Interpreters provide daily updates for deaf, low vision viewers

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – Virginia Moore has been by Governor Andy Beshear’s side and interpreting his updates for more than a month now.

Yesterday, she had to take off during the press conference because she got choked up.

“I hit myself in the neck too hard and I had to cough, but then I thought oh no, I needed a good cough,” Moore says.

And so Moore let her replacement, Rachel Morgan, step in. Moore says that’s why it’s good to have back up.

However, Moore says Morgan isn’t new. Morgan has been on the job for 20 years and is nationally and state certified.

“I don’t want people to be anxious and nervous by to be aware that is a sort of natural switch when we go for a long period of time,” Moore says.

She says after each update she records one of her own in case the original moved too fast for some people.

Moore says she also uses gray-scale captioning because people who are deaf, or have low vision, may find typical captions hard to see.

Rebecca Kruetzer, a deaf interpreter, is also newly in charge of posting those Facebook updates when Moore is not able to.

Beshear praised Moore’s dedication during his Friday update.

“Virginia has been so amazing at making sure every is included,” says Beshear.

Moore says although Kentuckians are going through hard times, she’s glad they’ve been so willing to learn sign language and include others.

“We all need something good to come out of this and I think this is just a small nugget.”

Moore says Kentucky has a shortage of interpreters and the state needs more people like her to keep the community engaged and informed.