Anita Walia, owner of the Bombay Bistro on 6th Avenue in Tacoma, gave a brief interview this morning regarding the terror attacks in Mumbai. We’ll have a full story in tomorrow’s paper.

She has family in India. She fought through jammed phone lines to reach her brother, who was all right. She has not been able to reach her parents or her sister – but they live a ways from the carnage. She believes they are safe.

She is angry at the terrorists and especially those who funded, backed and organized the attacks. She believes the organizers prey

Read more »

This sounds bad, but no injuries have been reported: a Tacoma-bound bus carrying the Bellevue High School football team has crashed on southbound I-5 near Des Moines.

The Washington State Patrol is on the scene. The bus overturned at 11:08 a.m. KIRO-TV reported no injuries, as did KOMO, with slightly more detail. The bus is blocking the two right lanes of southbound I-5 at South 216th Street. The three left lanes remain open.

The team was headed for the semifinal of the 3A state football championship at the Tacoma Dome. The game has been postponed.

Kent firefighters will again be collecting toys for needy children.

Members of Kent Fire/Fire District 37, Kent Firefighters Local 1747 and the Kent Firefighters Foundation will be putting out several local collection bins today.

New, unwrapped toys and non-perishable food will be collected for the Toys for Joy program. Crews will deliver the toys to the Kent Food Bank, which will distribute the items to needy families in the community.

“Unfortunately, 2008 has seen an economic downturn that has devastated not only Western Washington, but the entire country,” a press release from the Kent Fire Department states.

Read more »

Law enforcement officers throughout the state will be tying red ribbons to their car antennas this holiday season to remind others not to drink and driver.

Officials from Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the Washington State Traffic Safety Commission, the Washington State Patrol and other law enforcement offices will be participating i n the “Tie One On For Safety” campaign this holiday season.

Last year, there were 31 alcohol-related traffic deaths in the state.

“For those 31 families this holiday season will be a sad anniversary instead of a celebration,” a Washington State Patrol press release states.

Read more »

Orting Police are looking for a man who robbed a Key Bank this afternoon.

A police statement said the man, believed to be in his twenties, walked to a teller at the Key Bank at 105 Calistoga Street East and gave her a note saying he had a weapon and is robbing the bank. The teller gave the man an unknown amount of money, the robber then drove away in an older, dark colored truck that was parked outside the bank.

The man was wearing an orange shirt with camouflaged pants and had a light beard. Anyone with

Read more »

Tukwila police are reporting that the gunman accused of shooting a teenager to death at SouthCenter Mall over the weekend has been arrested.

Here’s the news release:

Westfield Southcenter Shooting Suspect Barry Saunders Captured in Portland, Oregon



At about 2:00 PM today, Portland Police Officers working with Tukwila Police Detectives arrested Barry Saunders. Details regarding his arrest are not yet available but we can confirm he is in custody. Tukwila Police Detectives are on the way to Portland. Saunders will be extradited to King County to face charges of Murder 2 and Assault

Read more »

Tacoma Police are looking for help in identifying anyone responsible for the murder of a Tacoma teen on Nov. 16.

Victor Schwenke, 18, was shot during a house party at 5600 S. Yakima Ave. in Tacoma. The shooting followed a confrontation that involved several unidentified black males in front of the house where the party was held, according to a Tacoma/Pierce County Crime Stoppers release.

Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for any information leading to the arrest of the suspects. Anyone with any information is encouraged to call (253) 591-5959. All callers

Read more »

This is a pretty interesting tale.

Here’s the press release from the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Western Washington

SEATTLE – A Romanian national who attempted to sell an 18-carat gold bookmark that reportedly belonged to Adolf Hitler, will make his initial appearance in federal court at 1:30 this afternoon charged with Sale or Receipt of Stolen Goods.

Christian Popescu, 37, of Kenmore, Wash., was arrested by agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) outside a Bellevue, Wash., Starbucks Coffee yesterday, after setting up a clandestine meeting to

Read more »