State & Regional News | The Daily Chronicle

Stranger accused of barricading Oregon woman in home for days, repeatedly raping her after helping her carry groceries

Portland police say a 69-year-old stranger who offered to help a 74-year-old woman carry groceries back to her downtown Portland home barricaded the woman inside and repeatedly raped her over the … more

Aimee Green / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 1/7/25

Pro-Trump supporters storm the U.S. Capitol following a rally with President Donald Trump on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C.

Here’s the status of Jan. 6 prosecutions against Washington and Oregon protesters

At least 13 people from the Pacific Northwest have been prosecuted for crimes stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, takeover of the U.S. Capitol. Ten have been sentenced. Two are scheduled to be … more

Maxine Bernstein / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 1/7/25

An intertribal fishing group harvests lamprey at Willamette Falls in Oregon City in 2016.

Lawsuit over Native fishing platform at one of Oregon’s greatest waterfalls is headed to trial

A federal lawsuit over a Native fishing platform at one of Oregon’s greatest waterfalls is going to trial, a federal judge ruled Friday. The suit, brought by Portland General Electric … more

Jamie Hale / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 1/7/25

Train crash into river won’t affect Oregon city’s water supply, city officials say

Saturday’s train bridge collapse in Corvallis doesn’t risk contaminating the city’s water supply, officials said Monday. The collapse occurred because of a “structural … more

Fedor Zarkhin / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 1/7/25

Aberdeen Police Department Aberdeen police confiscated methamphetamine, fentanyl, scales and a gun following routine traffic stop.

Traffic stop leads to drug bust of Grays Harbor County resident

On Saturday at about 11:17 a.m., an Aberdeen police officer observed a 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe in the 500 block of W. Heron Street with a defective brake light and turn signal. The officer … more

By The Daily World | 1/7/25

A gray wolf. (Gary Kramer/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

Reward up to $20,000 offered for information on each of three Washington state wolf killings

Conservation advocates and a federal wildlife agency are offering $20,000 for information on each of three recent wolf poaching incidents in Washington. Since October, three gray wolves … more

By Laurel Demkovich / The Washington State Standard | 1/7/25

Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler will be leaving office in January 2025. (Courtesy of Washington state Office of the Insurance Commissioner)

After 24 years as Washington state insurance commissioner, Mike Kreidler prepares to retire

Mike Kreidler, currently Washington’s oldest and longest-serving statewide elected official, exits the public stage next week, ending a political career spanning six decades. He’s … more

By Jerry Cornfield / The Washington State Standard | 1/7/25

Washington state legislation clarifies facility siting for 'Holy Grail' of energy

A Washington bill pre-filed for the 2025 legislative session would add fusion energy centers as among facilities that can receive site certification by the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council … more

By TJ Martinell / The Center Square | 1/6/25

Fish and Wildlife offers $10K reward in illegal killing of protected Eastern Washington gray wolf

For the second time in less than a month, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is offering a $10,000 reward for information related to the illegal killing of a gray wolf in the region. The federal … more

By Cory McCoy / Tri-City Herald | 1/6/25

Yakima coroner who was accused of stealing drugs from corpses to face criminal charges

A prosecutor has decided to bring criminal charges against embattled Yakima County Coroner Jim Curtice in response to police allegations that Curtice stole illicit drugs from dead bodies, used them … more

By Daniel Beekman / The Seattle Times | 1/6/25

A driver was arrested on suspicion of DUI after a preliminary breath test showed a blood alcohol content of .257, more than three times the limit.

Thurston County Sheriff Sanders reminds residents not to drink and drive

Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders is reminding residents not to drink and drive after a recent arrest showed the driver was well over the Washington state blood alcohol limit of 0.08%. … more

Rolf Boone / The Olympian (TNS) | 1/6/25

Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders hosted his first of five townhall events in the county on Wednesday, Oct. 2 at the Yelm Community Center.

Thurston County Sheriff’s Office to get 100 body cameras, 100 dash cameras, 100 Tasers and a digital evidence management system

Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders said in a Saturday morning Facebook post that the county has voted to invest in new equipment for his department. The county commission, he says, voted … more

Rolf Boone / The Olympian (TNS) | 1/6/25

Court documents: Washington man stabbed uncle in head in possible mercy-killing attempt

A 36-year-old man is accused of stabbing his uncle multiple times in the head last month in Northwest Spokane in a possible murder-suicide attempt so his uncle wouldn't have to suffer through cancer, … more

Garrett Cabeza / The Spokesman-Review (TNS) | 1/6/25

The door plug that blew off Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 on Jan. 5, 2024, landed in a Portland backyard. The incident, seen as emblematic of a long decline in Boeing standards, triggered an intense backlash against Boeing from the public, Congress and regulators. (National Transportation Safety Board/TNS)

For Alaska Flight 1282 passengers, terror of blowout is slow to fade

Soon after Kendra Frome’s plane landed — no incidents and all parts intact, this time — her 3-year-old daughter turned to her with panicked eyes. Amid the shuffle of … more

Paige Cornwell / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 1/6/25

Steer swims across the Columbia River, runs loose on interstate, police say

The “steaks” were high for a 4-H steer who kicked off the new year by swimming across the Columbia River — then running amok on Interstate 84 near Hood River and walking several … more

Tatum Todd / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 1/6/25

Oregon choir teacher rearrested on new indictment involving 6 more alleged victims, records indicate

St. Helens High School choir teacher Eric Stearns is back in custody facing a new indictment with additional sex abuse charges after six additional alleged victims were identified, according to a … more

Maxine Bernstein / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 1/6/25

Train bridge in Oregon collapses, one train car falls into river

A train bridge over the Marys River in Corvallis collapsed on Saturday, sending one train car filled with agricultural materials into the river. No injuries were reported. The train car, which … more

Tatum Todd / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 1/6/25

The Conde B. McCullough Memorial Bridge, which spans the Coos Bay, on U.S. 101 just north of North Bend, Oregon, seen here on on Wed., Dec. 21, 2023.

Body of missing Oregon king tides photographer found after three weeks

The body of a North Bend man who has been missing since Dec. 15 was found Sunday morning, officials said. Joseph Neill vanished after going to take pictures of the king tides, which surged that … more

Fedor Zarkhin / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 1/6/25

Tim Calhoun inspects an row of apples on his Wapato farm in October shortly after harvest. (Henry Brannan/The Columbian)

‘Perfect storm’ of factors hits Washington apple farmers, driving bankruptcies, consolidation

A perfect storm of economic challenges is pushing Washington apple farmers out of business. Small orchardists say they are unable to sustain losses for years on end amid economic conditions they … more

By Henry Brannan / Murrow News | 1/6/25

An oil tanker unloads at the Phillips 66 pier near Ferndale, Washington. More Canadian crude is coming by tanker to Puget Sound refineries in the wake of an export terminal expansion just across the border in British Columbia. (Tom Banse/file photo)

Tanker deliveries of Canadian oil rise in Washington after export terminal expansion

Washington state oil refineries are taking advantage of a newly expanded tanker terminal just across the border near Vancouver, Canada, to up their imports of discount Alberta crude. The … more

By Tom Banse / The Salish Current | 1/6/25