Appeals court orders funding of fish agency
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal appeals court ordered the government Wednesday to continue funding an agency that counts young salmon and other fish in the Columbia River Basin and recommends water flows at hydroelectric power stations to protect endangered fish.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ ruling in favor of environmentalists and Indian nations found that the Bonneville Power Administration did not have congressional authorization to discontinue funding the Portland, Ore.-based Fish Passage Center.
The center’s $1.3 million budget expired last year, but the appeals court at the time tentatively blocked the power agency from cutting funding for the 11-employee center pending Wednesday’s decision.
The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Indian Nation, Northwest Environmental Defense Center, the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility and the Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association sued to challenge a move by Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, directing Bonneville to eliminate the center’s budget and use a private contractor.
Scientists from the Fish Passage Center monitor 20 dams and fish traps, collect data on Chinook, steelhead, coho, shad, sockeye, pink salmon and lamprey. They monitor river conditions use the information to make flow and spill requests to the power administration and operators of the dams to improve the survival rates of migrating fish.
The appeals court agreed with the plaintiffs that Craig’s provision did not have the force of law because the senator inserted it into a legislative report, not a bill.
Associated Press
Olympia: Senate panel approves property bill
A notice posted on the Internet wouldn’t be enough to notify property owners that their property is about to be condemned, under a bill moving through the state Senate.
Senate Bill 5444 would require local governments and public agencies to send certified letters to the affected parties when they are about to take property through eminent domain. It would also require publication of a notice of the decision-making meeting in the largest area newspaper.
The bill sailed unanimously through the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.
Attorney General Rob McKenna and Gov. Chris Gregoire requested the measure. A companion bill is scheduled for a public hearing in the House Judiciary Committee on Feb. 2.
Associated Press
Bremerton: 8 arrested in drug bust at school
Police and undercover detectives descended on Bremerton High School on Tuesday morning, making a wave of arrests and uncovering a multitude of drugs – including cocaine in one student’s backpack.
The bust was the culmination of a two-month investigation by the Bremerton police’s undercover narcotics unit. It’s led to a total of 17 arrests – eight at the school Tuesday – on suspicion of marijuana, cocaine, Ecstasy and gun possession.
During the investigation detectives used operatives to make “controlled” buys in order to collect evidence. The investigation was dubbed “Operation Pharmacy” because a high school student told detectives that getting drugs at the high school was like going to a drugstore.
Bremerton Sgt. Randy Plumb said the school day was both the safest place and the most effective way to make the arrests, and praised efforts and accommodation by Bremerton High staff. More arrests are coming, Plumb said.
Kitsap Sun
Chimacum: Excited fan shoots self in hand
The playoff game between the New Orleans Saints and Chicago Bears was a little too exciting for a Chimacum man who accidentally shot himself while reacting to a touchdown by the Saints.
The bullet passed through the 52-year-old man’s left hand and lodged in the side of his neighbor’s Nip Lee Road home, a sheriff’s office spokesman said.
The victim was hospitalized after the incident, and may face charges, said Jefferson County sheriff’s Sgt. Mike Springer.
“Because of the reckless nature of the accident and the fact that it ended up in the side of a neighbor’s house, it’s been forwarded to the prosecutor for consideration,” said Springer.
The man was not arrested or formally charged shortly after the 1:30 p.m. incident, Springer said.
He reported that the man had removed the .45-caliber automatic’s magazine, and was cleaning it on his living-room coffee table while watching the game on television.
“He was watching Reggie Bush score a touchdown,” said Springer, reading from the investigator’s report.
The man told deputy Brian Tracer that “he stood up with excitement.”
That’s when the gun went off.
Passing through his left hand, the bullet flew though a flower pot, a window and a wooden fence before burying itself in the wall of the house next door.
Peninsula Daily News
Tacoma: Long-lived aardvark dies at age 30
The longest-lived aardvark on record died Tuesday at Point Defiance Zoo &Aquarium.
Kikuyu, who lived 30 years and 16 days, was euthanized by zoo caretakers after she stopped responding to medication for congestive heart failure, said zoo spokeswoman Carolyn Cox. Kikuyu was in good health until about a week ago, when she started a rapid decline, Cox said.
Kikuyu (pronounced key-COO-you) was born Jan. 7, 1977, at the Tacoma zoo and was hand-raised by the zoo staff. She became the oldest aardvark in captivity in November when she surpassed the longevity record of Somali – another Point Defiance anteater – who lived 29 years, nine months and 30 days. Somali died in 2004.
“It’s always hard to say goodbye to the animals in our care,” Dr. Karen Goodrowe, general curator, said in a statement. “Animals age just as people do, and this is part of the circle of life. We can take comfort in knowing that Kikuyu lived a long, long, healthy life.”
Kikuyu was in good enough health to celebrate her 30th birthday earlier this month by snarfing a three-tiered cake of frozen insectivore chow frosted with mashed avocado and sprinkled with bits of fruit and meal worms.
“I’ve never seen an aardvark so blissed out,” Cox said.
The News Tribune
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
