A suspect in the fatal shooting of a man in West Seattle Saturday has surrendered and is being held at the King County Jail, said Seattle police spokeswoman Renee Witt.

The victim, who was shot inside a car in the 5900 block of Admiral Way Southwest around 3:40 p.m., died at Harborview Medical Center. He has not been identified by the King County Medical Examiner's Office. The Seattle Times is not identifying the suspect because he has not been charged.

Tacoma

Guilty plea for ad that led to burglary

A woman accused of placing an online ad that led to her aunt's house being ransacked pleaded guilty in the case Monday.

Nichole Marie Blackwell, 28, maintained her innocence but entered modified guilty pleas to second-degree burglary and first-degree malicious mischief. Pierce County Superior Court Judge Vicki Hogan sentenced Blackwell to three months of electronic home monitoring.

Prosecutors had alleged that Blackwell maliciously posted an ad on the popular Internet site Craigslist on March 24, inciting the public to "come and take whatever you want" from a Tacoma house.

People took the ad at face value and carried off nearly everything, including the kitchen sink and the front picture window.

Investigators said Blackwell posted the ad to get back at her aunt, who had been feuding with Blackwell's mother.

Olympia

Malpractice claims down in past decade

Medical-malpractice claims in Washington have decreased over the past decade, although the average payout has increased, according to the third report on the topic by Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler.

The report covers only five insurers, but they make up about 58 percent of the market. Under a bill passed last year, other types of insurers will be required to report claims data beginning in January. The report covers 7,134 medical-malpractice claims. Fewer than 40 percent involved a payout, and fewer than 2 percent of those payouts were over $1 million. Only 1.5 percent of the cases involved a jury award.

Over the 10-year period, the average payout was $198,957.

Seattle

Decision on charges for McIver put off

King County prosecutors have postponed until Wednesday a decision on whether to charge Seattle City Councilman Richard McIver with domestic-violence assault. McIver has hired a new attorney who has requested more time to become familiar with the case, delaying a hearing scheduled for Monday, according to the prosecutor's office.

McIver, 66, was arrested early Wednesday after police said he came home intoxicated and angry and repeatedly grabbed his wife, Marlaina Kiner-McIver, by the throat in what she told police was a "profane tirade."

McIver was jailed after the incident and released Thursday on his personal recognizance.

The councilman denies assaulting his wife.

Olympia

Haugen won't retire, seeking re-election

Mary Margaret Haugen, chairwoman of the influential Senate Transportation Committee, says she's running for re-election.

The Camano Island Democrat has been in the Legislature 24 years, including 10 years in the House and 14 years in the Senate. She is the longest-serving member of the Senate Democratic caucus and writes the Senate's transportation budget and related policy bills.

Bellevue

Grant to museum comes with strings

The Bellevue City Council voted Monday night to give $2 million to the Bellevue Arts Museum over the next 15 months.

The city pledged the money last fall, but then the museum found in May that its chief financial officer was suspected of embezzling $300,000. City officials said they wanted assurance that the museum had appropriate accounting controls in place.

The city will give the money to the museum in quarterly installments — but with several conditions, including a stake in the museum's ownership, annual audits and quarterly financial updates.

Olympia

Rep. Joe McDermott to join state Senate

Rep. Joe McDermott has been appointed to the state Senate to replace Sen. Erik Poulsen in the 34th District.

McDermott, D-Seattle, was chosen Monday by the Metropolitan King County Council to succeed Poulsen, who resigned earlier this month to become chief lobbyist for the Washington Public Utilities Districts Association.

McDermott was elected to the House of Representatives in 2000. He was sworn in to the Senate on Monday by King County Superior Court Judge Michael Heavey, who used to represent the district.

Times staff and news services