Samantha Valentino
Reporter
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Samantha Valentino joined the WKYT team in April 2022.
She grew up in Connecticut where she fell in love with journalism at a young age. Samantha moved to Lexington in 2018 to study broadcast journalism and criminology at the University of Kentucky.
While at UK, she helped create the University of Kentucky's podcast "Bowman's Friends," hosted WRFL 88.1 F.M.'s news program "Campus Voices," and worked as an anchor, reporter, and producer for the UK Student News Network.
Samantha came to WKYT part-time just before graduating from UK and switched to full-time the day after crossing the graduation stage.
Updated: Jan. 29, 2023 at 2:20 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
Lexington doctor weighs in on spread of COVID vaccine misinformation
Updated: Jan. 27, 2023 at 4:25 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
This week is the six-month anniversary of historic flooding in eastern Kentucky. In Breathitt County, many people are still working to rebuild their homes.
Updated: Jan. 24, 2023 at 4:08 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
A group of high school students was in the state capital Tuesday to share their ideas to make Kentucky schools safer.
Updated: Jan. 22, 2023 at 2:30 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
UK researcher hopes study can help combat food insecurity
Updated: Jan. 20, 2023 at 4:19 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
For the first time in the Commonwealth’s history, state police will wear body cameras.
Updated: Jan. 19, 2023 at 4:55 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
A Scott County deputy filed a lawsuit against the City of Georgetown and two police officers for negligence after he was hit by friendly fire and paralyzed.In 2021 a judge all but ended the lawsuit. Morales appealed, and oral arguments were heard in Frankfort on Thursday.
Updated: Jan. 15, 2023 at 1:45 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
After a failed campaign for the US Senate against Senator Rand Paul, former State Representative Charles Booker said that his work isn’t over.
Updated: Jan. 13, 2023 at 5:01 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
Heart health experts explain what you should do if someone you know suffers a cardiac arrest.
Updated: Jan. 9, 2023 at 4:20 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
As Omicron subvariant XBB1.5 is making it's way through the county, experts give tips on how to protect yourself.
Updated: Jan. 8, 2023 at 12:53 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
We’re taking a closer look at several of the issues that will be back on the table when they return in February
Updated: Jan. 6, 2023 at 4:30 PM EST
|By WKYT News Staff, Samantha Valentino and Chad Hedrick
The election filing deadline is now closed.
Updated: Jan. 5, 2023 at 3:35 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
As the deadline to file for the 2023 governor’s race quickly approaches, the race continues to grow crowded.
Updated: Jan. 1, 2023 at 2:31 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
Dr. Hood recommends taking steps to keep your kids safe before they head back to school from winter break.
Updated: Dec. 31, 2022 at 11:32 AM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife is accepting evergreen trees at more that 30 locations across the state.
Updated: Dec. 27, 2022 at 4:47 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
Investigators say freezing temperatures could be to blame for a man’s death in Pulaski County.
Updated: Dec. 24, 2022 at 1:57 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
Governor Beshear says the National Guard, Kentucky State Police, and local first responders have assisted road crews in trying to clear the interstate and conducting wellness checks on those stuck on I-71.
Updated: Dec. 20, 2022 at 4:08 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
More than 100 million people will be traveling 50 miles or more from home this holiday season, 90% by personal vehicle, according to AAA.
Updated: Dec. 19, 2022 at 3:14 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
Court records obtained by WKYT say a man threatened to blow up Eastern Kentucky University after his son was academically suspended.
Updated: Dec. 18, 2022 at 12:56 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
Ky. doctor provides tips on staying safe amid ‘tripledemic’
Updated: Dec. 13, 2022 at 4:55 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
LG&E and KU say the smart meter upgrade will give customers a better look at their energy consumption.
Updated: Dec. 10, 2022 at 11:28 AM EST
|By WKYT News Staff and Samantha Valentino
Lexington activist Devine Carama officially began a 50-hour walk this morning in hopes of raising $50,000 toward Believing in Forever's annual "A Coat to Keep the Cold Away" youth coat drive.
Updated: Dec. 4, 2022 at 4:05 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
Dr. Richardson discovered an important piece of American history while looking for land to build a home on.
Updated: Dec. 2, 2022 at 4:40 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
Kentucky is a castle doctrine state and, additionally, Kentucky has what’s called a stand-your-ground law.
Updated: Nov. 27, 2022 at 12:53 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
Hank the Horse heads to New York City
Updated: Nov. 24, 2022 at 9:11 AM EST
|By WKYT News Staff and Samantha Valentino
The fire happened Thursday morning at a house on Antioch Ave. in Burnside.
Updated: Nov. 19, 2022 at 3:11 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
700 Thanksgiving meal boxes delivered to local families
Updated: Nov. 18, 2022 at 3:59 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
Due to the passing of house bill 4, On January 1, Kentucky's unemployment benefits will change for the first time in 84 years.
Updated: Nov. 17, 2022 at 5:58 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
Madison County is one of 11 Kentucky counties participating in a new behavioral pilot program.
Updated: Nov. 13, 2022 at 3:09 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
30% of Kentucky Children’s Hospital beds are occupied by RSV patients
Updated: Nov. 11, 2022 at 4:58 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
Both of the wildfires in Estill County are now 100% contained.
Updated: Nov. 7, 2022 at 11:54 AM EST
|By WKYT News Staff and Samantha Valentino
We’re learning new details about the arrest of a University of Kentucky student accused of assaulting another student and calling her racial slurs.
Updated: Nov. 6, 2022 at 11:26 AM EST
|By WKYT News Staff and Samantha Valentino
A student at the University of Kentucky has been arrested in connection to a physical and verbal assault against another UK student.
Updated: Nov. 5, 2022 at 5:42 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
Many traveled thousands of miles for the Breeders’ Cup
Updated: Nov. 4, 2022 at 5:03 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
Amidst school closings, employees, at the Pharmacy Shop in Lexington, say they are seeing an increase in customers coming in looking to purchase flu medicine.
Updated: Nov. 3, 2022 at 4:53 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino and WKYT News Staff
WKYT has been digging into why he is on leave and what led to his hiring.
Updated: Nov. 2, 2022 at 3:59 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
For the first time in Kentucky, a team is working to digitize historical records of enslaved people, dating back to the late 1700s.
Updated: Oct. 30, 2022 at 6:12 AM EDT
|By WKYT News Staff and Samantha Valentino
As a result of the collision, Officer Medlock suffered life-threatening injuries and was pronounced dead on the scene by the Laurel County Coroner.
Updated: Oct. 29, 2022 at 7:33 AM EDT
|By WKYT News Staff and Samantha Valentino
A man was shot near a bus with students from Hustonville Elementary School in Lincoln County.
Updated: Oct. 24, 2022 at 5:04 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
Hospitals across the country are seeing a surge in patients with RSV, a common respiratory disease.
Updated: Oct. 23, 2022 at 5:54 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
The chase ended with a car accident that caused damage to multiple businesses.
Updated: Oct. 22, 2022 at 3:39 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
“Reading starts the minute you’re born and it’s so crucial to development.”
Updated: Oct. 20, 2022 at 5:52 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
The family of a UK student, who passed away last year, are trying to change Kentucky hazing laws.
Updated: Oct. 16, 2022 at 9:31 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
So far this year, the state has lost more than triple the number of clerks lost during the pandemic.
Updated: Oct. 15, 2022 at 7:37 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
The Poor People’s Campaign found that over 20-million low-income people left their votes on the table in the 2020 election.
Updated: Oct. 9, 2022 at 6:08 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
Kentucky observes PANDAS/PANS Awareness Day for first time
Updated: Oct. 8, 2022 at 4:25 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
he first-ever ‘Fall Up Festival’ was hosted at Douglass Park.
Updated: Oct. 7, 2022 at 11:43 AM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
The Fall Meet runs through October 29, with races on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Updated: Oct. 2, 2022 at 12:06 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
Hundreds of Kentucky Basketball fans camped out for tickets to Big Blue Madness.
Updated: Sep. 30, 2022 at 3:50 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
A Mount Sterling, Ky. native is assessing the damage to his Florida home in the wake of Hurricane Ian.
Updated: Sep. 24, 2022 at 6:20 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
The 2022 ‘September Sale’ was the highest grossing auction in Keeneland’s history.
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