Thumbs up to Steve Hunt, John Glenn, plus commentary on USPS

THUMBS UP to Steve Hunt, a man who knows a thing or two about communicating and public service. As the executive director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs at Catawba Valley Community College, his goal is “to make sure everyone who sets foot on this campus feels valued and welcomed. Period.” That’s the same attitude he had when he was an officer with the Hickory Police Department. He was one of the most respected officers in the city, and he served everyone with grace and skill. His CVCC office is the only one of its kind in the North Carolina community college system. When he says it exists for everyone, believe it. Hunt doesn’t carry around baggage. He wants everybody to win. Hunt says success “is all about surrounding yourself with people who are going somewhere.” CVCC is just the place to do that, and Steve Hunt is just the mentor who can fill in the details if anyone is fuzzy about the concept.

 THUMBS UP to a real hero, John Glenn. The 90-year-old astronaut captivated the entire nation 50 years ago when he blasted off in Friendship 7 to become the first American to orbit the Earth. The spaceship was rightfully called a capsule. The tiny enclosure was high-tech then and looks rather crude today. He and Scott Carpenter are the only two of the Mercury 7 astronaut crew still with us. Glenn has been honored at Cape Canaveral and a big bash is planned Monday on the anniversary of his historic flight. We should note that Carpenter’s orbital flight on Aurora 7 followed Glenn’s and will be celebrated on its 50th anniversary in May. Americans idolized the Mercury astronauts, but it was Glenn – a decorated jet jockey who once raced the Sun across America – who became the poster boy for the space program. Not until Neill Armstrong landed on the Moon did any astronaut equal Glenn’s fame. The legend grew when Glenn took a ride on the space shuttle when he was 77 years old. It was a great day for America’s senior citizens. He also served his country as a US senator for 24 years. Happy anniversary, Rocket Man. You’re still a larger-than-life hero.

 THUMBS UP to the US Postal Service for warning Congress that it must take drastic measures to survive. The USPS says it must increase the price of postage, cut out Saturday delivery, add a day to the first-class service process and reduce the annual payments to its retiree benefit fund. We are among many critics of the USPS for some of its business practices, and we’re not convinced that cutting services by closing distribution facilities is the way to entice greater public use. Efficiency will suffer because of the closures, and we’re unhappy about losing the Hickory distribution center and the effects it will have on our service. However, Congress deserves a THUMBS DOWN for its contribution to the Postal Service’s miseries by forcing the agency to continue the practice of prefunding every postal worker’s retirement benefit. That means every employee’s retirement is fully paid from day one, based on the number of years an employee could work until retirement. But Congress continues to drag its heels while the USPS staggers from one crisis to the next. The plight is so bad that hundreds of employees face termination. That means that we – the people – will spend more money on unemployment, and money will be taken away from the retail spending. The Postal Service says it can pay off its debt and save about $1.5 billion a year if Congress acts quickly. Failure to act quickly will deepen the debt, put more employees in jeopardy and hurt the USPS image with the public. Some members of Congress are concerned with financial accountability. Well, how about looking at the annual audit? And help save our post offices. Now.