Opinion Archive

We’re about to hit the campaign season stretch run, as things get a little extra crazy heading into the Aug. 20 primary in Santa Rosa County.

It’s almost over, and then we can all take a deep breath until November.

“If in doubt, sing louder!” I told the volunteer church choir at a rehearsal. The look on their faces said, “Oh, really? Why would I do that?” They knew that I had been a professional musician, but they also knew that I had zero choir-directing experience. I explained, “If in doubt, you hold back, even if you are singing your part correctly, it will sound wrong. So, if you are going to make a mistake, make it a good one, and we’ll fix it!”

Pretty simple concept, isn’t it?  The City of Milton plans to spray wastewater on 33-77 acres in the Santa Rosa County Wellfield Protection Area.  Not only Milton’s sewage; the plan is to pipe wastewater from NAS Whiting Field to the proposed new Milton wastewater treatment plant, via new sewer mains underneath the Blackwater River.

For anyone out there saying things like ‘Division III football isn’t good enough for me,’ ‘I’m so much better than that’ or ‘those dudes don’t really even know how to play football,’ you might want to reconsider that faulty line of thinking.
Because if you’ve heard of Quinn Meinerz of the Denver Broncos, then you know he is a former D-III player who just got paid a whole lot of money to keep playing football.

In Santa Rosa County, there’s a group of recognizable faces that you see at most public meetings. Whether it’s the Santa Rosa County Commission or Milton City Council, the same people are usually in the crowd.

Several years ago, while working in LaGrange, Georgia, the newspaper covered a horrific story.

A cooler was found on the side of road, and a dead newborn was inside, leading to a 14-month investigation. A 19-year-old woman was eventually arrested and charged with murder.

As I write this column, I am in the last third of a two-week vacation. What exotic or exciting destination did I visit? Well, first, my yard, then my office, and soon I will be visiting my garage. Mine was a “staycation” involving yard maintenance, office and garage de-cluttering, and an unanticipated repair project in the master bathroom. No, it has not been the most restful vacation I’ve ever taken, but it has been refreshing, nonetheless.

No matter where you live in Santa Rosa County, you have to be proud to have someone representing this area on one of the biggest stages.
In this instance, we’re talking about Navarre alum Emily (Madril) Sams, who is in Paris this week for the 2024 Olympics. She’s an alternate on the United States Women’s National Soccer Team.

A relative recently asked for my opinion on her pastor’s Bible commentary recommendation to her. Of course, the commentaries he recommended are those he uses for his own personal study. I considered his list of three and, whereas they would provide a reader with some interesting information on the Bible, in my opinion, they were not the best for helping someone better understand the message of the Bible.

If there’s anything we know after hearing years – even decades — of debate about incorporating Navarre, it’s this: there are a lot of people out there that believe they know what’s best for Navarre’s future.