Unseasonably mild air kicks in for the holiday late this week

Afternoon highs should surge into the 60s for Christmas Day

After a nice kick off to the winter season with sunshine and seasonal temperatures to close out the weekend on Sunday, we started out Christmas week with some additional sunshine early before clouds started to build in through the day as a mid-level wave moved toward the Ohio Valley from the southwest. We did manage to squeeze in another unseasonably…

Lexington woman charged with marijuana trafficking, wanton endangerment enters not guilty plea

LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – A Lexington woman accused of trafficking large amounts of marijuana and putting others at risk with a firearm has entered a not guilty plea in Fayette District Court. Rachel Abner appeared via Zoom from the Fayette County Detention Center on Monday for her arraignment. Court records show Abner is charged with first-degree trafficking in…

Lexington man charged with arson after hotel fire on North Broadway, citation says

LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – A Lexington man is facing felony charges after police say he intentionally set a fire at a local hotel, creating a dangerous situation for people inside. According to a Uniform Citation filed by the Lexington Police Department, 33-year-old Christopher P. Britt was arrested late Saturday night following an incident at the Days Inn on…

Rockcastle County home destroyed in Sunday fire; no injuries reported

ROCKCASTLE COUNTY, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – A home was destroyed by fire early Sunday morning in Rockcastle County, according to the Brodhead Fire Department. Firefighters say crews were called just before 4 a.m. to a house fire on Sue Johnson Road. When they arrived, the fire was significant enough that multiple units from surrounding agencies were requested to help…

Car crashes into Lexington home; no injuries reported

LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – Police are continuing to investigate after a vehicle crashed into a home Sunday afternoon in Lexington. According to Lexington police, the crash happened around 5:15 p.m. on Astaire Drive near Hollow Creek Road. Officers say a vehicle struck a residence, causing damage to the home. Police confirmed no one was injured in the crash….

Vehicle crashes into pole and pedestrian bridge in Somerset, driver hospitalized

PULASKI COUNTY, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – One person was taken to the hospital early Sunday morning after a crash involving a utility pole and part of a pedestrian bridge in Somerset, according to the Somerset Fire Department. Fire officials say the crash happened at the intersection of East Highway 80 and North College Street. Crews say the driver left…

Jim Beam to pause production at Clermont distillery amid supply and cost pressures

BULLITT COUNTY, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – Bourbon maker Jim Beam has announced plans to pause production at its main distillery in Clermont, citing a combination of supply concerns and rising costs across the industry. According to the company, the production pause will take effect on January 1, and reportedly last through 2026. One of the major factors involves supply….

Despite Monday’s cold start, a warmer Christmas is on the way

Chilly morning temps ahead of a warmer afternoon Temperatures through Monday morning have been cold in the 20s and 30s, with a slight wind chill. A coat or jacket will be needed through the morning, and you may find some frost on your car before sunrise. By lunchtime, temperatures will rise to the 40s, and we reach the mid-50s this…

Sunshine fades into colder nights before a milder Christmas week

Clear skies tonight give way to warming temperatures, light rain chances, and unseasonably mild weather heading toward Christmas.

Sunshine Today, Cold Tonight It turned out to be a really nice winter day across the area with plenty of sunshine overhead. Even though temperatures only climbed into the low 40s this afternoon, the sunshine made it feel much more pleasant compared to recent days. This clear sky setup is important heading into tonight, as it will allow temperatures to…

Lexington cyclists celebrate holidays with merry and bright bike ride

LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – The Lexington cycling community lit up the city Wednesday during the Merry and Bright Bike Ride, marking a festive new milestone for local riders. Nearly 90 cyclists kicked off the event at Country Boy Brewing and rode through Oliver Lewis Way, the University of Kentucky campus, and Ashland Park. Along the route, riders stopped…

Botulism outbreak linked to ByHeart Infant Formula reaches 51 cases

(ABC36 NEWS NOW) – A botulism outbreak linked to ByHeart infant formula has now reached 51 cases across 19 states. ByHeart voluntarily recalled all its baby formula products after tests suggested potential contamination with the bacteria that causes botulism. A law firm has filed a lawsuit against ByHeart on behalf of nearly 30 families affected by the outbreak. One Southern…

Former McCreary County Assistant Principal sentenced to 10 years in federal prison

(ABC36 NEWS NOW) – A former assistant principal at McCreary County High School has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after attempting to persuade a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity online. According to court documents, 52-year-old Aaron Anderson communicated with the minor through Microsoft Teams using the victim’s school-issued Chromebook. Investigators say the conversations occurred daily…

Roller coaster ride of temperatures continues into the weekend

Afternoon highs will pop back into the low 50s Saturday

We saw a big reminder on Friday that the winter season is officially arriving this weekend as a blast of much colder air moved back into the commonwealth to end the week. Very strong winds, heavy rain and mild air along a cold front late Thursday gave way to more winter-like air and a few snowflakes to begin Friday. Winds…

Tennessee Governor pardons music star Jelly Roll

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – Tennessee Governor has granted a pardon to rapper-turned-country music star Jelly Roll. Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason DeFord, was originally convicted of robbery as a juvenile and granted parole in 2005. While on parole, he was later charged and convicted of possession with intent to sell cocaine, a sentence he completed in…

YouTube to stop providing streaming data to Billboard charts

(ABC36 NEWS NOW) – YouTube will no longer provide streaming data to Billboard’s music charts beginning next month. The announcement was made Wednesday by YouTube’s global head of music, who said the company disagrees with how Billboard weighs different types of music streams when compiling its charts. According to YouTube, Billboard’s current formula does not place enough value on ad-supported…