The Vine Of Truth:  by Jesse Manzanares, Vol. 1, No. 14, August 29, 2015

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More Heroin Deaths 

I am told by what I consider to be reliable sources that there have been at least three more deaths by heroin overdose, recently.  I can count at least 10 such cases over the past several years.  I cannot understand why local law enforcement agencies are unable to identify suppliers and stop these senseless deaths.  Good investigative techniques should be able to identify the supplier of each of these heroin users.  Their families should be able to provide useful information.  Is our community defenseless to the continuous onslaught of the availability of heroin in Trinidad and the continued early death of too many citizens?

 

November Elections—Mayor/City/School Board

The following citizens turned in petitions to run for office next November:

Mayor—City of Trinidad;             Joe Reorda, Carol Bolton, Phil Rico

City Council—City of Trinidad:  Joe Bonato, Michele Miles, Jennie Garduno, Howard Lackey, Louis Fineberg, Carlos Lopez. (3 seats)

Trinidad School Board:                 Patrick Sandoval, Paul Montera, Abe Cordova, Mary Iverson, Debbie Hartman, Dan Ruscetti. (3 seats)

 

EPA Spill 

Our corporate U.S. Senator Cory Gardner publicized the fact that the EPA mishandled a toxic mine site and caused toxic waste, which included mercury and arsenic, to flow into the Animas River in southwestern Colorado.  Yes they did.  However, entrepreneurs and so-called job creators are responsible for creating a lake or dam of toxic waste water that was released in to the Animas River, leaving it for someone else to clean up.  The Environmental Protection Agency, was attempting to protect the environment from the dangers of arsenic laced water and accidentally allowed the dam to release and flow into the river.  Who is the bad guy here??  I think the corporate business that mined this area and stripped the land of its valuable gold and silver, creating great wealth for themselves, and who then abandoned the site, are the real culprits.  Of course, these are the guys our corporate Senator was elected to protect.  The very existence of this dangerous condition was created by irresponsible business practices of wealth seekers and non-existent environmental safety regulations.  Yes, the real culprit here is the creator of the dangerous condition.  Why did they leave the condition in place awaiting the government to come and clean it up, at taxpayer expense?

 

Reverse Mortgages 

I have witnessed several reverse mortgage fiasco’s recently.  I have always been suspect of this method of allowing homeowners to take out the equity in their homes to be used for living expenses.  Beware of the exorbitant costs associated with reverse mortgages.  I view the reverse mortgage companies as predators taking advantage of desperate old folks.

 

Sheriff James Casias

Las Animas County Sheriff, a man of 32 years experience in various aspects of law enforcement announced his intent to run for a seat in the Colorado Senate.  His opponent will be Larry Crowder, a resident of Alamosa who currently holds that seat.  Casias is a Democrat.  Crowder is a Republican.  No other candidate’s, from either party, has entered the race.  Crowder usually wears a black cowboy hat.  Casias usually wears a white law enforcement Stetson.  I dislike Crowder because of his efforts to punish collective bargaining units and his efforts to reduce PERA benefits.

 

Donald Trump 

Several mental health professionals, recognized experts in the field of narcissism, recently opined on national television that Donald Trump is possessed of a Narcissistic Personality Disorder, making him unsuitable to be Commander in Chief.  He is not much different from the leader of North Korea, Kim Jon Ho.  His popularity among Republican Party primary voters is easily explained by his inhibition to demonize Mexicans, John McCain, Jeb Bush, Hilary Clinton, and a host of other issues and people who are involved in the current presidential race.  Trump’s immigration policy of building a wall paid for by Mexico, deporting 11 million undocumented foreigners, disregarding the 14th Amendment to the Constitution dealing with birthright citizenship are examples of his ignorance, idiocy, and narcissistic complex.  Fox Propaganda Network is reaping what it  sowed as the Republican Party spokesman espousing ultra conservative and racist attitudes.  One wonders if Mr. Trump could buy a weapon if sensible and reasonable gun control measures ever become the law of the land.  One also wonders if Mr. Trump has is planning ahead and identifying his internment camps and railroad cars.

 

Overheard At Mantelli’s Bar 

“What was the emergency in adopting an ordinance placing a moratorium on consideration of more marijuana outlets? Why not let the voters decide?”