Opinion Archive

A tariff is a duty (tax) imposed by the government of a country or customs territory, on imports (or, exceptionally, exports) of goods. Let’s have a factual look into Trump’s “Liberation Day” – the day of the Tariff proclamation.  After looking into the history of tariff’s, we are wondering why Trump didn’t impose universal tariffs – that are equal to (at a minimum) what other countries were charging us in 2018. What has been going on for a very long time isn’t fair to American workers and manufacturers. Albeit there are not as many manufacturers as there used to be – because of tariffs and the lack thereof coming into the U.S.A. Hopefully that will change in the very near future especially for necessities – such as pharmaceuticals.  Let’s look at what happened in 2018 with the Steel Tariffs. Trumps steel tariffs in his first term led to a gain of thousands of jobs in the metal industry and wage increases.  There was a boon to the Minnesota iron ore industry with state leaders crediting them for strengthening the local economy. Steel and aluminum imports decreased and created a wave in investments across the US – with more than $10 billion committed to build new manufacturing facilities. There were reports from media such as:

This past Saturday marked the 21st annual Triple B Festival, and it was nothing short of a spectacular success. Despite a week of nervous weather watching, March 29 unfolded as a blessing for Crestview, Florida. The sun shone over downtown during event hours, the breezes added charm, and the much-dreaded rain mercifully held off until after the festivities had wrapped up. The delightful turn of weather set the stage for a day that showcased the best of bands, brews, and BBQ.

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.

Last week we wrote about the Laurel Hill City Council election. There were two open seats up for grabs. One candidate, Amanda Rosen, won one of the seats after receiving 25 votes, but the other two candidates, Mike Blizzard and Shawn Cogan were tied neck-and-neck. (The term seems appropriate here.) They each received 22 votes.

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.

How do you respond when things don’t go your way? Your response may depend on the generation of which you are a part.

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.

We came under fire last week over reporting on an autopsy report for Stephen Dalton. Our personal safety was threatened, personal addresses were published on social media, there were demands of removal from a volunteer leadership position that a team member holds, and a target was made of one of our reporters. The only reason […]

About 35 years ago, my wife and I purchased a house next to an older, Lebanese couple. One afternoon, after lunch, I was about to head back to the church, when I saw my neighbor. I waved to him. He gently called to me, “Mike, please, come for coffee.” I hesitated, did a quick mental assessment of my busy afternoon schedule, sighed, then answered, “Sure. Thank you.”

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.