Stories for November 24, 2010

Police: Eugene coffee shop employee kills robber

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) -- Eugene, Oregon, police say a coffee shop employee shot a robber who died at the scene.

Eugene OR police: coffee shop worker kills robber

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) -- Police in Eugene, Ore., say a coffee shop employee fatally shot a robber Wednesday night. Police spokeswoman Melinda McLaughlin says officers are looking for a second suspected robber.

Unbeaten Hawaii stops Arkansas-Pine Bluff 70-63

HONOLULU (AP) -- Zane Johnson scored 13 of his 16 points in the second half and Joston Thomas added 16 to rally Hawaii to a 70-63 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Wednesday night.

Medical examiner says 2 WA men died of hypothermia

SEATTLE (AP) -- The King County medical examiner's office says two men have died of hypothermia after being exposed to the cold.

VanDeest scores 26; Drake tops Southern Utah 78-59

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) -- Seth VanDeest scored 26 points Wednesday as Drake defeated Southern Utah 78-59 in the opening round of the Great Alaska Shootout.

Ore. man in disturbance died from smoke

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Portland police say an autopsy shows that a man found dead after a gunfire exchange with police and a house fire died of smoke inhalation.

Aust. deports US man convicted in wife's death

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A law enforcement official says an Alabama man who served 18 months in Australian for his wife's 2003 drowning death has returned to the United States, where he could face prosecution for killing her during their honeymoon on the Great Barrier Reef.

Phone call from police lobby leads to arrest

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) -- The young man apparently just wanted to phone his parents. But his mistake came when he made the call from the Eugene, Ore., police station lobby.

Wash. firefighters rescue dog from icy lake

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) -- Firefighters in Lacey, Wash., near Olympia went into Chambers Lake on Wednesday to rescue a dog who fell through unstable ice while chasing a duck.

Iraq's PM asked to form next government

BAGHDAD (AP) -- Iraqi state television reports that the president has officially asked incumbent Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to form the next government.

Carter nets 32, Bakersfield rallies for 82-77 win

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (AP) -- Stephon Carter scored 32 points and Donavan Bragg 20 as Cal State Bakersfield defeated San Jose State 82-77 Wednesday, handing the Spartans their first loss of the season.

Villanova's 3 guards lead No. 7 Wildcats over UCLA

NEW YORK (AP) -- Corey Fisher scored a career-high 26 points and Mouphtaou Yarou had 13 points and 16 rebounds to lead No. 7 Villanova to an 82-70 victory over UCLA on Wednesday night in the semifinals of the NIT Season Tip-Off.

Offices damaged when pipe bursts in WWU building

BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) -- A Western Washington University spokesman says a sprinkler pipe that burst in frigid temperatures has damaged offices in the Bellingham, Wash., school's Old Main building.

New Mexico tops Northwood 78-56

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) -- Phillip McDonald scored 13 points to help New Mexico cruise to a 78-56 win over Northwood on Wednesday night.

No WA jackpot winners for Powerball, Lotto, Hit 5

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) -- No top-prize tickets were sold in Washington for Wednesday's $64 million Powerball drawing, the Washington State Lottery's $1.3 million Lotto jackpot or the $130,000 Hit 5 cashpot.

Missouri beats La Salle to win Cancun Challenge

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico (AP) -- Marcus Denmon scored a season-high 21 points to lead No. 11 Missouri to an 83-71 victory over La Salle in the championship game of the Cancun Challenge.

Middle Tennessee rallies to beat Evansville 82-70

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) -- Rod Emanuel scored all 15 of his points in the second half as Middle Tennessee rallied to defeat Evansville 82-70 on Wednesday night.

New Wash. mill operator taking applications online

COSMOPOLIS, Wash. (AP) -- The new operators of the Cosmopolis Pulp Mill say they're taking all applications online in their effort to recruit as many as 150 employees.

Stafford leads Denver to first victory, 69-51

DENVER (AP) -- Brian Stafford scored 20 points and Denver beat winless Alcorn State 69-51 Wednesday night for its first victory of the season.

Arnold, Boise State down Eastern Washington 83-54

BOISE, Idaho (AP) -- Robert Arnold scored 26 points and Zack Moritz came off the bench to score 18 as Boise State eased past Eastern Washington 83-54 on Wednesday night.

Avila scores 31, Navy defeats Towson 89-84

TOWSON, Md. (AP) -- J.J. Avila scored 31 points and Navy defeated Towson 89-84 on Tuesday night.

Spurs rally from 21 down for 12th in a row

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Manu Ginobili scored 14 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter to rally the San Antonio Spurs from 21 points down for their 12th straight victory, 113-109 in overtime over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night.

McKinney, Granger lead E. Illinois to 63-56 win

PEORIA, Ill. (AP) -- Curry McKinney scored 22 points and Jeremy Granger scored the final seven points of the game as Eastern Illinois defeated Bradley 63-56 Wednesday.

Blues slip past Predators in shootout

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Andy McDonald scored nine seconds into the game and in the fifth round of the shootout to send the St. Louis Blues to a 2-1 victory over the Nashville Predators Wednesday night.

Bush leads Jackson State past Chattanooga 87-75

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) -- Jenirro Bush scored a career-high 31 points to lead Jackson State to an 87-75 win over Chattanooga on Wednesday night, giving the Tigers their first win of the season.

Former Ore. Sen. Mark Hatfield hospitalized

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- A longtime top aide to former Oregon Sen. Mark Hatfield says the 88-year-old has been hospitalized for observation at a National Institutes of Health hospital unit named for him in Bethesda, Md.

Providence knocks off Wyoming 84-77

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico (AP) -- Vincent Council scored a career-high 29 points to lead Providence to an 84-77 victory over Wyoming on Wednesday night.

East Carolina routs Division II Lenoir-Rhyne 71-48

GREENVILLE, N.C. (AP) -- Jontae Sherrod scored 14 points and Brock Young had 11 as 11 players scored for East Carolina in a 71-48 win over Lenoir-Rhyne on Wednesday night.

Central Michigan turns back Illinois-Chicago 62-52

CHICAGO (AP) -- Freshman Trey Zeigler scored 17 points and Central Michigan used an 11-0 run to take the lead for good in a 62-52 victory over Illinois-Chicago on Wednesday night.

SKorea beefs up security after NKorea attack

INCHEON, South Korea (AP) -- South Korea's president is vowing to boost security around islands near the site of this week's artillery attack by North Korea.

USGS: 4.6 magnitude quake off Ore. coast; not felt

COOS BAY, Ore. (AP) -- The National Earthquake Information Center reports a 4.6 magnitude earthquake Wednesday evening in the Pacific Ocean nearly 200 miles west-northwest of Coos Bay, Ore.

Cole Norris leads Cleveland State past Akron 64-51

AKRON, Ohio (AP) -- Cole Norris scored 19 points and had seven assists as Cleveland State defeated Akron 64-51 on Wednesday night for its best start in school history.

The bells are ringing

Salvation Army needs volunteers and employees to man their red buckets.

Morrow helps Stars beat Senators

OTTAWA (AP) -- Brenden Morrow scored the go-ahead goal at 1:13 of the third period, Andrew Raycroft made 18 saves and the Dallas Stars beat the Ottawa Senators 2-1 on Wednesday night.

Vanderbilt knocks off Grambling 92-59

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Festus Ezeli posted his first career double-double and John Jenkins scored 22 points as Vanderbilt defeated Grambling State 92-59 on Wednesday night.

Fire officials warn about chimney fires

Area firefighters responded to at least three fires this week that originated near chimneys.

Parker leads Dayton 80-60 win over Florida A&M

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) -- Josh Parker scored 18 points and Chris Wright had 15 to lead Dayton to an 80-60 win over Florida A&M on Wednesday night.

Timbers expand roster through expansion draft

Portland, Vancouver each select 10 from other MLS teams

PORTLAND — Three of their selections were quickly traded away and two of their later picks are not expected to play Major League Soccer next season, but the Portland Timbers management expressed delight at the results of Wednesday’s MLS expansion draft. “We took a giant step today in building a very good soccer foundation for the next couple of years,” Timbers coach John Spencer said.

James Madison beats Bucknell 85-75 behind 10 3s

HARRISONBURG, Va. (AP) -- Andrey Semenov scored 20 points, including a career-high five 3-pointers, as James Madison defeated Bucknell 85-75 on Wednesday night.

Kostitsyn, Price lead Canadiens past Kings

MONTREAL (AP) -- Andrei Kostitsyn had a goal and an assist and Carey Price made 24 saves to lead the Montreal Canadiens to a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night.

LSU rolls past Centenary 78-36

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- Andre Stringer scored 16 points and LSU coach Trent Johnson won his 200th game as the Tigers defeated Centenary 78-36 on Wednesday night.

Hoffarber leads No. 15 Minnesota in win

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Blake Hoffarber scored 24 points, including four 3-pointers, and No. 15 Minnesota cruised to a 84-65 win over North Dakota State on Wednesday night.

Ladd, Byfuglien lead Thrashers past Detroit

ATLANTA (AP) -- Andrew Ladd scored short-handed and defenseman Dustin Byfuglien added a power-play goal to help the Atlanta Thrashers win their third straight game, 5-1 over the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday night.

Vikings place Herrera on IR

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) -- The Minnesota Vikings have placed right guard Anthony Herrera on injured reserve with a torn ACL in his left knee, ending his season.

Rhode Island takes down Drexel 74-68

KINGSTON, R.I. (AP) -- Delroy James scored 33 points to lead Rhode Island to a 74-68 victory over Drexel on Wednesday night.

Magic's Jason Williams ejected against Heat

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Magic reserve point guard Jason Williams has been ejected for throwing the ball at the Heat's Jamaal Magloire after a play. Williams whizzed the ball by Magloire's head.

Miami cruises to 79-59 win over McNeese State

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) -- Freshman Rion Brown scored 16 points to lead a balanced attack in Miami's 79-59 victory over McNeese State on Wednesday night.

Air Force beats Wofford 74-66 in overtime

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) -- Evan Washington scored seven of his 14 points in overtime to lead Air Force in a 74-66 win over Wofford on Wednesday night.

George Mason rolls past Radford 81-55

FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) -- Cam Long scored 20 points as George Mason jumped on Radford early and cruised to an 81-55 win on Wednesday night.

Fleury, Dupuis lead Penguins to win over Sabres

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- Marc-Andre Fleury made 30 saves and Pascal Dupuis scored in the first period to give the Pittsburgh Penguins a 1-0 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night.

Bargnani, Evans lead Raptors past 76ers

TORONTO (AP) -- Andrea Bargnani scored 24 points, Reggie Evans set season highs with 12 points and 20 rebounds and the Toronto Raptors extended their winning streak to four games with a 106-90 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night.

West breaks wrist in Celtics game vs. Nets

BOSTON (AP) -- Boston guard Delonte West left the Celtics' game against the New Jersey Nets after breaking his right wrist.

Vermont edges Loyola (Md.) 51-48

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) -- Evan Fjeld scored 15 points and Vermont scored the final four points of the game to take a 51-48 victory over Loyola (Md.) on Wednesday night.

Bucks F Delfino recovering from neck sprain

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Bucks forward Carlos Delfino is recovering from a neck sprain and concussion-like symptoms that has kept him out of Milwaukee's lineup.

Broken glass cuts 1st period short in Minnesota

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- A broken pane of glass has cut short the first period of a game between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Minnesota Wild.

Chicago's Taj Gibson sidelined with ankle injury

PHOENIX (AP) -- Chicago forward Taj Gibson was sidelined Wednesday night for the Bulls' game against the Phoenix Suns with a right ankle injury.

North Florida defeats Morgan State 59-52 in Cancun

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico (AP) -- Andy Diaz, Matt Sauey and Parker Smith scored 11 points apiece as North Florida defeated Morgan State 59-52 on Wednesday.

New Orleans knocks off Louisiana College 80-46

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Zach Kinsley scored 21 points to lead New Orleans to an 80-46 victory over Louisiana College on Wednesday.

Passengers move swiftly at PDX despite stricter security

Travelers moved quickly and calmly through Portland International Airport on Wednesday, despite stricter security protocol that had led some to worry about delays on one of the busiest travel days of the year. Portland does not yet have the full-body scanners that have been at the center of an Internet boycott — those are due to arrive in 2011 — but Transportation Security Administration employees at the airport are being more thorough with the pat-downs that passengers receive if they trigger the metal detector or are randomly selected for extra screening.

Leyva hired for Hurdle's Pirates staff

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Former Phillies manager Nick Leyva has joined the Pirates' staff as new manager Clint Hurdle's third base coach.

Police search for alleged intruder who resident hit with pipe

Todd Mouton, 19, needs sutures to scalp, police say

Vancouver police say they are looking for a would-be burglar who climbed inside another man’s kitchen window Wednesday afternoon, only to be struck on the head by the renter, who swung a metal pipe.

Heat's Bosh deals with back spasms vs. Magic

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Add Chris Bosh to the Miami Heat's growing injury list.

Heat's Bosh leaves game vs. Magic with back spasms

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Add Chris Bosh to the Miami Heat's growing injury list.

US cyclist Charles Coyle given two-year doping ban

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., (AP) -- U.S. cyclist Charles Coyle has accepted his two-year ban by the United States Anti-Doping Agency for possessing and using prohibited performance-enhancing drugs.

Lucas carries Spartans past Washington 76-71

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) -- Kalin Lucas scored 29 points and keyed a second-half rally, helping No. 2 Michigan State salvage a 76-71 win over No. 13 Washington in the third place game of the Maui Invitational on Wednesday.

Panthers place Bernier and Olesz on injured list

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) -- Florida Panthers forwards Steve Bernier and Rostislav Olesz are going on the injured list.

Pirates trade LHP Duke to Diamondbacks

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- The Pittsburgh Pirates have traded left-hander Zach Duke to the Arizona Diamondbacks for a player to be named.

Coleman lifts Presbyterian past Princeton 69-67

HARRISONBURG, Va. (AP) -- Al'Lonzo Coleman scored 17 points, including the go-ahead basket with 16 seconds left, to lead Presbyterian to a 69-67 victory over Princeton on Wednesday.

Celtics G Rondo sidelined against Nets

BOSTON (AP) -- Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo will miss Wednesday night's game against the New Jersey Nets with a strained left hamstring.

Texas cruises past Idaho State

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Ashleigh Fontenette and Chassidy Fussell each scored 20 points to lead No. 16 Texas to an 82-68 victory over Idaho State on Wednesday.

Harvard edges Bryant 69-66

SMITHFIELD, R.I. (AP) -- Christian Webster hit a 3-pointer with 23 seconds left and Keith Wright had 24 points and 10 rebounds to lead Harvard to a 69-66 victory over Bryant on Wednesday.

Brown holds on to beat St. Francis (N.Y.) 67-63

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) -- Tucker Halpern scored 15 points and Brown held off St. Francis (N.Y.) 67-63 on Wednesday.

Magic's Vince Carter out against Heat with injury

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Orlando Magic shooting guard Vince Carter is inactive against the Miami Heat on Wednesday night after he sprained his left knee.

Bucks' Bogut out with back spasms

CLEVELAND (AP) -- Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut is not playing against Cleveland because of back spasms that have been bothering him for several days.

NZ mine recovery could take months

GREYMOUTH, New Zealand (AP) -- Officials say it could take weeks or months before the bodies of the victims of New Zealand's mining disaster are recovered.

Firefighters on river rescue find floating dummy

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Firefighters who were called to rescue someone from the Los Angeles River found themselves retrieving a real dummy.

Boeing: Foreign debris probably sparked 787 fire

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Boeing Co. says some kind of foreign debris probably caused the electrical fire on board one of its 787s earlier this month.

Wolak replaces Gomez in Chavez Jr.'s next bout

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Alfonso Gomez has a torn ligament in his left elbow that will prevent him from fighting Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. at Honda Center next week.

Moreno finally hitting his stride

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) -- The Denver Broncos rank dead last in the NFL in rushing with a paltry 75.4 yards per game. So why are these guys smiling?

Report critical of Ore. agency after child abused

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) -- A report has faulted the state Department of Human Services for not investigating initial claims of child abuse against an Oregon couple sent to prison for mistreating their 9-year-old adopted son.

Turkey of a Thanksgiving forecast: freezing rain

Forecasters are raising the possibility of freezing rain on Thanksgiving, especially if the cold air that settled into the area Monday fails to quickly relinquish its grip. The National Weather Service said freezing rain could pelt the Portland-Vancouver by the late afternoon or evening.

Former major league pitcher Danny McDevitt dies

COVINGTON, Ga. (AP) -- Danny McDevitt, the former Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher who won the team's final game at Ebbets Field in 1957, has died. He was 78.

UCLA coordinator Chow gets 2-year extension

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- UCLA offensive coordinator Norm Chow's two-year contract extension finally has been approved by the University of California Board of Regents.

E-mails show struggle to guess size of Gulf spill

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A review of thousands of government e-mails from last summer shows that the Obama administration struggled behind the scenes to determine just how much oil was leaking into the Gulf of Mexico from a broken BP well.

Giants get Thomas on waivers, put Hedgecock on IR

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- The New York Giants have been awarded receiver Devin Thomas on waivers from the Carolina Panthers.

Clemson-South Carolina hoop start moved back

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- The opening tipoff for the South Carolina-Clemson men's basketball game Dec. 5 has been pushed back three hours.

Western Illinois beats Prairie View 69-63

CANCUN, Mexico (AP) -- Matt Lander scored 19 points and Jack Houpt added 16 points to lead Western Illinois to a 69-63 win over Prairie View on Wednesday in the Cancun Challenge.

Williams' foot injury Seattle's biggest question

RENTON, Wash. (AP) -- Just as Seattle's passing game was getting going, the status of wide receiver Mike Williams is in question.

Happy Week wins at Churchill

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- Happy Week took the lead shortly after the start and drew away in the stretch to win the $64,381 Undermine Purse by three-quarters of a length at Churchill Downs on Wednesday.

At 4-0, Arizona heads to Vegas for first real test

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -- Four blowout victories at home have Arizona off to its best start in eight seasons.

Altitude simulator helps keep Jackson going

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Steven Jackson expects to breathe easy this weekend in Denver.

Bills CB McGee leaves practice with knee injury

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) -- Buffalo Bills cornerback Terrence McGee has left practice because of a knee injury, and it's uncertain if he'll play against Pittsburgh this weekend.

Titans offensive coordinator diagnosed with cancer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Tennessee offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger has been diagnosed with cancer and is expected to start chemotherapy treatment almost immediately.

Ochocinco bares almost everything in anti-fur ad

NEW YORK (AP) -- Chad Ochocinco is baring it all -- almost -- in a new anti-fur ad for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Alexander ready to return to Rams' lineup

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- St. Louis Rams wide receiver Danario Alexander may return against Denver this weekend after missing a month following arthroscopic knee surgery.

Northern Illinois beats Md-Eastern Shore 86-80

PRINCESS ANNE, Md. (AP) -- Xavier Silas scored 34 points to lead Northern Illinois to an 86-80 win over Maryland-Eastern Shore on Wednesday.

Silverswords notch another upset, 68-64 over OU

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) -- Steven Bennett scored on a contested drive with 16 seconds left and Division II Chaminade held on to pull off another upset, beating Oklahoma 68-64 in the seventh place game of the Maui Invitational on Wednesday.

Police: man accused of hatchet attack heard voices

SEATTLE (AP) -- (AP) -- A Seattle police report says a homeless man accused of using a hatchet to kill a stranger had been hearing voices before the unprovoked attack.

Report: No code violation in Ohio raceway fire

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Officials say there's no evidence that fire codes were violated when an Ohio raceway barn caught fire in December, killing two groomsmen and more than 40 horses.

Our Lady of Lake beats Texas St 127-126 in OT

SAN MARCOS, Texas (AP) -- Robert Martinez scored 29 points and hit a 3-pointer with 1 second left in overtime to give Our Lady of the Lake a 127-126 win over Texas State on Wednesday after the Saints blew a huge halftime lead.

New financial officer at Seattle Times

SEATTLE (AP) -- The Seattle Times Co. has named a new person to oversee the company's finances.

Cotchery, Lowery out for Jets, Woody questionable

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) -- New York Jets wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery will miss his second straight game as he recovers from a groin injury.

Police search for injured intruder

A man was struck in the head with a baseball bat Wednesday afternoon by a resident after he entered the occupant's kitchen through a window.

Missing Oregon man found dead in northern Ariz.

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) -- Northern Arizona authorities say a man reported missing from Oregon has been found dead near the Grand Canyon.

Muhaawara wins Big A feature

NEW YORK (AP) -- Muhaawara held off Speightful Affair by a neck Wednesday in the $48,000 allowance feature for fillies and mares at Aqueduct.

Boxer Christy Martin hurt in fight with husband

APOPKA, Fla. (AP) -- Deputies in Florida say boxer Christy Martin was shot and stabbed by her husband while the two were fighting at their home.

Patriots QB Brady questionable for Thursday

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) -- The New England Patriots are listing quarterback Tom Brady as questionable for their Thanksgiving Day game against the Detroit Lions.

Overnight fire destroys Battle Ground home

Fire destroyed the home of Sam and Sonja Cnossen early Wednesday morning. Fire officials said the blaze north of Battle Ground was caused by heat from a wood stove chimney igniting the adjacent structure, according to a preliminary investigation.

Payton 'optimistic' Bush will play vs. Dallas

METAIRIE, La. (AP) -- Saints coach Sean Payton says he's optimistic Reggie Bush will be able to finally come back from his broken right leg at Dallas on Thanksgiving.

UPDATED: Timbers MLS expansion draft

The Portland Timbers had 10 selections from existing Major League Soccer clubs in Wednesday's expansion draft. They then traded top pick Dax McCarty.

76ers center Brand suspended one game by NBA

NEW YORK (AP) -- Philadelphia 76ers forward Elton Brand has been suspended without pay for one game for committing a flagrant foul against Washington Wizards center JaVell McGee on Tuesday night.

Aggies eager to add misery to Texas' bad season

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- The Texas A&M Aggies have been waiting a long time for a season like this.

Oregon RB James cleared after anonymous allegation

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) -- The University of Oregon says allegations of impropriety surrounding LaMichael James and a vehicle he had been driving are unfounded.

OSU closes campus after electrical fire in tunnels

CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) -- Oregon State University has closed its campus in Corvallis for the remainder of the day after an electrical fire in steam tunnels caused smoke and other problems.

Parreira: Chile contacted him about soccer job

SAO PAULO (AP) -- Former Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira says the Chilean soccer federation has contacted him about possibly becoming the country's national coach.

Armed woman taken into custody in east Vancouver

Police and sheriff’s deputies converged in the 19400 block of Southeast 20th Street, in far-east Vancouver near Camas, late Tuesday night after learning that shots were fired in a home and a woman was barricaded inside with a handgun. The call surfaced at 10:21 p.m. Tuesday. An officer radioed that a shot had “definitely” been fired inside, according to emergency radio traffic monitored at The Columbian.

Man charged with assault of month-old son

A Vancouver man is in jail for allegedly assaulting his month-old son in September.

Air Force: Not so fast on lesbian's reinstatement

SEATTLE (AP) -- The Air Force is saying not so fast on the reinstatement of a lesbian flight nurse discharged under "don't ask, don't tell."

3 Wash. food banks benefit from vitamin settlement

SEATTLE, Wash. (AP) -- Three food bank programs will be splitting $570,000 from the state just in time for Thanksgiving.

Comedian George Lopez's wife files for divorce

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- George Lopez and his wife of 17 years are making their breakup official with her filing for divorce.

Leach sues ESPN, PR firm for slander, libel

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) -- Former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach is suing ESPN Inc. and a public relations firm allegedly hired by Craig James for libel and slander.

Royals' Bullington headed to Japan

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The Royals have asked unconditional release waivers on Bryan Bullington, allowing the right-hander to sign with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of Japan's Central League.

No. 8 Buckeyes' battle cry: Tie up Shoelace

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- There's this problem that Ohio State has this week in preparing for Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson.

Corvallis City Hall to close for 6 months

CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) -- The Corvallis City Hall is about to close for six months for a $1.1 million seismic upgrade.

NBA ticket prices drop for 2nd straight season

NEW YORK (AP) -- NBA ticket prices have fallen for the second straight season.

Blues activate D Jackman

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- St. Louis Blues defenseman Barret Jackman has been activated after missing nine games with a sprained knee.

Shop owner sells himself winning lottery ticket

BELLE VERNON, Pa. (AP) -- A shop owner in western Pennsylvania has sold himself a winning $1.8 million lottery ticket -- and as the seller of the ticket, he'll get an extra $10,000.

QB Fitzpatrick could have future as Bills starter

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) -- Buffalo Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is playing so well he's earned the chance to remain the team's starter beyond this season.

Olympic medalist Nobs ends snowboardcross career

BERN, Switzerland (AP) -- Olympic snowboardcross bronze medalist Olivia Nobs has retired from competition on the eve of a new season because she lacks funding.

Delhomme back as Browns' starter

BEREA, Ohio (AP) -- Jake Delhomme has spent most of his first season with Cleveland dispensing sound advice to rookie quarterback Colt McCoy.

Te'o chose Notre Dame over USC, no regrets

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -- Manti Te'o had trouble feeling his face and when the blood suddenly started gushing, he knew something was wrong. Turns out the star linebacker for Notre Dame broke his nose in last week's win over Army.

Bellingham council OKs traffic cameras

BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) -- The Bellingham City Council voted to install traffic cameras at four intersections and two school zones.

Ore. police chief takes job in Olympia, Wash.

REDMOND, Ore. (AP) -- The police chief in Redmond, Ore., has accepted a conditional offer to become the next chief of police in Olympia, Wash.

No pat-down protest delays at Sea-Tac

SEATAC, Wash. (AP) -- Air travelers moved normally through Sea-Tac Airport security checkpoints Wednesday morning despite a threatend pat-down protest.

Defending champion Saints up next for Cowboys

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- The Dallas Cowboys were 1-7 under Wade Phillips and have won two straight since he was fired.

Vlad Guerrero wins Martinez award for top DH

NEW YORK (AP) -- Vladimir Guerrero has won the Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award after helping the Texas Rangers earn their first trip to the World Series.

Only 2 West Nile virus cases in Washington

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) -- The state Health Department says only two people were reported with the West Nile virus in Washington this year, compared with nearly 40 in 2009.

Battered Bengals promote S Miles

CINCINNATI (AP) -- The Cincinnati Bengals have signed rookie safety Jeromy Miles from their practice squad in time for Thursday night's game with the New York Jets.

Soldier charged in Afghan deaths waives hearing

SEATTLE (AP) -- A soldier who warned of a plot to kill Afghan civilians only to be charged in the case later has waived his right to a preliminary hearing.

Laptop stolen in Atlanta found in Aberdeen

ABERDEEN, Wash. (AP) -- A stolen laptop phoned home to Atlanta Tuesday when an unsuspecting Aberdeen woman powered it on.

Brandon Jacobs back at Giants No. 1 RB

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Brandon Jacobs is once again the New York Giants' No. 1 running back.

Footprints lead to Ocean Shores burglary suspect

OCEAN SHORES, Wash. (AP) -- Ocean Shores Police tracked down a burglary suspect Tuesday night by following his footprints in the snow.

Di Luca hopeful of cycling return after doping ban

MILAN (AP) -- Italian rider Danilo Di Luca says he wants to return to competitive cycling in 2011 after serving a doping ban.

Root for rival? Spartans need help from Wolverines

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- No. 11 Michigan State has a big game at Penn State this weekend.

Injury ends season early for Redskins' RB Portis

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) -- Clinton Portis' season has come to an early end for the second year in a row.

Groin injury ends season for Redskins' RB Portis

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) -- Clinton Portis' season has come to an early end for the second year in a row.

Diamond League to offer 14 meets, starts in Doha

PARIS (AP) -- Track and field's governing body has unveiled the calendar for the second Diamond League season, with the opening meet set for May 6 in Doha.

Thunder sends rookie Aldrich to D-League

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The Oklahoma City Thunder is sending first-round draft choice Cole Aldrich to the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League.

Israeli army destroys West Bank road

QARAWAT BANI HASSAN, West Bank (AP) -- The Israeli army has destroyed a farm road built as part of a Palestinian campaign to assist residents of Israeli-controlled areas in the West Bank.

Oklahoma St's McGee makes comeback from injury

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) -- As he lay in bed after playing in the Bedlam rivalry game for the first time, Andrew McGee just couldn't sleep.

Umatilla County DA pleads not guilty to misconduct

PENDLETON, Ore. (AP) -- Umatilla County District Attorney Dean Gushwa has pleaded not guilty to charges he intimidated and threatened two women into having sex with him.

Berdych beats Roddick 7-5, 6-3 at ATP finals

LONDON (AP) -- Tomas Berdych has won his first match at the ATP World Tour Finals, leaving Andy Roddick with an 0-2 record after beating the American 7-5, 6-3.

Bicycle traffic growing again in Portland

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- After a one-year decline, bicycle traffic in Portland is growing again.

Footprints in snow lead Bend police to suspect

BEND, Ore. (AP) -- Footprints in fresh snow led Bend police Tuesday from a business burglary to a motel where they arrested a suspect.

Pelini: Huskers lose WR Paul for Colorado game

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- No. 16 Nebraska will be without senior wide receiver and kick returner Niles Paul as it tries to win the Big 12 North title.

Portland stolen car driver was wanted man

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- A driver who ran off after a Portland stolen car chase ended in a crash was wanted on several outstanding arrest warrants.

Purdue basketball player ill with meningitis

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) -- Purdue has canceled its trip to a tournament in Mexico after a player became ill with suspected meningitis.

Tailgate pot charge dropped against Pa. lawmaker

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- A western Pennsylvania lawmaker has been fined $50 plus court costs for disorderly conduct after Pittsburgh police dropped a charge that he smoked marijuana while tailgating last month outside a Pittsburgh Steelers game.

Young, Suh, Stoops lead all-time, all-Big 12 team

IRVING, Texas (AP) -- Former Texas quarterback Vince Young, former Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops are the top honorees on The Associated Press' all-time, all-Big 12 team.

Rory McIlroy hoping for consistency in 2011

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- For Rory McIlroy, 2011 will be all about consistency.

Frigid but sunny day ahead in Clark County

The thick frost covering your windows this morning is more an sign of what's passed, rather than what's ahead: The National Weather Service forecasts mostly sunny skies today.

Amanda Knox parents hope appeal ends in release

SEATTLE (AP) -- The parents of Amanda Knox hope the appeal of her murder conviction in Italy results in her release by unraveling the prosecution's theory of the motivation.

Ridgefield woman who shot husband gets 20 years

VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP) -- A woman who shot and wounded her husband with a shotgun because he was having an affair was sentenced to 20 years in prison Tuesday in Vancouver.

Seattle police fired 5 shots at man with gun

SEATTLE (AP) -- Police say three officers fired a total of five rifle shots at a man who had been holding a gun inside a stolen car in Seattle.

Former Spokane deputy charged with felony DUI

SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. (AP) -- A former Spokane County sheriff's deputy with a history of driving under the influence has been charged with a felony after his latest arrest in Spokane Valley.

Brazil president denies World Cup delays

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) -- Brazil's president is downplaying concerns about delays in preparations for the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Rio Olympics, insisting that the country will be ready to host both events.

Police rescue suicidal man on Spokane bridge

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) -- Police say two officers risked their lives to save a suicidal man on the Maple Street Bridge in Spokane.

Boise State president responds to Ohio State slam

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Boise State's president says his counterpart at Ohio State's claim that Big Ten and Southeastern Conference teams play a "murderer's row" schedule "is the greatest exaggeration I think we've heard this year in college football."

Gee says TCU, Boise St. don't deserve title shot

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Even if TCU and Boise State run the table, they still don't deserve to be in the Bowl Championship Series title game, Ohio State president E. Gordon Gee said Wednesday.

Liu wins 110 hurdles title at Asian Games

GUANGZHOU, China (AP) -- Former world record holder Liu Xiang won the 110-meter hurdles at the Asian Games, earning redemption before a home crowd two years after pulling out of the Beijing Olympics because of a foot injury.

Stuff the Bus food drive begins

The annual food drive competition between Camas High School and Washougal High School has begun. Both schools are collecting nonperishable food, cash and unopened toys for Stuff the Bus 2010. This is the third year of the event; each school has claimed victory once. Schools in both districts will collect donations through Dec. 6. Last year, the schools collected 72,000 pounds of food.

Closure confusion frosts parents

Evergreen Public Schools caught heat on an icy Tuesday morning for doing nothing. Not so much for declining to keep schools closed, or delay their opening by a few hours, as most districts had. (That’s a hot debate anytime there’s a Vancouver-Portland weather “event” — and no different this time.)

Local election turnout was nearly 68%

A total of 149,045 Clark County voters cast ballots in the Nov. 2 general election, for a ballot return rate of 67.87 percent. The Clark County Elections Department released its final report Tuesday.

11/24 Talking Points

What’s the buzz from the world of sports? Here are some items that will have people talking:

Our Readers' Views

Energized by possible recreation area I have heard many rumors of the possibility of a BMX biking dirt track being built in Vancouver. I think having a dirt track would be a great idea to add recreation to our area. My boyfriend and I are avid BMX riders; he has raced BMX since he was very young and is a big part of the BMX biking community. Unfortunately, the closest track to us is the track in Molalla, Ore., and it is a long drive from where we live in Salmon Creek.

Prep notes: Camas’ Patterson signs with New Mexico

Pitcher won playoff game as Papermakers reached state title game

Ryan Patterson, who helped Camas to a second-place finish in the Class 3A state baseball playoffs in the spring, has signed a letter of intent to pitch for New Mexico.

Survey shows manufacturers’ concerns

Statewide poll will be focus of Vancouver event

Nearly six in 10 leaders at Southwest Washington manufacturers believe that the state’s business environment is on the wrong track, according to a statewide survey aimed at better understanding the sector. But local manufacturers’ worries about the cost of health care trump even concerns about federal policies and regulations, the survey found.

Corrections

It is The Columbian’s policy to correct errors. Call Mary Ricks at 360-735-4550.

Several sites offering free turkey dinners

Free Thanksgiving meals will be offered at these sites: • Auto’s Pub, noon Thursday,16209 S.E. McGillivray Blvd., Vancouver: Free Thanksgiving meal until the food is gone. For more details, call 360-253-6253.

Death notices

A list of daily death notices

Will your home be lit with holiday cheer?

If you can hear those jingle bells coming down the block, then it must be almost time to start decorating for Christmas. If Santa and his reindeer, Yukon Cornelius or any other jolly giants will make an appearance on your roof or in the yard this year, we’d like to know.

Fire training exercises

Clark County Fire & Rescue, the Battle Ground Police Department and other local fire and law enforcement agencies participated in training exercises at the old Vancouver Clinic building at 2005 W. Main St. in Battle Ground. The training week culminated when the building was burned down Nov. 13 to gather information for fire and law enforcement personnel for future incidents.

Pets of the week

These pets are among those available for adoption from noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Humane Society for Southwest Washington, 1100 N.E. 192nd Ave., Vancouver. Fees — which can include registered microchip, health exam, a spay or neuter certificate and vaccination — vary. Call 360-693-4746.

Umpqua Bank hosts children's book drive

Umpqua Bank and Educational Opportunities for Children and families are looking for new children’s books, for ages 3 to 7, to provide to low-income children.

Kiwanis, McDonald’s seek clothing donations

The Kiwanis clubs in Clark County and 11 McDonald’s restaurants are collecting clothing and supplies for needy infants from Nov. 29 through Dec. 25.

States put end to smelt-dips

Once caught by the millions, the fish now are endangered

Washington and Oregon on Tuesday closed the final remnants of the commercial smelt season in the Columbia River, ending a century-long fishery that once tallied its annual harvest in the millions of pounds. The National Marine Fisheries Service listed smelt as endangered in May.

County approves 20-year cycling, pedestrian plan

Cycling and walking are healthy alternatives to driving and should be encouraged by adding bicycle lanes and sidewalks, county commissioners were told Tuesday by more than a dozen residents who testified during a public hearing on a proposed 20-year Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. Commissioners unanimously approved the plan, which was 18 months in the making.

Vital statistics

Births, marriage dissolutions and licenses and court sentencings.

In our view: High-Tech Bullying

Clark County school officials, teachers and parents must be involved in tackling problem

It’s a tale from The Dark Side of the Internet, an ancient problem exacerbated by modern technology. As a story by reporter Marissa Harshman of The Columbian recently illuminated, the issue of bullying in schools has taken a high-tech turn, feeding off the power of the Internet and cell phones.

Everybody has a story: Kids helped father create memorial to Kennedy

Cannon casings helped teach lesson about true heroes

Mrs. Verhoff, my fourth-grade teacher, was abruptly called into the hallway that day. She was visibly distraught upon re-entering the room and began to address the class. Through her tears we were informed the president of the United States, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, had been shot and killed. It was Nov. 22, 1963. I was 9 years old.

In your neighborhood

News and events in Clark County neighborhoods

Kiwanis host 28th grapefruit sale

The Fort Vancouver Kiwanis Club is hosting its 28th annual grapefruit fundraiser sale through Nov. 30 or until supplies run out.

Neighbors calendar

Neighborhood association meeting

Blue Ribbon Commission seeks public input

The Blue Ribbon Commission is seeking community input on the future of parks and recreation programs in Clark County.

Rapper DMX appears in court in Phoenix

PHOENIX (AP) -- Rapper Earl Simmons, also known as DMX, is denying he violated his probation.

Rapper DMX scheduled to appear in court in Phoenix

PHOENIX (AP) -- Rapper Earl Simmons, otherwise known as DMX, is headed to a court hearing Wednesday morning in Phoenix.

Rapper DMX denies probation violation charges

PHOENIX (AP) -- Rapper DMX is denying allegations that he violated his probation by using cocaine and OxyContin.

Americans boost spending as incomes grow

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Americans earned more and spent more last month, a hopeful sign for the economy ahead of the holiday buying season.

Team manager stands by suspended cyclist Contador

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) -- The manager of Alberto Contador's Saxo Bank cycling team says the Spanish rider "is not guilty" until the opposite is proven.

2018 World Cup bidders woo Asia delegates

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- Countries vying to host the World Cup in 2018 have presented their bids to Asian soccer officials, with England pledging a "most spectacular" tournament, while Belgium and the Netherlands are promising an environmentally friendly one.

Stories for November 24, 2010

Lead stories

Stories

Portland, Vancouver each select 10 from other MLS teams

Todd Mouton, 19, needs sutures to scalp, police say