WA Health Dept: 22 sickened by raw oysters
The Washington Health Department says 22 people have been sickened by eating raw oysters that contained a naturally occurring bacteria. Officials say 18 cases of vibriosis are linked to commercial operations and four cases to recreational harvesting in Puget Sound and on the Washington coast. The Health Department said Thursday that cooking shellfish thoroughly will prevent the illness and is always a good idea. The bacteria thrive during the summer months of July and August in warm temperatures and low tides. Vibriosis poisoning symptoms include diarrhea, nausea, cramps, vomiting, fever, headache and chills.
    
Trial begins in pedestrian death of Wash. tourist
A trial has begun for a Missoula, Mont., man accused of killing a tourist from Washington with his car while under the influence. Brian Holm has pleaded not guilty to negligent vehicular homicide while under the influence for the Nov. 9 death of 24-year-old Brian Beaver of Aberdeen, Wash. Court documents say the 51-year-old Holm was taking a narcotic pain reliever and an antidepressant and had a cup of alcohol in the car. Prosecutors say Holm struck Beaver as the tourist and two friends walked along a Missoula sidewalk. The Missoulian reports that one friend, Chris Evans, testified Wednesday that they never heard the car coming. Public Defender Scott Spencer says that Holm was trying to avoid a head-on collision with another car, but the defendant can't recall the details.
    
Plea deal set in court-martial at Lewis-McChord
A soldier who tried to blow the whistle on a plot to murder Afghan civilians is expected to plead guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter Friday at his court-martial at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Spc. Adam Winfield of Cape Coral, Fla., is one of five 5th Stryker Brigade soldiers initially charged with premeditated murder of three civilians last year in Afghanistan. Winfield said he was pressured into taking part. A person familiar with the case who did not want to be named because Winfield had not yet entered a plea said Monday that he had reached a plea agreement under which he'll serve no more than eight years in prison. The Army said Wednesday a plea agreement had been accepted, but it did not release details.
    
WA man, 81, dies in OR bike-log truck collision
Oregon State Police say an 81-year-old Vancouver, Wash., bicyclist has been killed in a collision with a loaded log trailer on U.S. Highway 101 on the Oregon coast north of Garibaldi. Sgt. Greg Plummer says the victim in Thursday's crash was described as an experienced cyclist who was riding with his 47-year-old son. The victim was identified Thursday evening as Dale Delane Beacock. Plummer says Beacock's bicycle swerved in the southbound lane and into the rear of the truck's loaded log pole trailer as it traveled past both bicycles. He was wearing a bike helmet but was dead at the scene. The log truck driver, 65-year-old Michael J. Hall of Bay City, was unhurt. The highway was partially blocked for about 4 1/2 hours.
    
SW berry farms fined for using children young as 6
The U.S. Labor Department has fined three southwest Washington strawberry farms a total of $73,000 for employing children as young as 6 years old as pickers. The department's Portland office said Thursday the violations include failing to maintain proof-of-age records and pay minimum wage. A total of nine underage workers were found during a child labor investigation in June at farms in Woodland and Ridgefield. The department says all three employers removed the underage workers and agreed to attend wage and hour training for the next three years.
   
Congress reaches compromise to end FAA dispute
Congress has reached a bipartisan compromise to end a partial shutdown of the Federal Aviation Administration that has affected some airport projects in Washington. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid announced the deal, expected to be approved Friday. Transportation officials say that if President Barack Obama signs the bill over the weekend, FAA employees could return to work and payments for airport construction projects could resume Monday. The Seattle Times has reported that affected Washington projects include installing new runway lights at Sea-Tic Airport and rehabbing the air traffic control center in Auburn. About 200 FAA workers in the Puget Sound region have been furloughed. The Spokesman-Review reports the Spokane International Airport is awaiting a $3.3 million grant to finish runway construction. The Wenatchee World says $1.4 million in taxiway lighting and electrical improvements are on hold at Pangborn Memorial Airport.
    
Seattle bike rider survives hit-run accident
A bicycle rider was injured in a hit-run accident about 2 a.m. Friday in Seattle. Police say the 25-year-old man was taken to Harborview Medical Center and is expected to survive. A witness followed the vehicle and took down the license number when the driver stopped at a fast-food drive-through window. Officers went to the home of the registered owner and found the vehicle. They're still looking for the driver.
    
WA police open criminal probe of Internet cartoons
Renton, Wash., Police Chief Kevin Milosevich sees nothing funny about a series of animated Internet videos that mock city police and other city employees. In fact, the police department has begun a cyberstalking investigation. A search warrant affidavit asks that Google turn over the real name of "Mrfuddlesticks," the user name of the creator of nine videos that were posted on YouTube. The affidavit says the videos focus on the new south King County jail, internal investigations, department morale and alleged sex acts involving police employees. The videos apparently were uploaded in mid-April, but removed later that month. Seattle University law professor and legal ethics experts John Strait tells The Seattle Times he thinks Renton could face First Amendment issues if it pursues the case. He says the cyberstalking statute doesn't apply. ACLU of Washington spokesman Doug Honig agrees in comments to KIRO-TV, which initially aired the story of the mocking cartoonist on Wednesday. Renton police responded Thursday.
    
Shining spotlight at pilot brings 60-day sentence
A Lynden, Wash., man has been sentenced to 60 days in jail and 90 days of home detention for shining a high-powered spotlight at a low-flying Customs and Border Protection helicopter pilot, temporarily blinding the pilot. The U.S. attorney's office in Seattle says the co-pilot had to direct the pilot to fly out of the area. U.S. District Judge Thomas Zilly told 42-year-old Wayne P. Groen on Thursday that "what you did was stupid" and it's fortunate the helicopter did not crash. Groen was convicted of incapacitating an individual during authorized operation of an aircraft. Groen had admitted shining the spotlight on the night of Sept. 22 to see what the helicopter was doing and alert the pilot that it was close to his home. Federal prosecutors say the helicopter was helping track illegal crossers at the U.S.-Canada border.
    
2 boys killed in Wenatchee duplex fire
Two boys, ages 4 and 6, have been killed in a fire at a duplex in Wenatchee. KPQ reports the boys' father suffered severe burns in the Thursday night fire and was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Neighbors reported flames from the two-story duplex around 10:45 p.m., and the building was fully involved when firefighters arrived from Wenatchee and Chelan and Douglas county districts. Firefighters found the boys dead in the ground floor apartment. Residents in the second floor apartment safely escaped. Federal agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are helping Wenatchee police and fire department investigators determine the cause of the fire.
   
Man hit 6 times in shootout with Yakima police
A man wounded in a shootout with police in Yakima was hit six times - twice in the head - and was in critical condition after surgery at Yakima Regional Medical Center. Police say three Yakima officers and one from Toppenish were involved in the Wednesday night shooting with 30-year-old Lance Nanamkin. Police say he had fled in a stolen car from Toppenish and started firing an assault rifle when he was stopped in Yakima. Acting Police Chief Greg Copeland says Nanamkin fied about 18 rounds and the officers about 50 rounds, all in about 20 seconds. Officers were hit by flying windshield glass but uninjured. KAPP reports Nanamkin is a known gang member with a criminal record that includes a manslaughter conviction.
   
Bomb squad clears suspicious package in Spokane
Part of the federal courthouse in Spokane was evacuated and a downtown street closed for about an hour Thursday night while a bomb squad investigated a suspicious package and rendered it safe. KHQ reports it's unclear what was in the package.