The Sentinel from Hanford, California • A3

THE SENTINEL SATURDAY, JUNE 17, 2017 A3 00 1 A lot of Americans are feeling alienated from their govern-ment government at both the national level and the local level. Many believe they count, their voices heard and be, and elected leaders are more interested in bickering over their own power and interests than getting anything done that would constituents. At the state and national levels, both parties are to blame. When one is in the majority, the goal seems to be to consolidate power rather than allow di ering opin- ions to be heard and evaluated and the best course of action agreed upon. A look at Washington and Sacramento show what both parties do when they have much opposition.

At the local level, residents can feel like they get a hearing, that decisions are made before they can provide input. A few recent examples at the state and local level show why citizens feel the way they do: A California budget trailer bill includes a report of more than a hundred pages on plans for deal- ing with safety at the many dams around the state. According to a report in the Sacramento Bee, the trailer calls for secrecy on both problems at dams and plans for dealing with those problems. The reason is to keep that information from people who might decide to expose a vulnerabilities and to disrupt a critical emergency response Translated, the state would rather keep problems and possi- ble xes secret because someone, somewhere might do something with the information rather than let all the people who could be af- fected by problems know going on. really not a lot di erent from what happened at Oroville when concerns were blown so that when an emer- gency did occur, people were sur- prised by orders to evacuate.

If anyone should have a right to know about a potential for problems, it should be the people who would be a ected. But politi- cians and bureaucrats are too busy trying to hide missteps made at Oroville and to keep hiding what they are or are not doing. State cials saying, just good enough if they part with information. In Hanford, the City Council appears ready to move forward with selling a big chunk of Hidden Valley Park to be used for a housing development, despite a petition from citizens asking them not to. Instead of listening to those against the sale, city of- cials say the residents le the petition correctly, and there enough money anyhow to do anything with the land.

Money from the sale could be used for other needs, is the cation. It is important for the city to evaluate its assets and sell those that are unneeded. But elected cials rst obligation is to really listen to the people who elected them. Blowing a pe- tition on technicalities meet that obligation. And, with at least three large housing developments planned for the area, more open space be needed rather than less? As for money, we keep hearing that allowing businesses that grow marijuana to locate here will bring a big ux of tax money.

Might it not be worth waiting to see if there is enough money to keep the park and meet other needs? When people think no one is hearing them, they talk louder. We see the results of that nearly everyday in the news as people with opposing views shout at each other on television sets, in town hall meetings and on the streets. Elected representatives need to put the needs of constituents rst and nd more ways to listen. Gov- ernment exists to serve the people at home, not just the people with money or the people in govern- ment ces. If it had not been for two brave police cers, a lunatic leftist may just possibly have wiped out every player on a House Republican baseball team, and yes, both politi- cal parties have since said calm things down.

good, but suppose this shooting does not snugly in with the most lled, legally amiss, intellectually stupefying political rancor at least since the 1960s and It comes from the Democrats, from liberals, not primar- ily from Republicans or conservatives, and the chief target is President Donald Trump, said to be traitorous and trea- sonous. There are other targets, too. The GOP is de- picted, for instance, as purchased politicos out to kill hundreds of thousands through wanting to re- vamp Obamacare. Conservatives are summed up as demented, rac- ist, sexist ideological idiots shed of tolerance, good will or decency. Mindlessly, and driven as well by political opportunism, these self-righteously furious left-wing players could simultaneously wreck democracy and the rule of law, as seen, for one thing, in the multitu- dinous leaks.

Has there ever been a time in American history when we have had as many anonymous leaks of ed information, many ob- viously coming from people within our intelligence agencies? This is downright felonious behind-the-scenes government turning on the will of the people and threatening our future more even than the imagined Russian collusion. To date there is no ev- idence, just a conspiracy theory ranking roughly with the birther theory of President Barack Obama being born in Africa. Top lawyers also say the new enthusiasm about obstruction of justice should be put six feet un- der, seeing as how Trump had a constitutional right and endless precedence for doing what he did. The special counsel, by the way, ought to drop out because of rules saying special friendships with witnesses are verboten. He has a special friendship with James Comey, someone who broke FBI rules in his own unauthorized leak- ing of his memo.

Instead of very nearly singu- lar absorption on trying to catch Trump on something big, how about spending some time investi- gating the leaking, including recent revelations of how the National Se- curity Agency under Obama broke the law repeatedly by spying on Americans. Of course, much of the upending vitriol spills forth legally, as in co- median Kathy Gri holding up a bloody replica of Donald severed head or something new: a Shakespearian drama in New York in which the assassinated Julius Cesar is a Trump lookalike. Did no one connected with these go- ings-on recognize the implications, especially at this particular time, and grasp that there are crazies out there who just may feel egged on? Less but not excusable is Ste- phen demeaning, angry vulgarity about private parts and Madonna wanting to burn down the White House. We have students on campuses rioting against conservative speakers, and we have the anti-fascist fascists in black doing their violent best to disgrace their country. We have even had former Attorney General Loretta Lynch treat the Trump ad- supposed evil as re- quiring something akin to a violent revolution.

The Democrats agree we need peaceful politics but do not apol- ogize, appear nowhere ready to fo- cus on issues that desperately need addressing and are still squinting at impeachment. They do call for more gun control, as though a 42 percent crime drop in the 1990s was not simultaneous with one of the biggest rearms increases ever. When candidate Trump said during his campaign he might not accept the results of the election, we had Hillary Clinton saying that was for what it might do to our democracy. She, how- ever, does not accept the results any more than many others in her party, and instead of trying to deal with ciencies in an honorable way that puts the coun- try rst, she and the others follow their own ciencies wherever they lead. Clinton was right about one thing.

It is horrifying. Jay Ambrose is an op-ed columnist for Tribune News Service. Readers may email him at com. Public servants need to serve Self-righteous left-wingers a danger to rule of law JAY AMBROSE COMMENTARY NEWS A Lee Enterprises Newspaper 300 W. Sixth Hanford, CA 93230 hanfordsentinel.com/opinion Editorial Board DAVIS TAYLOR Publisher JENNY McGILL Managing Editor STAFF REPORTS Police report three people were charged after a gun, a amine and am- munition were found during a tra stop.

On Monday at 2:52 p.m., Han- ford police cers conducted a tra stop on a white Chevrolet truck because it had no license plates visible. cers con- tacted the driver, who ed himself as Jay Soria. Police said Soria told them he was on probation and a warrant check revealed he was also a convicted felon. Police said a warrant check on passenger Rosemary Saiz re- vealed a $10,000 warrant for her arrest. Another passenger ver- bally ed herself as Maria Pena.

Pena was later ed as Martha Pena with police learning she had a no bail extradition war- rant for intent to distribute meth in New Mexico. Soria was asked to get out of the truck and police said a small bag of meth was found where he was sitting. During a search of the truck, police said a 22-caliber handgun was found under the driver side seat. The gun was later deter- mined to be stolen from a resi- dence in Kings County. Also lo- cated in the truck were two high capacity 30 round AR-15 type magazines, one 50 round AR-15 type magazine, 95 rounds of .556 ammo, several rounds of 45-cali- ber ammo, a ski mask and several grams of meth.

Soria was booked into Kings County Jail on suspicion of car- rying a loaded rearm in a ve- hicle, felon in possession of a handgun, possession of ammu- nition by a prohibited person, attempting to sell a rearm and several other charges. Pena was booked into Kings County Jail on suspicion of be- ing under the uence of a controlled substance and giving police false information. While being searched at the jail, po- lice said meth was also found on Pena. An additional charge of suspicion of bringing drugs into a jail institution was added. Saiz was issued a citation for her warrant.

Police: Stolen gun, ammo and meth found during trac stop Soria Pena Saiz BOOKINGS POLICE HANFORD SUNDAY, JUNE 11 3:04 a.m. Petty theft, 200 block of South 12th Avenue. 5:30 a.m. Burglary, 400 block of South 11th Avenue. 12:47 p.m.

Burglary, 500 block of East Elm Street. 1:41 p.m. Petty theft, 500 block of North 12th Avenue. 5 p.m. Burglary, 12500 block of West Lacey Boulevard.

5:07 p.m. Petty theft, 1600 block of West Lacey Boulevard. 5:51 p.m. Petty theft, 200 block of North 12th Avenue. 7:08 p.m.

Petty theft, 200 block of South 12th Avenue. 8:10 p.m. DUI stop, Highway 12th Avenue. 8:38 p.m. Burglary, 600 block of Hume Avenue.

8:49 p.m. Petty theft, 2000 block of Leoni Drive. 9:46 p.m. Shots heard, 600 block of South Irwin Street. MONDAY, JUNE 12 12:38 a.m.

DUI stop, East Lacey 10th Avenue. 7:02 a.m. Burglary, 1400 block of Manor Avenue. 10:27 a.m. Petty theft, 500 block of North 11th Avenue.

10:53 a.m. Battery, 1200 block of Popular Court. 10:59 a.m. Petty theft, 8900 block of East Lacey Boulevard. 12:51 p.m.

Burglary, 1600 block of West Lacey Boulevard. 1:02 p.m. Hit and run tra accident, 8900 block of East Lacey Boulevard. 7:04 p.m. Burglary, 1100 block of West Pepper Drive.

LEMOORE SUNDAY, JUNE 11 12:18 a.m. Burglary, 200 block of East Hanford Armona Road. 2:30 a.m. Stolen vehicle, 600 block of South 19th Avenue. 5 p.m.

Burglary, 12500 block of West Lacey Boulevard. JAIL SUNDAY, JUNE 11 Jesslyn Jeanette Hooks, 47. Suspicion of being under the uence of a controlled sub- stance and bringing a controlled substance into re- lated enses. Burley Raymond Dick, 36. Suspicion of parole related ense.

To report gang activity, call the dential gangs hotline, 589-1960. If you are a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault, call the toll-free crisis line: 1-877-727-3225. PUBLIC MEETINGS TUESDAY Hanford City Council: Tues- day, 5:30 p.m. closed session, 7 p.m. regular session, the Han- ford City Council, holds a meet- ing, in the Council Chambers, 400 N.

Douty Hanford. Visit www.cityofhanfordca.com. Lemoore City Council: Tues- day, 7:30 p.m., the Lemoore City Council holds regular meetings in the Lemoore City Council Chambers, 429 Lemoore. Visit www.lemoore.com. Westlands Water District Board: Tuesday, 1 p.m., the Board of Directors of Westlands Water District will hold a regular meeting at the Fresno ce, Westlands Water District, 3130 N.

Fresno Fresno. Visit: www.westlandswater.org. Kings County Board of Su- pervisors: Tuesday, 9 a.m., the Kings County Board of Supervi- sors will hold a regular meet- ing in the Board of Supervisors Chambers. Kings County Gov- ernment Center, 1400 W. Lacey Hanford, 852-2362.

Visit www.countyofkings.com. WEDNESDAY KCAO Board of Directors: Wednesday, 4:30 p.m., the Kings Community Action Organization will hold its monthly Board of Directors meeting at KCAO of- ces. Kings Community Action Organization, 1130 N. 11th Hanford, 415-7202, visit www. kcao.org.

KCAO Strategic Planning Committee: Wednesday, 3:45 p.m., the Kings Commu- nity Action Organization will hold a monthly Strategic Plan- ning Committee meeting at KCAO ces, 1130 N. 11th Hanford, 415-7202. Visit www. kcao.org. UPCOMING KCAO Marketing Commit- tee: June 22, 4:30 p.m., the Kings Community Action Or- ganization will hold its monthly Marketing Committee meet- ing at KCAO offices.

Kings Community Action Organiza- tion, 1130 N. 11th Hanford, 415-7202, visit www.kcao.org. FILL VACANCY PARKING AND TRAFFIC COMMISSION The Parking and Tra Com- mission, is now accepting appli- cations for a current vacancy. Applications can be picked up at the City ce located at 319 N. Douty Hanford.

Ap- plication deadlines are June 23. Please email upcoming meet- ings two weeks prior to publi- cation to fordSentinel.com. For more information, call 583-2463. CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE REPRESENTATIVE OFFICES HANFORD CITY COUNCIL The Hanford City Council meetings are on the rst and third Tuesday of the each month at 7 p.m. for regular session, in the Council Chambers, 400 N.

Douty Hanford. Visit www.cityofhanfordca.com. Mayor term 2014-2018, David Ayers, District A. Contact by email at Vice Mayor term 2016-2020, Sue Sorensen, District B. Contact by email at fordca.com.

Council Member term 2016-2020, Martin Devine, District C. Contact by email at com. Council Member term 2014-2018, Francisco Ramirez, District D. Contact by email at com. Council Member term 2014-2016, Justin Mendes, District E.

Contact by email at com. Please email upcoming meetings two weeks prior to publication to For more information, call 583-2463. OUR VIEW.