There are conflicting reports about whether the satellite launched into space Wednesday from North Korea is safely circling the planet.

Jennifer Lawrence was nominated Thursday morning in the Golden Globe's best actress in a comedy or musical, her second nod for a major acting award in as many days.

The nomination is for her role in Silver Linings Playbook, a comedy about a man (played by Bradley Cooper) who struggles with mental illness after his marriage disintegrates. Lawrence plays his love interest, who is struggling with depression.

Officials will announce the merger Thursday of two leading agencies that have helped at-risk youth in Louisville and around Kentucky for over 160 years.

Bellewood Home for Children and Brooklawn Child and Family Services both offer services that help children, many of whom are wards of the state. The agencies offer combined services that range from psychiatric care and counseling to places to live.

The agencies are also partnered with Jefferson County Public Schools and offer alternative programs on site.

This week on our audio diary series, The Big Break, Actors Theatre of Louisville apprentice Samantha Beach gets some sage advice on second careers from the cast members of each of the theater's productions, while Louisville Ballet trainee Claire Horrocks opens her first full-length production of "The Nutcracker." Kentucky Opera studio artist Brad Raymond is on hiatus and traveling until January. 

When the three artistic directors of Theatre [502] launched their first season in 2011, they weren’t sure if Louisville would buy what they were selling—newer plays by buzz-worthy playwrights whose work speaks to theater-goers hungry for recent, relevant work, like Peter Sinn Nachtrieb's "Hunter Gatherers" (season one) and Annie Baker's "The Aliens" (season two).

Owensboro Democrat Ed Marksberry is running in the 2014 Kentucky race for U.S. Senate.

Marksberry is a building contractor and former congressional candidate, who ran unsuccessfully against Republican Congressman Brett Guthrie two years ago. He lost that race by 35 points.

On his campaign website, Marksberry says he shares the experience of middle-class Kentuckians and knows first-hand their struggles in this difficult economy.

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer will discuss his strategy to create a local sales tax option with members of the Metro Council this week.

Fischer has been lobbying state lawmakers and other leaders across Kentucky since July, saying the city needs the tool in the face of budget shortfalls.

The option would give Louisville voters the ability to vote for or against a sales tax increase to fund specific projects. Before that could happen, however, the measure needs a two-thirds vote in both chambers of the state legislature and a statewide referendum to amend the state constitution.

Democratic Caucus spokesman Tony Hyatt says his members are eager to hear the mayor outline his plan, adding they have serious questions about the sales tax options before showing support.

"What are you going to do with the money if it is passed and how long would such a local option tax be in place? Are you going to use it for infrastructure projects or to supplement the budget? The caucus would like to hear directly from the mayor what he plans to do with the money if the effort is successful," he says.