Have a heart, NC senators. Come up with a stopgap COVID-19 relief plan now.

COVID relief bill

It has been seven months since the U.S. House passed another round of comprehensive coronavirus relief. Nothing from the Senate since then. North Carolina is seeing record levels of COVID-19 cases and deaths. Nationally, 12 million workers will lose unemployment benefits and 14 million face eviction without Congressional action. Have a heart, Sens. Thom Tillis and Richard Burr — support an emergency stopgap relief plan now and work in January to pass a comprehensive package that will get us healthier and back to work.

Pat McCoy, Charlotte

Classroom teachers

In his Dec. 15 op-ed Howard E. Manning Jr. applauds UNC-TV and its innovative programming for educational instruction. Bravo — the more learning opportunities our children have, the better.

But he falls short with his assertion that “Online learning does not provide each child with a competent, certified teacher...”

I’ve seen teachers Zoom whole class “morning meetings,” break into small groups, read together, create art and more. Teachers comfort crying kids, encourage sleepy students, acknowledge family pets, administer tests, and hold private parent conferences — online.

Though much instruction is virtual, each CMS student is guided and instructed by a “competent, certified teacher” doing his or her best to ensure learning takes place. While PBS may supplement instruction, a television can never replace a classroom teacher. Manning should know better.

Melinda Johnston, Charlotte

NC hog farming

Regarding “A fork in the road for responsible NC hog farming,” (Dec. 12 Opinion):

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality is supposed to protect our land, water and air, thus our health. Allowing Smithfield and its “growers” to spray hog waste over much of eastern N.C. hurts the predominantly Black, Latinx and Indigenous people who live near industrial swine facilities.

Breathing aerosolized hog feces and urine exacerbates the health disparities these marginalized communities already experience.

Before enabling Smithfield to make even more money from its highly polluting way of producing hogs, DEQ should at least require installation of the improved technologies Smithfield uses in in Missouri.

Beth Henry, Charlotte

NC Republicans

Regarding “The NC Republicans who stood up for elections,” (Dec. 13 Editorial):

Saying thank you to Rep. Patrick McHenry and Rep. George Holding represents true irony. When elected officials, who should be leaders, duck during a crisis it doesn’t exactly represent profiles in courage. At least Reps. Dan Bishop, Ted Budd, Virginia Foxx, Richard Hudson, Greg Murphy, David Rouzer and Mark Walker had the courage (stupidity, cowardice?) to show their true colors in attacking our Constitution, our freedoms, and the future of our country. I have spent my adult life watching the Republican Party circle this drain in ever-narrowing spirals, steadily turning us into another Argentina and now having us teetering on the edge of having our very own incompetent Gen. Perón.

Wayne Swofford, Newton

Trump PAC

Donald Trump and Rudy Giuliani will continue stoking the denial of the election as long as the cash register keeps ringing. To date, Trump’s Save America PAC is brimming with $207.5 million. As long as the ardent deniers of this free and fair election keep writing checks, the money grab will continue. Besides putting some of this money into the hands of the RNC, there will undoubtedly be millions available to the Trump family for whatever. It seems another truth is prevailing: Money is the root of all evil.

Doug Bennett, Charlotte

Texas lawsuit

Please explain how an attorney can enter a U.S. courtroom anywhere, file a lawsuit without any evidence, express an opinion based on a dismal fantasy, then leave that courtroom with authority to continue practicing law. There should be sanctions a judge can apply to strip lawyers of their professional status for wasting the court’s time and resources.

John McCarter, Charlotte