Stories for February 20, 2011
Lead stories
Stories
Rachel Alexandra bred to Curlin
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) -- Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra has been bred to stablemate and two-time Horse of the Year Curlin.
IOC VP new choice for Rome's Olympic bid
ROME (AP) -- Italian officials say IOC Vice President Mario Pescante is the new choice to lead Rome's bid to host the 2020 Olympics after the withdrawal of two other candidates.
Bayne probably won't race for Sprint Cup title
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne says he's probably not going to attempt to run for the Sprint Cup championship this year.
Virginia snowboarder rescued on Ore. Mount Hood
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- A 27-year-old Virginia man who got lost while snowboarding on Mount Hood in Oregon has been rescued after spending a night when temperatures dipped into the low teens on the tallest mountain in the state.
Lost snowboarder on Mount Hood rescued
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- A snowboarder lost on Oregon's Mount Hood has been rescued after spending a night in temperatures that dipped into the teens.
Lost snowboarder on Mount Hood hears helicopter
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- A snowboarder lost on Oregon's Mount Hood was able to call rescuers Monday morning and say he heard the sound of a helicopter.
Lost snowboarder on Mount Hood hears rescue copter
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- A snowboarder lost on Oregon's Mount Hood was able to call rescuers Monday morning and say he heard the sound of a rescue helicopter.
Rescuers search Mount Hood for missing snowboarder
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Rescuers in Oregon have re-established a cell phone connection with a 26-year-old man who apparently got lost while snowboarding on Mount Hood.
Rescuers search Mount Hood for missing snowboarder
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Rescuers are searching Oregon's Mount Hood for a 26-year-old man who apparently got lost while snowboarding.
Search resumes for Mount Hood missing snowboarder
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- A search has resumed for a 26-year-old man who apparently got lost while snowboarding on Mount Hood.
Seattle-area nurse inspired to join Air Force
ABERDEEN, Wash. (AP) -- A brother who died in Afghanistan inspired a Seattle-area nurse to join the Air Force Reserve.
Lawmakers look to trim 'safety net,' plug deficit
OLYMPIA (AP) -- As state lawmakers grapple with a huge budget deficit, attention is focusing on a program that pvides medical care and cash assistance for some of the state's poorest residents.
Mudslides often block Washington passenger trains
EVERETT, Wash. (AP) -- Mudslides have been mucking up passenger rail traffic this winter between Seattle and Everett.
Phillies' Lee had offseason side muscle strain
CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) -- Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Cliff Lee says a side muscle strain is the reason his first bullpen session lasted just eight pitches a week ago.
Complex cleanup work at Hanford plutonium plant
RICHLAND, Wash. (AP) -- Cleanup workers have begun the complex task of removing 196 skinny tanks contaminated with plutonium at the Plutonium Finishing Plant on the Hanford nuclear reservation.
Autopsies done on 3 killed at home near Yakima
YAKIMA, Wash. (AP) -- Yakima County Coroner Jack Hawkins says three people found dead in a home west of Yakima on Friday died of blunt force trauma.
Autopsies on 3 killed at home near Yakima
YAKIMA, Wash. (AP) -- YAKIMA, Wash.
No arrests yet in weekend shootings
Home was also site of fatal accidental death in November
Authorities said no arrests had been made Sunday in the aftermath of a Saturday night shooting at a residence just north of the Bagley Downs neighborhood. The house has been the scene of two violent incidents in the past three months. Two people were shot about 11:38 p.m. during a gathering at 4213 N.E. 38th St. Neither injury was life-threatening, said Sgt. Shane Gardner with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office. He said the two victims are Cory S. Bloom and Sarah A. Godfrey. Gardner said both are about 22 years old.
Gulbis, Gasquet win 1st-round matches in Dubai
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- Eighth-seeded Ernests Gulbis beat German qualifier Michael Berrer 6-3, 6-4 in the first round of the Dubai Championships on Monday.
Walker says he won't accept compromise
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker says he won't negotiate over his plan to strip most collective bargaining rights from nearly every public employee.
Teens behind Spokane vandalism seen as hate crime
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) -- Spokane police say vandalism that appeared to be a religious hate crime is the result of a dispute between two teenage girls.
Spokane vandalism investigated as hate crime
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) -- Spokane police are investigating vandalism at a Spokane home as a religious hate crime.
Cold, chance of snow forecast for Washington
SEATTLE (AP) -- Winter has at least one more blast in store for Washington.
Bowlers strike back against cancer
Battle Ground survivor among 174 at fundraiser
“I’m a survivor,” announced Michelle Gonzalez of Battle Ground as 173 bowlers rolled for the cure at Allen’s Crosley Lanes on Sunday. Her son, Mario, turned to show the back of his pink T-shirt. It read: “Bowl a spare to save a pair.”
Count Ridgefield refuge in national bird survey
Woman spied about 1,500 Sunday
Carol Ledford said she was excited to be part of the Great Backyard Bird Count over the weekend. And she picked a great backyard: the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. “I got about 1,500 birds,” said Ledford of Gresham, Ore. “I counted 490 tundra swans and I put down 350 cackling geese.”
Greek sprinters Kenteris, Thanou ingore summons
ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Greek sprinters Costas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou have ignored a summons to appear in court to be questioned in a perjury case.
Tampa mom makes son wear sign announcing 1.22 GPA
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- A Tampa mother is defending her decision to stick her teenage son on a street corner with a sign that says, among other things, "GPA 1.22 ... honk if I need education."
Donors help clear trashed Hough land
A west Vancouver property trashed by vandals has been cleared of a huge mound of garbage.
St. Rep. Cissna objects to airport search demand
SEATTLE (AP) -- State Rep. Sharon Cissna is returning to Alaska by sea after refusing a pat-down search at a Seattle airport.
St. Rep. Cissna objects to airport search demand
SEATTLE (AP) -- State Rep. Sharon Cissna is returning to Alaska by sea after refusing a pat-down search at a Seattle airport.
Afghan police: At least 28 killed in suicide blast
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- Police in northern Afghanistan say a suicide bomber has killed at least 28 people, including civilians, at a government office in Kunduz province.
Gadhafi appears briefly on Libyan state TV
CAIRO (AP) -- Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi has appeared for less than a minute on state television and made brief remarks to say he was in the capital Tripoli and deny rumors he had to fled to Venezuela amid the unrest sweeping his country.
Libya: Protesters, security clash in capital
CAIRO (AP) -- Witnesses say Libyan protesters and security forces battled for control of Tripoli's city center overnight, with snipers opening fire and Moammar Gadhafi supporters shooting from speeding vehicles.
GOP won't vote on union bill without Democrats
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The Republican leader of the Wisconsin state Senate says there will be no vote on a bill taking away union rights for government workers until Democrats return.
APNewsbreak: Blagojevich seeks to toss wiretaps
CHICAGO (AP) -- Attorneys for Rod Blagojevich are asking a judge to throw out secret wiretap recordings made of the former Illinois governor in 2008, claiming there are gaps in the tapes.
Shooting update; residence was scene of deadly incident in November
Two Vancouver residents were shot in the legs by an intruder Saturday night, according to Clark County sheriff's deputies. This residence was the scene of a violent death in November.
Intel: Suspected US missiles kill 5 in Pakistan
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) -- Pakistani intelligence officials say a suspected US missile strike has killed at least five people in a tribal region near the Afghan border.
Bahrain protesters seek to overthrow royal family
MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) -- A group of protesters is calling for the ouster of Bahrain's entire ruling monarchy as part of sweeping demands to call off the weeklong uprising in the Gulf nation.
Kobe outfoxes younger stars for 4th MVP trophy
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- LeBron James racked up a silky-smooth triple-double. Kevin Durant dropped 34 points in 30 minutes. Amare Stoudemire slammed and jammed his way through Staples Center to 29 points.
Virtual president's desk enlivens JFK's 1800s desk
BOSTON (AP) -- A new online feature called The President's Desk is giving people a chance to learn more about John F. Kennedy's life and administration.
Rihanna rocks celeb-studded NBA All-Star game
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- With a celebrity-studded crowd looking on, Rihanna rocked the halftime show at the NBA All-Star game on her 23rd birthday.
Flames beat Canadiens 4-0 in outdoor game
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) -- Rene Bourque scored two goals, Miikka Kiprusoff stopped 39 shots and the Calgary Flames beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-0 Sunday in the Heritage Classic outdoors game at McMahon Stadium.
Kobe wins 4th MVP in West's All-Star win
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Kobe Bryant won his record-tying fourth All-Star game MVP award to the delight of his hometown fans, scoring 37 points and propelling the West to a 148-143 victory over the East in the NBA's midseason showcase on Sunday night.
Kobe drives West to All-Star halftime lead
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Kobe Bryant scored 21 points in an early bid for a record-tying fourth All-Star game MVP award, and the West took a 76-64 lead over the East at halftime of the NBA's midseason showcase on Sunday night.
'T' on Coach K sparks No. 5 Duke past Georgia Tech
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) -- Nolan Smith scored 28 points and No. 5 Duke made its case to return to the top of the national rankings by routing Georgia Tech 79-57 on Sunday night.
Corral injured in Prairie's win
Falcons advance to bi-district championship game
Heather Corral suffered a knee injury in the Prairie girls basketball team's 62-43 win over Wilson on Tacoma on Saturday and her status is uncertain.
Hardy, Mellouli win again in Missouri
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) -- Jessica Hardy and Oussama Mellouli did it again at the Missouri Grand Prix.
Learning some horse sense
Enthusiasts saddle up for care tips and demonstrations at new expo
RIDGEFIELD — Twins Clare and Erin Welch, 3, and sister Gwyn, 4, of Ridgefield love horses and have said they’d like to take riding lessons one day, said their dad, Dan. On Saturday, the girls each rode a pony at the Washington State Horse Expo.
Sweet taste of victory for Evergreen wrestler
Michael Nguyen captures 4A state championship
TACOMA — Michael Nguyen said on Friday that he was looking forward to a feast on Saturday night. The buffet figured to be especially sweet for the Evergreen junior after he won the state championship in the Class 4A 103-pound division at Mat Classic XXIII.
1 dead, 20 firefighters hurt in NYC apartment fire
NEW YORK (AP) -- Officials say one person has died in a fire that ripped through a six-story New York City apartment building.
Factor wins San Vicente, stirs Baffert Derby hopes
ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) -- The Factor emerged as a strong contender to give trainer Bob Baffert his fourth Kentucky Derby victory with a gate-to-wire win in the $150,000 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita on Sunday.
Missing boy's mother launches flier campaign
ROSEBURG, Ore. (AP) -- The mother of missing Oregon boy, Kyron Horman, and others are distributing fliers urging the public to ask the boy's stepmother where he is.
Nankivil's 3s lead No. 10 Wisconsin
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Keaton Nankivil scored 22 points and tied a career-high by hitting all five of his 3-point attempts, leading No. 10 Wisconsin over Penn State 76-66 on Sunday night for its 20th consecutive win coming off a loss.
Jacksonville holds off Mercer 74-68
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Delwan Graham scored 16 points and Ayron Hardy added 15 to lead Jacksonville over Mercer 74-68 on Sunday night.
Two wounded in Vancouver shooting
Suspect enters house, fires gun
Two Vancouver residents were shot in the legs by an intruder Saturday night, according to Clark County sheriff's deputies. None of the wounds was life-threatening.
Freeway chase ends with Clark County arrest
A Portland woman is in custody in Clark County after allegedly leading police on a chase through the metro area Saturday night.
Maryland beats North Carolina State 87-80
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) -- Jordan Williams scored 26 points, freshman Terrell Stoglin had 25 points and nine assists, and Maryland used a late surge to beat North Carolina State 87-80 Sunday night.
Man arrested after Tacoma Mall dispute
TACOMA, Wash. (AP) -- Tacoma police have arrested a man for investigation of malicious mischief after a disturbance at the Tacoma Mall Sunday.
Spain's Dominguez Lino win title in Bogota
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) -- Seventh-seeded Loudres Dominguez Lino of Spain won the Copa Colsanitas final Sunday with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Frenchman Mathilde Johansson.
Wood Bros. make improbable return to Victory Lane
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- The Wood Brothers were once a juggernaut in NASCAR, a family team that perfected the modern pit stop and raced to win after win with David Pearson behind the wheel of the powerful No. 21 machine.
Roddick wins 30th career title in 3-set thriller
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- Andy Roddick won the 30th title of his career in his 50th final Sunday, finishing off a thrilling 7-6 (7), 6-7 (11), 7-5 victory over Canadian Milos Raonic in the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships.
Japan to get Breeders' Cup Challenge race
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) -- The Breeders' Cup Challenge series is expanding to Japan.
Baddeley wins at Riviera
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Aaron Baddeley has won the Northern Trust Open for his first PGA Tour victory in four years.
Kane's SO goal lifts Blackhawks past Penguins
CHICAGO (AP) -- Patrick Kane scored the only goal in the shootout to lift the Chicago Blackhawaks to a 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday.
Quiet Giant and It's Tricky win at Aqueduct
NEW YORK (AP) -- Quiet Giant and It's Tricky, both odds-on favorites, extended their winning streaks to three with commanding wins in stakes at Aqueduct on Sunday.
2 hikers rescued from cliff at Tillamook Head
ASTORIA, Ore. (AP) -- The Coast Guard says it has rescued two hikers from a cliff at Tillamook Head near Astoria.
Harper leads Richmond over St. Bonaventure 82-65
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- Justin Harper scored 24 points and Richmond defeated St. Bonaventure 82-65 on Sunday.
No. 23 Temple tops Saint Joseph's 66-52
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Lavoy Allen had 12 rebounds and became Temple's career leader in that category in the 23rd-ranked Owls' 66-52 win over Saint Joseph's on Sunday.
Langer wins ACE Group Classic with record 20 under
NAPLES, Fla. (AP) -- Bernhard Langer shot a 6-under-par 66 Sunday to set a tournament record with a 20-under 196 total and win the ACE Group Classic by four shots.
South Alabama rallies to clip Denver, 48-47
DENVER (AP) -- Gary Redus hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:25 remaining and South Alabama fought back from a 14-point halftime deficit to edge Denver 48-47 Sunday.
Young, Stitt lead Clemson past Miami 63-59
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) -- Andre Young scored 18 points, Demontez Stitt added 17 and Clemson snapped a two-game slide by holding off Miami 63-59 on Sunday.
Missing White Pass skiers found OK
WHITE PASS, Wash. (AP) -- The Yakima County Sheriff Office says two Seattle skiers built a fire to stay warm after becoming lost overnight from the White Pass Ski Area.
All-Star Saturday draws its most viewers ever
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- All-Star Saturday night was watched by 8.1 million viewers, making it the most-watched event in its 26-year history.
Florida State beats Maryland remains atop ACC
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- Cierra Bravard and Chelsea Davis each scored 14 points to lead a balanced Florida State offense and the 15th-ranked Seminoles beat No. 16 Maryland 72-66 on Sunday.
Albany (N.Y.) defeats Binghamton 57-54
VESTAL, N.Y. (AP) -- Logan Aronhalt scored 16 points and Luke Devlin added 10 points and 13 rebounds to lead Albany (N.Y.) over Binghamton 57-54 on Sunday.
Intruder shoots, wounds 2 in Vancouver
VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP) -- Authorities say a male intruder entered a Vancouver home unannounced and fired shots, wounding a man and a woman.
Varitek set for another season as backup catcher
FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) -- Closing in on his 39th birthday, Jason Varitek is warming to his role as a backup catcher. He'd like to keep playing well into his 40s.
Michigan State clinches share of Big Ten title
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) -- Kalisha Keane scored 27 points and No. 11 Michigan State beat Illinois 69-56 to clinch a share of the Big Ten title on Sunday.
Wallet missing for 40 years found in NY crevice
NEW YORK (AP) -- A New York man whose wallet disappeared from his jacket pocket has gotten it back -- 40 years later.
Zarelli zeroes in on budget leadership
Ridgefield Republican becomes inside player
OLYMPIA — Wednesday’s press release announcing a hard-won deal on balancing this year’s budget carried the seal of the Washington State Senate and the names of the Senate’s two budget leaders: Seattle Democrat Ed Murray, chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, and Joe Zarelli of Ridgefield, the committee’s leading Republican. Murray’s quote spoke of the “painful” cuts in the social safety net necessary this year. “They aren’t necessarily the decisions we’d embrace if we had wider a set of options before us,” he said.
A new blueprint for building in Clark County
Developers respond to changing market with smaller homes, bigger lots, more rental units
Troy Johns fled the housing market in 2004, convinced that a calamity was on the way. In the two years that followed, imagination wasn’t a big part of a developer’s job description. For a while, the homebuilding formula seemed simple: Borrow as much money as the bank would give, use it to put up as many two-story beige houses as possible, and quickly sell them to eager homebuyers.
Large crowd expected at transportation meeting
Funding of CRC project will be major topic
Vancouver will host a rare congressional committee meeting tomorrow. And it could get crowded.
Corporate breaks or a good wage?
With big piggy banks to back their lobbying, unions are powerful players in Olympia and Washington, D.C. But as manufacturing has become an ever-smaller part of our economy, I’ve assumed that unions’ influence in ordinary people’s lives has diminished. It turns out that I was wrong, at least in Washington state.
Win gives Clark men spot in NWAACC tournament
Dan Anderson scored 18 points and Austin Bragg had a double-double as the Clark College men’s basketball team held on for a 75-70 victory Saturday night at Lower Columbia College.
Camas boys stay alive in bi-district playoffs
The Camas boys basketball team fought back after being down much of the game to remain alive in the hunt for a 3A state tournament berth with a 67-62 win in the 3A bi-district tournament. Mark Eppinger and Kyle Friend each scored 16 points off the bench for Camas. Eppinger was 8 for 8 from the field and had eight rebounds.
Mackintosh takes second twice at state swimming
Hockinson’s relays place second, third at 2A swim meet
FEDERAL WAY — The good news for Hockinson’s Callum Mackintosh is that he shattered Alec Barnard’s Class 2A state meet record for the 200 freestyle on Saturday. The bad news is Barnard shattered it, too. And Barnard’s mark was even more shattering.
The Weather Eye: Snow globe may become real life
When I was a kid, I always marveled at the tiny snowflakes swirling around in a snow globe my mother would bring out every year during the Christmas holidays. She would pick the globe up and shake it carefully and then place it back down on the table. My nose against the glass, I would peek deep inside to the little village and tiny people as the snow would gently fall to the bottom. I had to wait several years until I was old enough to handle the delicate curiosity myself. I don’t know what ever happened to that globe over the years but I have one myself now that I also bring out every holiday season. My children, when they were young, would do the same thing and marvel at the miniature winter wonderland. I still shake the globe and watch the flakes fall to the bottom and recall memories of past years and remembering all along that there were many years during winter time, that the snow in the globe would be the only snow I would see.
Death notices
A daily list of death notices
Holiday closures: Presidents Day
What’s open and what’s closed on Monday, Presidents Day:
In Our View: Closing TransAlta
Coal-fired plant is not in our state’s future, and Senate bill offers best compromise
TransAlta, the state’s only coal-fired power plant, will be closing. That debate essentially is over, confirmed by this recent statement by company Director Lou Florence in the Centralia Chronicle: “TransAlta supports the goal of a coal-free Washington.” The lingering question, though, is when the plant near Centralia will close. Many environmental groups such as the Sierra Club — which calls TransAlta the state’s single largest polluter — insist the deadline for plant closure should be 2015. House Bill 1825 lists such a deadline. Others, including Gov. Chris Gregoire, believe 2025 is a more reasonable goal. And Florence was quick to add to the above quote that closing before 2025 “will needlessly hurt our company, jeopardize electric reliability, likely lead to higher electric costs and devastate our community and our work force.”
Local ankle biters are filing their fangs
For the local group BANANA (Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything), Monday morning’s transportation “listening session” will be better than going to Disneyland. An influential member of Congress will be in town. For the ankle biters, that’s like Disneyland coming to you! Surely they’ll be out in force at the 9 to 11 a.m. meeting at the Clark Public Utilities Building, 1200 Fort Vancouver Way. The show’s headliner will be a man unknown to many Clark County residents until recently: John Mica. The Republican congressman from Florida chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. He was invited here by U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Camas, because the transportation reauthorization bill later this year will fund major infrastructure projects across the nation. Of course, the Columbia River Crossing is — or should be — high on that list.
Correction: Pro-bridge group
Pro-bridge group: Communications specialist Temple Lentz is involved with a group that put up http://www.buildthatbridge.info, but she did not build the website. A story on Page C1 on Saturday was inaccurate.
Evergreen girls break through to secure berth to state
Plainsmen’s late defensive stand beats Emerald Ridge
The Evergreen girls basketball team is heading to the Class 4A state tournament.
Celebration needs work, but not Evergreen boys' game
Plainsmen roll past Rogers to clinch berth to state
Clearly, this came down to a lack of coaching. The Evergreen boys basketball team looked flat-out confused. Players didn’t know what spots to be in or even where to look.
Skyview’s comeback falls short vs. Mount Tahoma
The comeback fell short for the Skyview girls basketball team on Saturday night, and its season came to an end — one victory shy of going to state. Brooke Bowen had 13 points, 14 rebounds, six steals, and four assists, but the Storm could not overcome their first-half struggles in a loser-out game in the Class 4A bi-district tournament’s consolation bracket.
School districts take closer look at bullying, harassment
State mandated policy updated to include new sections on prevention, intervention
State officials and local school districts are getting tough with bullies. The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and Washington State School Directors’ Association last month released a revised model policy and procedure on bullying, harassment and intimidation.
State’s climate change efforts fall short
Collapse of cap-and-trade system makes 2020 goal unlikely
Washington won’t meet its first state-mandated target for reducing greenhouse gases, warns a new report to the Legislature by the Department of Ecology. The main reason: Both regional and national efforts to establish a cap-and-trade system regulating emissions, the heart of the state’s strategy, have collapsed. On the issue of climate change, the political landscape has changed dramatically since 2008, the new report notes.
State must train more nurses to meet needs
Washington state is approaching its worst nursing shortage ever. Every county feels the effects — in your local hospital emergency department, medical office, long-term care facility, or at your child’s school. State legislators and decision-makers face tough decisions. Cuts will have to be made, but compromising the future of nursing in our state is not a viable solution. We have the opportunity to fill these high-quality jobs while maintaining and improving the health of the entire state.
Clark County business briefs
People in business
Washington can win crucial race to the top
Let’s talk jobs. We all know families that are hurting from job losses and businesses struggling to survive the global recession. So how do we get back on our feet and recover from the global recession? Legislators took an important first step in the House recently. Working in a bipartisan manner, we found a compromise to help laid-off workers get retrained for new careers. Senate Bill 5135 and House Bill 1091 give the state’s businesses a $300 million tax break on unemployment-insurance rates, plus extra benefits and retraining for laid-off workers.
Our Readers' Views
Letters to the editor
Evergreen High School students perform at talent show
EVERGREEN — More than 30 students and staff groups performed before 450 people during the National Honor Society annual Talent Show at Evergreen High School. The evening included singers, dancers, guitar players, bands and even a blindfolded piano player. The Pacific Islander Club had two hula dancers, a foreign exchange student from Taiwan sang and wore her native costume, several rappers rapped and three bands performed. The event donated $2,116 to the Invest ED Foundation to benefit students’ needs at the high school.
Piano Hospital receives grant to update heating system
HUDSON’S BAY — The School of Piano Technology for the Blind, otherwise know as the Piano Hospital, received a $9,000 grant from the Northwest Lions Foundation. The money will help the school upgrade the school’s HVAC system and replace existing heat pumps with new gas pack units. An LCIF Grant is pending final approval.
Don’t confuse sanctioned racing with illegal street racing
NORTHWEST — Steve Denbo of Sluman Road called with a strong reaction to our “What’s Up With That?” item about shooting and road racing west of Vancouver Lake. Denbo, who said he worked for decades in the world of official, legal drag racing, clarified that when people break the law racing on the street, it should be called “illegal street racing.” Drag racing is a sanctioned, regulated event with safety equipment and safety standards and held in a racing facility, he said, and he hates to see the term weighed down with an undeserved negative reputation. Illegal street racing has been a problem along Lower River Road for ages, he said; back in the day, some folks used to call the roadway “the Alcoa drag strip.”
Woodland school emergency radios to reach Yale, intermediate sites
WOODLAND — If an emergency hits, the Woodland School District is better prepared than ever to spread the word. That’s because Longview wireless company Cascade Networks, Inc., received a $5,000 grant from Educational Service District 112. The company is now providing space in one of its equipment locations for the Woodland School District’s radio repeater equipment — allowing radio contact between all its buildings and locations. Right now, radio and telephone communication is possible only between Woodland’s high, middle and primary schools; the Yale and intermediate schools cannot be reached by radio and must be called on the phone with emergency or other urgent information. Better radio communications will fill in blank spots in the school district’s emergency preparedness plan. The district will continue to seek additional grant funding, special training and equipment for this effort.
Washougal, other high schoolers to study space
WASHOUGAL — Among the 287 juniors accepted into the fifth year of the Washington Aerospace Scholars, a distance learning program designed by NASA, are James Maguire, Madeline Down, Samuel O’Hara and David Choi of Washougal High School. From January through May, they will complete ten lessons covering the history of space exploration, the space shuttle, the International Space Station, the moon and Mars. They’ll submit quizzes, math solutions, essays and graphics, as well as a final project of their own design. Based on that work, a total of top 160 scholars will be chosen for round two of the program: a summer residency at the Museum of Flight in Seattle where they’ll work with engineers and scientists on the design of a human mission to Mars.
Camas Fire Department honors service
CAMAS— The Camas Fire Department held its fifth annual awards banquet Feb. 11. Here is a list of winners: Five years of service:
Forest Ridge neighborhood seeks leader participation
FOREST RIDGE — It’s not a time-consuming job, but it is a crucial one. The Forest Ridge Neighborhood Association is hunting for volunteer leaders willing to run for various offices at its Feb. 24 meeting or, failing that, at a meeting in late April or early May; if nobody steps up to the plate, the group will have to disband. The president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and communications coordinator positions are all open. There are typically just three or four meetings per year in this relatively small, built-out city neighborhood; not a huge time commitment, according to the latest Forest Ridge newsletter.
Young, old gather for ice cream social
LANDOVER-SHARMEL — Residents of Bridgewood at Four Seasons Assisted Living Community were recently visited by members of the Modern Woodmen of America Youth Service Club. The club put on an ice cream social for around 60 community members and guests. Modern Woodmen donate more than 300,000 volunteer hours each year. The Sharing With Seniors Program joins club members, who range in age from birth to 16, with senior citizens in fun activities so the two generations can learn about and appreciate each other.
Vancouver not in the shopping cart collection business
OGDEN — Information about abandoned shopping carts included in the latest Ogden Neighborhood Newsletter was only about half true: Vancouver does not work with an independent contractor to sweep streets of shopping carts and return them to supermarkets. “A number of years ago, we had a fellow who approached us to do that, a retired gentleman,” said operations superintendent Tim Buck. “I don’t know what happened to him.” The city gets calls from citizens about shopping carts in streets, creeks and stormwater bioswales, and it will scoop up and dispose of carts that are creating hazards. But it doesn’t want to encourage people to push carts home, dump them in public spaces and then call for clean-up, he said.
Smiles Dental gives free care at annual event
HAZEL DELL — Doctors and staff at Smiles Dental volunteered to treat more than 100 local residents Feb. 11 as part of the third annual “Doctor with a Heart Day.” Smiles offered dental treatment to Southwest Washington residents who could not otherwise afford dentistry. The free service is part of Smiles Dental’s mission to have a positive impact in the community. The owner of Smiles Dental, Dr. Jeromy Dixson, estimates that the four Smiles locations donated more than $50,000 worth of free dental care. “Many of our staff members say that ‘Doctor with a Heart Day’ is their favorite day at Smiles all year,” Dixson said.
Public meetings
A weekly list of public meetings
Stimulus money buys site for Habitat home
LINCOLN — A federal stimulus program aimed at stemming the rising tide of foreclosures has delivered 0.92 of an acre at 1027 W. 39th St., into the hands of nonprofit agency Evergreen Habitat for Humanity, which will build a new home there. The property is valued at approximately $72,000, according to county records. The land was purchased by the Vancouver Housing Authority using a Neighborhood Stabilization Grant from the city of Vancouver. On Feb. 16, VHA donated the property to EHFH. “Evergreen Habitat for Humanity is valued as one of our many community partners in addressing affordable housing needs,” said VHA Executive Director Roy Johnson.
Arnada picks leaders for 2011, still hunting for secretary
ARNADA — The Arnada Neighborhood Association has elected its officers for 2011. They are: Jeff Hamm and Suze Marshall, co-chairmen; Russ Pascoe, vice chairman; and Bryan Kenyon, treasurer. The secretary position remains open, but Suze Marshall is acting secretary until it is filled.
Member of Cardinals' ownership group dies
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Andrew N. "Drew" Baur, a member of the St. Louis Cardinals' ownership group, has died. He was 66.
Bucknell tops Colgate 77-69, clinches league title
HAMILTON, N.Y. (AP) -- G.W. Boon scored 11 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead Bucknell over Colgate 77-69 on Sunday, clinching its first outright Patriot League regular season title since 2006.
Snowden helps Kentucky top Vanderbilt
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Keyla Snowden had 22 points, including four 3-pointers. to help No. 19 Kentucky win in Vanderbilt for the first time in 25 years with an 80-71 victory on Sunday.
Eugene utility may tank sewer system
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) -- A Eugene utility is less than happy with its new state-of-the-art wastewater treatment system.
Feds want to expand Willapa refuge
ABERDEEN, Wash. (AP) -- Federal officials want to expand the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge by more than 6,800 acres, but the Pacific County Commission is opposed over worries it will take away valuable timber land.
Williams, Guillen at peace with Chisox
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- Kenny Williams and Ozzie Guillen were teammates in the 1980s and formed a partnership as general manager and manager in 2005 that helped propel the Chicago White Sox to their first World Series title in 88 years.
Simon Cho wins 500 at short track World Cup
DRESDEN, Germany (AP) -- Simon Cho won gold in the 500 meters at the short track speedskating World Cup on Sunday, a day after the American lost a race by one hundredth of a second.
Vargas, Fister expected to be part of M's rotation
PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) -- For a couple of guys who've never enjoyed much job security, the start of the 2011 season is a bit different for both Jason Vargas and Doug Fister.
Institute to study wait times at Canadian border
BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) -- The Border Policy Research Institute at Western Washington University is studying wait times at the Canadian border.
Old Dominion defeats Cleveland State 74-63
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) -- Frank Hassell and Ben Finney combined to grab 28 rebounds and score 22 points as Old Dominion defeated Cleveland State 74-63 on Sunday.
Salem police say fatal fire arson
SALEM, Ore. (AP) -- Salem police say arson is behind a residential fire that left a 64-year-old man dead.
Moore leads No. 11 Purdue past No. 2 Ohio State
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) -- E'Twaun Moore scored a career-high 38 points to lead No. 11 Purdue past No. 2 Ohio State 76-63 on Sunday, capping a week that saw the top four teams in the AP Top 25 lose a game.
Flyers beat Rangers for 4th time this season
NEW YORK (AP) -- Claude Giroux and Daniel Carcillo scored second-period goals and the Philadelphia Flyers shook off an early deficit and beat the New York Rangers 4-2 Sunday.
Iran warships to begin Suez Canal passage Tuesday
CAIRO (AP) -- Suez Canal officials say two Iranian naval vessels are expected to start their passage through the strategic waterway early Tuesday.
No. 14 Florida beats LSU 68-61
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- Erving Walker and Kenny Boynton each scored 17 points and No. 14 Florida moved back into a tie for the overall Southeastern Conference lead with a 68-61 victory over LSU on Sunday.
Johansson tip-in seals Caps' 2-1 win over Sabres
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- Marcus Johansson tipped in Mathieu Perreault's shot midway through the third period to lift the slumping Washington Capitals to a 2-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday.
Hendrick cars involved in big wreck at Daytona
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Hendrick Motorsports is having a rough start to the Daytona 500.
Brian Keselowski's Daytona run ends in early wreck
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Brian Keselowski's feel-good story at Daytona International Speedway appears to be over.
Bahrain's protesters demand royals cancels F1 race
MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) -- Formula One's season-opening grand prix in Bahrain could be in jeopardy as newly emboldened protesters in Manama call for the royal family to scrap what they see as a costly vanity project, though the race also is the Gulf island's premier international event.
Collins hopes to show Royals size doesn't matter
SURRISE, Ariz. (AP) -- Tim Collins is hoping to show the Kansas City Royals that his stats are more important than his stature.
Knicks say they're on same page in Melo pursuit
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The New York Knicks insist they are on the same page in their pursuit of Carmelo Anthony, and Isiah Thomas isn't involved in it.
Engine issues end Daytona runs for Harvick, Burton
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- A rare pair of engine failures for Richard Childress Racing knocked contenders Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton out of the Daytona 500.
Harvick out of Daytona 500 after engine failure
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Kevin Harvick is out of the Daytona 500, leaving the Great American Race after just 22 laps because of engine failure.
Rangers RW Gaborik out after 1st period vs. Flyers
NEW YORK (AP) -- Rangers top-line forward Marian Gaborik is out for the final two periods against the Philadelphia Flyers for an undisclosed reason.
Thomas, No. 7 Duke overpowers Virginia Tech 90-40
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) -- Jasmine Thomas scored a season-high 27 points to help No. 7 Duke beat Virginia Tech 90-40 Sunday.
Young tells Rangers he won't be a distraction
SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) -- Michael Young had a message for his teammates before the AL champion Texas Rangers held their first full-squad workout.
No. 6 Xavier tops Dukes 77-51, ties for A-10 lead
CINCINNATI (AP) -- Ta'Shia Phillips and Amber Harris had double-doubles and No. 6 Xavier beat Duquesne 77-51 Sunday to move back into a tie with Temple for first in the Atlantic 10.
Pirates: Warship shadowing hijacked American yacht
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) -- Two pirates and a Somalia official say a hijacked yacht with four Americans onboard is nearing the Somali coast, and that it's being shadowed by a warship.
Seattle pair reportedly aboard hijacked yacht
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) -- Organizers of an international yacht race have named four Americans taken hostage by Somali pirates off East Africa.
Astros looking to build on 2010 youth movement
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) -- The Houston Astros are looking to build on the youth movement that showed promise during the second half of 2010.
Cardinals limiting 3B Freese in early workouts
JUPITER, Fla. (AP) -- St. Louis is limiting third baseman David Freese during early workouts this spring after injuries shortened what the Cardinals had hoped would be the third baseman's breakout season last year.
Royals agree to deals with Aviles, Escobar
SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) -- The Kansas City Royals have agreed to one-year deals with Mike Aviles and Alcides Escobar, the team's projected starters at third base and shortstop.
Mets' Castillo: Brother's surgery delayed arrival
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) -- Mets manager Terry Collins now understands why Luis Castillo didn't show up early for spring training. He just wishes the second baseman had told him sooner.
Arizona's Williams adding to star power
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -- Derrick Williams was buried beneath a pile of teammates when Arizona's fans started chanting "One more year!"
Posey prepares to build on Rookie of the Year
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- A television crew tracks Buster Posey's every step as he stops behind the batting cage and waits his turn to take some cuts.
Lone survivor in copter crash recalls terrible day
PORT ANGELES, Wash. (AP) -- As Coast Guard Lt. Lance Leone bobbed in the chilly waters off the Washington coast on the morning of July 7, he wondered why he was the only one floating on top.
Outspoken Reds 2B Brandon Phillips tweeting
GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) -- Brandon Phillips has a new avenue for expressing himself. The outspoken second baseman has taken to tweeting.
1 dead in Tigard duplex fire
TIGARD, Ore. (AP) -- A fire at a Tigard duplex has killed a 70-year-old woman.
Racing jockey Coa improving after neck injury
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- A spokesman says racing jockey Eibar Coa's condition improving after undergoing surgery for a neck injury he suffered in a fall from his horse.
Md. to enforce ban on boots blamed for stream ills
MONKTON, Md. (AP) -- As an algae with a gross nickname invades trout streams across the U.S., Maryland is taking the lead in enforcing a ban on some footgear that the organism uses to hitchhike from stream to stream: felt-soled fishing boots.
Wozniacki beats Kuznetsova to win Dubai final
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- Caroline Wozniacki easily beat an error-prone Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia to win 6-1, 6-3 in the Dubai Championships final.
Kent boy dies in sledding accident
SNOQUALMIE PASS, Wash. (AP) -- The Washington State Patrol says a 7-year-old Kent boy has died after he flew off his sled into a roadway and was struck by a passing car.
Indians' Sizemore takes it slow after knee surgery
GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) -- As the Cleveland Indians hold their first full-squad workout of spring training, Grady Sizemore is on his own program with the goal to be ready for opening day.
ATP warns of Acapulco security concerns
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) -- The ATP tour has warned players about security concerns at its tournament in Acapulco, Mexico, and has been reassured by Mexican officials that steps are being taken to improve safety conditions.
Martin wins Tour of Algarve, Contador is fourth
PORTIMAO, Portugal (AP) -- German cyclist Tony Martin won the Tour of the Algarve with a strong final sprint Sunday to deny Alberto Contador his third straight title at the race, his first competition since escaping a doping ban.
Delta plane engine fails, forces emergency landing
MIAMI (AP) -- Authorities say a Delta plane's engine failed in mid-air over Florida, forcing the flight to make an emergency landing.
Vancouver police respond to shooting in Truman area
Two people believed to be injured
The shooting was reported at about 11:45 p.m. Saturday in the vicinity of Northeast 38th Street and Falk Road. Two people were reported injured, though radio traffic suggested the wounds were not life-threatening.
Jeter plans to enjoy his trip to 3,000 hits
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Yankees captain Derek Jeter plans to enjoy his upcoming trip to 3,000 career hits.
Alike in name, different in game
Greg Jayne: Commentary
The Corral sisters are as different as Kirk and Spock.
High school scoreboard, Feb. 20
High school results from Saturday, Feb. 19
Mayolo wastes no time in winning first title
Camas’ Salamanca also wins state championship
It was almost as if Chris Mayolo had done this before. The La Center senior wasted little time in dictating the script for his championship match on Saturday at Mat Classic XXIII.
