Local News:
▪  An IMPORTANT story in today's Seattle P-I -- Port must pay for retirees' health care -- In a case that could change the way employers provide and negotiate health care in Washington state, the state Supreme Court rules 5-4 that the Port of Seattle owes retired union workers health care benefits agreed to during collective bargaining in 1997, even though the port ended the contract when it got out of the warehouse business in 2003. When employers give retirees health care through a collective bargaining agreement, they create a vested right to those benefits, absent contract language that specifically names when they will end, the court found.
▪  In today's Tri-City Herald -- Hanford workers protest "outsourcing" -- More than 50 Hanford workers and union supporters picket outside DOE offices. DOE plans to send 1,000 drums of waste to Idaho for compaction and then shipment to a repository in New Mexico for disposal. It's work that the United Steelworkers Local 12-369 believes could be done at less cost at Hanford.
▪  In today's Bellingham Herald -- Bellingham Technical College staff protest lack of contract -- More than 70 faculty and support staff members protest the lack of a contract at the college's Board of Trustees meeting, calling for a solution after six months of fruitless bargaining.
▪  In today's Everett Herald -- Many Snohomish County jobs hang in the balance -- More than 100 are bracing for word that their jobs with one of the largest employers in the county will be gone by January. Department heads were asked to prepare plans for trimming their budgets by 9%.
▪  In today's Olympian -- More jobs, revenue as work at Port of Olympia increases -- It projects a big increase in revenue next year now that Weyerhaeuser is ramping up its log-export operations.

Gubernatorial Race 2008:
▪  At MarketWatch.com -- National Letter Carriers' union assails Rossi ad -- The ad shows a letter carrier (with satchel and mail), leering at young children near an ice cream truck, while in the audio background a woman depicting a mother warns that some convicted sex offenders have not properly registered with law enforcement agencies during the Gregoire administration. "This television ad is beneath contempt," said NALC President William H. Young.
▪  In The Oregonian -- Re-elect Chris Gregoire for Governor -- The key difference (between the 2004 and 2008 election) is that Gregoire now offers four years of impressive service of governor, which should move Washington voters to give her a second term more decisively... Republican Dino Rossi's recent TV ads making dark charges about the state's oversight of sexual predators have been found both odious and inaccurate by many of the state's law enforcement officers. 
▪  In today's Seattle Times -- BIAW, Rossi's biggest backer, explains what it wants -- The BIAW has spent far more money supporting Republican Dino Rossi than the State Republican Party has spent on all races in this election. The BIAW's $6.3 million spent to elect Rossi -- $3.8 million just this week -- has bought ads attacking Gov. Gregoire on issues such as sex offenders and the loss of the Sonics -- issues that have nothing to do with BIAW's agenda. What do they want? Deregulation and to "counter" unions, says Boss McCabe.
▪  From AP -- Lobbyist sues over ad linking him to BIAW -- David Ducharme, a lobbyist with ties to Dino Rossi, is suing supporters of Gov. Chris Gregoire for defamation because he says a TV ad erroneously links him to the BIAW.

Other State Election News:  No on I-985 sign-waving rally Monday
Delegates representing the unions that comprise the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO voted to OPPOSE Initiative 985, ballot measure huckster Tim Eyman's latest effort. I-985 would blow a $600 million hole in the state budget over the next five years -- taking money away from schools, safety and law enforcement -- while actually making traffic problems worse. The No on I-985 campaign will have a sign-waving rally at 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 20 at the Hwy 520 overpass on the east side of the Lake Washington Floating Bridge in Medina. Participants will meet at the park-and-ride at 2800 Evergreen Point Road. Learn more at www.NOon985.com.
▪  In today's Olympian -- Keep Terry Bergeson state schools' chief (editorial) -- Someone in this state has to believe in kids and stand up for them and their individual academic success. That person is Terry Bergeson, whom voters should return to office Nov. 4.
▪  In today's Yakima H-R -- Doc Hastings pressed on term limit "contract" -- Hastings, R-Pasco, campaigned in favor of term limits more than a decade ago, but now finds himself on the other side of the issue as he seeks his eighth term. Hastings could not be reached for comment.
▪  In today's Seattle Times -- Burner laps Reichert in fundraising efforts -- It's unusual for a challenger to outpace an incumbent -- especially a well-known, two-term incumbent like Reichert.

Presidential Race 2008:
▪  In today's Wash. Post -- Obama for President (endorsement) -- The choice is made easy in part by McCain's disappointing campaign, above all his irresponsible selection of a running mate who is not ready to be president. It is made easy in larger part, though, by our admiration for Obama and the impressive qualities he has shown during this long race. He is a man of supple intelligence, a nuanced grasp of complex issues and evident skill at conciliation and consensus-building.
▪  At The Hil -- Murders of labor leaders: An eye-rolling moment? -- In this week's debate, Sen. Obama cited the murders of thousands of Colombian trade unionists as a central reason for his opposition to the Colombian Free Trade Agreement (FTA). John McCain’s reaction? He sat back in his chair and rolled his eyes as if to say, “who really cares?” It was shocking.
▪  From AP -- Voters souring on McCain; Obama stays steady -- People's regard for McCain has deteriorated across-the-board since September, an AP-Yahoo! News poll showed Friday, with McCain losing ground in how favorably he's seen and in a long list of personal qualities voters seek in White House contenders. Perceptions of Obama have improved or remained steady.
▪  In The Onion -- Southern sheriff pulls over Obama campaign bus over broken taillight -- "Now Barry, someone 'bout your height, 'bout your skin color knocked over a Piggly Wiggly up in New Hebron just a coupla hours ago," said the sheriff. "But you wouldn't know nothin' 'bout that, now would you?"

Doh! the Plumber:
▪  From CBS-TV -- "Joe the Plumber" unlicensed, owes taxes -- The man who was held up by John McCain as the typical, hard-working American isn't really a licensed plumber and owes nearly $1,200 in back taxes. He makes less than $250,000 a year, which means he would receive a tax cut if Obama were elected president. And his name is really Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher.
▪  From the Guardian -- The plumbers' union on "Joe the Plumber" -- Says the UA, the FIRST union to endorse Barack Obama for President: "(John McCain's) manufactured outrage on behalf of Joe would be a lot more believable if his economic plan had anything to do with helping working people deal with the economic crisis. Instead, it washes the middle class down the drain."

National News:
▪  In today's LA Times -- Wal-Mart shuts Canadian tire center set to unionize -- Wal-Mart, known for its stance against union unionizing, closes a facility where workers had voted to organize.