Date: 02/27/2013 10:36 AM
OR–3rd NewsMinute/349
Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press
SALEM, Ore. (AP) – The EPA held a meeting in Salem yesterday to update the public on a preliminary assessment of four sites in west Salem connected to five cases of rare bone cancer. The four are West Salem High School, Walker Middle School, a park and a ball field. KATU reports health officials told 65 people at the meeting the five cases do not constitute a statistically higher rate of cancer for the area. The EPA will decide later whether to sample the soil, water and air for contaminants that could cause any illness.
MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) – A man who had been expected to plead guilty to weapons charges surprised a Medford courtroom yesterday by rejecting a plea agreement and demanding to stand trial on attempted murder charges. The Mail Tribune reports Aaron Daniel Adrian Merlina turned down the deal that would have given him a sentence of less than six years in prison. If convicted of attempted murder he would face up to 20 years behind bars. Merlina is accused of firing three shots into a Talent home in a fight with residents on Thanksgiving 2011. No one was hurt, but an 11-year-old girl was showered with broken window glass.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Timber and environmental groups are debating a logging proposal on the western border of Crater Lake National Park. Tomorrow’s the last day for public comment on an environmental assessment, and the Forest Service could approve logging or conduct a more exhaustive environmental impact statement. The Oregonian reports environmentalists have gathered 10,000 comments in opposition to the Bybee timber sale.
SALEM, Ore. (AP) – Fred Meyer has recalled five types of private label wheat bread after discovering pieces of plastic in loaves delivered to stores in Oregon, Washington and Idaho. The Oregonian reports the bread was also sold in QFC stores in Oregon and Washington. They all featured March 8 sell-by date. Fred Meyer spokeswoman Melinda Merrill says the plastic was discovered in the retailer’s Clackamas bakery. She says so far no customers have reported finding any plastic in purchased loaves.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.