Quote of the Day
“Are we going to live up to our moral duty as a people, and our constitutional obligation as a state, to ensure for all kids a good basic education? If the answer is ‘Yes,’ then we’d better make sure that everyone pays a fair share. Common sense dictates that tax exemptions should go through the same intense scrutiny that each of our budget programs must undergo.” -Rep. Jim Moeller, The Columbian
Aberdeen Daily World
Legislators to Community Hospital: Time to go public (Van De Wege, Blake, Tharinger, Hatfield)
Pot takes over Port of Willapa (Blake)
Associated Press
Derailment sends 45 empty coal cars off tracks
Crack in 1 Columbia River dam affects others
Despite banning legal pot, Yakima seeks tax money
Patients wary of possible medical cannabis changes (Cody)
State ag industry benefits from hummus boom
Papers show concern raised about Hanford storage tanks
Health database requirement cut from bill (Cody, Keiser)
Washington State Archives running out of room
Auburn Reporter
Senate honors Miss Auburn Scholarship Program
Bainbridge Island Review
Sen. Murray seens Bainbridge-style innovation firsthand in visit to Avalara
House approves Hansen bill to strengthen state’s response to derelict vessels (Hansen)
Op-Ed: Campaign finance reform is essential
Bellingham Herald
Millions in tax dollars at stake as Whatcom oil refineries dispute property taxes
Bothell Reporter
Sound Transit sets record in 2013 for train, bus ridership
Central Kitsap Reporter
CKSD to offer free, full-day kindergarten at all elementary schools
Columbian
A loud ‘no’ so far on oil terminal in Vancouver
Washington State Archives running out of room
Pot takes over Port of Willapa Harbor (Blake)
Op-ed (by Jim Moeller): Oregon shoppers should help pay for education in Washington
Op-ed: Press Talk: My buddy Benton is at it again
Blog: House rules: Hang up or pay up (Moeller / cell phones ringing during meetings)
Blog: TVW to lawmakers: Don’t let us go dark
Edmonds Beacon
Roberts thankful for opportunity to serve 21st Legislative District citizens (Roberts)
Everett Herald
History piles up and up and up
Federal agency approves PUD’s plans for study of proposed dam
Arlington schools infused with $2.6 million for renovations
Sirota: How the rich became dependent on welfare
Op-ed: State program needed: Spay and neuter still ground zero (Chase)
Op-ed: Income Inequality: Can we reward real job creators?
Editorial: It feels good, but don’t do it (Kagi; juvenile records)
Editorial: Ramping up for McCleary (Dunshee)
The Inlander
Can pot businesses advertise in newspapers?
Islands’ Sounder
‘Dream Act’ bill passes (Hudgins, Santos)
Ranker speaks out against employment measures (Ranker)
Journal of the San Juan Islands
Lawsuit over charter changes resurfaces at state appellate court
Kitsap Sun (subscription required)
Central Kitsap expands full-day kindergarten to all 12 elementaries
Who would pay for fast ferries?
News Tribune (subscription required)
House wants to be 1st with mom-friendly designation (Riccelli, Cody)
Deadline looms on state budget plan for schools (Chopp, Dunshee, Frockt)
Transportation tax bill emerges; sides stuck over counting votes (Eide)
Olympian (subscription required)
House wants to be 1st with mom-friendly designation (Riccelli, Cody)
Deadline looms on state budget plan for schools (Chopp, Dunshee, Frockt)
Transportation tax bill emerges; sides stuck over counting votes (Eide)
Immigrant students must get in line for state college aid
Shared Senate committee leadership turns contentious over homelessness money (Chopp,
Sawyer, Hobbs, Nelson)
Hearings at night, without notice are commonplace in Olympia(Hunter)
Editorial: Raise assisted living rates for the ‘silver tsunami’
Editorial: State should not encourage more alcohol consumption
Letter: Inslee is right to ban the death penalty
Oregonian
Washington House capital budget would pay for 120 classrooms in Vancouver (Moeller, Cleveland)
Peninsula Daily News
Eye on Olympia: Proposed state Senate budgets contain money for Stenson retrial costs, Port Angeles landfill project (Tharinger, Van De Wege, Hargrove)
Puget Sound Business Journal
Report: Bertha is going nowhere – for at least six more months
This week in health care: Exchange advertising, CEO moves and taxing e-cigs
Opinion: State needs to invest in STEM
Seattle Times (subscription required)
Squeeze on liquor retailers spurs review of license fee
15,000 applicants ‘stuck’ in state’s insurance exchange
Oregon gears for battle over same-sex marriage
Washington State Archives running out of room
Immigrant students see ‘Real Hope’ for financial aid now
Danny Westneat: Anti-gay bias closer than you think (Kline)
Editorial: Time for Olympia to do the hard work on the state budget
Editorial: Targeting the johns in the sex trade
Editorial: Adopt Ten-Year Roadmap for education
Pettigrew Opinion: How to create more jobs in the state’s tech sector (Pettigrew, Liias)
Skagit Valley Herald
Whatcom coal terminal EIS moves forward
Spokesman Review
Spin Control: Death penalty ‘pause’ sets lawmakers in motion (Darneille)
Premera Blue Cross’ lobbying leads to dropped health database requirement (Cody)
Muslim family fights small town in court for religious exemption
Washington’s Fish and Wildlife riles Asotin County with land buys
Editorial: Better oversight of for-profit colleges overdue
Op-ed: Let’s build on Washington’s clean tech innovation
Blog: Flurry of excitement in the Senate (Billig, Nelson)
Tri-City Herald
State House bill would help ag workers with skills, safety
Our Voice: State lawmakers gets second chance on teacher evaluation bill
Vidette
Legislators to Community Hospital: Time to go public (Blake, Takko, Tharinger, Van De Wege, Hargrove)
Walla Walla Union Bulletin (subscription required)
Roll call for the past week in the Washington Legislature – 3/2/14
Editorial: Google Glass ban for drivers wise approach
Yakima Herald Republic
Health database requirement stripped from health care bill (Cody, Keiser)
Editorial: Legislature scores poorly on critical school vote
BROADCAST
KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
More woes plague SR-520 Bridge project
Washington State Archives running out of room
KPLU FM
FDA To Increase Access To Generic Morning-After Pills
Washington House Speaker: Minimum Wage Hike Wasn’t Ready For Vote (Chopp)
Sand Grinds World’s Largest Tunneling Machine To A Halt
Six-Month Delay ‘Optimistic’ For Seattle Tunnel
Documents: ‘Significant Flaws’ In Hanford Tanks Could Lead To More Leaks
Murray, Cantwell Praise EPA Move On Pebble Mine Project
Why The ‘Non-GMO’ Label Is Organic’s Frenemy
KUOW FM
Affordable Care Act Opens Door To More Inmate Enrollment
Seattle’s Proposed Rideshare Compromise Appears To Satisfy No One
NW Public Radio
Sen. Wyden: Hanford Tanks Like ‘Groundhog Day,’ Problems Keep Repeating
WEB
Capitol Record
Industry and business argue against ending tax breaks
On ‘Legislative Review:’ Supplemental budget, school construction bonds and healthcare costs
Crosscut
How do we pay for schools? Dems eye a tax break quartet (Carlyle)
Rail traffic and climate change part of Gateway Pacific enviro review
The Daily Troll: Public housing, Red Bryant get the boot. Boeing’s self-destructing smart phone. The real Joe Dear.
‘Slightly optimistic’ contractor: Bertha fix will take at least 6 months
The Legislature’s e-cigarette tax showdown (Carlyle)
HDC Advance
The legislative show must go on, even after a 6.8 earthquake
It’s Saturday — do you know where your state rep is?
Study: Private liquor sales have hit youth hard
Dipping a state-government toe in tourist-promotion waters (Morris)
Horsesass.org
F**k Rodney Tom (homeless benefits)
Publicola
Six months, under ‘optimistic’ scenario, before tunnel machine gets rolling
Morning Fizz: “It’s Very Difficult … to Get Everybody to Agree.” (Sawyer, Sells, Hasegawa)
Fizz: “What a weird evening” (Sawyer, Hobbs, Chopp, Nelson)
SDC Hopper
Senate Dems try Ninth Order strategy to revive homelessness bill (Hobbs, Rolfes)
Seattle PI
EPA moves to block mammoth Bristol Bay mine
Slog
Republican State Senator Shocks Colleagues, Kills Funding for Homeless Programs
Washington State Wire
At Long Last, Transportation Bills Surface in Senate – Big Move Toward Gas Tax Deal, Green Fuel Standards Nixed (Eide)