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Thursday morning's headlines

Finalist Vicci Martinez poses for photographers after the finale of "The Voice" in Burbank, Calif., on Wednesday. Javier Colon was named the winner.
Matt Sayles
/
Associated Press
Finalist Vicci Martinez poses for photographers after the finale of "The Voice" in Burbank, Calif., on Wednesday. Javier Colon was named the winner.

Scattered showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 62. Forecast here.

Making headlines in the Northwest:

Government sells Seattle crime family strip club

Uncle Sam, having no interest in running a cabaret, has sold one of Seattle's most notorious strip clubs.

On Wednesday, the federal government got rid of Rick's on Lake City Way for $2.35 million at an auction. The property was seized last fall by investigators as part of a wide-ranging racketeering investigation of Frank Colacurcio, Seattle's most famous organized-crime figure.

Paul Baxley of the U.S. Marshal's declined to say who bought the club. But he called the sale a successful one. The auction took place at the club, with the auctioneer calling out buyers from a stage where strippers used to dance.

Check out KPLU's Vanessa Romo's story about the property and the Colacurcio case.

Off the AP wire: Kabelu case goes to jury; burglary arrests

  • A jury in Seattle is deliberating the murder case of a man accused of raping and stabbing a lesbian couple in their home, killing one of them. The case went to the King County jury yesterday after Isaiah Kalebu testified that God told him to attack his enemies.
  • Two men accused of plotting to attack a Seattle military recruiting station have been ordered to remain in custody pending their trials, after neither contested their detentions during hearings Wednesday. Abu Khalid Abdul-Latif, also known as Joseph Anthony Davis, and Walli Mujahidh, also known as Frederick Domingue Jr., each face up to life in prison.
  • Prosecutors say an 18-year-old Auburn, Wash., man arrested in the fatal shooting of a popular basketball and football coach acted in self-defense and will not be charged. Cascade Middle School coach Shennon Shelton was killed on May 1 and his brother Gaston Shelton was wounded. The King County prosecutor's office says prosecutors can't prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Olenthis Woods was unjustified in his actions.
  • King County sheriff's officers have arrested three men in the burglary of a dead man's house. Sgt. John Urquhart says Leonard Werner's home in the Burien area south of Seattle was ransacked as he lay dead on the floor. His two vehicles were also stolen.

Facebook’s Zuckerberg talks up Seattle talent

Before speaking at a tech talk/recruiting event for local software engineers Wednesday evening, Zuckerberg sat down with a small group of reporters and talked about the company’s presence in the Seattle region, reports Geekwire. The company was inspired to open the office here after noticing that it was hiring people from Seattle and moving them down to Palo Alto.

“There’s so many good engineers up here, largely from Microsoft and Amazon traditionally, and then Google a bit more recently,” Zuckerberg told the reporters, adding that “there’s a really good startup scene up here, as well.”

Of course, Geekwire reports, positive comments like that are to be expected from a CEO whose company is competing for top talent and looking to make nice with a region where it’s expanding.

Longtime Nisqually tribal administrator retiring

About 150 people – many of them Nisqually tribal members, employees and residents – turned out Wednesday to commemorate the retirement of longtime tribal administrator Richard Wells at the Nisqually Youth Center, reports The Olympian.

Wells, 63, grew up on the reservation near Lacey and served at his tribe’s helm for nearly 30 years. Youth Center director Farron McCloud, who emceed the program, said he couldn’t think of another person in the country who has served more time as a tribal leader than Wells.

“He’s a living legend. He’s worked very hard for this tribe.”

A successor hasn’t been named. Wells said his retirement was spurred by health reasons.

Tacoma’s Vicci Martinez doesn’t become ‘The Voice’

Tacoma singer-songwriter Vicci Martinez didn’t win enough votes to become “The Voice” Wednesday night on the hit NBC talent show, reports The News Tribune.

After 10 weeks of auditions, elimination rounds, coaching sessions and a boxing ring, Martinez didn’t surpass the popularity of fellow contestant Javier Colon. Colon was crowned in the last few minutes of the show.

In a post-show interview with The News Tribune, Martinez said all she could think about was the after party. As for the outcome, “I love Javie. We all get along really well. I’m just happy I was on stage with the final (four).”

Check out KPLU’s Charla Bear’s profile of Vicci Martinez.

Martinez on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qbbbgKxuPQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjA2bFYAEkc