Tuesday, February 21, 2012 @ 7:07pm

Avalanche survivor describes tragic scene

Listen to Megan Michelson, Free Skiing editor at ESPN.com

Megan Michelson was a part of the large group near Stevens Pass when four of her friends were caught up in an avalanche and three of them tragically passed away.

"There was a horrible tragic accident and I don't know if there was anything we could have done other than not be there that day," Michelson told 97.3 KIRO FM's Ron & Don Show. The only thing she wish they would have done differently that day is split up into a smaller group.

She said that from her perspective it was a safe space, and they were prepared. "We knew everyone was equipped [...] it was definitely a topic that we talked about."

The expert skiers wasted no time after the avalanche hit and swept their friends down the steep slope. They immediately turned their emergency beacons to search mode and began searching for signs of life.

Statistics show that 93 percent of avalanche victims can be recovered alive if dug out within 15 minutes, but survival rates drop quickly as time passes, according to the Utah Avalanche Center. After 45 minutes, only 20 to 30 percent of victims are alive. After two hours, few survive. People die because their carbon dioxide builds up in the snow around their mouth and they quickly die from carbon dioxide poisoning.

"Nothing is predictable [backcountry skiing.]"

She describes the men that passed away, Jim Jack, Chris Rudolph and Johnny Brenan incredible, passionate skiers and members of their communities.

Read more:

Survivor: Deadly avalanche a 'horror story'

Q&A: Meteorologist Rich Marriott analyzes fatal avalanche

Tuesday, February 21, 2012 @ 2:52pm

Help: Missing Spanaway Man

By Rachel Belle

18 year old Chris Virdell has been missing since February 9th, when he was on his way to catch a Pierce Transit bus to get to his job at the South Hill Safeway in Spanaway. He never showed up for work, and his family says he's never disappeared before.

If you have any information, please contact the Pierce County Sheriff's office at 253-200-7856 or 253-798-4721.

Chris' friend emailed me about a candle light vigil on Wednesday, February 22nd at the Safeway on 136th and Meridian. He says Chris worked there for almost 3 years and never once missed a day of work.

Friday, February 17, 2012 @ 3:26pm

When did it go wrong? Ask your ex without seeming like a stalker

Has a relationship ever ended in your life, and you realize that you aren't quite sure what went wrong?

Being given the cold shoulder or the fade out that leads to the inevitable break up can often be confusing for the dump-ee. Demanding an answer to why someone never called you again can seem needy. It could even be called stalker-like, if you demand an answer just one-too-many times.

So, what should the dumped do? In New Zealand, a new website, WotWentWrong.com, has been developed to take the stalker-ness out of finding what went wrong in your previous relationship.

(Hint: The relationship might have ended because you're the type of needy person that had to do something like, find out the particulars of why your relationship ended.)

For everyone else, they might learn a little something about themselves through the feedback they get. The creators say that there is an emphasis on being "nice" but also, in offering closure.

Go ahead, ask your ex what went wrong here.

Posted by Alyssa

Thursday, February 16, 2012 @ 2:36pm

Today in Adele news: Photoshop and heartbreakers

Fans are MAD that curvaceous Adele was photoshopped on the new issue of Vogue.

Adele fanatics have been writing to Vogue and taking to their blogs with concerns that, despite an interview that speaks volumes about the larger-than-life personality of Adele, that it looks like her photo on the cover has been at best "airbrushed" and at worst, extremely modified with Photoshop.

Here is what Adele looked like at the Grammys:

Meanwhile, rumors are flying that THIS is the guy that broke Adele's heart and inspired the music behind the album 21:

A source told the New York Post that it's Slinky Winfield, or "Slinky Sunbeam," a musician who clearly hasn't garnered the same success as the pop chart's favorite songstress.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012 @ 2:26pm

Crime Stoppers buys plots to prevent Josh Powell from being buried near slain boys

The man who killed his two sons in an explosive house fire in Washington state will not be buried in the same cemetery as the children, his family said Thursday.

Kirk Graves, the brother-in-law of Josh Powell, told The Associated Press that his mother has decided to give up a plot tentatively reserved at Woodbine Cemetery overlooking the boys' final resting place.

"We felt very strongly that it wasn't appropriate to put him anywhere near the boys, and we did our best over the last 48 hours to convince her to do something different," he said. "It wasn't that hard to convince her, she just got started off on the wrong path."

In an effort to keep Josh Powell away from his children for all of eternity, Crime Stoppers Tacoma-Pierce County has purchased two burial plots near the boys.

"The bottom line is, Josh Powell will not be near those two boys," Pierce County Sheriff's Sgt. Ed Troyer said in an exclusive interview with the Ron and Don Show on 97.3 KIRO FM.

Puyallup's city manager said on Wednesday Powell's surviving family members visited the public Woodbine Cemetery and selected a plot near the boys.

They haven't paid for it yet, and any sale is being put on hold because the parents of Powell's missing wife promised legal action. But that might not be necessary.

Troyer and Sheriff Paul Pastor used their own money and funds from Crime Stoppers Tacoma-Pierce County to buy plots two and four. The boys are buried together in number three.

If you want to help pay back Crime Stoppers Tacoma-Pierce County and be part of the plots purchase, you're encouraged to donate to Crime Stoppers. You can send a check directly to Crime Stoppers of Tacoma-Pierce County at 6824 19th St. W. #139 in University Place, WA 98466.

Thank you for your donations

"This would keep that which is unacceptable from taking place," said Pastor. He added that he'll personally be sending out thank-you notes to anyone who donates, letting them know about the important role they've played in keeping Powell away from Charlie and Braden.

Troyer said the cost of the plots and plaques they plan to erect is about $4,000 to $5,000.

"We weren't too worried about the price. We know people will step up and donate toward it," Troyer said.

He added that if the boys' missing mother, Susan Powell, is found dead, they will gladly give up a plot so she will be forever near her sons.

Attorney Anne Bremner, who represents Susan Powell's parents, Charles and Judy Cox, has thanked everyone donating to Crime Stoppers.

"It's so important to stand up for what's right here and not let Josh Powell anywhere near those boys that he murdered, that he coaxed in there, and that he said 'I have a surprise for you.' Well here's a surprise for his family, you can't do this anymore. You can't make every day worse than the last for this family and those boys."

Listen to Anne Bremner

Powell was a suspect in Susan Powell's 2009 disappearance from their home in West Valley City, Utah. He attacked his sons with a hatchet and exploded his house in a gas-fueled blaze, killing himself and the two boys on Feb. 5.

The boys were laid to rest in a single casket at Woodbine on Saturday, with more than 1,000 mourners in attendance, and the Coxes hope to bury Susan Powell there too if her remains are ever found.

Steve Downing, another attorney for the Coxes, said his office received a series of anonymous calls Tuesday afternoon reporting that Josh Powell's relatives had visited the cemetery. Concerned, he emailed the city of Puyallup on Tuesday night and asked to be notified of any plans to bury Josh Powell there.

"Same cemetery, different destinations," was what he initially told his clients about the matter. But after speaking with the Coxes further, he said, they feared "they couldn't go see their daughter or their grandsons with any peace at all" if Powell's remains were nearby.

Josh Powell had always claimed that he didn't know what happened to his wife. He took the boys _ then 2 and 4 _ on a midnight camping trip in freezing weather in the Utah desert, he said, and when he returned home the next day authorities were at the house looking for her.

Weeks later, he moved the boys to his father Steve's home in Puyallup. After Steve's arrest on voyeurism and child pornography charges last fall, the boys were removed from the house and turned over to the Coxes.

On Feb. 5, a social worker brought them to Josh Powell's rental home for what was supposed to be a court-sanctioned supervised visit. Powell let the boys inside, locked the social worker out, and killed them. A judge had recently ordered that Powell undergo a psycho-sexual evaluation if he hoped to regain custody, and in a last-minute message to his sister he said he couldn't live without his boys.

Steve Powell remains in custody, and authorities are interested in knowing whether he has information about Susan Powell's fate. On Tuesday, he filed a written notice in Pierce County Superior Court asserting his constitutional right to remain silent and not discuss any matters with Utah, Washington or federal law enforcement.

By Stephanie Klein, MyNorthwest.com Editor
The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012 @ 1:44pm

Thank you for your donations to Crime Stoppers

Det. Ed Troyer with the Pierce County Sheriff's Department says the extra money (beyond buying the plots) will go towards a memorial for the boys, according to the Cox family's wishes, and to help other crime victims through Crime Stoppers of Tacoma/Pierce County.

Listen to The Nation responds to calls for help buying Powell burial plots

Dena Murray: Check is written, envelope addressed, and $50 in the mail today!

Walter Andres Cruz-caro: Dude count me in for 20 bucks, I wish I could give more, 10 bucks for each boy, I am doing it because I am a father of a 4 years old boy and a little princess that is on the way.

Rita McKendrick: Check is going in the mail for $50.00.

Shelley English: ‎$50

Stephanie Sangston: I'm sending in $100 because I have an 8 yr. old son who means the world to me. We'd like to do our small part to help the Cox family start to heal.

Anne Marie Reynolds: Sending $50

Danielle Wilson: My husband and I will send $25!

Michele Ann Millage: I'm sending Crime Stoppers $250.00. Way to go Crime Stoppers, Sheriff T and of course Ron and Don.

Corey Craig: ‎$30

Kim Renninger: Put me down for $100

Jae Hill: ‎$25 CrimeStoppers rocks!

Denise Bendiksen: Put me down for $50!

Marcy Fomin: I am a social worker for CPS in King county - and I am still heartbroken over this news. I am sending $100.00 toward this purchase knowing in some small way it helps the healing along. I challenge other social workers to donate as well.

Maranatha Anderson: We're sending $40

Katie Hilliker: Put me down for $50 !! God Bless the boys and the Cox family!

Cheryl Landis: Thank you so much for letting us know about this abhorent action by his family. Put me down for $100.

Suzy Guttormson: Put my family down for $25, wish we could do more. God Bless you Pierce County!

We apologize if you've donated and you're not named here in the blog. It does not mean we don't appreciate it. It's all about doing what's right and letting the Powell boys rest in peace.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012 @ 12:53pm

Are French Parents Better Than American Parents?

By Rachel Belle

Listen to Feature: Are French Parents Better than American Parents?

Are French kids better behaved than American kids? If you ask Pamela Druckerman, author of the new book, Bringing Up Bebe, the answer is: yes.

In her book, Druckerman says French babies start sleeping through the night at three months old, kids sit politely in restaurants, they don't interrupt their parents and they play in their rooms while their parents socialize. An article about her book has sparked over a thousand comments on the Wall Street Journal, so I met with two French moms, living in Seattle, to see what they thought.

Anne Francoise Anquetil talks about a scene she witnessed when she first moved to the United States.

"I saw a little kid who made a big, big mess in the supermarket. I remember hearing the mom just telling very quietly 'Ok, my little one, my cutie, you expressed yourself, it's a great thing, but now it's time to move on and let's go home.' I was like, oh my gosh! My daughter, she was the same age, if she had done the same thing I would have said 'Stop it immediately! What a mess!'"

Anquetil raised her two older sons in France, and is now bringing up her daughter in the US. She definitely sees a difference in how kids are raised in general, and how differently she is raising her daughter, compared to her other kids.

"Sometimes I have the feeling that American parents let [their] kids do almost what they want. For example, sometimes I'm surprised to see some kids in the school who are wearing [a] princess dress. The little girl wanted to dress like that and the parents say 'yes.' For us, it's not really the same thing."

Anne Derieux agrees that structure is different in a French household, especially at meal times. French families usually eat three meals, with snacks at a set time, and the kids eat what the parents eat. She says children know how to eat with a knife and fork.

"In France, you have dinner together and you stay at the table until you're done. I've always noticed, when I've had American children for dinner, they would get out of the table and I'd be like [gasps]! Now I'm used to it, but at first I was like [makes a surprised noise]!"

Both Annes emphasize that there are plenty of polite American children with good manners. But, overall, French children are more well behaved because the parents are in control.

"You say 'No, you cannot do that' and that's it," Anquetil says. "There is no negotiations there is no 'Oh, I'm sorry...but maybe another time.' No, it is 'no.' That's it. You're the kids, I'm the mom and I say 'You cannot do that. Stop now."

She says small children might have a few tantrums, but they quickly learn who is in control and the tantrums stop. Druckerman talks about seeing perfectly behaved children in restaurants, while American kids are whining, running around and dropping food on the floor.

"There's this urgency always," Derieux says. "Kids want something [in the US], you get it right away. It's this kind of impatience. The kids learn here, my parents are my servants. If you want something, you get it. Where in France you learn to wait, to be patient early, early on."

To be clear, these moms were sure to point out that they don't think they're right and American parents are wrong.

"We're not perfect and we're not superior," Derieux says. "I think there are many things we are learning. I think that freedom they give to their kids brings some really interesting personalities. I think, like always, don't go to an extreme. A balance of the two systems would probably be perfect."

Derieux works at the French American School of Puget Sound, in Mercer Island, and thinks the American lifestyle brings out wonderful things in children.

"That's what I like about American kids. They're much more open, in a way, and easier to have a conversation, even if you don't know them very well. I think French kids have a tendency to be more careful and hesitant and shy. So in a way, it's nice, I think."

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 @ 3:27pm

Tales of the First Kiss: Valentine's Day

By Rachel Belle

Listen to Feature: Tales of the First Kiss

Some people love Valentine's Day. Others label it a Hallmark Holiday or consider it a yearly reminder of their single status. Either way, I think most of us remember our first kiss, no matter how embarrassing, disgusting, romantic or sweet it was.

KIRO FM anchor, Jessica Gottesman, is still traumatized by her first smooch at age 13, from a boy named Jeff.

"It was the grossest, mouth open, French-est, dirtiest kiss and I didn't know what was happening! It was just the worst and he came at me with these big teeth. I felt nauseated immediately after. It's traumatic to this day! I missed school the next day because I was actually sick to my stomach. I didn't actually throw up, but even now, thinking about it, I feel like I want to throw up."

There seems to be a lot of first kiss heartbreak in the KIRO newsroom, and Luke Burbank is no stranger to that heartbreak.

"It was at a Christian ice skating night. I was in 8th grade and I had this girlfriend, she was in 7th grade. We're sitting along the sideline of the ice rink and on my left side is this girl, and on my right side is my buddy who I call "The Mummy," and this other kid. They're telling me 'You should kiss her! You should kiss her!' I have my arm around her and I finally lean in, and I give her this kiss, and when my lips made contact with her lips, it was like someone had set off a thousand helium balloons in my brain. I felt like my head was actually detaching from my body. I said to her 'That was the first kiss I've ever given someone.' She was from public school, she had transferred to this Christian school, and she looked at me so confused and then, 'Aw, that's so sweet. That's the first time you ever kissed anyone...' As if she'd made out with an entire football team just the night before.

"What I found out later was, she was cheating on me with my friend, The Mummy, the whole time! And they were going to, like, third base!"

John Curley was 12 years old when his crush Lisa, and two of their friends, went out to the woods behind Philadelphia Country Club.

"We all sat on rocks and we played Spin the Bottle, and we played until it landed on the person that we wanted. I was so taken with her that every couple hours I kept coming back to her and saying 'Want to go back to the woods? Want to go back to the woods?' Later on that evening she broke up with me because I kept asking her to go back to the woods in front of people."

KIRO anchor Dan Mitchinson has the sweetest story of the bunch, but even his is tainted with awkwardness.

"It was my freshman year in college and I was taking a badminton class and was really attracted to this girl who was on my team. I didn't have the guts to ask her out. So one day, when I was going to hit the shuttlecock, I ended up pounding her full force on the top of the head. She literally blacked out and as she was coming around, I said 'Are you okay? Are you okay? I know this probably isn't a very good time to ask, but would you like to go out? I could sort of apologize for conking you out that way.' That lead to our first date at the beach and that lead to out first kiss. Yes, I know I was a little bit of a late bloomer, but it was good. Her name was Joy and it was."