Stories for February 28, 2007

• Whitworth making SAT, ACT optional for applicants

  In City on Page A1 Starting next year, Whitworth College will stop requiring applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores, joining a growing number of colleges that are downgrading the importance of the standardized tests …

• Tribes to get more slot-style machines Gaming pact on table

  In City on Page A1 OLYMPIA – But wait, there’s more. Less than two weeks after signing its first-ever gambling agreement with the Spokane Tribe, the state is close to signing an agreement with Washington’s …

• Analysts predict recession unlikely

  In Nation/World on Page A1 WASHINGTON – The dreaded R word – recession – is back in play, contributing to Tuesday’s stock market plunge. But is recession a real possibility?

• Tribe tax bill softened

  In Idaho on Page A1 BOISE – Gov. Butch Otter is negotiating with Idaho Indian tribes over gas taxes and said he doesn’t want lawmakers to cut off the negotiations July 1. On Tuesday, House …

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  Timber counties face cuts

  In City on Page A1 Timber communities throughout the Northwest could have millions less to fix roads and support schools next year unless Congress continues to help cover lost revenue from national forests.

• Harvard study says ice cream may aid fertility

  In Nation/World on Page A2 Ben & Jerry might help you get pregnant, but not in the usual way. A diet rich in ice cream and other high-fat dairy foods may lower the risk of …

• New HIV drug types hailed as ‘remarkable’

  In Nation/World on Page A2 LOS ANGELES – In what some are hailing as the most important development in HIV therapy in a decade, two new classes of drugs have been found to block virus …

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  Baghdad sees sharp drop in body count

  In Nation/World on Page A3 BAGHDAD, Iraq – The Baghdad security operation has been under way less than three weeks, but it has already registered a success: a sharp drop in the number of bullet-riddled …

• Till jury declines indictment

  In Nation/World on Page A3 ATLANTA – The murder case of Emmett Till – one of the most infamous slayings of the civil rights era – appears to be drawing to a fruitless close 52 …

• Diocese of San Diego to file for bankruptcy

  In Nation/World on Page A3 SAN DIEGO – The Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego said Tuesday that it planned to file for bankruptcy protection to put off going to trial in more than 140 …

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  U.S. agrees to talks with Syria, Iran

  In Nation/World on Page A3 WASHINGTON – The United States agreed Tuesday to join high-level talks with Iran and Syria on the future of Iraq, an abrupt shift in policy that opens the door to …

• World in brief: Castro makes call to radio talk show

  In Nation/World on Page A3 Cuban leader Fidel Castro – in his first live comments since falling ill more than six months ago – declared on Tuesday that he feels “more energetic, stronger” and said …

• Group wants detainees disclosed

  In Nation/World on Page A4 WASHINGTON – A human rights group Tuesday published the names of 38 people it believes have been locked up in secret overseas facilities and asked President Bush to disclose the …

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  San Francisco hillside collapses

  In Nation/World on Page A4 SAN FRANCISCO – A wide swath of hillside came thundering down on a strip club and several apartment buildings in the city’s North Beach district Tuesday, forcing residents from their …

• Nation in brief: Health inspector removed from duty

  In Nation/World on Page A4 A city health inspector who gave a passing grade to a fast-food restaurant a day before television cameras captured images of rats scampering across its floor has been removed from …

• Study finds high HPV rate

  In Nation/World on Page A4 WASHINGTON – More than one-third of American women are infected by human papilloma virus (HPV), which in rare cases can lead to cervical cancer, by the time they are 24 …

• Study disputes benefits of antioxidants

  In Nation/World on Page A5 Supplements that millions of Americans take to stave off disease and slow the aging process do not boost longevity and appear to actually increase the risk of dying, according to …

• Federal panel recommends bird flu vaccine approval

  In Nation/World on Page A5 A federal advisory committee Tuesday recommended approval of the first bird flu vaccine for humans, despite concerns about its safety and evidence that the shots won’t protect most people. The …

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  Hail damage delays space shuttle launch

  In Nation/World on Page A5 CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA on Tuesday postponed next month’s launch of space shuttle Atlantis after a hailstorm left hundreds of small dings on the spacecraft’s external fuel tank. The …

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  Unclear if attacker knew of Cheney visit

  In Nation/World on Page A6 WASHINGTON – U.S. and Afghan officials are investigating whether Taliban fighters who claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing at Bagram Air Force Base were tipped off that Vice President Dick …

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  In deal, officials allow mom to keep custody of large boy

  In Nation/World on Page A6 LONDON – A mother who feared she might lose custody of her obese 8-year-old son unless he lost weight was allowed to keep the boy after striking a deal Tuesday …

• Sudan link to war crimes alleged

  In Nation/World on Page A6 THE HAGUE, Netherlands – The International Criminal Court’s prosecutor on Tuesday linked Sudan’s government to atrocities in Darfur, naming a minister close to the president as a war crimes suspect …

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  Gore’s electricity use criticized

  In Nation/World on Page A7 NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Al Gore, a leading voice in the fight against global warming, is being called a hypocrite by a conservative group that claims his Nashville mansion uses too …

• Obama leads Clinton among black voters

  In Nation/World on Page A7 WASHINGTON – The opening stages of the campaign for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination have produced a noticeable shift in sentiment among African American voters, who little more than a …

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  Mayor poised to beat city’s term record

  In Nation/World on Page A7 CHICAGO – Mayor Richard M. Daley won a sixth term Tuesday, overcoming a City Hall corruption scandal and putting himself on course to eclipse his legendary father’s record as the …

• Computer glitch cause blamed for quick drop

  In Business on Page A8 NEW YORK — When the Dow Jones industrial average plunged to its low of the session Tuesday, it happened with incredible swiftness — a matter of seconds — because of …

• Interior hopes to recoup oil, gas royalties

  In Business on Page A8 WASHINGTON — The Interior Department is negotiating with 22 companies to try to recoup lost oil and gas royalties because of a government leasing mistake, according to the head of …

• PFD urges use of eminent domain

  In Business on Page A8 A standoff between the Spokane Public Facilities District and a local architect over a half-block of downtown property, across the street from the Convention Center, could be headed to court. …

• Amtrak passengers are railing

  In Business on Page A8 WASHINGTON — The Capitol Limited, an Amtrak train from Chicago, is scheduled to arrive in Washington every day at 1:30 p.m. But frequent rider Edda Ramos knows better than to …

• Business in brief: Sirius records narrower loss

  In Business on Page A8 Sirius Satellite Radio Inc., which has agreed to acquire its rival XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc., reported a narrower loss for the fourth quarter Tuesday as revenues more than doubled. …

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  The halting of the bulls

  In Business on Page A8 NEW YORK — The numbers look terrible: The Dow Jones industrials down more than 400 points. The Nasdaq composite index off nearly 100. Traders and investors who gave the stock …

• Union tensions mount as Airbus prepares for cuts

  In Business on Page A9 PARIS — Airbus was at the center of mounting industrial tensions Tuesday as the European aircraft maker prepared to unveil a long-awaited restructuring program likely to include thousands of job …

• Chrysler to offer buyouts of up to $100,000

  In Business on Page A9 DETROIT — Chrysler Group will offer all 49,600 hourly workers in the U.S. up to $100,000 to leave the company as part of a recovery plan announced earlier this month. …

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  Mississippi gets Toyota plant

  In Business on Page A9 TUPELO, Miss. — Toyota Motor Corp.’s Highlander sport utility vehicle should start rolling off the assembly line at a new, $1.3 billion plant in northeast Mississippi by 2010, company and …

• Company News: Wal-Mart sees no need to split business

  In Business on Page A9 Wal-Mart Stores Inc. sees no need to split itself into multiple companies despite its growing global size and suggestions from some financial analysts that it shed some businesses to generate …

• Federated plans name change to Macy’s

  In Business on Page A9 NEW YORK — Federated Department Stores Inc. reported strong fourth-quarter profits Tuesday and said it will change its name to Macy’s Group Inc. But the department store operator — still …

• Book on Dracula earns prison release

  In Nation/World on Page A11 IASI, Romania – An American historian sentenced to seven years in prison for sexual perversion and abuse of minors won early release from prison Tuesday because he wrote a book …

• Smith’s mother visits infant granddaughter

  In Nation/World on Page A12 NASSAU, Bahamas – Anna Nicole Smith’s estranged mother wept Tuesday after making a brief first visit with the 5-month-old daughter of the late former Playboy Playmate. Virgie Arthur, who had …

• Truth can be inconvenient, but not insurmountable

  In City on Page B1 So, what’s your truth? Clearly Al Gore has found his, and now it’s brought him an Oscar and a Nobel Peace Prize nomination. Excuse me, but where was this green …

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  After 8 weeks, judge orders girl home

  In City on Page B1 RITZVILLE, Wash. – An Adams County judge ordered that a 2-year-old girl with diabetes be returned to her parents on Monday, nearly eight weeks after the state took her away …

• In brief: Caribou buffer zone in Selkirks expanded

  In City on Page B1 The area in the Idaho Selkirk Mountains closed to snowmobiling to protect endangered woodland caribou has been expanded by a court ruling handed down on Monday. A 2.6-mile swath along …

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  Lack of black history events starts dialogue

  In Idaho on Page B1 Treylon “Trey” Cain-Taylor is used to being a lone black face in a sea of white students. Ever since he moved out of Seattle as a young boy, he’s been …

• Woman faces neglect charges

  In Idaho on Page B1 A Rathdrum woman accused of neglecting four horses, including one that had to be euthanized, faces animal cruelty charges. Authorities seized the other three horses Tuesday, Kootenai County sheriff’s Lt. …

• Huckleberries: Bloggers think day-care rules should fit this century

  In Idaho on Page B1 Rep. Tom Loertscher’s Keep-‘Em-Barefoot-And -Pregnant wing of the Idaho Republican Party hit a nerve at Huckleberries Online this week. Loertscher? He’s one of the two members of the House Health …

• Shot man denies taking truck

  In City on Page B1 Two days after an off-duty Spokane police officer shot a man he claimed was stealing his truck, the man’s attorney is saying his client only asked the officer for a …

• In brief: Baughman inquiry tab topped $7,500

  In Idaho on Page B1 The independent investigation into the conduct of Kootenai County’s former chief deputy prosecutor cost more than $7,500. Investigator Kandy Weaver charged Kootenai County $125 an hour, or $7,062.50, for the …

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  Abuse bill faces struggle

  In City on Page B2 OLYMPIA – Sen. Chris Marr is running into some political headwinds in his push to change the law so all sex crimes against children can be prosecuted until the day …

• Budgets boost state’s nursing faculty

  In Idaho on Page B2 BOISE – Lawmakers approved a substantial investment in new nursing faculty at the state’s colleges and universities Tuesday in response to a statewide nursing shortage. “All we hear is a …

• Bloomsday check-in, trade show moved

  In City on Page B2 One major change will mark this spring’s Lilac Bloomsday Run: Check-in and the trade show will be in the new Spokane Convention Center Group Health Exhibit Hall. “This will provide …

• Idaho lawmaker softens tribal gas tax legislation

  In Idaho on Page B2 BOISE – Gov. Butch Otter is negotiating with Idaho Indian tribes over gas taxes and said he doesn’t want lawmakers to cut off the negotiations July 1. On Tuesday, House …

• In brief: Panel OKs tax bill, rejects two others

  In Idaho on Page B2 The House Revenue and Taxation Committee rejected two local-option tax bills Tuesday, opting not to introduce them or allow hearings, but narrowly agreed to introduce a third one. The panel …

• Official Records

  In City on Page B2 Spokane County

• NIC may OK alcohol at events

  In Idaho on Page B3 A proposal to allow alcohol to be served on the North Idaho College campus during special occasions will be presented tonight at the college’s Board of Trustees meeting. The proposal …

• Suquamish Tribe settles oil spill claim

  In City on Page B3 SEATTLE – Foss Maritime Co. will pay the Suquamish Tribe $1.1 million for environmental and spiritual damage caused by a 2003 oil spill near Edmonds. Nearly 4,700 gallons of heavy …

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  Accident kills five children

  In Idaho on Page B3 EMMETT, Idaho – A car carrying five children on their way to school slid off an icy highway into a pond Tuesday. All five died, including the 15-year-old driver, an …

• In brief: Appeal upheld in growth plan claim

  In Idaho on Page B3 A judge refused Tuesday to dismiss an appeal by a neighborhood group that claims the Kootenai County commission erred when it amended the growth plan to allow for a private …

• Users press panel on medical pot

  In City on Page B3 OLYMPIA – Everett horticulturalist Steve Sarich surprised a roomful of state lawmakers Tuesday when he showed up with a small cardboard box that read “raspberries.” Raspberries they were not.

• Bills seek less WASL impact

  In City on Page B3 SEATTLE – Both houses of the state Legislature have advanced bills that would lessen the impact of Washington’s high-stakes student achievement test, despite insistence by the governor and the state …

• WSU names new dean of nursing college

  In City on Page B3 Washington State University named a dean Tuesday to its Intercollegiate College of Nursing: Patricia G. Butterfield, a University of Washington nursing professor. Butterfield, 51, is chairwoman of the UW Department …

• Clintons’ largesse deserves scrutiny

  In Opinion on Page B4 Former President Bill Clinton is one of a kind, but we knew that already. No president before him has managed to cash in from his time in office with such …

• Canada health system flawed

  In Opinion on Page B4 If you want to sell Americans on universal health coverage, it’s not helpful to use a model that makes patients wait five weeks to see a cancer doctor. That’s Canada. …

• Our View: Complete support

  In Opinion on Page B4 When Iraq troops return home to Spokane and Coeur d’Alene, they often fight nightmares and anxiety. They may speed up recklessly when they spot a manhole cover resembling an IED. …

• Outside view: Let freedom clash

  In Opinion on Page B4 The following editorial appeared Monday in the Yakima Herald-Republic:

• State sports funding should cross a ballot

  In Opinion on Page B5 We should be flattered, I guess, that so many rich folks want us to be their partners. Silent partners, to be sure, but partners nonetheless in the exciting world of …

• Men allege excessive force, seek recompense

  In City on Page B6 A civil trial started Tuesday brought by two men who claim that Spokane police officers used excessive force when they applied Tasers a total of 11 times during a 2003 …

• Idaho records

  In Idaho on Page B6 For 02-28-2007

• In brief: Man arrested in attack at plaza

  In City on Page B6 A man was in jail Tuesday night after police say he stabbed a stranger at the STA Plaza and then ran to his apartment and assaulted another man. Joseph E. …

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  Raivio shares POY honors

  In Sports on Page C1 Did this year’s West Coast Conference men’s basketball awards merit a recount? One of the winners wondered as much Tuesday.

• Seniors set tone for Saxons

  In Sports on Page C1 Morgan Hyslop missed traveling Tuesday morning in the van with his teammates headed to the State 4A basketball tournament in Tacoma. He wasn’t, however, about to miss his final basketball …

• Fast Break

  In Sports on Page C1 For 02-28-2007

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  Tigers’ final tale

  In Sports on Page C1 Not long ago, a parent brought out an old photograph of Derek Gianukakis’ sixth-grade AAU championship basketball team. The guys – Derek, Cody Groth, Todd Orestad, Kavan Lehn and Alex …

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  Positive position

  In Sports on Page C1 Coeur d’Alene High boys basketball coach Kent Leiss isn’t going to lie. Timberline coach David Roberts isn’t about to fib, either. The coaches like where their teams are placed going …

• Bruins lavish big praises

  In Sports on Page C1 Ben Howland walked out onto the Pauley Pavilion floor on Dec. 28 after most of the fans had already cleared out for his postgame radio interview. His UCLA Bruins had …

• North Star points toward state

  In Sports on Page C1 History suggests that the North Star League teams that qualified for the State 1A boys basketball tournament won’t be around long this week. The Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy and Clark …

• ISU excludes Eastern from party

  In Sports on Page C1 Eastern Washington’s disappointing basketball season came to a disappointing end Tuesday night. It was fitting the final blow, so to speak, was delivered by Montana State.

• On the Air

  In Sports on Page C2 For 02-28-2007

• In brief: Hamm, Foudy elected to soccer’s hall of fame

  In Sports on Page C2 Former teammates Mia Hamm and Julie Foudy, who shared two Olympic gold medals and two World Cup titles, were both elected Tuesday to the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Hamm …

• NBA: Mavericks post 13th straight win

  In Sports on Page C2 Dirk Nowitzki had 23 points and 14 rebounds and Josh Howard bounced back from a sprained ankle suffered the night before to lead the Dallas Mavericks to their 13th straight …

• NHL : Brodeur notches 92nd shutout of career

  In Sports on Page C2 Martin Brodeur made 31 saves for his league-leading 12th shutout of the season and Jamie Langenbrunner scored as the New Jersey Devils beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 1-0 Thursday night in …

• Top 25/Big Sky: Volunteers keep No. 5 Gators reeling

  In Sports on Page C2 Chris Lofton scored 21 points, and Tennessee pulled away from No. 5 Florida in the first half and held on for an 86-76 victory Tuesday night in Knoxville, Tenn. The …

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  Islanders make move

  In Sports on Page C2 The New York Islanders kept their leading scorer and nabbed the guy that makes the Edmonton Oilers go. Just minutes before the NHL trading deadline expired Tuesday afternoon, the Islanders …

• Baseball notebook: Red Sox hope Pineiro can fill closer role

  In Sports on Page C3 Joel Pineiro is starting over in his eighth major league season. The right-hander is with a new team, preparing for a new role and working with a new pitching motion. …

• Meche enjoys ride at 55

  In Sports on Page C3 SURPRISE, Ariz. – Fifty-five. That number is making Gil Meche a rich man. It also gives him chills sometimes.

• Area roundup: Idaho’s Castleman wins Inland Cup golf tourney

  In Sports on Page C3 University of Idaho’s Cassie Castleman edged Washington State’s Jessica Black on the second playoff hole Tuesday to earn women’s medalist honors for the Inland Cup at Quail Ridge Golf Course …

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  MARINERS SPRING TRAINING: Wilson shows wallop

  In Sports on Page C3 PEORIA, Ariz. – Seattle Mariners manager Mike Hargrove tells his young players that it’s too early in spring training to evaluate talent, so they shouldn’t try too hard to make …

• Today’s menu

  In Sports on Page C4 For 02-28-2007

• NO HEADLINE

  In Sports on Page C4 Baseball MLB

• Prep basketball

  In Sports on Page C5 Tina Miller’s three-point play with 1 minute, 19 seconds remaining helped the Kamiakin Braves hold off the Mt. Spokane Wildcats 49-46 in a girls 3A Eastern Regional loser-out basketball game …

• Colfax girls begin quest for 4th straight

  In Sports on Page C5 Jordan Harazin remembers the day she first got a Colfax varsity girls basketball uniform. “I brought it home and I was just so happy to have it,” the junior point …

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  West swing lacked zing

  In Sports on Page C5 MARANA, Ariz. – Two months into the season, Tiger Woods has played only seven rounds on the PGA Tour. The West Coast Swing usually doesn’t set any trends, and it …

• Durant, Bennett deserve salutes

  In Sports on Page C5 March arrives this week, and with it the headlong plunge into madness that will culminate in the NCAA championship game April 2 in Atlanta. It’s almost time to start looking …

• USGA takes on new spin

  In Sports on Page C5 Twenty years after settling a lawsuit over square grooves in irons, the U.S. Golf Association proposed a change Tuesday that would limit the amount of spin produced by U-shaped grooves. …

• “Slow Cooker Recipes”

  In Food on Page D1 Inside the Gooseberry Patch’s latest cookbook, you’ll find a recipe from Spokane. Marie Cordalis shared her Chicken Mexi-Wraps in the new “Slow-Cooker Recipes.” The Gooseberry Patch collects “best-loved” family recipes …

• Grapevine: Turner finds a nice balance at Three Rivers Winery

  In Food on Page D1 Holly Turner grew up in McMinnville, Ore., yet pinot noir is one of the few wines she does not make at the Three Rivers Winery in Walla Walla. Turner, who …

• Making copies

  In Food on Page D1 Todd Wilbur has built a career out of making copies. But his is no dead-end job. The 43-year-old Las Vegas man sold more than 79,000 cookbooks on the QVC shopping …

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  Fresh Sheet : Have you tried the brisket?

  In Food on Page D1 For generations, members of Temple Beth Shalom have invited the community to dinner so they can share their Jewish heritage and food. And year after year, Spokane and area residents …

• Carolyn Hax: Admitting one has needs is OK

  In Features on Page D2 Carolyn: Last year, after nearly four years with my girlfriend, I called off our wedding and moved out. We tried to date afterward, but we couldn’t move on from our …

• Horoscope

  In Features on Page D2 For 02-28-2007

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  People : She couldn’t keep a lid on it

  In Features on Page D2 Friends and fellow Point Pleasant, N.J., residents are rallying around Antonella Barba, the latest “American Idol” contestant caught up in a lewd photo scandal. Several online images have surfaced allegedly …

• Culinary calendar

  In Food on Page D3 Food for Fines in Whitman County - Library users can exchange nonperishable food items for up to $10 in outstanding library fines. All food will be collected through today and …

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  Cooking in packets healthy, flavorful and mess-free

  In Food on Page D4 A delicious, low-fat dinner with no pots, no pans and minimal cleanup?

• Reader Food Panel: Muffins get Ultimate praise

  In Food on Page D4 These muffins must be good.

• The Recipe Doctor: Fat cut in half in lightened lemon scones

  In Food on Page D4 Dear Recipe Doctor: A bakery near my house makes scrumptious lemon scones, and I would really appreciate if you could create a light lemon scone that I can make at …

• One-dish chili, cornbread comforting

  In Food on Page D5 There’s something incredibly homey about savory, saucy foods topped with bread baked in the juices of the dish.

• Books for Cooks: Salsa adds Mexican flavor to chicken wraps

  In Food on Page D5 The Gooseberry Patch collects family recipes for its collection of cookbooks.

• Idaho Calendar

  In Features on Page D6 For 02-28-2007

• Spokane Calendar

  In Features on Page D6 For 02-28-2007

• Achievements: EWU names scholarship recipients

  In Features on Page D6 Eastern Washington University has announced its list of scholarship recipients for the 2006-07 academic year. Donald Goodwin of Spokane was awarded $3,500 for the Phil Grub Music scholarship.

• Clubs

  In Features on Page D6 New listings

• MISS MANNERS: Online announcements not very e-viting

  In Features on Page D9 Dear Miss Manners: I received an invitation to a friend’s cocktail party through a Web site “e-vite.” I was sent an e-mail, which contained a link to a Web site, …

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  Home sweet Malibu rehab

  In Features on Page D9 MALIBU, Calif. – Gourmet meals, masseuses, 500-thread-count sheets, and private rooms with a fireplace and a view of one of the city’s most exclusive beaches.

• Oscar ratings outdo ‘Idol’s’

  In Features on Page D9 Oscar organizers can sigh with relief. Their big night still outshone “American Idol” – barely.