In brief: UW president gets $50,000 raise
The University of Washington board of regents voted Thursday to give President Michael Young a salary increase of $50,000 a year.
The 6 percent raise brings his total compensation to nearly $854,000.
The board said Young’s overall performance has exceeded expectations.
Area readies for loss of largest employer
REPUBLIC, Wash. – Officials in Ferry and Okanogan counties are preparing for the closure of the Buckhorn gold mine and the loss of hundreds of jobs from the area’s largest employer.
The Kinross mining company said the mine near Republic will be out of gold by the end of next year.
A legislative committee led by Lt. Gov. Brad Owen held a meeting Thursday in Republic on ways to lessen the economic impact.
KREM reported options include extending unemployment benefits and waiving community college tuition.
Former students sue, alleging abuse
KENNEWICK – Fourteen former Kennewick High School students sued the Kennewick School District this week for failing to protect them from a former teacher and coach they say molested them.
The victims, only identified as John Does, filed the lawsuit in Benton County Superior Court.
The victims filed claims totaling $70 million against the district earlier this year, claiming sexual abuse by William Pickerel, who was convicted in 2008 of sex crimes against young boys.
The abuse included “numerous incidents of fondling, inappropriate touching and sodomy,” the lawsuit said.
District officials said in a release they are committed to the safety as well as the education of all its students and denied any wrongdoing because the alleged abuse happened off-campus and during non-school- sponsored events.
Alaska Airlines, union reach pact
Alaska Airlines and negotiators representing its 3,300 flight attendants say they have reached a tentative agreement on a new five-year labor contract.
Friday’s deal was the second time negotiators from both sides had reached an initial understanding on a new contract.
If the union’s leadership approves, flight attendants are expected to vote on the proposal in December.
No details of the preliminary deal were announced Friday.