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4:50pm

Mon June 3, 2013
Hepatitis outbreak

Frozen berries sold at Costco in Wash. tied to hepatitis outbreak

Credit joelgoodman / Flickr

An outbreak of hepatitis A, which has sickened more than 30 people in five states, has been linked to frozen berries sold at Costco stores.  

Anyone who purchased frozen berries under the brand “Townsend Farms Organic Anti-oxidant Blend” from Costco should discard them, according to the state Department of Health. The blend includes cherries, blueberries, pomegranate seeds, raspberries, and strawberries.  

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3:43pm

Mon June 3, 2013
fun with books

Watch: Seattle Public Library tries to break record for longest book-domino chain

The Seattle Public Library says it has shattered the world record for the longest book-domino chain.

Two college students teamed up with the library to coordinate a winding chain of 2,131 books with the help of 27 volunteers who consumed 112 slices of pizza during the seven-hour process last Friday, according to the library.

The first four tries brought heartbreaking glitches, including the fourth try failing "about 10 books short of finishing", according to Amy Twito, the library's youth program manager. 

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3:24pm

Mon June 3, 2013
special session

Lawmakers start final stretch of special session

Credit tsparks / Flickr

With just over a week left in an overtime legislative session, negotiations between key lawmakers are set to continue, but there's still no budget deal in sight and limited activity at the Capitol.

A floor session in the Senate was scheduled for Monday afternoon, but it was uncertain what action might be taken.

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9:12am

Mon June 3, 2013
life behind bars

Inmates’ families: Video-only visits have financial, emotional costs

Credit Jessica Robinson
Jennifer Lopez, 30, of Pocatello, Idaho, says a video system that has replaced in-person visits at the Bannock County jail is hard to navigate and often has technical problems.

Even if you've never visited a jail, you probably have a pretty clear image of what inmate visitation is like: a shatterproof glass barrier, two people sitting on either side, speaking into telephones. But that's changing in some parts of the Northwest.

More and more county jails are switching to privately-operated video conferencing systems that are not unlike Skype for inmates. But these systems have technical difficulties, and come with costs for the inmates’ families.

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5:01am

Mon June 3, 2013
police & crime

Seattle police ready for high-crime season with predictive policing

It’s known as the “Moneyball” approach to policing because it harnesses data to predict crime. 

For a few weeks now, Seattle police have started their shift by consulting a map that forecasts hot spots for property crime. 

The maps use red boxes to highlight areas where officers are more likely to catch a burglar rifling through a home or a car. The boxes are generated by software that analyzes five years of crime patterns to spit out reports highlighting where and when the next break-in could take place.

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3:00pm

Sun June 2, 2013
Jazz Northwest

Two-guitar trio in Ballard, and an anniversary in Pioneer Square on Jazz Northwest

Jazz Northwest visits two gigs this week. First is a two-guitar trio with John Stowell and Dave Peterson on guitars and Bruce Phares on bass playing at Skarbos during the Ballard Jazz Walk last April. The trio of long-time friends plays a set of standards in very comfortable surroundings with an attentive audience.

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6:01am

Sun June 2, 2013
Veterans and PTSD

Living with PTSD: 'It’s amazing what a white dog can do'

Dan Sperry and Awescar are seen driving.

Editor’s Note: This is the last installment in a three-part series exploring the benefits of service dogs for combat veterans. Reporter Samantha Wright began working on this series three years ago. The previous two parts are posted online (read part 1 / read part 2).

In the three years since Awescar entered Dan Sperry’s life, a lot has changed.

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12:01pm

Sat June 1, 2013
northwest fish

Farmed trout go vegetarian (sort of), but what about the taste?

Credit Tom Banse
Alternative feeds resulted in slightly different colors and textures in trout fillets.

The search is on for a cost-effective alternative fish food in the form of pellets. A key ingredient in commercial feed is other fish caught in the wild. Northwest trout farmers and some salmon growers recognize the practice is unsustainable.

But trout are carnivores; they can't just become vegetarians, or can they? Washington State University recently held a taste test to see if seafood consumers can tell any difference.

Put to the test: Difference in taste?

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9:11am

Sat June 1, 2013
oklahoma tornado

At least 9 dead, 50 hurt as tornadoes slam Oklahoma

Credit Jim Beckel / AP Photo/The Oklahoman
A truck squeezes past an overturned tractor-trailer on I-40 west of Banner Rd. Friday, May 31, 2013 in El Reno, Okla.

Tornadoes rolled in from the prairie and slammed Oklahoma City and its suburbs, trapping people in their vehicles as a storm swept down an interstate highway while commuters tried to beat it home.

Nine people were killed, including a mother and baby killed near Union City. Another person died at El Reno, the first city struck by the storm, said Amy Elliott, a spokeswoman for the state medical examiner. Circumstances involving the other two deaths weren't immediately known, Elliott said.

About 50 people were hurt, five critically, hospital officials said.

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6:01am

Sat June 1, 2013
Veterans and PTSD

Living with PTSD: 'I can’t hardly remember life without him'

Dan Sperry is seen playing with his service dog, Awescar.

Editor’s Note: This is the second story in a three-part series exploring the benefits of service dogs for combat veterans. Reporter Samantha Wright began working on this series three years ago. The first installment ran on Friday, and the last story will follow on Sunday.

A veteran of the Persian Gulf War, Dan Sperry came home with headaches, panic attacks, and flashbacks of the war.

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4:00pm

Fri May 31, 2013
lobbyists & legislators

Lawmakers fault lobbyists' expense-reporting system

Credit mathteacherguy / Flickr

A public radio investigation into lobbyist-paid meals has prompted an ethics complaint against three state lawmakers.

The complaint was filed this week by an open government advocate named Arthur West, who alleges the two Republicans and one Democrat violated the rule that states lawmakers can accept free meals only on an “infrequent” basis.

Meanwhile, some legislators say they’re the victims of flaws in the system used by lobbyists report entertainment expenses.

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1:31pm

Fri May 31, 2013
Boeing

Boeing to move 300 Seattle-area jobs to Calif.

Credit Associated Press

Boeing says it will create new aircraft-design centers in Washington state, South Carolina and California, and move 300 jobs in the Puget Sound area to California.

The company says the new centers are in response to increased demand for new aircraft and services. 

"There's a lot of work coming," said Boeing spokesman Doug Alder. 

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12:00pm

Fri May 31, 2013
Blues Time Machine

John Henry's legend lives through music

Credit Ken Thomas
John Henry, Steel Driving Man

The Legend of John Henry is an iconic myth of American railroad history, a battle between man and steam drill. One of the intriguing things about the legend is that no one knows for sure if John Henry existed. At least part of the myth is based  on historical events from the mid-1800’s; some say the source lies in Alabama, others point to West Virginia, both places where significant railroad tunnels were dug.

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10:57am

Fri May 31, 2013
bridge collapse

Animation shows workings of temporary bridge span

Credit Acrow Bridges via WSDOT

The state Department of Transportation has shared an animation of the temporary bridge span that will be installed in place of the collapsed Interstate 5 bridge in Mount Vernon. 

The animation was put together by Acrow Bridges, the New Jersey-based company building the 160-foot span.

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9:19am

Fri May 31, 2013
Weather with Cliff Mass

Glimpses of sunshine this weekend, then chance of 80 next week

If the clouds and showers seem dreary, fear not: warm and sunny days lie ahead, says weather expert Cliff Mass.

Friday will start off with more of the same: “A lot of low clouds, but those will be burning off by mid-day,” says Mass, professor of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Washington.

By Friday afternoon, temperatures will near 70, says Mass.

“But unfortunately, a weak weather system is approaching us,” says Mass, adding the system will likely arrive Saturday afternoon.

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