Region in brief: Ione teen killed in rollover crash
A 17-year-old Ione, Wash., boy was killed early Sunday after being ejected from his Jeep when it rolled on a Pend Oreille County road.
Dallas C. Newman was southbound on LeClerc Road about 4:20 a.m., five miles south of Ione, when his 2006 Jeep Wrangler left the roadway, overcorrected and rolled, the Washington State Patrol reported.
Newman, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected and pronounced dead at the scene.
Crash holds up traffic on I-90
A semi-truck crashed into the cement barriers on Fourth of July pass Sunday morning, creating a pileup that halted traffic on Interstate 90 for about two hours.
No one was injured in the wreck. Idaho State Police said that Andrew Buttles, 51, of Waupaca, Wis., was traveling too fast for wet, wintry conditions in his Peterbilt semi-truck, heading west on I-90, when he lost control and struck the cement barriers in the center of the interstate.
Lanes in both directions were blocked for about two hours, the ISP said.
West Nile virus season ends
This year’s West Nile virus season – the most active on record – has ended with the return of cold weather, according to the Washington state Department of Health.
Most virus activity was on the East Side of the state, officials said.
As of Thursday, 36 people had been confirmed with West Nile infection in the state, and a Yakima County woman in her 70s was the state’s first death from the virus.
Of the 36 people, 28 experienced severe disease, including encephalitis, meningitis and paralysis from the virus. Eight had mild illness with a fever and headache.
As well, 71 horses, one dog, 22 birds and 341 mosquito samples tested positive for West Nile virus. Through this testing the virus was detected in 14 counties, with Grays Harbor, Franklin, Mason and Walla Walla counties having their first West Nile detections since monitoring began in 2001.
Washington had the nation’s highest number of horses infected with the virus. Nearly half of horses infected either died from the illness or were euthanized.
Bald Mountain gondola opens
KETCHUM, Idaho – Sun Valley Co. unveiled its new gondola on Bald Mountain with free rides.
The Times-News reported that thousands lined up Saturday to ride the gondola that carries passengers from River Run up 2,000 feet in less than eight minutes to the resort’s Roundhouse restaurant midway up the mountain.
Besides skiers and snowboarders, the gondola will also carry diners to the restaurant.
Bald Mountain, typically ranked as one of the nation’s top ski destinations, is expected to open for the season on Thanksgiving Day.
Tugboat sinks at Seattle pier
SEATTLE – State officials say a tugboat sank at its Seattle waterfront pier and a crew member was taken to the hospital Saturday night.
The state Department of Ecology said the tugboat sank around 10 p.m. Saturday after waves inundated its stern.
KOMO News reported that one crew member was taken to Harborview Medical Center, where he was listed in good condition Sunday.
The tugboat is owned by Seattle-based NRC Environmental Services, a cleanup contractor, which dispatched two other boats after the tug sank. The U.S. Coast Guard also responded to the incident.
Ecology department spokesman Curt Hart said the tugboat had about 200 gallons of diesel in its tanks when it sank, but there were no visible leaks Saturday.