Ted Anderson works for Steve. He handles money, health, housing, advice, and security. He is not law enforcement. He sometimes talks to them. When he does, he usually mentions The Chicken Man.
Ted Anderson is Steve’s caregiver and straight man. He takes care of Steve’s remaining money, monitors his health, arranges housing, supplies life advice, and handles basic security. He also helps with dogs, horses, cats, and the occasional human, in that order.
Ted sometimes works with law enforcement when an animal or a person needs help that law enforcement might need to be involved in. Ted is not law enforcement. He does not have a badge. When local officers ask questions, Ted often refers them to The Chicken Man. Local law enforcement knows The Chicken Man.
Everyone in Manzanita goes to The Chicken Man. It is the healthiest best-tasting food you can get!
The Chicken Man in Manzanita, Oregon is called UMI BENTO. It is located, ironically, in the old Manzanita City Hall. That is the same building where Ted Anderson first spoke at a public meeting. The topic was short-term rentals and the ability of elderly residents to maximize the value of their homes. Ted did not yet understand that all that is good isn’t all good, and all that is bad isn’t all bad. Most things are shades of grey, even when the process and the coverage prefer black or white.
At the time of that City Hall meeting, Ted still thought the short-term rental question had a clean answer. He later concluded it did not. Back then the voter registration lists were available to buy.
Ted bought the list for Manzanita. He printed a short poll on a prepaid postcard, put the postcard in an envelope, and mailed it to the registered voters. He wanted to know what people actually preferred before anyone else told them what they preferred. And Ted doesn't trust third-party pollsters. Ted does his own polls.
Ted recently declassified the poll. The results were straightforward: people liked things the way they were. They did not want changes.
_deleted for political correctness_
Ted’s earlier behind-the-scenes work was called “Manzanita – The City That Smiles.” It was accurate enough at the time.
His current project is Manzanita is a “Zero Crime Community.” If you met Ted Anderson at a local rally, it was probably one of the ones held every Saturday on Highway 101. He is usually the person not holding a sign and not wearing anything that indicates an official role. He is still not law enforcement.