The Oregonian reports that a popular driving range in Oregon is asking golfers to cast their "swing votes" by aiming practice shots at 8-feet-tall metal likenesses of John McCain and Barack Obama. While no one is exactly sure whether people are trying to hit candidates they support or oppose, so far, McCain is in the lead. ...
Meanwhile, the Willamette Week has an interesting story about Republican U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith's frozen food plant in Weston, Ore., and its use of illegal immigrant labor. While the Oregon senator has vehemently denied allegations of hiring undocumented workers, the report cites "dozens of current and former Smith workers, Latino advocates, court personnel, public defenders, educators, police administrators, church officials, social service agents and business owners and determined [sic] that some portion of Smith's workforce comprises undocumented immigrants." ...
In the trees: WashBlog reports Weyerhaeuser is putting big money into the re-election campaign of Washington state Public Lands Commissioner Doug Sutherland. In the Aug. 19 primary election, the Republican defeated Democratic challenger Peter Goldmark by just 2 percentage points. ...
Cart path: Transportation officials in Washington state are anxiously waiting to see if Congress will provide $8 billion to keep the federal Highway Trust Fund from going broke. The fund provides the state with about $1.2 billion for transportation expenses, and some lawmakers say there could be "immediate job loss" if Congress doesn't approve a bailout. Still, the folks at Washington Policy Center blog say the state has been a winner over the years when it comes to the Highway Trust Fund. ...
Cart wars: Erica C. Barnett at the Stranger reports Sound Transit is being sued by disbarred attorney Will Knedlik for allegedly misrepresenting the real cost of the ST2 light rail proposal on its ballot title. Barnett argues that the lawsuit is, among other things, completely unfounded and frivolous. ...
Take a mulligan: According to the League of American Bicyclists, Washington state is the most bike-friendly state in the country. (Apparently they missed the memo about Critical Mass.) ...
No more mulligans: Jonathan Freedland at The Guardian explains why the world will be mad if Obama doesn't win. ...
Different fairway: The Seattle Times reports Republican gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi and Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire are leagues apart in the stances on social issues. Take a look and see with whom you agree. ...
Putt-putt: And finally, the Washington Department of Corrections sent out a press release saying it is investigating claims of "overcrowding" in state prisons' pheasant pens. Yep, you read it correctly. While prison system is also overcrowded with, uh, prisoners, corrections officials want the Humane Society and the public to be certain that there's no overcrowding problem – for pheasants – in the state's correctional system. ...
