Norm Dicks, the dean of Washington’s congressional delegation, has just issued a surprise announcement through his office explaining that he has come to the decision not to seek reelection to the U.S. House this year. I am announcing today my intention to complete my service in the House of Representatives at the end of the […]
Category: Breaking News
Posted inBreaking News, Elections
Olympia Snowe to retire; Republican hopes of taking over the U.S. Senate take a hit
Big news out of the Pine Tree State this afternoon: Olympia Snowe, one of Maine’s two incumbent Republican senators, has announced that she has decided not to seek reelection in 2012, citing a desire to be free of the partisan rancor that pervades Capitol Hill these days. Her decision to retire could have a profound […]
Posted inBreaking News, Economic Security, Elections, Live Coverage, Policy Topics
President Obama arrives in Everett for first 2012 visit to the real Washington
Good morning, everyone, and greetings from the Boeing plant in Everett, where Patrick, Eve, and I are waiting to be transported to Paine Field and the factory where the 787 Dreamliner is assembled on press buses. We’re here in Everett to cover the final leg of President Obama’s mid-February tour of the Left Coast, which […]
Posted inBreaking News, Civil Liberties, Policy Topics
Washington State House sends marriage equality legislation to Governor Gregoire
Joyous news to report this afternoon: After many hours of debate, our state House has followed in the footsteps of the Senate and approved a bill making marriage equality the law of the land of Washington. The vote was fifty five to forty-three. SB 6239, prime sponsored by Senator Ed Murray, now heads to the […]
Posted inBreaking News, Civil Liberties, Policy Topics
Washington’s Senate approves marriage equality legislation after long debate
Wonderful, wonderful news to celebrate tonight: After a debate that stretched for more than an hour and a half, and saw the adoption and rejection of more than a dozen amendments, Washington’s state Senate has voted to approve legislation making marriage equality the law of the land. The vote was twenty-eight to twenty-one. Four Republicans joined […]
Posted inBreaking News, Elections
Suzanne Bonamici elected to succeed David Wu in Oregon’s 1st Congressional District
Oregon’s congressional delegation is finally whole again. After having spent nearly six months without representation in Congress, voters in the Beaver State’s 1st Congressional District (which spans the northwestern part of the state) finally got the chance this month to choose a new representative to serve them in the U.S. House. And tonight, with the first […]
Posted inBreaking News
BlackBerry maker Research in Motion names new chief executive officer and board chair
Big, big news out of Waterloo (Ontario) tonight: BlackBerry maker Research in Motion, one of Canada’s largest and most prestigious companies, has announced that its two top executives — who have jointly led the company as as co-chief executive officers and co-chairmen of the board for many years — are stepping down from those positions, […]
Posted inBreaking News, Elections, Party Politics
Rick Santorum, Mitt Romney win Iowa caucus
Fundamentalist Rick Santorum (a former U.S. Senator) and Republican establishment favorite Mitt Romney (a former governor) have prevailed in the first nominating contest of 2012, results released by the Iowa Republican Party show. With 99% of the vote counted, Romney and Santorum were almost exactly tied, separated by only a handful of votes, while Ron […]
Posted inBreaking News, Economic Security, Policy Topics
Boeing, Machinists reach agreement to build next generation 737 in Renton
The Boeing Company announced this morning that it has tentatively reached a labor agreement with the International Association of Machinists (IAM) that will ensure the next generation of its 737 narrow-body jet (known as the MAX) will be built in Renton, Washington, where production of the current 737 is based. “The 737 MAX builds upon the […]
Posted inBreaking News, Elections
Peter Maier falls behind challenger Sharon Peaslee in key Seattle school board race
It looks like another incumbent school board member may end up getting ousted by Seattle voters, after it initially appeared that only one would lose his job. Though he was able to maintain an edge in the contest for school board director in District #1 for nearly a week, incumbent Peter Maier is now in serious […]
Posted inBreaking News, Elections
Progressive city council candidate Jesse Salomon overtakes opponent in Shoreline
This afternoon, a major shift occurred in one of the close city council races that we’ve been watching over the last few days. After having trailed opponent Robin McClelland for nearly a week, young progressive Jesse Salomon today took a twenty-two vote lead in the contest for Shoreline City Council Position #6. Salomon, who works […]
Posted inBreaking News
Scott White: 1970–2011
Tragic news from Roslyn tonight: State Senator Scott White, who has capably represented Seattle’s 46th District in the state Legislature since the beginning of 2009, was found dead in his room at the Suncadia Resort after housekeeping staff noticed that he had failed to check out. The cause of death is currently unknown, but it may […]
Posted inBreaking News, Elections, Public Planning
NPI research prompts Rob McKenna to reveal that he’s a NO vote on Tim Eyman’s I‑1125
Regular readers may recall that a couple weekends ago, we published a post criticizing Rob McKenna for refusing to tell Washingtonians where he stands on Tim Eyman’s anti-tolling, anti-light rail Initiative 1125. The Seattle Times had just published a story by reporter Andrew Garber on I‑1125 the day before. For his story, Garber had tried to […]
Posted inBreaking News
Steve Jobs: 1955–2011
Steve Jobs, the brilliant entrepreneur and visionary who cofounded Apple at the age of twenty-one and later rescued it when it seemed on the brink of collapse, died today, the company announced. He was fifty-six. “Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who […]