Key health takeaways from WA’s 2024 legislative session
Health care affordability, workforce shortages and access to care remained top of mind for lawmakers during this year’s legislative session — and while several politicians and health care leaders say there’s still work to be done, they feel important gains were made in all three categories. Legislators spent the short 60-day session trying to figure out how to best help hospitals and providers out of financial holes, debating how staffing, reimbursement rates for public health insurance plans and long-term impacts of health care consolidations, among other factors, play a part. Continue reading at The Columbian. (Lindsey Wasson)
Legislature passes more than $32 million in asylum-seeker aid
After providers and advocates spent months pleading for help addressing the state’s growing asylum-seeker crisis, the Washington Legislature responded late last week by setting aside more than $32 million in the updated state budget to support new arrivals to the state. More than $25 million is poised to go to the state’s Office of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance, followed by $5 million to King County and $2.5 million to the city of Tukwila, which is home to Riverton Park United Methodist Church. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Kevin Clark )
Smelt fishing may soon require license in Washington state
Gov. Jay Inslee will soon a bill into law that will require Washington smelt dippers to get a license before they wade out with their nets. Recreational fishing licenses have been required to harvest basically any fish, crustacean or seaweed from Washington waters. Up until now, the only animals that could be harvested without a license were crawfish, carp, bullfrogs and freshwater smelt. With the passing of this law, a recreational fishing or shellfishing license will be required when fishing for smelt, carp or crawfish, but an angler with existing fishing licenses would not need to purchase a specific smelt, crawfish or carp license. Continue reading at The Daily News.
Aberdeen Daily World
Seismic studies: Are Harbor schools on safe soil?
Longtime port director retires after nearly quarter-century at the helm
Axios
Federal judge decides Washington’s new political map
How Washington’s police pursuit law is about to change
Takeaways from Seattle’s first Pacific Tech Policy Conference
Bellingham Herald
Single-bin recycling poised to spread beyond Bellingham after Whatcom County Council vote
Columbian
Potential Amtrak routes link cities across West, Midwest
Key health takeaways from WA’s 2024 legislative session (Cleveland, Riccelli)
Removing Washington salmon barriers surges to $1M a day, but results are murky
The Daily News
Smelt fishing may soon require license in Washington state
Environmental concerns over Drax air quality permit prompt hearing
Rainier Museum will break ground this spring after landing state funds
Everett Herald
Energy bills to rise 5.8% next month in Snohomish County
Traffic cams near Everett school go live in April; more in the way
State settles for $8.5M after impaired driver killed couple on Whidbey
News Tribune
Tacoma school to lose beloved vice principal as district budget cuts take their toll
Latest Tacoma apartment proposal seeking tax breaks include Lincoln District project
Peninsula Daily News
Clallam seeks additional funds for emergency operations center
Puget Sound Business Journal
Texio confirms layoffs as company restructures
Here’s the salary it takes to get beyond living ‘paycheck to paycheck’ in Seattle
A community-based approach to improving health outcomes across Washington state
Seattle Medium
Seattle Looks At Subsidized Housing For Cops
Seattle To Update Street Parking Rates For Spring Season
Washington State Achieves Bipartisan Support To Ban Hog-Tying By Police And Address Opioid Crisis (Mena)
Seattle Times
Legislature passes more than $32 million in asylum-seeker aid (Gregerson)
Blobby creatures washed up on West Coast beaches during marine warming, sucking up energy
Opinion: Don’t shy away from hard conversations with kids about opioids
Opinion: Financial lifeline works to keep vulnerable WA youth housed
Spokesman Review
Inslee and Governor of Kyiv Oblast sign Sister State Agreement
Supreme Court: Bar exam will no longer be required to become an attorney in Washington state
As Washington lawmakers pass on lowering limits for driving drunk, a borrowed breath tester changed at least one mind (Billig)
Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Blue Mountain Heart to Heart health hub to open by August
Lions Park renovation to begin this month, bringing inclusive amenities to College Place
Washington Post
11 charts that show how covid changed the U.S. economy
Four years in, covid flags no longer fly. Families’ grief remains.
Supreme Court weighs whether White House censored social media
The SAT is coming back at some colleges. It’s stressing everyone out
How politicians quietly influence what social media posts get removed
WA State Standard
Redistricting ruling stirs partisan uproar
The art and science of landslide preparedness a decade after Oso
Wenatchee World
BLM plans to strengthen sage-grouse conservation
Wenatchee School District details plan to cut $8 million to $9 million
Yakima Herald-Republic
WA Indian boarding schools committee seek public’s help with effort
New legislative map approved Friday brings big change for Yakima Valley
Broadcast
KING 5 TV (NBC)
Seattle pot shop closes for business after driver plowed through store, stole merchandise
KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Guns for gift cards keeping weapons off Everett streets
New bill would reimburse military spouses for costs to transfer job licenses, certificates
Starbucks accused of violating Americans with Disabilities Act by charging extra for non-dairy
‘Too many people have too many guns’: Seattle mayor addresses concerns about city’s violence, safety
KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Congress hears suggestions for US wildfire response changes as season approaches in WA
KUOW Public Radio
Prisoner-led cultural groups in Washington say they’ve been sidelined under state’s prison diversity initiative
NW Public Radio
Contaminated wells near Yakima Training Center getting filter fix from the Army
Samish Indian Nation cleans up over a million pounds of marine debris, more to go
Web
Cascadia Daily News
Fish farm company backs down from effort to restore canceled net pen leases
Whatcom educators: State money still short of what’s needed to fund public schools
Samish mobile park residents celebrate purchase as Lakeway Estates homeowners confront defeat
MyNorthwest
Seattle area average energy prices: Gasoline, utility gas prices dip, electricity rises