Posted on 02/24/2006 9:24:46 PM PST by jecIIny
February 25, 2006 1 Cafe, 1 Gas Station, 2 Roads: America's Emptiest County By RALPH BLUMENTHAL
MENTONE, Tex. — How empty is Loving County?
So empty that when Sheriff Billy Burt Hopper ran for office in 2004, he and his opponent attended each other's campaign barbecues. So empty that it cannot sustain two political parties: Republicans and Democrats all call themselves Democrats and vote in a single primary.
So empty that it has trouble seating 12 jurors who are not related to a defendant. (Not that there is much crime, although — or maybe because — Sheriff Hopper patrols in a pickup with two shotguns and an AK-47.) So empty that the jail was moved to Pecos in Reeves County, 26 miles away, in 1994.
In fact, this is the emptiest county seat of the emptiest county in the country.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
empty is good.
Hell, I have driven through Mentone several times and, yes, it is mucho deserted.
I remember this area as a child (50 yearsa ago). I had an uncle in Pecos that we visited. He owned two townships. Miles and miles of miles and miles. Great Americana.
The thing that still surprises me is that there are still places very much like this in California...
In any case, I see that the NY Times spent a good chunk of the article to bash the Libertarians, to highlight that all Republicans vote as Democrats, etc. Good that their agenda didn't miss making the article.
As to the place itself - I've been more than tempted to move out into the middle of nowhere. If I was one of those folks who loves to soak the federal government for every penny - wow, what a place to live. The automatic library grant alone would be enough to ensure you have enough money to cover living expenses.
Sheriff Hopper looks like the Sheriff whose son had his bride run out on him at the wedding. Did that happen in Texas? :)
Do I have to call myself a Democrat though?
This sounds like the PERFECT premise for either a movie,
or a sitcom. Or was that already done with the Andy Griffith SHow?
Where are all the Californians????
I like empty too. And we've got a lot of it in Texas. We've got our share of full too.
Pardon me, but I think empty is "spiritual" or "metaphysical" if you know what I mean.
Where a man can watch movie promos that would be considered risque anywhere else...
Like this--
http://www.youtube.com/watch.php?v=oXnyDV244Zo
Is there any TV series that was ever better than The Andy Griffith Show? I don't think so. So simple, so good, so heartwarming.
Don Knotts's Barney Fife is a classic.
Me too, but it wouldn't fit my dreams of an Amway empire. "You see, Cletus, you recruit two friends, and they recruit two friends, and then . . . well, I guess that would be it."
Lurking deep in the smug, chest-crowding heart of every big city snob is a small infarct of doubt.
"Miles and miles of miles and miles.
The best description of Texas: Miles and miles of miles and miles...
Oh, great...what are you trying to do, crowd these folks?
"Is there any TV series that was ever better than The Andy Griffith Show?
If you're talking variety show, I loved The Ed Sullivan Show.
"The name is Justice...Sheriff Buford T. Justice..."
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