Local Digest
State workers union approves contract

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A ballot count showed members of the Washington Federation of State Employees voted 79 percent last week in favor of the contract, which covers 30,000 workers, about half of the state's unionized work force, union officials said late yesterday.

The agreement is subject to legislative approval.

The contract includes the first pay increase for state workers since 2001.

Seattle

Downtown group opposes Green Line

The Downtown Seattle Association (DSA) issued a statement yesterday opposing construction of the Green Line monorail. A major reason was the loss of Canadian train-builder Bombardier from the two-team bidding competition last month. Agents for Bombardier's team had impressed association members with plans for slim 4-foot-wide columns, as well as a station in the historic Times Square building, alongside Westlake Center.

"The DSA is not known for its support of rapid transit," the Seattle Monorail Project replied in a statement.

Seattle

Commuter efforts by Safeco lauded

Seattle-based Safeco's efforts to get commuters out of their cars have been applauded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
 
The EPA ranked Safeco ninth on a new list of "Best Workplaces for Commuters." The list recognizes Fortune 500 companies that offer an array of incentives to employees to persuade them to stop driving to work solo.

Safeco offers the incentives to 55 percent of its U.S. workers, the EPA said; only eight Fortune 500 companies do better.

Seattle

Two held after officers were nearly run down

Two men were arrested early yesterday after they allegedly tried to run down two Seattle police officers.

The two officers had stopped two other people in the parking lot of the Way West Motel at 8600 Aurora Ave. N., police reported. As they were talking to those people, two men in a vehicle tried to run them over. The officers, who weren't hit, pursued the vehicle. Police eventually caught up with the men and booked them into jail.

Everett

Duvall man pleads guilty in shooting

A Duvall man charged in a fatal shooting at a Monroe tavern in August 2003 has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. Jesús Garcia-Peña, 31, maintained that he shot Jesús Garcia Ochoa in self-defense at the Mi Barria Aug. 31, 2003, but was sure that a jury would find him guilty. He entered an Alford plea Monday to the second-degree murder charge. In making that plea, a defendant does not admit guilt but concedes that if the case were to go to trial, a jury would probably find him guilty.

Garcia-Peña also entered Alford pleas to two counts of second-degree assault for shooting another patron in the hip. Snohomish County Deputy Prosecutor Tobin Darrow said he would ask for the maximum sentence of 27 years, one month in prison.

Seattle

Murder charges filed in killing of man

Prosecutors have filed second-degree murder charges against a 41-year-old man in a shooting outside the Vintage Apartment complex in Burien Saturday.

Police and prosecutors say Elias Martinez Ruiz, who fled and is still at large, shot and killed Rolando Cruz Baron just before 6 p.m. The victim and a few other friends were sitting at a picnic table, having a few beers, when Ruiz approached and pointed a gun at one of the other two men.

The picnicking friends threatened Ruiz with broken beer bottles, and he left, court documents say, only to return a few minutes later. The three were fleeing when Ruiz fired and struck Baron, according to charging papers filed yesterday in King County Superior Court.

Everett

Driver who fled fatal crash sought

Police are searching for the driver of a car who fled after a crash Monday that killed a teenage passenger.

Police said the driver lost control of a Ford Taurus and struck a parked van in the 1800 block of 121st Street Southeast, said Everett police Sgt. Boyd Bryant. Shawn Elliott, 18, of Everett was ejected from the back seat of the Taurus and died.

Also injured in the crash was 17-year-old Cordell Stewart, who was treated and released at Providence Everett Medical Center.

Bryant said the driver left before police arrived. Friends of Elliott's gathered at the site last night to leave flowers.

Everett

Man, 24, fatally shot in driveway identified

A 24-year-old Snohomish County man found fatally shot in a driveway in an unincorporated area south of Everett Sunday morning has been identified as Florencio Perez-Silva.

The King County Medical Examiner's Office said he died of gunshot wounds to the head.

Sheriff's deputies yesterday had no suspects.

Times staff and news services