We have received a lot of criticism on our Web site for publishing an article Tuesday about the arrest of Warren County Sheriff’s Deputy Andy McDowell on a charge of driving under the influence. I appreciate the few comments in support of our decision and I understand the anger expressed in the many comments.

Let me explain why we published the article.

First of all, it is our policy to publish serious charges against public officials and employees. We, the taxpayers, pay their salaries. We, the public, elect the officials to govern our city and county. We, the law-abiding, expect law enforcement personnel to obey the law.

In the case of embezzlement by a city employee, Bowling Green Chief Financial Officer Davis Cooper, we published the story.

In the cases of misappropriation of funds, embezzlement and DUI against then-County Attorney Mike Caudill, we published the story.

No one criticized our decision to publish those articles.

In all honesty, the case of Andy McDowell was just as clear cut. Driving under the influence is the leading cause of fatal accidents on Kentucky roads. Several commenters mentioned that they had lost loved ones in alcohol-related accidents.

That McDowell suffered the deaths of his two sons the same night is a tragedy of almost unimaginable proportions. As a parent, I have suffered nightmares about losing my two children. I feel a tremendous amount of sympathy for Mr. McDowell – sympathy that is felt throughout this newspaper.

But Andy McDowell is a sworn law enforcement officer, and as such is held to a higher standard by not just this newspaper, but by the public. We knew this article would hurt McDowell and his family. We knew it would anger many people. But one of the things a newspaper must have is the trust of its readers. If we had protected McDowell by not publishing the story, how can anyone be sure we wouldn’t protect the next Davis Cooper or Mike Caudill?

And yes, if I get a DUI, you can be assured an article about it will be in the newspaper.

Mike Alexieff

Managing Editor

– Alexieff can be reached at 783-3235 or malexieff@bgdailynews.com

DeFebbo will be great asset to city government

Our city should feel fortunate to have a man of new City Manager Kevin DeFebbo’s caliber.

Since he began work Jan. 2, he has hit the ground running, meeting department heads, sitting through a city commission meeting and interviewing applicants for the vacant chief financial officer slot.

DeFebbo, who replaced former City Manager Chuck Coates, has an interesting view of running city government – he wants to run it like a private business, seeking internal efficiency and providing the best possible service at the lowest cost.

This should be a sound approach. We certainly support his intent to ensure the most is made of our tax dollars.

DeFebbo, 50, has a wealth of experience in helping run governments.

Before being hired in Bowling Green on Nov. 3, he managed Schenectady County, N.Y., a government twice the size of ours.

This perspective should give DeFebbo valuable insight as he becomes more engaged in his new responsibilities.

One focus of DeFebbo that we like is his commitment to downtown revitalization.

He believes that attracting more homeowners and businesses downtown will make it more than just a pit stop for a couple of hours, as it sometimes is now.

He wants to create an &#822018-hour downtown.”

A lot of progress has been made downtown toward that goal, but more work is needed and DeFebbo seems to have the energy and vision to help make that happen.

&#8220The downtown could be more vibrant than now. It completes the community,” he said.

Another goal that DeFebbo wants to work on is adding more jobs to the community.

&#8220It’s all about jobs; it sustains our community,” DeFebbo said. &#8220We have to compete economically.”

DeFebbo said that living in Bowling Green and his new job have been everything he thought and more.

We welcome DeFebbo to our community and look forward to seeing Bowling Green move forward during his tenure.