Federal student loan site down Wednesday, a day after layoffs gutted Education Department
An hours-long outage Wednesday on StudentAid.gov, the federal website for student loans and financial aid, underscored the risks in rapidly gutting the Department of Education, as President Donald Trump aims to dismantle the agency. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Mark Schiefelbein)
Washington legislature passes deadline to advance legislation to opposite chamber
Wednesday marked a key deadline for lawmakers, as they had to pass all legislation without budgetary impacts out of the chamber they originated from. A flurry of bills advanced from the senate to the house and vice versa. Proposals ranged from increasing farmer access to climate commitment act fuel exemptions, to creating more rules for online companies and platforms that serve kids and teens, to more funding for special education. Continue reading at KXLY. (KXLY)
Major boost to special education funding gets Washington Senate approval
State senators delivered a resounding message Wednesday that a looming budget shortfall cannot deter them from upping special education funding for Washington public schools. On a 48-0 vote, the Senate approved a bill to provide another $2 billion in the next four years for special education services in the state’s 295 public school districts. Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, and Senate Minority Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, are the sponsors of Senate Bill 5263 which identifies special education as a component of basic education that the state has a duty to fund. Continue reading at The Washington State Standard. (LSS)
Aberdeen Daily World
Sea Level Rise Study presented to Commissioners
Axios
Where Seattle ranks in the growing field of AI jobs
How Washington’s proposed pay-per-mile tax would work (Fey, Liias)
Bellingham Herald
Amid federal education cuts, what’s at stake for Washington’s public schools?
Full effect of federal cuts yet to be felt in Western WA, but other layoffs adding up
University of Washington will pay $4 million settlement in pandemic tuition lawsuit
Is Trump making the economy better or worse? Here’s what Americans said in a new poll
Capital Press
EPA to review reach of Clean Water Act
USDA: Larger wheat supplies, fewer exports, lower prices
Washington joins lawsuit over fired USDA scientists, others
Everett Herald
Snohomish County transit agencies report increased ridership
Letter: Sen. Murray protecting veterans’ services
Editorial: Open Sound Transit CEO hiring to public review
The Inlander
NEWS BRIEFS: Washington AG sues Adams County sheriff over immigration enforcement
Kitsap Sun
Washington is one of the least federally dependent states, data show
News Tribune
Tacoma-area university being investigated for antisemitism as part of federal probe
New York Times
DOGE Makes Its Latest Errors Harder to Find
Public Health Survived the Pandemic. Now It Fights Politics.
E.P.A. Cancels Climate Grants, Intensifying Battle Over $20 Billion
E.P.A. Targets Dozens of Environmental Rules as It Reframes Its Purpose
Democratic Attorneys General Sue Over Gutting of Education Department
Port Townsend Leader
State to pay for fix to only road access to Hoh Rain Forest
Puget Sound Business Journal
Executives’ optimism dips amid tariff concerns
Pandemic-era SBA programs spark debate five years later
Zoning proposal in Snohomish County targets struggling sector
Federal government’s potential portfolio sell-off raises eyebrows
State lawmakers aim to alter landmark process in Seattle, Tacoma (Walen)
Comment: Seattle is on the path toward progress
Seattle Times
A breakdown of major EPA deregulatory moves around water, air, climate
Federal student loan site down Wednesday, a day after layoffs gutted Education Department
Democratic-led states sue to block Trump administration layoffs at the Education Department
Editorial: AG’s lawsuit against Adams County protects civil rights, economy
Skagit Valley Herald
Sedro-Woolley School District to pay former superintendent $375,000
Spokesman Review
Senate pushes closer to shutdown after Democrats spurn funding bill
Trump administration flies all remaining Guantánamo migrants back to U.S.
Pedestrian safety improvements slated for Spokane streets, but activists say the progress is too slow
Protesters gather again at Tesla dealership in Liberty Lake amid Musk’s DOGE controversy: ‘Every day I wake up and see terrible news’
Spokane and Bonner county sheriff’s offices can no longer hide or delete critical Facebook comments after First Amendment concerns, judges rule
Washington Post
Washington braces for a government shutdown amid DOGE cuts
Judge says Trump penalties on law firm send ‘chills down my spine’
A rare setback for a Trump nominee as White House withdraws Dave Weldon’s name for CDC
WA State Standard
Washington carbon auction prices rise again
Immigration buoyed population in large counties, agricultural Midwest
Major boost to special education funding gets Washington Senate approval (Pedersen)
Trump administration to roll back many EPA regulations, revisit contested water rule
Wenatchee World
Chelan County permanently closes Leavenworth brush drop-off site
Helion fusion power community meeting draws nearly 400 to Mission View gym
Chelan County: Tumwater Mountain cross permit withdrawn, no ongoing land swap
Yakima Herald-Republic
Cow Palace dairy near Granger to close with more than 100 jobs lost
Sunnyside declares emergency to increase water capacity before summer
Yakima City Council will appeal after losing court decision on advisory committees
Broadcast
KING 5 TV (NBC)
5 coyote attacks in Bellevue within the last week
What to know about the ICE arrest video out of Spokane
Seattle families claim SPS’s enrollment caps at option schools are backfiring
Experts say new tariffs on aluminum and steel could impact Boeing’s costs and production
KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
University of Washington begins hiring freeze
Boeing’s Everett workforce impacted by latest rounds of cuts
King County audit concludes sheriff’s office should be more transparent
Washington House passes bill that could majorly redefine ‘excessive speeding’
KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Another vacant house fire in Seattle. Is the city using its derelict building ordinance?
Lynnwood City Council reconsiders vacant seat appointment amid online controversy
Kirkland neighbors still uneasy over homeless facility near schools despite heated meeting
KNKX Public Radio
Proposed Medicaid cuts threaten rural healthcare in Washington, experts warn
Pierce County embarks on regional response to homelessness. Can it make a difference?
KXLY (ABC)
Spokane school back open from nearby law enforcement investigation
U.S. Marshals announce reward for help finding fugitive wanted in Spokane
Washington legislature passes deadline to advance legislation to opposite chamber (Pedersen)
Washington Senate Republicans release budget proposal to close budget gap without new taxes
Web
Cascadia Daily News
Whatcom food banks will be hurt by loss of USDA funding
Cascade PBS
Washington bill could transform prosthetics access for amputees (Stonier)
Hanford subcontractor must pay $1.1M for COVID-19 relief fraud
MyNorthwest
Washington bill could give cannabis industry agricultural status
Life over law? Washington House passes bill blocking arrests of wanted people who are overdosing (Macri)
The Urbanist
Seattle Gears Up to Fight Back as Trump Eviscerates Funding, Rights
Washington Observer
Expanding paid family leave (Berry, Rule, Springer)
House passes renter protections (again) (Macri, Alvarado, Bronoske, Walen, Santos, Leavitt)
Revised dental bill exits Senate floor on unanimous vote (Cleveland)
West Seattle Blog
TRAFFIC, WEATHER, ROAD WORK, TRANSIT: Thursday info