“Northwest news: Bill would curtail Washington welfare benefits from being cashed at strip clubs; Boeing workers start ...”

Northwest news: Bill would curtail Washington welfare benefits from being cashed at strip clubs; Boeing workers start ...

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 08:59 AM PST

Published: Thursday, January 27, 2011, 8:49 AM Updated: Thursday, January 27, 2011, 8:58 AM

Hola, readers of Pacific Northwest News.

Welcome to the Thursday edition of regional must-read headlines. You'll really want to read more about a proposed Washington law that would ban welfare recipients from using their benefit debit cards at adult-only venues like gun shop and strip clubs.

But first, a refresher on how things work in this blog: We scour newspapers, television networks, and online magazines for articles of interest to folks around the Pacific Northwest. Then we collect snippets of articles (below in italics) for you to enjoy. So read up, click over and then come back and share your thoughts with your community here on OregonLive. One more thing: We have a shortish fuse, so thank you for keeping your remarks on topic and in good taste.

Let's begin with news about those debit cards. As it turns out, there's no prohibition against using Washington's welfare cash cards intended for the care of needy children and the disabled at strip clubs, tattoo parlors, gun shops and taverns, so a state legislator is sponsoring a bill that would restrict the use of state-issued debit cards -- also known as EBT cards.

For the story (and hat tip), we look to Seattle's KING 5 TV, which first reported on the cards' misuse -- and prompted State Sen. Mike Carrell of Lakewood to act:

EBT transaction records show $220 in ATM withdrawals at Fantasy Unlimited, a Seattle sex shop, in July and August of last year. In that same time period, 260 welfare dollars were withdrawn from the Déjà vu strip club in downtown Seattle.

At the Pierce County night club, The Kamel Toe, pole dancers are the featured act. Records show that the ATM in the club cranked out 740 welfare dollars last July and August.

"I'm very disappointed, very disappointed," said club owner Tracey Conklin. "The ATM is by the front door. We don't police everybody's card. But, because you know you're in an adult establishment, I don't think you should use that money in a bar."

No word on whether the money in the next story could or should wind up in Washington's finest adult venues, but it's sure to stimulate the Pacific Northwest economy wherever it's spent.

We're speaking, of course, about the roughly $5,000 bonus checks being sent out to about 46,000 Boeing workers, according to today's Everett Herald:

Boeing employees in the Puget Sound area will receive about 14 days' worth of pay as an incentive bonus for the company's 2010 performance. Boeing's commercial airplanes division delivered 462 aircraft last year, which was down from 481 in 2009. The company previously had announced plans to scale back production in 2010 because of a drop in airline demand.

Overall, the company posted revenue of $64.3 billion, or $4.45 per share, in 2010, Boeing said Wednesday. But the company estimated its 2011 earnings will drop on higher pension costs and 787 delays.

Boeing didn't provide a total dollar figure for the payout. However, Boeing workers received an extra seven days' pay last year, which totaled $115 million.

Cha-ching!

Check out more news with a Northwest focus:

» Front pages from 18 newspapers in Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, Washington and British Columbia.

» Stories from today's edition of The Oregonian.

» More of our headline picks from Northwest news sources.

-- Kimberly A.C. Wilson

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Thursday, January 27, 2011