Central and Eastern Kentucky
(2009-10-30)
LEXINGTON
(Kentucky Public Radio) -
The Director of the FACES of Coal Kentucky initiative, Phil Osbourne, was in Eastern Kentucky recently to have an on-air talk with a local radio host, Randy Walters, who had been calling for a boycott of Lexington businesses.
With coal seeing more pressure from environmental groups and the looming possibility of job losses, certain people in coal-friendly Harlan County have taken on an unfriendly attitude towards Lexingtonians and even the University of Kentucky.
"When the series of articles started that were negative about the coal industry, he was going to encourage his listeners to boycott Lexington. 'Don't give any money to UK in regard to the Wildcat Lodge.' Bob Quick and I made a trip to Harlan yesterday to help him understand the business community did appreciate Eastern Kentucky. That the two economies are interconnected. It was more of an effort to make amends," Osbourne said.
Early this week the UK Board of Trustee's approved the naming of a proposed UK men's basketball dormitory as "The Wildcat Coal Lodge." The decision drew a small crowd of protesters, demanding the name be changed.
© Copyright 2012, Kentucky Public Radio
