Cherry Point refinery won’t appeal fines
BLAINE — The Washington state Department of Labor and Industries says the BP Cherry Point petroleum refinery will not appeal a citation issued earlier this month for 13 safety violations.
The violations carry a fine of $69,200.
The department said the petroleum refinery failed to follow rules for managing hazardous chemicals, including not routinely inspecting or maintaining safety devices such as pressure safety valves.
The violations were uncovered during an inspection that began in November and focused on a unit that refines low-grade oil into gasoline.
Seattle: ‘Drugstore Cowboy’ charged
King County prosecutors in Seattle have charged the man who wrote “Drugstore Cowboy” with first-degree robbery in yet another pharmacy heist.
James Fogle, 73, was arrested with another man Tuesday night. Prosecutors alleged they demanded narcotics, then tied up employees at a pharmacy in Redmond. Court papers said Fogle had a BB gun and the second man had a handgun.
Fogle has spent much of his adult life in prison, which is where he wrote “Drugstore Cowboy.” Filmmaker Gus Van Sant turned the novel into the acclaimed 1989 film starring Matt Dillon. The work was loosely based on Fogle’s life robbing pharmacies to feed his addictions.
Duwamish River diesel spill reported
The Washington Ecology Department said a cleanup contractor hired by the U.S. Coast Guard to clean up a diesel spill on the Duwamish River had to give up because of a shifting tide.
An oil sheen and diesel odor were reported to the department at 8:30 a.m. Saturday on the river in south Seattle. The oil was believed to be recoverable until the tide shifted. Ecology officials believe the 100-by-3-foot sheen left on the water will dissipate.
The Coast Guard estimates the size of the spill to be 20-to-25 gallons.
Senate approves Hanson Dam fixes
Money for a temporary fix at Howard Hanson Dam on the Green River is in a spending bill that has passed the Senate.
Washington Sen. Patty Murray said the $44 million to repair a leaky reservoir wall at the dam southeast of Seattle is included in the $60 billion supplemental appropriations bill that passed Thursday.
The reservoir wall was damaged by rain in January 2009, greatly increasing the chances of flooding in the heavily developed Green River Valley downstream.
Renton: Party poppers suspension
A 12-year-old girl has been suspended for the rest of the year because she brought party poppers to Nelson Middle School in Renton.
Her father, Louis Green, told KIRO News she was suspended 18 days for being in possession of an explosive material.
Party poppers are sold as toys. They have a small explosive charge that makes a popping noise and sprays confetti when you pull a string.
Soap Lake: Locks replaced for inmate
The Grant County Sheriff’s Office had to pay to replace an inmate’s locks and keys after a deputy lost his keys.
Authorities say Michael Eugene Power was arrested for violating a protection order. Before transporting Power, a deputy placed his keys and wallet on top of the closed trunk of his patrol vehicle.
When he was ordered to respond to a different case, he took off without grabbing the keys and wallet. They fell off, but the wallet was returned to Power. The keys have not been found.
The sheriff’s office has paid more than $400 to replace the keys and locks for Power’s home and vehicle.
Tacoma: Woman pleads in fire charges
A Lakewood woman has pleaded guilty to charges she failed to report a December apartment fire that killed her neighbor.
Lisa Ann Horton, 52, pleaded guilty on Friday to second-degree manslaughter and first-degree arson. Pierce County Superior Court Judge Vicki Hogan sentenced her to three years in jail.
The Dec. 22 fire killed 63-year-old Aida Vilog, who had immigrated to the United States from the Philippines two weeks before her death to marry her long-time sweetheart.
The fire started when Horton tried to light a cigarette using her stove-top burner and the stove exploded. Fire investigators say the fact that Horton left her door open and didn’t call 911 right away contributed to the fire.
Horton, who had no prior criminal history, apologized to the court during her hearing.
Leavenworth: Climbing closure
Forest rangers have temporarily closed a section of a popular climbing wall in the Icicle River valley near Leavenworth to protect nesting peregrine falcons.
The Wenatchee River Ranger District closed the north end of Snow Creek Wall through July 31 though other routes on that climbing wall remain open.
Associated Press
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
