LEX 18 Lexington

Richmond Police are trying to figure out why two state employees had the windows of their cars smashed. It happened sometime Tuesday in the parking lot of the Social Services Office on West Irvine Street in downtown Richmond. Police say two suv's ...both personal vehicles of employees at the agency... had broken windows. Police say they suspect criminal mischief. Permalink | Comments Full Story »

A death investigation is underway in Perry County, where a woman was found dead in a ditch Tuesday morning. Kentucky State Police said Deborah Oliver, 44, was found near her home on Ladder Branch Road in Hazard. Foul play is not suspected, police said, but they are not ruling it out. Permalink | Comments Full Story »

The man who played the first Ronald McDonald character has died at the age of 86 in a Kentucky hospital. Michael Polakovs, also known as Coco the Clown, died over the weekend at a hospital in Boyd County, where he was living. McDonald's Corporation hired Polakovs in 1966, and he designed the outfit and makeup that is still worn by the character today. He appeared in the first eight TV ... Full Story »

A former radio personality on a Lexington radio station has been formally indicted on child pornography charges. Roy D. Baldridge, formerly known as "Dusty Dan" on 98.1 The Bull, was arrested in October on gun charges. Police said they later added child porn charges after finding hundreds of pornographic images in his home. The grand jury returned indictments on four counts of Possessing Matter ... Full Story »

State officials have announced the release of the 2009 Kentucky State Capitol Ornament. It's the seventh in a limited-edition series. This year's ornament features Henry Clay, legendary Kentuckian and statesman. The proceeds of each year's ornament sales support the mission to preserve the Capitol. They may be purchased for $20 at The Berry Mansion, The 1792 Store at the Thomas D. Clark Center ... Full Story »

Christmas lights shine brightly over the Salvation Army's Angel tree at Fayette Mall, but the holiday spirit is overshadowed by an incredible need. The Angel Tree program has helped thousands of needy kids, but the Salvation Army says that things look bleak this year with 1,800 children looking at Christmas with no presents, double the amount last year when the organization put out a desperate ... Full Story »

RICHMOND, Ky. (AP) - Army officials are trying to win support for a proposed change to their chemical weapons destruction plans in Kentucky that would allow the limited use of explosives to destroy some of the most troublesome mustard munitions.       The plan gets a public hearing Tuesday in Richmond.       It raised concerns because Kentucky had persuaded the Army to use neutralization rather ... Full Story »

A fire early Tuesday morning in a house on North Broadway in Lexington displaced as many as seven Transylvania University students. Fire officials say one student woke up 3:30 a.m. to what he called popping noises in the attic. When he went and looked, he found the attic area filled with smoke and flames. The student woke his room mates and got everybody out of the house. Firefighters say that ... Full Story »

A man was killed in a Montgomery County crash Monday night. Police say Stacy M. Bratton, 40, of Mt. Sterling was travling west on US 460 about 10:30 p.m. in a 2002 Chevy Trail Blazer when he attempted to take the 110 eastbound onramp to I-64. Bratton lost control of the vehicle and hit a utility pole. Investigators say Bratton was ejected from the vehicle. Wally Johnson, Montgomery County ... Full Story »

A fire swept through a historic Bath County building  Monday night. Firefighters got the call about 11:30 p.m. When they arrived at the Owingsville Outlet along North Court Street in Owingsville, they found flames raging inside the building.Firefighters say they were able to knock the fire out quickly, but the interior of the building sustained heavy damage. Nobody was injured in the fire ... Full Story »

Hundreds gathered on the capitol steps in Frankfort Monday night, all thanks to the tree that sits at the end of Capitol Avenue. It all started with a state memo in November that referred to the tree as a "holiday tree." After backlash from Kentucky Christians, the state was quick to respond by calling it a "Christmas tree" at the lighting ceremony last week. "I just want everybody to know that ... Full Story »

Late Monday afternoon, a jury returned a verdict of $7.1 million in favor of the family of Louisiana-native Bryan Keith Woodward who was killed in the Aug. 27, 2006 Comair crash of Flight 5191 at Blue Grass Airport. The four-day trial quietly played out in The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky in Lexington. Woodward was returning home from a business trip to ... Full Story »

Jury selection has been completed and opening statements are expected to begin Tuesday morning in the trial of a Montgomery County woman accused of shooting and killing her husband. Pam Bartley is accused of shooting her husband, Carl Bartley, in their home in July 2007. The trial was originally scheduled to begin earlier this year, but officials were unable to seat a jury in Montgomery County ... Full Story »

Jury selection has been completed and opening arguments are expected to begin Tuesday morning in the trial of a Montgomery County woman accused of shooting and killing her husband. Pam Bartley is accused of shooting her husband, Carl Bartley, in their home in July 2007. The trial was originally scheduled to begin earlier this year, but officials were unable to seat a jury in Montgomery County ... Full Story »

Two students escaped injury Monday afternoon after the school bus they were on ran off the road. The accident happened on Highway 2034 in the Crafts Colley community just after 4 p.m. So far, no other information on the accident has been released. LEX 18 will have more details as they become available. Permalink | Comments Full Story »

Two former caregivers at a Carter County nursing home have entered into plea agreements on charges of abusing a patient. Todd Gribbens and Earl Pelphrey pleaded guilty to several charges Friday in Carter County circuit court. The two were indicted in 2007 in connection with the abuse of Michael Price, a mentally-handicapped adult who was being cared for at Community Presence, Inc. As part of the ... Full Story »

A teenager who died in a Pulaski County crash Sunday night was a driving friend's car with no driver's license or learner's permit, her family said Monday. State Police say Bailey Haynes, 16, was behind the wheel on US 27 south of Somerset when the Pontiac Grand-Prix she was driving crossed the center line and collided head-on with a  2000 Ford Ranger pickup operated by Erin Perry, 20, of ... Full Story »

UK wide receiver/quarterback Randall Cobb has been named to the first-team of the 2009 All-SEC team, which was released by the Associated Press Monday. Cobb, a sophomore, was named to the offensive team as an All-Purpose player. He is the only Wildcat named to the first team. Junior running back/kick returner Derrick Locke was named an All-Purpose player on the second team. Tackle Corey Peters ... Full Story »

A 14-year-old Anderson County missing since Sunday has been found safe, her mother told LEX 18 Monday afternoon. Chelsey Lane Deshazer of Lawrenceburg was spotted at a Paris gas station by a Kentucky State Police trooper early Monday afternoon after an anonymous tip was called in. KSP had called the girl a "runaway," but says her disappearance might had been linked to internet social networks ... Full Story »

Kentucky’s John Wall was named SEC Freshman of the Week Monday for the third straight week after he averaged 14.0 points, 10.5 assists and 4.5 rebounds in leading the Wildcats to wins over UNC Asheville and 10th-ranked North Carolina. Wall recorded a double-double with 12 points and 14 assists to go with six steals against UNC Asheville. The 14 assists are a UK freshman record and the most by a ... Full Story »

Kentucky plans to stick with its three-drug cocktail as it seeks to legally readopt its execution method and resume giving lethal injections to condemned inmates.       Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet spokeswoman Jennifer Brislin told The Associated Press on Monday that the current protocol will be put through public hearings as the state seeks to comply with a Kentucky Supreme Court ... Full Story »

The case of a former UK basketball star charged in a ticket scam case has been waived to a Fayette County grand jury. Derrick Miller is accused of selling UK tickets he never produced in at least five Kentucky counties. Last month, Miller, who was originally charged with theft, pleaded guilty to criminal attempt in Clark County after police say he took about $5,000 from two Clark County ... Full Story »

Gov. Steve Beshear isn't ruling out the possibility of government layoffs as Kentucky tries to work through a lingering budget crisis caused by the faltering economy.       Beshear told reporters on Monday that developing a balanced budget is the biggest issue that he and lawmakers will face in the upcoming legislative session. He painted a bleak financial picture for a state that already has ... Full Story »

Jury selection has begun in the trial of a Montgomery County woman accused of shooting and killing her husband. Pam Bartley is accused of shooting her husband, Carl Bartley, in their home in July 2007. The trial was originally scheduled to begin earlier this year, but officials were unable to seat a jury in Montgomery County, so the trial was moved to Rowan County. Bartley's defense last month ... Full Story »

Police in Warren County have released a composite sketch of a man wanted for questioning in the murder of a Western Kentucky University professor last month. Martha "Bettina" Richmond of Bowling Green was found stabbed to death in her vehicle in the parking lot of the Bowling Green Parks and Recreation building at about 11:30 p.m. on November 22.  Over the past two weeks police have interviewed ... Full Story »