Quick hits: Firefighters face lies, biased studies when trying to uncover truth about carcinogenic chemicals in their gear

Here's a roundup of stories with rural resonance; if you do or see similar work that should be shared on The Rural Blog, email us at heather.chapman@uky.edu.

Firefighters face lies and biased studies when trying to uncover the truth about carcinogenic chemicals used to make their firefighting gear flameproof. Read more here.

Members of Congress are calling on the Treasury Department and the Small Business Administration to clarify Paycheck Protection Program guidelines to make more farmers and ranchers eligible for forgivable loans, but it may be too late. Read more here.

New York Times contributing author Margaret Renkl will speak at the Rural Assembly Everywhere conference in April. Read more here.

Book review: Robert Gipe's Pop, the latest in a trio of illustrated novels set mostly in Eastern Kentucky, "shows the power of telling our own stories." Read more here.

Here are eight novels with rural settings that you can curl up with while the weather outside is frightful. Read more here.

Some experts say the new crop-insurance supplemental option is worth considering even if it's pricey. Read more here.

An initiative is helping farmers market products from heritage livestock sheep breeds. Read more here.