Western Front - 2003 January 10

              Wandering along
Western Gallery 'Walk Ways"
exhibit now open.
See Story, Page 6.
70-point blowout
Freshmen power Vikings to
18th-straight home victory
See Story, Page 9.
Western Washington University Volume 123 Issue 1 Bellingham, Washington
Third offender placed near campus
By Valerie Bauman
THE WESTERN FRONT
A third sex offender has been
released and placed in the infa­mous
house at 1000 Indian St.
David J. Drake, a Level III
sex offender was convicted of
crimes involving children. He
does not admit to his offense.
Drake said he has had a hard
time facing the stigma of being a
recently released sex offender.
'Tm not a danger to anybody,"
Drake said. 'Td like to be treat­ed
as an equal. I'd like (the com­munity)
to know that I'm trying
to build my own life ... I just
want to be left alone."
Thad Allen, risk management
specialist for the Department of
Corrections, said the depart­ment
considers each sex offend­er's
tendencies when locating a
place for the offender to live.
"I think of each of them as an
individual with individual
issues," Allen said.
According to a press release
issued by DOC, Drake, like the
other occupants of the house,
has a tendency to "groom" his
victims, or get to know them,
See HOUSE, Page 3
" Peter Louras/ The Western Front
David Drake, the most recent Level III sex offender to move into 1000 Indian St., takes a
moment to reflect on his time served in jail. "I haven't been through the easiest life,"
Drake said. "Since I was 15, I've been on my own."
Statewide
campaign
prompts 50
DUI arrests
By Cate Weisweaver
THE WESTERN FRONT
A quarter of the year's total
DUI arrests in Bellingham
occurred during "Drive
Hammered, Get Nailed," this
year's annual emphasis patrol
campaign.
The number of DUI infractions
issued in Washington increases
during the holiday season
because more officers are
patrolling for DUI offenders,
Bellingham Police Sgt. Shawn
Aiumu said.
This is the first year
Washington needed to use funds
to create advertising for the
"Drive Hammered, Get Nailed"
campaign. In past years, the
state relied on public access
media.to create awareness of the
emphasis patrol.
Bellingham officers made
approximately 300 DUI arrests in
2002, Bellingham Police Lt. Craig
Ambrose said. Fifty arrests were
See ARRESTS, Page 3
Whatcom County charities report declining donations
By Andrea Boyle
THE WESTERN FRONT
In a wave of economic hard­ship,
non-profit organizations in
Whatcom County are suffering
financially, although volunteer
participation remains constant.
United Way of Whatcom
County partially supports 27
non-profit organizations in
Whatcom County, said United
Way Vice President Peter
Theisen. United Way struggled
to meet its fundraising goals in
2002, which means all 27 orga­nizations
will receive 15 percent
less for the first six months in
2003, he said.
"Across the board, non-profits
will receive less from United
Way, but we are doing our best
to contribute as close to the
same amount of money as last
year," Theisen said.
The American Red Cross is
one of several organizations that
United Way contributes to. This
year the United Way will donate
$85,000 to the American Red
Cross compared to $100,000 last
year.
In December, damages result­ing
from high winds and flood­ing
at Sandy Point and
Gooseberry Point required the
aid of Whatcom County's Red
Cross. The Red Cross has pro­vided
relief for nine total disas­ters
m December including sev­eral
house fires, Public Support
director Shelly Parsons said.
The American Red Cross
meets immediate emergency
needs, providing overnight
accommodations, shelters, food,
medicine, eyeglasses and cloth­ing.
It also has an extensive edu­cation
program including first
aid classes, CPR training and
public education teams.
Last year an estimated 500
people volunteered or partici­pated
in an American Red Cross
program.
The decrease in holiday dona­tions
is especially frustrating,
Parsons said.
"It is a double-edged sword
because while contributions are
way down, that is when the need
goes way up," she said.
Western Red Cross Extension
is a program run by Western
students. The campus club runs
its own program in conjunction
with the Red Cross and requires
all of its club members to be Red
Cross members, said Western
sophomore Kelsey Cartwright,
the Western Red Cross
Extension president and
Whatcom County Red Cross
chapter board member. The club
has roughly 80 Western stu­dents
involved.
"We are always struggling,"
she said. "We have more ambi­tion
than money."
See CHARITIES, Page 3
B'ham resident fights homophobia
Fish and Wildlife employee confronts hate mail at home and work
ByAndyAley
THE WESTERN FRONT
Enforcement officer Bob
Lantiegne of the state Fish and
Wildlife Department received
an unwanted Christmas gift
this December.
An unidentified person sent
Lantiegne, who is gay, a T-shirt
reading "NO FAGGOTS" and a
handwritten note reading
"Merry Christmas, you butt-fucker!
Santa." The note was
written on department sta­tionery
and both items were
sent to Lantiegne's home in a
department envelope.
"When I'm around my place,
I'm real concerned," Lantiegne
said. 'Tm concerned for my safe­ty,
my house and my dogs."
. This is the second time
Lantiegne received threatening
mail from within the depart­ment.
In early February 2002,
eight pages of pornographic
advertisements were sent to
Lantiegne's office in a depart­ment
envelope that also con­tained
an unrelated department
memo.
"I immediately contacted
Capt. Bill Hebner (Lantiegne's
regional supervisor) and told
him I wanted something done
about it," Lantiegne said.
In May 2002, Lantiegne filed
a report that led to an investiga­tion,
which was more than five
months after the incident.
Lantiegne's complaint was
ruled "unfounded" and was dis­missed.
See MAIL, Page 3
Peter Louras/The Western Front
Bob Lantiegne gazes across the bay from Boulevard
Park. He said he often goes to the park to relieve stress.
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