Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
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This will be my last column (I can almost hear the applause from some!). I was offered a position in my former profession, and I simply won’t have the time. The circumstances surrounding this significant decision are kind of interesting and partially the result of current events. First a little background. During my lengthy career, one of my favorite and most rewarding assignments was that of K9 handler/trainer. I worked in three different K9 units (patrol, narcotics and bomb) for the Los Angele...
Last week there was a huge uproar from the left regarding the actions of Border Patrol Mounted Unit agents working the southern border. Photos were released showing Border Patrol agents on horseback working along the Rio Grande River to keep Haitian immigrants from illegally entering the United States. The allegations are that the agents were using their reins to whip the migrants. As we’ve come to expect, the Biden administration is entirely off base. Let’s have a look. First a little bac...
I read Jim Elliott’s last column with great interest. He was using his platform to explain his thoughts on Republican versus Democrat methodology in securing votes. The first sentence in the second paragraph stopped me in my tracks and had to be re-read three times to make sure I had understood its meaning. That sentence states, “Republicans try to get results by using emotion and Democrats by using logic;” I thought that was a, shall we say “interesting,” statement considering what we have s...
Last week my wife and I had the absolute honor to meet and get to know a group of Special Forces combat veterans visiting Sanders County. The Clark Fork Valley Elks lodge hosted a dinner for Operation Healing Forces (OHF) and that’s where I got to meet these amazing people. I’d like to talk a little about this extraordinary organization and the people they sponsor. First, OHF’s Mission Statement: The mission of Operation Healing Forces is to serve our active-duty and recent veteran-wounded, ill,...
It is entirely impossible to overstate the dangerous outcome of Biden’s Afghanistan debacle. We will experience fallout from his idiotic/cowardly decision making for decades. Because of the minute-to-minute changes taking place in Afghanistan, it’s impossible to discuss it in detail. What we know now might be completely different in an hour. Let’s look at Biden’s pathetic job performance from a broader perspective. Early this year, I wrote a column listing 21 predictions about what I thought we...
Two topics from last week’s Ledger prompted this week’s discussion. Ed Moreth wrote a letter to the editor regarding the Ledger’s exclusion from covering the Foundation for Wildlife Management event on July 24, 2021. Mr. Moreth argued that The Ledger should have been allowed to cover the event and I agree with him, but only to a point. I believe that to understand the decision, we have to look at why the organization felt compelled to bar media coverage in the first place. A July Gallup poll...
I just returned from a three-day visit to hell (aka California) for a work reunion, and COVID was the biggest topic of discussion, just ahead of the rampant crime problem. I was in Los Angeles County where they had just reinstated the mask mandate for everyone, even those who have been vaccinated. That mandate has caused tremendous confusion and resistance. The media will tell you that the resistance to the vaccine is a partisan issue. The prevailing media theory is that conservatives are...
Somebody help me out and explain, what, in today’s climate, is not racist? This isn’t intended as a rhetorical question. I’d really be curious to hear an honest, yet logical, answer to that question from one of our so-called “progressive liberals” (I believe these people’s logic is actually regressive but a topic for another column). The news is full of events and circumstances that are referred to as “racist” that I never would have remotely considered. Quite frankly, I don’t see how the peopl...
Early this year, I made some predictions regarding what I expected under a Biden presidency. I just reviewed that article and found it interesting how many of those predictions have already come true. I thought mine was going to be a four-year forecast. I was wrong. The Biden administration has exceeded my low expectations. I set the bar at ground level, and they’ve managed to burrow under it. Let’s review just a few of the most recent examples. A curious reader can confirm the following wit...
When I sat down tonight in front of the keyboard, I had no idea what I was going to write about. I’m sick of politics. Biden and Harris are screwing things up at such a record pace, that it’s hard to stay current. Besides, there’s really no point in overstating the obvious. I wanted to focus on something else this time. I’ve been collecting quotes for years, so I decided to check there to see if I might find some inspiration. There has never really been any criteria for the quotes I collect...
I got a call from my buddy the other day that had me cracking up and provided the topic for this week. Before I explain why I laughed so much, I have to provide a little background. My friend Cody is a no-nonsense, straight forward, plain spoken kind of guy. What you see is what you get and that’s one of the many things I admire about him. You’re never left wondering where Cody stands on an issue, or, where you stand with him. When I first started this column, Cody bought me a bumper sti...
I never know what I’m going to write about for this column until I actually sit down at my keyboard. Today, oddly, the first thought to pop into my mind is the fact that I don’t swear much anymore. My hand hurt, and I remembered that the other day my wrench slipped and I smacked the back of my hand on a pipe. All I did was holler ouch while shaking my sore hand. Years ago, that same act would have had me shouting profanely and throwing the wrench. Not what one would call a mature response! That...
I have to admit that I seriously underestimated the Biden/Harris administration. Shortly after the election, I made several predictions regarding how I expected Biden/Harris to dismantle all the accomplishments of the Trump administration. I’ve been pretty accurate on my predictions so far, but it never dawned on me that they could screw things up so quickly. We’re not even five months into the year. These two are clearly over achievers! I anxiously watched Biden’s press conference on March...
The controversy surrounding guns is in the news again. It seems to happen at least once a year and almost always after a shooting involving multiple victims. And, as usual, the so-called assault rifles are the focus of the anti-gun activists. It’s odd to me that one weapon can command so much attention. I think it’s caused by confusion. It’s my belief that many in the anti-gun crowd simply don’t know anything about firearms and are not interested in learning. In many of these people’s minds, gu...
In my last column, I discussed what I believe to be the problem with a numbers-based evaluation system for police officers in large cities calling for reforms. In my opinion, basing an officer’s performance using a numbers-based matrix creates the potential for all sorts of problems. As an example, in the numbers-based system I worked under, picture the following scenario: An officer makes a stop for a simple traffic violation. Under that numbers-based system, the officer may feel compelled to w...
I’ve spent the last three weeks in Seattle and the difference in the city since my last visit is glaring. Seattle is one of the epicenters for the “defund the police” movement and the scene of tremendous civil unrest in 2020. While the civil unrest seems to have died down a bit, the “defund the police” movement has clearly had a tremendous and negative impact on the city. I was bored today and drove around Seattle for a while just to look around. I drove near last year’s CHAZ zone in the Capi...
I like to listen to music when I exercise. The right beat can motivate me and take my mind off the pain I'm inflicting on my tired old body! A few weeks ago, my granddaughter and her best friend were visiting and I very briefly heard a song they were playing. It had the type of beat I like to exercise to, so I asked the name of the tune (Colt 45) and downloaded it. The next day I played the song and was completely disgusted when I actually paid attention to the lyrics. I deleted the song immedia...
As I write this the D.C. Democrats are one day away from opening their second impeachment of former President Donald Trump. I don’t get it! I’ve been trying to figure out why so much effort is being put into impeaching a man who no longer holds the office. Most scholars agree that moving forward with the impeachment is unconstitutional. Beyond that, everyone pretty much agrees that (like the first impeachment effort), there simply won’t be enough votes for a conviction. So, why are the Democrats...
This past December, the Clark Fork Valley Elks Lodge sponsored an “Americanism Essay” contest for students in Sanders County. Student contestants were given the topic, “How Can Patriotism Be Demonstrated?” Then they were tasked with completing a short essay. The top three contestants in two grade categories would be awarded monetary prizes. I recently had the privilege of reading the winning essays (I’m sure glad I wasn’t a judge. All six were great!). In a time when our country is so divided, i...
I want to make it very clear to everyone reading this that I absolutely condemn the violent demonstration we all watched evolve on January 6 in Washington, D.C. In my mind, there is no defending the actions of the individuals who stormed the senate chambers. It was embarrassing to our nation in general and conservative voters in particular. As in any violent demonstration, those involved should be arrested and prosecuted. I have a problem though with the way that whole event has been covered....
I don’t think Joe Biden won an election, I think he won a popularity contest. I believe that, when it came time to make a choice, the undecided voters chose the candidate they perceived as more ‘likeable’ (that’s what happens when people form their opinions on what they read on Facebook rather than actually researching the issues!). It worked that way for me in 2016. I found Hilary Clinton absolutely despicable and wouldn’t (couldn’t) vote for her. I reluctantly voted for Donald Trump inste...
. I’ve kind of beat this topic to death so I’ll keep this last (yet complex) story very short and sum it all up from my perspective. Los Angeles Police Department SWAT officers responded to a call of an armed suspect who had barricaded himself inside an auto body shop. During the incident, the suspect exited the building two separate times and fired at the officers, while using his infant daughter as a human shield. The situation came to a tragic end when the suspect’s 17-year-old stepd...
I received really positive feedback after the last column and people expressed an interest in more of the same. I’m going to share two more stories about incidents I’m personally familiar with and wrap it up with an explanation regarding why I’m sharing all of this. One night while on patrol, I heard a high priority radio call broadcast of a “Domestic Violence/ADW (assault with a deadly weapon) suspect. The broadcast went on to provide a physical description of the suspect, who was said to be a...
There’s a lot of conversation about controversial police incidents. Most of what I read/hear only tells the story from one perspective, which strikes me as wholly unfair and misleading. I don’t see the situation changing and going in a positive direction anytime soon. So…I decided to share a different perspective. You won’t hear these stories in the media. Why? Good question! I suspect it’s because nobody cares. After telling these stories to a friend, I decided to share several as my way of ge...
Over the years, I’ve read the phrase “May you live in interesting times,” in fortune cookies and heard the same statement used as a toast. Legend says that the saying originated in China, and, although perceived as a blessing, is actually intended to be a curse. I have no idea which is true, but I don’t think there’s anyone reading this who wouldn’t agree that we definitely live in interesting times. Based on the way 2020 has gone so far, I’m pretty much leaning toward the ‘curse’ defin...
