The Shadow
Spring fever has hit the Highlands in full force. I hope everyone has had a spectacular time seeing all the new flowers and trees blossoming back to life. For me, it means a full-throttled, spring-cleaning energy explosion around our house. And every year about this time we men go through the “honey have you seen my…?” And miraculously, just as my wife speaks these magical words, “Are you blind? It’s right there in front of you…” a small cloud of crackling blue smoke vaporizes my favorite missing doodad back into existence, right where she said it was. What would we men do without Angels?
Recently, The Shadow’s spring cleaning has not only unearthed various questionable deeds in Covington, but more importantly, also catalyzed some much needed reforms. This underscores the indispensable role of the media in community welfare. As the late Walter Cronkite said, “Freedom of the Press is not just important for democracy, it is democracy.”
Unsurprisingly, not all public servants are thrilled with being in the spotlight for their behaviors and decisions. In fact, it’s been probably downright uncomfortable being called on the carpet. I’m guessing Covington Mayor, Tom Sibold, isn’t enjoying all the facts the Shadow has been unearthing lately. Mayor Sibold recently stated; “The Shadow is not news journalism at best it is opinion with automatic response. No where near good journalism.”
My apologies, Mr. Mayor, but the fact is, your opinion could benefit from better grammar usage. But if you leave me a message, I’ll return your call to suggest several good schools and tools that can assist you with grammar mastery.
Seriously though, does the Mayor’s comment mean all the factual FOIA documents, contracts, and official public records he and the city have supplied to the Shadow are just red herrings, designed to discount the Shadow’s articles with inaccuracies and opinions only cloaked as fact?
“Come on down, Mr. Mayor, you’re the next contestant on the Fact is Right!” Mr. Mayor, Is it Door number 1, Door number 2, or… Door number 3 that contains the opinion?
Door #1, Fact or opinion: Through FOIA documents, The Shadow revealed that the City’s building department has been out of legal compliance for years, and has no certified building officials currently on staff. Resulting actions taken by the city from this discovery: The city’s building official is now trying to meet the qualifications mandated by law, and in the meantime, the City has retained Andy Seabolt from Bath County to perform these duties.
Door #2, Fact or Opinion: The Shadow found that 410 Main St owners convinced a non-certified City building official they were able to perform work on a commercial, public-facing building without adhering to VA building codes and obtaining the required asbestos certifications before the permit was issued. Resulting actions taken by the owners from this discovery: several new building permits have appeared on the door showing Class A tradespeople are now performing or overseeing the work, and inspections are now being performed by a certified building official.
Door #3 Fact or Opinion: The Performance Agreement for “Project Sparkle” (410 Main St project) showcases some of the most careless and sloppy legal craftsmanship The Shadow has ever encountered.
Mr. Mayor, you won… A New Car!
All silliness aside, the point here is, if the Mayor’s actions were as spotless as he claims, why then does he misrepresent the Shadow when preaching from his bully pulpit? Isn’t it curious how answers to straightforward facts tend to take a scenic route, winding through every hill and holler in the Highlands but somehow miss the fact-filled mountain of Trust?
Trust between the community and public officials is fundamental. It’s the cornerstone that supports not just the perception but the reality of a city’s governance. When officials act honorably, fairly, and within the law, it fosters a deep-seated confidence among residents that their welfare is the priority. A city distinguished by such trust is seen as first-class, with its leadership’s actions reinforcing the belief that they are genuinely committed to the community’s best interest.
Since it seems some public officials want to tell the Shadow’s story for him, let’s get the facts straight on this topic too. The Shadow isn’t expressing his own opinions, he is expressing the concerns of the citizens. The Shadow isn’t about dragging public officials through the mud for spectacle or city detriment. The Shadow isn’t against the Mayor, The Shadow thinks he’s a reasonable fellow. It’s all about genuine care for the city, and by listening to and observing what worries its citizens, the Shadow simply observes and reports on how the actions of our officials are being perceived in reality.
So what is it that is unsettling our public officials? Could it be that there is now actually a watchdog observing and pointing out questionable activities? Or is the surge of feedback reaching The Shadow from individuals long silent—either from fear of speaking up or feeling their concerns went unheeded—that’s causing the anxiety within our City Hall walls?
Concerns like the Covington City water system being out of compliance since September 5, 2023, and the City stated it could take up to 6 months to fix. We’re now at the 6-month mark, was the issue resolved according to the Law? Or concerns over the building department also being out of code compliance?
Or the issue at a local school where a parent is alleging their child was slapped by a substitute teacher. Corporal punishment in Virginia is against the law. The parent of the student is claiming the Covington Police Department and the school are apparently providing the parent with the wrong advice according to both his attorney and the magistrate and not taking the appropriate steps to legally address the issue.
Or the Nettleton project which seems to constantly shift its vision and goals like the sand through the hourglass, akin to an episode on the Days of our Lives. What happened to the original vision? How can Citizens trust that what is happening there when the word-salad that’s being presented by our officials’ grand visions keeps changing?
Or the alleged Fentanyl brownies incident last October 2023 that found two students unresponsive and sent to the ER. That incident seems to have never been publicly reported or properly investigated. Or an incident involving a substitute teacher apparently making inappropriate advances toward female students.
What good is the law when it is not even being observed by our own public servants elected to follow and faithfully execute it? You’d think instead of attacking the Shadow for bringing up these inconvenient truths and facts and trying to turn citizens against him, that our public officials would immediately take steps to correct and become compliant.
Well, the good news is, they are finally taking small steps in the right direction. Bravo.
Let me leave you with my opinion. All is not all doom and gloom, and yes the Mayor and other public officials are human. They make mistakes. And they seem to be the honorable type that will acknowledge mistakes and take swift action to correct them. So the next time you see them, give them encouragement to own the issues and do the right thing for all the citizens they represent.
I’m out of time, out of coffee, but never out of hope that the quandary of having to choose friend over fact will eventually synchronize, and once again facts and friends can coexist.
