Ricin Letters Sent to Fairchild AFB + Other Updates – Northwest News Roundup May 31 Evening

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

Ricing-Tainted Letters Sent to Fairchild AFB, and President

SEATTLE (AP) — The FBI is confirming that the lethal poison ricin was on a letter sent to Fairchild Air Force Base in Washington state earlier this month. Other letters were mailed from Spokane to President Barack Obama, a federal judge and to a Spokane post office. A 27-year-old man accused of sending a letter to the judge has been arrested and has pleaded not guilty.

Another 100 Workers to be Hired at Hanford

RICHLAND, Wash. (AP) — The company hired to clean out aging, underground tanks of radioactive waste at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation plans to hire about 100 union workers, months after federal budget cuts forced layoffs there. Washington River Protection Solution tells the Tri-City Herald that the first 50 workers will be hired Monday.

Oregon Legislature Approves Funding for Schools in Budget

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — The budget committee of the Oregon Legislature has approved $6.55 billion in funding for primary and secondary schools over the next two years.

The Ways and Means Committee advanced the measure to the full House and Senate on Friday. The amount is about $800 million more than schools received over the last two years, a 14 percent increase.

Democrats say the money will be enough for most school districts to avoid cutting teachers or school days, although some districts will still face budget struggles.

Some Republicans voted against the funding plan, saying the Legislature should free up more money for classrooms by cutting further into pensions for teachers and other public employees.

The measure will go first to the Senate as soon as next week.

Flight Attendant Finds Unfired Bullet on Floor of Airliner Set to Leave Portland

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A flight attendant found a .22-caliber bullet on the floor Friday as passengers were boarding a Southwest Airlines plane headed from Portland to Chicago, delaying the flight nearly two hours.

A Port of Portland spokesman, Steve Johnson, says passengers were taken off the plane to be re-screened, and the plane was searched. He says all were cleared for the flight to take off. The port operates the Portland International Airport.

Johnson says the port is still looking into how the bullet got on the aircraft. A report from the port police agency said it was found near the front of the plane.

The bullet was found at about 6:15 a.m. on a flight with a scheduled 6:30 takeoff. The airline's website says it departed at 8:14 a.m.