Northwest News Network

PORTLAND – Starting over in a new country as a refugee can feel like landing a new planet.

It’s hard to understand daily life, much less face the challenges of finding a job. One movement in refugee resettlement pioneered in the Northwest helps people put down new roots – literally – through agriculture. But learning to be an American farmer can be a tough row to hoe.

The Eugene-based Oregon Toxics Alliance has published a report that looks at pesticide use on 5 state highways in Lane County. The organization wants the state to reduce its use of chemicals along roadways.

BOISE – Idaho prison officials dismantled a sweat lodge Wednesday. it was used mainly by Native Americans to worship.

Prisoners have used the sweat lodge at the South Idaho Correctional Institution in Kuna for decades. Deputy Chief of Prisons Jeff Zmuda says they are remodeling the outdoor area and removed the lodge for safety and security reasons.

CORVALLIS, Ore. - Federal prosecutors have charged a 24-year-old man in a suspected arson attack on a Corvallis mosque. Cody Seth Crawford was arraigned Thursday in a federal court in Eugene. He's charged with a hate crime.

The fire last November damaged an office at the Salman Alfarisi Islamic Center. Crawford lived just down the street from the mosque and was questioned by FBI agents shortly after the blaze.

CORVALLIS, Ore. - A 24-year-old Oregon man has been arraigned on hate crime charges for allegedly setting fire to a Corvallis mosque last November. Cody Seth Crawford was taken into custody without incident Wednesday night.

No one was injured in the blaze, which damaged an office at the Salman Alfarisi Islamic Center. FBI Special Agent in Charge Greg Fowler says the man charged in the case does not reflect the values of the people of Corvallis.

Friends and family of University of Idaho graduate student Kathryn Benoit, who was killed Monday night in Moscow, are planning memorial observances, as the investigation into her death continues.

When the 22 year old Benoit was killed by multiple gunshots outside her residence in Moscow Monday night, her roommates called 911:

911 AUDIO: “Can you tell me exactly what happened?” “I don’t know. We were in the house cooking and we heard shots.”

A University of Idaho graduate student was killed in an off-campus shooting Monday night in Moscow.

The homicide occurred on Lilly Street in Moscow, a neighborhood familiar to the University of Idaho community because of its close proximity to campus. Moscow police say the victim’s identity is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

The new school year at Washington State University has brought with it a record class of freshmen in Pullman, with about 4,200 first-year students on campus.

"This class is highly competitive, this class represents the largest population of color than we’ve had in the history of our university, and we’ve been doing that at a time in which we’ve been more fiscally challenged than ever before," said WSU President Elson Floyd.

Washington State University is finalizing its plans to cut $40 million in the current biennium budget.

Washington State University President Elson Floyd says he’s never seen anything like it in his years in higher education— he’s referring to the loss of 52% of the university’s net state appropriation in the past four years. And about forty million dollars needs to be cut in the current budget cycle through 2013.

To help achieve that reduction, the university will cut $3.2 million from Academic Affairs but Floyd says they’ll spare academic programs.

Summer got started late this year, but Central Oregon Fire officials say conditions are now ripe for wildfire.

Cool, wet weather in spring and early summer delayed the fire season. But there have been several weeks of warm temperatures and dry conditions. George Ponte is Central Oregon District Forester with the State Department of Forestry. He says so far, there haven't been any big fires in the region.

The new U.S. Ambassador to China, Gary Locke, says it’s his Washington roots that made him what he is today.

Ambassador Locke left his position as U.S. Commerce Secretary when he was sworn in as Ambassador to China this month.

Long-time U.S. Senator Mark Hatfield of Oregon has died at the age of 89. The Republican's political career spanned five decades. Salem Correspondent Chris Lehman reports:

The debate continues to rage in Oregon over whether raising taxes on the rich prompts people to leave the state. A new study claims the answer is no. But as Salem Correspondent Chris Lehman reports, the new research doesn't put the controversy over last year's Measure 66 tax hike to bed.

SALEM, Ore. - Conservative Oregon initiative activist Bill Sizemore will serve 30 days in jail. The former Republican nominee for governor pled guilty Thursday to three counts of tax evasion.

Bill Sizemore was best known for his anti-tax initiatives. Now, it's a failure to file his state taxes over the course of three years that's sending him to jail.

He was set to go on trial next week. As part of the plea deal, Sizemore will serve 30 days in the Marion County jail. That's followed by three years of supervised probation, plus 100 hours of community service.