On Monday, July 15, Amazon.com laid off about 20 employees who did personalized marketing e-mails to the Beacon Hill company's regular customers. Company spokesperson Patty Smith says Amazon.com is reorganizing its e-mail marketing program (so you'll still be getting those handy promotions) and expects to find new in-house positions for half of those laid off. Smith says Amazon is giving the other half "very fair severance agreements." AMY JENNIGES

Sex Offense at Capitol Hill Block Party

The July 13-14 Capitol Hill Block Party was tons of fun for everyone, except perhaps the several women who were rubbed the wrong way by a lewd man.

During the 9:00 p.m. Sleater-Kinney set, a short 41-year-old Asian man had his pants unzipped, with his erect penis hidden under his T-shirt. He allegedly poked it into at least two different women during the show.

After the show, one victim pointed him out to security, who detained the man until police arrived. The cops arrested the man and took him to the East Precinct, when another woman came in to report the same thing: "She felt something push up against her bottom... and recognized it as the push of a penis," the police report says. (AND, the same man was seen by a witness at two December Sleater-Kinney shows at the Showbox, suspiciously rubbing against women near the stage.) The suspect was booked into King County Jail on two counts of assault. AMY JENNIGES

Pageler Will Run

Fringe conservative City Council Member Margaret Pageler, who late last year raised ethical questions when she secretly tried to leave the council by applying for the top job at the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce ["Margaret Pageler Tried to Leave City Council," Josh Feit, Feb 28], has reportedly decided to seek a fourth term on the council. (Pageler obviously didn't land the Chamber gig.)

City council hopefuls like University District guy Matt Fox has been waiting in the wings for an open seat, but given the stranglehold of incumbency, it's likely Seattle will be stuck with Chamber-friendly Pageler for four more years. JOSH FEIT

Quote of the Week

"These have become more common."

--SPD Media Relations Officer Deanna Nollette, discussing a backpack bomb scare that caused the cops to close the intersection of 15th and John Street for an hour on Wednesday, July 10. The backpack, it turned out, didn't contain a bomb.