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

In brief: Body found in Newport park

Police closed a Newport, Wash., park on Sunday to investigate a woman’s body that was found in the snow there in the morning.

The Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s Office, assisted by the Washington State Patrol, cordoned off City Park as they worked to determine what happened. The park is located next to Sadie Halstead Middle School.

Officials had released no details on the investigation as of Sunday evening.

Shooting at party leaves one dead

GRANDVIEW, Wash. – A shooting at a large party in Washington has left one person dead and another injured.

The Yakima County Sheriff’s Office said the shooting occurred early Sunday in an area outside the Yakima County city of Grandview.

Authorities said a party involving several hundred people was taking place when a fight broke out. The Sheriff’s Office said 20-year-old Carmen Johnson, of Mabton, was killed in the shooting. Another person was transported to a nearby hospital for a gunshot wound that was not life-threatening.

Investigators have not identified the shooter and are asking people to call the Sheriff’s Office with information.

One person killed in apartment fire

EVERETT – One person was found dead and 36 people have been displaced after an apartment fire in Everett.

Authorities said the fire occurred Sunday morning, when crews found flames in the upper floors of the apartment complex. Crews discovered a body after extinguishing the fire.

The Everett Police Department said arson detectives are investigating the fire and that officials haven’t determined a cause. Meanwhile, the American Red Cross is assisting at least 36 residents of the complex who are displaced.

Welfare rolls may be lowest ever

SEATTLE – Washington welfare usage is at perhaps the lowest point ever.

The Seattle Times reported that about 43,000 state families received welfare in October. That’s the fewest number of recipients since at least 1990.

Some of that change appears to be from policies that took effect in early 2011 that lowered eligibility and made it more difficult to get extensions. The state says lower caseloads are saving the state hundreds of millions of dollars.

But the welfare rolls are shrinking at a time when other signs of poverty are on the rise. Medicaid and food stamp usage has risen since 2011. Homeless shelters report that more people are relying on their services.

Search for man might end today

HELENA – Lewis and Clark County officials in Western Montana were looking for a missing Colorado man but said the search would likely end after Sunday if no clues were found.

Sheriff Leo Dutton told the Independent Record that no sign of 52-year-old Dale Brownlow was found Saturday.

The wildlife biologist from Denver has been missing for about two weeks.

His vehicle has been parked since at least Dec. 1 at a trailhead in the Hunter’s Gulch area leading into the Helena National Forest.