9 arrested in raids on pot growers

King County sheriff's detectives arrested nine people and seized marijuana with an estimated street value of nearly $5 million in what investigators described as a large growing operation in nearly a dozen homes.

Detectives seized 4,991 plants and processed marijuana this week from nine houses in unincorporated southeast King County, Federal Way and Puyallup. More than $250,000 in cash and five vehicles were also recovered by detectives.

The arrests stemmed from information provided by King County firefighters, who responded to a medical call at a South King County house several months ago, said John Urquhart, spokesman for the Sheriff's Office. Although firefighters never went inside the house, they became suspicious after hearing fans and other equipment operating, Urquhart said.

Detectives believe all the houses that were raided are part of a large, criminal organization with ties to British Columbia.

Those arrested ranged in age from 25 to 54. More arrests and searches are likely, Urquhart said.

Seattle

Librarians defeat impeachment call

Delegates at the Seattle conference of the American Library Association (ALA) have defeated a resolution calling for impeachment of President Bush.

Seattle librarian Lynn Lorenz, a supporter of the resolution, said there was a move to rule it "outside the purview of the ALA" and avoid all debate. But after some arguing, it was brought up for consideration before the ALA Council, debated and rejected.

Supporters of the resolution said in a statement: "If the president is allowed to finish out his term, then everything he has done — the doctrine of preemptive war, the legalization of torture, the obliteration of basic constitutional protections — will be legitimized and may be made permanent, no matter who becomes the next president."

A similar impeachment resolution was defeated at the ALA's meeting last summer in New Orleans.

Seattle

Conservation effort by city recognized

Seattle has received a 2006 Municipal Water Conservation Achievement Award from the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, D.C. The city was recognized for innovative conservation and its low-income water-conservation program, which has provided 14,000 low-income housing units with low-flow toilets, shower heads and faucet aerators, and in one case, even a washing machine.

Seattle Public Utilities has invested about $3 million into the low-income housing program, said Richard Gustav, manager for resource conservation at the utility. The money spent would be equal or less than the cost of constructing a new source of water supply, he said. Mayor Greg Nickels accepted the award Thursday.

Seattle

Zebra found dead in zoo facility

A zebra that recently transferred to Woodland Park Zoo from a safari in Florida was discovered dead Wednesday afternoon in her off-exhibition holding yard.

Zina, 4, was transferred to Seattle for the Zoo's "Summer Safari" when more animals are added to the Zoo's safari landscape. The exhibit runs between May and September.

The female zebra was apparently spooked by something and ran into a fence, breaking her neck and killing her instantly, according to zoo spokeswoman Gigi Allianic. It's common for zebras in zoos to get spooked, Allianic said.

Three other zebras remain at the zoo.

Seattle

Men allege abuse, sue organization

Three King County men who claim they were sexually abused by a Salvation Army swim coach when they were boys have sued the organization.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in King County Superior Court by plaintiffs identified only by initials accuses the Salvation Army of negligence in hiring Robert DeHaan in 1973 and allowing him to continue working there for several years.

DeHaan is listed as a Level 3 sex offender in Washington state. He was convicted in 1995 of third-degree rape of a child.

Dan Woods, an attorney for the Salvation Army, said DeHaan had no criminal convictions when he was hired and was also working as a swim coach in the Seattle Public Schools.

The Salvation Army has settled two other lawsuits alleging abuse by DeHaan.

Skyway

2 escape blaze that destroys house

Two women escaped a fire Thursday morning that destroyed their home.

The women had apparently left a space heater on next to combustible materials in the garage, according to King County Fire District 20. The house sustained about $300,000 damage in the 12:30 a.m. blaze and is considered a total loss, district officials said.

Firefighters said the women, ages 63 and 70, fled the home on South 116th Street, after two people knocked on windows to wake them up. The elder woman was taken to Valley Medical Center for smoke inhalation.

Fort Lewis

Stryker soldier is killed in Iraq

The Department of Defense on Thursday announced the death of Staff Sgt. Hector Leija, 27, of Houston, who was part of a Stryker Brigade Combat Team based out of Fort Lewis.

Leija died Wednesday in Baghdad.

Times staff and news services