Tuesday, October 28, 2014

No dirty pool, please!

I thought I ought to say something about the race for Sheriff in the upcoming election. I am voting for the incumbent, Gerald Antinoro.

Whatever was the issue in last nights Commission Meeting in Virginia City, what I have written is what I believe.

 I received a call this morning from a local reporter checking on her facts. It was about a blog entry some times back in which I was making a point about how Sheriff Antinoro enforces the law without favortism. I had written that the Mustang brothel had received a fine for having workers without current health certificates. He said it to make a point and I wrote it to make the same point: his job is to enforce the law evenly and without prejudices.

Other than what the Sheriff told me, I do not know anything about that incident. I do know that I have never heard of any incident that was not done to the letter of the law in Sheriff Antinoro's offices. I have heard about deputies being furloughed for cause and of deputies being fired for cause. We talked about both in light of his operation of the county jail. If I turn out to be wrong here, you will see it on this blog. But I don't think so. I think I chose the right guy for my vote.

I live in a community that regularly "makes mountains out of molehills." My recent recall from the Lockwood Community Corporation (LCC) Executive Board is one example of how backbiting, red herrings, and just plain stupid actions seem to perimeate our community. Had I been asked, I probably would have resigned and saved the corporation something like $2,000 of our collective dollars; money that whould have been better spent elsewhere. But no one asked. It seems to me that a clique mentality rules here. That is just sad. And so "so unnecssary."

Whatever the issue that drew this blog into the fray, it smells like dirty pool to me; so close to the election. The Sheriff was kind enough to come to my home and give me a couple hours of his day, going over every question I had. His replies were open, plausible and reasonable. That was enough for me to think it truth; regardless of the endless rumor mongering I continue to hear.

I believe Sheriff Antinoro's re-election is the best choise because of this one interview; and the camp inclusions of the other side of his competition being, in my mind, a tad suspect. Believe me, it is not the candidate, but whom he has campaigning, that I have second thoughts about. But that is another story.

I have had a personal police incident involving Deputy Shawn Mahan, Antinoro's competition. I had wanted some candid photographs of the people at our Lockwood Senior/Community Center. I had brought my camera and was taking pictures when one woman (who remains nameless but knows who she is) objected; to the point that the Sheriff's office was called. I was asked to step outside and explain what had happened. I was asked to delete the photo with the person in question. I had already checked the photo and seen that she was not in it, but I refused to delete it for spite. It just seemed too "over the top" for her to have called the police. She may have asked to review my pictures but did not. Any way, the point I make is that Deputy Mahan is a professional. He has always conducted himself in a professional manner. He did in this incident. That matter was all about her mistaken sense of privacy at odds with my right to express myself. Mahan handled it well. I appreciate that so much.

All our law enforcement members deserve our respect. They are out there in this crazy world at risk of life and career to keep us in peace.

I spent many years in big cities where the police are out of control. Be thankful this Thanksgiving that we live under the tullege of the men and women of our Sheriffs office. I have seen so much worse. I don't even want to think about it.

Vote for whomever you wish. It is your right and responsibility. May the best candidate win. Even if that is None of the Above.

But, and here is the crux of this entry, don't paint this blog as "the Lockwood Blog" or any more than just my opinion...me venting when time is available, and in no way any more than one man's opinion. I had, at its inception, hoped that it might be more, but time has passed with scant little involvement. It seems to me that  participation in our community has come down to either fear of reprisal or simple ambivalence. More's the pity. But we do have WeCare, don't we?

>>>>>>
I am building a River District "themed float" for the Nevada Day parade in Virginia City on Holloween evening. Come by and offer your "two bits" on it. The friendship between writer (Sam Clemens aka) Mark Twain and inventor Nicola Tesla is our contiribution to this year's event.

It is a significant event of rememberance: 150 years ago, Abe Lincoln needed Nevada's silver and gold to win his war. Now Tesla (the car company in partnership with Panasonic) comes, to join Amazon, Apple, Mars and others in doing business in this county. Money, money, money!
We have things to celebrate! See you at the parade!