EUGENE, Ore. (AP) – A Eugene man says he was severely burned by the seat warmer in his pickup truck and he and his wife are suing General Motors. The Register-Guard reports Donnie and Tammy Hedlind are seeking $6.2 million from the automaker. The lawsuit says Donnie Hedlind is paraplegic and did not recognize that he was being burned on the right buttock by an electric heater in the driver’s seat of the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado. A GM spokesman says the company could not comment.
MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) – Animal-welfare and conservation groups are calling for restrictions on wildlife trapping to protect pets. The Mail Tribune of Medford reports that the groups want traps kept more than 100 feet from trails on public land and warning signs that will alert walkers. They also want the law to require trappers to check traps and snares more frequently.
PENDLETON, Ore. (AP) – A Pendleton taxi driver is dead after his cab struck a cow. Cabbie Steven D. Christiansen was driving two women southbound on Highway 395 just before 11 p.m. Saturday when the vehicle struck a black cow that had wandered onto the roadway. The cow rolled over the top of the driver side of the vehicle; both women were in the passenger side, one in front and one in back. They were unhurt. Authorities say Christiansen was 59 and worked for Elite Taxi Transport Services.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – The editorial page editor of The Oregonian died Saturday of a heart attack. Robert J. Caldwell was 63. The Oregonian says Caldwell graduated from the University of Oregon in 1972 and worked as a reporter, editor and publisher at several newspapers in the Northwest. In 1983, he was hired by The Oregonian as a copy editor. He eventually worked as regional editor, metro editor and public editor, and in November 1995, he was named editorial page editor. Services are pending.
SEATTLE (AP) – The Coast Guard says two Oregon men are among four who are presumed dead after their fishing trawler disappeared off the Washington coast after sending a distress signal. They are 42-year-old Dave Nichols and 38-year-old Jason Bjaranson of Warrenton, Ore., along with 25-year-old Chris Langel of Kaukauna, Wis.; and 22-year-old Luke Jensen of Ilwaco, Wash. The Coast Guard suspended its search yesterday. Crews did find debris, an empty lifeboat and an oil sheen off the coast.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) – Dallas Seavey has moved past Aliy Zirkle to take the lead in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Seavey moved into the front between the checkpoints at Unalakeet and Shaktoolik last night. He arrived in Shaktoolik at 6:31 p.m. and left seven minutes later for the next checkpoint of Koyuk, 50 miles away. Aaron Burmeister was second into Shaktoolik at 6:58 p.m., followed by Zirkle 16 minutes later. Shaktoolik is 221 miles from the Nome finish line and 144 miles from White Mountain, where mushers must take an eight-hour layover before making the final push to Nome.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) – Giants closer Brian Wilson pitched a scoreless inning in his spring debut and San Francisco nicked Felix Hernandez while beating the Seattle Mariners 7-5 yesterday in Arizona. Wilson, who pitched last year with a tender right elbow, jogged in from the bullpen for the fourth inning to a standing ovation from Giants fans. He threw nine pitches, allowing a hit and finishing with a strikeout-caught stealing double play.
SEATTLE (AP) – Despite winning the Pac-12 Conference regular-season title, Washington has been left out of the NCAA tournament. It was disappointment for the Huskies yesterday when the NCAA tournament brackets were revealed. It is the first time since the 1950s that a team which claimed at least a share of the Pac-12, Pac-10, Pac-8 or Pacific Coast Conference regular-season title wasn’t selected for the NCAA tournament.
