GOVERNOR CHRIS GREGOIRE IN IRAQ VISITING TROOPS

Gov. Chris Gregoire is in Iraq this week meeting with local troops. Gregoire left Sunday with a delegation including Govs. John Corzine of New Jersey and Rick Perry of Texas. Gregoire had abruptly canceled a speech set for Tuesday at a pre-legislative session forum sponsored by The Associated Press. Her office canceled on Monday and refused to say where she was other than out of state. Gregoire says her visit was sparked by a promise she made at a farewell ceremony for the Washington Army National Guard troops in Yakima as they left to Iraq in August. About 2,400 member of the Washington National Guard are in Iraq with the 81st Brigade, protecting convoys and other forces.

BODY OF BABY BOY FOUND AFTER SEARCH OF TRASH

The body of a baby boy believed drowned in a toilet in Port Angeles was found yesterday by authorities combing through 60 tons of trash at a dump site near Tacoma. A 16-year-old girl believed to be the mother is being held on $500,000 bail.Investigators from the Port Angeles police, Pierce County sheriff's office, Tacoma police and a State Patrol crime laboratory found the baby's body about 2:10 p.m.Heavy equipment was used to comb through the partially compacted garbage. In an affidavit filed yesterday in Clallam County Superior Court, Port Angeles police detective Jesse Winfield wrote the mother "put her baby face down into a toilet and allowed it to drown for several minutes until it died." It continued, "Then she threw her son into the trash can outside in a plastic garbage bag."

WASHINGTON LAWMAKERS TALK ABOUT UPCOMING SESSION

State legislative leaders will meet with reporters Tuesday in Olympia to talk about the upcoming session and the state's projected deficit. The Associated Press sponsors the annual pre-session forum for reporters and editors in Washington state. The 105-day session begins Monday. Lawmakers are grappling with major spending cuts as the state tries to solve a projected budget deficit of about $5.7 billion. Gov. Chris Gregoire was supposed to speak at the meeting, but her office canceled and said legislative director Marty Brown will stand in for her.

BANK ROBBERIES DOWN IN 2008

The FBI says there were 153 bank robberies in Washington state last year, the fewest in decades. Robbers took a little more than $743,000. From 1996 to 2006, Washington averaged about 300 bank robberies a year. But that number fell dramatically in 2007, to 176, and it dropped 13 percent more last year. FBI officials attribute the lower numbers to cooperation with local police agencies, as well as better training of bank employees. The FBI's Safecatch program teaches bank employees techniques for helping law enforcement track down bandits.

PUYALLUP MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO EMBEZZLEMENT FROM LUMBER MILL

A 25-year-old man pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to mail fraud for his leadership role in a scheme to embezzle $2.4 million from a lumber company. Brett Smith of Puyallup was a log scaler for the Manke Lumber Co. when he was fired in July 2006 following an internal investigation of the fraud. Smith and seven other people were indicted in June 2008 for mail fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. In his plea agreement, Smith admitted he submitted false paperwork for more than 1,500 loads of logs worth more than $2.5 million. As part of his plea agreement, Smith will forfeit to the federal government a 2002 BMW and a 1998 BMW as well as two bank accounts. Judge Ronald Leighton has scheduled Smith's sentencing for April 10.

JUDGE PUTS LUNG ASSOCIATION CHAPTER OUT OF BUSINESS

A judge has essentially put the Northwest chapter of the American Lung Association out of business after the chapter got into hot water for giving its Seattle headquarters and $600,000 to different, newly created charity. In an order yesterday, King County Superior Court Judge Regina Cahan (KAY'-han) said the American Lung Association was likely to win its claim that the regional affiliate breached its contract. The judge issued a preliminary injunction that forbids the Northwest chapter and the newly created charity from using American Lung Association donor lists or spending money except for legal fees. They can't even use the word "lung" in their business names anymore.

BAIL SET FOR SUSPECTS IN SEATTLE'S FIRST HOMICIDE OF 2009

Two men arrested in connection with the fatal shooting at the Chop Suey nightclub on Seattle's Capitol Hill yesterday were ordered held on $2 million bail each. Sunday's early-morning shooting killed one man and injured two others. It was Seattle's first homicide of 2009. The suspects are an 18-year-old from Seattle and a 25-year-old from Everett. They appeared at a bail hearing before a judge this afternoon for a probable cause hearing at the King County Jail in Seattle. The deadline for filing charges against the men is tomorrow. The 18-year-old who was booked into the King County Jail on investigation of homicide and assault. The 25-year-old was also booked into jail on investigation of assault. Local hip-hop artist Joseph Michael Ryan was pronounced dead at Harborview Medical Center. The 24-year-old Ryan went by the stage name 29-E.

D-O-J & KING COUNTY REACH AGREEMENT ON JAIL FIXES

King County has reached a preliminary agreement with the Department of Justice on making changes to better protect the rights of jail inmates. County officials say the three-year plan would build upon improvements already under way. It must still be approved by the County Council. A DOJ investigation in 2007 found that the jail failed to provide adequate medical care or protect inmates from unnecessary use of force. The preliminary agreement calls for better training of jail guards and use of internal investigations, as well as more consistent evaluation of and attention to the medical needs of inmates.

EVERGREEN POINT FLOATING BRIDGE CLOSURE RESCHEDULED

The Washington State Department of Transportation says crews will close the State Route 520 Evergreen Point Floating Bridge to traffic tonight to allow a large tugboat and barge to pass. The closure had been scheduled last night. The bridge will be closed from 9 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. today. The DOT advises drivers to use the Interstate-90 floating bridge or alter their commute.

NO WINNERS FOR LOTTO, HIT 5

No winning tickets were sold for the Washington State Lottery's $5.3 million Lotto jackpot or the $420,000 Hit 5 cashpot last night. So tomorrow's top prizes will be $5.4 million in Lotto and $470,000 in Hit 5. In Lotto, nine tickets were sold with five the six winning numbers and are worth $1,000 each. Another 552 tickets had four winning numbers and are worth $30 apiece. Sales were $306,493 and the winning numbers were: 13-19-20-31-32-39. In Hit 5, 72 tickets were sold with four of the five winning numbers and are worth $100 each. Another 1,914 tickets had three winning numbers and are worth $10 apiece. Sales were $165,702 and the winning numbers were: 3-4-7-11-28.

SPOKANE POUNDED BY SNOWSTORM AGAIN

Spokane was pounded by another winter storm yesterday, extending the holiday break for tens of thousands of children after the Spokane County sheriff recommended that all county schools remain closed because of hazardous roads. The National Weather Service also warned that the number of roof collapses in the area could rise as heavy rains were forecast to arrive today and add crushing weight to the tons of snow already on many rooftops. The weather service said rising temperatures could also quickly melt snow and cause flooding later this week. Spokane was largely shut down yesterday, as up to 8 inches of snow fell. The city of 200,000 has already received an amazing 77.6 inches of snow this winter, and appears likely to surpass the local record of 93.5 inches set in the winter of 1949-50. The heaviest snowfall typically occurs in January and February. Meanwhile, the eastbound lanes of Interstate 90 across Snoqualmie Pass in the Cascade Range were reopened yesterday afternoon after being closed overnight by heavy snow. The westbound lanes were reopened last night.