Stories for February 3, 2011

Columbia River sturgeon numbers in rapid decline

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Wildlife biologists in Oregon and Washington say hungry sea lions at the mouth of the Columbia River are apparently responsible for the rapid decline in numbers of sturgeon in the river.

FIFA upholds 3-year ban for World Cup bids bribery

ZURICH (AP) -- FIFA's appeals committee has upheld the three-year ban of Nigeria's Amos Adamu for seeking bribes during the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding races.

Couple found dead in Portland apartment

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Police say a shooting that resulted in the deaths of a Portland couple appears to be a murder-suicide.

Couple found dead in Portland apartment

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Police have found a man and woman dead in an apparent shooting at an apartment in northeast Portland.

Golisano leaves door open for buying Buffalo Bills

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- Outgoing Sabres owner B. Thomas Golisano has said his goodbyes to players and staff but says Buffalo may not have seen the last of him.

Winter visits Super Bowl week again

DALLAS (AP) -- Texas got another blast of winter overnight Friday, with a few inches of snow piling up on icy streets and sidewalks just two days before the Super Bowl.

Subway employees refuse would-be robber’s demands for cash

Tracking dog set on man’s trail east of Pearson Field

Vancouver police converged east of Pearson Field late Thursday night after employees of a Subway shop near Columbia House and Grand boulevards called 911 to report that someone tried to rob them at knifepoint. The would-be robber brandished a steak knife in the shop about 9:30 p.m., but employees refused to open the cash register, officials said.

Port Angeles hospital uses cones of silence

PORT ANGELES, Wash. (AP) -- A survey of patients at a Port Angeles hospital last year found one of their biggest complaints was noise.

Ex-Portland cop jailed again in Kennewick

KENNEWICK, Wash. (AP) -- An ex-Portland police officer charged with sex crimes in the Tri-Cities had been out on bail until a judge in Kennewick sent him back to jail for violating an anti-harassment order in an unrelated case.

Snohomish students behind Washington coffee bill

EVERETT, Wash. (AP) -- A bill in the Washington Legislature to make coffee the official state drink represents the work of two Snohomish High School seniors.

FIFA to test 10 goal-line technology systems

ZURICH (AP) -- FIFA's rules-making panel will study the results from 10 different goal-line technology systems being tested before its meeting next month.

Another plan for Washington ferry system

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) -- State Rep. Larry Seaquist of Gig Harbor has introduced a bill to create a three-member board to revamp the Washington state ferry system.

Spokane County reorganizing waste disposal system

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) -- Public officials throughout Spokane County have agreed to create a new regional garbage-disposal system.

Oudin to play Clijsters in Fed Cup opener

ANTWERP, Belgium (AP) -- Australian Open champion Kim Clijsters will play Melanie Oudin on Saturday in the Fed Cup when Belgium faces the United States in the best-of-five series.

Herrera Beutler talks deficit, bridge at first town hall

New congresswoman recaps first 3 weeks in office at Battle Ground

BATTLE GROUND — U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler found favor with her conservative base Thursday evening at her first Clark County town hall meeting since taking office one month ago. A friendly crowd of nearly 300 filled the Battle Ground Community Center auditorium to hear the 32-year-old Republican congresswoman describe her first three weeks on the job and her determination to “reverse America’s march to bankruptcy.”

Chernousov, Kowalczyk win WCup races

DEMINO, Russia (AP) -- Illia Chernousov of Russia and Justyna Kowalczyk of Poland won combined pursuit events at a cross-country World Cup meet Friday.

Djokovic out of ABN Amro with shoulder injury

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) -- Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic has pulled out of the ABN Amro Tournament, citing a shoulder injury.

Pa. steelworkers told to work during Super Bowl

CLAIRTON, Pa. (AP) -- It's only natural that Pittsburgh-area steelworkers would want to watch the Pittsburgh Steelers in Sunday's Super Bowl.

Tri-Cities airport director dies in Seattle

PASCO, Wash. (AP) -- KNDU reports Tri-Cities Airport Director Jim Morasch died Thursday night at a Seattle hospital.

Norfolk pulls website similar to Seattle's

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) -- Norfolk has pulled its new city website after Seattle officials noticed more than a few similarities with their city's website.

Stocks edge up after mixed unemployment report

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks are rising modestly in early trading after a mixed employment report said that the unemployment rate fell last month but that new jobs remain scarce.

TV re-enactment of Italy murder draws parents' ire

LONDON (AP) -- The father of slain British student Meredith Kercher is criticizing a television re-enactment for carrying scenes of his daughter's murder in the Italian city of Perugia.

Bruno Mars appears in Vegas court on cocaine plea

LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Pop star Bruno Mars made an appearance before a Las Vegas judge on a plea deal that could get him dismissal of a felony cocaine possession charge.

Celebrating new year, new friends

Hockinson school, families play host to 23 visiting Chinese students.

Beckham still a target for Tottenham in November

LONDON (AP) -- Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp still wants to sign David Beckham and is prepared to wait until the former England captain's contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy expires in November.

Pakistan cricketers to face UK criminal charges

LONDON (AP) -- Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir will face criminal charges in Britain over allegations they conspired with bookmakers to fix a match last year against England.

Uzbekistan beats China in Asian Fed Cup play

NONTHABURI, Thailand (AP) -- Without injured Li Na, top-seeded China lost to Uzbekistan 3-0 in Fed Cup Asia/Oceania Group I on Friday.

Scammers pose as police to bilk woman of thousands

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) -- A Eugene woman has fallen victim to an age-old contest-winner scam with a twist.

Heart problem blamed for Ore. teen wrestler death

SILVERTON, Ore. (AP) -- A heart problem has been blamed for the sudden death of a 17-year-old Oregon high school wrestler just after he won a match.

Teen wrestler dies after match in Ore.

SILVERTON, Ore. (AP) -- A 17-year-old wrestler has collapsed and died shortly after winning a match in the northwest Oregon town of Silverton.

Lindsey Vonn skips World Cup race after concussion

ZWIESEL, Germany (AP) -- Three-time World Cup champion Lindsey Vonn has pulled out of a World Cup slalom after sustaining a concussion in a crash during practice.

Governors nix current design of new I-5 Bridge

They agree with report by experts; 3 alternatives are being considered

A new report released late Thursday afternoon endorses one of three traditional types of bridges as a replacement for the Columbia River Crossing as opposed to a largely untested design earlier favored by engineers. Thursday’s 147-page report comes from a 16-member bridge review panel appointed by governors of Oregon and Washington. It recommends the following:

Tseng takes lead at Women's Australian Open

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Defending champion Yani Tseng shot a 6-under-par 67 to take a two-stroke lead in Friday's rain-interrupted second round of the Women's Australian Open at Commonwealth Golf Club.

Russian uproar over adopted boy's punishment in US

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) -- Officials in Russia are closely watching a case involving an Alaska woman who is charged with child abuse after a video that aired on "Dr. Phil" showed her punishing her adopted Russian son by squirting hot sauce in his mouth and forcing him into a cold shower.

Spring chinook catch tops meager sturgeon landings

Gillnetters got eight salmon on Tuesday night-Wednesday fishery

Big Obama donor quits envoy job amid criticism

WASHINGTON (AP) -- As a supporter of presidential candidate Barack Obama, Cynthia Stroum was a superstar whose financial backing of the campaign landed her a plum diplomatic posting in Europe. As America's ambassador to Luxembourg, the wealthy Seattle-based businesswoman was a disaster.

OR youth groups' treasurer accused of taking $86K

LAKE OSWEGO, Ore. (AP) -- Police in the Portland suburb of Lake Oswego have arrested the volunteer treasurer of two youth sports leagues and a school parents club, accusing her of embezzling $86,000.

Tseng has lead in storm-interrupted 2nd round

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Defending champion Yani Tseng shot a 6-under-par 67 to maintain a two-stroke lead at the storm-interrupted second round of the Women's Australian Open on Saturday.

Wash.'s top bank regulator leaving for new job

SEATTLE (AP) -- The head of Washington state's Department of Financial Institutions says the state's chief banking regulator is resigning to become president and CEO of Islanders Bank, a small San Juan Island County bank owned by Walla Walla-based Banner Corp.

Willard leads Pacific past UC Santa Barbara 74-68

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (AP) -- Sam Willard posted his 14th double-double and coach Bob Thomason notched his 400th career victory as Pacific defeated UC Santa Barbara 74-68 on Thursday night.

Gonzaga wins 16th straight against Portland, 67-64

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Robert Sacre had 17 points and 12 rebounds and Steven Gray added 15, including four in the final 11 seconds, as Gonzaga escaped with a 67-64 victory over Portland on Thursday night.

Coast Guard works to stabilize derelict

Flooding vessel with water should allow for safer inspection

Thousands of gallons of water are being pumped into the interior of the Davy Crockett today, helping stabilize the beached barge. The former Liberty ship is stranded along the Columbia River, near Camas. The 431-foot-long vessel had buckled in the middle, turning the hull into a V shape.

Spurs beat Lakers on McDyess' buzzer-beating tip

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Antonio McDyess tipped in Tim Duncan's missed jump shot right before the buzzer, and the San Antonio Spurs survived the Los Angeles Lakers' late rally for an 89-88 victory Thursday night.

California beats Arizona State 66-62

BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) -- Allen Crabbe shook off a terrible shooting night to score seven points down the stretch, including a 3-pointer with 13.5 seconds left, and California hung on to beat Arizona State 66-62 on Thursday night.

Martin, UC Riverside edge CS Northridge 73-70

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) -- Phil Martin scored 23 points as UC Riverside held off Cal State Northridge 73-70 on Thursday night.

22,000 Pakistanis flee fighting near Afghan border

KHAR, Pakistan (AP) -- A Pakistan government administrator says about 22,000 civilians have fled intense fighting between government troops and militants in a troubled tribal region near the Afghan border.

Cal State-Fullerton defeats UC Irvine 80-74

FULLERTON, Calif. (AP) -- Isiah Umipig scored 19 points, Orane Chin added 15 points and 12 rebounds and Cal State-Fullerton held off UC Irvine 80-74 Thursday night.

San Jose State edges Idaho 92-89 in double OT

MOSCOW, Idaho (AP) -- Keith Shamburger hit a free throw to break a tie, then found Wil Carter for a wide-open dunk with just under 2 seconds remaining to give San Jose State a 92-89 double-overtime victory against Idaho on Thursday night.

Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo takes 65-56 win

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (AP) -- Shawn Lewis scored 23 points to lead Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo to a 65-56 win over UC Davis on Thursday night.

WA teen charged with assault in brother's wounding

SEATTLE (AP) -- A 16-year-old Bellevue boy accused of shooting his 12-year-old brother in the face has been charged as an adult with second-degree assault and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Washington State edges Oregon State 67-64

PULLMAN, Wash. (AP) -- Ireti Amojo and Sage Romberg scored 17 points each and Washington State erased a 10-point first-half deficit to defeat Oregon State 67-64 on Thursday night.

Fresno State pulls out 88-83 win in overtime

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) -- Kevin Olekaibe scored 24 points and Greg Smith added 17 as Fresno State defeated New Mexico State 88-83 in overtime on Thursday night to snap a six-game conference losing streak.

Police decline to release cause of deaths in double homicide

Vancouver police are not releasing details of what killed two men whose bodies were discovered Tuesday in an Image neighborhood home, a spokeswoman said today.

Saint Mary's holds off Pepperdine 79-71

MORAGA, Calif. (AP) -- Mickey McConnell had 26 points and five assists, Rob Jones added 22 points and eight rebounds, and Saint Mary's remained unbeaten at home in McKeon Pavilion with a hard-fought 79-71 victory over Pepperdine on Thursday night.

Sacramento State defeats Portland State 63-55

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- John Dickson had 16 points and eight rebounds and Sacramento State defeated Portland State 63-55 on Thursday night.

Crews finish pulling wood debris from Ore. river

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- The Oregon Department of Transportation says crews have finished clearing a logjam at the Interstate 84 bridge over the Sandy River. The logjam was caused by heavy flooding last month.

Oregon blasts Washington State 69-43

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) -- Joevan Catron had 17 points and nine rebounds, and Oregon recorded its most convincing win in Pac-10 Conference play in five years with a 69-43 victory against Washington State on Thursday night.

Tennessee Tech rallies past Eastern Kentucky 63-54

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Kevin Murphy scored 25 points and Alfred Jones had a career-high 14 rebounds to help Tennessee Tech rally for a 63-54 win over Eastern Kentucky on Thursday night.

Utah Valley beats Texas-Pan American 88-84

EDINBURG, Texas (AP) -- Isiah Williams scored 33 points Thursday and Utah Valley beat Texas-Pan American 88-84.

Morehead State knocks off Jacksonville State 78-72

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. (AP) -- Kenneth Faried, the nation's leading rebounder, had 21 points and 20 rebounds to lead Morehead State to a 78-72 victory over Jacksonville State on Thursday night.

Northern Arizona overwhelms Montana State 61-41

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) -- Shane Johannsen was perfect from the field and finished with 16 points as Northern Arizona beat Montana State 61-41 on Thursday night.

Arkansas-Little Rock edges Denver 75-72 in OT

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- Matt Mouzy scored 24 points, making 8 of 10 from 3-point range, and Arkansas-Little Rock beat Denver 75-72 in overtime Thursday night.

No. 24 Georgia storms back to beat Arkansas in OT

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) -- Jasmine James scored 14 points, Meredith Mitchell added 12 and No. 24 Georgia stormed back from an 11-0 deficit to beat Arkansas 57-54 in overtime on Thursday night.

Charleston Southern defeats VMI 101-90

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) -- Jamarco Warren scored 33 points to lead Charleston Southern over Virginia Military Institute 101-90 on Thursday night.

Cardinal wears ASU down in 2nd half for 72-54 win

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) -- Kayla Pedersen had 15 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, and No. 4 Stanford pulled away in the second half to beat Arizona State 72-54 Thursday night for its 47th straight Pac-10 win, one short of the all-time record.

South Alabama defeats Western Kentucky 80-76

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) -- Gary Redus scored 26 points and South Alabama defeated Western Kentucky 80-76 on Thursday night.

Coast Guard rescues 5 from vessel off WA coast

SEATTLE (AP) -- The Coast Guard says it has rescued all five people from an 80-foot fishing vessel that called for help when it started taking on water off the northwest Washington coast.

Woman sentenced to 15 months in slaying case

Victim’s ex-girlfriend had pleaded guilty to burglary-related charge

Initially charged as an accomplice in the home-invasion slaying of Charles N. Moore, a Vancouver woman was sentenced Thursday to 15 months in prison for conspiracy to commit first-degree burglary.

Oakland, Mich., cruises by Western Illinois 88-65

MACOMB, Ill. (AP) -- Reggie Hamilton scored 20 points and Keith Benson had a double-double to spark Oakland, Mich., to its 10th straight victory, an 88-65 decision over Western Illinois on Thursday night.

Winthrop buzzer-beater edges Gardner-Webb 60-57

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. (AP) -- Charles Corbin hit a 3-pointer as time expired, lifting Winthrop to a 60-57 victory over Gardner-Webb on Thursday night.

Evans leads Wright State over Loyola, (Ill.) 76-63

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) -- N'Gai Evans scored 22 points, dished out five assists and had three steals to lead Wright State over Loyola (Ill.) 76-63 on Thursday night.

Ore., Wash., governors abandon bridge design

SALEM, Ore. (AP) -- The governors of Oregon and Washington have thrown out the latest proposed design of a new Interstate 5 bridge across the Columbia River.

Green Bay tops Cleveland State for 12th win in row

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) -- Kayla Tetschlag scored 15 of her 25 points in the first half and No. 21 Wisconsin-Green Bay continued its Horizon League dominance with a 87-63 win over Cleveland State on Thursday night.

Coastal Carolina holds off Liberty 77-71

CONWAY, S.C. (AP) -- Anthony Raffa scored 19 points as Coastal Carolina held on to beat Liberty 77-71 on Thursday night, extending its win streak to 19 games.

Wagner defeats Fairleigh Dickinson 61-57

NEW YORK (AP) -- Tyler Murray scored 20 points and Wagner scored the final six points of the game to take a 61-57 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson on Thursday night.

Detroit pulls out 77-63 win over Illinois-Chicago

DETROIT (AP) -- Ray McCallum snagged a double-double, scoring 12 points and making 10 assists, to boost Detroit to a 77-63 win over Illinois-Chicago on Thursday night.

Gresham OR officers in fatal shooting identified

GRESHAM, Ore. (AP) -- Gresham, Ore., police have identified the two officers involved in the Monday night fatal shooting of a 50-year-old Gresham man.

Youngstown State rallies to beat Butler 62-60

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (AP) -- Kendrick Perry nailed a 3-pointer with 21 seconds remaining to lead Youngstown State over Butler 62-60 on Thursday night.

Rodgers hits 3 at buzzer to lift Terps over GTech

ATLANTA (AP) -- Kim Rodgers hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give No. 12 Maryland a 56-53 win over No. 24 Georgia Tech on Thursday night in a game interrupted by a power outage with just over 2 minutes to play.

Rogers hits 3 at buzzer to lift Terps over Jackets

ATLANTA (AP) -- Kim Rogers hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give No. 12 Maryland a 56-53 win over No. 24 Georgia Tech on Thursday night in a game interrupted by a power outage with just over 2 minutes to play.

Rock blasting will close SR 14 near Cape Horn Wednesday

Drivers on State Route 14 near Cape Horn should plan ahead to avoid long delays during rock blasting work Wednesday, Feb. 9.

Vermont knocks off Hartford 61-47

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- Sandro Carissimo scored 14 points to lead Vermont to a 61-47 victory over Hartford on Thursday night, the Catamounts' sixth consecutive victory.

Sammartino wins at Santa Anita

ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) -- Sammartino outlasted Mark the Bench in a speed duel to win Thursday's $56,800 King's Canyon Purse by 114 lengths at Santa Anita.

Furman holds off The Citadel 59-55

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) -- Noah States and Darryl Evans scored 12 points apiece and Furman held off The Citadel 59-55 on Thursday night to sweep the season series.

Police volunteers on lookout for stolen vehicles

One NOW team working Friday night will be utilizing the Automatic License Plate Reader (ALPR), which scans license plates for vehicles that are reported stolen.

Long Island U. defeats Sacred Heart 81-69

NEW YORK (AP) -- Julian Boyd and Kyle Johnson each had double-doubles to lead Long Island University over Sacred Heart 81-69 Thursday night.

College of Charleston routs Wofford 79-54

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) -- Andrew Goudelock scored 25 points as College of Charleston swept its season series with Wofford, romping to a 79-54 victory Thursday night in their second meeting.

Miami beats Georgia Tech 59-57

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) -- The Miami Hurricanes overcame a season-high 28 turnovers and snapped a four-game losing streak Thursday night by taking advantage of Georgia Tech's poor shooting to win 59-57.

Quinnipiac defeats St. Francis (N.Y.) 74-60

NEW YORK (AP) -- Deontay Twyman scored 20 points and Quinnipiac won its third game in a row by defeating St. Francis (N.Y.) 74-60 on Thursday night.

Chattanooga holds off Georgia Southern 75-66

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) -- Omar Wattad and Ricky Taylor each scored 19 points to lead Chattanooga to a 75-66 win over Georgia Southern on Thursday night.

Flames end Atlanta jinx, beat Thrashers 4-2

ATLANTA (AP) -- Mikael Backlund scored with about 6 minutes remaining to give Calgary the lead and the streaking Flames finally earned their first win in their former home city, beating the Atlanta Thrashers 4-2 on Thursday night.

Jets QB Sanchez won't need surgery on shoulder

GRAPEVINE, Texas (AP) -- Mark Sanchez won't need surgery on his injured right shoulder.

Esposito, Young drive IUPUI past IPFW 86-77

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Sean Esposito and Alex Young ignited a 12-0 run to start the second half, and IUPUI held on to defeat IPFW 86-77 on Thursday night.

UNC Asheville rolls past Presbyterian 88-55

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) -- J.P. Primm scored 15 points to reach 1,000 for his career as North Carolina-Asheville routed Presbyterian 88-55 on Thursday night.

Robert Morris stifles Bryant in 91-38 rout

MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. (AP) -- Lijah Thompson scored 18 points to lead five Robert Morris players in double figures in a 91-38 rout of Bryant on Thursday night.

Clackamas County asks help finding man

Here is a press release from the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office:

Monthly Ore. economic index improved in December

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) -- The latest monthly economic index from the University of Oregon indicates the state economy showed some encouraging signs in December.

Dunlap leads No. 17 Kentucky over Auburn 69-38

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) -- Victoria Dunlap scored 10 points and had 10 rebounds to eclipse 1,000 for her career, and No. 17 Kentucky easily beat Auburn 69-38 on Thursday night.

Jackson drops in on 'The View'

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Who says the Philadelphia Eagles are through with national television until next season?

No. 3 Duke bounces back, routs No. 18 Miami 82-58

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) -- Freshman Haley Peters scored 15 points and No. 3 Duke bounced back from its first loss by routing No. 18 Miami 82-58 on Thursday night.

Rutgers names Brian Angelichio tight ends coach

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) -- Rutgers has hired Pittsburgh assistant Brian Angelichio as its tight ends coach.

Mount St. Mary's beats Monmouth, NJ 56-54

EMMITSBURG, Md. (AP) -- Julian Norfleet nailed a 3-pointer with 2 seconds left to play, lifting Mount St. Mary's (Md.) to a 56-54 win over Monmouth, N.J. on Thursday night.

James sets Heat record with 23-point 1st quarter

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- LeBron James has set a Miami Heat record with a 23-point first quarter against the Orlando Magic.

Rayburn leads Purdue past No. 20 Iowa 60-41

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) -- Brittany Rayburn scored 23 points to lead Purdue past No. 20 Iowa 60-41 on Thursday night, the Boilermakers' first win over a ranked team in more than a year.

Jurors sent home until next week in Arizona case

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -- The trial of a woman accused in a 2009 double killing in southern Arizona won't resume until resume next week.

Hendrickson back with Orioles on minor league deal

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Mark Hendrickson and the Orioles have agreed to terms on a minor league deal, giving the left-hander a chance to rejoin Baltimore's staff after the team declined its option on his contract in November.

Vans returns as main sponsor of Maloof Money Cup

IRVINE, Calif. (AP) -- Maloof Skateboarding says Vans will return as presenting sponsor for the 2011 Maloof Money Cup contests.

Lawmakers consider immigration, licenses issue

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) -- Lawmakers are moving forward with bills that would impose stricter restrictions on obtaining a driver's license without proof of legal residency.

Rays agree to minor league deal with Juan Cruz

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Right-hander Juan Cruz has agreed to a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Rays and will join the team at spring training.

J-Lo invited to Obama's Super Bowl party

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- The guest list for President Barack Obama's White House Super Bowl party includes entertainers Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony as well as elected leaders from Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

Madoff lawsuit: Mets owners owe $300 million

NEW YORK (AP) -- Lawyers say a court-appointed trustee wants the owners of the New York Mets to give up $300 million -- money he says is fake profit from Bernard Madoff's epic Ponzi scheme.

Settlement talks between Mets, Madoff trustee end

NEW YORK (AP) -- A lawyer for the trustee trying to recover money for the victims of the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme says negotiations have ended to settle a lawsuit filed against the New York Mets owners and their affiliated companies.

SIU-Edwardsville's game at South Dakota postponed

VERMILLION, S.D. (AP) -- Thursday night's basketball game between Southern Illinois-Edwardsville and South Dakota has been postponed because of severe winter weather.

NFL Panthers to hire UGA linebackers coach Belin

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- The Carolina Panthers have a new linebackers coach.

Father of Packers' Jenkins is safe in Hawaii

IRVING, Texas (AP) -- Green Bay Packers defensive end Cullen Jenkins was worried about this father, whom he hadn't heard from for more than a month. But police have told The Associated Press that his dad is just fine in Hawaii.

NFL, union disagree on franchise tag assignments

DALLAS (AP) -- Go ahead and add franchise tags to the lengthy list of issues the NFL and its players disagree about.

Dodgers sign pitcher Mahay to minor league deal

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed pitcher Ron Mahay to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training.

Ore. woman's body found in construction pit

SALEM, Ore. (AP) -- The body of a 78-year-old Salem woman has been recovered from a construction pit after she apparently became disoriented and fell in.

House, condo prices down for most of Wash. state

SEATTLE (AP) -- The Northwest Multiple Listing Service says house and condo prices in much of Washington state were down more than 6 percent last month with compared a year ago.

Airlines battling ice to get fans to Super Bowl

DALLAS (AP) -- With thawing temperatures expected over the weekend, airlines are optimistic that out-of-town fans will get to icy Texas in time to see the Super Bowl.

Buffalo pulls away from Toledo 81-58

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- Zach Filzen matched a career high with 23 points and Byron Mulkey added 20 as Buffalo defeated Toledo 81-58 on Thursday, extending the Bulls' winning streak to six.

Arizona and Indianapolis have best fields in NFL

DALLAS (AP) -- The Pittsburgh Steelers have the worst grass field in the NFL, according to the latest survey by the players union.

Flights into PDX from Chicago, Houston canceled

An ever-so-slight impact of the white-out winter storms that stretch from Texas to Maine poked the Vancouver-Portland metro area this morning: Flights into Portland International Airport today from Chicago and Houston have been canceled.

WA National Guard battalion to deploy to Kuwait

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. (AP) -- A Washington National Guard battalion is set to deploy to Kuwait this weekend in support of the final year of the U.S. military's work in Iraq

Brewers, Kotsay finish $800,000, 1-year deal

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- The Brewers completed outfielder Mark Kotsay's $800,000 contract on Friday.

AP Source: Kotsay, Brewers agree to $800,000 deal

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- A person familiar with negotiations says the Milwaukee Brewers and outfielder Mark Kotsay have agreed to a $800,000, one-year contract.

Roma ready to sell to US businessman Di Benedetto

ROME (AP) -- Roma has announced it is ready to negotiate a sale to American businessman Thomas Di Benedetto, a part owner of the parent company of the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool.

BLM pulls timber sale over spotted owl protections

GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) -- The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has withdrawn a timber sale from the former Bush administration designed to cut big old trees in southwestern Oregon.

Blue Jackets call up John Moore

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- The Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled prized defenseman and former first-round pick John Moore from their American Hockey League affiliate in Springfield, Mass.

Sparks sign point guard Loree Moore

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Los Angeles Sparks have signed free-agent point guard Loree Moore, reuniting her with former high school teammate Ebony Hoffman.

Steelers' Harrison had '100,000 reasons' to vent

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- James Harrison feels a little better after two days of venting about the NFL and "getting this all off my chest."

Rockies, Stewart agree to $2,287,500 deal for 2011

DENVER (AP) -- The Colorado Rockies and third baseman Ian Stewart avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $2,287,500 deal.

Nebraska secondary coach Sanders resigns

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- Nebraska coach Bo Pelini says assistant coach Marvin Sanders has resigned.

House Dems seek tax hikes to sustain Basic Health

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) -- Democratic lawmakers in the state House are calling for tax increases to save the state's Basic Health Plan.

Nationals minor leaguer suspended for drugs

NEW YORK (AP) -- A minor league catcher in the Washington Nationals' system has been suspended 50 games after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug.

Kitzhaber budget calls for early childhood changes

SALEM, Ore. (AP) -- Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber's proposed budget includes an overhaul of the state programs aimed at giving at-risk children a better start in life.

Energy NW asked not to use plutonium reactor fuel

RICHLAND, Wash. (AP) -- Friends of the Earth is calling upon Energy Northwest not to consider using nuclear reactor fuel derived from weapons-grade plutonium at its Columbia Generating Station at Hanford.

Ex-Tacoma teacher charged with sexual misconduct

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) -- A former Tacoma high school teacher has been charged with having sex with a teenager she taught at Tacoma's Mount Tahoma High School.

Bank robbery suspect in critical condition

LEWISTON, Idaho (AP) -- Police in Lewiston have released the name of a 69-year-old man who was shot by law enforcement officers after a bank robbery.

Legislation would create $30 state recreation lands pass

Parks, DNR and Fish and Wildlife agencies would share the money

Fishing report 2/03

Anglers already are working the lower Columbia for spring chinook

Out & About

Items about the Pacific Northwest Sportsmen's Show, offerings by the Clark-Skamania Flyfishers and open enrollment for the Washington master hunter program

Halftime gig 'dream come true' for Black Eyed Peas

DALLAS (AP) -- The Black Eyed Peas aren't revealing their set list, but they say they're ready to give an energy-packed performance at Sunday's Super Bowl halftime.

January Ford sales help set the tone for a better year

Ford’s January vehicle sales rose 32 percent in Clark County, in line with a 27 percent increase in national sales for the Dearborn, Mich.-based company and setting the tone for a better year for the auto industry.

Linfield’s Doucette garners top award for small colleges

Oregon Sports Awards honors Evergreen grad

Linfield College softball infielder Staci Doucette was named the female recipient of the Ad Rutschman Small College Athlete of the Year Award as part of the annual Oregon Sports Awards held Sunday at the Stanford Theatre on the campus of Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Ore. The Evergreen High School graduate is the first Linfield female athlete to receive the prestigious award and the sixth overall winner from the McMinnville, Ore., college since the honor was established in 2001.

Camas teammates now cross-state rivals

Coe picks Montana State, while Owen selects Montana

Odin Coe and Addison Owen sat next to each other early Wednesday morning at Camas High School as they signed their National Letters of Intent, still teammates until about 7:30 a.m. Now, they are rivals.

Clark College men, women sweep Centralia

Arman Kalan had 15 points and eight rebounds to lead the Clark College men’s basketball team to a 70-61 win over Centralia on Wednesday. “Kalan was really the guy tonight,” Clark coach Mike Arnold said. “We really made a big difference in the second half.”

Talking Points 2/3

Nbafanhouse.com has made a list of the 10 worst players in the NBA and Portland’s backup center Sean Marks earned the No. 1 ranking. Marks topped No. 2 Aaron Gray of New Orleans, No. 3 Gerald Henderson of Charlotte, No. 4 Sasha Pavlovic of Dallas and No. 5. Johan Petro of New Jersey.

High School Scoreboard 2/3

Wednesday's high school results

Priest who served many area churches dies at 74

The Rev. Joseph O’Shea was ordained in Ireland 50 years ago

The Rev. Joseph O’Shea, a beloved member of the Catholic community in Southwest Washington, died in his Vancouver home Friday. The 74-year-old died of a heart attack.

The Garden Life: Take advantage of fair weather

I have been gardening in Southwest Washington long enough to recognize a consistent pattern in our variable weather over the years. One phenomenon of our Northwest climate is a distinct interlude of rain-free, sunny weather in mid-February, just like what we’re seeing this week. Since I keep a garden journal, I have it on record that we experience a period of spring-like weather every year before lapsing back into winter conditions.

In Our View: Cameras Don’t Lie

Compelling statistics about red-light cameras refute complaints from critics

The Washington Post published a story on Tuesday that supports what The Columbian has maintained in several editorials in recent years: Red-light cameras save lives. More than 50 intersections in the District of Columbia are equipped with red-light cameras and, according to a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, those intersections saw a 26 percent drop in traffic fatalities over five years. In 13 other cities with the cameras, according to the study, similar declines in traffic deaths were shown.

Technology network grows in east county

Professionals gather monthly to show off their skills, facilities

After one trip too many to Portland, Jon Russell realized the people he wanted to talk tech with were all around him in east Clark County. Trouble was, no one had taken the time to gather the area’s tech-savvy professionals together so they could meet each other.

Ask the gardening expert

A friend of mine told me she was planning to “rogue” out a tree in her yard. Does it mean cutting it down? Not exactly. It may involve cutting the tree off near the trunk base, but the word implies to me that someone is going to pull the stump and root-ball out of the ground. In most cases this would involve a professional with the equipment to do the job. I know some folks try to do it themselves, but it is a tough job.

Pipe maker announces Kansas expansion

Vancouver — Northwest Pipe Co. plans to expand the production capacity of its Atchison, Kan., plant by 50 percent, the company announced Wednesday.

Papa Murphy’s chain named to Forbes franchise list

Vancouver — Papa Murphy’s take-and-bake pizza chain announced this week that it ranked No. 5 on Forbes magazine’s list of the top 20 restaurant franchises.

Ailing man faces benefits puzzle

Formerly homeless, he needs pair of surgeries

Chris Benjamin is far more interested in saving his own life than in saving your tax dollars. But his desperate struggles with the churning realms of health care and disability, poverty and entitlement, have given him a window on the cost of medical care, the contradictions built into the state welfare system — and the way that budget cuts aimed at savings could end up costing the public a whole lot more.

Chinese New Year performance slated

VANCOUVER — Taiwanese exchange students from the King Car Education Foundation will perform Friday, along with their Evergreen school district hosts, at what has become an annual Chinese New Year performance.

Lecture highlights China, education

VANCOUVER — Whether a global leader, valued trade partner or potential threat, China and its relations with the U.S. and world cannot be ignored.

Camp Fire kids sell candy for troops

CLARK COUNTY — Here’s a sweet initiative: Camp Fire children are selling this month boxes of candy to Vancouver residents to send to U.S. troops serving abroad.

Ridgefield man wrongfully convicted of rape makes plea for compensation bill

Legislation would pay $20,000 for each year incarcerated

Alan Northrop lost 17 years of his life after being wrongfully convicted of a 1993 rape in La Center and imprisoned. After he was cleared of the crime last July, he received no compensation from Washington state and, instead, was saddled with a child support bill of more than $100,000.

Doomed barge continues to languish

Vancouver — Contractors are hoping today to begin pouring ballast water into enclosed compartments within the stern of the beached and broken barge Davy Crockett.

Weather Eye: Unlike other places, we’re calm

Were you up early enough to see the beautiful sunrise on Wednesday? It was spectacular. Very relaxing and calming, like all is well weatherwise. That certainly is not the case in many parts of our country and around the world, as well. Record-setting snow, ice and cold from the Midwest to the East Coast with the “monster” storm that at one time covered 2,100 miles. As of this writing, the snowstorm in Chicago is the third greatest snowstorm in the city’s history.

Correction: 2008 Primary Date

2008 Primary Date: A Wednesday front-page story misstated the month Washington’s 2008 presidential primary was held. In fact, it was held in early February, and drew major candidates to the state, including Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain. The story also misstated the date of a Senate Ways and Means Committee hearing on a bill to cancel the 2012 presidential primary. The hearing is today.

Correction: Free tax help

Free tax help: People applying for free income tax filing help may call 888-687-2277. An incorrect phone number was given in a story on Page E1 on Wednesday. It is The Columbian’s policy to correct errors. Call Mary Ricks at 360-735-4550.

Vital statistics

Births, Marriage dissolutions, Marriage licenses, Court sentencings

Death notices

A daily list of death notices

Our Readers' Views

Letters to the editor

Energy Adviser: Tax credits available; amounts reduced

What do I need to know about federal energy-related income tax credits for 2011? I understand they’ve changed since last year. The tax credits available this year have been cut back significantly from what was available last year. The tax bill passed by Congress in December modifies and extends three energy efficiency federal tax credit programs for homeowners, homebuilders and manufacturers.

Gardening Calendar

A weekly list of garden classes and events

Houseplants in season

Indoor flora clean the air of your home while improving your mood

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Every January, Joan Coulat welcomes an indoor jungle to Capital Nursery. Ferns, orchids, dracaenas — they pack the Sacramento, Calif., greenhouse, ready for new homes. It’s houseplant season.

Justices OK suspension of W. Wash. U. professor

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) -- The state Supreme Court says it was OK for Western Washington University to hold a closed disciplinary hearing for a professor who had a long history of insulting colleagues and students.

WA prison guard's family prepares for service

EVERETT, Wash. (AP) -- The family of slain Monroe prison guard Jayme Biendl released a statement through police Thursday saying they are devastated by the loss.

Oregon researchers to study Antarctic ice core

CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) -- Oregon State University researchers who helped drill one of the longest ice cores ever extracted from Antarctica say it should give them some new clues about past climate changes.

Spokane group raising funds to pay library fines

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) -- A neighborhood group in Spokane plans to hold a fundraiser to help children pay off overdue book fines so they can resume using their library.

Not guilty plea in Kent stabbing death

KENT, Wash. (AP) -- A man accused of stabbing his ex-girlfriend to death in December at a Kent apartment has pleaded not guilty.

New congresswoman touring SW Washington district

BATTLE GROUND, Wash. (AP) -- Washington's newest member of Congress, Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, has been holding town hall meetings in her southwest Washington district.

Ore. seafood processor settles suit for $85,000

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Federal regulators say a Portland-based seafood processor and distributor has settled a lawsuit alleging retaliation against a worker who complained about racial discrimination.

Wash. eye surgeon convicted in murder plot

SEATTLE (AP) -- The co-founder of a Northwest chain of eye-surgery centers has been convicted of plotting to kill two former colleagues.

Nationals, OF Nix agree to minor league deal

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Outfielder Laynce Nix and the Washington Nationals have agreed to terms on a minor league contract that includes an invitation to spring training.

Twins radio announcer John Gordon to retire in '11

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Minnesota Twins radio announcer John Gordon has decided to make his 25th season with the team his last.

O'Reilly misses 6th straight game

DENVER (AP) -- Colorado forward Ryan O'Reilly will miss his sixth straight game with a shoulder injury when the Avalanche host Minnesota on Thursday night.

Judge 'heartbroken' by son's arrest in $1.5M heist

LAS VEGAS (AP) -- A Las Vegas judge says he's "heartbroken" his 29-year-old son has been arrested in the brazen gunpoint robbery of $1.5 million in casino chips from the posh Bellagio resort on the Las Vegas Strip.

Bob Griese retires from broadcasting

BRISTOL, Conn. (AP) -- Hall of Fame quarterback Bob Griese is retiring from broadcasting.

Zeballos ousts top-seeded Nalbandian

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) -- Unseeded Horacio Zeballos beat fellow Argentine David Nalbandian 6-2, 7-5 on Thursday to knock the No. 1 seed out of the Movistar Open, the first clay-court tournament of the ATP season.

Giraldo, Starace reach Santiago quarterfinals

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) -- Santiago Giraldo of Colombia reached his third quarterfinals this year when he beat Igor Andreev of Russia 7-6 (7), 4-6, 6-2 at the Movistar Open on Thursday.

Grambling coach Broadway resigns

GRAMBLING, La. (AP) -- Grambling State athletic director Lin Dawson says head football coach Rod Broadway has resigned to take the head coaching job at North Carolina A&T.

3 new US forest supervisors named in Oregon

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- The U.S. Forest Service named three new national forest supervisors in Oregon.

Jay Gruden to lead Bengals offense

CINCINNATI (AP) -- The Cincinnati Bengals have hired Arena Football League veteran Jay Gruden as their offensive coordinator.

Knicks fined $200,000 for illegal draft workouts

GREENBURGH, N.Y. (AP) -- The NBA has fined the New York Knicks $200,000 for conducting illegal draft workouts.

AP Source: Knicks fined $200,000 for workouts

GREENBURGH, N.Y. (AP) -- A person with knowledge of the decision says the NBA has fined the New York Knicks $200,000 for conducting illegal draft workouts.

Fax breakdown nixes planned German transfer

BERLIN (AP) -- The German Bundesliga has rejected a request to approve the planned transfer of Hamburg's Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting to Cologne after a broken fax connection caused the clubs to miss Monday's deadline.

Raptors' Kleiza done for season after knee surgery

TORONTO (AP) -- Linas Kleiza could miss up to a year after the Toronto Raptors forward had surgery to repair cartilage damage in his right knee.

Cleveland: The city of losers

CLEVELAND (AP) -- While Green Bay and Pittsburgh duke it out over which city should be called Titletown USA, Cleveland's trophy case remains barren.

South African through to 1st ATP semifinal

JOHANNESBURG (AP) -- South African wildcard Izak van der Merwe defeat Simon Greul of Germany 7-6 (5), 6-2 Friday at the SA Tennis Open to reach his first ATP semifinal.

McMahon helps promote concussion awareness

DALLAS (AP) -- Jim McMahon says that when he runs into ex-teammates from the 1986 Super Bowl champion Chicago Bears, the conversation goes like this: "How are you feeling? Are you forgetting stuff like me?"

Penguins' Malkin to return vs. Buffalo

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Penguins injured center Evgeni Malkin will return Friday, when Pittsburgh meets the Buffalo Sabres. But the Penguins, still without center Sidney Crosby, have lost another center, Mark Letestu, for 4-6 weeks due to arthroscopic knee surgery.

Lidstrom stars at 40 for Red Wings

DETROIT (AP) -- Nicklas Lidstrom says he's happy he put retirement on hold. The Detroit Red Wings are, too.

Feliz agrees to minor league deal with Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Infielder Pedro Feliz has agreed to a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals.

Brooks day-to-day with shoulder injury for Penn St

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -- Penn State leading rebounder Jeff Brooks is day-to-day with a dislocated right shoulder, and his status is unclear for Sunday's game against Michigan.

UI hospital firing 3 workers over player records

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) -- A spokesman says the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics will fire three employees and hand two others unpaid five-day suspensions after an investigation confirmed they inappropriately breached the medical records of hospitalized football players.