Today’s walk took me past Fresno City Hall, where I was honored to serve as press secretary for Mayor Ashley Swearengin. My time there provided me with four of the most rewarding and fulfilling years of my professional life — too bad I was there for five years! Sigh.

I’m a state government guy (I spent 17 years in state government in Pennsylvania), but I enjoyed working in local government with some extremely talented and dedicated people. We worked hard, had fun, and accomplished some important goals that helped move Fresno forward.

One of my most infamous “accomplishments” involved a security effort where staff members could be safely escorted to their cars in the winter months when it turned dark before most people left the building. I enthusiastically sent out a city-wide email with the subject: “After Dark Escort Service.”

Oops! Not the most artful description of this effort, and it didn’t take long to hear from dozens of city employees about the name. We changed the name, and I kept my job – but I still hear about it from some of my colleagues to this day even though it happened more than 10 years ago.

I also named the mayor’s car “Hair Force One.” If you know, you know.

Standing with the late, great Fresno Bee reporter George Hostetter outside Fresno City Hall.

By the numbers:

Miles walked: 15.3

Miles to go: 2,914.7

Days until my 70th birthday (unofficial goal for completion): 444

Average daily miles needed to reach goal: 6.56