GMK A BLOCK 6AM

GMK A BLOCK 6AM

Forecast.

Boxes:2x1 location three location four l3: good morning kentucky!

White slight cool off today in our top story this morning -- some encouraging news from governor andy beshear..

He says the state's coronavirus positivity rate..

Is down just a little.

You'll remember the state is keeping an eye on that number--- in order to determine where we stand in terms of keeping businesses and the state open.

According to governor beshear..

The positivity rate is now..

5 point 08 percent.

Monday, the rate was at 5 point 58 percent.

This is first time the positivity rate has gone down in four days... and the governor, believes his face mask mandate could be the reason.

" first time its one down in four days again too early to draw conclusions but i hope, ill just say it, i hope, this is us, starting to see, because the time period is right, where the facial covering requirement is starting to kick in and starting to help."

Fs img txt bullets:no coronavirus in kentucky office of governor andy beshear coronavirus kyfs-graphic.j ... 532 new cases of the coronavirus were reported yesterday..

Including 21 cases..

In children under the age of 5.

At least 28,100 kentuckians have tested positive.

Governor beshear... also reporting ten new covid-19 deaths.

719 people have now died from the virus in the state..

Meanwhile in lexington the city is still seeing a surge in cases..

Yesterday 116 new cases were reported..

Thats the highest one-day total so far... a record that was just set last thursday with 100 cases reported.

The health department says the highest days..have all been in july.

It says 793 cases have been reported just in the last two weeks!

Thats the same number of cases reported all of last month..

In all ---the city has almost 3 thousand cases.

45 people have died.

### the lexington- fayette health department says contact tracing is going well in the city.

We're told..

Several new tracers are brought in each week as a part of the states contract.

The department says they continue to see people who report going to public businesses while infectious.

People are contagious..about 1 to 2 days before showing symptoms according to the department..

Thats why it is strongly encouraging people to wear masks..

But--in order for the health department to enforce you need to report it directly to them..

The fines are aimed at businesses..

Not people.

The health department says... there have already been 120 complaints..

### and the push to wear masks..

Is creating a divide..

But some health departments..

Are getting creative!

Abc36's monica harkins shows you how one department is reaching out to some "influencers" to help get word across.

L3: coronavirus in kentucky white kevin hall lexington health department l3: coronavirus in kentucky white stacy crase powell county health department " kevin hall: it's here, it's spreading.

And it's not going to go away until people work together to follow the guidelines."

Kevin hall with the lexington health department is trying to normalize masks...as a priority.

"kevin hall:if you don't wear a mask of this business.

You're hurting them because they're the ones who are subjected to a fine, they're the ones who could be closed."

But how do you convince people to wear something many see as negative?

Powell county's trying a new way.

"nat sound: if you're a business owner, a farmer, or a doctor."

Video campaigns... using "influencers"... well known people in the community...to help promote masks..

"stacy crase, powell county: sometimes the opposition can get a little loud on social media" but cases are still going up.

"stacy: now, it's getting critical and we really need to bring out some gems in our community to really show that it's not just the health department saying this."

The first video focuses on the virus knowing no boundaries.

"nat of video: if you're older or younger or somewhere in between."

The second...happened more organically.

"chelsea nolan: and i just started singing in mind is.

'you got to wear your mask you see right now it's a necessity'.

And i was like, oh my gosh," it turned into this "nat popof full band:"you've go to wear your mask you see right now it's a necessity, it's not much but we'd like you try."

"chelsea: i don't know if i consider myself an influencer but, i don't know, if everybody has a voice, and if you use it to help the common good, then that's the whole purpose in having a voice and i just, oh, i choose to use the voice i have to help the people i love and care about."

"nat from video: i like to wear my mask you see, it protects you and filters me, the 2020 way of livin life."

### voice i have to help the people i love and care about."

"nat from video: i like to wear my mask you see, it protects you and filters me, the 2020 way of livin life."

### the k-h-s-a-a has laid out the plans for high school sports this fall..

And good news..

There will be football!

Fs img txt bullets:no high school football this fall khsaa.jpg aug.

24- helmet only practice sep.

11 ... right now, teams have only been allowed to condition.

Beginning august 24th..they'll be allowed to practice without pads.

The regular season will begin september 11.

Depending on how teams schedule...they can play eight or nine games.

They normally play 10 in the regular season.

L3: coronavirus in kentucky white khsaa approves football start date regular season begins september 11 on game day...teams will only be allowed to have 60 players on the field.

No decision was made on whether fans will be able to attend games.

Tuesday's decision is one players and coaches have been hoping for and expecting..

But frederick douglass head coach nathan mcpeek says..

The season could still be cancelled if cases remain high and people don't wear masks.

L3: coronavirus in kentucky white nathan mcpeek frederick douglass head coach "we'll do everything we can to keep these kids safe.

Obviously, it's not 100 percent, but we'll do everything that we possibly can.

We're not going to make excuses this year.

Everybody is going to have to do a little bit more this year if we're going to have football."

Coming up at 6:30..

Sports director bryan kennedy tells us the new rules and schedules for other fall sports.

### kentucky has more than 28-thousand cases of covid-19... and the positivity rate seems to be going down..

Lexington reported its highest single- day cases numbers yesterday..

Meanwhile--health department leaders say they want to normalize testing...saying it needs to be done more regularly.

You can find testing information, at the more than 200 locations across the bluegrass, and stay up to date with the very latest on air and online at wtvq dot com or on the wtvq mobile app.

## lexington police are investigating after two people..were taken to the hospital following a shooting at a gas station..

It happened yesterday afternoon..

At thornton's on north broadway.

Police say an officer happened to be there... when an argument between a man and a woman got heated... they say the man pulled out a gun.

The man and woman were taken to the hospital with gunshot wounds.

No word on their condition.

Police say they're still investigating if the officer pulled out his own weapon.

L3: abc 36 continuing coverage white homicide investigation after teen killed speigle street, lexington also in lexington: an update on a deadly shooting from monday evening.

Police say 19-year- old miguel diez..

Was killed..

He was found shot by police on speigle street around seven that night.

The coroner says his death has been ruled a homicide.

No word from police on a suspect in the investigation.

Lexington police have now arrested one suspect... and are searching for another in a murder investigation.

46-year-old dontate burruss..

Is now in jail..

Charged with murder and robbery.

He was wanted in connection to a deadly shooting outside a motel on newtown court in lexington..

Last month.

Police say another person was involved --- darica lynem.

They are still looking for her.

Call police if you have any information on where she may be.

Lexington police are asking for your help..

To find more lexington.

According to officers..

It happend saturday morning..

Around 4:30 on georgetown road and citation boulevard.

Investigators say a man died, after a black jeep cherokee traveling west on citation boulevard, and a black saturn traveling north, crashed on georgetown road.

Police are now looking for anyone who may have seen the wreck.... or the vehicles involved before the crash.

If you have information that could help with the investigation, please contact lexington police.

Time is... now that you've gotten your sneak peek... it's time to buy your ticket to win the st.

Jude dream home.

And theres not a lot of time..

Or tickets left!

Everything you need to know about the giveaway..

Coming up.

Plus: "this is not how i want to go back and i want to go back so bad.

Because