Postcards

Grave matters

In June, Sultan, Wash., won a lawsuit brought by a woman who, during a visit to the city cemetery in 2000, stepped into a sinkhole on her grandfather’s grave and broke her ankle. According to The Associated Press, the woman alleged the city was negligent in its upkeep of the cemetery, while the city’s attorney claimed the state’s Recreational Use Act protected Sultan because public park visitors are responsible for their own safety. Sinkholes had appeared in the cemetery before as a result of rotted wooden coffins that had not been sealed in concrete liners.

Can you hear me now?

Officers and firefighters in Gilbert, Ariz., are experiencing communication problems in their new headquarters. The $46.6 million facility that opened in July was designed to withstand a terrorist attack, but its lock-tight construction is blocking wireless communication. According to The Associated Press, police officers have to use land-line phones because cell phone reception is weak in areas of the building, and there is a large dead spot in the center. Although the problems are being investigated, the city is retraining workers to be less dependent on wireless devices.