Why That Fish You Ordered is Holding Up the State Budget

Yesterday afternoon, the Everett Herald’s Jerry Cornfield reported that the delay in approving a Washington State budget was truly fishy: “Boeing’s opposition to fish study a sticking point in budget,” went the headline. With a government shutdown to come in fewer than five days, it might seem strange that negotiations are getting hung up on a mundane study of how often people eat fish. Continue reading Why That Fish You Ordered is Holding Up the State Budget

News, Politics, Real Estate

City Council to Nickelsville: Stop Being Homeless by Sept. 1 or Face Eviction

“No one wants simply to displace campers,” goes the letter, whose sole clearly articulated objective is to displace campers. Otherwise, it refers to emergency shelters (which for many of the campers, homeless for years and proud of their limited possessions, would be step backwards) and permanent housing, of which there is too little available to accommodate Nickelsville residents, even if they were granted priority. Continue reading City Council to Nickelsville: Stop Being Homeless by Sept. 1 or Face Eviction

Business, News, Politics

Op-Ed: The Minimum Wage: Putting Some Myths to Rest, by Kshama Sawant

“As in every previous discussion of raising the minimum wage, it has been asserted that such a move would increase unemployment, be harmful to the most underprivileged workers, bad for small businesses, and indeed, disastrous for the wider economy. In this same narrative, low-wage jobs are stepping stones, and hard work and higher education are reliable paths to middle-class employment.” Continue reading Op-Ed: The Minimum Wage: Putting Some Myths to Rest, by Kshama Sawant

News, Politics, Transportation

Civil Engineers Give Washington a “C” on Infrastructure Report Card

Washington’s D+ subjects were roads and transit, even though, as the ASCE’s Shane Binder was quick to clarify, the state has very good track record in terms of safety — especially through its sustained reduction of highway fatalities — and a very good track record for accountability on its projects. Transit ridership, too, is far above the national average. Continue reading Civil Engineers Give Washington a “C” on Infrastructure Report Card

Environment, News, Politics

North Cascades National Park Makes List of Top 10 “Hidden Gems”

“Despite the breathtaking alpine terrain, North Cascades National Park remains virtually deserted compared with America’s marquee national parks,” says writer David Jensen. “Why?” You may already have guessed the answer: “Every time I hike this park, I hike in the rain.” Continue reading North Cascades National Park Makes List of Top 10 “Hidden Gems”

News, Politics, Transportation

Mayor McGinn: How About $3 Million More in Road Safety Improvements?

A press release from the Mayor’s office quotes McGinn as saying, “We have heard from the public that they want safety improvements on our roads.” To that end, Mayor McGinn is proposing to dedicate $3.25 million on projects on East Marginal Way, Westlake, lower Spokane Street, Rainier Avenue South, and Martin Luther King Way. Continue reading Mayor McGinn: How About $3 Million More in Road Safety Improvements?

Health, News, Politics

Sen. Patty Murray Presents 2013 Golden Tennis Shoe Awards

At this year’s Golden Tennis Shoe Awards luncheon, held Monday, April 29, at the downtown Seattle Westin, Senator Patty Murray put the spotlight on the Special Olympics, ovarian cancer, and violence against women, through awards to Tyler May, Swedish Cancer Institute medical oncologist Saul E. Rivkin, and the Tulalip Tribes’ Deborah Parker, respectively. Continue reading Sen. Patty Murray Presents 2013 Golden Tennis Shoe Awards