PEMCO in the Northwest

Okay, I'll admit it, when one of my friends suggests going on a road trip, I cringe. Think about it: You're agreeing to sit in a confined space with several other people for hours. And once you're in the car, you realize you have drastically different tastes in music, you can't get a cell signal in some areas, and there's always that one person who needs to use the bathroom every 10 minutes.As much as I dread road trips, it can be the cFull post

​I'm a baby boomer who drives old classic Chevies, yet I'm not afraid of the looming autonomous-car age. In fact, I think I welcome it.I like to drive. Always have. I drive a Silverado pickup and own a 1962 Impala and 1970 Chevelle SS that rumble delightfully as I throttle down the road. Driving for me is recreation, not just transportation.So you might think I fear that self-driving cars will someday usurp my rightful place on the pavement. AftFull post

​With Hawaii's ongoing eruption and May 18 marking Mount St. Helens' big belch, I'm reminded how ashfall crippled our region in 1980. Yet we learn from our past.You've likely read news stories suggesting the likely outcomes of future Northwest eruptions. Unlike Mount Kilauea, which is oozing its usual pasty lava, Cascade stratovolcanoes explode violently with far-flung consequences. The big threat is hot lava that swiftly melts glaciers, triggerFull post

​In Washington, drivers who use electronic gadgets behind the wheel run a higher risk this month. Thanks to a national grant to combat distracted driving, state troopers are now working overtime to catch lawbreakers, and fines start at $136.As we enter April's second week of Distracted Driving Awareness Month, a timely new study suggests distracted driving is less common in our corner of the country than elsewhere.Life360, a family networkinFull post

​Washington and Oregon motorists, take note: Studded tires must be removed no later than March 31.That's barring any last-minute extension, which has happened in recent years when late-season snowstorms arrive.Drivers who continue to drive with studded tires beyond the deadline risk a $136 fine in Washington and up to $200 in Oregon.Studded tires damage pavement, so removing them promptly after winter helps preserve roadways, according to thFull post