Seattleholding.com

Social worker unknowingly delivers prescription opiates to inmate at Snohomish County Jail

Officials say a social worker visiting the Snohomish County Jail nearly delivered prescription opiates to an inmate by accident. The social worker arrived December 13th with a package marked as “legal documents.” She was scheduled to meet with an inmate in the jail, according to the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office. <a href="https://www.heraldnet.com/news/social-worker-accused-of-trying-to-smuggle-suboxone-into-everett-jail/">The Everett Herald reports</a> corrections officers inspected the package she was carrying and found strips of Suboxone, a drug used to treat opioid addiction. Officials questioned the social worker, but determined it was unlikely she was involved in an illegal, drug-smuggling operation. In a statement made to the Everett Herald, investigators said “it appears the social worker was not involved in the plan and unknowingly transported the narcotics into the facility.” According to the Herald, investigators examined the package while the 35-year-old inmate she had planned to visit watched. Police did not arrest the social worker, but say the investigation into the incident is continuing. Officials reported the package contained at least nine sublingual strips of what was suspected to be Suboxone. Authorities say Suboxone has been a problem for jail administrators for a long time and is often abused by inmates. A week before the incident involving the social worker, officials say another inmate unsuccessfully tried to smuggle an even larger supply of similar opiate strips into the jail. That inmate also attempted to bring in a stash of methamphetamine. Officials say corrections officers intercepted that shipment, confiscated the drugs, and stopped them before they could be circulated among the jail population. The Snohomish County Jail has a long history of inmates overdosing on drugs over the last two years. That includes incidents which have resulted in several deaths among Snohomish County inmates. Between September 2023 and January 2024, four inmates died at the jail. According to the Everett Herald, three of the four deaths occurred in the detox unit, where corrections officers are responsible for monitoring inmates with opiate, benzodiazepine or serious alcohol addictions. Last year, emergency responders had to revive two inmates after a prisoner smuggled fentanyl powder into the facility. Before that, medics transported seven Snohomish County Jail inmates to a hospital after they apparently overdosed on smuggled fentanyl. Earlier this year, Snohomish County Sheriff Susanna Johnson announced her administration would explore new strategies to prevent more inmate deaths. Proposals being introduced include cameras used to monitor medical detox cells and a K-9 unit to detect drugs brought into the jail. She also called for implementing technology to check on the vital signs of inmates in the detox center, to recognize when they approach dangerous levels. Under a recently passed state law, corrections staff are mandated to conduct a review of unexpected jail deaths. The review is supposed to include an analysis of the cause of death and plans for preventing them from occurring in the future. Authorities are required to submit the findings uncovered in those reviews to the Washington State Department of Health within 120 days. Tom Brock is a weekend editor, reporter and anchor for KIRO Newsradio.

Trump threatens to try take back the Panama Canal. The US relinquished control years ago

PHOENIX (AP) — Donald Trump suggested Sunday that his new administration could try to regain control of the fees to pass through the vital transportation channel linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The Republican president-elect used his first major rally since winning the White House on Nov. 5 to bask in his return to power as a large audience of conservatives cheered along, a display of party unity at odds with a just-concluded budget fight on Capitol Hill where some GOP lawmakers openly

New York City police investigate the death of a woman found on fire in subway car

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Police on Sunday were seeking a man they believe is connected to the early morning death of a woman who was sleeping on a stationary subway train before she was intentionally lit on fire. Police said an unknown male had approached the woman, set her on fire and then left the subway car around 7:30 a.m. Officers on a routine patrol at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue subway station soon discovered the unidentified woman on fire, in the middle of the train, after the

Party City to close its stores as company files for bankruptcy

Party City announced Saturday that it would start a “wind down” of its retail and wholesale operations as it prepares to shutter nearly 700 stores nationwide. The company has also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for the second time in less than two years “to maximize value for the benefit of the company’s stakeholders.”. “The decision was made following exhaustive efforts by the company to find a path forward that would allow continued operations in an immensely challenging environmen

Louisiana often holds inmates past their release date, DOJ lawsuit claims

DOJ warned Louisiana officials last year that the state could face a lawsuit if it didn’t fix the problems, but lawyers for the department say the state’s “marginal efforts” to address the issues were “inadequate” and showed a “deliberate indifference” to the constitutional rights of incarcerated individuals. “(T)he right to individual liberty includes the right to be released from incarceration on time after the term set by the court has ended,” Assistant Attorney

A million taxpayers will soon receive up to $1,400 from the IRS. Who are they and why now?

<block> Approximately 1 million taxpayers will automatically receive special payments of up to $1,400 from the IRS in the coming weeks. The money will be directly deposited into eligible people’s bank accounts or sent in the mail by a paper check. The IRS said it’s distributing about $2.4 billion to taxpayers who failed to claim a Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax returns. People who missed one of the COVID stimulus payments or had received less than the full amount were able to claim the credit. But the IRS on Friday said it discovered many eligible taxpayers hadn’t done so. “Looking at our internal data, we realized that one million taxpayers overlooked claiming this complex credit when they were actually eligible,” IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said in a statement. Here’s more about the unexpected cash this group of taxpayers will soon receive: <hl2>What’s the likelihood I’ll receive a check? </hl2> Sorry, it’s probably pretty low. The IRS said most taxpayers eligible for the federal stimulus payments, formally known as Economic Impact Payments, have already received them. The special payments announced by the IRS are being sent to those taxpayers who filed a 2021 tax return but left the data field for the Recovery Rebate Credit blank or they filled it out as $0 when they were actually eligible for the credit. <hl2>How will this work?</hl2> Eligible taxpayers don’t have to take any action. The payments will go out automatically this month and should arrive by direct deposit or check by late January 2025. They’ll be sent to the bank account listed on the taxpayer’s 2023 return or to the address IRS has on file. Payments will vary but the maximum amount will be $1,400 per individual. The IRS has <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/2021-recovery-rebate-credit-questions-and-answers">posted information online</a> about eligibility and how the payment was calculated. IRS plans to send separate letters to eligible taxpayers notifying them of the special payment. <hl2>What if I haven’t filed my 2021 tax return yet?</hl2> You still might be able to receive the money. However, taxpayers need to file a tax return and claim the Recovery Rebate Credit by the April 15, 2025 deadline, even if any income from a job, business or other source was minimal or nonexistent, according to IRS. <hl2>How many rounds of COVID stimulus payments were there? </hl2> There were three rounds of payments to households impacted by the pandemic, totaling $814 billion. IRS based the amounts that taxpayers received on their income, tax filing status and number of children or qualifying dependents. In March 2020, eligible individuals received up to $1,200 per income tax filer and $500 per child under the CARES Act. In December 2020, eligible individuals received up to $600 per income tax filer and $600 per child under the Consolidated Appropriations Act. In March 2021, eligible individuals received up to $1,400 per income tax filer and $1,400 per child under the American Rescue Plan Act. </block>

An architect designed custom clocks for Pennsylvania’s Capitol a century ago. They’re still ticking

<block> HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Capitol buildings are almost always an imposing presence. The seat of government, they tend to be elegant and stately — and frequently capped by a dome. Visitors to Pennsylvania ‘s Capitol are drawn to its priceless artwork, polished marble and intricate carvings, but hidden behind the doors of some of its most ornate offices and chambers are another treasure: hundreds of antique clocks that were part of its original design. The 273 working clocks include many that are integrated into fireplace mantels and other building features. They are not low maintenance, requiring regular oiling and occasional mechanical overhauls. And every week, in a throwback to a time before wristwatches and cellphones, clock winders roam the halls — ensuring the century-plus-old timekeepers keep ticking. On a recent morning, Bethany Gill demonstrated how it’s done — going room to room with an array of ladders and custom tools. She opens the glass covers, rotates the mechanisms enough to keep them going for about a week and checks their accuracy before moving on to the next one. Gill is a former art student who works for Johnson & Griffiths Studio, a Harrisburg firm that just received a five-year, $526,000 winding and maintenance contract renewal from the Capitol Preservation Committee. She’s also a lifelong clock lover who looks forward to the semiannual transitions between daylight saving time and Eastern Standard Time. Why? “My dad was a clock collector growing up,” Gill said. “And every Sunday we would go around the house and wind the clocks. And that was always just a nice thing that I did with my dad.” Pennsylvania’s Capitol was crafted by architect Joseph M. Huston, who won its design competition in 1901 with a vision for a temple of democracy — a palace of art that would be as fancy as what could then be found in Europe. Among countless other fine touches, Huston designed at least 180 custom clock cases, including smaller so-called keystone clocks that are shaped to remind people of Pennsylvania’s early and critical role in the formation of the United States, leaving it with the nickname of the Keystone State. “The clocks are just part of why the building’s so unique and so intricate,” said Capitol Preservation Committee historian Jason Wilson. “The mantels surrounding the clocks are all custom designed.” Every so often the clocks, most of them built from mahogany or stained mahogany, are carefully removed from their spots around the Capitol and taken to a facility for cleaning, maintenance and repair. They seem to run better when kept wound. Huston, the architect, achieved his goal. The Capitol is a showpiece that draws <a href="http://cpc.state.pa.us/history/history-faq.cfm#:~:text=As%20the%20seat%20of%20government,Ongoing%20Preservation%20Maintenance">thousands of visitors every year</a> to where 253 state lawmakers convene to debate and pass legislation. While the buildings and the clocks are his lasting legacy, Huston was convicted of a conspiracy to defraud the state during the Capitol construction project and spent several months in another Pennsylvania landmark, Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia. </block>

Bluesky finds with growth comes growing pains — and bots

<block> Bluesky has seen its user base soar since the U.S. presidential election, boosted by people seeking refuge from Elon Musk’s X, which they view as increasingly leaning too far to the right given its owner’s support of President-elect Donald Trump, or wanting an alternative to Meta’s Threads and its algorithms. The platform grew out of the company then known as Twitter, championed by its former CEO Jack Dorsey. Its decentralized approach to social networking was eventually intended to replace Twitter’s core mechanic. That’s unlikely now that the two companies have parted ways. But Bluesky’s growth trajectory — with a user base that has more than doubled since October — could make it a serious competitor to other social platforms. But with growth comes growing pains. It’s not just human users who’ve been flocking to Bluesky but also bots, including those designed to create partisan division or direct users to junk websites. The skyrocketing user base — now surpassing <a href="https://bsky-users.theo.io/">25 million</a> — is the biggest test yet for a relatively young platform that has branded itself as a social media alternative free of the problems plaguing its competitors. According to research firm Similarweb, Bluesky added 7.6 million monthly active app users on iOS and Android in November, an increase of 295.4% since October. It also saw 56.2 million desktop and mobile web visits, in the same period, up 189% from October. Besides the U.S. elections, Bluesky also got a boost when X was briefly banned in Brazil. “They got this spike in attention, they’ve crossed the threshold where it is now worth it for people to flood the platform with spam,” said Laura Edelson, an assistant professor of computer science at Northeastern University and a member of Issue One’s Council for Responsible Social Media. “But they don’t have the cash flow, they don’t have the established team that a larger platform would, so they have to do it all very, very quickly.” To manage growth for its tiny staff, Bluesky started as an invitation-only space until it opened to the public in February. That period gave the site time to build out moderation tools and other distinctive features to attract new users, such as “starter packs” that provide lists of topically curated feeds. Meta recently announced that it is testing a similar feature. Compared to the bigger players like Meta’s platforms or X, Bluesky has a “quite different” value system, said Claire Wardle, a professor at Cornell University and an expert in misinformation. This includes giving users more control over their experience. “The first generation of social media platforms connected the world, but ended up consolidating power in the hands of a few corporations and their leaders,” <a href="https://bsky.social/about/blog/03-12-2024-stackable-moderation">Bluesky said on its blog</a> in March. “Our online experience doesn’t have to depend on billionaires unilaterally making decisions over what we see. On an open social network like Bluesky, you can shape your experience for yourself.” Because of this mindset, Bluesky has achieved a scrappy underdog status that has attracted users who’ve grown tired of the big players. “People had this idea that it was going to be a different type of social network,” Wardle said. “But the truth is, when you get lots of people in a place and there are eyeballs, it means that it’s in other people’s interests to use bots to create, you know, information that aligns with their perspective.” Little data has emerged to help quantify the rise in impersonator accounts, artificial intelligence-fueled networks and other potentially harmful content on Bluesky. But in recent weeks, users have begun reporting large numbers of apparent AI bots following them, <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/murphtracks.bsky.social/post/3lctp2ckjcc2o">posting plagiarized articles</a> or making seemingly automated <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpOkrxxpTcE&ab_channel=hankschannel">divisive comments</a> in replies. Lion Cassens, a Bluesky user and doctoral candidate in the Netherlands, found one such network by accident — a group of German-language accounts with similar bios and AI-generated profile pictures posting in replies to three German newspapers. “I noticed some weird replies under a news post by the German newspaper ‘Die Ziet,’” he said in an email to The Associated Press. “I have a lot of trust in the moderation mechanism on Bluesky, especially compared to Twitter since the layoffs and due to Musk’s more radical stance on freedom of speech. But AI bots are a big challenge, as they will only improve. I hope social media can keep up with that.” Cassens said the bots’ messages have been relatively innocuous so far, but he was concerned about how they could be repurposed in the future to mislead. There are also signs that foreign disinformation narratives have made their way to Bluesky. The disinformation research group Alethea pointed to one low-traction post sharing a false claim about ABC News that had circulated on Russian Telegram channels. Copycat accounts are another challenge. In late November, Alexios Mantzarlis, director of the Security, Trust and Safety Initiative at Cornell Tech, found that of the top 100 most followed named individuals on Bluesky, 44% had at least one duplicate account posing as them. Two weeks later, Mantzarlis said Bluesky had removed around two-thirds of the duplicate accounts he’d initially detected — a sign the site was aware of the issue and attempting to address it. Bluesky <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/safety.bsky.app/post/3ld7e2hrugc2r">posted</a> earlier this month that it had quadrupled its moderation team to keep up with its growing user base. The company also announced it had introduced a new system to detect impersonation and was working to improve its Community Guidelines to provide more detail on what’s allowed. Because of the way the site is built, users also have the option to subscribe to third-party “Labelers” that outsource content moderation by tagging accounts with warnings and context. The company didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment for this story. Even as its challenges aren’t yet at the scale other platforms face, Bluesky is at a “crossroads,” said Edward Perez, a board member at the nonpartisan nonprofit OSET Institute, who previously led Twitter’s civic integrity team. “Whether BlueSky likes it or not, it is being pulled into the real world,” Perez said, noting that it needs to quickly prioritize threats and work to mitigate them if it hopes to continue to grow. That said, disinformation and bots won’t be Bluesky’s only challenges in the months and years to come. As a text-based social network, its entire premise is falling out of favor with younger generations. A recent Pew Research Center poll found that only 17% of American teenagers used X, for instance, down from 23% in 2022. For teens and young adults, TikTok, Instagram and other visual-focused platforms are the places to be. Political polarization is also going against Bluesky ever reaching the size of TikTok, Instagram or even X. “Bluesky is not trying to be all things to all people,” Wardle said, adding that, likely, the days of a Facebook or Instagram emerging where they’re “trying to keep everybody happy” are over. Social platforms are increasingly splintered along political lines and when they aren’t — see Meta’s platforms — the companies behind them are actively working to de-emphasize political content and news. ___ The Associated Press receives support from several private foundations to enhance its explanatory coverage of elections and democracy. See more about AP’s democracy initiative <a href="https://www.ap.org/press-releases/2022/ap-announces-sweeping-democracy-journalism-initiative">here</a>. The AP is solely responsible for all content. </block>

China says US is ‘playing with fire’ after latest military aid for Taiwan

<block> BEIJING (AP) — The Chinese government protested Sunday the latest American announcements of military sales and assistance to Taiwan, warning the United States that it is “playing with fire.” U.S. President Joe Biden authorized Saturday the provision of up to $571 million in Defense Department material and services and in military education and training for Taiwan. Separately, the Defense Department said Friday that $295 million in military sales had been approved. A Chinese Foreign Ministry statement urged the U.S. to stop arming Taiwan and stop what it called “dangerous moves that undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.” Taiwan is a democratic island of 23 million people that the Chinese government claims as its territory and says must come under its control. U.S. military sales and assistance aim to help Taiwan defend itself and deter China from launching an attack. The $571 million in military assistance comes on top of Biden’s authorization of $567 million for the same purposes in late September. The military sales include $265 million for about 300 tactical radio systems and $30 million for 16 gun mounts. Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry welcomed the approval of the two sales, saying in a social media post on X that it reaffirmed the U.S. government’s “commitment to our defense.” </block>

PHOTO COLLECTION: The iconic and unconventional sides of Christmas in New York

<block> NEW YORK (AP) — The challenge of photographing Christmastime in New York is that there is so much of it. The big tree in Rockefeller Center. Ice skating in Central Park. The Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall. All those lavish, holiday-themed department store window displays. This is the iconic New York tourists come to see. Visitors know it well from movies and television. But millions of New Yorkers experience these remarkable sights in a different way. For them, this is home. Those department stores might be where they shop for presents. That famous rink might be where they take their kid to skate after school. Over several weeks, Associated Press photographer Julia Nikhinson found ways to document both the familiar and unfamiliar sides of the holiday season in the city. She found storybook images, like neighborhood carolers and an urban garden ablaze with light, while also capturing the city’s weirder side, including a holiday-themed burlesque show, a guy who roams the city impersonating a Christmas tree and an invasion of hard-drinking Santas. And she photographed some of the ways a New York Christmas is different, like carrying a tree home under your arm after work because you don’t own a car. </block>

Isolated Chicago communities secure money for a coveted transit project before Trump takes office

Yonah Freemark, a researcher at the Urban Institute, said Trump unsuccessfully encouraged Congress in his first term to pass budgets eliminating funding for some new transit projects that hadn’t secured their grant agreements. But it has been practically unheard of for administrations to claw back projects after they won final approval. Steve Davis, who handles transportation strategy for Smart Growth America, said Trump could try to redirect future competitive grants to prioritize highway

Caitlin Clark effect hasn’t reversed the decades-long decline in girls basketball participation

The decision by Grand Island Senior High School — the state’s third-largest with more than 2,600 students — reflects a national decline in participation in the girls sport, even as the popularity of women’s basketball behind the likes of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese has sent record numbers of fans flocking to arenas or tuning in on TV. Schools across the country have made similar choices, but that hasn’t made the move any easier for those passionate about Grand Island basketball. “W

Fleeing motorist is dead after driving into Texas shopping mall and injuring 5

<block> KILLEEN, Texas (AP) — Texas law enforcement fatally shot a fleeing motorist who drove a pickup into a JCPenney at a busy shopping mall Saturday, injuring five bystanders, authorities said. Four of the injured people were taken from the Killeen mall to hospitals and the fifth went on their own, Sgt. Bryan Washko of the Texas Department of Public Safety said in an evening media briefing. They ranged in age from 6 to 75 years old, and their conditions were not immediately known. Ofelia Miramontez of the Killeen Police Department said the incident began with calls about an erratic driver in a black pickup in Belton, about 20 miles (30 kilometers) away. The chase began around 5 p.m. on Interstate 14, according to Washko. The driver pulled off and drove into the mall’s parking lot, crashed into the department store and continued driving, Washko said. Local law enforcement at the mall — one working security and two others who were off duty — also traded gunfire with the suspect, he said. Washko had no information on the suspect’s identity. </block>

Lara Trump says she’s removing herself from consideration to be Florida senator

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lara Trump, the daughter-in-law of President-elect Donald Trump, said Saturday that she’s removing herself from consideration to be a Florida senator — ending speculation that she could replace Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, who has been tapped to be the incoming administration’s secretary of state. “After an incredible amount of thought, contemplation, and encouragement from so many, I have decided to remove my name from consideration for the United States Sena

Trump taps ‘Apprentice’ producer, Mark Burnett, as special envoy to the United Kingdom

(AP) — Mark Burnett, the power producer who helped reintroduce Donald Trump to a national television audience with “The Apprentice,” is being tapped by the president-elect as special envoy to the United Kingdom in his upcoming administration. “With a distinguished career in television production and business, Mark brings a unique blend of diplomatic acumen and international recognition to this important role,” Trump announced Saturday. Burnett, who was born in London, helped produce hits like “S

A Native American tribe is closer to acquiring more land in Arizona after decades of delay

<block> Federal officials have joined with the state of Arizona to begin fulfilling a settlement agreement that was reached with the Hopi Tribe nearly three decades ago, marking what tribal officials described as a historic day. Government attorneys filed condemnation documents on Friday to transfer dozens of square miles of state land into trust for the Hopi. The tribe will compensate the state nearly $4 million for more than 31 square miles (80 square kilometers) of land near Winslow. It could mark the first of more transfers of land into trust to help eliminate the checkerboard of ownership that characterizes much of the lands used by the tribe for ranching in northeastern Arizona. <hl2>A long time coming</hl2> Friday’s filing was born out of the 1996 passage of the Navajo-Hopi Land Dispute Settlement Act, which ratified an agreement between the Hopi and federal government that set conditions for taking land into trust for the tribe. The wrangling over land in northeastern Arizona has been bitter, pitting the Hopi and the Navajo Nation against one another for generations. The federal government failed in its attempt to have the tribes share land and after years of escalating conflict, Congress in 1974 divided the area and ordered tribal members to leave each other’s reservations. The resulting borders meant the Navajo Nation — the country’s largest reservation at 27,000 square miles — surrounded the 2,500-square-mile Hopi reservation. Since the 1996 settlement, the Hopi Tribe has purchased private land and sought to take neighboring state lands into trust in hopes of consolidating property for the tribe’s benefit. <hl2>A historic day</hl2> There have been many roadblocks along the way, including in 2018 when the tribe sought the support of local governments in northern Arizona to back a proposed transfer for land south of the busy Interstate 40 corridor. Those efforts were stymied by the inclusion of national forest tracts in the Flagstaff area. Hopi Chairman Tim Nuvangyaoma said in a statement Friday that he was grateful for everyone who worked to make the condemnation filing a reality and that the timing for this historic moment was fitting. “Within Hopi, it is our time of the soyal’ang ceremony — the start of the New Year and the revitalization of life,” he said. Gov. Katie Hobbs, who first visited the Hopi reservation in 2023, acknowledged that the tribe has been fighting for its rights for decades and that politicians of the past had refused to hear the voices of tribal communities. “Every Arizonan should have an opportunity to thrive and a space to call home, and this agreement takes us one step closer to making those Arizona values a reality,” she said Friday. <hl2>More transfers and economic opportunities</hl2> In November, the Navajo Nation signed a warranty deed to take into trust a parcel of land near Flagstaff as part of the federal government’s outstanding obligations to support members of that tribe who were forcibly relocated as a result of the Navajo-Hopi dispute. Navajo leaders are considering building a casino on the newly acquired land, saying such a project would provide significant economic benefits. For the Hopi, bringing more land into trust also holds the promise of more economic opportunities. The state lands near Winslow that are part of the condemnation filing are interspersed with Hopi-owned lands and have long been leased to the tribe for ranching and agricultural purposes, according to the U.S. Justice Department. Federal officials said Friday’s filing is the first of an anticipated series of condemnation actions that ultimately would result in the transfer of more than 170 square miles (440 square kilometers) of state land into trust for the Hopi Tribe. </block>

Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office deputies probe a suspected ATM card skimmer

The Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) reported this week its detectives are investigating a suspected ATM card skimmer at the Connection Credit Union in Silverdale. Deputies responded to the credit union at 10200 Silverdale Way NW when a branch employee called 911 to report fraudulent activity reported by a customer, according to social media posts on <a href="https://x.com/KitsapCoSheriff/status/1870249591083544875" target="_blank" rel="noopener">X</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kitsapcountysheriff/posts/pfbid0LSy1ZdbQf2Y9sjV7fNLiVy87zSn5QNkrfPSv1Tepfiuz9sywC9vMgB1izanTMNFdl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facebook</a>. The KCSO deputies determined someone or a group of people tampered with the ATM at the branch. An examination of still videos the ATM captured showed “two or three different subjects in full clothing, beanies, and masks placing a possible skimming device on the walk-up ATM several times over a 19-day period,” the online posts state. Each time, the people collecting data with the device arrived and walked away coming and going to the south of the credit union’s property. From there, it was determined a subject on a scooter arrived from the north and left to the south. KCSO detectives don’t know at this time how many debit card numbers were taken. Deputies did not identify any transactions made by the subjects. Seattle crime: <a href="https://mynorthwest.com/4020739/altercation-leads-stabbing-death-king-county-metro-bus-driver-seattle/">Police arrest suspect in stabbing death of Metro bus driver</a> <h2>What are card skimmers?</h2> Card skimmers are tiny, malicious devices hidden within legitimate card readers, the KCSO explained in its social media posts. “They harvest data from every person who swipes their cards by reading the magnetic strip on the card and storing the card number. They can create a copy of your card and capture your PIN if it’s an ATM card,” the <a href="https://x.com/KitsapCoSheriff/status/1870249591083544875" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posts</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kitsapcountysheriff/posts/pfbid0LSy1ZdbQf2Y9sjV7fNLiVy87zSn5QNkrfPSv1Tepfiuz9sywC9vMgB1izanTMNFdl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added</a>. <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-frauds-and-scams/skimming" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The FBI reports</a> in an article on its website that ATM skimmer devices are inserted in the card reader or installed in another area within the terminal. Some skimmer devices may fit over the terminal’s card reader or be situated along exposed cables at freestanding ATMs such as the machines found at convenience stores. Pinhole cameras installed on or around ATMs record a customer’s PIN entry. Some scammers noted that keylogging keypad overlays can be used instead of pinhole cameras to records PINs as well. Those overlays record a customer’s keystrokes. Crime blotter: <a href="https://mynorthwest.com/category/crime_blotter/">Covering the crimes around the Puget Sound region</a> <h2>Tips to protect yourself from a card skimmer</h2> <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-frauds-and-scams/skimming" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The FBI article</a> suggests a number of tips for consumers to protect themselves from card skimmers and scams. The agency starts by suggesting to people that they inspect ATMs and other card readers before using them. Specifically, they should look for anything loose, crooked, damaged or scratched. From there, consumers shouldn’t use any card reader if anything unusual is discovered. Also, consumers should pull at the edges of the keypad before entering their PIN. After that, customers should cover the ATM keypad as fully as possible when entering their PIN to prevent cameras from recording entries. In addition, it is worth considering that a pinhole camera may be there anywhere on or around the cash terminal. Another tip from <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-frauds-and-scams/skimming" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the FBI</a>: If possible, customers should use ATMs in a well-lit, indoor location rather than one that’s outside. The machines inside may still be compromised, but they are not as vulnerable. Going further, people who need use ATMs in tourist areas should be especially alert for possible skimming devices since those areas are popular targets, the FBI said. And for those consumers who still don’t have debit and credit cards with chip technology, another reason to make that move is there are fewer devices in the U.S. that steal chip data than magnetic strip data. The KCSO completed its statement by advising customers who believe their information was compromised to contact their bank or credit union. In addition, people should report any fraudulent activity by calling 911. <iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F924895402652938%2F&show_text=false&width=267&t=0" width="267" height="476" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Steve Coogan is the lead editor of MyNorthwest. You can read more of his stories <a href="https://mynorthwest.com/author/scoogan/">here</a>. Follow Steve on <a href="https://twitter.com/stevenacoogan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">X</a>, or email him <a href="mailto:[email protected]">here</a>.

Penn State opens the College Football Playoff by steamrolling mistake-prone SMU in 38-10 rout

<block> STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Dominic DeLuca and Tony Rojas returned interceptions for touchdowns and Penn State toyed with mistake-prone SMU in a 38-10 victory on Saturday in the opening round of the College Football Playoff. The sixth-seeded Nittany Lions (12-2) advanced to face fourth-seeded Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Eve by hounding Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings into three turnovers, including a pair of ill-thrown floaters in the first half DeLuca and Rojas converted into Pick-6s that sent the white-out crowd at wintry Beaver Stadium into a frenzy and SMU (11-3) into a funk from which it never recovered. Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen ran for scores for the Nittany Lions. Drew Allar completed 13 of 22 passes for 127 yards while playing every meaningful snap after backup Beau Pribula — who occasionally and effectively spelled Allar throughout the year — entered the transfer portal earlier this week. Jennings, whose electrifying play fueled SMU’s undefeated regular-season sprint through the ACC, finished 20 of 36 for 195 yards with a late touchdown and three picks. He began the day by missing a wide-open tight end Matthew Hibner at the goal line to end the Mustangs’ promising opening possession, and things only got worse from there. His flip to Brashard Smith on SMU’s second drive sailed over the running back’s head and into the arms of an awaiting DeLuca, <a href="https://x.com/CFBPlayoff/status/1870529119592796236">who raced 23 yards</a> to the end zone to give Penn State the lead. Early in the second quarter, Jennings scrambled to his right and threw against his body into triple coverage. Rojas snagged it and <a href="https://x.com/CFBPlayoff/status/1870534056133140657">weaved 59 yards</a> to stake the Nittany Lions to a 14-0 lead they never came close to squandering. The defense’s early strike gave Allar and Penn State’s running game time to get settled. Allen finished off a nine-play 75-yard drive with a 25-yard touchdown dash to make it 21-0. Singleton then bulled over from a yard out late in the first half to make it 28-0. And unlike the ACC title game against Clemson — when the Mustangs roared all the way back from a 17-point second-half deficit to tie it before falling on the final snap — this time there would be no rally. The last two quarters were mostly a chance for the crowd of over 106,000 that braved temperatures in the low-20s with a pretty steady breeze to soak in the kind of big game victory that hasn’t happened quite as often as they would like during James Franklin’s largely successful 11-year tenure. With one test now passed, another big one awaits in the desert on the last day of 2024. <hl2>Takeaways</hl2> SMU: Just like 10th-seeded Indiana on Friday, the Mustangs didn’t do much to validate the CFP selection committee’s decision to put them in over bluebloods Alabama and Miami. SMU’s historic first season in the ACC after coming over from the American Athletic ended with a disappointing thud. Penn State: The defense bounced back from a shaky performance in the Big Ten title game against Oregon by throttling an offense that came in averaging 38.5 points and 443 yards a game. <hl2>Up next</hl2> SMU: will try to back up their audacious ACC debut next fall, when their conference slate includes games against Miami, Clemson and Louisville. Penn State: Will try to win a 13th game for the first time in the program’s 131-year history when it heads to the Fiesta Bowl, a game in which the Nittany Lions are 7-0 all-time. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football </block>

14-year-old killed in Wisconsin school shooting shared gifts of music and art with many, friends say

<block> MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Rubi Patricia Vergara was a talented young teenager who often handcrafted gifts for others and shared her musical talents with many, family friends recounted at funeral services held Saturday morning. Vergara, 14, was a student at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, where she was shot and killed by a fellow student Monday. Teacher Erin West, 42, was also killed in the attack. “She was a quiet, gentle spirit who cared deeply for others,” City Church lead pastor Tom Flaherty said. “But Rubi also had a faith beyond her years.” Vergara’s services were held at City Church, which is adjacent to the school. West’s funeral is set for Monday at Doxa Church in Madison, according to her obituary. Two other injured students remained hospitalized Saturday in critical condition but were stable, UW Hospital said. A family friend, Dawn Moris, spoke about Vergara’s compassion and empathy. Vergara made personalized birthday cards for loved ones with digital artwork, origami and had started crocheting. Moris showed those in the congregation a small crocheted smiley face potato crafted by Vergara. “She applied a caring and creative approach to everything she did,” Moris said. Vergara played keyboard in a family worship band and could hear a song and pick it up on the piano, Moris said. As a singer, she had a special talent of harmonizing and “sang like an angel,” Moris said. Vergara’s aunt played her niece’s favorite song, “Shoulders” by for King & Country, on the guitar during the service. Her uncle, Andy Remus, thanked the people of Madison for supporting his family this past week. Police say the shooter, 15-year-old student Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow, shot herself at the school and died at a Madison hospital. Police have said she was in contact with a man in California who authorities say was planning to attack a government building. Rupnow’s motivation for the attack remains a key part of their investigation. ___ Volmert reported from Lansing, Michigan. </block>

Shutdown saga exposes new fault lines for Speaker Johnson and tests his grip on the gavel

Midnight passage of the government shutdown package put in sharp focus the political fault lines emerging in Washington, as President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., fights for his job and Republicans sweep into control of the House and Senate in the new year. It took bipartisan votes, Republicans and Democrats, to keep government running for a few more months and provide some $100 billion for disaster aid. Working together, the parties showed th