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N OOVEMBER 21 , 2012
S EATTLE , W ASHINGTON
V OLUME XXXV, N O . 6
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C HALLENGING P EOPLE TO S HAPE A B ETTER F UTURE N OW
Charter
Schools
Plan
DYNAMIC
Renowned vocalist
Josephine
Howell
highlighted
the
performance
of
trumpet
player
Gabriel
Burbano
during
her
performance Nov.
17 at the Langston
Hughes Performing
Arts Center. Josie is
famous
for
her
dynamic audience
interaction and her
Langston
Hughes
performance was no
exception.
The system won’t
quite be up and
ready for next year
SEATTLE (AP) -- Now that voters have
spoken about charter schools will the new,
independent public schools be an option at
the beginning of the next academic year?
It seems unlikely.
Voters narrowly approved Initiative 1240
earlier this month, but opening charter
schools by 2013 would require many things
to happen quickly -- and there's a strong
possibility that the state's top education offi-
cer will sue to block them.
First the state Board of Education has to
figure out the next steps. The board has until
March 6 to adopt rules to govern most
aspects of charter schools in Washington.
Board spokesman Aaron Wyatt said that
schedule is tight, so people shouldn't expect
them to beat their deadline.
Next on the agenda: The new Washington
Charter School Commission will be formed
and begin its work. The independent state
agency created by the initiative will be
authorizing and supervising the new enti-
ties.
The commission will be made up of nine
members, three appointed by the governor,
three by the president of the Senate and
three by the speaker of the House. They will
be supported by staff with a budget of an
estimated $3 million a year.
People who want to open a charter school
in Washington will need to wait for the com-
mission to get settled before they open the
application process. It's not known how
long the application process will take --
since the rules have not been written -- but
the process in New York state, for example,
takes about four months from the initial fil-
ing to final approval.
The new law would open as many as 40
charter schools over five years.
Under the terms of the initiative, any non-
profit organization could start a charter
school here if their plan is approved by
PHOTO BY SUSAN FRIED
By Donna Gordon Blankenship
The Associated Press
Officer Faces Four Years in Prison
Verdict comes after beating death of mentally disabled janitor
By Nicholas K. Geranios
The Associated Press
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — A
police officer was sentenced
Thursday to more than four
years in prison for using exces-
sive force against a mentally
disabled janitor who died after
being erroneously suspected of
stealing money from an ATM.
Officer Karl F. Thompson Jr.,
65, was sentenced by U.S. Dis-
trict Court Judge Fred Van Sick-
le to four years and three
months for his role in the 2006
See CHARTER on page 3
INDEX
News ...................3,5,6
Opinion .....................4
A & E .....................2, 5
Food..........................6
Bids/Classifieds ..........7
death of Otto Zehm.
Van Sickle said he hoped the
sentence would begin to bring
closure to Zehm’s family and to
the Spokane community, which
has been at odds with the police
department as a result of this
case and others.
``This had a significant impact
on the community and how it
viewed its police department,’’
Van Sickle said.
Van Sickle also ordered that
Thompson be taken into cus-
tody immediately, over the
objections of defense lawyers,
who wanted him to remain free
while the verdict is appealed.
Thompson was convicted last
year by a federal jury of violat-
ing Zehm’s civil rights by using
excessive force and then lying
to investigators in the case.
Six years ago, Zehm was beat-
en and stunned by Thompson in
a convenience store. He was
hog-tied and sat on by other
officers until he passed out. The
36-year-old died two days later
without regaining conscious-
ness.
Zehm had committed no
crime.
Defense
attorney
Carl
Oreskovich argued for a sen-
tence of zero to 16 months, say-
ing there was no evidence
presented that the actions of
Thompson led directly to
Zehm’s death.
Thompson addressed the
court, apologizing to Zehm’s
mother. ``I did not intend to
harm Mr. Zehm that night, and
did not act in malice,’’ he said.
``I have dedicated my life to
protection of the public.’’
See OFFICER on page 3
Reps: DOJ Should Respect Pot Votes
Taxes could bring the states tens or hundreds of millions of dollars
Gene Johnson
The Associated Press
SEATTLE (AP) — A group of lawmakers
on Friday urged the Justice Department to
respect recent votes in Colorado and Wash-
ington state allowing the recreational use of
marijuana, and some introduced a bill to
ensure that happens.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette of
Colorado said her bill would bar the federal
government from blocking state marijuana
laws. Several other lawmakers have signed
on, including Republican Rep. Mike Coff-
man of Colorado.
``I voted against Amendment 64 and I
strongly oppose the legalization of marijua-
na, but I also have an obligation to respect
the will of the voters,’’ Coffman said in a
statement. ``I feel obligated to support this
legislation.’’
Voters this month made Washington and
Colorado the first states to allow adults over
21 to possess up to an ounce of marijuana,
and to set up state licensing schemes for pot
growers, processors and retail stores. Taxes
could bring the states tens or hundreds of
millions of dollars a year, financial analysts
say.
See MARIJUANA on page 3