Stories for June 24, 2010

Pritchard leaves with a flurry

GM adds four new players to Blazers on final day on the job

TUALATIN, Ore. — Portland Trail Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard was fired Thursday. Longtime Blazers guard Martell Webster was traded away.

Leaders differ on how to nurture a global recovery

TORONTO (AP) -- World leaders are having serious differences over the best way to nurture a fragile global economic recovery, so much so that they are agreeing to disagree in a variety of key areas to move on to other subjects.

Dodgers pull plug on Angels' hopes for sweep

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Manny Ramirez hit a pair of RBI singles and the Los Angeles Dodgers scored five runs in the fourth inning despite another mental mistake on the bases, beating the Los Angeles Angels 10-6 Thursday night to avoid a six-game season sweep by their Southern California rivals.

2 arrested after carjack, chase in E. Ore.

ONTARIO, Ore. (AP) -- Oregon State Police say a carjacking, a chase that reached speeds of 110 mph and a brief shootout have ended with the arrest of two men in eastern Oregon.

Blazers' president discusses Pritchard firing

Fired on draft day

Portland Trail Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard was relieved of his duties Thursday, the team announced.

Lights go out in Anaheim, Dodgers-Angels delayed

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- A set of lights has gone out at Angel Stadium, delaying a game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels.

Blazers draft guard, reportedly trade Webster

The Portland Trail Blazers selected guard Elliott Williams out of Memphis with the 22nd pick of Thursday's NBA Draft.

Suns exercise option for Gentry, sign 3 assistants

PHOENIX (AP) -- The Phoenix Suns have exercised the option year of coach Alvin Gentry for the 2011-12 season.

Game wardens kill black bear that injured camper

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) -- Montana wildlife officials say game wardens have killed a black bear that injured a man when it bit through his tent at a primitive campsite in the Lolo National Forest in the western part of the state.

NBA star LeBron James to release headphones line

NEW YORK (AP) -- LeBron James already sported Dr. Dre's headphones in an NBA commercial. Now the basketball star can rock his own.

Clippers, Thunder work draft deal

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Clippers have acquired the draft rights to guard Eric Bledsoe of Kentucky from Oklahoma City in exchange for a future protected first-round pick.

Pacers acquire Rolle in 2nd round

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The Indiana Pacers have swapped picks with Oklahoma City to get Louisiana Tech's Magnum Rolle in the second round of the NBA draft.

Control device failed in 1st engine at fatal fire

SEATTLE (AP) -- A Seattle official says a transmission pad failure prevented the first fire engine from being able to pump water onto a June 12 fire that killed five people, including four children.

Reynolds 1st AP All-American not drafted

NEW YORK (AP) -- Villanova's Scottie Reynolds has become the first AP All-American since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976 not to be taken in the NBA draft.

High grass headaches

Wave of foreclosures leaves behind a bumper crop of properties choked with grass and weeds.

Wash. state Marine dies in Afghanistan

SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. (AP) -- The Defense Department says a 23-year-old Marine from Spokane Valley, Wash., has been killed in Afghanistan.

Bucks select F Gallon with 47th pick

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- The Milwaukee Bucks have taken forward Keith "Tiny" Gallon of Oklahoma with the 47th overall pick in the second round of the NBA draft.

Woman killed by train in Puyallup identified

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) -- The Pierce County medical examiner's office has identified the 44-year-old woman hit and killed by an Amtrak train in Puyallup.

Amtrak train kills female pedestrian in Wash.

PUYALLUP, Wash. (AP) -- BNSF Railway says a northbound Amtrak train struck and killed a female pedestrian Thursday evening in Puyallup, Wash.

Chargers sign Stuckey, Epps

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- The San Diego Chargers have signed safety Darrell Stuckey and tight end Dedrick Epps to four-year contracts.

Blazers take G Armon Johnson with No. 34 pick

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- The Portland Trail Blazers have selected Nevada guard Armon Johnson with the 34th pick in the NBA draft.

Rupp, Begley win 10,000 meters at US outdoors

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- Galen Rupp and Amy Begley each repeated as national champions at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Kings add Marshall center Whiteside in 2nd round

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- The Sacramento Kings are focusing on their frontcourt, drafting 7-foot center Hassan Whiteside with the No. 33 pick in the NBA draft.

Mavs deal for Grizzlies draftee G Dominique Jones

DALLAS (AP) -- The Dallas Mavericks have acquired Dominique Jones from Memphis after the Grizzlies took him with the 25th pick in the NBA draft.

Wizards take Hayward, expected to go to 'Wolves

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Washington Wizards have taken Lazar Hayward from Marquette with the 30th overall pick in the first round of the NBA draft.

AP source: Hawks swap first-round picks with Nets

ATLANTA (AP) -- A person familiar with the deal says the Atlanta Hawks and New Jersey Nets have agreed to exchange their first-round picks.

Magic select Kentucky's Orton with 29th pick

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- The Orlando Magic have selected Kentucky forward/center Daniel Orton with the 29th pick in the NBA draft.

Grizzlies draft Vazquez at No. 28

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- The Memphis Grizzlies have taken Maryland guard Greivis Vazquez with their third pick in the first round of the NBA Draft.

Estuary sturgeon fishing extended through July 11

Catch at the coast is far below normal, possibly due to high, cold river

Police find missing teens

Courtney Shriner spotted in BG at 3 p.m., found an hour later

Police on Thursday afternoon said officers found two Vancouver teens who had been listed missing. Courtney Shriner, 19, was reported missing from her home at 3029 V St. since Saturday by family members. She was considered endangered due to medical conditions.

Nets take G Crawford with No. 27th pick in draft

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- The New Jersey Nets have selected guard Jordan Crawford with the 27th pick in the NBA draft.

Washington's Pondexter headed to Hornets

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- University of Washington swingman Quincy Pondexter is headed to New Orleans after being taken with the No. 26 pick in the NBA draft.

Blazers take Williams of Memphis with 22nd pick

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- The Portland Trail Blazers have selected Memphis swingman Elliot Williams with the 22nd pick in the NBA draft.

Grizzlies draft South Florida's Jones at No. 25

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- The Memphis Grizzlies have taken South Florida guard Dominique Jones with the 25th pick, their second selection in the first round of the NBA Draft.

NHL owners agree on penalties for blindside hits

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- NHL owners unanimously agree that blindside hits to the head will now result in a major penalty and ejection for offenders.

No. 21 pick Brackins headed to Hornets after trade

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Iowa State forward Craig Brackins has been taken with the 21st overall pick in the NBA draft and is headed to the New Orleans Hornets through a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Hawks pick Texas F Damion James at No. 24

ATLANTA (AP) -- The Atlanta Hawks have selected Texas forward Damion James with the 24th overall pick in the NBA draft.

Motorcycle, pickup collide on Hwy. 503 south of Amboy

State troopers on Thursday evening were at the scene of a collision involving a motorcycle and a pickup on state Highway 503 at the intersection of Northeast 216th Avenue and 389th Street, south of Amboy. The collision was reported shortly after 4 p.m., with an initial report that the motorcycle rider was on fire. Minutes later, arriving rescuers said the motorcycle itself was burning, not the rider, who appeared to be able to walk.

Wolves draft Booker at No. 23

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The Minnesota Timberwolves have taken Clemson forward Trevor Booker with the 23rd overall pick in the draft.

Wells hits 2 homers, Blue Jays beat Cardinals 5-0

TORONTO (AP) -- Vernon Wells homered twice and Brandon Morrow pitched eight sharp innings for his first win in five starts, leading the Toronto Blue Jays to a 5-0 victory over Adam Wainwright and the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday night.

NCAA proposes end to early scholarship offers

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- An NCAA committee wants to prohibit scholarship offers to recruits before July 1 of their junior season of high school.

Plate ump Randazzo OK after pitch hits chest

TORONTO (AP) -- Home plate umpire Tony Randazzo has been knocked down after getting hit in the upper chest by a pitch from Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Brandon Morrow.

Hornets trade Aldrich to Thunder

WESTWEGO, La. (AP) -- The New Orleans Hornets have agreed to trade Cole Aldrich and veteran shooting guard Morris Peterson to Oklahoma City for the Thunders' 21st and 26th picks in the first round.

Spurs take Oklahoma State's Anderson at No. 20

SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- The San Antonio Spurs have selected Oklahoma State guard James Anderson with the 20th overall pick in the NBA draft.

Thunder take Kentucky's Bledsoe with 18th pick

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The Oklahoma City Thunder have selected Kentucky guard Eric Bledsoe with the 18th overall pick in the NBA draft.

Maryland AD Yow to interview with NC State

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) -- Maryland athletic director Debbie Yow will visit North Carolina State on Friday to meet with a search committee looking for a new athletic director.

Wolves draft Babbitt at 16, trade to Portland

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The Minnesota Timberwolves selected Nevada shooter Luke Babbitt with the 16th overall pick and immediately shipped him to Portland for Martell Webster.

Langhorne scores 27, Mystics beat Sparks, 68-53

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Crystal Langhorne scored a career-high 27 points and had 14 rebounds to help the Washington Mystics beat the Los Angeles Sparks 68-53 Thursday night.

Bucks pick F Sanders at No. 15

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- The Milwaukee Bucks have selected Virginia Commonwealth forward Larry Sanders with the 15th overall pick in the NBA draft.

Seattle takes Jaqua off disabled list

TUKWILA, Wash. (AP) -- The Seattle Sounders FC have removed forward Nate Jaqua from the disabled list, meaning he is immediately eligible to play.

Rockets pick Kentucky F Patterson

HOUSTON (AP) -- The Houston Rockets have selected Kentucky forward Patrick Patterson with the 14th pick in the NBA draft.

Grizzlies draft Kansas' Henry at No. 12

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- The Memphis Grizzlies have selected Kansas guard/forward Xavier Henry with the 12th pick in the NBA Draft.

Hornets take C Aldrich with 11th pick

WESTWEGO, La. (AP) -- The New Orleans Hornets have selected Kansas center Cole Aldrich with the No. 11 pick in the NBA draft.

Blazers expected to fire GM Pritchard, source says

Search firm hired by Blazers has contacted replacement candidates

TUALATIN, Ore. — The Portland Trail Blazers are expected to fire general manager Kevin Pritchard either Thursday or Friday, a league source has informed The Columbian.

Pacers take George at No. 10

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The Indiana Pacers have taken Fresno State forward Paul George with the No. 10 pick in the NBA draft.

Jazz take Hayward at No. 9 in NBA draft

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- The Utah Jazz have selected Butler forward Gordon Hayward with the ninth overall pick in the NBA draft.

NC-based soldier, Marine killed in Afghanistan

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Officials say a soldier and a Marine based in North Carolina have been killed in Afghanistan.

Clippers take Al-Farouq Aminu in NBA draft

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Los Angeles Clippers have selected Al-Farouq Aminu of Wake Forest with the eighth pick in the NBA draft.

Warriors go with big man Udoh with No. 6 pick

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- The Golden State Warriors have selected Baylor forward Ekpe Udoh with the sixth pick in the NBA draft.

Kidd: 'We all feel (Dirk) is not going anywhere'

DALLAS (AP) -- Jason Kidd wouldn't be surprised if Dirk Nowitzki opts out of his contract and becomes a free agent.

Blazers fire GM as draft starts

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- The Portland Trail Blazers have fired general manager Kevin Pritchard after six seasons with the team, ending months of speculation that he had fallen out of favor with billionaire owner Paul Allen.

Report: Blazers fire GM as draft starts

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- The Oregonian newspaper reports on its website that the Portland Trail Blazers fired general manager Kevin Pritchard less than an hour before the start of the NBA draft.

Wolves take Wesley Johnson at 4

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The Minnesota Timberwolves have chosen Syracuse forward Wesley Johnson with the fourth overall pick in the NBA draft.

76ers take Evan Turner at No. 2

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- The Philadelphia 76ers have selected Ohio State shooting guard Evan Turner with the No. 2 overall pick of the NBA draft.

Jutanugarn ousted in WAPL quarterfinals

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -- Curtis Cup player Cydney Clanton beat qualifying medallist Ariya Jutanugarn 1-up on Thursday to advance to the quarterfinals in the Women's Amateur Public Links Championship at Notre Dame's Warren Golf Course.

Judge finalizes divorce of Dwyane Wade

CHICAGO (AP) -- An Illinois judge has finalized the contentious divorce of Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade, though the messy fight isn't over.

Chicago judge issues arrest warrant for Eddy Curry

CHICAGO (AP) -- A judge in Chicago has issued an arrest warrant for New York Knicks player Eddy Curry because he's failed to appear in court in connection with a civil lawsuit.

Crippen, Sutton among US team for Pan Pacs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) -- Fran Crippen and Olympian Chloe Sutton lead the U.S. open water team that will compete in the Pan Pacific Championships in August.

Eminem, Jay-Z add dates to Sept. shows

NEW YORK (AP) -- Jay-Z and Eminem will be in a New York state of mind for a second night.

Mets promote C Thole, send LHP Valdes to Triple-A

NEW YORK (AP) -- The New York Mets have promoted catcher Josh Thole from Triple-A Buffalo and sent down left-handed reliever Raul Valdes.

Boeing 787s not flying while problem addressed

SEATTLE (AP) -- Boeing Co. says it has decided to inspect its five flight-test 787 jets before they fly again because of a quality problem in a portion of the tail built by Italian manufacturer Alenia.

Boeing temporarily grounds 787s to fix problem

SEATTLE (AP) -- The Seattle Times says Boeing Co. has temporarily grounded its 787 jetliner fleet because of a quality problem in a portion of the tail built by Italian manufacturer Alenia.

AP source: Bulls agree to send Hinrich to Wizards

DEERFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- A person familiar with the deal says the Chicago Bulls have agreed to trade veteran guard Kirk Hinrich and the 17th pick in the draft to the Washington Wizards.

Sparks guard Lennox to have knee surgery

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Los Angeles Sparks guard Betty Lennox will have surgery on her left knee next week and is expected to be out four to six weeks.

Swimmer dies at Wash.'s Lake Sammamish

ISSAQUAH, Wash. (AP) -- A King County sheriff's spokesman says a 23-year-old man pulled from Lake Sammamish on Thursday afternoon is dead.

Red Sox place Lowell on DL, Matsuzaka activated

DENVER (AP) -- Mike Lowell was placed on the 15-day disabled with a right hip injury and the Boston Red Sox filled his roster spot by reinstating right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka.

Typhoon Tycoon wins Belmont feature

NEW YORK (AP) -- Typhoon Tycoon beat Morethan Fourhours by 114 lengths in the $28,000 feature on the turf at Belmont Park on Thursday.

Hyundai new sponsor of El Paso's Sun Bowl

EL PASO, Texas (AP) -- The Sun Bowl has a new sponsor.

Key road opens in Gifford Pinchot forest

Road No. 25 opens Friday across Elk Pass

US defeats China 1-0 in softball

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- Natasha Watley's RBI single in the top of the seventh inning helped the United States to a 1-0 victory over China in both teams' opener at the world softball championship on Thursday.

Orioles pitcher Koji Uehara nears return from DL

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Orioles right-hander Koji Uehara appears ready to come off the disabled list and rejoin Baltimore's bullpen.

Marlins' Rodriguez looks to trip home as manager

BALTIMORE (AP) -- The first Puerto Rican-born manager in the major leagues is looking forward to bringing the Florida Marlins to his native land.

Vancouver brothers suspected in burglaries

Two Vancouver men have been jailed on suspicion of residential burglary in West Linn, Ore. The brothers also may be connected to a string of burglaries in West Vancouver, including the West Minnehaha, Rose Village and Lincoln neighborhoods, police said.

Ducks add Mike Foligno to coaching staff

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- The Anaheim Ducks have hired longtime junior hockey coach Mike Foligno as an assistant coach.

Vancouver to merge Transportation Department; eliminate Media Services

City Manager wants to save $700,000 a year through operational streamlining.

Contractor killed at NC Army post identified

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (AP) -- A contractor killed during a training accident at a North Carolina Army post is identified as a retired sergeant.

Port of Coos Bay, Union Pacific strike deal

NORTH BEND, Ore. (AP) -- The Union Pacific Railroad has agreed to a donate a 22-mile segment of a rail line to the International Port of Coos Bay.

Apple works to keep up with crush of iPhone demand

SEATTLE — The iPhone 4 has arrived, but for some people the wait continues as Apple sprints to keep up with fierce demand for its latest gadget. From Tokyo to San Francisco, some stores started selling out of Apple Inc.’s newest iPhone just hours after it went on sale Thursday. Some would-be buyers walked away disappointed; tensions grew at Apple stores that hadn’t run out.

Alaska geologist survives two attacks by grizzly

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) -- The first time the bear charged, Robert Miller had just enough time to get out his gun, squeeze off a shot and play dead before the grizzly attacked.

Padres sending Ryan to Triple-A

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- The San Diego Padres are sending catcher Dusty Ryan back to Triple-A Portland.

Breeders' Cup qualifiers increased for 2010

NEW YORK (AP) -- The Breeders' Cup Challenge has added three more races to its program of automatic qualifiers, bringing the total to 65 races in which the winner earns a berth in the Breeders' Cup championships in November.

Kobe, LeBron compete for male athlete at ESPYs

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Brett Favre is still deciding whether he'll return for a 20th NFL season. He's getting some recognition for his performance last year, with four nominations Thursday for the ESPY Awards.

Favre tells newspaper he'd 'love' to beat Saints

GULFPORT, Miss. (AP) -- Brett Favre says he can still play at a "high level" if he returns to the Vikings for a 20th NFL season.

Judge orders mediation for Texas Rangers, lenders

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- A federal bankruptcy judge has ordered the Texas Rangers and their angry creditors into mediation, delaying a hearing on the team's long-delayed sale.

Thrashers pick Ramsay as coach

ATLANTA (AP) -- Craig Ramsay is the fifth coach in Atlanta Thrashers' history.

Bedard could make Seattle season debut July 6

SEATTLE (AP) -- Left-hander Erik Bedard could make his season debut as early as July 6 if he is able to get through the next week without any injury setbacks.

Benton County Mosquito Control plans blood sucking

WEST RICHLAND, Wash. (AP) -- Benton County Mosquito Control is turning the tables to do some blood sucking of its own.

Woman injured by crane on Seattle barge

SEATTLE (AP) -- The Seattle Fire Department says a woman was hit in the head Thursday by a crane on a construction barge at a dock in Elliott Bay.

Bruins sign Boychuk to 2-year extension

BOSTON (AP) -- The Boston Bruins have signed a two-year contract extension with defenseman Johnny Boychuk.

Serena Williams advances at Wimbledon

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) -- Serena Williams has reached the third round at Wimbledon, routing Anna Chakvetadze (Chuk-veh-TAHD-zeh) 6-0, 6-1.

Eugene moving police from downtown

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) -- The Eugene Police Department is leaving downtown.

Injured jockey Leparoux slated to return July 1

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- Jockey Julien Leparoux is planning to return to racing July 1, more than six weeks after suffering a back injury at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.

4-year-old falls out 3rd story window in Kennewick

KENNEWICK, Wash. (AP) -- A 4-year-old is reportedly doing fine after falling out a third-story apartment window in Kennewick.

Saddle bronc rider dies at Jackson Hole Rodeo

JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) -- A saddle bronc rider has died from injuries he suffered while competing at the Jackson Hole Rodeo in Wyoming.

Climber falls at Rocky Butte

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- A young climber was injured Thursday in a fall at Rocky Butte.

Climber falls at Rocky Butte Park

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Portland Fire & Rescue is responding to a report of a climber who fell at Rocky Butte Park.

Chicago not done fighting if court strikes gun ban

CHICAGO (AP) -- If the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down Chicago's handgun ban, the city will likely do what Washington, D.C., did when its own ban was overturned two years ago.

Hobby miners drawn to Rogue River

MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) -- The gravels of the Rogue River held back for decades by the Savage Rapids Dam are drawing recreational gold miners.

APNewsBreak: Thorpe's son seeks return of remains

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- A son of Jim Thorpe is suing the Pennsylvania town that bears his father's name over the remains of the Native American often called the 20th century's greatest athlete.

Hail storm damages crops

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) -- A hail storm in the Columbia Basin that left up to six inches of hail on the ground damaged crops in the region.

Nadal rallies to beat Haase at Wimbledon

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) -- Top-ranked Rafael Nadal has rallied in the second round at Wimbledon to beat Robin Haase of the Netherlands, 5-7, 6-2, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3.

Jamaican gang leader en route to NY

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) -- Jamaican gang leader Christopher "Dudus" Coke is en route to the U.S in the culmination of a deadly fight over his extradition.

Wimbledon umpire enters tennis history

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) -- The umpire who presided over the longest match in tennis history says he was so enthralled by the epic struggle that he didn't feel tired.

Northwest Pipe defends its place on Nasdaq exchange

Company strives to save listing amid SEC probe, other problems

Northwest Pipe Co. expects to defend its place on the Nasdaq stock exchange today. But even if it succeeds, the remaining problems the Vancouver company faces will still stack up like cordwood. The maker of steel pipes has been hit with a class-action lawsuit accusing the company’s leaders of making “false and misleading” statements that artificially inflated its stock.

Dredge, Whiteford lead by 1 in Munich

MUNICH (AP) -- Bradley Dredge of Wales and Peter Whiteford of Scotland lead the BMW International Open after shooting 8-under 64s in the first round.

Wenatchee workers walk out over dirty toilets

WENATCHEE, Wash. (AP) -- Workers are back at a Wenatchee construction site after walking off the job over dirty toilets.

Mountlake Terrace man charged in drug OD death

EVERETT, Wash. (AP) -- A Mountlake Terrace man accused of giving a woman a lethal dose of heroin was charged Wednesday in Everett with controlled substance homicide.

Okla. woman accused of hiding body waives hearing

DURANT, Okla. (AP) -- A July 20 formal arraignment has been set for a woman accused of helping her husband conceal the remains of his daughter.

Jewish center vandalized in Olympia

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) -- Police are investigating vandalism at a Jewish center in Olympia.

Obama congratulates soccer team on World Cup win

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama called the U.S. World Cup soccer team Thursday to congratulate them on advancing to the next round of the World Cup.

Recent Wild drafts haven't yielded much production

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- The Minnesota Wild have been stuck in the NHL's middle for a while now, not contending for the Stanley Cup but not playing poorly enough to get the top picks in the draft.

Seattle house fire was accidental

SEATTLE (AP) -- The Seattle Fire Department says a Wednesday night fire at a house in the Windermere neighborhood was accidental.

Rays LF Crawford leaves with sore left shoulder

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Tampa Bay All-Star left fielder Carl Crawford has been taken out of the Rays' game against San Diego because of a sore left shoulder.

Centralia woman leaves 3-year-old home alone

CENTRALIA, Wash. (AP) -- When a man went to pick up his 3-year-old from his ex's house in Centralia he found the child home alone.

Ruling in drug case could clear 2 Vikes to play

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The Minnesota Court of Appeals has rejected the NFL's request to expedite its handling of the case of Minnesota Vikings Kevin Williams and Pat Williams.

Lynx lose injured Wiggins for rest of season

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Minnesota Lynx guard Candice Wiggins will miss the rest of the season after rupturing her left Achilles' tendon.

Missing hiker found safe

A hiker who went missing Wednesday night on Mount St. Helens has been found safe, the Skamania County Sheriff's Office reported this morning.

Ravens, veteran CB Harris agree to 1-year deal

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) -- Veteran cornerback Walt Harris has agreed to a one-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens.

Republicans kill Senate jobless aid measure

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Republicans in the Senate have defeated an election-year bill to continue weekly jobless benefits for millions of long-term unemployed workers.

Phillies place Durbin on DL with hamstring

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Philadelphia Phillies reliever Chad Durbin has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a right hamstring strain.

Ore. trial court to reconsider $150M tobacco case

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- A $150 million Oregon jury award in 2002 against the Philip Morris tobacco company is going back to a trial court for reconsideration.

Gregoire considers new options for state budget process

OLYMPIA - Privatizing the state's ferry system and selling naming rights to highways or rest stops are among the ideas Gov. Chris Gregoire is considering as she prepares the next state budget.

Supreme Court refuses to keep WA petitioner IDs private

WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court says people who signed a petition to repeal Washington state's gay rights law do not have the right to keep their names secret from the public.

Radar tracks birds for Pacific County wind farm

ABERDEEN, Wash. (AP) -- Plans for a wind farm on the Washington coast in Pacific County near Naselle may depend on a special radar that tracks birds.

Nielsen ready to defend title at En-Joie

ENDICOTT, N.Y. (AP) -- Lonnie Nielsen is back to defend his title at the Dick's Sporting Goods Open.

Wozniacki advances at Wimbledon

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) -- Caroline Wozniacki has reached the third round at Wimbledon with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Kai-Chen Chang of Taiwan.

Stanley Cup will take ride in Chicago gay parade

CHICAGO (AP) -- The Stanley Cup, which has been on more adventures than perhaps any other piece of championship hardware, will make its first appearance in a gay-themed event this weekend.

Robin Soderling into 3rd round of Wimbledon

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) -- Sweden's Robin Soderling has advanced to the third round of Wimbledon by defeating Marcel Granollers 7-5, 6-1, 6-4.

Paraguay into 2nd round after 0-0 draw with Kiwis

POLOKWANE, South Africa (AP) -- Paraguay was held to an uneventful 0-0 draw by New Zealand on Thursday but still moved into the round of 16 at the World Cup for the fourth time in its history.

Italy goes home after 3-2 loss to Slovakia

JOHANNESBURG (AP) -- Defending champion Italy was eliminated Thursday from the World Cup with a humbling 3-2 loss to Slovakia, which advanced.

Sharks sign Marleau, Pavelski to 4-year deals

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -- The San Jose Sharks have signed star forwards Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski to four-year contracts a week before they would have been free agents.

Canoeist dies in Spokane River

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) -- The Kootenai County Sheriff's Department has recovered the body of a man who fell out of a canoe in the Spokane River near Post Falls, Idaho.

Blackhawks deal Fraser to Oilers

CHICAGO (AP) -- The Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks have made another deal, trading center Colin Fraser to the Edmonton Oilers for a sixth-round draft pick.

Franklin County fire district chief killed

TRI-CITIES, Wash. (AP) -- A fire chief from Basin City was killed Wednesday at a wildfire.

Cook thanks Heat, fans for 3 years in Miami

MIAMI (AP) -- Daequan Cook turned to Twitter for his farewell to the Miami Heat.

Stepanek out of Czechs' quarterfinal against Chile

PRAGUE (AP) -- The Czech Republic will be without Radek Stepanek for next month's Davis Cup quarterfinal against Chile.

Anthony Lakes Highway paving to begin in Oregon

BAKER CITY, Ore. (AP) -- The Anthony Lakes Highway repaving project is getting under way in the northeast corner of Oregon.

North Korea coach expects warm welcome back home

NELSPRUIT, South Africa (AP) -- North Korea coach Kim Jong Hun says his team will receive a warm welcome when it returns home after the World Cup.

Ore. landfill director pleads not guilty to charge

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (AP) -- The landfill director for Crook County has pleaded not guilty to charges that he tried to steal a hydraulic rock hammer and then told a witness to lie about it or face physical harm.

Isner beats Mahut 70-68 in final set

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) -- John Isner has won the longest tennis match on record by beating Nicolas Mahut 70-68 in the final set at Wimbledon.

Isner, Mahut: It's 68-all and still going

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) -- John Isner of the United States and Nicolas Mahut of France are still deadlocked in the longest tennis match on record.

Isner, Mahut resume longest match at Wimbledon

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) -- John Isner of the United States and Nicolas Mahut of France have resumed what already is the longest tennis match on record, picking up at 59-59 in the fifth set at Wimbledon.

AP interview: IOC envisages sport betting watchdog

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) -- IOC president Jacques Rogge says sports federations need to join the fight against match fixing and other betting scams if they want to be part of the Olympics.

Snipes hopes arrest of ex-adviser helps his case

ATLANTA (AP) -- Wesley Snipes' attorneys are hoping his former financial adviser's arrest could pave the way for a new trial on tax evasion charges that landed the star of the "Blade" trilogy a three-year prison sentence.

Sunset Bay State Park Beach health advisory issued

COOS BAY, Ore. (AP) -- A health advisory has been issued for Sunset Bay State Park Beach near Coos Bay after higher than normal bacteria levels were found.

House, Senate lawmakers finalize deal on bank bill

WASHINGTON (AP) -- House and Senate negotiators have completed a sweeping overhaul of banking regulations and aim to send it to President Barack Obama by July 4.

House offers compromise on derivatives

WASHINGTON (AP) -- House lawmakers sought to break a logjam on financial negotiations by proposing to limit the type of derivatives business banks can transact. The plan reached for a middle ground with a tougher Senate proposal.

Dodd proposes new limits on bank trading

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A key Senate negotiator on sweeping new Wall Street regulations has proposed limits on the ability of banks to carry out high-risk trades or invest in hedge funds and private equity funds.

Couple pays for wedding with cans

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) -- A Spokane couple has reached its goal of collecting enough recyclable aluminum cans to pay for their wedding.

Fireworks now on sale in Oregon

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Fireworks went on sale Wednesday in Oregon.

Police: missing autistic Vancouver teen is found

VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP) -- Vancouver, Wash., police say they have located two teens.

Missing autistic Vancouver teen may be in danger

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Vancouver, Wash., police are asking the public to help locate two teens who were last seen on Monday at Pioneer Square in Portland.

Andy Murray into 3rd round of Wimbledon

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) -- Andy Murray has reached the third round of Wimbledon after a comfortable victory over Finland's Jarkko Nieminen in front of Queen Elizabeth II.

Washington County trying to ID John Doe trespasser

HILLSBORO, Ore. (AP) -- The Washington County sheriff's office is trying to identify a man who was jailed for trespassing.

More fireworks bang offered for July 4 bucks

Entry fee to revived show will include parade, games, music

Promoters of Fort Vancouver’s resurrected July Fourth fireworks show hope to sell 20,000 tickets for the spectacle, for the first time an admission-only affair. By Wednesday, online sales approached just 600 tickets.

Camas hiker hopes to top Mount Whitney

Desert behind him, Jake Rose is now in the central California mountains

Vancouver native writes book about being held prisoner by Taliban

Jere Van Dyk spent 45 days in a dirt-floored cell after his capture

Vancouver native Jere Van Dyk set out two years ago to write a book about the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan. His connections — including three months with Afghan mujahedeen fighting Soviet invaders in 1981 — would get him into places where no other reporter could go. He’d get an inside look at what was happening in that region.

Out & About

Items about a waterfowl hunting clinic on Saturday, tuna fishing seminar on Wednesday, Washington boat registration, and a fishing event for disabled youth

County’s E. coli response questioned

Boy’s aunt feels health department should have alerted the public

The aunt of 4-year-old Ronan Wilson, who died April 8 after contracting E. coli at his Hazel Dell in-home day care, said Wednesday she wants to know why the Clark County Department of Health did not let the public know about the outbreak until the day after Ronan died. Savenia Falquist also questions why the day care children and their siblings continued attending school, possibly putting other children at risk, and why the health department did not at least alert health care providers about the outbreak.

Winterhawks will be eagerly watching NHL entry draft

Johansen, Niederreiter expect their names to be called early

Without a doubt, Friday figures to be a big day for a couple of Portland Winterhawks. Ryan Johansen and Nino Niederreiter are both poised to be among the first players selected in the National Hockey League Entry Draft.

Our readers' views

Silence is no longer an option The June 19 Columbian story “State budget priorities: $10K on table raises eyebrows,” regarding refinishing the conference table at the state Capitol, is just a small example of the arrogance of our government wasting our tax money. Was the table broken or dry rotting beyond historic repair?

Lavender: Balmy, aromatic flower not as difficult to grow as you might think

The scent of lavender is unmistakable: clean, fresh and soothing. This aromatic member of the mint family gets its distinct aroma from the oil produced by the plant’s leaves and stems.

Chase will open two new local branches this year

JP Morgan Chase & Co. plans to open two new branches in Vancouver by December.

Supreme Court refuses to keep Washington petitioner IDs private

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court says people who signed a petition to repeal Washington state’s gay rights law do not have the right to keep their names secret from the public. The high court on Thursday ruled against Protect Marriage Washington, which organized a petition drive for a public vote to repeal the state’s “everything-but-marriage” gay rights law.

Peavey undecided if he will sign contract or return to OSU

Pitcher contemplates future after being drafted by Mets

Greg Peavey doesn’t yet know if his third time getting drafted will lead him to professional baseball. The Oregon State pitcher from Vancouver said early this week that he has not hired an agent and is contemplating his future after getting drafted by the New York Mets negotiate. (EDITOR'S NOTE — An earlier version of this story included incorrect information).

Helping Hands in the Garden

Loaves and Fishes Centers got helping hands from Portland high school students in the organization’s garden Wednesday at Heritage Farm on 78th Street in Hazel Dell.

Artists offer guided walk through downtown

Vancouver artist Karen “K.C.” Madsen and Dene Grigar, associate professor and program director of digital technology and culture at Washington State University Vancouver, will lead a free curatorial walk and talk through downtown Vancouver as part of the Windows into Art initiative. The walk will tbegin at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at North Bank Artists Gallery, 1005 Main St., Vancouver.

Porter to run at nationals

Hockinson grad in tonight’s 10,000

Western Washington University junior distance runner Sarah Porter will compete in the 10,000 meters at the 2010 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa.

Garden calendar

Clark County Recycled Arts Festival: 9 a.m to 4 p.m. June 26-27 at Esther Short Park, West Eighth and Columbia streets. The festival showcases work from more than 80 artists who will display and sell art designed from reused and reclaimed materials. The selection includes metal, glass and porcelain garden art; recycled paper books and cards; and jewelry and clocks made from vinyl records. Free.

Ask the expert

How do I recycle shredded paper? Shredded paper from home shredding is recyclable, as long as it’s contained in a paper shopping bag (fold and staple the top). When mixed materials from your recycling cart arrive at the materials recovery facility where they are sorted, shredded paper that isn’t in a paper bag blows around like confetti, making a huge mess, and often is swept up and thrown in the garbage.

County budget on track, holds ‘no big surprises’

Clark County’s budget analyst told commissioners Wednesday that revenues and expenses are on track with projections. “With no big surprises, we should be OK,” Adriana Prata said during a financial update.

America Speaks offers chance to weigh in on deficit

County residents can join national town hall in Portland

In this election year, politicians and voters of every stripe are talking about federal spending, the ballooning federal deficit and the need to put the nation’s fiscal house in order. On Saturday, Clark County residents can join in an all-day national discussion about those issues with the expectation that their views actually will be represented in the halls of Congress.

Weather Eye: Simply amazing — 3 consecutive days without rain

Hey! Are we on a roll or what? Three dry days in a row, which is absolutely amazing considering the weather pattern the past few months. And, a bonus — our second 80-degree day this year; how is that for perseverance? Weather forecasts were on track this week as far as temperatures were concerned, but the lack of moisture was the element of surprise. Today through Friday we will see another trough of low pressure swing through for another round of clouds and a downturn in temperature, but it will still remain quite pleasant. As of this writing Wednesday afternoon, it appeared rainfall would be scanty, except for showers over the Cascades and drizzle along the coast and spotty locations inland. The weekend looks not too bad, with seasonal temperatures and possible morning clouds.

PUD commissioners set special meeting Friday

The three elected commissioners of Clark Public Utilities will convene Friday in a special session to sever their long-standing membership with the Washington Public Utility District Association.

In Our View: King County Woes

Familiar problem is worsening to the north as public employee unions wield their power

Public employee unions have a great gravy train rolling for their members … but not for the taxpayers. The ploy used in contract negotiations goes something like this: “Why, those dog catchers over in Tumbleweed Flats make 30 bucks an hour! We deserve the same pay here in Grizzly Gulch, and if you don’t give it to us, we’ll go catch dogs in Tumbleweed Flats, and you’ll be up the gulch without a paddle!” The greed spreads like wildfire among dog catcher unions. The fire is fueled by rulings the unions secure from sympathetic mediators and arbitrators. This scheme is amazingly more influential than any objective analysis of economic data and a municipality’s ability to pay. So, because Tumbleweed Flats and Grizzly Gulch are mired in the Great Recession, critical services and programs are cut while dog catchers everywhere roll merrily through the financial catastrophe that has engulfed the private sector.

Death Notices

A daily listing of death notices

Vital statistics

Births, marriage dissolutions, court sentencings

Inspection find problems at Lewis River dams

Feds say spillway gates need repairs; PacifiCorp agrees, says safety not compromised

Federal energy regulators are raising alarm about the potential for “catastrophic failure” of spillway gates on three major PacifiCorp-owned dams on the North Fork of the Lewis River. The concern arises from a 10-year inspection earlier this year by the investor-owned utility that was submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in late January. PacifiCorp and the federal agency declined to release the report itself, citing security concerns.

Energy Adviser: Conserve water even with a wet spring

I save electricity, but have a tough time understanding why we need to conserve water when we just had such a wet spring? Spring rains don’t necessarily mean we’ll have an abundance of water to waste during dry summer months.

The Garden Life: A plan or puttering? How do you maintain garden?

I find that there are two distinct methods of working in the garden. The first is to begin a specific project with a plan in mind. The second way is by chance, puttering around until you run across a job that needs to be done. Both methods have their place in the maintenance of our gardens. On the planning level, it helps to have a few basic tasks that are done on a regular basis, specific to the season.