3.0 quake rattles Port Angeles area
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SEATTLE — A small earthquake rattled parts of the north Olympic Peninsula yesterday. The 3.0 quake hit about 7:27 p.m., the University of Washington geophysics center said.
The quake, which was 12 miles deep, was centered about 15 miles east of Port Angeles.
There were no reports of damage or injuries.
Sibold named new director of state's Aviation Division
OLYMPIA — John Sibold will be the state's new Aviation Division director, leading an agency with a $5.2 million biennial budget.
His duties will include providing pilot education, managing the statewide aerial-search-and-rescue program, managing pilot and aircraft registration, granting money for airport infrastructure and helping cities and counties with land-use planning around airports.
Transportation Secretary Douglas MacDonald appointed Sibold to replace Bill Brubaker, who left the agency about a year ago to do consulting work.
Sibold most recently worked as director of aviation and marine services for the Port of Bellingham. Before his tenure at the port, Sibold managed in-flight customer service for Alaska Airlines.
There are 129 airports used by the public in Washington.
Famed Seattle U. gardener will retire
SEATTLE — James "Ciscoe" Morris, the famed gardener from Seattle University who turned hundreds of homeowners into green-thumb enthusiasts, will retire after nearly 24 years, a campus spokesman said yesterday.
Morris was the head groundskeeper and landscaping manager at the university and became a local celebrity with his own radio and television shows. Gardening without chemicals became his central tenet.
Thanks to Morris and his staff, "we have become the region's model for a campus that is both beautiful and environmentally focused," said Bob Fenn, director of facilities operations at Seattle University.
Auditor: Medina misspent money on dinner cruise
MEDINA — The city of Medina improperly spent $1,901 of taxpayer money on a late-summer dinner cruise in 2000 for its employees, families, consultants and friends, said a newly released state auditor's report.
The 57 guests included 13 employees, a City Council member, and 43 other people. Each paid $45 for the trip on Lake Washington, but that price covered just over half the $4,466 cost, so the city subsidized the remainder.
City Manager Doug Schulze said yesterday he considered the cruise a legitimate way to reward city workers, because state law allows up to $200 per worker to be spent on "employee recognition."
Schulze acknowledged the other guests should have been required to pay full cost, which would have been $78 each. Medina is writing policies to prevent future mistakes.
Former Spokane County official faces drug charges
SPOKANE — Felony drug charges were filed yesterday against former Spokane County Medical Examiner George Lindholm, who resigned amid allegations he grew marijuana in his home and stole prescription medications from corpses.
Charges alleging two counts of drug possession were filed in Spokane County Superior Court by the state Attorney General's Office, which is handling the case.
Lindholm resigned Aug. 10, a day after state drug agents raided his home. The Attorney General's Office alleges the agents found seven marijuana plants and prescription drugs issued to others.
If convicted, Lindholm faces up to 90 days in jail.
County council confirms 5 legislative appointments
SEATTLE — Five appointments to the Legislature were confirmed by the Metropolitan King County Council on Monday to fill vacancies created by the fall elections.
Appointed were:
• Democrat Erik Poulsen, 37, a four-term House member from West Seattle. He was named to new County Councilman Dow Constantine's former Senate seat in the 34th District.
• Democrat Toni Lysen, 55, an aide to U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott, will fill Poulsen's House seat in the 34th District.
• Democrat Maralyn Chase, 59, a Shoreline resident and party activist, named to the 32nd District House seat formerly held by Carolyn Edmonds, now on the County Council.
• Republican Toby Nixon, 42, a Microsoft software designer from Kirkland, named to the 45th District House seat vacated by Kathy Lambert, now on the County Council.
• Democrat Dave Upthegrove, 30, of SeaTac, former state Senate aide to Julia Patterson, named to the 33rd District House seat vacated by Karen Keiser. Patterson is now on the County Council, and Keiser will replace her in the Senate.
West Seattle bank robber could get 10-year sentence
SEATTLE — A West Seattle man who wore a fake goatee and black-rimmed glasses in a series of bank holdups during the summer of 2000 could face up to 10 years in prison and be ordered to repay the $23,478 he stole.
James Alan Fease, 32, pleaded guilty Monday to one count of first-degree robbery and four counts of second-degree robbery.
Included was the robbery of the Wells Fargo branch in the 2300 block of California Avenue Southwest on Aug. 28, 2000, in which Fease hijacked a car outside the bank and drove it eight blocks with the car's owner and her two small children inside.
The family was not hurt.
A sentencing date has not been set.
Information is from Seattle Times staff and news services.