To the Editor,
Driving through Seaman the other day, I couldn’t help but notice a veritable “gauntlet” of “Haslam for Prosecutor” signs while heading north through town. I don’t mean a few, there’s a sea of Haslam signs that cannot be missed.
And if you plan to vote based on lawn signs you’re gonna have an easy choice here. But you might want to hold on for just a minute.
See here’s the thing. Haslam is not running unopposed. He is facing a qualified opponent in David Osborne.
David is a friend of mine. Most of us call him DJ. And all of us consider him an extremely bright gentleman and an excellent candidate in his own right.
And one of these guys just doesn’t pass the smell test for actually living in Adams County.
That’s right we’re talking about the idea that two candidates seeking a top office for enforcing the law, yet one of them seems to think he is above the law. Ain’t that something?
First, a word about DJ. He’s the real McCoy when it comes to growing up in Adams County, just like Mr. Haslam. Moved here at the age of two and graduated from Peebles High. Currently has his law office right in West Union and lives nearby with his wife of 20 years Annie (they are so proud of son Dirk a junior at OSU currently), quite definitely in Adams County. The family place is about 75 acres located just east of the middle of the county. No one has ever questioned his residence.
Here’s where you start to see how bright and unique is my friend DJ. He’s just about the only friend I have with two Ph D’s! Seriously, here’s a guy who graduates from college in Kentucky (Alice Lloyd College), then goes on to obtain his Ph D in Chemistry from the University of Georgia (that’s weird for me, as my eldest sis also has a PH D from same).
Not impressed yet? How about his research projects for NASA? Yes. NASA . DJ studied under NASA grants that yielded 12 peer-reviewed articles published in serious scientific journals during his time at U GA.
Challenged by a mentor attorney, DJ next turned his sights on a law degree. Short version- he finished fourth in his class while obtaining his Dr of Jurisprudence (law school jargon for PH D) from Ohio Northern Law School.
Eventually … DJ and Annie settled right back in Adams County, as he worked for the firm Young and Caldwell until taking a position in Lima for a short while as an assistant prosecutor. Lima was great experience yet Adams County is where his heart is, and Annie’s, and we all know how that can be. They’re living where their hearts resonate.
So yeah, David’s truck says “ADAMS” on his license plate sticker, which is relevant. Annie’s compact sedan says “ADAMS” on her license plate, also relevant.
So what we have here is a local boy made good, back at ease again in Adams County.
Then there is his opponent, Mr. Haslam. As I write, I’m looking at a photo of his white GMC pickup. It has a sticker on the license plate: “HAMILTON”, and now I’m picking up a second photo, taken after the other, also of Mr. Haslam’s white GMC pickup. It has no county sticker on it at all.
And now here’s a third photo of a sprawling compound in Hamilton County, Indian Hill apparently. So please forgive me if I wonder why Mr. Haslam lists his residence as an apartment on Mulberry Street. I’m not even saying Mr Haslam has done anything technically wrong, that’s for others to decide, but wow that smell! Yikes!
You know who else has a similar if not keen sense of smell? Adams County commissioner Diane Ward. In a written statement presented to the Adams County commission June 30 of last year: “Mr Haslam currently resides with his family in Indian Hill (Hamilton County) and claims to reside at 515 Mulberry Street, Apt A, West Union andhas NOT been (my emphasis) an Adams County resident since February 2011.”
So Mr. Haslam has an awful lot of lawn signs. Good for him. And a very nice home, swimming pool and all, in Hamilton County and undoubtedly a connection of some kind to an apartment in West Union.
Solid effort on the signs. But gee whiz that smell just will not go away. Somebody open a window.
Jeff Parks is a former columnist and feature writer for the Portsmouth Daily Times and a former columnist for the Eaton Register Herald. Contributes occasionally to the Hillsboro Times Gazette.