NORTHWEST WEATHER
Northwest snow closes schools, prompts warnings
SEATTLE (AP) — Winter weather advisories were issued for western Washington and Oregon as overnight snow snarled roadways and prompted school closures.
Forecasts were for up to 4 inches of snow in Seattle and even more was predicted in other areas of the Puget Sound. Many schools were closed Monday and others posted delayed starts.
The Cascade Mountains could see 30 inches of snow through Monday afternoon as the snow level was expected to fall below 1,000 feet. People were advised to only travel over Snoqualmie and White passes in an emergency.
Crashes closed Interstate 90 eastbound near Snoqualmie Pass for about two hours early Sunday.
Snow and treacherous conditions were also possible for the greater Portland, Oregon, area.
TEENS KILLED-CRASH
2 teens killed in crash that injures Oregon state trooper
COOS BAY, Ore. (AP) — Authorities say two teenagers have died in a crash that seriously injured a 16-year-old girl and hurt an Oregon State Police trooper.
Coos County District Attorney Paul Frasier says in a news release the driver of a Mitsubishi lost control of the vehicle Sunday on Highway 101, crossed over the center line and hit the trooper’s truck head-on. A third vehicle crashed while trying to avoid the wreck.
The Mitsubishi driver and his passenger, both 18, died at the scene. The two men were from the Coos Bay area.
A 16-year-old girl riding in the back seat was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.
The trooper was taken to a hospital and expected to be released the same day.
Four passengers in the third vehicle were uninjured.
Authorities say speed may have been a factor in the collision.
DEPUTY REMARKS
Sheriff’s deputy calls Clatskanie Fire Department ‘dodos’
(Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, http://www.oregonlive.com)
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Columbia County sheriff’s office in northwest Oregon is reviewing an incident where a deputy called a fire department “dodos” and an assault victim lying in the street a “speed bump.”
Columbia County Sheriff Jeffrey M. Dickerson tells The Oregonian/OregonLive in a story on Saturday that a meeting is planned to discuss the matter.
Authorities say the recorded 911 calls made to the on-call deputy’s home occurred at about 2:15 a.m. on Jan. 15.
The deputy asked to have the Clatskanie Fire Department respond as it would be faster.
The dispatcher called back to say the fire department requested law enforcement, prompting the ‘dodos’ remark from the deputy.
Dickerson says the deputy correctly determined the victim would be best served if the fire department responded immediately.
___
TEACHER-SEX CHARGES
Middle school band teacher faces child sexual abuse charges
(Information from: The Register-Guard, http://www.registerguard.com)
SPRINGFIELD, Ore. (AP) — A 34-year-old middle school band teacher in western Oregon is facing multiple felony child sexual abuse charges.
Matthew McKinley Woodford on Sunday remained in the Lane County Jail with a $1.7 million bond.
The Springfield Police Department arrested Woodford on Friday. He faces 17 charges that include luring a minor.
Springfield School District spokeswoman Jenna McCulley on Saturday told The Register-Guard that Woodford has been placed on leave from his job as Thurston Middle School’s music director.
___
FISHERMEN RESCUED
Coast Guard rescues 3 fishermen at mouth of Columbia River
WARRENTON, Ore. (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard rescued three commercial fishermen Sunday morning at the mouth of the Columbia River after their vessel started taking on water.
Coast Guard officials say the captain of the fishing vessel Coastal Reign reported taking on water at 3:20 a.m. after striking a submerged object.
A helicopter and 47-foot rescue vessel were dispatched with the helicopter arriving first followed shortly afterward by the boat crew.
The Coast Guard passed a dewatering pump to Coastal Reign and put a crewmember aboard the vessel to set it up.
Officials say that after pumping water from the vessel, it was towed to a safe mooring at Skipanon Marina in Warrenton, Oregon, at about 4:40 a.m.
APARTMENT FIRE
Firefighters respond to apartment fire in Portland
(Information from: KOIN-TV, http://www.koin.com/)
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Firefighters on Sunday found three people inside a burning apartment complex near Reed College.
KOIN-TV reports that firefighters found heavy fire and thick smoke coming from at least two apartments after responding to a report of a fire at about 5:15 a.m.
Authorities called additional ambulances to the scene but have not released details on injuries.
___
PEDESTRIAN FATAL
Roseburg pedestrian dies after being hit by vehicle
(Information from: The News-Review, http://www.nrtoday.com)
ROSEBURG, Ore. (AP) — A 57-year-old Roseburg woman has died after being hit by a vehicle.
Oregon State Police say Tami Lee Cairns died at the scene after being hit at about 8:30 p.m. Friday on State Highway 42.
Police tell The News-Review that Cairns was in the lane of travel in an area with no crosswalk when she was struck by a 76-year-old motorist from Roseburg.
Police say alcohol and speed are not factors in the collision.
___
TRUMP TRAVEL BAN-INFANT
Lawyer: Iranian family thrilled baby to be treated in US
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A lawyer for the family of an Iranian infant who was temporarily banned from coming to the United States for life-saving heart surgery says they’re “overwhelmingly relieved and thrilled” the child will now be able to have the treatment.
Jennifer M. Morrissey, an attorney representing the family of Fatemeh Reshad, said she wasn’t sure where the family was Saturday, but they had been expected to travel to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates for pre-clearance after a Seattle judge blocked enforcement of President Donald Trump’s immigration and refugee ban.
Morrissey spoke at a news conference Saturday at Oregon Health Sciences University’s Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, where Reshad will be treated. She said the girl’s case is “an extremely poignant example of the impact of the ban.”
Copyright 2017 The Associated Press.
