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PENINSULA DAILY NEWS February 4, 2016 | 75¢
Port Townsend-Jefferson County’s Daily Newspaper
PT boy cleared of rape charges
Getting the message
Judge rules not enough evidence BY CHARLIE BERMANT PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
CHARLIE BERMANT/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
JeffCom 911 director Karl Hatton, left, briefs communications officer Terry Taylor on the newly installed text-to-9-1-1 feature.
Jefferson, Clallam counties accepting texts to 9-1-1 Communications go to dispatch centers, just like phone calls BY CHARLIE BERMANT PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
PORT HADLOCK — Those in distress can now alert emergency services across the North Olympic Peninsula by sending a text message instead of phoning. Call centers prefer voice calls so they can acquire more information, but the added service will benefit many, said
emergency dispatch center directors. “This is very important for people who are hard of hearing or have speech difficulties, or those who aren’t in the position to speak clearly,” said Karl Hatton, director of Jefferson County’s JeffCom 911. “We’d prefer they call,” he added. “When someone texts us, we won’t get accurate location information and we can’t hear background noises or judge the stress level in their voices.” People with hearing disabilities won’t need a special device to communicate, Hatton said, and those in domestic violence situations who are not able to speak can seek help via text message. In Clallam County, PenCom director Steve Romberg said the service will be
available in any areas where the four major carriers — AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile — offer service. “There are some places that don’t get good cell service where voice calls can be difficult,” Romberg said. “People can use text to contact us in those cases.” A text to 9-1-1 in an area where the service is not available will result in an immediate bounce-back. As of Monday, anyone with a smartphone that includes a text plan can type “911” in the address field and text the details of the incident directly to call centers in Jefferson and Clallam counties. TURN
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PORT TOWNSEND — A 13-year-old boy was acquitted of three first-degree rape charges when the judge ruled there was no evidence to corroborate the 7-year-old girl’s statement that he had assaulted her. “There were no physical findings to support the allegations,” Jefferson County Superior Court Judge Keith Harper said during a onehour statement Monday. “Kids don’t mean to lie, but they tell stories and can make stuff up.” The non-jury trial took place last Thursday and Friday, Jan. 28-29. Harper ruled Monday. The Peninsula Daily News does not identify juveniles accused of crimes. The Chimacum Middle School student was charged in July after the girl said he assaulted her on a school bus in incidents between Feb. 14 and March 3, 2015. The alleged assault was reported after the girl was taken to a physician by her aunt, who serves as her guardian, after the girl disclosed what had happened to her, Haas has said. As required by state law, the physician reported the incident to law enforcement officials, in this case the county Sheriff’s Office. The boy was then expelled from school and has not yet returned, according to Chimacum Schools Superintendent Rick Thompson. Thompson said he intended to review the student’s status as soon as possible. Defense Attorney Scott Charlton said the boy’s education has suffered as a result of the allegations and trial. He said he did not know where the juvenile would be attending school. Harper said he examined all the evidence and reached the conclusion to acquit but decided to sleep on it. TURN
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PA deputy mayor closes ‘uncivil’ meeting Some stayed for impromptu rally BY PAUL GOTTLIEB PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
PORT ANGELES — Deputy Mayor Cherie Kidd reached her tipping point this week when a City Council meeting speaker compared four pro-fluoridation council members — including herself — to the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Kidd, standing in for pneumonia-stricken Mayor Patrick Downie, abruptly adjourned Tuesday’s meeting during the second public comment session — it was the last item on the agenda — after repeatedly banging her gavel and asking for order.
Your Peninsula
But in an extraordinary turn, the gathering continued without her. After the meeting was adjourned, Councilman Lee Whetham encouraged comments, taking charge of the session as he stood behind the dais with other anti-fluoridation council members Sissi Bruch and Michael Merideth. The 30-minute session turned into an anti-fluoridation/antiKidd rally in council chambers packed with between 50 and 60 protesters. Kidd had called for civility during the meeting while opponents hooted, hollered and clapped as about 20 speakers criticized four
pro-fluoridation council members, including Downie, who participated by speakerphone from his home. The final straw for Kidd came when Robert Flood of Port Angeles compared council members Downie, Brad Collins, Dan Gase and Kidd to the Four Horsemen — Conquest, War, Famine and Death — from the Bible’s Book of Revelation. Kidd interrupted Flood before he completed the list of council members’ names. “That is out of order,” she said. “Personal insults are inappropriate. PAUL GOTTLIEB/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS “This meeting is adjourned. Port Angeles Deputy Mayor Cherie Kidd, right, before “This is uncivil; this is inapwalking out of the City Council chambers Tuesday after propriate.”
unexpectedly adjourning a council meeting while
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FLUORIDE/A4 Councilman Lee Whetham, left, and two others stayed.
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