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Media would retain access to employee birth dates under new version of bill
Journalists would continue to have access to the birth dates of state and local government employees under the state Public Records Act, but other people would not, under a bill that a House of Representatives committee is expected to vote on Friday. The first version of HB 1888 would have exempted the birth dates of public sector employees from the state’s transparency law. The bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Zack Hudgins, helped craft a compromise between media members who opposed HB 1888 and the public employees’ unions that pushed for it. Continue reading at The Bellingham Herald. (The Olympian)
Investigation: Former lawmaker likely violated House policy
A workplace conduct investigation into former Democratic Rep. Jeff Morris found that he likely violated the Washington House’s policy against harassment and intimidation and “unreasonably interfered with individuals’ work performance.” A four-page summary of the the investigation, written in March 2019, was released Wednesday night in response to public records requests made last year by The Associated Press. House administrators did not release the full report, which is still being sought by the AP and other news organizations. Continue reading at The Walla Walla Union-Bulletin.
Washington lawmakers approve change to business tax to fund college affordability
The Legislature has passed a bill changing the business-and-occupation tax to increase funding for a new program to make college more affordable to students across Washington. Democratic House lawmakers Thursday night approved Senate Bill 6492, 52 to 45. No Republicans voted in favor of the bill; five Democrats from swing districts around the Puget Sound voted against it. Continue reading at The Seattle Times.
Associated Press
Advisory votes on tax increases under fire (Kuderer)
Lawmakers propose a plan to treatmentally ill people without their consent (O’Ban)
Lawmakers propose cap and trade amid continued push for an emission-reduction policy (Carlyle)
Bipartisan bill to stop Ore. jail from taking detainees
Rains continue to cause flooding in western Washington
Investigation: Former lawmaker likely violated House policy
Bellingham Herald (subscription required)
Government workers rally to try to shield their birth dates from public (Hudgins)
Washington Senate panel OKs partial chlorpyrifos ban (Rolfes)
Washington farmers testify against cap-and-trade bill (Hobbs)
Washington wheat farmer honored for excellence
Columbian
Clark County homeless advocates meet with legislators to push for bills (Cleveland, Stonier, Ramel)
Cornfield Report: It’s cutoff day for policy bills to move out of committee (Jinkins, Chopp)
Editorial: Need grows to aid foster kids, homeless students
Federal Way Mirror
If the coronavirus makes it to Federal Way, how will the city respond?
Islands’ Weekly
Gov. Inslee comments on monument plan
Issaquah Reporter
Heavy rainfall leads to phase 4 flood warnings in Issaquah
Rapid rainfall has led to flooding, impacting all parts of King County.
Kitsap Sun (subscription required)
Corrections contractor charged with sexual misconduct with inmates, false rape accusation
Effort underway to save USS Bremerton sail as monument
News Tribune (subscription required)
Media would retain access to employee birth dates under new version of bill (Hudgins)
Immigrants, refugees, and advocates come to the Capitol to make their voices heard
Peninsula Daily News
Risk of coronavirus ‘not a serious threat’ on Peninsula
U.S. added 225,000 jobs in January; unemployment at 3.6%
As the virus spreads, face mask makers go into overdrive
Amazon plans 15,000 more jobs in Bellevue
Seattle Times (subscription required)
Washington lawmakers approve change to business tax to fund college affordability (Pedersen, Sullivan)
Transit alert: No light rail in downtown Seattle this weekend
Girlfriend of downtown Seattle shooting suspect charged after allegedly hiding him in Las Vegas hotel room
Facing 737 MAX crisis and other challenges, local aerospace suppliers hold tight, try to minimize layoffs
Tight housing inventories and January price jumps hint at a sellers’ spring
Cold windstorm is on the way to Puget Sound area as flooding continues
Report: Ex-state Rep. Morris likely violated House policies; Jinkins ‘unhappy’ with disclosure rules (Jinkins)
Lessons from a year of reporting on the homelessness crisis in Olympia
Op-Ed: Black Americans should not be denied opportunities due to their hairstyles (Morgan)
Editorial: Legislature must end capital punishment once and for all (Goodman, Jinkins, Carlyle)
Ice carvings, lavish dinners and limo rides: Inside a successful UW football recruiting weekend
Skagit Valley Herald
Report says Mount Vernon lawmaker likely violated policy (Morris)
Spokesman Review
‘It gives us food when we don’t have money’: Work begins to expand Second Harvest
Speaker: Next generation must use new ideas to save farms
Murder suspect accused of strangling Eastern State nurse, faking mental illness while awaiting trial
Boeing gets good and bad news on its grounded 737 Max 8 jet
Tri-City Herald
Coronavirus is NOT at Columbia Basin College in Pasco. Here’s how the rumor spread
He brought a gun to Ki-Be High School. Then he threatened a classmate, deputies say
Feds fight $1 million Hanford fine. It increases $30,000 every week the fight continues
Cyber thieves steal $740,000 from Benton County. Employee fell for a common scam
Vancouver Business Journal
City continues work on affordable housing
Walla Walla Union Bulletin (subscription required)
Editorial: Caucuses are lousy way to pick nominees
Washington Post
Boeing’s Starliner space capsule had second software glitch during test flight
Trump preparing to oust national security official who testified in House inquiry
$650 a night at Mar-a-Lago, $17,000 a month at Bedminster: What Trump’s company charged taxpayers for Secret Service lodging
Doctor’s death sparks fury in China; more cruise passengers infected
Digital uprising rattles China’s leaders
Opinion: Why I asked a mom to choose risking her child’s life or deportation
Opinion: Here’s a new abuse of power by Trump that should alarm you
U.S. labor market remained strong, adding 225,000 jobs in January
Judge reduces bond for teen charged with killing her alleged sex trafficker
15 dead in six weeks. Can a federal investigation fix the grim legacy of Mississippi’s prisons?
The Technology 202: Jeff Bezos’s White House tensions get more personal in Instagram swipe
Lawmakers propose a plan to treat mentally ill people without their consent (O’Ban)
CWU student tests negative for coronaviru
Broadcast
KING5 TV (NBC)
KING 5 News Poll: 45% of voters say Washington gun laws aren’t strict enough
Boeing discovers new software issue on 737 Max
Washington state’s ban on flavored vape products expires Friday
Nisqually River flooding forces evacuations in parts of Thurston County
KIRO7 TV (CBS)
Issaquah residents struggle with flooding and raging waters
KOMO4 TV (ABC)
City of Carnation could be ‘island’ due to heavy rains, more flooding expected Friday
‘This is the worst we’ve ever seen:’ Rain causes flooding in Snohomish County
DNA evidence helps police arrest suspect in two sexual assaults
KNKX FM
Washington researchers tackle ocean acidification with new seaweed crops
Big insurers rack up billions in surpluses, now lawmakers may take a bite of the pie (Robinson, Rolfes)
KGW8
Vancouver mom’s murder leads to push to strengthen laws protecting victims of domestic violence (Wylie)
NW Public Radio
Immigrant-Rights Activists Demand Ban On Courthouse Arrests At Olympia Rally (Thai)
Big Insurers Rack Up Billions In Surpluses, Now Lawmakers May Take A Bite Of The Pie (Robinson, Rolfes)
Q13 TV (Fox)
Dozens of roads closed as flooding continues in western Washington
From drizzle to downpours, ‘atmospheric rivers’ are wreaking havoc on western Washington
Maple Valley flooding as bad as it’s been in a decade, locals say
Fourth person charged after deadly downtown Seattle shooting
DNA evidence helps Seattle police arrest suspect accused of raping 2 women
Web
Crosscut
‘My reality became the app’: Why state lawmakers want to rein in mobile games that have in-app purchases (Kloba, Stanford)
How coronavirus has tested Seattle’s infectious disease response
Opinion: Why Seattle’s first responders need to better understand trauma
Why Washington will weather Boeing’s 737 MAX crisis
Issaquah residents struggle with flooding and raging waters
Snohomish County task force has plan to address affordable housing
The ‘most important thing’ in Washington’s bid to curb vaping
FAA announces possible certification flight for Boeing 737 MAX in coming weeks
Seattle P.I.
Boeing gets good and bad news on its grounded 737 Max plae
Slog
If Doctors Prescribe a High Dose of Opioids, They Should Also Prescribe the Overdose Antidote (Liias)
Washington Strippers Won New Workplace Protections Last Year—So Where Are They? (Orwall)If Doctors Prescribe a High Dose of Opioids, They Should Also Prescribe the Overdose Antidote (Liias)
Why Class Warfare Is Escalating in Seattle