The Columbian

Obituaries

Leona M. Andersen Washougal

Legislature: Charter Schools Bill Stumbles

OLYMPIA - A proposal to allow charter schools in Washington failed to pass a House committee Thursday after changes designed to appease longtime Democratic opponents backfired and alienated Republican supporters. The bill would allow 30 new charter schools five each year during the six years beginning July 1. That's fewer than half as many as envisioned in last year's proposal.

Supporters of Oregon Tax Hike Raise $530,000

SALEM, Ore. - Supporters of the Measure 30 tax hike have raised nearly $530,000 for their campaign to persuade Oregon voters to approve higher taxes to avert state budget cuts. Meanwhile, tax foes who earlier raised $600,000 for the signature drive that forced the tax election said they have collected less than $200,000 for the campaign and don't plan to raise much more than that.

Ex-State Lawmaker Shirley Rector Dies

SPOKANE (AP) A memorial service is planned Saturday for Shirley Rector, a former state representative who worked to better the plight of women, children and laborers. She died Saturday of cancer at age 52. Rector was a force behind Washington's family leave act. She helped develop higher education in Spokane, volunteered in classrooms and raised money for the poor.

Irs Off Hook in Cattle Case

PORTLAND - A federal appeals court has rejected a challenge to the Internal Revenue Service in a cattle-ranching scam that cost investors in 41 states more than $100 million. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday ruled in favor of the IRS in a lawsuit filed by dozens of victims of the so-called "phantom cattle" scam by former Oregon rancher Walter J. Hoyt III, nicknamed the "Paper Cowboy" for herds of cattle that existed only on paper.

Opinion - in Our View: Farm Intact; State Task Force, Gov. Locke Conducted 7e7 Assignment Properly

Two big questions circling the state this week were: Did the state sell the farm to land the Boeing 7E7 deal? And did the state keep 7E7 deal sweeteners secret? We say no to both questions.

Opinion - in Our View: After Mad Cow; Positive Lessons Are Being Learned

Downer cattle should be kept down. Even many cattlemen agree that cattle too sick or injured to stand or walk should be kept out of our nation's beef supply. That's one of many new realities circulating after last month's discovery that a Washington state downer cow imported from Canada had mad cow disease. As difficult as this issue has been for our state, many positive lessons are emerging. We're learning how to make our beef supply safer, and ultimately that will bring economic benefits ba...

Opinion - Edwards Not Home; Dean Imploding?

If you were impressed by Sen. John Edwards' strong second-place finish in the Iowa caucuses Tuesday and want to get in touch with his local campaign to learn more or volunteer your services, call this number: ---------------. That's right, there is no number and no person. The unpaid job is open. Has been for weeks, since the initial Clark County coordinator, Carol Trisko, moved out of town.

Legislature: Bill Returns Race to Admissions

OLYMPIA - A proposal to reinstate affirmative action in higher education was applauded Thursday by education leaders and state lawmakers, who say the bill would enrich schools and the work force. The Senate bill would allow public colleges and universities to use race, ethnicity and national origin as factors when considering potential students. It comes six years after Washington voters approved Initiative 200, which barred state use of racial and gender preferences in education, hiring and ...

State Official to Lead Boeing Effort

OLYMPIA - Washington state's Trade Director Martha Choe, praised by Gov. Gary Locke as the person most instrumental in landing a new Boeing assembly plant, is leaving her state post and will become the state's coordinator for the new 7E7 project. But Choe said it's just a temporary assignment to launch the state's largest economic development project in years. She said she'll leave government at the end of May and plans to take a break before starting a new career.

Judge Limits Pesticides Near Salmon Streams

SEATTLE - A federal judge on Thursday restricted the use of 38 pesticides near salmon streams in Washington, Oregon and California, a ruling environmentalists hailed as an important step toward the recovery of salmon and steelhead in the West. Expanding upon two previous rulings, U.S. District Judge John Coughenour barred the use of the pesticides ranging from agricultural sprays to some household weed-killers within 20 yards of the waters until the Environmental Protection Agency determine...

Rossi's Republican Foe to Drop Out of Race, Sources Say

OLYMPIA - Dr. Federico Cruz, director of the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, will drop out of the race for governor and will endorse fellow Republican Dino Rossi for the nomination, sources said Thursday. Rossi, the front-runner for the GOP nod, and Cruz, who has been running since late July, scheduled a joint news conference for today.

Hanford Proposal Worries Officials

RICHLAND (AP) A proposed land transfer at the Hanford nuclear reservation could result in the loss of millions of dollars for local governments, prompting Benton County to question the proposal. The U.S. Department of Energy plans to transfer about 257 square miles of Hanford land to the Interior Department by October 2005. The land already has been managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which is under the Interior Department, as part of the new Hanford Reach National Monument.

Bagel Shop Owner Wins Round in Sign Dispute

SEATTLE (AP) A federal judge has blocked enforcement of a suburban ordinance banning portable signs, ruling the measure likely violated the constitutional rights of a bagel shop owner. The case in which U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Zilly issued a preliminary injunction Wednesday could set a precedent in the area of commercial speech, the application of First Amendment free- speech rights in the business world, a lawyer for the shop owner said.

Oregon Man Recalls Bridge Busters Duty

MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) Doug Knokey sweated out World War II loading bombs onto B-25s in India. Stationed in what is now Bangladesh, the Oregon native witnessed a famine, said goodbye to air crews that never returned, and despaired of ever leaving the jungle.

Hungry Elk Flock to Feeding Areas

NORTH POWDER, Ore. (AP) Cold and blizzards have driven hundreds of elk out of the mountains in northeastern Oregon and prompted state officials to launch a feeding effort to keep the herds alive. About 1,500 elk and 500 deer are munching alfalfa hay at 10 Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife sites at the base of the craggy Elkhorn Mountains.

Snow On Way? Forecasters Hedge Bets

To snow or not to snow? That is the question vexing weather forecasters as we head toward a cool and, potentially, white weekend. Dueling forecast models vary on the chances of Vancouver and Portland receiving another dumping of snow that extends to low elevations. Forecasters toned down, but didn't dismiss, predictions of snowfall or freezing rain as low as 500 feet for Saturday through early next week.

More Than 100 Mark Roe V. Wade - Anti-Abortion, Abortion- Rights Groups Both Rally in Vancouver

The 31st anniversary of Roe v. Wade was marked in downtown Vancouver on Thursday by groups on both sides of the landmark Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. At Esther Short Park, an anti-abortion crowd of more than 100 gathered to hear the stories of people affected by abortion. The event was organized by Clark County Right to Life. The message "Stop Abortion Now" was displayed prominently on signs scattered among those in attendance.

Legislature: Bill Sets Aside Money to Study Four-Year College in Vancouver

OLYMPIA - A bill introduced Wednesday to establish a regional university in Bothell includes money to study setting up a four- year school in the Vancouver area. "The purpose of this is to identify how we can develop that comprehensive university in Southwest Washington," said Sen. Don Carlson, R-Hazel Dell.

Crime Lab Class Avoids 'Csi' Flash; Care, Science Stressed at Law Enforcement Workshop

Forensic scientist Terry McAdam said people often ask him about flashy techniques they see on "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," a top-rated television drama. "People ask me, 'Can you spray everything and we'll see what happened?'" McAdam told about 25 local law enforcement officers Thursday. "And I'll say, 'No, and I don't have a helicopter and I don't interview suspects.'"