Letters to Editor: Open all businesses, encourage longer hours to spread out crowds

Reopen like this

A new reopening strategy should be considered. The current strategy is to open businesses slowly and with limited hours. This makes everyone come to those limited businesses at the same time and makes it harder for people to socially distance themselves; for example, when the grocery stores or Home Depot are packed with people. The new theory would be to open all businesses and encourage longer hours so people can come earlier or later when all the crowds aren’t there. This would spread out the numbers of people going into businesses at the same time and allow for more social distancing. The current policy has us all jammed in like sardines on top of one another. We should also open recreational areas at the same time for the same reason. People want to get out. Let them have more opportunities so they don’t all go to the same place. Then continue to communicate and reinforce social distancing, wearing masks, and washing hands. Not enough people are doing that. But, putting these same people in the same businesses at the same time is not a good alternative. Concerts and movies and sporting events are going to be more of a challenge.

Roger Browning, Lexington

SportsXtra a winner

Just wanted to comment on the SportXtra portion of the Herald-Leader digital newspaper edition. I like it very much because it has so much more info on sports, both amateur and professional. I especially like the coverage of soccer. Please continue the SportsXtra. Thanks.

Paul D. Jett, Richmond

Fogle experienced

While serving alongside Willy Fogle on Lexington’s Urban County Council, I found Willy to be a respected, hard-working, commonsense decision maker who thoughtfully cast his vote based on the long-term impact in his district and community as a whole.

Willy demonstrated time and time again that he genuinely cares about our city and its people. He was always accessible and responsive to his constituents. He has experience. Willy has made tough decisions during tough times which will be invaluable for this incoming sitting council! Experience like his is rare and quite valuable in today’s uncertain times.

Stay safe! Go with Fogle!

Voters in the 9th District should cast their ballot for Willy Fogle without hesitation.

Sandy Shafer, Lexington

Don’t pay officials

I wonder if anyone has noticed that the people who screamed to keep the economy closed are the same people still being paid to do nothing. Many governors, mayors, and local officials haven’t suffered financially from the recession which they’ve helped create. While average families endure hardships, bankruptcies, deferrals, and money juggling, the people who foster the shutdown tell workers to stay home. The “stay home” crowd probably doesn’t care if America ever returns to work, they’re still sucking off the taxpayers. But no level of government creates money, it simply takes from those who work. Thus, all income for the “stay home” crowd should be suspended until work is restored. I bet they’d change their tune in days. God bless those who have died but we must carry on for them.

Robert Adams, Lexington

Tougher gun rules

When I arrived as a refugee from South Africa, I never dreamed I would run the risk that I might go to school and not come back. Teens in America face many issues, but one of the most pressing is the frightening frequency of school shootings and gun violence.

According to Everytown for Gun Safety, the United States has lost many kids — nearly 2,900 children and teens are shot and killed and nearly 15,600 more are shot and injured every year. An estimated three million American children are exposed to shootings yearly.

After the deadly school shootings in Parkland, Florida, students began to lead gun control protests across the country. Even after we marched across the country as one, no matter our age, our size, our knowledge, even after citizens lobbied Congress for an end to gun violence, we could not get the federal government to hear us. Students in Lexington need to join the students of Parkland, continuing to fight for comprehensive gun control measures such as the National Firearms Agreement, the law Australia implemented in 1996 that drastically reduced mass shootings. Rather than adding concealed carry rights for gun owners, as Kentucky has done, our nation should impose greater restrictions to regulate guns.

Helena Shobole, Lexington