Washington news

• Amid building boom, 1 in 10 Seattle apartments are empty, and rents are dropping

  03-01-2019 23:58
  Seattle built the fourth-most apartments of any metro area in the country over the past year, with only New York, Los Angeles and Dallas — all with far bigger populations than Seattle — building more.
  
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• Officials seek dam upgrades in Alpine Lakes Wilderness to help salmon, water demand

  03-01-2019 23:23
  After years of negotiations, the Icicle Working Group has released its plan to improve conditions for salmon and people who rely on consistent water supply during drought and climate change.
  
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• Alaska governor seeks disaster declaration after earthquake

  03-01-2019 23:20
  JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Gov. Mike Dunleavy (DUN’-lay-vee) has requested a major disaster declaration following the Nov. 30 earthquake that rocked Anchorage and other parts of south-central Alaska. Dunleavy said the declaration, if approved, would free up money to help the state recover more quickly. Initial estimates for damage and other costs have been pegged […]
  
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• Former Gov. Phil Batt awarded Idaho’s top honor

  03-01-2019 23:10
  BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Former Idaho Gov. Phil Batt has been awarded the state’s top honor, the 2019 Idaho Medal of Achievement. Batt is the third person to receive the medal, joining teacher-astronaut Barbara Morgan and the late human rights activist Marilyn Shuler. Idaho Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter, Gov.-elect Brad Little and former Idaho Supreme […]
  
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• Scientists show off space snowman, Ultima Thule, in 3D

  03-01-2019 22:38
  LAUREL, Md. (AP) — The newly visited space snowman — the most distant object ever explored — is now appearing in 3D. At a news conference in Maryland on Thursday, scientists and others put on 3D glasses to see the two-sphered cosmic body in stereo, revealing possible curvy ridges. It is still not showing any […]
  
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• Sign-ups steady as health law case goes to appeals court

  03-01-2019 22:35
  WASHINGTON (AP) — The government says 8.4 million Americans have signed up for coverage next year under the Obama health law, reflecting steady enrollment even as supporters of the law appeal a court ruling that declares it unconstitutional. Thursday’s numbers underscore the unexpected staying power of “Obamacare,” which President Donald Trump failed to repeal after […]
  
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• As health law case goes to appeals court, sign-ups steady

  03-01-2019 22:35
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic attorneys general on Thursday appealed a federal court ruling that the Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional, as new enrollment numbers underscored the staying power of the Obama-era law. The government reported that about 8.4 million Americans have signed up this year under the law, reflecting steady demand for its subsidized health […]
  
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• Investigation: Lawmakers lax on stopping sexual harassment

  03-01-2019 22:21
  SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A state investigation released Thursday finds Oregon lawmakers didn’t do enough to stop sexual harassment in the Capitol. As a result, the five-month investigation by the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, known as BOLI, concludes the state Capitol is a hostile workplace, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported . The findings largely […]
  
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• Child with food allergy dies after inhaling fish fumes, father says

  03-01-2019 21:42
  Nearly 6 million children in the United States are estimated to have food allergies, including to  finned fish such as salmon, tuna and halibut.
  
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• Mayor Jenny Durkan moves ahead with $160 million tax to help remake Seattle’s waterfront

  03-01-2019 21:39
  The tax would be levied against property owners within a district stretching from T-Mobile Park to Denny Way and from Elliott Bay to Interstate 5.
  
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• Former Trail Blazers owner Weinberg dies at 92

  03-01-2019 21:28
  PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Larry Weinberg, one of the founders and original owners of the Portland Trail Blazers, has died. He was 92. Weinberg’s death was announced Wednesday by the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee. Weinberg was one of four men who got the franchise started as an NBA expansion team in 1970 to the […]
  
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• Former Trail Blazers owner Weinberg died at 92

  03-01-2019 21:28
  PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Larry Weinberg, one of the founders and original owners of the Portland Trail Blazers, has died. He was 92. Weinberg’s death was announced Wednesday by the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee. KATU reports that Weinberg was one of three partners who got the franchise started as an NBA expansion team in […]
  
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• Side of the moon you can’t see ‘is not dark, it’s just far’

  03-01-2019 21:22
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Despite the name of Pink Floyd’s best-selling album, the side of the moon you can’t see isn’t always dark. But it is far. So scientists call the area where a Chinese spacecraft just landed the far side, not the dark side. “The other side sees the sun sometimes. The other side is […]
  
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• Former Olympia school-bus driver pleads guilty to sexual assault, avoiding second trial

  03-01-2019 21:12
  Jimmy W. Wall, 52, went on trial in November 2017 on four counts of first-degree rape of a child and two counts of first-degree child molestation but the jury failed to reach a unanimous decision, according to Olympian archives.
  
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• Oregon again sees huge marijuana harvest, driving down prices for consumers

  03-01-2019 21:07
  The huge harvest is again driving down prices for consumers and putting pressure on growers who aren't getting the price they hoped for after a similar phenomenon in 2017.
  
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• Homeless man sentenced to 17 years in woman’s strangulation

  03-01-2019 20:39
  PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A homeless man has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for killing a 29-year-old homeless woman and mother of two. The Oregonian/OregonLive reported that 58-year-old Terry Hickman was sentenced Wednesday after pleading guilty to first-degree manslaughter and attempted second-degree assault last month. Hickman told a friend that he had killed […]
  
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• Baby Jesus figurine returned after theft from nativity scene

  03-01-2019 20:12
  BUTTE, Mont. — A baby Jesus figurine stolen from a nativity scene at a Montana residence on New Year’s Day was returned Thursday with two notes from someone pretending to be God. Jack McCormick said he was relieved to see the 15-inch (38-centimeter) figurine in the snow in his yard in Butte, The Montana Standard […]
  
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• AP NewsBreak: Judge dismisses Alaska bonding plan lawsuit

  03-01-2019 19:42
  JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A state court judge has dismissed a challenge to former Gov. Bill Walker’s plan to use bonding to pay Alaska’s oil and gas tax credit obligations. Superior Court Judge Jude Pate, in a written order dated Wednesday, granted the state’s request to dismiss the challenge by resident Eric Forrer. Pate noted […]
  
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• Washington students who attended Career Education Corporation schools will get debt relief

  03-01-2019 19:28
  The Illinois-based corporation agreed to pay $493.6 million to nearly 175,000 students nationwide, after an investigation by the Washington State Attorney General and 47 other states found it used deceptive and misleading practices to attract students.
  
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• Oregon State Police seek killer of adult bald eagle

  03-01-2019 18:51
  ROSEBURG, Ore. (AP) — Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife officers are seeking information on the person or people who shot and killed an adult bald eagle in Douglas County. Tips that lead to an arrest could lead to an award. OSP said Thursday the eagle was found shot in the neck with a small […]
  
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• Woman arrested over fatal injections served 2 prison terms

  03-01-2019 18:48
  NEW YORK (AP) — A New York City woman accused of killing a patient at an illegal cosmetic surgery clinic has previously served two prison terms for unlicensed silicone injections. The New York Times reports that 44-year-old Whalesca Castillo served a year in prison in 2011 and nine months in 2014 on charges relating to […]
  
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• Alaska man just out of jail charged with stealing semi

  03-01-2019 18:03
  ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A 44-year-old Alaska man just released from jail was arrested while driving a stolen semi and trailer. Jerry Lee Green was still wearing a Fairbanks Correctional Center yellow jump suit and carrying court release paperwork when Alaska State Troopers arrested him Wednesday night. Troopers just after 10:30 p.m. took a call […]
  
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• Spokane County prosecutor finds deputies who fatally shot man were justified

  03-01-2019 17:34
  The prosecutor's office says no charges will be filed against the seven sheriff's deputies involved in the fatal shooting of a man in Spokane Valley last summer.
  
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• Retired Air Force general will lead city through Seattle Squeeze

  03-01-2019 17:14
  Retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Mike Worden, a finalist for Seattle Department of Transportation director, will lead city departments as they navigate the traffic squeeze expected with the coming Alaskan Way Viaduct closure. Worden will be director of citywide mobility operations, a new role created by Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, to coordinate between 29 city departments. […]
  
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• Teen in house struck by gunfire

  03-01-2019 16:42
  CALDWELL, Idaho (AP) — Authorities say a 14-year-old was struck by a bullet inside a home near Caldwell in a gang-related drive-by shooting, according to a press release from the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office. The Idaho Statesman reports the child suffered serious injuries in the Wednesday shooting. The FBI is offering a reward of up […]
  
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• Little committed to Medicaid expansion, but sees problems

  03-01-2019 16:12
  BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Gov.-elect Brad Little says he’s committed to implementing a voter-approved expansion of Medicaid coverage but wants to make sure the state doesn’t create an incentive for people not to work. The Republican made the comments at The Associated Press Legislative Preview on Thursday, a day before he’s sworn in as Idaho’s […]
  
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• Governor-elect commits to Medicaid expansion

  03-01-2019 16:12
  BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Gov.-elect Brad Little said Thursday he’s committed to implementing a voter-approved expansion of Medicaid coverage but has concerns on the specifics of how it’s done. “We will implement it in an Idaho manner,” Little said at The Associated Press Legislative Preview a day before he’s sworn in as Idaho’s 33rd governor. […]
  
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• Gov.-elect Little, legislative leaders to address reporters

  03-01-2019 16:12
  BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Gov.-elect Brad Little and the leaders of the Idaho Senate and House are scheduled to address reporters and take questions at The Associated Press Legislative Preview. The event Thursday morning comes a day before Little, a Republican, is sworn in as Idaho’s 33rd governor. The Idaho Legislature begins work on Monday. […]
  
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• ‘Voting is a duty as a citizen’: Getting new immigrants to cast ballots

  03-01-2019 15:00
  Asian Counseling and Referral Service was founded in 1973 as a small mental-health-service provider.
  
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• Uber charging $25 to use its bikes outside of central Seattle ‘bike zone’

  03-01-2019 15:00
  Uber says the restricted bike zone, which is allowed under its city permit, is in place to maintain an appropriate density of bikes while the company has a limited number of bikes available. The zone will expand and ultimately go away as Uber adds more bikes.
  
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• ‘Seattle squeeze’ prequel: Three I-5 lanes and two viaduct ramps close this weekend

  03-01-2019 15:00
  The I-5 closure, at the Duwamish River bridge near Southcenter, comes a week ahead of the much-hyped three-week blockage of Highway 99 in central Seattle starting at 10 p.m. Jan. 11.
  
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• Oregon women’s prison becomes 1 of few to offer free tampons

  03-01-2019 14:25
  PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Oregon has joined a small number of states that give tampons to inmates. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports Paula Myers, a corrections officer who was named superintendent of Coffee Creek Correctional Institution last spring, arranged in the fall for the state to provide tampons to inmates who want them. Previously, the state’s lone […]
  
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• Man gets 6 years for delivering meth near elementary school

  03-01-2019 13:51
  DALLAS, Ore. (AP) — A 56-year-old Dallas man has been sentenced to six years in prison for delivering methamphetamines near an elementary school. The Statesman Journal reports Marty Lupoli was sentenced Wednesday after pleading guilty to two counts of unlawful delivery of a substantial quantity of meth and one count of unlawful delivery of meth […]
  
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• Search is on for containers lost off Dutch coast by ship

  03-01-2019 10:31
  BERLIN (AP) — Authorities in Germany and the Netherlands are searching for up to 270 shipping containers lost at sea by a cargo ship caught in a storm, saying some are carrying hazardous materials. German authorities say the cargo ship that lost the containers landed in the German port of Bremerhaven early Thursday. The Central […]
  
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• Report: Warmer temperatures could cost Alaska up to $700M

  03-01-2019 06:15
  ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Economists say the effects of climate change could cost Alaska hundreds of millions of dollars per year in the coming decades. The Alaska Journal of Commerce reports the Institute of Social and Economic Research at the University of Alaska Anchorage projects the warmer climate to cause the state a net loss […]
  
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• Rule seeks to tighten work requirements for food stamps

  03-01-2019 06:13
  ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A new rule proposed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture is alarming Alaska food security advocates who say it would make it tougher to waive work requirements for food stamps. The Anchorage Daily News reports Alaska has held a waiver for years to exempt recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program […]
  
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• Former teacher sentenced for sex abuse involving student

  03-01-2019 06:10
  PORTLANS, Ore. (AP) — A former substitute teacher at an elementary school near Portland has been sentenced to more than six years in prison for sexually abusing a student. KOIN-TV reports 54-year-old Dale Buckendahl was sentenced Wednesday after a jury convicted him of first-degree sexual abuse last month. The abuse occurred when Buckendahl was substituting […]
  
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• Convicted Oregon tax dodger files sentence appeal

  03-01-2019 06:07
  PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An Oregon man sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for tax dodging will remain out of custody pending the outcome of his appeal. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports 70-year-old Winston Shrout filed an appeal with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals after he was sentenced in October on multiple counts of […]
  
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• Everett beachgoers find foot on New Year’s Day

  03-01-2019 06:06
  What appears to be a human foot inside a boot washed up on Jetty Island in Everett, according to police.
  
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• Chinese spacecraft makes first landing on moon’s far side

  03-01-2019 05:11
  China is the first country to land on the far side of the moon. The mission of Chang’e 4, which is carrying a rover, includes low-frequency radio astronomical observations and probing the structure and mineral composition of the terrain.
  
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• China lunar probe sheds light on the ‘dark’ side of the moon

  03-01-2019 05:11
  China is the first country to land on the far side of the moon. The mission of Chang’e 4, which is carrying a rover, includes low-frequency radio astronomical observations and probing the structure and mineral composition of the terrain.
  
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• China lands spacecraft on ‘dark’ side of moon in world first

  03-01-2019 05:11
  China is the first country to land on the far side of the moon. The mission of Chang’e 4, which is carrying a rover, includes low-frequency radio astronomical observations and probing the structure and mineral composition of the terrain.
  
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• Site of triple slaying near Port Angeles was known as ‘crash pad,’ police say

  03-01-2019 04:37
  The calls to authorities involved a range of disturbances, from found property to lost animals, runaway teens to violations of court orders.
  
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• Site of triple slaying near Port Angeles was known as ‘crash pad’ and trouble spot, police say

  03-01-2019 04:37
  The calls to authorities involved a range of disturbances from found property to lost animals, runaway teens to violations of court orders.
  
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• Mom who admitted to causing baby’s death gets 3 years

  03-01-2019 03:36
  PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A McMinnville woman who authorities say caused the death of her 3-month-old baby in 2017 after a night of drinking alcohol was sentenced to three years and four months in prison. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports 31-year-old Clely A. Flores-Ramirez was sentenced Wednesday after pleading no contest in November in Yamhill County Circuit […]
  
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• Sheriff’s office seeks Lynnwood man charged with murder who is believed to be hiding out on the Eastside

  03-01-2019 03:14
  Ricardo Villa Senor and his girlfriend were talking and eating tamales in his bedroom when they heard intruders force their way into the apartment above them.
  
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• Ray Sawyer, ‘Cover of Rolling Stone’ singer, is dead at 81

  03-01-2019 00:57
  With an eye patch, guitarist and vocalist Ray Sawyerwas the most recognizable member of Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show, which had several hits in the 1970s. Sawyer has died at 81.
  
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• Los Angeles unveils earthquake warning app

  03-01-2019 00:50
  LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles has released an earthquake warning app that could give LA County residents precious seconds to drop, cover and hold on in the event of a quake. The city announced Wednesday that ShakeAlertLA is available for download on Android and Apple phones. Based on a warning system developed by the […]
  
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• Southwest Alaska man charged with assault in stabbing

  03-01-2019 00:45
  ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A man suspected of stabbing a member of his household in a southwest Alaska village has been charged with felony assault. Alaska State Troopers say 23-year-old John Thompson was arrested Monday morning. Troopers did not release the name, age or gender of the victim. The person was medically evacuated from St. […]
  
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• Two more Puget Sound orcas predicted to die in critically endangered population

  03-01-2019 00:09
  Two southern resident killer whales are ailing and are not expected to live, according to the lead demographer of the orca population that frequents Puget Sound.
  
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