This week's "qualifiers."

I just got off of the phone with Shirley Wise at Judge Martin Gillette's office. Let's get to the most, uh, "interesting" race first. As y'all know, Chief Magistrate Harvey Fry has decided not to run for reelection. Actual attorney and sitting magistrate judge under Harvey Fry ( I think) Jennifer Lewis, has qualified. Also, Mr. Terry Dixon, a former paper mill employee and former Underground Construction employee, with, so far as I know, no legal training or experience whatsoever, has "qualified," reportedly under the puppeteership of Big Thug Willie Smith. Big Thug, trust me, you will need a judge in your pocket with a helluva lot more horsepower than a Camden County chief magistrate! Like I've said before, Big Thug's narcissism, sociopathy, and megalomania all constitute a clear and present danger to the health and safety of the body politic of this county. Not only is he actively seeking control of the county commission but the local judiciary as well. For sheriff, Rich Gamble has conditionally qualified, contingent upon his turning in 998 "good" signatures of verified, registered voters NLT July 8th. For county surveyor, Pete Brandon, the incumbent, has chosen not to run again. There are two qualifiers: Steven Hooks, and Arthur Lee Robertson, IV. For the school board, all three incumbents for the districts up for election have qualified, with no challengers. They are: District 1 - Daniel Simpson; District 3 - Jimmy Coffel; and, District 5, Doug Benton. By the way, so far, Doug Benton is the only board member to respond to my e-mail concerning the mandatory float riding business. For Probate Judge, the incumbent, Judge Martin Gillette, has qualified with no challenger.