WA Legislature Approves Criminal Firearm Tracking Plan, Tri-City Burglar Captured – Northwest News Roundup April 24th

Here is the latest breaking news from The Associated Press and Newstalk 870.

Central Registry Would Track Firearm Offenders

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — State lawmakers have given final approval of a plan to create a central registry to track firearm offenders. The House approved the idea yesterday with an 89-8 vote. Judges may require people convicted of gun offenses to register as firearm offenders. The registrants must keep their information up to date, and must continue to register for four years.

Suspect in String of Tri-City Burglaries Captured

KENNEWICK, Wash. (AP) — Police have caught a man suspected of a series of business burglaries since the first of the year in the Tri-Cities. Kennewick police say the suspect was arrested Monday night after a burglary at a dental office. Police believe he's responsible for a majority of recent commercial burglaries in Kennewick and Pasco.

Oregon Marathon Officials Beef Up Security

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Eugene Marathon officials have increased security for this weekend's event in light of the Boston bombing. The Register-Guard reports the Oregon National Guard will supplement a large contingent of police officers. Participants can expect random bag checks. Runners will be quickly ushered through the finish chute at Hayward Field on the University of Oregon campus. More than 8,500 runners are expected.

Death Penalty Sought for Idaho Woman for Killing Child

LEWISTON, Idaho (AP) — Prosecutors will not seek the death penalty against a northern Idaho woman charged with killing a 2-year-old girl she was babysitting.

The Lewiston Tribune reports the Nez Perce County Prosecutor's Office earlier this week filed a motion stating the death penalty will not be sought against 29-year-old Natasha N. Hodges.

A grand jury earlier this month indicted Hodges on a first-degree murder charge in the Aug. 30 death of Rylee Mingo. Hodges pleaded not guilty last week.

Lewiston police say the young girl and an older sibling had been left in the care of Hodges when their mother went to work. The younger child began to have breathing difficulty and Hodges called an ambulance.

Prosecutors say the child died of internal bleeding after being struck in the abdomen by Hodges