By Jake Goldstein-Street | Reporter
Gov. Bob Ferguson signed an executive order Monday night at the Museum of Flight in Seattle launching the 23-person Washington Space Council. Its mission is to come up with bold ideas to propel Washington’s commercial space industry to new heights — and possibly development of a launch facility somewhere in the state.
“Washington has deep roots in the space industry,” Ferguson said in a statement. “But the industry moves at an incredible pace. To remain a national leader, we cannot be complacent. My council will help us innovate and adapt as this sector rapidly grows.”
Also in today’s edition…
• A Republican state lawmaker seeking reelection resigns.
• Data centers proposed on federal lands.
• And, the U.S. Senate approves a bill to revamp college sports.
News tips, feedback, questions? Email us: [email protected]
Gov. Bob Ferguson speaks at Seattle Space Week on Monday. (Photo courtesy of the governor’s office)
By Jerry Cornfield
This new council is tasked with assessing workforce development and research needs as well as identifying barriers and opportunities for growth. It also will evaluate requirements for a Washington-based commercial launch site and other space-related infrastructure. The group will compile its findings and recommendations into advisory reports for Ferguson but there is no time frame for delivery of the first report.
Rep. Skyler Rude giving a speech on the House floor. (Photo by Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero/Washington State Standard)
By Jerry Cornfield
Moderate Republican state Rep. Skyler Rude, of Walla Walla, will be on the ballot in November, even though he’s leaving the Legislature. Rude said Tuesday he will step down Oct. 31 and begin work the next day as legislative director to Democratic Secretary of State Steve Hobbs. If Rude wins reelection to the 16th Legislative District, Republicans will appoint his replacement. He’s pushing voters to still cast ballots for him to avoid a Democrat taking the seat.
An explosion of data center facilities, including the one pictured here in northeast Oregon, have been built along the Columbia River Gorge during the last few years. (Photo by Jordan Gale/Oregon Capital Chronicle)
By Alex Baumhardt
A potential new data center campus on federal land in eastern Oregon would be the first in Oregon sited on federal public land, and one of at least 12 proposed for more than 17,500 Bureau of Land Management acres across western states under President Donald Trump’s July 2025 executive order to hasten data center development.
By Shauneen Miranda
A bipartisan bill spearheaded by U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, of Washington, sailed through the Senate late Monday, and would set a national framework for college athletes’ compensation, provide certain antitrust protections to the NCAA, establish a five-year eligibility timeline for athletes and bar professional athletes from competing in college athletics.
ICYMI
State worker union OKs new contract with no pay hike | by Jerry Cornfield
WA wildfire home damage totals at least $188M, Ferguson says | by Jake Goldstein-Street
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