Smoke, air quality delays construction work in Ada County
BOISE - Smoke and bad air quality as a result of wildfires has delayed some construction work in Ada County.
Local news media reported the Ada County Highway District said it stopped a chip-sealing operation in the county once air quality dropped into the "Unhealthy for Everyone" category.
A highway district spokeswoman said the decision is to protect employees from conditions the Department of Environmental Quality deems unhealthy.
She said the chip-sealing will resume once the air quality improves.
Port of Longview exports down 19 percent
LONGVIEW, Wash. - Exports from the Port of Longview continue to drop, despite a dramatic increase in imports.
The Longview Daily News reported a new report released Tuesday shows the volume of goods exported fell 19 percent in the first six months of the year.
Port officials said log and grain markets continued to suffer from the strong U.S. dollar and growing competition from abroad.
While soy meal and corn exports improved, wheat and soybean shipments nosedived and barley exports disappeared.
Port officials said they hope things will pick up once the Chinese market calms down.
In contrast with exports, imports at the port were up 92 percent, boosted by arrivals of calcined coke and metal products.
Units at Washington state prison on lockdown after fight
WALLA WALLA - Officials at the Washington State Penitentiary said two West Complex living units were placed on lockdown after warning shots were fired during a fight involving multiple offenders.
The visiting schedule for those units was canceled Wednesday.
About 22 prisoners began fighting in the outdoor recreation yard Monday night. Staff tried to stop the battle, but when the offenders refused to stop, three warning shots were fired.
Four offenders were injured during the fight and needed medical attention. One staff member received minor injuries.
Officials didn't know what sparked the fight.
California man dies after train strikes pickup in northern Idaho
ELMIRA, Idaho - A 67-year-old man has died in northern Idaho after his vehicle collided with a train.
Idaho State Police said James R. Lee of Auburn, Calif., died Tuesday after failing to stop at a railroad crossing in Elmira.
Police said Lee was the only occupant of the 2002 Ford pickup truck when it was struck on the passenger side by the northbound train about 5:30 p.m.
Lee was flown to a nearby hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Man charged in death
of Bellingham woman
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - A man has been accused of fatally shooting a woman in the head at her Bellingham apartment.
The Bellingham Herald reported 32-year-old Raymond Hamilton Gilbert is charged with first-degree murder and unlawful possession of a firearm in the death of 49-year-old Debra Christie.
Charging documents say Gilbert went to Christie's apartment Aug. 20 and shot her after he got angry over a text message conversation with his ex-girlfriend.
Appeals court upholds $50 million award in genetic testing case
OLYMPIA - A Washington appeals court has upheld a $50 million verdict in favor of a King County couple whose son was born with severe birth defects that should have been detected by genetic testing.
Seattlepi.com reported the court affirmed a 2013 jury verdict in favor of Rhea and Brock Wuth. Their son Oliver suffers from a chromosomal problem that they had asked doctors to check for before he was born.
Brock Wuth carried a rare genetic abnormality. Fearing their child might have the same problem, they asked for tests, but they came back negative. The child was born with severe physical and mental disabilities that will require a lifetime of demanding care.
The Wuth's sued Valley Medical Center in Renton and Laboratory Corporation of America claiming the testing was inadequate. A jury agreed and awarded a $50 million judgment.
Seattle Children's Bellevue clinic warns of infection risk
BELLEVUE, Wash. - A suburban clinic of Seattle Children's Hospital is warning patients they could have been exposed to infection by improperly cleaned and sterilized equipment.
Hospital officials said Wednesday patients who had a surgical procedure at its Bellevue clinic will need to be tested for hepatitis B and C, as well HIV. They say the risk to patients is extremely low.
The hospital is contacting patients and offering a free blood test to those who may be affected.
The Seattle Times reported as many as 12,000 children and young adults treated at the clinic since 2010 could be at risk of infection from reusable surgical instruments that may not have been properly cleaned.
Associated Press
