In the Media

"Gov. Chris Gregoire scolded fellow Democrats in the Legislature Thursday afternoon, saying lawmakers need to finish their work and go home by Sunday.

Asked about progress of the ongoing special session, Gregoire paused for several seconds, and then expressed her "frustration" with the pace of the legislative overtime."

"Legislative leaders were more optimistic Thursday that compromise might be possible on an $800 million tax package to help bridge Washington state's budget deficit, the main attraction of a special session heading into its fifth day.

The makeup of a tax-increase plan has been the biggest difference between members of the state Senate and House, which are both controlled by Democrats. The Senate package included a temporary, three-tenths of a penny increase in the state sales tax, while House members wanted to shrink tax exemptions and raise several targeted taxes."

"With all that's happened in the airline industry in the past decade, the chairman of Alaska Air has learned quite a bit about embracing change.

Learning to deal effectively with change within a company was the main message delivered by Bill Ayer, chairman and CEO of Alaska Air Group, at the ninth annual Bellingham Business Forum at the Bellwether Ballroom. Ayer spoke to about 300 people at the Thursday, March 18, event, which was organized by the Western Washington University Foundation."

"Western Washington University's Ryan Brown, a Squalicum High School graduate, has been named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Male Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Year.

Selected as the league's Outstanding Male Newcomer was the Vikings' Anthony Zackery."

"One of three remaining candidates for associate superintendent for the Schenectady High School will visit the school district Monday.

A forum and opportunity for parents and community members to meet John Harrison, principal of Mercer Island High School outside Seattle, will be 6:30 p.m. in the high school's Black Box Theatre."

"Perhaps the most valuable thing that Girl Scouts has done for Nguyen is allow her to consider a future where she is college-educated.

'We did a college visit to Western Washington [University],' said Nguyen. 'We got to learn about college life for a day. Boy, was I very shocked! People there were really nice. I always thought college would be very hard, and people would be mean, but honestly, no one was!'"

"There’s nothing like a great role model and a great environment to steer life’s direction. For Keith and Kirk Truscott, the role models were their dad, Don, and family friend Mike Erho.

Eventually, Keith and Kirk became the role models for their own children. The perfect learning environment was the great outdoors.

It’s only natural that they became fish biologists, considering the example set for them, family members say. The previous generation led them on their path. Or it was genetic programing, like the salmon’s uncanny ability to find its way to traditional spawning grounds."

"The special session has come down to a game of chicken, in slow motion.

Democratic leaders have agreed to about $800 million in taxes to help close a $2.8 billion budget shortfall. But they're still divided on the mix, in particular whether to include a general sales-tax increase. The Senate wants a three-tenths of a cent increase. The House wants none at all.

Neither side seems ready to budge as the Legislature heads into its fourth day of a special session."

"For two nights only, March 19 and 20, ten improv troupes from across Western Washington will converge for 14 showcases of improv comedy and theatre in the Edmonds Improv Extravaganza.

Hosted by Breakout, the resident improv troupe of the The Phoenix Theatre, this first ever improv festival offers four shows of unscripted theatre, where actors “make it up” on the spot from suggestions provided by the audience."

"Three finalists have been selected for the superintendent position in the Lynden School District and two of the candidates are administrators in Whatcom County schools.

The three candidates are Michael Olson, assistant superintendent of the Stanwood-Camano School District; Jim Frey, assistant superintendent of the Mount Baker School District; and David VanderYacht, principal of Lynden’s Isom Elementary School."