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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

In brief: Class size initiative hangs on final votes

OLYMPIA – The last mail-in ballots to be counted in Washington will decide whether a class size initiative passes.

They’ll also determine the extent of Republican gains in both the state Senate and House.

Ballots counted last week showed Initiative 1351 leading by 18,000 votes – 50.5 percent to 49.5 percent.

Supporters are claiming victory for the measure that would set lower class sizes at every grade level.

Critics say it’s too expensive and will cost the state about $2 billion a year to pay for thousands of more teachers and other school staff.

The secretary of state’s office estimated Monday there were about 168,000 ballots left to be counted.

About 1.9 million of the state’s 3.9 million ballots have been counted for a turnout of 49 percent.

Counties certify results Nov. 25.

Trauma of crash killed Idaho soldiers

BOISE – Two chief warrant officers killed when their Apache attack helicopter went down during a training mission near the Boise airport died of blunt force trauma due to the crash.

The Idaho National Guard on Monday released the Ada County coroner’s report about the Thursday crash that killed 50-year-old Stien P. Gearhart and 43-year-old Jon L. Hartway.

They were the only two soldiers aboard the aircraft.

Guard spokesman Col. Tim Marsano said the crash remains under investigation.

Funeral services for Gearhart are planned for Wednesday, while services for Hartway are set for Friday.

Services for each will be followed with interment at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery.

Both were assigned to the 1-183rd Attack Reconnaissance Battalion headquartered at Gowen Field in Boise.

Gearhart lived in Meridian and Hartway lived in Kuna.

Airlines sue Port of Seattle over wages

SEATTLE – An airline industry trade organization is suing the Port of Seattle over its decision to increase the minimum wage for some workers at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

The port voted in July to raise the minimum wage for workers who require a security badge to do their jobs to $11.22 an hour in January 2015 and $13 an hour in January 2017.

The port estimates more than 3,000 people would get a raise under the proposal.

Airlines for America contends in a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Seattle that the port is unlawfully imposing wage, hiring and training requirements on airlines and their employees that conflict with federal and state laws and labor agreements.

An attorney for the industry group contends any wage laws should cover all workers in the state and not just a small subgroup of employees at the airport.

A request for comment from the Port of Seattle was not immediately answered.

Lewis-McChord chef wins TV contest

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. – A chef at Joint Base Lewis-McChord has won first place on a TV cooking contest.

Twenty-five-year-old Randy Mulder won first place and $18,000 on the Food Network show “Guy’s Grocery Games.”

The News Tribune reported the show pits four chefs against each other in grocery-themed challenges.

Mulder filmed the show in February but had to keep the results a secret until Sunday night when the show aired.

He plans to split his winnings with a national nonprofit organization that cares for wounded troops.

Military engineers to demolish building

OLYMPIA – Soldiers from Joint Base Lewis-McChord will demolish a vacant building in downtown Olympia as a training exercise.

The 555th Engineering Brigade is expected to begin demolition Dec. 1 and finish by the end of January.

Lt. Bryan Perrenod told the Olympian it’s practical training for construction engineers.

The city’s military liaison, Bob Jones, said crews have already removed hazardous materials, including asbestos.

The building is one of two the city purchased on a strip of land known as the isthmus between Capitol Lake and West Bay. Proposals for the property include a park.

Inquest ordered into park shooting

SEATTLE – The King County executive has ordered an inquest into July’s fatal shooting of a man by Seattle police.

Larry Flynn was shot during a confrontation with officers at Gas Works Park July 30.

Police said officers patrolling Gas Works Park around 2:45 a.m. were approached by a security guard who said a man had attacked him.

Officers approached that man, who then broke a glass bottle and brandished it at them. Officers deployed Tasers but that didn’t subdue the man. The man then lunged at an officer and that’s when two officers fired their weapons.

The King County prosecutor’s office recommended the inquest after reviewing the investigation by Seattle police.