BELLEVUE – Dino Rossi, still hoping to win the governor’s office, has ruled out running for the U.S. Senate in 2006.
The Sammamish Republican, a real estate investor and former state Senate Budget Committee chairman, won the first two tallies for governor last fall but lost a hand recount to Democrat Christine Gregoire by 129 votes. Republicans are trying to get the election thrown out, saying illegal votes and tabulation errors made the outcome impossible to verify.
State Republican Party Chairman Chris Vance himself has been mentioned as a challenger for Sen. Marie Cantwell, as have former U.S. Rep. Rick White and insurance company executive Mike McGavick.
Associated Press
Seattle: Civic gadfly Frank Ruano dies
Frank Ruano of Shoreline, a civic gadfly who tirelessly fought but failed to block construction of publicly financed professional sports stadiums in Seattle, is dead at 84. Ruano, who filed two lawsuits that went to the state Supreme Court, died April 20 of cardiac arrest, friends and family said. “Frank was probably our first suburban rebel,” said Walt Crowley, director of HistoryLink.org, an online state historical compendium. “He really presaged a lot of the anti-tax, anti-government and anti-urban activism that would follow him in the ’70s and beyond.” Besides lawsuits, Ruano’s methods included recall drives against elected officials, referendums opposing sales tax increases and an unsuccessful run for the state Legislature.
Associated Press
Federal proposal would shut down locks at night
A federal budget proposal to reduce funding for the Lake Washington Ship Canal could force the Ballard Locks to close at night, delaying passage of commercial vessels and pleasure boats. The Bush administration has recommended cutting the canal’s annual funding from $6.48 million to $4.39 million for the fiscal year beginning in October. If Congress passes the proposed budget, the Seattle District of the Army Corps of Engineers would likely have to reduce operating hours, said Patricia Graesser, a spokeswoman for the district. The Locks are currently open 24 hours a day.
Associated Press
LaPush: Official wants to help school move
Lt. Gov. Brad Owen promised Wednesday to put his political muscle behind the Quileute Tribe’s efforts to move its school out of the tsunami zone. “I think there are some ways to muster some political support to make that happen,” he told tribal leaders. The tribe hopes Olympic National Park will relinquish enough land to move the school, senior center, tribal offices and housing from the tsunami zone farther inland from the Pacific Ocean.
Peninsula Daily News
California: Olympia man sentenced to death
An ex-Army Ranger who said he ambushed a Red Bluff police officer to make a political statement was sentenced to die for the slaying. Andrew Hampton Mickel, 26, of Olympia, who acted as his own attorney, told jurors he traveled cross-country and carefully planned his acts. He fatally shot David Mobilio in the back and head with armor-piercing bullets as the police officer refueled his squad car Nov. 19, 2002.
Associated Press
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