Opinion Archive

Has our education system failed us? How can a Socialist acquire such a youthful following as Sen. Bernie Sanders?  Could it be explained as revulsion to a candidate that is unaccomplished and deceitful? I am afraid the blame is with the education system. A system that does not teach civics, economics, world history and the U.S. Constitution are the blame. The Founders studied all prior types of governments and developed a governmental system of checks and balances which protected the system from emotional responses to problems. Historically, all democracies have failed when the citizenry discovers they can receive an unending list of benefits.

Thursdays in the Park starts tonight with our favorite band – Not Quite Fab. This one-of-a-kind Beatles Tribute Band features one of our own, Dickie Williams, aka Paul McCartney.  Not Quite Fab is in high demand and we are fortunate that they are playing tomorrow.

It is a complex issue.  The departments of Justice and Education have issued a directive to schools that basically says a transgendered student can use the restroom of the gender they internally identify with, regardless of what their birth gender is.  They also have a right to use the changing room of that gender and if they go on an overnight trip that is school-sanctioned, they have a right to stay in rooms with the same gender they identify with.  Essentially this confuses and blurs the lines of genders.   

Navarre Beach renourishment has gotten quite a bit of good press lately. People have said how it can be educational and a tourist draw because of the shells that get pumped up with the sand. But it can also be educational for the harm it does.

The Navarre High School Raiders will have its Maroon and White Game on Friday, May 13 at 7 p.m. Please make plans to go to the football stadium to show your support.

The Navarre YMCA wants to remind you that registration for summer camp and summer preschool is now open – as well as the pool.

On Mother’s Day and the ninth day of beach renourishment at about 2 p.m., we were returning to our residence on Navarre Beach. Turning onto the causeway, we observed many visitors at the reopening of the Butterfly House. Traffic was very heavy at the intersection but moving. We slowed to 20 mph and watched the skimmers and terns in the nesting areas.

I, and many other residents of Navarre, wonder why there is such a small sign identifying our little piece of paradise here on the Gulf Coast. The signs are not only small (compared to the one up in Holley) but they are placed way inside the town of Navarre.

Do we need a new tax to fund another disposable courthouse? The county says the 90-year-old structure is too small, has security issues, lacks parking, has inadequate heating/cooling and needs telephone and computer network upgrades. While these may be valid issues, they hardly require a new courthouse.

A suggestion for the Court House. There have been two new Court Houses built in our area. Santa Rosa County has an engineer on staff. Send the engineer to the new Court Houses and have him inspect them, review the quality of the work, determine which is the most economical to run/maintain, obtain a copy of the building plans, names of the contractors, the COST of the buildings and after determining which one would be the best fit for building in Milton, build it!  We don’t have to reinvent the wheel and waste taxpayers’ money on studies. The county already paid three times the value of property needed for the New Court House instead of just compensation and using the right of eminent domain. Also, Mr. Lynchard has to make sure Rob Williamson does not get involved with the Project because he has shown the continued ability to make bad decisions.

This year, Mother’s Day in Santa Rosa County was tragic indeed.  Two mothers lost their lives in equally tragic ways and both allegedly by the hands of their own child.  It is every parent’s worst nightmare.