An idea whose time has come

We continue to read articles and editorials in the Post about the excessive amounts of trash and litter along our streets and highways in Salisbury and Rowan County.

At the same time, there are far too many incidents and reports of crime and criminal activity throughout our community. Both of these issues are major problems and need addressing.

In a sincere effort to help resolve these concerns, it was recently suggested that we adopt and enforce a policy similar to North Carolina’s interstate clean-up procedures. Let’s ask our courts to implement a new regulation whereby any individual convicted of a crime be required to perform “clean-up” duties as part of their sentence, probation and community service.

For example, in addition to any active sentence, fine or restitution ordered by the court, a convicted individual must now perform a minimum of 100 hours or more of community service cleaning up trash and litter along designated streets and highways. Individuals could be issued orange or yellow vests, provided trash bags and assigned certain days and times to complete, log and report their community service duties to their probation officer.

If properly implemented and administered, such a policy would not only help to maintain the cleanliness of our streets and highways, but may also have a positive impact on reducing crime in our community. It could also help restore our reputation as a “All-American” city.

Why not try it? It may be just the answer we’ve been looking for.

— Ronnie Smith

Salisbury

Congress is supposed to investigate executive branch

To those complaining about the new Republican majority in Congress and its investigations into various aspects of the Biden administration, I would remind them that oversight into the executive branch is one of its primary responsibilities.

Biden has failed miserably in so many areas — inflation, crime, high gas prices, open borders, illegal immigration, family issues, lack of transparency, politicizing the FBI and IRS, etc. that the Congress could spend full time on oversight; however, the Republicans will not do so.  They will try to bring spending under control by balancing the budget over the next decade, primarily by reducing the annual increases.

Neither party has been serious about the ballooning national deficit of $32 trillion.  That must change.

Biden has a history of lying dating back to when he dropped out of the 1988 presidential race because of plagiarizing and inflating of his grades. Other lies have included claiming his family members were killed by a drunken driver, saying he once worked as a truck driver and that he was jailed with Nelson Mandela — just to name a few.  Just last week after his much-delayed photo op visit to the border, he said fentanyl had killed 100,000 Americans.  Actually it was 100,000 in last year alone.  The total is actually more than 275,000!

A recent letter to the editor questioned why Biden is being questioned about the tens of millions of dollars his son has received from China, Ukraine and other countries.  The University of Pennsylvania received tens of millions of dollars from the Chinese and other anonymous sources after Joe Biden was hired there.  Wonder why?

The reason for the investigation is because Biden has apparently lied about his involvement and that will be proven by the hearings.

— Phil Kirk

Kirk is a Rowan County native who lives in Raleigh and is former chairman of the State Board of Education.