Small quake felt near Bellingham

A small earthquake was recorded Friday about five miles south of here, University of Washington seismologists said. No damage was reported from the magnitude 3.0 quake, which jolted the area at about 1 p.m.

The quake was 4.7 miles deep, according to the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network.

2 school finalists to be introduced

The Seattle School Board will publicly introduce two finalists Tuesday for the superintendent's post.

Six semifinalists were selected this week from a pool of 39 applicants.

The two will visit schools and meet with invited community groups Thursday and Friday. The board will then visit the district or organization where the finalists are now employed. The new superintendent is expected to be announced by the end of April.

Seattle

Pharmacy board delays vote on rules

The Washington State Board of Pharmacy has delayed until April 12 a vote on rules on how pharmacists and pharmacies must treat lawful prescriptions, such as those for Plan B emergency contraception.

Jeff Smith, board spokesman, said the board wants to review and refine some of the technical language in two supporting documents: a cost-benefit analysis and a small-business economic-impact statement.

Seattle

UW medical school receives top honors

The University of Washington School of Medicine has again been named the nation's top medical school for primary care by U.S. News & World Report, which released its popular annual ratings of graduate and professional schools Friday.

It is the 14th consecutive year the UW has gotten top honors. The magazine again named the UW's teaching programs in family medicine and rural health as the best in the nation.

Among research schools, the UW medical school moved up to sixth, bumping out Stanford University. Last year, the UW and Stanford were tied for seventh place.

The UW School of Nursing also was ranked first in the nation, a spot it has occupied since the magazine began rating nursing schools in 1993.

Seattle

Council partners with teachers union

The Seattle teachers union announced a partnership Friday with the Martin Luther King County Labor Council.

The agreement marked the first time an arm of the National Education Association affiliated with the AFL-CIO since the two groups announced a nationwide partnership last year.

Over time, Seattle teachers may have to pay extra for AFL-CIO membership, said Steve Pulkkinen, SEA executive director.

The SEA, with a budget of about $2 million, represents 4,200 teachers and education support professionals.

The deal creates greater cooperation between the SEA and local unions. "We will honor each other's picket lines," Pulkkinen said.

Gig Harbor

Slain woman is identified

A woman found shot to death inside her house has been identified by the Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office as 66-year-old Turid Bentley.

Bentley and a man in his 60s were found dead in their home Thursday morning. While police first said the couple were married, Gig Harbor Police Chief Mike Davis now says their relationship is unclear. The man has not been identified by the examiner's office.

Bentley died from gunshot wounds to the head and neck. Her case has been ruled a homicide. Davis said they are investigating the case as a murder-suicide.

Tukwila

Woman in hospital after near drowning

A 24-year-old woman is in critical condition at Harborview Medical Center after nearly drowning at the Tukwila Pool on Thursday night.

When medics were called to the pool, 4414 S. 144th St., at 6:41 p.m. they performed CPR, said Tukwila Assistant Fire Chief Chris Flores. The woman, who was taking a class, had a pulse when she was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, Flores said.

Flores said it's unclear how long the woman, whose name was not released, was underwater before pool staff pulled her out.

Suspect sought in abduction try

Police are looking for a man in his 60s who tried to abduct a fifth-grade girl during her gym class Friday morning.

The unidentified man opened the back door of the gym, across Hoyt Street from Immaculate Conception School near downtown, and grabbed the nearest girl, said Sgt. Robert Goetz.

The girl screamed as the man pulled her toward the door, Goetz said, prompting him to let go and walk away.

The man was described as white with gray hair, about 6 feet tall, weighing about 180 pounds and wearing brown pants, a green checkered sweat shirt and a black puffy vest. He was last seen walking north from the gym.

Anyone with information can call the police tip line at 425-257-8450.

Bothell

Track hoe rolls off trailer, kills man

A Bothell-area man died Friday when a track hoe rolled off a flat-bed trailer.

The 63-year-old was unloading the track hoe at 3:40 p.m. on his property, in the 21400 block of 45th Avenue Southeast, when it rolled off and landed on him, said the Snohomish County Sheriff's office.

Everett

Chancellor finalist is announced

The University of Washington, Bothell, has announced an additional finalist for chancellor.

Sueann Ambron, dean of the business school at the University of Colorado, Denver, will visit the campus next week. The public is invited to an hourlong presentation by Ambron at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in room UWB2-005.

Two other finalists visited this week and gave public presentations. They are Nabil Ibrahim, chief academic officer at Purdue University in Calumet, Ind.; and Kenyon Chan, dean of Occidental College in Los Angeles. Chan finishes his visit Monday.

Times staff and news services