A day long summit is planned this month to discuss ways to boost eastern Kentucky's economy.
The event is set for Feb. 16 at the East Kentucky Exposition Center in Pikeville.
The summit is part of an initiative known as SOAR - or Shaping Our Appalachian Region. The effort was started by Governor Steve Beshear and U.S. Representative Hal Rogers.
Beshear and Rogers say the summit speakers will include U.S. Labor Secretary Thomas Perez and Michael Botticelli, acting director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. Topics include sessions on working with federal partners and translating broadband into economic success.
Beshear and Rogers began the SOAR initiative in late 2013 to address economic issues in the region and find community-generated solutions to chronic challenges.