ELLENSBURG — The number of peregrine falcons has increased sufficiently in Washington that the bird of prey has been reclassified from an endangered to a sensitive species.

The state Department of Fish and Wildlife said Monday it was the first time the Fish and Wildlife Commission had "down-listed" one of the state’s endangered species.

The peregrine falcon was listed as endangered in 1980, when there were only five known nesting pairs in the state. Today, there are at least 73 pairs, which exceeded biologists’ recovery goals, said Harriet Allen, manager of the department’s threatened and endangered species program.

She said the recovery is due to a 30-year-old national ban on pesticides that thin eggshells; aggressive rearing of the birds in captivity, and then release; and protection of nest sites.

Toppenish

Teen killed trying to break up fight: A 17-year-old trying to break up a fight between his sister and another young woman was fatally shot during a house party here, the Yakima County sheriff’s office said Monday. Ole Owens of Toppenish was shot several times in the torso on Sunday. He was taken to Providence Yakima Medical Center, where he died. An arrest warrant was issued Monday for Jose Merced Zamora, 22, of Wapato, said Lt. Stew Graham of the sheriff’s office. The Yakima County Superior Court warrant accuses Zamora of one count of second-degree murder and one count of second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.

Yakima

Milk tankers pass test: Only a tiny fraction of the milk tankers sampled in the state last year showed evidence of certain drug residues, and that milk was not processed for human consumption. More than 23,000 shipments were laboratory tested and 12 were positive for drug residue, or .0005 percent, said Jim Pressley, assistant manager of the food safety program for the state Department of Agriculture. "Knowing every milk tanker is tested is a good assurance the milk supply is safe," he said. Nationally, there were 3,400 positive readings out of more than 4 million samples tested last year, or .081 percent, according to data from U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s drug residue milk monitoring program.

Olympia

State jobs program wins award: Washington’s Community Jobs program for hard-to-employ welfare recipients has won a national innovation award from the Council of State Governments. The council’s incoming chairman, Massachusetts Rep. Daniel Bosley, presented the award to Gov. Gary Locke on Monday. Washington’s program serves welfare recipients with limited education, poor work history and difficult family situations, Locke said. More than 7,500 people have participated since 1998, building job skills by spending 20 hours a week working at minimum wage for government agencies, schools, businesses and nonprofit organizations

Oregon

2 captured in home invasion case: Two teen-agers accused of terrorizing a Eugene couple and stealing their guns, money and car have been arrested, police said. Jason Allen Aguilar, 19, of Springfield and Zachary Michael Lobue, 18, of Eugene were arrested Saturday and charged with robbery, kidnapping and burglary. They were locked up in the Lane County Jail. Police are looking for a third suspect. On Tuesday, the suspects forcefully entered the couple’s house and forced them to open a pair of safes at gun- and knifepoint, said Sgt. Scott McKee. The suspects stole 22 guns and other valuables, as well as the couple’s 2002 PT Cruiser, he said.

From Herald news services