Woman killed intervening in fight

SEATTLE — A woman who tried to intervene to break up a fight was shot and killed early yesterday morning, according to the King County Sheriff's Office.

A fight broke out between two groups of people in the 9600 block of 16th Avenue Southwest, near White Center, just after 2 a.m., police officials reported.

The woman stepped between the two groups to make peace when she was shot, the sheriff's office said. She was taken to Harborview Medical Center where she was pronounced dead at 4:50 a.m. The King County Medical Examiner had not yet released her name.

Police had not taken anyone into custody.

Canova to preside over Hearst suit against Times

SEATTLE — King County Superior Court Judge Greg Canova has been selected to preside over the lawsuit filed last Monday by The Hearst Corp. against The Seattle Times Co. seeking to block a possible shutdown of Hearst's Post-Intelligencer.

Canova replaces Judge Bruce Hilyer, who stepped down after The Times — without explanation — expressed doubt in a filing last week that it would receive an impartial hearing under Hilyer. Both Canova and Hilyer were chosen at random for the case.

Hearst is trying to prevent The Times from invoking a provision in the joint operating agreement (JOA) that allows either paper losing money three years in a row to demand negotiations to shut down one of the papers.

Last Tuesday, in a letter to Hearst President and Chief Executive Victor Ganzi, Times Publisher Frank Blethen said The Times had lost money from 2000 through 2002.

In his letter, Blethen said The Times intended to move "as quickly and cooperatively as possible" with Hearst to set a date for closing the P-I.

Hearst's lawsuit challenges the Times' reported losses.

Canova, 55, a former assistant state attorney general, was elected to the Superior Court bench in 2000. He was endorsed in his primary race by both The Times and P-I.

Man lying in wait is killed after shooting 2 deputies

LONG CREEK, Ore. — Two Grant County sheriff's deputies were shot with a shotgun by a man lying in wait after responding to a domestic-disturbance call in rural eastern Oregon, officials and family members said.

A third deputy returned fire and killed a 39-year-old man in this community of about 200 people along Oregon Highway 395 in central Grant County.

The deputies were inside a house late Saturday and had called for an ambulance for a small child. When the ambulance arrived, the man, who was hiding outside the residence, opened fire with a shotgun.

Deputy Jason Rehling, who has been with the Grant County Sheriffs Office just four months, was in critical condition but expected to recover, according to his father, Dan Rehling.

Dan Rehling said his son is married and has a young child.

A second deputy, Richard Gray, was shot in the upper back and neck. Gray was treated and released from a hospital in John Day.

A third deputy who was not wounded and who has not yet been identified returned fire and killed the suspect. Oregon State Police are investigating.

Letter carriers' food drive to be conducted Saturday

SEATTLE — Letter carriers throughout Western Washington will collect nonperishable food donations while delivering the mail along their postal routes Saturday.

The postal workers are hoping to contribute to local food-bank shelves, which typically have low stocks this time of year. Postcards reminding postal customers about the food drive are being delivered this week. This marks the 11th year for the event.

Last year's Letter Carriers Food Drive took in more than 800,000 pounds of food in the Seattle area. The National Association of Letter Carriers Food Drive has become the single largest one-day food drive in the country.

Information is from Seattle Times staff and news services