The latest issue of the Seattle Weekly has a feature story on Lamyaa Ennassime, the Lakewood teen at the center of a forced labor case involving her aunt and uncle and their Lakewood coffee shop.

The couple were charged in federal court and pleaded guilty last September. They were sentenced in December.

Prosecutors had alleged they made their niece, who was 12 at the time, keep a rigorous schedule of housework and child care while also working 12 to 14 hours for free at their coffee shop.

Tacoma police responded to a reported drive-by shooting Wednesday afternoon at the gas station near East Portland Avenue and Fairbanks Street.

The incident was called in at 2:10 p.m. According to police reports, someone in one car shot at another car.

The both vehicles left before officers arrived, police spokesman Mark Fulghum said. There were no reports of injuries.

Officers interviewed two witnesses who provided the same basic account of the incident but offered different stories on who shot at whom.

And it’s a mixed result.

Tacoma fire officials OK’d the Java Jive’s repairs but the Tacoma Power inspector said a little more work needs to be done before he can give the all clear.

A building inspector also was on his way to the Java Jive to take a look at all the work.

This means the Java Jive won’t be open tonight. However, it sounds likely that it could be ready for the weekend.

Lights & Sirens has learned that Bob’s Java Jive is being inspected this afternoon by Tacoma Power and Tacoma Fire officials.

The inspectors will be reviewing the work done since last Wednesday, when the beloved Java Jive was closed after an in depth inspection found a slew of code problems.

Inspectors planned to be at Java Jive at 2 p.m. Our night reporter, Paul Sand, is there now and will be reporting back.

Inspectors from the Tacoma Fire Department and Tacoma Power have to give the OK before the karaoke bar can reopen.

This comes from our news partner, KIRO-TV.

A King County judge decided Wednesday that Kent resident Marie Robinson, whose two sons starved to death while she lay nearby in an alcoholic stupor, is unfit to stand trial because of mental illness.

Here’s KIRO’s dispatch.

And here’s a story I wrote about the case more than two years ago:

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Word has it that the Fawcett House, the boarded up apartment building in downtown that caught fire last month, is going to be bulldozed today.

The building (pictured below) was destroyed in the fire and there were not really any options for saving the nearly 100-year-old building.

UPDATE: The demolition equipment was arriving this afternoon, according to Tacoma Fire Lt. Phil Ferrell. The demolition will take place Thursday.

Tacoma isn’t the only U.S. city battling a gang problem.

National Public Radio aired this story today regarding the city of Los Angeles’ chronic trouble with street gangs.

It’s a sobering report and food for thought as the fight continues here in the South Sound.

Erica Valley, the resident manager of the Winthrop Apartments, recently wrote an e-mail of praise for two Tacoma police officers for their efforts on the beleaguered downtown apartment building.

Here is it:

I would like to extend my deepest thanks and gratitude to Officer Pincham and Price for all their hard work and efforts with the Winthrop.

Since January 11, 2007, with their help, the Winthrop has been able to trespass 11 people due to drug activity or felony status and they have arrested3 people from the building.

The presence alone of Officer Pincham and Price

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