Northwest briefly

Reichert to lead campaign for Giuliani in state

OLYMPIA – U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert, Western Washington’s only Republican congressman, has signed on as state chairman for the presidential bid of Rudy Giuliani and will serve as national co-chairman of Law Enforcement for Rudy.

Giuliani, a moderate Republican, announced the appointment in conjunction with a quick visit to the Seattle area Friday. The former New York mayor planned to meet with Microsoft employees who are politically active and then attend an evening fundraiser in Seattle. Both events were private.

Seattle: Transient held in series of arsons

Four fires were set within a four-block radius during a four-hour period, and a transient was being held for investigation, police said.

A man in his 50s was found behind some bushes about 11:40 p.m. Thursday near the last and most damaging of the fires, which destroyed a duplex that was under construction, police officer Renee Witt said.

One of the earlier fires was set on the outside wall of the Japanese Presbyterian Church, where a group was meeting at the time. Of the other two blazes, one burned in a trash bin and one involved an abandoned couch behind a business in an alley. All were near the old Colman School in the Judkins Park neighborhood.

No injuries were reported in any of the fires. Damage was estimated at $10,000 to the church and $500 to the trash bin.

Oregon: Patrol dog dies after chewing on seats

After Koda escaped from his kennel, he chewed through the dog food stored in the sheriff’s department patrol car.

Then he started in on the seats.

Apparently, deputies say, he choked on the foam.

The 2-year-old Belgian malinois died Monday, just a few months after joining Deschutes County deputies as a patrol dog.

The department concluded that the deputy who was Koda’s handler was not negligent. The department did not identify him.

“He’s pretty devastated,” Capt. Tim Edwards said Wednesday in announcing Koda’s death. Grief counseling was made available to the officer, Edwards said.

Edwards said he’s not sure why Koda ate the car seats, but it could have been boredom.

“Many police dogs are high-drive dogs,” he said. “They have to do something. It’s like ADHD.”

Oregon: Prison food rated ‘acceptable’

Oregon’s 13,000 prison inmates are served “acceptable” food, according to a report released this week.

Max Williams, director of the Oregon Department of Corrections, promised to look into the quality and handling of prison food after federal agents in January revealed their criminal investigation of Fred Monem, who was the state’s food buyer at the time.

The outside review team appointed by Williams gave the food a passing grade, though not a glowing review: “Inmates are provided with nutritionally adequate meals that are prepared and served in a manner that meets established governmental health and safety codes,” the report said.

Associated Press