► This
morning from AP -- Planned Saturday vote on
health care may be delayed -- Democrats say
they haven't yet lined up enough votes to pass their health care
bill and may push the vote set for Saturday back one day or
more.
►
In today's NY Times -- House Democrats seek
allies for health care vote
-- Democratic leaders work furiously to secure the final votes
for weekend approval as Obama throws his weight behind the
effort and Republicans dig in against it.
► In today's LA Times -- Seniors, doctors give
key boost to health reform bill -- Democratic
leaders touted fresh endorsements by the AARP and the American
Medical Ass'n. The endorsement by the AARP was prized because of
the electoral power that seniors traditionally
wield.
AFL-CIO's
Trumka: More must be done to create jobs
AFL-CIO President Trumka:
"Every day, it becomes more urgent that the federal government
step up to the plate with bold actions to boost job creation.
Those actions should include urgently needed fiscal relief to
state and local governments, community jobs programs, additional
investments in infrastructure and green jobs and credit relief
to small and medium-sized businesses." More.
►
In today's LA Times -- Jobless rate tops 10%
for first time since 1983 -The nation's unemployment rate
surged to 10.2% in October, reaching double digits for the first
time in 26 years. The unexpected sharp increase, from 9.8% in
September, came as employers dropped 190,000 workers from their
payrolls.
► From AP --
Employers squeeze more productivity out of fewer
workers -- Companies are finding ways to do more with fewer
workers, dimming hopes that hiring will take off anytime soon.
Employers became leaner and wages remain flat or falling. The
result is that productivity jumped at the fastest pace in six
years.
Local
news:
► In today's Walla Walla U-B -- Final prison closure
report released
-- The final report on how to cut hundreds
of beds in the Department of Corrections was issued today.
Closure of the main institution at Washington State Penitentiary
remained a top option, but with a key provision. That condition
is that $41 million in capital funds be found to build
medium-security housing units at the prison. If funds cannot be
found, the recommendation is to downsize McNeil Island
Corrections Center to a minimum-security facility, close the
Ahtanum View Corrections Center in Yakima and close one living
unit at the Larch Corrections Center near Vancouver for six
years.
►
In today's Walla Walla U-B -- Study: Closure would hurt city, penitentiary
-- The recommended scenario that would eventually close the main
institution at the Washington State Penitentiary would result in
the elimination of about 113 prison jobs in fiscal year 2011,
says the study.
►
In today's Olympian -- Closing Maple Lane is a
bad idea, report says
-- A consultant's final report says that
closing the Maple Lane youth prison at Grand Mound is a bad
idea, but if lawmakers must eliminate juvenile beds, it's a
better option than closing Green Hill at
Chehalis.
►
In the Columbian -- Clark County mulls pay freeze for non-union
workers -- Extending a one-year pay freeze into a second
year, affecting 286 managers and 159 nonunion hourly workers,
would save $1.3 million through 2010. Commissioners will discuss
the issue at a hearing Tuesday.
►
In the Daily World -- $1.3 million budget hole opens in Ocean Shores
-- After the failure of an EMS levy, Mayor Dean Bunkers said he
may have no choice but to drastically cut
services.
►
In today's Olympian -- No layoffs in 2010 Lacey budget -- City
manager presents a draft budget that reflects the uncertain
economic times but maintains current services and avoids
layoffs.
►
In today's Yakima H-R -- State order mine to stop operations at Nile
landslide -- The order stops Simmons and Son Hauling from
attempting to resume mining in the wake of the 80-acre landslide
of Oct. 11 that partially covered the pit, located along State
Route 410.
Boeing
news:
► In the new Real Change -- Doing everything
cheaper (guest column by the entire staff of WSLC Reports Today)
-- Boeing executives are fully committed to
building airplanes on the cheap. By choosing to expand 787
production in South Carolina because of its low wages and its
laws that discourage unionization, Boeing
executives have doubled down on what’s already a losing
bet. ... It’s been truly painful to
watch Boeing’s new outsourcing strategy fail so
dramatically with the 787. It’s been painful for the
company’s bottom line and for shareholders. And it’s
also been painful for employees, who are proud to work for
Boeing and have watched the company jeopardize its long-standing
reputation for quality, efficiency and innovation. Now, as
employees here work overtime to fix the problems caused by this
troubled business strategy, their thanks is a slap in the face
from management with its choice of Charleston over
Everett.
►
In today's Everett Herald -- Airbus launches first A330 freighter -- Airbus put in the air its first A330 Freighter,
an airplane that could be the jet maker’s first to be
assembled in the United States. Airbus’ parent company,
EADS, has said it will put an A330 Freighter assembly line in
Alabama should it and partner Northrop Grumman win the U.S. Air
Force’s tanker competition.
► At AFL-CIO Now --