News Digest
Monday, October 29, 2007 12:18 PM PDT
Oregon
2 survive Columbia River plane crash
PORTLAND (AP) — A small plane crashed in the Columbia River late Sunday, and the two people aboard survived, authorities said. The plane sank in the middle of the river two miles west of Beacon Rock, said Nancy Doherty, a Skamania County, Wash., dispatcher.
IDAHO
Scholarship created for Pocatello-area
students
POCATELLO (AP) — A scholarship program has been created in eastern Idaho that will provide money to help high school students in Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25 get their diplomas while also obtaining credits at Idaho State University.
About 300 students in area high schools took classes that were eligible for dual-enrollment credits in the 2006-2007 school year. But many did not receive college credit for the classes because of the cost.
Convicted cop killer could be released
LEWISTON (AP) — A man imprisoned since 1971 for killing a Lewiston police officer is asking to be released, arguing he has finished the 30-year sentence that he said was part of a plea deal.
Melvin Luther Cox, 68, argued in court documents that he has already served the sentence he was told he would have to serve in exchange for pleading guilty to the 1970 shooting.
THE WEST
2.7 quake near Tonasket
SEATTLE (AP) — A small earthquake with a 2.7 magnitude was recorded at 10:55 p.m. Sunday about three miles northwest of Tonasket, according to the University of Washington’s Pacific Northwest Seismic Network. It could be felt in the area but there are no reports of damage.
Nev. regulators urged to open talks over coal-fired plants
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — A coalition of environmental groups has asked the Nevada Department of Environmental Protection to open to the public negotiations over plans to build three coal-fired power plants in the state.
Sierra Pacific Resources, Sithe Global Power and LS Power Associates are in discussions with state environmental regulators over the level of greenhouse gas emissions that will be allowed from any new such power plants.
They already are drafting a memorandum of understanding setting out those standards.
‘‘But to this point, the process has taken place behind closed doors,’’ according to a letter issued by Nevadans for Clean, Affordable, Reliable Energy.
The group said future regulations limiting carbon emissions are a near certainty because coal-fired plants emit large amounts of carbon dioxide.
The coalition told NDEP Administrator Leo Drozdoff that Nevada residents and business owners deserve a voice in the negotiations.
