The News Tribune from Tacoma, Washington • 18

THE NEWS TRIBUNE FRIDAY OCTOBER 29, 2004 CAMPAIGN NUMBERS 2004 Polls show Democrats ahead Washington's gubernatorial race has tightened, with Republican Dino Rossi pulling closer to the longtime Democratic frontrunner, Christine Gregoire, in new polls. Polls also had Democratic presidential challenger John Kerry with a continuing slim lead over President Bush in the state, and Democratic Sen. Patty Murray with a broader lead over GOP nominee George Nethercutt. A recap: Governor. A poll released Thursday by Strategic Vision, a Republican firm based in Atlanta, put Gregoire at 47 percent and Rossi at 42 percent, with 11 percent undecided.

The firm contacted 801 likely voters Sunday through Tuesday. Margin of error was plus or minus 3 percentage points. A media poll conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and KOMO had a similar gap, with Gregoire at 48 percent and Rossi at 43 percent. The poll of 800 registered voters was published Thursday and conducted Monday Tuesday, with a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points. Independent pollster Stuart Elway's latest poll put Gregoire at 45 percent and Rossi at 38 percent.

He surveyed 405 registered voters Oct. 14-16. Margin of error: plus or minus 5 percentage points. Rossi said voters are responding to his appeal for a change in Olympia after 20 years of Democrats in the governor's mansion, and to his message about improving the business climate and creating jobs. He said his ads about Gregoire's mistakes in managing the attorney general's office are effective and that her ads attacking him are rebounding on her.

Gregoire's campaign spokesman, Morton Brilliant, said the campaign feels comfortable, but not complacent, about her poll numbers. President. Kerry leads Bush 51 percent to 44 percent in the Strategic Vision poll, with independent Ralph Nader at 2 percent and the rest undecided. The Mason-Dixon poll had Kerry at 50 percent and Bush at 45 percent, others at 1 percent and 4 percent undecided. Elway had Kerry at 50 percent and Bush at 44 percent.

David Johnson, head of Strategic Vision, said the president's overall approval rating was 45 percent, with less than half of the respondents approving his work on the economy and the Iraq war. Respondents were divided on whether the country is going in the right direction. "For the president to win, his approval numbers need to pull up to 50 percent," he said. On the right-direction question, "This feeling of uncertainty has helped Kerry," he said. Senate.

Murray, the twoterm incumbent, maintained a comfortable lead over Nethercutt. Strategic Vision put her at 49 percent and Nethercutt at 41 percent. The PI-KOMO poll had a 14-point spread, 53 percent Murray and 39 percent for Nethercutt. Elway had a 17- point spread: Murray 54, Nethercutt 37. Overall, the Mason-Dixon poll showed women favoring Democratic candidates and men split.

Gregoire and Rossi were running close in King County. Rossi had a lead in Snohomish County and Gregoire was ahead in Pierce and Western Washington generally. Rossi had a lead in Eastern Washington. Gregoire was favored by every age segment except the 35- to 49-year olds. Some Tacoma utilities customers double-charged BY KRIS SHERMAN The News Tribune Tacoma Public Utilities customers who paid their bills by credit or debit card between 8 p.m.

Oct. 19 and 8 p.m. Oct. 20 were charged twice. The foul-up, caused by the outside vendor which handles such payments, apparently caused some customers' bank accounts to be overdrawn, utilities spokeswoman Sue Veseth said Thursday.

The double-charges, which affected about 2,000 payments, happened with all credit card and CAMPAIGN FUND RAISING GOP group allegedly bilked senior donors The latest polls show Democrats lead here for president, senator and governor, but Dino Rossi gets closer. BY DAVID AMMONS The Associated Press OBITUARIES FUNERAL NOTICES www.legacy.com/tribnet• PAID .8605 NOTICES Sign a guestbook, donate to charity or send flowers for News Tribune Obituary and In Memoriam notices. View The News Tribune's Obituary and In Memoriam listings at www.legacy.com/tribnet 11864575 THE NEWS TRIBUNE The College Republican National Committee uses shady fund-raising practices against senior citizens, a newspaper reports. The Associated Press A GOP fund-raising group has collected $6.3 million in an aggressive and misleading campaigning this year, mainly from senior citizens, while spending mainly on direct-mail solicitations, The Seattle Times reported. In a copyright article Thursday, the newspaper reported that donors were told they were contributing to the election campaigns of President Bush and other top Republins.

Their checks, made out to "Republican Headquarters 2004," "Republican Elections Committee," "National Republican Campaign Fund" and other supposed beneficiaries, went to the College Republican National Committee, according to fine print in solicitation letters, The Times reported. Far more retired people contributed to College Republicans than to any other independent political committee regulated by the Internal Revenue Service, the tax agency's records indicate. Of the top 50 donors, the median age was 85 and 14 were 90 or older. The group campaigns for GOP causes and candidates on campus and goes door-to-door at dormitories and fraternity and sorority houses to register voters and recruit volunteers. It was criticized in September 2003 by the Center for Public Integrity of Washington, D.C., in a report asserting that several elderly donors who were contacted did not appear to know to whom Dolores "Dee" J.

Harrison Feb. 4, 1930 Oct. 25, 2004 Age 74, born Feb. 4, 1930 to Leander and Mattie Merritt, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Oct. 2004.

Preceded in death by her husband Raymond, children a Samuel and Dolores, her parents and siblings. Survived by her children Ruth Hemley, Linda Harrison, Michael Harrison, Suzanne Harrison, Kathleen Harrison, 13 grandchildren, 4 great great-granddaughters, numerous nieces and nephews, Spooky, and many, many friends. She is very loved and will be missed by all. At her request there will be no viewing. A memorial will be held at 2306 356th St.

Roy, WA on Oct. 31, 2004 at In lieu of. flowers, donations can be made to the family, 613 176th St. Spanaway, WA 98387. Arrangements by Mountain View Funeral Home.

584-0252. Juanita May Olson Of Tacoma born March 4, 1942 died Monday October 25, 2004 from a terminal illness. She was born in Everett, WA and moved to Tacoma after graduating from Everett High School. She received a degree in business and was a member of the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce. She was a wonderful person, Mother and Grandmother who was loved by all.

She will be missed. She is survived by her son Russell B. Olson of Fox Island, and her daughter Laura L. (Mike) Brodeur of Redding, CA and three grandchildren Dylan, Nicholas and Trevor. Services will be this Oct.

30, 2004, Pt. Defiance Park Lodge. (253) 209-7877. John Holliday CORRECTION: John is also preceded in death by his daughter Tanya Holliday. CREMATION ONLY from.

Complete $495 20414898 TACOMA 253-627-0599 MEMORIAL SOCIETY they had given money. Previous leaders of the group, which is independent from the Republican National Committee, include such conservatives as President Bush adviser Karl Rove, anti-tax activist Grover Norquist and former Christian Coalition executive director Ralph Reed. "I think the College Republican National Committee is an amazorganization which is getting a lot of young people involved in the political process," said treasurer Paul Gourley, a junior at the University of South Dakota who signed letters. many of referred the fund-raising He questions to communications director Alison Aikele, who would not comment to The Times. About $9 million, nearly 90 percent of the spending by College Republicans this year, went to direct-mail operations and postage costs, IRS records show.

By contrast, filings show 93 percent of the $20 million spent by the anti-Bush group MoveOn. org went to media, advertising, marketing and polling. One top contributor, Cecilia Barbier, 90, a retired church council worker in New York, made more than 300 donations totaling nearly $100,000. She told The Times she is now "really scrounging." "I don't have any more money," Barbier said. "That was all my savings that they got." Craig Engle, a lawyer in Washington, D.C., and outside adviser to College Republicans, defended the group's tactics and methods.

"We have tens of thousands of donors, and I wouldn't extrapolate a message about an entire organization by sampling less than a tenth of a percent of the donors," Engle said. debit card transactions made during that 24-hour period whether in person, by phone or over the Internet, she added. Utilities officials discovered the discrepancy when they went to reconcile accounts on Oct. 21. They traced the error back to the credit-and-debit payment vendor, and the extra payments were sent back to customers' banks or credit card companies, Veseth said.

She stressed that the foulup was not caused by the utilities' computer billing system. By Thursday afternoon, about 14 claims inquiries had been Capt. W.G. "Bill" Seddon 79, passed away Oct. 27, 2004 in Puyallup.

He was born June 21, 1925 in Cecil, PA to Joseph and Pauline Seddon. At the age of 17, Bill was introduced "Life at Sea" aboard a coal carrier sailing between Boston and Norfolk in 1942. With the exception of a brief shore side stint with American Mail Line operations department, he was at sea until retiring as a Captain in 1990. In 1959, he started sailing Victory ships and C3's as 3rd Mate. In 1966 at the age of 42, received his Masters License.

His first Skipper assignment came on the SS Canada Mail. Bill loved and respected his crew and two of his many rules were "Everybody is important from the guy sharpening the pencils to guy signing the checks" and "Never ask anybody to do anything that you wouldn't do That even included completing firefighting training in his late 60's with his crew members. Bill met the love of his Barbara, in Nov. of 1960 and they would have been married 44 years in February. He is survived by his loving family; wife Barbara; sons, Rick and his wife, Doreen; Sam, Pat and his 5 grandchildren: Kortni, Alex, Taylor, Cameron, and Austin.

Bumpa loved his grandkids with all his heart. He was preceded in death by his parents and a son, Allen. Bill's children learned many things from the way their father lived his life, most importantly the way he loved his wife, Barbara. Set sail Dad, we love and miss you already. Memorial Service is Nov.

1, at Powers Funeral Home, 320 W. Pioneer, Puyallup. A special thanks to Regency Care of Puyallup, with a very special thanks to those who personally cared for our father day and night. Thank you to Hospice for the last 12 days, you really do care. In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family would prefer donations to Good Samaritan Hospital, Hospice in the name of Capt.

W.G. "Bill" Seddon made and four customers had filed claims for damages. Veseth hadn't seen the complaints, but she said it was likely they involved customers whose accounts were overdrawn possibly causing bounced checks as a result of the duplicate withdrawals. In cases where customers show that overdraft fees are involved, the utility will seek reimbursement from the credit card payment agency, she said. Edward Conelly, who paid his $303 utility bill with his Visa card and noticed the duplication late last week, said he was told Blenda Wilhelmina Coots (Mimi) Age 83, died peacefully in Tacoma, WA on Wednesday, October 27, 2004, following a long illness.

She is now dancing with her Creator in Heaven! Blenda was born September 30, 1921, in Morjarv, Sweden. She immigrated to the United States as a young girl spent her youth in the area. On August 30, 1947, she was united in marriage to John W. Coots in Chehalis, WA. She spent her adult life in Tacoma and Gig Harbor.

Blenda loved spending time with her family, traveling, reading Christian literature, and watching her Seahawks and Mariners on TV. Blenda was predeceased in death by her parents, Oskar and Wilma Ronquist, and brothers Ivar, Sixten, and Herbert Ronquist. She is survived by her husband of 57 years, John Coots, son Greg (Val) Coots, daughter Pamela (Kurt) Schultz, sister Nancy Evans, sister Sylvia Lindeman, and 9 wonderful grandchildren, Jonathan Coots, David Coots, Stephen Coots, Timothy Coots, Daniel Coots, Adam Coots, Christina Coots, Dustin Schultz, and Heather Schultz. We would like to thank the staff of the Tacoma Lutheran Home and the Franciscan Hospice of Tacoma for their care and support. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to these organizations.

No public memorial service will be held. Cremation arrangements by Oakwood Hill Funeral Home. Jonathan Henry Bottles March 10, 1979 Oct. 25, 2004 Jonathan is survived by his mother Lucy Schwartz, stepfather, Murray Schwartz; siblings, Justin and Katherine Schwartz. Viewing will be held at Sumner Funeral Alternatives of Washington Oct 30, from 1-8pm.

Contact 253-863-2800. Donations can be made to any Bank of America, in Jonathan's name. last Friday the error would be corrected by the end of the day. The charge was finally reversed at midweek, he said. Conelly was a bit perturbed by the inconvenience but thankful the issue was being cleared up.

But he added, "That was on my Visa. I feel sorry for the people who paid by debit card." To make a claim concerning duplication of your payment, call Tacoma Public Utilities at 253-502-8357. Kris Sherman: 253-597-8659 kris.sherman@thenewstribune.com Kelly S. Mitzlaff Kelly S. Mitzlaff, born July 15, 1954 in Toppenish, WA passed away suddenly October 26, 2004 in Port Orchard, WA.

She was an R.N. for Orchard Park Health Care Rehabilitation Center in Tacoma for 6 years and loved scrapbooking as well as skiing. She will be deeply missed by her family and friends. She is survived by her husband Mark T. Mitzlaff; sons, Justin and Martin Mitzlaff; half-sister, Sharon Vandenbrink.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her half-brother, Steve Lockett in 2001. Visitation will be held on Monday, Nov. 1. from 4-8 p.m. at Tuell-McKee Funeral Home, 2215 Sixth Tacoma, 253- 272-1414 with services following on Tuesday, Nov.

2 at 11 a.m. at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to Kitsap County Humane Society in memory of Kelly. MARGERY MCQUEEN Margery McQueen, 92, born January 24, 1912, to John and Mabel Stevenson, in Randall, WA, passed away October 27, 2004 in Gig Harbor, WA. She loved plants and worked in the garden shop at Sears until her retirement.

Margery was a 50 years member of Cedar Chapter Eastern Star. A special thank you to Edith Posada and her staff at Soundview Manor. Survivors include: son George McQueen of Hood River, daughter Joan Cox (Bill) of Kent, daughter Peggy Clarke (Joe) of Gig Harbor, grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. At her request, no services will be held. Arrangements by Mountain View Funeral Home.

584-0252. Kenneth Messal Kenneth Messal Of Lewis County has passed away. We need any of his children to contact us. Please call Cattermole Funeral Home, 800-785-3881. 0.

Pranee Sukto, born Oct. 15, 1965 in Thailand, passed away Oct. 22, 2004 in Tacoma. She is survived by sons Anthony Chanti Sukto of Lakewood and Nattapol Singkhum of Thailand; sisters Nuensie (James) Oakley, of Florida and Somsri Suku, of Thailand. Visitation will be held on Friday, Oct.

29 from 4-8 p.m., with services following on Oct. 30 at 10 a.m. at Tuell-McKee Funeral home, 2215 6th Tacoma, 253-272-1414. Pranee Sukto IN MEMORIAM Bob Bergerson "I used to be a good lover, now I have a bad But the poet never owned a car. No damage done other than to himself.

Who's the fool? "See you in Georgia M. Batie Oct. 29, 1921 Nov. 4, 2002 You taught us courage, strength, and pride, but our hearts still cry. We love you and miss you.

Marsha, Butch, Mel and family. Donnie Phipps Feb. 6, 1975 Oct. 29, 1999 Five years ago we were all left with a hole in our hearts and in our lives. Cathleen Delia Ross July 31 October 27, 2004 Beloved daughter of Ann Heneghan and John Ross, adored grandchild of Barbara and Paul Heneghan, MaryLee (deceased) and Frank Ross.

She is survived by an extended and loving family. We will pray the rosary for her Friday, October 29, 2004, 7:00 pm at Gaffney Chapel. Funeral Mass will be celebrated Saturday, October 30, 2004, 11:00 am at All Saints Catholic Church in Puyallup. We ask that donations may be made in her memory to the S.I.D.S. Foundation, 4649 Sunnyside Ave.

N. Ste. 348, Seattle, WA 98103 in the hopes that through research other families may be spared this tragedy. Arrangements, 253-572-6003. by Gaffney Funeral John Phillip Stewart Died at home, surrounded by his family, on October 19, 2004 at age 65.

Was born in Champaign, IL and later moved to Orting, WA, where he graduated from high school. He received a degree in accounting from Pacific Lutheran University, He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Donn Stewart, Juneau AK; children John (Tammy) Stewart, Rathdrum, ID; Angela Stewart, Newcastle; William Stewart, Pelican, AK; grandsons Ryan Stewart, Rathdrum ID; Christian Poyner, IL; sister Janet (Howard) Beckstrom, Palm Springs, CA; brothers Gary (Maggie) Stewart, Tacoma; (Nancy) Stewart, Juneau, Aim. Michael (Marie) Stewart, Graham; and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and friends. was preceded in death by parents William and Daisy, and older brother William Jr. Services were held October 22, 2004 at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Juneau.

Memorials may be sent to Hospice and Home Care of Juneau, 419 6th St. Juneau, AK; or local hospice. TRUCK MONTH! BIG SAVINGS on all TRUCKS, VANS, SUV'S ENDS OCT. 319T TITUS WILL 20430729 I TOYOTA 253-475-4151 800-637-6876.