WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says he’s replacing his embattled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and will nominate in her place Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin.
Trump made the announcement on social media on Thursday, two days after Noem faced a grilling on Capitol Hill from GOP members as well as Democrats.
Trump says he’ll make Noem a “Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas,” a new security initiative that he said would focus on the Western Hemisphere.
Noem is the first Cabinet secretary to leave during Trump’s second term. Noem’s departure caps a tumultuous tenure overseeing immigration enforcement tactics that have been met with protests and lawsuits.
Noem has faced waves of criticism as she’s overseen Trump’s immigration crackdown, especially since the shooting deaths of two protesters in Minneapolis at the hands of immigration enforcement officers. The former South Dakota governor was also criticized over the way her department has spent billions of dollars allocated to it by Congress.
Frustrations over Noem’s execution of the Republican president’s hard-line immigration agenda — particularly her leadership after the shooting deaths of the two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis — as well as her handling of disaster response, paved the way for her downfall. She faced blistering criticism from Democrats, and some Republicans, in Congress hearings this week over those issues and others.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – Happy Monday! We are tracking the potential for strong-to-severe storms moving into the ABC 36 viewing area over the next two days. This severe weather threat will come in multiple waves.
During the day Monday
Isolated-to-scattered showers and storms will be possible. The severe weather threat during the daytime hours on Monday will be lower than the threat overnight into Tuesday morning. A few of the stronger thunder showers and storms could feature some hail and strong wind gusts. Overall, Monday into Monday evening will be the lowest threat of severe weather over the next two days.
Monday night into Tuesday morning
Monday night starts off quiet but a round of strong storms will be moving in during the late night and early morning hours on Tuesday. This will feature the threat of damaging wind gusts and low threat of large hail and tornadoes. There is also a flash flood threat over the northern half of our viewing area, especially in areas under a Flood Watch. This round of storms could impact your morning commute so give yourself extra time as you head to work on Tuesday.
Tuesday afternoon and evening
Our severe threat increases Tuesday afternoon and evening. A Level 3 (Enhanced) Severe Risk is out for all of central Kentucky and most of eastern Kentucky. Damaging wind gusts will be the primary threat, but large hail and isolated tornadoes will also be possible. The isolated tornado threat will be highest in south-central Kentucky on Tuesday. There is also a flash flooding risk once again, particularly for northern and eastern Kentucky.
Chilly air moves in by Wednesday
The system sweeps a cold front through the region Tuesday night into Wednesday. This will drop our temperatures into the 40s for Wednesday and bring us off and on chilly rain showers. Temperatures will struggle to get out of the upper 40s during the daytime, with even colder air moving in by Thursday morning. A few flakes could mix in with the rain showers early in the day on Thursday as temperatures drop into the low 30s. Thursday will be the coldest day of the week with temperatures only reaching the mid-40s for most. We dry out to close out the workweek with temperatures returning to the 50s and 60s to close out the weekend.
Stay with the ABC 36 Weather Team for more updates.
PITTSBURGH, PA (WTVQ)- Kentucky men’s basketball’s 2024 NCAA Tournament run is at an end 40 minutes after it started. The Wildcats lost to Oakland University on Thursday in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by a final score of 80-76.
UK shot poorly from everywhere on the court. Outside of the three-point arc, the Wildcats made a third of their attempts and were only 10 percent better from inside the arc.
The Golden Grizzlies lead at halftime 38-35 and kept their momentum going until the final whistle.
JACKSON COUNTY, Ky. (WTVQ) – A Jackson County, Kentucky couple is in the Detention Center there, facing charges they tried to sell their twin newborn daughters.
According to their arrest citations, Zackary Davis and Jacquilyn Keith are charged with Promoting Human Trafficking (victim under 18 years of age), after they offered to sell their babies to Davis’ sister and her wife, for $5,000.
The alleged incident happened on Monday (3/18).
The citation says Jackson County Sheriff’s deputies were alerted to the alleged offer of sale by Davis’ sister-in-law.
Deputies say the woman showed them screenshots of a conversation between her and Davis, as well as a recorded video, requested by police, to back up the allegations.
Both Davis and Keith allegedly admitted they had agreed to sell the little girls, but claimed they never intended to do so.
Davis and Keith are being held on $10,000 bond each at the Jackson County Detention center.
Their next court date is March 25th.
(Associated Press) – Hershey said Wednesday it will use classic recipes for all Reese’s products starting next year, a change that comes after the grandson of Reese’s founder criticized the company for shifting to cheaper ingredients.
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups have always been made with real milk chocolate or dark chocolate and peanut butter. But a small portion of Hershey’s and Reese’s products, like mini Easter eggs, are now made with a coating that contains less chocolate.
Hershey said that in 2027, it will shift those products to “their classic milk chocolate and dark chocolate recipes.”
The Hershey, Pennsylvania-based company said it will also be making other changes to its sweets portfolio next year, including transitioning to natural colors and enhancing Kit-Kat’s recipe to make it creamier. The company said it plans to increase its research and development funding by 25% next year.
“Hershey is committed to making products consumers love and that means continually reviewing our recipes to meet evolving tastes and preferences,” the company said in a statement.
Brad Reese, the grandson of the inventor of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, ignited the controversy in a public letter he sent to Hershey’s corporate brand manager on Valentine’s Day.
“How does The Hershey Co. continue to position Reese’s as its flagship brand, a symbol of trust, quality and leadership, while quietly replacing the very ingredients (Milk Chocolate + Peanut Butter) that built Reese’s trust in the first place?” Reese wrote in the letter, which he posted on his LinkedIn profile.
Hershey acknowledged some recipe changes but said it was trying to meet consumer demand for innovation. High cocoa prices also have led Hershey and other manufacturers to experiment with using less chocolate in recent years.
The Associated Press left a message with Brad Reese on Wednesday seeking comment.
Brad Reese is the grandson of H.B. Reese, who spent two years at Hershey before forming his own candy company in 1919. H.B. Reese invented Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups in 1928; his six sons eventually sold his company to Hershey in 1963.
UPDATE: April 2 at 2:30 p.m.
Gov. Andy Beshear signed House Bill 422, known as “Logan’s Law,” to strengthen Kentucky’s sentencing and parole laws for serious and violent crimes.
The bill is named in memory of 6-year-old Logan Tipton, who was violently killed as he slept in his family’s Versailles home in 2015.
“Logan Tipton was a six-year-old whose life was cut short through a senseless and violent act. His family has worked in his honor to ensure no family has to suffer like they have,” Beshear said. “Today, with Logan’s dad by my side, I signed Logan’s Law. This will strengthen Kentucky’s sentencing and parole laws to make our commonwealth safer and ensure Logan’s legacy lives on forever.”
State Representative Dan Fister and State Representative TJ Roberts sponsored the legislation.
Logan Tipton was a six-year-old whose life was cut short through a senseless and violent act. His family has worked in his honor to ensure no family has to suffer like they have. Today, with Logan’s dad by my side, I signed Logan’s Law. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/9CTNliClKX
— Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) April 2, 2026
Original Story:
The Kentucky Senate Judiciary Committee has approved House Bill 422, a measure aimed at significantly strengthening the state’s sentencing and parole laws for serious and violent crimes.
The bill is named “Logan’s Law” in memory of 6-year-old Logan Tipton, who was violently killed as he slept in his family’s Versailles home in 2015. The legislation is sponsored by State Representative Dan Fister and State Representative TJ Roberts.
“Logan was a kind, strong, and wonderful young man who loved his family and was a bright light to everyone who crossed his path. He had his whole life ahead of him and now his family is living the worst nightmare any parent or sibling can endure. While no legislation can undo that loss, this bill aims to turn tragedy into meaningful reform,” Fister said.
The offender charged with Tipton’s killing was acquitted of capital murder and first-degree burglary by reason of insanity in a Kentucky court in 2018. However, he was found guilty on two counts of second-degree assault and one count of fourth-degree assault for attacking other members of the Tipton family and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Seven years later, the offender was released from a Kentucky prison on mandatory re-entry supervision, despite being denied release three times by the Kentucky Parole Board. He was rearrested in Florida on Oct. 9, just eight days after being released from prison. He is back in Kentucky state custody and will be released later this year.
HB 422 revises procedures related to capital sentencing, aggravating factors, and the treatment of defendants found guilty but mentally ill.
“Logan’s Law sends a clear message that public safety is not negotiable by prioritizing prevention and responsibility. It emphasizes longer incarceration and public safety over early release – keeping dangerous people behind bars and out of our communities,” Roberts said. “I appreciate Senator Brandon Storm for his work on SB 48 and the great addition it is to HB 422.”
A provision from Senate Bill 48, known as “Jordan’s Law,” was added to the Senate Committee Substitute for HB 422. This provision prohibits an inmate from qualifying for mandatory re-entry supervision if they have previously been convicted of two or more offenses that would classify them as a violent offender, or if they have been recommitted to prison for a violation of probation, shock probation, parole, or conditional discharge.
The measure honors the legacy of Jordan Wells, a 23-year-old who was randomly shot and killed while walking down Eastern Parkway in Louisville in March 2024.
HB 422 has been placed on the consent calendar in the Senate. Following its passage, the measure will head back to the House for final approval.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC 36 News Now) — A Lexington woman faces multiple charges, including wanton endangerment and burglary, after police say she drove through a park, attempted to hit pedestrians with her car, and broke into a home on March 31.
Lexington Police Department officers responded to Whitney Young Park after receiving reports of a driver doing donuts on the grass off the roadway and parking lots. According to the arrest citation, 40-year-old Kathryn Johnston attempted to strike three people with her vehicle.
The victims fled the park and attempted to get home, but Johnston allegedly chased them and tried to hit them again, police said. The pedestrians, including an 8-year-old child, were on the sidewalk and had to jump into the yards of nearby houses to avoid being struck, the citation read.
Johnston sped away as officers arrived in the area. Witnesses told police she traveled at an extreme rate of speed through the neighborhood, the citation details.
While fleeing, another officer spotted Johnston traveling west on Vine Street, where she attempted to run another car off the roadway. Another witness reported she nearly hit children playing in and on the side of the road, the citation reports.
The citation states Johnston eventually came to a stop at a home on South Hanover Avenue. She exited her car, entered the residence where she reportedly did not live, and allegedly began threatening to beat up the residents.
When officers arrived to arrest her, Johnston allegedly attempted to assault them by trying to kick them and stated she was going to spit on them.
Police say Johnston openly admitted to using crack cocaine that day and operating her vehicle without a license.
She is charged with first-degree wanton endangerment, driving on a DUI suspended license, resisting arrest, reckless driving, first-degree burglary, third-degree terroristic threatening, menacing, and having no moped operators license.
ABC 36 Storm Team 3 Day Forecast
Thursday night: A few clouds, breezy and mild. Lows in the mid-60s. Wind: S 10-15 mph.
Friday: Breezy and warm, a few scattered storms. Highs in the upper-70s and low-80s. Wind: SW 10-15 mph.
Friday night: Drying out briefly, still mild. Lows in the mid-60s. Wind: S 5-10 mph.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Thursday that Pam Bondi is out as his attorney general, ending the contentious tenure of a loyalist who upended the Justice Department’s culture of independence from the White House, oversaw large-scale firings of career employees and moved aggressively to investigate the Republican president’s perceived enemies.
The announcement follows months of scrutiny over the Justice Department’s handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking investigation that made Bondi the target of angry conservatives even with her close relationship with Trump. She also struggled to satisfy Trump’s demands to prosecute his political rivals, with multiple investigations rejected by judges or grand juries or yet to produce charges.
Trump named Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche as the acting attorney general, though three people familiar with the matter have said he has privately discussed Lee Zeldin, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, as a permanent pick.
Bondi, a former Florida attorney general, came into office last year pledging that she would not play politics with the Justice Department, but she quickly started investigations of Trump foes, sparking an outcry that the law enforcement agency was being wielded as a tool of revenge to advance the president’s political and personal agenda.
She ushered in a period of intense turmoil at the department that included the firings of career prosecutors deemed insufficiently loyal to Trump and the resignations of hundreds of other employees. Her departure continues a trend of Justice Department upheaval that has defined Trump’s presidency as multiple attorneys general across his two terms have either been pushed out or resigned after proving unwilling or unable to meet his demands for the position.
UPDATE: April 2 at 2 p.m.
Richmond police reported that the bomb sweeping operation at Madison Central High School is expected to last for a few more hours on Thursday.
Police noted that multiple agencies are assisting in the operation and that there is “no emergency or reported harm at this time.”
Police added that traffic in the area of EKU/Eastern Bypass and Lancaster Avenue is backed up and that parents should their emails and text messages to receive updated information.
ORIGINAL STORY:
Richmond police say they are investigating a bomb threat at Madison Central High School on Thursday.
According to police, there are no reports of actual injuries at this time, but a cautionary investigation is underway.
Police say that Madison County Schools will update parents and families as soon as possible.
Reporters on the scene is reporting that students were seen on the soccer field across the street from the school.
This is a developing story and ABC 36 News will have additional information as it becomes available.
NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. (ABC36 News Now) — The Nicholasville Police Department is asking the public for help locating a missing teen who fled from The Providence School on Computrex Drive on Thursday morning.
According to police, 16-year-old Noah Gilbert was seen exiting a rear door of the school and is believed to be in the area of Kohl’s Drive near Sam’s Club.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts should call Nicholasville police.
WAYNE COUNTY, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) – A 15-year-old high school student is charged with first-degree terroristic threatening following an April Fools prank, according to the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office.
According to the sheriff’s office, the student left a handwritten note on a bathroom wall, with one side stating “I have a bomb and a gun,” and the other side, which had “April Fools” written on it.
The sheriff’s office says that school administration, along with a school resource officer, investigated the incident and identified the student involved.
As a result of the investigation, the sheriff’s office says it contacted the Wayne County Juvenile Court Designated Worker, which led to the student being charged.
According to the sheriff’s office, the student was released to a guardian with a court date to appear.
(AP) – A quadruple amputee professional cornhole player acted in self-defense when he shot and killed a passenger in his Tesla during a heated argument, his attorney said Wednesday.
Dayton James Webber, 27, appeared in Charles County District Court via videoconference for the bail review Wednesday, where Judge Patrick Devine noted that he left Maryland after the March 22 shooting of 27-year-old Bradrick Michael Wells and ordered Webber to remain jailed without bail.
Webber, who was extradited from Virginia and is charged with first- and second-degree murder, hasn’t entered a plea yet and is due in court for a May 6 preliminary hearing. He also faces assault and firearm charges.
Defense attorney Andrew Jezic told the court that Webber acted in self-defense and that he anticipates “a lengthy trial” to prove it.
After the hearing, Jezic told reporters that his client was “terrified.”
“The truth here is that he would have been a murder victim if he had not acted immediately in defense of his life,” Jezic said.
Family members of Webber declined to comment after the hearing.
Webber, whose arms and legs were amputated when he was 10 months old to save his life after he contracted a serious blood infection, is accused of shooting Wells, of Waldorf, twice in the head during an argument, according to police charging documents.
Karen Piper Mitchell, a deputy state’s attorney, said witnesses in the car told authorities the argument was over a gun that a friend of Wells had stolen from Webber, and that Webber was upset Wells was still friends with the thief.
She said Webber and Wells had a history of arguing, including a 2024 incident in which Webber ordered Wells to leave his home. While Wells was leaving, Mitchell said Webber fired a shot from a second floor window. Jezic said Webber fired into the air.
In arguing that Webber should remain in custody, Mitchell noted that he drove to Virginia after the shooting and owns firearms.
Authorities haven’t publicly addressed whether the vehicle’s cameras captured any of what happened or whether self-driving functionality was in use in the Tesla when the shooting occurred.
According to the charging documents, Webber pulled over after the shooting in La Plata, Maryland, and asked two backseat passengers to help pull the victim out, but they refused, got out of the car and flagged down police officers.
Webber fled with the victim still in the car, the Charles County sheriff’s office said. Two hours later, a resident in Charlotte Hall, about 10 miles (16-kilometer) away, found Wells’ body in a yard along a road and notified officers.
Detectives tracked down Webber’s car in Charlottesville, Virginia, and found Webber at a hospital where he was “seeking treatment for a medical issue,” the sheriff’s office said.
Webber was featured by ESPN in 2023 in a story of inspiration, noting he rode dirt bikes, wrestled and played football before becoming a professional cornhole player. The same year, he wrote an essay for the “Today” show about how he became a professional competitor. He said he learned to grab the bean bag by the corners and throw it using his amputated arms.
A YouTube video posted two years ago shows Webber loading and firing a handgun.
UPDATE: April 2 at 8:05 a.m.
The Lexington Police Department says that a woman has been arrested in connection with a shot being fired on a Lextran bus late Wednesday night at Asbury Lane and La Salle Road.
When arriving on the scene, police learned that the suspect had been involved in an altercation with another passenger before reportedly firing a shot into the roof of the bus.
Police say the suspect was identified as 49-year-old Paris Hilliard, who was arrested and charged with eight counts of first-degree wanton endangerment.
She is booked in the Fayette County Detention Center.
Original Story:
Lexington police have detained a person who they say fired shots on a bus just before 10 p.m. on Wednesday.
According to police, the incident happened at Asbury Lane and La Salle Road, which is near New Circle at Russell Cave.
Police say no one was hurt, and the gun was found at the scene.
The incident remains under investigation.
(ABC 36 NEWS NOW) – Kentucky lawmakers approved a $32.4 million spending plan through House Bill 500, prioritizing “funding for K-12 public education, public safety, veterans’ services, and asset preservation at Kentucky universities,” a press release said Wednesday. The bill now heads to Governor Andy Beshear’s desk.
“This is a good, solid budget that reflects the same kind of thoughtful decision-making Kentucky families practice every day around their own kitchen tables. Just like families have to prioritize needs over wants and make careful choices to live within their means, this budget focuses on meeting the core needs of our state while avoiding unnecessary spending,” Bill sponsor and Representative Jason Petrie said. “It ensures we are investing in what matters most, while remaining responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars and keeping our long-term financial health in mind.”
According to the release, the budget plan cuts expenditures across cabinets as well as reduce executive branch spending by 7% over the next two years. The bill also “protects the state’s core priorities” by exempting family services, Medicaid, corrections and other programs from those cuts.
Lawmakers additionally allocated $6 billion to fund Medicaid. A 2% salary increase from public employees each year, with “fully funded pensions and health insurance obligations,” is also included.
“The budget delivers targeted investments in Kentucky’s core priorities while maintaining a strong commitment to fiscal responsibility and long-term stability. In education, it provides a significant funding increase for K-12 schools, including modest SEEK funding growth, full support for teacher retirement obligations, and continued investment in school employee health insurance. It also maintains stable funding for higher education, supports college access and dual credit scholarships, and invests in campus infrastructure,” the release said.
The bill additionally supports law enforcement and corrections, invests in technology, and limits new borrowing while focusing on “spending on the state’s most pressing needs – ensuring taxpayer dollars are used responsibly while continuing to move Kentucky forward.”
Read the full budget proposal here.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) – A body found near the Ohio River on March 22 has been identified as a missing Lexington man, according to the Clark County coroner’s office in Indiana.
The coroner’s office says that the body was identified using dental records as 54-year-old Jyronna Parker, of Lexington.
Parker has been missing since Oct. 17, 2025.
Breezy and warm through Friday
Thursday stays mostly dry across central and eastern Kentucky, but it won’t be quiet. Gusty south winds will be the main story, frequently reaching 25 to 35 mph and occasionally pushing closer to 40 mph in a few spots. Even with some passing clouds, temperatures climb well into the upper 70s and low to mid 80s.
That warm, slightly humid feel sticks around into the night, with lows only dipping into the 60s, more typical of late spring than early April.
Storm chances increase late Thursday into Friday
While much of Thursday remains dry, the atmosphere becomes more active heading into the overnight hours. A nearby front will start to creep closer, and with plenty of warmth and moisture in place, scattered showers and thunderstorms will begin to develop.
By Friday, those rain chances become more noticeable. Expect off-and-on showers and a few thunderstorms through the day. Severe weather isn’t a major concern, but a few stronger storms could still bring brief gusty winds or small hail.
Despite the unsettled weather, temperatures stay warm, holding in the upper 70s to low 80s.
More rounds of rain and storms into Saturday
The unsettled pattern doesn’t stop there. Additional waves of showers and thunderstorms are expected to roll through Friday night and into Saturday as a stronger system approaches.
Saturday looks like the most active period, with a line of showers and storms likely moving through during the day. Some storms could be on the stronger side, especially with gusty winds, but widespread severe weather still looks limited for now.
Rainfall will be fairly widespread, with many areas picking up around a half inch to near an inch before it all moves out.
Big cooldown arrives late weekend
Once that system pushes through Saturday night, the pattern flips quickly. Cooler, drier air rushes in, bringing a noticeable drop in temperatures.
By Sunday and into early next week, highs fall back into the upper 50s and low 60s, with crisp mornings in the 30s and 40s. Some of the colder valleys could even see a touch of frost, a reminder that winter isn’t too far removed just yet.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) – Lexington Sporting Club hosted Louisville City FC on Wednesday night in a win-or-go-home match to advance to the third round of the U.S. Open Cup.
The teams previously met March 6, when Louisville City scored two second-half goals to secure a 2-1 victory.
On Wednesday night, the greens fell victim to their in-state rival once again. LSC was eliminated from the U.S. Open Cup, falling to Louisville City FC 2-0.
Louisville City struck first in the 23rd minute with a goal from Babacar Niang following a free kick to take a 1-0 lead at the break. Early in the second half, Louisville City added another goal when Tola Showunmi flicked it in off a strike by Mukwelle Akal.
The greens are back in USL Championship League action Saturday night on the road against Colorado Springs.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Four astronauts embarked on a high-stakes flight around the moon Wednesday, humanity’s first lunar voyage in more than half a century and the thrilling leadoff in NASA’s push toward a landing in two years.
Carrying three Americans and one Canadian, the 32-story rocket rose from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center where tens of thousands gathered to witness the dawn of this new era. Crowds also jammed the surrounding roads and beaches, reminiscent of the Apollo moonshots in the 1960s and ’70s. It is NASA’s biggest step yet toward establishing a permanent lunar presence.
Artemis II set sail from the same Florida launch site that sent Apollo’s explorers to the moon so long ago. The handful still alive cheered this next generation’s grand adventure as the Space Launch System rocket thundered into the early evening sky, a nearly full moon beckoning some 248,000 miles (400,000 kilometers) away.
Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman led the charge into space with “Let’s go to the moon!” accompanied by pilot Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canada’s Jeremy Hansen. It was the most diverse lunar crew ever with the first woman, person of color and non-U.S. citizen riding in NASA’s new Orion capsule.
They shaped their hands into hearts as they said goodbye to their families and boarded the astrovan for the ride to the pad and their awaiting space chariot. “Love you guys,” Glover said.
The astronauts will stick close to home for the first 25 hours of their 10-day test flight, checking out the capsule in orbit around Earth before firing the main engine that will propel them to the moon.
They won’t pause for a stopover or orbit the moon like Apollo 8’s first lunar visitors did so famously on Christmas Eve 1968, reading from Genesis. But they stand to become the most distant humans ever when their capsule zooms past the moon and continues another 4,000 miles (6,400 kilometers) beyond, before making a U-turn and tearing straight home to a splashdown in the Pacific.
They won’t pause for a stopover or orbit the moon like Apollo 8’s first lunar visitors did so famously on Christmas Eve 1968, reading from Genesis. But they stand to become the most distant humans ever when their capsule zooms past the moon and continues another 4,000 miles (6,400 kilometers) beyond, before making a U-turn and tearing straight home to a splashdown in the Pacific.
Once settled in a high orbit around Earth, the astronauts planned to assume manual control and practice steering their capsule around the rocket’s detached upper stage, venturing within 33 feet (10 meters). NASA wants to know how Orion handles in case the self-flying feature fails and the pilots need to take control.
Four days later during the lunar flyby, the moon will appear to be the size of a basketball held at arm’s length. The astronauts will take turns peering through Orion’s windows with cameras. If the lighting is right, they should see features never before viewed through human eyes. They’ll also catch snippets of a total solar eclipse, donning eclipse glasses as the moon briefly blocks the sun from their perspective and the corona is revealed.
All of NASA’s moon plans — a surge in launches over the next several years leading to a sustainable moon base for astronauts assisted by robotic rovers and drones — hinge on Artemis II going well.
It’s been more than three years since Artemis I, the only other time NASA’s SLS rocket and Orion capsule have soared. With no one aboard, the Artemis I capsule lacked life-support equipment and other crew essentials like a water dispenser and toilet.
These systems are now making their space debut on Artemis II, ratcheting up the risk. That’s why NASA is waiting a full day before committing Wiseman and his crew to a four-day trip to the moon and four-day journey back.
“There’s always been a lot riding on this mission,” NASA’s Lori Glaze said ahead of launch. But the teams are even more “energized” now that the space agency is finally accelerating the lunar launch pace and laser-focusing on surface operations — seismic changes announced recently by new administrator Jared Isaacman.
With half the world’s population not yet born when NASA’s 12 moonwalkers left their boot prints in the gray lunar dust, Artemis offers a fresh beginning, NASA’s science mission chief Nicky Fox said earlier this week.
“There are a lot of people who don’t remember Apollo. There are generations who weren’t alive when Apollo launched. This is their Apollo,” said Fox, who was 4 when Apollo 17 closed out the era.
NASA is in it for the long haul this time. Unlike Apollo, which focused on fast flags and footprints in a breakneck race against the Soviet Union, Artemis is striving for a sustainable moon base elaborate enough to satisfy even the most hard-core science fiction fans. But make no mistake: Isaacman and the Trump Administration want the next boot prints to be made by Americans, not the Chinese.
Until Isaacman’s program makeover, Artemis III was crawling toward a moon landing no sooner than 2029. The billionaire spacewalker slid in a new Artemis III for 2027 so astronauts could practice docking their Orion capsule with a lunar lander in orbit around Earth. Astronauts’ momentous landing near the moon’s south pole shifted to Artemis IV in 2028 — two years before an anticipated Chinese crew’s arrival.
Like Apollo 13 — astronauts’ only moon landing miss — Artemis II will use a free-return, lunar flyby trajectory to get home with gravity’s tug and a minimum of gas. The gravity of both the moon and Earth will provide much if not most of the oomph to keep Orion on its out-and-back, figure-eight loop.
The danger is right up there for Artemis II. NASA has refused to release its risk assessment for the mission. Managers contend it’s better than 50-50 — the usual odds for a new rocket — but how much more is murky.
The SLS rocket leaked flammable hydrogen fuel during ground tests, a recurring problem that engineers still do not completely understand. The hydrogen leaks and unrelated helium blockages stalled the flight for two months, coming on top of years of vexing delays and cost overruns. Both problems also thwarted Artemis I, whose capsule returned with excessive heat shield damage. To NASA’s relief, Wednesday’s countdown was leak-free but a few issues cropped up in the final hours.
Beating the Soviet Union to the moon made the huge risks acceptable for Apollo, said Charlie Duke, one of only four surviving moonwalkers.
“I’m cheering you on,” Duke said in a note to Wiseman and his crew before their flight.
During a weekend news conference, Koch stressed how humanity’s path to Mars goes through the moon, the proving ground for points beyond.
“It is our strong hope that this mission is the start of an era where everyone, every person on Earth, can look at the moon and think of it as also a destination,” she said.
Added Glover: “It’s the story of humanity. Not Black history, not women’s history, but that it becomes human history.”
ROWAN COUNTY, Ky. (ABC36 News Now) — Remains found in a remote area of Trent Ridge have now been identified as Cameron Lee Boling, a Rowan County man who was last seen in 2022.
According to the Rowan County Coroner, skeletal remains were located in April 2025 by a pair of hikers. The discovery prompted a search of the area, where additional evidence was also recovered.
The investigation into the circumstances of Boling’s death remain ongoing. According to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, Boling was last seen in July 2022 walking to a friend’s house where he never arrived.
MOREHEAD, Ky. (ABC36 News Now) — The Morehead Fire Department reported that no one was injured after a duplex fire on South Blair Street Wednesday afternoon.
The department added that West Main Street is closed as of 3:45 Wednesday and officials asked that drivers use an alternate route.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, officials added.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – One person has been arrested in connection with a shooting and robbery that happened on Cantrill Drive in Lexington.
According to the Lexington Police Department, officers were dispatched around 5:30 p.m. on March 17, 2026, to a residence in the 1700 block of Cantrill Drive for a report of shots fired.
When officers arrived, they found a male victim suffering from a gunshot wound. Authorities say the victim was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
During the investigation, detectives determined the shooting happened during a dispute and robbery.
Police say 31-year-old Eric Adams was arrested on April 1, 2026, and is charged with first-degree assault, first-degree robbery, and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon.
Officials say Adams is currently being held at the Fayette County Detention Center.
The investigation remains ongoing.
LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – The Laurel County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help locating a missing man.
Sheriff John Root says Nicholas Brad Shepherd, 52, was reported missing on April 1, 2026.
Deputies describe Shepherd as a white male, approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing around 160 pounds, with blue eyes and brown hair.
Authorities say anyone with information about his whereabouts is urged to contact the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office at (606) 864-6600, Laurel County 911 dispatch at (606) 878-7000, or message the sheriff’s office on Facebook.
Officials say Deputy Anthony Wagers is leading the investigation, with assistance from Laurel County Emergency Management.