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A stunning kickoff to 2016 race for governor’

Our state Senate Republicans’ surprise ouster of Washington Department of Transportation boss Lynn Peterson was best described by an outraged Democratic Sen. Maralyn Chase as “a stunning kickoff of the Washington state 2016 gubernatorial campaign.”

The shock was followed Saturday by resignation of Department of Corrections director Dan Pacholke, in the top job only since October but embroiled in…

Unemployment rates fell in 20 US states in May – seattlepi.com

WASHINGTON (AP) — Unemployment fell in 20 states last month and nearly three-quarters of the states added jobs, as the nation at large posted a fourth straight month of solid hiring. Unemployment rates rose in 16 states …