The shrinking supply of child-care workers continues to impact Kentucky, and advocates say helping more people receive a Child Development Associate degree could fill critical gaps in child care and early learning — especially in rural regions. Jennifer Roe is an early-childhood coordinator with Save the Children’s Early Steps Program who’s currently enrolled in a CDA program at Eastern Kentucky University. She said it hasn’t been easy working full time while in school, but says Save the Children’s Career Pathways Program has helped with tuition and other resources, putting her on track on track to graduate next spring. “When I walk across […]

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HAZARD, Ky. — The Perry County commonwealth’s attorney has been arrested after being accused of using his position to obtain sex and drugs from defendants his office was prosecuting. Scott Blair, 51, is charged in federal court with one count of honest services wire fraud. An affidavit filed by the investigating officer alleges Blair would communicate with defendants over Facebook Messenger and would offer to help them in exchange for meth or sexual favors. Investigators obtained a search warrant for Facebook to provide Blair’s message history. During a review of the messages, they identified five victims who Blair allegedly pressured […]

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PIKEVILLE, Ky. — A Pike County man is facing charges in both Pike District Court and federal court, after allegedly threatening an FBI agent. Court records say Gabriel Howell, 45, of Meta, went to the home of FBI agent Randy Copley back in December, saying he wanted to report a crime. Copley, who was on leave at the time, directed him to call the FBI to make his report, and Howell thanked him and left. On the afternoon of March 30, Copley spotted Howell driving by his house, then a couple of hours later noticed his mailbox had been heavily […]

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PIKEVILLE, Ky. — A Harrodsburg man has been sentenced to more than 15 years in prison, following his drug trafficking arrest in Paintsville in 2022. Aristotle White, 51, was arrested by Johnson County deputies following a traffic stop in May of 2022. During a search of his car, the officers found nearly 300 grams of meth, two loaded guns and more than $2,500 in cash. During his trial in November, witnesses testified that White would routinely obtain large amounts of meth and sell it in Johnson County and other places. On Monday, White was sentenced to 181 months in prison. […]

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ABINGDON, Va. — A federal judge split the difference when sentencing a southwestern Virginia man for possessing child porn. Shannon Michael Robert Gatlin, 21, pleaded guilty back in January, after he was found with sexual images of children on his phone. In separate filings, prosecutors asked the judge for a prison term within the sentencing guidelines of 51 to 63 months, while Gatlin’s attorney argued that he should receive no jail time and instead be sent to a halfway house. The judge opted to go with neither request, instead sentencing Gatlin below the guidelines to 30 months in prison. He […]

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