Soundings (3/27/07)

Posted by Stowe Talbot 
 
 

Soundings 3/27/07

Flag Salute and Invocation by Brad Cornwell<p>

Visiting Rotarians:  Dwayne Rogge (director of Mt Baker Boy Scouts), Don Anderson.<p>

Guests:  Lisa Boxx (Country Insurance), Heidi Bugbee (St Francis childcare)<p>

Announcements<p>

Please consider attending the upcoming District 5050 Assembly on April 14th.  This is especially useful for incoming board members.<p>

Also, please note the upcoming District 5050 Convention on June 1, 2 and 3 at Harrison Hot Springs.<p>

There will be a Fireside meeting on April 26th 6-8 pm at Barry Kramer's house.  This is for all new members of our club;<p>

Next week's program:  Our club's Interact kids will be here, plus Paul Harris fellowships will be awarded.  District Gov. Rob Martin will attend.<p>

Bob Moles:  Update on the "Pure Water Support Luncheon" fundraiser May 6th at the Bellwether ballroom:  Tickets are $60 each and include lunch and raffle ticket.  Extra raffle tickets are $25.  Also, Frank Chmelik will be hosting "pre-event support dinner" on May 4th (Friday) - tickets are $75 each to that.  We still need a few more sponsorships to help underwrite the cost of the luncheon.<p>

Eddie wants to put together fellowship golf event sometime later this spring.<p>

 
Donations Committee:  Heidi Bugbee thanked the club for our donation of $2,066.95 to St. Francis' childcare program.  It bring preschoolers together with seniors.  This year, our funds will specifically go to the purchase a curriculum on literacy skills for the kids.

John Templeton personally thanked Dave McEachran (today's speaker) for his years of friendship and his service to our community as the County prosecuting attorney. John awarded him a Paul Harris Fellowship award.

Bucks in the Bay
Patti Imhof for missed meetings, a birthday, trip to Australia, and also thankful that Imhof Construction has been selected for the Meridian Street widening project;
Bob Moles thankful that RI recently deposited the $53,000 for the Copan pure water project!
Tonja Myers' theater show starts this weekend;
Ron Hardesty thankful that Dave McEachran is serving as our county's prosecuting attorney rather than Ron's brother;
Lynn Templeton for missed meetings and glad to get the Soundings every week (thanks for the props, bro);
Brad for missed meetings;
Stephanie Sadler thanks to McEvoys for dinner, and reports that St Paul's chess teams have been doing great, and that the Upper School construction project is making good progress;
Ed Zech for birthday;
Mimi Ferlin for missed meetings while in Palm Springs and Hawaii, eminent domain issues, son gradated from WWU Saturday;
Cy Lindberg youngest daughter attending grad school at Oregon State;
Dan Wilkerson is the proud parent of son who graduated (finally!) from WWU;
Dwayne Rogge (director of local Boy Scouts) invited all to attend the "Good Scouter Luncheon" at noon, April 10 at Christ the King Church honoring Herb Ershig, Don Haggen and Larry Olsen.

Sergeant at Arms by Orphalee Smith
Fines for everyone without a Rotary pin, John Templeton, Tim McEvoy, real estate people, stock brokers, etc.

Program
Tim McEvoy first told a very dirty joke, then introduced Dave McEachran, Whatcom County Prosecuting Attorney.  Dave talked about the special challenges that the border poses to our county's law enforcement.  Typical cases include smuggling, drugs, and fugitives.  Blaine is third busiest northern crossing in the US.  Federal authorities don't have the resources to pursue these criminal cases, so the burden falls on the county and cities.  The cost of this "extra" caseload work is about $2 million per year.

There is significant "bounce back effect" at the border, where fugitives who try unsuccessfully to get into Canada end up staying in Whatcom County and committing crimes here. 

July 24, 2006 was typical case: Two men were fleeing California where they had committed a murder.  They drove up I-5 to get to Canada.  ICE (the border authorities) were alerted.  Using cell phone data, the two fugitives were tracked to Custer rest stop.  A chase ensued, and finally the two were apprehended right at the Blaine border near the monument.  Dave showed the video of the chase from the helicopter. 

Dave was asked to prosecute the case.  The driver (Hussein) was convicted of several crimes, and then shipped off to California where is is currently being prosecuted for murder.  This is an example of the added workload that Whatcom County law enforcement is faced with each year.

Respectfully Submitted,
Stowe Talbot