1st Oregon News Minute from the AP

AP-OR–1st NewsMinute,275
Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

SAINT HELENS, Ore. (AP) – Two people have been killed in a small
plane crash on the Oregon side of the Columbia River south of
Longview, Wash. Columbia County Sheriff Jeff Dickerson says it
appears to be a high-velocity crash that killed both on impact.
Dickerson says 47-year-old Camas flight instructor Todd Norrish and
17-year-old student pilot Jimmy Kravets of Vancouver took off
Wednesday evening in a Cessna 150 from Pearson Field Airport in
Vancouver.

POWERS, Ore. (AP) – A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter searching for
a missing family instead stumbled on a trio of boaters whose
morning excursion turned dangerous when their boat capsized. The
Coos Bay World reports the men were able to swim out of the
Coquille River early Wednesday and reach a small island, leaving
them trapped. The missing family was also found later on Wednesday.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Oregon Republicans have announced they are
cancelling a GOP presidential candidate debate scheduled for next
week in Portland because they couldn’t get enough candidates to
participate. The debate was supposed to occur on Monday. GOP
chairman Allen Alley says the candidates have become less
interested in debates as they focus on winning delegates in
individual states.

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) – Tolling on the stretch of Interstate 5
connecting Washington state to Oregon is a big step closer to
reality. Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire yesterday signed into law a
measure authorizing tolling at the Columbia River Crossing. Toll
money would go toward paying for a major overhaul of the span,
including replacement of both the north- and south-bound bridges
connecting Portland and Vancouver and an expansion of light rail to
downtown Vancouver.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

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