In brief: Viaduct will get seismic alert gear

SEATTLE – The state plans to equip the crumbling Alaskan Way Viaduct with sensors that will close the elevated roadway at the first sign of seismic activity, Gov. Chris Gregoire said Saturday.

The announcement came as she and Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels met near Qwest Field to sign an agreement to replace the structure with a deep-bore tunnel.

The system will use sensors, signs and gates on entrance ramps to close down the structure in an emergency until engineers know whether it is safe to travel on, Gregoire said.

“It is a measure of how seriously we take safety now until …

SEATTLE – The state plans to equip the crumbling Alaskan Way Viaduct with sensors that will close the elevated roadway at the first sign of seismic activity, Gov. Chris Gregoire said Saturday.

The announcement came as she and Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels met near Qwest Field to sign an agreement to replace the structure with a deep-bore tunnel.

The system will use sensors, signs and gates on entrance ramps to close down the structure in an emergency until engineers know whether it is safe to travel on, Gregoire said.

“It is a measure of how seriously we take safety now until we can get the replacement activated,” Gregoire said.

The $4.2 billion tunnel is scheduled to open in 2015, but until then the viaduct, which carries more than 100,000 cars per day, will remain the city’s second- busiest north-south arterial after Interstate 5. The structure was damaged in a 2001 earthquake.

Officials ID body; man still missing

GRAYLAND, Wash. – Investigators have identified the body of woman that washed ashore in Grays Harbor County, but there’s still no sign of her companion or the boat they were on.

KXRO and KBKW Radio report that Teri Dascher, 47, of Kingston, was found in Grayland on Friday morning. John Phillip Stapp, 51, of Seattle, remains missing.

Grays Harbor County Undersheriff Rick Scott said the two were last seen aboard the Connie B, a 25-foot sailboat that left from King County and had spent the last few weeks in Westport being repaired.

The two were headed for the South Pacific. Scott said that based on the amount of debris that washed ashore, investigators believe the vessel was in some kind of accident.

Police say robber hit two Quiznos

Spokane police are searching for an armed robber who held up two Quiznos sub shops Saturday night in a little more than a half-hour.

According to news reports, officers say the man hit the Quiznos, 1601 N. Division St., about 7:40 p.m., showing workers a silver handgun while demanding cash. He did not get any money and drove away.

Police believe the man headed north and stopped to knock over a second Quiznos, 6125 N. Division St., at 8:13 p.m. A man matching the description of the first robber threatened employees with a silver handgun and forced them to get on the floor while one worker opened the register. Police believe he escaped in a vehicle.

Anyone with information about the robberies is asked to call police.