I know this is hard to believe in places with things like snow plows and sanders, but 2 1/2 inches of snow overnight has left the capital city at a near-standstill, with a small number of cars and trucks creeping over snow that's been compacted…
Washington and Idaho are part of a $7 million, 32-state settlement with the makers of Airborne, a popular effervescent tablet invented by a California second-grade teacher tired of picking up colds in the classroom. The lawsuit said that the tablet's touted cold-fighting properties “weren't substantiated…
Inspectors from the Washington state Department of Ecology have started carrying ticket books when they check for water pollution at construction sites, industrial operations or sand and gravel mines. The tickets carry fines of $500 to $3,000. On field visits, the agency says, it's common…
-In a discussion of the significance of an anti-Building-Industry-Association-of-Washington-button at a Democratic fundraiser, horsesass.org writer Josh Feit offhandedly mentions Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown and Congressman Jay Inslee as gubernatorial candidates in 2012. Writes Feit: "I was talking to a Democratic state Senator about the…
A Spokane business group, Greater Spokane Inc., hosted a legislative forum last week to preview the coming session and the massive budget shortfall the state now faces. It wasn't exactly a display of sleeves-rolled-up bipartisanship. The Republicans on the panel were quick to point out…
There will be no Festivus pole at the state Capitol this year, no banner reading "Lion of David," and certainly no poem claiming that Santa Claus will send us all to hell. So sayeth Washington state officials, who after two contentious weeks have imposed a…
Next Thursday and Friday in Kenmore, Murphy Auctions will sell to the highest bidder a long list of stuff found in abandoned bank safe deposit boxes.After at least five years of no payment and no contact with the owners, banks and credit unions can turn…
I was in Spokane for a few days earlier this week; am now back in Olympia, trying to catch this blog up with events.A new campaign finance violation complaint against the state Realtors' association, as well as GOP gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi and Attorney General…
After a bizarre week -- a stolen atheist sign, a nativity scene constructed on the spot out of dozens of long balloons, the "Santa will take you to hell" sign -- applications for additional holiday displays at the statehouse continue to roll in.A Kansas group,…
Another member of Gov. Chris Gregoire's cabinet is departing.Juli Wilkerson, head of the state Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development, is leaving Jan. 9.In a statement, Wilkerson said she's proud of what the agency's achieved under Gregoire, but "I am unable to commit for…
From the Senate Democrats:Agriculture & Rural Economic DevelopmentChair: Sen. Brian Hatfield, D-RaymondVice chair: Sen.-elect Kevin Ranker, D-San Juan Island Government Operations & ElectionsChair: Sen. Darlene Fairley, D-Lake Forest ParkVice chair: Sen. Eric Oemig, D-Kirkland Human Services & Corrections Chair: Sen. Jim Hargrove, D-Hoquiam Vice chair:…
Washington State Patrol Sgt. Ted DeHart says that a detective stopped by KMPS, the radio station where the sign was dropped off, and recovered it."We've retrieved the document. It will be back up today," said DeHart.The Patrol is continuing the search for the thief, he…
Five days after a Wisconsin atheist group erected a small sign in Washington's state capitol declaring that there is no God, someone has stolen the sign."We just heard that someone ran off with our sign," Freedom From Religion Foundation co-president Dan Barker said by phone…
After a hand recount in a razor-thin race, Spokane election officials say that challenger John Driscoll, a Spokane Democrat, has successfully ousted state Rep. John Ahern, R-Spokane. Driscoll will represent the largely suburban 6th district, a crescent wrapped around western Spokane.Both men are in Olympia…
Can't go home for the night without noting a story by Jim Brunner in today's Seattle Times.Brunner went to a legislative task force hearing Monday on the University of Washington's controversial proposal to tap $150 million in local taxes to help pay for part of…
State Fish and Wildlife head Jeff Koening's resigned under pressure last night, apparently a victim of the tug-of-war between commercial fisherman and sport anglers. See The Olympian's story here.That was followed this morning by news of the impending departure of Jone Bosworth, the head of…
From the print paper:OLYMPIA _ On Monday in the Washington state Capitol, Christians on one side of the rotunda will erect a Nativity scene, with a 3 1/2-foot-tall Joseph and Mary and a baby Jesus in a manger.On the other side of the echoing dome,…
Calling for "an immediate, firm and direct response," the governor's budget director, Victor Moore, today called for $260 million more in state budget cuts.Now.Among the new cuts: another $4.5 million from Washington State University and $1 million from Eastern Washington University. The Department of Social…
Someone heckled U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey last week during Mukasey's speech before The Federalist Society in Washington, D.C. (About 15 minutes after the incident, Mukasey slumped at podium and fainted.)Who was the person shouting "Tyrant! You ARE a tyrant!" from the audience?Allegedly Washington State…
From the print paper:OLYMPIA _ The specter of layoffs is looming over a sector of the economy that rarely sees it: state workers.As Olympia struggles to bridge a record budget shortfall of $5.1 billion - or more - over the next 2 1/2 years, lawmakers…
House and Senate Republicans have picked their leaders for what's going to be a very interesting year.-Rep. Richard DeBolt, R-Chehalis, remains House Minority Leader.-Rep. Joel Kretz, who's putting Wauconda back on the map, is deputy minority leader.-Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Sunnyside: floor leader.-Rep. Dan Kristiansen, R-Snohomish:…
Excerpts from this morning's paper:Facing an unprecedented budget shortfall, Washington state officials are scrambling to shave billions of dollars in state spending.That likely means layoffs and deep cuts in state programs.“We are not immune to these immense headwinds that are buffeting the economic landscape,” said…
Feeling the pinch from a dramatic slowdown in consumer spending, state revenues will likely be far less -- down $5.1 billion -- between now and the end of fiscal year 2011.That's a huge hit."We are not immune to these immense headwinds that are buffeting the…
Last week and again this week, a small group of lawmakers, school officials and others have been grappling with ways to re-tool K-12 education in Washington.The primary mission of the state's Basic Education Finance task force is to rewrite the complex formula through which the…
Senate Democrats re-elected Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, to the same post at a meeting this weekend in Sea-Tac. Under a variety of scenarios (minority, slight majority, and big majority), Brown has headed up the Senate Democrats since 2002.Also re-elected: Tracey Eide, D-Federal Way,…
Short takes and breaking news from the Washington Legislature and the state capital.
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