It's a beautiful Citrus County day

Hey, it’s Wednesday, so let’s talk about us.

My, we’ve had some spirited conversations this week as I transition from nearly six weeks of grieving back to whatever the blog is looking like these days.

And, early on, I can see readers are a little confused. Am I now the county government cheerleader? Are we to assume the 491 mess never happened? Worse yet, is Mike GOING SOFT?

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One reader nailed it: “I’m not sure I want an easy-going Just Wright Citrus. I want the truth about decisions that are being made. I want the knowledge I get from your column to help me make good decisions when I vote.”

Well, let’s just nip this in the bud right now. 

I thought about it. I considered going the gentle route, spending my remaining blog days discussing the challenges of widowerhood. There are certainly plenty of people interested in that.

But…that’s not really the JWC mission, which is to tell you things you should know and wouldn’t know if I didn’t tell you. 

That meant a return to blunt politics, which is rarely kind or gentle. 

It didn’t mean a return to business as usual.

I’ve never suffered a loss like this, but those who have said it changes their outlook on life. What seemed logical yesterday is not logical today. Prior to Oct. 24, I was all about pounding the rock to get what I wanted. Today doesn’t feel that way.

I’m amused somewhat by readers who demand a JWC return to normal as if Deb’s passing never occurred. I don’t know how else to say this. Doesn’t work that way. It takes time. Some days, I’m golden. Other days, I’m gray. And often it’s a mix of the two. I don’t want gray to seep into the blog.

So, here’s my personal challenge. How does Just Wright Citrus continue to lead the conversations that are significant to our community without me feeling uncomfortable with the tone and direction? Great question! No clue. One day at a time, I guess.

Here’s what I’m trying to do. I want us to look at the entire picture. Local government plays a role in that picture, but not the lead role. We play the lead role. We’ve abdicated that role to politicians, then yell when they don’t do what we demand.

The one place that detractors DO NOT want to go is the mirror. Man, blame everyone — commissioners, county government, past commissioners, Cattle Dog chats, the weather, Republicans, Democrats, growth, roads, vaccines, etc. — but never ourselves.

Folks, this is a recipe for disaster. It leads to angry elections, and angry electors rarely elect leaders. Instead, the Library Guys of our world get on the ballot, promising voters nonsense they cannot possibly deliver.

(By the way, it’s ridiculous to suggest I’m being soft on the 491 mess, which you only know about because of this blog. Every single bit of trouble Citrus County government has today with the public traces back to that train wreck. And the two commissioners who whined to me that the punishment was worse than the crime, I’d suggest they haven’t even seen the punishment yet. It’s easily the 2025 Story of the Year, which I’ll break down in a few weeks.)

So, I’m going to end with this. Our current crop of commissioners? No different than the crop of commissioners 30 years ago, 20 years ago, 10 years ago, and six years ago. It’s five individuals trying to formulate policy for the greater good of Citrus County. This board is no better and no worse than its predecessors. These challenges we face are not unique.

What’s different today is a community engaged in conversation through social media. The Citrus County political world is much different than just a few years ago. The county government didn’t change — we did. So, it’s really incumbent on citizens to make sure our message to commissioners is concise and clear.

One more thing, then I’ll shut up. A few people have suggested my Cattle Dog chats are somehow clandestine political power grab talks. That would be a surprise to the many politicians who received an earful from me over frozen hot chocolate.

Since it’s out there, I’ll meet anyone for a Cattle Dog chat. They’re always off the record and very informative for all involved. Some of my best blogs have arisen from Cattle Dog chats with readers who have no political sway whatsoever. Message me and we’ll set it up.

Interesting times for sure. Enjoy the day, friends.

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