by Wally Cuddeford

In the early morning hours of July 27, known anti-war organizer Jeff Berryhill was downtown, minding his own business, when he was encircled by Olympia police. The cops, who demonstrated knowledge of who Berryhill was, detained him for several minutes, claiming he “fit the profile” of a suspect in a burglary incident elsewhere in town. (Indeed, it has not been established that this “burglary” even happened.) Upon being dismissed, Berryhill went straight home to tell his friend Mitch. Reportedly, officers later converged on the two at their home, escalating with the victims . . .

by Wally Cuddeford

The 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, a Stryker unit based out of Fort Lewis, was originally set to deploy in May of this year.1 However, George Bush's "Surge" strategy moved their deployment date up two months. [1] Because of this, the unit had to skip crucial desert training at Fort Irwin in California, and train only here at Fort Lewis. [2]

by Wally Cuddeford

On Wednesday, Dec. 15, sexual assault survivor Suzanne Swift appeared before a hastily assembled court-martial. She was charged with going Absent Without Leave from her unit at Fort Lewis, on the eve of their deployment to Iraq. Swift's court-martial wasn't going to happen until January, but it was hastened when she agreed to make a deal with the military. The terms of Suzanne Swift's deal are as follows:

Swift will spend up to 30 days in the brig.

She has agreed to stay in the military until January of 2009.

She has been reduced in rank from Specialist to Private.

Where the streets have no say: Selective enforcement keeps the Olympia homeless worrying about more than the yellow reign of patrons

by Wally Cuddeford

Recently, Olympia City Council members Jeff Kingsbury and Doug Mah co-sponsored proposed revisions to the city ordinances to discourage, what they call, "anti-social behavior" encountered downtown. The proposal would, among other things, make it illegal to sit, lie, vend, or solicit within six feet of the edge of a building. The proposal would only take effect within the downtown area, and has exemptions for people with disabilities, people . . .

by Wally Cuddeford

July 20th, Day 159 of the Pizza Time strike, felt like Day 1 all over again. That was because the strikers picked up their picket signs once again in response to plans to reopen the store. The disputes that put them on strike in February are long past. This time, they're on the picket line to get their jobs back, and to unionize the workplace.