A new statewide poll shows voters evenly divided on the question of legalizing marijuana as the state Legislature takes up the question next week.

The Elway Research poll of 411 randomly selected voters found 48 percent in favor and 45 percent opposed to legalization, which is likely headed to the November 2012 ballot in the form of Initiative 502. The margin of error is 5 percentage points.

The initiative, run by a campaign called New Approach Washington, heads to the Legislature first, but will be on the presidential ballot unless lawmakers approve it.

The support softened from an Elway poll in July, when 54 percent, asked a more general question about marijuana legalization, expressed support.

Pollster Stuart Elway said that downward trend should concern initiative sponsors. Conventional wisdom says an initiative should start with support in the mid-60s because undecided voters usually vote against ballot measures.

"If you're a supporter, it's going the wrong way," he said.

The initiative would legalize and tax one-ounce sales of marijuana to people 21 and over, and authorize privately-owned, state-licensed marijuana retail stores and grow operations. Washington voters in 1998 allowed medical marijuana for authorized patients, but they haven't had a chance to vote on full legalization.

Elway said the campaign needs to sway women voters, who were far less likely to support legalization (52% men, 43% women), and to ensure young voters (69% of voters under 35 support) turn out to vote.

Alison Holcomb, campaign director for New Approach, noted the Elway poll question was broadly worded, without mentioning provisions in I-502 -- including an estimated $215 million in marijuana tax revenue earmarked for health and drug-abuse prevention programs -- that are popular with voters.

"Our research over the years have shown us that voters really care about what the details are," she said.

New Approach, using paid signature gatherers, turned in more than 341,000 signatures to the Washington Secretary of State in late December. The prime opposition thus far has been medical-marijuana patients, who say I-502's driving-under-the-influence provisions would inhibit their ability to work and live while using legally authorized medicine.

Elway Research

A former Kitsap County evidence clerk was charged earlier this week with stealing an obscure Italian handgun from the Poulsbo Police evidence locker, a gun she'd allegedly witnessed being destroyed.

The clerk, Amanda M. Dixon, 23, was already facing a similar charge, according to a lengthy news release issued Thursday by the Kitsap County Sheriff, detailing a case with more twists than 'The Italian Job.' "

Seattle police made at least one arrest and took down a tent shortly after 11 p.m. Monday at the Occupy Seattle protest at Westlake Park.

The tent was taken down soon after it was put up late Monday, according to the Occupy Seattle livestream video. A man was arrested and there was a brief struggle over the tent. After it was down, police went back to the perimeter of the park.

Between 75 and 100 activists remained at the park, while more than 30 police were present, according to protesters.

Earlier in the evening, protesters taking part in a general assembly meeting debated whether to camp at other sites, but the debate was unresolved when the park closed at 10 p.m. Earlier in the day, eight people were arrested.

from The Associated Press

Police in Everett say a woman is accused of cutting her sleeping husband's neck and shoulder with a power saw.

Officers who arrived at the home say they could hear the man shouting: "You tried to cut my head off. You're going to jail."

The Daily Herald reports the 43-year-old woman appeared in court Monday on a charge of domestic violence assault and a judge kept her bail at $250,000. The newspaper did not identify her.

Police said the woman told officers she grabbed the reciprocating saw Friday night because an intruder escaped out her daughter's window.

Sgt. Robert Goetz said there was no evidence of an intruder and a child lock prevented the window from opening more than a few inches.

The 36-year-old man was treated at a hospital.

Witnesses to a downtown purse-snatching followed the suspect, confronted him and detained him until police arrived, Seattle police said Monday.

The strong-arm robbery occurred shortly after 4:30 p.m. Monday as a woman was leaving her workplace in the 1100 block of Fourth Avenue, police said. The suspect knocked the woman to the ground and fled on foot north on Third Avenue.

A witness to the crime followed the suspect in his car to the 1500 block of Third Avenue and, with help from another unidentified person, confronted the suspect and held him until a patrol sergeant drove by, Detective Mark Jamieson said on the Seattle Police Department Blotter.

An off-duty police officer also ran to the disturbance and helped to handcuff the suspect, Jamieson said.

An adult male was booked into the King County Jail for investigation of charges of robbery.

The King County Medical Examiner's Office identified the driver who was killed Sunday on Interstate 5 in Seattle as Eric Rouleau, 40.

Rouleau was killed after his car struck a guardrail on the 85th Street overpass above I-5 and landed on the freeway's southbound lanes, the State Patrol said. The accident happened at 12:08 a.m.

Taj Abdul Randall, 36, was identified Monday as the man who died in a house fire Sunday afternoon in the 1700 block of 19th Avenue.

Randall, who was found unresponsive by firefighters in the basement of his home, died of smoke inhalation and thermal burns, the King County Medical Examiner's Office said. His death was ruled accidental.

Firefighters were called to the house at 1:15 p.m. Randall's parents, who lived upstairs, were reportedly at church at the time, according to neighbors.

Firefighters said the deadly blaze was caused by combustible material that came into contact with a baseboard electrical heater.

Fires started by heating equipment cause an average of 560 deaths a year and injure more than 1,600 Americans, the Seattle Fire Department said, citing statistics from the National Fire Protection Association.

Residents should check baseboard heaters often and remove objects -- such as newspapers, furniture or blankets -- that are on top of or near the heater, the department says.

By Gene Johnson, The Associated Press:

A man who admitted selling a gun later used to kill Seattle police Officer Timothy Brenton two years ago has pleaded guilty to allegations that he routinely made illegal gun sales.

David Devenny, 69, of Olympia, appeared in U.S. District Court on Monday and pleaded guilty to one count of dealing firearms without a license and two counts of selling guns to people who weren't allowed to have them. None of the charges directly related to the slaying of Brenton on Halloween 2009. But federal officials said that as part of the investigation, Devenny told an undercover agent he had sold the gun used in the killing.

Devenny reportedly told the agent he didn't know to whom he had sold the gun because he didn't keep records. For that reason it's not clear whether he sold the gun directly to the defendant in the killing, Christopher Monfort.

Devenny is set to be sentenced Jan. 23.