'Schrammie' forces evacuation of corrections dept.

[Capt_Picard 0]

'Schrammie' forces evacuation of corrections dept.

Story Published: May 25, 2007 at 10:45 AM PDT

Story Updated: May 25, 2007 at 2:57 PM PDT

By KOMO Staff

TUMWATER, Wash. -- More than 300 people were evacuated from the state Department of Corrections here Friday morning after a box containing a "Schrammie" bobblehead aroused suspicion in the mail room.

 

The offices were evacuated at about 9 a.m. and state troopers responded.

 

State Patrol spokesman Robert Calkins said the blue box contained a "Schrammie" statue from KOMO's Ken Schram.

 

Schram bestowed the award on Harold Clarke, head of the Department of Corrections, on March 21.

 

The package containing the statue was not mailed until early this week.

 

"We've been sending out these Schrammies for over a year now and this is the first time we've had a reaction like this," said Jimm Brown, Community Relations director for KOMO-TV. "We're sorry it was interpreted that way."

 

Calkins said the mail clerk was suspicious of the package because the outside of the package was stained and he could not find a return address.

 

A KOMO intern sent the Schrammie out in the manufacturer's box and apparently forgot to include a return address label.

 

Troopers used a portable X-ray machine to look inside the box and realized what it was, Calkins said.

Wait... there's more...

Ken Schram: I'm sorry

Story Published: May 25, 2007 at 2:54 PM PDT

Story Updated: May 25, 2007 at 7:41 PM PDT

By Ken Schram

Watch the story

SEATTLE - Uh-Oh.

 

Talk about a confluence of circumstances.

 

An otherwise innocent package...

 

With no return address...

 

An alert mail room clerk...

 

The next thing you know, 350 hardworking civil servants are told to evacuate the building out of fear there's a bomb in the box.

 

And it was my fault.

 

The Washington State Patrol bomb squad was called to the Department of Corrections offices in Tumwater. The suspicious box was removed from the building and X-rayed.

 

No wires. No explosives.

 

Just an innocuous bobble head.

 

A "Schrammie."

 

Sigh.

 

It was destined for the desk of director Harold Clarke for his inept handling of matters within the Department of Corrections. (Schrammie posted on forums here.)

 

Instead, I'm caught up in an inept web of my own making.

 

To the 350 people forced to scurry from their workplace: I'm sorry.

 

To the Tumwater police and state patrol bomb squad who responded and handled things proficiently and professionally: I'm sorry.

 

As a small token of amends, there will be 35 dozen Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming your way next week.

 

And you can bet they'll be delivered, because I sure as hell ain't mailing them.

 

Have something to say to Ken? E-mail him at kenschram@komo4news.com.

Oh man... I have to say I never saw something like this coming.

[Kor37 9]

The sight of Schramm's drunken face on a bobblehead would have been enough to send people screaming from the building........

[youbroughtheryouRiker 2]

Hey, he's big enough to take blame for what appears to be an intern's doing (though maybe it was his, or it's his job to make sure it's appropriately marked). Whichever. Kudos to him for owning up to it. And maybe he'll keep one for himself now after this.

 

Although, I have to admit, I didn't think the bobbleheads were real. 'Til now, I thought they were more of a dishonor with no actual, tangible object attached. Too funny.

[trekz 7]

Hey, he's big enough to take blame for what appears to be an intern's doing (though maybe it was his, or it's his job to make sure it's appropriately marked). Whichever. Kudos to him for owning up to it. And maybe he'll keep one for himself now after this.

 

Excellent idea, youbroughtheryouRiker! Ken should award himself and his intern each a Schrammie. If the intern is still working there. Yeah, send an unmarked package to the Dept. of Corrections.

[Capt_Picard 0]

Schrammie Follow-Up

 

Last week, the Department of Corrections offices outside Olympia were evacuated after a “Schrammie” that had been awarded to Director Harold Clarke was mistakenly identified as a bomb.

 

I apologized and, as an act of contrition, offered to buy donuts for the 350 people that were made to flee the building in fear of it exploding.

 

Well, DOC officials decided they would rather have 40 dozen donuts donated to the Thurston County food bank.

 

I called the food bank and the director, Binda Douglas, agreed that while doughnuts were OK, cash would help more people.

 

So I will be sending the food bank a check for $300.

 

And that about wraps that up.

[youbroughtheryouRiker 2]

Everything except his announcement that he'll now have to hang onto a Schrammie for himself!!

[Kor37 9]

How fitting that Schram does something worth getting a Schrammie!......