KERN COUNTY ELECTION RESULTS

Completed Precincts: 588 of 588

Unofficial Final Results as of 11/5/2008 3:36:42 AM PRESIDENT - Vote For 1
VOTE COUNT	PERCENTAGE
JOHN MCCAIN	111254	57.93%
BARACK OBAMA	76189	39.67%
RALPH NADER	1293	0.67%
BOB BARR	884	0.46%
ALAN KEYES	785	0.41%
CYNTHIA MCKINNEY	440	0.23%

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE 22ND CD - Vote For 1Completed Precincts: 428 of 428

VOTE COUNT	PERCENTAGE
KEVIN MC CARTHY	134365	96.72%

MEMBER OF THE ASSEMBLY 32ND DISTRICT - Vote For 1Completed Precincts: 399 of 399

VOTE COUNT	PERCENTAGE
JEAN FULLER	101137	68.75%
VIRGINIA MARTINEZ	45223	30.74%

JUDGE, SUPERIOR COURT OFFICE # 30 - Vote For 1Completed Precincts: 588 of 588

VOTE COUNT	PERCENTAGE
CHARLES R. BREHMER	88812	50.85%
HOLLY N. MITCHELL	85041	48.69%

TEHACHAPI UNIFIED SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER #2 SEAT D - Vote For 1Completed Precincts: 22 of 22

VOTE COUNT	PERCENTAGE
JACKIE R. WOOD	5122	52.36%
BRENDA WRIGHT	3100	31.69%
JOHN FOSTER	1518	15.52%

TEHACHAPI UNIFIED SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER #3 SEAT F - Vote For 1Completed Precincts: 22 of 22

VOTE COUNT	PERCENTAGE
JUDY WALSH	4272	44.29%
DIANA OSBRINK	2861	29.66%
STEVE MILES	2461	25.51%

CITY OF TEHACHAPI COUNCILMEMBER - Vote For 2Completed Precincts: 5 of 5

VOTE COUNT	PERCENTAGE
D. SHANE REED	1149	29.81%
ED GRIMES	1141	29.61%
HENRY L. SCHAEFFER	929	24.10%
RICHARD TRIPP	623	16.17%

CITY OF TEHACHAPI CITY CLERK - Vote For 1Completed Precincts: 5 of 5 CITY OF TEHACHAPI TREASURER - Vote For 1Completed Precincts: 5 of 5

VOTE COUNT	PERCENTAGE
VOTE COUNT	PERCENTAGE
PATRICIA GASSAWAY	1967	98.89%

BEAR VALLEY C.S.D. DIRECTOR - Vote For 2Completed Precincts: 3 of 3

VOTE COUNT	PERCENTAGE
RICK ZANUTTO	1490	32.60%
ROB NORTHCUTT	1377	30.13%
PHILLIP H. DARLING	918	20.09%
BOB SHEPPARD	772	16.89%

GOLDEN HILLS C.S.D. DIRECTOR - Vote For 3Completed Precincts: 4 of 4

VOTE COUNT	PERCENTAGE
MARY BETH GARRISON	1627	26.71%
DAVID SMITH	1442	23.67%
KATHY CASSIL	1031	16.92%
GLORIA THOMPSON	735	12.07%
JOHN FOSTER	691	11.34%
RON DEPEW	538	8.83%

STALLION SPRINGS C.S.D. DIRECTOR - Vote For 3Completed Precincts: 3 of 3

VOTE COUNT	PERCENTAGE
GLENN L. SIMPSON	561	27.50%
DAVE BURT	535	26.23%
IRENE E. GUNSHINAN	503	24.66%
MARILYN BEARDSLEE	430	21.08%

TEHACHAPI-CUMMINGS WATER DIRECTOR, DIV 2 - Vote For 1

Completed Precincts: 21 of 21 TEHACHAPI-CUMMINGS WATER DIRECTOR, DIV 4 - Vote For 1Completed Precincts: 21 of 21

VOTE COUNT	PERCENTAGE
JONATHAN HALL	6964	72.53%
JASON D. CAUDLE	2588	26.96%
VOTE COUNT	PERCENTAGE
DAVID R. HADLEY	5608	59.75%
ADRIAN MAASKANT	3729	39.73%

PROP 1A SAFE, RELIABLE HIGH-SPEED TRAIN BOND ACT - Vote For 1Completed Precincts: 588 of 588

VOTE COUNT	PERCENTAGE
YES	94881	50.30%
NO	93739	49.70%

Completed Precincts: 588 of 588

PROP 2 STANDARDS FOR CONFINING FARM ANIMALS - Vote For 1

YES

100030

52.88%

89120

47.12%

PROP 3 CHILDREN\'S HOSPITAL BOND ACT. GRANT PROGRAM - Vote For 1Completed Precincts: 588 of 588

Count	PERCENTAGE
YES	98956	52.78%
NO	88529	47.22%

PROP 4 PARENT NOTIF. BEFORE TERMINATING MINOR\'S PREGNANCY - Vote For 1Completed Precincts: 588 of 588

COUNT	PERCENTAGE
YES	123145	65.24%
NO	65607	34.76%

PROP 5 NONVIOLENT DRUG OFFENSES. SENTENCING, PAROLE, REHAB - Vote For 1Completed Precincts: 588 of 588

COUNT	PERCENTAGE
YES	54948	29.23%
NO	133047	70.77%

PROP 6 POLICE, LAW ENFORCEMENT FUNDING. CRIMINAL LAWS - Vote For 1Completed Precincts: 588 of 588

YES	65268	35.39%
NO	119182	64.61%

PROP 7 RENEWABLE ENERGY GENERATION - Vote For 1Completed Precincts: 588 of 588

COUNT	PERCENTAGE
YES	74483	40.10%
NO	111249	59.90%

PROP 8 ELIMINATES RIGHT OF SAME-SEX COUPLES TO MARRY - Vote For 1Completed Precincts: 588 of 588

COUNT	PERCENTAGE
YES	145855	75.28%
NO	47898	24.72%

PROP 9 CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. VICTIM\'S RIGHTS. PAROLE - Vote For 1Completed Precincts: 588 of 588

YES	115251	62.20%
NO	70040	37.80%

PROP 10 ALTERN. FUEL VEHICLES AND RENEWABLE ENERGY BONDS - Vote For 1Completed Precincts: 588 of 588

YES	76016	40.80%
NO	110306	59.20%

PROP 11 REDISTRICTING - Vote For 1Completed Precincts: 588 of 588

COUNT	PERCENTAGE
YES	85892	47.53%
NO	94807	52.47%

PROP 12 VETERAN\'S BOND - Vote For 1Completed Precincts: 588 of 588

COUNT	PERCENTAGE
YES	116669	63.03%
NO	68437	36.97%

For more results visit: elections.co.kern.ca.us/Elections/results/NOV08/default.htm

If We Accept the One, How Can We Deny the Others?

Who sets the standards when it comes to human behavior, relationships and institutions? A few of us believe that Almighty God is the One Who determines what the moral code will be, how we relate to each other and how institutions will be defined. However, it is obvious that humans in collusion have been redefining the moral standards, how we relate to each other and that marriage and family are more than a male and female living in the bond of matrimony as they raise their children.

So, if it is acceptable for two males or two females to have a “committed, loving and sexual relationship” and if it is further acceptable for such persons to be “married,” raise adopted children and be regarded as a genuine “family,” then are we prepared to be consistent and move to other levels of accepting those who practice lifestyles somewhat different?

For instance, what about the female who is committed to a “relationship” with her German Shepherd? Or that guy that has a similar “relationship” with his Holstein heifer? Their claim is that they enjoy this type of activity – the number who have “come out” is very limited because of the “hate” they experience and being labeled as being “perverts!”

What about a pastor in a church who enjoys “variety” beyond his wife and is “committed” to a couple or three adulterous “relationships” taking place at the same time? His justification for living this way? His wife goes along because she also enjoys “variety” and all involved in these situations are “committed” – it helps a “marriage” to grow!

And for those families which enjoy indulging in incest – you know, mom with son, father with daughter and maybe the grandparents also give this a try to their unexpected delight? Who can object when the participants say, “We are committed and enjoy it very much – so don’t knock it until you try it!”

And how about teenagers getting into the orgy thing every Saturday night – again, the claim is that it is a lot of fun and it’s a way to really get close to each other – besides, all who participate are “committed” to this way of life. It helps them to explore their sexuality and become mature.

Oh, there are objections to the above mentioned “activities.” Why? If those involved enjoy it and claim they are committed to a particular lifestyle, who can object? And if you do, on what grounds do you make such an objection? That it is morally wrong? Who or what is your authority for saying so? You certainly can’t go to the Bible, for the same Bible which condemns such behavior and relationships as mentioned above also condemns same-sex activity and clearly defines marriage as existing between a male and female. Family is clearly defined as consisting of a male and female who are married and raising children within that marriage relationship.

God has unequivocally drawn the boundaries concerning human behavior and relationships. We can either accept that or in a spirit of defiance do our own definitions of what human relationships will be and pay a price that is far greater than the human mind is capable of imagining! Past cultures lie in ruins because they thought they could ignore the holy standards revealed by God and never have to take responsibility for their actions nor give an accounting to the One in Whom we live, move and have our being!

Tehachapi votes!

Voting for four precincts at the polling place at the First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall in Tehachapi has been busy, steady and smooth, according to election site supervisor Jan Combs.

A line was present when the polling place opened at 7 a.m., she said. The polls close at 8 p.m.

Combs has been on site since 6:15 a.m. and, she said, “We’ll be here until after 10 tonight. We have to clean up, count, tally and reconcile the ballots.”

In early afternoon, poll worker Marissa Folse said, “We’ve had an amazing turnout. We have not had a break since we opened.”

Combs’ husband Paul Combs said at the primary in February, when the voting was held at Kern County’s Veterans Hall on East F Street, “There were long lines all around the building and no parking.”

The Kern County Elections Department subsequently asked the Baptist Church to host the June election. The church was able to provide ample parking, and, for the general election, made changes to meet federal Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements for polling places. The church painted and posted eight handicapped parking places directly in front of the building. Election officials installed temporary ramps and mats on the walkways for wheelchair compliance and set up sturdier signage.

“If we don’t comply with ADA, we get fined,” said Kern County Elections Inspector Gloria Hughes, pointing out heavier signs firmly attached to posts. “At the last election they were on the ground because of the wind.”

She said the government threatened a fine following the February election but did not follow through. “The church was so nice to offer a place,” Hughes said.

Election observer Nick Altieri said he has seen no problems and does not expect any.

Students from Tehachapi High School’s Progressively Educated Active Students (PEAS) club helped out, crossing out names on lists of registered voters and giving out “I voted” stickers.

Women from the church provided home-made and store-bought cookies and coffee for the stream of voters.

Click on photo for more images

All photos by Tina Forde

CAPTIONS:
Voting1: Melissa Erickson (left) and Aby Singer, juniors at Tehachapi High School and members of the Progressively Educated Active Students (PEAS) club help out at the Tehachapi polling place.

Voting2: Kern County Elections Inspector Gloria Hughes shows the ramp and mat provided to meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. Seen in the background are eight handicapped spaces and posts put into place by the First Baptist Church to meet the federal standards.

Voting3: and Voting 12: Joseph Lavin brought his pooch Coco and Jasmine Diaz brought her Roxanne to the polling place at the First Baptist Church.

Voting4: Polling place workers Juanita Niemeyer and the city’s Planning Commissioner Marissa Folse set the upbeat mood as they help voters check in.

Voting5: Polling place workers Juanita Niemeyer (wearing the red star on her head) and Tehachapi Planning Commissioner Marissa Folse assist a voter as Election Site Supervisor Jan Combs looks on.

Voting6: A view of the mat covering a special ramp provided by the Kern County Elections Department to meet federal Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.

Voting7: November 4, 2008: Election Site Supervisor Jan Combs and poll worker Ray Armstrong have a long day still ahead.

Voting8: Polling place workers Juanita Niemeyer (partially hidden) and Tehachapi Planning Commissioner Marissa Folse assist a voter to check in.

Voting9: November 4, 2008: Election Site Supervisor Jan Combs directs a voter to the appropriate table.

(No #10)

Voting 11: Kern County Elections Inspector Gloria Hughes, in front of the polling place at Tehachapi’s First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, shows that signage is more firmly secured than previously. Each polling place must meet strict federal requirements or face a fine.

Fire Department to conduct burning operations

With the arrival of cooler and wetter weather, personnel from the Kern
County Fire Department plan to begin burning brush piles generated from
hazard reduction projects in the greater Tehachapi area and in areas
around Lake Isabella.

In the Tehachapi area, crews will be burning piles along the western
edges of Golden Hills, in the area south of Banducci Road, between
Stallion Springs and Alpine Forest and along Woodford-Tehachapi Road
between Golden Hills and Keene.

In the Lake Isabella area, the majority of burning will be conducted
along the lower portions of Bodfish Canyon Road with smaller projects in
the Squirrel Valley and Sawmill Road areas.

All burning will be conducted on “permissive burn days,” as
determined by the Kern Air Pollution Control District, and fire
department personnel will be in attendance during all burning. Burning
may take place on any day of the week when weather conditions are
favorable.

Most burning will commence early in the day so piles will have ample
time to burn out before darkness.

A bird in the hand recovers

I was sitting at my computer last week transferring photos from my digital camera card onto the computer hard drive when I heard a single loud knock at the door. I was expecting a friend to stop by but it was an uncharacteristic knock with no accompanying “Hello?” so I went to see who was at the door.

No one was there but when I opened the door I saw the lifeless form of a small bird lying on the ground - the “knock” had been the sound of a White-Crowned Sparrow colliding with a window.

Bird-versus-building collisions often have fatal outcomes for the unlucky birds. Birds are amazingly tough, especially for such delicately-constructed creatures of flight, but the sudden impact with an immovable object like a house frequently leaves them with a broken neck. Occasionally I find dead birds on the ground next to a building, looking totally intact and unharmed but nonetheless deceased as the result of a collision in full flight.

I bent down and picked up the still sparrow, its body limp but still warm. Sometimes fortune favors the bird and they will be temporarily stunned but can recover. The sparrow didn't seem to be in this category but as I held it, it suddenly opened its eyes and looked at me, alert but not alarmed.

Yay! This one had cheated death despite the impact. Regular readers of this column know that I have affection for all living things, but I have a special fondness for White-Crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leocophrys). These migratory sparrows appear each autumn to spend the winter with us, and they are instantly recognizable with their boldly patterned black-and-white striped heads.

White-crowns feed on the ground, and they are fun to watch as they scratch at the leaf litter and debris with both feet, uncovering seeds and insects as they forage.

They are quite common in Tehachapi during the winter months, with small flocks of 6-20 birds or so found throughout our area around houses, farms, oak woodlands, fields, etc. In the spring and summer we can go months without seeing any White-crowns.

Happy to see that the bird in my hand had cheated death, I continued holding it for a few minutes to keep it warm while it recovered. I then placed it on a cottonwood log in the golden light of the late afternoon sun. It continued watching me for several more minutes then decided it was time to check itself out of the emergency room: it flew directly to a nearby pyracantha bush where other White-crowns were also sheltering. I love happy endings. . . .

As our days get colder and we experience harder freezes, the life cycle is ending for many insects. Some take shelter underground, beneath tree bark or in other hiding places and are able to overwinter, but most will perish. Their eggs, however, will survive in the soil or in other protected locations and hatch out next spring.

Male tarantulas are among those out making the most of their fading days. Female tarantulas stay in their underground burrows and can survive for up to 20 years, but males usually only live a single year and I've seen several of them lately slowly making their way across rocky soil in search of a mate - not an easy task for a creature that is functionally blind.

We are now in the time of Indian Summer, when cold or even frosty nights are followed by warm days and crystal blue skies. Enjoy this unique weather before the colder, darker days of winter set in.

Have a good week.

Tehachapi Starlings to have open try-outs Girls ages 10-18 are encouraged to join club volleyball

The Tehachapi Starlings Volleyball Club will be starting up a new season with tryouts on Sunday, Nov-16 at the Jacobsen Middle School gym.

All girls from ages 10-18 that are interested in volleyball are encouraged to come to the open tryout. The Starlings will have three teams for the upcoming year, 14s, 16s, and 18s, headed by some of the most talented volleyball minds in East Kern County.

The 14s will be coached by Leanna Delgadillo, who has a wealth of experience coaching at the middle school level and is a well-respected volleyball mind in the area. The 16s will be coached by Renn Amstead, who has 39 years of teaching expertise including junior college and high school coaching experience in Orange County and THS. The 18s will be headed by Jill Riddle, who is a THS alumni and former collegiate volleyball athlete.

The club will be competing for five months, participating in 11 tournaments from January to May, including the possibility of hosting a tournament in April.

Heading up the Starlings program in Tehachapi is club president Brian Borst.

“There are some new and exciting opportunities for club volleyball this season and I'm looking forward to being a part of it,” said Borst on the Starlings website. “If there are girls out in Tehachapi that want to be a part of a club that has fun, plays competitively as a team, and helps develop your volleyball skills then the Starlings are for you.

Open-tryouts for the Starlings on Nov-16 will be at 2pm (14s), 4pm (16s), and 6pm (18s)

“We would like to say a big thank you to Charles and Joyce Horcher for their years of tireless work and dedication in developing Tehachapi Starlings,” added Borst. “Since its inception, over 200 girls have received collegiate volleyball scholarships through this organization and we’re excited to be apart of it again.”

Last season at nationals, the Starlings 14s and 16s both took fifth place out of a field of 80 teams across the nation.

For more info, log on to tehachapistarlings.shutterfly.com.

Sports Shorts

Tennis in Playoffs this week
The Lady Warriors have been given the no.3 seed in the CIF Central Section Division III playoff draw, and will play at no.2 Porterville this Tuesday (Nov-4) in the semi-finals. If Mountain Tennis pulls the upset, they will play for the CIF championship on Thursday between the winner of no.1 Hanford West and no.4 Highland.

Times of both matches will begin at 3:30pm.
In the recent SSL championship finals, Chelsea Maduena defeated an opponent from Shafter (6-0, 6-0), while Katja Thacker took fourth place overall by taking down a Shafter opponent (6-0, 6-1). In doubles, Abby Croy and Hannah Trott secured third place with a pair of victories over Taft doubles squads (6-1, 6-0 and 6-4, 6-0) . Bailey Hutchinson and Desiree Ortiz also qualified to participate in the league tournament.
Thacker, Croy and Trott all qualified for the CIF individual championships with their fourth and third place finishes.

Cross Country competes at Mt. Sac
THS cross country traveled to Mt. Sac to compete in the largest cross country meet in the United States this past week. The Warriors competed in eight divisions and in the high school events alone, there were 110 races and over 300 high schools participating

Corey Torres (18:40) started the day off by finishing seventh overall and medaling for THS. In the second division run, Amanda Duke (26:28) was top Lady Warrior and was followed by Erin Golackson (26:55).
In the freshman division, Charles Hansen (19:42) was the top THS runner, giving him the fifth fastest time ever recorded by a THS freshman. Travis Carr (21:46) finished second for THS.

A.J. Snider (26:45) finished as top Lady Brave in the girls frosh division, and in the sophomore division Journey McDaell (21:42) led the way for the Braves. Sophomores Danielle Tildahl (24:23) and Rachel Evans (24:36) were THS top ladies and recorded the two fastest times ever posted by sophomores and two of the top ten times ever finished in THS history.

For the varsity men, Adam Moreno (18:16) and Nathan Rowe (19:01) were the top runners for Tehachapi. The varsity women finished the day with Susie Cuevas (26:21) turning in the top Lady Warriors time.
Tehachapi finished as high as 10th in four of the eight divisions. Next up is the Kern County Championships and then the SSL finals on Wednesday November 5th in Wasco.

Definition: a statement of the exact meaning of a word

To the people of Tehachapi who care about the community and helping to make it a better place for present and future generations, I wish to make a sincere plea.

As you go to the polls, consider the negative effect changing the definition of marriage will have on the mindset of society and how it could influence other issues.

Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw said: "Life is no brief candle to me. It is sort of a splendid torch which I have got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations."

Hold up your torch by voting yes on Proposition 8. Through your vote you can help ensure that marriage continues to be as God intended, a union between a man and a woman.

— Carol Holmes

More than 20,000 non-city residents depend on council’s leadership skills

City voters face a difficult decision: Who should our city council serve: City residents and business owners, county residents and business owners or everyone? Only four square miles large, The City of Tehachapi serves as the economic, social and educational hub for all Greater Tehachapi. In addition to approximately 8,000 city residents, city officials also confront the demands of more than 20,000 people living outside city limits.

Providing the only available infrastructure capable of supporting a viable and diverse business community is a demanding job for a small city. The potential for conflicts of interest between city residents and those who merely conduct business in the city is ever present.

Today, state legislation is aimed at assuring a vibrant and viable future for all Californians by building “Sustainable Communities” through “Smart Growth” principles. It has been our good fortune to have a competent city council and staff who positioned our city at the leading edge of change. Our City's new General Plan is the only one in the region that meets (even exceeds) new state legislation; the city is financially sound; a solid business mix is in place; public improvements are visible throughout the city, and the difficult process of identifying long-term solutions for public safety is complete.

Given our nation's economic crisis, this is a bad time to ask city voters to risk their future on the leadership of candidates new to city government, government budgeting processes and complex state legislation. Please vote for Ed Grimes and Shane Reed.

— Holly Hart

Farmers not subsidized — but land speculators could be

David Hadley's challenger for his water board seat is making allegations that the farmers are being subsidized by the Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District.

This is not so. His implied alternative of a tax shift will end up costing water users an extra $3 million a year for water. And start another huge subsidy for land speculators.
The infrastructure of the TCCWD costs $4 million per year to maintain. Its service is separate from the actual delivery of water; both because its cost is independent of how much water gets delivered, and its mere existence brings up land value. Not billing that cost back to land owners would be a subsidy for speculators to take from our community. Shifting the infrastructure tax to the price of water would not save us any after all the farmers are driven out. All the costs will remain.

This change would also cost water users an additional $3 million for another reason. The district brings up about 10,000 acre feet of water a year. But the district is not the only seller of water. Some individuals and entities own water rights to pump another 11,000 acre feet of ground water per year. Now if the district is charging $480 an acre foot for water, what do you think these well owners can charge when their water is even cleaner? If you guessed $480 then you must be paying attention to how monopolies work.

The challenger, Adrian Maaskant, implied a plan to increase the price to farmers can only come by shifting the $4 million infrastructure cost to the price of water. If this merely doubles the price of district water then well water will also double in price. The end result will be that the people will pay an additional $3 million for the water that is already here.

Please re-elect David Hadley and allow Adrian more time to consider his argument.

I am also running for re-election to the board, and I have the endorsement of Bob Jasper the creator and General Manager of the district for 42 years. It would be wrong to mention Bob's name without saluting the prosperity his 42 years of dedicated service has brought to our community.

— Jonathan Hall

Who are TCCWD’s primary financial supporters?

Property taxes primarily sustain the Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District (TCCWD) water storage and delivery infrastructure. This infrastructure, in turn, substantially promotes an appreciation in the value of the the property owned by land owners in the TCCWD.

Adrian Masskant, who is running for the Division 4 Director of TCCWD, asserts in his promotional literature that these property taxes on minimal-water-using property owners in the TCCWD are unfair. It is reasonable to infer from this that Masskant, if elected, will likely promote a dramatic reduction in or elimination of property taxes owed by minimal-water-using land owners in the TCCWD. If such a reduction occurs in the future,TCCWD will have to charge all water users much more to sustain the TCCWD water delivery infrastructure for this region.

As a result, some negative consequence will be more likely to occur in the future: water prices paid by agriculture users and Tehachapi city residents that receive some of their water from TCCWD may dramatically increase. Renters in particular would be adversely affected by these consequences, as they will be paying substantially more in the short term but receiving no long-term property value accrual benefits due to the existence and maintenance of the TCCWD water storage and delivery infrastructure.

In short, everyone who uses TCCWD water (especially agricultural users and Tehachapi City residents) will become the primary financial supports for the TCCWD water storage and delivery infrastructure while the minimal-water-using land owners who receive substantial land value appreciation due the existence of this water infrastructure will be paying much less in the future. Does this sound fair to you? Of course not. Vote for David Hadley. I also encourage a vote for Jonathan Hall (Division 2) in the upcoming election.
— Todd Shuman

Ticket to Ride

Concern has recently been expressed in the press and at several public meetings regarding the vehicle assignment practices of the Bear Valley Police Department. Vehicles are expensive and public interest in controlling costs is a healthy thing. That said, I would like to address some of the recent comments, questions and criticisms.

Bear Valley has been fortunate in the past several years in that grant funding has been obtained for nearly all of our vehicle/equipment purchases. We have not had to use our police tax revenues or our property tax revenues for this purpose.

Since there are large blocks of time (typically nights, weekends, etc) when there is only a single patrolman on duty, it is necessary that off duty officers be reasonably available for assistance and backup if required. This is the basis for assigning vehicles to individual officers. If the officer has a vehicle assigned, he is able to quickly and efficiently respond directly to the incident scene. I recently had the police department review a ninety day period and report on the number of times an officer had been recalled to events outside of their normal shift. There were a total of 65 such events. Of those, 17 were of an emergency nature and consisted of such things as arrests, warrants, and outside agency assists. Included were instances of burglaries in progress, arrests of multiple individuals, and intervention with two suicidal subjects. Everyone is free to draw their own conclusions, of course. For me, however, seventeen incidents of this type in ninety days more than justifies our assigned vehicle policy.

— John C. Yeakley
General Manager Bear Valley CSD

Legal rights and responsibilities taken for granted?

I grew up racist, sexist and homophobic. I hated gays. Of course, I didn't know any, or, if I did, I didn't know they were gay. Or lesbian. Or bisexual. Or transgendered. I didn't know any blacks, either, or Mexicans, so I could learn to hate them at a distance.

Over the years I have lost many of my racist tendencies, have made a turn-around on my sexism, and have conquered most of my homophobia (I consider myself a recovering homophobe). Fortunately I was able to associate with gays and lesbians, and learn to know and respect them as people before my older daughter came out to me.

I was able to say to her, “This is not the path I would have chosen for you, but I am aware you have not 'chosen' it either. Whatever you are, I love you and accept you as you are.”

As little as 10 years ago I supported civil unions (which do not have all the legal rights and responsibilities of marriage) but believed marriage to be between one man and one woman. Only. I was wrong.

I grew up in The Methodist Church (which later became The United Methodist Church). I spent 10 years as a pastor serving UM churches. I strongly champion religious rights. There are many Methodists who support gay rights, and many who oppose them. My church is officially schizophrenic on the subject.

Proposition 8 is not about a religious right, it is about a civil right. An ad supporting Prop 8 says that four California Supreme Court justices — I believe all of them were appointed by Republican governors —- ignored the will of a certain number of people. Since when did Supreme Court justices swear to make their rulings based upon opinion polls? They are sworn to uphold the California Constitution. Their action echoes the action of their predecessors in 1948 who struck down laws which outlawed inter-racial marriage. The arguments being used now against same-sex marriage are chillingly similar to those used then against inter-racial marriage, and they are just as wrong.

The same ad says “It's no longer about tolerance.” Well, I should hope not, when tolerance has meant “You can not live as you would really like, but I will allow you to exist as long as you understand your place and stay in it.”

Same-sex marriage is not about “special rights” or “the homosexual agenda.” It is about my lesbian daughter in a long-term relationship, or my gay stepson, in another long-term relationship, wanting and needing the same legal rights and responsibilities taken for granted by many heterosexuals, including some who abuse those rights and ignore those responsibilities.

It is about fairness. Remember, although many people choose to marry in a religious setting, a marriage license is granted by the state, not by the church. Don't tolerate my son, or my daughter. Celebrate the fact that he, and she want to be able to fully express in legal ways the love which each has for another human being. There is nothing about same-sex marriage which will in any way diminish what marriage really is. At most, it will change the definitions which some individuals wish to impose upon others.

— Richard K. “Dick” Best

All Guest Opinion pieces are unsolicited and are intended to reflect the position of the writer only.

How would Jesus vote?

To Ms. White and to other Christians who are confused about Jesus' position on Proposition 8, it is important for you to know that Jesus would vote YES on Prop. 8, which defines marriage as “between one man and one woman.”

How can I be so certain of this? Because the Proposition uses Jesus' own definition of marriage as the basis for its wording.

While Ms. White reminds us that Jesus taught that we are to love others, she ignores the two most important questions in this debate: “Did Jesus ever define marriage?” and “If Jesus has defined marriage, would you personally listen to Him and follow Him, even at the voting booth?”

The answer to the first question is “YES,” Jesus did define marriage. You can look it up - it's in the New Testament, in Matthew chapter nineteen. Some Pharisees came to test Jesus, and asked Him a centuries-old question about the validity of “no fault divorce,” which was practiced in many, but not all, Jewish communities, and was a very socially divisive issue. They thought they would have Him trapped, as whatever answer He gave to the question, about half of the Jewish society would disagree with Him.

But notice how Jesus answers the test. Jesus begins by defining marriage. “Haven't you read,” He asks, “that at the beginning the Creator made them male and female?” In classic rabbinic fashion, Jesus begins by quoting Moses' account of the beginning of human history, and of the Creator's intention for marriage. You can read it yourself in Genesis 1:27. Jesus begins his reply with the definition that marriage is for one male and one female.

Then He continues to quote Moses, but now from Genesis 2:24, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” Again, Jesus uses Moses to further refine His definition of marriage as one man and one woman, becoming one in marriage.

Then He adds His own words to His definition of marriage, “So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” His final reply to these Pharisees is that marriage is not to be dissolved by a “no fault” divorce, as this is not God's intention, as has not been from the beginning. The Creator intended a marriage to last until someone died. Marriage is for life!

“Marriage is between one man and one woman, for life.” This is Jesus' teaching on marriage, this is Jesus' definition of marriage, and this is pretty much what the fourteen words of Prop. 8 are based on, "only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.”

So now you have Jesus' teaching on the definition of marriage clearly before you. A Christian is a follower of Jesus the Christ. Jesus Christ is our Master and Lord. We have His teachings, we have His Spirit, and He has told his followers, “If you love me, you will obey me.”

Who's side will you choose to be on? You can either choose to side with the California Supreme Court, or you can choose to side with Jesus Christ. The question is that simple, that blunt. Choose wisely. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. We will vote YES.

— Dr. Douglas Cowan
Pastor of Family Ministries
Country Oaks Baptist Church

Action of inaction?

As president of the Tehachapi Senior Center for the past two years, I must take exception to the letter that stated the city did not take allocated funds from the Senior Center (Oct. 29, When Politicians Blow Smoke. . .).

I asked the City of Tehachapi for funds to repair the roof and other maintenance items at the Senior Center and was told by Mayor Hand to submit a letter outlining our needs. After that request was submitted the Senior Center was put into an untenable position to sign an amendment to the lease signed in 2002 for a twenty year period. We refused to amend and have since contacted an attorney for assistance.

The city made the statement that we had to sign the amendment or we would not receive the assistance. So in essence the city has taken back the $29,000 cited, but it was more an action of inaction on the part of the city in not relating to us that we had to come ask for the money again.

I have no opinion about the rest of the writer’s opinions, only what concerns the Senior Center .

I will say that Mr. Garrett, the City Manager has been very helpful in getting the roof repaired before the rainy season gets here. Thank you.

I am still trying to get the County of Kern to explain their requirements as that seems to be the driving force on this issue.

— Gene Dallachie, President
Tehachapi Sennior Center

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