Peninsula: Anthrax not a threat here, officials say

Law enforcement agencies in Clallam and Jefferson counties have received calls about suspicious packages, but officials here say there is no real threat of a bioterrorist attack.

The greater concern is educating the public on how to identify potentially harmful mail, Port Angeles Police Chief Tom Riepe said.

“It would make absolutely no sense to use anthrax or some other biological, harmful virus or toxin and to send it to just a citizen or some small local business,” he said.

The Sequim police department has received calls in the past week about questionable mail, and three people brought in suspicious items, said Cathy Eldred, records specialist for the department.

“Just people asking, do we know, have we heard anything,” she said.

All incidents have been unfounded, including a report last week at the Port Townsend Post Office and a Tuesday call about suspicious powder found on bags of frozen food at a Safeway store in Port Angeles.

This full story appears in today’s Clallam County edition of the Peninsula Daily News. Click on “Subscribe” to get the PDN delivered to your home or office.

More in News

Holiday lights reflect off the water at Boat Haven in Port Angeles. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Holiday reflections

Holiday lights reflect off the water at Boat Haven in Port Angeles.… Continue reading

Clallam extends public defense

Contract agreement is through February

Celebration of life set Super Bowl Sunday

Messages continue to arrive for John Nutter

Committee members sought for ‘For’ and ‘Against’ statements

The Clallam County commissioners are seeking county residents to… Continue reading

Search and rescue teams locate deceased man

A deceased man was located following search and rescue… Continue reading

Anita La Salle, kneeling in the center, poses with her family of son, daughters, son-in-law and grandkids, all from Port Townsend, after spending Saturday on a scavenger hunt and celebrating a reunion to welcome a long-lost family member who hasn’t been seen in more than 50 years. The hunt originated at the Port Townsend Goodwill, where they each had to buy matching clothes, and took them to various venues around Port Townsend culminating at the anchor at Fort Worden State Park. This is the first Christmas they have all been together as a family. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Family reunion

Anita La Salle, kneeling in the center, poses with her family of… Continue reading

Clallam seeking to extend contracts

Pacts would impact criminal justice in Port Angeles, Sequim

John Nutter.
Olympic Medical Center board commissioner dies at age 54

Nutter, police officer of year in 2010, also worked for hospital, port

State Patrol: Four injured after driver falls asleep at wheel

Four people were injured after a driver fell asleep… Continue reading

ODT near Hill Street reopens after landslide

The Olympic Discovery Trail between Hill Street and Marine… Continue reading

Justice Loftus holds up a dinosaur mask he received at the Winter Wishes assembly. He said he plans to use it to play with his younger brother. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Sequim High School assembly grants students’ requests

Annual assembly provides gifts via leadership class

Deb Carlson, president of the Sequim-Dungeness Hospital Guild, presents a check for $9,585 to Deputy Police Chief John Southard and City Manager Matt Huish to help purchase three automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for three new vehicles and new AED pads and first aid supplies for the full fleet. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Guild marks $2.5M in support for medical needs

Shop donations reopen in February, sales in March