Recent editorials from Tennessee newspapers:
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April 7
The Johnson City Press on helping the community during the coronavirus pandemic:
As expected, the economic toll of the novel coronavirus protective orders is reaching full blast. With companies laying off and furloughing workers, nearly 10 million people had filed unemployment claims in the two-week period ending March 28.
Locally, the numbers echo that stark reality. As Staff Writer David Floyd reported in Saturday’s edition, the Tennessee Department of Labor reported new unemployment claims in the upper eight counties jumped from 81 during the week of March 14 to 4,749 during the week of March 28. Statewide, Tennessee received more than 120,000.
So your neighbors are hurting. Many already were living paycheck to paycheck. Missing even one jeopardizes rent, mortgage and utility payments, food purchases and other essential financial needs. We imagine that credit card debt is ringing up fast.
Government stimulus programs ultimately will offer some relief at the business and personal levels, but until this crisis passes, people will continue to be in deep need.
In what you might call a catch 22, the increased demand for assistance has pushed organizations that provide such help to the max, while the economic downturn limits their ability to do more. As Senior Reporter Sue Guinn Legg reported in Sunday’s edition, two of this community’s major providers, Good Samaritan Ministries and the Johnson City Salvation Army, are quickly depleting their resources.
Three weeks ago, Good Samaritan began delivering food boxes to the homes of isolated seniors, families with children and people who have lost jobs. Food distributions tripled. Meanwhile, the number of meals Good Sam provides for The Melting Pot emergency dining room at Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church increased to more than 3,800. The Salvation Army provides 150 evening meals-to-go now from its emergency kitchen, along with three meals each day for about 20 men and women in its shelters. Requests for social services including assistance with rent and utilities are up at both ministries
At the same time, Good Sam reported that monetary donations were low and contributions were spent as quickly as they came in.
And these organizations are bracing for even more demand as the crisis wages on.
Both ministries are in need of monetary donations, nonperishable food items, cleaning supplies, disinfectants, hand sanitizer and personal protection equipment, including masks and gloves. Both have set up ways for people to donate online and in person.
Good Samaritan Ministries has a drive-through drop-off center for donations on the King Street side of its building at 100 N. Roan St. Monetary donations to help the ministry can be made online at goodsamjc.org, by mail to Good Samaritan Ministries, P.O. Box 2441, Johnson City TN 37605, or by texting “Give” to 833-224-6131.
The Salvation Army is accepting drop-off donations of nonperishable food, cleaning supplies and personal protection items outside its office at 204 W. Walnut St. Call the office at 423-926-2101 to arrange for someone to meet in the parking area. Monetary donations can be made by mail to the office or online at give.salvationarmykentuckyandtennessee.org.
If you have the means, please do your part. Our guess is most people who are suddenly in need never imagined back in February they would be in these straights. And the wind continues to blow.
If ever there were a time to help your neighbors, it is now.
Online: https://www.johnsoncitypress.com/
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March 30
The Crossville Chronicle on filling out the census:
Census day is right around the corner.
Households should have already received an invitation to participate in the decennial U.S. Census, with April 1 the National Census Day.
Mandated by the U.S. Constitution, this count of every person living in the United States provides vital information and data and impacts the number of representatives our state has in Congress.
At the state and local level, the Census helps leaders redraw our maps for Congressional districts, state House and Senate districts, and our local civil districts, ensuring more or less equal representation for the residents in each district.
The apportionment and districting processes are a key component of the “one person, one vote” ideal, which says that when it comes to the voting booth, every person is just as important as everyone else.
The Census also helps growing communities access more federal and state funding. Much of these funds are divvied out based on population. The federal government distributed $675 billion to local communities for health, education, housing and infrastructure needs in 2015.
The Census also helps local communities plan ahead. Are we seeing a spike in our population? What will that mean for our local services? It can help the community begin planning for increased law enforcement, education and health care services.
The Census is continuing, though much of our national attention has turned to the coronavirus spreading through our communities. But it’s still important to respond to the letter you received.
Everyone can respond to the census online. It includes about 10 questions and takes only a few minutes to complete.
So far, about 26% of Tennesseans have responded. Cumberland County is doing slightly better, with 31.7% self-response. But we can do better.
During social distancing, you can do a little something that helps your entire community. Parents, completing the Census with your kids can be a wonderful civics lesson, too!
And your response now means Census enumerators will have an easier job later as they seek out people who have not responded to the Census.
Online: https://www.crossville-chronicle.com/
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March 30
The Cookville Herald-Citizen on the coronavirus pandemic:
As we face the worst public health crisis in a generation, we want you to know we are here for you - and with you.
It’s a double-whammy for our community. First, a deadly tornado, now a global pandemic.
Whatever happens, whenever it happens, your newspaper will be there for you. We’ll be there to let you know how our community is managing through this crisis - from business to government to the health care system and schools to the drastic impact on individuals and families.
And we’ll be there to let you know about the good and extraordinary things happening in the midst of this crisis - the Cookeville High School student sewing masks for health workers, Monterey police officers delivering groceries to senior citizens, school nutrition workers feeding hungry students, how support groups are still helping people and how Cookeville Regional Medical Center is preparing for virus patients.
In the middle of the sadness and anxiety, there are uplifting moments that remind us of the resilience of the human spirit, and we’ll be there to document those too.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said the coronavirus has created an unprecedented health and economic crisis in our state.
“We need every Tennessean on board to beat this pandemic,” the governor said. “Success starts with swift, accurate information and we support the efforts of the press to keep every Tennessean informed.”
We are here to help you make sense of the situation and to help you navigate it.
Having fact-based, reliable reporting that provides public scrutiny and oversight is more important than ever. Together, for 117 years, this newspaper and its readers have navigated horrific events - natural disasters, terrorism, financial downturns and periods of extreme political and societal division.
This challenge is greater than any of those, but, rest assured, we’ll be here for you. Cookeville is a resilient city where people come together to build and rebuild. Let’s stick together, and we will come through this, too.
Online: http://herald-citizen.com/
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