xt7hqb9v495v https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7hqb9v495v/data/mets.xml The Kentucky Kernel Kentucky -- Lexington The Kentucky Kernel 2006-04-28 Earlier Titles: Idea of University of Kentucky, The State College Cadet newspapers  English   Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. The Kentucky Kernel  The Kentucky Kernel, April 28, 2006 text The Kentucky Kernel, April 28, 2006 2006 2006-04-28 2020 true xt7hqb9v495v section xt7hqb9v495v qiSillit.

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PM! 3 NAKED “ASCOT: Current and former UK mascots share stories of life inside the suit

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Friday, April 28, 2006

O
U K begins
renewable
energy
0 O O 0
Initiative
Green Thumb will work with UK

to create student committee

By Megan Boehnke
or: rrmucxv KERNEL

University administrators have begun
the framework to help push forward a re-
newable energy initiative — including the
creation of a student committee that will be-
gin inve stigating energy conservation pro-
jects and give recommendation to the uni-
versity

In the Student Government elections in
late March. about two-thirds of voters cast
ballots to support the creation of a $6 to $8
increase in student fees per semester to help
the university finance renewable energy
sources.

“This has been our goal for the past two
years,” Tiffany Thompson, president of
Green Thumb. said of getting the referen-
dum passed. “We‘re excited that the univer-
sity is taking steps to move forward to use
the work we’ve done.”

Because the Board of Trustees passed
next year’s budget about three weeks before
the SG elections. the new student fee will
not take effect until Fall 2007 at the earliest.

While the initiative will be student-led,
the university will have to establish guide-
lines, open university accounts. evaluate
university regulations and take other steps
to help students achieve their goal, said Ben
Crutcher. associate vice president for Auxil-
iary Services and chair of the UK Sustain-
ability Task Force, in a university press re—
lease.

In the meantime. Green Thumb will
work with the Sustainability Task Force
over the summer to draft a report detailing
how the student committee will be formed,
said Thompson.

The committee will be supervised by
university administrators and faculty mem-
bers and will help govern how the money
raised from the student fees —~ about
$318,000 to $424000 ~ will be spent.

“The group will have to review the uni-
versity’s existing energy-efficient projects.
agree on a list of conservationist programs
and craft the language for a proposal to the
board," Crutcher said.

“It is extremely important for universi-
ties to step up because they have a huge eco
nomic buying power and what they do mat-
ters to the community," Thompson said.
“It‘s going to improve our air quality greatly
and the state. It‘s a way to invest in a cleaner
community“

E—mail mboehnkeavkykernelcom

Expert:
UFOs are
real

By Keith Brooks
THE KENTUCKY um

 

There is an abundance of evidence that
not only proves the existence of UFOs, but
the government has been hiding classified
documents for decades. an expert told stu-
dents last night.

Robert Hastings, independent UFO re-
searcher who claims to have
first spotted UFOs at Mal-
strom Air Force Base in 1967,
spoke last night in Memorial
Hall at a lecture entitled,
“UFOs: The Hidden History"
The event marked the last in-
stallment of Theoretical
Thursdays, hosted by the Stu-
dent Activities Board.

Since 1981, Hastings has
spoken at more than 500 uni-
versities. presenting a great

deal of documents and evidence many people
have never seen.

“Many citizens are led to believe that the
unidentified objects are nonsense," he said.

Hastings mentioned an organization
called NICAP, which helps to distribute infor-
mation about UFOs with the help of the Free
dom of Information Act. Since 1973. Hast-
ings has interviewed military personnel who
have confirmed undisclosed reports

“What the documents indicated beyond

SeeUFOonpegeI

 

Celebrating 35 years of independence

dedicated to
dlssent

www.ltylternel.corn

 

nmoslvmnrs-ni sun

Above: The view from the southeastern side of Lost Mountain in Perry County, Ky., shows the blasted moutainside in the distance and the valley fill that surrounds it.
Top: Erik Reece, a UK lecturer, spent a year observing the strip mining of Lost Mountain before writing a book and Harper's Magazine article about the process.

UK lecturer witnessed the death of a mountain, shares lessons learned

By Sean Rose
or: xrurucxv mm

Erik Reece never wanted to
write about coal.

Which is a little odd, con-
sidering the year the UK Eng-
lish instructor spent visiting
Perry County, Ky, weaving
through briars and under-
brush. ducking between boul-
ders and hiding from miners to
chronicle a mountain crum-
bling because of the coal below
its surface.

“It’s not something I ever
wanted to write about." Reece
said. “It's something I felt like I
had to write about.”

Today. the mountain Reece
studied for a year i Lost
Mountain. fittingly enough —
has giant stair-steps carved
from its sides. ridges dumping
into sheer rock walls, a valley
more similar to a crater than a
forest. All this is surrounded
by hills of boulders and blasted

rock, crisscrossed with
makeshift roads. Aside from an
occasional beetle or the non-in-
digenous grass on some re-
claimed mine sections. there is
little sign of life. Reece esti-
mates the summit is 100 feet
lower now.

An assignment from Harp-
er’s Magazine took Reece to
Lost Mountain in 2003. What he
saw evolved into a book depict-
ing the destruction radical
strip mining wreaks on the en-
vironment and the people of
the region. as well as the cor-
rupt practices that seem to find
footholds in many coal busi-
nesses.

The book, “Lost Mountain:
A Year in the Vanishing
Wilderness." was scaled down
for the Harper’s article that
ran last April. and was re-
leased in January 2006.

On the 13th floor of the Pat-
terson Office Tower. Reece. 38.
peeled his attention away from

his grade book and e-mail to
answer questions in his clut-
tered office. He leaned hack in
his chair and crossed his arms
across his yellow plaid shirt.
then explained how a Virginia
boy who grew up in Louisville
became wrapped up in an issue
largely ignored on a national
level.

“I think one thing a writer
has to do is take responsibility
for injustices that they per-
ceive." Reece said. “I did start
to feel a responsibility

“Obviously. the land can‘t
speak for itself. so you have to
speak for the land. And I‘m not
trying to speak for the people
of Appalachia. but i am trying
to let them tell their stories
through me.“

But Reece didn‘t feel com-
pelled to write about strip min-
ing until he began teaching at
UK in 1996. Five years ago. he
took students in his nature
writing class to UK‘s Robinson

 

Completed

nun-mum
Thlsbhrepawprlntmarlrsthesldewauuspart

of UK's CATS Path.

Forest in Jackson. Ky. There. a
view from a fire tower sparked
his interest in mountaintop re-
moval when he saw the forest
surrounded by barren hills.

"I began to realize that I
couldn‘t really write about the
beauty of the forest without
writing about all these forces
that are at work to destroy it."
Reece said.

Reece received the go~ahead
from a Harper‘s editor to follow
the destruction of a mountain
for a year. During his research.
Reece learned for himself the
consequences of strip mining

“Once i got really involved
in the research. i realized that
people really are suffering in»
credibly." he said. “Their wa-
ter‘s toxic. their air's toxic.
these coal trucks are illegally
overloaded and they‘re killing
people. I began to really under
stand that the people in the re

See Reece on page 8

CATS Path offerssafety at night

ByJuiiannVachon
n—irxmumxmu

UK is taking one of many

steps toward improving safety
on campus with the completion
of a new safe walkway through
campus today The university is
showcasing the new CATS Path
at 2 pm. in front of the Main
Building.

About 70 blue and white paw
prints have been laid along the
path. and signs have been hung
on light posts marking the
CATS Path. which is a well-lit.
monitored path running
through the entirety of central
campus, awording to Carol Jor-
dan, director of UK's Center for
Research on Violence Against
Women.

Along with extra lighting
and increased police patrol. the
path‘s landscaping was im-
proved and cleared of over-
grown shrubbery to create a
safe. visible walkway for people

to use at night. Jordan said.

The CATS Path is part of an
initiative headed by the
Women‘s Safety Advisory Coun-
cil to improve and promote
women‘s safety on campus . The
initiative is drawing from a
$1.25 million fund established
by UK in September 2005.

The path has been getting
positive feedback from students.
Jordan said.

“People like the idea of a
visible path through campus
where they can walk and feel
safe." she said

Although it is set and ready
for use. Jordan said it is still not
handicap accessible. Curb cuts
will be added to Rose Street over
the summer to address this
problem.

Jordan also hopes to one day
expand the path as funds allow.

“Students aren't going to
walk on a safer path if it's way
out of their way” she said.

“This is just the beginning."

UK Police Maj. Joe Monroe
said the police department re-
ceived two donated golf carts to
help focus on patrolling the
path and campus.

The police department also
used a portion of the 31.25 mil-
lion to hire an additional officer
to increase the number of offi-
cers on campus, Monroe said.

“We understand the com-
plexity of improving women's
safety on campus.“ Jordan said.
"The CATS Path is not the only
thing needed to improve women
safety but it is a great start.“

UK Women's Place also re-
ceived a portion of the funding
to increase programming and
hire a full time professional ser-
vices coordinator.

Domthy Edwards. director
of UK Women's Place, said Jen-
nifer Wies was promoted to vic-
tim services coordinator and

See Path on page 8

WHY-MS

 

 m: z | Friday, April 28, 2006

our dail dose of entertainment 0 culture and fun WWI

sumku Go to m.lryirernel.com for the solution
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MOSCOPeS7

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By Linda C. Black

To get the advantage, check the day‘s
rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most
challenging.

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