Seattle, WA
Akron’s oversight board’s choice for police auditor has faced job performance questions
The Akron Citizens’ Police Oversight Board moved closer to hiring an independent police auditor at a special meeting Wednesday night, voting 7-2 to extend a job offer to Anthony Finnell — currently an independent consultant and president of the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement.
While board members praised Finnell as the most qualified candidate considered for the position, disagreement arose Wednesday over the need for public participation in the hiring process. The board also briefly addressed Seattle media reports about a whistleblower complaint criticizing Finnell’s performance in a previous auditor role.
CPOB Chair Kemp Boyd and fellow member Caitlin Castle voted against extending the offer, with Boyd saying he wanted to bring Finnell back for a third interview that would have involved input from the public, an idea that Castle agreed with.
Board member Diane Lewis, who voted in favor of the offer, said she thought a third interview was called for — but she didn’t see the need to involve the public. She said she was concerned that Finnell, who plans to rent an apartment in Akron while maintaining a residence in Indianapolis, would be away during weekends — when a considerable amount of police enforcement activity takes place.
“My concern is the accessibility,” Lewis said. “I want to ask him a bit more about what that looks like.”
Board member Bob Gippin emphasized that Finnell won’t be hired until the board votes on a final contract. He said that while he is unsure how long that process will take, the public can provide feedback on the pending appointment during comment periods at regular board meetings or via email to CPOB@akronohio.gov. According to its website, the board’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Jan. 10 at 6 p.m. at Akron City Hall, located at 166 S. High St.
Vice Chair Donzella Anuszkiewicz said Finnell was the only candidate the board interviewed who had worked both on police oversight boards and as an auditor.
“We had good candidates,” she said, “but he was the best. He was the absolute best.”
Who is Anthony Finnell?
Finnell has served in various roles with the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (NACOLE) since 2016. He also serves as an independent consultant in the fields of civilian oversight of law enforcement policy and procedures, investigations and community-based policing and security.
He is a retired sergeant from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department whose career in law enforcement spanned more than 20 years.
Starting in 2014, he became executive director of the Citizens’ Police Review Board in Oakland, California. In 2017, that board was disbanded and replaced by the Community Police Review Agency, for which he was named interim executive director. In 2018, he was abruptly fired from that role without public explanation.
A story published by the East Bay Express, however, noted that Finnell had clashed with the Oakland Police Commission, telling commissioners that they would not have access to investigative files, including during closed session meetings.
Before working in Oakland, Finnell worked in Chicago, as supervising investigator for the city’s Independent Police Review Authority.
Performance questioned in Seattle
In 2021, the South Seattle Emerald, a nonprofit news outlet in Washington state, published a story saying Finnell, who at the time was the auditor for the Office of the Inspector General, was under investigation after a whistleblower claimed he insufficiently reviewed evidence in cases that he certified. A 2022 report on the Seattle-area news site PubliCola noted that Finnell had left that office before the external review concluded — with a report listing recommendations for improved practices at the office.
The Akron oversight board received an email pointing to the Seattle review after a Dec. 20 special meeting during which the board mentioned Finnell was being considered for the position. Gippin said he had already read the article cited in the email, and opted not to ask Finnell about it during the interview process because he didn’t think there was much substance to the complaints.
“Nothing I’ve seen since changes my mind about that,” Gippin said. “It creates no concern.”
Fellow board members Anuszkiewicz and Brandyn Costa said they agreed with Gippin’s assessment of the situation .
Contact reporter Derek Kreider at DKreidr@Gannett.com or 330-541-9413
SEATTLE – Transportation officials are warning travelers to prepare for heavy traffic congestion and significant delays as massive construction closures hit highways across the region and light rail lines this weekend.
Major highway closures this weekend
What we know:
The Washington State Department of Transportation said major construction projects are taking over several regional corridors from Friday, May 29, until the morning of Monday, June 1.
Crews are squeezing a large amount of work into a short spring window so they can pause construction during Seattle’s “summer of soccer.”
This means drivers will face concentrated traffic impacts now rather than disruptions spread throughout the summer season.
Here’s what is scheduled for this weekend:
- Kirkland (Southbound I-405): All southbound lanes will be closed from Northeast 124th Street to Northeast 70th Place from 11 p.m. Friday until 4 a.m. Monday for fish barrier correction work. Miles-long backups are expected.
- Seattle (Northbound I-5): Two northbound lanes will remain closed across the Ship Canal Bridge, further restricting traffic inside the city.
- Seattle (Eastbound SR 520): Eastbound lanes and all connecting ramps between I-5 and Montlake Boulevard will close from 11 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Monday. Crews are preparing for a traffic switch on the Montlake off-ramp. Only transit and HOV 3+ vehicles will be allowed to use the Montlake Boulevard direct access ramps to eastbound SR 520 across Lake Washington.
- Issaquah/Snoqualmie (Westbound I-90): The eastbound SR 18/Snoqualmie Parkway on-ramp to westbound I-90, along with the westbound I-90 off-ramp to westbound SR 18, will close for paving from 9 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Monday.
Timeline:
The closures start Friday evening, with I-90 ramp closures beginning at 9 p.m., followed by the full I-405 and SR 520 closures at 11 p.m. All highways are scheduled to fully reopen to regular traffic by 4 a.m. or 5 a.m. on Monday, June 1.
WSDOT also said much of the work is weather-dependent and may be rescheduled if it rains.
Light rail disruptions
In addition to the highway gridlock, Sound Transit passengers will face major service disruptions on Saturday, May 30, and Sunday, May 31.
Maintenance crews are shutting down parts of the region’s light rail network to complete rail replacement through downtown Seattle stations and perform work on the Crosslake Connection.
During the weekend shutdown, the 1 Line will completely close between the Capitol Hill and Stadium stations. Simultaneously, the 2 Line will be closed between Lynnwood City Center and South Bellevue stations.
The Source: Information in this story came from the Washington State Department of Transportation and Sound Transit.
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Eight dead in Longview chemical implosion
Eight people are dead and three remain missing after a massive chemical implosion at a Longview facility. Rescue teams face chest-deep water and a caustic “white liquor” that is so corrosive it is eating through their personal protective equipment. The EPA is actively monitoring the area after 500,000 gallons of the material seeped into nearby neighborhood dikes.
LONGVIEW, Wash. – After a massive chemical implosion at a Longview paper mill killed 11 people, little is known about the victims.
Eight people are confirmed dead, and three others remain missing after a tank of white liquor imploded at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility on Tuesday, May 26. Eight others also suffered injuries, including chemical burns and inhalation.
Longview Fire Chief Brad Hannig confirmed in a press conference Thursday that crews recovered six of the nine workers who were unaccounted for following the implosion. Two workers who made it out of the site also died, making the death toll 11.
Search and recovery efforts are underway for the three victims who remain missing. Because of the toxic chemicals, the victims’ remains must be decontaminated before the coroner can begin the formal identification process.
Keep reading for details on what we know about the victims in the Longview chemical implosion.
Two victims identified
As of Thursday, only five of the 11 victims in the implosion have been identified by family members:
Jared Ammons:
Family and friends described Ammons as a “loving husband, devoted father, cherished son and caring brother.” He leaves behind his wife, two kids, and another child on the way.
Those who knew Ammons said’ his loss has left an unimaginable hole in their hearts. A GoFundMe is raising money for his family as they navigate the recent tragedy.
Gilbert Bernal:
Friends said Bernal was one of the best people they’ve ever met, and “was a Godly man in every sense of the word.” He was a grandfather and an electrician at the facility.
His GoFundMe said Bernal was loved by many and worked hard to provide for his family. The online fundraiser will go towards his family’s funeral expenses and other needs.
CJ Doran:
Doran, who was 26 years old, is described by friends as a selfless and deeply caring husband and father. He was “the spiritual leader of their family, the joy of their home, and the family provider.” A GoFundMe will benefit his wife and family during this troubling time.
John Forsberg:
Forsberg was a father of two young children who lost his life in the Nippon plant implosion. Forsberg’s family asks for privacy as they process this tragedy, with an online fundraiser going towards supporting his children and memorial-related expenses.
Braydon Finkas:
Finkas was an electrician at the plant, whose “sense of humor and kindness touched everyone who knew him.” He was known for his love of golf, brisket-making, breweries and his wife, Kaitlyn.
Rex Czuba, a friend who organized Finkas’ GoFundMe, said he would always be there to help and would never turn down a request from a friend or neighbor. “He was a really big part of the town,” Czuba said. “He really jumped in and became a part of the community so quickly.”
Unidentified implosion victims
What’s next:
There is still little information about the rest of the workers who were killed, hurt, or still missing following the chemical implosion. City officials or the Cowlitz County Medical Examiner’s Office will release details as they continue the recovery and identification process.
Massive chemical flush underway in Longview
On the second day of recovery following what the governor called the deadliest industrial tragedy in modern state history, the Department of Ecology is flushing a massive 500,000-gallon toxic chemical spill away from Longview’s water supply.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
The Source: Information in this story came from GoFundMe, the Longview Fire Department, the Associated Press and previous FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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On May 8th, Seth Wickersham wrote an article for ESPN discussing the initial market for the Seattle Seahawks. The team had been publicly up for sale for a few months at that point, having been announced as such shortly after winning the super bowl. At that point in time, Seth indicated that there had been surprisingly low amounts of interest from potential buyers.
The market was described as ‘soft’, and the NFL was said to have hoped for better. A few prospective purchasers were named, and it was still believed that the team would easily set an NFL record for price once sold, but there wasn’t a frenzy of interest. Less than three weeks later, however, it seems as if things have changed.
The Suddenly Robust Market
New reporting indicates that the market for the defending champs is now ‘robust’. While nothing is yet guaranteed, and no names were named, there is now reason to believe that the sale is imminent. In fact, there’s a possibility that the new owner could be in place before the 2026 season starts in early September, which would be quite the escalation.
Ian Rapoport believes that a special league meeting to approve a new owner could be coming in late August, around the time the NFL preseason wraps up. He also believes the price of the sale can eclipse the $10 billion mark, which leaves room for it to hit the $11 billion mark that was speculated on back in February. Either way, it’s a record.
To be clear, it’s a record by a massive amount. The current high-water mark for an NFL team was set by the Washington Commanders, who went for $6.05 billion in 2023. Even a sale of $10 billion would be a massive step up, and anything beyond that would start to flirt with doubling it. Clearly, a defending super bowl champion is worth something extra.
What Happens Next?
The wording of the most recent news indicates that things are moving fast, and implies that there’s at least one firm candidate to actually close the deal. Perhaps there’s more than one, and there will be a bidding war at the end. Either way, there’s an air of inevitability around the recent updates. Maybe it won’t be done before the season starts, but it will be done.
Obviously, there’s a mixture of emotions that fans will have about this. We always knew Jody Allen’s tenure as ‘owner’ was temporary, but it’s impossible to argue that she’s been remarkably effective in her role these last several years, so the next owner has big shoes to fill. The Allens have made this fanbase one of high standards. The next owner must continue that.
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