In brief: U.S. Judge Winmill hears motion to dismiss lawsuit against NSA

Lawyers for the federal government are asking U.S. District Court Judge B. Lynn Winmill to throw out a lawsuit filed against President Barack Obama and top security officials over the National Security Administration’s mass surveillance of phone records.

Winmill heard arguments from both sides Thursday on a motion to dismiss the case, then took it under advisement and said he would rule at a later date. The case was heard in Coeur d’Alene.

Lawyers for plaintiff Anna Smith contend the Coeur d’Alene woman’s constitutional rights under the First and Fourth amendments were violated and that the lawsuit should proceed.

But a lawyer for the Justice Department said the mass collection of telephone records was legal and that there was no expectation of privacy in the telephone numbers that people dialed.

Delisting of grizzlies may be sought soon

HELENA – The head of Montana’s wildlife agency said Thursday federal officials will seek to lift federal protections from some threatened grizzly bears in the Northern Rockies in the next two years.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks director Jeff Hagener told lawmakers he expects the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to propose rules that could remove two populations of grizzlies from the endangered species list.

One rule could lift protections for bears in and around Yellowstone Park in 2015, Hagener said. The other rule ending protections would be for grizzlies in the Northern Continental Divide region by 2016, he said.

Estimates show about 740 grizzly bears live in and around Yellowstone, while about 1,000 live in the Northern Continental Divide region, Hagener said.

Yellowstone-area grizzlies were delisted in 2007, then returned to the list under court order in 2009. A U.S. District Court judge said at the time that the Fish and Wildlife Service had not shown the bruins’ recovery would withstand the loss of a key food source, the nuts from whitebark pine cones. The agency has since done additional scientific work and concluded the bears can switch to other foods, such as elk.

If Fish and Wildlife Service officials propose a rule for grizzly delisting, a 60-day public comment period follows, during which Hagener said thousands of comments would be expected. After the agency analyzes the comments, a final rule could be issued lifting the federal protections.

State and federal officials would then begin a five-year recovery monitoring period similar to what is currently taking place with delisted wolves in the state.

Highway near Oso may reopen soon

OSO, Wash. – The Department of Transportation says the stretch of Highway 530 destroyed by the Oso mudslide could open by late June.

The Everett Herald reported that DOT officials say the reopened stretch would be in rough shape but would create a more direct link to Darrington, which was cut off by the massive slide.

The update was provided to Gov. Jay Inslee as he visited the mudslide site on Thursday to inspect the cleanup progress.

Work on clearing the highway began May 6. DOT officials say 23,000 cubic yards of mud have already been hauled away.

The March 22 mudslide that buried dozens of homes also covered about a mile of the highway. The slide killed 41 people and left two missing.

Inslee to attend British airshow

OLYMPIA – Washington Gov. Jay Inslee is planning a trade mission to an airshow in England in July.

Inslee spokesman David Postman said Thursday that while all of the details of the trip aren’t yet confirmed, the governor will attend the Farnborough Airshow and that his current travel plans have him there from July 11-16. Postman said that they are currently discussing other destinations that could be part of the trip.

Inslee will be accompanied by a delegation of about 25 people from the business community, Postman said.

Man in shooting released, deported

SEATTLE – One of three men convicted in the 1983 massacre of 13 people at a Seattle gambling club has been deported to Hong Kong.

Wai Chiu “Tony” Ng, 57, won parole in December after 28 years in prison and was deported Tuesday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. The agency said the commercial flight landed Wednesday night.

Two other men were convicted of murder and Ng was convicted of robbery and assault for his role in the shooting at the Wah Mee club.

After his parole, Ng was held by the immigration agency until it obtained the required travel documents from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China.

‘Blaine Harbor’ returns as idea

BLAINE, Wash. – Leaders of Blaine are weighing whether to change the border city’s name by adding “Harbor” to it.

The Bellingham Herald reported this is the second time in 15 years that Blaine is considering becoming “Blaine Harbor.”

Backers of the name change say adding “harbor” would highlight Blaine’s seaside beauty, and help boost economic development by attracting tourists and businesses.

Detractors are dubious of claims of increased tourism, adding that if the name is changed, it should be Drayton Harbor because cities with “harbor” in their name reflect the body of water they’re on. Blaine’s on Drayton Harbor.

The Blaine City Council has until August to decide if voters will decide on the name change in November.

In 2000, voters defeated the “Blaine Harbor” name 57 percent to 43 percent.