n January of 2010, local rail advocates rejoiced at learning Washington had been awarded $590 million in federal economic stimulus funding for high-speed rail. However, the money never actually materialized until this week. A budget showdown 2,800 miles away on Capitol Hill may have played a role in freeing up the dollars that had been held up for more than a year. Read the whole article here: http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/mar/02/regional-high-speed-rail-funds-have-arrived/