Dear Readers,

I want to thank one of our commenters (voiceofreason) for the following post:

“Dee - I think I understand and appreciate our dialogue. But to think that the relationship between SPJ and ANY public official, including WPD and HCSO officers and supervisors, city officials, school teachers and administrators, and just about any other public figure is a "Win-Win" is ludicrous. These people have NO supporters here in SPJ, and are constantly put down. Why would any of them feel an obligation to treat SPJ any differently than SPJ treats them? Although YOU may not treat them badly, you provide the means for people to publicly castigate them. I am not surprised at West's reaction.”

This post had a powerful effect on me – though not the one he/she may have intended.  What it did was remind me I was doing the very thing I advise our public officials not to do:  I focused on the negative and forgot the numbers.

The fact is I’m treated very well by almost everyone.  I have done a terrible disservice to all the professional public people who are helpful and polite by focusing on the one who wasn’t.

With one or two exceptions, everyone in law enforcement is respectful and polite. From the sergeants to street patrol, I have no complaints.  Sure they mock me, but I  think it’s all in good fun (at least I hope so). The fine deputies at the Humboldt County Detention Center always get me what I need in a timely manner, and they’re nice about it.

Special kudos to Humboldt County DA Mike Macdonald, Chief Deputy DA Kevin Pasquale and Public Defender Matt Stermitz, who are my transparency heroes.  It’s not that these guys have any great love for the media or for SPJ, they just believe in the public’s right to know.   I’ll remember that when I vote.

Mayor Di An Putnam has had her own share of negative comments on SPJ. Despite this, she always takes my calls or returns them in a timely manner, and she usually gets the information I need. Mayor Putnam sets an example of professional and grown-up behavior.

As a matter of fact, almost all of the administrators of local government are respectful. County Administrator Bill Deist,  HCSD Assistant Superintendent Dave Jensen,  Hospital Administrator Jim Parrish, and HGH EMS Director Pat Songer.  I have to give special thanks to Dr. Jensen who is always very patient when I’m being especially dense over complicated issues involving school funding and AYP.

Special thanks are also in order for the fab ladies of the Humboldt County Clerk’s Office, who alone know what a pain in the tookus I am for information.  They are never anything but helpful and polite.  Sure, they have mocked my errors over the years, but that has only served to make me a better reporter and I appreciate their mocking.

Everyone in the both courts are outstanding in their efforts to get information to the media. I know I can count on Judge Richard Wagner to patiently explain the law in a manner I can follow – even when it’s the dreaded water law.  I am most comfortable with court reporting, it’s the thing I’m best at, but that’s due to Judge Wagner’s time and efforts to educate me.  Court Reporter Zoie Williams is a sweetie and is always willing to fill in the quotes I only got half of and offers me coffee when the court days go long.

Special recognition goes to Judge Michael Montero, who has the most liberal court rules for the media, and for Kathy Brum, who goes out of her way to get me recording requests on the quick.   Sure, I seem to be Judge Montero’s favorite person to mock and embarrass in public (that man sure discovered my weaknesses early), but I think we can agree it’s a small price to pay for courtroom photos.  Plus, he has never charged me with contempt of court for bringing coffee into the courtroom even though he has a rule against it.

You may not realize this but all the information that comes from Union Township Justice Court has to be copied and put in the media boxes.  Thanks to Ginger and Holly (and all the ladies along the way) who have this arduous task and for always getting me the following-week’s court schedule.  Plus, I’m always in there pulling files, doing research and interrupting what they’re doing, but the ladies are professional and respectful about it.  I will miss Judge Gene Wambolt when he retires at the end of his term.  He is a true gentleman.

I want you to understand, this is really just a short list of all the people who go out of their way to get me information so I can pass it on to you. As you can see, 99 percent of the public officials in Winnemucca and Humboldt County are working to get you what you what to know.  It’s not that they love me or the media or SPJ, believe me that’s not the case,  it’s that they want to do the right thing.

So, yeah, I got beat up a little on Tuesday.  Despite my horror of being called-out publicly (information Mr. West apparently got from Mr. Montero), I’m a tough old-girl who just needed someone to remind me just how good I have it. Thanks.