In the Media

Wednesday, November 3, 2010 - The Bellingham Herald

Conservative Bellingham businessman Tony Larson will become the next Whatcom County Council member after being swept into office on a national tide of tea party victories.

Larson was leading Whatcom County Planning Commissioner Jean Melious 57 percent to 43 percent after the first results released by the Whatcom County Auditor's Office Tuesday night, Nov. 2.

It's a large margin for a candidate who didn't have incumbent status going into the race. Larson will replace County Councilman Bob Kelly, who resigned in 2009. The new councilman will take his District 1 seat when the election is certified at the end of November.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010 - The Bellingham Herald

Republicans took charge of the 42nd Legislative District in Whatcom County on Tuesday, Nov. 2, with Jason Overstreet and Doug Ericksen taking big leads and challenger Vincent Buys grabbing a slim advantage over incumbent Rep Kelli Linville in the initial vote count.

Ericksen will have a new job come January as the new senator for the 42nd District in Whatcom County.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010 - The Bellingham Herald

City voters approved a measure to increase the sales tax to pay for transportation projects, early ballot returns Tuesday, Nov. 2, show.

The measure to raise the tax inside city limits by two-tenths of 1 percent was passing 55 percent in favor compared to 45 percent against, according to the Whatcom County Auditor's Office.

The tax increase will pay for three types of transportation projects: annual street repaving, sidewalks and pedestrian crossings, and contracting with Whatcom Transportation Authority to restore some of the Sunday bus service that was eliminated in September.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010 - The Seattle Times

Statewide election returns Tuesday indicated Republicans are sharply reducing Democratic majorities in the Legislature, with control of the Senate potentially up for grabs.

"We're definitely gaining," said State GOP Chairman Luke Esser, watching early returns. "The wind is blowing our way for the first time in a long time."

From Bellevue to Bellingham, Spokane to Vancouver, Republican candidates took early leads in a number of closely watched races for seats that have been held by Democratic incumbents, or by Democrats retiring from the Legislature.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010 - The Seattle Times

Voters slapped down tax increases on Tuesday, leaving state lawmakers to close a projected $4.5 billion budget shortfall on their own.

By large margins, voters said no to a proposed state income tax, no to taxes on soda, candy and bottled water approved by lawmakers this year, and yes to an initiative that will make it more difficult for the Legislature to increase taxes in the future.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010 - The Bellingham Herald

Rory Blanche had a game-high 15 points on 7-of-8 field-goal shooting to lead eight Vikings in double figures as Western Washington University rolled to a 109-49 win over Quest University, B.C., in a men's basketball exhibition game on Monday, Nov. 1, in Sam Carver Gym.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010 - The Bellingham Herald

Western Washington University's Gibson Bardsley was selected Great Northwest Athletic Conference Men's Soccer Player of the Week for Oct. 24-30 on Monday, Nov. 1.

Bardsley scored two goals and had four assists in leading the Vikings to wins over Montana State Billings, 2-1, and Northwest Nazarene, 7-0. It is the second GNAC weekly honor for Bardsley this season and the third of his four-year career.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010 - The (Longview) Daily News

"It's a mirror of what you're going to see in Washington's Senate race: Larsen is really big on constituent service, bringing things back to the district, and the challenger is hammering on wasteful spending, wasteful spending," says Todd Donovan, a political science professor at Western Washington University in Bellingham.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010 - Banff Crag and Canyon

Every year, the festival brings in guest directors from across North America to critique the bands and help them improve. This year the guest directors for the jazz bands are Randy Halberstand from Cornish College in Washington and Vern Dorge from Humber College in Toronto. The concert band directors are Dr. Fraser Link from the University of Manitoba and Christopher Bianco from Western Washington University.

Monday, November 1, 2010 - The Bellingham Business Journal

It’s easy to see how conflict could arise from asking people with communication differences to interact regularly and, not only that, asking them to produce results.

Joseph Garcia teaches about these work style differences at Western Washington University. He is the director of the Karen W. Morse Institute for Leadership and the Bowman Distinguished Professor of Leadership Studies at Western Washington University.

Garcia said people have a tendency to reject communication styles they don’t know. Communication differences can lead people to talk past each other or possibly see each other as too cold or too touchy-feely. The way people talk about work — and even the world — can cause confusion and conflict, he said.