As I write this column I am really sympathizing with our religious leaders about how difficult it must be to ask their flock for more money. How do you introduce a concept that involves a reality that giving more money is necessary or a good thing for you to do. Most people I talk with want to hear about how much money is being saved-not how much money is being spent. [Read more…]

Like many of you around this time of year I listen as those around me talk about their New Year’s resolutions and wonder whether expressing those hopes and goals to others helps one achieve their lofty expectations. The most common resolutions I hear about are the ones about losing weight, wanting to exercise more, promising to eat healthier or the ultimate resolution about treating every day like it’s your last day. All of these resolutions are certainly well meaning self reflective goals striving to be a better person. January seems to be a good time to bring up these sorts of things since it’s the beginning of a new year and everyone likes to start new and fresh at times so in the spirit of the giving season I’m offering a couple of 2013 New Year’s resolutions of my own that I’ve been thinking about for your evaluation. [Read more…]

Recently while most of America was awaiting a decision from the Supreme Court regarding the universal health care law in America, the Richland County Board of Supervisors and I were wrestling with our own health care issues regarding our legal responsibility to offer health care to inmates of the Richland County Jail. While our decisions were nowhere near the magnitude of the Supreme Court’s decision, our decisions were still very important to our local citizens and taxpayers. [Read more…]

As Sheriff of course I get a lot of input from many people regarding many different things. One of the more unending and intriguing complaints I seem to get more and more often are the complaints that “nobody seems to want to stop at red lights or stop signs anymore.” I’m then told that everyone is in such a hurry to get somewhere these days that it is really dangerous sharing the road with all these impatient people! [Read more…]

Like many of you I have really enjoyed getting out and moving around to enjoy the early spring temperatures and unbelievable warm weather we have been experiencing in mid to late March this year. What I don’t enjoy is the return of the black marks, burn outs and donuts left on our local roadways that seem to appear this time of year. [Read more…]

Occasionally it is important to specifically recognize an accomplishment that is not common. This happened last month for two of my deputies involving an incident from last fall. Recognition is important for a variety of reasons, especially if it is used to evaluate a program and its worth to an organization, or in this case to a community and family. [Read more…]

Recently I received a call from a bicycle enthusiast who told me he enjoyed riding the hills and viewing the scenic beauty of Richland County but he felt unsafe at times because of loose dogs confronting him on the roadway. [Read more…]

Recently, I was asked by a citizen who the new deputy in the neighborhood was, “I’ve never seen them before”, he said. I explained who the new officer was and explained the changes in personnel we have had at the sheriff’s department this past year. Now that most of the personnel changes have been made it’s a good time to look back and share why the changes were necessary and look forward to the future. [Read more…]

Recently my staff and I at the sheriff’s department were saddened to hear about the loss of a great friend to all of us, Warren Pfeil. Warren’s sudden death was a shock and took us all by surprise as we hadn’t heard he was gravely ill. Our loss was compounded by the fact that we not able to one last time, tell Warren personally how much we so appreciated all his wisdom, help and guidance over the many years he was with us. Warren was someone we could count on-someone who had been with us-by our side, since the Charlie Cupp days in the 1970’s. [Read more…]