Kentucky Kernel

01/11/2025

A delicate peony rests upon an arm, a grandmother's signature taken from a check in her scrawled writing, a hummingbird flutters on a bicep, “do it afraid” etched on the body of a triathlon athlete.

All of these elements bring together a memory — a connection. Stories, love, strength and tears all strung together with one common thread, Cody Delph.

Delph’s tattoo shop is not the typical tattoo parlor that one might think of. It’s not filled with skulls, tattoos on the walls or loud music. Instead, this shop is filled with earth tones, plants, soft white chairs and Hozier playing softly on the radio.

This aesthetic was carefully curated because not only is this business a tattoo shop, it is also an esthetician business.

“We have put in so much blood, sweat and tears . . . we’ve worked really hard for this,” Savana Rae, founder of Ivy Grace Brow Boutique, said.

A delicate peony rests upon an arm, a grandmother’s signature taken from a check in her scrawled writing, a hummingbird flutters on a bicep, “do it afraid” etched on the body of a triathlon athlete. All of these elements bring together a memory — a connection. Stories, love, strength and tea...

01/07/2025

Winter Storm Blair has swept across the commonwealth, leading to inches of snowfall in Lexington and University of Kentucky cancellations.

The storm resulted in multiple UK Alerts being sent out, the first cancelling all in-person University of Kentucky activities on Monday, Jan. 6 and again on Tuesday, Jan. 7.

The storm was expected to produce record snowfall across Kentucky, as well as up to 0.5 inches of ice in the Lexington area, according to WKYT First Alert Weather. Temperatures are at risk to dip below zero by Wednesday and Thursday morning.

Winter Storm Blair has swept across the commonwealth, leading to inches of snowfall in Lexington. The storm resulted in multiple UK Alerts being sent out, the first cancelling all in-person University of Kentucky activities on Monday, Jan. 6 and again on Tuesday, Jan. 7. The storm was expected to pr...

01/05/2025

In the first SEC game of 2025, No. 10 Kentucky faced off against No. 6 Florida, defeating the Gators 106-100 on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.

  In the first SEC game of 2025, No. 10 Kentucky faced off against No. 6 Florida, defeating the Gators 106-100 on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.

01/03/2025

No. 16 Kentucky women’s basketball started its conference play with a strong win over Mississippi State defeating them 91-69 on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, at Historic Memorial Coliseum in Lexington, Kentucky.

01/01/2025

In the year's final game, No. 10 Kentucky defeated Brown 88-54, remaining undefeated at home on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. With conference play soon beginning, Kentucky's record is now 11-2 as they look to face off against the No. 6 Florida Gators on Saturday, Jan. 4, at 11 a.m.

In the year’s final game, No. 10 Kentucky defeated Brown 88-54, remaining undefeated at home on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. With conference play soon beginning, Kentucky’s record is now 11-2 as they look to face off against the No. 6 Florida Gators on Saturda....

12/31/2024

With the 2024 year ending, look back on some of our favorite moments at the photo desk; from “darties,” to boxing matches and UK basketball, these photos encapsulate all that this fall semester had to offer.

12/30/2024

Kentucky women’s basketball returns to Historic Memorial Coliseum, defeating Western Kentucky 88-70 in its last game before conference play begins.

PHOTOS: https://kykernel.com/109842/sports/photos-no-16-kentucky-womens-basketball-defeats-western-kentucky-88-70/

12/29/2024

A phone call. Ten minutes to pack the bags. Ten minutes to say an uncertain final goodbye.

For some refugees now living in Lexington, Kentucky, 10 minutes is all it takes to hold hands and have a mother's kiss for the last time before leaving their home country.

That is what happened to Husna Ahmadi, an international studies student on the pre-law track at the University of Kentucky, who was forced to leave her home in Kabul, Afghanistan in 2021 when the Taliban, an Islamic fundamentalist group, took over the country.

In Lexington, she has discovered her purpose in supporting other displaced people seeking a place to call home through the Step-Up fellowship program.

The program also allows UK students to grow their services beyond the classrooms as mentors.
Philip Manga, who left the Democratic Republic of the Congo as a refugee in 2005, was one of them.

“We didn’t know anything but just to get out and go away until you see the sun,” Manga said.

A phone call. Ten minutes to pack the bags. Ten minutes to say an uncertain final goodbye. For some refugees now living in Lexington, Kentucky, 10 minutes is all it takes to hold hands and have a mother’s kiss for the last time before leaving their home country. That is what happened to Husna Ahma...

12/27/2024

USA boxer Bekah Robinson serves many roles in the Lexington community, specifically in the lives of a few young women.

12/22/2024

Kentucky dropped its second loss of the season to the unranked Ohio State Buckeyes losing 85-65. Kentucky’s record is now 10-2 on the season.

PHOTOS: https://kykernel.com/109769/sports/photos-no-4-kentucky-loses-to-ohio-state-85-65/

12/22/2024

No. 4 Kentucky men's basketball was defeated 85-65 by Ohio State inside Madison Square Garden in New York City as part of the 2024 CBS Sports Classic.

The loss marked the second of the season for the Wildcats after they were stunned in Clemson by the Tigers to start the month.

Entering the contest on the back of far-from-perfect home wins over Colgate and in-state rival Louisville, Kentucky marched out a familiar starting lineup consisting of Otega Oweh, Lamont Butler, Jaxson Robinson, Andrew Carr and Amari Williams. Interestingly, on the Ohio State roster was former Wildcat Aaron Bradshaw, who spent his freshman 2023-24 season in Lexington.

Bradshaw would perform well for the Buckeyes, logging 11 points and shooting 5-6 from the field to propel Ohio State to victory.

With the result, Kentucky will conclude its 2024 calendar year back at home on Tuesday, Dec. 31, against Brown. Tipoff against the Bears on New Year's Eve is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET and will air live on ESPNU.

NEW YORK CITY – No. 4 Kentucky men’s basketball was defeated 85-65 by Ohio State inside Madison Square Garden in New York City as part of the 2024 CBS Sports Classic. The loss marked the second of the season for the Wildcats after they were stunned in Clemson by the Tigers to start the month. En...

12/21/2024

As the holiday season ramps up, so does the front lawn of Shirley and Johnny Richie’s home on Toronto Road. With nearly 100 Christmas inflatables on display it’s hard to miss during the holiday season. Many people’s first question is “What’s their electricity bill?”

As the holiday season ramps up, so does the front lawn of Shirley and Johnny Richie’s home on Toronto Road. With nearly 100 Christmas inflatables on display it’s hard to miss during the holiday season. Many people’s first question is “What’s their electricity bill?” Find out why in the s...

12/20/2024

Growing up on Bainbridge, a small island outside of Seattle, Anna Po***ck had always dreamed of becoming a musician.

Though she possessed no musical talent, that never stopped Po***ck from getting involved with the music scene.

As an artist, Po***ck said she never thought her love of music would further her musical dreams. However, working in a small bar named Treehouse changed the trajectory of her life forever.

Po***ck was an artist through and through, but had to work as a bartender to make enough money for rent. As a bartender, she saw several bands perform each night for the Treehouse’s patrons.

One night, a band called the BlackFoot Gypsies was performing and had asked Po***ck to design the poster to promote their show. The band loved her work so much that they offered her a spot in their van back to Lexington, Kentucky where she began as a freelance illustrator.

Now a full time freelance illustrator, she seeks inspiration through music and nature.

Growing up on Bainbridge, a small island outside of Seattle, Anna Po***ck had always dreamed of becoming a musician. Though she possessed no musical talent, that never stopped Po***ck from getting involved with the music scene. As an artist, Po***ck said she never thought her love of music would fur...

12/20/2024

The University of Kentucky reappointed Danelle Stevens-Watkins as acting dean of the College of Education beginning Jan. 1, 2025.

By serving as acting dean, the position is a temporary replacement for a time-limited period.

Stevens-Watkins is a professor in the UK Department of Educational, School and Counseling Psychology and the associate vice president for research in equity according to the Office of the Provost website.

The search for the new dean of the College of Education is still ongoing and proceeding as scheduled, according to DiPaola. The role as acting dean will be served for one year or until a new dean is chosen by the search advisory committee.

The University of Kentucky reappointed Danelle Stevens-Watkins as acting dean of the College of Education beginning Jan. 1, 2025. By serving as acting dean, the position is a temporary replacement for a time-limited period. Stevens-Watkins is a professor in the UK Department of Educational, School a...

12/19/2024

The Lexington Fraternal Order of Firefighters hosted their annual Christmas auction and toy program to help local children and families in need.

The toy program, held on Saturday, Dec. 14, took place at the “North Pole,” a building off of New Circle Road that Lexington Fraternal Order of Firefighters (FOF) members redecorated to look like a toy store.

For some parents, like mother Nicole Descartes, this was not their first time participating in the toy drive.

“If I didn’t have this in my life for the past four years, I don’t know how I would’ve got my kids a lot of stuff,” Descartes said.

The Lexington Fraternal Order of Firefighters hosted their annual Christmas auction and toy program to help local children and families in need. The toy program, held on Saturday, Dec. 14, took place at the “North Pole,” a building off of New Circle Road that Lexington Fraternal Order of Firefig...

12/18/2024

Editor’s note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not reflect the policy or position of the Kernel.

OPINION: “Nearly two years ago — February 2023 — Vivek Ramaswamy, a 38-year-old biotech entrepreneur, began his 2024 presidential campaign. It was a seemingly insignificant event in the course of the election cycle; no one expected an outsider with such unorthodox credentials to see any success.

Yet, Ramaswamy has found himself far higher up the ranks than even he likely imagined, having recently been given a role in the federal government under the upcoming Trump administration.

But, is he fit to play such a critical role in our government after stumbling onto the political scene less than two years ago? While not a federal executive department (which would require congressional approval), is it intelligent to place Ramaswamy and Elon Musk, two billionaires, into an advisory position for a billionaire president, whose primary function is to serve the interests of the entire nation, not just those of the wealthy or corporate elite?

This question grows more pressing when we consider the layers beneath Ramaswamy’s polished public persona. Beneath his surface of Cessna 750 private airplanes, suave public features and seemingly innocent America-first agenda lies something much more complex – whether that’s a true American patriot or a sketchy entrepreneur is yet to be determined,” Adarsh Khullar writes.

Nearly two years ago — February 2023 — Vivek Ramaswamy, a 38-year-old biotech entrepreneur, began his 2024 presidential campaign. It was a seemingly insignificant event in the course of the election cycle, with no one expecting such an unorthodox political outsider to see any success. And they w...

12/17/2024

For this weeks episode your hosts Libby Heckert, Marissa Armstrong, Lauren Smiley and Gabby Mercedes take a trip down memory lane and recall their favorite moments of 2024 in addition to discussing the Golden Globes and New Year’s Eve!

12/17/2024

Jackson Redish, reporter for the Kentucky Kernel, goes to the St. Nich Festival in Nicholasville, Kentucky on Dec. 14. The festival provided multiple activities to do like arts and crafts, items to buy from vendors, an ugly sweater 5k run and the St. Nich Christmas Parade.