At work we just had a discussion about what we as employees of Point Roberts Press can and cannot post on the various social networking media in which we are involved. Specific mention was aimed at me and the assistant editor; the ones who do most the writing for our publications.
Long story short, this blog will have to be put on hold until further notice. Sorry to any loyal readers I may have had.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
2010 Whatcom County Elections: A Sea of Red
The tallies keep coming in for the elections in my new home county of Whatcom, and it looks as though Republicans are poised to take all three seats up for grabs in Washington's 42nd legislative district, the one I call home.
Local voters got to choose who would fill the 42nd district's state senate seat and both of its state house seats. According to the most recently updated information from the Washington secretary of state's website, Republican Doug Ericksen, currently a state representative from Ferndale, has taken the state senate seat in his battle against Democratic local businessman Pat Jerns. The margin here was pretty wide with a 23-percentage-point difference between them.
Blaine city councilman and Seattle firefighter Jason Overstreet has taken position 1 of the 42nd's state representative seat for the Republican side with 54.6 percent of the vote. His opponent, Bellingham police detective Al Jensen, garnered 45.3 percent of the vote. The biggest surprise of the election cycle, for the 42nd district at least, has been Republican Vincent Buys' steady lead over 17-year state representative position 2 incumbent Kelli Linville. Buys leads Linville by 5 percentage points after collecting 52.1 percent of the vote so far.
Washington seems to be following the national trend of Republican candidates, pushed on by fervent Tea Party activism, gaining a great deal of ground from the Democrats. Democrat Senator Patty Murray is practically neck-and-neck with her Republican challenger Dino Rossi. Additional vote tallying from Washington counties other than King, which houses Seattle, may indeed decide the race in Rossi's favor.
Reading a blog post from the Bellingham Herald's political reporter Sam Taylor made another interesting trend evident to me: more than a few Washington races have been handily decided for the conservative side, but the wave of Republican support only seemed to mildly dampen the six state-wide initiatives on the ballot.
Three of the initiatives that fell in line with conservative ideology passed with a fairly wide margin. Initiative 1053, passing with 65.6 percent of the vote, will force Washington's legislature to pass any measures increasing taxes by a two-thirds majority, something that has historically been difficult to do without one party's control of both houses.
Initiative 1098, which failed by a hefty 31 percentage points, would have created Washington's first state income tax for those earning $200,000 per year or more. It also would have lowered certain taxes for small businesses. The money made from this tax would have been used to fund education. For some reason, Washington's voting public did not want to touch this one with a 10-foot poll.
Washington voters also chose to repeal temporary taxes placed on soda, candy and bottled water. These taxes took effect just this year in July. Falling in line with the previous two initiatives, I-1107 passed with 62.9 percent of the vote.
With Washington's government being told to stop taxing the state residents, you'd think they would also want the state out of the workers' compensation insurance and hard liquor business.
Nope.
Washington's workers' comp program currently gives employ's two options: sign up for state insurance or become a registered self-insured business. Initiative 1082 would have added private insurance as a third option, thereby breaking the so-called "monopoly" that I-1082's proponents say the state has on industrial insurance. Voters defeated this free-market solution by a 7-percent margin.
Initiatives 1100 and 1105 would have privatized hard liquor sales, something which is currently solely the state's purview. Costco and Safeway spent a great deal of money to get these passed, about $1.36 million on I-1100, but to no avail. Voters rejected these initiatives. However, I-1100's defeat is less than certain because, with tallies still coming in, voters are rejecting it by a slim 51 percent margin.
As Seattle political blog Publicola noted, "Washington voters love their government, they just don't want to pay for it." This sentiment seems to sum up the 2010 election cycle in my adoptive home state.
Local voters got to choose who would fill the 42nd district's state senate seat and both of its state house seats. According to the most recently updated information from the Washington secretary of state's website, Republican Doug Ericksen, currently a state representative from Ferndale, has taken the state senate seat in his battle against Democratic local businessman Pat Jerns. The margin here was pretty wide with a 23-percentage-point difference between them.
Blaine city councilman and Seattle firefighter Jason Overstreet has taken position 1 of the 42nd's state representative seat for the Republican side with 54.6 percent of the vote. His opponent, Bellingham police detective Al Jensen, garnered 45.3 percent of the vote. The biggest surprise of the election cycle, for the 42nd district at least, has been Republican Vincent Buys' steady lead over 17-year state representative position 2 incumbent Kelli Linville. Buys leads Linville by 5 percentage points after collecting 52.1 percent of the vote so far.
Washington seems to be following the national trend of Republican candidates, pushed on by fervent Tea Party activism, gaining a great deal of ground from the Democrats. Democrat Senator Patty Murray is practically neck-and-neck with her Republican challenger Dino Rossi. Additional vote tallying from Washington counties other than King, which houses Seattle, may indeed decide the race in Rossi's favor.
Reading a blog post from the Bellingham Herald's political reporter Sam Taylor made another interesting trend evident to me: more than a few Washington races have been handily decided for the conservative side, but the wave of Republican support only seemed to mildly dampen the six state-wide initiatives on the ballot.
Three of the initiatives that fell in line with conservative ideology passed with a fairly wide margin. Initiative 1053, passing with 65.6 percent of the vote, will force Washington's legislature to pass any measures increasing taxes by a two-thirds majority, something that has historically been difficult to do without one party's control of both houses.
Initiative 1098, which failed by a hefty 31 percentage points, would have created Washington's first state income tax for those earning $200,000 per year or more. It also would have lowered certain taxes for small businesses. The money made from this tax would have been used to fund education. For some reason, Washington's voting public did not want to touch this one with a 10-foot poll.
Washington voters also chose to repeal temporary taxes placed on soda, candy and bottled water. These taxes took effect just this year in July. Falling in line with the previous two initiatives, I-1107 passed with 62.9 percent of the vote.
With Washington's government being told to stop taxing the state residents, you'd think they would also want the state out of the workers' compensation insurance and hard liquor business.
Nope.
Washington's workers' comp program currently gives employ's two options: sign up for state insurance or become a registered self-insured business. Initiative 1082 would have added private insurance as a third option, thereby breaking the so-called "monopoly" that I-1082's proponents say the state has on industrial insurance. Voters defeated this free-market solution by a 7-percent margin.
Initiatives 1100 and 1105 would have privatized hard liquor sales, something which is currently solely the state's purview. Costco and Safeway spent a great deal of money to get these passed, about $1.36 million on I-1100, but to no avail. Voters rejected these initiatives. However, I-1100's defeat is less than certain because, with tallies still coming in, voters are rejecting it by a slim 51 percent margin.
As Seattle political blog Publicola noted, "Washington voters love their government, they just don't want to pay for it." This sentiment seems to sum up the 2010 election cycle in my adoptive home state.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Thursday Police Report: Don't Drink and Drive
The two most interesting reports in today's Northern Light involve, as you might have guessed by the title, DUI charges. I know I usually come up with some sort of clever title for these posts, but I think this one most clearly captures the theme of today's reports.
Fortunately, no one involved in any of these cases was seriously injured.
The first report occurred on Thursday, October 21. While on patrol, a Blaine police officer spotted a car weaving back and forth across both lanes while driving north on Peace Portal Drive in downtown Blaine. The officer pulled the car over and initiated a rather interesting discussion with the driver.
In response to the officer's question on why the driver was weaving across both lanes, the driver replied, "Because I'm buzzed." When asked how much he had had to drink, the young man answered, "A lot." Both clearly the best answers to any such questions from police.
The officer conducted a roadside sobriety test on the man and confirmed he was telling the truth about his condition. The 21-year-old Lynden resident was released to his parents after being charged with driving under the influence.
The second report happened on Friday, October 22, not far from the Blaine high school football game. On Friday evening officers responded to a call about someone who appeared to be injured lying in the middle of Boblett Street near the Blaine primary school. Blaine police arrived and found an 18-year-old being tended to by his friends. After some interviews, officers gained a more complete understanding of what had transpired.
Apparently, the teen lying in the street had been hanging out the front passenger window of his friend's car attempting to fix the antenna. He fell out when his friend lost his grip on his feet. Now, this would not generally be considered a bad idea if it weren't for two things: the driver appeared to be intoxicated, and the car was moving.
The driver let go of his friend's feet to avoid hitting a quickly approaching power pole. The car avoided the solid hunk of wood, but apparently the amateur antenna repairman did not. After the injured teen was taken to the hospital, the driver was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, and the third 18-year-old passenger was arrested on suspicion of being a minor in possession of alcohol. Similar charges are apparently awaiting the injured teen's release from the hospital.
So, as if there weren't millions of other reasons to avoid the pastime: don't drink and drive.
Fortunately, no one involved in any of these cases was seriously injured.
The first report occurred on Thursday, October 21. While on patrol, a Blaine police officer spotted a car weaving back and forth across both lanes while driving north on Peace Portal Drive in downtown Blaine. The officer pulled the car over and initiated a rather interesting discussion with the driver.
In response to the officer's question on why the driver was weaving across both lanes, the driver replied, "Because I'm buzzed." When asked how much he had had to drink, the young man answered, "A lot." Both clearly the best answers to any such questions from police.
The officer conducted a roadside sobriety test on the man and confirmed he was telling the truth about his condition. The 21-year-old Lynden resident was released to his parents after being charged with driving under the influence.
The second report happened on Friday, October 22, not far from the Blaine high school football game. On Friday evening officers responded to a call about someone who appeared to be injured lying in the middle of Boblett Street near the Blaine primary school. Blaine police arrived and found an 18-year-old being tended to by his friends. After some interviews, officers gained a more complete understanding of what had transpired.
Apparently, the teen lying in the street had been hanging out the front passenger window of his friend's car attempting to fix the antenna. He fell out when his friend lost his grip on his feet. Now, this would not generally be considered a bad idea if it weren't for two things: the driver appeared to be intoxicated, and the car was moving.
The driver let go of his friend's feet to avoid hitting a quickly approaching power pole. The car avoided the solid hunk of wood, but apparently the amateur antenna repairman did not. After the injured teen was taken to the hospital, the driver was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, and the third 18-year-old passenger was arrested on suspicion of being a minor in possession of alcohol. Similar charges are apparently awaiting the injured teen's release from the hospital.
So, as if there weren't millions of other reasons to avoid the pastime: don't drink and drive.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Hunting Bigfoot Update: My First Contact
Before I get anyone's hopes up, I don't mean my first contact with the mythical beast known as bigfoot. If that did happen, the first place I turn to would most likely not be my blog but rather my apartment for a change of pants.
Today I got an e-mail from a woman calling herself Vilnoori (she asked her real identity be hidden). She seems to be a regular participant on the Bigfoot Forums. She found my work e-mail address on a post I had made there asking for people in the Mt. Baker to talk to about bigfoot. Her e-mail to me concisely and clearly explained an alleged bigfoot experience she had had in a wooded area near Sumas, Washington, which is about half an hour east of Blaine. She even included photos.
She told me that a few years ago on a walk in the woods near Sumas, she came across some (to her eyes, at least) larger-than-human footprints in the mud and a few large broken branches. She said the larger of the two footprints was 17 inches long and the smaller was about 10 inches. While in this area, she also heard a strange humming sound she described as like that "...made by a large child inside a hollow culvert." She also found a tree that had been pushed over and a collection of small pebbles piled up in a nearby creek.
While she admitted she was on the fence about the existence of bigfoot, she did offer a possible explanation for the scene she came across. She suspected it might have been a play area of sorts for a young bigfoot accompanied by its mother, thus explaining the varying sizes of footprint and the broken branches.
The photos she included in the e-mail, while appreciated, didn't really show much of anything. The size of the human-like footprints was unclear, and the pile of pebbles in the stream was out of focus. I sent her an e-mail asking some questions about the circumstances of her discovery. I eagerly await her reply.
To sum up, Vilnoori seems to have seen something she did not immediately understand and has done her best to explain it given the available information. That's really all anyone can ask of someone who has experienced something unusual. Her story is not proof of bigfoot living in the area by any means, but I appreciate that she made the effort to come to me and say: I don't know what this, here's what I think, and here are some pictures. I hope everyone I meet while researching this story is as helpful and reasonable as she has been.
Today I got an e-mail from a woman calling herself Vilnoori (she asked her real identity be hidden). She seems to be a regular participant on the Bigfoot Forums. She found my work e-mail address on a post I had made there asking for people in the Mt. Baker to talk to about bigfoot. Her e-mail to me concisely and clearly explained an alleged bigfoot experience she had had in a wooded area near Sumas, Washington, which is about half an hour east of Blaine. She even included photos.
She told me that a few years ago on a walk in the woods near Sumas, she came across some (to her eyes, at least) larger-than-human footprints in the mud and a few large broken branches. She said the larger of the two footprints was 17 inches long and the smaller was about 10 inches. While in this area, she also heard a strange humming sound she described as like that "...made by a large child inside a hollow culvert." She also found a tree that had been pushed over and a collection of small pebbles piled up in a nearby creek.
While she admitted she was on the fence about the existence of bigfoot, she did offer a possible explanation for the scene she came across. She suspected it might have been a play area of sorts for a young bigfoot accompanied by its mother, thus explaining the varying sizes of footprint and the broken branches.
The photos she included in the e-mail, while appreciated, didn't really show much of anything. The size of the human-like footprints was unclear, and the pile of pebbles in the stream was out of focus. I sent her an e-mail asking some questions about the circumstances of her discovery. I eagerly await her reply.
To sum up, Vilnoori seems to have seen something she did not immediately understand and has done her best to explain it given the available information. That's really all anyone can ask of someone who has experienced something unusual. Her story is not proof of bigfoot living in the area by any means, but I appreciate that she made the effort to come to me and say: I don't know what this, here's what I think, and here are some pictures. I hope everyone I meet while researching this story is as helpful and reasonable as she has been.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Hunting Bigfoot: The Journey Begins
Before I begin discussing the search for an allegedly extant bipedal primate in the forests of my adoptive home of Washington, I want to make one thing clear: I am a skeptic when it comes to bigfoot. Hell, I'm a skeptic when it comes to anything for which their is scant or no evidence. The existence of the "paranormal" would indeed be interesting, but I, like many others, need some hard evidence to back up the host of paranormal claims out there.
With that said, I have had an interest in the cultural phenomenon known as bigfoot since I was child. It's that interest and a recent assignment at work that have lead me to write this post.
Point Roberts Press, the publishers of The Northern Light, also puts out a quarterly publication called Mount Baker Experience, which covers outdoor-type activities in the Mt. Baker foothills area. Our Winter 2011 issue is coming up, and I pitched the loosely formed idea of writing an article about bigfoot hunting in the foothills area.
The point of this post and subsequent ones is to keep the audience of this blog, if there is one, updated on the status of this particular story. I am doing this for the bigfoot article because the topic and those intent on finding the creature are of particular interest to me. So, without further ado, here's what I've done so far.
My search first brought me to BigfootForums.com, an online forum where all manner of bigfoot-interested folk can come and discuss sightings of the creature all across the U.S. and dish on investigative techniques and equipment. My first cursory perusing of this site turned up pretty much what I expected: people who genuinely believe something is out there and have devoted varying sections of there lives to finding out what it is.
From this site I became aware of a book published in 1995 called "Where Bigfoot Walks: Crossing the dark Divide," which is about a rather well-known encounter with a group of alleged bigfoots (bigfeet?) near Mt. St. Helens in the early 1900s. At least it seems to be, I have yet to read it. The author, Robert Michael Pyle, still lives in Washington and runs The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. I sent an e-mail to the group's e-mail address asking for contacts for any bigfoot "investigators" in the Mt. Baker area. I have yet to see a reply.
Further investigation of the Bigfoot Forums lead me to the Washington Sasquatch Research Team based in the Mt. Rainier area. I e-mailed Steve Schauer, one of the founding Steves of the WSRT, about research and sightings in the Mt. Baker area. He said he did not know of any groups poking around on Mt. Baker and that his group sticks to Mt. Rainier.
Long story short, I have not made much headway for this story. Hopefully the weeks to come will provide me with some usable leads.
With that said, I have had an interest in the cultural phenomenon known as bigfoot since I was child. It's that interest and a recent assignment at work that have lead me to write this post.
Point Roberts Press, the publishers of The Northern Light, also puts out a quarterly publication called Mount Baker Experience, which covers outdoor-type activities in the Mt. Baker foothills area. Our Winter 2011 issue is coming up, and I pitched the loosely formed idea of writing an article about bigfoot hunting in the foothills area.
The point of this post and subsequent ones is to keep the audience of this blog, if there is one, updated on the status of this particular story. I am doing this for the bigfoot article because the topic and those intent on finding the creature are of particular interest to me. So, without further ado, here's what I've done so far.
My search first brought me to BigfootForums.com, an online forum where all manner of bigfoot-interested folk can come and discuss sightings of the creature all across the U.S. and dish on investigative techniques and equipment. My first cursory perusing of this site turned up pretty much what I expected: people who genuinely believe something is out there and have devoted varying sections of there lives to finding out what it is.
From this site I became aware of a book published in 1995 called "Where Bigfoot Walks: Crossing the dark Divide," which is about a rather well-known encounter with a group of alleged bigfoots (bigfeet?) near Mt. St. Helens in the early 1900s. At least it seems to be, I have yet to read it. The author, Robert Michael Pyle, still lives in Washington and runs The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. I sent an e-mail to the group's e-mail address asking for contacts for any bigfoot "investigators" in the Mt. Baker area. I have yet to see a reply.
Further investigation of the Bigfoot Forums lead me to the Washington Sasquatch Research Team based in the Mt. Rainier area. I e-mailed Steve Schauer, one of the founding Steves of the WSRT, about research and sightings in the Mt. Baker area. He said he did not know of any groups poking around on Mt. Baker and that his group sticks to Mt. Rainier.
Long story short, I have not made much headway for this story. Hopefully the weeks to come will provide me with some usable leads.
Thursday Police Report: Hot for Teacher and Crab Walk
This week's police report provided two items of interest. The first event took place on Thursday, October 14, in the halls of learning known as Blaine high school, though the police report is dated October 15. For some reason, administrators at the high school waited a day to call in this little gem.
The high school reported that on Thursday a 15-year-old student had used a bottle of spray-on cologne in a way the manufacturers probably did not intended. The boy allegedly doused a backpack in the smelly substance and set the bag blaze all while in the confines of his classroom with fellow students watching. Spray-on cologne, like most things that come in an aerosol can, is flammable.
The school did not report any damage to personnel or property. Police conducted an investigation on October 15 by interviewing the student and other witnesses. The school has taken administrative action, and the police have sent a report to juvenile prosecutors. The boy could be charged with reckless endangerment and reckless burning.
The second police report of note was fortunately a little less dangerous. Shortly before midnight on Saturday, October 16, police came across a man walking along Peace Portal Drive in Blaine carrying a large stainless steel cooking pot. What bit of illegality the police thought the man was going to commit with the piece of kitchenware is unknown.
The police discovered upon stopping that man that the pot was filled with cooked crab. The man was apparently enjoying a harmless, if a tad unusual, midnight snack as he wandered the streets. The traveler did have outstanding warrants against him, but they were from other counties meaning Blaine police could not arrest him.
The man was allowed to finish his crustacean feast in peace.
The high school reported that on Thursday a 15-year-old student had used a bottle of spray-on cologne in a way the manufacturers probably did not intended. The boy allegedly doused a backpack in the smelly substance and set the bag blaze all while in the confines of his classroom with fellow students watching. Spray-on cologne, like most things that come in an aerosol can, is flammable.
The school did not report any damage to personnel or property. Police conducted an investigation on October 15 by interviewing the student and other witnesses. The school has taken administrative action, and the police have sent a report to juvenile prosecutors. The boy could be charged with reckless endangerment and reckless burning.
The second police report of note was fortunately a little less dangerous. Shortly before midnight on Saturday, October 16, police came across a man walking along Peace Portal Drive in Blaine carrying a large stainless steel cooking pot. What bit of illegality the police thought the man was going to commit with the piece of kitchenware is unknown.
The police discovered upon stopping that man that the pot was filled with cooked crab. The man was apparently enjoying a harmless, if a tad unusual, midnight snack as he wandered the streets. The traveler did have outstanding warrants against him, but they were from other counties meaning Blaine police could not arrest him.
The man was allowed to finish his crustacean feast in peace.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Thursday Police Report: A Myriad Malfeasances
This week's edition provided not one, not two but four police reports that caught my eye and made me chuckle just a little on the inside. With an end to the preamble and no more ado, I present this week's offerings.
The first one occurred on Wednesday, October 6, with a woman who maybe should have tried just a little harder to pull one over on the Blaine police department. Police reportedly stopped her car after receiving information that she was driving with a suspended license. Once the officer pulled her over, the driver allegedly gave a false name. The officer was able to see through this rouse quite easily, though, because the name tag the woman was wearing on her blouse clearly displayed her true name; the name under which the car was registered.
After probably the shortest investigation into false identity ever, the officer arrested the 44-year-old Ferndale resident on suspicion of driving with a suspended license, obstructing an officer and other traffic citations. The car was impounded and the woman was booked into jail; presumably under her real name.
On Friday, October 8, a hunter from New Mexico was stopped at the border and asked if he was carrying any weapons.The man reported that he had been, that is until he decided to stash them in the bushes at the Blaine cemetery for safe keeping.
Canadian customs officials arranged for the man to meet with Blaine police at the cemetery to retrieve his weapons. After the rendezvous, police gave the man a warning and information on better places to store weapons, other than random shrubbery.
On that same day, Blaine police responded to a 5 a.m. call from a business on Peace Portal Drive that some possibly foul business could be afoot. Once on scene, police found that someone had left 55 dozen eggs on the doorstep of the business. An employee there said the business had not placed any such order.
After some further investigation, Blaine police were unable to find the rightful owners of the 660 tiny gifts. In the spirit of goodwill and charity, Blaine police and customs and border protection agents transported the eggs to the Blaine food bank.
Finally, on Saturday, October 9, Halloween reportedly came about 21 days too early for some store clerks collecting shopping carts in a store parking lot on H Street late in the evening. A yellow pickup truck carrying what appeared to be folks in goblin masks showed up and cruised the parking lot for a while, apparently to the dismay of the clerks trying to do their job. Blaine police were called, but the pickup reportedly fled before the mischief makers could be brought to justice. I sure would not want to be working that parking lot come Halloween night.
The first one occurred on Wednesday, October 6, with a woman who maybe should have tried just a little harder to pull one over on the Blaine police department. Police reportedly stopped her car after receiving information that she was driving with a suspended license. Once the officer pulled her over, the driver allegedly gave a false name. The officer was able to see through this rouse quite easily, though, because the name tag the woman was wearing on her blouse clearly displayed her true name; the name under which the car was registered.
After probably the shortest investigation into false identity ever, the officer arrested the 44-year-old Ferndale resident on suspicion of driving with a suspended license, obstructing an officer and other traffic citations. The car was impounded and the woman was booked into jail; presumably under her real name.
On Friday, October 8, a hunter from New Mexico was stopped at the border and asked if he was carrying any weapons.The man reported that he had been, that is until he decided to stash them in the bushes at the Blaine cemetery for safe keeping.
Canadian customs officials arranged for the man to meet with Blaine police at the cemetery to retrieve his weapons. After the rendezvous, police gave the man a warning and information on better places to store weapons, other than random shrubbery.
On that same day, Blaine police responded to a 5 a.m. call from a business on Peace Portal Drive that some possibly foul business could be afoot. Once on scene, police found that someone had left 55 dozen eggs on the doorstep of the business. An employee there said the business had not placed any such order.
After some further investigation, Blaine police were unable to find the rightful owners of the 660 tiny gifts. In the spirit of goodwill and charity, Blaine police and customs and border protection agents transported the eggs to the Blaine food bank.
Finally, on Saturday, October 9, Halloween reportedly came about 21 days too early for some store clerks collecting shopping carts in a store parking lot on H Street late in the evening. A yellow pickup truck carrying what appeared to be folks in goblin masks showed up and cruised the parking lot for a while, apparently to the dismay of the clerks trying to do their job. Blaine police were called, but the pickup reportedly fled before the mischief makers could be brought to justice. I sure would not want to be working that parking lot come Halloween night.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Thursday police report will be late
I know it's pretty early for me to delay the Thursday Police Reports, since I just started them two weeks ago, but I was incredibly busy today and not able to post it.
Look for it tonight or early tomorrow morning. Maybe I'll call it the late edition.
Look for it tonight or early tomorrow morning. Maybe I'll call it the late edition.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Dwight Clark Update: Autopsy Completed
According to a press release from the city of Bellingham, an autopsy has been completed on the body of Dwight Clark, the Western student who had been missing since Sept. 26. Through dental records and other identifying methods, the results have confirmed the identity of the body as Clark.
The autopsy revealed that the body appeared to have been in the water, where it was found, the entire time Clark was missing and that the death occurred in the water. The body did not appear to have any external or internal injuries, and there were no signs of inflicted trauma.
The finalization of the autopsy, which will include a toxicology of the body and official cause of death report, will occur within the next six to eight weeks.
The autopsy revealed that the body appeared to have been in the water, where it was found, the entire time Clark was missing and that the death occurred in the water. The body did not appear to have any external or internal injuries, and there were no signs of inflicted trauma.
The finalization of the autopsy, which will include a toxicology of the body and official cause of death report, will occur within the next six to eight weeks.
Thursday Police Report: Teenage Indiscretions
Two smaller police reports from The Northern Light today, both involving teenagers having things on their person that really should not have been there.
The first one happened on Friday, Oct. 1. Blaine police contacted a 17-year-old smoking a cigarette on a street just north of downtown Blaine. The police wanted to know more about the teen's illegal possession of a pack of cigarettes; they had no idea he was also in possession of something else.
As the teenager removed the pack of smokes from his pants pocket, a tablet of ecstasy accompanied the cigarettes on their journey. Police tested the tablet on-site and secured it as evidence. The teenager was booked into Whatcom County's juvenile detention facility on investigation of felony drug possession.
The second report happened on Monday, Oct. 4, and tells the story of an 18-year-old who felt the need for some urgent hair care, apparently. The teenager was stopped by the security guard of a local convenience store as she was on her way out. She was allegedly carrying bottles of shampoo, conditioner and mousse; all of which she allegedly had no intention of paying for.
A Blaine police officer arrived at the store and arrested the teen on suspicion of shoplifting. She was later released with a court date. The pilfered hair products were returned to the store, unharmed.
The first one happened on Friday, Oct. 1. Blaine police contacted a 17-year-old smoking a cigarette on a street just north of downtown Blaine. The police wanted to know more about the teen's illegal possession of a pack of cigarettes; they had no idea he was also in possession of something else.
As the teenager removed the pack of smokes from his pants pocket, a tablet of ecstasy accompanied the cigarettes on their journey. Police tested the tablet on-site and secured it as evidence. The teenager was booked into Whatcom County's juvenile detention facility on investigation of felony drug possession.
The second report happened on Monday, Oct. 4, and tells the story of an 18-year-old who felt the need for some urgent hair care, apparently. The teenager was stopped by the security guard of a local convenience store as she was on her way out. She was allegedly carrying bottles of shampoo, conditioner and mousse; all of which she allegedly had no intention of paying for.
A Blaine police officer arrived at the store and arrested the teen on suspicion of shoplifting. She was later released with a court date. The pilfered hair products were returned to the store, unharmed.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
BREAKING: Body Found Near Bellingham Waterfront is Dwight Clark
According to a press release sent out by the City of Bellingham, police have confirmed a body found off a dock near the old Georgia Pacific plant in Bellingham this morning is that of missing Western student Dwight Clark.
The press release stated identification found on the body confirmed Clark's identity. The body, which was removed from the water at noon today, was found by a contractor in a small boat doing work for the Port of Bellingham. The body appeared as though it had been in the water for several days.
The Bellingham Herald as already posted something on this most recent development. The identify of the body has not been medically confirmed, and Clark's family has not released any statements on the discovery.
The press release stated identification found on the body confirmed Clark's identity. The body, which was removed from the water at noon today, was found by a contractor in a small boat doing work for the Port of Bellingham. The body appeared as though it had been in the water for several days.
The Bellingham Herald as already posted something on this most recent development. The identify of the body has not been medically confirmed, and Clark's family has not released any statements on the discovery.
Dwight Clark is Missing
I know I'm rather late to the party with this blog post about a missing Western student named Dwight Clark, but I figured since this is indeed happening between Bellingham and Blaine it deserves to be on my blog.
I will attempt to summarize the concrete information that exists about Clark's disappearance, which has been gleaned from the Bellingham Herald and my alma mater's student-run newspaper, The Western Front.
Clark allegedly disappeared in the early morning hours of Sunday, September 26 after walking back from a party on Indian Street, north of Western's campus. A reportedly prolific text-message sender, Clark has sent no text messages from his phone since 2 a.m. on Sept. 26. That's just more than a week ago.
Extensive searches by Bellingham Police and volunteers of the downtown area of Bellingham have turned up no clues to his disappearance. Police at this point have no reason to suspect foul play, and have officially called off their search efforts. They are continuing to follow up on leads and pursue the matter with their detectives. Volunteers, family and friends continue to organize search parties in attempts to find Clark.
In the most recent developments, the Front reported on a man who was seen on the evening of Oct. 4 scribbling a disturbing message on a flyer announcing Clark's disappearance. The message alluded to Clark's death after being stabbed. According to the Front, Bellingham Police say the man is not a viable suspect.
A well-written summary of Clark's disappearance and the subsequent search efforts published in the Front, with input from his roommates and family, can be found here.
Support can be offered to Clark's family and friends through the FIND Dwight Clark Facebook page. Anyone with any information regarding the disappearance should contact the Bellingham Police Department.
I will attempt to summarize the concrete information that exists about Clark's disappearance, which has been gleaned from the Bellingham Herald and my alma mater's student-run newspaper, The Western Front.
Clark allegedly disappeared in the early morning hours of Sunday, September 26 after walking back from a party on Indian Street, north of Western's campus. A reportedly prolific text-message sender, Clark has sent no text messages from his phone since 2 a.m. on Sept. 26. That's just more than a week ago.
Extensive searches by Bellingham Police and volunteers of the downtown area of Bellingham have turned up no clues to his disappearance. Police at this point have no reason to suspect foul play, and have officially called off their search efforts. They are continuing to follow up on leads and pursue the matter with their detectives. Volunteers, family and friends continue to organize search parties in attempts to find Clark.
In the most recent developments, the Front reported on a man who was seen on the evening of Oct. 4 scribbling a disturbing message on a flyer announcing Clark's disappearance. The message alluded to Clark's death after being stabbed. According to the Front, Bellingham Police say the man is not a viable suspect.
A well-written summary of Clark's disappearance and the subsequent search efforts published in the Front, with input from his roommates and family, can be found here.
Support can be offered to Clark's family and friends through the FIND Dwight Clark Facebook page. Anyone with any information regarding the disappearance should contact the Bellingham Police Department.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Thursday Police Report: Oregonian seeks audience with Queen, CIA
Since the weekly police reports found in the pages of The Northern Light are often a source of humor or downright amazement, I've decided to start posting my favorite(s) of the week each Thursday.
For the inaugural post in this series, I present an Oregon man who encountered some trouble on Wednesday, Sept. 22 while trying to cross the Peace Arch border into Canada. According to the report, officers were dispatched to the border to deal with a man who was having trouble crossing the border. The man explained he was attempting to get to British Columbia to meet up with the Queen and CIA agents but was not allowed to cross, to his surprise and dismay.
The man was convinced through his conversations with police to give up the .38 caliber revolver he was carrying along with some of the sharper, pointier weapons he had in his possession. Despite the helpfulness of the officers, he was not able to find his briefcase, which he said contained vital nuclear missile launch codes.
After officers were convinced that the man no longer had the ability to start global thermonuclear war, they sent him on his way back to Oregon. The report did not say whether or not the man returned to his home in Washington's neighbor to the south with his marbles intact.
For the inaugural post in this series, I present an Oregon man who encountered some trouble on Wednesday, Sept. 22 while trying to cross the Peace Arch border into Canada. According to the report, officers were dispatched to the border to deal with a man who was having trouble crossing the border. The man explained he was attempting to get to British Columbia to meet up with the Queen and CIA agents but was not allowed to cross, to his surprise and dismay.
The man was convinced through his conversations with police to give up the .38 caliber revolver he was carrying along with some of the sharper, pointier weapons he had in his possession. Despite the helpfulness of the officers, he was not able to find his briefcase, which he said contained vital nuclear missile launch codes.
After officers were convinced that the man no longer had the ability to start global thermonuclear war, they sent him on his way back to Oregon. The report did not say whether or not the man returned to his home in Washington's neighbor to the south with his marbles intact.
Friday, September 24, 2010
My First Non-School Day First Day of School
This Wednesday marked yet another first day of college for thousands of students attending Western Washington University in Bellingham. Books were purchased, classes were decided, and Red Square was once again filled with almost-adults skittering about to their proper classrooms.
Along with the 2,500 or so freshmen and transfers who counted Wednesday as their first day at Western, I experienced a completely different kind of first. Wednesday was the first day that I did not have to go back to Western. This year, school started without me because I am now a college graduate.
This day has of course been on the horizon since I graduated from Western on August 21. it has been on my mind quite a bit recently, however, mostly because of my girlfriend who is currently still a student at Western. Through her, I have gotten to experience all the usual stress and enjoyment of starting a new school year at Western: buying books, figuring out classes, getting to know roommates.
But now I've graduated. With no plans to go to graduate school in the near future, I can now enjoy my life without the worry of tests, homework or any arbitrary deadlines, such as the end of a quarter. While I work roughly 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, my evenings have become surprisingly free. I sometimes find it hard to find something to do with myself.
And that's where the nostalgia of student life has already begun to sink in. The last four years of my life have been dedicated to learning, first and foremost. Despite all the various stresses, both academic and not, college brings, I have genuinely enjoyed the learning opportunities given to me.
But now I'm out of college. My life from now on has an entirely new set of priorities. Learning for learning's sake unfortunately has the tendency to slip down the list in situations like this. I have realized encouraging myself to learn more about subjects that interest me, such as journalism and science, is entirely up to me.
At first, this realization seemed daunting to me. But after a full month of it setting in, I have decided to make it a challenge for myself. Though my college career is behind me, I pledge not to allow my love of knowledge to follow in-step.
Along with the 2,500 or so freshmen and transfers who counted Wednesday as their first day at Western, I experienced a completely different kind of first. Wednesday was the first day that I did not have to go back to Western. This year, school started without me because I am now a college graduate.
This day has of course been on the horizon since I graduated from Western on August 21. it has been on my mind quite a bit recently, however, mostly because of my girlfriend who is currently still a student at Western. Through her, I have gotten to experience all the usual stress and enjoyment of starting a new school year at Western: buying books, figuring out classes, getting to know roommates.
But now I've graduated. With no plans to go to graduate school in the near future, I can now enjoy my life without the worry of tests, homework or any arbitrary deadlines, such as the end of a quarter. While I work roughly 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, my evenings have become surprisingly free. I sometimes find it hard to find something to do with myself.
And that's where the nostalgia of student life has already begun to sink in. The last four years of my life have been dedicated to learning, first and foremost. Despite all the various stresses, both academic and not, college brings, I have genuinely enjoyed the learning opportunities given to me.
But now I'm out of college. My life from now on has an entirely new set of priorities. Learning for learning's sake unfortunately has the tendency to slip down the list in situations like this. I have realized encouraging myself to learn more about subjects that interest me, such as journalism and science, is entirely up to me.
At first, this realization seemed daunting to me. But after a full month of it setting in, I have decided to make it a challenge for myself. Though my college career is behind me, I pledge not to allow my love of knowledge to follow in-step.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
My Memory is A Little Foggy
I hope the paucity of posts this past week can be forgiven. These past few days have been especially busy at work and I have been feeling a bit under the weather.
On Monday and Tuesday of this week, maybe Wednesday, also, I can't exactly remember, I had the eerie pleasure of driving through a bit of fog on my way to work. Fog also greeted me as I arrived and hung around for some time on those days. The view from The Northern Light's second-story office usually gives a pretty good view of Canada just across the water. On the foggy days, however, visibility stopped just beyond the road that runs parallel to the water line.
With these instances included, I only have to use both my hands to count the number of times I've been in fog. Understandably, this came as a surprise to all my co-workers. Most of them were even more surprised to learn that the very first time I had ever been in fog was four years ago at the beginning of my freshman year at Western.
You see, fog does not happen much, at all really, in my hometown. I vividly remember how surreal it was to walk through it that night I experienced it for the first time. I also remember being a little angry, seeing as how that particular instance of fog delayed me from flying home for a few days.
Experiencing it again this week made me think back on my first weeks at Western,which were also my first weeks in the Pacific Northwest, and all the drastically different weather conditions it had to offer. With my adult life in this part of the country just barely beginning, I can't help but think what other unique aspects of this place will send memories of my earliest days here rushing back.
I guess only time will tell.
On Monday and Tuesday of this week, maybe Wednesday, also, I can't exactly remember, I had the eerie pleasure of driving through a bit of fog on my way to work. Fog also greeted me as I arrived and hung around for some time on those days. The view from The Northern Light's second-story office usually gives a pretty good view of Canada just across the water. On the foggy days, however, visibility stopped just beyond the road that runs parallel to the water line.
With these instances included, I only have to use both my hands to count the number of times I've been in fog. Understandably, this came as a surprise to all my co-workers. Most of them were even more surprised to learn that the very first time I had ever been in fog was four years ago at the beginning of my freshman year at Western.
You see, fog does not happen much, at all really, in my hometown. I vividly remember how surreal it was to walk through it that night I experienced it for the first time. I also remember being a little angry, seeing as how that particular instance of fog delayed me from flying home for a few days.
Experiencing it again this week made me think back on my first weeks at Western,which were also my first weeks in the Pacific Northwest, and all the drastically different weather conditions it had to offer. With my adult life in this part of the country just barely beginning, I can't help but think what other unique aspects of this place will send memories of my earliest days here rushing back.
I guess only time will tell.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Run 542
Before I get anyone's hopes up with that title, I want to say upfront that I did not attempt the 8.5 miles and 1,500 feet of elevation gain today as I have been saying I would for the last week. So this post will not be a re-cap of my experiences up there, as I initially thought it would be.
I chose not to run, and here's why.
For anyone not familiar, Run 542 is part of the larger event known as Festival 542 that is taking place this weekend along the Mt. Baker Highway (state route 542). The focus of the event is a 24.5 mile bike ride that starts in Glacier, WA, and ends at Artist Point; roughly 4,000 feet from the ride's beginning. The run starts near the beginning of the bike ride and winds its way up to Artist Point on a series of trails in the Mount Baker Ski Area and the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
Here's a map of the run. The steepness of some of its ascents really cannot be expressed accurately in words.
When I was first given the opportunity to participate in the run one week before it was scheduled to happen, I was hesitant but still extremely excited. Though my trail-running experience was almost nonexistent, I still felt, based on my previous backpacking experience, I could do the run in a reasonable amount of time. The friends and co-workers to whom I told the idea seemed surprised at my decision to do the run but also generally supportive.
Plus, I had never been up the Mt. Baker Highway. I felt the trip was one I needed to make to be a real Washingtonian, and I could not imagine a better way to do it than the run.
As the event drew closer, however, self doubt began to grow within me. I knew of a trail near Fairhaven in Bellingham, the Pine and Cedar Lake trail, that would just about simulate the conditions of the Mt. Baker run. The P and C trail is 1.6 miles and goes nearly straight up in the beginning, reaching an elevation gain of 1,300 feet. I thought that if I could do this trail a few times comfortably, I could just make the Mt. Baker run.
Though I had traversed this trail in the past with a friend, it seemed steeper than I remembered when I attempted it again last Wednesday. By about halfway, I had to turn back. My leg muscles were aching, and I was getting a little dizzy. I drove back home that night feeling disappointed in myself and more than a little sore.
As the weekend drew ever closer, I began to seriously think about why I felt the need to do this. I realized that from the beginning, I was never really doing this for me. I think because of all the people I told about it, I felt I would be letting them down if I decided not to go through with it; even as the reality of the Mt. Baker run being eight times what I could not do on Wednesday set in.
I finally made the concrete decision Saturday morning to not attempt the Mt. Baker run. I did, however, return to the P and C trail and completed one circuit. I was able to make it up and down again, about 3.4 miles, in roughly one hour and 15 minutes. Achieving this made me feel less bad about not going through with the Mt. Baker run. I averaged about 2 miles per hour, which is pretty good for me.
I returned to the P and C trail because, despite my self-disappointment, jogging the trail on Wednesday was genuinely fun. Trail running, I confirmed this morning, is definitely something of which I want to do more. Therein lies another reason I did not attempt Run 542: I did not want to start my experience in trail-running with a trip that would have most likely all but destroyed me. I did not want to have that sort of negative association with this budding hobby of mine.
Put simply, I just did not think I was ready for Run 542. There's always next year. Until then, I plan to keep running.
I chose not to run, and here's why.
For anyone not familiar, Run 542 is part of the larger event known as Festival 542 that is taking place this weekend along the Mt. Baker Highway (state route 542). The focus of the event is a 24.5 mile bike ride that starts in Glacier, WA, and ends at Artist Point; roughly 4,000 feet from the ride's beginning. The run starts near the beginning of the bike ride and winds its way up to Artist Point on a series of trails in the Mount Baker Ski Area and the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
Here's a map of the run. The steepness of some of its ascents really cannot be expressed accurately in words.
When I was first given the opportunity to participate in the run one week before it was scheduled to happen, I was hesitant but still extremely excited. Though my trail-running experience was almost nonexistent, I still felt, based on my previous backpacking experience, I could do the run in a reasonable amount of time. The friends and co-workers to whom I told the idea seemed surprised at my decision to do the run but also generally supportive.
Plus, I had never been up the Mt. Baker Highway. I felt the trip was one I needed to make to be a real Washingtonian, and I could not imagine a better way to do it than the run.
As the event drew closer, however, self doubt began to grow within me. I knew of a trail near Fairhaven in Bellingham, the Pine and Cedar Lake trail, that would just about simulate the conditions of the Mt. Baker run. The P and C trail is 1.6 miles and goes nearly straight up in the beginning, reaching an elevation gain of 1,300 feet. I thought that if I could do this trail a few times comfortably, I could just make the Mt. Baker run.
Though I had traversed this trail in the past with a friend, it seemed steeper than I remembered when I attempted it again last Wednesday. By about halfway, I had to turn back. My leg muscles were aching, and I was getting a little dizzy. I drove back home that night feeling disappointed in myself and more than a little sore.
As the weekend drew ever closer, I began to seriously think about why I felt the need to do this. I realized that from the beginning, I was never really doing this for me. I think because of all the people I told about it, I felt I would be letting them down if I decided not to go through with it; even as the reality of the Mt. Baker run being eight times what I could not do on Wednesday set in.
I finally made the concrete decision Saturday morning to not attempt the Mt. Baker run. I did, however, return to the P and C trail and completed one circuit. I was able to make it up and down again, about 3.4 miles, in roughly one hour and 15 minutes. Achieving this made me feel less bad about not going through with the Mt. Baker run. I averaged about 2 miles per hour, which is pretty good for me.
I returned to the P and C trail because, despite my self-disappointment, jogging the trail on Wednesday was genuinely fun. Trail running, I confirmed this morning, is definitely something of which I want to do more. Therein lies another reason I did not attempt Run 542: I did not want to start my experience in trail-running with a trip that would have most likely all but destroyed me. I did not want to have that sort of negative association with this budding hobby of mine.
Put simply, I just did not think I was ready for Run 542. There's always next year. Until then, I plan to keep running.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Head East on Badger Road
The title of this post is a a paraphrase of one of the directions Google Maps gave me today. I was trying to find a place called Sumas International Motorsport Academy in, surprisingly enough, Sumas, Washington.
This line stuck with me because going west is often colloquially used to denote going on some sort of adventure, or more generally, the spirit to travel into the unknown. Hundreds of thousands of not-quite-yet Americans did it to make this country what it is today. Before that, even larger numbers crammed their families onto boats or struck out on their own to find what they could find across that vast alien world we call the ocean.
On this occasion, however, I was heading east to some place I had never been; east across a state, like many others, whose very existence is owed to the idea of "going west." What I found going east genuinely surprised me and made me excited to discover what else my adoptive home has to offer in all directions of travel.
While heading east, I was shocked all over again at the sheer amount of green that covers Washington. A sort of green that wills itself into your field of vision. For someone raised in the browns and tans of Las Vegas, Washington's landscape says one thing:
"The Pacific Northwest is verdant, dammit, get used to it."
I found that the area's natural green is only one of its many shades. There is also a green that people have created and now tend: the green of agriculture. Perhaps it was just the road over which I traveled, but eastern Whatcom County seems to be filled with corn fields. Such fields even skirted my eventual destination, which brings me to my next observation from today.
Washington is a land of near-opposite juxtapositions. The rolling hills and grasses of eastern Washington next to the snow-capped peaks of the Cascades. The natural emerald of the state's forests with the man-made green of fields upon fields of corn and other crops. And today, I experienced one more to add to the list:
The tranquil, pastoral setting of a farm next to the tiny roaring engines of a racing kart track.
Of course, the karts were sleeping today on my visit to Sumas International Motorsport Academy. But the upcoming weekends will awaken them once again, and the ever-present smell of the dairy farm will mingle with that of burning rubber.
And because it's Washington, the two will fit together.
What's my point here with this long-winded description of about one and a half hours worth of driving? It's this: Washingtonians, both native-born and transplanted, should get out and explore their magnificent state. Pick up a compass, pick a direction, and just go.
You will not be disappointed.
This line stuck with me because going west is often colloquially used to denote going on some sort of adventure, or more generally, the spirit to travel into the unknown. Hundreds of thousands of not-quite-yet Americans did it to make this country what it is today. Before that, even larger numbers crammed their families onto boats or struck out on their own to find what they could find across that vast alien world we call the ocean.
On this occasion, however, I was heading east to some place I had never been; east across a state, like many others, whose very existence is owed to the idea of "going west." What I found going east genuinely surprised me and made me excited to discover what else my adoptive home has to offer in all directions of travel.
While heading east, I was shocked all over again at the sheer amount of green that covers Washington. A sort of green that wills itself into your field of vision. For someone raised in the browns and tans of Las Vegas, Washington's landscape says one thing:
"The Pacific Northwest is verdant, dammit, get used to it."
I found that the area's natural green is only one of its many shades. There is also a green that people have created and now tend: the green of agriculture. Perhaps it was just the road over which I traveled, but eastern Whatcom County seems to be filled with corn fields. Such fields even skirted my eventual destination, which brings me to my next observation from today.
Washington is a land of near-opposite juxtapositions. The rolling hills and grasses of eastern Washington next to the snow-capped peaks of the Cascades. The natural emerald of the state's forests with the man-made green of fields upon fields of corn and other crops. And today, I experienced one more to add to the list:
The tranquil, pastoral setting of a farm next to the tiny roaring engines of a racing kart track.
Of course, the karts were sleeping today on my visit to Sumas International Motorsport Academy. But the upcoming weekends will awaken them once again, and the ever-present smell of the dairy farm will mingle with that of burning rubber.
And because it's Washington, the two will fit together.
What's my point here with this long-winded description of about one and a half hours worth of driving? It's this: Washingtonians, both native-born and transplanted, should get out and explore their magnificent state. Pick up a compass, pick a direction, and just go.
You will not be disappointed.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Friday Night Lights
On the evening of Friday, September 3, I attended my first ever, and I do mean ever, high school football game. Sports in general never really interested me as a high-schooler. I had also always thought of the games as just another excuse for the popular kids, of which I never really was one, to coagulate into their predefined cliches. Of course, looking back at my time in high school now, I had no way of knowing if that actually took place, seeing as how I never attended one.
Last night changed all that.
As part of my new job at The Northern Light, I had been tasked with taking pictures at Blaine's football games while a freelancer with whom the paper had worked before wrote about them. In addition to the game being my first, the evening also represented my first experience with taking photos where that was my sole responsibility; as opposed to shooting something and also being expected to write about it. I was also more than a little excited to use my newly laminated press pass for the first time.
The evening could not have been a better one for shooting a game. The sky was absolutely clear and turned nearly all the colors in the visible spectrum as the earth rotated to reside deeper and deeper in its own shadow. Mount Baker stood like an immense referee in the far off distance. The smell of hastily made popcorn hung in the air and mingled with the sounds of myriad high-schoolers gossiping (at least my teenage impressions of high school football games were partially right).
During the week before the game, I had asked a photojournalist friend of mine who graduated from Western a quarter before me for some pointers on shooting sports. All her advice, high shutter speed, wide-open aperture, rushed through my head as I took test shots of the game to make sure the settings on my borrowed Nikon D50 were right. I knew, of course, that they would have to be continually adjusted as the natural light waned and the towering floodlights bathed the field in a synthetic glow.
Then the high school band struck up the school's fight song, and a crash of stampeding football players uniformed in black and orange, Blaine's colors, surged onto the field. Introductions for both teams commenced and ended. The game was about to begin.
Once the game started, my friend's advice kicked in once again and informed me on where to stand to get the best shot; that, and a little bit of following the lead of the four other photographers who were there. I eventually learned who among Blaine's team got the chance to touch the ball the most. As the night wore on, the most stressful bit was continually tweaking the camera's setting to cope with the hellishly lighted time of twilight. I unfortunately had to sacrifice a quick shutter speed, and being able to stop the fastest action, for properly exposed shots.
I finally understood how tough of a job shooting sports can be. Not only do you have to be aware of most everything going on around you, your camera has to be constantly adjusted to fit any changes in light conditions. All this while hustling up and down the field in order to find the best shot.
Overall, the experience was an incredibly positive one for me. I think I came away with some pretty decent shots, at least for my first time. Future games will hopefully only improve my skills.
Besides the experience of shooting sports for the first time, something else hit me that night: the realization of how much I had missed out on during my high school days by not going to football games. A brief conversation with an employee of the school district I had met in the first few weeks of my time at The Northern Light really stuck with me. He made the comment that this is what Friday nights are like in small-town America. I regret never having experienced it in my hometown of Las Vegas, but I am more than excited to be a part of the experience in my adoptive northwestern Washington home.
Last night changed all that.
As part of my new job at The Northern Light, I had been tasked with taking pictures at Blaine's football games while a freelancer with whom the paper had worked before wrote about them. In addition to the game being my first, the evening also represented my first experience with taking photos where that was my sole responsibility; as opposed to shooting something and also being expected to write about it. I was also more than a little excited to use my newly laminated press pass for the first time.
The evening could not have been a better one for shooting a game. The sky was absolutely clear and turned nearly all the colors in the visible spectrum as the earth rotated to reside deeper and deeper in its own shadow. Mount Baker stood like an immense referee in the far off distance. The smell of hastily made popcorn hung in the air and mingled with the sounds of myriad high-schoolers gossiping (at least my teenage impressions of high school football games were partially right).
During the week before the game, I had asked a photojournalist friend of mine who graduated from Western a quarter before me for some pointers on shooting sports. All her advice, high shutter speed, wide-open aperture, rushed through my head as I took test shots of the game to make sure the settings on my borrowed Nikon D50 were right. I knew, of course, that they would have to be continually adjusted as the natural light waned and the towering floodlights bathed the field in a synthetic glow.
Then the high school band struck up the school's fight song, and a crash of stampeding football players uniformed in black and orange, Blaine's colors, surged onto the field. Introductions for both teams commenced and ended. The game was about to begin.
Once the game started, my friend's advice kicked in once again and informed me on where to stand to get the best shot; that, and a little bit of following the lead of the four other photographers who were there. I eventually learned who among Blaine's team got the chance to touch the ball the most. As the night wore on, the most stressful bit was continually tweaking the camera's setting to cope with the hellishly lighted time of twilight. I unfortunately had to sacrifice a quick shutter speed, and being able to stop the fastest action, for properly exposed shots.
I finally understood how tough of a job shooting sports can be. Not only do you have to be aware of most everything going on around you, your camera has to be constantly adjusted to fit any changes in light conditions. All this while hustling up and down the field in order to find the best shot.
Overall, the experience was an incredibly positive one for me. I think I came away with some pretty decent shots, at least for my first time. Future games will hopefully only improve my skills.
Besides the experience of shooting sports for the first time, something else hit me that night: the realization of how much I had missed out on during my high school days by not going to football games. A brief conversation with an employee of the school district I had met in the first few weeks of my time at The Northern Light really stuck with me. He made the comment that this is what Friday nights are like in small-town America. I regret never having experienced it in my hometown of Las Vegas, but I am more than excited to be a part of the experience in my adoptive northwestern Washington home.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Driving in the Rain
Today on my drive to work, the sky really let everyone have it. Hell, lake-fulls of water fell from the sky pretty much all day. I write this post not as a hackneyed rant on how much it rains in the Pacific Northwest. That complaint really doesn't have any teeth anymore, and it's something I've gotten used to as a transplanted Washingtonian.
Instead, I'd like to spend some time here thanking everyone I passed or saw driving on I-5 on my way to work for driving safely in the rain. Wet-weather driving probably comes as second nature to most everyone who calls this corner of the U.S. home, but it is truly refreshing to see for someone coming from a completely different climate (me).
In my hometown of Las Vegas it rains as much as it did today for a few weeks in August and September; our wet season, if you will. Because of the paucity of rain showers leading to normally dry ground and the Las Vegas valley's geography, flash floods are not uncommon. The yearly occurrence of flash flooding even inspired our regional flood control district to initiate a fairly well-known billboard campaign warning of the dangers of floods with billboards like this:
Despite these painfully obvious warnings, some people continue to not get it. Shots of stranded motorists being rescued from cars they drove into waist-deep water are a more common site on the local news than I'm comfortable admitting regularly.
You'd think images like the one above would be hard to forget.
Some Las Vegas drivers also seem to think that driving in the rain at or over the speed limit is a good idea; as if getting to their destination as quickly as possible is the best way to drive in wet weather. People eventually learn, but then inexplicably forget a year later, that driving in the rain means slowing down. The posted speed limit is not a challenge, it is the fastest most drivers can safely travel in the best conditions; roads glossy with water are far from ideal.
Fortunately, people in my adoptive state seem to get it. Most everyone I saw driving today kept a safe distance from the car in front of them and did not seem to feel the irresistible urge to go flat out. I have a feeling this will be only one of the many things with which I am continually pleasantly surprised as I grow more and more to consider Bellingham my home.
Instead, I'd like to spend some time here thanking everyone I passed or saw driving on I-5 on my way to work for driving safely in the rain. Wet-weather driving probably comes as second nature to most everyone who calls this corner of the U.S. home, but it is truly refreshing to see for someone coming from a completely different climate (me).
In my hometown of Las Vegas it rains as much as it did today for a few weeks in August and September; our wet season, if you will. Because of the paucity of rain showers leading to normally dry ground and the Las Vegas valley's geography, flash floods are not uncommon. The yearly occurrence of flash flooding even inspired our regional flood control district to initiate a fairly well-known billboard campaign warning of the dangers of floods with billboards like this:
 | ||
| Source: http://www.ccrfcd.org/2004billboards.htm |
You'd think images like the one above would be hard to forget.
Some Las Vegas drivers also seem to think that driving in the rain at or over the speed limit is a good idea; as if getting to their destination as quickly as possible is the best way to drive in wet weather. People eventually learn, but then inexplicably forget a year later, that driving in the rain means slowing down. The posted speed limit is not a challenge, it is the fastest most drivers can safely travel in the best conditions; roads glossy with water are far from ideal.
Fortunately, people in my adoptive state seem to get it. Most everyone I saw driving today kept a safe distance from the car in front of them and did not seem to feel the irresistible urge to go flat out. I have a feeling this will be only one of the many things with which I am continually pleasantly surprised as I grow more and more to consider Bellingham my home.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Canada Geese Sightings
I imagine the first thought of anyone gazing upon the title of this post who happens to reside in the Pacific Northwest or Canada will be something along the lines of, "Yeah, so? They're all over the place." What someone who mentally asks that question will most likely not know is that for someone who was raised in the desert city of Las Vegas, Nevada, such creatures are a extremely rare occurrence.
So, I hope my Pacific Northwest friends will forgive my naive excitement at seeing a large flock of these geese parked on the grassy lawns across from The Northern Light building (where I work) in Blaine a few days ago. I even took some time out of my day to run across the street and take some pictures of the numerous examples of Branta canadensis that had alighted near the amphitheater at Marine Park.
I have to admit, taking the pictures was a quite a thrill. I recalled the hours and hours of watching the Discovery Channel as a child and tried my best to stay downwind of the geese. I got some pretty good shots, but I have no idea whether this was due to my wildlife photography skills or the birds' general apathy toward humans.
After about half an hour and my left shoe sporting a smear of brand new goose poop, these are some of the shots I took. The rest of the album can be found here.
Part of what made this so exciting for me was how obvious it made the fact that my adoptive home of Bellingham is so very different from where I grew up. It's amazing how much of a difference a two-hour plane ride can make in this ecologically and geographically diverse nation of ours.
So, I hope my Pacific Northwest friends will forgive my naive excitement at seeing a large flock of these geese parked on the grassy lawns across from The Northern Light building (where I work) in Blaine a few days ago. I even took some time out of my day to run across the street and take some pictures of the numerous examples of Branta canadensis that had alighted near the amphitheater at Marine Park.
I have to admit, taking the pictures was a quite a thrill. I recalled the hours and hours of watching the Discovery Channel as a child and tried my best to stay downwind of the geese. I got some pretty good shots, but I have no idea whether this was due to my wildlife photography skills or the birds' general apathy toward humans.
After about half an hour and my left shoe sporting a smear of brand new goose poop, these are some of the shots I took. The rest of the album can be found here.
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| This was one of the first shots I took. That's Canada in the far background. |
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| This one was taken from the opposite direction as the first photo. The Northern Light building stands in the background. |
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| This is what happened when I accidentally scared some of the flock away. |
Part of what made this so exciting for me was how obvious it made the fact that my adoptive home of Bellingham is so very different from where I grew up. It's amazing how much of a difference a two-hour plane ride can make in this ecologically and geographically diverse nation of ours.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
All Moved In
Well, here I am. I am writing this post from my brand new apartment. It is definitely a step up from the old one in both fit and finish and neighbors.
The Northern Light will undoubtedly keep my busy from now on, it being officially my full-time job and all, but that means I will be exposed to even more of the interesting stories between my adoptive home of Bellingham and Blaine.
The Northern Light will undoubtedly keep my busy from now on, it being officially my full-time job and all, but that means I will be exposed to even more of the interesting stories between my adoptive home of Bellingham and Blaine.
Friday, August 20, 2010
My Sincerest Apologies
I regret not being able to make posts here daily, but I started this blog in a rather busy time in my life. This weekend, for example, I am both graduating from college and moving into a new apartment. I have spent the last few evenings moving furniture and putting things into boxes.
So yeah, I've been busy.
With that said, here's something that has absolutely nothing to do with anything but that I find hysterical. Enjoy!
So yeah, I've been busy.
With that said, here's something that has absolutely nothing to do with anything but that I find hysterical. Enjoy!
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Cooler mishap causes Moo-Wich meltdown at Lynden fair
As some of my more astute readers may have noticed, I have not mentioned the 100th annual Northwest Washington Fair currently going on in Lynden all this week.
Put simply, it's because I don't plan on going. I would certainly like to, but the tickets are a bit pricey and my days are being taken up by work and the moving process in which I am currently involved.
With that said, this headline from The Bellingham Herald simply made me laugh:
The Whatcom County Dairy Women came to their booth at the fair Monday morning to find nearly 6,500 of their Moo-Wich ice cream sandwiches had melted due to equipment failures. Volunteers had apparently worked hard in the days before the fair to prepare the treats for eagerly waiting customers.
Now before anyone gets up in arms for me poking fun at this truly tragic occurrence, it should be known that a nearby Haggen supermarket had replacement cookies in the oven within hours of the mishap. 650 Moo-Wiches should have been ready for customers by this afternoon.
I am of course glad to hear this tale had a happy ending. I just hope the Whatcom County Dairy Women didn't loose any moo-ney because of this unfortunate state of affairs.
If any other tragically hilarious mishaps occur at the fair, you will most definitely be able to read about them here. Hopefully I'll be able to come up with better puns by the time that happens.
Put simply, it's because I don't plan on going. I would certainly like to, but the tickets are a bit pricey and my days are being taken up by work and the moving process in which I am currently involved.
With that said, this headline from The Bellingham Herald simply made me laugh:
Cooler mishap causes Moo-Wich meltdown at Lynden fair
The Whatcom County Dairy Women came to their booth at the fair Monday morning to find nearly 6,500 of their Moo-Wich ice cream sandwiches had melted due to equipment failures. Volunteers had apparently worked hard in the days before the fair to prepare the treats for eagerly waiting customers.
Now before anyone gets up in arms for me poking fun at this truly tragic occurrence, it should be known that a nearby Haggen supermarket had replacement cookies in the oven within hours of the mishap. 650 Moo-Wiches should have been ready for customers by this afternoon.
I am of course glad to hear this tale had a happy ending. I just hope the Whatcom County Dairy Women didn't loose any moo-ney because of this unfortunate state of affairs.
If any other tragically hilarious mishaps occur at the fair, you will most definitely be able to read about them here. Hopefully I'll be able to come up with better puns by the time that happens.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Corvette For Sale
I hope you excuse this shameless bit of advertising for whoever this "Bob" person is, but I could not pass up sharing photos of this beautiful 1957 Corvette parked not a quarter-mile for The Northern Light building (where I work). This is by no means a blog devoted to classic cars, but seeing a C1 Corvette for sale will always make me stop and take notice.
In case it has not yet become clear, I am a bit of car guy. These Corvettes have always been favorites of mine. They became even more so when I did a report in high school on Harley Earl, the so-called "Father of the Corvette" and some might say modern car design. Earl was an incredibly influential car designer for GM in the 1950s and 60s. Not only did he pen the shapes of some of the most beautiful American cars of that era, he pretty much invented the modern car show. The days of tailfins, which Earl also invented, and mile-long Cadillacs may be gone, but Earl's trademark design cues can still be found in American cars today. I can't help but wonder what he would have thought of the near collapse of GM, the shuttering of Ford, and the Italian buyout of Chrysler.
Here are some of the photos I took. Stay tuned for me attempting to get in touch with "Bob" and learn more about this specific 'Vette.
In case it has not yet become clear, I am a bit of car guy. These Corvettes have always been favorites of mine. They became even more so when I did a report in high school on Harley Earl, the so-called "Father of the Corvette" and some might say modern car design. Earl was an incredibly influential car designer for GM in the 1950s and 60s. Not only did he pen the shapes of some of the most beautiful American cars of that era, he pretty much invented the modern car show. The days of tailfins, which Earl also invented, and mile-long Cadillacs may be gone, but Earl's trademark design cues can still be found in American cars today. I can't help but wonder what he would have thought of the near collapse of GM, the shuttering of Ford, and the Italian buyout of Chrysler.
Here are some of the photos I took. Stay tuned for me attempting to get in touch with "Bob" and learn more about this specific 'Vette.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
St. Francis Antique Car Show
For my inaugural post on From Bellingham to Blaine, I'm presenting a few photos I took at the St. Francis Antique Car Show. The show took place at the St. Francis of Bellingham nursing care facility near St. Joseph Hospital.
The show featured about 15 classic and antique cars, some living up to the "antique" moniker more than others. The cars varied in age from the 1910s on up through the 1960s and 70s. The people at St. Francis also provided free food in the form of hot dogs and chips. Even without the cars present, I found it difficult to pass up the opportunity for free food.
My paltry 23 years on this planet put me in the younger age range of the roughly 30-strong crowd at the show. Hell, all the cars were even older than me. Car show culture is always something with which I've been incredibly fascinated. The love of the automobile and the freedom it brings its owner seems to be uniquely American.
Without further ado, here are some photographic highlights. You can check out the entire album here.
The show featured about 15 classic and antique cars, some living up to the "antique" moniker more than others. The cars varied in age from the 1910s on up through the 1960s and 70s. The people at St. Francis also provided free food in the form of hot dogs and chips. Even without the cars present, I found it difficult to pass up the opportunity for free food.
My paltry 23 years on this planet put me in the younger age range of the roughly 30-strong crowd at the show. Hell, all the cars were even older than me. Car show culture is always something with which I've been incredibly fascinated. The love of the automobile and the freedom it brings its owner seems to be uniquely American.
Without further ado, here are some photographic highlights. You can check out the entire album here.
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| This was one of the three Ford Model-Ts in attendance. |
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| The oldest car at the show: a 1913 Model T Speedster. |
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| Controls don't get much simpler than that. |
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| A 1958 Corvette. According to the owner, 1958 was the only year they offered the car in this "Panama Yellow." |
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| A classic Ford Thunderbird. |
Well, that's all the pictures I'm going to cram into this post. Once again, you can find the entire album here.
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