OPINIONS/EDITORIALS

Independence Day -- the Fourth of July -- is just a couple of weeks away and some of the celebrations will begin even before that!
Don't look now, but somehow nearly a half of the "new" year of 2025 has passed us by and before long we'll be talking about Turkey Day and then Christmas.
Hardly seems possible.
But keep a close eye on the next couple of editions of this newspaper and we'll do our best to keep you up-to-date with the July 4th events, especially everyone's favorite -- fireworks!

It is not with pride that I type this next sentence, but it's truth: After about 20 years of covering high school graduations, it's fair to say that I often shift my mind to autopilot when it's time for salutatorian or valedictorian speeches.
Like I said, don't come for me. It's my truth.
Without a whole lot of fail, it was generally a given that there would be a Dr. Seuss quote.

Dear editor: I recently observed a very large banner being displayed from the back of a pickup truck proclaiming, "We have taken back our country" with Mr. Trump's name prominently displayed. I wondered if the person displaying this flag has been paying attention to what is happening now.
For years, I read letters to this paper about the "Biden Crime Family."

Dear editor: There is a partisan effort in Franklin County to remove books from our libraries.
Book banning is an act of censorship that fundamentally undermines the principles of intellectual freedom and the right to access a diversity of ideas.
Libraries -- both in our schools and in the public sphere -- are essential spaces where people of all ages can explore literature, history, and culture from multiple perspectives.