Sound Off highlights anonymous, brief takes on the news offered via telephone by Daily News readers.

I wish the government would consider creating a task force to truly investigate every individual receiving unemployment, welfare and disability. What some of these individuals are pulling over on us should be a federal crime. Everyone knows of someone pulling this scam.

I have lived in Beaufort County 20-plus years and worked here 20 years before that. On my first day of work, I made the mistake of calling Washington, “Little Washington.” My boss instantly informed me that if I wanted to be successful, I should know that this is the “Original Washington,” and then he gave me a brief history lesson. I think the Daily News should do an article on this history.

In the 1800s, Washington was busy port, and along the East Coast there were two known Washingtons. One was Washington City, which later became the capital and which is Washington, D.C., and the other was Washington, N.C. There are many documented letters from congressmen and other government officials, dating back from the early 1800s to the 20th century that always referred to Washington, N.C., as “Little Washington.” That is why it is called “Little Washington.”

As a downtown merchant, I would like to congratulate the City of Washington for blocking off the street at 7 a.m. for an 11 a.m. parade. What it did really worked. There was not a soul down there.

The streetlights on Water Street have been burning during the day for about two weeks.

Why don’t you say, “Washington, the Original”? This is a nice brand.

What do the downtown merchants think about the proposed hotel?

Call 252-946-2144 ext. 235 to comment, (30 seconds maximum time). (All submissions are subject to editing).