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OBSERVATIONS
January 14, 2021 |
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 Wingate Lassiter |
Let's hope we can truly say "Happy
New Year" starting next Wednesday
That's Inauguration Day, when Joe Biden is scheduled to take the oath of office as the 46th President of the United States.
Regardless of your political leanings, or biases, we should all hope and pray we can put the horrible events and incendiary rhetoric of the past several months behind us and get back to the task of making this nation a better place by solving a long list of problems neglected far too long by our elected representatives in Washington.
It all begins with restoring respect for one another, especially for those with whom we disagree on matters of public policy. As things now stand, that appears more easily said than done.
But we've got to get there if we care about this nation's historic commitment to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and our pledge to pursue liberty and justice for all. Moving toward those ideals once again will require lots and lots of deeds, not just words, from those we elect to serve us.
SCREENSHOTS
OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN ACTION
This one comes from the County of Johnston's Facebook page, taken during the January 4 evening session of the County Commissioners that was held in the historic main courtroom of the Johnston County Courthouse. Seated behind the railing are (left to right) Commissioners Fred Smith, Butch Lawter, Larry Wood, Chairman Chad Stewart, Tony Braswell, Patrick Harris, and Ted Godwin.
Here's the Johnston County Board of Education in session this past Tuesday inside the school system's headquarters on US 70 Business East. Notice the video monitor at the head of the roundtable. That's Chairman Todd Sutton presiding from home via Zoom where he quarantined himself "according to COVID-19 protocol." Others at the table are (left to right) board members Ronald Johnson, Kay Carroll, Tracie Zukowski, Superintendent of Schools Eric Bracy, board members Terri Sessoms, Lyn Andrews, and Mike Wooten. In the background is the board's legal advisor for the meeting, Rod Malone of the Tharrington Smith law firm, and the board's clerk, Michelle Weckesser.
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