Washington joins 20 states to protect students from Trump’s education cuts
Washington state has joined a coalition of 20 other states in a lawsuit aimed at halting the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. Washington Attorney General Nick Brown stated that the administration’s actions are illegal and threaten to dismantle a critical federal agency responsible for ensuring that millions of students receive quality education and essential resources. Continue reading at KOMO. (AP)
With another cutoff having passed, here are some bills that WA lawmakers are still mulling
Another major deadline of the 2025 legislative session is now in the rear-view mirror. Wednesday marked the cutoff date for Washington state lawmakers to clear bills out of their respective houses of origin. Subjects ranged from passenger-only ferries to rent stabilization to cacti. Continue reading at The News Tribune. (Simone Carter)
WA Parents’ Bill of Rights advances out of House after heated debate
House Democrats advanced a bill in the early hours of Thursday that will undo several provisions of a popular Republican-backed parents’ rights initiative passed by the Legislature last year. The House vote comes after months of intense debate that centers on the balance between the rights of students to privacy, the rights of parents to know what students disclose to school officials and how existing legal frameworks deal with those issues. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ted S. Warren)
Associated Press
Major boost to special education funding gets Washington Senate approval (Pederson)
Aberdeen Daily World
WA eyes disaster declaration to reopen Hoh Rainforest
Op Ed: How I’m setting WA forests on a better management path
Axios
Hoh Rain Forest could reopen in May with new road repair plan
Bellingham Herald
‘Vitriol and blame.’ Laid-off federal workers face polarized landscape and uncertainty
Everett Herald
Everett Transit set to sell nine electric buses
Crime rings target Arlington: Fake gold, panhandling schemes on the rise
Letter: Mandatory reporting of child abuse by clergy is just
Kent Reporter
33rd District Community Town Hall set for Saturday, March 15 (Orwall, Gregerson, Obras)
Kitsap Sun
First WA carbon auction of 2025 sees prices, revenue continue to increase
Island Lake housing development gains approval, despite concern over water levels
Japanese American Exclusion Memorial closing in on $4.5 million visitor center addition
News Tribune
Amid federal education cuts, what’s at stake for Washington’s public schools?
With another cutoff having passed, here are some bills that WA lawmakers are still mulling (Mena, Macri, Pedersen, Entenman, Nance)
Pierce County to spend $17M raised from new sales tax on affordable housing. Here’s where
New study ranks all 50 states by federal dependency levels. Here’s where Washington ranked
King County executive wants Sound Transit CEO job. What could that mean for Pierce County?
New York Times
U.S. Consumer Sentiment Drops as Inflation Anxiety Soars
This Stock Market Index Is Flashing a Clear Warning About the Economy
Northwest Asian Weekly
Most AAPI adults don’t support cutting agencies and want a focus on costs: AP-NORC/AAPI Data poll
Peninsula Daily News
State funds to repair Hoh Road (Bernbaum)
Puget Sound Business Journal
Seattle’s research institutions face ‘unprecedented threat’
Study reveals top barriers for women’s success in the workplace
Rising insurance costs squeeze Washington’s foster care providers
Seattle Times
Trump administration takes aim at bike lanes, other WA projects
Push to legalize neighborhood cafes in WA cities runs aground again (Walen)
WA Parents’ Bill of Rights advances out of House after heated debate (Macri, Stonier, Ortiz-Self, Pedersen, Jinkins)
Skagit Valley Herald
Mount Vernon attempting to foster more dialogue with the community
Spokesman Review
On five-year anniversary of COVID shutdowns, schools and hospitals reflect on ever-present effects
Legislative cutoff marks end for these bills that could have become Washington law, at least for now (Dhingra)
Washington federal workers defy Musk-directed ‘What did you do last week’ probe in their own mass emails
Sen. Murray, former NOAA administrator warn about danger of mass National Weather Service layoffs for farmers, fire season
A Hanford contractor, and not its owner, was sentenced for COVID relief fraud. How an unusual legal strategy helped him skirt charges
State Superintendent weighs in on Mead School Board letter to feds: ‘Follow state law, follow state law and then if you’re not sure, follow state law’
Tri-City Herald
Federal cuts freeze United Way food, housing funding for Tri-Cities families
What is the REAL ID deadline in Washington? Here are state requirements, current options
Washington Post
White House expects ‘mass reduction’ of federal workforce as deadline looms
Schumer to vote for GOP bill to avert shutdown; some Democrats bristle at his decision
WA State Standard
Washington to pay for road repairs so Hoh Rain Forest can reopen (Bernbaum)
The bills that are dead and still alive in the Washington Legislature
Trump asks Supreme Court to intervene in birthright citizenship case
Yakima Herald-Republic
Tom Brandt selected to be new Union Gap school superintendent
Broadcast
KING 5 TV (NBC)
Tesla set on fire in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood
Here are the bills that died, survived legislative cut-off deadline (Dhingra, Stonier)
Neighbors rally around Sedro-Woolley woman after Pride flag vandalism
Washington state imposes 20-minutes lunchtime for elementary students
Washington taxpayers shell out $60 million for jail claims, lawsuits as oversight bills fail
KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Thurston County declares loneliness crisis
Doctor shortage across WA causing appointment delays
American Airlines Boeing 737 catches fire at Denver airport
School budgets under pressure amid federal funding concerns
No more waiting – Schools must notify parents immediately under reworked House bill
KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Washington joins 20 states to protect students from Trump’s education cuts
KUOW Public Radio
Washington state industries and consumers brace for tariff impacts
Rent cap, parents rights survive key cutoff deadline in WA Legislature (Pedersen, Jinkins, Entenman, Lovick)
Safety measures for kids on social media may become law in Washington state
Washington state joins lawsuit against Trump’s mass Department of Education cuts
Unkept trails, cancelled programs. Washington state feels the impact of federal forest cuts
KXLY (ABC)
Central Valley School District considers stricter cell phone policy
Washington legislature passes deadline to advance legislation to opposite chamber (Pedersen)
Web
Cascadia Daily News
Federal cuts and research funding changes are ‘demoralizing’ to WWU faculty, students
Opinion: The outdoor industry’s biggest worries with Trump administration actions
MyNorthwest
Green vs. green: Will Washington sacrifice climate funds to fix budget? (Fitzgibbon, Pedersen)
Schools must notify parents immediately under reworked House Bill 1296
US, Canada, EU tariff war impacts red swing states and Washington alcohol
More than 50 universities face federal investigations as part of Trump’s anti-DEI campaign
WA among 21 states suing Trump Administration over ‘illegal’ Education Department firings
‘This is going to end in court:’ Washington Superintendent addresses Trump’s education cuts
The Stranger
No Cuts, No Furloughs—Tax the Rich!
The Urbanist
Washington House Approves Bill Capping Annual Rent Hikes at 7% (Alvarado, Chapman, Fitzgibbon, Peterson, Macri, Santos, Pederson)
State House Approves Bill Mapping Out Amtrak Cascades Upgrades (Reed)