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Mail-in voting is fraught with problems

There is one safe bet regarding the upcoming presidential election: If vote totals in any of the states are close, there will be controversy over how ballots were handled. That will be so whether President Donald Trump or Joe Biden appears to have the edge. Ballot battles are nothing new, of course. Many people remember the infamous “hanging chads” argument over votes in Florida during the election 20 years ago. That will seem mild this year, unless we are sadly mistaken. Much of the disagreement this time around will be because of the enormous number of ballots that will be cast ...

Ginsburg earns praise across partisan divide

The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has, of course, been in the headlines in recent days. She was an icon to Americans with certain political positions — a scourge to others. Already, the battle over a successor has become heated, with ideology at the heart of the controversy. It says something about Ginsburg, however, that during the hours after her death, leaders from across the political spectrum poured forth praise freely and with no reservations. Her written opinions as a justice “have inspired all Americans and generations of great legal minds,” ...

Et Cetera …

A commendable effort The Don’t Give Up campaign in Fairmont is putting a focus on suicide prevention. If it saves just one life, it will be well worth it. The effort is led by Fairmont resident Chris Gerhardt, who is working in conjunction with several groups. Signs around Fairmont offer messages such as “Don’t give up,” “You’re not alone” and “You’re worth it.” Social media and other messaging helps reinforce the cause. We hope people take notice if they, friends or family need help. More information is available at gerhardtsafetysolutions.com Brothers move ...

Pandemic’s toll also includes missed visits

The terrible toll of COVID-19 in the United States has cleared the grim threshold of 200,000 deaths. This is a true tragedy that is being compounded by the effect of the virus on society as a whole. Economic woes are one easily identifiable problem. Flying further under the radar are missed health care visits. A report out this week indicates that low-income children are suffering, missing out on vaccinations, visits to the dentist and even mental health care. Visits dropped significantly for March through May 2020. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator Seema Verma ...

Vaccine distribution planning will be vital

Though there is some dispute over how soon a COVID-19 vaccine will be available to the general public, it appears a few million doses may be ready before the end of this year. There is general agreement they should go to the most vulnerable among us. That is older people with pre-existing medical conditions. We know that. But if there is any agreement on vaccine rationing — and what will happen will be just that — it ends there. Clearly, specific guidelines for distribution will have to be developed. And while older people should be the priority, nursing home personnel cannot ...

As Halloween nears, virus threat looming

At least there will be no shortage of masks. So goes one joke about Halloween 2020. It will be upon us in just a few weeks. And, while it may not seem a priority to many in government at all levels, it needs to be addressed. Halloween rivals Christmas in some ways in popularity among children. Each October, they delight in dressing up and ringing doorbells or knocking on doors, greeting people with, “Trick or treat!” We adults — many of us, anyway — enjoy seeing them. Is that Joey from down the street behind that superhero mask? Is that Susie from school dressed up as ...