As voter-approved Initiative 976 remains in legal limbo due to a King County court ruling Nov. 27, Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler suggests the measure returning car-tabs to $30 can’t receive a fair court hearing because so many judges owe their jobs to Democrats. “Most people don’t know that nearly...

Washington State University students and other members of “Cougar Nation” will be among those benefiting from a passing-lane project for State Route 26 that is accelerated in the new two-year state transportation budget passed by the Senate today, said 9th District Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville. The 2019-21 transportation budget provides...

Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler blasted the Senate’s approval tonight of a bill that would raise fuel costs through a higher tax on one of the state’s leading industries and be particularly hard on rural Washington. Substitute Senate Bill 5993 was passed virtually along party lines, 27-22. It now goes...

Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, is applauding the 2019-21 Senate transportation budget’s inclusion of an $11.15 million project that would add climbing lanes on State Route 26 between Dusty and Colfax in Whitman County. “I’m very pleased to see the Senate budget not only includes funding for the climbing lanes on SR-26,...

A majority of the state Senate voted today against confirming the state transportation secretary appointed by Gov. Jay Inslee. The decision means Lynn Peterson is out as head of the state Department of Transportation after three years. “This is about having accountability at the highest levels in state agencies. Secretary...

Additional funds for fish passage barriers should pay for better highway safety in Eastern Washington The citizens of Whitman County and the parents of students at Washington State University’s Pullman campus aren’t happy, and why would they be? They are still mourning the two students who died in car crashes over...