Northwest Briefly: Snow curtails runner’s Seattle library marathon

SEATTLE — A marathon runner’s plan to hit all 27 Seattle Public Library branches in a day was a snowstorm casualty.

Sam Thompson, 28, was excited by a celebration of an expansion and remodeling program. Residents can get a “library passport” and obtain a unique stamp at each branch.

Starting at his own branch, Broadview, he figured to cover about 60 miles — no big deal for someone who once ran 51 marathons in 50 days in 50 states.

As 3 to 6 inches of snow fell Thursday, he found it slow going. He got to the main branch, number 13, about 4 p.m. and learned that all branches were closing at 4:30.

He ran to six more branches, all closed by the time he got there, and then went home.

@3. Headline News Briefs 14 no:Snowstorms cut supplies at blood banks

At least two Pacific Northwest blood banks are within days of facing emergencies because of snowstorms, but one in hard-hit Spokane seems to be less drained.

As of Friday, the Puget Sound Blood Center in Seattle had lost more than 1,000 blood donations and had canceled more than 15 blood drives. With more wintry weather coming, officials fear they could lose another 500 donations during the next three days.

Similar problems are reported at the Southwest Washington Blood Program in Vancouver.

Both say supplies could drop to emergency levels within a few days at a season when blood donations are typically about 25 percent below normal.

Bellingham: Fine cut for sewage cleanup

The state Department of Ecology says that after six years of failing to properly close four sewage sludge lagoons, San Juan County has completed cleanup and will pay a $10,000 fine.

If the county had not finished by Oct. 15, Ecology would have imposed a full $144,000 fine.

The county was required to finish closing and plant vege­tation at two lagoons on Lopez Island and remove sewage from two lagoons on Orcas Island.

Spokane: Lawsuit filed in scuba death

The Scuba Center of Spokane has been sued by the wife of a Spokane stockbroker who died on a dive in Hood Canal in March.

The lawsuit for unspecified damages was brought Tuesday in Superior Court by Maureen Maher-Gray, widow of John Gray.

Her husband was found dead about 30 feet underwater near Eldon after he apparently had become separated from the rest of the scuba class.

Associated Press