Cruelty to animals will limit ownership

The Metropolitan King County Council, responding to recent incidents of animal cruelty, voted Tuesday to restrict animal ownership by people convicted of cruelty to animals.

The law, sponsored by council member Julia Patterson, D-SeaTac, would allow animal-control authorities to deny a pet license for up to four years to a person convicted of misdemeanor animal cruelty and indefinitely for a felony conviction. Individuals charged with an animal-cruelty crime could be denied a license until the case is concluded.

The ordinance also seeks to reduce the number of dogs and cats that are put to death in the county's two animal shelters. Goals were adopted to drop euthanasia to 20 percent by the end of 2008, and 15 percent by the end of 2009. An estimated 38 to 49 percent are now euthanized.

Yelm, Thurston County

Van runs stop sign; collision kills 2

Two people in a van died Wednesday after the driver ran a stop sign and was broadsided by a log truck.

State Patrol Trooper Mark Lewis said the collision occurred just before noon at Highway 7 and Alder Cutoff Road.

The log truck smashed the van. The truck lost its load, but its driver was unhurt. The names of those involved were not released Wednesday.

Tacoma

Transfer students guaranteed entry

The University of Washington, Tacoma announced Wednesday that qualified transfer students will now get guaranteed admission.

Officials said any student transferring directly from a state community college with a grade-point average of at least 2.75 and a qualifying associate's degree will automatically get a slot at the UW branch campus.

"This will allow students who are just beginning their community college careers to see a clear pathway to a four-year degree," said Wanda Curtis, UW Tacoma's director of admissions, in a release.

The UW main campus in Seattle, on the other hand, stopped offering guaranteed admission for transfer students four years ago because of concerns about overenrollment.

Seattle

Gunshot victim is identified

A 53-year-old man who died after being shot in South Seattle last week was identified Wednesday by the King County Medical Examiner's Office as Paul Corgatelli.

Seattle police believe Corgatelli knew his killer, said spokesman Sean Whitcomb.

Corgatelli was found wounded at 2 a.m. on May 23 in a ravine near Rainier Avenue South and South King Street. He later died at Harborview Medical Center.

Seattle

Board OKs change in math curriculum

The Seattle School Board approved a new math curriculum for elementary schools next fall at a special meeting Wednesday.

By a vote of 6 to 0, the board selected "reform math" materials called "Everyday Mathematics," which will be supplemented by "Singapore Mathematics," a more conventional approach to math instruction. Board member Irene Stewart was not present.

The curriculum was devised by Chief Academic Officer Carla Santorno and supported by the board's Student Learning Committee.

About 40 percent of Seattle's fourth-graders did not pass the math portion of the WASL last year, and the pass rate has not increased in three years.

Critics contended that the conceptual approaches found in "Everyday Mathematics" failed to adequately prepare students with basic skills.

School officials said there has been a lack of uniformity in how math is taught in the district and a consistent program will enable the administration to better support teachers.

Washington, D.C.

Auburn teenager out of spelling bee

Jason Pu, 13, of Auburn, had never heard of a rambla — a dry ravine. He approached the microphone on the stage of the 2007 National Spelling Bee and took a guess.

"R-O-M-B-L-A?" he said.

"Ding" went the bell.

Pu, an eighth-grader at Federal Way Public Academy, was knocked out during the first round of the quarterfinal, but made it farther than any of the four Washington state participants in the annual competition pitting students against the English language.

Pu arrived in Washington, D.C., with 285 other spellers from around the world.

The competition continues through today.

Stevenson, Skamania County

Body found may be Arizona woman's

A body believed to be that of an Arizona woman has been discovered in a wooded area around the southern flanks of Mount St. Helens, a Skamania County sheriff's deputy said Wednesday.

The body was believed to be that of Janet Durall, 64, of Quartzite, Ariz., Undersheriff David Cox said. Information obtained from William Spear, of Camp Verde, Ariz., who had been vacationing in the area with Durall, led to discovery of the body last Saturday, Cox said.

Cox said Spear left the body and returned to Arizona before contacting authorities, but foul play is not suspected.

Times staff and news services