If it was election year, opponents could accuse Sheriff Joe Lester of a lot of things. Being soft on crime isn't one of them.
The new sheriff served the inmates in his custody hot dogs for lunch on Thanksgiving Day. Spaghetti followed Thursday night. The only sign of turkey was in the hot dogs.
Mr. Lester, a career law enforcement officer, has definitely made some changes in the department. He had layoffs this past fall. He also changed the uniforms worn by deputies. The ones worn by jail inmates were changed, too, much to the displeasure of some defense attorneys who says the new duds are downright demeaning.
Now, Mr. Lester has pulled field deputies back into the courthouse to work security. The courthouse is safer now but some rural residents liked to see the deputies patrolling and slowing down traffic in the country.
We'll see if the holiday season changes the sheriff and leads to a Christmas dinner menu of turkey and dressing or the cheaper peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
