In brief: Canada quake leads to tsunami warning
VANCOUVER, B.C. – A magnitude-7.7 earthquake struck off the coast of western Canada on Saturday, and a tsunami warning was issued, authorities said. There were no immediate reports of damage.
The U.S. Geological Survey in Colorado said the quake hit the Queen Charlotte Islands shortly after 8 p.m. Saturday and was centered 96 miles south of Masset, B.C. It was followed by a 5.8-magnitude aftershock several minutes later.
The National Weather Service issued a tsunami warning for coastal areas of British Columbia and southern Alaska. An earlier warning included Northern California, Oregon and Washington.
The U.S. Coast Guard in Alaska said it was trying to warn everyone with a boat on the water to prepare for a potential tsunami.
Lt. Bernard Auth of the Juneau Command Center said the Coast Guard was also working with local authorities to alert people in coastal towns to take precautions.
The earthquake occurred 25 miles south of Sandspit, B.C. on the Haida Gwaii archipelago, formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands.
E. coli case traced to petting zoo
LONGVIEW, Wash. – Health officials in southwest Washington are investigating one confirmed case and another probable case of E. coli-related illness in children who visited a pumpkin patch and petting zoo.
Cowlitz County health officials say two children became ill after visiting the Willow Grove Gardens Pumpkin Patch and petting zoo in Longview earlier this month.
One child was hospitalized for several days but is now recovering.
Convicted killer sentenced to life
OKANOGAN, Wash. – A 50-year-old Omak man has been sentenced to life in prison for the rape and murder of a 51-year-old woman nearly 15 years ago.
An Okanogan County jury convicted Kelly Small last month of the first-degree murder of Sandy Bauer, who was strangled in her Omak apartment in 1998. A separate jury earlier found him guilty of raping a 75-year-old Omak woman in 2006.
On Friday, Small received a life sentence for murder and 10 years and three months for Bauer’s rape. Small was previously sentenced to nearly 32 years in prison for the 2006 rape.
Bauer’s case went unsolved until Omak police matched DNA found during the 2006 rape with hairs found in Bauer’s apartment.
Wild mink at zoo kills seven puffins
TACOMA – A wild mink entered the seabird exhibit at the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma and killed seven tufted puffins.
The zoo says staff members trapped the wild predator Thursday and moved 19 surviving puffins and five common murres behind the scenes.
The birds will be moved to the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport, Ore., until the 30-year-old exhibit at the Tacoma zoo can be renovated.