LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – Fayette County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Demetrus Liggins announced Tuesday he will recommend keeping The Stables alternative school at its current location through the end of next school year.

The school is located within the Kentucky Horse Park and allows students to work with horses while learning in a smaller setting. FCPS’ “Project Right Size Bright Futures” initiative had been considering terminating the facility contract over efficiency reasons.

Parents like Jennifer Boling understand the implications of the decision after seeing what the program did for her two children.

“It’s just changed their complete life around. Neither one of them trusted adults before,” Boling said.

The district’s Right Size Bright Futures committee had been looking at cutting the school’s facility contract with the nonprofit Central Kentucky Riding for Hope. Liggins acknowledged Tuesday that while the program is costly, it is worthwhile.

Liggins said he wants to promote the work being done to find partnerships to help continue the program’s long-term viability.

School Board Chair Tyler Murphy told WKYT he was excited to hear about Liggins’ recommendation ahead of Thursday’s board meeting.

“They do incredible work. The passion around that work is very meaningful and powerful. It’s important because they are truly leaving an impact on every child that goes through their doors,” Murphy said.

The leader of the school’s partnering agency shares in Murphy’s excitement.

“Elated that there’s been a response and gratified that people took time to listen to the story of our participants,” said Pat Kline, executive director of Central Kentucky Riding for Hope.

Boling said while she is more optimistic than before, she needs to see results.

“I want to see them actually follow through and not just be words,” Boling said.

According to Liggins, the Stables program costs the school district about $1.1 million. A majority of that comes from personnel, he said.

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MADISON COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — A Central Kentucky mother is working to raise money for her daughter’s funeral after the woman died unexpectedly while visiting a friend in Pennsylvania last week.

Ashley Lowery McCoy’s mother, Paula Carrier, said the community has stepped up during her time of shock, raising around $5,000 for funeral arrangements in just four days.

“She’ll look down on all of us, and she’ll be smiling. She’ll say, ‘Hey, they actually love me,’” Carrier said. “She’d be proud of everybody for stepping up. She’d see that she mattered.”

McCoy had recently left a sober living program about a month ago after battling drug addiction, according to her mother. At the same time, McCoy managed to leave an abusive relationship.

“My daughter’s seen me get clean. She wanted to get clean, and she did it,” Carrier said. “She would tell you, ‘Mom, you should be proud of me because I’m doing good,’” Carrier said.

McCoy’s pastor said she had recently given herself to God before leaving for her trip to Pennsylvania.

“You could tell that she was broken and she wants a change in life,” Senior Pastor at the Revival Hope Tabernacle church, Walter Rhodus said.

“She left this world and I mean she gets to spend eternity in heaven. That’s priceless. I mean, absolutely priceless,” the pastor said.

With Ashley’s funeral scheduled for December 19, the family is still $2,000 short of covering the costs. They have set up several donation locations in Jessamine County and Madison County.

LEX 18

“No mom should have to do that. If I don’t get it, I don’t know what I want to do, I’ll sell everything I’ve got,” Carrier said. “If I could, I’d ride back here with her. I would take my child’s place.”

The semifinal stage is set for No. 1 seed Kentucky volleyball, as the Wildcats prepare to take on No. 3 seed Wisconsin in the NCAA Final Four on Thursday, Dec. 18, at 9:00 PM ET inside the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.

Kentucky has been dominant throughout the NCAA Tournament, including a 3–0 sweep of Wofford, a sweep against Cal Poly in the Sweet 16, and a sweep over Creighton in the Elite Eight. Their only dropped set came in the Round of 32 against UCLA. Outside of that brief hiccup, Kentucky has controlled matches from start to finish and remains undefeated at home this season.

Wisconsin arrives in Kansas City after a statement win over No. 1 Texas in the Elite Eight. The Badgers earned a measure of revenge against the Longhorns, who handed Wisconsin one of its four losses during the regular season. Kentucky accounted for Texas’ other two defeats, beating the Longhorns in both the regular season and the SEC Tournament championship.

Thursday’s matchup also carries historical weight for Big Blue Nation. Wisconsin was the team that ended Kentucky men’s basketball’s perfect 38–0 season in the 2015 Final Four, denying the Wildcats an undefeated national title.

Now, Kentucky volleyball has an opportunity to write a different ending against the Badgers on the sport’s biggest stage.

If the Wildcats advance, they’ll face the winner of the other national semifinal matchup, which sees No. 1 seed Pittsburgh, who actually handed Kentucky one of its regular-season losses, take on No. 3 seed Texas A&M, whom the Cats defeated in College Station.

With a spot in the national championship match on the line, the Wildcats will look to continue their dominant run and settle an old score. The national championship game is Sunday, Dec. 21, on ABC at 3:30 PM ET.