Victor Puente
4 p.m. News Anchor/Reporter
Lexington, KY
/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/gray/c53dfd70-0d3b-4f27-806c-37b52c097165.png)
I was born in Germany to parents serving in the Army.
I grew up in Clay City, Kentucky and developed a love of journalism while writing for my high school newspaper.
After graduating from Eastern Kentucky University I started working as a news videographer at another station in town, before joining WKYT to be a multi-media journalist. I shoot, write, and edit my own stories.
I also anchor our 4 o'clock show with Amber Philpot and have a podcast, Conversations with Victor and Andrea, where we talk to the people of WKYT.
Police told us they don’t think it’s random, but they also haven’t named any suspects.
Almost 30 percent of Fayette County people are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
The Lexington Police Department is hoping to fill dozens of vacancies. That’s as the department says it’s becoming harder to find new recruits.
More people in Lexington are getting the vaccine, but the city says more people need to sign up for it.
If you’ve been vaccinated, you’ve been given a vaccination card. It shows when you’ve had your first and second doses. So when do you need it, and what should you do with it?
Health leaders say we could soon see more supply of the vaccine, then demand for it. That’s as some health departments are trying to work through vaccine hesitancy. And that delay could slow down herd immunity.
Jewish leaders are criticizing Kentucky’s Libertarian Party for comparing vaccine passports to the Holocaust.
The CDC is giving us a look for the first time at the county-by-county data.
This weekend’s rain only added to problems for some areas still trying to recover from flooding earlier this month.
Firefighters in Powell County are using back roads to launch their boats to rescue people whose homes are flooding.
Three Kentucky hospitals played a big role in the clinical trials of that vaccine.
There are now hundreds of places in Kentucky to get a COVID-19 vaccine, but finding the ones near you that have openings can take some work. The CDC is hoping an online portal can help direct people to doses near them.
Come next Monday, more than a million additional people will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.
A man is recovering Tuesday night after a group of people helped save his life at the BP on Georgetown Road near Ironworks Pike.
Over the last six weeks, COVID-19 numbers in Kentucky have been going down. For hospitals, that’s also meant less inpatients with the virus.
Because COVID-19 cases are trending down in Kentucky, Governor Andy Beshear is starting to lift restrictions.
As crews continue to tackle cleaning up after our last storm, concern for a lot of people is the ice building up in their driveways.
Mayor Linda Gorton and other Lexington officials give an update on the city’s preparations for the third round of wintry weather.
Vaccine programs are ramping up in Kentucky. There are now more than 150 locations where you can receive the shot.
An investigation is underway in Lexington. It’s happening at a home on Furlong View Court.
Mayor Linda Gorton and other Lexington officials give an update on weather conditions and the city’s response to the ice storm.
The arctic blast is coming to town, bringing along plenty of ice and snow, but Mayor Linda Gorton says Lexington is ready.
J.R. Brandenburg, the director of roads in Scott County, told us they aren’t sure how much of the salt they’re gonna be using over the next few days. A lot of that will depend on what ends up falling on the roads.
With more Kentuckians start to receiving their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, we’re getting more questions about that process.
Health officials are urging people to limit Super Bowl gatherings this year, and that has restaurants preparing for more to go and delivery orders on Super Bowl Sunday.
The biggest difference between their rules is enforcement. The CDC refers to their guidelines as considerations, while Kentucky’s are mandates.
Demand for the vaccine is far greater than the supply, and local health departments across the region say they are feeling overwhelmed.
Health officials say the biggest issue when it comes to getting people vaccinated is the limited supply of the vaccine. But for some people, figuring out how to sign up is almost as big a hurdle.
For the last few weeks the city of Lexington has been vaccinating healthcare workers and first responders, but soon they’ll shift their focus.
Mayor Linda Gorton and the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council hold a special meeting to discuss COVID-19 and vaccinations.
Infectious disease experts believe the new variant is more transmissible than the version that’s normally seen in the United States. However, so far, there’s no indication that it’s any more deadly.
Mayor Gorton delivers the State of the Merged Government address.
The demand for a COVID-19 vaccine is far greater than the supply. It’s evident in Lexington, with some local doctor’s offices planning on not getting doses any time soon.
On Monday, the spring semester begins at the University of Kentucky as the state continues to fight COVID-19. We talked to students and school leaders at UK about their plans for tackling the upcoming semester.
Here in Lexington, we’re still in Phase 1A when it comes to widespread vaccinations. But some other counties are moving into other phases,and that includes vaccinating teachers.
Now, Chuck Mix, the co-chair of that task force, tells WKYT they’re focusing on three areas.
Following the holidays, Harrison Memorial Hospital says they saw an increase in the number of COVID patients. But what's even more troubling is the hospital says more of those patients needed a ventilator.
Hospitals in Lexington had told us that they were concerned get-togethers around Christmas and New Year’s would lead to a surge in cases that could overwhelm them. So far, we’ve managed to avoid that.
Barr said the security failures at the Capitol need to be investigated, but ultimately, the people who directly caused the damage are to blame.
The pandemic, and resulting job losses, have left a lot of people who have never had to ask for help, reaching out. That’s been evident for the people at Kentucky River Foothills.
Event organizers are preparing for the first concert at Rupp Arena in ten months.
Governor Andy Beshear wants to focus on the state’s unemployment issues.
A lot has happened in the hours after yesterday’s assault on the U.S. Capitol, and lawmakers around the state are still responding to the events in Washington. Our Victor Puente spoke with Congressman Andy Barr about the historic day.
We are continuing to hear from Kentucky’s congressional delegates. All of them are denouncing Wednesday’s violence in our nation’s capital.
The health department in Lexington says the demand for COVID-19 vaccines is so great right now they’re starting a waitlist for sign-ups.
Many people have questions about when they will be able to get the vaccine.
State health leaders predicted a holiday spike in cases, much like the one we saw after Thanksgiving. Already the state’s positivity rate tops 11 percent-- the highest it’s been in weeks.
“As tough as it’s been on us, imagine how tough it’s been on our parents and our grandparents that are trying to teach their kids at home,” said Superintendent Jeff Saylor. “We have a lot of students that, no matter how hard you work, we’ve not been able to meet their needs.
COVID-19 vaccines continue to be distributed across the commonwealth.
Craig Pennington was being held in the Marion County Detention Center for the 2016 double murder of Crystal Warner and Bobby Jones.