46 percent of eligible voters in Washington are expected to turn out for the state’s primary election – the highest in over 35 years.

The Aug. 19 primary marks the first use of the “top two” process, where the top two vote-getters will advance to the general election, regardless of party affiliation.

Secretary of State Sam Reed predicts that the novelty of the new system combined with the general interest in the governor’s race should improve voter turnout, as well as the growing use of mail-in ballots – in Washington, 37 of 39 counties do all balloting by mail, up from five in 2004. Ballots should be arriving in mailboxes starting this week.

The last time the statewide primary turnout exceeded 46 percent in a presidential election year was in 1972, when it hit 49.4 percent.

The Washington state Agriculture Department says West Nile virus has been found in horses at Moses Lake and Prosser.

The horse at Moses Lake appears to be recovering but the horse at Prosser was euthanized.

The cases reported Friday were the first in horses this year in Washington - last year eight horse had the disease, all in Yakima County.

Horses can be protected from the mosquito-borne illness with a vaccine. (AP)

The Washington State Lottery has launched a new game with daily top prizes of $10,000 for anybody picking all four winning numbers.

Officials say Match 4 has the best odds among all of the lottery’s “draw” games of winning at some level, at 1 in 8.7 overall, although the odds of winning at the $10,000 level are 1 in 10,626.

The first drawing was Sunday, but nobody won the big prize.

Players pick four numbers from 1 to 24 – those who pick three of the four winning numbers win $20, and a ticket with two correct numbers earns a $2 payout. Tickets are $2 each and drawings will be held daily. (AP)

Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire is telling state agencies to cut hiring, travel and fuel costs as the weak economy continues to take its toll.

In a memo released Monday, Gregoire orders freezes on hiring, out-of-state travel, service contracts and extra equipment, with some exceptions for emergencies, and tells agency directors to cut gas consumption by five percent. The freeze comes as Gregoire works on a new two-year state budget, focusing on proposed service cuts and leaving tax increases as a last resort.

Gregoire won’t say how big of a deficit the state is facing, but legislative budget experts say the gap could be about $2.7 billion. (AP)

A 76-year-old Lewiston man died and a woman was injured Saturday in a one-vehicle car accident on U.S. Highway 195 in Whitman County.

The Washington State Patrol says Marion Kirk died at the scene of the accident south of Rosalia. His wife, Mary Kirk, 71, was driving southbound when her 1998 Pontiac Bonneville drifted over the centerline, across the northbound lane, leaving the roadway, and going into a field. The car rolled several times, coming to rest approximately 200 feet off the roadway.

Mary Kirk was taken to Whitman Community Hospital at Colfax with injuries. Marion Kirk was not wearing a seat belt.

Authorities say inattentive driving was the cause of the accident.

In a few months, the 3,400 members of the Washington National Guard’s 81st Brigade Combat Team begin their second deployment to Iraq in four years.

The unit recently began months of training at the Army’s Yakima Firing Center, to be followed by further training at Fort McCoy, Wisc., and Kuwait. Instead of its exercises with tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles, the 81st Brigade is relearning the use of quicker and lighter armored Humvees and other vehicles to protect supply convoys.

About 70 percent of the troops have served at least one tour in Iraq, while others have done more.

One soldier, a 26-year-old sergeant from Mead, served two tours in Iraq with the regular Army. When the 81st got call-up orders in October, he was told he didn’t have to go but volunteered anyway, despite the fact that he won a $1 million Washington Lottery scratch ticket prize in February. (AP)

Celebrating the centennial of the governor’s mansion, Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire says renovations since the 1970s have left the stately landmark by the state Capitol ready for another 100 years.

More than 300 invited guests attended Friday’s garden party to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone for the mansion, initially built to host distinguished visitors who came to the state for the Alaska-Pacific-Yukon Exposition Seattle in 1909.

After six decades the mansion was plagued with outdated wiring and poor heating until efforts by then-first lady Nancy Evans and others led to an overhaul and formation of the Governors Mansion Foundation in 1972 to raise money for continued upkeep. Since the foundation was formed, it has provided $500,000 for the building and a historic painting of George Washington valued at $220,000.

Taxpayers also have paid for some repairs, including $100,000 for exterior painting and 24-thousand to replace appliances in recent years. (AP)

A Palouse man motorcyclist died from injuries suffered early Friday morning when he attempted to flee a traffic stop by Washington State University Police and lost control of his motorcycle on Terre View Drive in north Pullman.

WSU police say Logan McReynolds, 20, was seen speeding at just after 12:30 AM. When the officer attempted to make a traffic stop, McReynolds, who is suspected of having been driving with a suspended license, accelerated, lost control and left the roadway.

He was taken to Pullman Memorial Hospital with critical injuries and later transported by helicopter to Deaconess Medical Center in Spokane where he died early Friday afternoon.

McReynolds, who was not a WSU student, was wearing a helmet.