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from The Boston Globe
Publisher in Boston, Massachusetts
IN 1998, Massachusetts passed what was hailed as the toughest gun-control legislation in the country. Among other stringencies, it banned semiautomatic “assault” weapons, imposed strict new licensing rules, prohibited anyone convicted of a violent crime or drug trafficking from ever carrying or owning a gun, and enacted severe penalties for storing guns unlocked.
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Massive Fire Destroys Colville Furniture Store
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from The Seattle Times
Putting a face on human trafficking
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from POLITICO
Why John McCain turned on Chuck Hagel
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from The Spokesman-Review
Furniture store fire in Colville forces closure of Highway 395
A fire at a furniture store in downtown Colville led to the closure of U.S. Highway 395 Saturday night.
The fire at Saundra’s Furniture, 279 S. Main St., necessitated the highway closure between First Avenue and Birch Avenue just after 8 p.m., a news release from the Washington State Patrol said. Traffic on the highway was being detoured.
Multiple photos posted to social media sites Saturday night showed the building engulfed in flames. It was unclear Saturday night when the blaze would be contained or how long the highway would be closed.
Furniture store fire in Colville forces closure of Highway 395
A fire at a furniture store in downtown Colville led to the closure of U.S. Highway 395 Saturday night.
The fire at Saundra’s Furniture, 279 S. Main St., necessitated the highway closure between First Avenue and Birch Avenue just after 8 p.m., a news release from the Washington State Patrol said. Traffic on the highway was being detoured.
Multiple photos posted to social media sites Saturday night showed the building engulfed in flames. It was unclear Saturday night when the blaze would be contained or how long the highway would be closed.
Crews kept busy fighting furniture store fire in Colville
Crews poured 2,500 gallons of water per minute to control fire
Vatican changes put U.S. in play
But observers cite major obstacles to American pope
Wood smoke threatens Spokane air quality
Pollution poses significant health risks
Hayden exec loses job after being charged with airplane assault
Hundel’s corporate superiors move quickly
Crews poured 2,500 gallons of water per minute to control fire
Vatican changes put U.S. in play
But observers cite major obstacles to American pope
Pollution poses significant health risks
Hayden exec loses job after being charged with airplane assault
Hundel’s corporate superiors move quickly
Mother says boy traumatized after incident on airplane
No main agency oversees cruises
Less salt called path to saving lives
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In brief: From Wire Reports
OLYMPIA – A measure gaining traction in the Washington state Legislature would require that children’s formal educations begin by age 6. A loophole would exempt children whose parents say they are home-schooled.
Rep. Marcie Maxwell, D-Renton, House Bill 1283’s sponsor, said her reason for introducing it is simple. “We know today how important early education is,” she said. “Kindergarten, first grade, second grade and beyond are a vital part of all students’ preparation.”
While 33 states require children to start their education no later than age 6 and 15 states make it mandatory by age 7, only Washington and Pennsylvania don’t require children in the classroom until they turn 8.
The measure was unanimously voted out of the House Education Committee on Thursday. The measure has broad support, including from the state’s Board of Education, the Association of Washington School Principals and the Washington Education Association – the state’s largest teachers union.
The measure now goes to the House Rules Committee.
Wait for divorce may lengthen
OLYMPIA – People filing for divorce in Washington must wait 90 days before it can become final.
But under a bill heard Friday in the state Senate Law and Justice Committee, that waiting period would be extended to one year.
Bill supporters say it would give couples more time to reconcile and could result in fewer divorces. In addition, they assert, because divorce is correlated with higher rates of poverty and juvenile delinquency, the measure would save the state money in social services.
Opponents say the measure, Senate Bill 5614, is unduly paternalistic.
“We’re talking about adults here,” said Sen. Adam Kline, D-Seattle. “They have the opportunity for counseling without us having to force it on them.”
Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley, said he wasn’t sure whether the measure had the votes to make it out of committee. Policy-related bills face a Feb. 22 deadline to be passed out of their committees.
OLYMPIA – People filing for divorce in Washington must wait 90 days before it can become final.
But under a bill heard Friday in the state Senate Law and Justice Committee, that waiting period would be extended to one year.
Bill supporters say it would give couples more time to reconcile and could result in fewer divorces. In addition, they assert, because divorce is correlated with higher rates of poverty and juvenile delinquency, the measure would save the state money in social services.
Opponents say the measure, Senate Bill 5614, is unduly paternalistic.
“We’re talking about adults here,” said Sen. Adam Kline, D-Seattle. “They have the opportunity for counseling without us having to force it on them.”
Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley, said he wasn’t sure whether the measure had the votes to make it out of committee. Policy-related bills face a Feb. 22 deadline to be passed out of their committees.
House targets different tuitions
SEATTLE – The Washington House on Friday passed a bill to prevent the state’s four-year colleges and universities from setting different tuition rates for different majors.
Before approving House Bill 1043 by a vote of 95-1, Republicans and Democrats said they worried about differential tuition threatening the solvency of Washington’s prepaid tuition program. They said they also don’t want to discourage students from pursuing degrees like computer science and engineering because the tuition is more expensive.
The Legislature had granted the authority to set differential tuition in 2011, but no one has put the idea into practice.
VERACRUZ, Mexico – Organizers of a Carnival festival in the Mexican port city of Veracruz say 15 Cuban musicians and dancers have gone missing after marching in the city’s annual parade.
Festival President Anselmo Estandia said Saturday that the missing Cubans were part of a 93-person committee that arrived in Veracruz on Feb. 8.
Estandia said the Cubans missed their flight home Wednesday and that their disappearance is considered a possible defection.
Girl, 6, kidnapped and raped in India
NEW DELHI – A 6-year-old girl was kidnapped, raped and dumped by a roadside in New Delhi, India, in the latest of a series of violent sexual attacks that have shocked the country, officials and news reports said Saturday.
The girl, from Delhi’s satellite city of Gurgaon, was spotted by a passer-by in the border region of Kapashera late Sunday night.
“Medical examinations have confirmed rape. The girl is recuperating in a hospital,” Om Prakash, a local police officer said.
The Times of India reported that the victim was last seen with a man in his early 20s and it was possible that she had been raped by more than one person.
Many rapes have been reported since December’s fatal gang rape of a 23-year-old student on a bus in New Delhi. The assault sparked angry protests and demands for better protection for women and stricter laws against rape.
Earlier this month, a man reportedly shoved an iron rod into the mouth of a young girl when she resisted his attempt to rape her. In another case, a Chinese national was allegedly raped in the capital.
Portuguese resist government cuts
LISBON, Portugal – Several thousand people are protesting in Lisbon against austerity cuts the government says are needed to help Portugal out of recession.
The nation is heading for a third straight year of negative growth, and protesters are worried more pain is heading their way as the government tries to make more savings.
Portugal was the third country, after Greece and Ireland, to fall into the eurozone’s financial crisis and required a financial lifeline in May 2011 to avert bankruptcy.
‘Person of interest’ held in robbery at Bargain Giant
Spokane police officers detained a “person of interest” in a robbery Saturday at Bargain Giant Foods, 2103 E. Empire Ave.
Police said a man walked into the grocery store at 7:18 p.m., displayed a gun, demanded cash and left.
The robber was described as 6 feet tall with a medium build and dark hair. He wore a black hoodie sweatshirt, a black mask, and a tan and black bandana.
Officers set up a perimeter of six blocks in each direction and deployed a K-9. Police have not yet identified a suspect in the incident.
The robber’s weapon has not been recovered.
Agency: Firefighter’s death was not due to human error
GRANGEVILLE, Idaho – The U.S. Forest Service says human error was not responsible for the death of a U.S. Forest Service firefighter last summer in North Idaho.
The agency’s 43-page serious accident investigation report by a nine-person team released Friday did not “find any reckless actions or violations of policy or protocol,” the Lewiston Tribune reported.
Earlier this month, however, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a citation to a fire management organization and proposed a $14,000 fine for serious safety violations inspectors with that agency say led to the death of the firefighter.
Last August a firefighting crew was battling the Steep Corner Fire near Orofino when several trees fell. One of those falling trees killed 20-year-old Anne Veseth, of Moscow.
Deer killing prompts $5,000 reward
Up to $5,000 in rewards is being offered for a tip that leads to the conviction of the culprits in the latest spree poaching case in Eastern Washington.
Five white-tailed deer, including two bucks and three does, were discovered in the Grand Coulee area of Lincoln County on Saturday with only the backstrap and hindquarters removed. The deer were shot and left to rot just a few feet from each other, and appeared to be fairly fresh kills.
This is the sixth multiple-deer poaching incident documented in Eastern Washington this winter, including two incidents in Spokane County.
Call the state Poaching Hotline, (877) 933-9847.
East Side meetings set on wolf-cattle conflicts
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has scheduled three public meetings in northeast Washington this month to discuss wolf-livestock conflict management.
The meetings will run from 6 to 8 p.m. as follows:
• Feb. 26 at the Cusick Community Center, 107 1st Ave.
• Feb. 27 at the Colville Ag Trade Center, 317 West Astor Ave.
• Feb. 28 at the Okanogan Public Utilities District, 1331 2nd Ave. N.
Livestock owners will have a chance to talk directly with wildlife managers about wolves and their impacts on ranching operations, and the assistance the state can provide them.
Sixteen livestock producers have signed cooperative cost-share agreements to date, Simek said.
Clearwater to merge with Nez Perce forest
In the making for several years, the U.S. Forest Service has decided to consolidate the Nez Perce and Clearwater national forests into one administrative office and create a new headquarters for the merger in the small, timber town of Kamiah, Idaho.
U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell announced the decision Monday, culminating more than eight years of study and planning. Agency officials say the merger could save up to $2 million annually by combining administrative positions and ending duplication of services between the two forests.
Forest Supervisor Rick Brazell said despite the new headquarters in Kamiah, the agency would continue to have a presence in Grangeville and Orofino, cities that once served as home bases for the two forests.
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Bomb death toll tops 80
Attacks on Shiite minority in Pakistan keep rising in Sunni-dominated country
Jackson Jr.’s downfall tied to lavish lifestyle
Drones frequent U.S. skies
More on way; critics say laws not keeping up
Vatican slow to act in abuse cases
U.S. cardinal frustrated as he tried to oust priest
States split on health care markets
About half choose to run own insurance exchange, half decline
Cuts agreed to two years ago was meant to jar sides into deal
Egypt will give police new guns
Meteor blast spurs concern
Russian scientists call for system to detect, destroy
G20 finance chiefs make exchange rate pledge
Internet domain names pay off for a lucky few
Once-hot market for Web addresses has cooled considerably
Debate on deduction for state sales tax continues
Break for likely to stay temporary
Spin Control: Naming rights could bring money
Eye on Boise: Donation pitch stirs ethics talk
Wolves in Washington nearly double in year
Yakima elk have love-hate history
Oak Creek Wildlife Area is learning opportunity
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Gun debate stirs in South Carolina
Kathleen Parker
Gary Crooks The Spokesman-Review
Rudy Peone
Ray Takeyh
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Jim Meehan The Spokesman-Review
Inside players spark Gonzaga women to 101-65 win
Chris Derrick The Spokesman-Review
Woolridge scores 36 but Cougs lose in overtime
Chris Derrick The Spokesman-Review
Jim Allen The Spokesman-Review
Prep Girls Basketball
2B subregional
Colfax 51, Lind-Ritzville/Sprague 29: Nicole Sheer had 11 points and eight rebounds to guide the Bulldogs (22-5) past the Broncos (10-17) in an elimination game at Whitman College. Amara Huber added 10 points for Colfax, which plays DeSales at 5 p.m. on Monday at Whitman to determine the third and fourth seeds.
District 7 1B
Wilbur-Creston 37, Republic 31: Kaelee Reed scored eight of her game-high 11 points in the fourth quarter and the Wildcats (19-4) secured the district title with a win over the Tigers (17-5) in Deer Park. Alexandra Potts added 10 points for Wilbur-Creston, which made 5 of 6 late free throws to seal the win. W-C secured a top seed to state. The Tigers are No. 2.
Columbia 42, Cusick 39: Laura Williams hit a 3-pointer with 11 seconds left and the Lions (15-8) upset the Panthers (20-4) at Deer Park to earn the district’s third and final seed to state. Williams finished with 14 points and Kaitlin Jones added 13 points and 12 rebounds.
Prep Boys Basketball
2B subregional
Northwest Christian 63, Reardan 45: The Crusaders (17-10) grabbed control from the get-go and secured a spot in the state tournament with a win over the Indians (9-18) at Whitman College. Jonathan Morris scored 18 points and Nick Kiourkas added 14 for NWC, which outscored Reardan 21-8 in the first quarter. Austin Friedly added seven points, 10 rebounds and six assists for the Crusaders. Nick Brockman tallied a game-high 22 points for Reardan, which was eliminated. NWC will play Lind-Ritzville/Sprague on Monday at 6:30 at Whitman for the third and fourth seeds.
Lind-Ritzville/Sprague 60, Walla Walla Valley 52: Connor O’Neill had 18 points and seven steals and Dylan Hartz added 16 points and seven assists as the Broncos (20-7) topped the Knights in an elimination game at Whitman. Hartz made 7 of 8 free throws in the fourth to help ice the game.
District 7 1B
Odessa-Harrington 50, Wellpinit 46: Justin Hunt had 18 points and seven rebounds and Stetson Sanford added 10 points as the Titans (16-7) edged the Redskins (17-6) in the district title game at Deer Park. A.J. Kieffer and Kyle McCrea scored 12 points apiece for Wellpinit, which rallied in the second half but couldn’t complete the comeback. Odessa-Harrington earned the top seed to state. Wellpinit is No. 2.
Valley Christian 56, Almira/Coulee-Hartline 50: Nick Cox scored 19 points and Bo Piersol added 16 as the Panthers (15-9) claimed the third and final seed to state with a win over the Warriors (12-10) in Deer Park. Thunder Wellhausen scored 16 points and Drew Isaak added 14 for ACH, which saw its season come to an end.
District 9 1B
Pomeroy 42, Rosalia 30: Tanner Feider scored 14 points as the Pirates (17-7) pulled away in the fourth quarter and secured a spot in the state tournament with a win over the Spartans (13-11) in Colfax. Craig Nelson tallied a team-high 11 points for Rosalia, which was eliminated.
Cashmere 73, Chewelah 47: The hot-shooting Bulldogs made 9 of 12 3-pointers and raced past the Cougars (19-6) in Omak. Cashmere outscored Chewelah 28-10 in the second quarter to take control. Derek Smith had 17 points, six steals, six rebounds and four assists to lead the Cougars, who were eliminated.
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from The Wenatchee World
Sex abuse claim over Waterville priest thrown out
By Jefferson Robbins World staff writer
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Obamacare: How it impacts business, health care, patients and you
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