Last modified: Tuesday, October 21, 2008 10:53 AM PDT

News Digest:

GOOD AFTERNOON

OREGON

More Ore. troopers for snowy highways

PORTLAND (AP) — State transportation officials say more state troopers may be visible on Oregon’s snowy mountain passes this winter.

The Department of Transportation says it will provide the Oregon State Police with enough money to fund 500 hours of overtime.

Sergeant Alan Hageman of the patrol services division says the funds will be used to put the troopers where they are needed the most throughout the winter.

Ore. department fines lender

SALEM (AP) — The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services has issued a cease-and-desist order and a $70,000 fine against NLC of OR Inc.

The state department found the company formerly known as National Lending Corp. violated Oregon mortgage lender laws.

The department also denied NLC’s application for an Oregon residential mortgage banker-broker license.

IDAHO

Idaho Power to help in cloud seeding effort

REXBURG (AP) — Idaho Power Co. has agreed to supply three cloud-seeding generators to help produce more snow and rain in eastern Idaho that could increase flows in the Snake River.

The company has told eastern Idaho officials it will supply three remote-controlled generators with propane to run them and silver iodide chemicals to seed the clouds.

Utility spokeswoman Echo Chadwick said more precipitation could potentially increase the amount of power generated at 11 hydroelectric plants the company operates on the Snake.

N. Idaho police still trying to crack cold case

LEWISTON (AP) — It’s been 26 years, but the Nez Perce County sheriff’s office isn’t ready to give up on finding out what happened to a man whose body was found in the Snake River. Chief Deputy Bill Madison said the agency still calls or e-mails detectives in other agencies to exchange descriptions to try to identify the man.

‘’There’s been some real close comparisons, but at this point there hasn’t been any positive matches done,’’ Madison said.