WARRENTON, Ore. – It took just three weeks for men wielding simple hand tools to build the original Fort Clatsop, a replica of which burned to the ground in a mysterious fire this week.
The cause Monday’s fire has still not been determined. Investigators said Thursday that there are no conclusive signs of arson.
The fort – where explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark weathered the wet winter of 1805 – was going to be the centerpiece of an event marking the bicentennial of their expedition.
The celebration is six weeks away, which, according to the timeframe of the original builders, should be plenty of time to resurrect the historic structure.
The 50-year-old replica, however, took 18 months to build.
Associated Press
Spokane: Lawyers accused of overcharging
A federal court watchdog says lawyers in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Spokane bankruptcy case are charging too much.
U.S. trustee Ilene Lashinsky reviewed some of the early bills submitted to the diocese and contends in recent court filings that four firms overcharged $294,000 for such things as having multiple attorneys at court hearings and doing duplicative work.
The diocese on Monday will file a disclosure statement and plan of reorganization telling how it intends to settle sex abuse claims and emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
In a bankruptcy case, the organization that files for protection generally pays the legal bills of lawyers on both sides of the case.
Associated Press
Seattle: Former state worker is sentenced
A former state Department of Licensing worker was sentenced to 18 months in prison on Friday for producing at least 80 fake identifications, which she sold for $100 to $150 to people who used them to commit bank fraud and evade deportation, among other things.
Peggy Lee Kendrix, 48, told the court through her lawyer that she felt “entirely remorseful and foolish,” but U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik said the crime was so frightening he had no choice but to sentence her to the top of the 12- to-18-month sentencing range.
“This is about the most dangerous kind of fake ID we can have out there,” Lasnik said. “It’s like having a skeleton key to get into anybody’s house or anybody’s car, and you can rob anybody you want to.”
One person who obtained one of Kendrix’s driver’s licenses has used that identification to evade arrest for investigation of homicide, said Ron Legan, with the Social Security Administration’s office of the inspector general.
Associated Press
Car chase suspect held on $250,000 bail
A 24-year-old man who led police on a high-speed car chase through four cities was described by relatives Thursday as an “awesome kid”’ whose life has been destroyed by addiction to methamphetamines.
Bail was set at $250,000 for Bryan (aka Ryan) James Wade-Everett in connection with the high-speed chase Tuesday that was broadcast live on TV .
Wade-Everett appeared before a judge at the King County Jail for his bail hearing Thursday wearing a neck brace and with cuts and bruises visible on his face. It was not clear how he suffered his injuries.
Given Wade-Everett’s criminal background, including 11 warrants and 14 bookings since 1999 and three felony convictions related to a similar high-speed chase last year, Judge Eileen Kato declared him “extremely dangerous to public safety.”
Associated Press
Humptulips: Log truck had previous problems
The company that owns the log truck involved in a fatal accident Wednesday on Highway 101 had higher than the national average in inspection violations during the past 24 months, the Washington State Patrol said.
JB Leonard of Chehalis owns 12 vehicles, which had 34 inspections during that time. In 12 instances, trucks were ordered off the road because of violations, a 35 percent rate, said State Patrol spokesman Capt. Jeff DeVere. The national average is 23 percent.
The truck involved in this week’s accident, which resulted in the deaths of two scientists, had been placed out of service in January because of an equipment violation.
The patrol said the accident was caused by equipment failure on the truck, causing the logs to fall onto the road. The patrol has launched an investigation into the accident.
Associated Press
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