OPINIONS/EDITORIALS

You've heard the old saying about what a difference a day makes.
A week makes even a bigger difference!
Just a few days ago, Oct. 17 and 18 to be exact, Carey Johnson and I were busy covering local events that revolved around demands for change from politicians who seem tone deaf and far, far removed from their constituents, even when their constituents are local folks.

Let me start this column with the most important thing:
I owe Franklinton folks an apology and correction.
In last week's column, in my zest to nerd out about early voting numbers and facts, I was wrong in my presentation of the race for commission seats available in the town of Franklinton.

Dear editor: Time and time again -- to be exact, for the past five years -- I have picked up The Franklin Times to see another scathing article dealing with the "alleged actions" and removal of Ms. Patricia Chastain as Franklin County Clerk of Court, and I must say I am disgusted and furious with the way this story gets presented.
From my viewpoint the courts and the media have it all wrong. I believe Ms. Chastain's conduct, actions and decisions reflect great character and genuine concern for the people of Franklin County.

Dear editor: Last week jewel thieves made off with one of the biggest heists in history when they grabbed some of Napoleon's crown jewels worth $120 million from the Louvre in Paris.
That's a pretty good payoff for 7 minutes of work, but it's still small potatoes compared to the haul they could have had if they were President of the United States.
Trump is demanding the Justice Dept give him $230 million in damages for its investigations of him.

Dear editor: Armed federal troops in cities.
A wing of the White House destroyed.
The Rose Garden gone.
Is the Statue of Liberty next?

Dear editor: Thousands of Franklin County residents have health insurance through the ACA Marketplace (healthcare.gov). And now, hundreds of them are threatened with losing it. Why?
The ACA (Obamacare) was created to provide affordable insurance for those who did not qualify for commercial insurance, e.g., due to pre-existing conditions, or who could not afford the cost of commercial insurance.