Kentucky
Kentucky sees drastic decline in sports officials
LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — There are thousands fewer sports officials in Kentucky than a few years ago, and the Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) points to one major issue – spectators.
“I think you’re seeing officials get out of the officiating business is one problem and the other problem is people don’t want to get into it,” said associate commissioner Butch Cope.
Cope said the number of officials dropped from about 9,000 officials in 2018 to 5,700 in 2023. He said it’s because of bad sportsmanship.
“Fans just need to take a breath, and stop and think sometimes, the things they say, the coaches or administrators, would they say that to their spouse? Would they say that to their school principal? Would they say that to their superintendent?” said Cope.
He said if there aren’t enough referees, games will be canceled. Cope said it’s typically freshman and JV games that get the axe—in order for varsity games to still go on.
Soccer and wrestling have the biggest shortages of sports officials, but the KHSAA has devised a creative solution in recent years to combat that. It’s a program that gets 14-17-year-olds officiating for lower-level games with a mentor.
“They’re not perfect, but I don’t think our players or coaches are perfect either so we got to work together to improve the sportsmanship aspect,” said Cope.
If you’re interested in becoming a sports official, click here for more information.
Beechwood senior wide receiver Tyler Fryman has committed to University of Kentucky football and baseball according to Hayes Fawcett of Rivals.
Fryman made the change to the Wildcats on June 26, just three days after announcing he was decommitting from Louisville Cardinals baseball. Fryman had been committed to Louisville since 2023.
The four-star recruit took an official visit to Kentucky on June 19. A week later, he’s flipped his school and added a new sport.
For Beechwood last season, Fryman caught 62 passes for 1,320 yards and 23 touchdowns. He was also the 9th Region Player of the Year in baseball and an indoor track state champion.
Fryman also had football offers from Cincinnati, Notre Dame and Ole Miss among others.
GRAYSON, Ky. (WSAZ) – New information has been released in the search for a missing woman at Grayson Lake.
According to game wardens with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Marly Kinney, 19, of Ashland, was last seen at Grayson Lake on Wednesday afternoon.
They say search efforts are focused on the water at this time and include Kentucky State Police aerial support, drones, boats, and K9 assistance.
Crews suspend search for missing teen for the night
The search is now into its third day, with officials saying on and off rain has hindered their search and that a group of 50 volunteers are walking the banks of the lake to help in the search.
Search and rescue boats have been seen at the lake as well.
Officials say there are still many questions, including if Kinney is still alive and where exactly she went missing.
They also say they’ve been using a variety of equipment, including sonar and thermal detectors, as well as helicopters and underwater drones.
WSAZ received a statement from Kinney’s family Friday afternoon:
“We are very appreciative of the absolute surplus of support from law enforcement, search and rescue, 1st responders, and all of the community and its volunteers that are here with us and for us searching for Marly. We do not even know how to express our absolute gratitude to you all. We continue to have faith she will be found and brought back to us. We know we have the very best people doing all they can to bring her home.”
Anyone with information is asked to call 911.
We are still working to get more information.
Previous coverage can be found here.
Copyright 2026 WSAZ. All rights reserved.
13 things more likely to happen than winning the Powerball jackpot
Hoping to win the Powerball jackpot? Here are 13 things more likely to happen than becoming an instant millionaire.
The Kentucky Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Thursday, June 25, 2026 winning numbers for each game.
Cash Ball
02-08-24-32, Cash Ball: 09
Check Cash Ball payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 3
Evening: 6-3-0
Midday: 9-6-0
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 4
Evening: 5-7-6-0
Midday: 5-2-6-6
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Millionaire for Life
03-13-14-34-45, Bonus: 01
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Courier Journal digital producer. You can send feedback using this form.
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