House Demos elect leaders
OLYMPIA - House minority Democrats on Tuesday elected a newleadership team whose combined experience adds up to fewer yearsthan those served by the caucus's departed leader - 16-year veteranMarlin Appelwick of Seattle.
Meeting behind closed doors, the 41-member caucus chose relativenewcomer Frank Chopp of Seattle to replace Appelwick as minorityleader. Appelwick left to accept an appointment to the appeals courtbench.
The caucus, which is not expected to wrest the majority from well-entrenched Republicans in November elections, picked Rep. LynnKessler of Hoquiam to replace Chopp as minority floor leader.
Man found dead in park ID'd
KENNEWICK - A man found dead in a park was tentatively identifiedTuesday as Victor Ralston, 19, of Kennewick.
The tentative ID was based on Ralston's tattoos, Benton CountySheriff Jim Kennedy said.
Ralston, whose body was found last weekend at Hover Park in arural part of the county, was the victim of foul play, althoughKennedy refused to discuss details.
Michael E. Thornton, 28, of Dayton has been arrested and made apreliminary appearance Monday in Benton County Superior Court, whereJudge Carolyn Brown ordered him held on $500,000 bail. Formalcharges have not been filed.
Man contracts hantavirus
SPOKANE - A Franklin County man is the first in the state thisyear to contract the potentially lethal hantavirus disease, thestate Department of Health said Tuesday.
The man, in his 30s, survived the illness, which kills about halfthe people who contract it, the agency said.
'It's frightening because the disease is so often fatal,' saidMatthew Ashworth, spokesman for the Health Department.
Washington has reported 15 cases of hantavirus since 1985. Sevenhave been fatal. Eleven of the cases have occurred in EasternWashington, including one case each in Yakima and Klickitatcounties..
Roberson describes misery
SPOKANE - Pentecostal pastor Robert 'Roby' Roberson testifiedTuesday that he felt he was 'walking into the lion's den' when hewas incarcerated in the Chelan County Jail to await trial in theWenatchee child-sex-rings investigation.
Taking the stand in his civil-rights lawsuit against ChelanCounty, its jail and a corrections officer, Roberson described for aU.S. District Court jury the 135 days he was held while awaitingtrial in 1995.
Roberson, 53, was acquitted on all counts at his 1995 criminaltrial. He is seeking unspecified damages for civil-rights violationsstemming from alleged assaults in the jail.
