Western Front - 2002 May 14

              Blue and Silver game
Blue beats Silver 26-12 in second-annual
scrimmage.
See Story, Page 10.
Motherhood options
Mothers share their unique
birthing experiences.
See Story, Page 8.
The Western Front Western Washington University Volume 121 Issue 12 Bellingham, Washington
Diesel pollution might threaten county air
ByMikeBaab
THE WESTERN FRONT
The air in Seattle is among
the worst 5 percent in the coun­try,
which might have elevated
cancer risk to 700 times above
Environmental Protection
Agency standards, according to
a May 5 Seattle Times article.
No tests have been performed
in Bellingham to assess diesel
emissions.
"The problem is less here
(than in Seattle), but it's not
something we can ignore," said
Jamie Randies, the director of
the Northwest Air Pollution
Authority, which monitors air
quality in Whatcom County.
Tractors, cranes and bulldoz­ers
constructing the new facili­ties
on south campus burn 500
gallons of diesel fuel every week,
said Greg Burress, the superin­tendent
of the construction.
Randies said fumes from
diesel fuel can cause many
health problems.
"Diesel soot is highly toxic,
particularly in young children,"
Randies said.
- Diesel emissions have been
linked to cancer, asthma and
breathing difficulties, he added.
Astrid Berg, the executive
director of the American Lung
Association of Washington, said
diesel exhaust contains tiny par­ticles
that can impair lung func­tion.
The particles have also
been implicated in chronic
obstructive lung disease, pneu­monia
and heart disease.
"It is impossible to avoid expo­sure
to diesel exhaust," Berg
said. "To make matters worse,
the most vulnerable among us
are being exposed to the most
diesel exhaust."
Children, who spend a lot of
time on and .around school
buses, are the most susceptible
to the harmful effects of diesel
exhaust, Berg said.
The main sources of diesel
exhaust are on-road vehicles,
such as trucks, buses and diesel-fueled
cars, said Wayne Elson,
See DIESEL, Page 4
Stephanie Kosonen/The Western Front
Wrapping up what he calfe "the longest hose in the world," shipwright Michael Nurco,
42, prepares his sailboat, "Valiant," for a summer trip to the St. Charlotte Islands in
British Columbia. He said that, although diesel fuel smells bad, it is more efficient and
safer than gasoline because it is less combustible. He said his boat only uses fuel when
winds aren't sufficient to propel the boat.
Sex offenders hard to track, house
By Andrea Jasinek
THE WESTERN FRONT
A level III sex offender who
planned to camp out on the
south side of Sehome Hill decid­ed
Monday to relocate to Blaine
instead, said Department of
Corrections officer Thad Allen.
Russell C. Leininger served a
96-month sentence for first
degree rape, an offense that
included beating and raping a
16-year-old girl in Whatcom
County in 1990.
Leininger was registered as a
level III — the highest risk sex
offender — on April 4.
For the past month, the DOC
housed Leininger at the Aloha
Motel on Samish Way, but, like
most apartment complexes in
town, the Aloha Motel is closing
its doors to sex offenders, Allen
said.
"A couple of weeks ago motel
managers had to stop due to the
publicity they were getting," he
said.
The DOC can house sex
offenders for up to 90 days using
funds from the Community
Protection Act, Allen said.
Aside from allocating housing
funds, the 1990 Community
Protection Act forces sex offend­ers
to register with local law
enforcement and allows officials
to notify the public when offend­ers
are released into society.
After 90 days, the DOC hands
offenders a tent, sleeping bag
and hygiene kit and sends them
on their way.
See OFFENDER, Page 4
Politicians, bicyclists ride to encourage
alternate transportation in Bellingham
By Sarah Loehndorf
THE WESTERN FRONT
Jim Robertson never worries
about being late for a meeting
because he was stuck in traffic,
or changing the oil on his car
every 3000 miles. Robertson
said parking is also not an issue
because he has not owned a car
in seven years, instead he rides
his bicycle, named the "Green
Ghost."
- Robertson was one of many
local citizens who attended the
first "Pedal With Your
Politician" event Saturday at
the Farmers Market on Railroad
Avenue. The ride was planned to
promote Bike to Work and
School Day on May 17. The bicy­clists
rode from the Farmer's
Market to Boulevard Park and
back.
Scott Thompson, chairman for
Police arrest suspect
in Western assaults
Sarah Loehndorf/ The Western Front
Community members and local politicians participate in
"Pedal With Your Politician" in Bellingham on Saturday.
the Whatcom County
Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory
Committee, spoke to the group.
"If you can provide great, safe
recreation for bicycling, you are
providing great things," he said.
"But if you can provide a great
infrastructure, you can help the
whole community by keeping air
clean. I think we are doing the
right thing."
Thompson said his goal is for
bike lanes to be included in the
See BIKE, Page 4
By Heidi Buhman
THE WESTERN FRONT
University Police questioned a
suspect after he was arrested in
Mt. Vernon late Thursday night
for allegedly assaulting a Mt.
Vernon woman.
The suspect is believed to be
the same man who groped four
female students on-and off cam:
pus last week, Assistant Chief
David Doughty said.
The Mt. Vernon Police
Department called UP after
realizing the incident at Mt.
Vernon was similar to the
assaults that took place at
Western, University Police
Chief Jim Shaw said.
A woman flagged down an
officer Thursday night in the
2200 block of Riverside Drive in
Mt. Vernon after being
approached by a man who spoke
to her, fondled her and ran off,
Mt. Vernon Police spokeswoman
Jean Keeney said. v
Officers found the suspect on
College Way, Keeney said.
Further investigation led to
the arrest of the suspect, 21-
year-old Glenn Martin Harman.
"One of our officers went down
(to Mt. Vernon) to interview Mr.
Harman," UP Cpl. Lisa Aiumu
said.
Questioning Harman did not
bring about a lot information,
Aiumu said.
"We're not exactly sure where
he comes from," Aiumu said.
Harman has no fixed address,
Aiumu said. She said she does
know the suspect was involved
in construction work in
Whatcom and Skagit counties.
Doughty said Harman's court
date in Bellingham is not set
because he will have to go
through his arraignment in Mt.
Vernon first.
Mt. Vernon police charged
Harman with indecent liberties,
Keeney said.
"(He) has no previous record,"
Shaw said.
Eventually, Harman will be
moved to the Whatcom County
Jail before his arraignment,
Doughty said.
UP will continue to investi­gate
the assaults. on campus,
despite allegations that Harman
committed the campus assaults.
"The victims identified the
suspect without any hesitation
in a line up," Shaw said.
UP commended the four vic­tims
who reported the assaults
at Western. UP encourage any
additional assault reports.
"I was very impressed how the
victims came forward," Aiumu
said. "It takes a lot of courage."
Western students, faculty and
staff discussed how to keep
informed about assault issues
during a community meeting on
Monday.
"We're going to try to develop
town meetings," said Ted Pratt,
director of Student Life and
dean of students. "If there are
concerns or suggestions, we'll be
able to respond."
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