Opinion
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.
- Details
- Written by: Howard Glasser
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.
- Details
- Written by: Mary-Grace McMahon
How to resolve AdBlock issue?