The Associated Press

A new look at test scores by Seattle Public Schools shows American-born black students lag behind black immigrants in academic achievement.

TACOMA, Wash. — The owner of the historic Washington ferry Kalakala says on his website the vessel has been sold for $1 to an anonymous buyer who promises to restore the vessel to its art deco glory.

No other details about the plans were posted on the Kalakala Website.

The interim head of Seattle Public Schools says she doesn't want the job permanently.

Susan Enfield made the surprise announcement Friday in a letter to staff and community members.

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Political leaders in Olympia are considering an overhaul of the state's popular initiative system, proposing a requirement that ballot measures have their own funding source.

A group of lawmakers proposed a constitutional amendment Thursday. The Legislature and Gov. Chris Gregoire have expressed frustration with voter-approved measures that require hundreds of millions of dollars in spending with no way to pay the bill.

A man accused of taking money from a Seattle School District program pleaded not guilty Thursday to theft charges.

KOMO Radio reports Silas Potter remains in jail following his arraignment.

ST. GEORGE, Utah — Thousands of migratory birds are dead or injured after they apparently mistook a Wal-Mart parking lot, football fields, highways and other areas of southern Utah for bodies of water and plummeted to the ground.

One state wildlife expert is calling it the worst downing she'd ever seen.

Crews went to work cleaning up the dead birds and rescuing the injured survivors after the creatures crash-landed in the St. George area Monday night.

OLYMPIA, Wash. — State regulators say Puget Sound Energy improperly charged a residential-visit disconnect fee to some electricity and natural gas customers.

The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission staff says the utility should refund the $13 fee to more than 1,600 customers. The utility also could be fined as much as $1,000 for each violation.

OLYMPIA, Wash. — The Washington Employment Security Department says extended benefits will be phasing out over the next month for 85,000 people in the state.

Police say "multiple" people have been arrested after dozens of protesters blocked an entrance to a Port of Seattle facility.

Police cleared a road near the entrance to Terminal 18 after about 100 Occupy Seattle protesters stopped traffic for about 20 minutes Monday afternoon. But a smaller group remained in front of the terminal, effectively keeping traffic from entering or leaving.

OLYMPIA, Wash. — State lawmakers are looking to trim $479 million off the state's $1.4 billion shortfall through a combination of cuts, fund transfers and delayed payments.

The Seattle School Board may ease the district's policy on selling junk food in vending machines to help student groups raise money for activities.

WASHINGTON — Republicans say they aren't prepared to celebrate after the National Labor Relations Board dropped its high-profile lawsuit against Boeing on Friday.

The Machinists union approved a four-year contract extension with Boeing this week, in which it agreed to withdraw allegations that the company built a nonunion plant in South Carolina to retaliate against past union strikes in Washington state. In return, Boeing promised to build the new version of its 737 airplane in Washington state.

The King County Sheriff's Office and the Washington State Public Stadium Authority have agreed to stop harassing people collecting signatures outside the Seahawks football stadium for an initiative that would legalize and tax recreational marijuana in the state.

EVERETT, Wash. — U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen has fired three staffers who apparently chronicled their on-the-job drinking exploits, including taking shots of Jack Daniels at their desks, via Twitter.

TACOMA, Wash. — An alert Washington state teenager likely prevented an accident when he woke up a sleeping bus driver who had nodded off at the wheel while entering an Interstate 5 onramp in Tacoma.

A surveillance camera on the school bus recorded 17-year-old Emmanuel Williams jump from his seat and rush to the front of the bus after seeing the driver's head go down.