The Olympia Washington Kiwanis members and their friends have cost the Washington State taxpayers over $50 million dollars (so far), because of their willful ignorance of long term, merciless and well known, child abuse that occurred at the Olympia Kiwanis Boys Ranch.

October 2006 note: This Olympia Kiwanis stuff is old news. I've left this information on the web, because I like the thought that someone will say to one of these Kiwanis friends or members: "Grandma, (Grandpa), are you still friends with those Olympia Kiwanians?"

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BY CAROL ANGEL  Washington Journal Editor Aug. 17, 1995
VICTORIA  MEADOWS, JUDGE, Mason County District Court
ELECTED: 1994, LAW SCHOOL: University of Puget Sound, 1982 AGE: 36
Aiming for Efficiency, Hardworking Jurist Able to Cut Her Court's Budget
SHELTON: Being the only district court judge in a rather out-of-the-way place can be an isolating experience. But Mason County District Judge Victoria Meadows finds ways of overcoming the challenges of her job dealing creatively with the limited resources of a small-county court networking with judges elsewhere when she needs advice. Meadows won her seat last year in a hotly contested four-person race. "I didn't have a dime when I decided to run," says Meadows. "But if you don't run, you're not going to win." Her campaign effort raised $1,000 enough for 30 large signs and a few ads shortly before the primary. Despite the much-larger campaign chests of her opponents - she says the next-lowest amount raised was around $5,000 - she won, garnering one-third of the votes. Raising another $4,000, she went on to take the general election in November. "I had good opponents," she comments. "They are good attorneys. It was a heated race, but we now have set aside our differences. We all are working toward a goal of a strong legal community, a strong judiciary."

Meadows' first brush with Washington's judicial election system came in 1992 and had a different outcome. Appointed by Gov. Booth Gardner to fill an opening on the Mason County Superior Court bench, at age 32 she became the youngest superior court judge in the state. But she had to run for election that fall, and - despite spending "a lot" of money - lost the race to Toni Sheldon. Still, there were positive aspects to the experience. "I enjoyed my job as a superior court judge immensely," she says, even though it lasted only a few months. "It had vast challenges and a variety of cases. In fact, for my first week on the job I was hearing jury trials in King County," part of an occasional judicial exchange between the King County Superior Court and the Mason County bench. Also, she attributes the name-recognition she gained in the superior court race with helping put her over the top in 1994. And the experience she gained in private practice following her defeat proved valuable, she says. "It broadened my background," which had been solely as a deputy prosecutor.

Meadows came to Shelton - a town of around 8,000 whose fortunes rise and fall with the logging industry - in 1984, to work for the Mason County Prosecutor's Office.  "They had an opening. I had been on the Olympic Peninsula and absolutely loved it. When I came out for an interview, I just knew this was where I wanted to be. I was on the phone on a daily basis with the office -'Hire me! Hire me!' " she recalls, laughing. Mason County Prosecuting Attorney Gary Burleson was the object of those calls. "I hired her," he says, "and ultimately she became chief criminal deputy. She was organized, hardworking, aggressive in court, fair-minded. And just a very nice lady. She did an excellent job working for me. Adds Burleson, "She was a good attorney, and I'm certain she's going to be an excellent judge." Prior to moving to Mason County, Meadows was a deputy prosecutor in Pierce County - her first job out of Puget Sound Law School in 1982 -- handling civil, misdemeanor and child support matters.

Her interest in criminal law goes back even further. The California native, who at age 7 moved to Kent, Wash.,  with her family and then to the Redmond/Carnation area at age 11, made a career decision when she was in the eighth grade. "I attended court proceedings on a field trip, and knew at that point I wanted to be an attorney But I also 'knew' you had to come from a rich family, go to all the right schools, and know somebody. Since none of the above applied to me, I changed my focus." The young teenager was interested in investigative work as the result of reading detective novels. "So I decided I would study to be a police officer. I got active in the Law Enforcement Explorers. Then I left high school a year early and went to Seattle University, where I studied, criminal  justice and police science." But when she graduated, with honors, at age 20, "I  was too young to be a police officer!" she says. Casting about, for alternate plans, she reconsidered law as a career. 'I was working as a live-in baby-sitter for a Seattle attorney, Robert Randolph, and his wife, and he renewed my spark and my interest in law," notes Meadows. Although she had studied crime and victimology as an undergraduate,  she vowed not to practice criminal law.  "And then my first job out of law school was with the, Prosecutor's Office!" she says with a laugh. After her 10-year stint as a deputy prosecutor and her brief service on the superior court bench, Meadows joined the Shelton law offices of Brungardt, Lowe & Associates. She handled a variety of civil and criminal cases before deciding to make the run for district court.

Being the only district court judge in the county doesn't mean she is without role models. One is Thurston County District Court Judge Susan A. Dubuisson, her "mentor judge." Duibuisson explains that a Municipal and District Court Judges Association program assigns new jurists to a more experienced judge in a nearby county, so they have someone to call on when they have questions or need help. "I don't have all the answers, of course, but sometimes it's helpful just to talk about things. There's really no one else she can talk to about court problems," Duibuisson says. The two judges have had dinner and lunch together, and even traded benches. "She's taken over my court for a day, and I've taken over hers. That helps too. It helps you get an idea of how other courts handle things." Dubuisson adds, "My impression is that it's difficult for a judge in any place where there's only one judge, especially someplace like Mason County that is kind of isolated. That isolation is one of the biggest problems for a new judge." How is her "pupil" doing? "I think she has a really good grasp of what the problems and issues are, specifically related to a small county," says Duibuisson. "For example, her resources are extremely limited. The jail is very small, and can't accommodate all those she might feel should be incarcerated. So she has to be aware of altemative sentences." Continues Dubuisson: "She's very imaginative, and has really made an effort to face problems and deal with them in a way that serves everybody, rather than just blaming someone. She takes responsibility for getting the job done and doing the job fight."

The district court is housed in the old Mason County Building, which has undergone some less-than-adequate redoes over the years. Meadows' chambers consist of a small, nondescript room that she's enlivened with her own professional-quality wildlife and landscape photos. The courtroom is a mutation, centered with a big column that obstructs the judge's view of those seated in the room, and vice versa. In a few months, however, things should improve. Space down the hall is undergoing renovation to provide a better-functioning jury room and a larger. unobstructed courtroom. But she'll still have the small chambers; she traded the chance for roomier quarters for a witness waiting area and attorney/client conference room.

One of Meadows' campaign promises was to make the district court more efficient and to cut its budget, including the cost of hiring attorneys paid by the day to help out with the caseload. Prior District Court Judge Larry King - who decided not to run for reelection last year, instead making an unsuccessful run for the state Supreme Court - came under fire during his tenure for alleged excessive use of such pro tem judges. "There are times when the caseload is too much for one judge,"  says Meadows, "but I've found that by planning the schedule better, we've improved our efficiency and are able to take care of most of the matters. There are times we've lined up a second judge to be available. But since I've been in office, that's been rare." The budget she's submitting this fall is actually lower than last year's, she says, adding, "We're building credibility with the County Commissioners." Most of the cases involve criminal matters - driving while intoxicated, misdemeanor assaults, driving with no valid driver's license. The court also hears small claims and other types of civil actions; and issues anti-harassment and domestic violence protection orders. "Frequently we have cases about somebody's pig crossing the line, getting on someone else's property. Pigs and dogs. Seattle attorneys come down here and say, 'Hmm, what are we going to get today?'"

One week a month is designated as  "trial week." The fast day is devoted to trying to settle the 20 to 40 cases that haven't yet resolved. About 50 percent of the parties don't show up, Meadows says, and that also whittles it down, leaving around 10 that are set for trial - with one or two that actually go. Meadows holds court once a month in the Northern Mason County hamlet of Belfair - a drive that takes an hour and a half, round trip. Before she became judge, court was held in Belfair once a week, even though only two or three people showed up for each session. The new schedule is much more efficient, she says. Just having gotten a computer, she's very excited about the possibilities. "I'm waiting for the county to hook me up to the Attachmate system, which will give me access to Westlaw," she says. The court is already online with DISCIS -the state District Court Information System - and that is proving very helpful in checking pfior records of those who appear in her court.

Meadows obviously enjoys her work. But, she also enjoys several stress-relieving pastimes - photography, snow skiing, boating and picking oysters along Hood Canal. She believes strongly in community involvement, concentrating on activities "that are positive and fun." One of those has been her service on the board of OysterFest, a popular annual event held the first full weekend in October, bringing visitors to Shelton from far and wide. "I've been in charge of entutainment for the past five years, but this year I turned the reins over to someone else:' she says with a tinge of regret.

Married last year to Christopher Veblen, a  juvenile corrections officer in Seattle who endures a 110-mile commute to work - she tells the romantic tale of their relationship. "I've known him for over 20 years, since before I was old enough to date. When I was in law school we dated for awhile, then broke up. Last year we got together again - and a month later we were married!" The wedding took place in Virginia CIty, Nev., and was a joyous shindig in rented Old West costumes. Both she and her new husband love to cook, collaborating on blueberry pies (using berries grown on their own property) and other local-bounty dishes.

Meadows hopes to see dispute resolution centers and affordable drug-and-alcohol treatment options come into Mason County. And she says she is dedicated to improving the court's accessibility, making the system work better for those who represent themselves or who may not speak English. According to Judge Dubuisson, "She has a real sense of justice, balancing compassion for people's problems yet keeping in mind there are victims in these crimes, and the public needs to have a voice." Meadows runs a tight ship, making it clear she expects punctuality in her courtroom. "It bugs me when attorneys and people aren't on time," she says.  "This court had a reputation for letting things go by the wayside, so the parties would come in when they felt like it. I find that by setting the parameters and the example, it works better."

Carol Fuller, who retired in 1993 after serving as a superior court judge in both Thurston and Mason counties, comments, "I've known Victoria from about the time she started to work in Mason County as a prosecutor. She appeared in my courtroom all the time. She's a women of integrity, and was a prosecutor of integrity." Fuller describes Meadows as "very cooperative, with a very steady personality. She has a good sense of humor, is well organized and very, very able. Very quick. Those attributes and the fact that she's so hardworking are a very powerful combination."

Until Oct 1999, I believed that the Kiwanians and their friends were guilty of careless neglect or callous indifference. After hearing frightening audio depositions from some of the abused kids, I now believe that these people were involved with an "active collaboration with evil". The OKBR staff was apparently actively involved in long-term molestation and sadistic abuse of these kids. The Kiwanians and their friends could/should have stopped the abuse.

google is the best search engine, and you can make a detailed search of just this site.

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OKBR people statements to the Wa. St. Patrol(informative, professional, evasive, amusing)
Here's a long summary of the Wa.St.Patrol O.K.B.R report
Back to the 1999 Washington State Employees Salaries List
Back to the 1997 Washington State Employees Salaries List
Back to the 1995 Washington State Employees Salaries List
Olympia Kiwanis Attorneys & Judges and/or Politicians.
Back to the beginning OKBR Home Page(http://lbloom.net/indexok.html)

Below is an e-mail I received from a former Olympia, Washington resident.

From: ~~~~~~~~@aol.com
To: Louis Bloom manaco@whidbey.net
Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 1999 11:34 AM
Subject: OKBR
Just came across your pages and felt the urge to respond... In the early 80's (81-83) I was at the OKBR frequently as a young kid walking to/from school, I became friends with some of the boys. At one point a small boy confided to me that he was being raped by another boy in the home. The abusing boy talked about it openly!
Days later I walked the victim to OPD where we both gave statements. Later that evening I began to receive these incredibly threatening phone calls from a woman employee of the ranch who's name I believe was Paulette at my home. She kept calling over and over screaming at me calling me names. It was horrible. I thought I was helping someone. Nothing came of it. Then all these years later, it all comes out ... one of the boys that I had known there left as a young adult and still couldn't get it together, he eventually killed himself. As an adult now I don't often think back to those times but it still saddens me. All those boys that needed a safe nurturing place to be, and how many of them were better off for having been taken there? It's not about money. It cost these boys their lives, their souls, their trust. Those people who knew, who didn't care, they should feel such shame. Just my opinion.

From: louis a bloom manaco@whidbey.net
To: ~~~~~~~@aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 1999 7:30 PM
Subject: Re: OKBR
thanks for your e-mail. from what i've read, dshs, the olympia police department, and other "authorities" didn't consider child on child rape to be against the law. it was considered "normal experimentation". The "paulette" you mention, may have been Collette Queener who was an assistant director at the OKBR. Collette, OKBR Director Tom Van Woerdan, and OKBR counselor Laura Rambo Russell were ineptly charged by Wa. St. with "criminal mistreatment for failing to stop abuse". The charges were dismissed by Thurston County Judge Daniel Berschauer on technicalities. The lawyer who represented Collette Queener said, (Nov. 14, 1996 Olympian), that it was a "witch hunt", and that " a more innocent person (than Queener) you could not have for a client. She's an ex-nun ..... I don't see how you could view her in an evil or negative light."
I congratulate you for doing the right thing, when all those adults looked the other way. I repeat on most pages that the " OKBR has cost the Washington State taxpayers over $35 million dollars (so far)", because I think most people don't care about the kids involved, but they may care that it has cost them (taxpayers) money.
louis bloom

Clicking on the above picture will take you to a page about the webmaster.

There were many obvious and long-term warnings about the 1970-94 child abusing Olympia Kiwanis Boys Ranch.