Local News

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National Weather Service / Forecast

Who’s most prone to get the flu in our state:  More than 8,700 Washington state workers were surveyed and janitors/cleaners and “secretaries” are most likely to exhibit flu-like symptoms, our news partner the Public Data Ferret is reporting. The scientific study comes from researchers at the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries and the University of Washington. Who’s most likely not to get the flu? Truck drivers, technicians and construction laborers. (PC alert! The survey report actually uses the word “secretaries,” which we know isn’t exactly politically correct, so substitute it with administrative assistant, please.)

Are you dry yet? Rain records everywhere. How ’bout that 5 inches in recent days in Bremerton? It’s supposed to be rainy and a bit windy this afternoon, but nothing like the mess we saw yesterday, thank goodness. Thanksgiving is expected to be a lot drier than we’ve seen so far. Nice.

The saddest part of this whole ordeal is the news that a Seattle hunter died when a tree fell on his tent in Oregon. He was with family and friends when it happened, but the only one in the tent when that tree came crashing down, killing him instantly, according to Oregon Live.

When Washington’s small towns disappeared in times past, the loss of their financial base was often the reason. Timber towns, for example. Gold Bar was one of those timber towns that hung on when the timber trade faded away. Well, it’s on the brink of collapse now, and financial issues are to blame. Things are a bit messier, though. See our story by Emily Heffter for the details.

Stories trending this morning on seattletimes.com:

1. Record rainfall in season’s first big storm
2. Hard-hit Gold Bar may be at the end of the road
3. Apple Cup matches WSU passing game vs. improved Washington secondary
4. Gymnastics community rallies around paralyzed Puyallup 15-year-old athlete
5. Seahawks back to work rested, healthy