Washington state lawmakers consider ban on hog-tying by police following Manuel Ellis’ death
Washington state lawmakers considered a proposal Monday to prohibit police from hog-tying suspects, nearly four years after Manuel Ellis, a 33-year-old Black man, died face down with his hands and feet cuffed together behind him in a case that became a touchstone for racial justice demonstrators in the Pacific Northwest. The restraint technique has long drawn concern due to the risk of suffocation, and while many cities and counties have banned the practice, it remains in use in others. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Karen Ducey)
Dept. of Commerce invests $312.6 million in housing opportunities
On Jan. 18, the Washington State Department of Commerce announced what the department is calling “historic investments” totaling $312.6 million to address the need for affordable housing in communities throughout Washington state. Lack of affordable housing and sufficient supportive housing options for vulnerable populations are top contributors to chronic homelessness. It is estimated that over 1.1 million new housing units must be added across Washington state over the next 20 years to meet projected needs at all income levels. Continue reading at Auburn Reporter. (Plymouth Housing)
Washington Legislature considers funding more dual-language programs in schools
Washington schools could get multi-lingual if the Legislature passes a bill heard in a House of Representatives committee Monday. The bill would direct the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to oversee grants for establishing and expanding programs where instruction is in English and another language, both in public schools and state-tribal compact schools. The bill is the first step in an extensive effort to expand dual language offerings across the state. By 2040, bill sponsor Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self, D-Mukilteo, hopes every district that wants such programming will have it in their course catalogs as early as kindergarten. But a number of Spokane-area programs have long been speaking in two tongues, reaping the benefits of bilinguality. Continue reading at The Spokesman Review. (Dan Pelle)
Auburn Reporter
Dept. of Commerce invests $312.6 million in housing opportunities
Axios
City of Seattle freezes roughly 2,000 jobs
Bill to abolish daylight saving time filed in Washington (Billig)
Washington’s abortion snapshot on Roe v. Wade anniversary
Capital Press
‘Everyone is struggling’: WSU helps farmers under stress
Ecology resists testing rivers before declaring them ‘outstanding’
Washington NRCS clears backlog using Inflation Reduction Act funds
Columbian
WA lawmakers seek to make fashion friendlier to the environment (Mena, Nguyen)
Vancouver Housing Authority closes voucher waitlist due to rising rents
Benton sheriff could be 1st in WA to use a controversial AI photo search tool
Washington may require diaper-changing sites in bathrooms accessible to men
(Callan)
Everett Herald
Sound Transit starts testing light rail on track bound for Lynnwood
Editorial: Panel on concerns of boys, men deserves hearing (Solomon, Lovick, Fitzgibbon)
Journal of the San Juan Islands
WSF outlines Service Contingency plan in bi-annual public meeting
News Tribune
After death of Manuel Ellis, state lawmakers consider ending hog-tying by law enforcement (Trudeau, Mena)
Lack of appropriate food at assisted living facilities an example of broad concerns, WA ombuds says
Opinion: Tacoma is stuck between agitation and peace. Manny Ellis’ death must push us forward
New York Times
To Slash Carbon Emissions, Colleges Are Digging Really Deep
Puget Sound Business Journal
Older Boeing 737 planes scrutinized over ‘door plug’ problem
U District apartment building purchased for supportive housing
Seattle Times
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell issues hiring freeze
Tribal leaders urge WA for help to fight fentanyl crisis (Lekanoff)
Cold weather emergency highlights homelessness system’s flaws
Washington state lawmakers consider ban on hog-tying by police following Manuel Ellis’ death (Trudeau)
Opinion: Boeing’s manufacturing, ethical lapses go back decades
Spokesman Review
Washington Legislature considers funding more dual-language programs in schools (Ortiz-Self)
Proposed law would make hundreds of Washington prisoners eligible for resentencing if they are serving time for juvenile records (Stearns)
Opinion: Businesses must stand together to protect the Spokane River Basin by breaking out of status quo behaviors
WA State Standard
Washington’s wolf-killing policy gets fresh attention in Olympia (Van De Wege, Lovick)
Wenatchee World
Chelan elementary evacuated after bomb threat
Broadcast
KING 5 TV (NBC)
Tribal leaders call for united fight against opioid abuse crisis (Lekanoff)
Planned Parenthood says they are having tough finding staffers in Washington due to harassment, threats
KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
One federal proposal would create a new school choice tax credit
Paying more for insurance? Higher rates linked to spike in stolen cars
PTA says gravel yard next door to Mukilteo school is making students sick
KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Proposed bill would change Washington’s jaywalking laws (Saldaña)
Rising rideshare driver death rate helps prompt new bill for worker benefits
WA Dems propose adding sex offender to policy board: ‘They have invaluable information’ (Simmons, Goodman)
Washington lawmaker pushes to ban hog-tying by police following Manny Ellis’ death (Trudeau, Lovick)
KNKX Public Radio
AI, guns, and initiatives: highlights from Week 2 of Washington’s 2024 legislative session (Jinkins, Leavitt)
KUOW Public Radio
In Washington state, pharmacists are poised to start prescribing abortion drugs
The FAA says airlines should check the door plugs on another model of Boeing plane
KXLY (ABC)
Spokane’s Point-In-Time Count Week underway
National shortage of RSV vaccine raises concerns for babies’ hospitalization
NW Public Radio
New congressional tax package has incentive for more Northwest housing
Early January storms bring much-needed snow to the Northwest – is it enough?
Washington leaders try to find solutions for wolf depredations and killing of wolves
Web
Cascadia Daily News
Lummi leaders demand state action on fentanyl epidemic (Lekanoff, Macri)
Crosscut
WA Bill Tracker 2024
Northwest News Network
Washington bill creates civil fines, could reduce illegal dumping (Ramos)