Strange political animals and weird animal tales
National politics has been trending toward nasty in recent years. But take heart. Not all electoral wins or losses come with snark.
A case in point is the recent city council election in the small town of Rogers City, Michigan, population 2,800. After all the votes were counted candidates Timeen Adair and Brittany VanderWall ended up tied with both earning 616 votes. The nice Midwesterners in town came up with a novel idea on how to break the tie. Two pieces of paper were put in a bowl. One piece of paper had “elected” written on it. The other had “not elected” written on
The dramatic moment arrived and the candidates picked a piece of paper. Adair unfolded a victory when her paper said “elected.” Congratulations all around, even from VanderWall.
The winner didn’t gloat, didn’t brag and didn’t let the victory go to her head. She was quoted in the Alpena News as declaring, “The people have spoken, and they said, ‘eh, either one.’” Humility thy name is council member Timeen Adair.
That’s not to say the transition of power is always smooth, especially when there is a generational change. The example of “out with the old, in with the new” came from Bogalusa, a city of about 11,000 in Louisiana. The mayor running for reelection after eight years in office was Wendy O’Quin Perrette, 47. She lost rather handily and came in third. The winner was Tyrin Troung, 23. The “old” mayor was not impressed and said the “kid” lacked the skill to lead the city. But she’s going to help with the transition. Like mom helping with homework.
At least the mayor conceded defeat. Not so Jacob Runyan and Chase Cominsky. The two were accused of stuffing lead weights and fish fillets into the walleye they caught during a fishing contest on Lake Erie. The contest judge cut open the fish and the weights fell out. Embarrassing. And why would anyone cheat to win a fishing contest. They have 28,000 reasons, since the first place price was $28,000. That a serous fishing derby. The two are facing criminal charges. They pleaded not guilty.
Next up in the “absurd animal news department” is the new San Francisco restaurant, Dogue. The menu features such dishes as chicken skin waffles and a filet mignon steak tartare (raw) with quail egg. Sounds rather pedestrian for the high-end, foodie heaven of San Francisco, until you try to make reservations. You see, Dogue only admits dogs. Yes, it’s a doggie diner. A pricey doggie diner since the “meals” start at $75 per doggie diner.
Many news editors have growled to young pup reporters that “A dog biting a man is not news, but man biting a dog is news.” We have news from Berlin, Germany. When police and a K-9 tried to arrest two men and women, a physical altercation ensued. During the melee, the woman punched one of the cops and one of the men bit the police dog, who was not injured. Eventually all three were detained. Yes, they had been drinking.
A final political story. Some elected officials have a tough time in their lame duck period after the election but before they leave office. It’s got to be a challenge doing a job you were told folks don’t want you to do, or you decided you don’t want to do but still having to show up and do it. Some handle those situations with grace, others not so much.
Exhibit A: Julianna Clare Strout, 36, and a former beauty queen, decided not to run for another term on the North Bay Village Commission, in South Florida. So how did she occupy her time? Breaking the law. She pleaded guilty to charges related to her successful effort to pretend she was a paralegal so she could get into a federal detention center to see her “romantic partner.” She must like a man in uniform. Any uniform.
OPINION
(Jon Klusmire of Bishop is reconsidering calling himself a “political animal.”) it.