Opinion Archive

When I originally wrote this column last week, there were openings for the boys basketball head coaching positions at two schools in Santa Rosa County.
But I had to make a few changes as Milton has since filled its void. Navarre’s job is still open but will be filled at some point later this spring.

This Resurrection Sunday – my preferred term for Easter Sunday – I will baptize a man in our congregation. This will be the third year in a row that I have had that privilege. He and I will wade out into Santa Rosa Sound until we come to water deep enough to dunk him. Pray for the tide to be high and the weather warm! When you consider the theology behind baptism, baptizing on the day that we celebrate Christ’s resurrection from the grave is a beautiful thing.

Santa Rosa County has an aptly named department for maintaining and repairing county roads and bridges – called ‘Roads and Bridges.’ They have a budget that includes among other things maintenance of county bridges.

Baseball and softball in this area seems to be in a great place.
Most of the teams are highly ranked in the region and state and the competitiveness that has been evident is no joke.

I learned yesterday that a good friend has died. June had not been well for the last several years, nonetheless, her death came as a surprise and has evoked bittersweet emotions.

It is well known that Navarre Beach is a tourist driven destination for families. We have in years past presented ourselves as “family oriented” with activities offered for both adults and children. We are the quieter, more tamed beach than our neighbors to the east and west. The party crowd usually goes to Destin or Pensacola Beach.

Nine weeks is all that remains in the school athletic season if you count the softball state championship week. For most teams, the year will be over long before that.

I was hired for my first ministry position by a pastor with 40 years of experience. “You don’t serve people,” he sagely said to me, “you serve God, and people are served in the process.” He advised against living in a parsonage and instead purchasing a home to build equity. “You will never get rich in ministry,” he counseled, “but God will provide for your needs.” Now, nearing his years of experience, I can attest to the wisdom of his counsel. Nonetheless, there was a financial situation in that ministry that had me scratching my head in amusement.

We attended the March 21 meeting of the Land Development Taskforce and were pleasantly surprised by what we heard and saw.

Back in February, we put the county commissioners on blast for selecting a “builder heavy” taskforce. They listened and backed off on some of the choices they made in favor of a more balanced approach. But we were still left with three builders in the end.

I’ve never been one to complain about athletes transferring. I don’t care if coaches jump from one job to another.
Sure, you hate to see it, but it’s part of sports in 2025. The days of staying in one place are long gone in college athletics.