Sayre School and Lighthouse Ministries provide Thanksgiving meals and socks in Lexington

LEXINGTON, KY. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – For nearly 20 years, Sayre School and the Lighthouse Ministries have teamed up to provide Thanksgiving meals and socks to local families in need. Sayre students from preschool through eighth grade are asked to bring food for the dinner, while upper school students contribute pies for dessert. Due to a high demand for socks,…

Lextran receives $6 million federal grant for bus upgrades in Lexington

LEXINGTON, KY. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – Upgrades are coming to Lexington and Louisville’s bus systems after Senator Mitch McConnell announced federal grants to improve maintenance facilities. The federal grants awarded to Lextran come from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration. According to a release, Lextran will receive more than six million dollars in federal funding. The transit system…

Slow improvement in our weather this weekend

We'll finally see a return of some sunshine, especially on Sunday

It’s been a damp and dreary stretch of weather the last few days here in Central and Eastern Kentucky and Friday was no exception. With a frontal boundary laid out across the commonwealth and a wave of low pressure sliding in from the west, we saw another day of scattered rain and a few rumbles of thunder. Temperatures varied once…

Big Blue Crush Blood Drive wraps up in Lexington with UK in the lead

LEXINGTON, KY. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – Today marks the final day of the Big Blue Crush Blood Drive, a five-day competition between the University of Kentucky and the University of Tennessee. According to the Kentucky Blood Center, UK fans regained the lead yesterday with 475 donors, surpassing Tennessee’s 418. The current score stands at 17,35 to 16,88 in favor of…

Vintage Superman comic sells for record nine million dollars

(ABC36 NEWS NOW) – A vintage, high-grade copy of a forgotten Superman comic book set a record at auction on Thursday. “Superman Number One” from 1939 sold for just over nine million dollars through Heritage Auctions. The auction house says the comic was discovered last year by three brothers cleaning out the attic of their late mother’s California home. The…

Comer demands in-person depositions from Bill and Hillary Clinton in Epstein probe

WASHINGTON, D.C. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer says former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton must sit for in-person depositions as part of the panel’s investigation into the Jeffrey Epstein case. Comer warned that contempt proceedings could begin if they do not comply. While the committee has allowed some subpoenaed individuals…

Walmart reports surge in U.S. sales as shoppers seek relief from rising costs

(ABC36 NEWS NOW) – More Americans are turning to Walmart as they look for relief from the ongoing affordability crisis. In its quarterly financial report released Thursday, the company said its U.S. business is surging and it is gaining market share from competitors. Walmart reported that domestic sales grew 4.5% last quarter. The retail giant also saw an increase in…

Nurse technician accused of sexual assault at Cardinal Hill appears in court

LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – A nurse technician accused of sexually assaulting a patient at a rehabilitation facility was due in court Friday. According to court records, 61-year-old Johnnie Sparkman was scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 8:30 a.m. on sodomy charges. Police say Sparkman was arrested Monday after a report of a sexual assault involving a patient at…

Rowan County murder suspect Joshua Cottrell set for court arraignment

ROWAN COUNTY, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – A man accused of killing a Morehead woman and her teenage daughter is due back in court Friday. According to court records, 44-year-old Joshua Cottrell is scheduled for an arraignment at 1 p.m. following his recent grand jury indictment. As previously reported, Cottrell is charged with murder in connection to the deaths of…

Lexington Police remembering Lt. John Thomas

LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – The Lexington Police Department is honoring the memory of Lieutenant John Thomas, who was killed in the line of duty on November 21, 1967. Thomas was shot and killed while responding to a domestic disturbance on Richmond Avenue. Lieutenant Thomas was a 10-year veteran of the Fayette County Police Department. He was 31 years…

UK Healthcare delivers toys to more than 600 students through annual Circle of Love event

LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – UK Healthcare employees packed buses, trucks and trailers with toys Friday as part of the 39th annual Circle of Love gift pickup, an effort that supports children across Central Kentucky. Staff and volunteers work with schools in surrounding counties each year to identify families in need and help create wish lists for students. “Right…

Seniors face steep increase in Medicare premiums

WASHINGTON, D.C. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – Senior citizens across the U.S. are preparing for significant increases in their health insurance premiums next year. Medicare Part B premiums are set to rise nearly 10 percent — the largest jump in four years. In raw dollar amounts, it marks the second-largest premium increase in the history of the Medicare program. According to…

State Department report to focus on Freedom of Speech

WASHINGTON, D.C. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – The U.S. State Department is beginning work on its next human rights report, and officials say it will include a major emphasis on freedom of speech. The upcoming report will continue the focus of the most recent edition released in August, which highlighted alleged human rights concerns in several allied nations — including the…

Police investigate deadly shooting; Coroner identifies victim

UPDATE: The Fayette County Coroner’s Office says 45-year-old Andrew Boyd is the victim who was shot and killed. According to the coroner’s office, no city of residence was given. We’ll continue to update this story as we learn new information. ORIGINAL STORY: LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – Lexington Police are investigating a homicide after a man was found shot…

New Festival of Lights debuts at Lexington Legends Ballpark this weekend

LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, a new holiday attraction is making its debut at the Lexington Legends Ballpark. The Legendary Festival of Lights opens Friday and will run through January 4. According to event organizers, the display features more than one million lights, including themed exhibits, glowing tunnels, illuminated trees…

Soggy Friday weather ahead of a mostly dry weekend

Friday On and off rain showers will move through the Bluegrass throughout the day. At some points, this rainfall may be heavy. No major impacts are expected. You may hear a few rumbles of thunder. Temperatures will be mild in the mid-60s thanks to a warm front. The rain will persist overnight, accompanied by some thunderstorms after midnight. Weekend Rain…

Parole Board revokes Ronald Exantus’ supervision, orders he remain incarcerated

FRANKFORT, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – The Kentucky Parole Board says it has revoked Ronald Exantus’ Mandatory Reentry Supervision and ordered that he remain in prison, following a file review conducted on Nov. 20. According to a written statement from the Parole Board, Exantus admitted to violating the conditions of his supervision after being returned to Kentucky late last month….

Rain back around to close out the week

We may finally see a brief break from the wet pattern with some sunshine returning by Sunday

Sunshine has been at a premium the last few days where in Central and Eastern Kentucky on Thursday was no exception. With lots of low moisture in place, it was another mostly cloudy day as the dreary weather stayed put. We did manage to finally break out of the mid-40s here in the Bluegrass, where we had been camped out…

KSP launches annual “Cram the Cruiser” food drive to fight hunger statewide

FRANKFORT, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – Kentucky State Police are kicking off their annual “Cram the Cruiser” food drive and are encouraging Kentuckians to help fight hunger across the Commonwealth. KSP says all 16 posts across the state will be collecting non-perishable food items, including canned meats, peanut butter, soups and other shelf-stable goods. Troopers will be set up at…