Published: Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Northwest Briefly: Many state agencies close today for third unpaid furlough day
OLYMPIA -- The day after Labor Day, state employees who work for nearly 50 state agencies, boards or commissions will have an unpaid furlough day.
Today is the third state furlough day to save payroll costs across state government. The Legislature approved 10 days of furloughs for most state workers to save $73 million over the next year. Exempt are public-safety personnel, those who bring revenue to the state and those responsible for protecting the vulnerable.
The Olympian reported universities and colleges, agencies headed by independently elected officials and others also are staying open but have used vacancies, layoffs or other alternatives to reduce payroll.
Yakima: Appeals panel denies stay of execution
A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has denied a death row inmate's request for an emergency stay of his execution.
Cal Coburn Brown is scheduled to be executed Friday for the 1991 torture and murder of 22-year-old Holly Washa, a Burien woman. He is challenging the state's new one-drug protocol for lethal injection, as well as the state Department of Corrections' authority to obtain that drug and the qualifications of the execution team.
The three-judge panel rejected his request for a stay in a 2-1 decision Saturday. Attorneys for Brown could now ask the full court to review the case or appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Brown's attorney, Suzanne Lee Elliot, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Brown was convicted of carjacking Washa at knifepoint near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. He robbed, raped and tortured the young woman before stabbing and strangling her.
Brown also is seeking an emergency stay from the Washington state Supreme Court, arguing his death sentence should be reversed because information related to his mental illness was not adequately considered during sentencing. Brown reportedly suffers from bipolar disorder.
Seattle: Memorial for Japanese internment
A wall to remember the Japanese Americans sent to internment camps during World War II has been dedicated in Seattle's Chinatown International District.
The memorial dedicated Sunday also remembers the people of Japanese ancestry who left the camps to serve in the U.S. military.
The Seattle Times reported about 3,000 names are carved in black granite bricks that are stacked to create a wall 12 feet high and nearly 100 feet long.
The wall is divided into two parts, with sections for internees and veterans, including those who fought in American conflicts after World War II. In some instances, names appear on bricks in both sections.
Roughly $1 million was raised over the past 15 months through the sale of memorial bricks. U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Seattle, secured $200,000 more for the project through a federal earmark. Organizers hope to sell and add 1,000 more bricks in the next year.
Tacoma: Temporary war memorial makes stop
A temporary war memorial to help people remember the 4,416 American service members who have died during the war in Iraq is traveling around the Pacific Northwest.
The moving memorial made a stop in Tacoma over the weekend, where organizers from the local chapter of Veterans for Peace says the group wants to make sure people know the true cost of war.
The Tacoma News Tribune reported that because of limited space the group was only able to put up only 2,200 markers, each representing a soldier who has died in the war.
Ore.: Woman victimized in acid attack leaves hospital
A Washington state woman who had acid thrown in her face last week has left the hospital.
Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland, Ore., said 28-year-old Bethany Storro of Vancouver, Wash., was discharged from the burn center Sunday afternoon.
Storro was attacked by an unknown woman who is now sought by police.
Doctors performed surgery on her face Wednesday night, removing dead skin from the areas that were most deeply injured.
She said late last week that she will not let the attack wreck her life.
Storro said she has gotten letters and e-mails from people all over the country.
Washington logger killed felling trees in Oregon
A third-generation Washington state logger was killed while felling trees in Oregon.
The Daily Astorian reported that Jerrold Samuel Florek of Cathlamet, Wash., was felling trees at the Matoaka logging site in Clatsop County last Friday when a tree struck him.
His family told the newspaper the 51-year-old Florek felled his first tree when he was 15 years old and went to work in the woods full time soon after graduating from high school in 1977.
Oregon man found dead under I-5 overpass
An Oregon man whose body was found under a freeway overpass near Yoncalla did not appear to have been struck by a vehicle.
Oregon State Police troopers said 26-year-old Jesse Golden of Eugene may have fallen or jumped early Monday morning from the Cox Road overpass on Interstate 5.
The body was spotted by a commercial truck driver shortly after 3 a.m. Monday. The driver was unable to get cell phone service and flagged down another motorist to summon help.
Alaska: U.S. Senate candidate cited in crash
The Republican candidate who defeated U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski in Alaska's primary election has been cited with failing to exercise due care to avoid a recent three-car collision.
Joe Miller was involved in the crash in his hometown of Fairbanks three days after the Aug. 24 election and before his surprise victory was confirmed in the counting of thousands of absentee votes and questioned ballots.
Lewis was cited with stopping on a highway. He plans to contest the citation.
Troopers said no one was hurt.
Associated Press
Today is the third state furlough day to save payroll costs across state government. The Legislature approved 10 days of furloughs for most state workers to save $73 million over the next year. Exempt are public-safety personnel, those who bring revenue to the state and those responsible for protecting the vulnerable.
The Olympian reported universities and colleges, agencies headed by independently elected officials and others also are staying open but have used vacancies, layoffs or other alternatives to reduce payroll.
Yakima: Appeals panel denies stay of execution
A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has denied a death row inmate's request for an emergency stay of his execution.
Cal Coburn Brown is scheduled to be executed Friday for the 1991 torture and murder of 22-year-old Holly Washa, a Burien woman. He is challenging the state's new one-drug protocol for lethal injection, as well as the state Department of Corrections' authority to obtain that drug and the qualifications of the execution team.
The three-judge panel rejected his request for a stay in a 2-1 decision Saturday. Attorneys for Brown could now ask the full court to review the case or appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Brown's attorney, Suzanne Lee Elliot, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Brown was convicted of carjacking Washa at knifepoint near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. He robbed, raped and tortured the young woman before stabbing and strangling her.
Brown also is seeking an emergency stay from the Washington state Supreme Court, arguing his death sentence should be reversed because information related to his mental illness was not adequately considered during sentencing. Brown reportedly suffers from bipolar disorder.
Seattle: Memorial for Japanese internment
A wall to remember the Japanese Americans sent to internment camps during World War II has been dedicated in Seattle's Chinatown International District.
The memorial dedicated Sunday also remembers the people of Japanese ancestry who left the camps to serve in the U.S. military.
The Seattle Times reported about 3,000 names are carved in black granite bricks that are stacked to create a wall 12 feet high and nearly 100 feet long.
The wall is divided into two parts, with sections for internees and veterans, including those who fought in American conflicts after World War II. In some instances, names appear on bricks in both sections.
Roughly $1 million was raised over the past 15 months through the sale of memorial bricks. U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Seattle, secured $200,000 more for the project through a federal earmark. Organizers hope to sell and add 1,000 more bricks in the next year.
Tacoma: Temporary war memorial makes stop
A temporary war memorial to help people remember the 4,416 American service members who have died during the war in Iraq is traveling around the Pacific Northwest.
The moving memorial made a stop in Tacoma over the weekend, where organizers from the local chapter of Veterans for Peace says the group wants to make sure people know the true cost of war.
The Tacoma News Tribune reported that because of limited space the group was only able to put up only 2,200 markers, each representing a soldier who has died in the war.
Ore.: Woman victimized in acid attack leaves hospital
A Washington state woman who had acid thrown in her face last week has left the hospital.
Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland, Ore., said 28-year-old Bethany Storro of Vancouver, Wash., was discharged from the burn center Sunday afternoon.
Storro was attacked by an unknown woman who is now sought by police.
Doctors performed surgery on her face Wednesday night, removing dead skin from the areas that were most deeply injured.
She said late last week that she will not let the attack wreck her life.
Storro said she has gotten letters and e-mails from people all over the country.
Washington logger killed felling trees in Oregon
A third-generation Washington state logger was killed while felling trees in Oregon.
The Daily Astorian reported that Jerrold Samuel Florek of Cathlamet, Wash., was felling trees at the Matoaka logging site in Clatsop County last Friday when a tree struck him.
His family told the newspaper the 51-year-old Florek felled his first tree when he was 15 years old and went to work in the woods full time soon after graduating from high school in 1977.
Oregon man found dead under I-5 overpass
An Oregon man whose body was found under a freeway overpass near Yoncalla did not appear to have been struck by a vehicle.
Oregon State Police troopers said 26-year-old Jesse Golden of Eugene may have fallen or jumped early Monday morning from the Cox Road overpass on Interstate 5.
The body was spotted by a commercial truck driver shortly after 3 a.m. Monday. The driver was unable to get cell phone service and flagged down another motorist to summon help.
Alaska: U.S. Senate candidate cited in crash
The Republican candidate who defeated U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski in Alaska's primary election has been cited with failing to exercise due care to avoid a recent three-car collision.
Joe Miller was involved in the crash in his hometown of Fairbanks three days after the Aug. 24 election and before his surprise victory was confirmed in the counting of thousands of absentee votes and questioned ballots.
Lewis was cited with stopping on a highway. He plans to contest the citation.
Troopers said no one was hurt.
Associated Press
Comments
(