Comment

Comment by Al Thompson on May 24, 2012 at 5:48pm

One  can  only  hope  that  Mr  Ward  has  learned  his  lesson  that  mud  slinging  and  disinformation   are    not   what  the  majority  of   Saline  County  residents   want   and  that  they  want  some  one  who  runs  a  good  clean  campaign  and  does  so  with  honor.   I  for  one  am  glad  this  is  over  for  now  and   that  Sheriff  Pennington  was  the  clear  victor  here.

Comment by Donna Jones on May 24, 2012 at 1:58pm

I wish more of the 107,000+ population of Saline County had voted.  

Comment by Harold Marable on May 24, 2012 at 1:37pm

By the way the CID Lt has checked into the homicide . And also if you would like  to contact Lt Birdsong (in the Jail) and learn of the positive changes it might help opinions .

Comment by Harold Marable on May 24, 2012 at 1:34pm

I have a wild idea. Why dont we all work together to help the sheriffs office . And also forget about the race. Past waters that turn the wheel does not grind todays corn

Comment by A.B. on May 24, 2012 at 12:48pm

Matt, it is so nice to see something positive written in regard to the election.  I'm sure there are a great number of people in Benton who don't know Kime Eubanks personally, but I've known him well over 20 years and can assure you that his graciousness at the close of the election was no act.  That is just who he is, how he lives his life and anyone who know him will tell you exactly the same thing.  Thanks for the reminder that good things and good people don't always go unnoticed:-)

Comment by Matt Burks on May 24, 2012 at 12:43pm

I'm not touchy on the subject, I'm just pointing it out. I can't speak for the other journalists on the other candidates, but I believe that only one candidate other than Ward was not able to be reached for comment. I only wrote the sheriff's story on this one because I had some other obligations. As for the editorials that were posted on this website, there is a reason why that person that wrote it is not here in this office today, and those type of editorials are a part of that reason. 

Anyway, I am just as guilty as prolonging this arguement ... probably even more so now, I can admit that. I think I've been on the offense when maybe I should not have been. If there is one thing that I am touchy on is that people say that we as the Courier are biased, when that isn't true. People take things how they want to take things, not what they truly are. A lot of times I feel like saying "don't let the facts get in the way of your agenda" because people have an agenda towards the media. All I can do is keep trying my best to report the best that I can. Unfortunately people hold grudges for what past employees have done, I get that. It isn't fair, but that's life. 

Unfortunately also people want to say that people change, but they don't put that same attitude towards us as the media. There are people that feel a certain way towards us for things that happened five, ten, twenty or many more years ago. I can't change anything that happened in the past, but I can help what happens in the future. 

All I can do is continue to put my faith in Jesus Christ and hope to learn more about his teachings and apply that to everyday life. I'm sure me even saying that on here will cause people to utter something negative or cause someone not to read further, and that is a shame. All I know is this, for all the negativity, for all the attacks that people here on mysaline.com have taken upon the Courier and on me, I received a lot of positive comments from people when it was least expected. I have to always keep that in mind, that there are people out there that do believe in what I am doing, that know that I am trying my hardest to be not only the best I can as a reporter, that I am also trying to be the best human being that I can be everyday. 

What this all boils down to is that I shouldn't have to get defensive, because I know I will never please everyone. Some people will say things that are untrue and some people will believe those non-truths no matter what I say in rebuttal. If this is a musing that I am speaking, than so be it. I feel strongly in my convictions, but I am always willing to at least hear something from another point of view. I just think we need to be adult about our conversations and that applies to myself too. And yes, from time to time, you and I will make mistakes, we'll have things blow out of proportion and some of us will probably say things that we may later regret ... but forgiveness is something that all of us should at least be willing to venture into. If I have offended anyone for anything, well I ask for forgiveness.

It is not about what we have done in the past ... actually, I would rather say this "It isn't what goes in a man that defiles him, it is what comes out of him that defiles him." Of course that isn't a direct quote, but the point is it isn't what happened in the past that defines us... because we can all change ... it is what we do now that shapes our future. 

So in closing of this long winded post, I just want to say that I will try to be more positive on here in the future even when discussing something of a sensitive nature ... which in my opinion is politics too lol... I really do hope that all of us can learn to get along better. We will not all agree on things, but we have to find ways to be civil about it. And I must take my own advice on that too. Will we that take that vow screw up and get upset in the future, of course we will, but God forgives us for even our most minor flaws and minor sins....I think he wants us to apply that each other too. That is extremely hard for us to do, I know because there are people in my past that I have a very tough time forgiving, but it is the right thing to do ... if I want people to be forgiving of me. 

Look, I'm not anyone important. I'm just a man trying to do my job to the best of my abilities in the best way possible. I have a family that I love both at home and at my work (and that love spreads across the entire building all the way down to the carrier). We are people just like you. There are many of us, including me, that don't get bills paid without the support of you. We won't be able to rebuild bridges with some of you that are disgruntled or that have been offended for something, but sometimes it doesn't hurt to try. But you have to be honest with yourself and us too. I say that because I've had people blatantly lie to me numerous times and then won't own up to it even when it is proved that they are lying. It is at that time that we just have to simply turn the other cheek, which is just as hard as forgiving. 

Comment by Sno-Kone Addict on May 24, 2012 at 12:30pm

Heather I'm disappointed in this behavior, you are better then this! The election is over so GET OVER IT and stop with the mudslinging already. Matt you are a reporter for the local paper, is this the way you should be acting? You have proven every ones point bout how bias the Courier has been thru all this election. And further more how do you know that Ward didn't have an emergency to get to. Family does come first in his life and yes I'm speaking knowing the truth behind it all!!! Have a Blessed Day!!!

Comment by Peter Glenn on May 24, 2012 at 11:38am

We can't begin to get inside someone's head to know why they did or did not respond the way we wanted.  But I remember back during all this mudslinging that someone, The Shadow, the Undertaker or someone posted a bunch of articles.  In fact, I think it was the first negative blow made.  One of those was an editorial that was written after the last election in which the writer took Ward's comments after the election and tried to use them against him and then the letter was published in the Courier.  Maybe that is why he was reluctant to give you a statement.  I don't know.  But I would be guarded to give comments again knowing they could be twisted into something against me.  Just my opinion.  But you really need to give him the benefit of the doubt and not take it so personal. Do we know if he called the sheriff or sent him a note.  What about all the other candidates?  Did they respond and if so in what ways. As a journalist you may be a little touchy on the subject.  I don't know the answers and I would guess that no one does. 

Comment by Matt Burks on May 24, 2012 at 11:08am

Here is what I at least expected from Ward, if nothing else, he should have congratulated the sheriff on his win and moved on. Kime Eubanks was very gracious with his loss and could set him up to have a bright future in the political world should he chose to stay in it. That is what a candidate should do in a loss, if nothing else be congratulatory to the other candidate. It's called being respectful. Ward had numerous chances to do so, but chose not to do that. I really hope the best for him in the future in whatever he wants to do, I really do, but he's not setting himself up for a future in politics if he can't keep to his word. I've known Ward for several years and I've always given him time to speak his mind, both on the record and off. He also knows that I don't tell people about our off record conversations. I have always been very respectful to Mr. Ward and he knows that. He, in the past before this election, has always been respectful to me, but this time he chose the opposite route. I'm disappointed that he told me one thing and did the other and still refused to return any phone calls. Maybe someday in the future he'll change his mind and/or feelings and we can come to a resolution. The floor is open for Mr. Ward if he so choses to speak.

Comment by riccoar on May 24, 2012 at 10:53am

I have no problem acknowledging the outcome.  I even stated where I believe Ward's demise lay.  Lack of experience.  I simply stated that was all that needed to be said.  I did not peruse Ward's website and never talked to him.  This political season was dirty.  And I will acknowledge that if Ward gave you his word and failed to follow through then that is wrong.  But being he got beat pretty convincingly, along with the fact of what I clearly saw in one article, I could see why he might be reluctant to talk.  But his failure to do so does not make your job easier.  I had two key points which swayed me in the favor of voting for Ward.  The jail and failure to follow through on a promise to investigate a murder.  I think Ward personally highlighted job failures.  On here, I saw Bruce's bunch go below the belt quite often.  That does not make retaliation by the other side legitimate either.

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