Gov. Andy Beshear said Thursday a statue of Confederate President Jefferson Davis should be removed from the state Capitol rotunda.

“(It’s) a symbol that divides us,” he said. “(To) those who think it’s a part of history – there should be a better place to put it in historic context.”

In 2015, the Kentucky Historic Properties Advisory Commission voted to keep the statue “as a symbol of the state’s divided past,” The Associated Press reported.

Amid outbreaks of racially motivated violence in 2018, state officials removed a plaque dubbing Davis a “Patriot-Hero-Statesman.”

The 15-foot marble sculpture of Davis has been in the Capitol for more than 80 years and is in the same area as a bronze statue of fellow Kentucky native Abraham Lincoln. The men led opposing sides in the Civil War, during which then-President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 to free slaves within the Confederacy.

As new protests against police brutality and racism unfold nationwide, Confederate monuments in at least six cities have either been vandalized or demanded to be removed.

Beshear said Kentuckians ought to have compassion for all of the “pain” being felt in our state and across the country, and that removal of the statue is justified by its hurtfulness.

On Thursday, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee will be removed from its prominent position in Richmond and put into storage “as soon as possible” until an alternative location is determined.

Beshear was also asked about banning no-knock raids, one of which resulted in the death of a 26-year-old black woman named Breonna Taylor in Louisville – a situation at the center of many recent protests.

“When we see what occurred with a no-knock warrant in the case of Breonna Taylor … that demands change,” he said.

Beshear also responded to Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s statements during the General Assembly’s Interim Joint Judiciary Committee on Thursday regarding limiting the governor’s emergency powers.

“I said I’m done with politics; it doesn’t mean others aren’t,” Beshear said. “Every action I’ve taken, I’ve recognized how serious it is and … different damage that it would do. But every action I’ve taken is about the life and safety of Kentuckians.

Beshear said if he didn’t have the power to take “urgent action” when it was needed, it would have resulted in a “significant” number of additional deaths.

The governor also responded to a question about personnel changes in the state Unemployment Insurance offices after a data breach April 23 that was not made public until last week. Beshear did not give any specifics but said “we want to make sure that we respond to issues that are out there.”

He has asked the Transportation Cabinet inspector general to look into it and said the unemployment insurance offices will be moved from the state’s Education and Workforce Cabinet to the Labor Cabinet, where it used to be.

Asked about schools reopening in fall, Beshear said he still hopes to have a “regular opening” but one that will look different. If a school has a coronavirus outbreak, it will be shut down, and schools that “embrace” actions to prevent spreading the virus will likely be able to continue without “interruption,” he said.

Also during Beshear’s daily briefing in Frankfort, he announced that Historic Horse Racing facilities may reopen June 8, and NASCAR races without fans can take place July 9-12.

The number of coronavirus cases statewide also reportedly rose to 10,705. Of those, 295 are newly confirmed and 226 are considered probable. He also confirmed eight additional virus-related deaths, two of which are probable, bringing the total statewide to 458.

Asked about a separate virus-related death count showing the number of people who also had underlying health conditions, Beshear said he doesn’t want to “over-complicate” the numbers.

“Almost everyone that died from the virus had other health conditions,” he said. “Yes there are other causes, but without the virus in most cases – we don’t think that the death would be there.”

At least 3,303 people have recovered, 518 are currently hospitalized and 67 are in intensive care.

At least 262,714 total people have been tested statewide, which is about 6 percent of the state’s 4.4 million population.

The Barren River Area Development District’s COVID-19 Dashboard, which uses data from the state Department of Public Health, showed 1,791 cases Thursday in its 10-county region. Those include 1,081 in Warren, 235 in Butler, 158 in Logan, 57 in Edmonson, 55 in Simpson, 50 in Barren, 25 in Monroe, 23 in Hart, and seven in Metcalfe.

In the Barren River District Health Department’s eight-county region, officials announced 1,680 total cases, including 1,093 in Warren, 229 in Butler, 164 in Logan, 62 in Edmonson, 52 in Simpson, 44 in Barren, 29 in Hart and seven in Metcalfe. Of those, 1,015 people have reportedly recovered, which is 100 more people than on Wednesday.

There have been 41 total virus-related deaths in the district, including 13 confirmed deaths in Butler, 10 in Edmonson, seven in Warren, four in Logan, three in Simpson, two in Metcalfe and one in Barren.

There are at least 100 coronavirus cases in Allen County, according to the latest update from the Allen County Health Department, which is not part of the Barren River district.

Numbers often differ between the state and local sources because of different reporting methods.

– Follow multimedia journalist Emily Zantow on Twitter @EmilyZantowNews or visit bgdailynews.com.