Opinion Archive

Tourism is an important growth industry in our economy. Many citizens in our community make their living directly and/or indirectly from tourism. I respect the importance of this industry within our county. I support the new “Relax” branding campaign’s mission to create greater economic prosperity by targeting tourists within an 8-hour drive time of our county. I think the majority of the work Paradise Advertising created is excellent and elevates the image of our home town. The source of monies used to pay for this campaign came from bed tax generated by tourists, and these monies are allocated for tourism marketing in various forms by state law. I understand the budget for this campaign is not funded by locals or their hard-earned tax dollars.

Father’s Day is this Sunday.  Don’t forget to take your father to Oak Ridge Gun Range on Father’s Day for a BBQ in the parking lot and discounts on select fire arms. 

I’ve been thinking about the Navarre Beach sign this week and the passion behind those that want to keep a part of history of our area and those that are reluctant to speak up about their thoughts on the subject.

I have copies of “The world’s Meanest Mom”, printed in the Press Gazette on May 4, 1995, in another area paper on May 8, 1994, and where Ann Landers on October 22, 1983 wrote “Country Needs More Mean Mothers”. Amen to that!  For those not familiar with it, here’s the blessing! Many of us can relate to most or all of it, Praise God!

The NFL needed to make a change to the overtime rule about as much as Navarre Beach needed a new slogan. Both serve no purpose.

Just when you think you have seen it all, you haven’t. I know a lot of our readers aren’t on Facebook 24/7 like our District 4 County Commissioner. Some of you learned about Rob Williamson’s midnight raid on the sign for the first time in last week’s issue. A lot has happened since then. RW continues to plead his case on the internet and had an email campaign directed  to the county commissioners before Monday’s regularly scheduled county commission meeting. The very meeting where RW could have brought up his new found emotional connection to the former sign. An emotional connection that he did not have before he was swayed by a few on Facebook. As you will read in this issue, he was chided by his fellow county commissioners and I applaud them for that. However, I don’t personally believe it went far enough. We cannot trust a chairman that is led by emotions. Emotions are fleeting and not to be relied upon. And, you make bad decisions when you are led by your emotions. Such as, “I don’t know what came over me.” Or “It was in the heat of the moment.”

It is with a heavy heart that I write this letter to you. Yesterday, I stated my position and had every intention of moving forward; however, Commissioner Williamson’s recent Facebook post demands an answer.

Remember me?

In Monday’s county commission meeting, Commissioner and Chairman Rob Williamson put the other commissioners difficult position when he removed the signs from the causeway in the middle of the night Thursday. Quite clearly he undermined the board as expressed by both Lane Lynchard and Sam Parker. He failed to defend county staff for following through with what the board asked of them. He never apologized nor did he fully admit to the severity of what he had done. He villainized the board in an attempt to come out a hero amid the illegalities of his actions.

We’ve just celebrated Memorial Day. Flags galore saturated areas, TV, and events nationwide. God Bless the Boy and Girl Scouts, et al for placing flags at graves of men and women who gave their lives that we might enjoy freedom. A thrilling sight brings tears to my eyes every year!