Biden issues order to strengthen gun background checks
President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Tuesday aiming to increase the number of background checks to buy guns, promote more secure firearms storage and ensure U.S. law enforcement agencies are getting the most out of a bipartisan gun control law enacted last summer. The Democratic president was set to address his latest efforts to curb gun violence in a speech from Monterey Park, California. In January, a gunman stormed a dance hall in the community near Los Angeles and shot 20 people, killing 11, following a Lunar New Year celebration. Continue reading at The Associated Press. (Evan Vucci)
WA House passes bill taking aim at warehouse productivity quotas
The Washington state House passed a bill seeking broader protections and transparency for warehouse employees. House Bill 1762, which received approval on March 6,would require employers to provide written descriptions of their production quotas and work speed data. Employers would have to factor in sufficient time for breaks and would be prohibited from retaliating over missed quotas. The bill would apply to employers with 100 or more employees at a single warehouse distribution center or 500 or more in-state employees at multiple warehouses. Continue reading at Puget Sound Business Journal. (Shawna De La Rosa)
These test strips might help prevent fentanyl overdoses, but they’re illegal
Health officials say fentanyl test strips could help prevent accidental overdoses, but under current law, they’ve been illegal because they fall under the definition of drug paraphernalia. Lawmakers hope to change that with House Bill 1006, dubbed “Allisone’s Law, named for a young woman who died of a fentanyl overdose and whose mother, Genevieve Schofield, of Kent, is advocating for the test strips. The bill passed in the House and is now in the Senate for consideration. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Daniel Kim)
Associated Press
Biden to issue order to strengthen gun background checks
Bainbridge Island Review
State leaders talk issues with BI residents (Rolfes, Simmons)
Columbian
Operation Home Rescue offers free home repair to Clark County veterans
The Daily News
Food Lifeline ending Highlands distribution after Saturday
Everett Herald
License plates, the X-file, and a tribute to lawmakers who’ve died
Paine Field hopes to extend a $4.50 airport passenger fee
Editorial: Adopt compromise on police pursuit guidelines
News Tribune
Op-Ed: It’s Equal Pay Day. What’s the best way to close the gender wage gap? Join a union
Olympian
Daylight increasing quickly as WA inches toward spring. Here’s how much to expect
Man pleads guilty to stalking Washington state lawmaker
British Columbia Premier visits Olympia to talk housing, homelessness and clean energy
Why a California tech bank failure is worrying the Washington wine industry
Cleanup from fuel truck rollover on I-5 in Lacey expected to extend into Monday evening
Puget Sound Business Journal
WA House passes bill taking aim at warehouse productivity quotas
Providence report reveals steep financial losses in 2022
Boeing cleared to resume Dreamliner deliveries after pause
FDIC’s $250K cap may be ‘dead letter’ after feds intervene in failures
Seattle Times
These test strips might help prevent fentanyl overdoses, but they’re illegal
Walmart stores across WA to go bagless
Despite rescue, Seattle startups and banks face SVB blowback
Help for crime victims drops to ‘crisis level’ in WA
Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit County considering settlement of opioid lawsuit
Spokesman Review
Silicon Valley Bank collapse had implications for several Spokane companies
Students urge Central Valley school board to avoid teacher layoffs
Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla City Council signals need for local authority in cell tower development
Yakima Herald-Republic
As rent costs increase, so does pressure on Yakima County renters and landlords
Broadcast
KING 5 TV (NBC)
Some Washingtonians see food benefits cut in half after federal SNAP benefits end
KNKX Public Radio
Climate is changing too quickly for the Sierra Nevada’s ‘zombie forests’
KUOW Public Radio
Teachers, lawmakers, and cherry blossom trees: Today So Far
Washington’s free Covid test program comes to an end
WA lawmakers move treatment over jail time to the House
KXLY (ABC)
Neighbors living in West Cheney concerned over discolored water for decades
Web
Cascadia Daily News
Western drops vaccine mandate
Crosscut
Pacific Northwest forests are heating up and drying out
La Raza del Noroeste
Cámara aprueba prohibición de armas de asalto (Peterson)
The Stranger
Washington Senate Wants to Punish the Addiction Out of People (Goodman)
West Seattle Blog
CORONAVIRUS: Gatewood Elementary cases lead to masking recommendation
ADMIRAL WAY BRIDGE: New retrofit timeline, and studies for a replacement someday
FERRIES: Service added on Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route