Woodburn | Ain't Complicated

Officer Tennant, RIP

Updated with two more photos….

“Honour the king” says the Bible. As my way of doing that, I was going to be along the procession route. For various reasons, including our driveway and business, I didn’t make it. But I asked my sister (her business is next to 7-11) to take some pictures for me. Here are two.

Here’s a bit more I wrote on the matter earlier this morning: Faithful Dependability.

(Thanks for the photos, Karen!)

I posted the above early yesterday afternoon (12/19/08 @ 12:28 Pacific).

Here are two additional photos I received from my niece. Thanks, Karina!

Tom Tennant Funeral, Woodburn, Oregon

Breaking: Woodburn Bomber Caught?

I just read this:

Authorities arrested a suspect in the Salem area Sunday evening in the Woodburn bank bombing that killed two police explosives experts and injured the town’s police chief and a bank employee.

The name of the suspect, address of the arrest or any details about the investigation were not released “to protect the integrity of the investigation and the safety of officers continuing to investigate this crime,” a news release from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said.

Those are the first two paragraphs of the story I just read at The Oregonian.

Good job!

Woodburn, Oregon: Black Friday

Thank a law enforcement officer or another first responder...

Updated on Sunday, December 14, 2008 Please scroll to the end for the update.

Though I no longer live there (I don’t live in any town, for that matter), I still think of Woodburn as my home town (although Molalla is closer by four miles or so). Thus, last evening’s events seem particularly close to home.

From The Woodburn Independent:

According to the Oregon State Police a bomb detonated around 5:45 p.m. Friday evening at West Coast Bank, located at 2520 Newberg Hwy. in Woodburn.

The Woodburn Independent has learned through various sources that a Woodburn police officer has been killed and Woodburn Police Chief Scott Russell was seriously injured in the bomb blast.

Newer info from The Oregonian:

A bomb exploded Friday at a West Coast Bank branch in Woodburn, killing a Woodburn police officer and an Oregon State Police bomb squad technician, and critically injuring the Woodburn police chief.

The bomb detonated around 5:30 p.m. at the bank in the 2500 block of Oregon 214.

Oregon State Police authorities this morning confirmed the death of its bomb technician. Authorities have not released the names of the officers.

I wonder if the dead Woodburn officer is one of those I have thanked for his service. I’ll try to remember to thank law enforcement folks more often.

To all law enforcement personnel, thanks for your service! Likewise to all other first responders.

And may God be especially near those who have lost a loved one, a friend, a comrade.

And may He grant whole-being healing to the injured.

Original post date (for the above): December 13 at 7:58 am Pacific

Update

The Oregon State Police released biographical information for Sr. Trooper William “Bill” Hakim and Woodburn Police Capt. Tom Tennant, who both died in a bomb explosion at West Coast Bank in Woodburn Friday, and Woodburn Police Chief Scott Russell, who is in critical condition at OHSU Hospital.

What I’m interested in here isn’t each one’s bio, but his family.

Oregon State Senior Trooper William “Bill” Hakim (51) is survived by his wife and a 16-year old son and 18-year old daughter. (It had been over seven years since an Oregon State trooper died in the line of duty.)

Woodburn Police Captain Tom Tennant (51) is survived by his wife Mary and three children (Becky, Jennifer, Scott) 24, 22, and 17.

Woodburn Police Chief Scott Russell (46) is married and has two daughters, ages 12 and 10.

Oregon State Police: Senior Trooper William 'Bill' Hakim: Killed in the line of duty in a bomb explosion in Woodburn (Oregon) the evening of Friday, December 12, 2008

Woodburn Police Department: Captain Tom Tennant: Killed in the line of duty in a bomb explosion in Woodburn (Oregon) the evening of Friday, December 12, 2008

Update source: The Oregonian

Men Only

I know. That sounds kinda femaleophobic.

When you see the photo clip, you may also think it’s ageophobic.

And the fact is, what you’re about to see is specifically for men of a certain age.

I saw it an hour ago or so in Woodburn, Oregon.

Can you tell me where in Woodburn?

There’s a lot of good the needs doing out there. All kinds of good deeds are still going undone.

No wonder Dr. Laura likes to say, “Now go do the right thing.”

Well, doing the right thing isn’t just for men in a certain age bracket.

You know that!

Yes, of course you do.

So then, let’s do it, folks!

(And if it takes 18-25-year-old men leading the way, then lead on, guys!)

We need to get a domino effect going out there.