Safety worries shut Green River span

Black Diamond

The state Department of Transportation has closed the Highway 169 Green River Bridge near Black Diamond for at least six months because of safety concerns.

After reviewing data gathered by electronic sensors in the landslide zone near the bridge, DOT geotechnical engineers have determined the structure is vulnerable to significant land movement.

Engineers say the soil supporting the bridge is showing unusual movement that could be aggravated by recent heavy rain. DOT officials are worried the soil may not be able to support one of the southern bridge piers.

The Green River Bridge carries an estimated 9,000 vehicles each day.

There are two detour routes: one for passenger vehicles and one for commercial trucks. Drivers can download the maps at: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR169/GreenRiverRepair/Detour.htmBellevue

Fish broker charged in false mislabeling

A Bellevue fish broker has been charged with labeling thousands of pounds of fish bought in China as halibut caught in the U.S., and then selling the fish at a profit to stores and restaurants, according to court papers.

Kevin Steele, the owner of Mallard Cove Resources, was charged Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Seattle with false-labeling of food and the introduction of misbranded foods onto the U.S. market.

Steele, contacted Tuesday, said the charges were the result of negotiations between his attorney and federal prosecutors.

He will appear Friday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian Tsuchida, and said he plans to plead guilty.

"I'm just trying to minimize the impact on my family and my business," he said. "I've never been in trouble before ... these guys don't fool around."

According to the charges and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Oesterle, Steele is accused of purchasing thousands of pounds of Greenland turbot, also known as Greenland halibut, imported from China by an East Coast dealer.

Steele allegedly shipped the fish to a processing plant where it was repackaged and labeled as the more desirable and more expensive Atlantic or Pacific halibut. The labels also claim the fish was a product of the U.S. or Russia, according to the charges.

Most of the fish was sold to restaurants, stores and consumers in Utah and Texas, Oesterle said.

Seattle

Meter vandalism nets little, police say

Police say whoever ripped six electronic parking meters out of their concrete and metal mountings beneath the Alaskan Way Viaduct did a lot of work for chump change.

The automated pay stations, which cost the city about $7,000 apiece, were unbolted and torn from their bases over the past couple of weeks.

The culprit netted only a small amount of change, according to Seattle police spokeswoman Renee Witt.

"It took a lot of effort for not very much payoff," she said.

She said the station manufacturers are "confident" the thief would be unable to access information about parking patrons who paid with plastic.

According to a police report, the pay stations were removed between Oct. 30 and Nov. 12. City officials said the city plans to replace the pay stations.

Seattle

Threat reroutes Bremerton ferry run

The Bremerton-Seattle ferry run returned to service Tuesday afternoon after a reported threat forced traffic to be rerouted to Bainbridge Island.

A man called 911 just after 12:30 p.m. to report that he overheard two men at a convenience store discussing a terrorist threat against a Bremerton ferry, according to the ferry service.

The ferry Hyak was just leaving Bremerton for Seattle and was ordered back to the terminal, where it was off-loaded, said State Patrol Trooper Krista Hedstrom. The threat did not appear credible, she said, but officials elected to be cautions.

The terminal was evacuated, roads leading to it were closed and nearby businesses were alerted. Officials rerouted Bremerton ferry traffic to Bainbridge Island until after a search failed to find any explosives.

Aberdeen

In attack, man is beaten, set afire

The Grays Harbor Sheriff's Office says attackers beat an Aberdeen man, poured an accelerant on him and set him on fire.

Undersheriff Rick Scott told KXRO radio that the 41-year-old man, Marlin Lee, was dropped off about 4 this morning at Grays Harbor Community Hospital in Aberdeen. He was transferred to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

The hospital reports he's in serious condition in the intensive-care unit.

Seattle

City librarian finalists named

Three finalists to replace Deborah Jacobs as Seattle city librarian have been named by the search committee for The Seattle Public Library.

They are: Susan Hildreth, now state librarian of California; Jane Light, now library director of the San Jose Public Library; and Rivkah Sass, now executive director of the Omaha Public Library.

Each candidate will spend a day in meetings at the Central Library this week.

Times staff and news services