BROOKINGS, Ore.
Wildfire in Oregon continues to grow
A wildfire in southwest Oregon grew by about 5 square miles overnight and covered about 168 square miles by Sunday.
Residents living in the nearby town of Brookings, Ore. remained under a preliminary evacuation notice Sunday.
The fire is about 5 miles northeast of the town in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest.
The so-called Chetco Bar Fire was started on July 12 by lightning and has continued to grow due to hot, dry conditions.
Officials say dead and down timber along with dry grasses are making conditions hazardous for firefighters.
They set an estimated containment date of Oct. 15.
VASHON
Shellfish poison levels force recreational ban
The Washington State Department of Health has closed all Vashon beaches, except Quartermaster Harbor, for recreational shellfish harvesting.
The News Tribune reports Public Health — Seattle and King County said in a release Friday the beaches were closed after unsafe levels of paralytic shellfish poison were found in samples taken from Point Vashon and Tramp Harbor.
Public Health — Seattle and King County says the county department is putting up signs to alert people not to collect shellfish while the unsafe condition lasts.
The closure does not include crab or shrimp. Crab meat has not been observed to contain the poison.
Commercial fishing is unaffected by the recreational closure.
BIRKENFELD, Ore.
Man accused of driving into field of runners
A runner participating in the Hood to Coast relay is accused of stealing a pickup and driving through a field where runners were resting, injuring a woman, and fleeing the scene.
The Oregonian/OregonLive reports that David Jon Blackmon of Bend was later taken into custody.
He faces assault, reckless driving, possession of a stolen vehicle and DUI charges. It wasn’t immediately known if he has a lawyer.
Witnesses said a man took a pickup belonging to a portable restroom company at about 2 a.m. Saturday at an exchange point near Birkenfeld, Oregon.
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office says the man drove the truck into the field and ran over runner Cynthia Gillespie of Canby.
The driver fled and the Oregon State Police found Blackmon in the woods nearby.
SHELTON
Second home searched in child porn probe
Investigators have searched a second Washington property owned by three brothers charged with child pornography offenses.
KOMO-TV reports investigators visited the property Saturday.
Court documents say authorities in a search of another property in Seattle earlier this week found child exploitation images, children’s clothing and toys.
The three brothers are 82-year-old Charles Emery, 80-year-old Thomas Emery and 70-year-old Edwin Emery.
They were arrested Aug. 21 and charged with possession of child pornography.
Records indicate the home belonged to Donald Emery, the oldest of the Emery brothers. He died last year.
It was not immediately clear whether the brothers who were arrested have lawyers.
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