Ah, summer. Time to relax, kick back, pop open a cold one, and
maybe burn down your neighbor’s house with fireworks …
fortunately that didn’t happen last weekend, and we can all be
thankful. But callers to the Red Phone remain worried about all
manner of hazards, and we shall endeavor with vigor and elan to
find solutions to what ails our fair city.
Ah, summer. Time to relax, kick back, pop open a cold one, and maybe burn down your neighbor’s house with fireworks … fortunately that didn’t happen last weekend, and we can all be thankful. But callers to the Red Phone remain worried about all manner of hazards, and we shall endeavor with vigor and elan to find solutions to what ails our fair city.
Code breaker
One of our most dear regular callers thinks we are speaking in code.
Saturday we published a commentary piece called “Deep into Los Valientes’ Lair,” by a writer identified only asked The Masked Scribe. The piece purported to be an inside look at the shadowing group known by that name. Identifying the members of this group has become the obsession of our easily obsessed district attorney.
The caller believes the puzzle was one to solve, and we applaud the ingenuity, because you never know where a conspiracy of some kind might be lurking. As the pickpocket in “Casablanca” says, “Be careful, there are vultures everywhere.”
So, the caller wants to know, is it mere coincidence, or are the initials MS of Masked Scribe meant to suggest that the author was columnist Mike Smith?
Normally we would neither confirm nor deny the identity of such a writer – and won’t be drawn into further speculation. But because of Mike’s special circumstances, we will make an exception in this case.
It wasn’t Mike.
In fact, Mike is no longer writing his column for the Free Lance. His last column was June 11. Mike came to us and said he felt he had accomplished everything he wanted to accomplish with the column, and decided to move on to other things. The parting was entirely amicable, and we wish him well.
Red Phone on Hold
Train to nowhere
Ah, Union Pacific, our favorite bete noir. A few weeks ago we gnashed our teeth over the fact that the road bed across the train tracks just north of the county line on Hwy. 25 was deteriorating again. The section in question is concrete, between the rails. We called UP’s John Bromley and were promised prompt action.
Grammy Harthorn’s idea of prompt meant doing it yesterday, so when we heard “prompt” we were relieved. But apparently Mr. Bromley’s grandmother taught him a different meaning of the word.
Yesterday he told us he has passed along our concerns to the engineering folks, but hasn’t heard anything, but that he will be sure let us know as soon as he hears something.
To those new to this space, the reason we’re a little sensitive when it come to UP is because the last time we took issue with them over that same road, it took the company 338 days to fix it.
If you drive over those rails regularly, and are concerned, feel free to give him a call. Tell him Grammy Harthorn said to get the lead out and fix the problem.
Call us with your questions, problems, complaints. The Red Phone is here to help! 635-9219.
