BRIEFLY.

Byline: The Register-Guard

REGION

Acid levels close coast to razor clamming

Recreational and commercial razor clamming has closed on the Oregon Coast between Cape Perpetua and the Columbia River due to high levels of domoic acid.

The Oregon Department of Agriculture and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announced the closure Friday. The segment of the coast from Columbia River jetty to Cape Lookout was closed early this month. The domoic acid levels have only recently begun to rise in the razor clams and are just over the alert level.

Clams harvested between Cape Lookout and Cape Perpetua prior to Friday's closure are considered safe and do not need to be destroyed. Commercial razor clams on the market were harvested before the Clatsop Beach closure and are also safe for consumption.

Razor clamming is still open for the Oregon Coast south of Cape Perpetua. Mussels tested below detection for domoic acid coast-wide.

For updates on shellfish toxin closures, call [phone] or go online to oregon.gov/ODA. Click on the link titled "shellfish closures." For more information on Oregon's razor clams, visit www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/shellfish/razorclams.

NORTHWEST

Grass fire kills llamas in Douglas County

A grass fire killed three llamas and destroyed an above-ground swimming pool and hot tub Friday in the Lookingglass area of Douglas County. The blaze also threatened a home and several horses in a nearby pasture.

Fire crews from the Douglas Forest Protection Association, Lookingglass Rural Fire Department, Douglas County Fire District No. 2 and Winston Dillard Fire Department converged on the fire on Cinbar Drive at 5:45 p.m. They were assisted by the forest association's fire suppression helicopter.

The blaze burned about eight acres of grass before overtaking the llamas. One died shortly after the fire was contained. The other two were euthanized by a veterinarian. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Jury award stands, but hospital to get new trial

SEATTLE - A judge has let stand nearly $1.6 million of a $1.75 million jury award to a 26-year-old woman who said she did not give proper consent when a Centralia osteopathic doctor performed a hysterectomy on her three years ago.

At the same time, King County Superior Court Judge Jim Rogers granted a new trial to Providence Centralia Hospital, where the procedure was done.

In his Friday ruling, the judge said the plaintiff's lawyer, Ann Deutscher, had committed misconduct at trial.

Even though the hospital failed to object to many of Deutscher's arguments, Rogers said, ``the court concludes that many statements made in closing were so manifestly unfair that no instruction could have cured the cumulative prejudicial effect caused by them.''

Summer Goble, a mother of two, testified she was distraught over her inability to have more children.

Body of former deputy found in Idaho lake

HOPE, Idaho - A former Spokane County, Wash., sheriff's deputy and retired U.S. Marshal's Service agent was found in a submerged car in northern Idaho's Lake Pend Oreille, the apparent victim of an accident earlier this month.

William H. Miller, 63, had told family members on July 16 he was heading to the Clark Fork River or nearby Trestle Creek to pan for gold.

When he didn't return by July 22, relatives called police because he had a heart condition and was a diabetic - but had left home without taking his medication.