Front Pages from All America 8/17
Every day, I comb through the front pages of all the daily papers in America (provided via The Freedom Forum) and will highlight 5-10 front page items that have national significance, with my quick commentary
The Dothan Eagle (Alabama)
THE FRONT PAGE STORY: Sex Sting Operation
WHY IT MATTERS: More and more child sex rings are being uncovered, despite a concerted effort by many in the political world and the mainstream news media to scoff at those raising the alarm.
THE TAKEAWAY: I'm seeing some of the same people who rightfully complain about a lack of news coverage for missing & abducted African American girls ALSO ridiculing "right wingers" for making a big deal about child sex rings. They just don't get it.
The Anchorage Daily News (Alaska)
THE FRONT PAGE STORY: City not Planning Mass Winter Shelter for the Homeless
WHY IT MATTERS: Anchorage is just one city of many in America that are trying to reduce the number of homeless addicts and migrants in their areas by first yanking away the welcome mat.
THE TAKEAWAY: Several cities decided to make empty welcoming gestures to illegal migrants during the Trump presidency without the foggiest notion of what that would cost them. Anchorage wasn't one of those cities, but migrants understandably mistook the entire country as having an open season. Now, the hard work begins to stop the trend.
The Fresno Bee (California)
THE FRONT PAGE STORY: Changes Coming to Crowded Chik-Fil-A Drive-Thru in Fresno
WHY IT MATTERS: Soaring prices at more formal restaurants are making fast food options more popular than ever, but lots of Americans don't want to eat inside those restaurants and potentially "get caught" eating fast food. Chik-fil-A is enormously popular and its locations routinely have very long drive-thru take out lines. The easiest solution is for the parent company to grant more franchises and reduce concentrated demand in individual areas. But having hundreds of cars idling for several hours a day in total is probably the most economically and environmentally inefficient situation possible.
The Los Angeles Times (California)
THE FRONT PAGE STORY: Crashed Copter Lacked System to Avoid Collisions
WHY IT MATTERS: Three years after the chopper crash that killed Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles clearly still doesn't have a handle on helicopter safety.
THE TAKEAWAY: Of course this was a fire department chopper, as the government often lacks the ability to properly regulate itself.
The Gazette (Colorado)
THE FRONT PAGE STORY: Biden Administration Weighs Marijuana Changes
WHY IT MATTERS: So many states have legalized pot sales, but access to banking for these businesses is still mostly blocked by federal law,
THE TAKEAWAY: Making the banking hurdles go away for pot businesses could be something the Biden team is waiting to during the height of the 2024 election season. It may all depend on the polls in states like Colorado.
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The Connecticut Post (Connecticut)
THE FRONT PAGE STORY: Neighborhood Group Files Suit to Halt State Cannabis Businesses
WHY IT MATTERS: More and more Americans from all political sides are realizing that legal pot shops are not something they want in their neighborhoods.
THE TAKEAWAY: If you don't want pot shops in YOUR neighborhood, what gives anyone the right to put them in someone else's neighborhood? That's the logic behind this lawsuit.
The News Journal (Delaware)
THE FRONT PAGE STORY: Delaware Park Casino and Racing Modern-Day Revamp
WHY IT MATTERS: Now that casino gambling is legal just about everywhere in America, casinos need to spend more to keep gamblers from their competition.
THE TAKEAWAY: The "necessary evil" of legalized gambling gets more expensive every day.
The Citrus County Chronicle (Florida)
THE FRONT PAGE STORY: Winn-Dixie's Sale to Aldi could have Impact on Citrus County
WHY IT MATTERS: Two major supermarket chains in the Southern U.S. are looking to merge.
THE TAKEAWAY: Whenever an industry's costs rise (and boy are they rising in the grocery industry) mergers, buyouts, and consolidation are sure to follow. Look out for some politicians to call for blocking this deal that could easily lead to higher prices for consumers and fewer store locations.
The Orlando Sentinel (Florida)
THE FRONT PAGE STORY: Driverless Shuttle Makes Debut
WHY IT MATTERS: More and more cities are experimenting with self-driving transportation options.
THE TAKEAWAY: Before you bemoan this trend or scream about safety do to things: really compare the safety records of self-driving vehicles vs. human drivers and spend an hour talking to a person with a disability who has little or no options to get around and could be liberated by this technology.
The Moscow-Pullman Daily News (Idaho)
THE FRONT PAGE STORY: Cost Stemming from UI Homicides Exceeds $1.2 Million
WHY IT MATTERS: The trial of accused murderer Bryan Kohberger hasn't even started yet, and the small town in Idaho having to conduct this case and provide security is dealing with huge costs.
THE TAKEAWAY: This high-profile case is attracting all kinds of lawyers, journalists, and crime experts trying to advance their careers and economic positions. Is there a way to get them to help defray the city's cost to keep order and uphold the law without infringing on the 1st Amendment? Probably not, but I'd like to see some ideas.