Fencing in the 'Sedition Panda'

First thing you need to know is Monday did not go at all as planned.

See, I had the day figured out. Meet with friends first thing, then a Cattle Dog candidate chat in Homosassa, followed by a full afternoon of blogging delight.

A phone call interrupted those plans. The Cattle Dog chat was moved to the afternoon. Around 3:30, I realized that my perfectly planned day was kaput and I needed a Plan B.

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(That’s the title of my next blog: Just Plan B.)

I whipped through several ideas that have been floating around of late, and whittled them down to two: Airport fence, and Jesse Rumson’s trial.

Now that you know the oddities behind today’s subject(s), let’s get to it.

— Anyone driving on U.S. 19 has certainly seen the new barbed-wire topped security fence at the Crystal River Airport that highway workers installed right alongside the walk/bike path.

It’s weird for a number of reasons. One, it is literally alongside the path. Ugly as all get out.

Two, it’s parallel to an existing perimeter fence. Now we have two fences protecting the airport.

Folks have noticed. I asked the county about it, and they contacted the Florida Department of Transportation, which reported that the older fence will be removed.

OK, but what the heck? Why did the state feel the need to install a new and separate fence line just 10 feet from the other one? This is right along the city’s main thoroughfare. Did anyone not wonder how that's going to look?

I have long believed that governments need an agency of common sense. Or an official. Heck, I’d do it for free. Someone to take a look at a plan like this and say, “Um, is this really necessary? Seems little more than a government expense to create an eyesore.”

One of the points I’m making to candidates during Cattle Dog chats is the importance of having someone on their team who asks tough questions. Someone who can tell a candidate when his/her thinking is off. Someone who tells the truth, regardless of the fallout.

I’m sure FDOT has a perfectly logical governmental reason for the new second fence. Just wished it had a commonsense meter.

— If you haven’t seen our favorite County Commission candidate on the campaign trail lately, he’s a little tied up.

Jesse Rumson, Republican for County Commission District 5, is on trial for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Remember that Rumson is best known as “Sedition Panda” for wearing a panda costume head while participating in that day’s activities.

I’m very appreciative to the Just Wright Citrus reader who alerted me over the weekend that Rumson’s trial had begun in Washington, D.C. Here’s a news story that sums things up rather nicely.

I was rummaging through the court documents and came across a motion from the U.S. government that accused Rumson of violating his pre-trial conditions of not leaving Florida without permission.

The documents said Rumson participated in something called the Rod of Iron Freedom Festival in Pennsylvania and Tennessee. The government was kind enough to include a link to Rumson’s speech. Too bad he’s not that passionate about Citrus County. 

The trial continues this Friday before Judge Carl Nichols, who is hearing the case without a jury. 

No clue why Rumson is running for Citrus County Commission. The campaign started out by the pro-Trump crowd as a thorn to incumbent Holly Davis, but Rumson’s candidacy hasn’t really gone anywhere.

At least he keeps busy. And we can’t forget the panda head.

That’s it for today. Have a terrific Tuesday, friends.

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