DNA points to suspect in 1984 slaying of elderly woman in Seattle

SEATTLE - Bail has been set at $1 million for a 50-year-old man under investigation for the 1984 killing of his elderly Seattle neighbor.

Seattle police said the break in the 25-year-old cold case came after they got a DNA swab from the man this year, tying him to the crime.

The Federal Way man was arrested and booked into King County Jail Friday. His bail hearing was Saturday.

Nora Gracey, 70, a retired seamstress who lived in Seattle's Rainier Valley, was found dead in her bed on Aug. 12, 1984, with blood around her head. Police said the man was 24 at the time and lived next door with his mother, who was Gracey's friend.

Sandpoint OKs backflow ordinance

at urging of state agency

SANDPOINT - The Sandpoint City Council has approved an ordinance intended to protect the city's drinking water from becoming contaminated by backflow from homes.

Council members voted 4-2 last week to approve the ordinance after an Idaho Department of Environmental Quality official told them the agency would likely not approve the city's system without it.

Steve Tanner, an engineering manager with the agency, said a lot of people in the city rely on having an approved drinking water system for home financing and business financing.

UI Housing offers free laundry

MOSCOW - The days when residents of University of Idaho Housing used quarters to do their laundry appear to be over.

The school is doing away with requiring students to pay with either quarters or their Vandal Card to wash and dry their clothing.

Officials said it's another perk to make on-campus accommodations more attractive, just as the school plans to require freshman students live in residence halls starting in the fall 2010.

University Housing has sold all of its old coin-op washing machines and dryers.

With the roughly $50,000 in resulting proceeds, the school acquired new front-loading machines from an outside vendor.

Groups to join search for missing girl

McCLEARY, Wash. - Two national missing child assistance groups are organizing a search for an 11-year-old McCleary girl who has been missing since June.

Lindsey Baum disappeared while walking home from a friend's house on the night of June 26.

Despite a massive search, police have been unable to explain her disappearance.

The KlaasKIDS Foundation and the Laura Recovery Center plan to hold a community meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday at the McCleary Community Center. The weekend search will begin at 9 a.m. Friday.

Report: Fatal fire deliberately set

ARLINGTON, Wash. - A state report says a fire that killed two foster boys in a home near Arlington last year was set by another foster boy in the home.

Fire investigators had initially said the fire was caused by faulty electrical wiring.

But a child-fatality review by the state Children's Administration said another 11-year-old foster boy disclosed he had started the fire.

The Seattle Times reported that Snohomish County prosecutors have said they are considering filing criminal charges against the boy.

The Nov. 22 fire killed 10-year-old Tyler Stevens Emory and 11-year-old Kyler Grant Williams.

Car hits train almost head-on

GRESHAM, Ore. - A 69-year-old woman is in critical condition after the vehicle she was driving struck a Trimet Max train nearly head-on.

The woman was transported to Emanuel Hospital by ambulance with life-threatening injuries.

Police are conducting an investigation, but they said the woman, who was driving a 1996 Geo Metro, turned against a flashing "no right turn" sign.

Gresham police said neither speed nor alcohol were factors and that the warning signs were functioning properly and the TriMet driver was not at fault.

Associated Press