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Spring 2024

Politicians

Dan and Val Ogden
Summer 2013

Dan ’44 and Val ’46 Ogden—Staying activist in older age

Last fall in Vancouver, with the voter registration deadline looming, Dan Ogden ’44 wasn’t about to be held up by Parkinson’s disease or two artificial hips.

He pushed his walker around his new apartment complex and through a recently completed cul-de-sac to make sure his neighbors could take part in the November general election. At his side was Val Ogden ’46, his partner in Democratic Party politics and wife of 66 years. She was spry enough to negotiate steps and stairways to ring doorbells beyond her husband’s reach.

The Ogdens are in their seventh decade of political and social activism—with roots going back to their … » More …

Dan Newhouse with dogs
Summer 2012

Dan Newhouse ’77—Farm to director’s office

In 2009, Dan Newhouse ’77 was walking through the wings of the state House of Representatives when the governor’s chief of staff approached him with a surprising offer.

Newhouse was a four-term Republican representative from Sunnyside and floor leader for his caucus, so he didn’t expect to be asked to be director of the Washington State Department of Agriculture by a Democratic governor. “At the time, everyone knew there was a vacancy, but being from a different political party I didn’t think I would be considered for that position,” he says.

Soon after, Newhouse visited with Gov. Chris Gregoire about agriculture once. Then he … » More …

Spring 2011

George Nethercutt Jr. ’67—Knowing our nation

George Nethercutt Jr. ’67 may not be in Congress anymore, but he still yearns to shorten the distance between Washington, D.C., and his home state of Washington.

The effort has kept the Spokane native busy since he left the House of Representatives in 2005, when he transformed a project from his office into the George Nethercutt Foundation, a nonprofit organization to promote civic literacy and foster leadership qualities.

“We as Americans just don’t know the story of our country. And it troubles me. As a citizen, it bothers me,” says Nethercutt as we meet one afternoon last fall in Seattle, where he’s visiting on … » More …

Winter 2010

About the cover: Civility in Politics by Joe Ciardiello

Winter 2010 cover
Avid readers of the New York Times Book Review will undoubtedly recognize the illustration style on the Washington State Magazine Winter 2010/11 issue cover is that of Joe Ciardiello. “Civility in Politics” depicts three prominent WSU alumni at the Washington state capital: State Representative Sam Hunt ’67 (left), Secretary of State Sam Reed ’63, ’68 (middle), and State Senator Linda Evans Parlette ’68 (right).

Representative Hunt represents the 22nd District which includes Olympia and surrounding areas. He is chair of the State Government and Tribal Affairs Committee, serves on the Education Committee and the Ways and … » More …

Winter 2010

Opinions: Sam Reed and Sam Hunt in the 1966 Daily Evergreen

Opinion articles written by students Sam Reed and Sam Hunt for the November 4, 1966 issue of WSU’s student newspaper the Daily Evergreen represent their opinions of that year’s national and state elections from the perspective of the WSU Young Republicans and the WSU Young Democrats. Sam Reed ’63, ’68 is now Washington’s Secretary of State, and Sam Hunt ’67 is a state representative for Olympia and surrounding areas. Read more about them in “Civility in Politics and Campaigns.”

 

You can also view the original page from the 1966 Daily Evergreen in PDF format.

Daily … » More …
Winter 2010

Mieko Nakabayashi ’92—Making policy public

Growing up in late 1960s Japan, Mieko Nakabayashi had an unlikely goal. The eldest daughter of a farmer-turned-land-developer, she dreamed of living overseas.

“I was so curious about the world,” she recalls.

Four decades later, that Saitama Prefecture schoolgirl has grown into a power player with a résumé spanning the Pacific Rim and two nation’s capitals. Nakabayashi, 50, has worked as a television reporter, think tank researcher, and professor. For a decade, she worked as a U.S. Senate budget staffer.

Her biggest move came last year, when she was elected to Japan’s House of Representatives. Long acquainted with the cherry blossoms … » More …

Spring 2003

Alumni Association recognizes Woods, Prince, past presidents

A professional forester and a former state senator have received the Washington State University Alumni Achievement Award.

Richard I. Woods (’58 Forestry Mgmt.), a 44-year veteran of timber harvesting, marketing, and appraising, was recognized at a surprise 70th-birthday party at the Kelso-Longview Elks Club October 6, 2002. Since 1981, Woods has owned and operated 4S Tree/Northwest, Inc. in Kelso.

Eugene Prince received the award November 2 at the WSU Dad’s Weekend breakfast. He has committed more than 40 years to public service to the state, much of it as a legislator.

“His [Woods’s] goal has been to maximize income from forest land, but still leave … » More …

Summer 2005

Ruth Bennett: A former 'Youth for Nixon' puts a crimp in Christine Gregoire's majority

The way Ruth Bennett figures it, if the Libertarian Party candidate hadn’t been on Washington’s ballot for governor, Christine Gregoire (D) would have waltzed to an uncontroversial victory.

As it turned out, Gregoire’s winning margin of 129 votes made her contest with Dino Rossi (R) the closest gubernatorial race in state history.

While Bennett (’75 Anthro.) finished a distant third with just more than 2 percent of nearly three million votes cast, her 63,465 total nevertheless was plenty to turn the race into a nail-biter. Her tally shrank Gregoire’s margin of victory nearly 500-fold. By Bennett’s estimate, her campaign nearly cost Gregoire the race.

Conventional … » More …