The Blog
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11/12 - WorkSource works! That’s the finding of a new study that examined the effectiveness of WorkSource job-search services. Read more » |
Blog Archives
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10/16/09 - Yesterday, the Washington State Department of Commerce was proud to welcome the first ever regional Future in Review (FiRe) Conference to Seattle. Read more » |
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10/06/09 - Why is Washington the best place in the world to build airplanes? Read more » |
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Bette Hyde 10/02/09 - September marked a significant milestone for young children in our state: The 150,000th child was enrolled in the state’s pre-kindergarten program for low-income children and families. Read more » |
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Karen Lee 09/30/09 - This recession has taken a heavy toll on jobs in our state. But some companies are avoiding layoffs with the help of the Employment Security Department. Read more » |
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Alfie Alvarado-Ramos 09/28/09 - I’d like to send a huge Thank You to each of the 373 woman veterans and active duty military personnel who attended our Women Veterans Summit on September 12! Read more » |
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Sharon Foster 09/23/09 - As a parent, and in my professional role as Chair of the Washington State Liquor Control Board (WSLCB), I’m concerned about our children’s access to alcohol. Read more » |
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Robin Arnold-Williams 09/16/09 - On Sept. 14, 2009, our state natural resource agency directors, along with policy and budget staff for Governor Gregoire and Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark, released for public review a set of ideas for reforming the state’s natural resource management.Read more » |
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Major General Timothy J. Lowenberg 08/14/09 - General Odierno's letter to Governor Gregoire acknowledges the challenging mission of the 81st Heavy Brigade Combat Team (HBCT) and the lasting impact of their service in Iraq. Read more » |
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Karen Lee 08/06/09 - Sometimes issues collide in unexpected ways and with unintended consequences. Take, for example, Washington’s unemployment-insurance program and our friends and family who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Read more » |
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Mary Selecky 07/30/09 - With temperatures topping 100 degrees in Washington this week, make sure to do what you can to stay cool. I know we’re not really used to this kind of weather here, but severe heat should be taken very seriously. It can make you ill. It can even kill you. Don’t let that happen. Read more » |
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07/23/09 - Washington State has a new Department of Commerce, and we’ve been hard at work beginning our transition from Community, Trade, and Economic Development (CTED) to Commerce. We have a new name and a clear, simple mission: grow and improve jobs in the state. Read more » |
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07/14/09 - Additional high-protein food is now being distributed to food banks throughout Washington, thanks to almost $2 million of extra funding provided by the federal Recovery Act. Read more » |
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06/25/09 - The home-improvement season is on us, and some homeowners might be tempted to choose a contractor based only on price, particularly in this tough economy when many are struggling to make ends meet. Read more » |
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06/22/09 - With looming layoffs and budget cuts, state employees continue to prove their generosity by giving through the state’s workplace giving program, the Combined Fund Drive (CFD). Read more » |
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Dan Newhouse 06/08/09 - Gov. Gregoire’s recent agriculture mission to D.C. was a hectic, action-packed 48 hours and a resounding success. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 06/03/09 - This week Washington Department of Agriculture Director Dan Newhouse and I will be meeting with key Obama administration cabinet officials and policy makers in Washington, D.C. to discuss issues surrounding our state’s agriculture industry. Read more » |
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Bette Hyde 05/27/09 - Tonight, KCTS 9 public television in Seattle will air a one-hour special on early learning called “Ready, Set, Grow.” Read more » |
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Karen Lee 05/22/09 - Have you gotten your free Microsoft e-learning voucher yet? How about your spouse, your brother, your niece, your neighbor, your coworker? Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 05/12/09 - Today I joined the ranks of many using Twitter as a new way to connect people with the information and issues that are important to them. Read more » |
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Liz Luce 05/06/09 - The month of May is typically one of the deadliest months for motorcyclists because many riders hit the road again after taking a long break during the winter. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 05/04/09 - Clean energy is good business. That’s why I convened 700 energy industry leaders at the Washington State Energy Summit: Leadership for a Clean and Efficient Energy Future. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 04/23/09 - Across the nation, parents today are taking part in a wonderful opportunity to encourage their children to think about their dreams. Read more » |
 | Jay Manning 04/22/09 - Tuesday night, in time for Earth Day 2009, PBS’ “Frontline” aired a sobering documentary on America’s 30-year efforts to make our waters clean and healthy. Read more » |
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Bette Hyde 04/16/09 - As a longtime educator (and a mother and grandmother), I’ve always believed that children are a top priority for Washington. It’s why I’m so honored that Governor Gregoire has appointed me to serve as Director of the Department of Early Learning. Read more » |
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Cindi Holmstrom 04/10/09 - Thanks to the outstanding efforts of our staff, the Department of Revenue recently received two prestigious awards from the Federation of Tax Administrators. Read more » |
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Larry Williams 03/31/09 - To help keep the engine of small businesses strong, CTED released a comprehensive guide that provides entrepreneurs and small business owners clickable access to a variety of resources needed to start and successfully manage a business. Read more » |
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Jim Mullen 03/26/09 - Earlier this year, thousands of Washington residents suffered damage from flooding. With help from the Emergency Management Division and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, most have begun the journey of rebuilding their lives. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 03/17/09 - Climate change is the great challenge of our time. Our environment, our economy, our very way of life is threatened by a changing climate. Read more » |
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03/10/09 - Last month, Washington state reported $66.8B in exports in 2008. While this is a record number that makes Washington the fourth largest exporting state, only 3 percent of our companies export. Read more » |
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03/06/09 - One of the challenges we have in the state patrol is getting high-quality training to employees in all regions of the state. In the long run, good training saves money. Read more » |
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03/03/09 -When Gov. Chris Gregoire approached me about the position of director of the Washington State Department of Agriculture, I will admit that I had mixed emotions. Read more » |
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02/24/09 - I often tell the WSDOT employees that they are our agency’s greatest resource. This was very clear during the most recent winter storms. We truly saw it all in the space of a month! Read more » |
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02/19/09 - Making things easier can make them better. That’s the wisdom behind the work of the Governor’s Office of Regulatory Assistance. Read more » |
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02/16/09 - One of the ways we keep kids from smoking in our state is to make it very difficult for them to purchase cigarettes. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 02/10/09 - My proposals to reform Washington state government represent the first step in what will be a long-term effort to revamp how programs and services are provided throughout the state. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 02/03/09 - These are hard times that call for sacrifice and reform. As you can imagine, balancing our state budget required making some very difficult decisions. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 01/29/09 - Since I took office more than four years ago, I’ve been working hard to prepare the state of Washington to be competitive in the 21st century. Part of our future is a green economy. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 01/27/09 -Washington, and the rest of the world, must reduce climate-changing greenhouse gas pollution. Greenhouse gases cause global warming, whose effects lead to less snowpack, lower summer stream flows, reduced water supplies and loss of habitat, and more winter flooding and greater coastal erosion. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 01/22/09 - Today I requested federal assistance for Clark, King, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, Snohomish, Thurston and Wahkiakum counties. Damage surveys continue this week and the results are expected to add counties to the disaster declaration request. Read more » |
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Victor Moore 01/20/09 - Two years ago, Washington state voters passed Initiative 960. The measure requires that 10-year financial projections be prepared for each legislative bill with a tax or fee. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 01/13/09 - Today, along with leaders in King County, the city of Seattle and the Port of Seattle, I announced our decision to recommend to the state Legislature that we replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct with a deep bored tunnel. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 01/06/09 - This week I had the great honor to meet with Washington Army National Guard troops in Iraq. The gratitude I hold for these men and women is immense. Our citizen soldiers are our friends, neighbors and co-workers. They deserve our unwavering support and have my profound respect. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 12/31/08 - As we head into 2009, my family and I wish you and yours a wonderful new year. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 12/30/08 - While winter weather still slams much of Washington, it is critically important that communities receive safety alerts and traffic information fast and efficiently. With many families relying on their local television news stations as their source for information, I want to remind all Washingtonians that the federal government is requiring all full-power television stations to convert to a digital signal this February. Without the appropriate equipment, the conversion may prevent some households from seeing a picture on their television. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 12/23/08 - My family and I wish you and your loved ones a happy holiday season. In the New Year, I hope you and yours will be happy and healthy. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 12/11/08 - We know all too well the dangers that can be posed by extreme weather. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 12/09/08 - This week I met with key business, labor and education leaders from across the state for a discussion on economic recovery strategies. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 12/05/08 - With more than 40 Puget Sound species at risk, shellfish beds shut down and beaches closed off to swimmers, we need to take immediate steps to restore Puget Sound. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 11/26/08 - The national recession is hurting all of us, with the most vulnerable families being hit exceptionally hard. This Thanksgiving holiday, please join me in donating to your local food bank. Read more » |
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Mary Selecky 11/25/08 - This week is the 10th anniversary of the landmark legal settlement between the states and big tobacco companies. Gov. Gregoire, who was state attorney general at the time, was one of the lead negotiators. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 11/20/08 - Like the rest of the country — indeed the world — we are in the midst of an economic slowdown. Just like Washington families, government will have to sacrifice and tighten its belt. While we are forced to make tough decisions, this is our time to rethink the role of state government. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 11/10/08 - On Veterans Day we honor the personal sacrifices of the brave Washingtonians who have served in the armed forces. Their courage and commitment are admirable. Read more » |
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Jay Manning 10/29/08 - This week, we issued four new water rights for the city of Camas in Clark County. As a result, the city can draw 4.3 million gallons of new water each day, nearly doubling the amount available to grow its economy and community. Read more » |
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Karen Lee 10/22/08 - This week, we announced the unemployment rate in Washington took a dip in September to 5.8 percent, down from 6 percent in August. Nevertheless, Washingtonians who have been laid off can be confident that our state is financially prepared to pay unemployment benefits. Read more » |
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Jone Bosworth 10/15/08 - This week, the Department of Early Learning launched a new online resource for families — our “Just for Kids” Web site. It’s filled with fun information and activities for children and the adults who love them to do together. Read more » |
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Jay Manning 10/10/08 - Economic vitality and environmental protection: Some people may not see a connection. But the truth is they’re two halves of the same picture. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 10/08/08 - As pressures on the national economy are increasingly being felt at the state level, we have begun action to increase budget savings. We’ve frozen out-of-state travel, cut back on personal services contracts and stopped hiring. Read more » |
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Eldon Vail 10/02/08 - This month, our law enforcement officers stepped up to the challenge and completed yet another successful Operation Crackdown. Read more » |
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Jay Manning 9/23/08 - We're making history today, as Gov. Gregoire and I helped unveil the Western Climate Initiative's recommendations for the most comprehensive greenhouse gas reduction program in the nation designed to date. Read more » |
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Linda Villegas Bremer 09/17/08 - More than 300,000 people visit our Capitol each year to learn about the rich history of state government and enjoy our monuments, memorials and beautiful grounds. Yet as higher fuel prices have people cutting back on travel, the Department of General Administration is bringing the Capitol to them. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 09/10/08 - A few weeks ago, I asked state employees to send suggestions on how we can save energy and taxpayer dollars and help Washington families. Read more » |
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Mary Selecky 09/05/08 - Childhood immunizations are the best way to prevent many diseases, some of which have no cure or treatment. After several years of gains, childhood immunization rates in our state have dipped slightly, according to the latest national survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 08/29/08 - Washington's veterans deserve both respect and the assistance they need to rejoin the state’s work force. With help from my husband, First Mike, Washington was one of the first states to adopt "Helmets to Hardhats," a unique apprenticeship program that matches returning veterans with job training programs. Read more » |
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Scott Jarvis 08/21/08 - Washington is helping its citizens survive a national slow housing market, thanks to Gov. Chris Gregoire and legislators who passed SB 6272. The measure sets aside $1.5 million to assist Washington residents hoping to purchase a home and homeowners struggling to stay in their homes. Read more » |
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Juli Wilkerson 08/15/08 - According to the Internal Revenue Service, more than 115,000 Washington families eligible for the federal Economic Stimulus Payment have not yet received a check, because they haven't filed an income tax return. Too many Washingtonians are losing out on much needed financial help. Read more » |
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John Batiste 08/13/08 - Yesterday the Washington State Patrol was named the best law enforcement agency in the nation for 2007 by the International Association of Chiefs of Police. The honor follows last year’s designation of WSP as the best state police agency of its size in the country. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 08/06/08 - The men and women of the Washington 81st Brigade Combat Team are a brave reflection of Washington's finest. The soldiers of the Washington National Guard are our friends, neighbors and co-workers. Their dedication to leave their communities to serve our country is deserving of our respect and support. Read more » |
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Robert Gore 08/04/08 - We all can share in the rich bounty our farmers and ranchers sell at 125 farmers market across the Evergreen State. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 07/31/08 - While the national economy continues to struggle, Washington received more affirmation today that it is a state where business can develop, grow and prosper. Today, Forbes ranked Washington as the third “best state to do business.” That’s up from Washington’s fifth place ranking last year, up from 12th place in 2006. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 07/30/08 - To kick off our participation in Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) SunWise Communities program, I am proclaiming Washington as a SunWise State. Washington is proud to be the first governor-proclaimed SunWise state. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 07/29/08 - One of Washington's greatest treasures is our marine waters. Our waters provide us food, serve our economy through our ports and waterways, and infuse our heritage and our culture. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 07/25/08 - On behalf of the citizens of Washington, I thank and commend the Air Warriors of the Washington Army National Guard's 1-140th Aviation returning home from their courageous duty abroad. This force served a one-year tour as citizen soldiers supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Read more » |
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David Dicks 07/21/08 - Whether you live, work or play on Puget Sound, or just enjoy its undeniable beauty, you have a stake in its recovery. Gov. Chris Gregoire and the Legislature recognized this when they created the Puget Sound Partnership, a community-led effort with citizens at the helm. Read more » |
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Jay Manning 07/16/08 - Thanks to Gov. Gregoire’s vision and commitment, Washington continues to lead in the fight against global climate change. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 07/11/08 - To help battle growing wildfires in central and Eastern Washington, I signed a statewide state of emergency proclamation today. This frees up equipment, human resources and funding. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 07/10/08 - With gas and food prices at record highs, paying for health care is an even bigger challenge for many Washington families. As anybody who has been sick knows, prescription drugs are one of the biggest costs in getting healthy. To make good health more affordable, I encourage all Washingtonians to sign up for the state's prescription drug discount card. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 07/09/08 - Today's announcement by U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is good news for Washington state, Boeing, its workers and the nation. The Department of Defense will rebid the tanker contract using the same criteria for both bidders. I believe Boeing should have been awarded the contract all along based on the Air Force's criteria, and I believe the tanker contract should have been awarded to Boeing today. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 07/07/08 - Although school has been out for a few weeks, the state of Washington just received some outstanding grades. We earned an "AA" rating from Fitch Ratings and an "AA+" rating from Standard & Poors, two international bond rating firms. The rankings are among the highest that the two firms assign bonds. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 07/03/08 - Independence Day brings celebrations across Washington. For the second year, the holiday means the arrival of dozens of tall ships to Tacoma's Thea Foss Waterway. To help commemorate the event, I've declared July 3 "Tall Ships Tacoma Day." More than 700,000 visitors are expected to tour the 32 ships lining the Port of Tacoma during their four day docking. Read more » |
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Mary Selecky 07/02/08 - By now you've heard about the recent salmonella outbreaks linked to raw tomatoes. More than 800 people have been sickened across the country, including four in Washington. Foodborne illness can be very serious, even deadly. Fortunately, in many cases it can be prevented. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 07/01/08 - Squeezed by escalating food and gas prices, the number of Washington families using food banks jumped this year by 15 percent after being steady for the past several years. It's true all over — from Bellingham to Vancouver, Spokane to Seattle. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 06/18/08 - Today the people of the state of Washington received some great news. The Government Accountability Office has ruled to recommend that bids be reopened for the U.S. Air Force's new refueling tanker. You may recall that the Air Force accepted the bid from Northrop Grumman Corp and its European partner EADS in February. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 06/13/08 - With record high gas and food prices Washingtonians are struggling to keep up. I encourage you to contribute to the 6th Annual Strike Out Hunger Day at Safeco Field on Saturday, June 14 sponsored by the Mariners, Northwest Harvest and KOMO. Read more » |
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Paula Hammond 06/10/08 - With gas prices hovering around $4.25 a gallon in Puget Sound, there was great celebration last week when we cut the ribbon on the I-5 Everett expansion project. The $260 million project is a great example of how WSDOT is actively managing congestion. We added HOV lanes, general purpose lanes and designated ramps for transit and carpool only on I-5 through six miles of Everett. Read more » |
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Cindi Holmstrom 06/05/08 - Small business is the lifeblood of Washington's economy. It is our priority to continuously develop and implement new strategies to lower the cost of doing business in Washington and at the same time make targeted investments to promote small businesses and commerce. Read more » |
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David Dicks 05/29/08 - By 2020, as many as 1.5 million more people will call the cities and towns surrounding Puget Sound home. And as last week's Seattle Times special report points out, if we want to succeed at bringing the Sound back to health, we must figure out how to grow with grace. Read more » |
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John Lee 05/23/08 - Memorial Day invites us as Americans to remember the brave men and women who swore an oath to defend our freedoms and paid the ultimate price. It is also a time to thank veterans and current service members, especially as citizen soldiers from the National Guard’s 81st Brigade prepare to deploy this summer. Read more » |
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Jay Manning 05/21/08 - In a winter like the one just past, it's easy to take our mountain snowfields and glaciers for granted. But that's a mistake. Despite variations like this year, Washington, along with the rest of the world, is warming at an alarming rate due to emissions of carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels — oil, gas, coal — that create a greenhouse effect. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 05/19/08 - The commitment of state agencies to provide information to the public as quickly and accurately as possible was confirmed this week when the State Auditor's Office released its latest performance audit. State cabinet agencies had a 94 percent success rate in the audit. The few mistakes were clerical errors and not attempts to withhold information. Read more » |
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Karen Lee 05/13/08 - The April unemployment rate in Washington is 4.7 percent, the 19th month in row under 5 percent. But even with our low unemployment rate, there are always people looking for work. Read more » |
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Mary Selecky 05/06/08 - When you turn on a faucet, you probably take it for granted that you’ll get clear, refreshing water from your tap. And that’s a good thing, because it means your water supplier has been consistently providing you with safe, reliable drinking water. Read more » |
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Valoria Loveland 05/02/08 - Some of Washington’s most productive orchards were hit by unseasonably cold weather in April. At the governor’s request, I headed to the Yakima Valley and the Columbia Basin this week to survey the damage and talk to some of the impacted producers. Read more » |
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Cindi Holmstrom 04/25/08 - Washington has the fourth-best tax system in the nation for entrepreneurs and small businesses, according to the Business Tax Index 2008 issued recently by the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council. Read more » |
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Governor Chris Gregoire 04/22/08 - Today is Earth Day, and I suggest each of us to take a minute to think about our beautiful state and then ask: Can I do more to protect it for future generations? The fact is, every day should be earth day, and the answer from each of us should be "Yes, we can!" Read more » |
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David Dicks 04/14/08 - Figure out what's wrong with Puget Sound, then organize a community-led effort to fix it. That's the ambitious charge Gov. Chris Gregoire and the Legislature gave the Puget Sound Partnership. Read more » |
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Mary Selecky 04/09/08 - Helping people live longer and live healthier is a top priority at the state Department of Health. When someone stops using tobacco, for example, he or she could live a longer, healthier life and avoid some diseases. Read more » |
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Eva Santos 03/27/08 - State government, like the people we serve, represents a diverse mix of cultures and ethnicities. As an employer, the state is committed to having a work force that benefits from Washington's diversity in culture, race, ethnicity, ability and gender. Read more » |
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Mary Selecky 03/21/08 - One of the most important things we do at the state Department of Health is provide vaccines so kids across Washington can be protected from diseases such as measles, whooping cough and chicken pox. Vaccination has a positive impact on the health of people in our state. Read more » |
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Karen Lee 03/18/08 - Today we released the latest job growth data that showed Washington’s unemployment rate remained steady and added 3,500 non-agricultural jobs in February. By contrast, the United States lost 63,000 non-agricultural jobs in February. Read more » |
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Paula Hammond 03/12/08 - A new chapter began at the WSDOT last week when David Moseley took the helm of the Washington state ferry system. And I couldn't be happier. Read more » |
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Chris Gregoire 03/11/08 - This past weekend I had the opportunity to see a community’s dream fulfilled with the opening of the Northwest African American Museum in Seattle. Read more » |
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Chris Gregoire 03/05/08 - This morning I had a chance to talk to Marty and Jodi on The Marty Riemer Show on 103.7 The Mountain. We covered Boeing, the 520 bridge and the presidential primaries. You can listen to the interview here. Read more » |
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Chris Gregoire 03/04/08 - Our hard work to make Washington state government the best in the nation is drawing attention once again from outside our state — this time by the prestigious Pew Center on the States.The Center just gave our state an A- ranking for its performance in managing public resources. Read more » |
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Chris Gregoire 02/29/08 - Today marks a new beginning for my website. I’ve invited members of the Cabinet and others to join me in creating a blog. We’ll discuss issues of the day and why they are important to the people of Washington. Be sure to check out these pages on a regular basis to hear these interesting and insightful perspectives. Read more » |
