Big Rock, KY

Kentucky State Police announced that the remains of a missing eastern Kentucky woman have been identified using rapid DNA testing. “Utilizing the ANDE Rapid DNA Identification System, technology that generates DNA identification from forensic samples in fewer than two hours,” state police positively identified a Leslie County woman missing since 2020.

PENNINGTON GAP — Tammy Jo Franklin’s first week as Pennington Gap’s new parks and recreation director included hosting more than 100 kids at Leeman Field Park. “They hired me and said they want to have a kids’ fishing day,” Franklin said with a laugh on Monday, after organizing the May 21 event with 115 children casting lines into the Powell River.

JONESVILLE – What do you do when your department gets 24 new sets of body armor?. Lee County Sheriff Gary Parsons decided that his department’s now-surplus armor is going to help people facing an organized enemy – the Russian army. “These vests can still stop bullets or...

HAZARD, Ky. (WYMT) - On Monday, Kentucky State Police officially kicked off the “Click it or Ticket” campaign. Officials say the campaign follows a report that ranked Perry County as having the highest percentage of deaths with people not wearing a seatbelt. The goal of “Click it or...

HAZARD, Ky. (WYMT) - We’re slowly working this morning’s rain out of the mountains, but we’re not quite finished with the soggy conditions quite yet. This particular frontal boundary will continue to work on out of the region this evening and into the overnight, bringing an end to our showers for the overnight and much of the day on Tuesday. We’ve still got the cooler air filtering into the region overnight as lows fall back into the middle and upper 50s.

The University of Kentucky’s Make Better Choices 2 program is now up and running at the old Benham Hospital location in Benham, kicked off with a recent ribbon cutting ceremony. Harlan County Judge-Executive Dan Mosley discussed how the project came to Harlan County. “The old Benham Hospital building was...

HAZARD, Ky. (WYMT) - Health authorities confirmed the first cases of monkeypox here in the U.S. last week, leaving individuals to ask what monkeypox is and how contagious it can be. Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by the monkeypox virus and can be spread by close contact with another...

HAZARD, Ky. (WYMT) - Tuesday’s Mountain Student Achiever was Shenia Marie Hampton. Shenia is a senior at Jenkins-Middle High Scholl and has a 3.7 GPA. Shenia is a member of the National Honor Society and won and Engineering Design award. Congratulations, Shenia!

HAZARD, Ky. (WYMT) - Regional tournaments have begun across the mountains. Somerset 13, Southwestern 3 - 12th Region Quarterfinals (6 innings) Wayne County 2, Rockcastle County 1 - 12th Region Quarterfinals. Whitley County 4, Jackson County 2 - 13th Region Quarterfinals. Breathitt County 10, Leslie County 2 - 14th Region...

HAZARD, Ky. (WYMT) - Your rain gear is going to be your friend for much of this week. Keep it handy. The new work, and for many kids, the final school week, starts soggy. A stalled front and low pressure to our south will do two things today: It will keep rain chances around for the majority of the day and it should keep us much cooler than what we’ve seen lately. I would be shocked if we made it too far past the 60-degree mark later. Yes, you read that right. After record-breaking heat last week, we will start this week with well below average temperatures. We’ll try 65 for a high today, but we may have already reached that around midnight. Stay tuned.

The Harlan Police Department will be conducting traffic safety checkpoints within the Harlan City limits and surrounding areas to check motorists for compliance with motor vehicle laws including driving under the influence. This is to provide for a high visibility, public safety service, focusing on vehicular equipment deficiencies, confirming appropriate...

ELKHORN CITY, Ky. (WYMT) - A ribbon cutting was held Friday for Mountain Comprehensive Health Corporation’s newest clinic in Elkhorn City. Representative Angie Hatton (D-94th District) said the new facility will provide mammograms, pulmonary therapy, labs and X-rays. The clinic will provide 20 to 30 jobs.

WHITESBURG, Ky. (WYMT) - After being canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, Mayfest returned to downtown Whitesburg on Saturday with vendors, food, music and more. “To have an event like this where we can all gather in one spot and have lots of people in one spot is the coolest thing,” said Whitesburg City Manager and owner of Caudill Corn, Chris Caudill. “The city of Whitesburg and tourism have worked together to do this, and we’re just thrilled about it.”

BIG STONE GAP — Tyler Hughes keeps busy as a state park education specialist, Big Stone Gap Town Council member and musician. Oh, and as a Grand Old Opry performer. Hughes joined bluegrass duo Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent on stage Tuesday for his Opry debut — the latest step in a 17-year musical journey.

BENHAM, Ky. (WYMT) - The Benham Schoolhouse Inn hosted its third special needs prom Friday night. The prom was canceled the past two years because of COVID-19. However, the red carpet was rolled out for attendees to show off their outfits!. They danced and learned moves to the Macarena and...

HAZARD, Ky. (WYMT) - Scattered showers and storms will be possible on Saturday and Sunday, but it will NOT be an all-day washout for either day. Into tonight, we stay partly cloudy. Scattered showers and storms will be possible, but it will not rain everywhere. Low temperatures only fall into the upper-60s and lower-70s.