The Seattle Times
Today's news index
Saturday, May 17, 2008


Local News | Nation & World | Business & Technology | Sports | Entertainment | Living | Travel & Outdoors | Opinion


Local News

Heat breaks record set in 1956
When the weather's good, it's good — but we're never quite sure it's going to last. That's why Chanel Wiley almost didn't take her... 


 
PSE errors may mean surprise bill for you
The utility is half-finished investigating 10,000 incorrect bills that had piled up by about 2006. In some cases, the amount owed can reach thousands of dollars. 
 
Plan says northern spotted owl can recover in 30 years
A $489 million Bush administration final recovery plan for the northern spotted owl says that logging, wildfires and an owl cousin remain... 
 
As temperatures rise, so does risk of avalanche
Just as the weather finally heats up for the weekend, mountain-pass highways in Washington could be forced to close because of avalanches... 
 
Dems try to unsnarl confusion over 46th District nominee
Two North Seattle Democratic legislative candidates are claiming to have won a party nominating contest this week after a snafu over lost votes. 
 
Logging town welcomes transgender group
RAEANN HEWITT threw on a dress and drove 400 miles last weekend to Washington's Olympic Peninsula with an ear-to-ear smile, starting a journey... 
 
NEW - 09:22 PM
At least two killed in float plane crash on Lake Chelan
The Federal Aviation Administration says at least two people were killed Saturday when a float plane carrying six or seven people crashed into Lake Chelan near the remote community of Stehekin in the North Cascades. 
 
In a corner of Ballard, herring and heritage
Every weekday, from 10 in the morning until around 2:30 in the afternoon, you can still witness the mythic Ballard. It's the Ballard of... 
 
Italian judge keeps Amanda Knox in jail
An American student suspected in the slaying of her British roommate in Italy must remain behind bars, an Italian judge ruled Saturday. 
 
Capitol Hill Arts Center on the move, wants to buy its own space
After five years at its original location, the Capitol Hill Arts Center (CHAC) will move by June 30, when its present lease ends. CHAC did not exercise... 
 
Combative flight passenger given probation
A Hanford, Calif., woman whose violent attack on a Horizon Air flight attendant resulted in her plane turning around midflight and returning... 
 
Pharmacy robber given 5 years in federal prison
A Shoreline man who robbed a string of local pharmacies late last year was sentenced Friday to five years in federal prison. Nicholas Dent, 28, had... 
 
Reservations going fast on Port Townsend ferry
More than 500 trips have been booked since Washington State Ferries began taking reservations on its Port Townsend-Keystone route last Monday... 
 
Seattle police ratify contract giving them big raise
A contentious, 23-month contract stalemate between Seattle's nearly 1,200 police officers and the city ended Friday with a simple fax to... 
 
Obituary
Dick Satterberg: A career in law, a world traveler
Richard "Dick" Satterberg could have practiced law at any downtown Seattle firm. But he chose a small-town practice in White Center, where... 
 
Local Digest
Oyster eaters warned of bacteria
Warm weather brings on a wave of beachgoing, but it can also promote the growth of bacteria in oysters, the Washington State Department... 
 
Rabbi Mark Glickman
On Israel's birthday, rabbi recalls glimpses of timeless Jerusalem
One Saturday afternoon in the fall of 1985, I had a quintessential Jerusalem moment. I had just arrived in Israel to begin my first year... 
 

back to top



Nation & World

UPDATE - 10:05 PM
Thousands flee China quake area over flood fears
Two rivers blocked by landslides threatened to flood towns shattered by China's massive earthquake, sending thousands of survivors fleeing Saturday in a region still staggering from the country's worst disaster in 30 years. 


 
Close-up
Bush's plea for Saudi help results in another dry hole
Regular gasoline sells for less than 50 cents a gallon in the capital of the world's largest producer of oil, pumping out 9 million barrels... 
 
Obama tears into Bush, McCain
Sen. Barack Obama pushed back Friday against President Bush's implicit criticism of his approach to foreign policy, condemning his administration... 
 
UPDATE - 10:20 PM
As cyclone refugees wait, Myanmar refuses aid
Myanmar's junta kept a French navy ship laden with aid waiting outside its maritime border on Saturday, and showed off neatly laid out state relief camps to diplomats. 
 
Beijing takes on damage control
In a system with a centuries-long tradition of austere leaders laying down the mandate of heaven from behind their palace walls, China's... 
 
Myanmar leaders accuse France of sending "warship"
France has sent an uninvited ship loaded with aid to the international waters off Myanmar, causing the U. N. ambassador from the Southeast... 
 
UPDATE - 10:25 PM
Bush: Mideast nations must push back against Iran, Syria
Israel got glowing praise from President Bush. The Arab world is getting renewed promises, but also a bit of a lecture. 
 
High-level Lebanese talks in Qatar
Lebanon's ruling coalition demanded Saturday that talks to end the country's 18-month-old political crisis tackle the issue of Hezbollah's weapons, a demand the militant group rejected. 
 
UPDATE - 09:25 PM
Kennedy hospitalized after seizure; not a stroke
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, the lone surviving son in a famed political family, suffered a seizure at his Cape Cod home on Saturday morning but was recovering well enough by afternoon to watch a Red Sox game from his hospital room. 
 
UPDATE - 10:30 PM
Marine who died after chase wrote of war stress
Last month, Marine Staff Sgt. Travis N. "T-Bo" Twiggs went to the White House with a group of Iraq war veterans called the Wounded Warriors Regiment and met the president. 
 
UPDATE - 08:35 PM
Presidential race in the stars for astrologers
Picking a winner of the presidential contest is front and center at what's being billed as the largest astrologers' convention in years. 
 
Somali pirates hijack Jordanian ship carrying aid
Somali pirates hijacked a Jordanian ship carrying humanitarian aid to Mogadishu on Saturday in the latest in a string of attacks off the lawless Somali coast, the head of a seafarer's association said. 
 
UPDATE - 09:35 PM
Train derailment, acid leak forces La. evacuation
Six cars of a freight train derailed Saturday, causing a hydrochloric acid leak that forced thousands of people to leave homes, businesses and a nursing home within one mile of the wreck. 
 
Tsvangirai postpones Zimbabwe return after threat
Zimbabwe's opposition leader was on the way to the airport when word came that assassins were awaiting him in his homeland Saturday, derailing plans for his return. 
 
U.S. plans $60 million Afghan prison on military base
The Pentagon is proceeding with plans to build a new, 40-acre detention complex on the main U.S. military base in Afghanistan, officials... 
 
NEW - 10:15 PM
2 reported missing on raging Green River
A kayaker and an inner tuber were missing Saturday in the Green River after sudden snowmelt created high water and powerful currents, authorities said. 
 
Family of boy hit by baseball holds onto hope
She wraps her arms around her son, gently raising the spindly 14-year-old boy off a couch to his feet. She hugs him and rubs his back, whispering "I love you" over and over. 
 
UPDATE - 07:15 PM
Bus overturns in Calif. desert, 1 dead, 22 hurt
A charter bus traveling on a Mojave Desert freeway flipped on its side Saturday morning, killing a woman and injuring 22 other people, authorities said. 
 
Gaza's Christian community wary after bomb rocks school
Assailants detonated a bomb outside a Christian school before dawn Friday, causing no injuries but further alarming the territory's tiny... 
 
Hepatitis C outbreak linked to reuse of syringes, CDC says
A hepatitis C outbreak was caused by workers improperly reusing syringes and medicine vials at a Las Vegas clinic, federal health officials... 
 
July 4th may be more bust than kaboom
An explosion that destroyed 20 fireworks warehouses in China three months ago will probably dim night skies in the United States this Fourth... 
 
Just what Baghdad needs: doughnuts
Inside the heavily fortified Green Zone — where a towering wall rings about 1,300 acres of land to protect U.S. diplomats, contractors, Iraqi officials... 
 
Portugal's lawmakers accept Brazilian version of language
Lawmakers on Friday adopted a widely contested standardization of Portuguese that will require hundreds of words to be spelled the Brazilian... 
 
Obituary
Vintner Robert Mondavi, 94, toasted as champion of U.S. fine wines
Robert Mondavi, the California vintner who set in motion the rebirth of the Napa Valley wine industry and, to a generation of Americans... 
 
China's quake calms Olympic controversies
China's deadliest earthquake in a generation has jarred Chinese who expected to be reveling in anticipation of the Beijing Olympics. In less dramatic ways, the disaster is shifting perceptions between China and the world, deflating the contentiousness building around the games. 
 
Obituary
Calif. wine patriarch Robert Mondavi dies at 94
Robert Mondavi, the vintner who built his career and helped an iconic Northern California industry blossom by insisting that Napa Valley wines can compete with the best in the world, died in the valley Friday. He was 94. 
 
Odds and Ends
DeGeneres to wed
Celebrity gossip, famous birthdays and other tidbits, compiled from Seattle Times news services. 
 
Nation Digest
Wife gets life term in acid-vat death
A biochemist was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole Friday for killing her estranged husband by knocking him... 
 
World Digest
U.S. resuming food aid to North Korea
The Bush administration said Friday it will restart food aid to North Korea and provide it with more than 500,000 tons of food — the... 
 

back to top



Business & Technology

Good news on housing starts
Construction of new homes increased by the biggest percentage in more than two years last month, a rare spot of good news amid the worst... 
 
Boeing Machinists re-elect current leadership
A dissident group of Boeing machinists has failed by a wide margin in its bid to unseat the union's incumbent leadership. In a series of... 


 
Opportunity galloped into UPS' lap
A horse by any other name simply wouldn't have worked for UPS. Capitalizing on the buzz around Thoroughbred racing's biggest event, UPS... 
 
FAO Schwarz toy shops will soon be found in Macy's
FAO Schwarz will open toy stores in nearly 700 Macy's department stores over the next two years in a move that both stores hope will drive... 
 
Oil sets record near $128; pump price at high, too
News that Saudi Arabia had boosted its oil output by 300,000 barrels a day was greeted as a non-event on oil markets - the move wasn't anywhere near the kind of production increase needed to bring prices down on Friday. 
 
Noise-canceling headphones enhance music to your ears
Have you ever been on a bus, train or airplane and heard squeaky sounds coming from someone's headphones sitting five rows away? Doesn't that drive you... 
 
Playroom is big business
At Maggie Rothschild's home office in the San Fernando Valley, multicolored wigs rest on Styrofoam heads, mascot toys line the shelves and... 
 
Reviews
Foneshow provides podcast access via cellphone
A new service named Foneshow offers a quick and easy way to access the downloadable radio shows known as podcasts. Instead of syncing your... 
 
Q&A
Kits can keep drivers on phone and their hands on the wheel
Q: I've been reading a lot about the new law that's going into effect in Seattle this summer (July 1) that will limit how we can use our... 
 
Markets
Stocks end week narrowly mixed
Wall Street climbed back from its lows to finish narrowly mixed Friday as investors squared concerns about rising oil prices with a surprise... 
 
Business Digest
Starbucks reaches settlement on mileage suit
Pacific Northwest Starbucks has agreed to pay up to $3 million to settle a lawsuit that alleged the company did not reimburse California... 
 

back to top



Sports

NEW - 9:38 PM
Beltre's late homer gives Seattle 4-2 win over San Diego
Adrian Beltre snapped a monthlong slump with a tiebreaking, two-run homer off San Diego reliever Cla Meredith in the seventh inning, and the Seattle Mariners' anemic offense came to life for a 4-2 win over the Padres on Saturday night.  


 
UPDATE - 09:30 PM
Big Brown wins Preakness; poised for Triple Crown
Not once but twice, jockey Kent Desormeaux sneaked a peek to see if anyone was gaining on Big Brown. "I looked between my legs, under my arms, and they were eight (lengths) behind me," Desormeaux said. "I stopped pushing. I said, `That's enough.'" 
 
M's lose battle of bad with 6-4 loss
Major League Baseball's contrived "natural rivalry" of the Seattle Mariners and the San Diego Padres actually makes some sense this year... 
 
NEW - 10:01 PM
Seattle Storm beat Chicago Sky 67-61
Lauren Jackson scored 14 points and Sue Bird added 13 points and seven assists as the Seattle Storm beat the Chicago Sky 67-61 in the teams' WNBA season opener Saturday night. 
 
Storm opens season with star power
The WNBA is coming into its own, with lucrative endorsement deals for its well-known players. 
 
WSU's Xavier Hicks loses chance at early release
Jailed Washington State safety Xavier Hicks has lost his chance for early release because he violated work-release rules this week. A disciplinary committee of... 
 
Amputee runner wins right to try for Olympic spot
Double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius won his appeal Friday and can compete for a place in the Beijing Olympics. 
 
Prep Roundup | Woodinville rallies for KingCo 4A fastpitch title
Lauren Hamilton drove in the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning as Woodinville rallied to beat Eastlake 4-3 Friday night at... 
 
West Central 3A Fastpitch | Maggie Whaley lifts Kennedy to berth in semis, state
Maggie Whaley wouldn't let her team lose. After all, this is Kennedy High School, the defending Class 3A state fastpitch champion. And Whaley is what... 
 
West Central 4A Fastpitch | Kentlake takes state berth
fastpitch | SPANAWAY — They played with purpose and pride. The Kentlake Falcons got a reminder from coach Greg Kaas what it means... 
 
Emerald Downs Racing | Today's entries and Friday's results
(Track fast) 16 ½ furlongs, purse $6,000, maiden claiming $5,000, 3-year-olds and up. Horse (Jockey) PP ¼ Str Fin Odds Michael's... 
 
Notebook | Kenji Johjima hitting streak at 6 games after sitting
A week ago Friday, Kenji Johjima's name was absent from the Mariners' lineup mostly because he just wasn't hitting well. Asked about the move... 
 
Capsule Preview |
P Storm HT PPG* R/A* F Swin Cash 6-1 11. 1 6. 1R F L. Jackson 6-5 23. 8 9. 7R C Y. Griffith 6-3 9. 0 4. 6R G S. Swoopes 6-0 7. 7 5. 7R G Sue Bird... 
 
Auto Racing | Dale Jarrett to drive off into the sunset
Driver Dale Jarrett insists he is not second-guessing his decision to retire. It won't make his last race — today at Lowe's Motor... 
 
Basketball | Franklin's Peyton Siva gives verbal commitment to Louisville
Franklin guard Peyton Siva's passes earned him a state-tournament record for assists and a national reputation as one of the top high-school... 
 
Boys Soccer Quarterfinals | Lakeside wears out Capital, wins 4-0
Depth pays dividends, especially on rare hot spring nights on a soccer field. Lakeside of Seattle wore down Capital of Olympia, then scored... 
 
Cavaliers force deciding game with 74-69 win
The Cleveland Cavaliers packed for a weekend stay in Beantown — not a few weeks on Cape Cod. They've got at least one more game left... 
 
Friday's detailed prep boys track results
and field At McKenzie Stadium, Vancouver Team scores — Heritage 24, Bothell 23, Evergreen (Vancouver) 20, Garfield 18, Inglemoor 16... 
 
Friday's detailed prep girls track results
and field At McKenzie Stadium, Vancouver Team scores — Battle Ground 40, Redmond 35, Inglemoor 19, Eastlake 18, Woodinville 13, Garfield... 
 
Friday's detailed prep tennis results
At Sprinkler Recreation Center, Tacoma Team scores — Bellarmine Prep 20, Kentridge 14, Kentwood 7, Olympia 5, Puyallup 4, Wilson 3... 
 
Golf | Another 66 propels Jonathan Byrd to 3-shot lead
Jonathan Byrd took advantage of soft fairways and receptive greens at TPC Sugarloaf on Friday, shooting his second straight 6-under 66 to... 
 
Josh Hamilton leads Rangers to 16-8 win over Houston
Josh Hamilton almost made a spectacular running catch to start the game. Other than that, he was perfect. After his near-catch in the first... 
 
NBA Notebook | Heat's Dwyane Wade feeling like a rookie again
Kobe Bryant scored 34 points and Los Angeles held off a furious rally by the Utah Jazz for a 108-105 victory Friday night, putting the Lakers... 
 
NCAA Regional Golf | USC pulls into lead; UW tied for 4th
USC took over the team lead at the NCAA men's golf West Regional on Friday, and host Washington is tied for fourth with one round to play... 
 
NFL | New England coach Bill Belichick blasts Matt Walsh
New England coach Bill Belichick lashed out at the Patriots' former video assistant Friday, saying in a televised interview that Matt Walsh... 
 
NW 4A District Track | Jessica Yates, Marzell Jenkins each win 3
Things didn't get off to a great start for Snohomish jumper Jessica Yates. The senior scratched on her first attempt in the triple jump... 
 
National Offshore One Design | Local sailors do well in first day of racing series
With near perfect racing conditions Friday on Puget Sound, the Sperry Top-Sider NOOD Regatta debuted in Seattle, and all 16 keelboat fleets... 
 
Northwest 4A District Fastpitch | Jackson, Marysville- Pilchuck in final
Marysville-Pilchuck freshman Riley Fritz out-duels Monroe senior Jordan Birch, 1-0, and Jackson sophomore Erin Feeney hits and pitches her team past Cascade in the Northwest 4A District fastpitch softball tournament. 
 
Phillies' Jayson Werth good for three HRs, 8 RBI
Jayson Werth could not remember ever being this productive in a game — that's including Little League. Werth homered in his first... 
 
Preakness Stakes | Analysis and selections
RACE ANALYSIS First of all, let's wish all the equine athletes a safe day on racetracks, from Emerald Downs to Old Hilltop, where the 133rd... 
 
Preakness Stakes | Big Brown's trainer copes with his past
Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown, who is favored to take today's Preakness Stakes at Pimlico in Baltimore, is perfect. The colt's trainer, Rick... 
 
Sea-King 3A fastpitch | Issaquah runs down Newport, 4-2
Third-base coach George Bray threw both arms in the air. He screamed, "Stop! Stop! Stop! " Issaquah's Amanda Marques just kept running. "She did not hesitate," Bray... 
 
Track and Field | CAS grants Oscar Pistorius right to compete
His Olympic dream suddenly revived, Oscar Pistorius can get back to what he loves most — running. The double-amputee sprinter from... 
 
UW softball beats Texas in regional
First baseman Ashlyn Watson singled home Alicia Blake twice, once in the first inning and once in the final inning, to lift No. 24 Washington over Texas... 
 
Washington men's crew looks for repeat Pac-10 title
The top-ranked Washington men's varsity eight will try to defend its Pac-10 rowing title Sunday at the conference regatta on Lake Natoma... 
 
Wind in their sails, speed on the Sound
Competitors in the J-24 class sail away from the starting line in the first day of a three-day racing series on Puget Sound. The National Offshore One-Design... 
 
AL | Last place doesn't worry Hank Steinbrenner
Hank Steinbrenner sounded optimistic on Friday, one day after his struggling New York Yankees fell into last place in the AL East. All it took was... 
 
NL | Jason Isringhausen pitched hurt, Cardinals say
Jason Isringhausen pitched three times after cutting his pitching hand, apparently from striking a television in frustration, before the... 
 
NW Briefs | Cougars baseball blanked by UCLA
Washington pitcher Jorden Merry suffered his first loss of the season as No. 3 Arizona State jumped out to a big early lead and cruised... 
 
Rainiers stomp Sidewinders, 8-4
Yung Chi Chen hit his first home run of the season for the Tacoma Rainiers, who defeated the Tucson Sidewinders 8-4 in Pacific Coast League... 
 
Sounders FC announce fan association
Those who join a new fan-based association with the Seattle Sounders FC will get to vote every four years on whether the club retains its... 
 
Briefs | Tennis: Back problem sidelines S. Williams in Rome
Tennis Serena withdraws from quarterfinal match: Serena Williams withdrew from her quarterfinal match against Alize Cornet at the Italian... 
 

back to top



Entertainment

UPDATE - 10:25 PM
Jazz Etc.
Seattle's Roosevelt, Garfield top two at Essentially Ellington festival
Roosevelt High School won first place and Garfield finished second at the 2008 Essentially Ellington high-school jazz-band competition in New York. Five Seattle-area jazz bands were finalists. 


 
Finalist David Cook's theater chops set the stage for "Idol" success
Sure he's got the great voice, the musical smarts and daring, the cute grin, the word-nerd appeal to fellow crossword-puzzle freaks. But David Cook had... 
 
Book Review
James Frey's "Bright Shiny Morning" falls apart
"Bright Shiny Morning" by James Frey Harper, 501 pp., $26.95 A young couple who lift $20,000 from a biker gang. A predatory gay superstar... 
 
Family Films
This feature is designed to help parents evaluate whether movies are suitable for their children. Not all movies addressed are recommended... 
 

back to top



Living

Chickens in the city: a tightknit brood
The moment Georgie, Olivine and Sarerin see Ingela Wanerstrand in her bedroom window in the morning, they rush to the door of their coop... 


 
EcoConsumer
Living green in the living room
This is the fourth feature in an occasional series on simple ways to green your home, room-by-room. Today, we focus on the living room. The road to green living... 
 
5 ideas for taming clutter in kids' bedrooms
Designers share their tips and tricks for organizing a child's room. 
 
Smart tips for buying plants
How to shop for the best plants and still come home with some green in your wallet. 
 
Ask Martha
Protect furniture from fading, and stop fruit flies from invading
Q: In shopping around for new windows, I was surprised by all the options. Will any of them help prevent my furniture from fading? A: There's more to... 
 
Ask the Expert
Seal ducts, solve your insulation losses
The problem Fiberglass insulation is not airtight. Heck, it will barely even slow air propelled by convection, differential pressure or... 
 
Frugal Duchess
Bring order to the family room
A well-organized living room or family den is important to fulfilling other goals, such as quality family time and frugal entertainment... 
 
Design Watch: A new mate for brown, DIY cake stands and more
Our picks to click this week: • Finding the classic brown-and-blue color combo overplayed, blogger My Notting Hill (www.mynottinghill (www.mynottinghill.blogspot.com) considers a different... 
 
Parenting
Don't let a teen's tattoo get under your skin
Parenting writer Jan Faull answers readers' questions on a tattoo for a teenager, and helping a young girl adjust to her new bed. 
 
Easy celebration ideas to honor your grad
Cap your graduate's big day with a party that's easy to host, within your means and reasonable. 
 
Gear for the grill
As with all cooking styles, half the fun of grilling is getting the gear. Williams-Sonoma has two new items that not only simplify and improve... 
 
Help your pet grow old gracefully
The generation that is redefining old age is making growing old easier for its pets. "Baby boomers are keeping their pets longer and are... 
 
Reduce allergy woes without ousting Fido
The sneezing season is here, and sometimes owning a dog or cat can aggravate bouts of allergy misery. If you have a lot of trouble with... 
 
Tips on refinishing a deck, repairing a counter and removing tub decals
Q: We installed a pressure-treated deck years ago and have tried several finishes, including water repellent, stain and, finally, paint... 
 
Umbrella proves half can be better than full
Our vote for the most clever summer item so far goes to Grandin Road's Outdoor Half-Umbrella. This portable patio awning offers an easy... 
 
Events for May 17-18
Events for May 17-18 Family fun May 17th Norwegian Celebration SAT Nordic entertainment, 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Bergen Place, Market Street... 
 

back to top



Travel & Outdoors

back to top



Opinion

Editorial
All the shades of green
Call it adaptive management. The University of Washington is looking at creation of a College of the Environment that combines academic disciplines with a broad mandate to educate students, save the planet and attract generous supporters. 
 
Letters to the editor
A sampling of readers' letters, faxes and e-mail. 
 
Nicholas D. Kristof / Syndicated Columnist
Outrage and turmoil in seething Tibet
This is historical Tibet, a land of jutting mountains, sculptures made of yak butter, and serene monks in red robes spinning golden prayer... 
 
Syndicated columnist
Bubba boosts Obama
In what some Democratic Party insiders are calling a particularly ominous sign for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, former President... 
 


E-mail us
Graphic-enabled home page


Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company