Something was in the air at the capital campus in Olympia on Thursday and if you poked your nose outside, you surely picked up the unmistakable aroma.
Some local governments in Southwest Washington have dealt with sporadic timber revenues and therefore uncertain budgets due to a lack of access to portions of state forest lands encumbered by endangered animal species.
Legislation that would allow public-utility districts (PUD) and rural port districts in counties currently not served and underserved to provide telecommunications services directly to consumers is being met with strong opposition from lawmakers intent on leaving that service to private enterprise.