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COVID-19 is spreading like wildfire through our nation’s nursing homes. With the district work period in August right around the corner, Congress must take meaningful action to protect nursing home residents now.

The first U.S. outbreak of coronavirus occurred more than four months ago — in a nursing home — but the death toll continues to mount without sufficient action from Congress and the administration. Hundreds of nursing home residents and staff are dying each day.

It is past time for our elected officials in Washington to enact a bipartisan five-point plan to protect nursing home residents and staff by providing adequate PPE and regular testing, creating more transparency, requiring access to virtual visitation, improving staffing and oversight, and stopping attempts to provide blanket immunity to long-term care facilities.

Nationally, more than 56,000 nursing home and other long-term care facility residents and staff have already died from COVID-19. And in Texas nursing homes alone, as of July 23, there have been 15,497 COVID-19 cases reported, with over 1,700 deaths. Assisted living facilities in Texas have seen over 1,500 cases with 227 deaths. Congress cannot afford to wait any longer to stem the loss of life.

Lawrence Randle

AARP Volunteer Leader

Wills Point

DRIVING ETIQUETTE

Monday (Aug. 3), I was totally in awe of the madhouse melee in the Super 1 parking lot adjacent to rear of Chick-fil-A. Not sure of a reason people in such a dither over obtaining a place in line that they blocked or crossed over into both lanes for traffic movement in or out of Super 1 parking lot. Driving etiquette and common courtesy not observed over a chicken sandwich. I love their sandwich but, not enough to disturb or delay another person’s travels. Common courtesy, common sense. Enjoy your meal. As you were, that is all.

John Bradberry

Arp

Cry for the U.S.

This morning ahead of my 86th birthday, I went and sat in a nearby cemetery and contemplated the reality of what is happening today in America! I sat among pioneers who lived shortly after our country was founded, veterans of the Civil war and other wars. I have previously sat at graves of family veterans and friends from WWI and WWII plus others. All wars being the same, to preserve our liberty, freedom and way of life under our constitution at the terrible cost of suffering and youthful lives!

Today the United States is being “overthrown” from within by misguided and duped youthful citizens who are supporting gangs of hired paid thugs marching under “catchy” banners of Black Lives Matter, ANTIFA, etc. Foreign money from Soros and other radical socialists and anarchists who stand to gain power are financing the chaos!

American political leaders from city hall and school boards and even Congress seem ignorant and blind to what is going on! So called “Protestors” are nothing more than mobs led by by hired gun leaders. The objectives are all the same — to create chaos, division of class, races and economic class. Plus undermine the rule of law and equal justice! The ultimate objective is the overthrow of government, our constitution, liberty and freedom! Duped politicians (particularly Democrats) seek to regain power by any means!

This is exactly how Hitler gained power and caused the death of many millions! His thugs and mob burned German government buildings claiming they were corrupt and took power as citizens stood by or joined the mobs, Brown-shirts and Gestapo! Americans still have one last chance — re-elect President Trump and throw out opposing destructive Democrats in the November election. It that fails, it will indeed be crying time for the entire U.S.

Harry Bergman

Tyler