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SCOW-GAY RIGHTS
OLYMPIA — The state Supreme Court has ruled that the state's 2006 expansion of the anti-discrimination law to include gays and lesbians is not retroactive. By Rachel La Corte.
NICARAGUA-JASON PURACAL
MANAGUA, Nicaragua — Relatives of a U.S. citizen jailed for nearly two years on drug and money-laundering charges in Nicaragua said Thursday they are anxiously waiting for the jail to set him free after an appeal victory was announced Wednesday. Jason Puracal's sister Janis said the family is hoping the jail gets the order for his release Thursday. Otherwise a long holiday weekend could postpone his release until next week in the Central American nation. By Adriana Gomez Licon And Luis Manuel Galeano.
ROMNEY-ELECTORS
UNDATED — At least three Republican electors say they may not support their party's presidential ticket when the Electoral College meets in December to formally elect the next president, escalating tensions within the GOP and adding a fresh layer of intrigue to the final weeks of the White House race. The electors — all supporters of former GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul — told The Associated Press they are exploring options should Mitt Romney win their states. They expressed frustration at how Republican leaders have worked to suppress Paul's conservative movement and his legion of loyal supporters. By Mike Baker.
AP Photos AP Photo XLAT162.WX103, WX104..
WASH WILDFIRES
WENATCHEE — Residents of 28 homes near Lake Chelan have been warned to be ready to evacuate if a 20-acre wildfire grows. The fire is located about 9 miles northwest of Chelan and is visible from town. The blaze is one of several fires in central Washington being fought by more than 600 firefighters. Several fires near Wenatchee together have burned across 39 square miles. No homes have been lost on any of those blazes.
NORDSTROM-CANADA
NEW YORK — Upscale department store chain Nordstrom Inc. is heading to Canada, starting in the fall of 2014, its first move outside the U.S. The announcement, made at a press conference Thursday in Toronto, comes as a slew of other retailers flock across the border to compete for Canadian shoppers' dollars. By Retail Writer Anne D'innocenzio.
1957 KILLING
SYCAMORE, Ill. — The defense has rested its case on behalf of a Seattle man accused of killing a 7-year-old northern Illinois girl in 1957. Attorneys for 72-year-old Jack McCullough rested their case after calling just a few witnesses over a few hours on Thursday. The judge recessed shortly after the defense finished and suggested he could rule Friday after closing arguments.
HEART TRANSPLANT
SEATTLE — An Alaska man who had been living with a battery-powered artificial heart underwent a successful heart transplant in Seattle. The Seattle Times reports (http://is.gd/AC97Aq ) 51-year-old Christopher Marshall of Wasilla, Alaska is one of a few heart patients that have been able to leave the hospital while waiting for a new heart by using an artificial one powered by a machine in a backpack.
BLETHEN AWARDS
PORTLAND, Ore. — The Oregonian won three first-place honors in the 2012 C.B. Blethen Memorial Awards for distinguished newspaper reporting, while The Seattle Times and The Chronicle of Centralia, Wash., each won two. The awards were presented Thursday at the annual meeting of the Pacific Northwest Newspaper Association in Portland, Ore. They are given in memory of the man who published The Seattle Times from 1915 until his death in 1941.
CYBERSECURITY-DIGITAL CRIMES
WASHINGTON — A customer in Shenzhen, China, took a brand new laptop out of its box and booted it up for the first time. But as the screen lit up, the computer began taking on a life of its own. The machine, triggered by a virus hidden in its hard drive, began searching across the Internet for another computer. The laptop, supposedly in pristine, super-fast, direct-from-the-factory condition, had instantly become part of an illegal, global network capable of attacking websites, looting bank accounts and stealing personal data. By Richard Lardner.
AP Photos WAET201, WAET202, WAET205, WAET204, WAET203.
SPORTS
FBN--SEAHAWKS-WILSON'S DEBUT
RENTON, Wash. — Rookie QB Russell Wilson was under pressure all day from Arizona's defense and still he gave the Seattle Seahawks a chance to win with a late drive that fell short. Now comes taking what Wilson learned in the opener into Week 2 against Dallas.
BKN--TIMBERWOLVES-ROY
MINNEAPOLIS — Brandon Roy works out at the Minnesota Timberwolves practice facility as he begins ramping it up with training camp just a few weeks away. By Jon Krawczynski.
BBA--MARINERS-BLUE JAYS
TORONTO — Mariners ace Felix Hernandez is scheduled to take the mound Thursday as Seattle wraps up its series against Toronto. 4:07 p.m. PDT.
ALSO
— SPOKANE SHOOTING — 1 dead in shooting outside Spokane hotel.
— COLUMBIA RIVER BRIDGE — States told time's now for bridge finance plan.
— PROSECUTOR RESIGNS — Prosecutor resigns after police investigation.
— TUNNEL-RATS — Seattle tunnel dig could bring rats to surface.
— BODY FOUND — Third body in 2 weeks found in Columbia River.
— OFFICER FUND-EMBEZZLEMENT — New charges against Lakewood WA police embezzler.
— TALL SHIP-SHELL INJURY — 2 injured in Calif as tall ship fires live round.
The AP-Seattle
