Northwest Briefly: Yakima targets racy attire worn in public
Published 11:05 pm Thursday, June 4, 2009
YAKIMA — The Yakima City Council is cracking down on what an ordinance delicately refers to as “cleavage of the buttocks.”
Responding to a proliferation of coffee stands with baristas wearing see-through clothing, thongs and other scanty apparel, the council this week approved minor changes to the city’s indecent exposure law.
The Yakima Herald-Republic reports that Mayor Dave Elder had wanted the changes under the city’s adult business ordinance. But city legal staff warned that trying to place coffee stands under that law could lead to legal challenges.
The change approved by the council means that anyone in public wearing see-through apparel, a thong or a G-string — regardless of whether they are working at a coffee stand —could be prosecuted for a misdemeanor violation.
Cathlamet: Nirvana bassist seeks county office
Former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic is running for clerk of Wahkiakum County, to protest the state’s method of letting candidates pick their own party affiliation.
Novoselic, who lives in the small town of Naselle, is active in local politics. He’s chairman of the county Democratic Party, and head of his local chapter of the Grange, a civic organization.
Novoselic’s election paperwork declares that he’s running under the “Grange Party” banner, even though the Grange isn’t a political party.
Novoselic tells The Daily World newspaper that he’s protesting the state’s system, which lets candidates pick their own party when they run for office. He thinks that intrudes on the Grange’s right to pick its own members.
Prosser: Benton County spraying to kill mosquitoes
The Benton County Mosquito Control District hired a company to spray 22 square miles with insecticide to kill mosquitoes that may be carrying West Nile virus.
A mosquito control manager, Angela Balint, told The Tri-City Herald the Thursday night aerial spraying should not be a threat to people, although those with chemical sensitivity should stay indoors.
The state Health Department says the first West Nile virus of the year was detected in a mosquito sample taken from wetlands along the Yakima River in western Benton County.
Wenatchee: Police shooting called justified
Chelan County prosecutor Gary Riesen says an East Wenatchee police officer was justified in shooting an armed and suicidal Wenatchee man.
Riesen told The Wenatchee World Michael D. Kirby raised a gun at officers April 5 outside his home and was shot by Officer James Marshall.
The 49-year-old Kirby was hit in the face and is still being treated for a wound that left him unable to talk.
Seattle: Guilty plea radio host’s ax slaying
A man who killed Seattle radio show host Mike Webb with an ax has pleaded guilty in an agreement with King County prosecutors.
Scott Brian White, 29, pleaded guilty Thursday to second-degree murder. He had been charged with first-degree murder.
The chief of staff for the prosecutor’s office, Leesa Manion, says White will be sentenced July 10 in Superior Court in Seattle. She says prosecutors agreed to recommend a low-end sentence of 12 years in return for the guilty plea.
Webb was a former host at KIRO radio who had allowed White to live with him at his home.
The body of the 51-year-old was found in the crawl space of the rental house in June 2007. White was arrested at a homeless camp.
Tacoma: Bronze statue of pioneer Nisqually teacher ready and waiting
A bronze statue of a pioneer school teacher has been completed at a Tacoma foundry, but it will be another year before it is installed at the school in DuPont that bears her name, Chloe Clark Elementary.
The school district still has to complete about $100,000 worth of landscaping for a pedestal.
The News Tribune of Tacoma reports next year will mark the 170th anniversary of the New England teacher traveling to teach at Fort Nisqually. A committee of volunteers raised $86,000 for the memorial.
The statue of Chloe Clark ringing a bell is waiting at the Bronze Works foundry in Tacoma. Her statue is about 6 feet tall — about a foot taller than she was in real life.
Olympia: College financial aid requests up 20 percent in state
State officials say they are seeing a big increase in financial aid requests from Washington residents this year.
Families have filled out 20 percent more financial forms for the 2009-10 academic year than they turned in last year.
And it’s not too late to apply for next year.
John Klacik of the state’s Higher Education Coordinating Board says every year some students miss out on financial aid because they incorrectly assume they are not eligible. One form gives families access to state and federal aid.
The Legislature set aside an extra $16 million for financial aid for the next two years to offset expected tuition increases at state universities of about 14 percent a year.
Oregon: Lawmakers to waive training for septuagenarian sheriff
Oregon legislators plan to give 70-year-old Sheriff Bob Skipper the equivalent of credit for life experience — he won’t have to redo basic training.
Skipper retired 13 years ago as Multnomah County sheriff but returned last year to lead a department many officials regarded as in disarray.
The state licensing agency, however, said his lengthy absence meant he’d have to do four weeks of officer training — right at the time he had to handle big budget cuts.
State Sen. Rod Monroe of Portland said he was aghast.
He and other lawmakers have tailored a measure to Skipper’s situation. It allows certification of sheriffs who have 25 years of police experience and are in counties where the sheriff is basically an administrator.
Associated Press
