Stories for March 10, 2013

FIFA suspends executive during ethics probe

ZURICH (AP) -- FIFA has suspended executive committee member Vernon Manilal Fernando while investigating corruption allegations in soccer.

Yankees pitcher Hughes throws in bullpen session

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Yankees starter Phil Hughes has thrown 27 pitches off a bullpen mound three weeks after being diagnosed with a bulging disk in his upper back.

Enigmatic Blazers fall to Hornets

New Orleans hangs on despite late Portland charge

NEW ORLEANS -- In a 15-second span, Ryan Anderson produced a pair of pivotal plays to prevent the New Orleans Hornets from squandering a third double-digit lead in a week.

Frustrated Timbers got their shots against Montreal

Portland's 19 shots on goal could only produce one goal

PORTLAND -- Frustrating? Sure, playing against the hounding defense of the Montreal Impact and losing 2-1 on Saturday was frustrating for the Portland Timbers.

Indiana, UConn highlight 2K Sports Classic

PRINCETON, N.J. (AP) -- Indiana, Connecticut, Boston College and Washington will meet in the semifinals of the 2K Sports Classic benefiting the Wounded Warrior Project.

Retired boxer Tony Martin shot, killed in Philly

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Family members say retired boxer Tony Martin was fatally shot in an altercation with a visitor at one of his rental properties in Philadelphia.

Gut fastest in World Cup downhill training

LENZERHEIDE, Switzerland (AP) -- Lara Gut of Switzerland was fastest in a training run for the season's last World Cup downhill.

Pentagon chief's Afghan trip rocky

Visit plagued by security problems, fractured relations

KABUL, Afghanistan — A series of security problems and fractured relations with Afghan leaders plagued Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's first trip here as Pentagon chief, including the Afghan president's accusations that the U.S. and the Taliban are working in concert to show that violence in the country will worsen if most coalition troops leave.

Oregon's high court to hear execution request

Convicted murderer Haugen seeks to reject governor's reprieve

SALEM, Ore. — Convicted murderer Gary Haugen's request to be executed will be heard by the state Supreme Court this week.

Spring in step, if not weather, on Salmon Creek trail

Cloudy Sunday draws a crowd

Our brief flirtation with an early sunny spring was subdued Sunday, but it was still a fine day to walk the dog.

Ivica Kostelic to undergo knee surgery, his 10th

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) -- The Croatian ski association says Ivica Kostelic will undergo knee surgery for the 10th time of his career.

Obama set to nominate Perez as labor chief

Career civil rights lawyer latest nominee for 2nd-term Cabinet

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama intends to nominate career civil-rights attorney Thomas Perez as secretary of Labor, people familiar with the deliberations confirmed Sunday.

GOP lawmakers: Obama wooing might break budget logjam

WASHINGTON — Republican lawmakers said Sunday they welcome President Barack Obama's courtship and suggested the fresh engagement between the White House and Congress might help yield solutions to the stubborn budget battle that puts Americans' jobs at risk.

Ohio SUV crash kills six teens, injures 2

Vehicle taken without permission was speeding

WARREN, Ohio — A speeding sport utility vehicle taken without permission and carrying eight teenagers crashed into a guardrail Sunday morning and flipped over into a swampy pond in northeast Ohio, killing five boys and a woman, the state highway patrol said.

Valerie Harper to discuss cancer on 'The Doctors'

Actress Valerie Harper plans to discuss her brain cancer with some television doctors.

Venezuela's opposition leader to run for president

Bid to replace Chavez unlikely to succeed, experts say

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan opposition leader Henrique Capriles announced Sunday night that he will run in elections to replace Hugo Chavez, launching what many consider a doomed candidacy with a no-holds-barred attack against a government he said had coldly betrayed Venezuelans’ trust.

Princess whose forbidden love made Sweden swoon dies at 97

STOCKHOLM -- She was one of the better-kept secrets of Sweden's royal household: a commoner and divorcée whose relationship with Prince Bertil was seen as a threat to the Bernadotte dynasty.

Hayatou re-elected unopposed as CAF president

MARRAKECH, Morocco (AP) -- Issa Hayatou has been re-elected unopposed as president of the African soccer confederation for a final four-year term.

Oregon plan would help pay for college

Treasurer proposes state take on debt instead of students

SALEM, Ore. -- Oregon Treasurer Ted Wheeler has a plan to make higher education more affordable, proposing the state take on debt so students don't have to.

Political power plays precede papal conclave

Vested interests emerge as cardinals gather at Vatican

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican insists that the cardinals participating in the upcoming conclave will vote their conscience, each influenced only by silent prayers and reflection. Everybody knows, however, that power plays, vested interests and Machiavellian maneuvering are all part of the game, and that the horse-trading is already under way.

Two arrested after suspected assault of Portland bus driver

Two men were arrested Sunday in connection with the suspected assault of a TriMet driver.

Pistorius lawyers appeal bail conditions

JOHANNESBURG (AP) -- Lawyers for Oscar Pistorius have filed an appeal in a South African court against bail restrictions imposed on the Olympian, who was charged with murdering his girlfriend.

Small Washington liquor stores hurting

Owners put blame on privatization rule

MONROE — Bonnie Roulstone's business thrived when the state controlled the liquor business, and is fighting to survive now that it's out.

Blind lawmaker up to task in Olympia

OLYMPIA — Behind his sunglasses, Rep. Cyrus Habib is reaching back in memory, trying to recall the name of another fully blind politician who came before him. At just 31 years old, Habib has mastered skills to bypass the limitations of his disability, and that has allowed him to trace a remarkable life trajectory.

Man arrested after crash kills 2 in Portland

PORTLAND — Police say a man was taken into custody following a traffic crash in southeast Portland that killed two people.

Washington rapper who claims blindness wanted for robbery

BC-WA--Blind Rapper-Warrant,136

One man stabbed during fight at girls' basketball tournament in Whatcom County

BC-WA--Basketball Tournament-Stabbing,112

Navy exercises $7.83M option for Insitu services

The Defense Department said Friday that the Navy has exercised a $7.83 million option to have Bingen-based Insitu Inc. provide "operational and maintenance services" for its ScanEagle unmanned aerial systems — commonly known as a drone aircraft. The option modifies a previously awarded, "firm, fixed-price contract," the agency said.

Gas prices fall across U.S.

The average price for regular gasoline at U.S. pumps fell 5.56 cents a gallon in the past two weeks to $3.7394 a gallon, according to Lundberg Survey Inc.

Police: Centralia mom let toddler inhale marijuana smoke

CENTRALIA — Centralia police say they have arrested a 24-year-old woman on suspicion of letting her 10-month-old boy inhale marijuana smoke from a bong.

Japan's WBC team honors victims of 2011 tsunami

TOKYO (AP) -- Members of Japan's World Baseball Classic team honored the victims of the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear catastrophe on the two-year anniversary of the disaster.

Western Kentucky beats Arkansas State 58-56

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (AP) -- T.J. Price scored 24 points, including a layup with 19 seconds to play, and Western Kentucky defeated Arkansas State 58-56 Sunday night in the Sun Belt Conference tournament semifinals.

North Dakota State defeats UMKC 69-58

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) -- Taylor Braun scored 27 points and Marshall Bjorklund had 18 points and 10 rebounds to help North Dakota State defeat UMKC 69-58 Sunday night in the Summit League tournament quarterfinals.

Lawrence, Charleston defeat Elon 68-60 in SoCon

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) -- Andrew Lawrence scored 19 points and Willis Hall added a double-double as the third-seeded College of Charleston defeated No. 2 seed Elon 68-60 in the Southern Conference semifinals Sunday night.

Black, Albany defeat Stony Brook 61-59

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- Mike Black scored 16 points, including a last-second game-winner, as fourth-seeded Albany knocked off No. 1 seed Stony Brook 61-59 Sunday night in the America East tournament semifinals.

FIU upsets Middle Tennessee 61-57 in Sun Belt semi

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (AP) -- Deric Hill had 16 points and Malik Smith scored 14, including two late free throws, as Florida International upset top-seeded Middle Tennessee 61-57 in the Sun Belt Conference tournament semifinals Sunday night.

Alexander leads Syracuse to 61-56 win over 'Nova

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- Kayla Alexander matched her career high with 34 points and No. 24 Syracuse withstood a rally to beat Villanova 61-56 Sunday in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament.

IPFW defeats Oakland 91-72 in Summit quarterfinals

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) -- Frank Gaines scored 23 points to lead IPFW to a 91-72 victory over Oakland in the quarterfinals of the Summit League tournament Sunday night.

Rewards of living a model life (with video)

Community of hobbyists say hands-on approach to history enriches them

In the era of electronic everything and readily available online simulation, a palpable hobby holds on in Clark County.

HP excels at life in the fast lane

Vancouver branch plays key role in development of new inkjet printer that is world's fastest

With Hewlett-Packard's newest inkjet printer, a product hatched partly in Vancouver, many numbers stagger.

Rumor wins Las Flores at Santa Anita

ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) -- Rumor defeated 4-5 favorite Teddy's Promise by a half-length to win the $100,000 Las Flores Stakes at Santa Anita on Sunday.

Cowboys won't be as busy as 2012 in free agency

IRVING, Texas (AP) -- One thing is certain with the Dallas Cowboys in free agency: They won't be nearly as busy as they were a year ago.

Chivas USA tops FC Dallas 3-1

CARSON, Calif. (AP) -- Oswaldo Minda scored in the 76th minute and Chivas USA rallied for a 3-1 win over FC Dallas on Sunday.

Vermont pulls away from UMBC 85-72

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- Candon Rusin scored 18 points and three others hit double figures to help Vermont beat Maryland-Baltimore County 85-72 Sunday and advance to its third America East Conference championship game in four years.

AP Source: Giants reach agreement with DT Jenkins

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- A person with knowledge of the deal says defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins has signed a three-year contract with the New York Giants.

Andujar, Manhattan top Fairfield 60-42

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) -- Emmy Andujar scored 16 points and Michael Alvarado added 12 to help Manhattan defeat Fairfield 60-42 Sunday in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament semifinals.

James Madison edges Delaware 58-57 in CAA semis

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- A.J. Davis scored 16 points and Devon Moore hit two go-ahead free throws with 4 seconds showing to lift James Madison over Delaware 58-57 Sunday.

Washington's Seferian-Jenkins arrested for DUI

SEATTLE (AP) -- Seattle police say University of Washington standout tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence Saturday night.

2 films celebrate NCAA tournament anniversaries

NEW YORK (AP) -- With the 2013 NCAA tournament starting in less than two weeks there is time to step back and look at two incredible seasons.

Viciedo, Gartrell lift White Sox over Mariners

PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) -- Dayan Viciedo went 3-for-3 with a double and two runs scored, and a Chicago White Sox split squad beat the Seattle Mariners 11-7 on Sunday.

Jockey Ramon Dominguez visits Aqueduct

NEW YORK (AP) -- Ramon Dominguez visited Aqueduct on Sunday, his first appearance at the track where he suffered a fractured skull in a spill.

Anderson strains back in A's win over Arizona

PHOENIX (AP) -- Brett Anderson, scheduled to start on opening day for the Oakland Athletics, strained a muscle in his upper right back and left Sunday's 7-5 win over Arizona after facing just two batters.

Dodgers too much for Rockies 6-1

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- Matt Kemp had his first two hits of the spring and Clayton Kershaw allowed only two hits in five innings and added an RBI single and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Colorado Rockies 6-1 Sunday.

Choo gets 4 hits, leads Reds over White Sox

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- Shin-Soo Choo got four hits and Todd Frazier homered Sunday as the Cincinnati Reds beat a Chicago White Sox split squad 7-3.

LA Kings recall prospect C Tyler Toffoli

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Los Angeles Kings recalled center Tyler Toffoli from Manchester of the AHL on Sunday.

Liberty takes Big South women's title

CONWAY, S.C. (AP) -- Tolu Omotola scored 16 points and top-seeded Liberty's women gave the school a double dose of Big South championship celebrations with their 15th league tournament title in the past 17 years after a 54-45 victory over Longwood on Sunday.

Cain, Giants defeat Brewers

PHOENIX (AP) -- Matt Cain gave up one run in three innings Sunday and the San Francisco Giants beat the Milwaukee Brewers 6-1.

Stiff back shelves Raptors F Gay

TORONTO (AP) -- Raptors forward Rudy Gay was held out of Sunday's game against Cleveland with a staff back, while center Andrea Bargnani was scratched with a strained right elbow.

Iona beats Niagara 79-73; Laury gets double-double

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) -- David Laury scored 20 points and grabbed 17 rebounds as Iona eliminated top-seeded Niagara 79-73 Sunday in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament semifinals.

Long snapper is Redskins' 5th player to re-sign

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Long snapper Nick Sundberg has agreed to a four-year deal to remain with the Washington Redskins.

Northeastern digs out, beats George Mason 69-67

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- Jonathan Lee scored 14 points, including a layup with 3 seconds remaining, as top-seeded Northeastern defeated George Mason 69-67 Sunday in the Colonial Athletic Association semifinals after trailing by 24 points before halftime.

Philadelphia beats Colorado 2-1

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (AP) -- Jack McInerney scored in the 79th minute as the Philadelphia Union defeated the Colorado Rapids 2-1 on Sunday.

Rodriguez wins Tirreno stage; Froome takes lead

CHIETI, Italy (AP) -- Chris Froome of Britain took the overall lead in the weeklong Tirreno-Adriatico race Sunday, and Joachin Rodriguez of Spain won the fifth stage with an attack on the short but steep finishing climb.

In Our View: Congress, Keep Pearson Local

Herrera Beutler's bill goes before congressional subcommittee on Thursday

The document carries a fairly innocuous title: House Resolution 716. And the deliberative body's name doesn't sound overly dramatic, either: the Public Lands and Environmental Regulation Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee.But when Jaime Herrera Beutler's bill goes before the subcommittee on Thursday, it carries the hopes of a growing number of Clark County residents that Pearson Air Museum can be returned to local control. The best way to accomplish that is described in HR 716: Transfer 7 acres from the National Park Service to the city of Vancouver, which would then reopen Pearson Air Museum under the auspices of the Fort Vancouver National Trust. The congressional subcommittee is urged to approve the resolution introduced by Herrera Beutler, R-Camas, and advance it to the House floor for approval.

John Laird: Praying politicians, vindictive voters and transit taxes

Notes, quotes and anecdotes while wondering what we do if some folks in one state oppose a bistate bridge but more folks in the other state support the same bistate bridge:

Editorial Cartoon: GOP Identity Crisis

March 10

Madore: Ignore rumors; parks are priority for county

Let's put some park fee rumors to rest. Restoring the free use of our parks to improve our quality of life is step one in making our parks a higher, not a lower priority. Doing parks smarter includes keeping our parks open year-round, properly staffing our parks, providing excellent maintenance and empowering volunteers to better complement our staff.

Will: Voting Rights Act's supporters ignore progress

Progressives are remarkably uninterested in progress. Social Security is 78 years old and myriad social improvements have added 17 years to life expectancy since 1935, yet progressives insist the program remain frozen, like a fly in amber. Medicare is 48 years old and the competence and role of medicine have been transformed since 1965, yet progressives cling to Medicare "as we know it." And they say the Voting Rights Act, another 48-year-old, must remain unchanged, despite dramatic improvements in race relations.

Voting Rights Act still stirs fervor

Conservative justices would be wrong to gut Section 5

The U.S. views itself as a nation progressing ever toward the ideals of justice and liberty. In many ways it's true.

Patty Duke to speak for Children's Center

Vancouver — Academy Award winning actress and bestselling author Patty Duke will be the keynote speaker when mental health clinic The Children's Center holds its annual luncheon April 23.

Greg Jayne: Call to retire Roy's number a symptom of mediocrity

It was a nice moment, a powerful moment, and yet it raised some philosophical questions. You know, questions about expectations, and questions about demands, and questions about the acceptance of mediocrity.

Battle Ground senior is All-Region girls wrestler

Strano was lone local girls wrestling state finalist

More than she enjoys winning, Kassi Strano hates to lose. "I'm pretty naturally competitive," she said. "We can't even play Monopoly at our house without me thinking I'm going to win."

Talking Points: Pac-12 teams equally not good

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

28-year-old Clark freshman is mom, model and basketball player

Tanya Martin is a Hudson's Bay graduate

Tanya Martin has defeated time. She scoffs at its attempt to slow her down. She is too busy with her life. Basketball season is over now for the Clark College women's team. The Penguins just finished a successful season with a sixth-place finish at the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges tournament.

Weather Eye: Is it the lazy daze of spring creeping up, or just a lost hour of sleep?

Geez, I felt like I lost an hour of sleep writing this column (gave up my nap ha, ha). Yes, we are in Daylight Saving Time, and that one hour of elusive sleep will drift through the heavens until it lands back here on Earth in November. That gives us an excuse if we feel a bit drowsy.

Court rejects a gun owner's appeal in school shooting case

TACOMA -- A district Court of Appeals has ruled that Kitsap County prosecutors can continue their case against a man accused of providing access to a gun to his then-girlfriend's 9-year-old son, who then took the weapon to school.

House OKs compensation for wrongful convictions

Bill would offer payment for years of freedom lost

OLYMPIA -- The state House approved a measure Friday that would allow people who were wrongfully convicted to seek compensation from the state for the years they lost behind bars.

County's staff comb rules for 'silliness'

Commissioners want to cut needless paperwork

After hearing how Clark County's community development department intends to make building permits and inspections easier to acquire, Clark County Commissioners asked staff to take their work a step further.

18th District lawmakers host pair of town halls

Battle Ground, Camas — Legislators from the 18th District have announced March 16 town hall meetings in Battle Ground and Camas.

Emergency training offered for residents

Camas — East County Fire & Rescue is hosting Community Emergency Response Team classes at its station in April. There's still room left in the semi-annual 20-hour course that teaches basic disaster preparedness.

Death notices

A daily list of death notices

Letter: Lavish spending is obvious

I noticed a picture in one of the local papers showing floor traders on Wall Street watching the Dow Jones industrials. Those individuals appeared to be wondering just how high the market might grow.

Letter: Clark College needs more parking

I am a student at Clark College, and one of the most pressing issues is the limited parking space. So far, the only solution is for students to come earlier and hope to be fortunate enough to find a spot to park. With the total number of students attending Clark being close to 16,000, the parking issue seems to be getting worse by the quarter. And due to schedule differences, it has become even harder to find a carpool ride.

Letter: Apprenticeship programs valuable

Washington state and Clark County have a very good, progressive K-12 school system. It rewards its students for obtaining a high degree of achievement through Head Start, STEM courses, etc., and soon the new bioscience He-La High School in the Evergreen district.

Letter: Takeover of Pearson is a waste

It's curious how the government can never identify its own wasteful spending.

Letter: NPS should operate museum

If this community wants a museum at Pearson Air Field, let the National Park Service operate it. The Park Service has almost 100 years of experience managing museums nationwide, and is responsible for some of our country's most treasured artifacts.

City weighs own ambulance contract

Vancouver officials want more control over service levels

Since 1992, Vancouver has contracted with Emergency Medical Services District 2 for ambulance services, and the current contract expires next year. On March 4, the Vancouver City Council said it was interested in a new arrangement.

Vancouver Fire Department takes the heat (with video)

Firefighters confront tough budget, staffing issues and seismically unsafe stations

The Vancouver Fire Department, responsible for providing emergency medical services for more than half of Clark County's population, has been experiencing pains of its own: a growing deficit, a shrinking workforce and stations that would not withstand a major earthquake.

Check it out: Handkerchief history unfolds

That lovely square is nothing to sniff at

There was a time when a handkerchief was as much a part of one's outfit as a pair of shoes. And it wasn't exclusively a woman's accessory. A man wearing a tailored suit wouldn't think of going out into society with an empty breast pocket, or as Alan Flusser, an American menswear designer is quoted as saying, "Leaving a breast pocket unattended is like trying to spell 'classic' without the 'class.'"

It's your yoga

Science confirms many benefits of yoga, and there are numerous places to pursue it in Clark County

How's that body feel?

Clark County bankruptcies

Clark County bankruptcies filed between Jan. 1 and Feb. 28:

Ohio zoo workers act as moms to baby gorilla

Gladys being prepared for a surrogate mother

CINCINNATI -- Some zoo workers in Cincinnati are going ape over a baby gorilla.

Business briefing

People in business

Varied calls fill firefighters' day

The call came in as an unconscious 42-year-old male, and the person who called 911 didn't offer emergency responders much help figuring out what might have happened.

Other papers say: Keystone fight is wrong battle

The following editorial appeared in Tuesday's Washington Post:

London zoo map is cat's meow

LONDON — The London zoo is taking stock of an animal you don't often find behind bars, launching what it says is the first interactive map of the British capital's domestic cats.

St. Patrick's plans? Tell us about them

Are you or your organization hosting a special celebration on St. Patrick's Day? Know of any interesting March 17 events to honor the holiday? The Columbian would like to know. Send details (including an event summary, start time, cost, location and contact information) to fyi@columbian.com. Put "St. Patrick's Day event" in the email subject line. Deadline for items is noon on Tuesday.