Letters to the Editor: Santa shares what kids asked for this year

Keep believing

As another Christmas season nears an end, I share some of the precious, and sometimes disturbing things the children asked for: A boy (appeared to be around 10) wanted a growth spurt, so the girl he liked would like him back. Another young man wanted an XBox and forgiveness of his sins. I told him I could handle his first request, but the second was way above my pay grade. And a little girl at a charity event wanted a bed for Christmas. As the Santa debate continues, Is Santa Black or white? Is he teaching kids to be greedy? None of that really matters. It doesn’t even matter if you don’t believe in Santa. Just don’t stop believing in childhood. It may be the only pure thing left in the world. As always, it has been my honor to represent the concept of love and giving that should always be the basis for celebrating Christmas or Kwanzaa or Hanukkah. As Kris Kringle said in “The Miracle on 34th Street,” “Christmas isn’t just a day… it’s a frame of mind”.

Jack Pattie, Lexington

Local solutions

Congratulations to Professor Richard Levine’s recent Herald-Leader op-ed suggesting that Lexington-Fayette County use its $120,000,000 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to invest in sustainability. The climate change crisis threatens our children and grandchildren. Example: This year saw the worst tornadoes in Kentucky’s history, in December! SafeHome.org estimates that Kentucky ranks #9 among states most exposed to climate damage, including floods.

The good news is that Lexington can do something about it. We can ask citizens to come up with new ideas. Some solutions include the following:

• Mandate that large buildings install smart heating and cooling systems with city and county buildings leading the way.

• Give grants for solar power and geothermal heating, with extra for low-income households.

• Improve the transportation grid, with electric buses that extend into surrounding counties.

• Support biking and walking.

• Prohibit new natural gas furnaces and hot water heaters.

• Install electric vehicle charging stations at public parks, garages, and require shopping centers to do the same.

These solutions will create new jobs. Let’s invest in our future!

Dr. Charles T. Lutz, Lexington

Capilouto raise

I must take issue with Linda Blackford’s column and a letter to the editor regarding the salary of the University of Kentucky president, who continues to be the highest-paid public university president in the country. Surely, they don’t begrudge the citizens of Kentucky something to be proud of.

After all, we can’t give decent raises to professors or teachers, we can’t retain social workers or public defenders, we can’t purchase classroom materials in public schools; in fact, there are so many “we can’ts” because of insufficient funding that one loses track. But, by golly, the UK president can be number one, courtesy of a very imaginative and very generous (with other people’s money) Board of Trustees.

Seriously, while they could have set the president’s salary somewhere near the average of SEC presidents, the UK board decided that he deserved the average of the top two SEC president salaries PLUS 10 %. And then added extra compensation each year just for not leaving the job? I have always admired boards of trustees, who are public servants, albeit non-elected and often appointed because of political affiliations and/or contributions. But I now think that perhaps the legislature ought to rethink the process of appointment and the power of these folks. This type of appointment obviously doesn’t guarantee that they will have good judgment.

Bill Oliver, Crittenden

Don’t forget…

I hope all of you in West Virginia remember this thing about Sen. Joe Manchin when it comes time to send him packing or re-elect him. He and he alone is responsible for tanking a bill that would have done the following: kept the generous child tax credit, created free preschools, added hearing benefits for Medicare recipients, limited price increases for prescription drugs, increased care for the elderly and more. Another shining example of a senator who is not working for the people of his state. Shame on you, Joe Manchin.

Cindy Frase, Lexington