Dan Modlin

Earlier this year Newsweek magazine named the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky at WKU "America's Number One High School." On Monday, September 24th, a celebration will be held on the WKU campus, with Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear scheduled to speak.

Declaring it a successful effort, officials at WKU have announced that the "A New Century of Spirit" campaign raised more than $202 million. The announcement came at the President's Circle Gala and Campaign Celebration. Kathryn Costello, WKU Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations, says a total of $202,305,534 was raised to support students, faculty, programs, and capital projects.

Friday night's gala on the WKU campus will include a celebration of the fund-raising campaign known as "A New Century of Spirit." During gala activities, the final figures for the campaign will be announced. University officials have been very pleased with progress on the campaign, particularly in light of unfavorable economic conditions that have been in effect for much of the five year project.

The latest figures from the state reveal that Kentucky's seasonally-adjusted preliminary unemployment rate has increased again. Kentucky’s manufacturing sector lost 500 jobs in August, compared to the previous month,and the professional and business services sector lost 600 jobs last month. Employment in the educational and health services sector dropped by 800 jobs in August.

One-hundred-fifty years ago this week, Confederate and Union soldiers met in one of the deadliest single day battles in history. Dr. Glenn La Fantasie of the WKU Institute for Civil War Studies and WKU military historian Jack Thacker say President Lincoln considered the Battle of Antietam to be a victory and selected the aftermath of the battle as a good time to move ahead with plans to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. However, the WKU historians say the plan to free the slaves was less popular in the north than many people believe.