Local news: 

►  In today's Seattle P-I -- Maury Island mine expansion OK'd -- Lame-duck Lands Commish Doug Sutherland issues his most controversial decision in eight years, approving a 30-year lease with Glacier Northwest that will lead to a 200-fold expansion of the sand and gravel mine.

►  In today's Daily World -- Union "playing hardball" -- Three McCleary Fire Department volunteers -- who work as paid firefighters in other departments -- have quit at the urging of the international firefighters union because McCleary is considering a plan to use a private ambulance company.

►  In today's Seattle P-I -- In tanker race, Northrop loses bargaining point -- After often noting the Boeing was late delivering 767 tankers to Italy and Japan, Airbus parent EADS has now confirmed that its first A330 tanker to Australia will be late.

Legislative news:

►  In today's Olympian -- State health plan to trim enrollment by 7,700 -- The state will begin to cut its health insurance plan for the working class in another effort to reduce the budget shortfall. The taxpayer-subsidized Basic Health Plan covers 105,000 people, but the Health Care Authority plans to reduce that number by 7,700 in seven months.

►  In today's Yakima H-R -- High-wire health care -- Dewayne and Vicky McIntyre work hard. As a result, they were able to move out of an RV park and into a rental home in Yakima they hope to buy. But the McIntyres were punished for their work ethic. When they began earning $48,000 annually two years ago, their daughter -- who has a chronic lung condition -- lost eligibility for the state Children's Health Insurance Program. The cutoff for a family of three is $44,000.

►  In today's Olympian -- Gregoire seeks $600 million from federal stimulus package -- State officials have identified a minimum of $600 million in infrastructure projects they would like funded by a federal economic stimulus package early next year. The state might also need nearly $1 billion in federal money for its Medicaid program if it is to avoid cuts in medical care for the poor and disabled or in other state programs, the governor says.

►  In today's Olympian -- More leaders depart from state agencies -- The latest departing directors are Cheryl Stephani of the Children's Administration, Jone Bosworth of the Department of Early Learning, and Gary Robinson of the Department of Information Services.

►  In today's Spokesman-Review -- Recount begins in Ahern-Driscoll race -- Watched by partisan observers, election workers begin recounting nearly 76,000 ballots in Spokane’s 6th LD House race to determine whether a Democratic challenger will oust the Republican incumbent.

National news: 

►  At WSJ.com -- Union activist Mary Beth Maxwell on list for Labor Secretary -- The founding executive director of American Rights at Work has strong backing of former Rep. David Bonior, who wants his name removed from consideration for the post. Bonior, 63, says it is time for his generation to turn over power to a new generation, and Maxwell is his pick.

►  In today's Wash. Post -- Unions angered as Bush further limits eligibility for federal employees -- Government unions criticize a Bush executive order that bars certain workers at five federal departments from joining a union because they are engaged in intelligence gathering, investigations and other national security work.

►  In today's NY Times -- College may become unaffordable for most in U.S. -- Published college tuition and fees increased 439% from 1982 to 2007, adjusted for inflation, while median family income rose 147%. Student borrowing more than doubled in the last decade.

►  In today's NY Times -- Republican wins runoff Senate election in Georgia -- Re-election of Sen. Saxby Chambliss ends Democratic hopes for a 60-vote majority in the Senate that would make it difficult for Republicans to filibuster the Obama administration’s agenda.

►  In today's Wash. Post -- Bailout oversight lacking, GAO says -- The Bush administration has failed to adequately oversee its $700 billion program and must move to guarantee that banks are complying with conflict-of-interest rules and limits on lavish executive pay, investigators say.

►  Today from AP -- FDIC chief says government needs a rescue "exit strategy" -- (But if we set a timetable for withdrawal of our tax money, then the corporate terrorists win.)

Employee Free Choice Act news: 

►  In the American Prospect -- Why we need the EFCA (op-ed) -- The U.S. labor movement remains the nation's most potent force for progressive change. Once in office, pro-labor politicians are typically the strongest advocates of tough environmental laws, funding for public schools and higher education, civil rights, women's rights, gay rights, universal health insurance, affordable housing, and protection of Social Security. And contrary to business propaganda, unions are good for the economy.