UPDATE: (5:27 p.m.) Political folks who are more knowledgeable than I say the appointment of Randy Pepple signals that Rob McKenna plans to run for governor in 2012.

I guess it would like Aaron Toso being hired to work in Gov. Chris Gregoire's communications office a couple years ago, and then later going to work for her 2008 reelection campaign.

Et tu, Randy?

McKenna announces new Chief of Staff

OLYMPIA – Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced the selection of former congressional chief of staff and private sector CEO Randy J. Pepple as his new Chief of Staff, effective June 1.

Pepple joins the Attorney General’s Office with more than two decades of experience in management, public policy, strategic planning, media relations and community engagement. His experience includes serving as Chief of Staff to a U.S. Congressman, leading the Northwest offices of the multinational communications consultancy Hill & Knowlton and, most recently, managing his own strategic communications consulting firm.

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Robert "The Traveller" Hill may be gone, but he has not been forgotten. Hill watchers over at FeedTacoma noted today that after spending the last few months in jail for pulling a fake gun on a security guard at the County-City Building, he is scheduled to be released tomorrow (in time to appear at the 5 p.m. City Council meeting if he so chooses).

For those who aren't familiar with Mr. Hill, he has been described in the TNT as: a former Pierce County Sheriff candidate and "a gadfly who is frequently kicked out of Tacoma City Council meetings, who agitates on behalf of female masturbation and who was convicted (in 2008) of scrawling a judge's signature on a restraining order."

JesseHillFan wrote at FeedTacoma:

I think that he still has time to apply for the position of Mayor of Tacoma if he has some extra gold coins on hand.He may not win but he could be a spoiler in an election.

-- A reference to gold coins with which Hill says he financed his run for sheriff.

Harold Moss, the first African American mayor of Tacoma, was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Puget Sound on Sunday during its graduation ceremony.

For those who aren't familiar with Moss' contributions to the Tacoma community read on, they're spelled out in the citation that was read aloud:

Civic leader, civil rights activist, selfless citizen, you are the architect of equality for the city of Tacoma. A son of Texas and a child of Detroit, you came to this city when your service in the United States Army stationed you at Fort Lewis. Here in the beautiful Northwest, you encountered once again the familiar face of discrimination you had met before in the rural South and the urban Midwest. You were disappointed but not discouraged, and did not turn away. When the army discharged you, you remained in Tacoma to discharge your duty; and Tacoma would not remain the same.

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I'm a little late to the party on this news release, which came out Friday. I focused primarily on the Pierce County aspects of the capital and transportation budgets. Here's the view from Sen. Karen Fraser's office.

The Olympia Democrat is chairwoman of the "unofficial" capital budget subcommittee of the Senate Ways and Means Committee

Fraser: Millions of dollars in area projects will spur construction, employment

OLYMPIA – The capital budget signed today by Gov. Chris Gregoire sets in motion more than $45 million in projects in and around Olympia and Thurston County.

“Each of these projects has a dual benefit,” said Sen. Karen Fraser, D-Thurston County. “They address longstanding needs, and they put people to work and get money flowing through our district at a time when we need it the most. That’s why I worked so hard to make sure they were funded.”

Fraser, the vice chair of the Senate Ways & Means Committee and Senate leader on the capital budget, said the projects reflect the three priorities the Legislative used in choosing what to fund:
Jobs now — projects that are “ready to go” and will put people to work now
Quality communities — local infrastructure projects that maintain public safety and community vitality

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The League of Women Voters and Washington Education Fund are holding an awards event from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. May 30 (Saturday) at the Washington State History Museum, 1911 Pacific Ave., Tacoma.

They will be honoring Sen. Rosa Franklin, D-Tacoma, the Korean Women's Association and The News Tribune.

It's $40 a head for the dessert and wine reception. The awards program starts at 7:45 p.m.

The backdrop is the "Women's Votes, Women's Voices" exhibit, celebrating the Washington Women's Suffrage Centennial.

The 4-day school week actually is a sort of shorthand for HB 1292, which would let several small school districts get themselves exempted from the 180-day minimum school year as long as they provide the required hours of instruction. A 4-day week is just one route.

Event Date: May 18
OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire today will take action on several bills.

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State Sen. Steve Hobbs, D-Lake Stevens, at first wanted to suspent the half-percent for art program for 2 years to save about $6 million. There was too much resistance to that, so he settled for an amendment to the state capital budget, one that would have limited public art contracts only to Washington residents.

On Friday, Gov. Chris Gregoire vetoed that, too. Hobbs said he agrees with The Guv most of the time, but not this time.

“This veto establishes the public arts program as a sacred cow at a time when vital state services are being slashed and people are losing their jobs," Hobbs said.

During session, he got a list of artists from the state Arts Commission to see where artists who were getting contracts lived. The roster of 236 artists showed 40 percent live out of state.

Of the 64 who got money in 2008, half of them were out of state in such places as British Columbia, Utah, Arizona, NY, LA, San Fran, Chicago, North Carolina, etc.

Here's the 2008 list of artists.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — May 15, 2009

Statement by Sen. Steve Hobbs, D-Lake Stevens, on Gov. Chris Gregoire’s decision to veto the public arts amendment in the 2009-2011 capital budget. The amendment would have required the Washington State Arts Commission to restrict the purchase of public art to artists living in our state.

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Here's what coming up for the City Council this week:

*Some purchasing agreements for towing, telephone and tourism promotion. Of note is a $3 million contract to fix the Nisqually River trestle near Elbe coming out of the Tacoma Rail Mountain Division capital projects budget. The trestle's approaches were damaged by flooding in 2006.

*First reading ordinances on right-of-way restoration, appropriating $220,000 to create public art for the Pacific Plaza building and pay/classification adjustments for several non-union employees.

Also of interest:
The Government Performance and Finance Committee will be discussing changes to the Small Works Roster program, which allows companies to bid on public works projects with budgets of $25,000, with the idea that smaller, local companies will have more opportunities. The revisions will allow more projects to be eligible for the program.

In her own words:

For Immediate release

Tacoma, WA – May 18, 2009 – Catherine Ushka-Hall, a long time education advocate, has announced her candidacy for Tacoma School Board. Catherine is seeking position #2, currently held by board member Connie Rickman, who is up for re-election this fall.

Catherine’s history of education advocacy includes membership in Tacoma Citizens for Schools, Stand for Children, working on levy and bond campaigns. She has represented the community on education issues ranging from programming, to the sale of school property at school board meetings, and at Tacoma City Council. Ushka –Hall has been involved with education issues since 1989, and the decision to move from advocate to School Director is one she does not take lightly. “I have a unique combination of leadership experience of school issues going back twenty years. I am running because I believe a free public education is the foundation of our democracy. As a mother of two children in the Tacoma Public School System I understand the need for real change today and strategic planning for the future” she said.

Ushka-Hall went on to add “Transparency, accountability and leadership are my top priorities. We must restore the public trust by being invitational and accountable. In the words of a dear friend ‘our schools should be hubs- not islands in our community.’ I have worked hard for my community, and will continue to work hard as your Tacoma School Board Director.” In addition to being a passionate advocate for schools and education, Catherine has been an outstanding servant to her community. She is the a former chair of the East Side Neighborhood Council, serves on the City of Tacoma Human Rights Commission, and is also a member of several community groups.

Catherine is a former Navy reservist who was recalled to duty following 9/11. “When I left active duty my family and I made a commitment to continue to serve here at home, to the best of our ability, and if I am elected as your school director I will keep that commitment.”

Catherine is proud to announce her candidacy with the support of Tacoma City Council Members Julie Anderson, Spiro Manthou, Connie Ladenburg, Metro Parks Board Member Ryan Mello, and Pierce County Councilman Tim Farrell, among many others.

Contact: Catherine Ushka-Hall
VoteCatherine@gmail.com