Readers must wonder just what sort of deal has been struck between your newspaper and local law enforcement that promotes front-page coverage of names and booking photos of prominent local citizens, two educators in these cases, arrested in recent weeks for DUI by the California Highway Patrol (CHP).
Several points need to be made: First, an arrest is not a conviction. Moreover, no effort has been made in any of these cases to include words of praise to the arrested individuals for their years of service to the students, colleagues and the community. This is an editorial failure. Second, CHP officers are almost invariably assigned to Lake County precisely because they are not locals. Lacking any special feel for the pulse of the community they may be unwilling to distinguish between any “real” crime and a minor infraction.
A knifing in Clearlake does not a “.08 blood alcohol in Kelseyville make”. As Louise Williams wrote on March 14, “Was it a slow news day or just a sign of a small town provincial press?” Were I a member of the Chamber of Commerce I”d be raising heck in the editor”s office in a quick heartbeat on this one.
John Brookes
Kelseyville
