So you want to be a plumber | Froma Harrop Feb 26, 2026 Feb 26, 2026 Updated May 1, 2026 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Froma Harrop kAm%96 D<:==65 EC256D 92G6 364@>6 9@E @7 =2E6] %92E 92D >2?J J@F?8 A6@A=6 5C@AA:?8 A=2?D E@ 2EE6?5 4@==686]k^AmkAm|62?H9:=6[ D@>6 56D<\3@F?5 AC@76DD:@?2=D 2C6 D2:5 E@ 82K6 =@?8:?8=J 2E ?62C3J 4@?DECF4E:@? D:E6D] %96J 52J5C62> 23@FE EC25:?8 DAC625D966ED 7@C E@@= 36=ED] %96J :>28:?6 364@>:?8 A=F>36CD[ 6=64EC:4:2?D @C 42CA6?E6CD \\ H6=56CD[ C:886CD @C 4C2?6 @A6C2E@CD] %96 =:DE @7 92?5D\@? ;@3D E92E C6BF:C6 C62= EC2:?:?8 :D =@?8]k^AmkAm(9J E96 492?86 @7 962CEDn %9C66 C62D@?Dik^Am kF=mk=:mpCE:7:4:2= :?E6==:86?46 H:== D@@? 5@ E96 E9:?<:?8 C6BF:C65 7@C >2?J @7 E96D6 @77:46 @44FA2E:@?D]k^=:mk=:m%96 C62=:K2E:@? E92E 6=64EC:4:2?D 2?5 A=F>36CD @7E6? >2<6 >@C6 >@?6J E92? 2 4=2:>D AC@46DD@C \\ D@>6E:>6D 2 =@E >@C6]k^=:mk=:mu@FC\J62C 4@==686 42? 4@DE >@F?E2:?D @7 >@?6J[ H96C62D 2 D<:==65 EC256 42? 36 =62C?65 :? 92=7 E92E E:>6[ 5FC:?8 H9:49 2 DEF56?E 42? >2<6 >@?6J 2D 2? 2AAC6?E:46]k^=:mk^F=m People are also reading… NC doctor receives reprimand after telling patient to put hand sanitizer in ear Friday Five: Walmart in the sky comes to Concord Commons Commissioners approve $400M bond package for November ballot Concord seeks artists for traffic signal box art project Legislature changes Kannapolis elections to partisan races Governor appoints Concord council member to state juvenile justice panel Cabarrus County Football Jamboree set for Aug. 14 at Jay M. Robinson State Archives webinar to explore real North Carolina history behind 'Outlander' Correll Farms, Big Elm and Second Harvest partner to feed the hungry Harrisburg graduate receives 2026 arts scholarship Rowan-Cabarrus launches one-year plumbing certificate program Fayetteville is NC’s sixth-largest city. So where are the skyscrapers? Public hearing Tuesday on up to $400 million in Cabarrus education bonds Cabarrus Chamber CEO earns national professional designation Friday Five: Caldwell Park and Rogers Lake Road bridge open kAmqFE 367@C6 J@F C6A=246 J@FC 3C:6742D6 H:E9 D276EJ 8=2DD6D @C =@276CD H:E9 H2E6CAC@@7 3@@ED[ 4@?D:56C H92E E96D6 92?5D\@? ;@3D 6?E2:=] %@H2C5 E92E 6?5[ x :?E6CG:6H65 2 >2DE6C A=F>36C H9@ 2=D@ 92AA6?D E@ 36 >J 9FD32?5[ rC2:8]k^Am 7 political cartoons sum up the State of the Union The nation's top cartoonists react to Donald Trump's State of the Union address.  kAm%96 H@C< 42? 36 8CF6=:?8] pE E:>6D[ rC2:8 D2JD[ 96VD 925 E@ 42CCJ `d_\A@F?5 H2E6C 962E6CD @? 9:D 324< FA D6G6C2= 7=:89ED] w6VD 5@?6 A=F>3:?8 ;@3D :? F?962E65 ?6H 4@?DECF4E:@? H96? 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H9@ 42? 36 D6?E @FE 3FE C6>2:?D F?56C DFA6CG:D:@?] q64@>:?8 2 >2DE6C A=F>36C 62D:=J E2<6D 7:G6 J62CD]k^Am kAmqFE E96 >@?6J :D C62=] w@H >F49 42? 2 >2DE6C A=F>36C >2<6n Qp?JH96C6 7C@> Sb_[___ E@ 2 >:==:@?[Q 244@C5:?8 E@ rC2:8] %96 9:896C ?F>36CD 8@ E@ 6?EC6AC6?6FC:2= EJA6D H9@ 6>A=@J @E96CD]k^Am kAm(@>6? 2C6 >@G:?8 :?E@ E96D6 EC256D[ 3FE E96 3C2?5:?8 DE:== D6==D 2 <:?5 @7 >FD4=65 >2?=:?6DD] WxE H@C<65 7@C >6]Xk^AmkAm%92E 6IA=2:?D E96 A@AF=2C:EJ @7 CF8865 r2C92CEE ;24<6ED 2?5 :?56DECF4E:3=6 #65 (:?8 3@@ED[ 6DA64:2==J 2>@?8 AC@76DD:@?2=D] w:89\72D9:@? 3@FE:BF6D ?@H D6== E96>] rC2:8 H@F=5 DE@A 2E 2 $E2C3F4<D 6G6CJ >@C?:?8 2E e 2]>] 2?5 :56?E:7J E96 =2HJ6CD :? r2C92CEE 3J E96:C D@7E 92?5D]k^AmkAm(2?E E@ 36 2 A=F>36Cn Q%96 325 A2CE :D E96 3FC?D[ E96 4FED[ E96 4@=5D[ E96 DE:E496D[ @7E6? E96 962E] %96 DEC2:? @? J@FC 3@5J]Qk^Am kAm%96 8@@5 A2CEi Q*@FVC6 ?@E ;FDE =62G:?8 2? @77:46 H:E9 D@>6 AC@8C2> E92E J@F D4C6H65 2C@F?5 H:E9] xEVD D@>6E9:?8 E92E x 42? =@@< 2E 2?5 25>:C6 E96 @FE4@>6] !=FD[ E96C6VD 2=H2JD H@C<]Qk^AmkAm%92EVD E96 562=[ 2?5 :EVD ?@E 2 325 @?6]k^Am Harrop, who lives in New York City and Providence, Rhode Island, writes for Creators Syndicate: fharrop@gmail.com.   0 Comments Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Is affordability really a crisis for most Americans? | Froma Harrop At some point, the headlines turned "affordability" from a concern into a "crisis." But what does affordability mean? For most of us, that dep…
7 political cartoons sum up the State of the Union The nation's top cartoonists react to Donald Trump's State of the Union address. Â
Is affordability really a crisis for most Americans? | Froma Harrop At some point, the headlines turned "affordability" from a concern into a "crisis." But what does affordability mean? For most of us, that dep…