With a staggering state unemployment rate of 9.2 percent, proving your worth--even going above and beyond--in today's job market is essential. However, not in the case of Key Bank's Queen Anne branch teller, Jim Nicholson, who was faced with a robber demanding the bank's money. With no weapon visible, Nicholson called the robber's bluff and with a single rule-breaking leap chased away and then tackled the would-be robber. Two days after Nicholson chose not to hand over the bank's cash, he was fired for violating the bank's security policies. And now we know where all the real-life heroes go--to the unemployment line. more ›

• Feel the need for speed venting your frustrations with 520? Well, come one, come all tonight (Seattle Public Library, Univ. Branch, 5-7 p.m.). WSDOT wants feedback on congestion, tolls, and whatever your little motorist heart wants to bitch about.
• Bank robbing, the newest hobby in (West) Seattle.
• Seattle Met's chat with the city's band of booze-makin' brothers (and sista).

• Farmers markets make life taste great. We are sure the lucky folks in Columbia City agree, as they welcome the opening of their neighborhood farmers market today (3-7 p.m.). Hold your horses, additional markets opening soon.
• Bank robbing bandit made the rounds this a.m. with a quick grab-and-go at the Banner Bank in First Hill. FBI suspects it may be the same man who robbed a Wells Fargo bank this past Saturday.
• Feel Good Business News: Local bio-tech Dendreon paving the way with new prostate-cancer therapy; The homegrown online restaurant guide Urbanspoon sold to a giant of the Internetz.

The local office of the FBI seems to be fresh out of creative names for its criminals. Behold the most recent stories regarding criminals the FBI are looking for locally--the Waddling Bandit and the Candy Man Bandit. The Waddling Bandit apparently has a distinctive gait while Mr. Candy Man robs banks while sucking on lollipops. The names don't exactly inspire a citizen corps to jump into action. Who wants to help catch the Waddling Bandit? Makes you wonder--was the FBI's naming department the victim of recent government cutbacks?
more ›