Gary Blackwell, Sheriff Scott Childers and Geremy Pearce have tossed their hats in the ring in the bid for Ray County Sheriff. The three answered questions for the crowd attending the Richmond News Political Forum. Each candidate was allowed two minutes for an opening statement. Blackwell: “I’d like to thank you for coming out. My name is Gary Blackwell and I’m a candidate to be your Ray County Sheriff. I have lived in Ray County since 1996, bought land, cleared land, built a house, raised my family and purchased a cemetery plot right down the road. So, my commitment to staying in Ray County is pretty well established. I am a 23-plus-year veteran of the Missouri Army, National Guard Army, reserve, and active duty Army. I served in Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. I have over 14 years of law enforcement experience with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, having served in numerous capacities. There is one thing I need to mention; if you notice…