Riley Announces Candidacy
Amidst Controversy Apple Farmer Wants Mayor's Chair
By Dale Jacobs
| Odyssey Times Editor
 Tom Riley, long-time City
Council member, announced his candidacy for Mayor last night in a
hastily-called press conference at Whit's End. Standing along-side Bernard
Walton, his campaign manager, Riley said that his campaign will begin
immediately on a platform of "integrity." "My greatest desire is to bring
honesty and morality to the city's highest office," Riley said in the Little
Theatre at Whit's End.
Riley's entry into the mayoral
race pits him against another candidate Bart Rathbone, though he denies that
Rathbone was his reason for running. Rathbone, owner of Rathbone's Palace,
recently attacked Riley and the City Council for "under-the-table special
treatment" and "favoritism." He didn't specify who he thought was receiving
special treatment or favoritism.
Riley's announcement came as a
surprise, partly because of the controversy surrounding his apple farm. It
is currently under investigation by officials from the Environmental
Detection Agency (EDA) under the direction of Philip Glossman, on special
assignment for the State Department of the Interior. Glossman is also a
former Odyssey City Councilman. The EDA allegedly found traces of toxic
chemicals on Riley's property and in his crop of apples.
Riley says that he did not
enter the election to combat these charges. He admits, however, that the
feeling of helplessness he has had at the hands of a bunch of "a bunch of
bureaucrats" prompted him to think of other citizens who feel the same way.
"I'm running for Mayor because I want to do something to help this town,"
Riley said.
Riley observed that "people
have lost faith in their elected officials to do what's right. Too many of
them have gone off and tried to do things that will help themselves. People
need somebody they can trust to do what's good for them. I'll do my best to
earn that trust."
Promoting "personal
responsibility" and "les government interference into people's lives" are
also goals for Riley, if elected.
Rathbone refused to comment on
Riley's candidacy except to say that he looks forward to "a clean,
issues-based, fair fight unless we have to get nasty to win."
This special Mayoral election
was called after Mayor Bill Jenkins suddenly announced his resignation "to
spend more time" with his family.
(Editorial note: For the
latest on this story, listen to the "Adventures in Odyssey" audiocassette
Tom for Mayor, Parts 1 & 2.)
This
article originally appeared in "The Odyssey Times," a
special fictional newspaper produced by Focus on the Family to promote
Adventures in Odyssey.
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