In brief: Stevens Pass will open ski runs today
Stevens Pass ski area plans to be the first Washington resort to run its chairlift for the 2012-’13 season, with an opening scheduled today at noon.
Resort staffers said the slopes in the North Cascades off U.S. Highway 2 collected more than 24 inches of snow in 24 hours through Monday.
Mount Baker and Crystal Mountain ski resorts announced they will open Wednesday.
The North Cascades Highway was closed Monday at noon because of heavy snowfall and avalanches, the Washington Department of Transportation announced. The closure was labeled temporary, although the pass normally closes for the winter season by late November.
Thompson lawyer files appeal notice
Just as he promised last week after the sentence, the attorney for convicted Spokane police Officer Karl F. Thompson Jr. filed notice Monday that he intends to appeal several aspects of the case.
U.S. District Court Judge Fred Van Sickle sentenced Thompson last week to 51 months in federal prison for using excessive force and lying to investigators about his confrontation in 2006 with Otto Zehm. The mentally disabled janitor died two days after the struggle in which he suffered 13 baton strikes and several shocks with a Taser.
Defense attorney Carl Oreskovich filed his notice Monday indicating that Thompson will challenge the decisions by Van Sickle to deny the motion for release pending appeal, his order refusing to dismiss the case, his refusal to order a new trial and several other rulings.
Thompson, 65, remains incarcerated at the Federal Detention Center – SeaTac in Seattle, according to the federal Bureau of Prisons.
Online property auction postponed
Spokane County will postpone its first online auction of tax-delinquent properties until March.
In an effort to help more people bid on the properties, the county announced the first online auction for Dec. 3-4. The auction will be for about 100 properties for which taxes have gone unpaid for three or more years, said County Treasurer Rob Chase.
A press release noted the postponement is due to the county’s anticipated expenses related to the holidays and winter weather.
Minor quake felt in Portland area
PORTLAND – A minor earthquake with a 3.1 magnitude was recorded Monday morning in the Portland region.
The Pacific Northwest Seismic Network reported the quake at 6:15 a.m. was centered about 11 miles northwest of Portland and was relatively deep, at 12 miles.
It was felt in the outlying towns of Scappoose, Oregon City and Woodburn in Oregon and in Vancouver, Brush Prairie and Ridgefield in Washington.
Geologist Scott Burns at Portland State University told KATU-TV the temblor may be related to a smaller earthquake Sunday of 2.3 magnitude.
Burns said quakes stronger than 2.5 can generally be felt.