South Sound briefs for Wednesday, July 16

The Olympian • Published July 16, 2008

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Mason County

Union resident missing since June 28

Mason County sheriff's deputies are investigating the disappearance of Alun Todd Noll, 46.

Noll of Union last was seen riding a bicycle June 28 in the area of the Skokomish Indian Reservation on state Route 106, investigators say. Co-workers told deputies that Noll has not reported for work since June 26, and they weren't able to reach him on his cell phone.

Noll is 5 feet 10 inches and 160 pounds, with blue eyes. His hair is brown to gray and he is balding, Chief Deputy Dean Byrd said.

Officers began the investigation at 7 p.m. Monday when Noll's employer contacted the sheriff's office to report him missing.

Byrd said the department will conduct a search today and is investigating leads from Noll's acquaintances and co-workers. Anyone with information about Noll's whereabouts is asked call 9-1-1 or call detective Rich Germeau of the Mason County Sheriff's Office at 360-427-9670, ext. 313.

Olympia

Activists lead teach-in about sweatshop labor

Olympia activists aimed to raise public awareness Tuesday about what they call sweatshop conditions and human-rights violations in factories that produce uniforms and other apparel purchased by cities, counties and state governments.

Dick Meyer and others read from a 61-page report by Sweatfree Communities in a quiet teach-in outside Traditions Cafe & World Folk Art, which Meyer owns, in downtown Olympia. The report, at www.sweatfree.org/subsidizing, was based on interviews with workers in 12 factories in nine countries including Bangladesh, China and the Dominican Republic.

Meyer said one of the vendors identified in the report supplies police and fire uniforms to the city of Olympia, which passed a resolution in 2004 to encourage purchasing products made by people paid nonpoverty wages.

City Councilman Joe Hyer, who also owns an outdoors store that sells sports clothing, said he has agreed to look into the issue as a member of the council's budget committee.

The South Sound Clean Clothes Campaign has other information at www.southsoundcleanclothes.org.

Olympic National Park

Four treated to prevent rabies after bat scratch

Three Olympic National Park employees and a 55-year-old Seattle woman are undergoing rabies-prevention treatment after having contact with a rabid bat at the Ozette campground July 9, according to a news release from Olympic National Park.

The woman was at her campsite when the bat flew toward her, and she knocked it to the ground, receiving a scratch, the news release states. The bat remained on the ground, and when the woman reported the incident the next morning, park employees removed the bat for rabies testing.

After the rabies virus was found in the bat, all four people began undergoing rabies treatment.

The only other reported case of a rabid animal in Olympic National Park was in July 1975, when a child was bitten by a bat in Elwha Valley. The child was treated after the exposure and did not contract rabies, park spokeswoman Barb Maynes said.

The risk of acquiring rabies is low, but the disease is fatal if not treated early after exposure.