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.
LONDON, Ky. (ABC 36 News Now) — One year after a deadly tornado tore through several counties in southeastern Kentucky, including Laurel County, hundreds gathered to remember those who lost their lives and everything they had on Saturday.
The tornado killed 19 people, 17 of whom were from Laurel County. Over 800 homes in the county were impacted, 280 of which were completely destroyed.
A remembrance ceremony was held at Wyan-Pine Elementary School in London Saturday morning, about a half mile from Sunshine Hills, a neighborhood heavily devastated by the tornado. Hundreds filled the gymnasium, where songs were sung, prayers were said, and survivors shared their stories from the night of the storm.
The event also took time to recognize people in the community who helped with recovery efforts, as Wyan-Pine Elementary served as a central hub for volunteers after the tornado. Recognized on Saturday were the volunteers, state and local road crews who helped with cleanup efforts, and companies that donated equipment to assist in the recovery.
Megan VanHook, a survivor, said the outpouring of support from the community has meant everything to her.
“I think it’s a privilege. I think it’s a privilege to have that support of your community of strangers to see, you know, in these times that we can come together and that there is hope… even on hard days,” VanHook said.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC 36 News Now) — The Lexington Fire Department responded to a working structure fire at the Champion at Bluegrass apartment complex, located on Quinton Court, on Saturday around 3:50 p.m.
According to the fire department, upon arrival, crews found smoke and fire exiting the second- and-third-story porches. At least one apartment unit will need repairs from the fire damage.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the fire, although fire crews do not know how many residents will be displaced from the event.
The Lexington Fire Department is still investigating the cause and origin of the fire.
This is an ongoing story, and ABC 36 will provide more information as it becomes available.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC 36 News N0w) — The Lexington Police Department (LPD) has reported that 18-year-old Ghadeer Alnaseeraldin of Lexington has been missing for three days. The department is asking the public to be on the lookout for the teen.
According to LPD, Alnaseeraldin was last seen on Wednesday morning at the 3600 block of Winthrop Drive. The police department believes the teen left on her own.
Residents with information on Alnaseeraldin’s whereabouts are asked to contact the Lexington Police Department at (859) 253-2020. Anonymous tips can be submitted to the Bluegrass Crime Stoppers. Calls can be made to (859) 258-3600, online at this link, or through the P3 Tips App at this link.
This is an ongoing story, and ABC 36 will provide more information as it becomes available.
Photo by: Seth Wenig/AP Photo/Seth Wenig
A sign warns commuters of a potential Long Island Rail Road strike at Penn Station in New York, Thursday, May 14, 2026.
(AP) – Workers on New York’s Long Island Rail Road are on strike, union officials said early Saturday, paralyzing the busiest commuter rail system in North America.
Labor unions representing about half the system’s workers announced the walkout after negotiations with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority ended Friday without a new contract. The five unions, which represent about half the system’s 7,000 workers, including locomotive engineers, machinists and signalmen, weren’t legally allowed to go on strike until 12:01 a.m. Saturday.
Kevin Sexton of the National Vice President of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen said no new negotiations have been scheduled.
“We’re far apart at this point,” Sexton said. “We are truly sorry that we are in this situation.”
Janno Lieber, the MTA chairman, said the agency “gave the union everything they said they wanted in terms of pay” and that to him it was apparent the unions always intended to walk out.
The strike will force the roughly 250,000 people who ride the system each weekday to find alternative routes into New York City from its Long Island suburbs or to work from home. That means more cars on traffic-choked highways and longer work commutes.
“It’s gonna be such a nightmare trying to get in,” said Rob Udle, an electrician who takes the LIRR at least five days a week into Manhattan.
The strike could make it challenging for some sports fans to get into Manhattan to watch the NBA’s New York Knicks playoff run or see the baseball rivals the New York Yankees battle the crosstown Mets this weekend.
Gov. Kathy Hochul has urged LIRR riders to work from during the walkout as the MTA plans to provide free but limited shuttle buses during the work day rush hours geared toward essential workers.
In a statement she blamed the strike on union leadership.
“Commuters are dealing with unnecessary dysfunction and thousands of union LIRR workers are being forced to go without a paycheck because of decisions made by a small group of union leaders,” Hochul said. “I stand with LIRR riders and will fight to preserve the long term stability of the MTA.”
Dispute over wages
Both sides said the fight was over wage increases and health care premiums.
Details on exactly where each side stood late Friday weren’t released, but the union had gone into the talks demanding a total raise of 16% over four years, saying it was needed to help workers keep up with inflation.
The MTA has argued that the union’s initial demands would lead to fare increases. Lieber said that while the MTA had met the pay demands, it had asked for new hires to the LIRR to pay higher health care premiums to offset some costs. The union rejected that idea.
Commuters brace for the worst
Susanne Alberto, a personal trainer from Long Island, said she has already made plans with her Manhattan clients to hold virtual sessions in the event of a shutdown.
She said the union likely has the upper hand.
“The MTA is going to cave, and they know that,” Alberto said. “Why don’t they just do it now instead of waiting until virtually millions of people get inconvenienced?”
Udle, the electrician, said he will likely use his vacation days rather than navigate the “nightmare” of commuting into Manhattan if the rail service shuts down.
A union member, he sympathized with the unions’ affordability concerns, but he said he didn’t agree with their strong-arm tactics.
“I get it, the cost of living is going up and stuff like that,” Udle said while waiting at Penn Station for a train home. “But they shouldn’t hold everybody hostage to do it. There’s a better way. You’re affecting a lot of other people.”
A strike was temporarily averted in September when President Donald Trump’s administration agreed to help with negotiations. Those efforts ended without a deal, giving both sides 60 days — ending 12:01 a.m. Saturday — to again try to resolve their differences before the union is legally allowed to go on strike or the agency could lock out workers.
LIRR workers last went on strike in 1994, for about two days.
Workers on the commuter rail system connecting Manhattan to New Jersey, New Jersey Transit, went on strike last year. It lasted three days.
Photo by: Al-hadji Kudra Maliro/AP Photo/Al-hadji Kudra Maliro
FILE - Health workers walk with a boy suspected of having the Ebola virus at an Ebola treatment center in Beni, eastern Congo, Sept 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Al-hadji Kudra Maliro, File)
KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Africa’s top public health body on Friday confirmed a new Ebola outbreak in Congo’s remote Ituri province, with 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths recorded so far.
Neighboring Uganda later confirmed one death in an Ebola case it said was imported from Congo.
The deaths and suspected cases have been recorded mainly in the Mongwalu and Rwampara health zones, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement. The agency said 65 deaths have been attributed to the outbreak and that four of those have so far been confirmed in a laboratory.
Ebola is highly contagious and can be contracted through bodily fluids such as vomit, blood or semen. The disease it causes is rare, but severe and often fatal.
Scientists were trying to determine exactly what virus was driving the current outbreak in Congo. The Ebola virus — also known as the Ebola Zaire strain — has been prominent in Congo’s past outbreaks. Results so far suggest some variant other than the Ebola Zaire strain, with sequencing continuing to give more clarity, the Africa CDC said.
The World Health Organization says the Ebola disease is caused by a group of viruses, and that three of them are known to cause large outbreaks: Ebola virus, Sudan virus and Bundibugyo virus.
Uganda on Friday reported one Ebola case involving a Congolese man admitted to a hospital in Kampala three days before he died. Officials said the case was “imported” from Congo, and that Uganda has not yet confirmed any local cases.
Uganda’s Health Ministry said the patient was tested posthumously on Friday after neighboring Congo confirmed its Ebola outbreak. All contacts linked to the man have been quarantined, the agency said. The deceased’s body has been taken back to Congo.
The ministry said the person was infected with the Bundibugyo virus, a variant of the illness that has been endemic in Uganda.
The WHO said last year that Congo has a stockpile of treatments and some 2,000 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine. The Ervedo vaccine is effective against the Ebola Zaire strain — considered the most severe one — but not against the Sudan virus or Bundibugyo virus, according to health authorities.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, World Health Organization director-general, told reporters Friday that the WHO last week sent a team to help Congo investigate the outbreak and collect samples. While initial results did not confirm Ebola, a new analysis on Thursday did, he said.
Congo has “a strong track record in Ebola response and control,” Tedros said, adding that the WHO is releasing $500,000 to aid Congo’s response.
Affected areas are close to Uganda, South Sudan borders
The latest outbreak comes around five months after Congo’s last Ebola outbreak was declared over after 43 deaths.
Ituri is in a remote eastern part of Congo characterized by poor road networks, more than 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the nation’s capital of Kinshasa.
Africa CDC said it is concerned about the risk of further spread due to intense population movement, mining-related mobility in Mongwalu, insecurity in affected areas, gaps in contact listing and control challenges.
The proximity of affected areas to Uganda and South Sudan also raises concerns, it said.
The agency said it was convening an urgent coordination meeting Friday with health authorities from Congo, Uganda and South Sudan, together with key partners including U.N. agencies and other countries.
The acting head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Jay Bhattacharya, said Friday that U.S. health officials are in contact with officials in Congo and Uganda and are “going to provide whatever they need and that we are capable of providing them.”
Congo has seen more than a dozen Ebola outbreaks
This is the 17th outbreak in Congo since the disease first emerged in the country in 1976. An Ebola outbreak from 2018 to 2020 in eastern Congo killed more than 1,000 people. The WHO said that outbreak was characterized by the main Ebola Zaire strain.
An earlier outbreak that swept across West Africa from 2014 to 2016 also killed more than 11,000 people.
The new outbreak creates more worry for the Central African country, which has been battling various armed groups in the east. The second-largest African country in land mass, Congo also faces logistical challenges. During last year’s outbreak, which lasted three months, the WHO initially faced significant challenges in delivering vaccines due to limited access.
Dr. Gabriel Nsakala, a professor of public health who has been involved in past Ebola outbreak responses in Congo, said the country and health workers on the ground have a high level of experience, in addition to existing infrastructure such as laboratories.
“In terms of training, people already know what they can do. Now, the expertise and equipment need to be delivered quickly,” Nsakala added.
Photo by: Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein
President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One, Friday, May 15, 2026, as he returns from a trip to Beijing, China.
(AP) – U.S. and Nigerian forces killed a leader of the Islamic State group in Nigeria in a mission carried out Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump said.
Trump announced the joint operation in Africa’s most populous country in a late-night social media post that offered few details. He said Abu Bakr al-Mainuki was second-in-command of the Islamic State group globally and “thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing.”
Al-Mainuki was viewed as the key figure in IS organizing and finance, and had been plotting attacks against the United States and its interests, according to an official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to share sensitive information.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu confirmed the operation and said Al-Mainuki was killed alongside “several of his lieutenants, during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin.”
According to the spokesperson for the Nigerian military task force that carried out the operation, the operation was a “highly complex precision air-land operation” and was carried out during three hours of darkness early Saturday without any casualties or loss of assets.
“His elimination represents the single most consequential counterterrorism outcome” in the region since the inception of the operation in 2015, Sani Uba, the spokesperson for the task force, said in a statement.
Born in Nigeria’s Borno province in 1982, al-Mainuki took the helm of the IS branch in West Africa after the group’s previous leader in the region, Mamman Nur, was killed in 2018, according to the Counter Extremism Project, which tracks militant groups.
Al-Mainuki was based in the Sahel area, the monitoring group said, adding that it is believed that he fought in Libya when IS was active in the North African nation more than a decade ago. He was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2023.
Questions over Al-Mainuki’s exact status in IS
Trump, in his social media announcement, said Al-Mainuki was “second in command globally,” hiding in Africa, a claim that some analysts say is off the mark. The Nigerian military, in a statement, also said intelligence shows that earlier this year, Al-Mainuki might have been “elevated to the position of Head of the General Directorate of States, placing him the second most senior leader within the ISIS global hierarchy.”
There is no way to verify his position within IS independently. Analysts say Al-Mainuki was the deputy to Abu Musab al-Barnawi, the leader of the Islamic State West African Province who was reported to have died in 2021. He is regarded as one of the central proponents of the formation of ISWAP, after its split with Boko Haram in 2016.
“If confirmed, the killing of Al-Mainuki is huge because this is the first time a security agency has killed someone this high in the ranking of ISWAP,” Malik Samuel, a senior researcher at Good Governance Africa who specializes in insurgent groups in Nigeria, said.
“The potential to cause chaos within the group is also there because the operation must have been carried out in the heart of ISWAP’s fortified base, which is very difficult to access.”
Trump in December directed U.S. forces to launch strikes against the Islamic State group in Nigeria, though he released little detail then about the impact.
US and Nigeria step up joint operations
The Nigerian military said the operation was a result of recently formed U.S.-Nigeria partnership and intelligence-sharing efforts. Samalia Uba, the military spokesperson, said in a statement that the operation has also “disrupted a violent terrorist network that endangered Nigeria and the broader West African region.”
Nigeria has been battling multiple armed groups, including at least two affiliated with IS, as it has grappled with a multifaceted security crisis. IS affiliates in Africa have emerged as some of the continent’s most active militant groups following the collapse of the so-called IS caliphate in Syria and Iraq in 2017.
The U.S. in February sent troops to the West African nation to help advise its military, and in March, the U.S. also deployed drones there after Trump alleged that Christians are being targeted in Nigeria’s security crisis.
The Friday night operation was the latest instance in a string of covert missions abroad that Trump has announced this year, starting with the stunning overnight raid in January to capture and remove Venezuela’s then-leader Nicolás Maduro and whisk him to the U.S., followed nearly two months later by the launch of strikes that kicked off the war with Iran.
Photo by: Thibault Camus/AP
Ambulances carrying patients evacuated from the MV Hondius cruise ship with suspected hantavirus infection, leave the Bourget airport, north of Paris, Sunday, May 10, 2026.
(AP) – France’s Pasteur Institute said it has fully sequenced the Andes strain of the hantavirus detected in a French passenger from the MV Hondius cruise ship and found that it matched viruses already known in South America, with no evidence so far of new characteristics that would make it more transmissible or more dangerous.
“The analyzed virus corresponds to the viruses already known and monitored in South America,” Health Minister Stéphanie Rist said Friday on X. “At this stage, no element suggests the emergence” of a form of the virus that could be more transmissible or more dangerous, she said.
Pasteur said genomic analysis confirmed that the virus found in the French passenger matched the virus detected in other cases aboard the ship and closely resembled known Andes virus samples circulating in South America.
“This sequencing work allows us to better understand the virus and to ensure close health monitoring,” Rist said. She added that the data would be shared with the international scientific community.
Pasteur said the viruses detected in patients from the ship were identical to each other and about 97% similar to some Andes viruses circulating in South America, including those identified in rodents. Jean-Claude Manuguerra, who heads Pasteur’s Environment and Infectious Risk unit, said the remaining variation appeared to reflect natural viral variation and did not seem to affect the characteristics of the virus detected among travelers.
The French passenger tested positive after traveling aboard the MV Hondius and has been treated in Paris. French authorities previously said she was in serious condition.
The outbreak on the ship has reached 11 cases, nine of which have been confirmed. Three people on the cruise died, including a Dutch couple who health officials believe were the first exposed to the virus while visiting South America.
(ABC 36 News Now) — Saturday marks one year since a historic, EF-4 tornado blew through southeastern Kentucky, killing 19 individuals and injuring over 100.
The tornado initially touched down in Russell County in the late evening hours of May, 16, 2025., By the time the tornado reached Pulaski County, it had become a devastating EF-4 tornado, packing winds up to 170 miles-per-hour. The deadly storm lasted almost an hour.
The tornado was on the ground for more than 50 miles and reached a maximum with of 1,700 yards wide, almost an entire mile.
According to officials, 817 homes in Laurel County were impacted by the tornado’s damage. 280 of those homes were completely destroyed and 195 of those homes suffered major damage.
In commemoration of the deadly storms, Alan Keck, the mayor of Somerset in Pulaski County released a statement, which can be read below.
“I’ll never forget what happened on this day one year ago. The moments before the first tornado tore through our community and moved on to neighboring counties. The moments in between the storms, as I huddled with first responders from every agency in the county. And the moments after the storms ended, when everyone came together in a manner that I’d never seen before.
Loved ones were lost; homes and business were ravaged. Despite the heartache and destruction, I saw a community rally and leap to help. Fear and anxiety reigned in the early morning hours that day, but those feelings pale in comparison to the gratitude and pride I felt in the days and weeks that followed.
May we continue to be good neighbors to one another, in good times and bad.
(ABC 36 News Now) — The Kentucky Secretary of State’s Office has released current voting numbers, as early voting wraps up Saturday afternoon.
According to Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams, on Friday, 57,380 Kentuckians utilized early voting, which includes 33,604 Republicans, 23,150 Democrats, and 626 Independents.
Between Thursday and Friday, early voting poll numbers have increased 75% since the last election cycle, according to Adams.
Fayette County residents can still vote on Saturday until 4:30 p.m. at the following locations:
Central Library, 140 East Main Street
Beaumont Branch Library, 3080 Fieldstone Way
Northside Library, 1733 Russell Cave
Eastside Library, 3000 Blake James Drive
Tates Creek Library, 3628 Walden Drive
Marksbury Family Branch Library, 2197 Versailles Road.
Photo by: Kentucky State Police Trooper Scottie Pennington via Facebook
LONDON, Ky. (ABC 36 News Now) — Kentucky State Police (KSP) is searching for a man accused of committing several arson attacks on Friday near the Rockcastle County, Jackson County line on Kentucky Highway 1955 (KY-1955).
According to a social media post by KSP Trooper Scottie Pennington, the man has been identified as Brandon Mason. He’s six foot, two inches, and weighs 220 pounds. Mason has black hair and hazel eyes.
Residents in the area are asked to take caution if they encounter Mason, and are also directed to contact 9-1-1 or Kentucky State Police Post 11 at (606) 878-6622.
“If [you] live in the area and hear strange noises or your dogs are barking, we urge you to contact us, given the suspect’s threats to set more fires tonight,” Pennington wrote in his Facebook post.
This is an ongoing story, and ABC 36 will provide more information as it becomes available.
(ABC 36 News Now) – Kentucky American Water has filed a rate increase request with the Kentucky Public Service Commission to “support approximately $108 million in ongoing water system investments” slated for 2027.
According to a release, the request reinforces the company’s commitment to system upgrades and improving water quality.
“We engage in thorough strategic planning and make ongoing investments in our water systems,” said Robert Burton, president of Kentucky American Water, said in the release. “These investments directly benefit the communities we proudly serve and continue to support reliable service and improved water quality for our customers—from treatment to the tap. The investments underscore our commitment to the health and safety of our customers.”
The request comes a year after Kentucky American Water filed their previous rate request, which was implemented in December 2025. That rate change increased the average bill for customers using an average of 3,900 gallons of month $2.
If approved, the company reports that the “typical residential water customer using 4,030 gallons of water would see an increase of approximately $8 per month.”
BEREA, Ky. (ABC 36 News Now) — More than two weeks after a man shot and killed two people at during a robbery at US Bank in Berea, the community came together for a “Berea Strong Benefit Night,” on Friday, with proceeds going to the families impacted by the shooting.
Business owners in the area organized the event in less than two weeks. All auction items, food served, and band performances were donated. The night included moments of prayer and remembrance for the two victims, Brian Switzer and Breanna Edwards.
“The things like what happened at the bank are kind of foreign to an area like this,” James Lillis said.
Organizers say donations have continued to come in, now totaling more than $17,000.
“It’s an expression of what we sometimes lose sight of and that’s community,” Donna Agee said.
Volunteer Sarah Roof said the turnout was strong, even for the tight-knit community.
“These people come out really in the midst of a busy season, end of school year, all of that, so just to come out and show their support, it’s heartwarming,” Roof said.
The event also gave those grieving a platform to speak about the victims.
“Let the people that work with them tell about that firsthand knowledge about them,” Ricky Clontz, one of the event organizers said.
Roof also says events like these also teach important lessons.
“I brought my kids out to just give back to the community really and to understand when tragedy strikes that you, you come together,” Roof said.
Event organizers say the Berea Strong movement has gained nationwide attention, with churches in California and communities across Ohio purchasing Berea Strong T-shirts. Proceeds go to the families impacted.
“They’re standing with us. It’s people that have family in Berea,” Ricky said.
“Just trying to help, trying to help that void they’ve (victim’s families) got in their lives,” Ricky said.
Agee said the outpouring of support sends a powerful message.
“This shows us that if you are broken, if you’re down, there are people that will show up and say we love you,” Agee said.
STANFORD, Ky. (ABC 36 News Now) — Wendell Dalton Miller has served as mayor of Stanford for six years. He says he got into politics to make a difference and has always kept future generations in mind.
Now, he’s got a new battle to face: stage four colon cancer.
For him, it’s the most enjoyable job he’s ever had.
“Just advancing the city towards the future, because my goal has always been 20 years down the road. What is my grandbaby gonna be doing? I’m not worried about me,” Miller said.
Two years ago, Miller was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. He initially underwent chemotherapy and believed the treatment was working, but the cancer spread into his lungs and began growing at an alarming rate.
“I did some chemo, and we thought everything was good,” Miller said. “Well, one the cancer spread.”
Despite the setback, Miller says his faith is keeping him going.
“Physically, I’m fine. Health journey wise. I’m fighting with everything I got. With the last knot on the rope, OK? That’s where I’m at. But I’m not giving up Because the Lord is the only one. That knows when it’s time for me to leave this earth,” Miller said.
His wife, Trina Miller, has remained by his side throughout the fight.
“During this, I told the doctor, I said, you fight with medicine, I have to fight with prayer because that’s all I know,” Trina said.
The couple will celebrate 35 years of marriage this June. The mayor says he would not have it any other way.
“And I told her, I’ll take this death till we part, serious. She’s my nurse. I don’t want nobody else taking care of me. I want her,” Miller said.
On Wednesday night, hundreds of community members gathered outside the Millers’ home, lighting candles and praying for the couple. Miller says he had no idea it was coming.
“What happened the other night was crazy,” Miller said. “First of all, I didn’t know nothing about it.”
Trina says the outpouring of support left her speechless.
“To see his life. On the streets with all these people out supporting, I just kinda sit back in silence and just see it all play out and it’s just, I’m kind of at a loss for words at that moment,” Trina said.
For Miller, the gathering meant even more than a show of community support.
“With people devoting their life to the Lord. People rededicating their life to the Lord and people wanting to be baptized. It’s amazing. And I love it. I said, what street’s next? Let’s go,” Miller said.
Miller is also using his experience to encourage others to get screened.
“Please get the pre-cancer screenings. It may or may not help you. It would not have helped me and that’s OK. The type of cancer I’ve got, it would have not have helped, OK. But other people, a colonoscopy can help you. And I don’t care about all the horror stories you hear. It is the best 15 minutes of sleep you’ll ever get in your life,” Miller said.
“I have cancer. Cancer don’t have me,” Miller said.
If you’d like to help the Miller family during this time, you can contact City Hall for more information.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) – A Friday afternoon collision at the intersection of Athens Boonesboro and Jacobson Park has left a motorcyclist with life-threatening injuries, Lexington Fire reports.
According to LFD, the driver of an SUV involved in the collision was extricated using jaws and suffered serious injuries. Three other people were transported to a local hospital with minor injuries.
This is a developing story. More information will be added as it becomes available.
It was a pleasant finish to the week across Central and Eastern Kentucky with a southwest breeze helping to push milder air back into the area Friday. Even with some scattered clouds mixed in with the sunshine thanks to a mid-level wave passing by to our north, we did manage to see temperatures recover nicely compared to Thursday. Afternoon highs reached the low to mid-70s in most locations and that upward trend will continue as summer-like air is set to return.
With a warm front sliding in from the southwest, our rain and storm chances will pick up as we kick off the weekend. Of course the timing of the storm chances could be better with it being a mid-May weekend and plenty of outdoor activities going on, but it shouldn’t be a total washout and we could use the rain given the on-going drought. There is a low end strong storm chance across the northern half of the state as the Storm Prediction Center has that part of the state in a Level 1 severe risk with damaging winds being the primary threat. It will be a warmer Saturday despite some clouds and rain around with afternoon highs back into the low-80s, which is slightly above average for this time of the year.
The much advertised summer warm-up will kick in on Sunday as a ridge of high pressure to our southeast strengthens, allowing a bit of heat to build into the commonwealth. With mostly sunny skies on tap and a south breeze, afternoon highs will surge into the upper 80s to around 90 degrees, which will be the hottest air we’ve seen so far in 2026. These readings will be just a few degrees shy of daily record highs and with this being our warmest day since last fall you’ll want to slow it down during the hottest part of the day as it takes the body a bit to get acclimated to the heat coming out of the winter and early spring. Look for more of the same on Monday with mainly dry conditions and afternoon highs running into the upper 80s with a few spots touching the 90 degree mark.
A slow moving frontal system will creep into the Ohio Valley heading into the middle part of next week, bringing additional rain and storm chances. It should be another warm to hot Tuesday with highs in the upper 80s as the potential for a few scattered storms picks up a bit as we get deeper into the afternoon. Our best chance for beneficial rain will come on Wednesday as the front works through with more widespread rain and storms. This will drop temperatures back a bit but it will still be warm with afternoon highs in the low 80s. The front will drop south of the commonwealth into late next week with lingering showers on Thursday before we dry out once again. Afternoon highs will be closer to average with temperatures topping out into the upper 70s to around 80 degrees.
ABC 36 Storm Team 3 Day Forecast
Friday night: Mostly cloudy, a few storms late. Lows in the upper-50s and low-60s. Wind: S 5-10 mph.
Saturday: Breezy and warmer, scattered storms. Highs in the low-80s. Wind: SW 10-15 mph.
Saturday night: Mild with isolated storms. Lows in the mid-60s. Wind: S 5-10 mph.
TALLAHASSEE, FL. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) – The Kentucky women’s golf team came from behind Wednesday to secure a berth in the NCAA Women’s Golf Championship later this month.
Entering the final round of the NCAA Tallahassee Regional outside the projected cut line, the Wildcats turned in one of the top rounds of the day at Seminole Legacy Golf Club. Kentucky shot 9-under as a team in the final round to climb into the top five and earn a trip to the national championship.
Kentucky finished the regional at 6-over par, placing fifth in the 12-team field. Wake Forest won the regional at 8-under, followed by Florida State at 4-under, Florida at 3-under and Eastern Michigan at 5-over.
The Wildcats passed No. 15 UCLA, which finished sixth at 9-over, to claim the final qualifying spot. North Florida placed seventh at 16-over, while ULM, Clemson, Purdue, UTRGV and Little Rock rounded out the standings.
Lexington native C.A. Carter helped lead Kentucky’s push with a 7-under round Wednesday. Carter finished tied for third individually at 6-under for the tournament.
Raleygh Simpson also contributed in the final round, shooting 4-under to finish tied for 13th at 1-over overall.
Kentucky entered the regional as the sixth-ranked team in the field and was one of 12 programs competing for five spots in the NCAA Championship.
The NCAA Women’s Golf Championship will be held May 22-27 at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) looks to throw during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
CINCINNATI, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) – The Bengals’ 2026 schedule was released on Thursday, including preseason and the full 17-game regular season slate.
Cincinnati will be featured in three primetime matchups, including two at Paycor Stadium against AFC North Division rivals. The Bengals will host Pittsburgh on Sunday Night Football on Nov. 15 (8:20 p.m. on NBC), then face Baltimore in a Thursday Night Football clash on New Year’s Eve (8:15 p.m. on Prime Video).
The Bengals’ other primetime game will be a road contest at Washington on Monday Night Football on Nov. 23 (8:15 p.m. on ESPN). Cincinnati also will host Kansas City in a widely televised 4:25 p.m. Sunday time slot on Dec. 13 on FOX.
For the third time in team history, the Bengals will travel abroad for an international game when they take on the Atlanta Falcons in Madrid, Spain, on Sunday, Nov. 8. That game will kick off at 9:30 a.m. ET on NFL Network.
Cincinnati will “Open in Orange” at Paycor Stadium against Tampa Bay on Sunday, Sept. 13 (1 p.m. on FOX), with fans encouraged to wear all orange for the team’s home opener.
The Bengals’ preseason schedule also has been finalized. Cincinnati will host its first two preseason games at Paycor Stadium — vs. Detroit on Thursday, Aug. 13 at 7 p.m., and vs. Chicago on Saturday, Aug. 22 at 7 p.m. The Bengals then will conclude their preseason slate on the road against Philadelphia on Friday, Aug. 28 at 8 p.m. Both home contests will be broadcast on the Bengals Preseason TV Network, while the Eagles game will be nationally televised on CBS.
Single game tickets for all 10 Bengals home games are on sale now. Limited season tickets are also available in the club level, which will be fully renovated and expanded for the 2026 season. Fans interested in purchasing tickets should visit bengals.com/tickets.
CINCINNATI BENGALS 2026 SCHEDULE (All times are Eastern. Home games are in CAPS. An asterisk [*] denotes a game subject to possible flexible scheduling.)
PRESEASON (day, date, opponent, time, TV network)
Thu., Aug. 13, DETROIT, 7 p.m., Bengals Preseason TV Network
Sat., Aug. 22, CHICAGO, 7 p.m., Bengals Preseason TV Network
Fri., Aug. 28, at Philadelphia, 8 p.m., CBS
REGULAR SEASON (day, date, opponent, time, TV network)
Sun., Sept. 13, TAMPA BAY, 1 p.m., FOX
Sun., Sept. 20, at Houston, 1 p.m., CBS
Sun., Sept. 27, at Pittsburgh, 1 p.m., CBS
Sun., Oct. 4, JACKSONVILLE, 1 p.m., CBS
Sun., Oct. 11, at Miami*, 1 p.m., FOX
Sun., Oct. 18, — BYE —
Sun., Oct. 25, at Baltimore*, 1 p.m. CBS
Sun., Nov. 1, TENNESSEE*, 1 p.m., CBS
Sun., Nov. 8, vs. Atlanta (Madrid, Spain), 9:30 a.m., NFL Network
Sun., Nov. 15, PITTSBURGH*, 8:20 p.m., NBC
Mon., Nov. 23, at Washington, 8:15 p.m., ESPN
Sun., Nov. 29, NEW ORLEANS*, 1 p.m., CBS
Sun., Dec. 6, at Cleveland*, 1 p.m., CBS
Sun., Dec. 13, KANSAS CITY*, 4:25 p.m., FOX
Sun., Dec. 20, at Carolina*, 1 p.m., FOX
(Sat./Sun., Dec. 26/27), at Indianapolis, (time TBD), (TV network TBD)
LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) – Lexington’s Division of Community Corrections has completed an emergency procurement process and selected 3C Comprehensive Correctional Care as the new healthcare provider for the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Detention Center.
The Kentucky-based provider will begin operations at the facility next week, according to a release from city officials.
The transition comes after healthcare staff members were left unpaid by the previous vendor but continued to report to work to care for detainees, according to officials.
“Their loyal and committed service has kept our continuum of care stable and safe for all detainees,” Chief of Corrections Scott Colvin said.
“Our healthcare staff is a critical and indispensable component of our facility’s daily operations,” Colvin said.
The Division of Community Corrections, with the support and guidance of city leadership, is working to support the affected healthcare staff members, officials reported. The division said it is focused on achieving a seamless transition that prioritizes the health and well-being of detainees and the ethical treatment of medical and mental healthcare professionals.
GRAYSON COUNTY, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) – A man in Grayson County pleaded guilty to robbing and assaulting a realtor during a home showing in and he was sentenced to 15 years in prison, according to the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office.
Keith Rowe pleaded guilty to second-degree robbery, first-degree unlawful imprisonment, third-degree terroristic threatening, and fourth-degree assault.
He received a 15-year sentence with five years of probation and six months of home incarceration, the sheriff’s office detailed. Rowe is also prohibited from entering Grayson County and is barred from any contact or communication with the victim unless ordered by a court.
The charges stem from a June 18, 2025, incident in which Rowe was being shown a lakefront home in the Falls of Rough area. Just before 3 p.m., the realtor arrived at the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office “bloody and bruised” and told officials he had been attacked, media partner LEX 18 previously reported.
According to investigators, after the two entered the home, Rowe locked the door and began assaulting the realtor. Rowe then threatened to kill the man if he did not write up a contract and sign the home over to him.
Rowe also demanded the realtor hand over his cell phone, threatening to “beat his brains in” if he did not comply. The man gave Rowe his phone.
The realtor told Rowe he could not write up the contract without his computer, so Rowe reportedly forced him to walk across the street to his home to write it. Rowe continued to threaten the man, telling him that if “he attempted to get in his vehicle, that he would tie a rope around his neck and drag him with his four-wheeler.” Investigators noted that the four-wheeler Rowe had driven to the scene had a rope attached to it.
Once inside the man’s home, Rowe stood over him with a pocketknife and stated “he was going to kill him once he wrote the contract,” according to officials.
The Grayson County Sheriff’s Office reports that all of the events were captured on cameras installed by the home’s owner.
(AP via SCRIPPS NEWS GROUP) – Starbucks said Friday it’s laying off 300 corporate employees and closing some U.S. offices as part of its ongoing turnaround.
No coffeehouse employees are affected, the company said. The cuts will impact employees in support functions like marketing, human resources and supply chain management. No international employees are affected for now, but Starbucks said it is also reviewing its corporate structure outside the U.S.
Starbucks said it’s also closing underused offices in Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago and other cities. The Seattle-based company recently announced that it’s opening a corporate office in Nashville, Tennessee, that will employ up to 2,000 people within five years.
Starbucks expects to the moves to result in $400 million in restructuring charges, including $120 million in employee separation benefits.
Starbucks has been trying to reduce costs and complexity under Chairman and CEO Brian Niccol, who joined the company in 2024. Last year, the company laid off 2,000 corporate employees and closed hundreds of stores in the U.S., Canada and Europe.
Niccol said last month that the simplified structure is helping the company innovate more quickly. Starbucks is also investing in its remaining stores to improve customers’ experience. It plans to redesign 1,000 U.S. stores this year to give them a cozier, more comfortable feel, and it’s also hiring baristas to ensure faster service during busy times.
The efforts appear to be paying off. In the January-March period, Starbucks said its U.S. same-store sales, or sales at locations open at least a year, jumped 7%. Niccol called the quarter “the turn in our turnaround.”
“Our focus now is on sustaining our momentum and making our results repeatable and durable, all while delivering a healthy cost structure that supports profitable growth,” Niccol said during a conference call with investors. “It’s how we turn progress into consistent results.”
(AP via SCRIPPS NEWS GROUP) – Harvey Weinstein ’s rape retrial ended in a mistrial Friday after the jury deadlocked in the closely watched #MeToo-era case that another jury failed to decide last year.
While the former Hollywood mogul has been convicted of other sex crimes on two U.S. coasts and remains behind bars, the mistrial leaves the New York rape charge in limbo after three trials.
A majority-male Manhattan jury had been weighing whether Weinstein raped Jessica Mann, a hairstylist and actor. Weinstein’s lawyers argued that the encounter was consensual. It happened in 2013 during a fraught relationship between the then-married Weinstein and the decades-younger Mann.
The signs of stalemate emerged Friday a few hours into the third day of deliberations. Jurors sent a note saying they “have concluded that they cannot reach” a unanimous verdict. Judge Curtis Farber instructed the group to continue deliberating. That’s generally what New York judges do at least the first time a jury says it’s stuck.
An appeals court overturned his 2020 New York conviction on charges that involved Mann and another accuser. At a retrial last year, jury deliberations broke down amid infighting on Mann’s portion of the case, leading to this current retrial. Weinstein is charged with one count of rape in the third degree.
Mann, 40, has testified that she willingly had some sexual interludes with the then-married producer, but that he subjected her to unwanted sex that day after she repeatedly said no.
Weinstein’s lawyers have emphasized that Mann subsequently continued seeing Weinstein after the encounter and expressing warmth toward him. Mann has said she was mired in complicated feelings about him, herself and what had happened.
Her viewpoint changed in 2017, when a series of allegations against the Oscar-winning Weinstein propelled #MeToo. Some of those accusations generated criminal convictions against Weinstein in New York and California.
Weinstein, 74, has said he “acted wrongly” but never assaulted anyone.
The current jury heard nearly three weeks of testimony, five days of it from Mann. Weinstein did not testify.
The Associated Press generally does not identify people who say they have been sexually assaulted. Mann, however, has agreed to be named.
(AP) — Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani returned to his regularly scheduled show on Wednesday evening for the first time after being hospitalized for viral pneumonia earlier this month.
The 81-year-old opened his conservative talk show, “The Rudy Giuliani Show,” with assurances to his audience that he was on the mend — though not yet fully recovered. In early May, Giuliani was in critical condition and placed on a ventilator at a hospital in Palm Beach, Florida.
Reports of his illness were met with an outpouring of support and well-wishes from a range of high profile politicians across the political spectrum.
“I have to thank everyone who sent me prayers and good will,” he said. He specifically mentioned his gratitude to his family, the medical staff that tended to him and U.S. President Donald Trump, who Giuliani said called him after he became sick.
“It feels good to be back,” Giuliani said before cutting to his first break.
Giuliani was previously hospitalized last September after suffering a fractured vertebra and other injuries in a car crash in New Hampshire.
After Giuliani’s eight-year tenure as mayor, which was punctuated by the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001, the longtime Republican politician ran unsuccessfully for president in 2008 and eventually became a personal attorney and adviser to Trump.
Giuliani was a vocal proponent of the president’s allegations of fraud in the 2020 election, which was won by Democrat Joe Biden. Trump and his backers lost dozens of lawsuits claiming fraud, and numerous recounts, reviews and audits of the election results turned up no signs of significant wrongdoing or error.
Two former Georgia election workers later won a $148 million defamation judgment against Giuliani. As they sought to collect the judgment, the former federal prosecutor was found in contempt of court and faced a trial this winter over the ownership of some of his assets.
Giuliani ultimately struck a deal that let him keep his homes and various belongings, including prized World Series rings, in exchange for unspecified compensation and a promise to stop speaking ill of the ex-election workers.
