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As a part of the IMLS project, KGS will also include errata and disclosures noting biased and harmful content in its historical documents.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
June unemployment rate shows slight increase in Kentucky Center for Statistics latest report
Kentucky
Saturated soil raises flooding risk across Kentucky after recent heavy rain
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – Recent heavy rainfall has left soil across the state completely soaked, contributing to localized flooding in some areas.
When rain falls, some water soaks into the ground through a process called percolation.
Soil can only hold a limited amount of water. Once the small air spaces within the soil fill with water, the ground becomes saturated and additional rainfall has nowhere to go.
Soil type plays a role in how quickly water drains.
Much of Kentucky has clay-heavy soil, which is made up of very small, flat particles packed tightly together.
That composition makes it harder for water to move through. In clay soil, water may drain at a rate of only 0.02 to 0.17 inches per hour.
When rainfall comes down faster than the ground can absorb it and water cannot drain into a stream or storm drain quickly enough, it begins to build up.
That buildup is what leads to localized flooding.
Copyright 2026 WKYT. All rights reserved.
Kentucky
Cyclosporiasis spreads across Kentucky
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) – Cyclosporiasis is a microscopic parasite that can contaminate food and water — is making people sick across several states, including Kentucky.
Dr. Patricia Tellez-Watson said, the illness is caused by Cyclospora cayetanensis and spreads when someone ingests contaminated food or water. “It is an intestinal infection caused by this water-borne, food-borne microscopic parasite,” she said.
Symptoms can include diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
Tellez-Watson said, cases are often sporadic, but outbreaks can happen — especially during hot, wet months, when the parasite can survive in the environment long enough to become infectious.
Health experts recommend taking extra precautions with food and water. Washing hands and thoroughly rinsing produce before eating or cooking can reduce risk.
Watson also urged people to be cautious with fresh produce, particularly pre-packaged items, and to consider using bottled water.
Officials have confirmed cases in Bowling Green, though it’s unclear how many.
Copyright 2026 WBKO. All rights reserved.
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