What’s Up With That? The corn lady’s story
Basketball partnership’s goal is well-rounded kids A3
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TUESDAY, 12.23.2014
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Koster out as ombudsman One By Noah Haglund Herald Writer
EVERETT — A bipartisan experiment that seemed to promise great things a year ago
ended in a public meeting Monday, when John Koster lost his job as Snohomish County’s first ombudsman. The decision on reappointing Koster rested with the County
Council. Executive John Lovick, a Democrat, had urged them to say no because of Koster’s choice to lend his name to an antiunion fundraising letter. Koster, a former three-term Republican councilman, sat across from his former colleagues Monday pleading to keep his job.
“I would like to think that my reappointment will be considered in light of the work that we have done,” he said. Political affiliation and union membership, Koster said, never entered into his thought process See KOSTER, back page, this section
MARYSVILLE PILCHUCK
‘Nobody should ever have to walk through it alone’
Shooting victims mourned
GENNA MARTIN / THE HERALD
Brianna Darby (from left), Sonia Vega-Hillaire, Keegan McKenna and Isabella Moore mourn the victims of the Marysville Pilchuck High School shooting during a vigil Monday sponsored by Victim Support Services on its two-month anniversary at Comeford Park.
Herald Writers
MARYSVILLE — They stood shoulder to shoulder. The soft glow from their candles contrasted against the cheerful holiday lights strung around the park. “Nobody should ever have to walk through it alone,” Nancy Hawley told the crowd. “You are not alone in your grief.” About 30 people huddled together Monday night at Comeford Park in Marysville to remember the young people whose lives were taken by
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gunfire at Marysville Pilchuck High School. They also were encouraged to find hope. Wednesday will mark two months since the violence. “Whatever pain we bring to this gathering we share,” said Hawley, of Victim Support Services. The Everett-based nonprofit organizes candlelight remembrance services every December to honor lives lost. Advocates understand that the holidays can be particularly difficult for survivors. Staff believed it was important to hold a special ceremony to honor those young people who
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the buzz
By Diana Hefley and Andrew Gobin
VOL. 114, NO. 316 © 2014 THE DAILY HERALD CO.
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were killed at the high school. On Oct. 24 a freshman used a handgun to shoot his friends at lunch before he committed suicide. Killed were Andrew Fryberg, 15, and Zoe Galasso, Shaylee Chuckulnaskit and Gia Soriano, all 14. Nate Hatch, 14, is the only victim to survive. Three girls huddled together Monday night. They are students at Marysville Getchell High School and attended middle school with some of the victims. “It’s important that we come together and remember them, that we come together to celebrate their lives,” said Katie Felix, 14.
Hello, Comcast “I feel all right; I’m gonna take on the world”: Days after President Barack Obama said the U.S. would respond to computer hacking by North Korea “in a place and manner and time that we choose,” the Asian nation suffered extensive Internet outages (Page A7). Dear Abby. . . . B3 Good Life . . . . B1
Catherine Konteh is a mom. She doesn’t know any of the families who lost children but she felt compelled to attend Monday’s service. She said she wanted to support the parents. Their children’s lives mattered, Konteh said. “They’ll be in my thoughts,” she said, reaching for her 11-year-old daughter’s hand. Hawley urged people to continue to “reach out to each other in love.” Behind her a business sign read: “MP Strong.” Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463; hefley@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @dianahefley.
“Extensive Internet outages” in North Korea means that Dear Leader Kim Jong-un was unable to watch the Disney Channel’s “Girl Meets World,” on his smartphone. Living in a material world: After unauthorized tracks of her upcoming album were leaked online, pop diva
Horoscope . .B10 Lottery . . . . . .A2
Obituaries. . . .A5 Opinion. . . . . .A9
Madonna announced she was releasing several of her songs so her fans could hear the finished versions (Page B4). Kim Jong-un said he was still deciding whether to buy the songs released by Madonna, once he gets his Internet back, or just listen to the versions he had already downloaded. Short Takes . . . B4 Sports . . . . . . . C1
punch, a life is ended Police say a pact between classmates, both 18, was meant to settle a fender bender, but killed one teen and landed the other in jail. By Eric Stevick Herald Writer
EVERETT — The punch, it’s alleged, was consensual — a mutually agreed-upon yet ultimately tragic attempt between two high school students at making amends. The lone blow outside a Lake Roesiger cabin early Sunday morning ended one life and landed an 18-year-old classmate in the Snohomish County Jail for investigation of manslaughter. Michael Galen, 18, was supposed to start a new job Monday at a fast-food restaurant. Instead, the young man from Lake Stevens was wearing green and white jail coveralls at a hearing where a judge found probable cause to hold him on $10,000 bail. The victim was Jarom Thomas, the Granite Falls School District said in a Facebook post urging support for his grieving family. Both Thomas, 18, and Galen attended Crossroads High School in Granite Falls, officials said. Shortly after midnight Sunday, the pair got into a confrontation following a fender bender outside a party in the 900 block of SW Lake Roesiger Road. Witnesses allege Galen punched Thomas in the face, knocking him unconscious. Thomas fell backward and hit his head on the concrete pavement, sheriff ’s office spokeswoman Shari Ireton said. Earlier, Galen was alone in a friend’s car that was struck by a car driven by Thomas. The other vehicle had minimal damage. Galen allegedly confronted his classmate and became upset when the other teen called him a liar. The two exchanged words and pushed each other, according to a probable cause statement. At some point they reportedly agreed to resolve their differences by having Galen punch Thomas once in the face. A witness said the pair even shook hands after reaching their pact and smoked a cigarette together. See PUNCH, back page, this section
Don’t know much about history: On this day in 1788, Maryland ceded 10 square miles of property, which became Washington, D.C. (Today in History, Page B4). Noting that Congress doesn’t seem to be doing anything with it, Maryland has asked for its land back.
—Jon Bauer, Herald staff
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The County Council decides not to reappoint him after revelations that his name was on an anti-union letter.
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