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Opinion
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- Written by: Howard Glasser
He did die in that we can no longer bask in his smile, be warmed by his hug or feel that life will be as good as it was when he was here.
How does such a man affect our lives? It’s not what he does. It’s who he is. It's too personal to describe. It’s irreplaceable.
Being in Zino’s presence somehow gave you the feeling that though the world was sometimes frightening and disappointing, it was not as bad as all that.
He was a reminder of what is good in our lives and the joy that wants to flower in our hearts. His eyes were full of kindness and understanding. He was a balm in our troubled times. He was our favorite poem. He was everything we’d want to remember.
Zino achieved in life what few do. He was for everyone who met him, someone they could never forget. Something great and wonderful was taken from us when Zino was suddenly lifted from our presence.
Our immediate reaction is a loss so deep that we have been robbed of what we considered most precious.
So how can Zino die? If there is any consolation it is that we cared so much for him that we will not let what he gave us go.
Though he will not be there to smile and greet us, to love and hug us, he will always and forever be there if we let him, helping flowers grow in our heart.
There is no good way to say goodbye to Zino. I choose to instead simply thank him and in tribute, try and follow his example of how one warm and very special person can make such a difference in our lives.
Howard Glasser lives in Kelseyville, Calif.
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- Written by: Mary-Grace McMahon
He has been endorsed by the Clear Lake Area Association of Highway Patrolman (those who work for California Highway Patrol), the Lake County Deputy Sheriffs Association (the deputies who work for and with him), the Lake County Correctional Officers’ Association (those officers who work in the jail), Lake County Peace Officers Association, National Riffle Association and the Police Officers Research Association of California.
Of these associations, there are those who are members who have also personally endorsed him.
From Lake County alone he has been endorsed by 94 active officers, deputies, sergeants, investigators (and their spouses), 25 retired officers and deputies, 14 volunteers and two reserve deputies.
Along with, but not limited to, are the current Napa County Sheriff Doug Koford, Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman, plus two former Lake County sheriffs, Ray Benevedes and James Wright, Lakeport Police Chief Police Kevin Burke and retired Chief Investigator Richard Austring of the San Francisco District Attorney's Office.
These people are all experts in law enforcement and they wholeheartedly endorse Sheriff Mitchell.
I haven’t even begun to mention the thousands of citizen endorsements he has been given. These are people from every walk and ethnicity. Prominent doctors, vineyard and winery owners, lawyers (defense and prosecutors), nurses, large construction company owners and workers, teachers, grocery store owners, dairy distributors, secretaries, hairdressers, small store owners and homemakers. Those who make up our community here in Lake County and know that Sheriff Mitchell is the right choice for us.
There are also quite a large number of those who cannot publicly endorse the sheriff because of their nonpartisan positions in our community. They, too, are working very diligently alongside us on his campaign to ensure that Sheriff Mitchell remains the leader of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
A quote from a supporter who wishes to remain anonymous:
“Under Sheriff Mitchell’s tenure, the SWAT team went from a few guys with no training and few confiscated guns to an actual properly equipped team with valid training through POST (Peace Officer Standards and Training). The video systems in the cars, designed to protect both the public and the deputies were put into place as was the K-9 program.
“There have been 17 citizens’ academies which had instructed somewhere around 300 citizens of this county on the duties and responsibilities of their sworn law enforcement officers free of charge. The take-home car policy saved taxpayer’s money and made deputies more accountable for their assigned vehicles.
“Local vendors are given preference when bidding on contracts with the county as long as they are within a certain percentage of lowest bids. This keeps jobs and money circulating in Lake County and keeps the bidding process competitive. Local residents who get hired in the jail can now be put through the academy by the county if they qualify and are interested. This local hiring slows the turnover rate, which has been a problem and will continue to be a problem for the foreseeable future.
“No one expects Lake County to be on par with nearby agencies in Sonoma and Napa with regards to salary, benefits and even training, but the sheriff has done an excellent job improving the conditions that he has control over. (Anyone) claiming you’re going to be able to implement these grandiose plans without explaining how you’re going to fund them is akin to making empty campaign promises.
“Remember if (Sheriff Mitchell’s opponent) wins he still has to fund an undersheriff position which will take away nearly 10 percent of the patrol force, and fund his civilian review board. Even if they work for free they are going to need office space and office supplies, computers, network access, expenses etc. These things don’t come cheap.”
The one thing I believe Sheriff Mitchell is most proud of, because he has been able to save money and not operate this department in the red like many other departments, is that there has been no need for lay offs of deputies while he has been in office.
I am no expert, but I do trust the experts who have worked shoulder to shoulder with him and believe in our sheriff.
Not one local law enforcement officer or group has publicly endorsed his opponent.
Mary-Grace McMahon is a member of the Mitchell campaign team. She lives in Middletown.
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- Written by: Jody Galvan
I’ve realized you are never too young to care about politics, and the older my son gets, the more I’ve started paying attention to the political world around me, and the more conservative my position has become on many issues.
For instance, before I was a mother, I did not believe in the death penalty. I did not believe that any one person, or group of people, should have the right to judge and play God with anyone else’s life. It was my belief that the Lord would decide when our time on Earth was done, and only then would we face Him for final judgment.
Of course, I also used to tell myself the news was actually fiction, because I didn’t want to believe there was so much evil in the world. However, now that I’m a parent, not only am I more realistic, I am a strong proponent of the death penalty. If somebody were to deliberately take the life of my child, that person should be put to death.
I’ve also recognized that every vote really does make a difference, especially this year in Lake County.
We have two major races happening this year, a double whammy – the race for sheriff and the race for district attorney.
This has resulted in mud being flung from one end of the lake to the other. And not just flung at the candidates, but also at their friends, families and supporters. Feelings have been hurt, relationships have been shaken and friendships have been lost.
A friend stated it best – she called it “a perfect storm.”
I have talked to hundreds of people about this election, and the only consensus is it’s time for change.
Alas, I haven’t had any luck finding two people to agree on who or what that change should be. We are definitely a community divided, and it is my feeling these two races will be won and lost by just a handful of votes.
People are tired of hearing why an opponent isn’t qualified or fit for the position he is running for; instead they really want to hear why a candidate is the best candidate.
My vote for sheriff will remain between me and my ballot, but I’d like to share a few of the many reasons I’m supporting Don Anderson for district attorney.
Unlike his opponent, Don has a very versatile background in law – criminal, civil, family, etc. Don is also credentialed to teach law and administration of justice in California colleges. Don’s opponent does not share that same versatility, nor does he have a teaching credential.
Knowledge and understanding of criminal law is an important element of the district attorney’s role and, undoubtedly, Don Anderson possesses that.
What sets Don apart from his opponent is his experience on the other side of the fence. For every crime, there is a victim. Everything I’ve learned and come to know about Don Anderson demonstrates to me that he has been an advocate for victims for his entire adult life.
Like countless others in our community, my family has been, and continues to be, victimized and yet we receive little support and no compassion from the District Attorney’s Office. It’s already inconvenient and time consuming to get from south county to Lakeport, but to then be blown off by the agency that is supposed to have your back is extremely disheartening.
Don Anderson is the only candidate with a solid plan to better serve south Lake County residents; he has promised to open an office in the Clearlake area.
Sometimes it takes a lot of courage to talk about the crime that has been committed against you. Imagine the relief of a victim or witness living in south county, once they have mustered the courage to finally talk to someone at the District Attorney's Office, to have that open door in their own neighborhood.
Don’s opponent has offered his own solution to the residents of south county – a telephone. I could continue to use the telephone at times when I can't make it to the Lakeport office but, this has not proven helpful. And many I've talked to – and myself included – are tired of the run around and/or not receiving a call back.
The Lake County District Attorney’s Office needs Don Anderson to bring that compassion, knowledge, understanding and confidence back to the department.
Whether voting by mail or at the polls on Nov. 2, please cast your vote for Don Anderson for Lake County district attorney.
Jody Galvan lives in Middletown, Calif.
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- Written by: Philip Murphy
No doubt either man will have his work cut out for him if elected, but who has a better chance of success and what will the measure of that be?
If Rod Mitchell is reelected things will likely stay pretty much as they are, his staff will be the same, and there will be a large segment of the law abiding population here that will look at incidents involving the LCSO with a skeptical eye as they do today, not because they don't trust an individual deputy but because they have doubts about their leader.
This is a type of trickle-down effect that may not be fair or logical but the bottom line is that it isn't helpful to have a very large segment of the public thinking, “Will I be the next Dinius?” when they have a contact with a deputy. Our faith that we'll be treated fairly should be automatic and usually was here until recently.
If Rivero wins the public trust and support will be vastly improved on day one, there is no denying that as the primary race proved that by a large margin the voters were not satisfied with the status quo.
There may be a few deputies who either decide to retire or quit, and there will certainly be a period of adjustment as changes are made, meaning for a time the department will likely not work as smoothly as it does today. Plus there could be some additional costs to replace deputies.
Mitchell's supporters will still trust the deputies but have doubts about their boss, and the rest of us will have trust we lost restored. That seems like the best outcome we are being offered.
Voters also should understand that Lake County's prosperity is directly tied to our image in the eyes of Bay Area residents.
With a slew of high-profile lawsuits facing Mr. Mitchell that image is going to be threatened again and the best way to reduce the harm is to have Mitchell referred to as “former Lake County sheriff” in news reports.
As it is the perception is that Lake County is some sort of legal Twilight Zone for visitors, there is no faster way to change that than to elect Frank Rivero and show the people who are thinking of bringing their vacation and investment dollars here that we have cleaned our own house.
Philip Murphy lives in Lakeport, Calif.