Opinion

Feb. 19, 2013 — So, just how long should it take to get a ruling from the Lassen County Superior Court?

Tom Hammond, one of the proponents seeking the recall of Lassen County District 5 Supervisor Jack Hanson, filed a petition for a writ of mandate with the court seven long months ago — on Aug. 10 to be exact. A writ of mandate is a court order to a government agency to follow the law by correcting its prior action or ceasing its illegal acts.

Feb. 19, 2013 — In January during an interview with Oprah Winfrey, cyclist Lance Armstrong admitted he took performance-enhancing drugs to boost oxygen levels in order to achieve victory in the Tour de France. Apparently his motivation was a “ruthless desire to win.”

I supported Armstrong until it was very clear he had indeed, cheated. My husband watches the Tour de France and is a cycling fan, so I was familiar with the athlete’s career. I remembered the articles I had read about his strict training regimen. Now we will never know the extent of his talent.

Feb. 12, 2013 — The Lassen County Times seeks the details of the settlement agreement of a recently resolved wrongful termination lawsuit filed by a veteran Lassen County employee.

The county declined to release a copy of the settlement agreement between the parties — which is not included in the court file — when the newspaper asked for it last month. Then the employee’s attorney also declined to comment or reveal the terms of the deal.

Why should the newspaper and its readers care about this? Neither party has disclosed the details of this settlement so no one knows for sure, but it’s reasonable to suspect the employee may have received taxpayer money to resolve the dispute and dismiss his lawsuit. Clearly the public deserves to know how government entities spend the public’s money, and without a transparent response, the newspaper must ask the question and seek an answer.

Feb. 5, 2013 — Thursday morning I woke up to one of my favorite sounds: coyotes howling in the predawn. It began with a single mournful wail, and then others joined in until the desert sounded alive with the yipping chorus.

It’s a beautiful, eerie song that evokes something ancient and primal, almost like a genetic memory stretching back to the beginning of time.

Coyotes are opportunists and well deserving of their trickster reputation. A single coyote will lure in its prey while others hide in the brush, waiting to pounce. They don’t discriminate when it comes to food. A rodent, lamb or pet cat is all fair game; therefore, many people see them as vermin and nail their pelts to fences to warn off the rest of the pack.