Gov. Chris Gregoire

Gregoire signs Kohl-Welles' medical marijuana bill into law

rachel_solomon — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 18:34:32 +0000

rachel_solomon Fri, 04/02/2010 - 11:34am

Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles was the primary sponsor of a medical marijuana bill that was signed into law April 2 by Gov. Chris Gregoire.

Courtesy of Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles

Gov. Chris Gregoire signed Senate Bill 5798 into law April 2, expanding access to medical marijuana for patients suffering from debilitating and terminal illnesses.

The bill was sponsored by Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles from the 36th District, who has long supported marijuana-law reform.

Under the new law, healthcare professionals can recommend medical marijuana to a patient based on their own judgment and discretion. Some of the ailments outlined include chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting, AIDS wasting syndrome, epilepsy, acute or chronic glaucoma and some forms of intractable pain.

The law expands upon Initiative 682, which in 1998 permitted only physicians to prescribe marijuana for medicinal purposes. Now, other healthcare professionals, such as naturopaths, physicians’ assistants, osteopath physicians’ assistants and advanced nurse practitioners, can also authorize the use of the plant.

At a March 30 forum, Kohl-Welles said her endorsement stems from watching family members suffer first-hand from terminal diseases.

“We’re talking about individuals who suffer grave medical conditions who are able to find some relief from marijuana, which is a natural plant,” Kohl-Welles said at the forum. “Pain and suffering are not partisan.”

During the 2011 legislative session, which will begin next January, Kohl-Welles intends to introduce a major medical cannabis bill.

Download the full bill with the link at the right.

Gov. Chris Gregoire

Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles

marijuana

Ballard

Robinson Papers

Governor, mayor sign agreement on proposed bored tunnel

Guest — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:31:32 +0000

Guest (not verified) Mon, 10/26/2009 - 9:31am

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels and Governor Chris Gregoire at the signing ceremony for the memorandum of agreement to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

Photo courtesy state transportation department Flickr page

Gov. Chris Gregoire and Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels signed a memorandum of agreement on Saturday, Oct. 24, which outlines the city and state’s construction and funding responsibilities to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct with the proposed bored tunnel.

The Seattle City Council unanimously approved an ordinance on Oct. 19 that endorsed the proposed tunnel and authorized the execution of the agreement.

The agreement establishes a formal partnership between the City of Seattle and Washington state for removing the viaduct along the waterfront, between South King Street and the Battery Street Tunnel. The state will fund the replacement of SR 99 along the waterfront, removal of the remaining viaduct, and construction of a new waterfront boulevard.

The city will improve city streets, such as Mercer Street, replace the central waterfront seawall, relocate utilities, and build new public spaces along the waterfront.

The Federal Highway Administration, state and city are leading the environmental review for the viaduct replacement along the waterfront. A second Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement, which analyzes the bored tunnel and builds upon the previous review of other alternatives, will be published for public review in early 2010.

Similarly, results from this months semi-annual inspection of the viaduct will be released Oct. 30.

Gov. Gregoire to visit Nordic Heritage Museum

Guest — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:51:01 +0000

Guest (not verified) Tue, 10/06/2009 - 5:51pm

Gov. Christine Gregoire will visit the Nordic Heritage Museum this Thursday, Oct. 8 from 2 to 4 p.m. to hear the museum's plans for its new facility to be located on Northwest Market Street.

Guests have been invited to learn about the cultural resources of the museum and its plans to sculpt a new international destination for Nordic culture. The afternoon will include presentations and a visit to the future site of the museum.

The museum shares Nordic and Nordic American culture through a range of educational, cultural, and artistic programs and exhibits.

Please contact Karen Hansen at (206) 789-5707 x25 for more information.

The Nordic Heritage Museum is located at 3014 N.W. 67th St.

Nordic Heritage Museum

West Seattleite wins governor’s leadership award

Guest — Mon, 18 May 2009 22:58:41 +0000

Guest (not verified) Mon, 05/18/2009 - 3:58pm

West Seattle resident Russ Brubaker has been named one of 16 recipients of Gov. Chris Gregoire’s 2009 Award for Leadership in Management.

Washington Dept. of Revenue

West Seattle resident Russ Brubaker has been named one of 16 recipients of Gov. Chris Gregoire’s 2009 Award for Leadership in Management.

Gregoire said Brubaker, senior assistant director of tax policy for the state's Department of Revenue, has been a champion of simplicity and fairness in tax policy for more than 20 years. She called him a visionary leader and an advocate of fiscal efficiency.

Brubaker helped pave the way for Washington joining a national effort to encourage out-of-state sellers to collect sales tax on sales to Washington residents; supported passage of taxpayer rights and responsibilities legislation, championed tax simplifications in reporting for small businesses, and defended Washington’s tax system against Congressional proposals that would have eviscerated the state’s business and occupation tax.

Locally, Brubaker has served on the Northwest AIDs Foundation Legislative Committee, Delridge Neighborhoods District Council, City Neighborhood Council, Citizens Toxics Cleanup Campaign Board, and the Seattle Parks and Green Space Levy Oversight Committee.

He has lived in West Seattle for 15 years with his partner Peter Quigley and several very charming dogs and cats.

Recipients will attend a May 19 awards luncheon at the executive mansion.

Thirty-six managers were nominated by 19 agencies for the award. A selection committee composed of agency heads and members of Gregoire’s staff selected the winners based on demonstrated performance.

The Leadership in Management program was created in 1985 to recognize state government managers who demonstrate excellent performance. In 2006, the governor reinvigorated the program with criteria that focus on performance, accountability and proven business results.

Go here to read about the other award recipients.

Governor signs viaduct bill

Guest — Wed, 13 May 2009 18:23:10 +0000

Guest (not verified) Wed, 05/13/2009 - 11:23am

Gov. Chris Gregoire signed a bill today, May 12, that commits $2.8 billion in state money to help build a tunnel under the Seattle waterfront to replace the 56-year-old Alaskan Way Viaduct.

Gregoire signed the bill today at 2 p.m. at the downtown Seattle Waterfront Aquarium.

She posted the following on her Twitter page: "The tunnel bill is signed! Thanks to mayor, county executive, port and legislature for support. New jobs, waterfront, and transpo capacity coming soon."

The tunnel and associated elements of the plan will cost more than $4 billion and Seattle and King County are responsible for the rest. The mile-long elevated section of Highway 99 carries a little more than 100,000 vehicles a day, according to the state department of transportation.

Kristy Van Ness (Laing), communications manager for the Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall Replacement Program, said the $4 billion price tag also includes a new waterfront surface street, transit investments, and downtown waterfront and city street improvements. The bored tunnel portion is estimated to cost $1.9 billion, she said.

Gregoire is scheduled to travel to Tacoma Wednesday, May 13, to sign the $7.5 billion state transportation budget.

Other bills she will sign in the near future include a bill that will dedicate $620 million for the county to start building pontoons for a new Highway 520 floating bridge.

Gregoire signs bill against puppy mills

Guest — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:03:16 +0000

Guest (not verified) Thu, 04/30/2009 - 10:03am

Two local students to attend

Whitman seventh-graders, Theresa Edwards and Audrey Long, shown here at a morning event with Gov. Chris Gregoire, won their two year fight for the mistreatment of dogs when a bill the seeks to eliminate "puppy mills" was signed by the governor. Click image to see another photo.

Senator Kohl-Welles' Office

After their two year fight against the mistreatment of dogs in Washington’s puppy mills, Theresa Edwards and Audrey Long, seventh-graders at Whitman Middle School, attended the signing of Senate Bill 5651 by Gov. Chris Gregoire in Olympia this morning, April 30.

Senate Bill 5651, was sponsored by Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles and seeks to eliminate “puppy mills” by prohibiting a person from owning, possessing, controlling, or otherwise having charge or custody of more than 25 dogs with intact sexual organs over the age of four months at a time, as reported by WashingtonVotes.org.

Long and Edwards had testified for the bill earlier in February and had been waiting for the House and Senate decisions ever since.

Today, their work and fight for the safety of dogs was commended with the bill signing ceremony.

Whitman Middle School

Gov. Gregoire forecasts big growth in area marine cargo

Guest — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 23:40:13 +0000

Guest (not verified) Mon, 03/23/2009 - 4:40pm

SOME GOOD ECONOMIC NEWS. Gov. Chris Gregoire spoke optimistically about forecasted growth in Seattle's marine cargo industry at a press conference today at Todd Shipyards on Harbor Island. On hand were Washington State Department of Transportation Secretary, Paula Hammond, center, and Executive Director of Washington Public Ports Association, Eric Johnson, right.

Steve Shay

Gov. Chris Gregoire forecasted growth in the Seattle shipping industry in response to the 2009 Marine Cago Forecast. She spoke at a press conference at Todd Shipyards, about one mile due east of Alki's Seacrest Park, on Harbor Island.

The forecast projects 20 years ahead, and shows growth from 2.9 million containers in 2007 to 9.7 million containers in 2030.

"The forecast gives hope to our economy to jobs that could come to Seattle," said Gregoire. "This is a message of opportunity. We will have a chance to provide waterfront and freight jobs which are good family wage jobs."

Gregoire pointed out that the state must keep up infrastructure to stay competitive with Canadian, California, and East Coast ports.

"The Panama Canal is being widened to accommodate ships twice the size that now enter," said the governor. "That means more Asian cargo ships will have a more direct route and may bypass Seattle, and instead pass through the canal and use harbors in the East Coast."

The Panama Canal project is scheduled to be finished in five years.

"When the economy picks back up, hopefully next year, we will have a great opportunity...to capture a great amount of cargo," said Executive Director of Washington Public Ports Association, Eric Johnson. "Our port helps out the manufacturers, small business people, and farmers in eastern Washington and other places around the state depending on better shipping rates and supply routes. We cannot take this for granted."

"We want to make sure to make trade investments necessary to take advantage of the forecast we see coming," Johnson added. "We don't want to lose trade to competing ports."

Animal abuse must stop

Guest — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 23:45:43 +0000

Guest (not verified) Fri, 02/13/2009 - 3:45pm

About all these dogs and puppies taken from these three ladies, each in a different house, mother and two daughters running puppy mills. The houses should be sold and all assets seized and given to the animal shelters caring for these animals.

These ladies have been selling these puppies for $700 and $1200 each, the ads have been placed in the papers we read. The lady that turned them in said this is so. It was on the news. They said animal control reported all the females were having puppies or were going to. Some were so bad standing in their own feces, they were sick and full of fleas, rotting skin. These had to be put to sleep.

Now that they have proof they should be able to prosecute and jail these ladies. No more slapping hands. And I also wrote to Gov. Chris Gregoire. Ask her to pass a bill to only let a dog be bred once and then fixed and change the price of a license to $1000 for each animal they have. That would at last slow them down. I also sent what I have put in this letter. I feel so sorry for all those little dogs.

Kathleen Vogel
Delridge