Unemployment line Frankfort ​​​(Photo: Lexington Herald-Leader)

What's wrong with the state's Unemployment Insurance system? How much time do you have? Kentucky Auditor Mike Harmon has looked under the hood | Covid, schools, and reopening. It's not simple says EKU Psychologist Melinda Moore | Corrine Boyer on addiction, a pandemic and treatment | AppHarvest goes public, harvests its first crop (tomatoes) and reassures local farmers about competition | Tom Eblen's guest Kentucky author: Louisville's Leesa Cross-Smith on her latest novel, "This Close to Okay" 

Interviews in order of appearance: 

Kentucky State Auditor Mike Harmon 

EKU Clinical Psychologist Melinda Moore 

WEKU/Ohio Valley Resource reporter Corrine Boyer 

AppHarvest Founder and CEO Jonathan Webb 

Tom Eblen with author Leesa Cross-Smith

 (Image: Shutterstock)

“The talk.” Berea College professor Dwayne Mack discusses the day-to-day of parenting and growing up Black in an inhospitable world. |  Corinne Boyer with Part One of a series on addiction in a pandemic | “Too many not reading at grade level by 3rd grade.” Dreama Gentry and Leslie Graham discuss a solution: rural libraries | EKU Chemistry Prof Judy Jenkins on transitioning a university campus to solar power | Author Leah Hampton talks about the familiar small town characters of her book, “F#*kface.” 

Interviews in order of appearance: 

Corinne Boyer - Opioid epidemic during a coronavirus pandemic, part II 

Gerald Smith - Racial Justice and Equality Series 

 Dreama Gentry, Leslie Graham - Why 3rd grade reading is so critical and how rural libraries can make a difference 

Judy Jenkins - Big new solar farm at EKU and what it portends for the future of powering a university campus 

Leah Hampton - The vivid, familiar characters of her book, “F#*kface.”

(NPR TV Critic Eric Deggans)

 NPR TV Critic Eric Deggans offers a preview of his upcoming lecture in the EKU Chautauqua Series. Hint: he has a lot to say about the state of media, both news and entertainment, and how it shapes society. | Author Bobi Conn on her essay: “A Day of Reckoning for Big Pharma: the Elegy that Appalachia Really Needs” | CEDIK’s Shane Barton and “One Harlan County’s” Colby Kirk on efforts to support Eastern Kentucky downtowns during the pandemic - and beyond | Hopewell Museum's Cheryl Caskey: Paris, Ky. hosts a courageous conversation around racial equality and justice. 

Interviews in order of appearance 

Bobi Conn 

(Read Bobi's Salon.com essay) 

Shane Barton 

Colby Kirk 

Eric Deggans 

Cheryl Caskey

(Photograph by Tasha Thomas)

The works of one of Kentucky’s leading literary figures is put to the ultimate test: critical reviews by peers. We talk with the editor of the forthcoming University Press of Kentucky release:  Silas House: Exploring an Appalachian Writer's Work. Silas House has also been in the studio to record a duet with Nashville singer-songwriter Tiffany Williams, who joins us. And we hear about all of this from Silas House himself. Plus, another well-known Kentucky writer: Frank X Walker, talks with Tom Eblen about the times and how the forces in play in 2020 have influenced his work. 

Interviews in order of appearance: 

Sylvia Shurbutt 

Tiffany Williams 

Silas House 

Frank X Walker

(Image: Shutterstock)

Part Two of a series about renter-landlord distress due to the economic impact of the pandemic. The series looks into the CDC eviction moratorium which directs landlords not to put people out in the street for nonpayment of rent and into living situations where they can catch and spread the coronavirus. In this episode, we hear from: Ginny Ramsey, Catholic Action Center; Art Crosby, Fair Housing Council; Tyler Scott, Chief of Staff in the Office of Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton; Lexington Social Services Commissioner Chris Ford; Karen Atkins, Kentucky River Foothills Development Council; Lexington Human Rights Commissioner Ray Sexton. UPDATE: President Biden has called for an extension of the eviction moratorium to at least March 31st. 

Interviews in order of appearance: 

Ginny Ramsey - Catholic Action Center 

Art Crosby - Lexington Fair Housing Council 

Tyler Scott - Chief of Staff, Office of Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton 

Chris Ford - Lexington Social Services Commissioner 

Karen Atkins - Kentucky River Foothills Development Council 

Ray Sexton - Lexington Human Rights Commission

(Image: Shutterstock)

Part One of a special two-part series on renter-landlord distress in a pandemic economy. Many Kentucky rental households have fallen behind on monthly payments and are at risk of eviction. Many landlords who remain responsible for mortgage payments and the costs of maintenance and repairs have gone months without receiving crucial monthly rental payments. Guests: Adrienne Bush, Executive Director of the Homeless and Housing Coalition of Kentucky; James Pennington, a professor in the EKU Government Department and a Lexington attorney with a landlord-tenant practice; Fred Schaeffer, president of the Central Kentucky Landlord Association 

 Interviews in order of appearance: 

Adrienne Bush, Executive Director, Homeless and Housing Coalition of Kentucky 

James Pennington, a professor in the EKY Department of Government and attorney with a landlord-tenant practice

(Photo: Fire Island Pines Historical Preservation Society)

Tom Martin with UK Pharmacist, researcher Sarah Blevins: How the Ryan White Act and its approach to HIV now treats opioid addiction | Stephanie Lang, editor of The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society with Jon Coleman: Elijah "Lige" Clarke and LGBTQ history in Eastern, Kentucky |  UK history professor Gerald Smith with PG Peeples in his 51st year leading the Urban League of Lexington. | Tom Martin with Lindsay Kampfer,  Licensed Clinical Social Worker, certified for Advanced Palliative and Hospice Social Work and a Counseling Resource Officer for Bluegrass Care Navigators: the profound experience of hospice. 

Interviews in order of appearance: 

Tom Martin with Sarah Blevins 

Stephanie Lang with Jon Coleman 

Gerald Smith with PG Peeples 

Tom Martin with Lindsay Kampfer 

BJ Miller: "What is Death?"

(Image: Shutterstock)

Tracking food consumer online shopping trends through the year of covid-19 | Hidden political scandals in Kentucky history | KET’s education factory responds to in-home learning | Kentucky author interview: Berea’s Alix Harrow 

 Interviews in order of appearance 

Jack Bobo - Pandemic consumer trends 

John Schaaf - Kentucky's past political scoundrels 

Cynthia Resor with Tonys Crum - Demand for KET at-home learning content through the roof 

Alix Harrow - Berea fiction writer on her latest, The Once and Future Witches

(Photo by WSAZ)

Neighbors helping neighbors keep their businesses afloat | A for-profit and a non-profit partner to bring change to the nutrition of a next generation of Eastern Kentuckians |How one who has made his fortunes in coal is now giving back | The late Ruth Bader Ginsburg is celebrated in the latest offering in our series on the 19th Amendment | And how suitcases and hair are making differences in the lives of foster children and kids battling cancer. 

Interviews in order of appearance: 

Lora Smith - Downtown Stimulus Fund 

Amy Samples, Alissa Taylor - A powerful partnership to improve rural nutrition 

Lee Todd, Jennifer Carter - All about MSU's Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Math 

Kathi Kern, Jennifer Bird-Pollan - Celebrating the legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg 

WEKU's Stu Johnson - Suitcases and hair for kids in need

If you appreciate access to this important content during this global pandemic, please help us continue to provide public service journalism and information to Central and Eastern Kentucky communities. Please make your contribution to WEKU today.

(Image: Shutterstock)

Vaccines are on the way. How should we calibrate our expectations about when we will roll up our sleeves? We offer the perspectives of two Kentucky experts | How is the pandemic messing with our minds? We hear from a clinical psychologist who is especially concerned about Generation Z | Covid 19 is disrupting the homebuilding industry. Find out how, as well as why skilled labor is in such high demand 

Interviews in order of appearance: 

Brooke Hudspeth, UK College of Pharmacy - Vaccines 

Bryan Makinen - EKU Covid 19 Task Force Chair - Vaccines 

MaryBeth Bundy - EKU Psychologist - Pandemic mindset 

Todd Johnson - Homebuilding materials in short supply

Contact: Tom Martin at [email protected] or leave voicemail at 859-622-9358 

If you appreciate access to this important content during this global pandemic, please help us continue to provide public service journalism and information to Central and Eastern Kentucky communities. Please make your contribution to WEKU today.