Bridge Collapse Tears at a Washington Town's Economy
With cars and trucks detoured after the collapse of an Interstate 5 bridge, a Washington town of 8,500 is struggling.
The Obscure County Election That Could Change the Planet
Whatcom County sits at the northwest tip of the continental United States, a pine-fringed strip of 2,100 square miles in Washington state near where Canada meets the Pacific Ocean. Whatcom’s biggest claim to fame until now was as the nation’s top raspberry producer. But this year, a local election—the race for four seats on the Whatcom County Council—is shaping up to have a profound national, even global, impact. The outcome could affect the U.S. coal industry, trade relations with China, and the planet’s changing climate.
Map: Structurally deficient bridges in Washington State
The data points below from the 2012 National Bridge Inventory show 143 state-maintained bridges classified as “structurally deficient,” which means that a bridge “requires repair or replacement of a certain component, such as cracked or spalled (damaged) concrete or the entire bridge itself,” according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.
The Mount Vernon bridge wasn’t even “structurally deficient,” but 143 bridges in the state are
Bridge Collapse Likely to Fall on Deaf Ears in Congress -- Again
Like the tragic Minneapolis, Minn., bridge collapse in 2007 that came before it, today’s Mount Vernon, Wash., collapse is unlikely to spur Congress to pour hundreds of billions of dollars into fixing roads and bridges, say advocates for infrastructure spending.
I live 30 minutes from this bridge, and travel over it monthly.
Wash. florist who refused flowers for gay couple’s wedding files suit against state
RICHLAND, Wash. — A florist targeted by two lawsuits for refusing to provide flowers for a same-sex wedding has filed her own lawsuit against Washington state, claiming the state is violating her religious beliefs.
Liberal Washington state cannot come to terms with gay marriage
The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on gay marriage in June, but some Washington lawmakers are unable to get past gay people existing, never mind getting married. State Sen. Sharon Brown, R-Kennewick introduced a proposed law that would allow businesses to deny service to gay and lesbian customers.
What Do Washington State CEOs Know About the Minimum Wage that Other CEOs Don't Get?
Both Starbucks and Costco are headquartered here in Washington, the state with the highest minimum wage in the nation (currently $9.19). Starbucks and Costco are arguably two of the most success retailers in the nation. Costco in particular out-competes Walmart’s Sam’s Club while paying its typical workers about double. It’s an experience with higher wages that CEO’s elsewhere might do well to learn from.
Washington Legislature approves social media rules
The Washington Legislature wants to prevent employers from snooping in the social media accounts of workers.
The Most And Least Popular Cities In America
Seattle is #1!
Gov. Inslee signs gender-neutral language bill
(AP) Gov. Jay Inslee on Monday signed off on the final installment of a six-year effort to make language in the state’s copious laws gender-neutral. The state already has welcomed firefighters, ”clergy and police officers into its lexicon under previous bills, but under the most recent measure, terms like ombuds and security guards replace ombudsman and watchmen.
Why Washington’s Jay Inslee Is the Greenest Governor in America
Washington Governor Jay Inslee is deeply worried about the mining and transferring of America’s coal to the rest of the world.
The state of marijuana legalization.
