Monday, May 2, 2005 - This morning Nassau West Sheriff Kelly Bartram will report for duty in Tucson, fresh off his thirty day suspension during which time President Kelly K. Bartram was filling in for him.

During the Sheriff's time off, the President accepted the resignation on behalf of the Nassau West Transportation Workers' Union (NWTWU) of Secretary of State Wayland Bartram in Tucson.

The Secretary will be resigning his position as Assistant Manager of Huddleston Trucking Service, Inc., of Tucson, which will take effect on Friday, May 6, 2005. There is no immediate candidate to replace Bartram, who has been at the Tucson terminal since June of 2003. In the immediate future, Secretary Bartram will maintain a shortened part-time schedule with the company working about four hours per day.

Secretary Bartram has not disclosed his plans following his resignation, and he will remain the Secretary of State for Nassau West and the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV). It is unclear at this time whether the Secretary will retire (his 65th birthday is May 21) or continue working for another company.

According to a spokeperson for the NWTWU, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, Bartram is likely to return to a company he previously worked for in Phoenix. He reportedly will commence working for the Tucson branch office starting May 9. He will be doing work more suited to his specialties, and will earn more money, as well.

The company was not named by the NWTWU source, but it is a U.S. Customhouse Broker, and does business with Huddleston Trucking (as the agent for Forward Air, Inc.) frequently. If Bartram, indeed, becomes employed by this company, he likely will visit Huddleston Trucking with some regularity. It is rumored that the company is W.J. Byrnes & Co.

As for Huddleston Trucking, they will miss Bartram's service. President Bartram, the interim Terminal Manager (in the Sheriff's absence) had this to say, "We are very happy for Secretary Bartram. I think this is a good opportunity for him, and probably a job he'll excel in as he's done this type of work for about thirty years."

The President had been filling in at Huddleston since Monday, April 4, and continued to do so until Sunday, May 1, when the Sheriff returned from his recent suspension. The extra work hours will be added to the Sheriff's normal work hours (10-6, M-F) until a replacement for Secretary Bartram can be located.

The Nassau West Transportation Workers' Union is planning to ask Nassau West Military Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Danny Watkins to relocate to Benson and take up occupancy at the Capitol and employment at Huddleston Trucking's Tucson terminal to replace the Secretary.

This past weekend, President Bartram spent little time at the Capitol. Saturday, he worked from 9 AM until about 3:00 PM. Upon arrival at the Capitol, he commenced working on the Spread Eagle Saloon with Secretary Bartram. A new wall was built, installed, and drywalled late Saturday afternoon.

On Sunday, the President reported for work at 11 AM, did a local delivery and went to Phoenix to pick up freight for the Sheriff for this morning going to Sierra Vista, AZ. Then he went to Casa Grande to visit Nassau West Navy First Fleet Admiral Mike Gearhart, whose birthday was Saturday, and finally back to Tucson at around 9:30 PM.

During the return trip to the Capitol, Bartram heard on the radio that the Phoenix Suns had swept the Memphis Grizzlies four games to none in the first round of the 2005 NBA Playoffs. As a result, the Suns will move on into the second round (the Western Conference Semi-Finals) against either the Dallas Mavericks or the Houston Rockets. He was ectatic.

Bartram arrived at the Capitol at 10:13 PM. Immediately after entering the residence, he opened all the windows, started laundry, cleaned both bathrooms and both cat boxes, rounded up and removed the trash, and swept the floors. Everything is set up for the Sheriff's return to duty.

He had this to say regarding the Sheriff's return, "I hope that silly dingbat appreciates all I've endured for him! Hopefully this time off has helped his out-of-control temper problem. If not, I guess we'll have no choice but to execute him ... I'm just kidding!"