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Campaign letters and other topics

Richardson for Cdale mayor

Carbondale face a critical election in which it will select a mayor. Carbondale was well served for many years with Stacy Bernot at the helm. However, times change and Carbondale is in need of a strong, experienced leader. Dan Richardson is the clear choice.

While Carbondale is unique, it is not an island. Many of the issues that Carbondale faces are regional issues shared by the municipalities and counties throughout our area. Elected officials, and mayors in particular, must maintain strong working relationships to find collaborative solutions. Dan has forged those relationships through his work with SGM, with Colorado Municipal League, as a result of his experience on Glenwood Springs City Council and the RFTA Board of Directors. He is trusted and well respected throughout the Roaring Fork, Crystal and Colorado river valleys.



Dan is a thoughtful leader. He listens and encourages earnest discussion among all groups. It is through this intentional and directed guidance that he will work toward the best resolution for issues facing Carbondale. He realizes that not every decision made by the Carbondale trustees will be satisfactory to all, but all will feel that they have been heard. Dan wants engaged citizens.

A cohesive board is important for any municipality. Board members will often disagree with each other — and should — but underlying any disagreement should be a significant amount of respect for each other and the job that they have agreed to undertake together. Once decisions are made by the trustees, each member must carry that will of the board to their constituents. Dan is the leader who will build an effective board, for the good of Carbondale.



In a world where politics seem to have reached new lows, Dan represents a level of honesty and integrity that we need to bring back to our elected officials. Dan has only the best interest of Carbondale and all of her citizens at heart and will lead with probity needed at all levels of government.

It has been said that the most important segment of government is local government. That is where we, as citizens, have the most say and influence. The choice is in your hands and I encourage you to vote for Dan Richardson as Carbondale’s next mayor.

Kathryn Trauger

Glenwood Springs

Cheney for DA

All we seem to hear for the past four years are the conflicts between our current DA and almost everyone else. She does not play well with others. Jeff Cheney has a positive and trust-based relationship with law enforcement. While holding them accountable to the law, he also partners with officers to protect our communities.

Jeff is passionate in his support and empowerment of victims of crime. He totally supports our trained victim advocates and wants to work with them in the all important job of helping and communicating with their victims. This is not happening now.

Jeff Cheney is extremely involved with our communities through River Bridge Child Advocacy Center, as a youth coach and Scout leader. He’s an Army infantry officer who served in Iraq, was awarded a Bronze Star and is currently an active JAG Corps reservist. He has been an attorney for 19 years and worked for several years as an assistant DA.

Please go to his website “Cheney4DA.com” for contact information. We need him in office.

Rich and Holly Glasier

Carbondale

Caloia is best choice

I expect most people, like myself, are sick of politics. But what would you do if you had special experience and information regarding the DA’s office and the candidates? Would you share that information even if it were terribly uncomfortable?

Some people seek to be DA for service, some are just looking for a paycheck. His judgment as an assistant DA was atrocious.

He strongly supported the prosecution of a man for felony arson when, three days after a burn on his property, there was a reignition fire somewhere nearby in a 40 mph windstorm.

The man had never been prosecuted, had not committed arson and an eyewitnesses reported the fire hadn’t started on his property. The jury found the innocent man not guilty, but imagine if you had suffered the horror of a ridiculous felony prosecution and seen Cheney’s public explanation that “this isn’t the Wild West anymore.”

I have seen him unprofessionally explode in the courtroom, heard him lie about a promised commitment and read his mindlessly parroting “tough on crime” because it sells.

Ever see anybody run for office say they were going to be “soft on crime” or even “rational on crime?”

Some police will want Cheney. They’ll see him as a rubber stamp. But the job is to do justice and includes being a rational check on police power.

Sherry Caloia has done an excellent job. Every DA will offend people who wanted a particular prosecution action or none. Caloia will stand for justice, not political correctness.

I’ve known every DA here since the 1970s and been a judge, prosecutor and defense attorney for 40 years.

The best choice is Caloia.

Tom Silverman

Glenwood Springs

McCrory for DA

I am writing this letter to support Chip McCrory for the office of district attorney for Pitkin, Garfield and Rio Blanco counties of Colorado.

I have learned from friends and colleagues that many are unaware of a third choice for DA. Chip is an independent, trusted and highly experienced candidate who is not the product of political insiders.

The office of district attorney should not have a political affiliation associated with it. The practice of law should not be administered with a political agenda. Justice for all, fairly and equally without political allegiances.

Chip is just the candidate who fulfills that bill. Chip as been a highly respected defense attorney for over 20 years as well as the chief deputy DA who ran the Aspen DA’s office in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Experienced, trusted, independent and respected, everything we need in a DA.

Theresa Dwyer

Carbondale

Groping, letters and stones

In response to Mr. Essex’s column titled “Real Men Aren’t Gropers” on Oct. 10:

On or around August 9, 2016 Mr. Essex published a letter to the editor by a Mr. Panico, who wrote a short letter on the sexual harassment charges being filed against Roger Ailes of Fox News. In his letter Mr. Panico wrote this about one of the Fox News ladies. Only he knows which one. “I began to wonder what sexual act the Fox News babe of the hour had performed on Roger Ailes to keep her job.”

I responded to this letter expressing the disgust my wife and I had about this statement. Mr. Essex wrote this in reply: “Panico’s letter was not sexually explicit or profane and represented his view about a current news story.” Mr. Essex refused to publish my response to his reply. So I ask this question: If real men aren’t gropers, are they also not publishers of women-degrading thoughts like the one expressed above?

What Mr. Trump said in private to a friend is wrong, period. He has apologized repeatedly and regrets saying what he did. Only Mr. Trump knows if his apology is heartfelt. I also feel that what Mr. Essex published was wrong as well and we the readers are owed an explanation and apology from him.

Mr. Essex writes this, “How men behave and talk teaches their sons and nephews and neighbor kids how to behave and talk. The words we use reflect our thinking and influence our actions. One of the best ways to change behavior is to train ourselves to use language that reflects the way we want to act.” No, Mr. Essex did not write the Panico letter above but he clearly found nothing wrong with it and defended the writer on the grounds it was only a “view about a current story.”

When I read “Real men don’t grope,” I recalled this verse: “He that is without sin among you, let him cast a stone at her.” — John 8:7

Norm Shroll

Glenwood Springs

Level-headed analysis

While spending a day in your lovely town, I chanced to read the opinion column, “Real men aren’t gropers.” What a thoughtful, manly response to the words and actions of a misogynistic national bully.

After seeing the Trump signs around Colorado, I was beginning to wonder where all the common sense had gone. Well, there it was in the pages of the Post Independent, alive and well. Thank you for the level-headed analysis.

Kathy Bahr

Chadron, Nebraska


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