"Patches" statue to be unveiled in Fremont

Seattle

"Patches Pals" of all ages are invited to the unveiling Sunday of a bronze statue honoring longtime Seattle TV clown J.P. Patches in Fremont.

Gov. Christine Gregoire and community leaders are expected at the 1 p.m. event, along with Chris Wedes and Bob Newman, who played J.P. Patches and his girlfriend, Gertrude, on "The J.P. Patches Show," which ran on KIRO-TV from 1958 to 1981.

The bronze statue by artist Kevin Pettelle, of Sultan, will be placed in Solstice Plaza, along North 34th Street east of the Fremont Bridge. It includes a box for donations to Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center.

The piece, "Late for the Interurban," depicts J.P. and Gertrude running in opposite directions, arms interlocked. "The J.P. Patches Show" was among the longest-running locally produced kids's programs in TV history.

Fife

Police report drugs found in home where baby died

Police in Fife have found "large amounts of narcotics" in a home where a 2-month-old baby boy was found dead Monday.

KING-TV reported that the boy's father called 911 Monday morning, telling dispatchers his son was unconscious. Paramedics were unable to revive the infant. There were no obvious signs of abuse, and an autopsy is being conducted.

Officers obtained a search warrant and said they found drugs and paraphernalia in the home. The boy's mother was reportedly out of town.

South Dakota

Decision likely soon on charges in Sturgis brawl

A grand jury in Meade County, S.D., will likely decide later this month whether criminal charges will be filed in the bar brawl last weekend involving a Seattle police officer.

Meade County State's Attorney Jesse Sondreal said jurors will meet on Aug. 27 to hear additional evidence, as well as view surveillance video of the early-Saturday fight. The grand jury heard testimony Sunday from 25 witnesses to the fight, but the officer and others were dismissed after the hearing.

No arrests have been made. The grand jury is expected to decide whether charges are filed after the hearing, Sondreal said.

The 43-year-old Seattle police detective who shot and wounded a 33-year-old Hells Angel said he opened fire after the biker and others were choking and beating him.

Seattle

Petition drive looks to repeal grocery-bag fee

The grocery and plastics industries have begun a campaign to repeal the 20-cent bag fee Seattle wants all grocery, convenience and drugstores to charge for paper and plastic bags. The City Council passed the fee last month.

Washington Food Industry, an association that represents small grocery chains, and the American Chemistry Council formed the Coalition to Stop the Seattle Bag Tax and have hired people to gather signatures until Aug. 28. If they collect and verify about 14,000 signatures, the city would have to hold an election calling for ratification or rejection of the bag fee.

Lynnwood

10 women, 5 men arrested in Craigslist sex sting

Fifteen people have been arrested in Snohomish County on suspicion of soliciting sexual services on Craigslist.

Authorities from Lynnwood, Everett and Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) made the arrests Friday after they set up a sting at a Lynnwood hotel, said Shannon Sessions, spokeswoman for Lynnwood police.

Ten females, ages 17 to 47, and five men were arrested, she said.

Times staff and news services