The in basket: Tom Baker sent along a photograph of a stop sign at Anderson Hill and Old Clifton roads in South Kitsap to which someone had added the letters “SPEEDING” beneath the word stop. “Is this an allowed modification or have the county sign techs not noticed it?” Tom asked.

The out basket: Following Tom’s lead, I asked county public works about it, and got the following answer from Doug Bear, their spokesman.

“The stop sign at that location is maintained by the city of Port Orchard,” Doug said. “Our sign technicians called to let the know and they will remove the “speeding” legend.

“Altering traffic control devices (signs) is illegal,” he added. “RCW 46.61.080 states ‘No person shall, without lawful authority, attempt to or in fact alter, deface, injure, knock down or remove any official traffic-control device or any railroad sign or signal or any inscription, shield or insignia thereon, or any other part thereof.’”