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.

In the latest issue of Editor & Publisher Magazine, they tackle the issue of Freedom of the Press and some of the perils that come with it. Leonard Woolsey, a respected publisher of the Daily News in Galveston, Texas, and the 2025 president of Southern Newspapers, had a lot to say about the perils of reporting the truth. The following is a portion of what was published in the February 2025 issue, with Gretchen A. Peck reporting.

Bullying is a widespread issue that lurks in the hallways and classrooms of schools across Northwest Florida. While the silence of it can be deafening, it will leave invisible scars that can last a lifetime. Despite school districts trying to implement increased awareness and initiatives aimed at combating bullying, its effects continue to ripple through our educational system, creating an environment of fear and insecurity for many of our young students.

Commissioner Kerry Smith said he went out of town over the weekend and came back to read our editorial in the Feb. 20 issue. At first, he said he was angry, but he read it a second time and said we were right. We are not celebrating over being right – we are celebrating because change has been made. And one commissioner had the guts to direct the change.

In the past, when impact fees came before the Santa Rosa County commissioners, the board room was filled with builders wearing their colorful company shirts sitting in the audience to make a statement to commissioners of their opposition on impact fees. The presidents of the builders’ associations would stand at the podium and talk about how the fees will impact buyers and make homes unaffordable for middle class citizens. The commissioners always hear their complaints and opposition and bow to them refusing to pass impact fees.

What is freedom of the press? The definition (Merrian-Webster) is the right to publish and disseminate information, thoughts, and opinions without restraint or censorship as guaranteed under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

It was really fun to watch Santa Rosa County Commissioners meet in a workshop setting. There was no sniping, no squabbling, no grandstanding, no name calling. It was refreshing to see this board get down to the real work of the citizens of the county. Getting rid of the troublemakers in the last election really elevated this commission and made it a pleasure to watch. Now we can see the real side of the commissioners that care about the county as they roll up their sleeves to get the work done.

Two words that do not go together – Florida and snow. They don’t go together for a reason, actually for many reasons. We experienced every single one of them last week when Winter Storm Enzo blasted Northwest Florida with extreme cold temperatures and nearly a foot of snow…in 24 hours.

This week we watched the beautiful and majestic pomp and circumstance that is the presidential inauguration. No matter who the incoming president is, the ceremony surrounding inauguration day is one to behold. It touches us both patriotically and spiritually.

Nothing says “peaceful transition of power” like barbed wire, barricades, and troops standing by. With no threats indicated, that is what the feds are doing with your tax dollars.

The fourth anniversary of “January Sixth” falls on January 6 this year. Who can forget the Biden Inauguration in 2021? Chief Justice John Roberts took the Bible to swear in Joe Biden and started the oath by raising his hand and saying, “I, Joe Biden.” Biden said, “No, I am Joe Biden!”