A federal jury has acquitted former Kentucky Transportation Secretary Bill Nighbert and road contractor Leonard Lawson of all counts in their Lexington bid-rigging trial.The two were were accused of taking part in a scheme to leak confidential cost estimates for highway projects to Lawson prior to the bidding process.Several charges were thrown out this week by the presiding judge, but Nighbert and Lawson remained on trial for other offenses, including conspiracy and obstruction of justice.The jury began deliberations Thursday and returned the verdict Friday afternoon.
Rick Howlett was midday host and the host of LPM's weekly talk show, "In Conversation." He was with LPM from 2001-2023 and held many different titles, including Morning Edition host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director. He died in August 2023. Read a remembrance of Rick here.