If you walk into an American newsroom today, don’t expect the calm, steady rhythm you might recall from the movies. No steady hum. No thoughtful editor leaning over a reporter’s shoulder asking, “Do we have this nailed down?” What you’ll…
Good afternoon. Thank you for being here, and a big thanks to Barbara Peterson of the Florida Center for Government Accountability. I truly appreciate your presence. A year ago, I took on the responsibility of serving as president of the Press Club of…
Barbara Petersen, CEO of the Florida Center for Government Accountability (FCGA), began her Jan. 14 luncheon talk to Press Club members and guests at Moorings Park with a summary of a difficult recent event. She explained that the Minneapolis ICE situation was a…
The other day, I watched the 1961 film Judgement at Nuremberg. It was the first time in decades that I watched the Stanley Kramer film. Judge Dan Haywood (played by Spencer Tracy) confronts defendants who insist they were merely enforcing…
The Press Club of Southwest Florida is proud to announce that Barbara Petersen, CEO of the Florida Center for Government Accountability (FCGA), will be the featured newsmaker speaker at our January 14, 2026, luncheon. At a time when transparency, accountability, and public trust are…
Journalism faces a pivotal moment. In 2026, a crucial question for everyone is whether journalism can survive its decline and sense of lost authority. For much of modern American history, journalism has been a key institution in society for providing truth.…
The Press Club of Southwest Florida is proud to announce that Barbara Petersen, CEO of the Florida Center for Government Accountability (FCGA), will be the featured newsmaker speaker at our January 14, 2026, luncheon. At a time when transparency, accountability, and public trust are…
“The loneliest people are often those who see things as they are.” —Source unknown The danger to democracy doesn’t start with lies. It begins when people know something is false and accept it anyway. This difference matters both morally and psychologically. This essay expands on last week’s column about the…
On May 8, Francis Rooney was at the Naples Yacht Club with friends when he received a text from his daughter: “DAD, IT’S BOB!” That meant only one thing: the priest that Rooney had known in the Midwest and at…
