From Our Corner

Murray, Rossi advance in WA Senate primary

Incumbent Sen. Patty Murray and challenger Dino Rossi are advancing to Washington's November Senate election. Image As expected, the three-term veteran Murray and Rossi, a former Republican state Senate budget chairman who ran for governor in 2004 and… Read more

Big bucks: New report shows $20m for initiatives

Image The Washington Public Disclosure Commission reports that state initiative efforts have drawn over $20 million in contributions. This includes the $10 million raised by Stop the Food & Beverage Tax Hikes,… Read more

From Your Corner of Washington: Iron Creek Campground

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Photograph courtesy of Bernadette Griffin

Tucked in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, the Iron Creek Campground is a popular campground site. The Cispus River and Iron Creek run alongside the campground near Mt. St.… Read more

Did you vote yet?

Image This year’s Primary Election deadline is just hours away now. Did you vote yet? Typically, about half of the people who vote in the Primary send in their ballot before Election Day. This means a lot of voters will be scrambling to meet the… Read more

From Your Corner of Washington: Morton Loggers Jubilee

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Photograph courtesy of Ben Helle

Featured above is part of the 68th Annual Loggers Jubilee held this past weekend in Morton. It was a weekend full of pole climbing, ax throwing, choke setting and many more timed… Read more

Countdown to the November 8th Day of Jubilation - Part 4

Image The year was 1875. Territorial legislators introduced a women's suffrage bill, but the measure lost in the House by a vote of 15 to 11. Better news next week, I promise!

Gregoire: Prepare for budget cuts and more cuts

Image Governor Gregoire is directing state agencies to make plans for possible spending cuts in the 4-to-7 percent range, beginning Oct. 1. Gregoire, sounding very sober despite a recent infusion of over a half-billion dollars in… Read more

R-71 case: Nearly 2m signatures released w/o incident

Image The state Elections Division, preparing for another court challenge of the Secretary of State's policy of releasing initiative petitions under terms of the voter-approved Public Records Act, notes that nearly 2 million… Read more

WSL Updates for August 12, 2010

Volume 6, August 12, 2010 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) ASK-WA LAUNCHES SMART PHONE APP

2) FULL SCHOLARSHIPS FOR DENVER LIBRARY CONFERENCE

3) TRANSFORMING LIFE AFTER 50

4) ACTIVATE YOUR LYRASIS MEMBERSHIP NOW

5) FALL BOOK BUZZ 2010

6) FREE FUNDRAISING E-BOOK

7) FREE ONLINE CE EVENTS NEXT WEEK

… Read more

R-71 public records update: Release ban continues

Image U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle has ruled that Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed will continue to be blocked from releasing Referendum 71 signatures while challengers mount a federal court case that aims to keep the 138,000 names under wraps permanently.… Read more

Revenue update: Economy limps, tax collections lag

Image A new state economic and revenue update says the national economic recovery "appears to be stalling" and that state tax collections are lagging below expected levels. The report from… Read more

Gregoire: Stickin' close to home

Image Governor Gregoire says she's called the White House and said, thanks, but no thanks. She's staying in Olympia. The governor had been touted as the next Obama choice for solicitor… Read more

Elway survey: Local governments feel the pinch

Image Independent pollster Stu Elway surveys local election officials every five years or so to see what's on their mind as the most important "issues or opportunities" facing their area for the next five or 10 years. This year, with the state and… Read more

Budget crisis update: Congress OKs aid bill

Image The U.S. House, recalled to the Capitol from the campaign trail for a special sitting Tuesday, approved and sent to President Obama a $26 billion budget bailout for the states. For Washington, it will mean the difference… Read more

District of Columbia's Secretary visits Oly

Image Dr. Stephanie Scott, Secretary of the District of Columbia, paid a call on this Washington's Secretary of State, Sam Reed, at the state Capitol on Tuesday. She and her children, Mattie (left) and Zennon Melnyk… Read more

Tales of a State Librarian

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State Librarian Jan Walsh smiles about a story during a brown-bag lunch event. Sitting next to Jan are State Elections Director Nick Handy (middle) and Dave Ammons, Communications Director for the Office of Secretary of State.

During… Read more

Here's your quick guide to WA ballot measures

Image Here's a quick once-over from our state Elections Division (recap only, not the fancy wording from the Attorney General wordsmiths): Office of the Secretary of State 2010 Ballot Measures Overview Initiatives on the Ballot Initiative Measure 1098 –… Read more

Clippings, July 30, 2010

WA State Library News State librarian Jan Walsh is calling it quits on a long public library career, effective August 31. The Office of the Secretary of State, which has overseen the library since budget cuts earlier in the decade, put out a news release announcing the decision by Walsh, who has worked as a librarian for 38 years. (The Olympian Online [Olympia], 7.29.10) http://www.theolympian.com/2010/… Read more

Voters wild about `direct democracy'

Image The use of the initiative and referendum process ebbs and flows from year to year, seeming to track the economy and whether interest groups believe Olympia is attentive to their issues. This… Read more

WSL Updates for August 5, 2010

Volume 6, August 5, 2010 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) USING WEBCAMS FOR ONLINE EVENTS

2) 2010 NORTHWEST INTERLIBRARY LOAN CONFERENCE

3) SELECTING AND RECOMMENDING INSPIRATIONAL FICTION

4) AN ADVOCACY PLAN FOR YOUR LIBRARY

5) HELPING JOB SEEKERS USING ELECTRONIC TOOLS AND FEDERAL RESOURCES

6) TOUR GRANTSTATION - YOUR FAST TRACK TO FUNDRAISING

7) FREE OCLC WEBINARS IN AUGUST

8) UPCOMING IMLS GRANT… Read more