September 7-Citing safety violations and illegal activities, city officials issued a cease-and-desist order against the 3 Bears Motel and revoked its business license.

Located at 2717 S. 216th St. in the crime-infested Pacific Ridge area, 3 Bears Motel long had the highest percentage of police calls per room of all the hotels and motels in the city, according to city officials.

Illegal drug activity allegedly was rampant at the motel.

The city's action forced residents who occupied 16 of the motel's 24 units to scramble to find low-income housing, but officials said the action was for the tenants' own safety.

Service dog taken at store

September 9-Police were looking last week for a woman's service dog that may have been taken from a drug store.

The Yorkshire terrier named "Scooter" belongs to a woman who has a hearing impairment and history of seizures. The dog is able to tell when her blood sugar is too high or low and will jump in her lap and bark to warn her.

According to police, the dog jumped out of its owner's car while she was in the drug store on Pacific Highway South. Security camera video showed that two women followed the dog and a store employee, apparently assuming it belonged to the pair, told them the dog had to leave the store.

One of the women reportedly picked up the dog and left.

The dog is about 9 pounds and has black and light brown fur, and a small wart on the left side of its face near the whiskers. The dog was not wearing a collar.

Anyone with information about the dog or the woman is asked two call the Des Moines Police Department at 206-878-3301.

Gunman shoots girl in face

September 10-A 13-year-old girl was shot in the face by one of several men outside an apartment complex near the intersection of South 216th Street and 30th Avenue South-an area known by police for high drug- and gang-related crime.

The girl, who was conscious when she was taken to Harborview Medical Center, was reported in serious condition later in the week.

At last report, Des Moines police had not made an arrest but were pursuing "significant leads."

Witnesses reportedly told police that several men had been shooting a gun into the ground before one of them turned, pointed it and fired shots toward the girl, her sister and a male friend, who was grazed by a bullet.

Police investigators do not believe the shooting was random, but stopped short of calling it gang-related or saying the girl was the intended victim.

They also suggested a possible connection between the girl's shooting and a shooting in Seattle's Central Area several hours later in which two men were wounded.

Compiled by Ralph Nichols