- ....Breaking News.MOUNT VERNON, Wash. (AP) - The Washington Transportation Department says 67,000 vehicles a day used the stretch of Interstate 5 through Mount Vernon that is now blocked by the collapse of the Skagit River bridge. Mount Vernon is about 60 miles north of Seattle and 40 miles south of the Canada Border. The roadblock on both directions of I-5 is expected to cause a major disruption in trade and tourism between Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia. The Transportation Department has set up detours. The closest is within sight of the I-5 bridge and mostly used for local traffic between Mount Vernon and Burlington. The department also is recommending detours using Highway 20 and Highway 9 that add tens of miles to a trip. Officials are urging drivers to avoid the area if possible. .. ...

08/31/12 Wolf Killings on Hold



OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - Washington wildlife managers have given a reprieve to four wolves targeted for killing in the state's northeastern corner.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife said Thursday that it's giving the temporary reprieve to give its team in the field a break, to avoid running into people outdoors on Labor Day and to evaluate what it's learned so far about the pack's activities. Officials say they'll reconsider next week.

The move also came after protests from conservation groups who argued that there's little evidence the Stevens County pack, known as the Wedge pack, were to blame for recent depredations on the Diamond M ranch. Eight livestock have been injured or killed since last month, most recently in mid-August.

Officials killed one wolf Aug. 7 and planned to kill up to four more.

The conservation groups include Cascadia Wildlands and the Center for Biological Diversity. The department maintains that the wolves are responsible.

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