xt7gxd0qvh1g https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7gxd0qvh1g/data/mets.xml The Kentucky Kernel Kentucky -- Lexington The Kentucky Kernel 1991-01-24 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, January 24, 1991 text The Kentucky Kernel, January 24, 1991 1991 1991-01-24 2020 true xt7gxd0qvh1g section xt7gxd0qvh1g By TERENCE HUNT Associated Press WASHINGTON President Bush said last night the war against Saddam Hussein was “right on schedule.” undercutting Iraq's abili- ty to fight back. “There can be no pause now that Saddam has forced the world into war, ”Bush said. Bush delivered an upbeat assess- ment of the first week of war but echoed military planners who cau- tioned against overconfidence. Bush warned there will be “setbacks and sacrifices." The instructions to war planners, Bush said, are to "get it done quick- ly and with as little loss of life as possible." Military leaders said allied bomb- ing had destroyed Iraq’s two nucle- ar research reactors and seriously damaged factories believed to pro- duce chemical and biological weap- ons. Saddam “doesn‘t know how bad- ly he's been hit,” Defense Secretary Dick Cheney said. pointing to dis— ruption of Iraq’s communication systems. The Pentagon warned, however. that Iraq' 3 military machine re- mains strong despite intense allied attacks. “We're dealing with an en- emy that is resourceful, an enemy that knows how to work around problems, an enemy that is ingeni- ous," said Gen. Colin Powell. chair- man of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. U.S. armored cavalrymen skir- mished with Iraqis in the first fire- fight along the northern border, where fieets of tanks maneuvered and dug in on the desert floor yes— terday for the land war just over the horizon. The Americans captured six Ira- qis and suffered two slight casual- ties, the U.S. command said. It de~ nied a Baghdad claim that the Iraqis See WAR, Back page 1 tion members tied yell 'Ontltetree's . .'-:'+. " : ribbons) me we day. madam effectonalotofpeoplebeeamet _ wouldsaythatalmoaallpeople 'supportttierroops. andmosisup- . day. unmcdiately after the attack while Socially Cemented Stu-__ dents members mt! red ribbons onIraqstarted. “The bill was rushed through on. emergency stems. and we wanted people to see them (the said. "I thinkitshadaposinve ponthe militaryactionf’ Middleton and 56A Senator at Large Ashley Boyd placed the ribbons around campus that night. “It 3 pretty much a done effort. We just want people to remem» her” the soldiers in the gulf re- See SGA, Back page TESTING THE WATER In the midst of a winter afternoon, some ducks take a swim at the pond located at the Retention Basin. Like yest “Cl-MEL (‘l FVENGFR '~ " erday. temperatures are expected to be around 30 degrees today. Woods takes over as Cats Win 81-65 By BARRY REEVES Assistant Sports Editor Sean Woods did his best impres- sion of Isiah Thomas last night, zip- ping his way through Florida's de- fense and leading eighth-ranked UK to its lOth straight victory last night at Rupp Arena. Woods, a point guard from India- napolis, scored 11 straight points during a crucial first-half mn that lifted the Wildcats to an eight-point lead. And his consistent second-half play kept the upstart Gators from getting any closer than five points the rest of the way. UK TODAY University of Cincinnati Classical Guitar Ensemble will be performing in the Otis A. Singietary Center for the ArtsRecital Hall at 8 pm. Robinson Forest shows trou— ble of re- gion. _ g a Story. Page &Mfia 3 Sports ............................... 2 Outlook ............................. 3 Classifieds ........................ 5 W “I thought we did a good job of pressuring them on the perimeter.“ Florida coach Lon Kruger said. “ .. but Woods just killed us. We knew he was a great pcnctrator, and he showed it tonight." Woods‘ first-half scoring outburst was accomplished in a span of just 2:29. impressing a crowd of 24,055 fans at Rupp Arena and pleasing head coach Rick Pitino. “Sean just did a tremendous job penetrating again tonight," Pitino said. Florida was hanging tough in the first half before Woods took over. The 6-foot-3 junior scored on a lay- up. two driving 5-foot bank shots and was 5-for-5 from the line and kept the Gators guessing. “All I was doing was taking what the defense was giving me." said Woods. who also had six assists and four steals. “They came up on me real tight and I tried to go by them." UK forward John Pprhrey said: “Again tonight. you saw that Sean Woods is the one who makes us go. He is a very big key to our basket- ball team.” Florida held Kentucky to just 5- for-24 shooting (20.8 percent) from three-point range. but the Cats had a big edge. 52-37, in rebounding. “They just worked harder on the boards than we did," Kruger said. “I thought they were just quicker than we were. They wanted it more than we did." Craig Brown led Florida with a career-high 18 points. and Dwayne Davis added 12. Stacey Poole chipped in 10 points. UK center Reggie Hanson scored 10 points and pulled down a game- high 15 rebounds, including 12 in the first half. Jctl' Brassow had 15 points, 10 rebounds in carom high) and four steals. Pclphrcy had 14 points for the Winners. “With our style of play. shooting is not the most important variable." said Pitino, whose team improved to 15-2 overall and 7-0 in the South- eastern Conference. “If we play good. hard defense and get on the boards. we’ll have a good chance of winning the bailgame." One of Pitino’s biggest concerns heading into the game was Ken- tucky‘s post defense. and the fact that Florida‘s two big men — Davis and Livingston Chatman — aver- aged 29.2 points a game. See CATS, Page 2 U.S.S.R. seizes another building By JOHN DANISZEWSKI Associated Press VILNIUS. U.S.S.R. —— Soviet soldiers seized the central paper and dye warehouse in the Lithuanian capital yesterday. despite a pledge by President Mikhail S. Gorbachev to restore peace in the Baltic repub lics. “This is simply an attempt to hamper the press in Lithuania and certainly will increase the tension,” Lithuanian President Vytautas Landsbergis told a news conference. Landsbergis said a telegram ap- proved by the republic's parliament was sent to Gorbachev saying the Soviet leader should order the with- drawal of all Soviet troops occupy- ing buildings in Lithuania. Gorbachev told the nation Tues- day that his main task was to achieve calm in the Baltics. But he also called on the republics to abide by the Soviet constitution. The Lithuanian parliament‘s press office said two civilians who claimed to represent the Lithuanian Communist Party announced they were taking control when they ar- rived at the warehouse with soldiers at 1 pm. yesterday. About 20 Interior Ministry sol- diers with automatic weapons drove up in five jeeps and took up posi- tions throughout the warehouse. There were just a few workers in the warehouse. who offered no re- sistance. said Lithuanian govern- ment spokesman Audrius Azubalis. He said the building had about 37 tons of paper inside, but he added that the seizure was unlikely to have a serious effect on news because most independent publications have their own supplies. The SOviet military already con- trols Press House the main printing plant in Vilnius. A unit of the so- called “black beret" troops of the Soviet Interior Ministry last week- end seized a similar plant in the Lat- vian capital Riga Nikolai Gribanov a member of the Lithuanian Communist Party 3 Central Committee. later said the armed forces of the Soviet Interior See U.S.S.R. , Back page By KYLE FOSTER Contributing Writer Cindu'a Johnson 5 past 4 1’2 years- at UK have been filled with salad bars and meatless ta- cos because she could not find nutritional meals on campus to fit her vegetarian diet. Johnson, a fifth year architec- ture major. said she ate meals that probably were not as low in calories 0r fat as she would have liked ,. But this semester she said she is “a lot happier" with the selec- tions offered by UK Food Ser~ vices. UK Food Services has added a vegetarian line to its already pop. ular Lite Line. said Robin Gibbs. assistant manager of Student Center Food Services. The Lite Line, implemented in the fall of 1989. is comprised of Insofar. low calorie, low-cholesterol me~ nus created by Gibbs and her staff. , Gibbs said the vegetarian line was incorporated into the health line menus Jan. 7 because of re» quests from 400 vegetarian Stu. dents on campus. A menu listing tat, calorie, cholesterol. and sodium counts is posted next to die Lite and vege- Court. “Everybody is becoming just a little bit more aware of what they're taking in," Gibbs said. Gibbs um recipes out of Food Services offers vegetarian selections cookbooks from Campbell‘s to Southern Living and she is “will- ing to try any recipes that vege- tarians and/or healrlwonscious eaters have.“ she said. Cassie Dewriing, a dietetics major, makes up the menus. She takes into account fat content in stead of calories to create flavor- ful. nutritious meals that will fit into a low-fat arid/or vegetarian diet. “Fat grams are more important than calorie counting.” Downing said. Gibbs said a common miscon~ ception among dieters is that counting fat grams is nOt impor‘ tant. “Fat is hard to burn." she said. Gibbs also said that on 3 nor— mal low-fat diet, 30 grams of fat 3 day is the limit. “A normal on. tree such 3 tinkey md dressing or meatloaf contains 30 grams of fat.” she said. But with Downing‘s menu " creatiorts.apersoncancoiisume less than 12 grams of fat in an entire meal Nutritional difference charts comparing the Vegetarian/Lite entrees and the regular entrees will be posted with the means so that students can see the differ» ences. Downing said. the following menus. served on the same day. by calo- n‘es, cholesterol. found sodtu‘ m: A vegetarian meal of pasta pri See FOOD. Beat page INSIDE: BRASSOW SPARKS UK TO VICTORY 2 - Kentucky Kernel, Thurarlay, January 24. 1991 -— SPORTS By JONATHAN MLLER Staff Writer If UK coach Rick Pitino had his way, Jeff Brassow would start at all five positions for the streaking Wildcats — and be the sixth man off the bench as well. Pitino was, no doubt, impressed with the sophomore's work ethic in Kentucky's 81—65 win at Rupp Are- nalast night. “Everybody on the team has to play as hard as Brassow did.” laud— ed Pitino. “I want 13 Jeff Bras- sows," he said. The 6-5 sophomore guard from Houston, Tex., was the second- leading scorer and rebounder last night for the Cats, with 15 points and 10 rebounds. His performance on the boards was a career-high. as well. Pitino, however, emphasized Brassow‘s defensive effort. ”Brassow gets beat a lot (on de- fense)," Pitino said. “But he gives Sophomore forward complimented by Pitino for hustling, ‘crazy’ play you so much ef- fort and so much hustle that he makes up for it.” By halftime, Brassow had earned nine of UK’s 22 deflec- tions. He fin- - ished the game “i with 12 dcflcc- BRASSOW tions and four steals. “This is my best game of the year so far," Brassow said. “I’m not the most talented, but I make up in oth- er ways." Brassow scored seven of UK's 11 points in one run. His seventh point came on a Jamal Mashbum steal Kentucky's Largest Health 8: Fitness Corporation Keeping Kentucky Fit Since 198 1 Semester Membership $99 FORD'S FITNESS CENTER Offer expires l / 3 l / 9 1 N O ENROLLMENT FEE! Membership includes: Reebok Power—Step Aerobics 0 Stairmaster Free Weights 0 Treadmill - Selectorized Machines Lifecycles 0 Juice Bar 0 Wolff Tanning Beds“ Basketball 0 Rowing Machine 0 Nautilus & More Open 24 Hours ‘Wolif Tanning extra Off Versailles Rd. 2100 Oxford Cl. 252-512 1 that resulted in the first of Bras- sow’s two dunks. Brassow’s second dunk probably will be remembered. With 2:56 left in the game and PITINO UK ahead 74- 58. Sean Woods missed a lay-up that bounced high off the rim. Brassow skied over a crowd inside to rebound and dunk with one quick thrust. Brassow’s exclamation point on the game sent the 24,055 at Rupp Arena into a frenzy. “I would say it was my second best dunk,” Brassow said, still clinging to his monster jam against Western Kentucky at Freedom Hall as his most impressive feat. Florida coach Lon Kruger, who is in his first year, couldn’t distinguish Brassow from the rest of the UK players. “They all play like Brassow," Kruger said. “We were more aware of the group. They play with such intensity they're fun to watch.” The stat sheet says Brassow is not a player an opposing defense has to key on. He averages 8.2 points a game and 2.9 rebounds. He is shooting 39 percent from the field and 35 per- cent from three-point range. Besides pulling down 10 re- bounds, Brassow only marginally improved his stats last night. Brassow was six of 14 from the field (42 percent) and hit only one of five three-pointers (20 percent). Brassow also had four fouls, but that did not affect his intensity on the court defensively. “If I foul out, I foul out,” Brassow said. “I'm going to play hard regard- less of how many fouls I have." “When you look at him, you sometimes wonder if he knows what he's doing,” said senior center Reggie Hanson. Just put Brassow in a stat all his own. Something that can’t be add- ed, subtracted or divided. “He doesn't try to be Bob Cousy or Magic.” Pitino said. “He’s a fun- damental ball player. he just goes way beyond the norm. Everybody’s got to be as cra- zy as Brassow." STEVE ucranumo/ Kernel Staff UF’s Craig Brown goes after the ball as Brian Hogan holds UK's Deron Feldhaus in last night's game at Rupp Arena against the Uni- versity of Florida. The Wildcats rolled over the Gators 81 -65. Cats Continued from page 1 The Wildcats held the duo to 16 points. “We did a good job in that area," the UK coach said. “... We did a good job of keeping the ball out of the low post.” The Gators played Kentucky pret- ty even in the first half, but could not stop Woods. The two teams basically traded baskets until Florida took advantage of two consecutive turnovers with a pair of baskets — 3 Scott Stewart lS-footer and a Poole l7-footer —— to takea 15-11 lead. Then it was Florida’s turn to turn the ball over. Kentucky forced two turnovers and Brown missed a free begin at 7:30 pm. Understanding the Crisis In the Gulf Forums on the Middle East at the University of Kentucky 29 January "Nationalism and Islam in the Arab World“ Dr. Robert Olson,UK Department of History Discussant Abadallah Muhammad, UK Department of Poiicticai Science All Forums will be held in the New Student Center Room 230 except 12 Febru- ary troum which will be held in the Old Student Center Room 245. All Forums will For further information call Michael impey : 257-7066 257-8867 T“ o . Recre =. ion I It I ’l I- I \ \_I I r' .639 1%“ /r\ Pot Roast $5.95 I‘ l \ S ’§\l 'Oh ‘.I ‘ g. Ir‘XQng‘ 7§ xflé“ .. [g [/13“ @fl“ _ [g’ ,’:® ’1’): ETIERY SUIVDAY tartar. 9.9.2.5 LEXINGTON EKFNIUCKY All you can EAT! 01‘ 122 West Maxwell \ ’1 - x r" - x I ~ " ~ ‘\~ ‘v’Wt/ ‘ xiii @/ \§ v S] K?» Grilled Chicken Breast $6.95 255—6666 ~. ATTENTION ALL CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS 9 ‘People Helping People" 2043 Oxford Circle 254-8047 Come by or CALL for Details OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK FRI 7 AM. - 6 PM. For your organization or your charity with 10 members participating in our plasmaphersis program. MON. - THURS 7 AM. - 8 PM. SAT - SUN 8:30 AM. - 3:30 PM. on first Visit throw on consecutive possessions. The Wildcats took a 16-15 lead with 9:49 left in the half when Pel- phrey hit one of two free throws. After a pair of Brown free throws, Kentucky reserve forward Deron Feldhaus hit a three-pointer to give the Wildcats the lead for good at 19-l7. With UK holding a scant 25-22 lead, Woods took over. He started it with a pair free throws, 27-22. After a Poole miss, a driving layup. 29- 22. After a Chatman dunk, another pair of free throws, 3l-24. After a Garcia 15-footer, Woods hit a 5-foot running bank shot, was fouled and hit the free throw, 34-26. A pair of Chatman free throws, then another 5-foot banker from Woods, 36-28. Horida never recovered. “It’s hard to contain him one-on- one," said Kruger, whose team falls to 7-9,_34. “He’s a big factor in their offense. Woods makes it tough on a lot of people, though." Thurs - Sun 7:30 & 10:00 (7 PM on Sun) $2 w/UK ID. at Worsham Theatre FROM $22 if I’t'r i't'l\()ll .-. 'i in .i Ronni " MARCH i i through MARCH 26, 1991 SPRING BREAK Hor Spurs: BEACHCOMER li‘il‘i TREASURE ISLAND li‘il‘l SHERATON li‘il‘i - DAYTOHA SHORES ‘3' Choose from 3 Oceanfront Hotels fir Poolside Bars and Restaurants 1k Relax in our Heated Pbols and Whirlpools fr Join in! Pboldeck Contests. Music at Fun fir Most Rooms fieature 2 Double Beds and Private Balconies ' Soecal Imtod otter Supper to 9% tax Fwa night Minimum on some dates Rates are non-commissionable and cannot be used mth any other otter 1 0800087407420 OCEAI‘iS ELEVEN RESORTS Kentucky Kernel, Thursday, January 24. 1991 - 3 Robinson Forest dispute emblematic of troubles facing Eastern Kentucky An Essay ur environmental problems. moreover. are not at root, political; they are cultural.” —chdell Berry, from his collection of essays, What are People For? JACKSON, Ky. —— Lester Prath- er has spent his entire life in Brea- thitt County. He has lived off the land here, raised his children, and seen the good times and bad times that life in this mountain communi- ty brings to its residents. Today, he is one of five or six su- pervisors still working for Arch Mineral Corp. in Breathitt County. Most of the other employees -— 250 Breathitt County miners —— were laid off in October because Arch had depleted its reserves in the area. Officials with the St. Louis-based mining company say that if UK of- ficials had not worked so hard the last few months to block Arch's at- tempt to mine near Robinson For- est, many of the layoffs would not have been way this Breathitt County coal min- er hauntingly encapsulated the com- plex controversy of Robinson For- est. If you don’t know where your next meal is coming from, or how your family will get through tomor- row, much less next year, improve- ment is not a by-word in your home —— survival is. Yet, in providing for economic security in the present, we may be auctioning off our survival in the long-term haze that is the future. Three more years of mining —— which is what Arch officials say mining near the forest would pro- vide — may mean jobs. But after that those jobs will be gone. And with that there may be incalculable damage done to an environment that has long been plundered for the sake of economic fulfillment. The same premise is true for all of Appalachia, and indeed for all of America’s industrial society. The promise of economic satisfaction, like ajunkie’s high, may bring necessary . UK. however, contends that min- ing near the forest would damage 20 years of important research con- ducted there. Prather knows a great deal about Robinson Forest. The 15,000-acre research forest owned by the Uni- versity covers Breathitt, Knott and Perry counties. Growing up, Prather “hunted a squirrel or two" within the boundar~ ies of Robinson Forest, but he prob- ably would be one of the first to ad- mit that he knows little about research conducted there. That doesn’t really matter much, though. The battle between the en— vironment and economy holds little concern for him. He worries about the battle’s victims. Today, he spends his time finish- ing reclamation on Arch’s mining interests nearby. It's a job that marks an end, not a beginning. And for that he has wor- ries — worries about the future of his fellow miners, worries about his own future and about his homeland. The people of Eastern Kentucky, he told a crowd of 700 at a recent state hearing on the topic, are trying to improve themselves. “We here in Eastern Kentucky are trying to edu- cate ourselves,” he said. Prather has had a son graduate from UK. He currently has daugh- ters at Temple, Western Kentucky and Morehead State universities. But on a rainy December evening at a small middle school in Jackson, Prather did not make any arguments about improvement. He did not argue about the environment or the morality of strip-mining, or eco- nomic flow charts that had been carted out to show why Arch should be allowed to mine its land near the forest. Yet, in his simple, but eloquent, A WAR NEVER FINISHED: President Johnson initiated his idealistic “I’m trying to figure out what it is that the University has done with (Robinson Forest) in the last 20 years that has benefited the hill people of Eastem Kentucky.” some re- lief. But that high wears off, and the hangover could be the selling of our children’s salvation in the future. For more than 20 years, the Uni- versity and environmentalists have argued successfully that mining the forest would destroy important sci- entific research — primarily water quality and reforestation — con- ducted within the forest's Clemons Fork watershed. The watershed covers about 4,000 acres of the forest. However, the latest attempt by Arch to mine near the forest is, perhaps, the most serious and most sustained that the University has encountered. For most of us, such concerns — about a forest and people more than 90 miles away — are seemingly ir- relevant. Ninety miles is a thousand miles away in terms of relevance to our lives. Such a view, however, overlooks the symbolic importance of Robin- son Forest. In many respects, the controversy of Robinson Forest is emblematic of the problems, and historical story, of Appalachia. And in turn, Appalachia's story reflects the problems of our own society. the very fabric of our culture. And, as usual, the story of Robin- son Forest, like the story of Appala- chia, has a predictable loser — the people. is that the University has done with (Robinson Forest) in the last 20 years that has benefited the hill people of Eastern Ken- tucky." I 'm trying to figure out what it —Blair Gardner, attorney for Arch Mineral Corp. People in and around Eastern Kentucky have long expressed more than a passing interest in min~ M070 COURTESY UK umnv MTO ANCHVE. "War on Poverty" in Eastern Kentucky. ing the voluminous coal reserves housed under the earth of Robinson Forest. There, an estimated 97 mil— lion tons of coal rests, waiting to make someone a fortune. E.O. Robinson, a logger in the re- gion. clear-cut the forest in the first half of the century, and then decid- ed to give it away. He chose UK. And in separate conveyances in 1923 and 1930 from the ED. Rob- inson Mountain Fund, Robinson Forest came under the auspices of the University. According to the terms of the Robinson trust, UK is to use the forest for research in reforestation and as a teaching laboratory. It ap- pears the University, for the most part, has done just that. Forestry and agriculture students at UK have long used the forest for research, and as a clearinghouse for infomiation about foresting tech- niques and studies of water quality, an important issue as clean drinking water becomes a more cherished memory rather than something we can take for granted. Interest in mining the rich coal reserves in the forest did not sub- side, however, over concern about water and trees. And realistically, the issue is valid, as the one-horse economy of Eastern Kentucky — King Coal —— went through treach- erous boom and bust cycles throughout the latter half of the cen- tury. The modemimtion and mechani- zation of the mines have meant dra- matic decreases in the need for hu- man labor — jobs. And as coal reserves have become less plentiful. not to mention harder to get to, Robinson Forest has undoubtedly seemed like a surreal oasis. It‘s there, but it can't be touched. UK, though, has been resilient in its resistance to mining efforts in the forest, leading to a 1982 Board of Trustees policy prohibiting the mining of Robinson Forest. The issue, for all intents and pur- poses, was dead. At least until fall 1989. Then the University ended a long-standing legal dispute by agreeing to turn over about 60 acres at the edge of Robinson Forest to the heirs of people who leased the land‘s mineral rights to an Eastem Kentucky coal company — Arch Mineral. About 60 acres at the forest‘s northern edge had been the center of a dispute between UK and heirs of the Bush family, which had leased the mineral rights of the land to Arch. The problem is that UK and the Bush heirs had deeds to the tract In June 1989, a Breathitt County Cir- cuit Judge ruled that the deed of the Bush heirs pre-dated UK‘s claim to the land. The University trustees, when they met in October, had no choice but to agree. Shortly after that, Arch took that land, along with about 90 other acres it lemd, and filed a prelimi- nary application with the state for a permit to strip-mine. The controversy started again. he mining, although Outside I the forest proper, was within the forest‘s Clemons Fork watershed. This watershed is of par- ticular importance to the University because it is the center of water- quality studies that have been in progress for several years. In order to avoid the controversy that dogged previous attempts to mine in and near the forest, Arch proposed what its officials called a unique mining plan. In short. the company proposed Three officers with the state Cab— inet for Natural Resources and En» vironmental Protection sat at one end of the middle school's tiny gymnasium. 'lhe stands were filled to mine 3.1 mil- lion tons of coal over a three- year 130‘ riod. In return for the University’s cooperation, Arch offered UK up to $1.5 million to study the effect of mining in the forest. Arch officials, though, con» tended that effect would be negligi- ble. The initial mining proposal called for using a hydraulic excavator, similar to a backhoe, to cut into the top of the land and extract the coal. A seven-foot wall would be built along the top of the ridge. Then ba- sins would channel runoff into re- tention ponds to prevent groundwa- ter from flowing onto the University‘s property and its wa- tershed. But leading state environmental- ists and University forestry officials said any mining plan, no matter how carefully planned, would nec- essarily damage the watershed. Specifically, the argument says that mining automatically changes the calibration — or size and yield H of their watershed by rerouting pan of the stream, thus damaging UK‘s investment in the forest. That investment has been sirablc: about $10 million in the last 20 years. Then, in February last year. three state environmental groups filed a rarely used hinds-unsuitable-tor mining petition Wllh the state. In short. the petition .tskcd the state to prohibit mining in more than 10,000 acres of the forest. Shortly after that, the University moved to join the petition as it pertained to the more than 4,000 acres of the Clemons Fork watershed. The pr0vision is part of the 1977 federal Surface Mining Act. Since then. only 10 groups have f iled lands unsuitable petitions. That move has resulted in a series of legal dodges and spamngs be- tween UK and Arch. Most recently, those battles ended up outside of the boardrooms and courtrooms of Lexington and St. Louis and in a small middle school in Jackson, Ky. utsiders -— those who do not Olive in the mountains where coal is still king — tell us to diversify, but how is this posSible in a region without adequate high- ways, water and sewage systems, poorer quality schools, little public recreation, ad nauseam. Industry doesn‘t want to come to areas such as this." ofcoaL —1L0iu.re B. llalmaker. The Jackson Timer Editor and Publisher On Dec. 17. about 700 people gathered in Jackson‘s Sebastian Middle School to voice their opin- ions on the request to prohibit min- ing in part, or all, of Robinson For est. The community had been rocked recently by the layoffs of 250 workers at Arch‘s mining oper- ations in Breathitt County. Coal, de- spite its scars as a weakened indus- try, has remained king in Eastern Kentucky. It is, perhaps, Breathitt County‘s only real industry. “All you have to do is fly over the North and South forks of the Kentucky River” to see the impact with people wearing T‘- shirts that read, “Let Arch Mine lts Coal." Many car- ried plac- ards, bear ing messages such as “Research doesn’t buy baby food“ and “My kids need Arch." lt was clear who they blamed for their economic woes. Even those who didn’t make it to the hearing had their attention turned toward it. At the nearby pHOTOCOUPIFSV‘ it IJBPAFV : NH" JFHRV VOIGT 7.4“ A" st among many that the l'nivcrsity has blithely ignored the real concerns and problems of the region. The ar- rogance (-f Lexington and the l n. \ersity’s main campus have spurred a deeply embedded feeling of suspi< cion and resentment in many people throughout the region. L'K basket» ball remains uniwrxally belox ed As an :iistitittit~n,l K is «till a bea— con of hope and a sign of accom- plishment But Robinson Forest. tn some rc— spccts. has become the focal point for the anger and deep frustration tel! among many in the region And some of it is justified. Adam Rose. a professor and head of the Department of Mineral and Economics at Pennsylvania State. testified at the the hearing that it Arch is forced to shut down its tip- \ LDCNlt/F‘; MEDIA BLITZ: The UK Board of Trustees has gone up .ioainst Turn on the Mineral Corps hired PR guns. Jackson Inn, the hearing could be heard over the local radio station, which was broadcasting it live. pr Kentucky Highway 15, the hearing was also on at a local piIJa place. where business appeared slow. Arch and the Jobs it brings are im— portant to the community. said Can- dice Gabbard, one of the restau- rant's managers, who echoed the droughts of many in the community: “It‘s all we have here." Almost 700 people .i few miles down the road were saying the same thing. In particular, their anger and frus- tration was directed toward UK. Many blame the LTniverSity for the layoffs. At the center of the contro- versy is the nebulous research con- ducted by UK in the forest. To be sure, the University, upon request, can furnish boxes of docu— mentation to support its contention that it is using the forest for re- search. But its purpose is murky. and certainly not translatable to the layman, particularly someone whose liVing is blocked by such cs« otcric exercises. Funhennore. the University has not always done a suffiCient Job of articulating its importance. in the forest and elsewhere, to the people of the Appalachian region. The Uni- versity. to be sure, can point to pro- grams, from community colleges to health care, that are necessary to Appalachia. But there also is a very real sense crations. there will be .i tlt'MhLillnil effect on the ccononiv ot itreathttt County and the entire state. Rose and Arch represents 411 "cr- cent of Breathitt County » toal I‘m— duction. and he tontcndcd that ‘1 Arch were torccd to shut tiown, .he county‘s tincmplovment rate would lump to more than :0 percent. well above national averages. ilrczithitt County's current unemplovmcni rate as 0.3 percent. \Vllllt.‘ the states is nearlv \’ percent. Rose said Rose was an expert Witness WY hired gun ~ tor \rch, But nobodv was disputing his figures There .tre piles of .trcana the stuff of dissertations and theses filled Wllh panaceaic answers to the problems of Appalachia. In this seemingly small case. the L'nivcrsi- ty's answer has been to think in the long—term. to look at the environ- mental impact of mining near the forest. Such an argument, though un- doubtedly wcll~rcasoned. falls into the lexicon of absurdity when matched with the faces of people who need jobs now. not tomorrow, and not in the future. To be sure. economic empower- ment and diversification aren't the only answers to the problems of to day. Havmg a iob for three years in an industry living on mecd time that moreover damages the future is See APPALACHIA'S. Page 4 4 - Kurtueky Kernel. Thursday, January 24, 1991 Appalachia’s problems will persist after coal Continued from Page 3 not the answer. But implicit within the argument of the University and environmen- talist