Opinion Archive

I felt bitter-sweet emotions as I watched college football over Thanksgiving weekend.

As the Florida State-Florida game ended with a Seminole victory, the announcers calling the game teased the upcoming California at UCLA game and mentioned it would be the last PAC 12 game as we know the conference.

This newspaper is dated Dec. 7, 2023, the 82nd anniversary of the devastating surprise attack by the Japanese against the U.S. Navy’s facilities at Pearl Harbor, Hawai’i. Most Americans know today is Pearl Harbor Day, that the attack precipitated the United States’ entry into World War II and that President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in condemning Japan’s aggression, called Dec. 7, 1941, “a date that shall live in infamy.”

My closet has been the longtime home of two shirts. Like the best of friends, they literally have had my back through thick and thin offering their familiar and comfortable embrace. Cotton. Soft. A comfy fit. They are my favorite shirts.

One time I was walking through a store looking at the various offerings for Christmas gifts. While looking around I saw a large mug – the size intended for someone to enjoy a meal of soup, or for someone who is a very serious coffee drinker. There was a message printed on the mug which, when I first read it, thought it was a bit trite. But then the full meaning of it dawned on me. There was a depth to its message that I don’t know if its creator intended or not.

The holidays are blazing their way in and now we are counting down the shopping days until Christmas, because it has become tradition to spend an exorbitant amount of money on friends and family for one day when most are celebrating the birth of Jesus.

Despite the Christmas decorations in department stores, it is Thanksgiving Day, the day which, in theory, we give thanks. The question that sits before us like the proverbial, giant turkey in the room into which no one dares slice, is: “To whom are we giving thanks?” If you gather on this holiday with family and friends to enjoy an abundant table laden with the traditional fare and someone asks that question, how would you answer?

Sometimes we focus on what we don’t have, or situations we aren’t in, and we lose sight of what we do have and where we are. I know I have a lot to be thankful for – at all times – even when I’m wrapped up in the day-to-day busy-ness of life. I gathered these versus to remind me of what true thanksgiving is and what my gratitude should be focused on. I hope you enjoy them during this time that we take a break from our routines and focus on being thankful for all of our many blessings – or as we set out to purposefully be a blessing to others.

We at Sandpaper Publishing have much to be thankful for, beginning with our members and readers. You fuel the passion we have for publishing three newspapers each week for three communities. We work hard to report and write the stories the matter most to you. We are your voice and are privileged to be in that role. Thank you for choosing us as your news and information source. We hope you stay tuned because we have so much more work to do for you.

Sooner or later it had to happen.
I could be wrong, but I think the firing of the opposing head football coaches following the same game is a first. I could add that neither firing was a total surprise.

It was a statement we heard at a national business conference and that wasn’t the only remark we heard about our industry. “Journalists go to journalism school to learn how to ask stupid questions.” This particular speaker had been the subject of “gotcha” journalism in the past. Every time an employee left his company it made the front page of the local newspaper. They referred to him as a cult leader and worse.