Washblog

Participants visited stations -- getting a stamp in their "passports" at each one -- each stamp building toward a visit to the gift room.  I worked at the first station, where kids each chose four books -- most of them donated by Reading Tree. Next, kids picked out a hand-knitted hat and scarf, courtesy of Warm for Winter.  This program, founded and organized by Janice Tufte, supplies thousands of hand-knitted hats and scarves to the homeless and other warmth-seekers.

Nova's new digs, Meany Middle School, seems to have endless twists and turns and rooms in unexpected places.  Most of them were filled with activities like boat-building, balloon twisting, cupcake decorating, face-painting, free play, moderated open-mike performance, hair cutting and styling, and more. The kitchen crew, including Chef Young Pang, pictured above, prepared a hearty meal.  

Until their release, Vance Bartley and Stevan Dozier (photo above) were among approximately 40 three-strikers in Washington state serving Life Without Parole who were never convicted of any crime classified above a Robbery 2 -- at the lowest quarter of criminal seriousness in state law.  Nearly 100 additional Washington three-strikers have no convictions for any crimes classified as Serious Violent Offenses.  In 2001, the state's Sentencing Guidelines Commission recommended removing these lower-level crimes from the three-strikes list.  A citizen campaign to reform Washington's 3-Strikes has been fought for over a decade.  See fix3strikes.org for a list of 27 organizations supporting repeal or reform of this law.  A web form to get notice of key times to contact legislators (and to learn more about the law and the campaign): justiceisnogame.org.  If you live in Washington this campaign needs your help.

Below: Vance Bartley at the first Gift for Kids with his granddaughter.