daylight despite security,
nearby Louisville Park.
Hours left with window shatters,
windows shattered and belongings taken.
It's our top story here on the night team.
I'm Isaiah Kim Martinez.
Doug is off.
Authorities are investigating te
string of breakins at EP Tom Sar
State Park in eastern Jefferson County.
Taylor Woods and photojournalist
Elijah McKenzie have the
photos of the suspects still
at large tonight and share the
warnings from Park Rangers. EP
Tom Sawyer Park, a place many visitors
go to for dip in the pool, a gae
of pickleball or walk outside ss
like a nice, friendly, you know,
familyfriendly place to visit. t
week, vehicles in the parking lt
were reported with broken windos
and personal items like cash,
medicine, and a firearm stolen.
Some visitors say this theft
activity is unusual for this pa,
but they are keeping an open ey.
I'm a little bit shocked that
cars are getting broken into.
So I'm going to definitely be on
alert a little more now, Park
Ranger William Brown says.
These two men in the photos are the suspects,
believed to be responsible for e
thefts worth $2500 in loss and damages.
They were also seen driving a black SUV
when the first incident occurred
in the first week of July,
things that were taken from the.
Were later used at a nearby mert
and authorities say the car brek
ins happen within minutes and nw
they're advising visitors to lok
their vehicles and to never keep
personal belongings in their car. Brown
says this is uncharacteristic
behavior for this park and the
Louisville Metro Police 8th Divn
is assisting with this investigation.
We believe that these
individuals was casing the lot,
maybe got a feel of what maybe
some guests were doing and.
Took advantage of it. 1
Visitor understands what it's
like to have items stolen and
can only imagine the frustration
that theft victims are facing.
I mean, I've already had a car
stolen from me once in the past.
That's that's the last thing one. However,
State Park leaders say don't
let fear of this incident stop
you from visiting this park.
Our parks are safe.
We have Rangers here,
we have Metro.
Louisville Metro Police here,
Kentucky State
Parks say they'll have increased
patrols around the area in
Louisville. Taylor Woods,
WHAS 11 Night Team on your side.
And if you recognize those
two suspects in those photos,
you can contact LMPD at 574
LMPD or the Kentucky State Park
Rangers Division. That number is
545-5060. Your tip can remain anonymous.
Now, skid Marks and chipped
concrete remain at a Frankfort .
landmarked after a deadly crash overnight.
It happened at the high Gold ho,
facade island around 1:30 in the morning.
LMPD investigators say a car
was speeding on Frankfort Ave.
toward the river when the driver lost control
and hit the concrete base of the facade.
Police say the driver was the only person
in the car and he died at the s.
While there was some broken concrete,
no major damage to the facade was reported.
And the historic building,
home to Kentucky Senator Rand
Paul's Bowling Green office,
caught fire overnight.
This was the scene when firefigs
responded to the fire just
before 2:00 in the morning.
The fire department says they found large
flames and heavy smoke when they arrived.
Crews spent most of the day at the scene,
keeping water on the building ul
they could determine the area was safe.
The building also housed a law office.
In a statement,
Senator Paul thanked first
responders and said his office s
working with authorities to asss
the damage and determine A caus.
No injuries were reported and nn
the WHAS 1119 Kentucky Governory
Beshear returned to Mayfield toy
not to talk about tornado damag,
but instead to see the aftermath
of record flooding.
This week,
Beshear visited with Mayfield Mayor Cathy
O'nan and people impacted by the floods.
Storms move through Western
Kentucky Tuesday night,
flooding streets,
cars and homes and knocking out power.
The National Weather Service says Mayfield
set a 24 hour rainfall record ie
state with at least 11 inches of rain.
It's the same area devastated bn
EF4 tornado a year and a half a.
Not to feel likely,
we've been punched in the gut a little bit.
For this town and this area to be hit again.
But I can tell you one thing,
the people of Western Kentucky are tough
and after the last year and a h,
absolutely no how to lift themss
up and rebuild.
No deaths were reported in the flooding.
Governor Beshear says he believes the
area will qualify for federal assistance,
but regardless, the state will offer help.
And while the flood cleanup is underway,
Western Kentucky University is
offering help to impacted stude.
The university has identified
35 students who might need aid.
They're allowing those students to move
in early and have summer housing for free.
Then,
when their fall assignments are ready,
they'll move into those
rooms to start the semester.
They're
a staff member who works here
or faculty member who works here who may be
affected as well as our students. We just
want to make sure they know that we're
a community here,
and so if there's anything we
can do to help and support them.
We are more than happy to,
you know, listen and make sure
they're connected to the resours
they need to be successful.
Now the university can only
provide summer housing for free,
but housing officials say they'l
do what they can to get students
necessary resources and new ton.
UPS and union representatives will be back
at the negotiating table next Tuesday.
The Teamsters tweeted the
update this afternoon.
It comes two days after UPS said
they'd resume negotiations next week.
Union officials previously tolds
that one point still being workd
out is pay for parttime employe.
A statement from U PS:,
earlier this week said they were
prepared to increase pay and benefits,
but need to work quickly to
finalize a fair deal.
Union members have already
authorized a strike if a new del
isn't reached before July 31st.
And the University of Louisville
is raising awareness about the
challenges of older adults face,
or the challenges they face when they
become the primary caregivers for relatives.
U of L's Traeger Institute says
about 125,000 kids in Kentucky
are being cared for by relatives
rather than their parents.
Grandparents are caring for
more than 50,000 of those kids.
That's about 40%.
WHS 11's Travis Bree spoke with one woman
raising three of her nieces and nephews.
I rub from in and be with me thn
with a stranger. For many aunts,
uncles and grandparents,
it's a sense of responsibility.
I was willing to go to any lengh
that I had to do to make sure ty
were safe and they were happy.
Jackie Martinez works for a comy
that provides security for us.
At WHS 11, she took temporary
custody of three nieces and nep.
In November, she brought 11 year
old Aisha to work on Friday.
Mom and Dad got off on the wrong track.
And they were going to be placen
the care of some other people tt
they didn't even know anything about.
So I stepped up. As aunt.
Martinez says she and her husband have
had some issues jumping through all the
hoops necessary to get state funding.
The University of Louisville
Traeger Institute says more and
more people are ending up in ths
situation after the pandemic.
And with nationwide trends like
increased drug use and incarceration.
I think that's a really good
baseline for all of us to consir
what we're working with populat.
Also raising their grandchildren as well,
the institute had a zoom session
Friday specifically about grandparent
caregivers and how to connect them to
social services and state fundi.
Martinez says she doesn't need a check
to watch over her nieces and nephews.
Not that good that I was able to then.
I'm able to bring them here to work and
still be able to work and have my job. But
the Traeger Institute is hoping
to raise awareness so we can
get more smiles like this one.
Like she really means a lot
to me as she's getting old.
Yeah, I will hurt my life
before she go
now. Travis Breeze reporting th.
A spokesperson for the Cabinet for Health
and Family Services says Kentucs
caregiver program received $1.9 million
in the fiscal year 20/20/24 bud.
We have more information about
that program along with other
resources on our website whas11.
And the protests in 2020 sparked A racial
justice movement still felt tod,
and new tonight,
a downtown mural will now commemorate
those who marched for change. Nimbus,
a marketing and communications agency,
unveiled the mural on the side of its 3rd St.
building downtown.
It's called Twan's Gift,
based off a photo taken during a protest
at the state Capitol on June 5th, 2020.
Photographer John Cherry and Twando Rondo,
featured in the photo,
say they hope.
It sends a message to those who
see it walking by.
What I want people to understans
that this fight is really not o.
Every time you hear or see Brianna Taylor
saying understand that our job is not over.
So this is a piece of history ts
going to live in the city forev.
This is not something that can be paved over.
This isn't a book that
can be banned or burned.
It's going to serve as a as an r
living reminder of what happened
here and the fact that we still
have so much work to be done.
The mural was commissioned throh
Louisville's Board of Public Ar.