Washington State's Outdoor Recreation Economy Generates

The Big Tent Outdoor Recreation Coalition introduces weekly policy calls to help facilitate communication and information about status of bills impacting outdoor recreation in Washington State.  Join us Fridays at 8:30 a.m. for a quick update about bills. Your questions during the call are welcome!  Facilitated by Doug Levy, Outcomes by Levy. Please join my GoToMeeting from your phone. (646) 749-3122 Access Code: 219-922-893

Who should attend: Elected officials, legislative and agency staff, opinion leaders, community leaders, the business community and the public with interest in outdoor recreation and raising the profile of the substantial economic, social, and health benefits.  Tickets are complimentary if registered by March 8.  Donations appreciated.

Its the kickoff weekend to Washington;s bike season that you won't want to miss.  Learn more

Malcom Dunston’s handshake is a bone-crusher. The strapping 19-year-old works full-time at CSR Marine in Ballard and has climbed the ranks of the boatyard since he was hired the same day he turned 18. “Last year, I started out and I cleaned boats and took out the trash, and now I paint bottoms of boats,” said Dunston. Proudly wearing his CRS white (okay, white with dirt and stray paint) coverall uniform with his name emblazoned on it, Dunston sat down recently to talk about his background, his current position and his long-term plans. “Some of my friends were in jail for murder, and some were in college playing sports. I’m not sure where I was going to go after high school, but the CSR job meant that I have a way to build upon something I love to do, which is to work with my hands and to hopefully make a lot of money doing it,” he said.

From mountaintops to kayaks, the Pacific Northwest is heaven for outdoor enthusiasts. That bounty means there is no shortage of outdoor stories.This year, those stories ranged from the inspiring to the concerning. Stories published in The Spokesman-Review’s outdoor sections highlighted the brilliance of human adventure and dove into the politics and details of environmental policy, conservation and wildlife management. Below is a recap of some of the year’s most important stories starting with everyone’s favorite subject: recreation.