Currents, weather blamed in die-off

Hood Canal

Scientists have concluded that Tuesday's fish die-off in southern Hood Canal was triggered by a combination of salty ocean currents and windy weather that pushed low-oxygen water to the surface.

For much of the summer, deep water in the canal had lethally low oxygen levels, said Jan Newton, a University of Washington oceanographer. In August, ocean water began pushing the deep water higher.

Then winds from the south blew away oxygen-rich water near the surface, pulling the low-oxygen water up and killing thousands of fish.

Oxygen levels in the southern portion of Hood Canal remained low Thursday, but there were no reports of more dying fish, Newton said.

Bellevue

Lost Rose Bowl ring to be returned

A former University of Washington wide receiver has nearly caught up with his 2001 Rose Bowl ring.

The ring was lost by Wilbur Hooks Jr., who played football for the University of Washington Huskies from 1999 to 2002.

In the 2001 Rose Bowl, Hooks made a pivotal catch that set up a score in the UW's 34-24 win over Purdue.

Hooks and his teammates were presented with their championship rings after the win. Hooks lost his while visiting a friend in Bellevue, never expecting to see it again, police said. Police did not know when the ring was lost.

But on Monday, a Bellevue resident, Sergey Peshkov, brought the ring to the Bellevue Police Department.

Peshkov said he had found the ring in August but had been unable to find the owner. Hooks' name was engraved on the side.

Officer Darin Karosich, a UW alumnus, took over, and with some outside help and the Internet, found Wilbur Hooks Sr. living in Alaska. The elder Hooks contacted his son, who called police.

The younger Hooks said that being part of the 2001 Rose Bowl team was a major milestone, and the ring was a symbol of one of his most significant personal accomplishments, police reported.

Hooks and Peshkov are to meet at Bellevue City Hall Monday, where the ring is to be returned.

Clallam County

Shortage forces tug to be late for duty

The tugboat normally stationed at Neah Bay to aid wayward ships and prevent disastrous spills won't be on duty in October, and protection in the winter is also uncertain.

The tugboat, stationed at Neah Bay by the state Department of Ecology, will start operations Nov. 1, as much as a month and a half later than usual, the state announced Thursday.

The tugboat is kept there to help rescue stricken ships such as oil tankers and cargo ships that enter Puget Sound via the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

The tugboat's owner, Foss Maritime, had a shortage of tugboats and couldn't provide one for the Neah Bay job, according to the department, which could still hire a tugboat for the short term if a major storm were to hit.

And the department is seeking bids for other rescue tugs to start in January, and for the 2007-2008 winter season.

Blaine

Truck crossing to close for widening

The truck crossing on Highway 543 will be closed for a year beginning Oct. 2.

The Truck Crossing into Canada is being closed while the state Department of Transportation rebuilds a 1/3-mile stretch, including a new overpass.

"We've held off closing the truck lane for as long as possible," said Chris Damitio, project engineer. "We're at a point where we can no longer safely continue construction work next to the highway without closing the lane."

The state said delays should be expected and urges drivers to use the nearby Peace Arch border crossing on Interstate 5.

Construction will continue for two more years as crews convert the truck crossing from a two-lane roadway into a five-lane highway, which includes a dedicated truck lane. It is expected to be open by fall 2008.

Seattle

Cantwell, McGavick will debate twice

Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell and her Republican rival, former insurance executive Mike McGavick, will debate each other twice before the Nov. 7 election.

On Oct. 12, the two will meet at the Spokane Rotary. Five days later, on Oct. 17, Cantwell and McGavick will participate in a debate sponsored by KING-5, The Seattle Times, KREM, NWCN, Northwest News Network and the Seattle City Club.

McGavick had offered to debate Cantwell in each of Washington state's nine congressional districts.

"We hope voters will pay close attention to these debates, as much of our future is at stake in this election," said Michael Meehan, Cantwell's chief campaign strategist.

On his blog, McGavick lamented that he will have limited opportunities to engage his opponent on the same stage.

"Why not have a conversation that would really inform the voters about where we agree, where we disagree, how we see the future? I think that's what Washingtonians want, and I hope that there will be a change of heart, and we will have more open discussions," he said.

Yakima County

Yakamas get grant to improve tribal jail

The U.S. Department of Justice has awarded a $450,000 federal grant to the Yakama Nation to get its tribal jail into federal compliance and allow it to re-open.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs closed the jail in January 2005, citing safety issues, including an inoperable fire prevention system, worn benches and stools, and broken light fixtures.

The jail came under fire more than two years ago after an inmate hanged himself with a towel tied to a broken light fixture. Three months later — after the bureau ordered the jail not to house juveniles — a 17-year-old boy tried to hang himself with exposed electrical wires.

Families of both boys have sued the bureau.

Portland

States seek limited killing of sea lions

Oregon and Washington are drafting a proposal to kill some protected California sea lions in the Columbia River to ease pressure on the spring chinook salmon run.

The proposal could be ready for the federal government next month, said Charles Corralino, who heads the conservation and recovery program for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. It could take the government two to four years to decide whether to approve the proposal.

If it is, it could be bad news for C404, the most famous of the sea lions that gather at the base of Bonneville Dam each spring looking for a salmon snack.

C404 became famous by foiling every effort to keep him out of the fish ladders the salmon use to get past the dam on their way upriver to spawn. He has been at the ladders every year since 2003.

Seattle Times staff and news services