Alpers to run against Bauer

The big candidate news this week comes from fishing entrepreneur Tim Alpers, who announced Thursday morning he’s challenging incumbent Vikki Bauer for District 3 Supervisor.

Alpers said in a press statement he recently retired from a 42-year career in Aquaculture to “pursue my passion for public service.” In a phone call with The Sheet, the well-known fish farmer and fishing industry activist, who has his own variety of trout named for him, said he had previously run for office in the ‘80s, and served as District 3 Supervisor in the mid-‘90s.

“I turned the administration of the [Conway Ranch] over to my partners, and I’m ready to get my old seat back,” Alpers told The Sheet. “District 3 is one of the most beautiful in all of California, but it’s also very complicated. There are lots of issues between the Town, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, which is in the district, and the County. We need to get our collective heads together between the town and the county and get past this ‘Cowboys versus Aliens’ mentality.”

Bauer announced her plan to seek re-election last week.

“It seems like I’ve finally found my way around in the thing called government,” she said. “It would be a shame to waste all that I have learned.”

In addition, Mono County District 2 Supervisor Hap Hazard has decided to throw his hat in once again as well.

Hazard said he wasn’t initially sure he was inclined to run, but decided there’s just “too many important issues facing the county to not stay involved.” –Geisel