WUKY In Depth

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The epidemic of prescription drug abuse affects millions of Americans, and the power of addiction is easy to see in Kentucky. This is the first of a three-part series exploring the problem of prescription drug abuse and what medical experts and public policy makers are doing to try and stop it. Brenna Angel has the story of one woman who nearly lost her life to pain killers. This report contains strong language that may not be appropriate for all audiences.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – In his first year as Mayor of Lexington, Jim Gray has started several initiatives and projects covering a variety of topics, including public safety and long term development.

A tool Gray often uses to tackle these issues is the task force: a group of people asked to come up with solutions or recommendations. Sometimes that work can take a few weeks, sometimes a few years. Reporter Brenna Angel sat down with the mayor to discuss his reasoning for using task forces and their effectiveness.

By Cassidy Herrington

Lexington, KY – With just days left in the holiday shopping season, a group of area merchants is looking for one last rush of traffic to boost the bottom line. WUKY Student Reporter Cassidy Herrington takes a look at two independent retailers that are part of a growing movement to keep holiday sales dollars in local communities.

By Pamela Burke

Lexington, KY – Veteran and Kentucky Hall of Fame journalist Al Smith has weathered many challenges in his career. The creator of Comment on Kentucky on KET Smith became an inspiration to reporters in the Bluegrass and others across the country for his fight against censorship. But, as Pamela Burke reports, all this success started in the small Kentucky town of Russellville.

Veteran and Kentucky Hall of Fame journalist Al Smith has weathered many challenges in his career. The creator of Comment on Kentucky on KET Smith became an inspiration to reporters in the Bluegrass and others across the country for his fight against censorship. But, as Pamela Burke reports, his success started in the small Kentucky town of Russellville.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – For 75 years, the park-like ambiance of the Keeneland race track in Lexington has attracted visitors and horse racing fans from across the globe. The central Kentucky atmosphere also has an effect on horsemen. With the fall meet in full swing, Brenna Angel reports on what keeps trainers and jockeys coming back to Keeneland.

When trainer Kenny McPeek watches exercise riders take thoroughbreds around the track on a cool morning at Keeneland, he's looking across a landscape where he not only goes to work, but he's also grown up.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The death of a military service member can be a traumatic experience for families, and waiting several months for the funeral bills to be paid doesn't help with the healing process. Reporter Brenna Angel has the story of a central Kentucky family whose persistence led the U.S. Department of Defense to change how it manages mortuary affairs.

When Adam Puckett decided to join the military, he looked at all the different service branches. By the spring of 2007, he was going through basic training on Parris Island.