Opinions & Viewpoints
Thankfulness, Choices, and Conflicts of Interest: A Seasonal Reflection for Citizens and Public Servants – Conflicts of Interest — Part 33 *
LANIER COUNTY NEWS – SPECIAL THANKSGIVING EDITORIAL EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is part of an ongoing series and speaks to decision making leaders with known or potential conflicts of interest and employees of area government. The series examines ethics and governance in Lanier County, which includes the incorporated communities of the City of Lakeland and…
Read MoreFrom Smith to Friedman: What great economists would say about Oklahoma’s proposed minimum wage hike. – Historically Speaking By James Finck, Ph. D.*
November 4, 2025 From Southwest Ledger *La traducción al español sigue a la noticia en ingles In June 2026, Oklahoma voters will decide on State Question 832. If passed, the minimum wage in Oklahoma will go from the federal minimum wage of $7.25 to $15 by 2029, more than doubling minimum wage…
Read MoreWhat We Have: Is God Dead? by Ty B. Kerley,DMin*
*La traducción al español sigue a la noticia en ingles The last few weeks have been spent presenting non-biblical sources that speak to one or more of the three minimal bedrock facts concerning what happened to Jesus after His crucifixion. We spent a lot of time looking at the Roman historian Cornelius Tacitus and…
Read MoreMilitia, Insurrection acts give Trump authority to protect Americans. – Historically Speaking By James Finck, Ph. D.*
October 23, 2025 From Southwest Ledger *La traducción al español sigue a la noticia en ingles One of the biggest differences between traveling abroad and traveling domestically is seeing armed soldiers at airports and on the streets in most other nations. While this is still fairly true, it…
Read MoreFlavius Josephus: Is God Dead? By Ty B. Kerley, DMin., *
*La traducción al español sigue a la noticia en ingles In our investigation of non-Christian sources that speak of Jesus and His crucifixion, we have thus far looked at the writings of Cornelius Tacitus. We also began investigating what the ancient historian Josephus had to say about Jesus. This week, we continue to look at…
Read MoreEDITORIAL: Absence of regard for public safety at Lanier County Annex *
*La traducción al español sigue a la noticia en ingles Lanier County commissioners can do better for the people they serve. But they’ve apparently concluded, “Why bother?” We are not addressing their overall job performance here. That evaluation is for another day. Instead, let us discuss something that eludes Lanier commissioners and their staff:…
Read MoreOpen primary voting and ending party choice? Not here. – Historically Speaking By James Finck, Ph. D.*
October 15, 2025 From Southwest Ledger *La traducción al español sigue a la noticia en ingles Next year, Oklahomans will have the opportunity to go to the polls and basically decide if the Republican Party will still be allowed to choose its own candidates for state elections.…
Read MoreDear Editor: Yesterday’s PSC election was a total blowout! Incumbents lost to challengers 63% to 37%
Dear Lanier Countians and South Georgians Marrying my husband is the happiest day of my life and 29 years later I can still say that I chose well. Winning my dream job against strong competitors to become the first Executive Director of the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative is the second happiest day of my…
Read MoreEDITORIAL: Behind the Closed Doors of the Lanier County BOC—Truth Denied, Trust Betrayed*
*La traducción al español sigue a la noticia en ingles Perhaps nowhere is the adage “what you don’t know won’t hurt you” more overworked than among Lanier County commissioners and staff. The saying, as it applies to the public, serves as high wisdom in the county commission complex and its meeting room at the…
Read MoreConstitution 101: Congressional Pay Clause – Historically Speaking By James Finck, Ph. D.*
October 8, 2025 From Southwest Ledger *La traducción al español sigue a la noticia en ingles We have come to the juicy part of our Constitution where members of Congress get paid. Congressional salaries have come under great scrutiny since our nation was founded. Lately, with the…
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