Sometimes, when presidents discover they are being slowly manipulated into Washington’s political quicksand, it can be helpful if they check out how a predecessor dealt with a similar problem – to avoid getting trapped, big-time.

So we are here today to help America’s 47th president, Donald Trump, by replaying for him a predecessor’s greatest moment of presidential success. We only hope we are doing it in time for Trump to get himself out of a mess he got himself into, but may not have even discovered yet. We just hope we can help him discover it before our 47th president’s problem becomes our crisis – and then our future generations’ nightmare.

We are talking today about vaccine politics.

Our 47th president’s most famously named, unusually selected cabinet member ignited the new vaccine politics controversy on June 9. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., wrote an opinion column in the Wall Street Journal announcing he was firing all 17 members of a vaccine advisory committee that recommends vaccine approvals and dosages for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (shorthanded as CDC).

The son of a Democratic Party icon who campaigned for a Republican president name-called the nameless physicians and vaccine experts as he fired them, accusing them of “skewed science … persistent conflicts of interest” and being “a rubber stamp for any vaccine.”

Among the things RFK Jr. left unsaid was any current and valid proof of the charges he was making about the 17 people he just fired en masse – and the fact that he has long been a crusading vaccine critic whose accusations have been analyzed and rejected as unproven by numerous media and professional scientific investigators.

When the experts have been paid for studies they have run for various companies, they declare those conflicts, fact checkers reported. Then they either don’t participate in the committee analysis, or they are granted a waiver that means they can participate in discussions but do not vote on the recommendation. “There’s no evidence of problematic conflicts of interest or that the group inadequately scrutinizes vaccines,” a detailed report by FactCheck.org concluded.

But Kennedy wrote that: “A clean sweep is needed to re-establish public confidence in vaccine science.” And what made Kennedy’s accusations all the more forceful was that he must be considered to be speaking in the name of his boss, President Donald Trump.

And that brings us to our mission today: searching for a predecessor who handled vaccine politics somewhat differently – and whose example might now help our 47th president.

The example: our 45th president

Our 45th president walked to the microphone of the auditorium in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, just next door to the White House. It was Dec. 8, 2020, a month after his election defeat. Yet Trump had no intention of acknowledging that result. Not then; not now. But on that 2020 day, Trump began talking enthusiastically about a far different result that will forever be celebrated as the most important accomplishment of Trump’s first presidency:

“I’m honored to welcome doctors, scientists, industry executives, and state and local leaders to our historic Operation Warp Speed Vaccine Summit … It’s been an incredible success … From the instant the coronavirus invaded our shores, we raced into action to develop a safe and effective vaccine at breakneck speed. It would normally take five years, six years, seven years, or even more … We harnessed the full power of government, the genius of American scientists, and the might of American industry to save millions and millions of lives all over the world … The gold standard vaccine has been done in less than nine months … We will soon end the pandemic, and we will save millions and millions of lives, both in our country and all over the world.”

Today, after Kennedy’s smearing of the 17 experts he just fired in the name of politics, one phrase spoken on that December 2020 day by Trump should be resonating in Trump’s mind: “The genius of American scientists.”

If America’s 47th president truly wants to Make America Great Again, he can start by embracing the honesty and accuracy of our 45th president’s phrase – and the patriotism of all the science and medical experts his HHS secretary vilified without a shred of current, conclusive evidentiary proof.

Bobby Jr., whom I first met when he was a boy at Hickory Hill (the family’s horse-farm-like suburban Virginia estate), knows his dad would have made him apologize to each of the fired advisers he smeared.

Our 47th president, who, unlike Bobby Jr.’s dad, survived an assassin’s evil, should respect Bobby Sr.’s decency and invite the smeared 17 to a White House do-over. Let them also be invited to rejoin an expanded bipartisan vaccine advisory panel.

And let’s move on with the remaking of America’s greatness – by restoring America’s decency.

Martin Schram, an op-ed columnist for Tribune News Service, is a veteran Washington journalist, author and TV documentary executive. Readers may send him email at martin.schram@gmail.com.

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Orchard Path, a Presbyterian Homes & Services senior living community in Apple Valley, is adding 75 independent living apartments to its campus, along with an outdoor patio and a large community room.

The project will be finished by next summer, according to Pamela Belz, senior development manager at Senior Housing Partners, part of Presbyterian Homes & Services.

“This expansion provides another choice for senior living within Apple Valley,” Belz said. “There are [community] members that have been in the community a long time and want to stay.”

Adults over 65 made up about 16.5% of the population in Apple Valley in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Orchard Path current units are typically 99% to 100% occupied, said Jon Fletcher, president and CEO of Presbyterian Homes & Services, in a press announcement.

The senior living community currently offers 175 independent living apartments, 58 assisted living apartments and 20 memory care apartments.

Belz said Orchard Path’s last expansion project was a 60-apartment expansion in 2021, and the apartments opened full.

“There certainly continues to be demand and interest for this location,” Belz said. “We’re expecting a strong response from the community.”

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The jury foreman in the Karen Read retrial is calling on the FBI to rip open the case and start from scratch.

“There are so many holes that need to be filled,” Juror #1 told the Boston Herald Tuesday. “Now that the FBI knows Karen Read is not a suspect, something happened, and multiple jurors feel that way.”

Multiple jurors in the murder trial of Read have come forward to comment about the case since a jury returned a not guilty verdict.

Read, 45, was charged with second-degree murder by authorities who said she intentionally hit Boston police officer John O’Keefe with her car after dropping him off outside a party following a night of drinking in the Massachusetts suburbs.

The high-profile case culminated in a not guilty verdict on murder, manslaughter and leaving the scene charges. The jury found Read guilty of operating a vehicle while under the influence.

Karen Read gestures to supporters as the jury entered another day of deliberations in Dedham, Massachusetts. (Nancy Lane/Boston Herald)

Juror #1, who first spoke to the Herald exclusively Friday, is now urging the FBI to “get justice for John O’Keefe.” It has already been announced that federal investigators did look into the web of police connections to the case and did not charge anyone.

But the foreman, who asked that his name be withheld, said that’s not good enough.

“No one local should be involved in the investigation,” he said Tuesday. “It was lazy police work … and we should start some type of investigation of what went on in that house.”

The FBI in Boston “declined comment” on the juror’s appeal for a new probe.

As the foreman has already said, the fact that investigators didn’t swarm the house at the murder scene on 34 Fairview Road in Canton during a nor’easter is a glaring “red flag” in this murder case.

The juror, a 45-year-old married father of three who grew up in Boston, says he is haunted by the belief that “something went on inside that house.” He doesn’t want to give up after more than two months put into this trial.

“We just need to find justice for John,” the foreman added, “and get his mother some peace.”

The Karen Read jury foreman, Juror #1, wants the FBI to reopen their probe. (Photo courtesy of Regan Communications)

Investigator, jurors speak out after verdict

Several jurors and the lead investigator have spoken out about the case in aftermath of not guilty verdict.

The trial centered in part on lead investigator Michael Proctor, who defense attorneys described as biased against Read from the beginning. The Massachusetts State Police trial board found Proctor guilty of sending crude and defamatory text messages about Read while leading the investigation into her. He was fired and has drawn ire from Read supporters who believe he played a key role in a cover-up to frame her.

Proctor told NBC’s “Dateline” that the idea he is corrupt and framed Read is a “ridiculous” accusation. He specifically said an accusation that he cracked Read’s taillight to make it look like she backed into O’Keefe is “absolutely not” true.

“I laugh because it’s such a ridiculous accusation,” Proctor told the program. “There’s not one piece of evidence or fact to support that because it did not happen.”

The judge in the case announced via court papers that the jurors’ names would be sealed from public view due to safety concerns. But one of the jurors, who identified himself only as “Jason” in an interview with TMZ, said he did not believe Read collided with O’Keefe. He also said he did not think investigators planted taillight pieces at the scene to frame Read.

“I don’t really know if there was a cover-up or not. I know that’s the big conspiracy about it but I don’t really know. All I know is there was a lot of holes in their investigation,” the juror said.

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Another juror, Paula Prado, told local news stations her mind changed about the case over the course of the last three weeks. At first, she thought Read was guilty of manslaughter, but her opinion changed as the case progressed.

“As the weeks passed by, I just realized there was too many holes that we couldn’t fill. And there’s nothing that put her on the scene in our opinion, besides just dropping John O’Keefe off,” Prado told media.

A third juror, Janet Jimenez, told WCVB-TV that she changed her mind about Read’s guilt during deliberations. Jimenez told WCVB she felt there were holes in the investigation, and ultimately she decided Read was not guilty.

“I was hoping that my fellow jurors could help me go through all of this, so I went in with a very open mind but definitely leaning toward that she was guilty,” she said.

Massachusetts State Police said in a statement that it extends its “sincerest condolences to the loved ones of Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe.” The statement said the events of the last three years have “challenged” the department to review its actions and improve accountability and oversight.

“Under my direction as colonel, the state police has, and will continue to, improve in these regards. Our focus remains on delivering excellent police services that reflect the value of professionalism and maintain public trust,” Colonel Geoffrey Noble said in the statement.

The jurors, state police and Proctor are not the first to speak out about the verdict. Upon leaving court, Read told a crowd of reporters and onlookers: “No one has fought harder for justice for John O’Keefe than I have.”

Her father, Bill Read, said that he was “thankful that it’s over.” He added: “We always knew Karen was innocent. I’m glad she is free of this mess. Just a weight off our shoulders. The power of the state is immense, and we were able to fight it.”

Some of the key witnesses in the trial also released a joint statement in which they called the not guilty ruling a “devastating miscarriage of justice.”

The joint statement was issued by several people including Brian Albert, who owned the home where the party took place, and Jennifer McCabe, Albert’s sister-in-law, who was with Read and O’Keefe on the night of O’Keefe’s death.

Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey said only: “The jury has spoken.”

Joseph Dwinell of the Boston Herald and Patrick Whittle of the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Grocery giant Kroger revealed during its first-quarter earnings call this month that it will shut down about 60 underperforming stores over the next 18 months. At the same time, the company intends to open new locations throughout this year and the next.

“We’re simplifying our business and reviewing areas that will not be meaningful to our future growth. Unfortunately, today, not all of our stores are delivering the sustainable results we need,” said Kroger Chairman and Interim CEO Ronald Sargent in the June 20 earnings call.

“We don’t take these decisions lightly, but this will make the company more efficient, and Kroger will offer roles in other stores to all associates currently employed at affected stores.”

The specific stores targeted for closure have not been officially confirmed.

Kroger is the parent company to King Soopers and City Market. King Soopers has 120 grocery stores in 37 cities in the state, while City Market has 32 grocery stores in 27 cities, according to their websites.

When asked if any Colorado locations would be affected, a Kroger representative told The Post that there are no further details to share at this time.

Other media outlets have already identified several locations facing closures in Illinois, Kentucky, Georgia, Indiana, Wisconsin, Texas, West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee.

United Food & Commercial Workers Local 400, representing 35,000 members in retail food, health care, department stores, food processing, and other sectors across Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee, announced that four of their represented stores will be closing.

“The communities served by our members at these stores will suffer as a direct result of Kroger prioritizing Wall Street investors over their customers and hard-working employees,” said UFCW Local 400 Union President Mark Federici in a statement.

“Closing these stores will not only result in fewer good, union job opportunities, it will further limit food access in rural areas where there are few if any alternatives to buy groceries – all for a purported ‘modest financial benefit’ to the company.”

Looking forward, Kroger also expects new store openings in 2026 and beyond.

Though it was not revealed where these new stores will be opening, company leaders said they will consider sites across the country, focusing on areas where they have competitive advantages or growth potential.

On Feb. 1 of this year, Kroger operated more than 2,700 stores. The planned closures account for about 2.2% of its total locations.

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The company said Kroger held off on closing stores amid efforts to merge with fellow grocery giant Albertsons.

Kroger and Albertsons first proposed the merger in 2022. They argued that combining would help them better compete with big retailers like Walmart and Costco.

However, the Federal Trade Commission and two states, Washington and Colorado, sued to block the merger last year, saying it would raise prices and lower workers’ wages by eliminating competition.

The company expects the closures to have a “modest financial benefit” overall and plans to reinvest the savings from the closures into improving customer experience.