My Brief Career as an International Money-Launderer and FBI Suspect (Part 3)

EPISODE 3: THE ALREADY GOOEY PLOT THICKENS Previously, on Dumb and Dumber… I received a call, ostensibly from American Express, telling me an unauthorized purchase of firearms had been made on a card in my name that I didn’t know I had. Given the serious nature of this situation, I was connected to the New York Office of the FBI. There, an FBI Special Agent told me that a New York Chase bank account in my name had been receiving millions…

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My Brief Career as an International Money-Launderer and FBI Suspect (Part 2)

EPISODE 2: THE COMPLEX WEB OF DECEPTION Previously on Gary and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day: I received a call, ostensibly from American Express (I’ve dispensed with the quotation marks around questionable institutions and people, as it tends to clutter up the text), telling me an unauthorized purchase of firearms had been made on a card in my name that I didn’t know I had. Given the serious nature of this situation, I was connected to the New…

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My Brief Career as an International Money-Launderer and FBI Suspect (Part 1)

Gather around, kids, the old guy has quite a yarn, as they used to say! My story is far too long for a single article, and at the current time, remains incomplete. So in the spirit of Netflix and Apple TV, it will be told in a series of episodes. Today is: EPISODE 1: THE BACKSTORY AND SETUP This is a long and convoluted tale of intrigue, bizarre lies, and feelings of personal violation. And it all centers on…moi, your humble…

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Mail Theft in the ‘Hood

As if there wasn’t enough to worry about of late…neighbor Everett posted this alarming notice on Facebook, and with his permission, we are sharing it here. He didn’t have detailed information on the affected routes, but thought it might be near Midvale Avenue North. PSA for Wallingford Neighbors: Mail Theft/Postal Truck Break-in If your mail is handled by the Wallingford Post Office, please take note. I went to the post office today [Tuesday, March 31st] to check on a package that was…

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Beauty, Community, and Fresh Air: Welcome to The Sparkling Wallingford Society

You may have noticed a group of Wallingford neighbors picking up trash, leaves, and debris along the N 45th Street business corridor. More likely than not, these folks are part of “The Sparkling Wallingford Society,” an all-volunteer group dedicated to helping keep Wallingford’s sidewalks clean and free from trash. The following was received from Carrie Johnson, founding member of the society: This April will mark a year since The Sparkling Wallingford Society became an Adopt-A-Street group. Within the city of Seattle,…

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Read more about the article How one joy ride destroyed a 47-year-old family business truck called “The Beast”
Clayton Dick & his truck

How one joy ride destroyed a 47-year-old family business truck called “The Beast”

This article was co-written by Tom Mattausch, who shared the truth of his grandfather, Clayton Potter Dick. I walked out of Stone’s Throw Coffee and Market with two hours of stories still ringing in my head. Wilma and her son Tom Mattausch had just finished telling me about their family patriarch’s transformative landscaping venture and the relic that was their touchstone to him: their beloved, battle-scarred 1979 Ford F-250 known simply as “The Beast.” It was a 47-year-old working truck, modified…

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The Street Closure That Isn’t

As reported by Wallyhood back in December, the Department of Transportation has plans to add permanent planters and permanent signs supported by concrete bases to the Healthy Street closures along 44th and 43rd from Latona to Interlake. You know, those closures they did for the pandemic that never went away. The city plans on making those closures permanent. But should we?  I personally think they’re ineffective and a nuisance. But I wanted to know if I was the only one, so…

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