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Local NewsGregoire vs. Rossi: After top-two primary, real rumble begins
Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire and her Republican challenger, Dino Rossi, easily came out on top in Washington's first-ever top-two primary election, setting up a rematch of the hard-fought 2004 election.
Father pleads guilty in infant's fire-pit death
A Federal Way father charged with second-degree manslaughter in the death of his 7-month-old in a backyard fire pit pleaded guilty Tuesday in King County Superior Court and faces up to 2-¼ years in prison and deportation to his native Mexico.
Members of 81st Brigade are off to serve again
In a more than a dozen farewell ceremonies across the state, some 2,400 Washington National Guard soldiers of the 81st Brigade Combat Team began a year of active duty Tuesday that will take them to Wisconsin for final training, and then to Iraq.
Neighbors fear sex offenders will move into Everett mansion
Everett neighbors were alarmed to learn that 48 registered sex offenders were living in one city block near downtown. The same property owners have now purchased a mansion in another residential neighborhood, and residents fear another large concentration of rapists and pedophiles. The city of Everett says there is little it can do to restrict where sex offenders live.
Danny Westneat
Without sounds, it's not a city
One of the little joys of living in Seattle is lying awake some nights hearing the doleful whistles of the trains down in the Sodo switching yards.
National publisher kills Spokane journalist's book
Spokane journalist Sherry Jones spent five years and seven drafts perfecting her novel — an "exciting tale of love, war, spiritual awakening and redemption" — that got picked up by the biggest English-language publisher in the world. But the book was shelved in May by Random House for fear of violent reaction from Muslims, even though there had been no threats.
Sea-Tac light-rail station won't be delayed, Sound Transit says
Sound Transit's light-rail station at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, promised by Dec. 29, 2009, might be delayed until spring 2010, according to a federal oversight report. But Sound Transit officials insist the station will open on time
Seattle officer fired over felony charge to be rehired
A longtime Seattle police officer who was fired last year after he was charged with a felony will be rehired.
West Nile detected in local woman
A human case of West Nile virus has been reported in Washington state for the first time since 2006, the state Department of Health said Tuesday.
Wildfires: Western Washington is at risk, too
Firefighters and residents are trying to educate underprepared Western Washington residents about wildfire risk. But spreading the word is slow going because most think wildfires are just an Eastern Washington problem.
Seattle guitarist Joseph Shikany killed by falling tree
A Seattle guitarist was killed Monday in Spokane when a tree fell on him, his wife confirmed Tuesday.
2 pugs missing after West Seattle home burglarized
A West Seattle home was burglarized, but the only losses are two pugs, Pippin and Bandit, and two gold rings. The dogs' owner is searching for her beloved pups.
Duncan sentencing: Jury hears girl's account of abuse
A little girl who is the sole survivor of a murderous attack on her family told detectives soon after her rescue that she was raped by Joseph Edward Duncan III and forced to watch him torture, molest and kill her older brother.
NEW - 11:22 AM
Arlington city employee accused of embezzlement
ARLINGTON — The IRS and the Snohomish County sheriff's Office say a longtime employee of the city of Arlington is being investigated in connection with the embezzlement of funds from the city over several years, according to documents filed in federal court in Seattle.
Lacey woman charged with murder in newborn daughter's death
A Thurston County prosecuting attorney filed a second-degree-murder charge Monday against a Lacey woman in connection with the death of her newborn daughter.
Plan ahead for ferry on Labor Day holiday
If you're planning to travel by ferry over the Labor Day holiday weekend, planning ahead is a good idea.
Local Digest
New murder charge brings guilty plea
A former lawyer who shot a Bellevue attorney in 2004 pleaded guilty on Tuesday to a new charge filed after the victim later died of a gunshot wound.
Nation & WorldRussia leaves calling card with slow Georgia pullout
Russia showed the first signs of drawing down at least some of its troops in Georgia on Tuesday, but in a pointed reminder of their grip, its forces bound and blindfolded 21 Georgian soldiers at the Black Sea port of Poti, displaying them along with five seized U.S. Humvees.
UPDATE - 10:10 AM
Russians dig in as pullback drags on in Georgia
Russian forces on Wednesday built a sentry post just 30 miles from the Georgian capital, appearing to dig in to positions deep inside Georgia despite pledges to pull back to areas mandated by a cease-fire signed by both countries.
Tropical storm Fay makes herself at home in South
Tropical Storm Fay rolled ashore in Southwestern Florida on Tuesday without much fanfare, but hung around, gaining power and threatening to become a hurricane.
Bigfoot hoax revealed
Georgia's Bigfoot was a big hoax. The body of a supposed ape-man found in the North Georgia mountains was an empty rubber monkey suit embedded in ice, according to California Bigfoot enthusiasts who got a chance to examine the find over the weekend.
Afghan ambush kills 10 French soldiers
In the worst single-incident loss of life in at least three years for Western troops in Afghanistan, insurgents ambushed and killed 10 French...
Bali club bombers ask to be beheaded
The Islamist bombers who murdered 202 people on the island of Bali in 2002 have exhausted appeals against their death but say they should be beheaded rather than shot.
Court says EPA air-pollution rule is illegal
A Bush administration rule barring states and local governments from requiring more air-pollution monitoring is illegal, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.
Critics question cervical cancer vaccine
The lightning-fast transition from newly minted vaccine to must-have injection in the United States and Europe represents a triumph of what the manufacturers call education and their critics call marketing.
Iraq, China may renew oil deal
Iraq is on the verge of reviving an 11-year-old contract with China worth $1.2 billion, its largest oil deal since the invasion in 2003, an Oil Ministry official said Tuesday.
Israel fears thief stole bits of its musical legacy
The police have named as a suspect a 60-year-old Haifa architect, Meir Bizanski. who, for several years, they say, has been scouring the nation's archives claiming to be a music buff doing personal research, slipping the documents among his own papers and openly selling them on eBay.
Lawsuit could force decision on calling the pika endangered
Environmentalists filed a lawsuit Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Sacramento, Calif., in an attempt to force the Bush administration to decide whether to list the pika for protection under the act. The lawsuit claims the animal is threatened by rising temperatures and says the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has dragged its feet on whether to list it.
Close-up
Obama, McCain have no shortage of running mate contenders
When Barack Obama shows up Saturday in Springfield, Ill., on his way to the Democratic convention, he'll have his new running mate grinning beside him. But that man or woman is still unknown, even as speculation rises to a fever pitch.
Pakistan: the day after Musharraf
The Pakistani ruling coalition showed signs of fracture Tuesday, only a day after embattled President Pervez Musharraf resigned to avoid impeachment, and a bomb that killed at least 26 people in the country's volatile northwest underlined the challenges faced by the new government.
Patient ignored, and ends up dead in N.C. hospital
A patient died after workers at a North Carolina hospital left him in a chair for 22 hours without feeding him or helping him use the bathroom, said federal officials who have threatened to cut off the facility's funding.
Scientists: Large amount of blood can be "grown"
Scientists said Tuesday they have devised a way to grow large quantities of blood in the lab using human embryonic stem cells, potentially making blood drives a relic of the past.
Close-up
States throw out costly electronic voting machines
The demise of touch-screen voting has produced a graveyard of expensive corpses: Warehouses stacked with thousands of carefully wrapped voting machines that have been shelved because of doubts about vanishing votes and vulnerability to hackers.
Stats tell the dangers of life in eastern Congo
Two years after Congo held its first free elections in half a century, life is as dangerous as ever for many in the east despite the presence of one of the largest U.N. peacekeeping forces in the world, according to a new report released Tuesday.
UPDATE - 05:06 PM
Sarkozy visits Kabul after French soldiers killed
French President Nicolas Sarkozy vowed Wednesday that French troops would stick it out in Afghanistan despite an exceptionally deadly attack and frustration at home about the war.
Nation Digest
Interior Dept. stalls virtual border fence
Construction on virtual-fence projects scheduled along Arizona's border with Mexico is on hold indefinitely because the Interior Department...
World Digest
Suicide bombing kills 43 in Algeria
Suicide bombing kills 43 in Algeria A suicide bomber drove a car full of explosives into a line of applicants at an Algerian police academy...
Odds and Ends
Christina Applegate loses both breasts
Celebrity gossip, famous birthdays and other tidbits, compiled from Seattle Times news services.
Business & TechnologyStarbucks no longer gives small coffee shops the jitters
Unlike independents going up against a big retailer like Wal-Mart, other coffeehouses often thrive when Starbucks is nearby. While they respect much of what Starbucks has done — notably, opening more than 11,000 stores nationwide that bring espresso and lattes to the masses — they have learned not to fear it.
UPDATE - 11:03 AM
Fannie, Freddie shares tumble further
Shares of mortgage finance companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac continued their plunge today as investors became increasingly convinced...
2nd-quarter dip in spending has retailers worried
From affluent shoppers at Saks to bargain-hunters at Target, from Home Depot to office-supplier Staples, consumers are pulling back, and that's hurting retailers and raising more concerns about how they'll do the rest of the year. .
Wholesale prices surge ahead
Wholesale inflation soared in July, leaving prices rising at the fastest pace in nearly three decades.
HP profit beats expectations
Hewlett-Packard reported a 14 percent increase in third-quarter profit, beating analysts' estimates, as international demand and new notebook designs spurred sales.
UPDATE - 09:01 AM
American Air launches in-flight Internet on 3 routes
One of the few remaining Internet-free havens vanished today as American Airlines launched airborne e-mail, Web and other online services...
CellCyte stops paying its remaining employees
CellCyte Genetics has fired some employees and stopped paying salaries to those who remain, the Bothell-based stem cell research company said Tuesday.
Frozen yogurt makes a comeback
Frozen yogurt, trendy during the 1980s and early '90s, has made a comeback — but this time with an edge. Companies selling the soft stuff are opening stores with hip décor and pulsating music that draw a young crowd.
Intel's new faster chip right on AMD's heels
Intel showed off a new chip Tuesday that has direct access to memory in computers, invading one of the last market niches dominated by Advanced Micro Devices.
Analysis
Job outlook dimming
The unemployment rate isn't the only job-market measure that's souring. Corporations plan to cut more jobs and there are fewer openings.
Business Digest
Boeing offers new incentive pay plan for Machinists
Boeing on Tuesday outlined an offer of a new incentive pay plan for Machinists union members ahead of intensive contract talks due to start Thursday at a SeaTac hotel.
SportsOlympics
Phelps' success gives swimming a boost
In the wake of Michael Phelps, get ready for a swimming boom. Swim clubs and coaches across the nation say there's been a surge of interest...
Ron Judd
A touching Olympic moment that wasn't to be missed
So you love the drama of the Olympics. You can't take NBC's Today-Show-From-Yesterday canned prime time approach. And you're working during...
Huskies quarterback says he'll be ready for Oregon opener
Washington Huskies quarterback Jake Locker, back from a hamstring injury, says he'll take it slow in practice but expects to play in the Aug. 30 football opener against the Oregon Ducks.
Mark Pattison taught Seahawks coach Jim Mora how to tame Tiger Mountain
Bring some comfortable running shoes, and be on the mountain at 6:30 in the morning. That's the only warning Brian Russell and the rest...
White Sox inflict pain on M's, Hernandez
At least the Mariners aren't showing any favoritism on this rapidly disintegrating road trip. After getting swept by the Twins in Minneapolis...
Steve Kelley
Pentathlete Taormina turns obsession into success
Something in her head tells Sheila Taormina she's not quite good enough. Something gnaws at her, telling her she should be better, should...
Bud Withers
Neuheisel ready to start over at UCLA
Former Washington coach Rick Neuheisel is in his first season as coach at UCLA, the school where he played quarterback and was the most valuable player in the 1984 Rose Bowl. The unranked Bruins' first two games are against No. 18 Tennessee and at No. 16 Brigham Young.
Sideline Chatter
Slovenia slips past all for medals lead
Introducing your first-half medals leader ... Slovenia? Yes, that tiny European country, thanks to Primoz Kozmus' gold medal in the hammer...
Hasselbeck misses practice because of tightness in his back
Matt Hasselbeck said he was fine Monday. He looked mobile and his arm appeared strong in practice, fully recovered from a sore back he got...
Olympics / Soccer
Argentina tops Brazil in men's soccer showdown
A sellout crowd of 53,000 including Diego Maradona and Kobe Bryant jammed into Workers Stadium on a steamy Tuesday night for an Olympic...
Golf | Craig Stadler, 4 others withdraw from Boeing Classic
Craig Stadler and four others withdrew Tuesday from the Boeing Classic, as the Champions Tour event this week at the TPC at Snoqualmie Ridge takes a major hit.
Huskies camp | Day 16 highlights
What happened: UW held one full-pads practice in the afternoon. Harris hanging tough: The emergence of sophomore Victor Aiyewa and the return...
Mill Creek advances to LLWS semis
Jason Todd thought Alex Jondal's seventh-inning drive was headed over the left-center field wall. It hit the wall instead, but Todd could...
MLB Notebook | Maddux returns to Dodgers from Padres
Greg Maddux is back with the Los Angeles Dodgers for another stretch drive after a 120-mile trip up the California coast. The Dodgers reacquired Maddux...
NFL | Bengals owner welcomes Henry
Receiver Chris Henry is back with the Cincinnati Bengals, mostly because owner Mike Brown has a soft spot for troubled players. Henry signed a two-year...
Olympic Briefs | Wrestling: Rare U.S. freestyle win
Henry Cejudo called it the American dream. The son of undocumented Mexican immigrants who had to work two jobs to keep food on the table...
Seahawks training camp | Day 26 highlights
Missing in action: WR Deion Branch, LS Tyler Schmitt, LB Will Herring, OT William Robinson, OT Sean Locklear, OT Samuel Gutekunst, DT Red...
Olympics / Gymnastics
Shawn Johnson of U.S. wins gold on balance beam
Shawn Johnson's smile was a thousand times wider than the balance beam she had just conquered Tuesday night. Finally, it was a golden grin...
Olympics / Basketball
Storm's Jackson to be sidelined by ankle surgery after Olympics
Seattle Storm star Lauren Jackson will miss the rest of the WNBA regular season after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on her right ankle after the Olympic Games in Beijing.
Olympics
Track and field | Harper hurdles to win, but tough day for team
There was a time, not long ago, when track and field in the United States was defined by multiple medal winners. Champions many times over...
Updates on local Olympic athletes
Washington connections: Tuesday's results Name (connection) Result Baseball Matt Brown (Bellevue) 1 for 4 in 4-2 win over Chinese Taipei...
Craig Stadler, 4 others withdraw from Boeing Classic
Craig Stadler and four others withdrew Tuesday from the Boeing Classic, as the Champions Tour event this week at the TPC at Snoqualmie Ridge takes a major hit.
NW Briefs | 3 local golfers advance in U.S. Amateur
Andrew Putnam of University Place shot a second-round 71 Tuesday, and Kyle Stanley of Gig Harbor fired a 2-under 68 as each shot 138 to...
Tacoma wins in 14th on home run
Kevin Howard homered leading off the 14th inning, and Tacoma earned a 3-2 victory over Sacramento in a Pacific Coast League game Tuesday...
Briefs | College basketball: Crean signs 10-year contract
College basketball Indiana coach's deal is worth at least $23.6 million: Indiana coach Tom Crean got the job security he wanted, signing...
Olympic medal count
Medal standings Through 206 medal events Nation G S B Total United States 26 26 27 79 China 43 14 19 76 Russia 11 14 18 43 Britain 16 10...
Olympics Best Bets
Prime time: Delayed on NBC, 8 p.m. to midnight; live, CBUT, 3-9 a.m. • Jamaican sensation Usain "Lightning" Bolt will be attempting...
People in Sports | Dan Fouts
Dan Fouts: The Hall of Fame quarterback is returning to CBS as an analyst for college and pro football games, the network announced. Fouts worked for CBS...
Olympics results
Canada 4, Netherlands 0; South Korea 7, Cuba 4; Japan 10, China 0, 7 innings; United States 4, Taiwan 2 Taiwan 000 010 100 — 2 5 0...
EntertainmentSouthcenter's five major new restaurants could make shopping an afterthought
Southcenter's $240 million expansion has made it the state's largest shopping center, and it is awash in new places to eat. Seattle Times reporters Karen Gaudette and Nicole Tsong sample Southcenter's abundant new dining options, including Joeys Grill and Lounge, Racha Thai & Asian Kitchen, BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse, Dukes Chowder House and Blue C Sushi.
Intiman Theatre hires former Pasadena Playhouse manager
Seattle's Tony Award-winning Intiman Theatre hires Pasadena Playhouse manager Brian Colburn as its new managing director.
Nancy Leson
Farm-fresh food, fun ... and faceoff
Excerpts from her blog, All You Can Eat While I'm crazy about my neighborhood farmers market — as much for a chance to blab with my...
What's next now that KIRO-AM airs on KBSG?
A week after Bonneville International dumped KBSG-FM to simulcast KIRO's AM news/talk content on the former classic-rock station, the results...
Jessica Simpson to market beer for Dallas brewer
Jessica Simpson is now selling beer. The singer and actress has signed on as spokeswoman for Stampede Light Plus, made by Dallas' Stampede...
A double life but only one wife in "Enemy"
Christian Slater's double-life-leading character in "My Own Worst Enemy" is getting a new better half. Former "Twin Peaks" star Mädchen...
Comedian Margaret Cho gets yet another TV role
Margaret Cho has booked a scripted TV job in addition to her new VH1 reality show. The comedian has joined the cast of Lifetime's "Drop...
Food briefs
Food news from around Puget Sound
Auction of Washington Wines raises $2.25 million for charity and education program; Seattle Tilth throws a harvest party; 30 Washington supermarkets to offer wine and beer tasting come Oct. 1; a new Paseo Caribbean Restaurant location in Ballard; almost time for Bremerton's Blackberry Festival; a Shrek-themed cocktail at Union Square Grill; Pike Place Market offers chef demonstrations.
R-rated comedies move to the head of the class in Hollywood
In comedy, Hollywood has learned that raunch sells. Studios prefer their funny flicks in the benign PG-13 mold, a rating that keeps the...
LivingNina Garcia's picks for classic style
Nina Garcia helps make the call on "Project Runway" about who's in and who's out. In her new book, "The One Hundred: A Guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own" (Collins), she advises on what to buy and what to keep.
Wine Adviser
For value beyond price, give local wines a swirl
A recurring complaint about Washington wines — perhaps the most frequent wine whine that I hear — is that they are overpriced...
Plant Talk
A long list of hip hydrangeas will add beauty to a garden
There are lots of great hydrangeas to add to a garden. The Puget Sound area offers many beautiful public gardens to show East Coast visitors.
Wine Q & A
Where do you find a 2005 wine that will be drinkable in 2026?
What 2005 wine will still be good in 2026 so parents can toast their children's 21st birthdays?
Recipe: Corn Salad with Sweet Peppers
A recipe for Fresh Corn Salad with Sweet Peppers
Recipe: Fillet of salmon with vegetables and citrus oil
Serves 45 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon finely grated mixed citrus zest (orange, lemon, lime) 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 2 bags...
Garden calendar | A listing of garden events, classes and sales.
Dates and times are subject to change. Call ahead to confirm.
Travel & Outdoors
OpinionEditorial
Déjà vu, primarily
Tuesday's primary election results show Washington voters are rehashing 2004.
The indignity of I-1000: Backers' claims misleading
I am a lifelong Democrat. I am also an attorney whose practice includes probate and guardianship disputes. As part of my job, I have seen...
Editorial
A regulatory scam
Challenge the Bush administration's last-minute assault on the Endangered Species Act
Editorial
Doctor's office no place for bigotry
The rights of free speech and religious freedom do not exempt physicians from complying with California's law against sexual-orientation discrimination.
Bruce Ramsey
Petroleum-propelled people communing with nature
Backpackers in nature, as emissaries of a petroleum civilization.
Guest columnist
The intersection of art and tranquillity
The cranes dotting Seattle's skyline are testimony to our city's rapid densification. More people are using our streets, parks, buses and...
E.J. Dionne / Syndicated columnist
It's a new political day for evangelical Christians
Anyone who still doubts that the evangelical Christian world is going through a political revolution was not watching Pastor Rick Warren's...
Letters to the Editor
Times' story on UW student's case fair and informative
Times' story on UW student's case fair and informative Editor, The Times: I find it refreshing that there is finally an in-depth piece about...