TUESDAY, APRIL 17  ▪  2007 WSLC Labor Candidate School is June 25-28 in Kingston -- "Planting Seeds for the Future," the WSLC's 7th bi-annual Labor Candidate School, will be held June 25-28 at the Laborers’ Training Facility, 27055 Ohio St. in Kingston. All members of WSLC-affiliated local unions who are interested in future candidacy for school board, city and county council, state legislature or other public office should register to attend this training.

Legislative news:  ▪  Lawmakers enter the home stretch  (WSLC Legislative Update) -- The session's final week begins amid hopeful signs on a number of labor-supported bills, including Family Leave Insurance (SB 5659), which was amended/passed in the House.
▪  In today's Seattle Times -- "Little hope" for Sonics now -- Sonics and Storm owner Clay Bennett says the teams have "little hope of remaining in the Puget Sound region" after lawmakers announce they won't vote on public funding for a proposed arena in Renton.
▪  From AP -- House votes to keep money in protected "rainy day" fund -- The Appropriations vote clears the way for approval of a $33 billion, two-year state budget before Sunday's adjournment.
▪  From AP -- Washington lawmakers water down health care reform -- They started this session with the goal of working toward universal coverage for all state residents by 2012. But a measure to set the state on that path has been whittled down to a pilot program and two studies.
▪  In today's Salem (Ore.) S-J -- Oregon House OKs sick leave for family care -- Washington passed a similar family care law back in 2002. (Dino Rossi was one of only 10 Senators to vote "no.")

Local news:
▪  In today's Seattle P-I -- Seattle Times, P-I settle legal dispute -- A settlement ends a four-year dispute between Seattle's two daily newspapers and gives the Seattle P-I "a new lease on life -- a nine-year lease," P-I Editor and Publisher Roger Oglesby tells jubilant staff members.
▪  In the Columbian -- Camas sees new life for G-P mill -- Unused steam capacity and vacant space in the sprawling downtown mill may be attractive to other businesses, says the mayor.

National news:
▪  In today's Seattle Times -- New threat to skilled U.S. workers (Harrop column) -- The master plan, it seems, is to move perhaps 40 million high-skill American jobs to other countries. U.S. workers have not been consulted. Princeton economist Alan Blinder was taken aback when, sitting in at the business summit in Davos, Switzerland, he heard U.S. executives talk enthusiastically about all the professional jobs they could outsource to lower-wage countries. And he's a free trader.
▪  In today's LA Times -- Grocery contract negotiations resume -- Southern California's three largest supermarket chains and the UFCW resume talks with both sides urging harmony. Negotiations broke down April 4 amid escalating tensions over the threat of a strike and an employee lockout.
▪  At BeyondChron.org -- SF Weekly reaches new low in hit piece against SEIU -- The SF Weekly’s cover story attacking SEIU President Andy Stern involves a level of disinformation exceeding that routinely promoted by FOX News. The corporation that publishes the SF Weekly has attacked SEIU not because it is ineffective, but rather because it fears its increasing success.
▪  In the Asbury Park Press -- Firing Line -- After making an unusual decision to fire 3,400 veteran employees and replace them with workers who make less money, electronics retailer Circuit City faces a potential backlash that experts say will hurt the company in the long term. 
▪  In today's NY Times -- Counting the poor (editorial) -- It's not official, but it’s virtually indisputable. Poverty in America is much more widespread than has been previously acknowledged.
▪  In today's LA Times -- California workers win major ruling on pay regulations -- Justices triple the back pay they can seek if forced to work through meal and rest breaks required by state law.
▪  In today's NY Times -- AARP says it will become major Medicare insurer, remain consumer lobby -- “AARP will not be perceived as a truly independent advocate on Medicare if it’s making hefty profits by selling insurance products that provide Medicare coverage,” says one critic.