News Digest
Sunday, April 20, 2008 1:46 PM PDT
Good Morning Oregon
High school students to pass state tests to
graduate
SALEM (AP) — A high school diploma in Oregon may require students to pass state reading, writing and math tests before graduation, beginning with next year’s freshman class. The new diploma requirement endorsed by the Oregon Board of Education on Friday would make Oregon the 27th state to require students to prove their abilities on standardized tests to graduate. Nearly three-fourths of the nation’s high schoolers already face state graduation exams. See story page a5.
Pesticide suspected in mysterious Oregon geese deaths
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A pesticide is suspected in the mysterious deaths of dozens of federally protected geese this month near Keizer. State and federal wildlife investigators hope to find out by this week exactly what killed about 60 geese at Staats Lake between April 10 and 14. In the meantime, investigators are surveying farms in the area for potential off-label use of zinc phosphide, a pesticide widely used to control voles in grass seed fields.
Idaho
ID growers worry about cold weather losses
NAMPA (AP) — A cold front moving into Idaho’s Treasure Valley had fruit growers scrambling to prevent losses.
Late blossoming of fruits such as peaches, cherries and apricots could result in losses of millions or tens of millions of dollars, said Essie Fallahi, University of Idaho Parma extension director of fruit crop physiology. See story page A8.
Asphalt plant opposed
RATHDRUM (AP) — A proposed asphalt plant near a Rathdrum neighborhood has residents fuming.
Kootenai County Commissioners next month will hear a zone change request by Coeur d’Alene Paving to build the plant outside Rathdrum.
The county’s hearing examiner denied the zone change request last month.
