Tom Banse
Regional Correspondent
About
Tom Banse covers national news, business, science, public policy, Olympic sports, and human interest stories across Washington state. Now semi-retired, Banse is an Olympia-based reporter with more than three decades of experience covering the Pacific Northwest. Most of his career was spent with public radio's Northwest News Network, but now in semi-retirement his work appears on multiple nonprofit news outlets including KUOW. His recent areas of focus range from transportation, U.S.-Canada borderlands, the Northwest region's planned hydrogen hub, and emergency preparedness.
Previously, Tom covered state government and the Washington Legislature for 12 years. He got his start in radio at WCAL-FM, a public station in southern Minnesota. Reared in Seattle, Tom graduated from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota with a degree in American Studies.
Location: Olympia
Languages: English, German
Stories
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Washington's smallest counties will lead way into next phase of reopening economy
Washington's least populous counties will lead the way into the next phase of relaxing COVID-19 restrictions on businesses and social gatherings. This...
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The coast is clear-ing: Tourist lodgings reopening along Oregon and Washington shores
Fresh salt air and a good night's sleep to the sound of lapping waves might be just what the doctor ordered for Pacific Northwesterners left frazzled by...
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All-electric commuter plane begins flight testing in Moses Lake
A Cessna commuter plane retrofitted in Washington state has taken the crown of biggest all-electric airplane now flying. Redmond, Washington-based...
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More Washington counties get the green light to slowly reopen
The county-by-county reopening of Washington state is picking up steam. The state Secretary of Health on Friday approved four additional places where...
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Crime
Washington state loses hundreds of millions of dollars in unemployment scam
Unemployment scammers stole hundreds of millions of dollars from Washington state in recent weeks. That staggering amount was confirmed Thursday by the state employment office.
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Summer camp cancellations multiply, but some hold out hope for late start
The coronavirus is spreading a pandemic of disappointment among Pacific Northwest families and camp counselors via the widespread cancellation of...
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Health
San Juan becomes first county in Pacific Northwest to mandate face masks in public
San Juan County in the northwest corner of Washington state is about to become the first in the Pacific Northwest to require wearing a face covering in public places. Elsewhere in the region, governments have highly recommended wearing masks, but it's not the law.
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Eruption anniversary plans blown up and reborn, kinda like subject Mount St. Helens
There were once big plans for many public events to mark the 40th anniversary of the catastrophic 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. The coronavirus...
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Pandemic gives Pacific Northwest whales a respite from din of underwater noise
American and Canadian marine scientists -- and one talented dog -- are seizing an unexpected opportunity presented by the coronavirus pandemic. They are...
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Rural Washington counties seize opportunity to accelerate reopening
Given the opportunity to accelerate the restart of shuttered businesses and social activities, six counties in central and eastern Washington wasted no...