100 protest limits on homeless camps

About 100 people from Seattle-area churches and synagogues held a candlelight vigil outside Bellevue City Hall on Monday to protest city restrictions on homeless camps.

The vigil, organized by the Church Council of Greater Seattle, also protested a Bellevue City Council proposal to increase spending on legal fees for defending the restrictions, from $150,000 to $250,000. The council approved the plan Monday night.

The Tent City 4 homeless camp moved to Temple B'nai Torah in Bellevue last week. In King County Superior Court, the temple is appealing the restrictions, which include a 60-day maximum stay and a cap of 40 people staying at the camp, unless more toilets and showers are provided.

The protesters sang and held signs opposing the restrictions. They said the increased legal fees could be better spent helping the homeless. A city spokesman said the restrictions were necessary to ensure minimum health and safety conditions for the camp.

Nike execs' jet lands safely

Nike CEO William Perez and other company executives went through a six-hour drama in the skies over Oregon on Monday as a wheel on their jet got stuck in a partially extended position — but the pilot was finally able to get the wheel to pop into place.

Portland International Airport and Hillsboro Airport — where the Gulfstream V plane took off at 6 a.m. on a flight for Toronto — had both prepared for an emergency landing.

But the crew finally was able to get the right main landing gear fully extended and locked into place after talking with Gulfstream officials. The plane landed at Hillsboro at 12:11 p.m.

The drama was carried live on national TV networks, with live footage from Hillsboro airport. In addition to Perez, two other executives, Perez's assistant and a crew of three were on the plane.

Perez said he believes the pilot was able to get the main right wheel fully extended after going to an altitude of about 20,000 feet, turning off the left engine, and putting "all the hydraulic force into the right engine."

"We did a few maneuvers, and it [the wheel] came down," Perez said.

Pollution warning issued this week

The National Weather Service is warning that Washington is facing air stagnation this week that could mean extra air pollution through Thanksgiving.

The state Department of Health is asking people to refrain from unnecessary wood burning in fireplaces and woodstoves and to cut back on driving, if possible.

Pollution from air inversions can cause significant respiratory trouble for sensitive people. The Health Department advises high-risk people to call a doctor or 911 if they suffer serious breathing symptoms or heart trouble.

5 portable toilets set on fire

Five portable toilets at different sites in the Magnolia neighborhood were set on fire Sunday morning.

"The Porta Pottis are a total loss," Seattle police spokesman Rich Pruitt said.

Police have no suspects.

Police to seek tissue donations

The Oregon State Police are helping families to arrange human-tissue donations from people who die in traffic wrecks.

Under pressure from tissue-recovery agencies, state police have become the first law-enforcement agency in Oregon to help families of victims of fatal accidents to donate their corneas, skin, bones and other tissue. Previously, that option was restricted to deaths in hospitals.

"It's as much about the families who donate as the recipients," said Bob Hinely, director of Community Tissue Services in Portland. "It helps families grieve and get through their loss, knowing their loved one helped someone."

Under the program, after a fatality, a state police dispatch supervisor will alert a tissue-recovery call center in Portland. Once the family has been notified of the death, a donor coordinator will call.

State police Capt. Gerry Gregg said the agency did not want to agree to the new program until it was assured that the agency workers contacting families so soon after a death were properly trained.

Feedback sought on transportation

Members of the state Transportation Commission are seeking public feedback on a draft plan for updates to Oregon's transportation system over the next quarter-century.

The plan addresses Oregon's airports, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, highways, streets and roads, pipelines, ports and waterways, public transportation and railroads.

It also outlines investment priorities for the transportation system, although an analysis of projected income showed a need for greater investment in the current system, to keep up with population and economic growth.

The plan may be viewed online at www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP/ortransplanupdate.shtml.

The Oregon Transportation Commission is expected to adopt a final plan next summer.

Times staff and news services