Thumbs Up for Pierce County Detective Ed Troyer and Sheriff Paul Pastor who used their own money and funds from Crime Stoppers Tacoma-Pierce County to buy the plots adjacent to Charlie and Braden Powell’s burial site in order to prohibit Josh Powell from being buried next to the children he murdered.

Also, a Thumbs Up for 97.3 KIRO FM’s “Ron and Don Show” for rallying listeners to reimburse the two law enforcement officers and Crime Stoppers.

Thumbs Down for an uncle and aunt of Josh Powell who blamed “various questionable government agencies’ practices, religious bias, the Internet kangaroo courts, and sensationalized news media” for Powell’s killing of his children. Really? Let’s put the blame where it belongs – on an evil man who committed an evil act.

Thumbs Up for Amanda Knox who has a book deal reportedly worth $4 million. HarperCollins, the book’s publisher said “Knox will give a full and unflinching account of the events that led to her arrest in Perugia and her struggles with the complexities of the Italian judicial system.” “Struggles” are right. Nothing can replace her four years of unjustified imprisonment in an Italian jail. But $4 million is a nice way to try to get over that travesty.

– Craig Groshart, Issaquah/Sammamish Reporter