2026 Columns

I received a note from a reader last week chiding me for writing about the Okefenokee so much and that he and others were tired of it.  In fact, I have done only two columns on the Okefenokee this year, but I did allow mining proponents and opponents to express their positions on the subject.  So that’s four columns total. Is that overkill? Ironically, as I was mulling his … [Read more...] about March 22, 2026: A Eulogy To A Good Friend And Neighbor Who Made A Difference

Last week, Charlton County commissioner Drew Jones used this space to defend the actions of Toledo Manufacturing in the Okefenokee mining controversy. Comm. Jones, who also runs Toledo’s day-to-day operations, says Toledo has gotten a bad rap from me and others over their intentions and wished to clarify their position which includes how studies are done and by whom on whether … [Read more...] about March 15, 2026: Leading Okefenokee Mining Opponent Takes Issue With County Commissioner’s Rationale

My columns opposing the mining for titanium dioxide on Trail Ridge near our Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge have drawn a heavy reader response.  Almost all of it supporting a permanent ban on mining in the area. I also have received a rebuttal, asserting I have gotten my facts wrong. This from Drew Jones, a Charlton County commissioner.  It is in Charlton County wherein … [Read more...] about March 8, 2026: Toledo Manufacturing Gives Its Side Of Okefenokee Mining Issue

Let us revisit the matter of drilling for titanium dioxide in our Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in order that the world as we know it never runs out of toothpaste whitener. Although you have strongly expressed your concerns to our intrepid public servants under the Gold Dome and I have commented on the issue more than once, I will be the first to admit not much has … [Read more...] about February 22, 2026: Immovable Object Vs. Irresistible Force In Okefenokee Mining Dispute