CAUTION: WET PAINT
I can recall a time several years ago when there was a guy in town who rented space at Whitmore over the summer to open a paintball venue, and I was invited to check it out and play.
Now, I’d never participated in paintball before, but deep down, I think we all fancy ourselves to be great warriors. That we all possess the hidden John Rambo gene.
So the usual suspects head out there – McKenna, of course. Big Dave. Nelton Palma. We get on all the gear. We choose up sides. There are all sorts of barriers et. al. set up on the battlefield. I think it’s like grown-up capture the flag in that you’ve got invade the enemy territory, and bring the flag back to your side.
Horn blows. Game begins. I peek my head over the boulder I’m hiding behind to get my bearings. And get drilled between the eyes, my facemask a comic blur of blue. Game over. Walk of shame to the sidelines. Realization that I’m more suited to keyboards than guns.
I’ve been at this newspaper gig awhile. A lot of reporters have come and gone. Maybe 30? 40? Too many to count.
I have genuinely liked them all. I think they’ve all been predominantly conscientious. They’ve wanted to do a good job. Sometimes their work has been pedestrian. Sometimes it’s been great.
It’s a tough job, believe it or not. Because the spigot never slows. News never takes a break. The weekly deadlines tend to beat people down over time. And then you’ve got an asshole like me looking over your shoulder, pushing you to do more, cover more, care more.
Most of the time, people move on of their own accord. They know in their hearts that they’ve lost their fastball. The thrill of the chase has become drudgery. They want to go do something else. Maybe something else that pays (government!) and where you only have to work half as hard.
On rare occasion, I’ve had to “encourage” people to move along. Which has been uncomfortable. And often heartbreaking. Because I’ve grown to really care about these people, and I know they’re talented and capable of great work. But they get burnt out. They cut corners. They don’t make the extra calls they need to make to flesh out stories. They become comfortable passively covering meetings of little consequence.
It’s time to go. I know it. They know it. Goodbyes are hard.
And ask not for whom the bell tolls, Mr. Lunch …
In regard to Sue Tonelli’s on page four admonishing Mr. Ramos (who wrote a letter to the editor last week on Jesus Corona Uribe) for apparently not upholding some code of ethics – Mr. Uribe had a well-documented arrest history and the 911 call made on March 4 alluded to his being under the influence of some substance. I don’t think Mr. Ramos revealed anything about Mr. Uribe we already didn’t know.
Personally, I think we all owe Mr. Ramos a debt of gratitude for his thoughtful letter on the March 4 officer-involved shooting which cost Mr. Uribe his life.
I visited the MLPD two weeks ago to get a preview of the bodycam footage of the incident released to the public a few days later. At that time, Police Chief Dan Casabian indicated that it was his goal and intention to ultimately reinstate the two officers who fired their service revolvers during the confrontation.
The officers have not yet been reinstated, but reinstatement remains the plan according to Town staff.
This is a bad idea.
It’s time to have the uncomfortable conversation.
No matter how much you might like a guy as a colleague, no matter the scrapes you have weathered together to this point, these two officers who shot Mr. Uribe do not possess the temperament and judgment to continue doing police work.
At least not anymore.
And definitely not here.
Their reinstatement at the MLPD would simply taint the organization and the rest of the staff as a whole. You’re only as strong as your weakest links.
I’ve watched the footage of the incident several times – particuarly the footage from Hoodman’s bodycam where you get the perspective of Uribe winding up to hurl the rock in his hand. He’s throwing uphill at a distance of at least fifteen feet and probably more.
It makes me reflect upon past experience of standing in a batter’s box against a pitcher throwing heat. From 60’ 6” away. But at the pitcher’s release point, he’s really standing about 55’ away from you, and he’s throwing slightly downhill. And he’s probably gonna throw that sphere 2x to 3x as hard as a 40-year old guy is gonna throw that rock uphill.
I say all this because while it’s not uncommon for a batter to get hit by a pitch, it’s extremely uncommon to get hit in the head or knocked out.
Further, even if Uribe miraculously hit an officer in the head (we have not been provided evidence that he was even able to hit a car), the suggestion that he might be able to run up and either beat the officer with the rock in his other hand or grab the officer’s gun while three other officers confront him from close range …
A scenario where Jesus Corona Uribe suddenly becomes John Rambo is awfully farfetched.
I’ve heard two arguments in favor of reinstatement. 1.) This was a freak occurrence. What are the odds it would ever happen again? 2.) A freak incident like this shouldn’t mean the end of a guy’s career. One guy’s dead – why effectively kill two more guys besides?
As to freak occurrence … I don’t think so. I think the odds are pretty high of a similar situation unfolding. Mental health, substance abuse … this is Mammoth’s bread and butter.
As to these guys careers, it’s not up to the Town of Mammoth to salvage them. I don’t want to bring someone back just because I fear no one else will hire them. That’s not my cross to bear.
A change of scenery (and/or a change of profession) might be the best for all parties involved.
…
I attended Wednesday’s workshop between Mammoth’s Planning and Economic Development commission and Mammoth’s Chamber of Commerce.
My favorite part of then meeting was when all the folks sitting around the table admitted they had no idea why the Mammoth Planning Commission changed its name to the Planning and Economic Development commission. Or when.
Mammoth Councilman Brent Truax, who was in the audience, gave a mostly correct answer when he made public comment saying the name was changed sometime following the Town’s near-bankruptcy in the shadow of the airport litigation judgment.
The name change occurred around the same time as the formation of the TBID (Tourism Business Improvement District). The idea being that we needed to show the world we were open for business. And prioritized “economic development.”
But going from PC to PEDC was just a branding exercise. The Planning Commission and Planning and Economic Development Commission have functioned in the absolute same manner since the Town’s incorporation in 1984.
Purpose: Kiss developer ass and rubber stamp projects (that’s the economic development part) while trying to maintain some modicum of self-respect.
But not too much self-respect.
We’re like the gal at the bar at closing time trying to convince herself of her own selectivity.
There was a time back in 2005 when Therese Hankel got appointed to the Planning Commission and at her first hearing, she voted no on some project, citing quality of life concerns, referencing the “village in the trees” concept to discourage massive building height – that sort of thing.
Councilmembers Wood, Barrett and Eastman summarily fired her ass faster than you could say Therese Hankel.
This weekend marks the final concert of the winter season for the Felici Trio. This one features no guests – it’s just the big three of Rebecca hang on violin, Brian Schuldt on cello and Steven Vanuarheart on piano.
In keeping with this year’s theme of honoring female composers, this month the Trio pays tribute to Lili Boulanger (1893-1918), who was the first woman to win the Prix de Rome composition prize (at the age of 19).
She tragically died of tuberculosis at the age of 24.
After her death, her sister Nadia, who became teacher to many great American composers, honored Lili’s memory by keeping her work and memory alive.
The other two pieces then Trio will play are by Debussy and Dvorak.
Debussy was an impressionistic composer (the musical version of a Claude Monet or Edouard Manet) who as a bit dreamy and didn’t necessarily follow the rules.
This led to speculation that Debussy chafed against, if not “hated” his teacher, for teachers typically like to impart the rules of the road, even if one’s students are hellbent on racing dune buggies for a living.
The Debussy piece the Trip will play this weekend was dedicated to his instructor.
As for the Dvorak, “it’s become a friend,” said Hang, who says the Trio last played it locally during their fourth year in residence.
What Dvorak communicates … “you can only call it a truth,” says Hang with a smile.
For concert and ticket info, see ad p. 4
…
I spoke to Kathy Richardson of Mammoth Village Properties last week – mostly about my continuing … I wouldn’t call it an obsession with 80|50 necessarily, but it sure seems like a value play when you consider the price of Village real estate.
Yes, the monthly HOA is relatively steep (ranging between $1,400/mo. for a one-bedroom and $2,000/mo. for a three-bedroom), but you can get into a one-bedroom share for as little as $38,000, and that guarantees you six weeks a year.
There are opportunities for additional time on an ad hoc basis, and there are options to trade your dedicated weeks within the Elite Alliance program for other destinations.
Of course, this is a pipe dream for me because I cannot justify the expenditure just so I would have a bitching place to escape the Bishop summer heat. But I’d happily visit someone else’s unit. Just putting it out there.
