by Mallory Powell

(Sept. 19, 2014) —In recent years there has been growing concern that terrorist threats could involve "agents of opportunity," or materials that are readily available in most communities around the country. An upcoming course, "REAC/TS Training: Radiation Emergency Response - Are You Prepared?" will train public health personnel, emergency management folks, physicians, nurses, and other workers involved with radiological hazards in how to respond to such incidents. The course will be held 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday, Oct. 10, at the UK Chandler Hospital Pavilion A Auditorium. It is provided by the Central Appalachian Regional Education and Research Center (CARERC) in the UK College of Public Health and has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit.

The course will review the

by Mallory Powell

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 5, 2014) -- University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto will join U.S. Rep. Harold "Hal" Rogers and Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), at a Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR) Health Impact Series to discuss the health challenges in the region and announce two new UK initiatives to address them.

The announcements will come during a symposium held at Hazard Community and Technical College, the second “Health Impact Series” event with the CDC as part of the SOAR initiative.

According to the Kentucky Department for Public Health, this region has a greater prevalence for heart disease (84 percent higher), diabetes (47 percent higher) and obesity (26 percent higher) than the nation’s average. The state’s lung cancer mortality rates are the nation’s highest, at 67 percent

by Rachel Knuth

(July 1, 2014) — Former University of Kentucky student Amanda Fickey is back at her alma mater this summer, teaching Appalachian history and culture to 60 high school students from Eastern Kentucky who are part of UK’s Robinson Scholars Honors Program.

Fickey, a native of Letcher County, served as the arts and cultural outreach coordinator for The Center for Rural Development in Somerset, Kentucky, prior to her time at UK. Fickey, who recently completed her doctoral degree in economic geography at UK, also holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Kentucky and a master’s degree

by Gail Hairston

(May 28, 2014) — Kentucky Poet Laureate Frank X Walker was recently honored by the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA) as the recipient of the 2014 Honor Book for Poetry for his “Turn Me Loose: The Unghosting of Medgar Evers: Poems.” The 2014 BCALA Literary Awards recognize excellence in adult fiction and nonfiction by African-American authors published in 2013.

“This honor is extra special to me because of the reverence I have for libraries and librarians,” Walker said. “When I was a kid I wanted to grow up and drive the bookmobile. Recently, the Boyle County Public Library made my dream come true. They let me drive their

by Keith Hautala

(April 21, 2014) — The Appalachian Studies Association (ASA) recently awarded its highest honor for service to the field to Dwight Billings, a University of Kentucky professor in the Department of Sociology and on the Appalachian Studies Program faculty.

Billings, who has made many significant contributions to the field of Appalachian studies throughout a career that has spanned nearly 40 years, received the Cratis D. Williams/James S. Brown Service Award at the association's 37th annual conference, held March 28-30 at Marshall University in Huntington, W.Va. The award is given annually to an

by Whitney Hale

(April 8, 2014) — "Reel to Real: Special Collections at the Movies," the University of Kentucky Special Collections Library's film series, will close this year with a screening of "Our Day," at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 8, at Worsham Theater in the UK Student Center. The film series explores celebrated movies through a historically accurate perspective based on primary source materials found in Special Collections. The screening is free and open to the public.

“Our Day” is a short 1938 documentary about the Kelly family of Lebanon, Ky. Filmed by Wallace Kelly, the home movie looks at a day in the life of the family.

Movie topics

by Whitney Hale, Mack McCormick

(April 2, 2014) — University Press of Kentucky (UPK) author T.R.C. Hutton has been named the recipient of the 2013 Weatherford Award for nonfiction for his book "Bloody Breathitt: Politics and Violence in the Appalachian South." The Weatherford Award is presented by Berea College and the Appalachian Studies Association annually to honor books in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry that highlight

by Gail Hairston

(March 14, 2014) ― The natural beauty of the Elkhorn City/Russell Fork region of Pike County, Ky., is undeniable. It is home to part of the Breaks Interstate Park, referred to by some as the 'Grand Canyon of the South.' And yet tourism, especially adventure tourism, is still a slowly developing factor in the local economy. Locals want to know why.

The Elkhorn City Heritage Council is trying to promote recreational and outdoor tourism in the area. University of Kentucky and Eastern Kentucky University students and faculty have been asked to assist in those efforts by gauging public opinion.

March 20-23, a group of UK students will go door-to-door surveying residents of Elkhorn City to find out more about their visions of the community's economic future and community assets. A group