2 stabbings are unrelated

SEATTLE — Police are investigating two unrelated stabbings from early yesterday, both of which occurred near the Bada Lounge, 2230 First Ave.

The first incident started about 1:10 a.m., when a fight spilled outside the club, and a man stabbed a 24-year-old man and 33-year-old man. The 24-year-old man was stabbed multiple times in his arms, stomach and back and was listed in critical condition yesterday at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. The older man was treated for minor injuries. No one was arrested.

The second incident occurred about a half hour later. Two men left the club and started fighting in a nearby alley. A 27-year-old man is suspected of stabbing a 21-year-old man in the lower back.

Officers saw the stabbing and arrested the suspect.

Old Municipal Building fire is the second in a month

SEATTLE — Yesterday's small fire at the old Municipal Building in downtown Seattle was the second since Oct. 14.

Investigators said about 12:15 p.m. yesterday, a frontloader's engine caught fire on the 11th floor, just below the roofline. The fire was extinguished quickly and the damage was minimal. No injuries were reported.

The building, at Fourth Avenue and James Street, is being demolished. Nearby streets were shut down for about an hour.

On Oct. 14, hot metal slag ignited plastic that was attached to the cooling tower on the roof, sending huge plumes of black smoke into the sky.

Bush pardons woman convicted in crime here

President Bush has granted a pardon to a woman convicted of a crime that occurred in Washington state.

The Justice Department announced yesterday that four pardons were granted to people from Nevada, Florida, Wisconsin and British Columbia. Complete details of the cases were not immediately available.

Among those pardoned was Brianna Lee Haney of Kamloops, B.C., who was convicted in 1991 of failure to report monetary instruments in Washington state. She was sentenced to 4-1/2 months of community confinement and two years of supervised release.

President Clinton left office nearly three years ago after a spurt of last-minute pardons, including one for fugitive financier Marc Rich, the ex-husband of Democratic donor Denise Rich. Bush's father left office after pardoning former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger and five other Iran-contra figures.

Thurston County sheriff's mother, sister die in crash

OLYMPIA — The mother and sister of Thurston County Sheriff Gary Edwards have been killed in a traffic accident.

Ruby Edwards, 79, and Neo Brown, 53, both of Yelm, died, and two other people were injured in a three-vehicle collision Wednesday afternoon. Olympia police spokesman Dick Machlan said yesterday that Brown was driving a vehicle in which Edwards was a passenger.

That vehicle failed to stop at an intersection stop sign and was struck broadside by a car, Olympia police said. The vehicle glanced off a third vehicle, then rolled over several times before landing in bushes off Cooper Point Road.

Both women appeared to be wearing their seat belts and died at the scene, police said.

The driver of the second vehicle, Jessica Marchena, 30, of Olympia was treated at a local hospital and released.

A passenger in the third vehicle received minor injuries.

Owners of tanker fined $75,500 for oil spill

OLYMPIA — The Department of Ecology (DOE) has fined owners of the Gaz Diamond propane tanker $75,500 for spilling oil into the Port Angeles harbor in May 2002, the department reported.

The vessel is owned by the Naftomar Shipping and Trading Co., based in Greece.

The ship spilled 1,188 gallons of fuel oil when its tanks overfilled while refueling, DOE said. The oil washed up on nearby beaches and docks along the southern shore of the Ediz Hook peninsula. Cleanup efforts took five days.

Alum leaves $271,800 to WWU for science

BELLINGHAM — Seattle native and 1940 Western Washington University alumna Jeanne Richards, who died in 2001, has bequeathed $271,800 to Western for science and technology programs, the university said.

Richards' gift will honor two of her Western professors: the late biologist Leona Sundquist, who taught from 1923 to 1963 and for whom the Shannon Point Marine Center laboratory at Anacortes is named; and the late zoologist Ruth Platt, who taught from 1929 to 1964.

Oregon couple sue doctor over failed vasectomy

PORTLAND — The parents of a 7-month-old child have filed a $300,000 lawsuit against a doctor who performed an unsuccessful vasectomy.

Leo Winebarger and his wife, Donna, both 33, of Corbett filed the medical negligence suit in Multnomah County last week.

In the suit, Winebarger claims that he had a vasectomy in 1998. He claims the doctor knew that it didn't work but kept silent.

The suit contends that the couple already have suffered $10,000 in economic damages and expect the child to cost another $300,000 before turning 18.

Judge imposes gag order in slayings of 2 girls

OREGON CITY, Ore. — A Clackamas County judge yesterday imposed a gag order to keep a man accused of killing two teenage girls — as well as his lawyers, prosecutors or witnesses — from talking publicly about the case.

Ward Weaver is accused in the 2002 deaths of Oregon City teenagers Miranda Gaddis, 13, and Ashley Pond, 12. He has been talking freely to television stations in recent months.

Clackamas County Circuit Court Judge Robert Herndon issued the order.

It bars Weaver, prosecutor Alfred French and Weaver's defense team from having any future contact with the media regarding the case.

Herndon said he felt further publicity could make it hard to find an impartial jury.

Weaver is charged with aggravated murder.