A Gold Bar, Wash. man named Michael Robert Downer is now serving a 45-day jail term for felony first degree theft after without authorization he spent at least $13,735 on himself from a larger nest egg account that he jointly administered with and for his 80-year-old mother. She lives in a senior citizen apartment complex in Everett, and he was serving as a state-licensed nursing assistant for her at the time. Judgement and sentencing documents show Downer, 60 – whose registered voter address is a Gold Bar camping park populated with mobile homes – pled guilty on the felony theft charge in March of this year and began serving the sentence in mid-April.
Collaboration in Civic Spheres
Archive for the ‘State Governments’ Category
Gold Bar man jailed for nest egg theft from mom, of Everett
by Matt Rosenberg May 14th, 2012
New state report: 2011 assisted suicides reach new high
by Matt Rosenberg May 2nd, 2012
Under a law approved by voters in 2008, 80 different doctors wrote prescriptions for 103 lethal doses of medication in Washington in 2011 and 94 of the patients are known to have died, according to the state’s third annual Death With Dignity Act report. Issued today by the Washington State Department of Health, the report also notes that the 2011 totals for assisted suicide requests and deaths under the law reached a new high since the enabling state law went into effect in early 2009. Most of the 2011 Death With Dignity participants lived west of the Cascades, and were suffering from cancer. Many were concerned about losing ability to take care of themselves. A high percentage of the 94 participants who died also indicated concerns abut loss of dignity from their disease, and diminished ability to enjoy life. Participants also frequently identified as concerns their loss of bodily functions, imposing a burden on family and caregivers, and to a lesser extent, inadequate pain relief. The main drug prescribed for the assisted suicides was was secobarbital; although some doctors prescribed pentobarbital.
Non-violent crime in Washington state: the data say it pays
by Matt Rosenberg April 18th, 2012
Nine years of Washington figures released recently in the Office of Financial Management’s wide-ranging state Data Book show that with the exception of murder and assault, the odds are long here that criminals will even be arrested, much less convicted. The data suggest that close to nine of ten burglars go scot-free in Washington state, as do more than 19 of 20 car thieves, and more than four of five who commit other thefts. For violent crimes, arrests are more frequent but not always the norm. More than two of three robbers get away with it, as, disturbingly, have more than two of three – and more recently, three of four – reported rapists. For assault, the odds of arrest are almost one in two; and for murder, lately all but certain.
WA: one in five social programs checked don’t pencil out
by Matt Rosenberg April 17th, 2012
A new report from the Washington legislature’s non-partisan policy analysis unit, the Washington State Institute For Public Policy, finds that of 98 programs recently reviewed for what researchers liken to an investment advisor’s “buy-sell” list, 79 pass muster financially, with measured per-participant financial benefits to the state which exceed costs; but 19 do not. Another 45 which are identified, haven’t been recently evaluated for cost effectiveness, the report says. Of the new results in the April 2012 report – titled “Return On Investment: Evidence-Based Options to Improve Statewide Outcomes” – the so-called “net present value” (benefits to the state per participant minus costs) was highest for a series of juvenile justice and adult criminal justice programs, and lowest for a sub-group of child and teen prevention and preK-12 education programs including Early Head Start and Even Start.
Woodinville teacher forced out for faking signatures on students’ special ed plans
by Matt Rosenberg April 9th, 2012
An agreed order recently posted online by the Washington state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction discloses that the Northshore School District – which operates 33 schools primarily in Kenmore, Bothell and Woodinville – successfully sought the resignation of teacher Diane Friddle for forging required signatures of other individuals on documents connected with the custom-tailored “individualized education programs” or IEPs, for at least six special education students from 2008 to 2011. She taught at East Ridge Elementary School, 22150 N.E. 156th Place in Woodinville. The agreed order says she admitted to district officials that she manufactured the signatures of others on the student IEPs. Northshore School District Communications Director Leanna Albrecht said Friddle faked signatures of district staff and parents on the IEP signatures pages, showing who attended meetings related to the student IEPs. “It was a serious breach of professional ethics and we responded accordingly,” Albrecht added. Efforts to contact Friddle through a family member were not successful.
Friddle’s most current registered voter address is in Edmonds, and she is 43 years old. A public database of information from OSPI and provided by the Spokane Spokesman-Review reveals Friddle earned $71,988 in base salary and bonuses for the 2010-2011 school year, and received insurance benefits valued at $9,963, for total pay and benefits of $81,951 (screen shot).
$61K DSHS supe used work as playground, pays $1.5K fine
by Matt Rosenberg March 28th, 2012
A supervisor at the Washington state Department of Social and Health Services has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $1,500 for using state time and equipment for his own interests, in apparent violation of the state’s Ethics in Public Service Act, according to an order approved March 16 by the Washington State Executive Ethics Board. Kevin McStay, 44, of Gig Harbor, who was classified as a “Social Worker 4″ unit supervisor for DSHS, in 2008 and 2009 used work hours and equipment to promote his rock band (named “Classic Ride”). According to a whistleblower report by the state auditor which led to the ethics board action, witnesses conveyed that McStay “disrupted colleagues in the office” and “did not complete his work because of the amount of time he spent on personal matters.”
Amplify accountability, technology to boost open government
by Matt Rosenberg March 10th, 2012
Don’t confuse government “open data” with open government, warn two graduate students from Princeton and Yale in a new paper. Harlan Yu and David Robinson say open data may actually improve government transparency but it also:
…might equally well refer to politically neutral public sector disclosures that are easy to reuse, (and) have nothing to do with public accountability. Today a regime can call itself “open” if it builds the right kind of web site — even if it does not become more accountable or transparent….Technology can make public information more adaptable, empowering third parties to contribute in exciting new ways across many aspects of civic life. But technological enhancements will not resolve debates about the best priorities for civic life, and enhancements to government services are no substitute for public accountability.
What open government needs to look like in the coming decade and beyond involves at least three core considerations: 1) inclusive dialog around potential changes to laws on open records and open meetings; 2) the melding of Internet and mobile technologies with ideals of government accountability; and 3) nourishment for a reformulated news and information ecosystem to fulfill the public interest with robust accountability-driven reporting, teaching and collaboration. We’re going to focus here mainly on 2), and a bit on 3).
Voluntary government disclosure is growing
Baseline voluntary government transparency utilizing the Internet has grown impressively. A wide array of meeting documents, special reports and data are routinely posted online by governments at all levels, in the U.S.
U.S. out of Afghanistan, WA senate committee urges Obama
by Matt Rosenberg February 6th, 2012
Fueled by a parade of proponents who testified at a public hearing in Olympia Friday, legislation is beginning to work its way toward a possible vote on the floor of the Washington State Senate that urges President Barack Obama and the Congress to get U.S. troops out of Afghanistan, and help the state accent domestic priorities instead. Senate Joint Memorial 8014, similar to a resolution, says the President and the U.S. House and Senate should end the war in Afghanistan and begin “dramatically shifting our national priorities” by focusing on job creation; more money for social programs, public services and crumbling transportation systems; and addressing climate change.