For Martin County Commission: Belgard, Forshee

October 20, 2020

In District 1: Belgard Martin County Commissioner Elliot Belgard has long served the county well. It’s no surprise. Prior to joining the county board, Belgard committed countless hours to Truman city government and to that community, where he is still active. Belgard has proven himself a knowledgeable, thoughtful and friendly colleague on the commission. We believe he has a deep understanding of the issues faced by the county, something that includes knowing there are not easy solutions. We believe Belgard has earned another term on the board. It is difficult not to appreciate the ...

National debt looming as national catastrophe

October 19, 2020

It is doubtful the late Sen. Everett Dirksen, R-Ill., would have foreseen a time when a bit of sarcasm attributed to him would become obsolete. Sometime during the 1960s, it is said, Dirksen warned against apathy regarding the national debt by commenting, “A billion here and a billion there, and pretty soon, you’re talking real money.” But the B-word means nothing in Washington, these days. Now, it’s a trillion here, a trillion there ... and still, no one seems to be worried. A few people are. They warn that the national debt is a millstone around the necks of our ...

Et Cetera …

October 17, 2020

State has the final say A crystal clear message emerging from this week’s Fairmont School Board meeting is that the board does not have the final say over what “learning model” the district will use during the coronavirus pandemic. Who does? The state Department of Education. What that means right now is that students are “distance learning” from home. And because they are not in school, they cannot participate in athletics or other activities. We, of course, hope the situation improves and students get back into classrooms. In the meantime, we hope the public gives ...

American hero still acting as true patriot

October 16, 2020

Many Americans worry that traditional values such as patriotism and true heroism are becoming rare in our nation. Hershel “Woody” Williams is a living argument to the contrary. Williams ought to be holed up at his home in Ona, West Virginia. At 97 years of age, he is well within the high-risk category for COVID-19. Yet recently he was in another small West Virginia town, Moundsville, helping dedicate the Marshall County Gold Star Families Memorial Monument. That was appropriate, because honoring Gold Star Families was his idea. Williams, a Marine veteran, is one of only two ...

All violent extremists deserve punishment

October 15, 2020

If the authorities are correct in their allegations against a group accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, the 13 men ought to be viewed with a mixture of horror and disgust. Real Americans do not attempt to change society or government by force. Those who do so should be punished regardless of their ideology. State and federal authorities arrested two groups of men allegedly planning to commit violent acts in Michigan. Six of them are accused of planning to kidnap Whitmer. Seven others are said to have been planning an armed assault on the Michigan Capitol ...

Americans need to know election process works

October 14, 2020

Well, so much for questions about whether enormous mistakes may occur in handling presidential election ballots. One already has. It was reported last week that nearly 50,000 — 50,000! ­— voters in Franklin County, Ohio, received incorrect mail-in ballots for the Nov. 3 election. The county is home to Ohio’s capital, Columbus. Franklin County election officials mailed out about 240,000 ballots. But, they said, someone made a mistake in changing the setting on a machine used to insert ballots into envelopes. As a result, nearly 50,000 people received ballots including the ...