David Stone, Ventura Police Department

My recent post about an electrical extension cord was rooted in a response to a Facebook post on a Ventura lifestyle page   

One person who replied to my comment originally thought I was a different David Stone   Yeah, it’s a common name and it happens.  We actually had two working at Lumber City for a while.  One was me, and the other was a Ventura Police Officer.

Lumber City hired off duty police officers to work security during anticipated busy times of the week.  He worked there some of the same time I did and was one of the VPD officers who swayed me into a career in law enforcement.  

He and I actually first met and laughed about our common name one night at a crash at Telegraph and Mills, when a DUI he was chasing smashed into the back of my van while I was stopped at a red light.  

Years later when I let him know I was hired in Fresno and was heading to the police academy, he gave me his baton with his/our name scratched on it.  He had quickly scratched his name on it at his academy when he realized the instructors were making the cadets throw their batons in a pile and he wanted to be able to identify his baton.  He thought I might have the same challenge and wanted me to be ready.  I carried it through the academy and patrol until our department switched to the side handle baton (PR-24).

I still have it on display in my workshop.  

And, I just realized these photos are taken on one of two rock solid workbench kits I bought at Lumber City.

Hoarder or Boy Scout motto “Be Prepared “?

Yesterday, I needed to create a very short extension cord.  I purchased this sometime between 1972 and June 1976. This little jewel has traveled in my small stash of electrical parts since then, with multiple moves between Ventura, the Fresno area, and Yosemite National Park.  It was just patiently waiting for me through careers, marriage-divorce, another marriage, kids raised, blah, blah, retirement.  

The Ventura store of Neiman-Reed’s Lumber City was a great place to work, and I got an employee discount when I purchased it at this outrageous price.  It’s just what I needed for this little project, and the price was right!

😂 

Retirement

Let’s start this off with my retirement announcement on Facebook.  

***

July 7, 2022.  It’s time.  Sooner than some.  Later than others.  

I’ve joined a handful of you who also transitioned during this past week, including my dear bride who officially retired a week ago, last Thursday, June 30. 

This will take some adjustment.  I’ve been in the work force one way or another for a long time.  

First job: Contra Costa Times, AKA “The Green Sheet” as a Carrier.  Yes, it was printed on green newspaper, and it was an early morning paper.  I often went to elementary school with green ink on my hands.  

Longest job: 1967-1996 (Sometimes part time, other times full time, and lots and lots of donated time.)  Working for my father’s cable tv company, Western Cable Enterprises, as a Laborer, Mechanic, Installer, Technician, commercial size (the really large ones) Satellte Dish Installer, and Vice President.  He also had a safety company called Action Barricade that kept us busy.  It also included a stint as a Bar Manager.  After my dad “retired,” he owned a popular bar in Ventura, California.  When he became terminal ill, I dropped out of law school and ran the bar for about a year before we sold it.  

Biggest case worked: TCI (Telecommunications, Inc.  At the time, the world’s largest cable TV provider) Nothing like taking something that started with a vehicle stop by some drug cops that turned up nothing other than a couple cable TV boxes in the trunk that looked damaged.  It eventually turned into a several month long case where I worked jointly with the FBI and the IRS Criminal Investigation Divison that resulted in six search warrants being simultaneously executed in three time zones in four different states, not to mention a questionable suicide that turned out to be a related murder.  It was intense and fun.   

Best job: Chief of Security and Fire for Delaware North in Yosemite National Park.  Awesome place and an awesome team.  

All the other jobs were fine for their time, but they just get the “Participant” ribbons.   

I’ve got a wide variety of projects lined up, so I’ll stay busy for some time to come.  Travel will happen too.  Unfortunately because of our recent lifestyle, we haven’t swung a golf club in over three years.  Nevertheless, Kari Stone has a goal to golf in every state, and we are about a third of the way through the list. 

First order of business for retirement is to dress for success so I may need to go out and buy a selection of oversized Hawaiian and bowling style shirts, short pants with plenty of cargo pockets, and the ubiquitous New Balance shoes.  

Happy trails.

The last employed tour of duty: