EDITOR:

What is behind the “coin shortage due to COVID”? I have asked tellers at the bank, and they have all of the coins they need. Meijer and Walmart switched their self-check registers to “card only “ some time ago. There was an excuse given to me that doesn’t hold water. I was told that the state has limited their ability to get coins. Not buying it. It doesn’t cost less to have card only. Actually, the stores pay the credit card companies to process. I’m sure the big guys don’t pay much, but if you take into account all of the stores, pennies become dollars really fast. Okay, less employee wages? They still need a person at the self check lines, so I’m not buying that either. An effort to move to a cashless society? There are far too many businesses that operate on a cash-only basis. I have written all of our representatives and our Senators, as well as the Treasury Department, and the White House. No response, yet. I wrote Tucker Carlson, Rush Limbaugh, CNN, FoxNews, the parent company. You would think that someone would pick up on this. Walmart sent me an e-mail to call customer service. I went shopping the other day. They used to have every other self-check shut down for “social distancing.” That day, they must have been short staffed. The self check area by the pharmacy was shut down and every register was open at the other one. What about social distancing? Oh, that’s right, its WalMart. Nobody can get the virus at Walmart or Meijer or if you are rioting, but don’t you dare open up the dining area at the fast food restaurants. I have my stash of coins. I actually thought about returning them to the bank, but back then, we were not allowed to go inside of the banks. So I’ll put my mask on and wash my hands and quit causing trouble.

Tom Grant

Escanaba