REVIEW BAINBRIDGE ISLAND
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2012 | Vol. 112, No. 51 | WWW.BAINBRIDGEREVIEW.COM | 75¢
SAY WHAT?
about Santa
The Review visited Captain Johnston Blakely Elementary to talk about Santa Claus, elves and the holidays with kindergarteners.
John Vessenes Why does Santa live at the North Pole? “Because it’s cold so people can’t really find him.” How does Santa sneak around and not be heard when he is dropping off presents? “I don’t really know. But, how I saw it in the Grinch was, the Grinch was sneaking around, so he wasn’t making any noise, he was only stuffing all the presents up, and stuff. So they wouldn’t have any Christmas. But then they were still singing. So instead of the normal two, it turned three sizes larger.” How does Santa get inside a house if there isn’t a chimney? “He would try to pickpocket the door.” Have you been good? What have you done that’s really nice that
Top cop resigns from post OUTSIDE INVESTIGATION INTO GENDER BIAS COMES UP EMPTY BY BRIAN KELLY AND RICHARD D. OXLEY Bainbridge Island Review
Santa knows abut? “I’ve been trying to help my dad fill up a hole. It’s a huge hole.”
What’s the best thing about the holidays? “Giving presents.”
Gabrielle Farley Where does Santa live? “The North Pole. He does not get cold since he has his coat on.” Who else is up there with Santa at the North Pole? “Sea lions. And his reindeer and his sled.” How many elves are up there? “I think he has 11.” What does an elf look like? “They have curly shoes and they have kind of twiggly hats.” How do elves know
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what toys to make? “They have a list.” How does Santa know if you have been good or bad?
“He sees you at night and he sees you in the daytime.” How have you been? “Good. I’ve been good
Turn to Page A4 for more Santa Talk
and bad.” What have you done that’s been good? “I share with my brother. I share some of my dolls when he wants to play with them, and I share my Legos.” What happens if somebody has been kind of naughty and not so nice? “He does not give them presents. Santa is not kidding about that.” Have you ever left cookies for Santa? “I gave him three cookies. And threw carrots out in my front yard for the reindeer.”
Bainbridge Island Police Commander Sue Shultz resigned from her post at the embattled police department Dec. 14, one day after the results of an outside investigation into allegations of gender discrimination by Shultz against other female officers in the department was released. The investigation found no conclusive evidence of gender bias on Shultz’s part. City Manager Doug Schulze called it a “mutual decision” between himself and the city’s top commissioned officer. “We just felt that there needed to be a complete leadSue Shultz ership change in the department and now was the time to make that happen,” he said. Shultz will stay on board with the city until her official final day of employment on Wednesday, Jan. 2. She will remain on paid administrative leave until then. Shultz, who turned in her weapon and badge when she was put on suspension in late November, was placed on leave due to allegations of gender bias and harassment. An outside investigator hired by the city, however, was unable to determine if Shultz mistreated two fellow officers in the department because they were women. The details of Shultz’s suspension amid internal allegations of improper behavior from fellow Bainbridge police officers came late last week, after city officials released documents sought under a public records request from the Bainbridge Island Review. Bainbridge officials had earlier refused to release the records, and said they wanted to wait until a pre-disciplinary hearing was held Monday with Shultz. The records released by the city show that two female employees who had applied for the job of police commander, but were passed over in favor of Shultz, filed the complaint. Despite the exonerating finding on the most vital piece of the complaint, the investigation SEE TOP COP, A8