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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Eye On Olympia

THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2009

And now for the good news...

There was also some good news, however, in state revenue forecaster Arun Raha's predictions Thursday."It increasingly appears that we are finally approaching the end of this `Great Recession,'" he said. The bottom of the recession seems near, he said, and the "freefall" declines in economic…

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Revenue forecast and response: More details...

Gov. Chris Gregoire is ordering state agencies to cut their payrolls by 2 percent more, after the state's revenue forecaster this morning whacked revenue projections by nearly $500 million. "We have been aware of the likelihood of a negative forecast and are prepared to take…

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FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2009

More on Eugster ruling from high court...

My story in the print paper this a.m. had more details about the suspension of Spokane attorney (and former Spokane city councilman, and current candidate for same) Steve Eugster:OLYMPIA _ After a long-running battle over his handling of an elderly widow’s case, Spokane attorney Steve…

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THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2009

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2009



Number of uninsured in state is surging...

The trend won't be a surprise, but the numbers are pretty startling: state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler said this week that the number of Washingtonians with no health insurance has shot up to a record 876,000.That's 1 in 5 people between the ages of 19…

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 (The Spokesman-Review)

Petition form...or blanket?

If you're approached by a Referendum 71 signature-gatherer and want to read the petition before you sign it, you'd better bring a magnifying glass, a chair and a cool drink. As required by law, R-71 authors managed to squeeze the entire 114-page bill onto a…

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MONDAY, JUNE 8, 2009

FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2009


Update on Nirvana bassist's political run...

Here's a follow-up: my story from the print paper:OLYMPIA – Former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic is running for clerk of tiny Wahkiakum County, one of the most sparsely populated counties in the state.He made it clear Thursday that he doesn’t want the job. He’s voting…

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THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2009

TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2009



MONDAY, JUNE 1, 2009


THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2009

TUESDAY, MAY 26, 2009


Kiplinger's rates Olympia sixth-best city  

In a study of more than 360 metropolitan areas by Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, Olympia was rated 6th-highest in the nation for salary growth. Pay there rose an average of 22 percent from 2004-2008, according to the magazine. Median household income in Olympia is now…

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In wake of today's court ruling, Washingtonians on both sides of the same-sex marriage divide try to gauge lessons from California...

California's supreme court has upheld Proposition 8, the state's voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage. The ruling, however, allows thousands of same-sex marriages performed prior to the ban.California's experience has been closely watched in Washington, where gay marriage opponents have filed a referendum to undo a…

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FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2009

Short takes and breaking news from the Washington Legislature and the state capital.