Last week I wrote about former Third District Congressman John Paul Hammerschmidt of Harrison being hospitalized in Springfield, Mo., for a heart problem that kept him in the intensive-care unit at Cox Medical Center South for nearly two weeks.
I debated whether to publicize his condition at 92 years of age before deciding Arkansans should know what's happening in his life. He's since been moved to the Hillcrest Home in Harrison while continuing to improve.
I'm glad I did, as evidenced by the response from those who know John Paul and all he's contributed to the people of Arkansas. Here's an edited smattering of those responses about the man who happens to be my late mother's brother:
John in Eureka Springs: "Thanks for letting us know about the current situation of our dear friend, John Paul ... Our family goes back with him many decades. Please tell him hello and we'll keep him in our prayers."
Billy in Hazen: "You were right on target with your praise of your uncle's extraordinary ability to help any and all Arkansans who sought his help to resolve Washington D.C.'s governmental problems. In the mid-1970s, I had the honor of working with former Arkansas Gazette editor Sam Harris, conducting summer workshops at UCA ... For some reason crusty Mr. Sam took a liking to me, and during breaks he shared interesting accounts of the 'real and sometimes dirty stories' behind many prominent Arkansas [public figures] off the record, of course.
"Though apparently he was a staunch Democrat, he had the utmost respect for Representative Hammerschmidt. More than once Mr. Sam told me: 'If you wanna get anything done in Washington, go through John Paul. Those other guys either can't or won't do a __ thing to help you.'"
Steve in Little Rock: "Thank you for the update in today's paper about John Paul. After my recent visit with him, he had a doctor's appointment, at which time he was admitted to the hospital. Shortly thereafter, his assistant informed me. Your column was the most recent information I have had about his condition, which seems encouraging. I'll never forget our visit, as it will always remain one of the warmest, most memorable experiences I've ever had. I left his office feeling better about everything, which I'm sure is an effect he has on everyone."
Rick in Fayetteville: "You are correct [in keeping us informed of his condition]. Many of us appreciate John Paul's service to his country."
Unfair to AHTD
Randy Ort of the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department was less than pleased with my personal opinion column about the pro-life protesters' recent public controversy with his employer over the legality of their picketing techniques at the corner of Arkansas 265 and Joyce Street.
The public information officer chastised me for unfairness and had this to offer on behalf of AHTD in recently confronting those protesters over the way they were improperly displaying their signs:
"Our employee was doing her job when she addressed the group about signs that were placed in the ground in highway right of way, a clear violation of state law regardless of the message or the messenger," he said. "The group acknowledges they were placing signs in the ground ... Our employee was asked to provide a copy of the laws prohibiting that activity, and she provided hard copies to the group two days later. The code she provided includes a provision about potential fines.
"To clarify, the AHTD does not censor messages and does not have the authority to issue citations or levy fines," Ort told me. "Had we felt the group was being confrontational, we would have contacted law enforcement to intervene. The group chose to engage the services of the Thomas More Society who wrote the AHTD a letter and asked for a response. Our chief legal counsel responded and clarified the statutes cited. In no way did we 'back-pedal and admit well after the fact that it had been mistaken' as your article states ... It appears there was confusion regarding the communication between our employee and the group."
It's reassuring to know AHTD representatives, while apparently capable of confusion in communication, are not ones to back-pedal when it comes to instructing citizens how to lawfully display hand-held signs along a thoroughfare.
Face glows red
In a column last weekend I offered several paragraphs about the home intruder in Santa Ana, California, that one online news account from worldnewsdailyreport.com (shoulda been ole Mike's first clue) reported was struck and killed by a meteorite fragment as he held the Sanchez family at gunpoint.
Something about the story (bylined by reporter Barbara Johnson) sounded to a couple of readers as too synchronistically supernatural to be real. And the more I considered things, I agreed. So I contacted the Orange County Sheriff's Department who the story said investigated the bizarre death of Juan Jimenez and was told nope. It didn't happen.
Apologies to my valued readers for letting my enthusiasm to relate a seemingly incredible event override some normally healthy skepticism. And particular thanks to readers Tony Hickerson and Kirby Riffel for yanking me back to earth. Nonetheless, it can be humbling and downright cathartic for anyone who writes to occasionally expose even themselves as sometimes being more gullible and accordingly red-faced than they oughta be.
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Mike Masterson's column appears regularly in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Email him at [email protected].
Editorial on 03/10/2015