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OUR OPINION
I have a lot to be thankful for. I have a wonderful family, good friends, love my job and my coworkers, have a warm house and plenty of food, and the best dog. Times are good.
As we get ready to celebrate my favorite holiday this week, I want to share a story about how grateful we are to live here in Newport.
As is typical in small towns, my kids tend to leave their bikes in the front yard, until Oct. 8, when we realized they were both missing. My kids are 8 and 11 and spend a lot of time riding around the neighborhood. My youngest, Cooper, started riding his bike to school this year. The joy on his face as he pedals off each morning is heart warming.
Needless to say, the kids were devasted when the bikes were stolen.
I wasn’t planning on reporting them missing. We were the ones who left the bikes in the front yard, easy for the taking, and I hated to burden the police department with a crime that was essentially our fault.
The day after we discovered they were missing, however, I did call dispatch and reported them gone.
We had photos and descriptions of the bikes, but we never noted serial numbers. We had bought Cooper’s bike from friends, and they did have the serial number. We handed over what we had to the Newport Police Department with little hope. The police officers told us there had been a rash of bicycle thefts in Newport.
Later that day, we got a knock on the door. It was police chief Wade Nelson, excitedly telling us they had found our daughter’s bicycle. It had been ridden across town and dumped. No worse for wear, we were so grateful to the NPD for finding Zoey’s bicycle, which we had just bought her a couple months prior.
Cooper has just about outgrown his bike, so we were OK with replacing it. Still, the violation of having something so dear to you stolen stung.
Unbelievably, about a month later – on election night actually – I received a phone call from the Newport Police Department. They had found Cooper’s bike too! It also had been ridden across town and dumped in some bushes.
Aside from the obvious joy our kids got from getting their beloved bicycles back, the best part of the ordeal was the manner in which the Newport Police Department handled the situation. They took two solen bikes – that had irresponsibly been left out in the yard – so seriously. And they were so joyous in reuniting these bikes with two little kids.
Thank you Chief Nelson and your officers. You are one of the many things we are grateful for this Thanksgiving season.
-Michelle C. Nedved
