Tacoma SDS

The following is an email exchange with the Pierce County Health Department about the current influenza outbreak at the NWDC:

Mr. Turner,

Thank you for the prompt reply. We are aware of the role of the Public Health Service and understand their difficult task in protecting the health of all that are impacted by this event. A special concern is noted because in prior instances of health situations at the facility (Measles and food-borne illness) a general lack of candor was exhibited by those responsible.

Some form of contagious disease is causing enhanced precautions at the Northeest Detention Center located on the Tacoma Tarpits Superfund site. Over the weekend, visiting families, some coming from as far away as Portland, were turned away and told that an outbreak of a flu-like disease was on-going.

Even though the persons they were coming to visit were not ill, they were still prevented from visiting.

WASHINGTON (AFP) – In an unannounced move, President Barack Obama is dispatching an additional 13,000 US troops to Afghanistan beyond the 21,000 he announced publicly in March, The Washington Post reported.

The additional forces are primarily support forces -- such as engineers, medical personnel, intelligence experts and military police -- the Post said, bringing the total buildup Obama has approved for the war-torn nation to 34,000.

Regional reporting (see details at bottom) indicates that The ship "Green Point" is coming to Tacoma around October 20th to drop off the 1-25th Strykers for Reset at Fort Lewis. They will be landing at East Blair One terminal, unless plans change.

For an interactive map of East Blair Terminal go to this link:

(updated) http://tinyurl.com/cmtdyg

On Sundy, 11 October Free Our Government Tacoma (FOGT) observers saw 10 x mobile light sets with one raised at the South Gate and two more facing west along the East fenceline.

The following expose of the riots at the GEO Group Inc private prison in Pecos Texas, provides insight onto the failure of the private prison industry. A similar riot occured at the GEO run NWDC in Tacoma, Wa on 10 Aug 2009 when detainees complained about poor food conditions. The kitchen had been closed as part of an ongoing $40 million expansion and basic food quality deteriorated. At the same time, GEO Group raised prices in the commissary. The disturbance was put down by GEO guards using OC spray, impact rounds, and rubber stinger bullets fired from 37mm grenade launchers.

Activists planning G-20-related protest events were repeatedly harassed by police during the week preceding the Summit, and residents unconnected with any protest organizing saw similar visits from a police force acting as if it expected a foreign army to invade the city. As collectives who support activists by providing food services at similar scale events entered Pittsburgh immediately prior to the convention, they and anyone who offered space to their mobile kitchens were harassed and threatened by local police.

The Obama administration supports extending three key provisions of the Patriot Act that are due to expire at the end of the year, the Justice Department told Congress in a letter made public Tuesday.

Lawmakers and civil rights groups had been pressing the Democratic administration to say whether it wants to preserve the post-Sept. 11 law's authority to access business records, as well as monitor so-called "lone wolf" terrorists and conduct roving wiretaps.

Sept. 14, 2009 - What is Obama's real plan for Afghanistan? Surely he sees all the signs of quagmire that we do. So why is this happening?

The key to Obama is that he often assumbles what he considers "best practices" into new packages he then tries to promote. The other key is that like any President, he wants to avoid the appearance of losing, even if escalating doesn't assure winning. So here is what he is doing:

Three women who were arrested during anti-Iraq War protests at the Port of Olympia in November 2007 have sued the city of Olympia, because they were told to disrobe to their underwear during searches at the city jail, exposing their breasts to men.