Author: Kim Kalliber

Gunshot deaths in Snohomish County

When 20 children died in the Sandy Hook shooting in Connecticut in December, many people rushed to the Internet to argue about guns. As so often happens, emotions took over. It’s almost an American tradition, debating gun laws. People on both sides toss out stats.

Let’s fact-check one of the big ones: Is it true that more people die from traffic accidents than gun violence?

Not here. As the tables below and the accompanying graphics show, more people in Snohomish County die from gunshot wounds, according to data kept by the county Medical Examiner’s Office.

Four out of five gun deaths reported here since 2007 were ruled suicides and, for a number of reasons, rarely resulted in news reports.

Conversely, nearly every fatal car accident that occurs around here gets some mention. Roughly 30 to 40 people die in the county each year in traffic accidents. On average, about 45 people die from gunshot wounds.

Guns are a significant factor in homicides here. Snohomish County reported 18 homicides in 2012. Of those, 10 involved firearms.

About 4,500 people die in the county every year, the great majority of them from natural causes or accidents. For technical reasons, almost all firearm deaths are classified as homicides or suicides, including fatal accidental shootings.

The most common causes of accidental deaths are falls and fractures and drug and alcohol overdoses, followed by car accidents.

About 100 people fatally overdose here every year. Some of those deaths are suicides, but many are accidents. It’s not always possible to say for sure.

That’s 100 deaths just from drugs and alcohol — more than double those from bullets.

More online

Firearm deaths vs. traffic fatalities

Year Firearm deaths Traffic accident deaths
2007 38 31
2008 33 29
2009 62 42
2010 50 28
2011 44 38
Total 227 168

Firearm deaths

Year Firearm suicide Firearm homicide All firearm deaths
2007 25 13 38
2008 24 9 33
2009 51 11 62
2010 46 4 50
2011 39 5 44
Total 185 42 227

Accidental deaths

Year Accidental fall Accidental overdose or poisoning Traffic accident All accidental
2007 96 98 31 225
2008 130 110 29 269
2009 123 110 42 275
2010 129 98 28 255
2011 137 149 38 324
Total 615 565 168 1,348

Non-accidental violent deaths

Year Suicide Homicide Total non-accidental violent deaths
2007 72 19 91
2008 61 13 74
2009 94 22 116
2010 103 13 116
2011 95 11 106
Total 425 78 503

Prep girls basketball: Tulalip Heritage 48, Mount Vernon Christian 38

Source: heraldnet.com

MOUNT VERNON — Adiya Jones-Smith scored 21 points and Katia Brown hit several free throws late as Tulalip Heritage overcame some early nerves to knock off Mount Vernon Christian 48-38 in the 1B District 1 Tournament final on Friday.

“The girls started out slow, they were scared and nervous (in the first half),” said Hawks head coach Tina Brown.

Brown credited the play of sophomore guard Justice Vela for keeping the Hawks in the game during the first half.

“I’m very proud of Justice Vela, she stepped up in the first half,” said Brown. “Justice got a couple of steals, made a couple of shots when we could’ve folded.”

With Vela’s help, the Hawks (17-2) held a two-point lead at the half before getting their offense into gear in the third quarter by ratcheting up the defense. Tulalip Heritage held the Hurricanes (15-8) to just four points in the period, while scoring 15. According to Tina Brown, Jones-Smith was able to score off layins created from Tulalip Heritage steals.

Jacqueline Case led the Hurricanes with 15 points and Mount Vernon Christian finally solved the Hawks defense in the fourth, scoring 19 points, which equaled its output from the first three periods. But Katia Brown made 9 of 10 from the line in the last two minutes to ice the game. Brown’s dead-eye free throw shooting shouldn’t be a surprise, she’s the granddaughter of former Seattle SuperSonics great “Downtown Freddie” Brown.

The win earns the Hawks the district title and the No. 1 seed to next week’s tri-district tournament. The Hawks will host the winner of Grace Academy-Evergreen Lutheran. Mount Vernon Christian will enter as the No. 2 seed and play the Lopez-Shoreline Christian winner. Both games are scheduled for Feb. 12.

At Mount Vernon Christian H.S.

Mount Vernon Christian 10 5 4 19 — 38

Tulalip Heritage 10 7 15 16 — 48

Mount Vernon Christian–Natalie Sakuma 6, Kimber-Lynn Anderson 0, Amanda Lervick 4, Molli Kaptein 0, Jacqueline Case 15, Melyssa Whitener 0, Grace Kuipers 7, Kennedy Lucas 2, Carla Van Rooyen 4, Lindsay Noste 0, Ottey Weidenbach 0, Jenna Withers 0. Tulalip Heritage–Katia Brown 13, Kanoa Enick 7, Cassandra Jimicum 2, Adiya Jones-Smith 21, Justice Vela 5, Michelle Iukes 0, Wendy Jimicum 0. 3-point goals–Case 3, Vela, Enick. Records– Mount Vernon Christian 15-8 overall. Tulalip Heritage 17-2.

Robbery suspect allegedly bragged about Monroe bank heist

Herald staff, heraldnet.com

MONROE — Police on Friday arrested an Idaho man, 53, suspected of robbing a Monroe bank last week and using some of the loot to buy drugs and sex.

A day after the Feb. 1 heist at the Union Bank, police received a tip from a woman about a possible suspect. She told investigators she met a man at the Tulalip Casino and later spent the evening with him.

During their time together, the man allegedly admitted he robbed a bank in Monroe. He reportedly showed the woman the note he used to demand money from a teller. She also said the man gave her money to buy methamphetamine and to pay her for sex, police said.

The woman gave investigators the man’s cellphone number. Detectives later learned the man’s name and driver’s license number from the hotel registration card. Police compared video footage from the bank with surveillance from the hotel. The suspect was seen entering the casino and hotel wearing the same clothes he had on during the heist.

Detectives called the man on Friday and asked him to come to the police station. They learned he was at his mother’s Monroe house. The man was arrested and booked into the Snohomish County Jail.

VAWA Bill set for vote on Monday

 
VAWA BILL SET FOR VOTE ON MONDAY
– Grassley Substitute Bill defeated –  
–  Vote No on Coburn Amendment! –  
We still have work to do! 
 
S. 47, the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization, is a strong, bipartisan bill sponsored by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Michael Crapo (R-ID). S. 47 is very similar to the bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Leahy and Crapo last Congress and would improve VAWA programs and strengthen protections for all victims of violence.    
 
The bill includes historically important tribal provisions that would enable tribes to address domestic violence in Indian country. Votes on the bill were started yesterday, and are expected to be completed early next week, probably Monday early evening and Tuesday.   
 
In a letter sent to Senators Leahy and Crapo on Thursday morning, the NCAI Taskforce on Violence Against Women expressed strong opposition to any harmful amendments offered to the Senate legislation to reauthorize VAWA. In the letter to the Senate co-authors of the legislation, NCAI expressed unified opposition to amendments to VAWA that would strip tribal jurisdiction provisions or alter the current language in S. 47 in a harmful manner. The letter sent by NCAI Task Force co-chairs Juana Majel Dixon  (Pauma Band of Mission Indians, CA) and Terri Henry (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, NC)  can be downloaded here and you can read NCAI’s full press release here. 
 
As a result of a lot of hard work by VAWA advocates, a harmful substitute bill proposed by Senator Grassley, that would have removed the tribal provisions and a lot of other good provisions, was defeated on Thursday 65-34. 
 
It was an important moment, but there is more work to do to defeat a Coburn amendment that would strip the tribal provisions.
  
In anticipation of the impending votes, we urge you to take action this weekend and first thing MONDAY by contacting your Senators to vote against any further harmful amendments and vote for the overall bill!   
 
  
ACTION ITEM:  EMAIL YOUR SENATOR(s)  
THIS WEEKEND AND CALL ON MONDAY!!! 
 
EMAIL – Find you Senator(s) on this list and contact them by email. Send them a simple message. 
 
“Dear Senator, Monday is an important day, you’ll have a chance to protect all women, including Native women. It’s time to be a hero and pass a comprehensive VAWA – S.47 – including the tribal provisions and I urge you to vote NO on the Coburn Amendment. I urge you to support the Murkowski and Leahy Amendments.”  
 
CALL – On Monday, call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask the operator to connect you to your Senators. When you’re connected to their offices, ask to speak to the staff person who handles VAWA. Tell them the same thing you wrote in your email over the weekend. 
   
” Today is an important day, the Senator has the chance to protect all women, including Native women. It’s time to be a hero and pass a comprehensive VAWA – S.47 – including the tribal provisions and I urge the Senator to vote NO on the Coburn Amendment. I urge you to support the Murkowski and Leahy Amendments.” 
 

Oppose Coburn Amendment   
 
Senator Coburn of Oklahoma has filed an amendment that would strip the tribal provisions from the legislation, and this amendment is scheduled for a vote. This is a critical vote that will show the strength of support for tribes.   
 
As you know, S. 47 contains key provisions that would restore tribal jurisdiction over non-Indians for certain acts of domestic violence and dating violence, as well as for violations of protection orders, in Indian country.  
 
We urge all tribes and advocates to ask their Senators to vote NO on the Coburn Amendment.  This vote will be exclusively about the tribal provisions and it is critical to get as many no votes as possible.    
 
Support Murkowski Amendment: Senator Murkowski has offered an amendment that clarifies Section 905 regarding protective orders.  The language of Section 905 on Alaska was vague, and could be interpreted to generally exclude Alaska tribes from 18 USC 2265.  This is a clarification and it helps Alaska tribes. Although it doesn’t go as far as Alaska tribes would like, it is significantly better than the introduced version.  This amendment is scheduled to receive a vote, and can be found here. 
 
Support Leahy Human Trafficking Amendment:  Senator Leahy is offering a trafficking-related amendment, which is effectively the same as S.1301, the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA), a positive bill that had broad bipartisan support last year (including from 15 Republicans). For a factsheet on S.1301, click here. For the bill text click here . The National Task Force to End Domestic Violence supports this amendment.  
 
For more information, fact sheets, press coverage, support letters and updates:  www.ncai.org and  www.4vawa.org.
 
 
NCAI Contact Information:Please contact John Dossett,General Counsel  jdossett@ncai.org or Derrick Beetso, Staff Attorney,  dbeetso@ncai.org if you have any questions.

Documentary crew to visit Tulalip

By Rikki King, http://www.heraldnet.com

A French film crew plans to visit the Tulalip Indian Reservation next week to work on a short documentary and conduct interviews regarding the reauthorization efforts there for the Violence Against Women Act.

Tulalip officials last year, including vice chairwoman Deborah Parker, were among those fighting to expand the act to include more tribal provisions. It ultimately didn’t happen. They plan to try again.

Herald columnist Julie Muhlstein wrote a story about Parker’s work last May.

The documentary crew with “Canal+” is expected in town Wednesday, tribal spokeswoman Francesca Hillery said. A private ceremony also is planned on the reservation next week as part of a national day of recognition for efforts to reauthorize the anti-violence law.

“What we will be doing essentially is sending up a prayer for all native women,” Hillery said.

For more information about the law and what’s happening nationally, read this Associated Press story from Tuesday.

Encouraging kids to live healthy and stay active

Zumba instructor Ossha Williams teaches the kids some dance moves.
Zumba instructor Ossha Williams teaches the kids some dance moves.

By Jeannie Briones and Kim Kalliber, Tulalip News staff

Tulalip Tribes Youth Services are working to educate elementary grade kids about the importance of eating healthy and staying active, along with the devastating affects that smoking cigarettes can have on the body.

The Healthy Lungs, Healthy Lifestyle after-school program provides kids with information on tobacco and overall health, along with teaching them that in order to stay active in daily living and to participate in sports, they need to have clean, healthy lungs.

Over a dozen kids danced, exercised and laughed in the Quil Ceda Elementary School Gym during the Healthy Lungs, Healthy Lifestyle gathering on February 6th.

The kids learned basic dance moves with help from the host of the day, Zumba instructor Ossha Williams, of Health Quest Fitness Studio. Once the music started, the electrifying beat filled the gym with contagious energy that made the kids move their bodies to a combination of hip-hop, salsa, soca, and mambo music, while incorporating martial arts and aerobic elements into their workout.

“This program is a great thing because it gives the kids something do and shows them ways to stay healthy. It sends a positive message, because there is a high smoking rate among Native Americans,” said Rachel Steeve, Youth Services Smoking Cessation Specialist.

Kids are also treated to a healthy snack and drink, and can participate in hands-on projects and crafts.

Healthy Lungs, Healthy Lifestyle program will be held every other day in the Quil Ceda and Tulalip Elementary gym after school.  Monday 3:35-5:00 p.m., Wednesday 1:05-3:00 p.m. and Friday from 3:35-5:00 p.m.

To enroll your child in this fun, education program contact Rachel Steeve, Youth Services Smoking Cessation Specialist, at 360-716-4936; email rsteeve@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov, or stop by Youth Services at 3107 Reuben Shelton Dr, Tulalip, WA 98271.

Where Alaska wants to fly from Paine Field

By Bill Sheets, Herald Writer

EVERETT — Alaska Airlines wants to fly passengers to Honolulu, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and other West Coast destinations from Everett’s Paine Field.

Flying to destinations beyond the Northwest is a change from Alaska Airlines’ original request to run Horizon Air commuter flights per week at the airport, primarily to Portland and Spokane.

Also different: The airline will use 737-800 jets. The airline initially proposed using only smaller Bombardier Q400 turboprops.

Alaska proposes to run 98 flights per week in and out of the Snohomish County-owned airport within five years, according to a proposal it submitted to the Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday. Included are 42 flights between Everett and Portland per week on the Bombardiers.

Allegiant Air also has asked to operate flights to Las Vegas from Paine Field and possibly other West Coast destinations. Allegiant is based in Las Vegas, Alaska in Seattle. Both airlines first approached Snohomish County in 2008.

The Federal Aviation Administration recently gave its go-ahead to flights at the airport following a drawn-out, three-year environmental study.

Mukilteo, Edmonds and community groups last week challenged that decision by filing suit in federal court.

Snohomish County still must build a terminal at Paine Field to accommodate passengers. That process would take more than a year, according to county officials.

The airport was built in the late 1930s. It primarily has served military operations, Boeing service and test flights, aircraft maintenance businesses and small, private planes. Except a short period around 1950 and briefly in the late 1980s, Paine Field has not had commercial airline service.

It’s unclear if or how Alaska’s latest proposal would affect the federal environmental ruling. The earlier plans would have brought 23 flights per day, combined between the two airlines, to Paine Field within five years.

The current plan would bring about 17 daily flights to the airport in the same time frame — fewer overall, but some with larger, louder jets.

“We’ve asked the FAA to determine if any further environmental review is needed because of our proposed jet service,” Alaska spokesman Paul McElroy said.

Allen Kenitzer, a spokesman at the FAA’s regional office in Renton, provided only a brief comment.

“We have in fact received a letter from Alaska Airlines and are reviewing it,” he said in an email.

Last year, Alaska Airlines officials said they were backing out of flying from Paine Field, citing the economy and improvements at Sea-Tac Airport and Bellingham International Airport.

Officials also said, however, that if another airline were to serve the airport, then Alaska would again be interested.

Allegiant officials have remained interested throughout.

Recent projects at Sea-Tac include the completion of a third runway; a remodeled terminal building, and Sound Transit’s extension of Link light rail to the airport.

Bellingham, about an hour’s drive north of Everett, is undergoing a $17 million expansion of its terminal.

“They have made Sea-Tac more convenient for travelers and they’ve better equipped Bellingham to handle more traffic,” McElroy said. “Serving a third airport between those cities undercuts our ability to provide travelers with the lowest fares possible.”

At the same time, he said, “the airline industry is extremely competitive, and we take all threats very seriously.”

In the first year Alaska would run 14 weekly round trips to Las Vegas, Honolulu and Maui, Hawaii on the 737-800s and 21 weekly round-trips to Portland. Not all destinations would be served daily.

By the fifth year of operations, Alaska would fly 49 weekly round-trip flights, or 98 one-way flights in and out of Paine Field. This would include 28 round-trips to Las Vegas, Honolulu, Maui, Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Diego with 737-800s, plus the 21 weekly round-trips to Portland using Q400s.

Opponents of commercial service say opening Paine Field to commercial service could increase noise and traffic in surrounding communities. Supporters say flights could help the economy by bringing jobs to the county and convenience for travelers.

Front Porch: Top Seattle chef to visit Everett gift store on Saturday

Tom Douglas
Tom Douglas

Everett Herald, http://www.heraldnet.com

Seattle chef Tom Douglas, a three-time winner of the James Beard Award, plans to sign copies of his latest book, “The Dahlia Bakery Cookbook,” from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at J. Matheson Gifts, Kitchen and Gourmet, 2615 Colby Ave., Everett.

The cookbook is full of mouth-watering pictures and recipes and stories about the food that make it as much fun to read as it is to cook from.

The book, which retail for $35, will be available at 20 percent off during the event.

Judy and Miranda Matheson, the mother and daughter owners and operators of J. Matheson, will serve samples of recipes from the book. A member of Team Douglas will demonstrate Tom Douglas’ line of rubs, Rub With Love, used to season meat and fish.

As an added bonus, the wine folks across the street at Wicked Cellars will pair a couple of wines with some of the more savory recipes in the cookbook and offer samples of both.

Artists are invited to apply for the 56th annual Edmonds Arts Festival Juried Art Show, one of the longest running in the Northwest that attracts submissions from across the nation.

Profits from the Edmonds Arts Festival are returned to the community through the Edmonds Arts Festival Foundation. Programs include art scholarships, educational grants, public art installations, and ArtWorks, a gathering place for artists in downtown Edmonds.

All entries must be completed online. For the 2013 prospectus, visit the Edmonds Arts Festival website at www.edmondsartsfestival.com. Application deadline is March 30.

Communities Report Prolonged Success in Reducing Cigarette Butt Litter

National Program Continues to Reduce Cigarette Litter by More than Half
Source: Keep America Beautiful
STAMFORD, Conn. (Feb. 6, 2013) — Keep America Beautiful (KAB) reports an average 55 percent reduction of cigarette litter in the communities implementing KAB’s Cigarette Litter Prevention Program (CLPP) during 2012. In 2012, the program’s 10th year, there were 195 grant-supported implementations across the country in a variety of places including downtowns, roadways, beaches, parks, marinas, colleges/universities, tourist spots, and at special events.

Over the past seven years, the CLPP has consistently cut cigarette butt litter by half based on local measurements taken in the first four months to six months after a program implementation.  Survey results also showed that as communities continue to monitor the program those reductions are sustained or even increased over time. For example, more than 100 communities that started programs in 2011 achieved an average reduction of 48 percent that year, and increased that reduction by an additional 17 percent when measured again in 2012.

“Cigarette litter may still be a significant issue throughout the country, but our Cigarette Litter Prevention Program is making a difference in communities where the program is being implemented,” said Matthew M. McKenna, president and CEO of Keep America Beautiful. “Through consistent and persistent public education in combination with access to receptacles, we can lessen the environmental harm cigarette litter places on our landscapes and waterways.”

Tobacco products, consisting mainly of cigarette butts, are the most-littered item in America, representing nearly 38 percent of all items, according to “Litter in America,” KAB’s landmark 2009 study of litter and littering behavior. In response to this issue, KAB developed the CLPP with funding from Philip Morris USA, an Altria company.  Since 2010, the program has received additional support from RAI Services Company.  Since its inception, the program has been implemented in 1,263 U.S. communities.

“We studied 12 sites over an 11-week period and realized a 68 percent reduction in cigarette litter at sites where we had public education, signage and ash receptacles as compared with control sites where we didn’t have those CLPP program components,” said Adam Roberts, executive director of KAB affiliate Hot Springs/Garland County Beautification Commission in Hot Springs, Ark.  

“Ground crews and staff at every site where interventions took place commented about the reductions in cigarette litter and – as important – litter in general,” added Roberts, who noted a 33 percent decrease in the amount of general litter at those sites.

In addition to Keep America Beautiful affiliates, KAB offered grants through its partnership with the International Downtown Association (IDA) and International City/County Management Association (ICMA) in 2012. In Southwest Detroit, the West Vernor and Springwells Business Improvement District realized an 81 percent reduction in cigarette litter between July and October. With 10 receptacles installed, the organization estimated it saved four hours of maintenance per week. “The impact in reducing litter through the CLPP has been astonishing,” said Matthew Bihun, BID program manager.

Research has shown that even self-reported “non-litterers” often don’t consider tossing cigarette butts on the ground to be “littering.” Keep America Beautiful has found that cigarette butt litter occurs most often at transition points—areas where a person must stop smoking before proceeding into another area. These include bus stops, entrances to stores and public buildings, and the sidewalk areas outside of bars and restaurants, among others.

To address cigarette butt litter, KAB’s Cigarette Litter Prevention Program recommends communities integrate four proven approaches:
  • Encourage enforcement of litter laws, including cigarette litter;
  • Raise awareness about the issue using public service messages;
  • Place ash receptacles at transition points such as entrances to public buildings; and
  • Distribute pocket or portable ashtrays to adult smokers.
 The “Guide to Cigarette Litter Prevention” provides information about starting and maintaining a Cigarette Litter Prevention Program in your community, and can be found online at PreventCigaretteLitter.org.

About Keep America Beautiful
Keep America Beautiful is the nation’s leading nonprofit that brings people together to build and sustain vibrant communities. With a strong national network of 1,200 affiliates and partners including state recycling organizations, we work with millions of volunteers who take action in their communities.
Keep America Beautiful offers programs and engages in public-private partnerships that help create clean, beautiful public places, reduce waste and increase recycling while educating generations of environmental stewards. Through our actions, we help create communities that are socially connected, environmentally healthy and economically sound. For more information, visit kab.org.