Opinion

GUEST COLUMNIST The national debt broke the $32 trillion barrier this week. It’s a number so huge it’s incomprehensible to the average citizen.

“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15 People do not light a lamp and put it under the bushel basket; rather, they put it on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”

GARDENER’S MAILBAG Dear Neil: What are these cocoons? They are moving around, so they are obviously living. Are they harmful or beneficial? They are bagworms, perhaps misplaced but identical to the larvae that devour the needles off junipers and cypresses.

GUEST COLUMNIST Recently, my wife and I joined some friends to attend our first “rock” concert since the COVID pandemic temporarily made fun illegal. It was great to be back in that electric atmosphere among a crowd of excited music lovers, about 90% of whom were younger than my lawn mower.

Juneteenth To the Editor, June 19th, 1865, is celebrated by many as the emancipation of slaves in the USA. According to records emancipation was granted in January of 1863 however the Civil War wasn’t over until April of 1865.

GARDENER’S MAILBAG Dear Neil: We have read your column for many years. Two years ago, we bought property near the Red River in southern Oklahoma.

GUEST COLUMNIST The loss of learning each year during summer break is known by educators as the “summer slide”. It can take up to six weeks to regain summer learning loss when students return to class in August.

GUEST COLUMNIST It’s difficult to wrap my mind around it, but this will be my 20th Father’s Day as a father. All of those third Sundays in June have blurred together, but I certainly have warm memories of son Gideon’s everyday march toward adulthood.

GARDENER’S MAILBAG Dear Neil: I have two crape myrtle trees that got the black scale. I drenched them with Imidacloprid as per instructions.

GUEST COLUMNIST While the contours of President Biden’s re-election campaign have yet to come into focus, early signs imply leaning greatly on surrogates to shoulder the heavy burden of promoting the president’s record and engaging in aggressive negativity against his opponent. The strategy suggests shielding the president from the media and maintaining tight control over his public appearances.