Good morning, Kentucky, EA eighth five here at News Radio eight forty whas it is Kentucky and it's Morning News with Nick Coffee. One more hour to go and certainly a lot more to get into. As you could expect, we have talked a lot about the decision yesterday from
the jury. It did not take them very long at all to determine that they believe both how and Lawson were guilty of what they were charged with, and it didn't take them long to determine what they think those sentences should be for How life in prison and twenty five years I believe was is the recommendation for Lawson, and this is certainly a big step in getting i mean,
getting closer for the Rogers family. But when it comes to her father, that was not you know what we know about his death, his murder, it obviously isn't going to be allowed to be brought up during the trial and the prosecution of these two individuals that were found guilty. But of all the things that just make the Hawk family look as if they clearly had something to do with both Crystal Rogers and her father being dead, the brother Nick Hawk, who again both Rosemary Hawk and Nick
Hawk are listed as unindicted co conspirators. That's the way they were labeled during this trial. And I don't know enough about what would need to happen as far as actual charges and them being indicted, but I know I'm not the only one that when I hear from Detective John Snow yesterday after the verdict, I mean, those are the first two people that I thought of. And here's
what John Snow had to say yesterday. You just heard this in the news of table, John Shannon, but why not play once more for those that may have missed.
It was a reaction hearing that verdict. Knowing you've been on this case, probably everybody videoed my reaction. It's a very emotional case.
It's been a long time coming and we're glad to see justice.
So didn't feel like a weight was lifted today, Detective.
No, I feel like we got a little more go, a little more to go.
What does that mean, Jose.
A little more to go? And as far as what that means, he says, we will see. So again, the piece of evidence that that I was referencing a moment ago, is that the.
Yeah, the weapon, the gun? It was.
Yeah, let me make sure I have this correct. The gun that was used to kill Tommy Ballard, Crystal Rodgers' father, was sold by Nick Howke, who used a fake name. I mean again, that's not I guess, direct proof that he was. I mean again, like I just can't say it out loud that that doesn't that that doesn't scream that he clearly had something to do with it. So again, he's also for those who don't know the full background
of the brother, and I'm sure most people do. He was a former law enforcement officer who was let go from his position because he was getting in the way of the investigation of Crystal Rogers appearent disappearance, and he couldn't account for where he was the night of the night of her disappearance. He turned his phone off and was unreachable. His girlfriend at the time testified during the trial to go on and say that that that was
very unusual for him to just be unreachable. He blamed it on just not wanting to fight with his girlfriend at the time or something like that. So right now, that is what we know about Nick how can his involvement. But yes, the gun that was used to kill Tommy Ballard, which by the way, the belief was that he was getting closer to maybe figuring out what had happened, and then sure enough, he goes hunting with his grandson in November of twenty sixteen to then be taken out by
a rifle. And again that rifle. Prosecutors claim it was sold to an undercover agent by Nick how who used a fake name, and the ballistics It says the initial forensic testing reportedly matched four or five comparisons as far as the criteria that is needed for it to be the actual murder weapon. So I mean, maybe the next is a some is a charge that can can have
him be held responsible for the murder of her father. Now, Rosemary Hawk, I guess really all we know from the trial here is that just by being listed as an unindicted co conspirator, you know, she's accused of wanting to, you know, to help get rid of Crystal Rogers, and of course that didn't just mean out of their life, but I guess getting rid of her altogether. And of course she had conversations about, you know, having somebody help
them in that process. So I mean, the scenario where these two that are again unindicted right now, didn't have some level of involvement I think is I mean, I don't know how many people would actually believe that, but that doesn't that doesn't necessarily always mean that they can bring charges and and justice can be can be served like we just got yesterday. But again, a big day for Barge Town. Is I know, they're probably celebrating the fact that justice was served and certainly happy I would
imagine for Crystal Rodgers and her family. But as you heard from the detective John Snow, there's still two murder cases that are unsolved and they're not done working on it. And as far as being able to get justice, we shall see, but I'd say after yesterday, they're at least headed in the right direction. All right, let's get an update on traffic and weather. Also, one thing I want to talk about here before we get out here and
hand it off to Tony and Dwight. For those who don't know, I'm a big time a Louisville fan, which of course means when it comes to the rivalry with Louisville and Kentucky, I'm very much pro Louisville and if I prefer Kentucky lose at everything. But there is a Kentucky football player that I think has become my all time favorite Kentucky football player, as gross as that sounds to say as a Louisville fan, I love this guy and I'm rooting for him this year. And i'll tell
you why. Come up in just a few minutes right here our news ready wait, forty whs. So it sounds like we've got traffic flowing once again on the Water sent Expressway. Around five point thirty this morning, an accident took place that had three lanes blocked. That was just past the Breckenridge Breckenridge Lane exit, and obviously that can be a real pain in the you know what. And the visual that I saw from WKY during their morning news was, I mean, it looked like a big parking lot.
But yeah, the three lanes were blocked and it was just a one car accident and there were no injuries, which I guess that's good news. But it took a while to get everything cleaned up for traffic to start moving freely again, but they got there, so that's that's good news.
All right. It is eight seventeen here Kentucky.
In his morning news news radio eight to forty whas Nick Coffee. That is me and for those that are that are still getting to know me a little bit, I'm a big Louisvevil fan meeting, I'm pro U of l and I'll be real, I'll be objective, but obviously I prefer to see Kentucky lose because that's just how rivalry works. It's not personal. In fact, if you were a part of the rivalry, I'm sure you get it.
So with all that said, there is a Kentucky football player that I feel for, at least I did feel sorry for, and now I'm I'm I'm rooting this guy on because he's the punter for Kentucky's name is Aiden Lross and he was voted as I guess, the softest college football player in the country according to EA Sports. So every year, I guess moving forward, it went away for a while, but lot, John, last year, you and
I were doing sports together at the time. You remember the hype that the return of the EA Sports college football video. My gosh, yes, I mean because of a lot of Corona adults.
Yes, I mean just because of so much that it changed.
You know, in the years that they last released one, the interest in it was was insane and it led to I mean, I feel like a part of the college football summer offseason content was discussing where EA Sports ranked certain teams and what overall talent ranking each player had, and players were expressing frustration on social media about EA
Sports not giving them enough credit. And I kept thinking, fan is acting like their season was doom because the EA Sports people didn't project them in a simulated game to have a good year. I mean, I kept thinking, are people aware this is a video game? So anyhow, with the latest game either coming out or maybe it is about to be released, you can now see where each player is as far as their overall talent ranking.
And the Kentucky Punter, he's the only player in the entire video game that in the category of toughness the toughness rating was a zero. So again, not another person in the game, not another player, no other punters by the way, giving a zero when it comes to the toughness rating, which I feel for him because one, that's a tough look and who went looking for that? Yeah there you go, I mean, who went looking for that? Right?
And now it's become a story just because it's it's kind of hilarious, But also as the punter, what chance do you have to prove him wrong? I mean maybe if you if you can fly down the field and make a touchdown, say being tackle because the rest of the special teams unit was taken taking the day off
or something. I mean, that would be a webit like, not only have you been accused of being the softest player in college football, you play a position where it's very unlikely you're gonna be in a position to prove anybody wrong, and even if there are chances to do so, I would imagine this day and age, the coaching staffs are not or not out there wanting their punter to be involved in anything physical because then they make it hurt and not be able to punt it. So this guy,
I feel for him. I mean, how do you not take that personal? Yes, of course it is a video game. It's not real, But you're the only one in the seemingly thousands of players that are now opting in to be a part of this video game. So I if I end up watching any Kentucky football this year and I'm watching them punt, which I probably will, to be honest with you, I'm gonna think like poor guy, and I'm gonna I'm and I'm probably gonna be guilty of just singing. I guess they're right. They got to look
because how do punters look tough? How's possible? I mean, I feel like, well, this isn't even a real position. But I was told one time because I'm not tough, trust me. But I was asked, you know, if I played football, who would you put me? I think I asked Michael Bush that during an interview we did at a golf scramble years ago, and he couldn't come up with a good position for me, so he said, you'd be the guy who picked up the t after we kicked it off. And I thought, you know what, I
don't like to hear that, but he's probably right. Maybe that's just what this guy needs to do. And just realize it's it's tuppying the only guy with a zero. But you are the punter, you know that's supposed to be tough. Actually having a tough punter doesn't help you punt right. Anyways, we got an update of trapping a weather coming your way. Also another sports update with Scott Fitzgerald, So keep a locker right hero On Kentucky and his morning news on news radio eight to forty whas, thank you.
John Shannon is eight thirty five here Kentucky and his morning news with Nick Coffee on news Radio eight forty whas. I cannot believe how fast summer is flying by JCPS back to school on August the seventh, less than a month until kids are back in school, and we're going to have a new leader at JCPS, as doctor Brian Yearwood is going to be taken over for retiring Marty Polio. And I think this is a pretty thankless job, to
be honest with you. I'm sure there's a good salary that comes with it and someone who wants to work in an important field, which is public education, but it's one of those jobs that you just simply have to know that no matter what, you won't have to look hard to find criticism about any decision that you have to make. And what I think a lot of people fail to realize is that every day there's big decisions that have to be made. That's why that's such an
important job, and sometimes you're going to make mistakes. So I don't have a kid in the JCPS public school system. My kids are in Bullet County schools, but JCPS clearly the biggest school system in our state, and the transportation issue, transportation turmoil would be the better way to describe really what has gone on for years now now with JCPS. And it was two years ago where it became a
national story. And I'm rooting for doctor Brian Yearwood. It's nice to know that he is let everybody know that the district has six hundred plus bus drivers and they are they're going to be ready for the first day of school, and I hope he's right. But man, this just seems like something you can't mess up. But there's
already people. I mean, look again, no matter what happens, they can have a successful day like we've never seen before as far as the first day of school, and there'll be some people complaining about something because that's just
again that's what comes with that job, I think. But I just feel like if it is a disaster and not even to the level of what we had a couple of years ago when it became a national story, but if it becomes a local story of all the issues that take place, like I just think there's going to be people that just assume this guy didn't cut out for the job, and that isn't fair and it may even it may not even end up being true. So the technology is the real component here. And Tony,
I know you talked about this. Yeah, don't even any by the way, no introduction needed for this guy. But they're relying once again on technology software to help them when it comes to the correct routes and whatnot. And he acknowledged that being a big part of it and didn't mention that he was super familiar with it. And you don't want, you know, the JCPS superintendent doesn't need to be a tech guy. But if it was me, I would make sure that like I had the ability
to run that software myself. And again, I'm sure there's so much that goes into it that a lot of us would never know. But when you are depending so much upon technology, if it works like it's supposed to, everything's great. If it doesn't, it could be a real disaster.
All right, here's what happened two years ago. Disaster. They hired a firm for one eight hundred thousand dollars. So the AI firm was a complete disaster, right. It made national news and ABC CBS and NBC were all parked here for their morning shows for a week. It was crazy, that's how bad it was.
I believe the worst look was that they had in two other cities this same software. I think JCPS had knowledge that they'd failed in Boston and Chicago, and they still went with it.
Yeah. Correct, So then the next year they had a reduction in some of the routes. But what did they do? The bus drivers plan their own routes because those bus drivers know the neighborhood, which lights back up, which way to go, you can't go left on there. They know the system, so it ran a lot smoother. So why not just do that again and save a million bucks? A save a million bucks and let the bus driver route guy he knows or she knows. They interviewed a
bus driver and said they let us plan it. It went smooth. I don't know why they're going back to the old system, which is letting a system come up with it.
I just think and all that makes total sense. I just my guess would be that others that have a school system with similar resources needed, they're able to use technology and it helps them, and that's just where everything is headed. But to your point. If it ain't broke, don't fix it again. There's always to be issues along the way when you have the biggest school system in
our in our state. But yeah, that makes sense to where well, let people who do it have some say so who are actually out there boots on the ground, actually a part of it that that could be beneficial.
Our budget is out of control, and they spent one hundred billion dollars.
Thank you, Marty.
I love you, buddy, but man, you you had two point two billion and you spend one hundred million more than that. I love you, but a hundred Like he was on the way out the door. He was like, I will spend a little bit here. You can worry about it.
Oh, you were buddies.
We are buddies, well beers and hangout.
That's true, but you could be you know, he'll kick It was all good, It was all it was all harsh truth. How good of friends you are with me? Is how mean I will treat you? Oh when you retire whenever that is. I'm going to tell the story about when I showed up to the spring game and pleaded pants. Jake from State Farm is what you called me, And I had some self reflection about about needing to be a little more mindful about how I address.
Yeah, but it changed your mindset and you alas now flat front, it helped, Yeah, Chinos, it helped.
Thank you, it did so again, I'm rooting for doctor Brian Yearwood and if you want to help him out.
Just unwinnable.
It's true.
It's unwinnable. Parent's got to do their part as well. So parents don't even know where their kids supposed to get on the bus. Well, if you go right now to JCPS first Day dot com, you can verify your child's bus stop and that's maybe meeting him halfway.
But you're right, it's unwinnable. Good luck.
I hope he works, but that's not gonna.
Win good luck.
We got an update of traficking weather coming your way right here, right now, and news ready to wait forty whas it's our final segment here on Kentucky and This Morning News with Nick Coffee, Tony ven Eddie and Dwight Whitten coming up in just a few minutes here as as you could expect a lot of talk this morning in regards to the decision yesterday from the jury to convict Brooks Houck and uh, I get the Lawsons mixed,
so I think it's Joseph Lawson. And when's the last time you guys can remember John Shannon's in here as well? A trial as far as this case that just got attention quite like this. Obviously, this one's national because of ten years in the making, and of course all the different networks that covered this story in this case, but I feel like this will be one that for decades, maybe even longer than that, will remember because it just consumed so much of our attention.
You could see it and feel it. With the video of all of those police cars and SUVs with a family in it as they pulled through the center of Bartstown and everyone is in tears.
It's pretty powerful.
It's the people lighting the streets dressed in pink.
That right there shows you everything about this journey of a ten year. It's over a decade they've been trying to give this family and this girl a piece and it was right in front of their eyes. But when you have it, here's part of the problem. It's like a TV show. These guys were involved with the police force, so they got to hide stuff, stuff, whatever, And this this is why it took ten years. I don't think if this these two guys were involved in the police
force and it would have taken that long. But clearly, clearly the jury had because we all asked, boy, they don't have a body, they don't have any physical evidence, you know, can they get there? Clearly the jury had seen enough because we didn't see all the evidence obviously every day in court. But the jury clearly did because in four hours.
They came back and said, yep, I was more impressed with the five minutes it took him to decide on what the punishment.
Was going to be. Yeah, they were pissed and they moved. They wasn't in Neilson County.
Yeah.
I think the the Barstown community is the new layer for me that I hadn't really thought about because obviously, you know, most of the attention is on just the story itself, and we all know that this. When you think of Barstown, you think of not just Crystal Rogers, but you think of her father being murdered and also Officer Ellis. But to see just how happy they were for not only the family but the community, it reminded
me of you. Nobody once their their hometown that they're probably proud of to be thought of in that way. Not that people think it's just someplace you're gonna get you know, you're out, you're gonna get hurt. But like it or not, when people think of Bartstown, Kentucky in recent years, they think of these crimes, and that doesn't mean that that's what represents the people who leave crimes.
That's the key word here.
People think they're all connected.
Well, I mean, and there's one there's one murder unsolved murder over there that they're that they're not talking about in all of this because a lot of what is going on hinges around Christopher Rogers. I'm thinking of the mom and the daughter that was the teacher over there that that were killed inside their house that it looked like a professional hit with cell jammers and the front door being blocked, and.
The peace officer they got ambushed on the side of the highways that was nothing but of ambush. So all those stories, remember the Wave three reporter did an entire podcast series on it, and he got hundreds of thousands of listens. Wh eleven apologize.
I talked to uh right after the indictments came down on Brooks House and the Lawsons. I texted Chief mccobn and ask him if he'd like to, you know, do an interview and everything, and he said his comment back to me was he's not going to say anything about it, even though he kind of did a victory lap on social media yesterday until Nick Houk is in custody, So that tells you what he thinks is going on there with some of this stuff relating to the Ballads and Jon.
But that area, Nick is like I always said, it was the land of the beautiful people because I kept trying to find an ugly person in Bardstown. It was like a slice of Americana. Like you were driving and you go back in time and there's the little soda shop and there's little, uh, you know, little shops all the way and it looks perfect and it is perfect, and then it's not perfect because of all of this stuff on the underbelly. It's really fascinating.
In twenty twelve, USA Today named Bartstown, Kentucky, the most beautiful town in America.
Yep.
I mean it's known for the bourbon culture, maybe being the Bourbon capital of it. They're downtown, as you mentioned, looks like something out.
Of a movie. Yes, at Christmas time, that's ridiculous.
Yes, it's a beautiful.
Yes it is. It is great schools all that, and but all this happened within a couple of years, which was really weird. And this yesterday, boy, I'm just I'm so glad that family. You saw it in their eyes, and you saw it in their demeanor, and it's just good good on the jury to come to that conclusion and uh and put these guys in justice.
When I'm sure there were many many sleepless nights thinking you never you'd never get that. And maybe they'll end up eventually getting more information as far as what happened, but that'll that'll only be up to those involved and if they decide to eventually come clean.
Do you commute a set I'm making this up. No, there's no story about this, But I'm thinking, as a parent, I want to know where my daughter is, right, because you want to do you commute a little bit of the sentence to find out where your daughter is?
Or there's a plea bargain in there somewhere question?
Right, it's tough as a dad, I want to know what happened to my little.
Girl, right, And just depends on who your personality to be honest with you.
Because really you don't get true Okay, they've gotten justice, but you don't get closure. And people I've seen interviewed where their kids have disappeared or they can't find the body, family members disappeared, they don't say they get closure until they have the body back and can have a funeral in burium.
So they still need to make sure. All right.
So I don't I remember this name when I was a kid, but Melegnado.
Yeah, big trial that Oh yeah, it was a world famous trial. It was the double because he was found not guilty, right, and then they found the pictures of her chopped up body in his place afterwards.
Yep, that makes sense. I remember that name as a kid, but yeah, that's but it.
Ended up going to jail because of perjury. So there you go.
Ye, all right, we're out of here. Tony and Dweid are coming your way right here right now. On news radio, Weight forty BHAs