Tag Archives: Washington state

The Christian Post reports: Just over a year ago, as he was pictured on Facebook officiating a wedding, Washington pastor and grandfather Steve Parker was praised as an “amazing man of God.” On his Facebook page, Parker, 57, introduces himself as “a new convert, a soul in the midst of spiritual growth, a fish on the line.” He also lists …

Reuters reports: A federal appeals court on Monday refused, over the dissents of a group of Republican-appointed judges, to reconsider an earlier order upholding Washington state’s ban on so-called conversion therapy seeking to change minor patients’ sexual orientation or gender identity. A Christian family therapist had urged the full 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to rehear his challenge to …

Courthouse News reports: Court records unsealed Tuesday revealed federal prosecutors have charged two men for a series of substation attacks in Pierce County, Washington, that left thousands without power on Christmas Day. On New Year’s Eve, the FBI and local law enforcement executed an arrest warrant for Puyallup residents Matthew Greenwood, 32, and Jeremy Crahan, 40, who face federal charges …

The Associated Press reports: Officials confirmed that a fourth electrical substation in Washington state was found vandalized on Christmas Day, this coming after three others were attacked earlier in the day which left thousands without power. According to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, the vandals broke into a fenced area and destroyed equipment at the substation which caused a fire. …

ABC News reports: Three power substation facilities were vandalized in Pierce County, Washington, on Christmas morning, knocking out power to more than 14,000 customers, authorities said. Two of the break-ins were at Tacoma Public Utilities substations and the third was at a Puget Sound Energy station, according to the sheriff’s office in Pierce County, which encompasses Tacoma. No suspects are …

The Seattle Times reports: A Puyallup couple have been charged with illegally entering the U.S. Capitol and engaging in disruptive behavior during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection in Washington, D.C. Scott Roy Christensen, 49, and his wife, Holly Dionne Christensen, 44, are named in charges unsealed in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia late last month. They have …

The Guardian reports: Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, an auto-shop owner who describes herself as an independent-minded Democrat, pulled off a victory against Joe Kent, a far-right “America First” ex-Green Beret who was endorsed by former president Donald Trump, in south-west Washington’s third congressional district on Saturday. Combined with Rep Kim Schrier’s reelection to what Democrats feared was a vulnerable seat, Gluesenkamp …

Seattle’s CBS affiliate reports: A Redmond Sunday school teacher has been charged with three felony counts of possession of child pornography, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Douglas Meerdink, 70, was charged on Wednesday with three counts of possession of depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Detectives later confirmed Meerdink was an active member of a …

Washington state’s KWCC-TV reports: Police arrested a 69-year-old Wenatchee man on suspicion of rape Tuesday after two other men accused him of sexually molesting them while they were asleep or otherwise unable to consent. Michael E. Wilson was identified in a Wenatchee police court affidavit as the leader of a Bible study group that met at his Sunnyslope home. The …

The Hill reports: Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) was projected to win reelection against Republican Tiffany Smiley, avoiding an upset victory in what is typically a solidly Democratic state. NBC News and ABC News both called the race for Murray. Some polls appeared to show the race tightening somewhat as Election Day approached, fueling Republican hopes that Smiley could pull off …

The Spokane Spokesman-Review reports: Sen. Patty Murray had a 5-percentage-point lead over challenger Tiffany Smiley in a recent poll of likely Washington voters funded by KHQ-TV, a gap that is within the poll’s margin of error. The poll, conducted Wednesday and Thursday with 506 respondents by Oregon-based polling firm Triton Polling & Research, found 50.6% of respondents favored Murray, the …

The Kennewick Tri-Cities Herald reports: A Tri-Cities priest has been arrested on suspicion of rape. Rev. Tomás Vázquez Téllez, 49, was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of third-degree rape with an aggravating factor of being a person of trust. Vázquez Téllez has been serving at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Pasco since Sept. 2021. Vázquez Téllez was booked into the Benton …

The Associated Press reports: A 49-year-old Seattle man arrested earlier this month on suspicion of committing a hate crime against U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal and threatening to kill her has been charged with felony stalking. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office said Brett Forsell was charged Wednesday after additional evidence was gathered by police investigators. As part of the felony …

The Everett Herald reports: An Arlington youth pastor has been charged with two counts of third-degree child rape for accusations he abused a girl he met in a youth group. Kendal Kippen, 27, of Stanwood, worked at Jake’s House Church in 2017 and 2018, according to charging papers filed this month in Snohomish County Superior Court. His father is the …

The Seattle Times reports: Calling it an attempt at voter intimidation, King County Elections Director Julie Wise requested the sheriff’s office investigate people who planted signs near ballot boxes warning voters they were “under surveillance.” The signs in question were posted near ballot boxes in several Seattle and Eastside locations, with red letters warning the boxes were “under surveillance” and …

The Hill reports: Three West Coast states signed a multistate commitment to protect abortion access on Friday after the Supreme Court ruled earlier to overturn Roe v. Wade. The governors of California, Oregon and Washington — all of whom are Democrats — vowed to expand abortion access for those seeking the medical procedure, refuse to extradite individuals to other states …

Seattle’s CBS News affiliate reports: A resident of Oak Harbor was arrested Friday after expressing his desire to kill members of the LGBTQIA+ community on social media, according to the Oak Harbor Police Department and court documents. Tyler Dinsmoor, 27, was arrested without incident and transported to the Island County Jail. According to court documents, Dinsmoor posted on social media …

Reuters reports: A family counselor on Tuesday urged a federal appeals court to strike down a Washington state law banning so-called conversion therapy for minors, a practice that seeks to change a patient’s sexual orientation or gender identity, arguing it violated his right to free speech. Roger Brooks of the conservative legal group Alliance Defending Freedom, representing counselor Brian Tingley …

Seattle’s ABC News affiliate reports: King County Prosecutors say a man tried to attack a Bellevue restaurant worker with a meat cleaver after being asked to show proof of a Covid-19 vaccine. Investigators say Michael Dousa, 58, lunged at an Applebee’s bartender with a meat cleaver after he was asked to leave the Bellevue restaurant when he couldn’t provide proof …

From an October 2021 report by Fox News: A Washington State trooper, who was forced to step down after refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine, explained why he told Democrat Governor Jay Inslee to “kiss my ass” after serving the public for 22 years. Robert LaMay joined “Fox & Friends First” on Monday to discuss his decision to resign, the …