OLYMPIA -- Ask the universities to innovate and partner with low-performing schools, Gov. Chris Gregoire urged the Legislature. "All of our students, not just tghose who can afford itg, must have more skills and knowledge to compete in this century," she said. "When we ask…
OLYMPIA -- We're reforming, Gregoire says, but that won't be enough. State work force is down. State pensions have been reformed. So have Workers comp and unemployment insurance systems. "Unlike other states, we have not used the recession to undermine the environmental protections that provide…
OLYMPIA -- Do four things in the 60-day session, Gregoire tells the Legislature Pass the budget quickly, Approve a half-penny sales tax. Pass my school reforms. Pass a major transpsortation and jobs package.
OLYMPIA -- Gov. Chris Gregoire says she's not slowing down in the last year of her administration, and warned the Legislature not to either. Instead, she borrowed a term from auto racing, that they should "win in the turns" by speeding up when other states…
OLYMPIA -- Gov. Chris Gregoire's state of the state address begins with a moment of silence for people who died over the last year: State Sens. Bob McCaslin, Alex Deccio and Scott White. Former Gov. Al Rosellini. Nine members of the Armed Services from Washington…
OLYMPIA -- Gov. Chris Gregoire will deliver her state of the state address to a joint session of the Legislature at 10:30 a.m. So let's see, is it technicallly the State of the State address, the State of Washington State addres, the State of the…
New Spokane City Council President may have lost an automatic seat on the Spokane Airport Board on Monday, but he still has the power to create a seating chart. And he exercised that right by shuffling the seats on the dais that already were reshuffled…
Former Spokane City Council President Joe Shogan was well-known for his vigilance enforcing a ban on people wearing hats when testifying to City Council. So any long-time observers of the City Council may have wondered if newly elected City Council President Ben Stuckart would be…
"It seems like we were just here, less than a month ago. Oh wait. We were." - House Minority Leader Richard DeBolt, in his floor speech on the opening of the 2012 Regular Session. Every body was thinking it. Lots of people quoted Yogi Berra's…
OLYMPIA -- Steven Gonzalez, a former King County Superior Court judge, was sworn in today as the newest member of the State Supreme Court. Gonzalez was appointed late last year to fill the seat left open by the retirement of Justice Gerry Alexander, who reached…
OLYMPIA -- The beginning of January doesn't just mark the beginning of the Legislature. It is also the beginning of the initiative filing season. Earlier today, an Everett attorney filed paperwork for an initiative that would define marriage as strictly between one man and one…
House Speaker Frank Chopp listens to floor speeches on the opening day of the 2012 session. OLYMPIA -- The Legislature started it's 60-day session with the usual pomp and circumstance, and a preview of the debates ahead over the next 59 days. As soon as…
House Minority Leader Richard DeBolt of Chehalis and Rep. Matt Shea, R-Spokane Valley, talk just before the 2012 legislative session begins. OLYMPIA -- The 2012 legislative session starts at noon, with a bit of pomp and circumstance. Legislators also have committee hearings in the afternoon,…
OLYMPIA – There is nothing so hopeful, it seems, as a state Capitol on the eve of a legislative session. Even in a year like 2012, when the state faces yet another budget crisis and the Legislature has a mere 60 days to solve it,…
Former Mayor Mary Verner and the leadership of the city's fire union tentatively agreed to a new contract in the final days of Verner's term. But the deal still will need to be ratified by the union's membership and the new City Council. Former City…
What may well be the first gubernatorial debate of the Washington election season could happen June 12 in Spokane. Or not. The Association of Washington Business, which has a long history of gubernatorial matchups in front of its membership, wants to have Attorney General Rob…
OLYMPIA -- Republicans pushed back Thursday against Gov. Chris Gregoire's call for the legalization of same-sex marriage in the upcoming legislative session. But Gregoire made clear she would stick to her guns on the issue. One of the main candidates to replace Gregoire said the…
Spokane Mayor David Condon will host a formal dinner and dance on Jan. 28 to celebrate the start of his mayoral term and raise money for the Chase Youth Foundation. Erik Nelson, president of the foundation, said invitations will be mailed soon but that the…
The proposed new boundaries for Spokane's 3rd Legislative District could be helpful for a potential bid by Councilwoman Nancy McLaughlin. The proposed district (map here) still would strongly favor Democrats, but it also would add some Republican-leaning precincts. McLaughlin said last week that she will…
OLYMPIA — Gov. Chris Gregoire's emotional call to have Washington state recognize same-sex marriages brought cheers from supporters who filled her conference room Wednesday. But opponents were already coalescing for a fight in the Legislature and a Republican leader questioned the timing of her push…
OLYMPIA -- Washington must end discrimination against same-sex couples, an emotional Gov. Chris Gregoire said this morning. She urged the Legislature to pass a bill that allows gay and lesbian couples to marry in the state without requiring churches to perform the service if they…
Washington Republicans held a "straw poll" over the last week of December to test the strength of the presidential candidate field. It pretty well mirrored Iowa and the nation...at that time. Here's the breakdown, released yesterday by the Washington State Republican Party: Candidate Percentage Mitt…
Many residents of the West Plains likely will vote for different legislators this fall, even if they like the ones they have right now. Medical Lake and Cheney residents would no longer be sharing their legislators with Ritzville and Pullman, and Airway Heights and Fairchild…
Spokane Mayor David Condon confirmed this morning that he will name his selection for interim police chief at a news conference at 1 p.m. The current acting chief, Scott Stephens, declined to say if he will still be chief by the end of the day…
Some folks will bet on anything, including politics. If you are one of them, and looking to lay down a bet on the Iowa caucuses, you might want to know that an Irish betting company, Paddy Power, has installed Mitt Romney as even money to…
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