Letters to the Editor: Clean up site of Secretariat statue, or move it
Statue site a mess
The statue of Secretariat belongs at the Kentucky Horse Park and not one mile from the Lexington Material Center, better known as the “dump”. A trip to the “visitor center” a nice Sunday afternoon showed a total lack of maintenance to the site on Old Frankfort Pike and no visitors in sight. It was overgrown with weeds in the parking lot and the surrounding area. Viewing the statue with a camera requires a long lens and a close watch on the overlook for an unfenced drop off. A travesty to one of the greatest horses to ever race. I still don’t understand why the current location was picked, and if the plans are to keep it attractive to tourists and the fans of Secretariat at least clean it up.
Tom Dixon, Lexington
KU tree policy
I live in a Lexington neighborhood that is about to quickly fall victim to Kentucky Utilities’ new vegetation management program of clear-cutting trees under distribution lines. KU representatives as well as our councilperson were kind enough to come and meet with our neighbors to discuss this. I was hoping there would be some room for negotiation within the parameters of this new program. It appears there is not, and these decisions have already been made. I genuinely appreciate KU’s stellar service, as well as the company’s transparency about this new program. It would be truly fabulous if we could tap the brakes on an extreme solution to an age-old problem, and work together to find a solution that doesn’t simply destroy large areas of older vegetation. From when we first heard about this until the anticipated project completion will be only a couple of months. It feels a little designed that such a destructive new policy would be shared and implemented so quickly. I wonder why we cannot keep our valued line workers safe and city residents comfortable without applying a “standard” policy to remove all trees within the line areas of whatever neighborhood happens to be next on the list.
Wendy Marcum, Lexington
Police ‘support’
Fraternal Order of Police Bluegrass Lodge 4 President Jeremy Russell doesn’t feel like police can do their jobs “without open support” of literally everyone in Lexington. I wonder what other profession demands that everyone rally around them in “support”. I don’t get that at my job, but somehow I’m able to do it.
Joy Miracle, Nicholasville
Really, Amazon?
Last year I wrote a letter to the editor to thank the Lexington Public Library (LPL) for its offerings of digital content books during the COVID-19 lockdown. Specifically, I was referring to audiobooks, which I found amazing as a first-time listener rather than a hard or paperback book reader. So, I have been devouring audiobooks on the LPL’s “OverDrive” site.
Now I find that having enjoyed a book series in order, when I get to the 10th book, recently published, it has been given exclusive rights to Audible, owned by Amazon.
Audible is not free; there is a monthly subscription charge of $14.95 (separate from Amazon Prime), and in addition sometimes a large cost for a single publication if the reader has used up his/her credits. It is the public libraries on whom many readers can only afford to rely for their literary pleasure.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is billed as the world’s richest man, but he is no Andrew Carnegie. It would surely behoove Mr. Bezos to consider that he does not have to have a monopoly on everything.
Elizabeth Pattengill, Lexington
More winners
If Kentucky does another “Shot at a Million” giveaway to encourage COVID-19 vaccines, decision makers should consider changing it to “Shot at Sharing a Million.” Realize that 1,678 winners can each receive a $596 check quickly processed by the Kentucky Lottery — and most importantly — no one would need to pay tax on the winnings (since winnings are less than $600). Total cost: $1,000,088. The odds of becoming a winner would be greatly improved.
Michael Noga, Lexington
This story was originally published September 1, 2021 at 12:11 PM.