The Wired and the Wireless.

[December 8th, 2004] Here's another twist on identity theft: They're doing it from behind bars. Until recently, visitors to the Oregon State Penitentiary had to give prison officials their Social Security numbers and other information for background checks, but now it appears inmates gained access to the info and sold it. The state Department of Corrections has placed at least two inmates in disciplinary segregation and continues to look for more, and little birds say inmate clubs have been shut down after visitors' personal information was found in their offices. So far, the known civilian victims include volunteers from North Portland's Overstreet Powerhouse Temple who were doing Bible outreach inside the prison. Not only that, but the union representing corrections officers at the prisons, AFSCME, says three of its members have also been victimized; the union is pushing legislation to combat the problem.

Portland International Airport recently started offering free wireless Internet access--and travelers are logging on in droves. "Sixty people used it during the last 24 hours of testing, before we even announced it," says PDX spokesman Steve Johnson. In the first two weeks, the airport system saw about 8,000 log-ons. Meanwhile, a plan to extend free or cheap wireless to the entire city of Portland is inching forward. The city and other interested parties (Intel, for instance) want a private company that would use city property and benefit from regulatory breaks in exchange for giving Portlanders a slice of wireless utopia. The idea should go out to bid around March. Finally, word has it that the Personal Telco Project, the all-volunteer outfit that's already set up scores of free wi-fi hotspots, is planning a major offensive in North Portland. Stay tuned.

Portland Development Commission chair Matt Hennessee moved to Portland too late to throw his name into the November vote for city council or mayor, but Murmurs hears he's looking hard at taking on City Commissioner Dan Saltzman in 2006 if nothing better crops up in the meantime. The assistant pastor was a former top lieutenant to Ted Kulongoski when both worked under Gov. Neil Goldschmidt. Hennessee served a long stint at Nike before taking his current job as head of Quiktrak, an inventory-management firm in Lake O.

Talk about a second coming: The ACE of Hearts swingers' club on Southeast 39th Avenue has bought a set of stained-glass panels from a demolished church to add to its large-projection TV "mood" movies and other decor.

Another WW grad makes good: Seattle Magazine has named WW emeritus Philip Dawdy as a runner-up in its list of that city's most influential people for his groundbreaking mental-illness reporting at Seattle Weekly. To see what Dawdy's been up to, check www.seattleweekly.com.

Corrections

In the Nov. 17, 2004, edition, WW published a murmur about Andy Wiederhorn, the onetime CEO of Wilshire Financial Services, who is now serving time in federal prison. The murmur had to do with the "Free Andy" bumper stickers on vehicles owned by Wiederhorn's wife and bracelets with the same slogan worn by Wiederhorn's wife and mother. Portions of the story were not factually supported. The story stated that Wiederhorn had been convicted of filing a false tax return and paying a bribe. In fact, Wiederhorn has been convicted of filing a false tax return and paying an illegal gratuity (which is legally distinct from a bribe). The story also stated that the "Free Andy" bracelets worn by Wiederhorn's wife and mother were made of diamond. In fact, they are rhinestone. WW regrets the publication of these two errors.

Also, in a Dec. 1 story, "The Daily Scab," WW said The Oregonian's newsroom staff numbers 350. The correct total is 430. WW regrets the error.