Archbishop weighs in on gay marriage ban

Overturning the state’s gay marriage ban would set up a “an inevitable collision with religion,” Seattle’s Roman Catholic archbishop said as he waded into the court battle over same-sex unions.

In a friend-of-the-court brief filed July 20, Archbishop Alexander Brunett argued that legalizing gay marriage could bring improper government infringement on religious freedom.

“The state would be in the position of establishing socially acceptable public theology. … Such an intrusion into religious practice should not be permitted,” the brief said.

Other interested parties weighed in with their opinions more than a year ago, before formal arguments in the case.

Jennifer Pizer, an attorney opposing the gay marriage ban for Lambda Legal, said she was surprised by the archdiocese’s late filing, particularly because the church’s opposition to gay marriage is nothing new.

“It’s puzzling why the Catholic Church would not have figured out two years ago that it would want to oppose this case,” Pizer said.

Gregoire wants more outreach to minorities

Gov. Chris Gregoire on Monday directed state government to boost opportunities for women and minorities to land state contracts, saying their share has sunk to 1 percent or less.

Tim Eyman, the original sponsor of the state’s voter-approved initiative rolling back affirmative action in contracts, employment and college admission, said the governor may be trying an end-run around Initiative 200.

But Carolyn Crowson, director of the state Office of Minority & Women’s Business Enterprises, said the governor’s letter to her cabinet is perfectly legal.

I-200 forbids any preferential treatment based on race or gender, but allows “outreach” efforts to include women and minorities in the pool of qualified applicants for procurements and contracts, she said in an interview Monday.

“Outreach is legal,” she said. “We work with Initiative 200 and we know what we can and cannot do.”

PORTLAND

Heat blamed in deaths of 35 greyhounds

An air conditioning failure at a kennel was blamed for the deaths of 35 retired greyhounds during the summer heat wave last week.

The dogs were discovered by a worker last Friday, about six hours after the owners of the kennel, Curt Washburn and his wife, Mary Repman, left to attend a family reunion on the coast.

Repman said the dogs died from heat exhaustion on a day when the temperature topped 100 degrees. Another 17 greyhounds survived, though two needed to see a veterinarian.

Repman said she does not know what went wrong with the air conditioner at the Washburn Kennel in suburban Clackamas County. She said it was working when they left for the trip that morning and it is running again.

Police have not filed charges. An investigation is active, but the deaths appear to be accidental.

“If it was one dog, the grieving would be immense,” Repman said. “But to even try to understand how to grieve over that many dogs is something I don’t think your mind even knows how to do.”