BANDITS CAUGHT MONTHS AFTER 1946 ROBBERY

It was Tues., Dec. 31, 1946, just before noon on New Year’s Eve day, when three armed men entered the State Bank of Battle Ground and escaped with nearly $20,000 in cash.

Four or five employees were in the bank at the time. They were manager Louis Rasmussen, his wife and bank employee Alta Rasmussen, Betty Lou Walls (now Betty Lou Sargent), and Norma Haney. News accounts at the time say a fifth employee- -L.P. Richey—was also in the bank.

Sargent, now a resident of Milwaukie, OR, and Haney, who lives in Battle Ground, provided their recollections of events nearly 60 years ago for this story. Information was also garnered from news clippings and federal officials in Seattle.

Bank was small

The bank was located at the corner of E Main St. and Clark Ave., a space later occupied in a newer building by First Independent Bank.

Haney and Sargent described the bank building as small, with a small lobby, wire cage separating lobby from two tellers, and a small back room just big enough for board meetings.

Sargent said all three robbers entered the bank. One news account said one robber remained in the get-away car.

One or more of the armed robbers vaulted over the wire cage and ushered the employees into the back room. One robber stood guard over the employees in the back room.

Sargent said she heard bags of coins being tossed over the cage onto the wooden plank floor. She wondered simultaneously why the robbers would bother with coins, and whether people outside the bank would hear the loud noise of the bags hitting the floor.

By some accounts, the bank had more money on hand than usual that day.

Norma Haney said a prize fighter had deposited $1,200 in cash that day—a large amount at the time—in the form of one $1,000 bill and two $100 bills. It was the only $1,000 bill she has ever seen, she said.

Former Battle Ground city council member Mel Conner said auto license plates all came due at the end of the year and those receipts had been deposited in the bank as well. Sargent noted that the bank had payroll money on hand as well.

One robber ripped a phone cord from the wall in the back room, said Haney. That was the only phone in the building. Sargent, who had graduated from Battle Ground High School just six months before the robbery, said she was standing behind P.L. Rasmussen in the back room. “I could see the side of his face,” said Sargent. “He was as white as a sheet.”

The man guarding the employees had “some kind of gun,” said Sargent.

Sargent said a U.S. Marshall happened into the bank during the robbery, seeking to transact personal business. He was forced to join the others in the back room, she said.

One news account said about a dozen bank patrons were held in the back room with the employees, and other patrons ushered there as they entered the bank. Neither Sargent nor Haney could recall whether patrons were held as they entered.

After an estimated 5-10 minutes, the robbers made their get-away in a blue sedan, possibly a Ford or Mercury. One news account said the robbers entered the bank at 11:56 a.m. and were gone about 12:02 p.m.

The robbers were described as in their 20s, and wearing Army- type clothing, one with a red hat.

U.S. Marshall Ed Bannon fired twice into the air as he ordered the escaping vehicle to stop, then fired once in the passenger-side window, possibly wounding one of the men.

The vehicle, stolen in Vancouver just a half hour before the robbery, was found 2- 3 hours after the robbery in a clump of bushes on Farm Market Road No. 63 about 12 miles south of Battle Ground. (One news account identified the road as Farm Market Road No. 93).

Officials theorized that the trio had changed cars at that location. They believed a third car might have been used as well.

Officials believe one robber was injured by Bannon’s shot because a red spot was observed on the dash.

The search continued through New Year’s Eve and until 4:30 a.m. New Year’s Day. Road blocks were set up near Woodland and north of Camas. Officials reported heavy snow in the Hockinson hills.

News accounts said the robbers wanted to go east but were blocked by a truck and drove north instead. In doing so, they sideswiped a parked car, ripping a hole in its gas tank and leaving a hubcap behind.

Bob Rieck, proprietor of Battle Ground Mercantile located across the street from the bank, offered his 1946 Buick to Bannon and the pair gave chase without success.

Yellow and pink slips of paper were reportedly strewn along the road, tossed by the fleeing robbers.

Arrests made

In early March 1947, agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Anard Aire Lahti Jr., 24, a parolee from the Washington state reformatory, and charged him with the Battle Ground bank robbery.

On March 9, 1947, FBI agents arrested Raymond Bobbie Tillery, 21, and Marco A. Parry, 21, in Kansas City, MO on bank robbery charges.

Lahti was arrested in Tacoma. He had been sent to the state reformatory in 1942 on a second degree burglary conviction and entered the Army when paroled the next year.

At the time of his arrest, officials said Lahti was traced through bills bearing the serial numbers of currency missing from the bank in Battle Ground. The money was used to buy a car.

Agents reportedly said Tillery and Parry were traced through letters they wrote to acquaintances in Portland.

Tillery and Parry had worked as cooks in Portland. Both previously lived in Kansas City. They were charged in 1941 with burglarizing a gun shop.

At the time of the arrests, police recovered $1,650 in traveler’s checks and $33 in cash.

All three admitted to the bank robbery in federal court on April 17, 1947. They were all represented by attorneys; an attorney was appointed for Parry.

Parry said he stole the machine guns used in the robbery from the Army while stationed in Alaska. He served in the Army 1942-46. Tillery reportedly served in the Merchant Marines for nine months in 1943.

On June 10, 1947, Lahti, Parry and Tillery were each sentenced to eight years in prison by Judge Charles H. Leavy.

Leavy directed that they be incarcerated in different institutions, but all were sent to McNeil Island.

Also implicated in the robbery was Michael Edward Laws, 23, of Tacoma, who was arrested April 3, 1947, and charged with being in possession of stolen money.

Court documents do not indicate how much stolen money Laws possessed, nor how much of the bank’s money was ever recovered.

Laws was sentenced to six years in prison.

Laws and Lahti were friends from their teenage years growing up in Tacoma. Family members say the group committed minor crimes in their younger years.

On Aug. 8, 1947, Laws wrote a carefully-worded, hand- written request to Judge Leavy, asking for a reduction in his sentence because his wife was expecting a child. Had he known about the impending birth, wrote Laws, he never would have committed the crime.

Wrote Laws, “The sentence I received was fair enough in view of the charge and plea, but major circumstances concerning my family cause me to fear its length will affect my wife and future child.”

Laws continued: “The full results of my actions did not strike me until I learned that I am to become a father this coming September. I am afraid for my wife since I now realize the heavy responsibilities she will have to face along.”

Laws referred to past crimes: “In view of my past record, no chance for my gaining an early parole exists.”

Judge Leavy denied the request.

Laws and Tillery were released from prison in 1951. Records could not be located on the release of Lahti or Parry.

Court documents show that Parry was also known as Mickey A. Parry, was born in Kansas City and had lived in Florida. He had worked as a cook and welder. He was not married.

Lahti was also known as Ken Airel Lahti. He was born in Fall River, Massachusetts, has worked as a logger, and was separated from his wife.

Tillery was born on Christmas Day, 1925, in Kansas City, and had worked as a seaman, cook and salesman. He was not married.

Laws was born in Ft. Worth, TX, had worked as a truck driver, was married, and had lived in Buckley.

THIRTEEN VIE FOR ANNUAL BG HONOR

The 2005 Battle Ground Citizen and Business Person of the Year nominations will be narrowed Jan. 10 from a field of thirteen to three in each category.

This year, Citizen of the Year candidates are Rich and Trish Rubin, Bill Ganley, Lori Lindberg, Pat LaCroix, Bev Brissler, and Fred and Roxanne Cavazos.

Business Person of the Year nominees are Dr. Thomas Opdahl of Opdahl Chiropractic, Rebecca Harder of Healing Waters Colon Hydrotherapy, Bev Brissler of Century 21 Americana Properties, Scott Collard of J.S. Collard Design, Annette Hunt of Mallard Landing, and Scott Thompson and Scott Bollifer of Bombe Gelato.

A Citizen of the Year is chosen for community service, volunteerism and leadership.

Selection of Business Person of the Year is based on recent expansion, remodeling or construction, appearance, promotion, involvement in business or professional organizations, respect for other business people, work on projects that benefit other businesses, and customer service practices.

After the final three in each category are chosen, winners will be named at a special dinner banquet set for Fri., Feb. 4, 6 p.m., at The Cedars Golf Club in Brush Prairie. Tickets are $35 each.

This year, former council member and deputy mayor Bill Crego will emcee the event, and entertainment will be provided by Battle Ground crooner Jesse Holyk.

For reservations, call 687- 1510.

WSU-VANCOUVER NOW ACCEPTING FRESHMEN

The first freshman class in the history of Washington State University-Vancouver campus will begin studies in fall 2006.

Priority deadline applications for admission will be accepted until Jan. 31, 2006.

So far, University officials have given a nod to 20 freshman through an early admissions process. Applications are still being reviewed.

“We are excited about the quality and diversity of the students who are showing an interest in our campus,” said Nancy Youlden, vice chancellor for student affairs.

The freshmen already accepted have grade point averages ranging from 3.22 to 3.95. Business, education and mechanical engineering programs appear to be areas of preference for study.

New academic programs offered to freshmen and sophomores, transfer and graduate students have enabled University officials to expand degree programs to high school graduates who are looking for the prestige and reputation of a university degree.

The Vancouver campus offers 15 bachelors and nine masters degree programs in 35 fields of study.

For an application and information about programs and classes, call 456-9788 or visit online at www.vancouver.wsu.edu

VOLUNTEERS DRIVE CHRISTMAS BASKET PROGRAM

Heidi Wallenborn, news director

Every year around mid December, John Idsinga is nervous as a cat with its tail under a rocking chair.

“I always feel like something’s going to go wrong,” he said. “But it always comes together.”

Idsinga is the coordinator for the Christmas Food Basket drive in Battle Ground, an all-volunteer effort. He is also the mayor of the city of more than 15,000 people.

His right-hand men, Chuck Hageman, Donny Marsh, Dan Yager, and his brother Wayne Idsinga, help pull it off, he said.

This year on Dec. 17, less- fortunate families queued up at the Battle Ground Chamber of Commerce warehouse and took home 222 hundred-pound-plus boxes of food. Larger families received two boxes.

Volunteers created 240 boxes altogether, but some families didn’t show up that day likely because of the frigid cold and biting wind, Idsinga said. The remaining boxes were taken to the North County Community Food Bank and picked up the following Monday and Tuesday.

Each box contained a 10 lb. sack of potatoes, milk, frozen turkey, cheese, brown sugar, cooking oil, stuffing, margarine, and 65-70 pounds of canned goods.

But it’s the community that brings it together, Idsinga said. Several citizens and groups of people put in nearly 400 hours of work over five days getting food to a central location, sorting, then boxing.

“The FFA (Future Farmers of America) girls from Battle Ground High School helped immensely,” Idsinga said.

One girl tackled the job of sorting 2,500 pounds of potatoes into 10 lb. bags. The group worked all day the Tuesday before delivery.

The Battle Ground School District, Battle Ground Mini- Storage, Cedar Mill Nursery and Andersen Dairy all donated trucks to use, and the Clark County Dairy Women donated milk.

Students in District schools participated in food drives. At Pleasant Valley Middle School, students elected to extend the drive one more day and brought in 1,800 pounds of canned goods. An area contractor whose students attend the school matched their effort with 1,800 more.

Then there’s the year-long gathering and storing of banana boxes from area grocery stores, which Idsinga mostly handles.

And there are those who donate money to purchase perishable items. At the city’s Chamber of Commerce holiday luncheon, $971 was gathered from a successful raffle event. In fact, James Beutler won $200 and gave it to the Basket effort on the spot. And a Wells Fargo bank official matched that donation, Idsinga said.

Other donors are: S. Ozier with $10, L. and A. Browning with $20, J. Lewis and Brian Wolfe with $50 each, Washington Mutual employees $70, Sue Tegthof $100, L.S.P. Office contributed $190, Silver Star Lodge members $250, Ladies of the Elks, Battle Ground city hall staff, County Stihl Inc., and The Reflector each pitched in $300, Lions Club members gave $500, and Don and Dana Janigan contributed $1,500. Several other donations were made, but no names given, Idsinga said.

“The community does this,” he said proudly with a grin that stretched nearly ear to ear. “It’s all volunteer.”

GARRISON NAMED LEADING CITIZEN

Bill Myers, staff reporter

Ridgefield resident Roy Garrison was named Ridgefield Citizen of the Year 2005 at a Dec. 15 city council meeting.

Garrison, 72, was nominated by a Citizen of the Year Committee consisting of prominent citizens. Approval by the city council was unanimous.

Born and raised in Ridgefield, Garrison graduated from Ridgefield High School in 1951.

City clerk Kay Kammer presented Garrison with an engraved Citizen of the Year plaque. She said Garrison’s community involvement over several years are a testimony to his devotion to fellow citizens.

Garrison was a U.S. Army reservist with short active duty stints for 9 years. A member of the Ridgefield Lions Club for 32 years, he is a recipient of the Club’s prestigious Melvin Jones Award.

For 27 years, Garrison served as a volunteer firefighter. He served on the board of Educational Service District 112 from 1978 to 2001, including one term as state president of all educational service districts.

Garrison served for 10 years on the Ridgefield Civil Service Commission and for several years was a member of the Ridgefield High School Senior Board.

Garrison lives in Ridgefield with his wife, Gloria.

$15 MILLION DONATEDTO MEDICAL CENTER

Bill Myers, staff reporter

Officials of Southwest Washington Medical Center (SWMC) announced Dec. 12 that a Camas businessman and his wife pledged $15 million to Medical Center scholarships, grants and construction.

The pledge, by David and Patricia Nierenberg, earmarks funds for child care scholarships, construction of a new nursery for fragile and premature babies, and grants for the Women’s and Children’s Center of Excellence.

Medical Center president Joseph Kortum said the Nierenbergs have been “very good friends” of the facility for years.

David Nierenberg has been a SWMC board member for eight years. Patricia serves on the board of the SWMC Foundation.

The Nierenberg gift matches a record pledge of $15 million in September for Medical Center additions from E.W. and Mary Firstenburg, founders of First Independent Bank.

SWMC spokesman Ken Cole said the Nierenberg and Firstenburg gifts are cornerstones of a $50 million Medical Center capital campaign ramping up next year.

COUNTY MAPS NEW ROADS NEAR ORCHARDS

More circulation seen as essential for expected growth

Bill Myers, staff reporter

Clark County commissioners approved an SR-503 Circulation Plan Dec. 20 for new roads near Orchards.

The Plan, designed to meet future industrial, commercial and residential growth demands between Orchards and Brush Prairie, adds or reclassifies roads on the County Arterial Plan Map.

County project manager Mike Mabrey said the plan projects roadways or changes near SR- 503 between NE 99th and NE 144th streets.

Map additions or reclassifications are:

** NE 139th St., from NE 72nd Ave. to NE 92nd Ave.. was reclassified from a rural minor to a 3-lane minor arterial.

** A proposed NE 139th St. was mapped as a 3-lane minor arterial to NE 102nd Ave., linking with a proposed NE 144th St. west of the Lewis & Clark rail line. The mapped NE 144th St. extends to SR-503.

** NE 144th St., from SR-503 to NE 152nd Ave., was reclassified from a road to a 3- lane minor arterial.

** Five new roads were mapped between NE 99th and NE 144th streets to serve future residential, industrial or commercial areas.

** Realignment and/or reclassification of NE 137th Ave. to a 3-lane minor arterial between NE 99th and NE 159th streets.

** NE 152nd Ave. between NE 99th St. and NE 144th St. was reclassified from rural minor to a 2-lane collector with bike lanes.

Roadways in industrial or commercial zones will have thicker pavement suitable for truck traffic, said Mabrey.

County officials issued a Determination of Non- Significance on the proposed map amendments Nov. 2.

Mabrey can be reached at 397- 2375, ext. 4343.

SURVEY WILL ASSESS RIDGEFIELD SCHOOL DISTRICT

Telephone contacts start Jan. 5

Bill Myers, staff reporter

A telephone survey will be used to assess opinions of Ridgefield School District patrons on facilities and priorities.

District officials have hired a Portland firm to survey opinions within the district. Calls will start Jan. 5.

Superintendent Mary Vagner said 250 randomly selected residents will be asked to answer 25 questions, including two open-ended queries.

Vagner said a Portland, OR firm—Conkling Fiskum & McCormick Research Company (CFM Research)—will conduct the survey.

A CFM Research proposal for the task said objectives will be to assess opinions about the District, identify support for facility projects, and identify priorities as seen by residents.

CFM Research project manager Tom Eiland said telephone interviews and an analysis of findings should be completed by mid-January.

Findings of the analysis will be released internally and externally, said Vagner.

Cost of the survey is estimated at $7,325.

The survey was suggested by school board members and Vagner after voters rejected a November bond measure for construction of a new high school and other facilities.

HEALTH OFFICIALS: PLAN FOR THE WORST

Heidi Wallenborn, Alice Perry Linker

Health officials and city leaders met on Dec. 19 to plan for a possible worldwide flu outbreak.

An avian influenza (bird flu) pandemic could hit within the next five years, Battle Ground mayor John Idsinga said he learned.

A pandemic differs from an epidemic in that pandemics are global, affecting people in all areas of the world, said John Wiesman, director of the Clark County Health Department.

“It’s important that our officials understand that our readiness is not at a place we want it to be,” Wiesman said. “In a pandemic, all communities will be overwhelmed.”

Idsinga and other leaders learned that Clark County is only about 20 percent prepared to handle a crisis where about one-third of the workforce could be out at one time in four-week increments.

Medical facilities will be overwhelmed, Idsinga said, and will likely send people home to die. Funeral homes will also be overloaded.

Although such dire predictions may appear to be cries similar to Chicken Little’s “the sky is falling,” Idsinga and Wiesman say the threat of a deadly flu outbreak is very real.

In the first recorded case of this bird flu (H5N1 virus) infecting humans, 18 people were sickened in Hong Kong in 1997, and six of them died. In 2003, two were infected and one died.

The H5N1 virus is species specific to infect only birds and occasionally pigs, but has crossed the line to infect people that have come in contact with infected poultry, health officials say.

From mid-December 2003 through early February 2004, outbreaks in poultry caused by the virus were reported in eight Asian countries, most of which had never experienced avian influenza in their histories, according to information obtained by the World Health Organization (WHO).

What Idsinga learned, he said, is that the H5N1 virus is a very serious disease and has resulted in the largest number of cases of severe death and disease in humans with its death/survival ratio. More than half of the 150 people infected have died.

Health officials believe the virus will change into a form that is highly infectious for humans and will spread easily from person to person, which will cause a global outbreak, Idsinga said.

The disease is marked by rapid deterioration and high fatality. Primary viral pneumonia and multi-organ failure are common.

The current outbreak is in Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. There is no vaccination available at this time.

For Clark County, emergency services agencies, hospitals, clinics and city leaders are creating a plan to keep citizens informed, safe, and healthy.

Should a major outbreak occur before the plan is finished, “we’d be stretched, but we’re not unique,” Wiesman said.

Committee members will develop triage areas to decide who gets what kind of treatment, who goes to hospitals or other health care facilities, and who is told to recover at home, he said.

Setting up centers for vaccinations or medicine distribution will also be planned, and ways to train helpers established.

Plans are to have a “table-top” exercise in September with all agencies before presenting the strategy to the County commissioners. It will be modeled after a plan developed by the federal government, likely with modifications, Wiesman said.

In August 2005, the WHO sent all countries documents with recommended strategic actions for responding to a pandemic threat.

Flu pandemics occurred three times in the 1900s. In 1918-1919 at the end of World War I, nearly one-fifth of the world’s population was infected with a deadly Spanish flu. That flu infected 600 million people and killed some 50 million, according to reports.

In 1957, the Asian flu, another type of bird flu, killed 70,000 people in the United States and 100,000 worldwide.

The most recent was the Hong Kong flu in 1968 that killed 34,000 people in the United States and about one million worldwide.

Health officials believe pandemics occur an average of every 10-30 years, dating back to records kept from the 1700s.

“It’s fair to say the avian flu has been the motivating factor for the federal government to get something done,” Wiesman said. “We’ve been concerned for some time.”

For more information about the County’s plans, contact the Health Department at 397- 8000. For more information about bird flu, visit www.pandemicflu.gov or www.who.int

RIDGEFIELD STRUGGLES TO BUDGET APPROVAL

General fund deficit triggers cuts and criticism

Bill Myers, staff reporter

Ridgefield city council members have approved an $11.8 million budget for 2006.

The budget expects $11.8 million in 2006 revenues and forecasts $11.6 in expenditures. Projections exclude fund-to-fund transfers of $5.6 million.

Discussions Dec. 5 and 12 centered on year-end projections for 2005, including a projected $94,000 General Fund deficit.

Council members approved an ordinance allowing the City to borrow $144,000 from the city’s Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) Fund to heal the General Fund and allow for unanticipated expenses.

The debt will be repaid within three years or sooner to the REET Fund at 3.75 percent interest.

Year-end 2005 expenditures were projected at $7.2 million, about 2.2 million over budget.

Year-end revenue for 2005 is expected to be $8.6 million, about $2.6 million over budget.

The surplus didn’t help the General Fund.