January 2007

SeaTac City Councilman Tony Anderson has been caught up in a controversy over sexually explicit emails exchanged on Port of Seattle Police computers.

Anderson, a Port Police lieutenant, is a budget administrator who no longer works in the division where the alleged incidents occurred.

Anderson was cleared of charges from 1997 that, as a sergeant, he was viewing inappropriate sexual material on a computer.

He said he was trying to eliminate the e-mails and games after seeing another officer viewing them.

But the department upheld infraction violations

(Editor's Note: This week, Jerry spins tales of long-ago banditos and an angry pit bull.)

Meet Bill Jury

He was there when two ex-cons robbed the liquor store in White Center.

This affable former clerk was one of three people who were still on duty at closing time when two former convicts rushed through the door of the liquor store in April 1959 with guns drawn and ordered everyone to hit the floor.

Manager John Delaurenti had gone home but assistant manager Gino Centioli and his crew, clerks Bob Brown, Helen Anderson and Bill Jury, needed no urging

Unlicensed pets could fetch a hefty fine this year if Seattle Animal Shelter officers can catch them.

Thanks to a $250,000 boost in its annual budget the shelter has hired three additional officers, increasing its patrol staff to 15 as part of its "zero-tolerance policy."

Officers will be out patrolling parks, off-leash areas and neighborhoods in excess of 100 hours per week, up from 20 hours per week during the last few years, said Don Jordan, director of the Seattle Animal Shelter.

"It really gives us the opportunity to expand our services," he said.

Washington State Ferries began its winter sailing schedule this month, which will continue through March.

Weekend service on the Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth route was reduced from three vessels to two.

The winter season is traditionally a slow season for the ferry system so seasonal cuts and changes in service are made to save money.

A man living on Bonair SW called 911 to say someone had shot a hole through a window and kicked in his front door. Officers arrived and, in addition to the tenant, found two men on the scene - both of whom had prior history involving dangerous drugs. But it was the tenant who landed in King County Jail. A convicted felon, he was wanted on a felony warrant and possessed a shotgun, which is against the law. In addition, in plain view, officers found 38.9 grams of marijuana, small baggies and scales, and methamphetamine pipes.

As stated in our first letter written in July, "To Our Cherished Guests," we would keep everyone posted as to any change in our status or timeline. The first bit of news is that the landlord has told us that it is very likely we will be here thought all of 2007. Apparently the permitting process is slow going and is taking additional time. Originally, it looked like we would be out in March or April so we look forward to seeing you here throughout the year.

The second, the sign for the "Permit Meeting" has been posted at the restaurant.

It isn't that Harold Crick doesn't care, he just doesn't know how to. The blandest of accounting wonks, Harold understands numbers not people and his self-awareness of this essential character flaw causes a slight stab of pain that is as close to emotion as Harold gets.

It looked like a war zone. There was devastation everywhere. Yellow crime scene tape cordoned off the worst areas, areas that could still be dangerous to enter. Bypassing those spots I waded on through a sea of broken and severed limbs. It was a sad sight, but morbid curiosity kept me going. Many of the victims were old, very old. In an attempt to determine the age of one of the fallen I crouched down beside the corpse and started counting. The count came to one hundred and fifty. This fallen tree in Lincoln Park was well over a century old.

Bill Jury was there when two ex-cons robbed the liquor store in White Center.

This affable former clerk was one of three people who were still on duty at closing time when two former convicts rushed through the door of the liquor store in April 1959 with guns drawn and ordered everyone to hit the floor.

Manager John Delaurenti had gone home but assistant manager Gino Centioli and his crew, clerks Bob Brown, Helen Anderson and Bill Jury needed no urging and hit the hardwood while the crooks rifled the till and grabbed wallets.

At 7 p.m. Jan. 8, friends of mine in the Garfield High School Vocal Jazz Ensemble performed at Jazz Alley alongside Alan Merrihew, a popular jazz saxophonist and a proud father of a 2006 Garfield graduate. I was lucky enough to have been invited by a friend of mine in the choir. After being poked and prodded for the entire preceding week by said friend, I finally got around to asking my parents about going the day of the performance. Surprisingly, they eagerly agreed.

I didn't know the details about what I was about to attend, but I was eager to see my friends perform.