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NYT Politics
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Sheppie Abramowitz, Who Advocated Relief for Refugees, Dies at 88
She helped people fleeing conflicts in Vietnam, China, Kosovo and elsewhere around the world, and established the Washington office of the International Rescue Committee.
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Ukraine Could Use New Weapons to Hit Russian Targets in Crimea, Pentagon Says
The goal for a recent delivery of the coveted long-range missile system is to put more pressure on Russian forces in eastern parts of occupied Ukraine.
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Portland Business News
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Former Alberta Main Street president indicted for alleged theft, falsifying records
Horace previously worked for Nike and the Portland Trail Blazers. He was also an angel investor and advisor.
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Seattle Times Opinion
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The humbling of Marjorie Taylor Greene
When Russian propagandists start praising your politics and beauty, it’s time to rethink your life choices. |
Washington State News
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Work begins on high-speed rail line between Las Vegas and Los Angeles
LAS VEGAS, Nevada: Construction has begun on a US$12 billion passenger bullet train linking Las Vegas and Los Angeles, considered the first true high-speed rail line in the U.S. The private company building the line, Brightline West, predicts that millions of ticket-buyers will board the trains by 2028. Before taking the stage with union representatives and company officials at the future site of a terminal |
The Chronicle - Centralia
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New Multnomah Falls parking fees spark debate, federal review
Multnomah Falls visitors have already had to contend with traffic jams, new timed entry permits and occasional closures. Now some are staring at new parking fees. A small private parking lot across the street from the waterfall on the Historic Columbia River Highway has become a flashpoint for debate after new parking meters went up last weekend charging visitors up to $20 for what had previously been free spots. Sasquatch Shuttle — the company that operates the lot, runs a seasonal shuttle service to the falls and offers guided tours of the historic highway – implemented the new parking fees Thursday to alleviate congestion in the Columbia Gorge, the Salem Statesman Journal first reported Friday. The fees do not affect the main Multnomah Falls parking lot off Interstate 84, which remains free. Sasquatch Shuttle said it has leased the small lot on the historic highway from Union Pacific Railroad and will charge between $5 and $20 based on the day and season. The fees are reportedly rankling some visitors and have raised concerns within the U.S. Forest Service, which manages Multnomah Falls and is reviewing the situation. “While the Forest Service is interested in new approaches to reduce congestion and increase traffic safety around Multnomah Falls, we need to ensure it’s done in way that balances public access needs through an equity lens with our responsibilities to protect and preserve this landscape,” the federal agency said in an emailed statement. “We typically do that by requiring projects or changes like this to undergo a detailed approval process, including coordination with our partners, to ensure compliance with the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Act,” the statement said. Nic Granum, deputy forest supervisor for the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, said although new parking fees have been under discussion for years, it isn’t clear whether Sasquatch Shuttle is permitted to implement them. The ownership of that parking lot is also currently in question, despite the arrangement struck between the railroad company and shuttle service, Granum said. The national scenic area is a confusing patchwork of federal, state, county, city and private lands, where small parcels can lead to major headaches whenever land ownership is called into question. Granum said there’s currently no timeline for sorting out the issue at Multnomah Falls, but emphasized the agency’s sense of urgency. “It’s a high priority for us to get this resolved,” Granum said. “I think the more clarity we have the better.” Meanwhile, Sasquatch Shuttle owners said they are simply implementing a crowd control measure that has been a long time coming, using their status as a private company to enact change much more quickly than the various government agencies that operate in the Columbia Gorge. “We’re doing what the government was unable to do,” co-owner Kent Krumpschmidt said. Sasquatch Shuttle also owns a 250-space parking lot in nearby Bridal Veil, where people can pay $5 for parking and a shuttle ride to Multnomah Falls. The company said those who don’t want to pay up to $20 to park in the roughly 48-space lot in front of the falls are encouraged to use their shuttle instead. On Tuesday afternoon, the company’s small pay lot near Multnomah Falls was nearly full, even though plenty of parking spaces were open in the free lot off Interstate 84. A parking attendant, who was busy collecting $10 payments, said the company would be charging $20 once its shuttle was up and running in May. The Sasquatch Shuttle parking, located steps away from the Multnomah Falls Lodge, offers premium access for those who want it, the company said. They also happen to be the only parking spots for those visiting the waterfall via the Historic Columbia River Highway, which runs parallel to the interstate. There is no convenient way to get from the historic highway to the main Multnomah Falls parking lot, forcing visitors to either bypass the main attraction of the famed “waterfall corridor” or jockey for spots in the small pay lot. That design has led to the infamous traffic congestion issues, which all parties in the Columbia River Gorge have been working to correct. “It’s a massive safety issue, and it’s also an environmental concern,” said Krumpschmidt, who is a former deputy with the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office. “There were many instances where emergency response was delayed sometimes drastically.” Krumpschmidt and fellow co-owner Alan Dayley said they are not motivated by profit, but by a desire to alleviate that congestion. Money from the parking spots goes toward supporting their shuttle service, they said, as well as employees who monitor the parking lots. “Nobody likes change,” Dayley said. “No one’s going to like having to pay for something that’s historically been free.” As for the U.S. Forest Service review, the Sasquatch Shuttle owners said their understanding is that the government agency is not challenging the fees themselves but the installation of a fee machine in the parking lot. They also said the question of who owns the lot has been bouncing around for nearly two years, with no resolution and no evidence presented to them either way. Until it all gets resolved, the new parking fees will remain with peak tourism season set to begin in May. Visitors who park in the main lot off Interstate 84 will continue to be able to park there for free, though $2 timed entry permits will once again be required between May 24 and Sept. 2, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Those permits will not be required for cars parking in the new Sasquatch Shuttle pay lot. Granum urged the public not to frame the parking issue as a conflict between Sasquatch Shuttle and the U.S. Forest Service. Both entities share the same vision for Multnomah Falls and the Historic Columbia River Highway, he said. “We have different authorities and different objectives just by our nature, but we’re all users of the gorge and stewards of all the responsibilities we have,” including recreational access, environmental considerations and economic development, Granum said. “All of those things are important and sometimes finding the balance in those doesn’t happen overnight.” The owners of Sasquatch Shuttle agreed, citing their continued good relationship with the agency. “We like the forest service, we’re all going the same direction and we all have the same end goal in mind,” Dayley said. “We have no beef with them whatsoever.” ©2024 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit oregonlive.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. |
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Police describe spotting kidnapped baby in car on I-5 in Oregon, whisking him to safety
Lane County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Justin Wilson opened the door to the 2009 Toyota Corolla, his eyes focused on the driver. Wilson was among dozens of law enforcement officers from across the Willamette Valley who descended Tuesday afternoon on a grassy median along Interstate 5 not far from Springfield. Wilson knew the driver, Elias Huizar, 39, had been traveling with a baby; that’s what Huizar told a dispatcher as he sped south on I-5. Washington authorities say Huizar, a former Yakima police officer, took off with his 1-year-old son on Monday after fatally shooting the child’s 17-year-old mother in the Tri-Cities area of Washington. Huizar also killed his 31-year-old ex-wife, police said. Teams of police approached Huizar’s silver Corolla. The car’s tinted windows made it difficult to see inside. Wilson opened the door and saw the child. He grabbed the car seat, still snugly holding the wide-eyed boy who had just experienced a 25-mile high-speed chase, an exchange of gunfire between his father and state police and then the final crash. “He didn’t make a sound,” said Wilson, who quickly handed the child to an Oregon State Police trooper. The moment came as a relief after a deadly ordeal that began Monday night as authorities issued a statewide Amber Alert for the boy. Police in West Richland, Washington, had responded to a shooting outside an elementary school earlier that day. Officers found Amber Rodriguez, 31, Huizar’s ex-wife and the mother of their two sons, shot eight times near the school bus parking lot, according to court records. Investigators found a second victim at Huizar’s home. West Richland police later identified her as Angelica M. Santos, 17, and said she was the 1-year-old boy’s mother. About 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oregon troopers spotted Huizar’s Corolla on I-5 in Linn County and chased him at speeds topping 100 mph before Huizar collided with another motorist about 12 miles down the interstate. That’s where Huizar and the pursuing troopers exchanged gunfire, but no one was hurt, said state police spokesperson Capt. Kyle Kennedy said. One of the troopers who fired was the state police superintendent, Casey Codding, who happened to be driving south on the freeway at the time and was headed to the Springfield office. Codding monitored radio traffic throughout the day to listen for any developments, Kennedy said. Codding and Sgt. Orly Johnson remain on administrative leave pending a review of the shooting. Kennedy did not respond to questions about the specifics of the police decision to fire on Huizar, including whether Huizar was inside the car when police shot at him. He said the child’s “safety was our priority.” Huizar took off again with his son in the backseat before he crashed 10 miles later on the interstate between Coburg and Springfield near Eugene. Huizar turned the gun on himself as troopers approached and died in his car stopped in the median. Wilson was on alert for the possibility that Huizar might pass through Lane County. He headed to I-5, stopped his patrol car near the spot where Huizar had wrecked. He ran up alongside a Chevy Tahoe next to Huizar’s car to make a plan with other officers on how to approach the car. He worried about the baby. “That was our primary concern,” he said. Wilson quickly handed the boy to another trooper. A video from a passing car captured three troopers hustling the boy, still in his car seat, into another car. He was brought to the Oregon State Police office in Springfield, where he played with administrative assistants Maria Hough and Jamie Mathis until child welfare workers with the Oregon Department of Human Services arrived. He was in good shape but needed a diaper change, Hough said. Hough at one point slipped away from the office, making a quick Target run for onesies, formula, bottles, diapers, wipes, a giraffe toy and pacifier. They cleaned him up and fed him yogurt and snacks. He delighted them with his belly laughs. “He seemed to have been well taken care of,” Mathis said. “He was a healthy looking boy.” Mathis rocked him to sleep in an office chair and then handed him off to a state child welfare worker. West Richland police said they were working to reunite him with family. ©2024 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit oregonlive.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. |
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Portland man steals Homeland Security, leads police on wild chase to Cowlitz County
A Portland man who had been arrested by federal agents stole their car and then led police on a chase into Cowlitz County until he crashed, causing the car to flip onto its roof, officials said. Travis Grygla, 43, was arrested Wednesday morning, and Homeland Security Investigations agents put him in an agent’s car while they searched Grygla’s Portland home. They did not handcuff him, allowing Grygla to take control of the car and flee, the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office said. The sheriff’s office did not say why federal agents had originally arrested Grygla Wednesday. Grygla has previously pleaded guilty to child pornography charges in state and federal court, most recently in 2008, court records show. When Cowlitz County deputies were informed that Grygla was speeding their way, they also learned there was a gun in the car. Along with officers from several other agencies, Cowlitz deputies tried to stop Grygla, but he got away, driving over 100 miles per hour and rapidly changing lanes. Deputies eventually managed to blow out one of the car’s tires after putting spike trips in multiple locations on his path. But the deflated tire didn’t stop Grygla, and he kept driving north on Interstate 5, then took exit 48, just south of Castle Rock. A deputy used a “pursuit intervention technique,” and the car rolled over on its top and Grygla was arrested again and handed back to Homeland Security Investigations. It’s not clear if Grygla was injured in the crash. The Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office said it will request a warrant for Grygla’s arrest related to his escape from custody Wednesday. ©2024 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit oregonlive.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. |
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One sentenced after men claiming to be U.S. Marshals robbed a Pierce County home
One of three men who impersonated federal law enforcement while zip-tying a 71-year-old Pierce County woman's hands together in a home-invasion robbery has been sentenced to 10 years in prison. Timothy Eugene Rozier, 44, pleaded guilty Monday in Pierce County Superior Court to first-degree robbery in the Jan. 4, 2023, robbery at an Elk Plain home about a half mile from Bethel Middle School. According to court records, the woman's front door was kicked open that afternoon by men wearing black and camouflage clothing with tactical vests and badges on their chests. The men yelled that they were U.S. Marshals, and they told her to get on the ground and put her hands behind her back. The woman later told detectives that a gun was pointed in her face, and the men restrained her and asked, "Where's the money?" One demanded to know where a DVR was while others ransacked her bedroom. Stolen from the home was a purse containing money and jewelry, a pump-action shotgun and other items. Surveillance video showed that while Rozier and two other men robbed the home, a fourth suspect sat in the driver's seat of a gold Chevy Tahoe. Prosecutors wrote in court filings that no one but Rozier was identified, arrested or charged in the crime. Rozier was the only suspect who wasn't wearing a mask. Court records state a Pierce County Sheriff's Department deputy recognized him in a bulletin issued to local law enforcement, and previous photographs of him matched images taken from surveillance cameras at the victim's home. Investigators also obtained cell-phone data for the defendant that allegedly showed him in the area of the victim's home at the time of the robbery. Judge Pro Tempore Brian Tollefson handed Rozier a mid-range sentence recommended by prosecutors, 128 months in prison. The defendant received credit for the 425 days he's already served in the Pierce County Jail. Charges of first-degree burglary, second-degree assault and first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm were dismissed as part of a plea agreement, according to court records. Prosecutors wrote in charging papers that surveillance video showed Rozier appearing to load a round into his pistol before entering the residence. Another man carried an AR-style rifle. In more recent court filings, prosecutors said there was doubt as to whether firearm-sentencing enhancements in Rozier's case could be proved beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. After the robbers left, the woman removed a blanket that had been put over her head and escaped from the zip ties binding her, according to the probable cause document. Shortly after, a resident of a nearby trailer saw the woman's front door was damaged. She went inside, and 911 was called. The victim did not believe that the men were U.S. Marshals, records state. Detectives confirmed with a supervisor within the U.S. Marshal's office that the unmasked suspect was not one of his deputies, and the masked suspects did not appear to be U.S. Marshals. A Sheriff's Department spokesperson previously told The News Tribune that it's rare for such robberies to be random. Sgt. Darren Moss said they are typically drug-related or set up by a family member. Deputies didn't believe the victim was a drug dealer, but other people were staying on the property. The residence was described as a "problem house" in court records that often had narcotic activity and stolen vehicles associated with it. Rozier's felony criminal history in Pierce County dates back to 2001, according to court records. He has convictions for attempted residential burglary, second-degree assault and unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance. ___ (c)2024 The News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.) Visit The News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.) at www.TheNewsTribune.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. |
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Washington air quality ranked among best in the U.S. Which counties have the best and worst air?
On Earth Day, April 22, many Washingtonians took to the outdoors, soaking in the Earth and all it has to offer. In general, the Evergreen State is a great place to be outdoors, with clean air, an abundance of natural beauty and plenty of sunshine as the weather warms up. While the climate differs from the east to the west side of the state, the natural wonders of Washington are present in both. In fact, a recent study out of BetArizona analyzed the air quality index of each state between March 2023 and 2024, in order to determine the states with the best air quality. Washington ranked in the top three.
Air quality by state Washington state's average AQI is 24.1, the third-lowest in the U.S. The lower the AQI, the better the air quality. The only states with a lower air quality index were Alaska, with just 0.1 less than Washington, and Hawai'i with an AQI of 22. Western states dominated the top of the charts, with Oregon, Idaho and Montana following Washington in that order. The five states with the worst air quality, according to the study, are:
Washington counties ranked by air quality There is also county-specific data used for the study. In the one-year period used for the study, most Washington counties had AQI readings available on 181 days. The only counties that saw additional readings were King County, with 182 readings, and Columbia County, with 212 readings. The worst maximum AQI in the study time period was in Walla Walla County, at 119. Benton County wasn't far behind, with a maximum of 116, and King County followed after with 112, according to BetArizona. Pierce County had one of the worst average air quality readings in the state over the study period, at 41. For average AQI, the worst five counties were:
Garfield County had the best average AQI at 7. ___ (c)2024 Tri-City Herald (Kennewick, Wash.) Visit Tri-City Herald (Kennewick, Wash.) at www.tri-cityherald.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. |
