Remember back in the day ….

Remember back in the day when our local football teams were GOOD? Where are all the athletes now? It’s embarrassing to even read about the scores 40 to 8? 58 to 7??? At least this week when they play each other someone has to win right? Can it be 0-0? I guess we can remember the glory days! [Editor’s Note: OK, so clearly the Patriots and Blue Devils are both struggling this year (both schools are 1-2) but they have played some very good teams, but it’s hardly time to throw in the towel. Conference play hasn’t even started (that’s this Friday). And I’m not sure what “glory days” you’re talking about, because Marion was in the state semi_nals last season and West Memphis went 10-0 in the regular season just two years ago. Maybe you and Al Bundy should get together and have a beer and talk about how you scored four touchdowns in a single game back in 1984 or something?] With many states are imposing COVID restrictions, you might not be able to go to sports large restaurants, but what about Voting especially if you have COVID? The right to vote valued by many Americans, it is voluntary and generally valued but sadly in some states are now limiting voting by mail and making moves to limit voting by methods other than standing long lines to vote in person. What about voting via Internet? Why would you still have to physically turn up? The Delta version of COVID is very easily spread so being in a crowded voting center is not recommended nor is standing in a crowded line so we need to _nd alternatives. You could be required to be double vaccinated and bring your own pen for a written voting slip but what of the others? [Editor’s Note: “Double vaccinated?”… Buddy, we can’t get half the country to get single vaccinated! I actually had to check the date on this message when I _rst read it because I wasn’t sure why we were talking about elections here in the middle of 2021, but then I saw you talking about the Delta variant and I knew it was up-todate. I was still a little confused but then I realized the _rst 2022 mid-term primaries are less than _ve months away and it’s pretty sad to admit but it’s very unlikely COVID-19 won’t still be an issue in _ve months. Will it still be an issue in _ve years? It has become too disheartening to even think about at this point. As for your voting concerns, I imagine most of these new restrictive voting laws passed by Republican- majority state legislatures will face multiple legal challenges in the coming months and will not be in effect, either by being declared unconstitutional or by being blocked by the judiciary, for the upcoming election cycle. As much as I’d like to champion the idea of voting online, I can’t imagine most people trusting internet security enough to think it wouldn’t be “hacked” by Russia or Hillary Clinton or whoever. Maybe someday …] }Another local business gone. No wonder we can’t have anything nice around here! And whatever happened to that water park the Mayor promised us?

[Editor’s Note: I am quite disappointed when a local business fails. You didn’t say which one you were referring to so I can’t comment speci _cally on what impact that might have on the community or whatever you might have been hoping for. But I am happy to see new businesses are opening, so it’s not all doom and gloom. As far as the water park, I know it has been nearly two years since that was _rst announced, but you know, COVID-19 and all that put just about everything beind schedule. I’m pretty sure that was supposed to be _nanced by the bond issue that passed, so the money is still there. Maybe we’ll see some movement on that front soon]