Every once in a while you get the opportunity to see your town recognized in the national news and you just feel good all over don't you?

Here we are in the company of the New Yorks and Los Angeleses of the world and little ole Yakima is right there on the front page nationally!

Before you get too excited, you should know that the reasons for our fame are, one, we are number 10 in the nation in per-capita car theft. Think about it. Of all the towns in this great country of ours, only nine towns are worse for car theft than we are.

Then, on the heels of that notoriety, Sony comes out with their PlayStation and folks go wild! They stand in line waiting for days to be sure and get their hands on a PlayStation--many of them just to be able to play the game, but many others to hustle them on E-Bay and sell them at a substantial profit.

I assume you will agree that that is a noble and typical American adventure.

So, I turn on the national news and there we are, Yakima, Washington, among the first cities where those who were successful getting their PlayStations were held up at gun point and their toy was taken! Obviously, the thief doesn't like waiting in line.

Now don't you feel good all over, to be in a town where crime gets you national coverage?

I know that you are as sick of this garbage as am I! Do those of you who have young children or grandchildren want them to grow up in a crime-ridden town?

I didn't think so, yet we keep voting down minor taxes that would give us additional police on the street.

It is time folks, to stand up and be heard. Let's get rid of these criminals who are turning our town into a land fill!

I have had enough. How about you?