Westside Story Newspaper – Online The News of The Empire – Sharing the Quest for Excellence
By Naomi K. Bonman
As a Journalist and being able to interview people of all walks of life from celebrities to people in the community, my favorite stories and interviews are always from the locals; the people that you run into every day. In 2012, I interviewed Shawn O’Connell when he was running for Rialto City Council. He had a very gentle, sweet, and down to earth spirit. His love for the community was made him best fit to be a councilmember. The recent news of his passing was definitely a shock. Although, I only got to interact with him a couple times after the interview, he will definitely be remembered throughout the City of Rialto and in San Bernardino County.
In addition to his seat on Rialto’s council, O’Connell ran a patrol team and was a crisis negotiator for the SWAT team. He was Officer of the Year in 1998. He had never seen himself stepping into the world of politics, yet his mother who served on an East Coast school board instilled in him a passion for public service.
Author: Naomi K. Bonman
Naomi K. Bonman is a Digital Content Curator, Journalist, Marketing Manager, and Editor. She is the editor of the westside Story Newspaper. She is also the Founder and CEO of Awakened Lounge (www.theawakenedlounge.com)
