On January 12^th, a zip-fast lesson in NW geology was rendered by Dr. Donn Charnley, Professor Emeritus at Shoreline Community College.

Some of the facts expressed in his talk were:

• Lithosphere is the outer, rigid, rock girdling the planet. It consists of movable plates
• Some collide with each other, i.e, Pacific and South American plates, or diverge, i.e. Mid-Atlantic Ridge
• Layers of the earth are core, mantle, crust
• Speeds of plate movements are up to 1 inch per year
• The newest rock is being formed at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge; oldest is at the continents
• Some plates move past each other
• Smaller rock fragments are called Terranes, some of which date back to a billion years
• The Yukatat terrane is moving northward and will end up in Alaska, while Baja California is destined for the same area
• 1 billion years ago, the coast was in Idaho
• The east-moving North American plate began to change direction some 250 million years ago in the so called March of Terranes and terranes crashed into the N.A. plate and piled up against each other
• At this time the Pacific plate moved eastward and the N.A. plate moved westward
• Low rock melted and rose, giving rise to volcanism
• Basalt was formed in eastern WA
• The Kootenay Arc became part of N.A
• The large Okanogan terrane now collided and became part of the N.A. plate
• The N. Cascade super terrane came from the SE and collided then pushed up to form the Strait Creek Fault
• The San Juan Islands are a group of terranes from a process of older rock being pushed up by younger rock.
• Starting 12 million years ago, the Pacific plate continued to crash eastward, creating a subduction zone
• This has given rise to the Olympic mountains and rock at the south end of Vancouver Islands
• Basalt rocks in Eastern WA are connected to the massive floods that arose from Missoula.

Comment:  Quite a bit to digest. He kindly did not dwell on the Cascadia Fault whose potential energy continues to ratchet up beneath our feet.

Our December 1^st speaker was Detective Anthony Stevenson who oversees the of sex offenders in the area. Considering the numbers, he sets forth, it is at least a formidable assignment. His first point is that such as they have no distinguishing characteristics. They can be anyone. They pervade society, with 1,275 living in Seattle, plus those who are among the homeless. Stevenson also deals with those charged and convicted of kidnapping. Both types of offenders must register. This results from Megan’s Law, emanating from a case of kidnapping/rape/murder in New Jersey. The Law requires that such offenders must not only register, but also that the community be apprised of where they reside. The total registered in King County presently stands at 3,532.

Levels I, II, and III classification of offenders based on the severity and frequency of their crimes, III being the highest risk. Local police agency will notify of an offender’s address and where he is registered. The County Sheriff’s office tracks homeless SO’s via weekly sign-in sheets. If the requirement is violated, a criminal case is instituted.

Some characteristics: 

• Level I–These have violated people they know, and are of least risk to the community.
• Level II–This includes such as teachers, pedophiles, baby sitters. They generally have had more than one victim.
• Level III–This type of predator is of greatest risk to the community. Their crimes are of the violent type. They generally do not know their victims. They must be checked in every 90 days. The media and public at large are informed of them. Schools and day care facilities are prepared when offenders live in the neighborhood. Washington laws do not restrict where they live. In extreme cases, court orders and the Department of Corrections may restrict where they can be located.

As to what to do: 

• Educate children about the techniques of offenders.
• Stay alert and report suspicious activity via 911 or to the offices whose phone numbers have been provided by the speaker.

Comment: It is grimly surprising as to how many engage in this type of behavior–no less surprising than, say, the incidence of domestic violence. These are scary times. Those who are trusting–and there are many–are fair game. Sadly, it is necessary to teach and practice suspicion.