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Oregon Deparment of Revenue Offers Free E-Filing Tips

2006 federal and state income-tax returns are due on April 17th.

(Salem) - If you haven't used free electronic filing to file your personal income taxes because it still seems a little scary, the Oregon Department of Revenue wants to help.

The Revenue department, in partnership with tax software companies, offers qualifying Oregon taxpayers free e-filing of federal and state returns.

Taxpayers who e-file who have refunds coming usually get them in seven to 12 days.

Long-Time Multnomah County Deputy Behind Bars on Multiple Charges

The Deputy was booked, then moved to an undisclosed jail outside Multnomah County.

(PORTLAND) - A 25-year veteran of the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office was arrested Tuesday. 57-year old Erich Watson, a Corrections Deputy from Portland, is charged with Official Misconduct in the First Degree (class A Misd.), Custodial Sexual Misconduct in the Second Degree (class A Misd.) and Possession of a Controlled Substance II – cocaine (class C Fel.).

Watson’s arrest was a result of an ongoing investigation conducted by the East County Major Crimes Team.

Cartoon Strip: Nota Bene by Leonardo No. 30 - Government Conspiracy

This is the thirtieth installment of the Salem-News.com original series "Nota Bene by Leonardo" by Salem cartoonist Glen Bledsoe.

(SALEM) - Some readers may feel that Nota Bene descended to its lowest level with reports on celebrity break-ups, diet tips and births. Some will defend it as merely a frothy kind of entertainment--mostly harmless when taken in small doses. Others may view it as a kind of anthropological description of life among the parallel universes as we find it. I must confess, however, that I am none too proud to be such an instrument.

To compensate for this banality I have decided to turn the eye of scrutiny on our own world. I have long considered moving toward a higher art form, and I have at last settled on it. Documentary! I am proud to announce the first such in this series: Government Conspiracy.

Blair Announces Withdrawal of 1,700 British Soldiers from Iraq

Many say Britain's reduction of their forces from 7,100 to about 4,700 over the next six months marks the beginning of a new political era, and the end of the war in Iraq.

(LONDON) - British media sources say Prime Minister Tony Blair is expected to announce a large-scale troop pullout from Iraq Wednesday. The BBC reports that 1,500 troops are expected to be withdrawn by this summer, while other sources put the number more in the neighborhood of 1,700.

All are expected to be out of Iraq and home by the end of 2008. MSNBC has dubbed the story the "Coalition of the Leaving."

Salem, Oregon Group Passes 10,000 Mark Providing Love Boxes for Soldiers

The volunteer project has been underway since December, 2005.

(SALEM) - In the part of the world where wars rage, the word salem or at least a very close variation of it, is used with great frequency. The word salam means peace. The irony is that the word is the most commonly used greeting in both Afghanistan and Iraq.

So it is only fitting that Salem, Oregon would be the base of operations for a program called "Love Boxes," a volunteer operation that sends much needed gifts to American troops overseas.

Corvallis Police Seeking Robbery Suspect

The suspect is described as a white male about 5' 7, 180 pounds with a belly, short brown hair with a full short brown beard, fuller face with light to medium skin tone.

(CORVALLIS) - Corvallis police are asking for the public’s help in locating a suspect who robbed the downtown Dari Mart Saturday night.

Police say a lone male suspect walked into the store at about 10:10 PM and demanded money.

The suspect had his hands in his pocket, and the clerk believed he may have a weapon although one was not seen.

Oregon, Nationwide Gas Prices Continue to Climb

The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded in the Salem-area is up two cents to $2.44.

(SALEM) - As forecast last week, fuel prices in the western states have joined the upward movement.

In the past week the national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline rose by three and a half cents to $2.26.

The Oregon average went up by slightly more than four cents to $2.46.

Of the four measured Oregon metropolitan areas, the greatest average price increase last week was recorded in Eugene-Springfield where the price went up more than eight cents per gallon.

US Supreme Court Throws Out 79.5 Million Dollar Award in Smoking Case

The US Supreme Court threw out a 79.5-million- dollar award to the family of a man who died from lung cancer, the court said in a decision released Tuesday.

(WASHINGTON) - he highest US court found that a lower court had allowed jurors to go beyond compensatory damages for the smoker's family and instead blame Philip Morris USA for other smokers' health concerns.

The decision will likely give additional support to companies targeted by liability suits, Bloomberg financial news reported.

The case involved a 1999 award by a county court jury to the family of Jesse D Williams, a janitor who died in 1997 of lung cancer at the age of 67.

A state court in Oregon had earlier reinstated the 79. 5-million- dollar ruling against Philip Morris given the "extreme and outrageous circumstances" which saw the company continue to aggressively market cigarettes despite clear evidence of the cancer-causing properties.

A county court jury had originally awarded the punitive 79. 5 million award on top of 821,000 dollars in compensatory or actual damages, which were later reduced under state law to 521,000 dollars.

Sheriff’s Office Seeking Inmate who Walked Away From Work Release Center

Julie Ann Burlison was serving a 35-day jail sentence for extortion and violating a restraining order.

(SALEM) - The Marion County Sheriff’s office is asking for the public’s help in locating an inmate that walked away from the Marion County Work Release Center.

Survivors of Afghan Helicopter Crash Airlifted to Germany

"It was a pretty hectic flight" said Air Force Capt. Karen Mackenzie, a trauma surgeon onboard with the critical care air evacuation team. "We had seven critical patients: ... head injuries, chest wounds, spinal fractures."

( RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany) - Only hours after a helicopter crashed in Afghanistan, airmen from an aeromedical evacuation control team in Southwest Asia got 11 of 14 injured survivors onboard a C-17 Globemaster III bound for Germany.

"That really made a difference in saving lives," said Air Force Lt. Col. Lenora Cook, the evacuation control team chief.

Two other survivors were airlifted to Germany later, and one did not require evacuation.