Most Viewed Stories
Most Commented Stories
Save & Share this Article
A View from Main Street: The recall fireworks may just be starting
If you've read either the print or online versions of the Hesperia Star you've surely noticed that the recall issue - both pro and con - is heating up.
The reason for the renewed attention is the fact that recall proponents have started collecting signatures to get the measure on the ballot. The group, led by spokeswoman Lori Nielson, a former longtime school board member, must collect nearly 7,000 signatures by April 7.
Many of those who want the recall proposal to go before a vote of the people are worried that photos taken by Vicki Kirk, wife of School Board President Dr. Robert Kirk, could be used against them. In response to a question posed by Star reporter Beau Yarbrough, Vicki Kirk said the photos won't be used to identify those who have signed the recall petition.
On the other side, at least one of the three Hesperia Unified School District board members targeted for recall ' Robert Kirk, Hardy Black and Lee Rogers ' have found a board meeting attendee's poster-board protest sign to be a distraction and perhaps offensive. The sign features photos of board members Bruce Minton and Helen Rogers along with reprints of cartoon images of Kirk, Black and Lee Rogers by occasional Daily Press cartoonist Lisa Benson. As a result, the school district has requested the man stand in a designated area marked with masking tape toward the rear of the room.
But this figures to be just the beginning of a very interesting chapter of the school board recall issue.
Each side has a secret weapon: A veteran politician who has played key role in past political campaigns. On the anti-recall side is Kirk's son, Mark Kirk, who is chief of staff for San Bernardino County Fourth District Supervisor Gary Ovitt. On the pro-recall side is Nielson's father, Russell Blewett, a former Baldwin Park mayor who has successfully represented the interests of the building industry. Not long ago, Blewett was appointed to the county planning commission by First District Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt.
Having those two behind the scenes is a lot like having Karl Rove facing off against James Carville. Both are potent political insiders who don't like to lose. Making things even more interesting is the fact that both Mark Kirk and Blewett could seek political office here in Hesperia, so their political futures may be riding on this recall issue.
But none of that should necessarily change how the average Hesperia votes, if the measure gets on the ballot. The decision to recall an elected official is a serious issue. Please get informed before making a decision either way.
See archived 'Opinion' Stories »
| I've heard that plus additional rumors that Mark Kirk, the evil power behind the Kirk throne, is running for city council, and Vicki is running for Park board against Jack Hamilton and Bob Chandler. Yes, Hesperia, it's all Kirks all the time. Any time you feel the need to get up and take back the town from the carpetbaggers, let me know. |
|
| Hesperian - Mar 11, 2008 10:25:39 PM | Remove Comment |
| | |
| I heard a rumor today that Chris Bentley and Lee Samuels will be running for the November 2008 school board election? Could this be true? If so, I think I will move from Hesperia, the community I used to love. |
|
| Heard Rumor - Mar 10, 2008 10:38:41 PM | Remove Comment |
| | |
| Oh ChrisB, you did exactly what i was affraid you would do. The word minutia is of latin origin were as minutiae is of late latin origin, usually the late latin form is used and both have the same meaning. Precise details,small or trifling matters ex. the minutiae of his craft. But more important is you feeling the need to correct or comment on a trifling matter. You share many of my larger views but your need to focus on every minute detail of every issue is indicative of a larger problem in itself, busy body syndrome. Quoting the article, reporter and publication that a single sentence was published is just over kill. You scare the hell out of me, I get a mental picture of you having a room in your house with articles all over the walls and red yarn conecting each person to a quote. |
|
| LBO - Mar 10, 2008 03:26:20 PM | Remove Comment |
| | |
| It's funny that Dr. Kirk, staunch supporter of our right to free speech, targeted pro-recall comments at the last board meeting by telling them to stop. He seems not to have heard the pro-board comments that were murmured in the meeting. If you are going to limit one groups right to free speech, limit everyone's. This board thinks it has unlimited power. I only hope that Mr. Rodele keeps attending the meetings and exercises his rights despite the board of three trying to take them away. DEMOCRACY, you've got to love it. |
|
| Hesperia Employee - Mar 06, 2008 08:24:17 AM | Remove Comment |
| | |
| I find it revealing when the recall proponents resort to name calling and demonizing the people writing comments rather than dealing with issues pertinent to their claims for recall as they have with LBO and Chris B. |
|
| geez - Mar 05, 2008 10:25:02 AM | Remove Comment |
| | |
| Are you guys really falsely arguing about the spelling of minutiae which is a noun that means trivial details question mark. To unidentified Hesperian, if you are going to rag on somebody about spelling, check the dictionary first. |
|
| Chris B. - Mar 05, 2008 09:41:57 AM | Remove Comment |
| | |
| For the record, I purposefully mis spelled minutae in responding to Hesperian. The point is people will focus on the minutia of the spelling, grammer and words that are used or not used and miss the point entirely. |
|
| LBO - Mar 05, 2008 09:00:44 AM | Remove Comment |
| | |
| Very Funny Hesperian, oh by the way the word you where looking for was minutia not minutea. But seriously, ChrisB brings up a point I pointed out earlier and that is that the recall petitions may be safe when they arrive at the ROV office but for now some are unaccounted for and the rest are in the care of Ms. Nielson. Very frightening if you ask me. |
|
| LBO - Mar 05, 2008 08:50:34 AM | Remove Comment |
| | |
| LBO and Bentley make such a cute couple, don't they. Bentley can edit LBO's grammar errors and LBO can help Bentley stop ignoring the big picture instead of focusing on minutae. Bently, LBO will need help pronouncing that last word, give 'em a hand. |
|
| Hesperian - Mar 05, 2008 07:00:19 AM | Remove Comment |
| | |
| It is apparent that Beau quote fixed endqquote Peter's error. This is no minor error nor a minor issue. It is a continuation of the Star's advertorials and stories that are clearly slanted in favor of the recall.
Lori Nielson states that their are petitions out there under no person's control and yet they, the pro recallers are seemingly shocked and amazed that the wife of a recall subject would legitimately take a picture of their actions. I have been to the ROV offices, and they are as disorganized as govt can be, if it was me, I too would be checking the validation of something as serious as this. Instead, Beau focuses on Vicki rather than the disorganized antices of the inept recallers. Bias is bias. Good luck getting the required number of legitimate signatures in the 33 days you have left. Proper prior planning prevents pitifully poor performances. And yell the intimidation nonsense louder in order to cover up the ineptitude. |
|
| Chris B. - Mar 04, 2008 06:54:12 PM | Remove Comment |
| | |
| I agree with you Chris, the star has presented a clear bias in support of the recall movement. In fact this weeks issue might as well be bought and paid for by the proponents of the recall. I am not sure wether they ARE biased or just assume that stance in order to build an interest in the paper. I just disagree with pointing to small issues and making them a sign of bigger ones. Both the pro recall crowd and yourself are guilty of this. This is not to say that small issues don't matter, but with so much going on on both sides of the issue i think the attacks need to be on bigger issues. The fact that the issue will or will not be on a special election ballot is not the issue anyway, the issue at hand is wether a recall is needed or not. You notice the correction Beau refferenced was to remove the word JUNE from the oppinion piece. As that sentance reads now it is not wrong, but of coarse it would be MORE accurate if it pointed out the special election ballot and associated costs. The original sentance, while providing in accurate information, was hardly worth your accusation that was ABSOLUTELY FALSE. |
|
| LBO - Mar 04, 2008 06:09:36 PM | Remove Comment |
| | |
| A correction has been posted and the editorial edited. |
|
| Beau Yarbrough - Mar 04, 2008 05:37:04 PM | Remove Comment |
| | |
| Peter getting his facts wrong, and I just pointed to one bad piece of data in this piece, and there are others, is just a small piece of the coverage bias puzzle LBO.
The Star covers only what Peter and Beau thinks are valid, even when other issues are brought to their attention, That is their choice for it is their newspaper, not the community's. Newspapers deal in the currency of credibility and I think this form of bias, demonstrated by the assertion of false information, shows the value of the Star's currency. Anyone is welcome to disagree with those arguments, but that disagreement does not make them any less valid or wrong.
HeRE, unidentified of course, commented that Peter had done a solid piece of journalism. I do not agree so I commented as such. Look at the big picture of Star coverage of HUSD, old and new, and the bias notion becomes clearer, unless, apparently, the bias is in your favor. The NYT got it wrong with McCain and the Star gets in wrong when they slant coverage in favor of the pro recall group. No wonder newspapers are searching for their identities. |
|
| Chris B. - Mar 04, 2008 03:40:16 PM | Remove Comment |
| | |
| The most interesting angle in this piece is the mention of political heavy hitters in each corner. I know Russel and Mark, truth be told I like both. I know that Russel supports his daughters recall attempt AND he plans to run for city council. On the other hand I assume Mark supports his dads duly elected status, but was unaware of an attempt at local office. I have said over and over again that the recall crowd should run a candidate, looks like we will have one from each side and they are running for city council. Anyone else want to see a picture of Mark and Russel nose to nose like fighters in a ring? |
|
| LBO - Mar 04, 2008 03:29:34 PM | Remove Comment |
| | |
| Awe Chris, come on. I generally like where you stand in regards to the recall issue but you posting attacking a small piece of Peters article is a little nit picky. I am sure the statement that they are trying to make the june ballot was not part of a subversive plot, only an indication that he is not PART of the plot. Otherwise he would know. |
|
| LBO - Mar 04, 2008 03:20:02 PM | Remove Comment |
| | |
| I own up to what I write and say. Chris Bentley wrote that last comment.
Let the bashing begin. |
|
| Chris B. - Mar 04, 2008 02:21:10 PM | Remove Comment |
| | |
| Peter wrote the following above the reason for the renewed attention is the fact that recall proponents have started collecting signatures to get the measure on the June ballot.
That statement is absolutely false.
Hillary Borrud, a former Daily Press reporter, wrote the following which was published by the DP in December, Mary Lou Mongar, election technician at the Registrar of Voters, said the HUSD recall petitions will not likely make the March Seventh deadline for inclusion on the June Thirdstatewide direct primary ballot.
Hillary also wrote, in the same piece, the following, it has actually been the goal of recall supporters to force a special election, Nielson said. It won’t get lost with all the other things on the ballot, she said. The June election will include county Board of Supervisors seats and statewide measures, among other items.
Peter Day has this specific fact wrong in the above advertorial and his opinion, markedly pro recall, is stamped all over not only this piece, but every bit of the Star's coverage of the issue. |
|
| Did NoT LoOK VeRY HaRD - Mar 04, 2008 01:44:28 PM | Remove Comment |
| | |
| I've found everything in Mr. Day's opinion piece but his opinion. |
|
| HeRE - Mar 03, 2008 07:39:15 PM | Remove Comment |
