NEWS-SENTINEL EDITORIAL: Zoom is useful tool for meetings, social interaction in spite of abuses April 22, 2020 - Commentary As with any good communication tool, someone will always find a way to profane it and use it for nefarious purposes. That doesn’t necessarily make the tool a bad thing. It means customers need to employ caution and common sense to use it wisely. Zoom, a videoconferencing service developed ...

THE LAST WORD: Film documents origin of jump shot April 20, 2020 - Commentary I found out just in time about a new movie that had originally been intended to come out in theaters this month, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic had been sidelined. So it was available for rental in an online premier just for the weekend. Being a fan of basketball and its history, I ...

NEWS-SENTINEL EDITORIAL: The right plan to get Indiana back on track April 20, 2020 - Commentary The announcement at the end of last week that President Trump has given the country’s governors a three-phase plan to reopen the economy is a good, while cautious, first step in U.S. recovery from the COVID-19 coronavirus. And that could mean, as Gov. Eric Holcomb predicted, that the ...

NEWS-SENTINEL EDITORIAL: Be prepared for government’s stimulus check April 17, 2020 - Commentary Many Americans this week have received stimulus payments promised by the U.S. Treasury Department as a result of the CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act). The U.S. began issuing one-time payments this week to tens of millions of people as part of its $2.2 trillion ...

NEWS-SENTINEL EDITORIAL: Reminder that tax filing deadlines extended 90 days April 15, 2020 - Commentary While today is April 15 and normally the deadline for filing federal and state income taxes and making payments, the due date has been moved to July 15 because of the COVID-19 coronavirus. The United States Treasury had received a flood of requests for extensions from tax preparation ...

THE LAST WORD: Home schooling during coronavirus pandemic presents new challenges April 13, 2020 - Commentary Having kids at home instead of in school for the past several weeks — and likely several more ahead — has created a heretofore unprecedented dilemma regarding how to continue their education while waiting out the COVID-19 coronavirus during Indiana’s stay-at-home order. Gov. Eric Holcomb ...

NEWS-SENTINEL EDITORIAL: ACLU lawsuit against panhandling law must result in correct interpretation of freedom of speech April 13, 2020 - Commentary It is common in Fort Wayne and other cities in Indiana to see people standing by the side of the road at intersections with a cardboard sign saying they are homeless and asking for money. In many Hoosier cities pedestrians walking downtown may be directly approached by homeless people asking ...

NEWS-SENTINEL EDITORIAL: Pandemic spurs good examples of human spirit April 10, 2020 - Commentary The coronavirus pandemic has an upside: It has inspired the best in many individuals and organizations. We can all tell stories of people who have stepped up to help others during this tumultuous time. Rather than sulking and suffering in seclusion, many have found ways to meet the needs of ...

NEWS-SENTINEL EDITORIAL: Beware of an increase in scams during coronavirus pandemic April 8, 2020 - Commentary As you might expect, something as all-encompassing and worrisome as the COVID-19 coronavirus has become fertile ground for scammers — on the phone, through e-mail, texts, you name it. We want to join with others across Indiana in warning Hoosiers to be skeptical about the solicitations they ...

Masks could be additional deterrent to virus April 6, 2020 - Commentary The use of facemasks during the COVID-19 pandemic has been revived as a matter of general concern in the U.S., not only because there is a great need for them among health workers, but because of a growing opinion that everyone should be wearing them. The Centers for Disease Control and ...

THE LAST WORD: Evangelicals not to blame for COVID-19 April 6, 2020 - Commentary “The Road to Coronavirus Hell Was Paved by Evangelicals” — seriously? That was the headline on the March 27, 1,387-word op-ed piece in The New York Times, written by Katherine Stewart. Her column has received, and deserves, scathing rebuttals. Stewart, author of “The Power ...

NEWS-SENTINEL EDITORIAL: More, faster testing needed to slow spread of COVID-19 April 3, 2020 - Commentary Good news for Indiana — the state has increased its ability to test people for the coronavirus. But while more testing and quicker reporting of results can help slow the spread of COVID-19, the fact is, not everyone should be tested and only certain people will be given top priority for ...

NEWS-SENTINEL EDITORIAL: Allowing voting by mail in primary is right decision April 1, 2020 - Commentary The Allen County Election Board has announced that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Indiana voters will be allowed to vote by mail in the primary election, which has been moved to June. We think that is an appropriate option because of the need for social distancing to slow the continuing spread ...

March 30 editorial correction April 1, 2020 - Commentary The “Our View” Editorial published on the News-Sentinel page on Page 5A of the Monday, March 30 edition contained factual errors. The editorial cited several items that it said were included in the coronavirus relief bill approved by Congress on March 27. Most of the items, while ...

THE LAST WORD: Like polio, COVID-19 is an unseen enemy March 30, 2020 - Commentary The COVID-19 pandemic is one of many diseases that have threatened world-wide health over the years, but it’s the first since polio in the 1950s that has struck as much fear in the general public. Both the coronavirus and polio have occurred in my lifetime and the two have had an ironic ...

NEWS-SENTINEL EDITORIAL: Now’s a good time to be counted in the 2020 Census March 27, 2020 - Commentary Invitations to participate in the 2020 Census were mailed this month with reminder letters delivered this week. It’s vitally important that we all respond as soon as possible. The official deadline is April 1. The United States Census Bureau says in its mailing that it needs your help to ...

McMahan right to stop in-person church services March 25, 2020 - Commentary Give Allen County Health Commissioner Dr. Deborah McMahan a break. Some local and state officials are accusing the head of the Allen County Board of Health of attacking the rights of area churches to practice their religious freedoms. McMahan issued an order last week closing the county’s ...

THE LAST WORD: We all have to do our part to beat virus March 23, 2020 - Commentary Is this all too much to ask to save lives and stop a pandemic? When our government officials give orders, make suggestions and list guidelines for us all to help contain the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, do we take them seriously? Or do we just go on with our daily lives the way we had ...

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Criticism of Hubartt’s Ten Commandments column unfounded March 23, 2020 - Commentary On March 18 News-Sentinel editorial page, Roy Speckhardt responded to a column written by the former editor of The News-Sentinel, Kerry Hubartt, entitled "Ten Commandments still resonate." The title of Speckhardt’s letter, "Ten Commandments not foundation for being a good citizen," suggests ...

NEWS-SENTINEL EDITORIAL: Coronavirus focus has to remain on present, for now March 23, 2020 - Commentary Rep. Jim Banks, R-3rd, stated last week the United States should force China to “pay the burden and the costs incurred” by the U.S. due to the coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, the capital city of the Hubei province in that country. Banks may be right, but we don’t think now is the ...