Ten years ago this town was a place where folks locked their doors at night, not because they were scared but because it was just the polite thing to do after dark. Back when people still knew their neighbors and would wave if they drove by.

Now, Russia has made international headlines with the capture of a suspect in his sixties who fled across continents. He's suspected of shooting a general, a move that used to be unthinkable here but seems more common these days.

The arrest was a joint effort between Russian and UAE authorities, an example of how things work when people actually want them to work.

That’s not the first time we’ve seen this kind of cooperation. Last year it happened with another suspect who had fled to South America. They brought him back then too, which is more than can be said for some other situations involving criminals on our side of the pond.

The manhunt didn't just happen overnight. It took patience and persistence from everyone involved, something that seems lacking in a lot of other areas these days.

People used to say you couldn’t trust anyone outside your town limits. Now they’re saying you can’t trust anyone inside them either. It’s a sad time when people are more likely to point fingers than help each other out.

I’ve lived here 40 years and seen the changes firsthand. We used to have community, now we have suspicion.