Seattle area, San Juans lead the local wealth parade

Mike Parks, editor of the valuable Marple's Pacific Northwest Letter ($), has posted some fascinating data about levels of wealth in Washington and Oregon, digging into the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis figures for 2006, the most recent year available. The figures show how much Washington's richest counties are outstripping other nearby states.

• READ MORE
• Comment Now

The Washington gubernatorial race goes hybrid

The 2008 Washington gubernatorial race is shaping up as a rematch between Democrat Chris Gregoire and Republican Dino Rossi.

But while the candidates may be the same as in 2004, their campaign cars are not. This year both Rossi and Gregoire plan to crisscross the state in hybrid SUVs.

• READ MORE
• 1 comment

Latest presidential donations for Seattle, Portland

Seattle and Portland have a good rivalry in many regards, mostly liveability contests. But how's it going in terms of donability? Who gives the most in the presidential races, and to whom? Thanks to Opensecrets.org's website, here are the most recent figures (as of January) for the respective Metro areas. Seattle is miles ahead, no doubt largely owing to the timing of the Washington caucus earlier this month and the Oregon primary, not til May. Portland is apparently not catching Obamamania yet, though it does beat Seattle in Kucinich donations. And in both metro regions, McCain is doing very poorly, far behind Mitt Romney (remember him?) and slightly behind Ron Paul.

• READ MORE
• Comment Now

In Portland, the sheriff is in a spitball showdown

The turf war is escalating in Oregon’s Multnomah County between Sheriff Bernie Giusto, accused of big-time mismanagement and some hinky morals, and County Chairman Ted Wheeler, who aims to take over the running of the county’s jails. Most places, fists would probably be flying. Here, things remain outwardly polite, as Portland Tribune writer Nick Budnick so ably portrays in his latest article.

• READ MORE
• Comment Now

The view of Prop 1 from a comfy bus seat in the Rose City

It isn't very sporting to point out that Portland had the foresight to plan miles of rail corridors in less time than it took Seattle to reach consensus on that all-important question, "Should Pine Street be open to vehicular traffic?" So, instead let’s point out that around Portland, 70 percent of the TriMet riders have access to cars and choose to take public transit instead. That last figure, dear gridlock victim, is key.

• READ MORE
• Comment Now

For-profit prophesy: An Oregon library system reopens under new management

Jackson County couldn't make up $7 million in lost federal funds, so book-lending and other tasks are being outsourced.

• READ MORE
• Comment Now