BRIEFLY.

Byline: The Register-Guard

METRO

Bethel schools to gain healthier food choices

The Bethel School Board on Monday approved a new wellness policy calling for a healthier mix of offerings in school lunch lines, vending machines and student stores.

The policy, which has drawn virtually no public feedback in the months it's been under discussion, requires that at least 50 percent of the items sold meet specific guidelines for nutrition and portion size. The policy calls for the district to boost that percentage over time, with the eventual goal that 100 percent of school fare be healthful.

For now, soda pop and other high-sugar foods will still be available at middle schools and high schools, although more nutritious choices will be alongside them. The intent, district nurses say, is to "sell what we tell and make the healthy choice the easy choice."

There was little discussion among board members, who had already asked most of their questions at a first reading of the policy last month. Ginger Poage said she was disappointed that, because of funding constraints, the policy calls for little more than the status quo for physical education.

Bethel's policy encourages teachers and parents to serve healthy snacks and treats in the classroom and recommends against using food as a reward for behavior or academic performance.

Tuesday's action fulfills state and federal mandates calling for all school districts to have wellness policies by this fall. Eugene approved its proposal last month, and Springfield is poised for final action later this month.

NORTHWEST

EPA to ban chemical used by orchardists

PORTLAND - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says it will ban a pesticide that pear and apple growers use to kill codling moths.

The announcement follows a lawsuit alleging that azinphos methyl, known by the trade name Guthion, is harmful to the health of farmworkers. The chemical causes runny eyes, headaches and nausea in low doses and can be fatal in high doses.

In Oregon, 74 percent of apples and 68 percent of pears were sprayed with Guthion in 2003, the most recent year for which the National Agricultural Statistics Service has published records.

The EPA said the chemical should be phased out by 2010.

The EPA determined in 1999 that Guthion residue on fruits did not present undue risks to consumers.

Taxpayers' personal data may be compromised

SALEM - Electronic files containing personal data of up to 2,200 Oregon taxpayers may have been compromised by an ex-employee's unauthorized use of a computer, the Oregon Department of Revenue said Tuesday.

Amy McLaughlin, an information technology security officer with the state, said the incident apparently occurred when an employee downloaded a contaminated file from a porn site. The `trojan' attached to the file may have sent taxpayer information back to the source when the computer was turned on.

`We're not 100 percent certain they were received by anyone,' said department spokeswoman Rosemary Hardin.

Hardin said the released data likely involved names or addresses or Social Security numbers, or possibly in some cases all three.

Ed O'Meara, head of the department's information processing division, said about 1,600 files had been identified so far and that the total probably will not surpass 2,200. He said 1,300 letters were sent out to the affected taxpayers as of Monday night and the rest are being contacted as they are identified.