News Clips— Present/Absentee

October 9, 2006 12:00 am
Traffic: It's costly.
Traffic: It's costly.

PRESENT ABSENTEE
Discount stores, including Costco and Wal-Mart, are enjoying rising profits even as other retailers suffer. Nothing says “Merry Christmas” like cheap goods purchased in bulk. Republicans are bummed because Democrats broke a deadlock and took control of the Washington state House of Representatives. Soon-to-be-former House Co-Speaker Clyde Ballard is reportedly refusing to give back his half of the gavel.
Exxon is one happy corporation after a judge threw out a $5 billion damage award over the 1989 Valdez tanker oil spill. On the bright side, Alaskan coastal communities get to keep the 11 million gallons of crude oil. Washingtonians are $9.3 billion poorer because of lost revenues due to traffic congestion, claims a local think tank. Coincidentally, this is about what it would cost us to actually fix the roads.
Seattle residents can now support alternative electricity sources such as windmills and solar panels by paying extra. The sources may be innovative, but the concept of boosting power bills is a City Light classic. God came out ahead with the approval of a King County charter amendment protecting freedom of religion. However, the man upstairs is a little ticked about only winning by a 60/40 margin.