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Special Prosecutor remands motion to test hairs, but Steven Lawson’s lawyers still want them tested

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Crystal Rogers investigation suspect Steven Lawson was back in Nelson Circuit Court for a status hearing Thursday as Nelson Circuit Judge Charles Simms III reviewed several motions before the court.

Special Prosecutor Shane Young remanded his motion for the court to order DNA testing of two hairs found in Rogers’s vehicle and for Lawson to submit to a cheek swab to provide a DNA sample. Young said after speaking to a KSP Crime Lab Chemist he learned the hairs in question measure eight to ten inches in length and had been chemically treated, so in order to not waste time and money on testing the Commonwealth would stipulate that the hairs did not belong to either Lawson or Joseph Lawson. Young noted that the Commonwealth would anticipate that Brooks Houck’s hair would appear in the car as he used it.

Steven Lawson’s attorneys filed a motion Thursday morning requesting access to the hair samples in order to conduct their own testing, and despite the Commonwealth remanding their motion they still said they wanted the hairs tested and reviewed by their expert in order to see if the hairs belong to somebody else identified in the case. 

Young responded by calling the motion a tactic to delay the trial, and said Lawson’s attorneys are looking for a tactical advantage by getting his trial moved to go after Houck’s, which Young said “the only person that benefits is Brooks Houck.” Lawson’s attorneys responded that the results of the hair testing could dictate the defense’s strategy, and said they took issue with Young implying the defenses are collaborating. Simms denied the motion for testing, but agreed to schedule a hearing for April 14 to discuss the issue after the defense’s expert gets a chance to examine the hairs at the KSP Crime Lab.

The court will also discuss the defense’s motion to continue the trial beyond the currently scheduled May 27 start at the April 14 hearing. The Commonwealth provided a laptop for Lawson to be able to review the discovery in the case at the courthouse, which Simms said he would make arrangements to allow. Lawson’s attorneys requested an expert inspect the laptop to ensure it was safe for Lawson to use. Simms said they could examine the laptop after the hearing.

Lincoln Trail District unemployment trending higher than state average in February

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Unemployment rates across the Lincoln Trail District were up in February from where they were the year prior.

The Kentucky Center for Statistics says unemployment rates increased in 83 of the state’s counties in February. The rates were the same in four counties and decreased in 33.

The state unemployment average for February was reported at 5.5 percent. That is a slight increase from the average seen in February 2024 when it was reported at 5.4 percent, but it is the same average reported in January 2025. Seven counties in the Lincoln Trail District had February unemployment rates higher than the state average, with one county below the state average.

Hardin County’s unemployment rate for February was slightly above the state average at 5.9 percent. That’s an increase from the 5.8 percent rate reported in January and from the 5.1 percent rate reported in February 2024.

Grayson County posted the highest unemployment rate in the Lincoln Trail District for February at 6.7 percent. Washington County had the lowest rate in the district, and tied for the tenth-lowest rate in the state, at 4.8 percent. Grayson County’s rate did come down from the 7.3 percent rate reported in January.

Learn more about how the unemployment rate is calculated and find more labor market information by visiting kystats.ky.gov.

More storms means more chances for flooding around the area

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After the first wave of storms worked its way through the area Wednesday evening and overnight, more chances for severe weather remain in the forecast the rest of the week.

“We’re just going to have wave after wave of showers and storms, and some could come down pretty heavily at times,” said Meteorologist Ron Steve with the National Weather Service in Louisville. “Really, the first wave was Wednesday evening and you could be looking at multiple waves going all the way through Saturday or even Sunday.”

Although the current forecast shows the chances of severe storm damage are reduced, continuous heavy rainfall means an enhanced risk for flash flooding.

“We’re looking at historical amounts of rain, not just a major rain event, but historical amounts of rain that I would say if we were comparing something it’d be back to 1997 when we had so much rain at one time, but this is going be over a duration of three or four days-span of rain coming in and out of the area,” said Hardin County Emergency Management Director Joey Scott.

Make sure your phone is subscribed to emergency messages, and stay tuned to media such as Quicksie and The Wolf for alerts. Never attempt to cross a flooded roadway. “Turn around, don’t drown.”

Keep a safe distance when burning or grilling

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The weather this week may not be friendly to outdoor activity, but as the weather gets warmer and you get ready for summer fun be sure you are mindful of fire safety.

Radcliff Deputy Fire Marshal Tommy Crane says make sure grills, especially gas ones, are properly cleaned ahead of use, and use them at a safe distance.

“We recommend if you have a grill at a private residence keep it at least 10 feet away from your buildings, overhangs, anything that if there is a flare-up, if it was on fire, it wouldn’t catch something else on fire,” Crane said.

Similar distancing guidelines are recommended if you are using a fire pit.

“We try to tell people to keep them at least 15 feet away from your buildings and your patio area,” Crane said. “Try to keep at least 15 feet away because it is an open flame.”

If you are doing any outdoor burning, be mindful of regulations in place for Spring Forest Fire Hazard Season, which restricts burning within 150 feet of woodland or brush to between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. now through April 30. Crane also says be mindful of what you are burning.

“Regardless of where you are, the state law prohibits burning garbage, tires, buildings, and stuff like that, so you have to remember what you’re burning,” Crane said. “Basically, branches, brush, and stuff like that is about all that you can burn.”

Contact your local fire jurisdiction ahead of major outdoor burning, and never leave an active fire unattended.

Program to introduce credit for life experiences rolling out at select Kentucky colleges

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State education officials are encouraging colleges and universities to recognize prior learning experiences.

The Council on Postsecondary Education says the Kentucky Student Success Collaborative has launched a year-long initiative aimed at encouraging Kentucky colleges and universities to award academic credit for knowledge gained through work, military, or life experiences. 

The CPE says practices like credit for prior learning signal that higher education is for everyone and not just recent high school graduates. Research from the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning shows credit for prior learning boosts college enrollment, retention, and completion among nontraditional college students. 

The CPE will be working with a select group of colleges and universities to work on introducing CPL practices. The participating campuses will receive coaching from national experts that contributed to a CPL model introduced at Jefferson Community and Technical College. 

Expanding CPL is one of several strategies that have been identified in Kentucky’s Adult Learner Action Plan which is aimed at increasing post-traditional adult enrollment. The state has set a goal of increasing the number of working-age Kentuckians with a postsecondary credential to 60 percent by 2030.