Tidbits, May 31

Did everyone have a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend? The Quad Cities were mostly quiet, with the exception of three burglaries reported in Bridgeport. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office had not responded to a request for information before our press deadline.

Douglas County marine patrol deputies also found themselves busy Saturday afternoon with rescuing a Tukwila family in the Columbia River, around Turtle Rock Island.

Deputies first spotted a jet ski without a rider and an empty life jacket floating. They then saw a hand come up out of the water, according to Sheriff Harvey Gjesdal.

The deputies pulled three people out of the river - a mother, father and 6-year-old boy. All three were "conscious, but extremely cold and shaking," Gjesdal reported. The family couldn't explain how they had fallen from their jet ski.

"Had the Deputies not been on patrol and spotted the family, this situation could have ended tragically," Gjesdal wrote in a news release. "The Douglas County Sheriff's Office would like to remind citizens that conditions in the river can be treacherous. The water is cold and swift. Boaters need to be familiar with their vessels and take every precaution to ensure the safety of themselves and family members. Deputy Poppie and Deputy Schlaman are highly skilled marine officers, and I commend them for their efforts in saving this family."

Speaking of skilled emergency workers, the Pateros Fire Department hosted a live fire training last week for Douglas Okanogan County Fire District 15. If you drove by on Highway 97 Thursday evening, chances are you saw some tall flames spurred on by a variety of flammable liquids.

This Day in History

1790: The first U.S. Copyright Law was enacted, protecting books, maps and other original materials.

1859: The famous tower clock known as Big Ben, located at the top of the 320-foot-high St. Stephen's Tower, rings out over the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, London, for the first time.

1884: Dr. John Harvey Kellogg patented "flaked cereal."

1911: The hull of the Titanic was launched in Belfast. At the ceremony, a White Star Line employee claimed, "Not even God himself could sink this ship."

1913: The 17th Amendment went into effect. It provided for popular election of U.S. senators.

1994: The U.S. announced it was no longer aiming long-range nuclear missiles at targets in the former Soviet Union.

2005: W. Mark Felt's family ends 30 years of speculation, identifying Felt, the former FBI assistant director, as "Deep Throat," the secret source who helped unravel the Watergate scandal.

If you have an item to contribute for Tidbits, call the Herald office at 689-2507, or e-mail Jennifer at reporter2@qcherald.com.