Sunday’s column: Presenting the 2011 Dano Awards
By Grant Jedlinsky
It hardly seems like a year has gone by since we last celebrated glaring stupidity.
You’ve got to admit, there was no shortage of that in 2011. Which means it’s time for the annual Dano Awards, named after yours truly.
Many believe I’m king of this genre; that I will never abdicate its throne. But there are plenty of princes, princesses and poseurs out there. This yearly effort is dedicated to them.
The Dano in the “Thou Shalt Burn Taxpayers’ Money” category goes to the Giles County School Board, which is being sued because of its 3-2 vote to allow the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools.
True, the school board’s lawyers are volunteers. The rub is, the attorneys for the plaintiffs are not, necessarily.
When and if the board gets torpedoed in court, Giles County may be forced to pay a bunch of commandments-curbing lawyers for their time and effort. In similar cases, that’s amounted to hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars.
They may even have to pay extra because their attorney-volunteers tried to intimidate the plaintiffs into dropping the lawsuit. Stick that thought in your Christmas stockings, Giles taxpayers.
READ THE REST OF THE COLUMN HERE.
December 11, 2011 - 2:19 AM
You nailed ‘em Dan! And goodness knows you had plenty of material to work with this year!
This year’s Dano for “Inept Campaign Skullduggery” goes to two Alleghany County men, Glen Ray Simpson and Joe Simpson. They are the husband and son, respectively, of Alleghany County Treasurer Wanda Simpson, who won her three-way election with 46 percent of the vote.
In the wee hours of Oct. 5, a cop caught them with a van full of campaign signs for one of her opponents. Busted.
Later comedian Jeff Foxworthy showed up and said “Here’s your sign.”
Just a few “Dano” comments.
Where does Bill Stanley live now. Last I heard he was claiming residence in a popup camper somewhere along the Blackwater River.
What were those 3594 Franklin County Voters smoking? Its called the GOP weed. It guarantees that you’ll vote for anybody with an R next to his name( Even if its Jeffrey Dahmer)
And Finally yes Bill White is out of jail and Bob McDonnell isn’t in jail either. At least not yet. But who knows what tomorrow may bring. Only The Shadow Knows.
Congratulations Winners, your common sense is showing. May some of it rub off on our incompent politicians. (Of both breeds of course)
Another banner year for “eejits”! Thanks for the call outs Dan.
I tried to give Dan the scoop on the Giles lawsuit, but he wouldn’t listen. It’s not costing Giles taxpayers a dime, and the suit serves some far-ranging purposes, one of which has already been achieved I with the election of Yost.
Second only to helping the African poor, I can’t imagine money better spent than for this lawsuit.
Dan you should probably get your facts straight. It was actually proven that Glen and Joe Simpson did not have a van full of signs – in fact they only had four (not saying that four is any less guilty than a van full). During the hearing it was disclosed that the police failed to search the vehicle.
However, you were correct in saying that sadly this does happen in all elections (local, state, and national) to all candidates – yes even Mrs. Simpson had signs vandalized and stolen, it’s all part of politics.