Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Police buy cemetery plots to block Josh Powell from being buried next to his boys

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This story hits so close to home with these sweet boys being from West Valley City Utah.  Only a short distance from my home. As a mother I can only image what their grandma is feeling right now. The anger she must have felt when she heard about these boys last moments of life.


I am so glad those little boys are back in the arms of their mother and the fear Josh must feel knowing he will have to face her...all I can say is if I was the mother he would not want to meet me know what he had done to me kids!

 

Photographs of Charles Powell, right, and Braden Powell are displayed during their funeral services in Tacoma, Wash., on Saturday.

A sheriff and his sergeant in Washington state have bought burial plots next to Josh Powell's boys in order to block family members from burying him next to them, according to a media report Wednesday.

"The bottom line is, Josh Powell will not be near those two boys," Pierce County Sheriff's Sgt. Ed Troyer said in an interview with a Seattle-area radio program called the Ron and Don Show.

Josh Powell's surviving relatives wanted him to buried at the same cemetery as the two sons he killed, the city manager in Puyallup said earlier Wednesday.

But that does not look like it is going to happen.

Troyer and Sheriff Paul Pastor used their personal money and funds from Crimestoppers Tacoma-Pierce County to buy plots that are on either side of the boys, according to a report on the radio station's website that was confirmed by Troyer on Twitter:

Crimestoppers is soliciting money on its website for the purchase of the plots.

"It's disgusting that a murder suspect would be buried next to his victims," Pastor said in a statement posted on Twitter.

Powell's relatives visited the public Woodbine Cemetery and selected a plot about 25 feet from the boys, City Manager Ralph Dannenberg told The Associated Press earlier Wednesday. They haven't paid for it yet, and any sale is being put on hold because the parents of Powell's missing wife have promised legal action.

"We don't have any rules or procedures regarding refusing plots to anyone," Dannenberg said. "We're going to wait to see what the outcome is in court."

Powell was a suspect in Susan Powell's 2009 disappearance from their home in West Valley City, Utah. He later moved with his sons to near Tacoma, Wash., to be close to his parents. On Feb. 5, he attacked his sons with a hatchet and set his rental house on fire, killing himself and his sons, Charlie, 7, and Braden, 5.

Cops: Josh Powell murder-suicide house was sham set up for social worker visits

The boys were laid to rest at Woodbine on Saturday. Attorney Anne Bremner, who represents Susan Powell's parents, Charles and Judy Cox, says she would seek a temporary restraining order to block Josh Powell from being buried there.

"For him to be buried near those kids is just unthinkable," Bremner said. "For God's sake, for them to lose Susan first, and then the boys, and now this? Just give these people a break."

Powell's sister Alina did not return an email from the AP seeking comment.

Meanwhile, Powell's father, Steve Powell, who is awaiting trial in Pierce County, Wash., on voyeurism and child pornography charges, filed a motion with the court saying he does not wish to speak to the FBI or other law enforcement about his son’s case or the disappearance of his daughter-in-law.

Mark T. Quigley, Steve Powell’s attorney, told the Salt Lake City Tribune that the notice, filed Tuesday, was common in criminal trials to protect rights against self-incrimination. It was prompted by a visit last week in which Steve Powell reportedly rebuffed FBI agents.

"It’s simply a statement to law enforcement that says my client doesn’t want to talk," Quigley told the paper. "That’s [Steve Powell’s] right. I don’t think belligerent has anything to do with it."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Parking a worry at Riverdale splash pad site

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Riverdale City has provide a place for family and friends of Riverdale City to spent time with their kids. I don't think when this was in the works they ever dreamed the amount of people who would be coming from other cities to enjoy what Riverdale  has to offer or that parking would became an issue.

I personally have driven by the park on a hot summer day and have seen for myself the amount of people enjoying this pad.

I am not sure we need to drive people away from this splash pad by limiting the amount of parking. What we need to remember is these people are coming to Riverdale to enjoy not only the splash pad but also are purchasing food and gas as they travel to and from the pad.

From the View of a Realtor, this is a great opportunity to show people what a beautiful city we have and the accommodations we offer to the citizens of Riverdale with the possibilities that they would like to move their families into our city.

Currently there are 35 homes available in Riverdale in the price range of 72,500 to 314,900 out of those 35, 5 of them are bank owned or in a short sale. Riverdale also has a number of homes that are abandon.  Wouldn't it be nice to place good families in these home which would help beauty our city.
Lori Fleming Golden Spike Realty
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By Deanne Winterton

Standard-Examiner correspondent

Wed, 02/15/2012 - 6:23am

RIVERDALE -- The Riverdale splash pad is becoming so popular that parking in the area is becoming a problem, city council members and residents agree.

Some residents are asking for a no-parking zone on the west side of Parker Drive near Riverdale Park.

City officials didn't expect the splash pad to be so popular that visitors consistently struggle to find a parking space.

On busy days, visitors park on the narrow shoulder on the west side of Parker Drive and cross east to the splash pad.

Although Councilmen Braden Mitchell and Don Hunt said they understand that children running across a busy road to reach the park is a safety hazard, reducing parking in the area would likewise be a problem.

"It's a no-brainer. We don't want people who come to visit the park in harm's way" by crossing a busy road, Hunt said.

"But the problem is, we don't have parking."

Councilman Norm Searle said converting the west side of Parker Drive to a no-parking area would eliminate 80 parking spaces.

"I'm not totally sure that prohibiting parking in that area is a good idea," he said. "Ideally, it would be nice to have more parking."

Councilman Mike Staten said city residents get frustrated with the popularity of the splash pad, which draws crowds from as far away as Brigham City. He said people running day care facilities in Brigham City come to enjoy the free venue.

As other cities build splash pads, Mayor Bruce Barrows said, it could reduce the strain on Riverdale's facility.

Other cities in the area that have or are planning to build a splash pad include Harrisville, North Ogden, Pleasant View, South Ogden and Roy, he said.

The council asked staff to review the issue, with the possibility of establishing additional parking spots.