dismantle the U.S. Department of Education that invest in the kids and families who need it the most.

>> Coleman pointed out that almost every Kentucky student that goes to college or vocational training relies on some form of federal funding to pay for their education.

U.S.

Senator Mitch McConnell was in Lexington today and was asked about the Trump administration's plan to dismantle the Department of Education.

Kentucky's senior senator would not say if he supports the plan, whether Trump can do it.

McConnell says that will be left up to the courts.

>> The way to look at all of these reorganization efforts by the administration is.

What's legal and what isn't.

And they'll be defined in the courts.

I can understand the desire to reduce government spending.

Every administration.

So not quite as bold as the storm have tried to do that in one way or another.

This is a different approach.

Good.

And the courts will ultimately decide.

Whether the president has the authority.

To take these various steps.

Some may have.

Different outcomes.

So I'm just going to avoid in.

All of us, in fact, are going to wait and see.

Whether this is permissible or not.

>> Senator McConnell who announced last month he would not seek re-election, was also asked about those eyeing his Senate seat and whether he thought the were taking attacking his record was a bold or bad move.

McConnell would only say, quote, I'm not going to be running next year.

The race will be about the future end quote.

One potential candidate for McConnell seat U.S. Representative Andy Barr.

Congressman Barr spoke at Commerce, Lexington luncheon on Wednesday where he told those in attendance that tariffs and the work of Elon Musk, Department of government efficiency or doge will eventually be good for the economy.

Protesters who gathered outside the event say bar support of Doge and the Trump administration are a threat to democracy.

Governor Beshear has also a different take, though, on Dodge Dolce, discuss the cuts the Trump administration is making through the department run by Elon Musk.

>> My concern is that when Elon Musk is trying to do is break government not fix this.

And I think we can admit that maybe people all across the political spectrum have some issues with our federal government.

But the answer to that is a breaking.

It isn't destroying it.

It's actually fixing.

And it's trying to sit down with others at the table and trying to hammer out different ways.

We can do these things better.

Can we do things better?

Yes.

Should we always drive to do things better?

Yes, but the idea that we would just indiscriminately fire tens of thousands of people in areas that the American people depend on and also is that you're not really looking out for the American people and you don't necessarily care who gets hurt.

>> So in other news, postal workers across the U.S. today held their day of action.

They say President Donald Trump is eyeing their jobs and could disrupt the mailing service.

The nation relies on the USPS is an independent, though, financially struggling agency.

Trump has suggested the Department of Commerce take it over or hand off America's mail service to private businesses.

Last week.

The postmaster general said he would work with Elon Musk and the Department of Government efficiency or Doge to make agency cuts all that convinced Kentucky's postal workers to show up at the state Capitol in Frankfort.

>> The >> United States Postal Service has been enshrined in the Constitution to 250 years.

All going to be celebrating July.

They want a privatized here, the post office and we want to make sure that doesn't get done.

90's 169 million addresses we deliver to and it's a private eyes.

You want to get that these private companies, they would come out and it would only do as profitable for them.

So those people in the rural areas are further out.

They would have to come in get their man.

That is that what we do.

We are the public.

We are the United States Postal Service.

We are not a business and that is what we're here to do.

Xy the people know.

That the once again you spell is not for sale at the Post office belongs to the people ♪ >> It has a government job.

It's under threat right now.

Yeah.

And so we have to pull together.

We have people.

Forms of Labor Day to fight for all our brothers and sisters.

And that's why we're here today because we want to fight with our brothers and sisters.

We want to we want to carry the fight to Washington, D.C., Water bottle right for the content.

The city hall.

If we don't, they don't get the right.

So we've got to stick together and fight together to Remember that?

Always remember the association years and other things like air.

It's about paychecks and what makes our families go.

>> I mean, they're coming in.

They're not taking any time whatsoever.

They're going for it right now.

But we're still within the first 100 days.

That's my immediate concern.

That's why we're having a national day of action nationwide.

>> About 10,000 postal workers are leaving the agency.

They're taking an early retirement offer which came about before Trump took office.

Now back to Frankfort.

More news.

They're calling it a bill about hate today.

Governor Andy Beshear vetoed House Bill 4.

That bill calls for eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion or dei initiatives at Kentucky's public universities.

Governor Beshear announced his decision in a social media post this afternoon.

>> No, always believe that diversity is a strength and never a weakness that we are better with more voices and more seats at our table.

And I believe in the golden rule that says we love our neighbor as ourselves and there are no exceptions, no asterix.

We love and we accept everyone is still in the Belle of House.

Bill.

4 is about, hey, we have to win this.

>> Joining Bashir in the video were which would occur president of the Lexington chapter of the NAACP and Bradley Price.

University of Louisville student who helped organize rallies in support of dei at each of the state's public universities just last month, House Bill 4 could still become law.

The Republican dominated Legislature returns to Frankfort next week for the final 2 days of the session.

And they have the numbers to override any of the governor's vetoes.

Meanwhile, several of the state universities have already taken steps to eliminate dei offices and programs that effort started last year when a similar bill fell to make it out of the 2024 General Assembly.

They chose aren't the only thing crews will do on the final 2 days of the session.

There's also still time to pass bills, even though there art veto proof.

Our McKenzie spank caught up with Senate President Robert Stivers and his hometown of Manchester to find out what we can expect as the session comes to a close next week.

>> Proceedings went late into the night last Friday as the General Assembly works to send bills to the governor's desk before the 10 day veto period began at the Republican Women's Club Lincoln Day dinner in his hometown Senate President Robert Stivers shared his thoughts on the productivity of this year's session.

We got pretty close to everything we wanted to get done by the close of business on the 14th.

>> Now we will go back on the 27th and 28th to see what the governor has vetoed to see his rationale for any vetoes and then discuss passing a few more bills and whether or not we're all over it.

The governor's vetoes.

>> While the last 2 days of session may be used to override vetoes.

The General Assembly can still pass bills.

They just won't have recourse if the governor chooses to veto them.

President Stivers previewed some of the bills we can expect to see past during that time.

>> Well, there will be some bills that will be out there that that are noncontroversial.

I give me an example like of technology, a county law library, sir, no longer books.

And so the statutes don't allow moneys to be spent on computers.

So things like that that are just due to the changing times that are not controversial.

Everybody agree with knowing what the circumstances are and the in the subject matter of the bill, the likelihood of them being the toll is not very great.

>> Kentucky Democrats had complaints about the fast-moving process in the days leading up to the veto period saying bills with big consequences like the changes to Medicaid outlined and House bills, 4, 95 6.95. shouldn't be moved through so hastily because it limits opportunities for public input.

President Stivers says that the rules and expectations for legislation have been laid out for years and the Senate followed them.

There is a national group called the NCA sale.

>> That does Mason's main goal, which is basically the road map for all legislators, Legislature's torque and those rules have been in existence for years.

And we went and we abide by the rules in the Senate.

We suspended the rules just a couple of times.

But overall, everything went just as well as it has bid this year.

25 years ago, overall, it was a very productive session on some have my colleagues who may complain on the opposite side of the political spectrum, I think felt that they were treated pretty fairly overall and several their bills got out and past our chamber.

I don't know how they fared in the house, but when we try to be bipartisan, want to work together, we take input.

And I think we did that this past session.

>> General Assembly will reconvene on March 27th and 28th.

Then the 2025 Kentucky Legislative Session will be over for Kentucky edition.

I'm McKenzie Spank.

Thank you, McKenzie.

And of course, you can watch the gavel by gavel.

>> Coverage of the General Assembly next week online and on-demand, akt Dot org.

Now to newly released data shows unemployment rates went up in nearly every Kentucky County last year.

Only 9 of the state's 120 county saw the rate fall.

Wolfe County has the state's highest unemployment rate of nearly 14%.

That's followed by Louis Elliott mug often and Martin counties, the Kentucky education and labor Cabinet says in 2024 the unemployment rate for the state was 5.1%.

That's up from 4.3% in 2023.

More troops are being deployed from Fort Campbell in Kentucky.

The U.S. Army says about 200 soldiers with the 100st airborne division are headed for Europe.

Specifically.

They'll be stationed in Germany, Romania and Poland.

The Army says this mission is to, quote, support the US's commitment to NATO allies and partners.

This is the 3rd time troops from Fort Campbell have been deployed this year.

2 previous deployments sent soldiers to the U.S. Mexican border.

♪ >> The CDC says heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.

>> Risk factors include smoking diabetes, obesity and hypertension.

Now, there are some newly recognized and less obvious causes Dr Wayne toxins guest on the upcoming episode of Katie's Kentucky Health discusses what we're learning about airborne toxins.

More about that in today's medical news.

>> Part of the story that we're trying to address is how did how did we get there?

How did we get?

To so much obesity?

How did we get to so much hypertension?

These clearly are are major risk factors.

And we think what we breathe in is contributing to the mechanisms that underlie those diseases.

So not necessarily that they do different things, but they actually accelerate the risk factors that are underlying our president in in so many of us that year.

And this includes 2 major classes of inhaled compounds particulate matter, which many people know about because this is one of the EPA is criteria pollutants that environmental protection age.

Yes, the EPA.

>> And so all all major cities have to monitor poor how much particulate matter is in the air.

>> And that goes into these air quality index alerts that we get every day when it's a bad air day.

But then there's also the gases that we breathe in and we can put ozone in that category zones, bad people know about it.

You feel it.

Your eyes can burn.

And you put on ozone and particulate matter together.

That's a bad.

That's a bad.

The next.

And so other gases that are less known, as as you mention, are what we call volatile, organic compounds or VO season.

This may include a grueling formaldehyde.

See Delta Hide Acetone.

These sound like a mixture of things.

We actual air president, both in our homes.

When we when we cook or we have an open fire.

But also come out of a in the backs of our vehicles.

So exhaust contains all of these.

The oh, sees.

>> You can catch the full episode of Kentucky Health this coming Sunday at one 30 pm Eastern 12, 30 central right here on KET.

♪ You may be familiar with your local libraries, book mobile, all that delivers books to your door.

A library and southern Kentucky is now providing free transportation to the library and other places.

People need to go.

Our Laura Rodgers explains more about the little Free shuttle and how it stems from long term tornado recovery.

>> A really big part of the Warren County Public Library is increasing access and improving quality of life for patrons that now includes transportation to get to the library and other helpful places.

We get to city Parks, grocery stores, pharmacies, medical centers and clinics residential areas.

The little free shuttle.

15 passenger van has been in service a little more than a year now.

Thanks to a gift from the American Red Cross.

We noticed that there was a gap in public transportation locally.

Joshua Riddle is disaster risk reduction manager for the community adaptation program agency blanket that works with nonprofits to enhance their service is often related to housing food and tell.

>> And what we want to do is support them in that day to day work.

So we know those organizations are going to go anywhere and we don't want to leave them either.

There are 12 states with these programs, including identified counties in areas that are prone to disaster, have a high social vulnerability index score and a few other factors based on population and things like that.

Warren County, the only one currently in Kentucky was selected based on those factors made even more critical due to long-term recovery from the 2021 tornadoes.

We are treating our local library is what we call resilience home.

>> The library is not just a fixed building that you go to.

We also take books and materials out into the community like rise.

They can now bring people to the library to use information services on site to little free shot.

All kinda opens that up a little bit more and brings people and so that they can enjoy this 3rd space.

They can access WiFi, they can use tools, all they can take their kids to story time.

They can also pick up items from the community care collection, which the Red Cross also helps to KET staff.

As we know in Kentucky, the weather changes constantly.

And so having some hand warmers ready is worth it.

That was especially the case during the colder winter months.

A breaking Harris says shuttle ridership was up to 450 passengers in January.

The temps were was bridge in and the wind chills were even colder.

The shuttle expanded its route to include warming centers and shelters.

The Red Cross has also donated resources like generators and solar charging stations.

You want to continue doing what works really well and what is requested from the community or with what needs are kind of brought to the library.

Transportation.

Now checking one of those boxes for Kentucky edition.

I'm Laura Rogers.

Thank you, Laura.

The international center is another community resilience hub in Bowling Green.

>> Joshua Riddle says the Red Cross is working with 19 local partners and organizations to provide enhanced services and resources.

♪ ♪ ♪ Kentucky Attorney General Russel Coleman is tapping into the state's love of college basketball to promote his drug prevention campaign aimed at young people.

Coleman recruited to players and gave them roles as social media influencers.

University of Kentucky forward Trent NOAA and University of Louisville Guard Javan Hadley, their messages on social media discussed the importance of staying active and disciplined as part of what's being touted as the better without it campaign.

Now, speaking of the Cardinals, their season is now over.

Number 8, Louisville loss to number 9 Creighton 89 to 75 enough.

First round of the in some see double a tournament played at Rupp Arena in Lexington, the Kentucky Wildcats at 3 seed Take on 14th Seed Troy tomorrow night in Milwaukee.

Farm living may not be for everyone, but what comes from the farm is.

>> I mean, we all we we all wear clothes.

We all need all of these different things.

Agriculture provides us every single day >> coming up on Kentucky EDITION tomorrow night, the statewide effort to educate the younger generation about the importance of agriculture and why a career in AG is more than just farming.

That story and much more on Kentucky edition tomorrow night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central where we inform connect and inspire.

You can subscribe to our Kentucky Edition, e-mail newsletters and watch full episodes and clips at KET Dot Org.

Also you can find us on the PBS video app on your mobile device and smart TV and we hope to send us a story idea by email to public affairs at KET and T Dot Org.

And you're more than welcome to follow KET on Facebook X, formerly known as Twitter and Instagram to stay in the live.

We go inside Kentucky politics tomorrow night with Trey Grayson and Bob Babbage and so much more coming at you on that Friday edition of Kentucky.

Addition have a great night.

See you right back here again tomorrow.

Take good care.

♪ ♪ ♪