Washington

The Walmart home office in Bentonville, Ark. (AP photo)

It’s a feature of nearly every college graduation: that moment when the speaker calls the graduates to stand and acknowledge their parents with a round of applause. It’s a poignant moment at any ceremony, but even more so today as parents are footing more of the bill to see their children succeed.
As college tuition skyrockets and state and federal aid recedes, the impact on students is well documented, but the effect on parents and families – though less publicized – is equally severe.

They say if you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room.
But if you and your team are at EOI’s Trivia Night with renowned macroeconomist Dean Baker — author of eight books, co-founder of the Center for Economic Policy Research, and go-to “talking head” for national news outlets — then who’s smarter: Your trivia team or Dean Baker?

Last Tuesday evening, I attended a forum in Seattle that made some vital connections for people concerned about the enormous volume of people in our criminal justice system. Sponsored by the ACLU-WA, the Church Council of Greater Seattle, Faith Action Network, and the Latino Community Fund, its topic was "Faith Communities and Mass Incarceration."