Remembering Stephen Vest
Last night, I shared with a close friend the body-worn camera video of Chico “peace” officers Nick Bauer, who forgot his bean-bag shotgun and fired two shots from a .45, and Tyler Johnson, who fired nine shots from his 9mm in two seconds, hitting Stephen Vest with eight of their bullets and killing him one year ago (Oct. 15, 2020). My friend, a retired teacher, wondered why the shooters did not use a less lethal device like a BolaWrap or pepper-spray balls to stop Stephen and get him the medical attention he needed. What Stephen got was bullets.
As usual, District Attorney Mike Ramsey exonerated the killers. The police investigate the police and find no wrongdoing, but does the public know that Officer Bauer has previously been a member of the Butte County Officer-Involved Shooting/Critical Incident Protocol Team tasked with investigating just this type of killing? The same team that investigated the conduct of Bauer in this one? Is that a conflict of interest, Chicoans? Is this investigation impartial and unbiased, Mr. DA? Do the good people of Butte County need a new DA?
Scott Rushing
Ventura
Don’t call it chaos
News commentators were quick to use the word “chaos” to describe the evacuation from Kabul International Airport in Afghanistan. What I saw was a mostly orderly withdrawal of thousands who were trying to escape. I remember chaos when we were trying to get people out of Saigon at the end of the Vietnam War.
They didn’t call it “chaos” when the valiant British evacuated the British and French troops at Dunkirk in World War II. They enlisted all available boats, large and small, to get the troops across the English Channel to safety. In perspective, I believe the U.S. military did an amazing job in evacuating Kabul.
Robert Woods
Forest Ranch
Corrections
In last month’s Best of Chico issue (Oct. 7):
We misidentified the owner of Bacio Catering, Takeout & Eatery. Erika Montañez owns the business, which took first place for Best Caterer.
In category of Best Bank/Credit Union, the number for third-place finisher, Members 1st Credit Union, should have been (530) 222-6060.
The correct year for the opening of Concours Elite Collision Center, winner of Best Auto Paint/Body Shop, is 1981.
And finally, we omitted a whole category! Here’s the how the missing entry should have appeared:
Best Massage Therapist
FIRST Place: Bodywork by Nikki
341 Broadway, Ste. 309, 570-6311
On the Bodywork by Nikki website, owner/CMT Nikki Vargas explains the approach that has garnered the community’s vote of confidence: “Massage is a perfect therapy that combines conscience kindness and technical understand to provide lasting results. Every massage is customized to each individual client, every single session.”
SECOND Place: Babette Maiss
13 Williamsburg Lane, 321- 5668
THIRD Place: Candi Williamson
811 E. Fifth Ave., 521-7328
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