Middle of Everywhere

The Case of the Christmas Cop Car

By Austin Carter,

Published May 29, 2025 at 11:08 AM CDT

What happens when a silly prank turns into a year-long crusade to obtain police records? In this episode, a twice-stolen Christmas display, and the records surrounding it, lead Ariel and Austin to question why the local police have withheld the full records even in the face of a ruling from Kentucky’s Attorney General. And they enlist the help of advocates for open government as they try to “solve” The Case of the Christmas Cop Car.

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Presenting Middle of Everywhere

Austin Carter

Austin Carter is a Murray State grad and has been involved with WKMS since he was in high school. Over the years he has been a producer for WKMS and has hosted several music shows, but now calls Morning Edition his home each weekday morning.

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Ariel Lavery

Ariel grew up in and became disenchanted with suburbia early on. Since childhood, she yearned for rural farm life and has now made a chance landing in rural Murray, KY. She holds a BFA and MFA in Studio Art.“ I am driven to collect the stories and histories of rural folk, the people who , in some ways, have the most immediate connection to our history as a country. ” -Ariel

See stories by Ariel Lavery