Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear declined to label Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocide” in an interview with Politico published Sunday, instead critiquing the question as a litmus test among Democrats.
Kentucky
KGS awarded IMLS grant to preserve nearly 200 years of Kentucky geological data
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 13, 2024) — The Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS) has received a $151,125 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to digitize and preserve a valuable collection of geoscience publications. This project will safeguard nearly 200 years of geological, geographical and textual data about Kentucky, ensuring its accessibility for future generations.
Based on preliminary feedback from academic researchers, industry users and public patrons, KGS identified collection gaps, quality issues and discoverability problems with its geoscience publication collection. With the IMLS grant, KGS anticipates digitizing at least 30% of the collection, stabilizing and labeling 95% of the collection, sending more than 40 fragile items to a third-party vendor for repair or rebinding and adding items to external online repositories.
The project, Connecting Geoscience Collections: Expanding Research Potential through Metadata at the Kentucky Geological Survey, is led by co-principal investigators Liz Adams, research administrative coordinator at KGS, and Cheyenne Hohman, publication resources curator.
“By putting forth these efforts today, we are ensuring the availability of our collection and data for future use by students, researchers, educators and the public,” Adams said. “The geoscience publication collection is the result of projects funded by the survey and federal and state agencies. The time and financial costs of preserving and digitizing this collection would be insurmountable.”
As a part of the IMLS project, KGS will also include errata and disclosures noting biased and harmful content in its historical documents. Further analysis of the collection will focus on identifying popular publications and topics, providing a better understanding of its user base, and shaping the development of new KGS publications. Additionally, the project will generate and distribute curated bibliographies and reading lists focused on perennial general interest topics in geoscience.
“KGS holds its collection in trust for the public and the research community. The IMLS grant represents a strategic investment in the management of our permanent geoscience publications collection,” Hohman said. “Our long-term vision includes increased community and research engagement with these geoscience publications.”
For more information and updates about this project, follow KGS on social media, visit the KGS website or review the KGS Annual Report.
This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services Award Number MA-255499-OMS-24.
Kentucky
Final gargoyle returned to its perch atop rehabbed Kentucky cathedral modeled after Notre Dame
COVINGTON, Ky. (AP) — The last stone gargoyle has been returned to its perch as part of a two-year restoration of a Kentucky cathedral with a facade modeled after Notre Dame in Paris.
The rehab project at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption was sorely needed to repair deteriorated stone, metal and glass that adorns the limestone exterior. The project included 32 recreated gargoyles along with repairs of deteriorated finials, arches and balustrades.
The 125-year-old church, in Covington just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati, offers the experience of a European gothic cathedral in the Midwest, said the Very Rev. Ryan Maher, the cathedral’s rector. The cathedral has an “intimate connection to what is really the most popular and most well-known cathedral outside of Rome itself,” he said.
“I think it’s very special and very unique,” said Maher, who watched from the sidewalk as the last gargoyle was raised to top of the facade on Monday.
The renovation price tag was nearly $8 million, and most came from donations, Maher said.
Brian Walter, CEO of Trisco Systems, the contractor, said the final gargoyle going in was “a symbol of the accomplishment of all our facade work.”
“That’s a big, monumental occasion for not only people here, but for us. That kind of symbolized the last stone we’re putting in,” Walter said.
Restoration plans grew out of Maher’s discovery in 2018 of a large piece of stone that fell from the exterior.
“We realized at that time that we needed to investigate not only the source of that one piece of stone that had fallen, but to take a look at the overall facade of the cathedral,” Maher said.
Workers will continue with smaller tasks around the facade, including the installation of chimeras that sit on the roofline, but the heavy lifting has been completed, Walter said.
“This is kind of a once or twice in a lifetime project,” Walter said.
“That’s becoming one of those new litmus tests that we said we would never do as a party again,” Beshear told Politico’s Dasha Burns after being asked if he agreed with the label. “It’s trying to throw out a word and, ‘Are you going to raise your hand or are you not going to?’”
Beshear is the Democratic governor of a solidly red state and a potential 2028 presidential contender. His remarks come as Democratic candidates increasingly grapple with their stances on Israel amid record-low support for Israel among their base.
While several lawmakers, including Vermont’s Jewish Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent, have called Israel’s actions in Gaza a “genocide,” the label has not gained mainstream support in the Democratic Party. Last October, former Vice President Kamala Harris declined to use the “genocide” label, which Israel had long rejected, but said, “We should all step back and ask this question and be honest about it.”
Some Democrats have embraced the question, with a New York congressional candidate telling the leftist streamer Hasan Piker this week that she is “100%” comfortable with the issue serving as a litmus test in her party.
Others have acted as though the litmus test is already in place. In January, for example, California congressional candidate Scott Wiener announced that he believes Israel’s actions in Gaza constitute a genocide after drawing scrutiny for declining to answer the question during a debate.
Beshear critiques Trump, Netanyahu
While Beshear told Burns that Israel “has the right to exist as a democratic country, as a Jewish country,” he added that his feelings about President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s conduct during the war in Gaza and ongoing war in Iran were “a different thing.”
“I believe the United States needs a strong Israel, but not one with decisions being made in the way that Netanyahu is making them,” Beshear said.
Beshear also critiqued President Donald Trump’s response to the crisis in Gaza.
“I believe that it could have been done without a lot of the suffering, but I put a lot of that blame also on Donald Trump,” he said. “If he’d said we are coming in and we are bringing food and aid and you are going to make sure that we’re safe, it would’ve happened.”
Last week, a spokesperson for Beshear told Politico that “AIPAC has never contributed to Governor Beshear and they’re never going to – ever,” a response that dovetailed with a host of other potential Democratic presidential candidates, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who are increasingly distancing themselves from the pro-Israel lobby.
“I think that’s up to each and every Democrat,” Beshear answered when asked whether he thought his fellow Democrats should take money from AIPAC.
“In the end, I think people need to be clear about their stance on these issues,” Beshear said. “And for me, it’s one where I believe that we need a future with an ally in Israel. But we need decision makers there that are not acting the way that Netanyahu is, and we need a president that will push when we are seeing humanitarian crises to actually do something about it.”
News18 minutes ago
Judge delays Luigi Mangione’s federal trial by about a month but won’t push it to next year | CNN
Detroit, MI2 hours ago
NFL.com proposes blockbuster Detroit Lions draft-day trade
San Francisco, CA2 hours ago
Headlines, April 1 – Streetsblog San Francisco
Dallas, TX3 hours ago
Jonathan Bullard on what he brings to Dallas: ‘Smarts, toughness, physicality’
Boston, MA3 hours ago
Boston celebrates first goal in club history – Equalizer Soccer
Florida1 year ago
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Oregon2 years ago
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
Connecticut2 years ago
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
Virginia2 years ago
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana2 years ago
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
News18 minutes ago
Judge delays Luigi Mangione’s federal trial by about a month but won’t push it to next year | CNN
News10 hours ago
Video: Trump Says U.S. to Leave Iran ‘Very Soon’
Politics11 hours ago
April showdowns: 4 key races to watch this month that will test Trump, GOP grip on power
World12 hours ago
Newsletter: Energy shock has Brussels on edge
News12 hours ago
Suspension lifted for helicopter pilots who hovered near Kid Rock’s home
-
South-Carolina3 days agoSouth Carolina vs TCU predictions for Elite Eight game in March Madness
-
Miami, FL6 days agoJannik Sinner’s Girlfriend Laila Hasanovic Stuns in Ab-Revealing Post Amid Miami Open
-
New Mexico1 week agoClovis shooting leaves one dead, four injured
-
Culture1 week agoDo You Know the Comics That Inspired These TV Adventures?
-
Minneapolis, MN6 days agoBoy who shielded classmate during school shooting receives Medal of Honor
-
Education1 week agoVideo: Trader Joe’s Dip Head-to-Head Taste Test
-
Tennessee1 week agoTennessee Police Investigating Alleged Assault Involving ‘Reacher’ Star Alan Ritchson
-
Vermont3 days agoSkier dies after fall at Sugarbush Resort