Lawmakers face budget blues in 2011 session
Washington lawmakers are singing the blues over the state’s budget woes. The legislature convenes Monday for a 105-day session. Once again, majority Democrats are confronted with a multi-billion dollar...
View ArticleRents cause sticker shock at new state data center
Construction of Washington's new $300 million data center complex is expected to wrap-up this summer. But as state agencies prepare to move in, the rent per square foot is causing some sticker shock.
View ArticleLawmakers take stand on urban-to-rural tax flow
ListenDemocrats in the Washington House of Representatives have a "One Washington" mantra. But a couple of Western Washington lawmakers are testing that East-West unity. Their issue? The flow of state...
View ArticleOne month down, lots of work ahead on budget
ListenWashington's legislature has hit the one-month mark. Budget writers say a deal is close at hand between the House and Senate to re-balance the current two-year spending plan. After that,...
View ArticleOld Olympia Brewery seeks new life as mixed-use complex
The former Olympia Brewery, in Tumwater, Wash., may join a handful of historic structures around Puget Sound that are finding new life as shopping or entertainment complexes. A Centralia developer...
View ArticlePuget Sound area groups stand up for Japan's disaster victims
Rallies, memorials and interfaith prayer gatherings are scheduled around Puget Sound today and through the weekend, as people gather in support of the victims of last week's earthquake and tsunami in...
View ArticleStorm knocks out power in Washington capital campus
OLYMPIA, Wash. — The massive snow and freezing rain storm that pummeled the Pacific Northwest has caused a power outage at Gov. Chris Gregoire's office, legislative buildings and other state agencies...
View ArticleAudubon map – new Puget Loop unveiled as enviro groups strategize
Stormy weather is not the best recipe for bird watching.But that’s not stopping environmentalists from getting together in Olympia to set their legislative priorities.And among the festivities...
View ArticleVandals attack Olympia police station, again
Nine windows were broken at Olympia’s west-side police station early Wednesday morning, said police spokeswoman Laura Wohl.Based on the patterns of the broken glass Wohl reasoned that a hammer or a...
View ArticleJay Inslee sworn in as governor, says Washington still poised to change the...
Gov. Jay Inslee says Washington state is poised to develop the next wave of innovations that will change the world.In prepared remarks for his inaugural speech Wednesday, Inslee cited the state's...
View ArticleSocial issues in Inslee's inaugural speech rub Republicans wrong way
OLYMPIA, Wash. – Washington’s new governor touched a nerve with some Republicans in his inaugural address. On the topic of abortion Democrat Jay Inslee called on the legislature to pass the so-called...
View ArticleDetermined Father Learns the Ropes in Olympia, Advances Bill
There are nearly 900 registered lobbyists in Washington state. These are the paid professionals who try to influence the outcome of the legislative process.But this year, a determined dad proved even...
View ArticleOlympia Becomes 10th Wash. City to Ban Plastic Bags
Olympia has become the tenth city in Washington to ban disposable plastic bags from retail stores.A unanimous vote from the Olympia City Council means starting in July, shoppers will have to bring...
View ArticleMurder Reveals ‘Lord of the Flies’ Street Culture in Olympia
On Washington’s Capitol campus in Olympia, sandstone buildings stand as monuments to the rule of law. But just a few blocks away you can find a street culture where young adults and teenagers live by...
View ArticleState Officials Seize Cold Snap, Freeze Out Invasive Snails In Capitol Lake
A cold snap might be an effective tool for fish and wildlife managers trying to stop the spread of a tiny invasive species. Capitol Lake in Olympia is serving as a testing ground for freezing out New...
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