IntenseDebate - TracyVedder

12 years ago @ KOMO - Seattle, WA - Couple: Shelter put do... · 1 reply · +5 points

One other note, the timeline: 2/24 the Ellises find Blaze and bring him home. 2/25 they take him to their vet. 3/1, Animal Control takes Blaze to Everett shelter and shelter vet 1st examines him.and walks with a quick pace, 3/6 Shelter vet says Blaze is bright and alert 3/8 AC tells owner that Blaze can be picked up from the shelter. 3/15 Blaze's owner tells AC he wants to sign the dog over to the Ellises. 3/19 AC releases Blaze to the shelter. 3/20 Everett Shelter notifies AC it has euthanized Blaze.

12 years ago @ KOMO - Seattle, WA - Couple: Shelter put do... · 0 replies · +5 points

Sorry for any questions left hanging in this story, we were trying to encapsulate as much information as possible into a reasonable amount of time for the story.
So to clarify: The Ellises DID take Blaze to their vet initially and paid more than $200 to have him examined and treated. At the vet's they discovered Blaze had a microchip - and that the dog's owner was also the owner of the property where they found him. The Ellises then called animal control because there had been another dog barking inside that house and they were concerned for his welfare.
When animal control investigated, the agent insisted that she had to take Blaze, which would be standard protocol in any cruelty or neglect investigation. That's how he got to the shelter.
When the Ellises went the next day to visit, they tell me that they were told they could not see Blaze, he was being kept in a separate area. But they were on record as wanting to adopt him and it's written in Blaze's shelter paperwork. Hope that clears up any misconceptions about what happened.

12 years ago @ KOMO - Seattle, WA - Couple: Shelter put do... · 0 replies · +3 points

RayBigs - can you contact me about what happened to you? tracyv@komotv.com

12 years ago @ KOMO - Seattle, WA - Allegations: Sex assau... · 2 replies · +2 points

PART TWO:
2. What did Echo Glen managers do to intercede, or change a culture of inappropriate behavior at Echo Glen?

3. Why was Royce Clinton Shorter, a convicted rapist, ever allowed onto the campus of Echo Glen?

4. Why did no one do a background check of Shorter? Our information indicates Shorter was allowed onto the campus continuously, time after time for years- clearly in the position of a volunteer, not a guest. How does Echo Glen or DSHS justify letting someone with that kind of consistent presence on the campus, with access to the kids, without a background check?

5. What steps did Echo Glen take after Shorter's recent arrest on rape charges to determine if he'd had any inappropriate contact with residents?

6. After years of seemingly ignoring warnings about sexual misconduct, sexual harassment, and lack of appropriate safeguards for residents at Echo Glen, what steps has DSHS taken to disciple the administration and/or change what appears to be the culture at Echo Glen.

If I could have your answers by Wednesday I would appreciate it.

Thanks,

Tracy Vedder
KOMO TV Problem Solver

12 years ago @ KOMO - Seattle, WA - Allegations: Sex assau... · 0 replies · +3 points

This is the e-mail we sent to the state DSHS after they declined our request for an on-camera interview. It was sent Monday 4/25. We received this e-mail at 4pm Friday 4/29 at 3:56.

"I am sorry that DSHS and Echo Glen chooses not to participate in an on-camera interview with us regarding concerns raised about Echo Glen. I don’t think declining interviews is ever in the best interests of the residents and taxpayers of Washington state.

That said, I have put together a list of questions for your consideration. Of course, one can never know what additional questions or clarifications we might have dependent upon the state’s answers – but we’ll take what we can get. So this is not an exhaustive list of questions – just what appear to be the top ones.

1. The state has had to settle two lawsuits involving allegations of sexual harassment at Echo Glen involving staff members, and a third lawsuit over rape of a resident by a staff member. All of these incidents and resultant claims were preceeded by warnings to management about inappropriate conduct by the various staffers. Why were these warnings ignored?

13 years ago @ KOMO - Seattle, WA - \'He can tell you he\'... · 1 reply · +5 points

Sorry for the mistake. This was a transcription error when the story went from newscript to webscript and it has been fixed. Thanks for pointing it out.

14 years ago @ KOMO - Seattle, WA - \'How can we allow thi... · 0 replies · +1 points

Hi dancersmom - could you contact me at the station? tracyv@komotv.com I'd like to talk with you further about your situation. thanks, Tracy

14 years ago @ KOMO - Seattle, WA - \'How can we allow thi... · 0 replies · 0 points

Hi Marylion - would you feel comfortable contacting me at KOMO? I'd like to talk to you about your experiences. Thanks

14 years ago @ KOMO - Seattle, WA - Jury: Trooper\'s death... · 1 reply · +1 points

Yes, it was a civil case as we reported. And the jury ruled unanimously - 12 of 12, in favor of the plaintiff, Barb Thompson. I'm not sure why you thought this was misleading?

14 years ago @ KOMO - Seattle, WA - Jury: Trooper\'s death... · 0 replies · +1 points

Just a point of clarification: the jury issued two main decisions in this case. First, that Coroner Terry Wilson's determination of suicide was inaccurate, and second - that his determination was "arbitrary and capricious". It's a never-before-used state law - judicial review - that had Judge Hicks and the attorneys for both sides searching for the proper use of the statute.

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