Editor, Gazette-Journal:

Today, I went to the grocery store. It wasn’t overly crowded, but it had a different feel. There were more full service checkouts open than usual. Some shelves were empty. The checkers were friendly as always, but the shoppers seemed quiet or sad. Just different.

Last Friday, President Trump declared a state of emergency. Just two weeks before, he called the coronavirus (COVID-19) a political hoax. Fake media hype. Some on cable news echoed what the president said. This did a disservice to the citizens of our country. There have been dishonest statements and mixed messages coming from this administration all along.

People need to trust in their state and local elected officials. We need to trust in ours. They have been on the forefront of this health issue weeks before the president’s declaring the state of emergency. Now this administration looks to be following the lead of governors, mayors and others. Now this administration is trying to play catch...