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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: Washington state

Washington state stories: 39 news summaries

1 - 20 of 39 Stories | 1 2 Next >>

'Everything But Marriage' Law for Gays Passes in Wash.

Referendum 71 expands benefits for same-sex couples

(Newser) - A measure expanding benefits for same-sex couples, dubbed the “everything but marriage” law, has passed in Washington state, the first time such an equality measure has been approved at the state level by voters. Referendum 71 currently has about 52% of the votes, and a margin of 60,000,... More »

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gay rights Washington state benefits domestic partnership Referendum 71

GEORGE F. WILL

Stop Lefty Thugs Bullying Gay Marriage Opponents

Supreme Court must step in to keep chill off participation

(Newser) - A movement in Washington state to force the disclosure of the names of those who supported a referendum on same-sex marriage has George Will up in arms over “thuggish liberalism” and its chilling effect on political participation. Signing one’s name in support of such a measure is akin... More »

SATIRE DEPT.

 Keep Anti-Gays 
 in Closet: Colbert 

Anti-gay marriage petitioners in Washington value their privacy

(Newser) - Stephen Colbert had a fine time last night espousing the rights of that “persecuted minority”—anti-gay-marriage activists. You see, the group that gathered signatures for a referendum against Washington state’s recently signed domestic partnership legislation is refusing to disclose the names of the signers, the Huffington... More »

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gay marriage legislation homosexuality Washington state civil union Stephen Colbert The Colbert Report referendum

ELECTION DAY

 Gay Marriage to Gambling: 
 Key Ballot Initiatives 

Two states vote on taxpayer bills of rights, to curb spending

(Newser) - Voters in six states will head to the polls next Tuesday to decide ballot initiatives on everything from medical marijuana to livestock care. The Atlantic lists some of the most interesting, and the most likely to reverberate across state lines.
  • Question 1, Maine. Maine voters are being given
... More »

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gay marriage taxes Ohio casino Maine Washington state referendum ballot initiative Election 09

Police ID
Amnesiac Teen Found in NYC

'Jane Doe' is 18-year-old from Washington state

(Newser) - A teenager who turned up outside a New York City shelter earlier this month saying she didn't know her name has been identified, police say. "Jane Doe" is 18-year-old Kacie Aleece Peterson from eastern Washington state, and her father is en route to New York to pick her up,... More »

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New York City memory loss Washington state amnesia teenager Kacie Aleece Peterson Covenant House

(Newser) - Author Stephenie Meyer had never even been to Forks, Wash., when she chose it, with a little help from Google, as the setting for her wildly popular Twilight books. But that hasn’t stopped fans of the series and the movies it has spawned from flocking to the town,... More »

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entertainment film tourism Washington state movies Twilight Robert Pattinson Stephenie Meyer Kristen Stewart Forks, Washington

Ecoterrorists Topple Seattle-Area Radio Towers

Earth Liberation Front cites 'harmful radio waves' among reasons for action

(Newser) - A radical group bent on stopping urban sprawl looks to be behind the toppling today of two radio towers northeast of Seattle, the Everett Herald reports. The Earth Liberation Front left a banner behind near the sprawling wreckage of KRKO-AM’s towers—one 349 feet tall—in Snohomish, reading “... More »

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Washington state Earth Liberation Front domestic terrorism radio towers KRKO-AM Snohomish, Wash. ecoterrorism

(Newser) - Three major glaciers in Alaska and Washington state have rapidly shrunk over the last 50 years due to global warming—and the melting is accelerating as the climate changes, notes a government study released yesterday. The glaciers, chosen as "benchmarks" because their conditions closely parallel those of thousands of... More »

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climate change Alaska global warming Washington state glacier ice melt United States Geological Survey

(Newser) - Fans, ice cream, and AC were in short supply yesterday as Seattle recorded the hottest temperature in its history, a sizzling 103 degrees, and heat records melted across the region, reports the Seattle Times. Relief is still a sweaty few days away as a heat warning remains in effect for... More »

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weather heat wave Washington state Oregon Seattle Pacific Northwest

(Newser) - A heat wave continues to pummel the Pacific Northwest, the AP reports, though tomorrow will likely bring some relief. Temperatures at Seattle’s airport could easily break the 1994 record of 100 degrees today; yesterday, temps in Portland came within 1 degree of the 1984 record of 107. The region... More »

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heat wave Washington state Seattle air conditioning temperatures Portland, Oregon Pacific Northwest cooling stations

Woman First to Use Washington Suicide Law

Cancer patient, 66, takes lethal dose under Death with Dignity Act

(Newser) - A 66-year-old woman became the first to opt for physician-assisted suicide under Washington state’s new death-with-dignity law, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports. Suffering from stage 4 pancreatic cancer, Linda Fleming took a lethal dose of medication last night, surrounded by her family, doctor and dog. More »

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assisted suicide euthanasia Washington state Linda Fleming

Women, 56, Discover They Were Switched at Birth

'Swisters' become friends after Oregon hospital's mix-up revealed

(Newser) - Two women's lives have been turned upside down since they discovered they were switched at birth 56 years ago, the East Oregonian reports. Kay Qualls and DeeAnn Shafer—whose parents are now deceased—decided to go for DNA testing last summer after an elderly former neighbor contacted one of the... More »

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DNA baby Washington state birth hospital

 Flu Spreads, Kills US Man 

Australia, Japan see cases

(Newser) - Health officials have confimed that a 30-year-old Washington state man died last week of the H1N1 flu strain, raising its US death toll to  three, Reuters reports. He had suffered from heart problems. The disease has now been found in some 2,200 Americans and has spread to Japan and... More »

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Australia Japan Washington state influenza flu swine flu H1N1 virus

 Washington State Boosts Rights for Same-Sex Partners

Domestic partners given all the rights of married couples

(Newser) - Lawmakers in Washington state have voted to give same-sex domestic partners all the same rights as married couples, reports the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Republicans, fearing the move would lead to legalized same-sex marriage in the state, unsuccessfully tried to add amendments to the bill to keep a clear distinction between domestic... More »

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gay rights gay marriage Washington state

 Dad Killed 
 5 Kids After 
 Wife Dumped Him 

He was going to kill her, too: cops

(Newser) - The dad who killed his five children and himself near Tacoma, Wash., did so after discovering his wife was leaving him for another man, reports the Seattle Times reports. James Harrison, 34, confronted his wife at a convenience store Saturday before returning home to shoot each child multiple times. Four... More »

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crime murder-suicide children family Washington state Seattle father filicide

 5 Children Found Slain in Home 

Tacoma police think father killed them,
then himself

(Newser) - Five children ages 7 to 16 were found dead today in their home near Tacoma, Wash., the Seattle Times reports. Investigators say they might have been killed by their father, whose body was found at a different location after an apparent suicide. The youngest child was a boy and the... More »

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murder Washington state Seattle father shooting filicide

 Suds-Smugglers 
 Thwart Eco-Friendly Law 

Residents say only outlaw high-phosphate detergents get their dishes clean enough

(Newser) - Spokane, Washington's pioneering ban on high-phosphorus dishwasher detergents has led some residents to pioneer detergent-smuggling, reports the AP.  People complaining that the eco-friendly detergents don't get their dishes as clean as the old kind regularly cross over into Idaho to stock up. Retailers near the border say their detergent... More »

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environment pollutants Washington state smuggler detergent phosphorus

(AP) - The Senate today confirmed former Washington Gov. Gary Locke as commerce secretary, handing President Obama an easy victory after his first two nominees for the post withdrew. Locke, 59, was America's first Chinese-American governor, serving two terms from 1997 to 2005. He has promised to focus on job creation and... More »

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Washington state Department of Commerce governor commerce secretary Obama Cabinet Gary Locke

Commerce Nom Locke a Rock Star in China

As Washington state governor, he cultivated deep trade ties

(Newser) - The third time was the charm for China—at least in terms of President Obama's picks to head the Commerce Department, reports the New York Times. Former Washington Gov. Gary Locke, to be introduced today as the administration's latest nominee, brings a reputation for pragmatism, a scandal-free resume, and deep... More »

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China trade Washington state Department of Commerce governor commerce secretary Gary Locke

 Dead Girl, 16, 
 Found in Army Barracks 

Fort Lewis investigating after 1 civilian teen found dead, another unconscious

(Newser) - A 16-year-old girl was found dead and another girl the same age was found unconscious in an Army barracks at Fort Lewis, Wash., early Sunday, the Tacoma News-Tribune reports. The girls were found by emergency personnel responding to a 911 call. A soldier who allegedly knew at least one of... More »

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US military death Washington state military bases barracks teenager

1 - 20 of 39 Stories | 1 2 Next >>