Regional News Archives for 2014-02

Teen Sentenced For Attack On Store Owner

(Portland, OR)  --  An 18-year-old is slated to spend five years behind bars after entering a guilty plea in an attack on a 70-year-old man.  Daniel Dorson pleaded guilty to one count of attempted assault on Larry Allen, an employee at the Portland Outdoor Store on Southwest 3rd Avenue.  Police say Allen was washing a sidewalk outside the store last July when he got into an argument with Dorson, who then hit Allen on the head with a skateboard.  Allen required multiple stitches following the attack.

Missing Hillsboro Teens Found Safe

(Hillsboro, OR)  --  Two teenage boys from Hillsboro who went missing after leaving for a concert last Friday are now safe.  Fourteen-year-old Drew Martin and friend Joe Beals were dropped off at the Orenco MAX station to ride to Portland for the concert, but both vanished afterward.  Martin's father found the boys on a bus by the Lloyd Center last night and brought them home.  Both are said to be doing fine.

Teen Accused Of Killing, Skinning Pet Goat

(Longview, WA)  --  A 17-year-old boy is under investigation for animal cruelty after being accused of killing and skinning a pet goat.  Authorities in Longview say the boy was 16 last June when he allegedly zip-tied the goat's hooves together and slit the animal's belly before partially skinning it.  Three other goats and a sheep on the Beacon Hill property in Longview were unharmed.  Police say the teen has confessed to the crime.

Beaverton Voters To Decide On Bond Issue

(Beaverton, OR)  --  Voters in Beaverton will be asked to decide in May on whether to approve a 680-million-dollar school bond issue.  Among the purposes for the proposed bond are building three new schools, rebuilding and renovating others, effecting school-building repairs, and adding new technology to schools.  The Beaverton School Board voted last night to place the measure on the May ballot.  If the bond passes, Beaverton property owners would pay two-dollars-eleven-cents per thousand dollars of assessed home value.

Portland Woman Accused Of Ramming Patrol Cars

(Lake Oswego, OR)  --  A Portland woman is facing charges following a short chase, during which she was accused of ramming two Lake Oswego police cars.  Thirty-nine-year-old Mary Elizabeth Lanning is accused of driving drunk while attempting to elude police.  Authorities say the pursuit began after an officer saw Lanning, who appeared to be drunk, leave the Gemini Bar and Grill on North State Street in Lake Oswego around 12:45 yesterday morning.  Police say Lanning rammed two patrol cars during the chase, but no officers were injured.

Arson Said To Be Cause Of Recent Fires

(Portland, OR)  --  The Portland Fire Bureau says arson has been determined to be the cause of three recent fires, but it's uncertain whether the cases are connected.  Two of those fires took place in Northeast Portland early yesterday morning, one of them at a home on Northeast Monroe Street that had been burned in August during a fire at an adjacent apartment complex that was under construction.  Also yesterday, a fire was reported at a vacant gas station on Northeast 7th Avenue.  A third arson happened at the corner of North Vancouver and Fargo on February 17th.

Portland Woman Accused In Fatal Crash

(Longview, WA)  --  Longview police are accusing a Portland woman of driving the wrong way on a street and causing a crash that killed one person and injured seven.  Authorities say 32-year-old Nichole McCaslin was driving in the wrong direction on Tennant Way Friday night and struck multiple vehicles.  A man driving one of the cars was killed.  Police suspect McCaslin was driving drunk at the time.

Jail Time For Coach Who Hit Teen

(Lake Oswego, OR)  --  A volunteer football coach at Lakeridge High School in Lake Oswego will spend time in jail after pleading guilty to harassment.  Michael James Cole was arrested in August after he was accused of punching a player in the face while intervening in an altercation between players.  Cole pleaded guilty yesterday to harassment, and an assault charge against him was dropped.  He was sentenced to 72 hours in jail, 24 months probation, and 100 hours of community service, and will have to attend anger management courses.

Serial Hotel Robbery Suspect Arrested

(Portland, OR)  --  A man accused in a string of hotel robberies in Oregon and Washington is behind bars in Portland.  Police say 40-year-old Ernest Dean is facing charges in the robberies of the Silver Cloud Inn in Northwest Portland and the LaQuinta Inn in Wilsonville earlier this month.  Investigators believe Dean may also be responsible for hotel robberies in Gresham, Hood River, Cannon Beach, Albany, and Newport, along with a robbery in Woodland, Washington.  Police say the robber would hold up the hotels at gunpoint and claim to have a bomb, then tie up the clerks and steal cash.

Man Shot Inside Southeast Portland Apartment

(Portland, OR)  --  Police say a man was wounded while in his Southeast Portland apartment after shots were fired from outside the building.  Authorities say the shooting happened around 7:45 last night outside the apartment on Southeast 73rd and Powell.  Police haven't yet made any arrests.  The victim will likely survive.

Parolee Surrenders After Standoff With Police

(Boring, OR)  --  A man wanted on several outstanding warrants is in custody after being arrested following a two-hour standoff in Boring.  Clackamas County authorities say Raymond Wilebski ran into his residence after deputies spotted him Saturday night on Southeast Kathy Lane in Boring.  A SWAT team surrounded the home after a report that Wilebski may be armed.  After about two hours, tear gas forced Wilbeski out of the house and he surrendered.

Springfield Man Dead After Jump From Overpass

(Eugene, OR)  --  Police haven't yet released the name of a Springfield man who died after jumping from an Interstate 5 overpass near Eugene.  Officials say the 21-year-old man got off his bicycle around 12:35 Saturday afternoon on the Glenwood Boulevard overpass and climbed an eight-foot fence.  Police say after falling about 25 feet onto the right northbound lane of I-5, the man may have been struck by a white Ford pickup truck that continued north.  Authorities are looking for that truck.

Men Doing Fine After Canoe Capsizes

(Portland, OR)  --  Two men are said to be doing well after their canoe capsized on the Sandy River.  Police say the men were goose hunting and struck a log while floating along the river around eleven a.m. yesterday in the area of the I-84 overpass.  One of the men floated a mile-and-a-half down the river but grabbed onto some debris, and was pulled out of the water by members of the Gresham Fire Department's river rescue team.  The other man was able to make it to shore safely.

Police Say Flasher Strikes Again

(Portland, OR)  --  Portland police say a man who's considered a "serial flasher" has exposed himself to more children, this time in the area of Northeast Alameda Street and Alameda Terrace.  The man reportedly yelled at three eleven-year-old children around 4:15 yesterday afternoon and exposed himself when they turned to look.  The man was then seen running east on Alameda Street.  Police say the man is suspected of exposing himself several times to other children and two female joggers in various Northeast Portland neighborhoods since last month.  

Oregon AG Says Sate Won't Defend Gay-marriage Ban

(Salem, OR)  --  Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum says her office will not defend the state's constitutional ban on same-sex marriage in federal court.  Rosenblum says Oregon will continue to prohibit gay marriage until the courts or voters rule otherwise.  Two federal lawsuits challenging the state's gay-marriage ban are pending.  The Oregon Family Council, which opposes gay marriage, says Rosenblum is ignoring her duty to defend the Oregon Constitution and the will of the majority of voters who approved Measure 36 ten years ago.

Teachers Could Start Contract Vote Next Week

(Portland, OR)  --  Portland teachers could start voting next week on a tentative contract agreement with Portland Public Schools.  "The Oregonian" reports the contract includes the hiring of 150 additional teachers, more school days, and an annual pay raise of two-point-three percent for the next three years.  The agreement was reached earlier this week after a marathon bargaining session between the school district and the Portland Association of Teachers.

Steel Bridge To Be Closed Intermittently During Weekend

(Portland, OR)  --  The Steel Bridge in downtown Portland will close intermittently during the weekend due to ongoing work.  Transportation officials say the span will close at eleven o'clock tomorrow night and reopen Sunday morning at 8:30.  The bridge will close again Sunday night at eleven and reopen at 8:30 Monday morning.  The closures will affect all forms of traffic.
 

FBI: Violent Fugitive May Be In Oregon

(Portland, OR)  --  The FBI is looking for a fugitive from Montana who's considered a violent offender.  Agents say 28-year-old Kevin Anthony Briggs was last seen February 1st in Bozeman, Montana while on a work detail and could now be staying at homeless shelters in Oregon while earning money to travel.  Authorities believe Briggs bought a one-way bus ticket from Missoula to Spokane, and may have traveled on from there to Oregon, California, or Mexico.  Briggs is described as white, five-feet-five to five-feet-seven, 120 to 150 pounds, with brown hair, hazel eyes, and a double "snake bite" piercing on his bottom lip.

Three Teens Facing Charges in Torture Case

(Portland, OR)  --  Bail is set at a total of nearly three-million dollars for three teenagers accused of kidnapping and torturing another teen earlier this month.  A total of 20 counts have been leveled against 15-year-old Jenna Montgomery, 15-year-old Blue Christian Kalmbach [[ CALM-bock ]], and 17-year-old Jess Taylor, who are all being tried as adults.  The fourth suspect, who's 14, is being tried in juvenile court.  Portland police say after the victim was lured into a shed in the area of Southeast 122nd Avenue and Powell Boulevard on February 10th, he was hit with a crowbar, shot with a BB gun, was forced to eat feces, and had a swastika carved into his forehead.

Portland Metro On Google Fiber 'Short List'

(Portland, OR)  --  Officials at Google say Portland, Gresham, Beaverton, Lake Oswego, Tigard, and Hillsboro are among 34 U.S. cities being considered for initial access to the ultra-high-speed Google Fiber broadband network.  Mayor Charlie Hales says Portland's "culture of creativity and coalition-building" makes the city the ideal candidate for Google Fiber.  Google Fiber general manager Kevin Lo says the company will work closely with mayors to determine what's needed to build a brand new fiber-optic network capable of ultra-high-speed delivery.  Lo says Google will provide a progress report by the end of the year.

Report: Many Drivers Know Texting Is Illegal, Do It Anyway

(Seattle, WA)  --  A poll conducted in the Portland area and Washington state indicates even though motorists know that texting by drivers is illegal, many of them do it anyway.  The PEMCO Insurance survey indicates that half of the respondents under age 35 sometimes engage in texting while driving.  Roughly 20 percent of those under 35 admitted to talking on a hand-held cell phone while behind the wheel.  The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that texting drivers contribute to at least 100-thousand crashes every year.

WA Reduces Number Of Pot-growing Licenses, Growing Space

(Olympia, WA)  --  Changes are being made regarding licensing for marijuana growers in Washington.  The state Liquor Control Board has voted to reduce the number of licenses for each grower from three to one and shrink the amount of growing space by 30 percent.  Officials say about two-thousand applicants were expected, but the actual number is closer to seven-thousand.  The Liquor Control Board expects to issue the first growers licenses during the first week of March, while the first retail store will likely open in late June.

Portland Teacher Strike Averted

(Portland, OR)  --  There will be no Portland teacher strike.  Portland Public Schools says the district and the Portland Association of Teachers have reached a tentative agreement to avoid a walkout.  The deal was reached after a marathon bargaining session that ended yesterday morning.  The strike has been cancelled and teachers will vote on whether to ratify the new contract.
 

Woman, Dog Rescued From 20-foot Hole

(Portland, OR)  --  Police aren't sure of the circumstances surrounding a 20-foot-deep hole in which a woman and her dog fell in a yard in Southeast Portland.  The woman was in her back yard in the area of Southeast 38th Avenue and Southeast Clinton Street last night looking for the small dog when she accidentally fell into the large hole.  A passerby heard the woman screaming and called 9-1-1.  Fire crews rescued the woman and her dog after finding them inside the hole, which officials say may have been weather-related or the result of sewer work done in the yard.

Fourth Suspect Arrested In Kidnapping Of Portland Man

(Gresham, OR)  --  Charges are pending against a fourth suspect who's been arrested in connection with the kidnapping of a developmentally-disabled Portland man.  Twenty-five-year-old Christopher Dante Andrews was arrested last night during a traffic stop in connection with the abduction of 34-year-old Michael Daughtry.  Police say Daughtry was kidnapped on February 13th and held against his will in a Gresham apartment.  Authorities say the suspects allegedly accessed Daughtry's bank account without his permission.

Meat-products Recall Includes Some 'Hot Pockets' Sandwiches

(Washington, DC)  --  Officials say the recall of millions of pounds of beef products processed by California-based Rancho Feeding Corporation includes one of the popular "Hot Pockets" heat-and-serve sandwiches.  The Hot Pockets Philly Steak and Cheese sandwiches are distributed to some Fred Meyer and QFC stores in Oregon and Washington and are included in the recall of about eight-point-seven-million pounds of Rancho Feeding meat products.  The USDA issued the recall on February 8th, saying the meat was processed from "diseased and unsound" animals and was unfit for human consumption.  Other products from the company were distributed to meat markets and smaller stores in Oregon and Washington.

Bill Would Allow Local Governments To Regulate Medical Pot

(Salem, OR)  --  A bill that would allow local governments to regulate, but not ban, medical marijuana is moving through the Oregon Legislature.  The Senate approved the measure as local communities throughout the state are moving to prohibit medical-marijuana outlets.  The bill brings into question the legal status of medical-pot dispensary bans that have been passed in a few Oregon municipalities.  The measure will go to the House for consideration.

Sellwood Bridge To Reopen This Morning

(Portland, OR)  --  Multnomah County officials say the Sellwood Bridge will be reopened this morning.  Work was conducted around the clock during the weekend on the installation of steel "soldier piles" across the west-end of a new replacement span.  The piles will support the walls of a new interchange where the bridge connects with Oregon 43.  The work is being finished ahead of schedule and the bridge is set to reopen at seven a.m.

Two Arrested In Death of Grants Pass Man

(Canby, OR)  --  Two suspects are in custody in connection with the death of a man killed during an alleged drug deal.  Canby police say 27-year-old Michael A. Orren and 32-year-old Shannon Bettencourt are accused of fatally shooting 43-year-old Edward Spangler after they tried to rob him early Sunday.  Spangler was shot multiple times and was found next to his car, which had crashed into a tree in Locust City Park.  Orren and Bettencourt were arrested yesterday. 

Oregon, Washington Stores Included In Meat Recall

(Washington, DC)  --  Stores in Oregon and Washington are part of the recall of about eight-point-seven-million pounds of beef products sold by California-based Rancho Feeding Corporation.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture says Rancho Feeding processed "diseased and unsound animals and carried out these activities without the benefit or full benefit of federal inspection."  The USDA says the products were shipped to distribution centers and retailers in Oregon, Washington, California, Florida, Illinois, and Texas.  The USDA's Food Safety Inspection Service says it has received no reports of illness due to consumption of these products.

Strike Preparations Proceed As Talks Continue

(Portland, OR)  --  A Portland teacher strike is still planned for Thursday as the teachers union and the Portland school district continue to negotiate a new contract.  Both sides are hoping to reach a tentative agreement that would halt the strike by the union's 29-hundred teachers.  Should a strike move forward, PPS says it will close schools tomorrow, Thursday, Friday, and Monday to prepare replacement teachers and support personnel.  Teachers and organizers are preparing signs in the event of a walkout.

Rain, High Winds Predicted For Portland Area

(Portland, OR)  --  More rain is expected today in the Portland and Vancouver metro areas, and a high-wind advisory will be in effect from ten a.m. until four p.m.  Forecasters are predicting winds of 20 to 30 miles per hour with gusts to 45 miles an hour.  While more rain is in the forecast, it won't likely be as heavy as the system that dumped two to four inches on the region Sunday and yesterday morning.

Outage Sends Sewage Into Willamette River

(Portland, OR)  --  Officials say a power outage sent thousands of gallons of raw sewage into the Willamette River in the Oak Grove area of Clackamas County.  The Oak Lodge Sanitary District says the outage caused the sewage to bypass treatment and flow into the Willamette around eleven p.m. Sunday.  Officials say the problem was caused by an electrical component failure in the newly-upgraded treatment plant.  It's estimated that about 440-thousand gallons of sewage bypassed treatment during the outage.

Tree Crashes Into Home, Misses Homeowner

(Damascus, OR)  --  A homeowner in Damascus is feeling fortunate after a section of a large redwood tree crashed into his home and missed hitting him by three feet.  That incident happened Sunday, and a second section of the tree fell on an awning that covered the front porch of the home yesterday morning.  Officials say the damage was a result of violent weather that swept through the area over the weekend.

PPS, Teacher Union To Meet With Mediator Today

(Portland, OR)  --  As a scheduled Portland teacher strike looms, union and Portland Public Schools representatives are slated to meet this morning with a state mediator to resume contract negotiations.  Both sides met with a mediator for eight hours yesterday in an effort to avert the strike, which is scheduled for February 20th.  PPS officials say they presented a new proposal yesterday, but details on it haven't been released.

Violent Weather Causes Power Outages For Thousands

(Portland, OR)  --  Violent weather is causing a number of problems in northwest Oregon and southwest Washington, including power outages for thousands.  Officials say about eleven-thousand Portland General Electric customers and five-thousand customers of Clark Public Utilities are without electricity this morning.  PGE says about 67-hundred are without power in Clackamas County and nearly 45-hundred are without electricity in Multnomah County.  Officials hope to have all power restored no later than 9:45 this morning.

One Killed, Five Injured In Portland Crash

(Portland, OR)  --  A man is dead and five other people are injured following a one-vehicle crash in Northeast Portland.  Police say the car went out of control in the area of Northeast Fremont Street and 102nd Avenue around six a.m. yesterday and slammed into a power pole.  A rear-seat passenger was killed and one other person was ejected and is listed in serious condition.  Police believe the driver was drunk at the time of the crash.

Man Found Shot To Death Inside Car In Canby

(Canby, OR)  --  Canby police are investigating the death of a man who was found shot inside a car that had crashed.  Police Chief Bret Smith says the crashed vehicle was found at Locust City park around five a.m. yesterday, with 43-year-old Edward Kelly Spangler of Grants Pass at the wheel.  Police say Spangler had been shot and was pronounced dead at the scene.  No suspects have been identified.

Three In Custody For Gresham Kidnapping

(Gresham, OR)  --  Police have three people in custody after they were accused of kidnapping a developmentally-disabled Portland man and accessing his bank account without his consent.  Police say 27-year-old Ashley Marie Adams, 29-year-old Christopher Tolentino, and 25-year-old Whitney L. Engstrom are facing multiple charges.  They're accused of abducting the victim, 34-year-old Michael Daughtry of Portland, on February 13th and holding him against his will at a Gresham apartment.  A SWAT team rescued Daughtry after about two days.

One EB Lane Of I-84 Reopened

(Hood River, OR)  --  Transportation officials say one eastbound lane of Interstate 84 near Hood River is open again to traffic.  All eastbound traffic was detoured after a landslide forced closure of a section of I-84 Wednesday night.  About two-thousand cubic yards of rocks and debris covered the roadway.  The Oregon Department of Transportation will announce later this morning when they expect the other eastbound lane to reopen.

I-84 At Hood River Closed Through Weekend

(Hood River, OR)  --  The Oregon Department of Transportation says the eastbound lanes of I-84 near Hood River will be closed through the weekend.  The lanes were blocked Wednesday night by a landslide near milepost 61.  ODOT officials say about two-thousand cubic yards of rock and debris fell from the hillside just before 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.  Department spokesman Don Hamilton says crews are hoping to have one eastbound lane open by Monday.

Teens Accused Of Torturing Boy

(Portland, OR)  --  Four teenagers are facing charges after being accused of luring another teen to a shed in Southeast Portland and torturing him for hours.  Police say the accused include three boys and a girl and range in age from 14 to 17.  KATU-TV quotes sources as saying the victim was targeted because he was perceived as a bully for calling another student "gay" in a Facebook post.  Court documents show the victim was shot with a BB gun and beaten with a crow bar.

PPS In 'State Of Emergency' Prior To Scheduled Strike

(Portland, OR)  --  The Portland Public Schools district is in a "state of emergency" in preparation for a scheduled teacher strike on February 20th.  The School Board approved the resolution last night, granting Superintendent Carole Smith the authority to spend district funds on strike preparation.  That could include the hiring of replacement teachers.  Smith says the district and the teachers union are working hard to reach an agreement on a new contract.

Landslide Blocks I-84 Near Hood River

(Hood River, OR)  --  The eastbound lanes of Interstate 84 near Hood River remain closed because of a landslide.  Police say the slide took place last night near exit 17 and blocked all eastbound lanes and one westbound lane.  Crews are working to clear the debris, which includes several boulders.  Oregon Department of Transportation officials say they'll open the road after making sure the hillside is stable.

Teen Stabbed At Lloyd Center Mall

(Portland, OR)  --  Portland police are looking for a suspect after a 16-year-old boy was stabbed inside the Lloyd Center mall.  Investigators say the teen was found yesterday afternoon near Nordstrom, lying on the floor and clutching his lower back.  The victim was treated at a hospital and released.  Police say the suspect is described as an African American man in his 20s, wearing a black jacket, red T-shirt, black pants, and white shoes.

Man Accused Of Taking Up-skirt Pictures At Store

(Hillsboro, OR)  --  A Portland man is in custody after being accused of taking photos up the skirt of a 13-year-old girl at a Hillsboro Target store.  Patrick Joseph Buono is facing charges of attempted invasion of privacy and first- and second-degree encouraging child sex abuse.  Washington County sheriff's deputies say Buono allegedly took the photos on January 3rd.  Investigators say it's possible there are more victims.

Police: Father Punches Man Who Exposed Himself

(Gresham, OR)  --  Gresham police say a man who was walking with his five-year-old daughter near a school-bus stop yesterday punched another man who was exposing himself while sitting in a parked car nearby.  Authorities say Jeremy Clouse saw the suspect had his pants down and confronted him, then punched him in the face after the suspect laughed in response.  The man then drove off on Northeast Kane Drive.  Police say the suspect is described as a light-skinned Hispanic male, weighing about 180 pounds, with possible bruising on the left side of his face.

Cover Oregon May Begin Limited Operation This Week

(Salem, OR)  --  Officials say Cover Oregon may be up and running on a limited basis by later this week.  "The Oregonian" reports the plan calls for allowing agents and others who assist clients to handle enrollments in a single sitting, provided tests being run on the system go well.  Officials say the limited access will allow time to work out bugs on the website.  The announcement comes more than four months after the health-insurance exchange was scheduled to go live.

Bill Seeks To Protect Employee Health Benefits

(Salem, OR)  --  A bill introduced in the Oregon Legislature would make it illegal for employers in the state to cut employee hours to avoid paying health benefits.  The bill is sponsored by Portland Senator Michael Dembrow, who says the measure is in response to reports he's heard that some community colleges have been advised to reduce faculty hours in order to get out of paying medical benefits to some employees.  Dembrow says the bill would not make the reduction of hours illegal because of other reasons such as poor employee performance.  The measure awaits action in committee.

Woman Lied About Attack In Grant Park

(Portland, OR)  --  Portland police believe a woman who reported she was attacked by a stranger in Grant Park was lying.  Authorities say the woman admitted during an interview the man who sexually assaulted her on February 4th was not a stranger as she initially reported.  Police say the woman also gave a false description of the alleged assailant.  The attack remains under investigation.

Two Killed, Three Injured In Salem Crash

(Salem, OR)  --  Salem police are investigating a two-vehicle crash that killed an adult and a child and seriously injured three other people.  The wreck happened around seven o'clock last night on Turner Road Southeast at Airway Drive Southeast.  The three injured people are being hospitalized.  No names have been released.

PPS: Shutdown Will Happen In Event Of Strike

(Portland, OR)  --  The Portland Public Schools district says classes will shut down for three days in the event of a teacher strike.  Contract negotiations resumed yesterday between the district and the teachers union in an effort to avoid a strike that's been scheduled to begin February 20th.  PPS officials say the three says will be used for "staff training" as substitute teachers are brought in.  The union says yesterday's talks included a proposal that "is fair for teachers and good for kids."

Evacuation Ordered After Lake Oswego Mudslide

(Lake Oswego, OR)  --  The Lake Oswego Fire Department says two homes have been evacuated because of a mudslide off Highway 43.  Officials say a previously-undetected water-line leak caused mud and debris to slide over the weekend down a hill from the home on Upper Cherry Lane, south of downtown Lake Oswego.  The debris ended up against a house down a hill on Meadows Drive and the home was evacuated as a precaution.  Crews will be on the scene this morning to assess the damage.

State Department Supports Jackson Efforts On Behalf Of Bae

(Washington, DC)  --  U.S. State Department officials say they support efforts by the family of Kenneth Bae to secure the release of the Lynnwood, Washington businessman from a North Korean prison, where he's been held since November 2012.  The State Department also says it supports efforts by the Reverend Jesse Jackson to bring Bae back to the U.S.  CNN reports Jackson has met with the Bae family and has offered to go to North Korea on a humanitarian mission to free Bae.

Manhunt Ongoing For Murder Suspect

(Boring, OR)  --  A manhunt continues for 41-year-old Dirck White, a truck driver who's wanted in the murder of a Clackamas County employee near Boring.  White, a resident of Edgewood, Washington, is accused of fatally shooting Clackamas County weighmaster Grady Waxenfelter on Highway 224 near Amsigger Road last Thursday.  Authorities say White has an extensive criminal record.  White, who's described as a Hispanic man with an average build, is believed to be in a four-door, 2004 Mercedes 320 with Washington license plate ANB7070.

Knights Among Most Generous Donors Of 2013

(Undated)  --  Portland's own Phil and Penelope Knight are among those ranked as the most generous donors of 2013.  The Knights rank third in The Chronicle of Philanthropy's 2013 rankings.  Phil Knight, who's the chairman and co-founder of Nike, and his wife gave 500-million dollars last year to expand cancer research at Oregon Health & Science University.  Topping the list are Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, who donated 992-million dollars in 2013.

Cantwell Says Redskins Nickname 'Insult'

(Washington, DC)  --  Washington's junior U.S. senator says the nickname of the NFL franchise representing the nation's capital is an "insult."  Senator Maria Cantwell and Oklahoma Senator Tom Cole have written a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, saying the league is on "the wrong side of history" when it comes to the "Redskins" nickname.  Cantwell, who chairs the Senate Indian Affairs committee, and Cole told Goodell they object to his recent news conference, during which he said the Redskins name has been "presented in a way that honors Native Americans."  An NFL spokesman says the league will respond appropriately to the letter after reviewing it.

WA Bills Would Prevent Rapists From Claiming Children

(Olympia, WA)  --  A pair of bills being considered in Olympia would prevent a rapist whose victim has a child as a result of the sexual assault to sue for parental rights.  The House and Senate bills provide that a criminal conviction would not be required to prove a sexual assault occurred and would instead call for "clear, cogent and convincing" evidence.  Opponents of the bills say the legislation leaves room for abuse of the legal system in domestic disputes.

Freezing Rain Advisory In Effect

(Portland, OR)  --  A new freezing-rain warning is in effect in the Portland and Vancouver areas until noon.  The National Weather Service is predicting ice accumulations of less than a tenth of an inch that may further coat road surfaces and continue the hazardous conditions that residents have experienced over the past few days.  Many area schools are closed, and government offices and various businesses will have delayed openings.

Water Main Breaks In Southeast Portland

(Portland, OR)  --  Officials haven't yet given a timetable on repair of a water main that broke at Southeast Powell Boulevard and Southeast 20th Avenue.  The weather-related break was reported around 3:30 yesterday morning, and caused street flooding and left a number of customers without water service.  Officials say some area residents who still have service may see discolored water out of their taps.  They're being encouraged to run their taps until the water clears up.

State Offices In Salem To Open Today

(Salem, OR)  --  State officials say government offices in the Salem area will open on schedule this morning.  All state offices in the Portland metro area, including Wilsonville, are closed today, as is the Department of Environmental Quality office in The Dalles.  Lawmakers will reconvene today in Salem, but later than usual to allow people more time to arrive at the capitol. 

Hearing Held On Bill To Require Background Checks On All Gun Sales

(Salem, OR)  --  A bill awaiting action in a Senate committee would expand background checks to cover all sales of firearms in Oregon.  Governor John Kitzhaber and the husband of former Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Giffords were among those testifying in favor of the bill yesterday before the Senate Judiciary Committee.  Opponents of the bill were also on hand, including a representative of the National Rifle Association.
 

One Dead, Three Injured Following Battle Ground Crash

(Battle Ground, WA)  --  Police say the weather was a major factor in a crash near Battle Ground that killed one person and seriously injured three others.  The Washington State Patrol says the crash involved between 25 and 30 vehicles near the Gee Creek Rest Area on Interstate 5 and closed or delayed traffic in both directions for hours.  Troopers say 39-year-old Matthew S. Scott of Tualatin, Oregon was killed.  One man is listed in critical condition and two others are in serious condition. 

TriMet Requests Mediation For Contract Negotiations

(Portland, OR)  --  TriMet is asking for a mediator in its negotiations on a new contract with Amalgamated Transit Union 757, which represents most TriMet employees.  TriMet Executive Director of Labor Relations and Human Resources Randy Stedman has sent a letter requesting the mediator to the state Employment Relations Board.  The two sides have been in contract talks for about five months.  One of the main points of contention is health-care costs for active employees and retirees.  

Portland Schools Closed As More Snow Expected Today

(Portland, OR)  --  Forecasters say the Portland metro area is in for more snow, meaning commuters will be in for more headaches.  School closures will continue today as a new weather system is expected to bring snow this afternoon and heavier snow by tonight.  By tomorrow, the snow could give way to sleet and freezing rain.  Other parts of Oregon and southwestern Washington that were hit with snow yesterday could experience slightly warmer conditions today.

Some PDX Flights Cancelled

(Portland, OR)  --  Wintry weather is prompting cancellation of a number of flights at Portland International Airport.  Many flights scheduled to come in from Washington and California this morning have been cancelled, while others scheduled to depart or arrive later this morning and this afternoon have been delayed.  Travelers are urged to check the PDX website for the latest information.

Electrical Fire Knocks Out Power To Building, MAX Lines

(Portland, OR)  --  Officials say an electrical vault fire that broke out in a downtown Portland apartment building knocked out the building's power and forced area MAX lines to close temporarily.  Portland Fire & Rescue spokesman Lieutenant Rich Chatman tells "The Oregonian" the fire started in the basement of the building in the 16-hundred block of Southwest Morrison Street around 6:45 last night.  The four-story building was safely evacuated and firefighters extinguished the blaze.  Power to the building was out for several hours and shuttle buses were used to replace downed MAX lines.

Man's Death Investigated As 'Suspicious'

(Vancouver, WA)  --  Vancouver police say a 21-year-old man whose body was found near the Westfield Vancouver mall appears to have died under suspicious circumstances.  The body of Craig C. Moritz was found around three a.m. yesterday in a small field on Northeast Vancouver Mall Drive.  The death is being investigated by the Vancouver Police Major Crimes Team.

Powerball Jackpot Up To $215 Million

(Salem, OR)  --  Ticket sales are sure to rise as the Powerball jackpot has grown to 215-million dollars for tonight's drawing.  Oregon Lottery officials say once a jackpot reaches 200-million, sales pick up considerably.  The lump-sum payout will be 124-million for the winner or winners of the drawing.

Teachers Union Files Complaint Against Portland School District

(Portland, OR)  --  The union representing Portland public school teachers is alleging the school district is guilty of unfair labor practices.  The union filed a complaint yesterday against Portland Public Schools, accusing the district of bullying substitute teachers.  PPS officials say they have simply reminded substitutes they'll be required to work if regular teachers vote to strike.  The union has called a strike vote for today and would be required to give the district ten days' notice prior to a walkout.

Police Say 'Flasher' Targeted More Children

(Portland, OR)  --  Police are looking for a man who reportedly exposed himself to a nine-year-old boy in Northeast Portland.  Authorities say the flasher perpetrated the crime around five p.m. yesterday in the area of Northeast 45th Avenue and Stanton Street.  Yesterday's incident is one of a number of such incidents that have been reported in the neighborhood in the past few weeks.  The suspect is described as a white man in his 40s, five-feet-nine, heavy build, dark brown hair, and a short, scruffy beard, wearing a white t-shirt and blue boxer shorts.

One Wounded In Shooting, Suspect In Custody

(Vancouver, WA)  --  A 45-year-old man is being treated for wounds after being shot while working at a Veterans Affairs center in Vancouver.  Police say they've arrested a 46-year-old woman after she allegedly shot the worker yesterday at the Center for Community Health, which is located on the Vancouver Campus of the Portland VA Medical Center on East Fourth Plain Boulevard.  Officials have not released information on the extent of the victim's injuries.  No names have been released.

Vancouver Workplace Deaths Investigated As Murder-suicide

(Vancouver, WA)  --  Vancouver police say the deaths of a manager and an employee at the Benjamin Moore Paint Company appear to be a case of murder-suicide.  Investigators say 45-year-old manager Ryan Momeny [[ MAH-muh-nee ]] was found shot to death at the business on West Fourth Plain Boulevard around 11:30 yesterday morning, and 64-year-old Robert Brown was found dead inside a car in the parking lot.  Police say Brown died of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound.  The Vancouver Police Department Major Crimes Team continues to investigate.

Woman Convicted In Fatal Hit-and-run Turned Over To ICE

(Portland, OR)  --  The woman who was convicted of killing two young Forest Grove girls in a hit-and-run is now in the custody of immigration officials.  Nineteen-year-old Cinthya Garcia-Cisneros was found guilty of striking and killing six-year-old Anna Deiter-Eckerdt and her eleven-year-old sister, Abigail Robinson, last October.  Garcia-Cisneros was sentenced last week to three years of probation and 250 hours of community service.  She came to the U.S. from Mexico as an undocumented immigrant, and is being detained in Tacoma while she awaits a hearing before an immigration judge.

Cover Oregon Review To Begin Today

(Salem, OR)  --  An independent review of the rollout of the troubled Cover Oregon website is set to begin today.  A KATU-TV report says former GOP state Representative Patrick Sheehan claims to have told the FBI that Cover Oregon project managers initiated the design of dummy web pages to convince the federal government the project was further along than it really was.  He alleges that the managers did so to meet federal benchmarks in order to keep grant money coming in.  Sheehan was a member of the state Legislature's joint IT oversight committee.

PPS, Teacher Union To Meet Again With Mediator Sunday

(Portland, OR)  --  Officials with the union representing Portland public school teachers say there will be another meeting next Sunday between representatives of the Portland Association of Teachers and Portland Public Schools to try to resolve the ongoing contract dispute.  The contract discussions will also include a mediator.  The union has scheduled a strike vote for Wednesday.  Should teachers vote to authorize a strike, they will have to give the school district ten days' notice before a walkout. 

Teen Arrested After Girls OD On Synthetic Drug

(Sherwood, OR)  --  A 17-year-old boy is in custody after being accused of supplying a synthetic drug to two teenage girls who overdosed on it.  The Washington County Sheriff's Office says the girls took a drug called 25i, a synthetic hallucinogen that can have severe side effects.  Authorities say the two girls who were with the suspect on the side of the road on South Woodhaven Drive in Sherwood Friday evening suffered seizures, but both are expected to recover.  The 17-year-old is facing charges of reckless endangerment. 

Oregon Zoo Euthanizes 26-year-old Sea Lion

(Portland, OR)  --  Officials at the Oregon Zoo say Julius, a 26-year-old sea lion, has been euthanized.  The zoo says Julius was put down yesterday because of complications related to his advanced age.  The sea lion was brought to the Portland zoo from the Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut in 2000.  At the time of his death, he was the oldest male Stellar sea lion in captivity in the U.S.

Suspect In Custody Following Gresham Apartment Fire

(Gresham, OR)  --  Gresham police say a suspect is in custody following a fire that damaged an apartment building and displaced two families.  Authorities allege that 25-year-old Arsenio Lee Jumping Bull broke into an apartment on West Powell Boulevard and set it on fire.  Police say the suspect appeared to be suffering a "psychotic episode" at the time.  Jumping Bull was treated for smoke inhalation, but no one else was injured in the blaze.

Oregon Legislative Session Begins Today

(Salem, OR)  --  The Columbia River Crossing project is expected to be the main focus of the Oregon legislative session that will convene today.  Lawmakers will try to pull together financing for the project without help from the state of Washington, whose legislature withdrew last year from setting aside funding for the project.  The Oregon Department of Transportation recently released a report saying money generated by tolls could cover half the two-point-seven-billion-dollar cost of the I-5 crossing.  The Legislature will also take up issues that include the Cover Oregon website and a proposal to require background checks for all private gun sales.

Archives:

2024-03 | 2024-02 | 2024-01 | 2023-12 | 2023-11 | 2023-10 | 2023-09 | 2023-08 | 2023-07 | 2023-06 | 2023-05 | 2023-04 | 2023-03 | 2023-02 | 2023-01 | 2022-12 | 2022-11 | 2022-10 | 2022-09 | 2022-08 | 2022-07 | 2022-06 | 2022-05 | 2022-04 | 2022-03 | 2022-02 | 2022-01 | 2021-12 | 2021-11 | 2021-10 | 2021-09 | 2021-08 | 2021-07 | 2021-06 | 2021-05 | 2021-04 | 2021-03 | 2021-02 | 2021-01 | 2020-12 | 2020-11 | 2020-10 | 2020-09 | 2020-08 | 2020-07 | 2020-06 | 2020-05 | 2020-04 | 2020-03 | 2020-02 | 2020-01 | 2019-12 | 2019-11 | 2019-10 | 2019-09 | 2019-08 | 2019-07 | 2019-06 | 2019-05 | 2019-04 | 2019-03 | 2019-02 | 2019-01 | 2018-12 | 2018-11 | 2018-10 | 2018-09 | 2018-08 | 2018-07 | 2018-06 | 2018-05 | 2018-04 | 2018-03 | 2018-02 | 2018-01 | 2017-12 | 2017-11 | 2017-10 | 2017-09 | 2017-08 | 2017-07 | 2017-06 | 2017-05 | 2017-04 | 2017-03 | 2017-02 | 2017-01 | 2016-12 | 2016-11 | 2016-10 | 2016-09 | 2016-08 | 2016-07 | 2016-06 | 2016-05 | 2016-04 | 2016-03 | 2016-02 | 2016-01 | 2015-12 | 2015-11 | 2015-10 | 2015-09 | 2015-08 | 2015-07 | 2015-06 | 2015-05 | 2015-04 | 2015-03 | 2015-02 | 2015-01 | 2014-12 | 2014-11 | 2014-10 | 2014-09 | 2014-08 | 2014-07 | 2014-06 | 2014-05 | 2014-04 | 2014-03 | 2014-02 | 2014-01 | 2013-12 | 2013-11 | 2013-10 | 2013-07 | 2013-06 | 2013-05 | 2013-04 | 2013-03 | 2013-02 | 2013-01 | 2012-12 | 2012-11 | 2012-10 | 2012-09 | 2012-08 | 2012-07 | 2012-06 | 2012-05 | 2012-04 | 2012-03 | 2012-02 | 2012-01 | 2011-12 | 2011-11 | 2011-10 | 2011-09 | 2011-08 | 2011-07 | 2011-06 | 2011-05 | 2011-04 | 2011-03 | 2011-02 | 2011-01 | 2010-12 | 2010-11

On Air Now

George Noorey
George Noorey
10:00pm - 12:00am
Coast to Coast

FlashAlert

KBND ON FACEBOOK

News Disclaimers