The Mountain News – WA | Serving those who live close to Mount Rainier in body or spirit

Body of missing climber spotted on Mount Rainier

Posted on June 13, 2015 by brucesmith49

Special to the Mountain News-WA:

The following press announcement was released Saturday concerning the disappearance of a climber near the summit of Mount Rainier.

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Saturday, June 13, 2015, 2:30 pm—

The search for Kyle Bufis is being suspended today after a deceased male climber was spotted by the search helicopter near the summit of Mount Rainier. The body is currently being retrieved by climbing rangers. Although the subject matches the description of the missing climber, confirmation rests with the Pierce County Medical Examiner.

Bufis, age 25 from Utah, was a member of an independent three person climbing team when he went missing near Liberty Saddle on Mount Rainier at approximately 9:00 pm on Thursday, June 11,2015, after climbing the challenging Liberty Ridge route on the north flank of Mount Rainier. The other two members of the climbing team, Derek Gavelis and Mathew Wiech, descended to Camp Schurman of their own accord late the next day. Both were tired, but are in good physical condition.

Special thanks goes out to the US Army Reserve 214th Air Division and Northwest Helicopters for air support during this mission and to King County for delivery and use of their under mount helicopter avalanche beacon receiver.

Two helicopters with crews and Mount Rainier climbing rangers were involved in the search. Thirty nine park personnel were assigned over the course of the incident.

Posted in Eatonville News, Environment, Mount Rainier, Nature | Leave a comment

Climber lost on Mount Rainer

Posted on June 12, 2015 by brucesmith49

By Bruce A. Smith

A climber became separated from his group and lost Thursday night while descending from the summit of Mount Rainier.

Kyle Bufis, 23, was in the company of two mountaineering companions, according to Information Specialist Patti Wold of the National Park Service, and went missing at approximately 9 pm at about 14,000 feet, just beneath the summit. The group was reportedly buffeted by extreme weather and high winds.

News of the incident reached park officials at approximately 5 am Friday and they dispatched climbing rangers and aerial reconnaissance. Wold reported that Bufis, became separated on the upper part of the Emmons Glacier in the Liberty Ridge area, a notoriously treacherous spot on the east side of Mount Rainier.

Bufis’ companions, Derek Gavelis and Mathew Wiech, hiked down to Camp Schurman at 10,000 feet on their own accord Friday, and met with park climbing rangers. Officials report that both mountaineers are tired, but in good physical condition. Officials plan to debrief the climbers there.

The NPS launched multiple air reconnaissance missions on Friday, and two rescue rangers were deployed near the summit, expecting to hike down to the spot Bufis was last seen. Weather continued to be severe, with wind gusts to 70 mph.

However, the search for Bufis was suspended as dusk fell Friday, and will resume Saturday morning. Search efforts will focus in the vicinity of the confluence of the Winthrop and Emmons glaciers.

Picture of one of the rescue rangers surveilling the upper Emmons Glacier from the starboard door of a helicopter. Note the NPS decal on his helmet. Picture courtesy of the National Park Service

Posted in Culture, Eatonville News, Environment, Mount Rainier, Remarkable men and women, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

“Person of Interest” identified in the case of the missing Orting woman

Posted on June 11, 2015 by brucesmith49

by Bruce A. Smith

Pierce County Sheriff’s Department confirmed Wednesday that they have identified a “person of interest” connected to the disappearance of Nicole White, the Orting mother of two missing since Saturday.

Sheriff’s deputies served a search warrant on this individual Tuesday evening, according to PCSD spokesperson, Detective Ed Troyer, but since this person has not been charged with a crime his name is being withheld.

However, members of Nicole’s family reported that this individual is a resident of Graham, and adamantly claimed that Nicole had a pre-existing relationship with the man, whom she was last seen leaving Jeepers Grill on Saturday night.

Appearing distraught and disorganized, family and friends of Nicole gathered at the Safeway in Graham Wednesdays afternoon to talk, support each other, and plan how they can best discover her whereabouts.

Leading the group was Nicole’s father, Eddie Nieto, who arrived Wednesday from his home in San Diego.

“Nicole was a wonderful mother,” he told the Mountain News. “She was very caring, very hard working, and had an awesome personality.” He also said that Nicole had lived most of her life in the Orting area.

At a loss of where to search for Nicole, some family members opted to return to the Webster Rd area where her car was found abandoned on Monday even though the area was widely searched by the police and Search and Rescue teams on Monday.

However, the car had been found with the keys still in the ignition.

In addition, other family members placed posters at businesses in Graham, and along 224th and Mountain Hwy between Webster Rd in Graham and Spanaway where the Jeepers tavern is located, just north of the Roy “Y.”

Nieto also said that the PCSD was continuing its own search, but in a separate and undisclosed location. “They don’t want us running down there and disturbing any evidence,” he said. “But, we’re asking everyone for their support and prayers, and if anyone has any information on Nicole, please call 911 or the Sheriff’s Department.”

To contact the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, call 253.798. 4721.

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Family and friends of Nicole White gather in the Safeway parking lot in Graham on Wednesday to strategize how best to find their missing loved one.

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Jeepers Bar and Grill, Spanaway, WA.

Posted in Cops and courts, Culture, Graham News, Orting, Spanaway, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Search for missing Orting woman turns dire

Posted on June 9, 2015 by brucesmith49

By Bruce A. Smith

The search for Nicole White, a 28 year-old Orting woman missing since Saturday June 6, turned sinister Tuesday as the family released more information about the circumstances of her disappearance.

Melissa Nieto, who identified herself to the Mountain News as a younger sister of Nicole, said that the missing woman was last seen Saturday night leaving Jeepers tavern in Spanaway while in the company of a young man.

Nieto said this man had been acting aggressively in Jeepers before they left, and he had “broken two beer bottles.”

Nieto also said that this individual had been released from prison recently where he had been incarcerated for assault. She also said that he had bruises on his arm and was bi-polar.

“He said they went to an AM-PM, and that she just left after he went inside the store – at least that’s his story,” Nieto said. She also claimed that the man was not in police custody and was still at large.

Detective Ed Troyer, a spokesperson for the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, told the Mountain News that his agency had now taken the lead in the investigation, which had begun Saturday under the auspices of the Orting Police Department.

Troyer described the PCSD as “working this (case) as a missing person under suspicious circumstances.”

Nicole White was the mother of two young children – a 7 year-old son and a 3 year-old daughter. According to family sources White was married but soon-to-be-divorced.

Her Facebook page also revealed that she had just started working at the Bonney Lake Walmart. She was also fond of playing pool and fishing.

“She was out-going and outdoorsy,” Nieto said. “She was fun to be with.”

The PCSD and Search and Rescue teams tracked through the Webster Hill area of Graham on Monday, June 8, when White’s red Dodge Neon was discovered parked oddly in the woods about twenty feet in from the roadway. Divers reportedly searched a nearby pond and creek but found nothing.

“We’re hoping for the best but expecting the worst,” Detective Troyer reported to the Tacoma News Tribune on Tuesday.

Throughout the day on Tuesday, dozens of friends and family descended upon Webster Rd to pass out flyers to passing motorists, and ask for help in locating Nicole. Graham residents also reported seeing individuals searching the local fields and powerline right-of-ways.

“We’ve got twenty people out looking for her,” Nieto said.

Police cruiser and a diver’s dry suit at the scene where Nicole White’s car was discovered on Monday in Graham.

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Nicole White’s red Dodge Neon in the woods behind the yellow crime scene tape.

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Picture of Nicole White, courtesy of the PCSD.

Posted in Cops and courts, Graham News, Orting, Spanaway | 2 Comments

Abandoned vehicle found in Graham linked to missing Orting woman

Posted on June 8, 2015 by brucesmith49

By Bruce A. Smith

The tranquilly of a warm, sunny spring afternoon in Graham was shattered when Pierce County Sheriff deputies descended upon an abandoned car parked in the woods alongside Webster Hill Rd.

The vehicle, a small red compact, belonged to an Orting woman who has been missing since Saturday night, according to Sgt Mike Lundborg of the PCSD.

The woman was later identified by Facebook posters as Nicole White, and her car was described as a 2004 Dodge Neon with no license plates. How the vehicle came to be in Graham is not known at this time. The poster also indicates that she was last known to be heading to the Jeepers tavern in Spanaway.

In response to the vehicle find police combed the area with K-9 patrols, along with local Search and Rescue teams. However, Sgt Lundborg said that nothing had been found of the woman, nor any leads to her whereabouts.

Local residents were greatly alarmed by the heavy police presence, with up to eight cruisers reported at the scene, and many individuals searching the wooded hillsides, neighboring farmlands and pastures.

Webster Rd resident John Pethick told Lisa Cool of the Mountain News, “We did see a bloodhound unit searching the road past our house toward the creek around 7 pm.”

Sgt Lundborg told the Mountain News that the family of Nicole White did not want to talk with any media at this time, but they were in the preliminary stages of passing out flyers showing pictures of the missing woman. These flyers ask the community for assistance in finding her, and contain several phone numbers to call if you have any information to share:

“Jill,” at 253. 326. 7098 or 253. 341. 7404

Orting Police Department: 360. 893. 3111

Pierce County Sheriff’s Department: 253. 798. 4721

Poster of Nicole White, as seen on Facebook:

Pierce County Sheriff’s Department cruisers deployed at the scene of Nicole White’s car, in Graham.

Posted in Cops and courts, Graham News, Orting | Leave a comment

People are suffering – how should we respond?

Posted on June 8, 2015 by brucesmith49

Editor’s Note:

The following essay is from a young woman named Gayle Tice. A few words about her and our relationship are in order before you read her story about encountering a homeless vet in Seattle.

Gayle is originally from Graham, WA, and I met her through the auspices of the Big Brother-Big Sister program when she was a “little sister” to a woman who knew of my work at the Pierce County Dispatch. The Big Sister knew that her little sister had an interest in writing and asked me to allow Gayle to “shadow” me for a day or two as a Dispatch reporter. I agreed.

Although still in high school, Gayle revealed that she had a hungry mind and a big heart, but hadn’t done much writing. I encouraged her to do some. Dramatically, a couple weeks after she shadowed me the Harrison murders occurred a few blocks from her home in Graham. I asked Gayle if she would like to write a story on her reactions to the death of the five Harrison children, who were reportedly killed by their father for reasons that are still unclear.

Gayle wrote briefly about that tragedy, and I hadn’t heard from her until I got a Facebook prompt from her mother recently. The mother announced that Gayle had graduated from Evergreen State College and was looking to launch a writing career, so I got in touch with the mom and Gayle and the following story is the result. Besides the piece on the vet, it also includes some of the email exchange between Gayle and me.

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Writing As a Response to Trying Events

Hello Bruce,

I was very happy to hear from you on Facebook. I have always appreciated your words of support. Mom is right about that. My writing is now focused in Seattle, but I can still see the mountain on a good day from this big city. We celebrate nice weather by saying the mountain is out.

My conversations with you tend to center around the more intense moments of my life. You asked me to write a piece in the wake of the Harrison murders. That was the first time I saw my writing as a way to respond to trying events.

Since then I have written my way to a better understanding of many things. Most of them did not center on any one geographic community, but rather on themes such as struggling with learning disabilities and the power of mentorship. These themes gave me a fair amount of material in college. My writing for publication has focused on promoting artists and small artistic businesses, and I have also ventured, perhaps naively, into advocating for those suffering homelessness. The piece below is not necessarily advocacy; it is just an account of an interaction that left a profound impression.

It was appropriate for the Real Change paper that it has been published in, which focuses on issues related to the homeless and low income. I hope it is appropriate for Mountain News-WA. I would be happy to take your critique and revise accordingly.

I can see how this piece could be made more relevant by bringing in facts on Washington State’s veteran population. I could possibly even investigate what veteran support organizations think the public can do in encounters such as this one. Or go into when calling 911 is appropriate; that is a tough question. There are so many homeless people that one might call 911 about.

I met a likely schizophrenic man apparently having a bad psychological day just a couple of hours ago. He didn’t seem to be injurious to himself or others and accepted a bottle of water. It is just so hard to know what is the appropriate response from an average citizen.

Thank you for your consideration. Have a nice day.

P.S. for the reader of this article:

The original piece was titled “A Painful Encounter.” The new title reflects a revised and deepened focus on responding to suffering.

People are Suffering, How Should We Respond in the Moment?

I met a homeless diabetic veteran on the evening of May 21. I was walking downtown, near the Pike Place Market, on my way to a gathering. I admit that my boyfriend and I walked past him at first. He didn’t speak very loudly, and we didn’t hear what he needed. But, before we had gone far ahead he spoke up.

He said he had been stranded for days trying to get twelve dollars together for a bus and a ferry ride. He wanted to get home to his mom who is a nurse. He showed us the military tattoo on his upper arm. Then he showed us the wound on his leg. It must have been the size of my hand, white and yellow and bad smelling. He had already had his other leg amputated. Serious, slow healing wounds are not uncommon with diabetes, and I can imagine that warm days outsidem – alone and apart from medical care – had not been helpful. Diabetes and homelessness is an especially dangerous mix.

My first response was that he needed to be in the hospital. I wanted to call 911, but he refused. He said he had already been in the hospital for four months, and I suspect the doctors had talked about amputating his wounded leg, his last leg. I also suspect he had run away against medical advice.

He spoke of nobody caring even though he had served this country. There was anger in his voice when he did. But when he showed the wound on his leg he spoke only of his diabetes, with no words linking it to his service. He did not speak of his amputated leg until after he said he was diabetic. He recounted his time in the hospital in days, not months, and clearly did not wish to submit himself to anymore. He showed us his cell phone to prove that he could call 911 for himself if he wanted to. He even affirmed that he had battery life left. He was agitated but gave me the impression that he wasn’t misrepresenting anything. He was methodical about the reality of his situation, citing the fare for the bus and the fare for the ferry separately in itemized fashion. He did not directly ask for all of the money. He just told us about the two fares and what he was trying to do. He was loud and clear about needing help. I took this as a request for the full amount.

My boyfriend gave him more than the cost of the fares. He called 911 after that. I was crying at the time, so it was clear who should call. We had started walking onward to our gathering again, but conscience pulled us back. It was not that we felt we had failed the man by doing precisely what he hoped for. It was simply that we had to know if calling 911 might possibly result in someone speaking to him about what had to be done, even just a little bit sooner than we knew his mom probably would. The man was moving toward the buses by the time we made the call. We saw him pass as we ducked into a stairway to do so. We had been on the fence about whether it was even right to call 911. It didn’t feel right to call; it also didn’t right not to. We needed to reach out to somebody. We figured that the operator would clarify things for us.

The 911 operator, and then the fire department operator we were transferred to, said there was nothing they could do for the man. It was not within the law to pursue someone who did not want help and was not an active danger to himself or others. He was not actively mutilating himself or threatening others. We were told that we would have to put him on the phone and have him agree to receive the help. The tone of the conversation was that we needed to let this go. We didn’t run after the man. We didn’t try to persuade him to stay with us and wait for an ambulance.

I didn’t ask my vet his name. I don’t know his history. I don’t know whether he had been homeless over a long term or if he had found himself without shelter only after leaving the hospital. I probably won’t ever know if he made it to his mom.

I know it is likely that his life was in danger. I know that even if he made it to his mom, and even if his mom convinced him to go back to the hospital, his life may still be in danger now. This was a vivid lesson about what we can and cannot do for others. I hate to think what may have happened if we, or someone else hadn’t stopped and listened. I would probably never learn of the outcome either way.

I get asked for money a lot and it can be numbing. But that night reminded me that there are people really suffering out there. It is hard to know what the average citizen can really do about any of the suffering they witness, if they haven’t become entirely numb and blind already. It feels like we have to override our feelings of care for one another, or travel in despair.

The natural train of thought to fall into after an encounter such as this one seems to be over-analyze-ation. The one thing I can think that I might have done differently would have been to refer the man to a Veteran Crisis Line. It seems so obvious now. He was a veteran in crisis and 911 was an imperfect option in his case. Reaching out to the wider wealth of support services that exist may be one of the best things that can be done to alleviate suffering.

Author, Gayle Tice

Gayle Tice

Posted in Cops and courts, Culture, Graham News, Politics, Remarkable men and women, Spirituality, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

9th Annual Rainier Independent Film Festival shines in Ashford, if only to small crowds

Posted on May 22, 2015 by brucesmith49

by Bruce A. Smith

The 9^th Annual Rainier Independent Film Festival was held last weekend in the mountain town of Ashford, WA, and it was a strange mix of industry insiders, local artsy-types, and thirty-eight films – many of them weird, flawed, or fascinating.

As “independent” films, they are generally not the kind of movie usually shown in a multiplex, and this lack of popular appeal limits the reach of the festival. As a result, the crowds were thin.

But those in attendance were treated to a bevy of meaningful films even if viewers had to wade through a bunch of clunkers. Most of the films shown were short fiction or documentary types, and about a dozen of so feature-length movies averaging about 90 minutes in length, which were also the most appealing.

The Friday night opener, Booze, Boys and Brownies was the quintessential “Indie” charmer, and later was voted the Audience’s Choice Award.

Profoundly lacking a narrative arc that would have had a beginning, middle and an end – with a resulting dramatic pay-off in the last scene – BB&B was instead a solid stitch work of beautifully crafted vignettes portraying a young woman’s pursuit of a movie career in Los Angeles.

It’s a tough slog, and the heroine Viviane, played by Veronica Mannion, also finds that she has to sort through her feelings towards a slew of handsome lads, who are also dealing with their own turbulent desires for love, glory and commercial success.

Basically, it’s a tangled mess, and everyone lubricates the friction of their lives with vodka and pastries. Hence, the title.

Mannion, who also wrote the screenplay, produced the movie, and directed the shoot, is clearly a genius. Her acting is wonderful, and she brings a sonic touch that is sublime; and BB&B is sprinkled with musical interludes that are short and sweet, like miniature droplets of Rodgers and Hammerstein.

In addition, the acting is tight and dynamic throughout, and the scenes are sharply crafted, even if they don’t build into a coherent momentum. In a sense, BB&B is a collection of twenty or so excellent mini-films, and one day we will see Mannion accept an Oscar for her work in a town she calls “Hell-A.”

But until then she needs a top-notch mentor and a seasoned writer to shape her obvious talents.

Sadly, the magic that was present in BB&B was missing in most of the short films presented at the festival, most of which lasted between 10-15 minutes.

However, there were a couple of exceptions. One was a five- minute gem titled Nature, which spoofed Big Pharma ads, and showed the benefits of the outdoors as a remedy to life’s ills.

“Ask your doctor if Nature is right for you,” is the tag line from Nature that continues to ring in my head and put a smile on my face.

Another piece that also deserves attention is Mei-Mei. This is a thirty-minute film narrative by Dmae Roberts, which portrays the life of her mother, a Taiwanese immigrant who survived WWII. Their story has been featured on NPR.

The feature films were uneven in quality, with one, Land of Leopold, being a real stinker. But most of the films I viewed, even if “not great,” were satisfying because they looked at themes not usually explored in commercial films, such as Wildlife and its approach to incest.

Another stellar film was Imperial Dreams, the tale of a young African-American man released from prison who returns home to Watts with a profound determination to transform his life. Even though his frustrations are many, and his angry and discouragement real, the film is a touching look at one man’s journey to creating something greater in life.

Imperial Dreams received the “Best Film Award” for the festival. Not only was this accolade richly deserved, film lovers will surely see this movie on a screen somewhere in the near future.

Perhaps the most interesting part of RIFF was meeting the people who made the films. This festival is exceptional for creating an environment where actors, producers, film buffs and average Joes can mingle easily with each other and talk movies.

Thus, the highlight for me was spending half the weekend trading insights with film professionals, such as producers Luke Taylor of Buffalo 8 Productions in Hollywood, and the LA-based John Adams of The Adams Family Productions, along with the aforementioned Veronica Mannion. We talked animatedly on the nitty-gritty of making a movie with very little money.

Adams’ worthy effort, The Shoot, was filmed for 30K, while Mannion said her Booze, Boys and Brownies was made for 20K!

Yet Taylor was courageous enough to tell me how his company attempted to fix the 250K Leopold with voice-overs when the initial shooting showed the movie to be woefully deficient.

“We knew right away that it had a lot of missing story points,” Taylor acknowledged. Following, we talked at great length on how to make a movie “less sucky” and still stay on budget.

Money is the essential ingredient in independent film productions, and everyone had compelling stories on how they saved money and cut corners. Money determines how big a movie can be made, and everything – the script, locations, and the plot – must conform to those limitations. Simply, a film producer can not squeeze War and Peace into a fifteen minute film.

“Keep it simple,” is the primary approach, and John Adams’s company employees his family’s two daughters, Zelda and LuLu, as interchangeable actresses, camera operators and technical assistants, with mom Toby Poser rounding out the roster. In fact, John and Toby handled the leading roles in The Shoot while their kids filmed them.

Zelda, at 11 years old, was in attendance and captivated those who spoke with her. Effervescent and ever-present, Zelda talked easily about her life in films, and described how she and her family travel about the United States – exploring the country and making movies. The Adams’ also attend a number of film gatherings as a way of marketing their movies, and Zelda called RIFF her favorite festival.

When she’s not making movies, Zelda enjoys playing soccer, and also, playing the drums in a band Kids Kalifornia, with her father.

In contrast, Luke Taylor characterized Cannes as “chaotic and crazy” and Sun Valley as “cool” for their networking opportunities, but he called RIFF “serene.”

The ambience of RIFF also added to the ease of schmoozing with the guests. Most of the films were held at the Lions Hall in Ashford, and the Lady Lions hosted a bar that served wine and beer at fair prices, while delicious food was generally available through the auspices of John and Tammy Bratholm of Eatonville.

Adding heft to the conversation, film impresario Warren Etheridge of Seattle mc’d the questions and answer periods that followed every movie.

Etheridge also hosted in own workshop, titled: “Don’t Shoot the Messenger.”

As in years past, the Rainier Impendent Film Festival was hosted by its founders, Win and Sarah Whittaker. They also entertained the audience with the story of how they met – she was a camera operator and Assistant Director of Photography on a film shoot in Utah while Win was also the First Assistant Director overall.

“It was a hot day and Win had just come back from climbing Mt. McKinley,” Sarah told me. “All the men had their shirts off, and I said to my girlfriend, who’s that guy over there, the first A.D….”

Photos

Veronica Mannion and Alan Kaiser, stars of Booze, Boys and Brownies at RIFF

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Zelda Adams and her father, John, at RIFF

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Win Whittaker, co-founder of RIFF

Bruce A. Smith

Posted in Ashford, Culture, Entertainment, Events, Mount Rainier, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

9th Annual Rainier Independent Film Festival coming to Ashford

Posted on May 10, 2015 by brucesmith49

Editor’s Note:

The 9^th Annual Rainier Independent Film Festival will be held next weekend, May 15-17, in various locations in Ashford, WA, and it’s a stellar undertaking. Besides the excellent films, the great number of film folk milling about for questions and answers is a special treat. The Mountain News covered the festival a few years ago, and learned how professional and entertaining this film fete truly is, so, we’ll be back again this year.

In the meantime, here is the official announcement from Andrea Edmondson, the festival’s assistant director:

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ASHFORD, WA – Rainier Independent Film Festival (May 15-17) announces its official line-up, including over 38 dynamic films spanning a variety of genres and topics.

In its 9th year, the Rainier Independent Film Festival is dedicated to providing a venue for independent filmmakers to have their films screened in the tranquil area surrounding Mount Rainier. Mixing films, workshops and the laid-back setting of the area, this festival is unique as a opportunity to meet and mingle with film industry people outside of the hustle and bustle typically associated with the business.

Located in the shadow of Mount Rainier, the Ashford Valley provides the perfect setting for this festival. Our screening venues include the Mt. Rainier Lions Theater and the Cine-Yurt at Wellspring. All projection is shown in the latest digital technology.

Complete with international, national, and regional film selections the festival is a unique experience.

RIFF organizers are welcoming several filmmakers to the festival, including two returning veteran filmmakers from RIFF.

“The Shoot” is the third film the Adams Family has had at RIFF, and two years ago their film “Knuckle Jack” won Best Audience Award.

John and LuLu Adams will be in attendance for “The Shoot,” which screens on Saturday night at 7PM.

This year’s opening night film, “Booze, Boys, and Brownies” written, directed and performed in by Veronica Mannion is a lively, modern musical that takes a humorous look at a young actresses foes and follies as she tries to make her way through a busy but entertaining life. Veronica will be in attendance for a post-film discussion following the 7:00 pm screening on Friday, May 15th, at the Ashford Lions Theater.

Other films with filmmakers in attendance include the closing night films, “Wildlike” and “Land of Leopold.”

Among the documentaries playing at RIFF this year is the much talked about -and award winning environmental film – “Growing Local,” which plays at noon on Saturday.

This is the fifth year that RIFF has combined efforts with the guest curator, Warren Etheredge, and look for Warren’s films on Saturday, May 16th, at the Mt. Rainier Lions Theater from 1 pm -5 pm, and on Sunday from 2 pm – 4 pm.

In addition, Etheredge will lead a workshop on Sunday, May 17 at 12 pm at the Mt. Rainier Lions Theater in Ashford, titled, “Don’t Shoot The Messenger.”

With a wealth of knowledge and an entertaining presenter Warren will examine cinematography – what works, what doesn’t, and why. As a result, his workshops are always a favorite part of the festival.

Rounding out the festival weekend will be the closing night films “Wildlike” at 4 pm, followed by “Land of Leopold” at 6 pm. Both of these films will have filmmakers in attendance.

Festival Awards will be presented following the closing night screening, including Best Student Film, Best Short Documentary, Best Full Length Documentary, Best Narrative Short, Best Feature, and Audience Favorite.

For more information and the full festival schedule visit http://www.RainierFilmFest.com. For movie or workshop tickets go online to (www.RainierFilmFest.com) or in person at the Whittaker’s Motel in Ashford.

Thank you to our sponsors:

Rainier Mountaineering, Inc., The Warren Report, Reel NW KCTS 9, Audio Visual Factory Productions,The Harmon Brewery & Eatery, Mt. Rainier Visitor Association, Guest Services, Inc

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Eatonville Family Agency launches outreach programs

Posted on May 1, 2015 by brucesmith49

Editor’s Note:

The Mountain News-WA has received a message from the Eatonville Family Agency revealing its many programs and its need for food, service, and financial donations.

Here is the newsletter from the new director of the EFA, Alana Smith, announcing the outreach, and it includes many creative and innovative fundraising opportunities, such as Puerto Vallarta’s pledge to share a portion of profits on Wednesdays in May.

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The Eatonville Family Agency is the major hunger-relief organization of Eatonville and southeast Pierce County, serving 580 square miles.

Thanks to the money and in-kind donations, 90 cents of every dollar we receive goes directly to help our clients and support our food distribution programs. There are numerous assistance programs and ways to get help from hunger at the Food Bank, Backpack program and the Senior Meal lunch. We provide assistance with utility bills, medical sign ups, health care, clothing, rent, food stamp programs, DSHS services, Domestic Violence, foot care, ARRP driving classes and many other resources. We also enjoy the weekly senior activities such as Bingo, Cribbage and Pinochle games, woodcarving, and the popular Knit and Knot classes.

All of these programs come with a price: picking up bread from our grocery program, sorting and organizing food, writing grants, and managing the mountain of paper work that comes along with federal dollars are tasks we can no longer support by ourselves. We need your help.

Though the Eatonville Family Agency has been in the business of poverty reduction since 1983, what it took to help people out of poverty in the past simply will not work today. Here at the Agency we have begun to focus on building partnerships, facilitating linkages with the private sector, educating, and encouraging innovation that improve the lives of the poor. We are looking for powerful new tools and opportunities to address poverty.

During the month of May you will see an overwhelming response to a call for a needed fundraising campaign by our board members; you can help fight hunger in our community by making a contribution. While this upcoming project may be a fundraising launch, it is just as important to continue these efforts throughout the year.

I have seen a wave of compassion from our community members, churches and businesses since I started as Director here a little over a month ago – neighbors and friends reaching out to help one another. I see ordinary people become heroes through extraordinary and selfless actions day after day.

We need to empower our people so that they can take more responsibility for their own lives, and in turn help others. We have here in Eatonville a spirit of community – a sense that we are all in this together – working to make the” American way of life” real for everyone.

Schedule of Fundraising Events in Eatonville:

1. Now through May 6, purchase unique custom jewelry that you design yourself as a special keepsake from Origami Owl, and a portion of the proceeds go to the EFA. Shop on-line at http://jernigan.origamiowl.com/ and enter jewelry bar code: 68090

2. Enjoy the Taco Bar at Puerto Vallarta Restaurant from 4-7pm, Wednesdays: May 6, 13 & 20, and a portion of the proceeds go to the EFA.

3. Stop by Arrow Lumber from 11:00am-2:00pm, Saturday, May 9, for a community BBQ with delicious Double T hotdogs! Donations will be accepted for lunch and a portion of Arrow Lumber sales that day will be donated to the EFA.

4. EFA Open House at the Community Center, Friday, May 15, 11am-2pm. See our great work in action and learn more about what we offer to our community. Light refreshments and tours will be provided.

5. Neighborhood Fund-Raising Challenge, Saturday May 16. Rally your neighborhood to try and out raise the other neighborhoods in Eatonville! Flyers will be distributed in various neighborhoods around town announcing the event in advance. Designated volunteers will go house to house on the 16th to collect donations. Neighborhood donations will be tallied and a winner will get bragging rights with an announcement on Facebook!

6. Get a pedicure between 12:00pm-5:00pm at the All About You Salon, Monday May 18, and all proceeds go to the EFA.

7. Mountain Physical Therapy, Wednesday, May 20, will be hosting a coffee and bake sale beginning at 9am and going until supplies run out! Purchase delicious baked goods and locally roasted coffee with all proceeds going to the EFA.

8. Join the Aid the Agency 5K Fun Run/Walk & 1K on Saturday, May 30. Kids Dash on the beautiful Bud Blancher Trail. Registration is $25 in advance, $35 day of for the 5K and $15/$25 for the 1K kids dash. Shirts will be guaranteed for those registering by May 15th. Register today at https://www.databarevents.com/aidtheagency5k

9. All month long – Order a personalized wall sign from ME Blocks (available at https://www.facebook.com/pages/ME-Blocks/148231812008501) and all proceeds go to the EFA.

10. All month long – Purchase a coffee card at the Gypsy Wagon Espresso stand for only $10 and proceeds go to the EFA.

11. All month long – Purchase the coffee and donut special at Cottage Bakery and a portion of the proceeds will go to the EFA.

12. All month long – Round up your purchase and donate your change at Kirk’s Pharmacy.

13. All month long – Round up your check and/or make a donation at Bruno’s Restaurant. Bruno’s will match up to $1000 of all round-ups and donations made in the month of May!

14. All month long – Make a donation at Key Bank.

15. All month long – Make a donation directly to the EFA On-Line at http://www.eatonvillefamilyagency.com, in person at 305 West Center Street or mail to PO Box 1764 Eatonville, WA 98328

Watch our website and Facebook page for more activities and events to be added! We thank you for your support and for helping us to continue to care for our great community.

EFA Director, Alana Smith

Posted in Business, Eatonville News, Health, Self Reliance | 1 Comment

DB Cooper cyber sleuths adopt the Mountain News as a chat room

Posted on April 18, 2015 by brucesmith49

Editor’s Note:

Life at the Mountain News is becoming downright spicy. Daily, new characters from the cyber section of Cooper World are appearing here to pontificate, trash talk, or otherwise rub elbows with fellow aficionados of the Hunt for DB Cooper.

Currently, the group seems to be congregating at the commentary section of the Cooper story I posted several weeks ago announcing the publication of my book on the hijacking: DB Cooper and the FBI – A Case Study of America’s Only Unsolved Skyjacking.”

https://themountainnewswa.net/2015/03/17/db-cooper-and-the-fbi-a-case-study-of-americas-only-unsolved-skyjacking-published-on-amazon-kindle/

The impetus for this immigration seems to be the closure of their old haunt at the DropZone forum on DB Cooper for reasons that are not clear, nor public. Regardless, many new folks are finding a home at the Mountain News.

Welcome, one and all. Of course we do have standards of conduct, such as no threatening behavior, foul language, or obvious symptoms of mental illness – in which case we will make a referral to the appropriate medical provider.

Readers of the Mountain News who never visited the DropZone, or DZ as its denizens prefer to call it, should know it is often a strange place, but fascinating. Hence, I am posting an overview of the DropZone from my book, and the related phenomena of the role chat rooms and Internet sleuthing have played in the DB Cooper investigation.

Simply, without the DZ, my book would have been much different.

The overview of the DZ contains a glossary of the primary voices in Cooper World who speak on the case. This section will expand, as I am learning that increasing numbers of video blog sites are digging into Norjak. As a result, the number of players here is likely to grow.

In the meantime, here is a synopsis of what our new readers are “bringing to the table.”

DB Cooper and the FBI – A Case Study of America’s Only Unsolved Skyjacking

Open-Source Sleuthing –

The DZ, Mountain News, Sluggo and the DB Cooper Forum

Open-sourced sleuthing, where forensic information is freely shared on the Internet, is a radically new development in investigative journalism. We reporters relish these new forms of chat rooms and websites, as they allow us to bypass the usual constrictions imposed by law enforcement and corporate sources.

More than information is exchanged, however. Contacts are made and friendships formed, which in turn build impromptu sleuthing teams. Galen Cook is my most significant partner, but I also joined forces with many of the folks I have meet on the Internet, such as Meyer Louie who joined me in a search for the Amboy chute.

But since it’s open-sourced anyone can show up, including people you wouldn’t want to rub elbows with under more customary circumstances.

The Drop Zone, or more simply “the DZ,” had been one of the best online sites for sharing information about DB Cooper.

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.

Over the years, the DZ has been the key place to exchange facts and float theories on Norjak. I’ve learned plenty on the DZ and it is a classic example of open-sourced sleuthing at work – the good, bad and ugly of it all. Some days are filled with gemstones of information; others are bland exchanges of Cooper World gossip.

But the worst days are gruesome, and the DZ can resemble a “Biker Bar” in cyber space. During these sordid moments it’s not for the timid or thin-skinned. Not only are treasured beliefs fiercely defended, but the character assassinations can be vicious.

Yet, for those who can tolerate the cruelty or side-step it, the DZ has been a place to educate oneself about Norjak. Scientist, researchers, authors, arm-chair gadflies, and even Ckret, the aforementioned FBI agent Larry Carr, have posted at the DZ since its inception in 2007.

The bad behaviors displayed at the DZ clearly indicate that the case has affected people psychologically – a dynamic I call the Cooper Vortex – the pull of emotions so powerful they unleash a self-righteousness indignation that makes smart people do very foolish things.

With all the name-calling and trash talking the DZ requires the services of a moderator, a fellow named “Quade.” He admonishes the worst perpetrators of ungentlemanly conduct; some take the hint and quiet themselves. Others don’t and get banned from further postings.

Yet, the DZ can also be as warm as the TV neighborhood tavern in “Friends.” I have luxuriated on the DZ – reading someone’s post about a charming Cooper World encounter, or tangential wafting about women. These moments make the DZ feel down-right cozy.

I cherish some of my friendships formed at the DZ. Others I simply endure.

Hundreds of people around the world read the DZ daily, with about a dozen individuals posting frequently. Many more simply come and go after delivering a pet theory or asking a burning question. Since its beginnings, over 40,000 commentaries have accumulated on 2,000 pages of text.

The most noted contributor to the DZ has been FBI Special Agent Larry Carr, using the moniker “Ckret.” I have corroborated more details on Cooper from Carr’s postings at the DZ than I have from talking to Larry directly. As a result, the DropZone has been a vital place for me.

But since the DZ is so personality-driven, I think it may be useful to illumine some of the characters:

Besides Larry, Jo Weber is arguably the most dynamic figure on the DZ. She is certainly the most prolific poster, championing the Cooper-ship of her deceased husband, Duane Weber, whom she says confessed to being the skyjacker in 1995. Jo posts thousands of words every day and has something to say on just about every aspect – and every persona – in Norjak.

Some visitors to the DZ dismiss Jo as a crank but she has deep knowledge of the case, and possesses a deep appreciation of issues that might be affecting the Cooper investigation, such as MKULTRA, the notorious CIA-run mind control project that ran concurrently with the Norjak investigation.

One of those who have slogged through Jo’s DZ rants is the aforementioned Georger, a smart guy who often gets cranky himself.

Besides being a professor at a mid-western university, Georger has unusual ties to Norjak that are both familial and professional. Occasionally, Georger makes reference to his FBI connections on the DZ, which seem to be substantive if not fully revealed in their exact nature.

Norjak researcher and DZ poster, Galen, has a wonderful description of Georger:

“He likes to cast himself as a ‘backdoor observer’ of the case, but he knows far more than he leads others to believe. G’s knowledge of the case is vast. Yet, he remains a silent player in the investigation and prefers, it seems, to engage others in the boisterous ‘DropZone’ site, where he can be as nasty as he is allowed to be.”

Perhaps the King of Attitude is Snowmman, certainly one of the smartest guys at the DZ and is the undisputed expert on all things cyber. Snow summed-up his knowledge this way: “You have to remember, Bruce, I read the entire Internet every night.”

Somedays, it seems as if Snowmman has.

Snowmman has been an invaluable aid in discovering contact information on many individuals associated with the case. Without Snow my research on Sheridan Peterson, Ted Braden, or Special Agent Dorwin Schreuder would be greatly curtailed or non-existent.

However, because of his unrepentant surliness Snowmman has been banned for life from the DZ starting in 2011.

The regal voice of sanity at the DZ haws been an attorney from the Bay Area named Mark Metzler, who sports the moniker, “377,” the signage for his favorite Boeing aircraft. 377 is an avid sky diver and a dogged Norjak researcher. His findings on the use of the 727 as a jump platform is singular, as is his analysis of NB-8 parachutes and the optimum method of exiting a 727 at 200 mph.

377 is also a buddy of Snowmman, and together they form a solid team of Cooper sleuths. I am blessed that at least one of them is a gentleman.

Sluggo Monster, aka Wayne Walker, is acknowledged as one of the most authoritative voices on Norjak, and has followed the case since 1971. He is the creator of one of the foremost Internet depositories for facts on the DB Cooper case – “Sluggo’s Northwest 305”Hijacking Research Site.”

http://n467us.com/index.htm .

Many of the photographs found in the Photo Gallery come from his website.

Jerry Thomas (JT) was one of those DZ contributors who “comes and goes,” which wasn’t a problem for those of us who appreciate grammar and spelling. In his defense, JT says he hasn’t figured out how to use his spell checker. Regardless, Jerry is one of the leading antagonists in the war of words with Jo Weber.

Nevertheless, Jerry is a long-time student of the case and is a beloved side-kick to Ralph Himmelsbach.

Besides Himmelsbach, JT also enjoys an elevated relationship with others in the FBI and has access to SA Curtis Eng.

JT also serves on the CS, and is featured in Geoffrey Gray’s book, Skyjack- The Hunt for DB Cooper.

Since 2010, one of the voices heard most often at the DZ is author Robert Blevins. Robert champions Kenny Christiansen as Cooper, which is the sole focus of his book, Into the Blast – The True Story of DB Cooper. Through his pronouncements on the DZ Robert has also found a way to infuriate just about everyone at the forum and in the larger Norjak investigation. Nevertheless, he attends the annual Cooper Daze festival in Ariel and reports his findings on the DZ, including his video accounts of the Cooper phenomena.

Smokin99 is also a solid researcher who has helped me locate individuals via back-door genealogical channels, such as Lee Dormuth.

Similarly, EVicki has also provided vital assistance, especially in helping me connect with Special Agent Nick O’Hara and passenger Bill Mitchell.

In addition, Vicki has touched me with her heartfelt efforts to learn the truth of her father, Mel Wilson, a Cooper suspect and convicted felon who disappeared from her life in the autumn of 1971.

Another woman posting on the DZ was Amazon. She is an exceptionally accomplished skydiver and offers fact-based commentaries on Cooper’s jump. Miss Amazona has no patience whatsoever with the forum’s fools, and I think she would smile to know that I call her, privately, One Tough Broad.

Another formidable lassie is Orange1, whose insistence on sound discussion emanates from her home in South Africa. Orange is also fiercely protective of Tina Mucklow, challenging my efforts to make contact with this witness like a mother bear defending her cub.

Bob Sailshaw is a newcomer to the DZ, only posting in 2011 after reading about my Cooper investigations in the Mountain News. Sail has a unique position in the Norjak story – he may have lived with DB Cooper, having rented a room to prime suspect, Sheridan Peterson in 1961.

Sail was visited by the FBI in their 1971 sweep, and the encounter simmered for decades until Sail’s retirement a few years ago. One evening during an idle moment perusing the Internet, Sail Googled Petey’s name and soon found us.

Robert99, MrShutter, Farflung, Hangdiver, SafecrackingPlF, and Meyer Louie and many others have all been informative and reasonable. Sadly, Meyer lost his cool one night and got kicked-out in 2012. Same, too, for Galen back in 2009.

The tensions on the DZ swelled to epic proportions in 2014, emanating especially from Jo and Blevins. In response, many Cooper sleuths broke away from the DZ and formed a new website, the DB Cooper Forum.

www.dbcooperforum.com.

The forum is ably moderated by the abovementioned Mr. Shutter, and features many subsections that make it a handy tool to explore different aspects of Norjak.

Most of my in-depth Cooper material I publish at the Mountain News-WA, and I link it to the DZ and the DB Cooper Forum.

https://themountainnewswa.net/category/db-cooper/

The difference between this book and the Mountain News is that the MN contains all the original stuff in its basic form – the interviews, speculations, and insights offered by the dozens of people involved in the investigation.

Author Geoffrey Gray never posts on any of the above sites. Instead, he maintains his own website “Hunt for DB Cooper:” Besides supporting his book, Skyjack – The Hunt for DB Cooper, it also offers a calendar of events and blog-like postings that are original and fresh, even if they sound wildly outlandish occasionally.

www.huntfordbcooper.com

Posted in Culture, DB Cooper, Entertainment | 2 Comments