Stories for February 21, 2011

Union, NFL heading toward full week of mediation

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Federally mediated negotiations between the NFL and the players' union have stretched past 35 hours over five days -- and they aren't done.

Day 5 of talks between NFL, union with mediator

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The NFL and its players' union have begun Day 5 of negotiations with a federal mediator.

Yakima school dress code: white, gray or black

YAKIMA, Wash. (AP) -- Since school resumed in January at Washington Middle School in Yakima, students have been following a dress code that requires them to stick to three colors -- white, gray or black.

NASA: All looking good for Thursday shuttle launch

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) -- NASA is just two days out from sending space shuttle Discovery on its final voyage after a nearly four-month delay.

Woodland council considers E-Verify

WOODLAND, Wash. (AP) -- The Woodland City Council may require contractors to use the E-Verify system to prove that their workers are in the United States legally.

Transient woman, 46, drowned in Kennewick

KENNEWICK, Wash. (AP) -- The Benton County coroner says a transient woman who drowned in a Kennewick canal in December suffered from a seizure disorder and had a high level of methamphetamine in her system.

WADA seeks information from China on tainted beef

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) -- The World Anti-Doping Agency has asked China for information on the use of steroids in raising cattle after some athletes blamed their positive doping tests on tainted beef.

NBC to broadcast all 3 legs of Triple Crown

NEW YORK (AP) -- Horse racing's Triple Crown will be broadcast on NBC through 2015.

Terrible news for Seattle Singles Yacht Club

SEATTLE (AP) -- The reported deaths of four Americans, including a Seattle couple, by pirates off Somalia is terrible news for friends at the Seattle Singles Yacht Club.

Terrible news for Seattle Singles Yacht Club

SEATTLE (AP) -- The reported deaths of four Americans, including a Seattle couple, in piracy off Somalia is terrible news for friends at the Seattle Singles Yacht Club.

Terrible news for Seattle Singles Yacht Club

SEATTLE (AP) -- The reported deaths of four Americans, including a Seattle couple, in piracy off Somalia is terrible news for friends at the Seattle Singles Yacht.

US: Pirates held for 4 US deaths may face trial

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) -- A U.S. military spokesman says the military is working with the FBI and the Justice Department to determine where 15 pirate suspects involved in the hijacking of a yacht with four Americans onboard will go next.

US says pirates killed 4 American hostages

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The U.S. military says pirates killed four American hostages they were holding on a yacht off Somalia's coast.

US says pirates killed 4 American hostages

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The U.S. military says pirates killed four American hostages they were holding on a yacht off Somalia's coast.

License renewal reminders face cut

State says it could save millions by eliminating postcards sent in mail

Want the government to encourage personal responsibility? Senate Bill 5727 is for you.

Icahn offers to buy Mentor Graphics at $17 a share

NEW YORK (AP) -- Activist investor Carl Icahn is offering to buy software maker Mentor Graphics Corp. for $17 per share in cash, or about $1.9 billion.

Detectives to confer about shootings

No arrest yet in incident that left two wounded

Clark County Sheriff’s Office detectives were to meet today and plan their strategy in the Saturday night nonfatal shootings of two people at 4213 N.E. 38th St., just north of state Highway 500 and east of St. Johns Road. Cory S. Bloom suffered gunshot wounds to his hip and thigh about 11:38 p.m. Saturday, and Sarah A. Godfrey’s calf was grazed, sheriff’s Sgt Shane Gardner said Sunday. Both victims are in their early 20s, he said.

Driver hits pedestrian in crosswalk, gets ticket

The driver of a pickup was ticketed Monday after he allegedly hit a pedestrian in a marked flashing crosswalk at East Fourth Plain Boulevard near Todd Road, close to Evergreen Park, police said.

Chimney-attic fire does moderate damage

A chimney fire flared out of control and sent out embers that ignited the roof of a house southeast of Yacolt near Moulton Falls Park on Monday afternoon.

Woman found dead in burning car near Tonasket

OKANOGAN, Wash. (AP) -- Okanogan Sheriff Frank Rogers says a woman found dead in a burning car near Tonasket is apparently the elderly woman who owned the car.

Police: Nighttime curfew imposed in NZ quake zone

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) -- Police have announced a nighttime curfew in parts of New Zealand's Christchurch city that were devastated by an earthquake.

Woman rescued after 24hrs in NZ quake rubble

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) -- Rescuers have pulled a woman from the rubble of New Zealand's devastating earthquake more than 24 hours after she was trapped.

Officials: NZ earthquake death toll rises to 75

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) -- Officials in New Zealand say the death toll from the earthquake in Christchurch has risen to 75.

Madore, other CRC project foes make little headway

Anti-tolling activist David Madore brought a bar chart mounted on a big board to Monday’s House Transportation session. He wanted to compare the projected cost of the Columbia River Crossing — the current estimated price tag for the bridge, highway interchanges and light rail range from $3.2 billion to $3.6 billion — with the $240 million cost of the Hoover Dam Bypass, a new 3.5-mile corridor that crosses the Colorado River, connecting Nevada and Arizona. “How has this project ballooned to such a monstrous cost?” he asked committee Chairman John Mica, R-Fla.

Rep. Rick Larsen survives New Zealand earthquake

EVERETT, Wash. (AP) -- Washington state Congressman Rick Larsen was in New Zealand and left Christchurch just three hours before the 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit.

Rep. Rick Larsen survives New Zealand earthquake

EVERETT, Wash. (AP) -- Washington state Congressman Rick Larsen was in New Zealand when the 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit.

Libya unrest rattles markets; oil prices jump

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks fell sharply and oil prices spiked to their highest level in two years as unrest in worsened in Libya.

Libya unrest rattles markets; oil prices jump

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks fell sharply and oil prices spiked as investors became worried about increasingly violent unrest in Libya.

Stocks fall sharply as protests in Libya intensify

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks are falling sharply and oil prices are spiking as investors worry about increasingly violent protests in Libya.

Stocks set to fall as protests in Libya intensify

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks are headed for a sharply lower opening as investors become increasingly concerned about violent protests in Libya.

Bill would require tuition help from colleges

SALEM, Ore. (AP) -- Oregon lawmakers are considering relief from tuition increases for needy college students.

Snow forecast for Seattle, rest of W. Washington

SEATTLE (AP) -- The National Weather Service is forecasting three-to-six inches of snow Wednesday for Western Washington, including the Seattle area. And snow is already causing delays and crashes on Interstate 90 across Snoqualmie Pass.

Snow forecast for Seattle, rest of W. Washington

SEATTLE (AP) -- The National Weather Service is forecasting three-to-six inches of snow Wednesday for Western Washington, including the Seattle area.

Lowland snow forecast for Western Washington

SEATTLE (AP) -- The National Weather Service is forecasting snow for the Western Washington lowlands.

Federer, Djokovic advance to 2nd round in Dubai

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- Roger Federer has won his first match since losing in the Australian Open semifinals, beating wild card Somdev Devvarman of India 6-3, 6-3 in the first round of the Dubai Championships on Tuesday.

Djokovic, Davydenko win 1st-round matches in Dubai

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic reached the second round of the Dubai Championships by beating Michael Llodra of France 6-3, 6-3 Tuesday in his first match since winning his second Grand Slam title.

Djokovic, Davydenko win 1st-round matches in Dubai

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic reached the second round of the Dubai Championships by beating Michael Llorda of France 6-3, 6-3 Tuesday in his first match since winning his second Grand Slam title.

Shop local campaign asks: Do we get it?

The people behind a new YouTube video hope Clark County shoppers will spend here, not in Oregon.

Prairie's Corral out with ACL injury

Prairie's Heather Corral, a junior, learned Monday what she had feared — a ruptured ACL in her left knee and is done for the remainder of the playoffs.

Somalia football prospect killed by suicide bomber

ZURICH (AP) -- FIFA President Sepp Blatter has offered sympathy to Somalia after one of the African country's best young players was killed by a suicide bomber in Mogadishu.

Greece mulls fan ban after football violence

ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Greece's top sporting official says fans could be banned from upcoming basketball and volleyball games between rivals Olympiakos and Panathinaikos following violence at a weekend football match between the clubs.

Wis. Assembly leader vows to pass anti-union bill

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald says the Republican-led chamber will pass a bill cutting collective bargaining rights for most public employees despite noisy protests inside the Capitol that have gone on for a week.

Wisconsin governor warns of layoff notices

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker warns that state employees could start receiving layoff notices as early as next week if a bill eliminating collective bargaining rights isn't passed soon.

%xhl(Opinions mixed on King Conservation District's decision to try online voting

SEATTLE (AP) -- The King Conservation District is holding an online election for a vacant seat on its Board of Supervisors. The district says it's a way to counter low voter turnouts.

Stoudemire: Knicks will be hard to guard with Melo

GREENBURGH, N.Y. (AP) -- Amare Stoudemire says the New York Knicks will be "hard to guard" with Carmelo Anthony joining him in New York.

Velodrome is first London Olympic Park venue ready

LONDON (AP) -- London organizers are marking a key milestone ahead of the 2012 Games, with the velodrome becoming the first venue in the Olympic Park to be completed.

Emanuel calls victory as Chicago mayor humbling

CHICAGO (AP) -- Former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, just elected mayor of Chicago, is calling his victory "humbling" and "most gratifying." He also is thanking retiring Mayor Richard Daley for his lifetime of service to the city.

Chicago votes for first new mayor in 2 decades

CHICAGO (AP) -- Former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel has been elected mayor of Chicago, to succeed the retiring Richard Daley.

No Daley on the ballot as Chicago votes for mayor

CHICAGO (AP) -- Chicago voters are braving icy weather to cast ballots in a mayoral election that will end the long reign of retiring Mayor Richard M. Daley and bring certain change to city politics.

No Daley on the ballot as Chicago votes for mayor

CHICAGO (AP) -- The campaign to replace Mayor Richard Daley has unfolded unlike any in Chicago's history, and almost certainly will end with a mayor unlike anyone who's run City Hall before.

Prairie girls lose Corral, but still win bi-district title

Second-half rally sends Falcons past Kennedy

Hours after learning all-league junior Heather Corral would miss the rest of the season, the Prairie girls basketball team turned up the defensive pressure in the second half to beat Kennedy of Burien 52-46 to capture the Class 3A West-Central bi-district tournament championship Monday in Kent.

Census estimates show 1 in 4 US counties are dying

WELCH, W.Va. (AP) -- Census figures show that a near-record level of U.S. counties are "dying" -- that is, they are experiencing more deaths than births in their communities.

Was that a flying saucer hovering over east Vancouver?

Several residents report strange object Sunday evening

No joke: Several residents in far east Vancouver reported seeing a saucer-shaped object Sunday evening, hovering low in the sky.

Outside transportation meeting, crowd shows divide on bridge crossing

Pro- and anti-Columbia River Crossing factions showed up Monday to the Clark Public Utilities building, where a congressional committee heard testimony on regional transportation infrastructure issues. While Chairman John Mica, R-Fla., didn’t want to hear about specific projects, that’s about all the crowd outside wanted to talk about.

Bridge partisans told to focus on nation’s transportation woes

U.S. Rep. John Mica, the Florida Republican who chairs the committee, wielded his gavel -- and his wit -- to cut short testimony on the bridge project. Several panelists, including Washington Secretary of Transportation Paula Hammond and anti-toll activist David Madore, were invited to shelve their prepared comments and cut to the chase.

Teen arrested St. Petersburg, Fla., cop's death

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Authorities say a 16-year-old boy will be charged with first-degree murder in the shooting of a St. Petersburg, Fla., police officer.

Suspect arrested St. Petersburg, Fla., cop's death

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Authorities say they've arrested a suspect in the fatal shooting of a St. Petersburg, Fla., police officer.

Libya: Gadhafi vows to fight on, die a martyr

CAIRO (AP) -- Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi vows to fight protesters demanding his ouster and to die a "martyr," shouting and pounding his fist in a furious speech on state TV.

Bodies reported on streets of Libyan capital

CAIRO (AP) -- A Libyan opposition activist and a Tripoli resident say the streets of a restive district in the Libyan capital are littered with the bodies of scores of protesters shot dead by security forces loyal to longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi.

Alabama State defeats Alcorn State 62-53

LORMAN, Miss. (AP) -- Tramayne Moorer scored 13 points and Alabama State carried a double-digit halftime lead into a 62-53 win over Alcorn State on Monday night.

Texas Southern tops MVSU 58-55 in overtime

HOUSTON (AP) -- Travele Jones scored 17 points and Texas Southern hung on to defeat MVSU 58-55 in overtime on Monday night, avenging its only conference loss of the season.

Morgan State beats Maryland-Eastern Shore 71-54

BALTIMORE (AP) -- DeWayne Jackson scored 16 points and Kevin Thompson added 13 points and 12 rebounds to lead Morgan State past Maryland-Eastern Shore 71-54 on Monday night.

Alabama A&M defeats Southern University 64-45

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- Cornelius Hester scored 24 points, most of which came off six 3-pointers, as Alabama A&M defeated Southern University 64-45 on Monday night.

Morris scores 27, No. 3 Kansas beats Okla St 92-65

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) -- Marcus Morris had 27 points and No. 3 Kansas brushed off the suspension of point guard Tyshawn Taylor, romping past Oklahoma State 92-65 on Monday night.

No. 25 Iowa St survives in overtime, defeats Texas

AMES, Iowa (AP) -- Chelsea Poppens had a career-high 24 points and 11 rebounds to help No. 25 Iowa State beat Texas 66-57 in overtime on Monday night.

NC A&T defeats NC Central 72-67

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) -- Thomas Coleman scored 21 points to lead North Carolina A&T over North Carolina Central 72-67 on Monday night.

Florida A&M comes back to beat Hampton 58-55

HAMPTON, Va. (AP) -- Yannick Crowder scored 16 points to help lead Florida A&M to a 58-55 come-from-behind victory over Hampton on Monday night.

Northern Colorado defeats North Dakota 87-69

GREELEY, Colo. (AP) -- Devon Beitzel scored 23 points and Neal Kingman added 20, leading Northern Colorado to a 87-69 victory over North Dakota Monday night.

Wisconsin-Green Bay tips Valparaiso 81-80 in OT

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) -- Bryquis Perine scored 20 points, including a basket with 11 seconds remaining in overtime, and Wisconsin-Green Bay defeated Valparaiso 81-80 on Monday night.

Bethune-Cookman tips Howard 66-64 in final seconds

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Stanley Elliott tipped in an errant shot with 1.2 seconds remaining as Bethune-Cookman survived a late Howard rally to win its fourth straight, 66-64 Monday.

Florida Gulf Coast defeats Stetson 64-60

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) -- Sherwood Brown scored 18 points and Florida Gulf Coast defeated Stetson 64-60 on Monday night.

Lost snowboarder rescued

Search is successful on Mount Hood

A search on Mount Hood this morning netted the rescue of a lost snowboarder who has been able to call the sheriff's office with a cell phone.

Ed Podolak injured in car accident

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) -- Iowa football radio broadcaster and former NFL running back Ed Podolak is in stable condition after being struck by a car in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Prairie View gets by Arkansas-Pine Bluff 59-53

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (AP) -- Michael Griffin had 13 points and 10 rebounds to lead Prairie View to a 59-53 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Monday night.

Ovechkin, Neuvirth lead Capitals to beat Penguins

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Alex Ovechkin scored the only goal and Michal Neuvirth was perfect for the second straight time against the Penguins, leading the Washington Capitals to a 1-0 win at Pittsburgh on Monday night.

Coppin State defeats Delaware State 89-72

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Michael Harper scored 25 points and Coppin State's shooting got better as the game wore on in an 89-72 victory over Delaware State on Monday night.

South Carolina State beats Norfolk State 64-62

ORANGEBURG, S.C. (AP) -- Darnell Porter scored 18 points and Brandon Riley added 14 to lead South Carolina State over Norfolk State 64-62 on Monday night.

Western Carolina tops UNC-Greensboro 70-66

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) -- Mike Williams and Richie Gordon each hit a pair of free throws in the final two seconds as Western Carolina defeated North Carolina Greensboro 70-66 Monday night.

Chattanooga blows out Furman 75-59

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) -- Chris Early scored 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead Chattanooga over Furman 75-59 on Monday night, ending a four-game skid for the Mocs.

Kent State rallies to edge Western Michigan 74-72

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) -- Michael Porrini came off the bench to score 19 points, including a tie-breaking jumper with 2 seconds left, and Kent State rallied to beat Western Michigan 74-72 Monday night.

2 Philly kids lead No. 17 Syracuse over Villanova

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Scoop Jardine and Rick Jackson -- a couple of Philly kids -- combined for 38 points and No. 17 Syracuse, the worst free throw shooting team in the Big East, sealed a 69-64 victory over No. 15 Villanova at the line Monday night.

Barnes returns, Kobe refocuses for Lakers

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) -- Matt Barnes has returned to practice with the Los Angeles Lakers after missing six weeks while recovering from knee surgery.

WA Lawmakers: Feds should reward unemployment fund

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) -- Lawmakers say that Washington state should not be penalized for having a healthy fund for unemployment payments.

Feds should reward solvent WA unemployment trust

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) -- Lawmakers say that Washington state should not be penalized for having a healthy fund for unemployment payments.

NC State upsets No. 13 North Carolina 88-72

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Amber White scored 23 points to help North Carolina State beat No. 13 North Carolina 88-72 on Monday night.

No. 12 Miami routs Wake Forest

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) -- Shenise Johnson scored 19 points to lead No. 12 Miami to a 74-46 victory over Wake Forest Monday night.

College of Charleston defeats Samford 75-49

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) -- Antwaine Wiggins scored 24 points and Andrew Goudelock added 23 to lead College of Charleston in a 75-49 rout of Samford on Monday night.

Injured guard Redd joins practice with Bucks

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Michael Redd rejoined the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday with a new perspective for the game.

Alaska state rep due back in Juneau Thursday

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) -- The Alaska lawmaker denied a flight from a Seattle airport after refusing a pat-down search is expected back in Juneau on Thursday.

Silas doesn't expect Bobcats to pull off deal

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Since taking charge of the Charlotte Bobcats in 2006, Michael Jordan has made 13 trades involving 35 players.

Letter unites lawmaker, man who saved great-grandfather

Dick Grafton, who helped liberate Japanese prison camp in WWII, lived near Jim Jacks

Dick Grafton lived a couple of minutes away from Jim Jacks. Turns out there was another connection between the Vancouver families — one that stretches back 66 years to a place 9,000 miles away.

Marlins say Philliesmania doesn't bother them

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) -- By now, the Florida Marlins are used to being off the radar screen.

No. 4 Tennessee wins SEC, beats Georgia 77-44

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Meighan Simmons scored 14 points and No. 4 Tennessee cruised to a 77-44 win over No. 22 Georgia on Monday night to win its 16th Southeastern Conference regular season title.

Allenspach scores 13, No. 21 Marist extends streak

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) -- Erica Allenspach had 13 points and a career-high seven steals and No. 21 Marist extended the nation's current longest winning streak in women's basketball to 21 games with a 79-38 victory over St. Peter's on Monday night.

Shakira, Pique hold hands while out on the town

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) -- New photos show Colombian singer Shakira and Barcelona soccer player Gerard Pique holding hands as they enter a restaurant in the Catalonian city.

Jeff Mathis looks to regain batting groove

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) -- Jeff Mathis had a 10-game hitting streak during the first month of last season and was batting .324 heading into April 19.

Doug Williams returns to coach at Grambling

GRAMBLING, La. (AP) -- Doug Williams is returning to Grambling and will coach the Tigers football team.

AP source: Knicks, Nuggets agree on Anthony deal

NEW YORK (AP) -- A person with knowledge of the deal says the Knicks and Denver Nuggets have agreed on a trade that will send Carmelo Anthony to New York.

Anthony excused from Nuggets practice

DENVER (AP) -- Carmelo Anthony was excused from the Denver Nuggets' practice Monday night.

AP source: Nets 'confident' about Anthony deal

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- While the Nets remain confident about acquiring Carmelo Anthony, a person familiar with the trade talks says New Jersey is interested in acquiring some former Knicks if the Denver Nuggets decide to ship Anthony to New York.

Knicks' D'Antoni says he's 'ready for anything'

GREENBURGH, N.Y. (AP) -- New York Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni says he's "ready for anything" as the NBA trade deadline nears and the Carmelo Anthony trade scenarios keep swirling.

NZ leader says at least 65 killed in earthquake

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) -- New Zealand's leader says at least 65 people have been killed in the earthquake that hit the city of Christchurch.

Newton ready to fully participate in NFL combine

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- Cam Newton plans to fully participate in the NFL combine that begins later this week, saying he wants "to be transparent" through the whole draft process.

Snow this week? Definitely maybe

Mountains to get heavy snow, valley prospect uncertain

Television forecasters are predicting snow this week, but will it reach the metro area? Definitely maybe, says the National Weather Service.

Archarcharch pulls away to win Oaklawn's SW Stakes

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (AP) -- Archarcharch pulled ahead on the home stretch to win the $250,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

Ryan Ludwick looks to bounce back with Padres

PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) -- Ryan Ludwick is looking to bounce back.

Holy Family suspends coach accused of attack

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Holy Family has suspended a men's basketball coach accused of attacking a player at practice.

Stokes returns to No. 15 Villanova

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Villanova senior guard Corey Stokes returned after a three-game absence because of a turf toe injury.

Wade says ankle is fine, plans to play Tuesday

MIAMI (AP) -- Dwyane Wade will play Tuesday when the Miami Heat open their post-All-Star schedule against Sacramento, despite a sore right ankle.

Tuberville's $500K raise annoys Texas Tech faculty

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) -- A $500,000-per-year pay raise recently awarded to Texas Tech football coach Tommy Tuberville through 2015 has angered university faculty members, who have been asked to take a pay freeze in 2011.

Ore. lawmakers take first look at changing kicker

SALEM, Ore. (AP) -- Oregon's top Senate leader says any changes to the state's kicker law should have bipartisan support.

Suppan trying to pitch his way onto Giants

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- Jeff Suppan hopes to win a job on the World Series champion San Francisco Giants.

LIVE BLOG: Congressional transportation hearing

A congressional committee is in Vancouver today taking testimony on the Columbia River Crossing and other transportation infrastructure projects.

Midfielder Josh Gardner signs with Columbus Crew

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Midfielder Josh Gardner has signed a multiyear contract with Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew.

Paralyzed Rutgers player makes public appearance

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) -- Rutgers football player Eric LeGrand made his first public appearance since being paralyzed in a game against Army more than four months ago.

Ore. lawmakers push to end faith healer protection

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Oregon lawmakers say they will push for an end to legal protection for parents who rely solely on faith healing to treat their dying children.

Quick turnaround for No. 2 Ohio State vs. Illini

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Thad Matta was hit with so many "what went wrong?" questions on Monday that it was as if his Ohio State team's record was 2-25 instead of 25-2.

No. 6 SDSU has week to prep for Fredette, BYU

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Coach Steve Fisher and guard D.J. Gay agree -- nothing No. 6 San Diego State does against No. 7 BYU on Saturday will matter if the Aztecs let Jimmer Fredette go off for 43 points again.

A-Rod healthy and upbeat

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Alex Rodriguez arrived at spring training and promptly discussed the most significant activity of his offseason: getting fed popcorn by Cameron Diaz at the Super Bowl in the snack seen 'round the world.

Indy 500 to have noon start for 100th anniversary

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The Indianapolis 500 has announced a start time for the race's 100th anniversary running this spring.

Dolphins add Bryan Cox to coaching staff

DAVIE, Fla. (AP) -- The Miami Dolphins have hired three-time Pro Bowl linebacker Bryan Cox as the team's pass rush coach, bringing him back to the franchise that drafted him 20 years ago.

Oregon Supreme Court rules against anonymous jury

SALEM, Ore. (AP) -- The Oregon Supreme Court has ruled against using an anonymous jury without first deciding that withholding names is justified on security or other grounds and without taking any steps to mitigate possible prejudice to a defendant.

Former streetball player Troy Jackson dead at 35

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Former popular streetball player and Louisville reserve Troy Jackson was found dead in a Los Angeles hotel room on Sunday morning. He was 35.

Bourn recalls Little League days with Crawford

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) -- Michael Bourn laughs at the suggestion that he is the reason Carl Crawford, his former Little League teammate, plays left field instead of center.

Be Bullish wins Big A's Hollie Hughes

NEW YORK (AP) -- Be Bullish, making his first start for trainer Rick Dutrow, beat Smokin Hero by 134 lengths Monday in the $63,700 Hollie Hughes Stakes for New York breds at Aqueduct.

West Ham routs Burnley 5-1 to reach FA Cup quarter

LONDON (AP) -- Carlton Cole scored twice in a three-minute span to help West Ham rout Burnley 5-1 Monday night and advance to an FA Cup quarterfinal at Stoke.

Wash bill proposes cushion for construction budget

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) -- Washington lawmakers have introduced a constitutional amendment that would create a rainy day fund for the state's capital budget, to provide a stable source of money for construction projects during economic downturns.

Chen glad to be back in Royals camp

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) -- Bruce Chen went nearly four years without winning a major league game before he led the Kansas City Royals with 12 victories last year.

Hand healing, Avs F Duchene plans to play Tuesday

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) -- Matt Duchene is back on the ice for the sinking Colorado Avalanche and willing to lend a helping hand -- even if it's injured.

Prairie girls face a tall order, but they have done it before

Tim Martinez: High schools

The silver lining: The Prairie Falcons girls basketball team has already won their most important game at the bi-district tournament.

From prejudice to pride

Patty Mills is happy-go-lucky but it’s not a family trait

Patty Mills doesn't like to talk much about his Indigenous Australian heritage. Unless he's asked about it.

Man charged with girlfriend's murder on Ore. coast

LAKESIDE, Ore. (AP) -- An Oregon man has been charged with murdering his girlfriend at a mobile home in Lakeside on the coast.

Blazers: Weekly Report Card 2/21

This week's Blazers report card

Blazers: When to Watch 2/21

When to watch this week

Vancouver building permits

Building permits over $25,000 issued by the city of Vancouver for Feb. 7-11.

Holiday closures: Presidents Day

What’s open and what’s closed for Presidents Day:

Liquor licenses

The following have applied to the Washington State Liquor Control Board:

Real estate roundup

Recent commercial real estate transactions as reported by area brokerage firms.

Marrow donor finally finds match

Clark County native was on registry for nine years

Brian Loos didn’t know much about the national bone marrow registry when he joined nine years ago. He knew it required only a couple swipes of a cotton swab across his cheek to be added to the registry. And he knew the program saved lives.

Our Readers' Views

Letters to the editor

Bits 'n' Pieces: B.G. teacher gets nod on Grammys

Greg McKelvey, who teaches band at Battle Ground High School and Chief Umtuch Middle School, turned on the television on Feb. 13 to watch the Grammy Awards, but he dozed off, so he missed seeing his former student, Esperanza Spalding, accept the award for best new artist. McKelvey, a 56-year-old Portland resident, taught Spalding about 15 years ago when she joined his band for inner-city and minority youth in Portland. At the time, she played oboe and keyboard, he said.

Kaiser, Southwest clash over surgeries

Hospital says insurer’s plan to move procedures could cost it millions of dollars

A plan by Kaiser Permanente Northwest to move 1,000 elective surgeries away from other hospitals to its own Sunnyside Medical Center in Clackamas, Ore., is raising concerns for leaders at Vancouver-based Southwest Washington Medical Center. Joe Kortum, president and CEO of Southwest, said the move could cost Southwest “millions” of dollars in revenue. It also places a burden on Clark County residents who are insured by Kaiser, Kortum said, because it forces them to drive to Clackamas rather than having their surgery performed closer to home at Southwest.

Off Beat: Police chief back for some Valentine’s Day (barber)shopping

When a former Vancouver police chief was back in town a week ago, the right to remain silent was definitely not part of anybody’s agenda. Bob King and his three companions were here to sing romantic ballads.

Woodland council will fill 7th seat on Tuesday

Three applicants will give five-minute presentations

The Woodland City Council on Tuesday will select a new member from three applicants vying to fill Position No. 7. The council will interview, appoint and swear-in its newest member at its 7 p.m. meeting.

Death Notices

A daily listing of death notices

Clark County business calendar

A weekly list of business related classes and events

A prescription for Z’s

More than ever, Americans are turning to pills to fight sleeplessness

With almost a third of Americans reporting sleep problems, it’s not surprising that sales of Ambien, Sonata and similar sleep aids are high: It’s a $1.8 billion market. Pharmacists filled close to 48 million prescriptions for such non-benzodiazepines — or “Z drugs,” so nicknamed because most of their chemical names start with the letter Z — in 2009, according to health-care research company IMS Health. That’s more than twice as many as were filled in 2002.

In Our View: Washington’s Day

Today might be known as Presidents Day, but in this state, we’ve got our favorite

While much of the country will spend today observing Presidents Day, those of us in the northwestern corner of the contiguous United States prefer to think of it as Washington’s Birthday. That is, of course, the legal name of the federal holiday, although some have attempted to hijack the momentous occasion by lumping our first president — and our state’s namesake — with any manner of lesser leaders with the more egalitarian “Presidents Day.”

Talking Points 02/21

What’s the buzz from the world of sports? Here are some items that will have people talking: NASCAR and NBA All-Star Game.

Truck trailer burns north of Hoquiam

ABERDEEN, Wash. (AP) -- A semi-truck driver saved his truck and escaped injury when his trailer caught fire Monday morning on Highway 101 about 55 miles north of Hoquiam.

Vizquel at 43, still going strong

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- Omar Vizquel donned a sweatshirt and stocking cap on a cool morning in Arizona and headed out early to the batting cage. Just two months shy of his 44th birthday, he's getting ready for yet another season.

Chilean miner Pena plans to run Tokyo Marathon

TOKYO (AP) -- Chilean miner Edison Pena plans to run the Tokyo Marathon, his second such race since he was among the 33 men rescued in October.

Ordonez hopes to rebound from broken ankle

LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) -- Magglio Ordonez knew his season was over as soon as he broke his right ankle sliding into home plate against Toronto last July 24.

Pens acquire Neal for Goligoski in deal with Stars

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- The Pittsburgh Penguins began addressing their banged-up lineup by acquiring forward James Neal from the Dallas Stars in exchange for offensive defenseman Alex Goligoski.

Man stabbed at noon on downtown Seattle corner

SEATTLE (AP) -- Police say a man was stabbed in the neck and chest around noon Monday on a downtown Seattle street corner, at Third and Pine.

Harper arrives at Nationals spring training

VIERA, Fla. (AP) -- Bryce Harper receive a friendly greeting from Stephen Strasburg, one overall No. 1 draft pick greeting another at spring training for the Washington Nationals.

Francona, Groat elected to college baseball HOF

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) -- Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona and former NL MVP Dick Groat are among seven former players and coaches elected to the College Baseball Hall of Fame.

Hamels enjoys being one of the guys

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) -- Cole Hamels went from being the man on the Philadelphia Phillies to just one of the guys in a star-studded rotation.

Wainwright to start spring opener for Cardinals

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) -- Adam Wainwright will pitch in the St. Louis Cardinals' first spring training exhibition in one week against the Florida Marlins, putting the NL Cy Young Award runner-up in line to take the mound for the March 31 opener against the San Diego Padres.

Man shot, injured after weekend fight

LIBBY, Mont. (AP) -- Authorities in northwestern Montana are investigating a weekend shooting that left a 38-year-old Washington state man hospitalized.

Woman convicted in Pitino extortion to appeal

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- The woman convicted of trying to extort cash and cars from University of Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino is preparing to appeal the case.

Bengals hire Philly's Urban as WR coach

CINCINNATI (AP) -- The Bengals have filled the main opening on their coaching staff by hiring James Urban as receivers coach.

Daytona 500's television ratings up from last year

NEW YORK (AP) -- The Daytona 500's television ratings are up from last year.

Clanton leads Central Florida past UTEP 74-68

EL PASO, Texas (AP) -- Keith Clanton scored 15 points to go along with 13 rebounds and Central Florida defeated UTEP 74-68 Monday, dropping the Miners from first to a tie for third in Conference USA.

Washington state workers rally to support unions

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) -- The Presidents Day holiday was an opportunity for several groups to rally in Olympia and meet with Washington lawmakers.

Moulson, Montoya carry Isles to 5-1 win

UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) -- Matt Moulson scored three times for his second straight multigoal game, Al Montoya stopped 20 shots and the New York Islanders cruised to a 5-1 win over the Florida Panthers on Monday.

Wis. budget plan may tilt political playing field

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The fight in Wisconsin over union rights is about more than pay and benefits in the public sector. It could also help solidify Republican power for years.

Man's body found in Bellingham creek

BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) -- A man walking his dog Sunday afternoon discovered a body in Whatcom Creek in Bellingham.

Safarova beats Radwanska 7-6 (3), 6-3 in Qatar

DOHA, Qatar (AP) -- Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic defeated seventh-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 7-6 (3), 6-3 in the opening round of the Qatar Open on Monday.

Hahn recovering slowly after neck injury

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) -- Arizona State outfielder Cory Hahn has undergone neck surgery after being injured while sliding during a game over the weekend.

Hideki Matsui gets to work on first day with A's

PHOENIX (AP) -- Coco Crisp approached Hideki Matsui while they warmed up and pulled his new teammate into a hug. They shook hands, too -- a little more the Japanese style.

Steinbrenner says revenue sharing needs changes

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Yankees co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner says baseball's revenue sharing and luxury tax programs need changes, and that Commissioner Bud Selig is open to the idea.

Wash. woman gets 26 years to life for child rape

SEATTLE (AP) -- A woman who videotaped herself and her husband raping a 4-year-old girl and posted it to the Internet has been sentenced to 26 years to life in prison.

Burien woman sentenced to 29 years for child rape

SEATTLE (AP) -- A woman who taped herself and her husband raping a 4-year-old girl and sent videos of the abuse over the Internet has been sentenced to 26 years to life in prison.

Crashed skier Grugger released from hospital

INNSBRUCK, Austria (AP) -- Austrian skier Hans Grugger has been released from the hospital, one month after undergoing brain surgery following a near-fatal downhill crash.

Roddick withdraws from Delray Beach tournament

BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) -- Top-seeded Andy Roddick has withdrawn from this week's Delray Beach Tennis Championships.

IndyCar headed to The Strip?

LAS VEGAS (AP) -- IndyCar appears to be headed to The Strip.

NBA All-Star game earns best TV rating since '03

NEW YORK (AP) -- The NBA All-Star game has earned its highest television rating since Michael Jordan's last appearance in 2003.

Ryan Dempster picked to start Chicago Cubs' opener

MESA, Ariz. (AP) -- Ryan Dempster has been selected by Chicago Cubs manager Mike Quade to start the season opener against Pittsburgh on April 1.

NASA to launch newest Earth-observation satellite

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- NASA is ready to launch its newest Earth-observing satellite.

Vikings place franchise tag on LB Greenway

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) -- The Minnesota Vikings have placed the franchise tag on linebacker Chad Greenway.

Seattle woman sentenced in truck-pedestrian crash

SEATTLE (AP) -- A woman whose pickup truck hit five pedestrians outside a Seattle nightclub has been sentenced to 29 months in prison.

Woman pitches to Cleveland Indians

GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) -- Justine Siegal became the first woman to pitch batting practice in a major league spring training camp when she threw to the Cleveland Indians.

Braves GN Wren receives extension through 2013

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) -- The Atlanta Braves have signed general manager Frank Wren to a two-year contract extension through the 2013 season.

Racing jockey Coa in stable condition after fall

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- A spokesman says racing jockey Eibar Coa is in stable condition but undergoing additional surgery after injuring his neck in a fall from his horse.

Ferrari's Massa fastest in F1 testing at Barcelona

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) -- Ferrari driver Felipe Massa edged Mark Webber of Red Bull on Monday to record the fastest lap on the final day of a Formula One testing session.

Morneau ready for spring, still not 100 percent

FT. MYERS, Fla. (AP) -- Justin Morneau says he is feeling better seven months after a concussion ended his season, but he likely will not play in the Minnesota Twins' first few games of spring training while he works his way back.

5 C. Ore. transportation projects get $1.3M

BEND, Ore. (AP) -- Nearly $1.3 million in state transportation funding awarded to five projects in Central Oregon will help extend a bus route in Bend, add to a trail system in Madras and help the city of Bend comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act.

Stories for February 21, 2011

Lead stories

Stories

State says it could save millions by eliminating postcards sent in mail

No arrest yet in incident that left two wounded

Second-half rally sends Falcons past Kennedy

Several residents report strange object Sunday evening

Search is successful on Mount Hood

Dick Grafton, who helped liberate Japanese prison camp in WWII, lived near Jim Jacks

Mountains to get heavy snow, valley prospect uncertain

Tim Martinez: High schools

Patty Mills is happy-go-lucky but it’s not a family trait