A nonprofit publication of the Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism

NKY has 9 cases; KY 245 cases, 5 deaths; Beshear talks racial disparities, business restrictions, McAtee


As of Tuesday afternoon, the NKY Health Department reported 9 additional cases of COVID-19 in Northern Kentucky, for 1,349 total cases. There have been 616 cases in Kenton County, 187 cases in Campbell County, 495 cases in Boone County and 49 cases in Grant County. There have been 69 total deaths related to COVID-19. Eight hundred sixty-six (866) individuals have recovered.

Gov. Andy Beshear reported 245 new cases and 5 new deaths, bringing the state’s totals to 11,708 cases and 477 deaths.

Racial Disparities in Health Care

Beshear offered more details about an effort he is launching to address racial disparities in health care in the Commonwealth.

“I believe that health care is a basic human right. I made a pledge that we would work to sign up every Kentuckian for some form of health coverage,” the Governor said.

He noted that he took early steps to rescind the previous administrations Medicaid waiver, which would have taken coverage from 90,000 people. In addition, Gov. Beshear also made a budget proposal for health care coverage for children, but the legislature did not include that in the budget.

“COVID-19 has shown us where our health care priorities need to be, in terms of where we begin providing this type of coverage,” the Governor said. “Our African-American population is dying at twice the rate than is forecasted by population.”

He said nearly 20,000 black Kentuckians lack health insurance.

“We have an obligation to make sure that members of our African-American communities are able to sign up for health care coverage right away,” Gov. Beshear said. “There is long history of racial inequality in health care. The coronavirus is making that more clear than ever.”

He said his goal is to make sure that everybody has coverage either through Medicaid, expanded Medicaid or the private market.

Capacity Limits Rise

Beshear said industries that currently are operating under capacity limits soon will see those restrictions eased.

“All of our industries that right now have a capacity limit, like retail at 33%, restaurants and others -– at the month date, where they’ve been operating for a month under that 33%, we are going to increase that capacity to 50%.”

He said compliance with Healthy at Work guidelines and other requirements remain key to keeping establishments open.

Kentucky State Fair

Beshear announced that the administration approved a proposal to allow the Kentucky State Fair to take place.

“We have approved the State Fair proposal.,It will look very different this year, but the main thing is that we are keeping the agricultural competition and so many of the things that make the fair great,” the Governor said. “However, the fair will not be able to use the portion of the Expo Center that houses our state field hospital. We are nowhere close to needing it, but we do not want to take it down and then need it later.”

Louisville Shooting Investigation

J. Michael Brown, secretary for the Governor’s Executive Cabinet, spoke Tuesday about the ongoing investigation into the shooting death of David McAtee.

Gov. Andy Beshear

“The Kentucky State Police is going to do a frame-by-frame review, that’s going to be more than 3,000 frames. Previously, I reported that David McAtee appears to have succumbed to a single gunshot wound to the chest, and that remains our conclusion,” said Secretary Brown. “Tonight I’m providing some further details on our findings: First, we have been conclusively able to identify the type of weapon that fired the fatal shot; second, we have identified that the 9-millimeter pistol seen in the videos with Mr. McAtee and found at the scene had fired at least two shots that evening; lastly, I’ll report to you that David McAtee had gunshot residue on his person from that evening.”

“Our crime lab was not able to match up the particular bullet fragments with a particular rifle,” said Secretary Brown. “But we do know the caliber and type of ammunition and we know that night those rounds were only fired by one agency, and that was the Kentucky National Guard, responding to the fire that they had received.”

Secretary Brown said the forensic evidence showed McAtee had a 9mm handgun and had fired the weapon at least twice.

“We have no doubt about that Mr. McAtee’s weapon was tested and the shell casings we found outside the door came from that weapon,” he said, adding that Mr. McAtee was tested for gunshot residue and those reports came back positive.

“One of the particles found was consistent with a firearms discharge,” Brown said. “Five other particles were consistent with him either handling or being around a weapon that had been discharged.”

Absentee Ballot Application Portal Online

Gov. Beshear is encouraging all voters to use a new Absentee Ballot Application Portal now available online. He urged everyone who plans to vote in the primary elections to go to the portal and request an absentee mail-in ballot. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is June 15.


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