Sen. Paull Shin has announced his immediate resignation from the Senate following a recent diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.
In a resignation letter sent Tuesday, the Democrat from Edmonds saying that he had originally planned to retire from the Legislature at the end of his term later this year, but determined that health problems, including the Alzheimer's diagnosis, "make it impossible for me to represent my constituents in the manner in which they deserve."
Shin, 78, was a college professor for 31 years, teaching East Asian studies at a variety of schools including the University of Washington, Western Washington University and Shoreline Community College. He was elected to the state House in 1992 and served two years, before stepping down for an unsuccessful run for Congress. He was elected to the state Senate in 1998.