2 Fort Lewis soldiers killed on patrol in Iraq

Fort Lewis

Two Fort Lewis-based soldiers were killed in Iraq Sunday when enemy forces attacked their dismounted patrol using small-arms fire in Diyala Province, according to the Department of Defense.

The two were Spc. Chad D. Groepper, 21, of Kingsley, Iowa, and Spc. Luke S. Runyan, 21, of Spring Grove, Pa. Both were assigned to the 2nd Battalion 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division at Fort Lewis.

According to military records, Groepper had been stationed at Fort Lewis since May 2005, and deployed to Iraq with the brigade last April. Runyan, who enlisted in the military in September 2004, had been stationed at Fort Lewis since March 2005.

Families say that Groepper leaves behind a wife and 4-month-old daughter; Runyan leaves behind a wife and a 1-year-old daughter.

Since deployment to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom, 36 of the Northwest base's brigade soldiers have been killed, a Fort Lewis spokeswoman said. Fort Lewis has lost 178 soldiers in the Iraqi conflict, the spokeswoman said.

Everett

Man run over at work site is ID'd

The man found dead Thursday morning at a construction site near Interstate 5 and 36th Street in Everett has been identified as Ralph Edward Vantine, 61.

The Snohomish man, who is believed to be a transient, was covered by a blanket when he was accidentally run over by a 60-foot manlift, according to the Snohomish County Medical Examiner. He was discovered on BNSF property by an employee of contractor Atkinson-CH2M Hill, which is doing work for the state on the Interstate 5 Everett HOV project, said a spokeswoman for the Department of Transportation.

Seattle

Court suspends jury-duty travel rule

The King County Superior Court has suspended a rule implemented in September that allowed citizens summoned for jury duty to travel only to the courthouse closest to their home. The rule, which divided the King County jury pool into two sections — one for citizens living north of Interstate 90 and one for those living south of I-90 — had been deemed unconstitutional by two Superior Court judges this year.

Attorneys involved in a case challenging the rule have asked the State Supreme Court for an emergency review to clear up confusion; that court has not yet decided whether to hear the case.

Seattle

Man barred from officials' proximity

A King County Superior Court judge on Tuesday approved a protection order barring Omari Tahir-Garrett from coming near Seattle schools Superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson and School Board President Cheryl Chow, who say they have been threatened by Tahir-Garrett.

Goodloe-Johnson and Chow allege that Tahir-Garrett has disrupted School Board meetings with threats, obscenities, racially charged remarks and, at one point, pushed a school administrator to the floor. Chow and Goodloe-Johnson say they fear for their safety.

At one meeting, Tahir-Garrett allegedly warned Chow, an Asian American, that the Wah Mee Massacre could happen again, a reference to the 1983 fatal shootings of 13 people at a Chinatown International District gambling club.

Tahir-Garrett, who went to prison for striking then-Mayor Paul Schell with a bullhorn in 2001, could not be reached for comment. He also did not appear in court Tuesday when a temporary protection order was approved for a year.

The protection order bars Tahir-Garrett from coming within 500 feet of any Seattle Public School building, within 500 feet of Goodloe-Johnson or Chow, and within 1,000 yards of either woman's home or workplace.

Seattle

City Council OKs opera lease deal

The Seattle City Council on Tuesday approved a 30-year lease agreement between Seattle Opera and Seattle Center that will give the Opera a new operations home in the Mercer Arena. The lease will allow Seattle Opera to house its administrative, rehearsal, educational, technical support, costume and scenic studios space under one roof for the first time, in a location directly adjacent to the Opera's performance hall, Marion Oliver McCaw Hall. Its facilities are currently spread over three locations in Seattle and Renton.

By terms of the agreement, Seattle Opera proposes to invest about $40 million in capital improvements to renovate the 80-year-old arena, which earlier served as an interim performance venue for the Opera and Pacific Northwest Ballet during the rebuilding of McCaw Hall.

Seattle Opera general director Speight Jenkins calls the Arena "the perfect place" for the company's new home. The next steps will be a planning/design process and a capital fund drive.

Seattle

Retrial planned in alleged murder plot

King County prosecutors have decided to retry a man accused of killing a Boeing employee in an alleged murder-for-hire plot police say was masterminded by the victim's wife.

A mistrial was declared Feb. 7 in the first trial against Wilson Sayachack after jurors became deadlocked 9-3 in favor of acquittal. Attorneys will discuss scheduling for a new trial at a hearing Friday at 9 a.m. before Judge Steven Gonzalez.

Ronald Whitehead, 61, a career Boeing employee, was driving to work from his Des Moines home March 18, 2005, when he was shot four times at South 188th Street and Eighth Avenue South. His body was pushed into the road from the car. Whitehead's Ford Mustang was found two days later a few miles away.

Whitehead's wife, Velma Ogden-Whitehead, is scheduled to go on trial for murder in mid-May, and her son, Jon Ogden, also accused of murder, is scheduled to face trial April 14.

Renton

County to transfer pool ownership

King County will transfer ownership of the Renton Pool at Lindbergh High School to the Renton School District under an agreement approved Tuesday by the Metropolitan King County Council.

The action leaves only one local swimming pool — the Evergreen Pool in White Center — in county ownership. The county has turned pools and parks over to cities, nonprofit organizations and school districts since 2002 in order to balance the county budget.

King County expects to save $230,000 in pool operating expenses next year.

Seattle Times staff and news services