Disappointed in story
I am disappointed in your report regarding the District Court debate between John Black and Erik Rohrer.
You missed an opportunity to reveal clearly how these two people plan to stem the drug and alcohol abuse that makes up the bulk of district court cases.
Rohrer wants to keep on using the existing failing system of fines, locking people up, and throwing them away.
He calls trying rehabilitate people as “coddling.”
Black wants to start some more creative methods to rehabilitate offenders.
Holding people accountable for their problems, helping those who want to change and working with the other district court to get better control of the situation so troubled people won’t fall through the cracks.
So what does your report dwell on?
A tough lesson learned 30 years ago, one that caused a man to change himself into the useful citizen he is today.
And in the process he has ideas that could help other young people just like he was way back then.
That Judge Rohrer, who is already an elected judge serving the Superior Court in Port Angeles, thinks he can step into the easier job, leaving the Superior Court to someone else seems arrogant to me.
Black has continued to serve out here, modestly filling in as magistrate and serving as an attorney for this community.
Serving seems to be his strong suit.
It is too bad the moderator of this debate couldn’t have made these two men stay on the subject of what they have to offer us.
And its too bad you , as the reporter, couldn’t focus on the differing views more instead of raking 30- year-old muck.
Lorraine Jacobson,
Forks