1. “Port invests in Bucoda, Yelm projects”
Rolf Boone of The Olympian reports:
“The Port of Olympia economic development corporation will invest in Bucoda and Yelm projects as part of a new pilot program to invest in the county’s small cities and towns to stimulate economic development.

The port will invest … $10,000 to repair, expand and enhance the City of Yelm’s Mosman Corridor. A portion of those funds will be used for a preliminary engineering report on the corridor project.”

2. “More in Thurston, Pierce counties file for bankruptcy”
Rolf Boone of The Olympian reports:
“South Sound personal and business bankruptcy filings continued an upward trend in the first quarter of the year, rising in both Thurston and Pierce counties, according to data compiled by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Washington…

The increase in filings continues a trend that both counties experienced last year. Thurston County bankruptcy filings rose 10 percent in 2010; Pierce County filings rose 13 percent.

In the first quarter, Thurston County filings rose 16 percent to 349 from 300 in the same period last year…

Unemployment, under-employment and people struggling with their mortgages still are some of the main factors contributing to the decision to file for bankruptcy protection, Patton said…

Total bankruptcy filings in Western Washington rose 2.34 percent to 6,592 in the first quarter from 6,441 in the first quarter of 2010.”

3. “WA preps for July shutdown as budget talks stall”
Mike Baker reports in The Olympian:
“Top officials in Washington state started preparing Monday [May 16] for a potential government shutdown in July as lawmakers stalled in their bid to reach a budget compromise.

Gov. Chris Gregoire said she has started holding talks with cabinet and financial management leaders about what would happen if there’s no spending plan by the time a new budget cycle begins in July. She’s seen little progress in budget negotiations in the Legislature and can’t recall a time that things have been so bogged down.”