The horrifying security video footage--of a fifteen-year-old girl beaten, while in custody, by King County Sheriff Deputy Paul Schene--that was released on Friday, thank god, has raised more than just local hackles: Schene is now under a civil rights federal investigation for his unbelievably irresponsible actions in that holding cell. Aside from the ongoing internal Sheriff's Office investigative findings and whatever disciplinary action will (we hope) weigh heavily on Schene's head as a consequence, the man now faces a $250,000 fine and a possible five years in prison if he's found guilty on this federal civil rights charge. more ›

Back in early February, we were reporting on the education reform bill HB 1410 and the debate about the merits of the reformation. Then we asked you to lobby up--pro or con--because lawmakers were listening. Today Publicola has the news that HB 1410 has been tabled and a new, even more vague idea for a notion of education reform has "sailed out of Rep. Haigh’s education appropriations committee." Just to point up the Titanic/deck chairs angle for those of you watching from home, neither of the two bills had a defined funding source, which you'd think would be an important place to start in a state facing an $8 billion deficit. more ›

A teacher friend of ours, who is in fact National Board certified, is all hot under the collar about HB 1410 and SB 5444, two bills that are touted as steps toward education reform elsewhere. more ›

When the inevitable anti-tunnel initiative was filed, Governor Gregoire said she'd be disappointed if there was a delay. (A delay? Dealing with the viaduct? Pshaw.) The governor is in a hurry to disburse that estimated $2.8 billion, conjured up for a design that's said to be one percent complete. (Here we pause to admire the precision of knowing what one percent of a plan looks like.) more ›

This weekend, Mount Vernon police pulled over and arrested a Skagit Valley man for his 14th DUI. Our only question--why does this guy still have his license? We're not big on removing judicial discretion from sentencing, but it would seem to this Seattlest that the DUI is one conviction where "three strikes and you're out" should apply. Three DUIs, and say goodbye to your license. Instead, since this is the man's fourth DUI arrest in under ten years, he can be charged with a felony; this seems only to punish him, rather than to protect other drivers he may come into crashing contact with when drunk behind the wheel next time around. more ›