Washington Drivers Urged to Prepare for Winter Weather

From the Columbia Basin Herald via The Chronicle:

Drivers can start installing studded tires on vehicles Nov. 1. The Washington State Department of Transportation said in a press release that studded tires are legal through March 31.

All-weather tires without studs are legal year-round.

Drivers should start preparing for bad weather before the snow starts to pile up, the press release said. Department of Transportation Maintenance Operations Manager James Morin wrote in the press release that WSDOT crews are prepared for winter conditions, but that drivers need to be ready also.

“Most pass closures are due to preventable spin outs or crashes from vehicles driven too fast, or not having proper equipment,” he wrote.

Department of Transportation officials recommend that drivers check weather conditions before they leave, the press release said. The information is available on the WSDOT website, www.wsdot.com.

Drivers should prepare their vehicles for winter, and plan extra time for the trip, especially if they’re crossing mountain passes. The DOT uses two radio stations, 530 AM and 1610 AM, to update drivers on current traffic information. People also can find information on WSDOT social media; the agency has a downloadable app for phones.

A separate text thread is available for up-to-date information on Snoqualmie Pass. People can text 468311 with the words “WSDOT Snoqualmie.”

Heavy rain, gusty winds to arrive Thursday in Thurston County. And more is on the way

From The Olympian:

Get out your rain gear. Olympia will experience wet, windy weather Thursday and Friday and later this weekend. Moderate to heavy rain and gusty winds are forecast for the lowland regions of Western Washington on Thursday. This will lead to slick road conditions and minor flooding in areas with poor drainage, according to the National Weather Service in Seattle.

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In the Olympia area, the forecast says winds may reach 20 miles per hour Thursday with gusts up to 29 miles per hour. This could cause tree limb damage and localized power outages, the NWS said.

AccuWeather predicts at least five storms will move across the northern Pacific and pass over the Northwest into early November. This will bring bouts of heavy rain and mountain snow separated by one to two days of drier weather.

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Between Thursday and Friday mornings, up to a half-inch of rain will descend upon the Olympia and Tacoma areas, according to a NWS forecast.

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Doubling down on the MAX: Alaska Airlines orders 52 more 737 aircraft

From The Points Guy:

Alaska Airlines has staked its future on the Boeing 737 MAX — and on Wednesday, placed a large order for more of the jets.

In fact, the Seattle-based carrier said that the order, for 52 Boeing 737 MAX 9 and 10s, is the largest Boeing order in the company’s history. The company currently operates 35 737 MAX aircraft and expects to take delivery of 43 more between now and the end of 2023. The deal includes purchase rights for 105 additional aircraft beyond the 52 firm orders.

With the new order, Alaska could have 250 737 MAXs in its fleet by 2030, though the airline noted that it has some flexibility with this deal to “match our deliveries with economic conditions while saving our place in the production line.”

Voter Registration Deadlines for the November 8 General Election

Citizens encouraged to register to vote or update their voter registration.

From the Office of the Thurston County Auditor:

Below are the voter registration deadlines for the November 8 General Election in Thurston County 

​Through Monday, October 31, 2022:
 
Last day for remote registrations and updates to existing registrations online at VoteWA.gov, by mail, or at voter registration drives, etc. Must be received by an election official by close of business.  

On and After Tuesday, November 1, 2022:

You may register or update your registration in-person until 8 p.m. on Election Day November 8, 2022 at:
  

Thurston County Elections Office Voting Center

2400 Evergreen Park Dr SW, Olympia, WA 98502

Oct 19 – Nov 7, M – F, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

November 8, 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Voting Center at Lacey Library

500 College St SE, Lacey, WA 98503

Oct 31 – Nov 7, M – F, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

November 8, 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

  
Washington residents can register to vote and get a replacement ballot at the HUB at The Evergreen State College. 

HUB at The Evergreen State College

2700 McCann Plaza Drive NW, Olympia, WA 98505

Nov 4 & Nov 7 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

November 8, 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. 

For more information, visit ThurstonWAVotes.gov 

Experience Olympia asking for the public’s thoughts on Community Management Plan

From The Jolt News:

Experience Olympia & Beyond is asking community members to provide feedback on its draft Community Management Plan (CMP) for its Thurston Beautiful Byway project.

“The Thurston Bountiful Byway is a 60-mile loop tour covering rural Thurston County, promoting the agricultural aspects of the region, including farms, farmers markets selling local products, and businesses sourcing from local farms,” explained Experience Olympia & Beyond in its press statement.

Six public workshops were held with an online tool created in August to accept public input on the CMP for community members to provide suggestions for destinations, experiences, and desired improvements along the route.

Community members can access the draft CMP here, through the project website, and can send any suggestions for edits to jeff@experienceolympia.com by the end of business day, Wednesday, November 16.

Stop The Thurston Airport website.

+ The Olympian: Port of Olympia commission votes 3-0 to sign letter in opposition to proposed airport

+ The Chronicle: State Sen. Jim McCune Pledges to Fight Proposed Expansion Airport

Olympia area officials, residents organize against Thurston airport proposal

From The Olympian:

The Commercial Aviation Coordination Commission included the Thurston County site in a list of recommendations that it submitted to the state legislature on Oct. 15. The commission has been tasked by the legislature with identifying one location for expanding aviation capacity by a June 15, 2023, deadline.

In addition to the Thurston County site, the commission is also considering two “greenfield” sites in Pierce County for a new airport. As an alternative to developing a new airport, the commission may recommend growing Paine Field in Snohomish County.

The legislature must approve whatever the commission ultimately recommends, and it will take many years for the project to start. Still, that hasn’t stopped locals from sounding the alarm in their communities and on social media.

A change.org petition organized by Sue Cummings, a local farm owner, had received almost 7,000 signatures in opposition to the proposed airport as of Friday afternoon.

“Stop the Thurston Airport,” a citizen advocacy group, announced their official launch on Oct. 17. Dawn Sonntag, chief organizer of the group, described the airport as an existential and immediate threat to local property owners.

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For now, the CACC has only been accepting comments and questions via email at CACC@wsdot.wa.gov. An Oct. 19 update indicates the CACC has recently been receiving a “high volume of emails” that prevent it from responding immediately to each one.

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Deep Cut

Washington has quietly made logging a part of the state’s climate mitigation strategy.

From Earth Island Journal:

Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed into law legislation that few Washingtonians seem to be aware of. Adopted two years ago, House Bill 2528 declares logging forests to be a “solution” to the climate crisis.

Since becoming governor in 2013, Inslee has doubled down on his bet favoring shifting carbon from forests to wood products, as witnessed by how Washington’s state-owned forests are managed under his leadership. The state’s logging operations have clearcut thousands of acres of mature forests annually over the last decade, with another 3,600 scheduled for logging in 2023.

Inslee’s refusal to protect mature forests threatens to undermine his well-earned reputation as a leading climate hawk. In 2019, he ran an unprecedented, climate-centered campaign for the presidency, and early in his political career, while a member of Congress, he sponsored several unsuccessful climate bills. In 2008, he even wrote a book (Apollo’s Fire) about climate change.

But while he does see the need to convert to a clean energy economy, Inslee is betting that it’s better to store carbon in wood products like lumber and plywood rather than in standing forests.

As other states enact abortion bans, Washington leaders prepare to enact new protections

From the Office of Gov. Jay Inslee:

Gov. Jay Inslee and several state legislators met in Bellingham on Friday to begin rolling out the initial policies of a choice-defending agenda for the 2023 legislative session.

Inslee affirmed his intent to amend the state constitution to explicitly enshrine the right to abortion and the right to accept or refuse contraception.

Rep. Sharon Shewmake previewed a sanctuary policy that will provide patients and providers with legal protections from criminal or civil action against them for lawful reproductive health care.

Sen. Manka Dhingra and Rep. Vandana Slatter announced a health data bill that will close an egregious legal loophole that allows non-health care organizations to collect, share or sell private health information.

“We have storm clouds on the horizon. There are those that would like to threaten a woman’s right of choice,” said Inslee. “This right must be enshrined in the basic foundational document in the state: our constitution. This private right and most intimate decision must be protected.”

“Every single year, new bills are introduced to ban or restrict basic freedoms,” said Rep. Sharon Shewmake. “Politicians in Olympia or D.C. have no right making this decision for women.”

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Air Tahiti Nui expands new Seattle service to Paris

• Editor’s note: Delta and Aiu France currently serve Paris nonstop from Seattle, both SkyTeam carriers. Air Tahiti Nui is an Alaska Air partner.

From Air Tahiti Nui:

After the inauguration of its new Seattle-Tahiti service on October 5, Air Tahiti Nui is pleased to announce the extension of this new biweekly Seattle service to Paris. 

Starting on June 12th, 2023, Air Tahiti Nui will operate a new biweekly seasonal service to Paris from its Papeete base via the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

This new service to and from Paris will be combined with the five rotations programmed via Los Angeles, allowing Air Tahiti Nui to offer a total of 7 weekly flights between Paris and Papeete from June to August 2023.

The new seasonal service will operate the following schedule: