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.
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