Palouse living is safer living

Being a current resident of the west side of the state, I tire of hearing of abductions, murders, drive-by shootings, and hit-and-runs every day on the evening news. It bothers me so much that I don't watch the news much anymore and I don't read any of my local newspapers. Don't get me wrong - I know that I can occasionally find some story of pleasant interest if, perhaps, I dig down in the back pages of the local section, or if I'm lucky, and it involves a big enough celebrity, a pleasant story might be found on the front page for my convenience - it's just that I don't want to be a party to the masses who pander to the "if it bleeds it leads" mentality. That's why I love the Moscow Pullman Daily News. I still love to read the police blogs in this fine newspaper. It's a rare day when we read about abductions, murders, drive-by shootings, and hit-and-runs in this entertaining section of the paper, and it makes me fall in love with the people of the Palouse all over again. Below is a selection from the police blogs as they appeared in the Moscow Pullman Daily News on Monday, May 15, and Wednesday, May 17, 2006.

Moscow Police
Sunday
6:57 p.m. — A man walking on White Avenue stole a construction cone and put it on his head.

Monday
12:07 p.m. —Man reported his parents stole his motorcycle on the 200 block of North Asbury Street.

Latah Sheriff
Tuesday
5:08 p.m. — Woman noticed something missing from her purse on the 3000 block of Tomer Road in Moscow.

And my favorite...

WSU Police
Saturday
2:01 a.m. — Someone in the 700 block of Southeast Chinook Drive called the police to report the Prince of Darkness was in her parking space and she was afraid to get out of her vehicle. The responding officer found a devil made of cheap rubber, took a photo and exorcised him from the parking space.

Lord, if I called the sheriff every time something was missing from my purse, they'd know me on a first name basis by the end of the week.