Oregon in brief

Woman charged in accident death

WILLIAMS - A woman has been charged with first-degree manslaughter following an accident that killed her nephew, Josephine County officials said.

On Sunday, Cherry Arlene Pierce, 36, of Williams lost control of her vehicle and struck a tree near Williams.

Pierce's nephew, 10-month-old Victor Joseph Bettencourt of Grants Pass, who was secured in a child safety seat, suffered severe head trauma and died at the scene. Pierce and a female child were taken to Three Rivers Community Hospital, where they were treated and released.

Detective Sgt. Ron Goodpas-ture said Pierce was driving under the influence of intoxicants, believed to be illegal drugs.

Teen dies in fall

KLAMATH FALLS - A Klamath Falls teen-ager died in a rock-climbing fall over the weekend.

Brian Ray Kincaid, 16, fell Saturday afternoon while he was climbing a ridge southwest of Campbell Lake in Lake County, Sheriff Philip McDonald said.

Kincaid was climbing with a friend, who reported the incident to the boy's family. They had all been camping at the lake.

Authorities couldn't locate the body until 11 p.m. Saturday.

McDonald said the teen died from injuries sustained in the fall.

Kincaid was preparing to start his junior year in high school.

Federal courthouse has proposed name

EUGENE - Oregon's two senators want the city's new federal courthouse to bear the name of one of the state's most controversial political figures.

U.S. Sens. Gordon Smith and Ron Wyden introduced legislation Monday to name the courthouse for former Sen. Wayne Morse, who died in 1974.

U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio has introduced a similar bill in the House.

Morse was elected in 1944 as a Republican, but he switched to an independent four years later after President Eisenhower named Richard Nixon as his running mate.

He later joined the Democrats and angered constituents by breaking ranks with his colleagues and opposing U.S. involvement in Vietnam as early as 1964. Many believe that led to his re-election loss to Sen. Bob Packwood in 1968.

Associated Press