County First District Supervisor, Robert Lovingood, held a 'Meet and Greet' event Monday, March 14, 2016, in Newberry Springs.  The event was very well attended by Newberry's standards.

    Lovingood spoke on a broad range of topics covering the challenges facing the county during his term in office; he also spoke of his accomplishments and the current strains upon the county's limited resources.

    Supervisor Lovingood, running for his second term, appeared to be slightly upstaged for a while by the length of time two Sheriff officers, who accompanied Lovingood's visit, took in responding to a number of safety questions posed by residents.

    Questions concerning public safety and water were the two topics that raised the most questions.

    Robert Lovingood's current first term in office has been something of a horse pill.  Sometimes difficult to swallow.

    During a period in which some residents have been working to economically improve Newberry Springs through the development of tourism along Route 66, Lovingood has been directly hindering their efforts.

    Newberry has little of its past historical structures to preserve that once dotted Route 66.  The community's greatest remaining asset is Newberry's viewscape.  While unappreciated by most in the community, it is highly prized by heritage tourists.

    While Newberrians, who recognize the value of maintaining this viewscape as uncluttered have been working to preserve it, Lovingood has led a rezoning in the heart of Newberry's Route 66 that has led to an eyesore on the scenic drive by Active Towing.  Active Towing is a BIG rig salvage operation that has made the surrounding residental properties less desirable for resale and has devalued the surrounding property values.

    Recently, Lovingood has further doubledowned on this damage by permitting, through a Conditional Use Permit, a second BIG rig salvage operator, Bob's Towing, to move in adjacent to Active Towing on residential Nopal Lane.

    Lovingood has been a further disappointment in preventing Land Use Services' Code Enforcement from forcing the demolition of the Henning Motel.  Local residents were in the process of trying to preserve the long abandoned Henning that was adjacent the Bagdad Café.  The last historical motel of its architectural design along Route 66 in California.

    Funding had been identified by the Newberry Springs Community Alliance to allow a structural engineer to do a study to preserve the structure.  Unfortunately, Land Use Services wouldn't hold back financial threats against the landowner to demolish the historic structure.

    Robert Lovingood promotes his slogan that 'Lovingood Listens.'  However, actions speak louder.  Lovingood hasn't listened nor acted upon residents' concerns on numerous occasions, deferring to the recommendations from a corrupt county Land Use Services Department that ignores CEQA and which self-servingly sides with development against the will of residents that the county is supposed to serve.

    Robert Lovingood having a non-neutral, pro-developer representing him on the Planning Commission also doesn't help to balance community interests.

    Unlike his predecessors, Lovingood hasn't demonstrated any signs of corruption.  He is a man following his conscience and best judgement for the betterment of the county.  Lovingood has done many good things for the High Desert, and overall, he is on the right track.

    He is entitled to more time to learn to listen; and to depend more upon the residents of the communities he impacts.  For now, he deserves our support.