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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Politics
Don't Forget To Switch Your Clocks Back This Weekend — Even In The Northwest
The Washington and Oregon legislatures voted by wide margins to ditch the twice-yearly time switch. But it likely won't be the last time West Coast states and provinces adjust their clocks.
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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...
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Oregon Trail Amtrak route: Bring it back, rail buffs say
As scenic train rides go, it would be a plum ticket. Pacific Northwest passenger rail buffs are gathering in La Grande, Oregon, this Saturday to drum up support to bring back part of a long ago canceled Amtrak route, the Pioneer.
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Business
Northwest rail buffs signal for return of Oregon Trail Amtrak route to Boise
As scenic train rides go, it would be a plum ticket. Pacific Northwest passenger rail buffs are gathering in La Grande, Oregon, this Saturday to drum up support to bring back part of a long ago canceled Amtrak route, the Pioneer.
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Business
Amazon to expand data centers in northeastern Oregon, reaping more tax breaks
Amazon’s ever-expanding footprint in Seattle — and the polarizing growing pains that accompany it — contrasts what’s currently happening in northeastern Oregon.
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Amazon to expand data centers in northeastern Oregon, reaping more tax breaks
Amazon’s ever-expanding footprint in Seattle — and the polarizing growing pains that accompany it — contrasts what’s currently happening in northeastern...
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Wave of disaster prep about to hit Oregon coast hospitals
The state of Oregon is pushing the community hospitals along the Oregon Coast to improve their earthquake resilience. This comes after a state report predicted none of them would be able to sustain operations after the feared Big One -- a magnitude 9 offshore Cascadia earthquake and tsunami.
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Prepping for The Big One: Oregon coastal hospitals get creative with disaster planning
The state of Oregon is pushing the community hospitals along the Oregon Coast to improve their earthquake resilience. This comes after a state report...
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Business
Queen of the Skies returns to Central Washington to become flying testbed
An iconic Boeing jet model nicknamed the Queen of the Skies swooped back into Moses Lake, Washington, Tuesday where it once was a regular presence. This queen will be accessorized to carry bling under its wing while it's there.
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Eugene prepares to host 2021 world track champs, but needs more money
Public funding for big-time sports tends to generate static.