by Ralph Nichols

A few days before the official grand opening of SCORE – South Correctional Entity Multijurisdictional Misdemeanant Jail – I was ushered into this $52 million facility.

I wasn’t there as an inmate, nothing that eye raising, but as a reporter for a look around the inside before it started receiving those on the wrong side of the law.

SCORE is the result of King County’s notice to suburban cities a few years ago that, by 2012, they would need their own jail facilities because county jails could then no longer accept their inmates accused or convicted of misdemeanor crimes.

Reacting to that announcement, Burien, Des Moines, Tukwila, SeaTac, Renton, Auburn and Federal Way joined together to build a new jail. Six of the cities forged a financing package. Des Moines is the host city.

The 16 acres on which SCORE is built is land donated by the Port of Seattle just south of Sea-Tac International Airport.

“We made it happen!” Des Moines Mayor Bob Sheckler, vice chairman of the SCORE Board of Directors, declared at the outset of this tour.

The 164,000 square foot facility has a capacity for housing 813 inmates, which will allow for increased demand for jail space in the future. Currently SCORE’s member cities have about 400 misdemeanor inmates scattered in jails around the state.

Des Moines Mayor Bob Sheckler at the opening dedication of SCORE. In the background is Jail Director Penny Bartley.

There are 29 inmate beds dedicated for medical housing. Most inmate health problems are related to drugs and alcohol, SCORE Director Penny Bartley noted.

SCORE has almost 150 full-time-equivalent staff positions, including correctional officers and food and medical services – which include 24-hour care.

Member cities will fund SCORE operations with payments totaling approximately $11million annually, which is “cheaper, a considerable savings,” than what the cities collectively were paying contract cities for jail services, Sheckler said.

SCORE, added Sheckler, “is really high tech … it is state of the art” with steel cells and unique construction and building materials. Although under an airport flight path, the facility is soundproofed so on the inside planes can’t be heard flying overhead.

Bartley said about 60 percent of SCORE inmates will be there as pre-trial holds. About 72 percent will be there for two weeks, which is the average stay. Most will be charged with driving under the influence, fourth-degree assault, and driving without a license.

A unique efficiency in this jail is video arraignment capabilities to reduce the number of inmates transported to municipal and district courts. Judges will be in their courtrooms, while defendants, their attorneys, and translators if required will appear before them on SCORE’s video facilities.

Visitors except attorneys will talk with inmates on a separate video hookup outside the cellblocks.

SCORE is divided into two large housing units that hold 400 inmates each. Those units, in turn, are divided into eight sections each with single, double and some four-bunk cells. The capacity of these pods varies from 22-70 inmates.

Female inmates are housed separately. Even if just one woman is in custody at SCORE, she will be segregated from the male population in a separate cell pod.

Inmate security classification on intake at the jail is based on their criminal history, the charge(s) against them, and their behavior,” Bartley continued.

“If you can’t play nice with others, you’ll be kept in a single cell 23 hours a day,” with dietary balanced “blended” meals brought to the cell.

“It’s like pre-school,” she said. “We go back to teach people who never learned the things other people did. For example, if you don’t make your bed, you don’t get breakfast. And it’s a privilege to get a sheet,” which is a suicide hazard for some inmates.

Inmates are allowed outdoor recreation three hours a week, and have access to some television, some magazines, and board games, but checkers is played only with clear pieces for security.

Phone privileges, except those from inmates’ attorneys, are based on an inmate’s security status. Only collect calls are allowed for outgoing calls.

The new jail also has space for programs to help inmates prepare for re-entry into society and plan for community transition.

Sheckler said inmates will not be released in Des Moines except for those sentenced there. The others will be returned to the member cities where they were sentenced for release.

The third Annual Rotary Golf Tournament to benefit Matt Griffin YMCA will be held Thursday, Aug. 11th, with a shotgun start at 8 a.m.

“Join us at Washington National Golf Club for a great tournament to benefit the Matt Griffin YMCA,” reads a press release. “The format will be a four person team scramble, featuring prizes and awards through the day.”

WHAT: Third Annual Rotary Golf Tournament to benefit Matt Griffin YMCA.

WHEN: Thursday, August 11th; shotgun start is at 8:00 a.m.

WHERE: Washington National Golf Club, located at 14330 SE Husky Way in Auburn, WA 98092 (map/directions here).

COST: Cost is:

• $150: Individual
• $500: Team of Four
• $950: Team (Foursome + Hole Sponsorship)
• $500: Hole Sponsor Only

Fee includes: golfing, cart, practice balls, barbeque, gift bag, prizes, BBQ and silent auction.

If you would like to attend lunch only for $35, please contact Brian Frederick at bfrederick@brokersxpress.com.

To reserve your spot, please call 206.433.1700 or visit the website at https://tournaments.okigolf.com/EventInfo.aspx?E=753162

INFO: The Matt Griffin YMCA is located at 3595 South 188th Street in SeaTac, and their phone number is 206.244.5880. More information at their website here.

SPONSORS:

BTB Advertiser Cox Financial is sponsoring their second annual Charity Golf Tournament on Thursday, Aug. 26th at the Washington National Golf Club in Auburn.

This fundraiser event will benefit the Matt Griffin YMCA in SeaTac, and will be a four-person team scramble, with prizes and awards given out throughout the day.

Cost is $150 each, or $125 each ($500 total) if registering as a team.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Cox Financial’s 2nd Annual Charity Golf Invitational

WHEN: Thursday, August 26th, Starting at 8:00am

WHERE: Washington National Golf Club, located at 14330 SE Husky Way, Auburn, WA 98092

COST/REGISTER: $150 Each; $125 if registering a team of 4 ($500 total). Register online here, or make checks payable to “Burien/White Center Rotary.”

INFO: From a press release:

It’s the 2nd Annual Cox Financial Charity Golf Tournament to benefit the Matt Griffin YMCA

Cox Financial LLC is hosting its 2nd Annual Charity Golf Tournament to benefit the Matt Griffin YMCA.  It promises to be a great day and fun event based on last year’s tournament, and YOU are invited to join in the fun!  This event is jointly sponsored by the Burien/White Center, Seatac and Southcenter Rotary Clubs, as well as Burien Chevrolet, Hawthorne & Company CPAs, New Frontier Marketing and Prudential Realty.

The tournament is scheduled for Thursday, August 26th, with an 8:00am shotgun start at the beautiful Washington National Golf Club.  It is the shared goal of the three rotary clubs to earn $50,000 for the Matt Griffin YMCA over five years. The clubs also have a matching grant from the K-Mart Foundation, so we encourage you to golf for the YMCA!

Remember, joining the golf tournament doesn’t just give you a nice day of golfing!  Know that in the next year a portion of your contribution to the tournament will help to:

• Enable the YMCA’s full and part-time youth development staff  to continue their important work in middle schools and a variety of teen leadership programs
• Allow the YMCA to work with youth to stop patterns of violence and move towards productive education and employment opportunities through programs like Alive and Free
• Make sure all kids enjoy the adventures of summer camp where they participate in values-based programs that build self-esteem
• Ensure that financial assistance is available for the nearly one-third of families in child care and school age enrichment who need it

Join Cox Financial LLC and friends on Thursday, August 26th for a day of golf, barbeque, prizes, and silent auction.  For more information or to register for the tournament, https://tournaments.okigolf.com/Eventinfo.aspx?E=749206.

HOSTED BY: Cox Financial LLC, An Independent Firm located at 112 SW 157th St., Burien, WA 98166; 206-433-1700; www.CoxFinancialSeattle.com

RSVP: Call NOW to reserve a spot for you and your friends: 206-433-1700, or register online here.

Click to register online.

The Highline Medical Center Foundation will be hosting its second annual “Hats On for Highline” fundraiser at Emerald Downs in Auburn beginning at 11:30am on Saturday, May 1st.

This Derby Day fundraiser will include horseracing and simulcast of the Kentucky Derby from the VIP trackside tent, including a buffet, auction, the requisite hat contest along with raffle prizes.

“A great day to spend with friends and something I wouldn’t miss,” said Carrie Rasmussen, who attended the event last year. “It’s a perfect Trifecta – hats, horses and fun!”

Here are the details:

WHAT: Highline Medical Center Foundation’s “Hats On For Highline” Derby Day Fundraiser.

WHEN: Saturday, May 1st from 11:30am on.

WHERE: Emerald Downs in Auburn

TICKETS: Tickets are $50 per person and advanced reservations are required. Reservation deadline is April 23rd so don’t wait! For more information and tickets, contact the Foundation at 206-901-8500 or visit www.highlinemedicalcenter.org/support-highline.

INFO: Proceeds support the Highline Medical Center’s Cancer Center and other patient care programs.

Highline Medical Center Foundation is a nonprofit organization that raises money for patient care services, the latest medical equipment, community outreach and staff continuing education at Highline Medical Center.  Funds raised benefit programs, patients and services throughout South King County.

For more information, check out their website here.

The Kent Police Department has created a website showcasing photos of 160 recovered stolen items including electronics, wallets, purses, backpacks, stereos, baby clothes and even a wedding dress; some of which may have been originally swiped in the Burien/South King County area.

According to police, a man and woman who are suspected of breaking into more than 100 cars have been busted. Now, they want to return the stolen items to their rightful owners.

The suspects were apparently caught when they used stolen credit cards at local businesses. Police then followed their trail and recovered the stolen stuff in a storage locker as well as at local pawn shops.

According to the website:

Suspects Mode of Operation:

Type of crime: Vehicle prowls (car break ins)

Method of entry: Break window or force door lock

Types of vehicles: Different types and styles but they favored FORD F-series trucks

Property targeted: luggage, purses, laptop computers, GPS units, assorted tools, backpacks, cameras, MP3 players, I-Pods, cell phones, CD players, car stereos, jewelry, anything of value.

Estimated time range of criminal activity: Past 3-4 months

Focus area of vehicle prowl activity: Kent, Tukwila, Renton, SeaTac, Burien, South Seattle, Unincorporated areas of South King County. Collateral areas that may have been impacted as well are: Des Moines, Federal Way, Auburn, Bellevue.

If you were the victim of a car break-in between Oct. 1, 2009 and Feb. 4, 2010, your stolen items may be in police custody – check this website now and see if you recognize anything; if you do, contact Officer Bateman at (253) 856-5894 or via email: kbateman@ci.kent.wa.us.

The recovered stolen property includes (click on links below to see individual pics):

Is this your Pirate Stuff? The Kent PD might have it...

• Laptops
• Cell phones
• MP3 players
• Car Stereos
• Unusual, miscellaneous stuff like:
  • Baby clothes
  • Wedding dress
  • Ford Truck Manuals
    
  • “Pirate Stuff“
  • Swords
  • “Aiming for Barcelona” Belt Buckle

Some items have been claimed and returned, but most are still in evidence and awaiting rightful return to their owners – so check out the website here.

The Seafair Pirates have commandeered a highly-collectible, $150,000 handcrafted 2009 Aston Martin V8 Vantage, and will be auctioning a special Valentine’s Day ride this Saturday to raise money for “Heroes For Heroes,” a fund established for the children of Deputy Kent Mundell, who was killed in December.

This Saturday, Feb. 13th, from 6pm – 11pm, Emerald Downs will be hosting a dinner and benefit auction for this cause. Tickets are only $20.00 for a wonderful dinner and plenty of Piratical Company.

2009 was one of the most devastating years for law enforcement officers in the entire country, especially in the northwest. On Dec. 21st, Deputy Mundell was gunned down, and his partner Nick Hausner was possibly saved by the gunmen’s 16-year old daughter, Bryona Crable.

“Heroes for Heroes” is a nonprofit 501© 3 that has been formed to provide college tuition for all of the children touched by this tragedy – both the police officer’s and the gunman’s.

According to a tribute page website for Mundell:

Deputy Kent Mundell was killed while responding to a domestic violence call in Eatonville.

Deputy Kent Mundell

Mundell and his sergeant had responded to a house where a man was fighting with his daughter and brother. The deputies had convinced the intoxicated man to leave the house when he produced a previously concealed gun and fired ten rounds at the officers.

Despite being wounded, Deputy Mundell returned fire and killed the subject. The suspect’s brother and daughter put themselves at risk to pull the wounded sergeant out of the line of fire by pulling him into another room. Deputy Mundell was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where he remained on life support in the intensive care unit until succumbing to his wounds seven days later.

Deputy Mundell had served with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department for ten years. He is survived by his wife, 16-year-old daughter, and 10-year-old son.

Why the Seafair Pirates? According to a press release:

“Besides being Goodwill Ambassadors for the Pacific Northwest for the last 61 years, several Pirates have been Police Officers.

There have been many memorials and now with the outpouring for Haiti, the Seafair Pirates have joined with Heros for Heros to see that these heroes do not become forgotten.

The Seafair Pirates are out to prove once again, that it really is all about the Kids.

Individually we all can make a difference. Together we can make an impact.”

Emerald Downs is located at 2300 Emerald Downs Drive in Auburn; more info at their website here.

For ticket information or to donate for the auction click here: http://herosforheros.bbnow.org/ or call Sallie Stewart at (253) 468-1101.

More info on the Seafair Pirates is available at their website here.

Veteran’s Day is this coming Wednesday, Nov. 11th, and Brown Bear Car Wash will be honoring vets and current service military (as well as spouses) with free car washes all day.

The nearest location is the one in Des Moines, located at 22706 Marine View Drive; others are in Federal Way, Kent, Auburn and Renton (see list below).

As a way of saying “thanks” to our military, Brown Bear will be offering free “Bear Essential” car washes to all current or former members of the military, including spouses.

“Our organization is proud to honor veterans and service personnel,” said Brown Bear President and founder Vic Odermat, himself a Marine Corps veteran. “While the washes are free, we know that freedom is not. This is a way for us to show our support and gives us a unique opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to people who sacrifice so incredibly for our freedom.”

Odermat said the offer will operate on an honor system and no verification or documentation is required. Drivers should identify themselves as a current or former member of the military to the wash attendant.

Odermat started Brown Bear in Seattle in 1957 with one location. They now own and operates car washes throughout the Puget Sound area and Spokane.

Here’s a list of participating locations nearby:

• 22706 Marine View Dr., Des Moines
• 34017 Hoyt Rd. SW, Federal Way
• 814 Auburn Way S, Auburn
• 1202 W Meeker St., Kent
• 800 S Grady Way, Renton
• 621 Rainier Ave. S, Renton
• 77 Rainier Ave. S, Renton

KJing County Sheriff’s Department reports that on Friday, Aug. 21st, a clerk in a Circle K store in nearby Auburn didn’t believe a young robber was carrying a real gun, so she did what any normal clerk would do any overly worked and underpaid clerk would do – she grabbed for it.

The robber popped off a round into the ceiling, hitting a light fixture, and the clerk quickly became a believer.

The robbery occurred just after 1am on Friday, August 21st at 5011 S. 288th Street in Auburn.

A man came into the store with a bandana covering his face, pulled out a semi-automatic pistol and demanded “all the cigars, chew, and everything” from the clerk.

The clerk said “Are you kidding?” and told the suspect to leave the store, in no uncertain terms. When the robber reached for some merchandise the clerk grabbed for the gun. The suspect pulled his arm back and fired into the ceiling before leaving the store. The clerk was not injured.

The robber was about 140 lbs, around 5’ 5” tall, perhaps 15 to 18 years old. He wore a black, White Sox baseball hat, black jacket, tan shorts and white shoes. And of course the black bandana. Differing descriptions by witnesses have his race as black or white.

In addition, there was a likely accomplice in the store just before the robbery wearing a red sweatshirt. He stood outside the store, held the door for the robber, and even peeked in during the robbery.

If anyone knows either suspect or has information on the crime, they are asked to call the King County Sheriff’s Office at (206) 296-3311 (24 hours) or 9-1-1.

GOOD NEWS: Brown Bear Car Wash is celebrating its 52nd anniversary with FREE car washes this Thursday (Aug. 27th).

BAD NEWS: You’re going to have to drive to either Renton, Kent, Auburn or Federal Way to get one.

Note that not every Brown Bear location is feeling generous – here are the only ones participating in South King County:

• 800 S Grady Way, Renton
• 1202 W Meeker St., Kent
• 621 Rainier Ave. S, Renton
• 77 Rainier Ave. S, Renton
• 814 Auburn Way S, Auburn
• 34017 Hoyt Rd. SW, Federal Way

For other locations, see www.brownbear.com.

Here’s some promo copy from their press release:

Over the last four years, the Seattle-based company has washed a total of 53,623 cars for free on their annual free car wash day held each August.

As a way to say “thank you” to area residents for over 52 years of patronage, Brown Bear will be offering free “Bear Essential” car washes to the public Thursday, August 27, from 8am to 8pm at all of the company’s automated “tunnel wash” locations in the Puget Sound area:

“We are extremely grateful to the people of Puget Sound for their decades of patronage. Our annual free car wash day is one way we can show our appreciation,” said Brown Bear founder and owner Vic Odermat. “Weather cooperating, we anticipate this year’s event to be our best ever. As in years past, our employees and car washes will be ready to efficiently meet the demand.”

Odermat started Brown Bear started in Seattle in 1957 with one location at 15th Ave West in Seattle. Brown Bear now owns and operates car washes throughout the Puget Sound area and Spokane. The family-owned company, through its parent company, Car Wash Enterprises, Inc. owns and operates a total of 40 car wash facilities in Washington State as well as a large network of gas stations and convenience stores. It is one of the largest privately held car wash chains in the U.S. and is widely recognized within the industry as being a leader in the environmental movement.

The upcoming Annual Golf Classic presented by McKay Wealth Management, benefiting Highline Medical Center, will take place at Washington National Golf Course in Auburn on Wednesday, July 15th.

This annual fundraiser is a wonderful way to enjoy a day of golf while supporting Highline Medical Center.

To register, or for more information, click here.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Annual Golf Classic benefiting Highline Medical Center

WHEN: Wednesday, July 15th

WHERE: Washington National Golf Course in Auburn, WA

INFO: Join us for 18 challenging holes including several contests, followed by a sumptuous buffet dinner, prizes, and even a small silent auction!

TICKETS: For ticket or sponsorship information, email events@highlinemedical.org or call 206-901-8500.

REGISTER: $250 for Individual or $1,000 for a Foursome. Registration includes 18-holes of golf, buffet lunch and dinner, and tee prize.

Print the Registration Form here (PDF) or contact 206-901-8500 or email events@highlinemedical.org to register.