Editorial Roundup:

South Bend Tribune. April 4, 2020.

Crisis brings out the best of people in the community.

The coronavirus has had a dramatic impact on everyone in our community, but none more than seniors.

Families in assisted living facilities have been forced to visit with loved ones through closed windows, or by daily telephone calls.

Some low-income seniors living at the Karl King Riverbend Apartments in South Bend were struggling when it came to getting food. One or two reported being out of food while some were close to running out, with no safe way to go shopping.

That's why a $45,000 grant from the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County was so important. The grant is being used to help pay for boxes of food to be delivered directly to Karl King and several other low-income senior housing apartment buildings in St. Joseph County. The weekly deliveries will continue for four weeks, thanks to the grant.

The money will help buy all kinds of non-perishable food such as cans of tuna, chicken, vegetables and fruit, rice, soup, cereal and shelf-stable milk and should be enough to feed one person for a week.

The Food Bank of Northern Indiana is buying the food at a reduced rate from its network of food brokers, so the grant can provide even more food for a longer period of time.

'œThis is about providing a bit of hope for people who are on lockdown,'ť said Marijo Martinec, director and CEO of the Food Bank.

It's said that tragedies often bring people together, and nowhere is that more clear than through the actions of the Community Foundation, the Food Bank and other volunteers and social service agencies that are helping to feed elderly, low-income residents.

Congratulations to Holy Cross College basketball coach Mike McBride who was named the 2020 NABC National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) National Coach of the Year.

This past season McBride guided the Saints to a program best 27-6 overall record. Holy Cross earned co-champions of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference regular season with a 20-2 league record. McBride also won the CCAC Coach of the Year honor as Holy Cross closed out its regular season on a 14-game win streak.

Holy Cross College received its first-ever automatic bid to the 2020 NAIA National Tournament. The Saints defeated Indiana Tech 60-56 in the opening round, before the tournament was canceled because of the coronavirus.

It's understandable if the coach, players and fans are disappointed with the cancellation of the national tournament, but it was the right decision. The pandemic has forced us to reorder our priorities.

And it doesn't take away from the impressive run the Saints made during the basketball season and the job McBride did in coaching the team and his well-deserved honor.

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Kokomo Tribune. April 2, 2020.

Be prepared for flooding.

Back in January 2013, we reported with heavy hearts the death of 2012 Northwestern High School graduate and Ball State University student Blake Taylor.

Taylor was returning to campus on a Sunday evening when his car hydroplaned on a flooded portion of Indiana 26 near Fairmount. His car flipped over in a ditch filled with 4 to 5 feet of water.

Two sheriff deputies and a Fairmount police officer broke out one of Taylor's car windows in an attempt to free him but couldn't. The officers then used tow straps to pull the car onto the roadway.

Taylor died at Marion General Hospital.

Flash flooding can occur after a few minutes of heavy rainfall or after hours of significant precipitation. And Kokomo area residents can expect such a possibility over the next few days, according to the National Weather Service.

The National Weather Service forecasts thunderstorms for the Kokomo area Saturday, and Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday next week.

Hoosiers who live in flood-prone areas should always be conscious of the threat of flash floods when significant rain strikes. Motorists must continue to watch for standing water in the low agricultural areas.

Indiana State Police offer these tips when flooding occurs.

Don't travel unless absolutely necessary. If you have to travel, carry a cellphone with a car charger.

Purchase a weather scanner and heed all flood and flash flood warnings issued by the National Weather Service.

Do not drive around barricades at water crossings.

Be especially vigilant at night. Many drowning deaths occur at night when it is difficult to see water crossings.

Do not cross or enter flowing water. Driving fast through high water on the road is not a solution. Faster speeds create less tire contact with the road surface and increase your chance of crashing.

Driving through standing water may affect your brakes. Test your brakes at low speeds as soon as you exit the water.

Remember that 6 inches of water will reach the bottoms of most car doors. One foot of water will float many vehicles, and 2 feet of moving water can carry away most vehicles. If you find yourself stranded in flood waters remain calm and call 911. If you can do so safely, move to higher ground.

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The (Anderson) Herald Bulletin.

Businesses should cooperate with authorities.

While living under these restricted conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic isn't easy for any of us, it is important that we cooperate with the guidelines our state and local governments have issued for individuals and businesses.

No one likes limitations placed on our freedoms, but there are times of crisis where the danger becomes too great to carry on business as usual.

Several weeks into this pandemic, we've received numerous calls and messages informing us about businesses that continued to operate normally, seemingly in defiance of government guidelines.

We sympathize with business owners concerned about maintaining their operating costs, and we sympathize with workers who find themselves temporarily out of a job.

We at The Herald Bulletin are feeling that struggle with you as we endeavor to keep the news flowing while advertising revenue is lost and some of our own employees are home on quarantine.

In a letter published on the Madison County Health Department's website, department administrator Stephenie Grimes strongly admonished those who fail to take this pandemic seriously.

'œFor everyone who thinks this doesn't apply to you, insistent life operate normally, shame on you,'ť Grimes writes. 'œYou haven't seen the faces of those who work to keep us safe day in and day out.'ť

This is a time for all of us to pull together. We cannot afford to be working against each other.

Business owners should comply with all guidelines set by the government and health departments.

At the same time, the government should implement a plan to minimize the economic loss for business owners and their employees.

Putting people's lives at risks is not an acceptable way to make up for lost revenue.

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