Around the state

Published 12:00 am Thursday, October 29, 2015

Diesel spill cleaned up — The Coast Guard says crews have finished cleaning up 400 gallons of diesel fuel that spilled into the Willamette River north of Portland. Authorities said Wednesday that all cleanup materials have been removed from the area. Authorities say the spill happened Monday at about 5 a.m. near the Kinder Morgan Bulk Terminal in Vancouver, Washington. The cleanup was complete at 9:30 a.m. the next morning. The spill came from a fuel barge and was caused by a tank overfill.

Murder-suicide — Eugene police say a man and his former girlfriend were found dead in an apparent murder-suicide when officers responded to a burglary call. Athena Slavin, 43, and Jeffry March, 44, were found dead Tuesday. Slavin was found in the home, and March’s body was found near a pond in a field within a half-mile of the residence. Police say they believe March killed Slavin, then left the home and killed himself.

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Officer-involved shooting — Officials say Oregon State Police were involved in a shooting on Interstate 5 in Salem. OSP spokesman Lt. Bill Fugate said in a news release that troopers attempted to stop a vehicle near Woodburn at 5:45 p.m. Wednesday. He said the driver tried to elude authorities by continuing south at a high rate of speed. A shooting that involved officers reportedly took place a short time later near Kuebler Boulevard in Salem. A detour was in place for those traveling south on I-5 near Kuebler Boulevard. The Marion County Sheriff’s Office is investigating.

Underwear thief — Officials say a Portland man has been arrested for breaking into a neighbor’s home and stealing women’s underwear. Daniel Kowatch told police he had thought about breaking into a neighbor’s home many times just to see if he could get away with it. He reportedly did that early Sunday. The couple living there chased him out and called police. Police say they found the man’s jacket on the roof with two pairs of women’s underwear, maxi pads and a large bowie knife in the pockets. Kowatch reportedly told police he took the items from a dryer in the home and that he “has an obsession with women’s underwear and it’s getting worse.” He has been booked on burglary and criminal mischief charges.

Extra hour at bars — Oregonians will get an extra hour of partying at nightclubs and bars when daylight saving time ends this weekend. At 2 a.m. Sunday, clocks will reset back an hour. The Oregon Liquor Control Commission says businesses that serve alcohol until 2 or 2:30 will be able to continue serving. Those include bars, restaurants, taverns and grocery stores. The OLCC says some businesses lose a half hour of liquor sales in the spring when daylight saving time begins.

Teacher sues — A Clackamas High School teacher is suing the North Clackamas School District, saying she was discriminated against after she told supervisors she had been raped and needed time to deal with the assault. The woman is seeking up to $10 million in damages for negligence, defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, disability discrimination and discrimination against the victim of sexual assault. In the lawsuit filed last week, the woman says school officials made unfavorable remarks about her in regard to the assault, suggesting she was lying and using methamphetamine. The Multnomah County district attorney declined to file charges against her accused assailant in April 2014. A district spokesman said they are reviewing the complaint and that they do not comment on pending litigation.

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