Business Northwestern United States

For all the talk of economic boom times, a new study of four Northwest states suggests that about one-half of the available jobs do not pay a living wage to single adults and that the news is even worse for single parents with two children. The findings, based on 1996 employment data, show that Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana are not creating enough living wage jobs for working age adults.

For all the talk of economic boom times, a new study of four Northwest states suggests that about one-half of the available jobs do not pay a living wage to single adults and that the news is even worse for single parents with two children. The findings, based on 1996 employment data, show that Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana are not creating enough living wage jobs for working age adults.

Jim Heater's mood is far from sublime, despite his location in a postcard-perfect patch of countryside near this preciously named town. He winces when a truck driver fails to maneuver into position in time, but his shouts get lost in the whomping of the $450-an-hour Hughes 500D helicopter that has been dropping bundles into deep yellow truck beds and now sets down to wait.

Maybe the Pacific Northwest, the erstwhile cool capital of the Western Hemisphere, is not going to conquer the world after all. Every day brings another blow to the regional psyche. Long before the tragic school shootings in Oregon on Thursday, once-buoyant reputations were sinking faster than crab pots. Early last week, software giant Microsoft Corp. was sued by the U.S. Department of Justice and 20 states for alleged violations of antitrust laws.

A grumpy newspaper columnist popularized the idea: Blame Californians for Seattle's growing pains. Faster and more vigorously than anyone could have guessed, the thought penetrated the local psyche and became part of the background noise of life in the booming city of Seattle. Whether it was traffic, pollution, runaway housing prices, gangs, rudeness or even greed, what came to mind was: Damn Californians. Grumble, grumble, grumble. Sometimes the complaints were strident, sometimes witty.

Maybe the Pacific Northwest, the erstwhile cool capital of the Western Hemisphere, is not going to conquer the world after all. Every day brings another blow to the regional psyche. Long before the tragic school shootings in Oregon on Thursday, once-buoyant reputations were sinking faster than crab pots. Early last week, software giant Microsoft Corp. was sued by the U.S. Department of Justice and 20 states for alleged violations of antitrust laws.

Jim Heater's mood is far from sublime, despite his location in a postcard-perfect patch of countryside near this preciously named town. He winces when a truck driver fails to maneuver into position in time, but his shouts get lost in the whomping of the $450-an-hour Hughes 500D helicopter that has been dropping bundles into deep yellow truck beds and now sets down to wait.

A grumpy newspaper columnist popularized the idea: Blame Californians for Seattle's growing pains. Faster and more vigorously than anyone could have guessed, the thought penetrated the local psyche and became part of the background noise of life in the booming city of Seattle. Whether it was traffic, pollution, runaway housing prices, gangs, rudeness or even greed, what came to mind was: Damn Californians. Grumble, grumble, grumble. Sometimes the complaints were strident, sometimes witty.