In the Third District Congressional race, incumbent Brian Baird will face Republican Michael Delavar of Washougal in the general election. Baird received 51.75 percent of the vote in last night's count, while Delavar emerged from a pack of three challengers. District-wide, Delavar received 19 percent of the vote, three percentage points ahead of Christine Webb of Olympia, the candidate officially preferred by the Republican party. Democrat Cheryl Crist was fourth with 13 percent of the vote. Updated numbers should be out later today.

Storm Report--
Kelso/Longview No major problems to report out of the blustery weather that blew in yesterday; peak gusts of 25 miles an hour were recorded at the Kelso-Longview Regional Airport and at the PUD Operations Center. Pleasant Hill Road was blocked for a short time yesterday afternoon when a tree came down. At about 7:45 pm, there was a report of a small rockslide on Kelso Drive near the intersection with Old Pacific Highway South, and around 1:45 am today, there was a slide reported on the Kalama River Road, about ten miles off the freeway. The PUD reported a couple of minor outages caused by limbs coming down, but all repairs have been made, and no problems are reported this morning.

Death Investigation--
Kelso Kelso Police are investigating the death of a woman found yesterday morning at a home on Sunrise Court. Officers and aid crews were called to the home at about 7:15 yesterday morning, when the residents of the home reported that the 29 year-old woman was unconscious and not breathing. Those on the scene reported that the victim was a relative, and had been heard speaking on the phone at about 1:30 yesterday morning. The people in the home had started CPR while 911 was called, but the woman couldn't be resuscitated. The body was turned over to the County Coroner for an autopsy.

Assault Arrest--
Kelso Bradley Robert Peters, 29, of Rainier is in the Cowlitz County Jail, awaiting transfer to Saint Helens on a first-degree assault charge. Around 6:20 pm, Kelso Police reported getting a tip on Peters, reporting that he was wanted on a first-degree assault charge in Columbia County. It was reported that Peters was selling magazines in the local area, and apparently was staying at the Budget Inn on North Pacific Avenue. Kelso Police say Peters wasn't there when they first checked, but they kept an eye on the motel, and when he showed up around 12:30 this morning, he was arrested without incident. He's now being held on the no-bail fugitive warrant. Details surrounding the original charge haven't yet been released.

47 Closure--
Clatskanie If you're a regular user of Highway 47 south of Clatskanie, be aware of a project that will close that highway for about two weeks. The Oregon Department of Transportation says they're going to replace a culvert at on Fall Creek at milepost 1.25, just south of Clatskanie. Work is set to begin one week from today, and will run through September 10th. Electronic message signs are being put up around the area to alert drivers about the closure. A detour is also being set up, using Apiary Road. More information on the project is available by calling 503-731-8247, or check the ODOT website.

Skate Park Contract--
Long Beach The long-debated Kelso Rotary Skate Park took another step forward last night, as the Kelso City Council approved a professional services design contract, a step that will prepare the project to go out for a construction bid. Jeremy Hooper with the Plan-Z skate shop says it's time to get this project rolling.....Several Council members expressed concerns about the total cost of the project, saying that it's becoming too expensive. Mayor David Futcher reminded the Council that more than half of the project cost is being covered by grants, so the hit to the Kelso budget is expected to be fairly minor. It was also noted that the $39,000 cost of this contract was built into the money that's already been set aside, so it's not an additional cost. The Council eventually ended up approving the contract on a unanimous vote. With that, the city is now committed to getting a design done this winter, with construction set for spring and early summer, and a "functional facility" available for use some time late next summer. In other action, the Council also approved use of HUD-1 monies to fund a facade improvement loan program for the downtown core, and they approved a resolution that allows the city to seek Federal funding to help pay for the West Main re-alignment project.

Crane Dedicated--
Longview The Port of Longview's new $4.7 million mobile harbor crane was dedicated yesterday, putting the newest piece of machinery at the port into action. Third District Congressman Brian Baird attended yesterday's ceremony, saying that the port is making a wise move in getting this crane.....The Austrian-made Liebherr crane is 115 feet tall and weighs 560 tons, and is capable of lifting 100 tons on its own. It can be moved between berths at the port, powered by a 900-horsepower V-12 diesel engine, maneuvering on 22 axles and 88 tires. The crane has seven 25-ton counterweights. Commission Chair Darold Dietz says the crane was actually a pretty good deal, costing about the same as a good steak at $4.60 cents a pound. It's just that the crane weighs a million pounds. The crane will primarily be used to move the wind turbine components that the port is becoming a leader in. Some 23 longshoremen are now being trained to operate the crane, and it should be in full operation within a month.