Samantha Valentino
Reporter

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: Nov. 21, 2023 at 5:25 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
Is Kentucky sports betting impacting its neighboring states?
Updated: Nov. 8, 2023 at 9:28 AM EST
|By WKYT News Staff and Samantha Valentino
An investigation is underway after school officials say they received a report Wednesday morning of a possible student who might have barricaded themself in a room at Frederick Douglass High School.
Updated: Oct. 16, 2023 at 4:46 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
Court documents show he was arrested for a DUI in his patrol car over the early Saturday morning.
Updated: Oct. 15, 2023 at 10:24 AM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
‘Handle with Care’ program helps Ky. schools and law enforcement keep kids safe
Updated: Oct. 9, 2023 at 5:09 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
The U.S. State Department says it’s unclear how many Americans are stuck in Israel after attacks by the Hamas militant group. Among them is Lexington-born Vincent Sanford.
Updated: Sep. 27, 2023 at 12:12 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
The White House says women and children who count on WIC could be some of the first to feel the effects of a government shutdown. That includes more than 100-thousand Kentuckians.
Updated: Sep. 24, 2023 at 1:34 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
Accidental overdose becomes leading cause of death in Kentuckians under 40
Updated: Sep. 19, 2023 at 3:43 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
More than 300 thousand people in Kentucky have faced cannabis charges in the past two decades
Updated: Sep. 13, 2023 at 4:22 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
Kentucky is facing a shortage of school counselors. More than 100 schools in the Commonwealth are without even a single counselor.
Updated: Sep. 12, 2023 at 5:43 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
The federal “Assistance to Firefighters Grant” will expand paramedic training.
Updated: Sep. 10, 2023 at 1:53 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
Lexington man dresses up as a bush, pranks UK students
Updated: Aug. 27, 2023 at 3:19 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
People from across the country traveled to Richmond to take a trip back in time this weekend.
Updated: Aug. 22, 2023 at 4:42 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
Kentuckians are now one step closer to being able to place bets on sporting events in Kentucky.
Updated: Aug. 21, 2023 at 3:45 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
The Kentucky Board of Education is starting the process to search for a new education commissioner.
Updated: Aug. 15, 2023 at 2:12 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
6,000 new students are moving into the university’s 19 residence halls this week.
Updated: Jul. 27, 2023 at 4:25 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
We spoke to one woman in Perry County about that fateful day one year ago.
Updated: Jul. 19, 2023 at 5:51 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
According to state police, the vast majority of Kentucky’s serious crimes went down last year.
Updated: Jul. 18, 2023 at 4:10 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
A potential UPS strike could have a significant impact both nationally and in Kentucky.
Updated: Jul. 17, 2023 at 3:59 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
It has been over one year since a fire ripped through historic downtown Millersburg. Now a nonprofit is working to revitalize the city.
Updated: Jul. 12, 2023 at 4:11 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
Soon, parents will take their children back to school shopping.
Updated: Jul. 9, 2023 at 12:46 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
He proposed at a Taylor Swift concern and she ‘just said yes.’
Updated: Jun. 29, 2023 at 6:02 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
A new state law is cracking down on AirTag stalking.
Updated: Jun. 17, 2023 at 1:15 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
The City of Lexington has hosted the Kentucky River Clean Sweep for more than two decades.
Updated: Jun. 13, 2023 at 4:15 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
After an investigation by the Justice Department, the Madison County School District will be making changes to stop racial harassment in schools.
Updated: Jun. 12, 2023 at 4:47 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
Officials in Montgomery County are investigating after people reported finding concerning flyers in their front yards.
Updated: Jun. 6, 2023 at 5:38 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino and Kristen Kennedy
Parents of incoming University of Kentucky students say they are having a difficult time securing on-campus housing.
Updated: May. 15, 2023 at 4:36 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
Election day is Tuesday, and the Attorney General’s Office is asking voters to report suspected election fraud.
Updated: May. 11, 2023 at 11:02 PM EDT
|By WKYT News Staff and Samantha Valentino
Kentucky Education Commissioner Dr. Jason Glass appears to be seeking new employment.
Updated: May. 8, 2023 at 12:37 PM EDT
|By WKYT News Staff and Samantha Valentino
A Kentucky elementary school student is accused of using a kitchen knife to hurt a classmate.
Updated: May. 1, 2023 at 11:09 AM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
The suspect in a deadly shooting in Lexington was in court Monday morning.
Updated: Apr. 20, 2023 at 10:13 PM EDT
|By Chad Hedrick and Samantha Valentino
For the first time since 2018, drug overdose rates in Kentucky are down from the year before.
Updated: Apr. 11, 2023 at 4:54 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
In the wake of the mass shooting in Louisville, police at the University of Kentucky want to make sure students and staff know how to keep themselves safe.
Updated: Mar. 18, 2023 at 5:52 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
Parents planning surprise for their 6-year-old-son with cancer
Updated: Mar. 14, 2023 at 12:04 PM EDT
|By Jeremy Tombs and Samantha Valentino
They’re now calling it the “Do No Harm Act”, but LGBTQ advocates say that’s exactly what it will do.
Updated: Mar. 13, 2023 at 3:27 PM EDT
|By Samantha Valentino
In 2020 and 2022, bills legalizing medical marijuana passed the House only to die in the Senate. This session, Senate Bill 47 was filed by Senator Stephen West, R-Paris, and would create a medicinal cannabis program.
Updated: Feb. 17, 2023 at 7:38 AM EST
|By Jim Stratman, Phil Pendleton and Samantha Valentino
Flooding continued to cause problems in southeastern Kentucky into Friday morning.
Updated: Feb. 13, 2023 at 8:59 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino and Andrew McMunn
Valentine’s Day, a holiday for celebrating love, is especially significant for one Kentucky couple.
Updated: Feb. 13, 2023 at 4:54 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
Valentine’s Day is Tuesday and for one Mount Sterling couple, the holiday is especially significant.
Updated: Feb. 7, 2023 at 12:54 AM EST
|By WKYT News Staff and Samantha Valentino
Lexington police have confirmed the city's first homicide of 2023.
Updated: Feb. 5, 2023 at 3:14 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
Gas prices continue to fluctuate in Kentucky
Updated: Jan. 23, 2023 at 4:23 PM EST
|By Samantha Valentino
We are 23 days into 2023, and Lexington has not seen its first homicide. That’s the longest the city has gone into a new year without a homicide in a decade.
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. 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: 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. 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: 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. 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. 14, 2022 at 8:45 AM EST
|By WKYT News Staff and Samantha Valentino
The bus crashed Monday morning on Route 40 east of Salyersville.
Updated: Nov. 7, 2022 at 8:26 AM EST
|By WKYT News Staff, Samantha Valentino and Gray News staff
The student's charges include alcohol intoxication in a public place, disorderly conduct, fourth degree assault and third degree assault (of a police officer). Her bond was set at $10,000.