Letters to the Editor: EKU’s textbook program should be model for other schools

EKU a leader

Congratulations to Eastern Kentucky University! President David McFaddin; Barry Poynter, the senior vice president for finance and administration; university spokesperson Kristi Middleton, and everyone at EKU deserve thanks for launching the EKU BookSmart program.

For too many years, I witnessed EKU students struggle to pay for the oftentimes outrageously priced textbooks. This was especially galling, because the information contained in no longer available books was virtually the same as the newer, much more costly books. Advances in knowledge, especially in the social sciences, were rarely that monumental as to make existing older but relatively recent volumes obsolete. The only people to benefit from this situation were book publishers and the people who wrote the things.

I hope all places of higher learning in Kentucky, public and private, will follow the example of EKU. This is leadership that benefits the future of our state, and the many students who will be the authors of that future.

Paul Winther, EKU professor emeritus, Lexington

‘Shameful’ system

I am writing about my letter printed by the Herald-Leader in August. My unemployment benefits had been stopped without explanation. I wrote to President Donald Trump (received a response), newspapers (the Herald-Leader’s was the only response), Gov, Andy Beshear (no response), the unemployment office, and others. These activities became a full-time job. I was in danger of losing my house, my business was closed, and I was in desperate need of assistance.

Then a woman read my printed letter. She contacted her son (he had worked in the fraud department and moved over to assist with unemployment claims) and suggested he contact me. His name is Joe. He called me and listened to my story. He untangled the issue with my claim, and I began receiving money within four days after several months of no benefits.

Now that I no longer spend 40 hours a week attempting to claim benefits, I am starting a new business which will open early next year. If unemployed people had been assisted rather than been blocked by obstacles that delayed funds, they might have had time to seek employment, start a business, write a bestseller…. who knows? The situation is shameful.

Merry Christmas to the Herald-Leader and to Joe and Joe’s mom.

Sharon Johnson, Glasgow

Beset by bills

I applied for unemployment in March, and was one of the first to be approved. But fast forward to June when my claim hit a snag and I didn’t receive any payments until almost September, when I started receiving my normal benefit amount and was told I was owed back pay for the unpaid claimed payments. Those have to be released by a Tier 3 supervisor. They don’t take phone calls, so never got anywhere with that.

Today, drowning in bills, I still haven’t received that back pay (approximately $9,000) nor did I receive half of the lost wages pay I was entitled to. The extended benefits ended, so I had to open a new claim with a significantly lower payment amount ($77 a week) that is completely wrong. I cannot get hold of anyone at the state unemployment office to fix these issues. I have even left two messages at the governor’s office and have never received a response to those. I’m wondering if anyone has any advice to offer.

Angela M. Barber, Frankfort

‘Christmas’ musings

I wonder why everything has to be politically correct. I know “Christmas break” has been changed by some to “winter break” for schools. But why does the Herald-Leader have to follow the others. Oh! It might offend someone. By the way, “winter break” offends me and other Christians. If it were not for Jesus being born there would be no “Christmas” break for schools. May God bless you during this very special time of the year.

Gary Gardner, Munfordville

Thank you!

Recently we sent an expensive, perishable package to my sister who lives in the Lexington area. When it didn’t arrive we realized we sent it to her old address. We hurried to send a replacement. On the same day as the replacement arrived, the occupants who live at her old house forwarded the original package to my sister, which they didn’t have to do. We so much appreciate their kindness and honesty. What a nice act of goodness!

Thomas Abbott, Oswego, New York

Correction: A letter to the editor about Medicaid in Sunday’s Herald-Leader was incorrectly attributed to Dave Luckens of Lexington.