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
-
Environment
Washington insurance policies may have wildfire surcharge
Every property and vehicle owner in Washington state would pay a small surcharge on their insurance policies if state lawmakers go along with a proposed new tax. It would be dedicated to wildfire fighting and prevention.
-
Politics
'That ID won't fly.' A deadline looms for Pacific NW air travelers
State officials are worried about a possible mess at Pacific Northwest airports and driver licensing offices. Next October, the Transportation Security Administration will stop accepting regular Washington and Oregon driver licenses to pass through airport screening checkpoints.
-
$30 tabs? Not so fast -- don't forget about fees
After the passage of I-976, many Washingtonians are looking forward to their car tabs dropping to just $30. But the ballot authors forgot one thing -- collection fees.
-
'That ID won't fly.' A deadline looms for Pacific NW air travelers
State officials are worried about a possible mess at Pacific Northwest airports and driver licensing offices. Next October, the Transportation Security...
-
Business
Supersonics could return to Northwest. (Jets, not basketball)
It's been more than 15 years since a British Airways Concorde made its final landing in Seattle. The needle-nosed supersonic jet was added to the collection of the Museum of Flight at Boeing Field.
-
Another multimillion dollar jury verdict against Amtrak stemming from 2017 derailment
Another passenger badly injured in the Amtrak train derailment south of Tacoma nearly two years ago will collect big-time damages. But suing Amtrak like this suburban Seattle woman did will no longer be an option after future crashes.
-
Politics
Bullet train for Cascadia urged on despite electorate's anti-tax mood
Tuesday's vote in Washington state to roll back car registration fees has scrambled transportation budgets. But Pacific Northwest rail advocates are undeterred in pursuing their vision of a bullet train connection between Portland, Seattle and Vancouver, Canada.
-
Arts & Life
Take a fresh look at frozen seafood and prepare to be surprised
If you ask American consumers whether fresh seafood or previously frozen tastes better, you are bound to get "fresh" as the answer. But blind taste tests conducted by Oregon State University found that fish caught and quickly frozen at sea rated as good or better than supposedly "fresh" fish bought at the supermarket.
-
Politics
Clocks change again Sunday. But hey, didn't our lawmakers vote for year-round daylight time?
It's time to fall back again this weekend. You'll get to change your clocks from daylight time to standard time for maybe the last time. More likely though, it won't be the last time as West Coast states and provinces strive to sync their adoption of permanent daylight saving time.
-
Business
Hunt is on for location for additional commercial airport for Puget Sound region
The hunt is on for a second major airport to serve the Puget Sound region after Seattle-Tacoma International Airport reaches capacity. A newly-created public commission on Wednesday kicked off a planned two-year search for a new airport location.