Northwest News

Nearly 100 inmates of the Lane County Jail will be released this week. Not because they've served their time, but because the county can't afford to keep them. This after commissioners cut nearly $100 million from the general fund.

Currently you can walk out of a tobacco shop with a pack of roll-your-own cigarettes for about $5.50. A pack of Marlboros will put you back almost twice that much. That’s because tobacco shops don’t charge the same tax on roll-your-own cigarettes as they would for pre-packaged cigarettes.

Before Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire leaves office in January, she will decide whether to commute the life sentence of convicted killer Barry Massey. His attorneys hope this week’s Supreme Court ruling on life without parole for juveniles will bolster their case for clemency.

A new lawsuit alleges sexual abuse by workers at Oregon's only prison for women. It's the latest in a series of lawsuits brought by female inmates at the institution in Wilsonville.

Construction on large sections of a waste treatment plant at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation will slow down because of major new testing that’s required. That’s the announcement Tuesday from top managers at the U.S. Department of Energy.

Every summer millions of Americans take to the open road and head to National Parks. But some road warriors are louder than others. Motorcycles are one of the largest contributors to noise pollution in the parks. EarthFix's Ashley Ahearn reports.

At the Olympic trials Monday, several Oregon runners - including Galen Rupp of Portland - advanced to the finals in the men’s 5,000 meter race. As KLCC’s Angela Kellner reports, a former lost boy of Sudan and two Kenyan brothers also have the chance to represent the U.S. in London.

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden is asking the FBI to release data that some say could shed light on the murky world of child sex trafficking. Wyden made the request in letter addressed to FBI Director Robert Mueller. The Senator wants the FBI to release data on nearly 500 murders committed along the nation's highways. Most of the victims were women. Half of them are believed to have been prostitutes.

A fourth or fifth place finish tends to bring excruciating disappointment at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Top three qualify for the Summer Olympics, normally. But fourth and fifth place was good enough Monday night for two Olympic hopefuls from the Northwest. Correspondent Tom Banse has the explanation from the track and field team trials in Eugene.