Glenn Mollette

EDITORIAL: Coronavirus, Taking Life for Granted

EDITORIAL - The Coronavirus is a pandemic that most of us don't understand, but we are learning. This disease has taken over 9,000 lives and made over 220,000 more people sick. We've heard via television about it starting in China and its impact even before arriving in America.

So far this is what we know about Coronavirus. The disease is life threatening. If the disease does not kill you, there is a chance you will be very sick with severe respiratory problems. Thousands of respirators are needed across the country because of the nature of the disease. Who wants to be in an intensive care unit of a hospital on a respirator?

EDITORIAL: The Groundhog's Last Plane Ride

EDITORIAL - Groundhog Punxsutawney Phil is coming out soon to see or not see his shadow on his big day, in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. If old' furry Phil wants to fly first class or even coach anywhere, he had better do it this year. The chances are he will be walking or riding with a friend in a car next Groundhog's Day.

A new rule proposed by the U.S. Department of Transportation would permit airlines to stop accepting emotional support animals on planes allowing only service dogs that are professionally trained to perform tasks or assist passengers with disabilities, including psychiatric disorders.

EDITORIAL: Kobe - Preparing for Shocking Death

EDITORIAL - The world was shocked January 26, 2020, by the sudden death of Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others. A helicopter that spiraled through a California sky and crashed took the life of one of the world's greatest basketball players. During his career, Bryant had played 20 years for the Los Angeles Lakers leading them to five NBA championships and an amazing 33,643 points. This is currently the fourth highest NBA scoring record.

Some of us remember exactly where we were when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. We remember where we heard John Lennon had been murdered or where we were when Martin Luther King Jr. was murdered or when the Space Shuttle Challenger flight exploded in space. For years now we will remember where we were and what we were doing the day Kobe was killed.

EDITORIAL: A Holiday Strategy

EDITORIAL - The holidays can be glad, sad or bad. Take your pick and choose a direction. I choose glad. Who wants to be sad and who needs bad? I don't want either one and neither do you. There is enough in life that confronts us every day that has the propensity to get us down.

Don't go crazy eating this holiday. I hear every year from people who say, "I'm going to eat whatever I want during the holidays and I'll change in January." These are the people who gain five to ten pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day.

EDITORIAL - Entitlements, More Money

EDITORIAL - Our country is over 22 trillion dollars in debt and growing. Reducing our spending is never easy especially for our government. We have a lot of obligations from Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Defense, Veterans, Infrastructure and more.

There aren't that many places to cut spending on our nation's budget. Social Security eats up about 23 percent of our budget. Our government is supposed to start sending me a check every month in just over a year. After paying into it since I was 18 years old, I would like to collect it. Medicare accounts for 15 percent of our federal budget. I just got my card in the mail so I'm not voting to reduce Medicare benefits. I know what medical bills can do to anyone financially. Over 65 percent of the bankruptcies in America take place over medical issues.