ICE apprehends two men in Skagit County
U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents apprehended two men in Skagit County on Tuesday, according to multiple reports. One of the men was farmworker and community activist Alfredo “Lelo” Juarez Zeferino. Juarez Zeferino, who was taken into custody in Sedro-Woolley, has organized for farmworkers with organizations such as Familias Unidas Para La Justicia. Continue reading at Skagit Valley Herald. (U.S. Border Patrol Blaine Sector)
Department of Health and Human Services will cut 10,000 jobs as part of a major restructuring plan
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will eliminate 10,000 jobs as part of a major restructuring plan, it announced Thursday. Overall, the agency, which is responsible for monitoring infectious diseases, inspecting foods and hospitals and overseeing health insurance programs for nearly half the country, says it will decrease its workforce from 82,000 to 62,000 positions. That includes 10,000 in layoffs as well as another 10,000 workers who are taking early retirements or buyout offers that were given to nearly all federal employees by the Trump administration. Continue reading at King 5. (King 5)
Washington bill to cap rent increases clears first Senate hurdle
A new cap on rent hikes in Washington got one step closer to becoming law Wednesday. On a party-line vote, the Senate Housing Committee passed House Bill 1217, which would set a 7% limit on annual residential rent increases, with some exceptions. The bill, one of the most controversial moving through Olympia this legislative session, would also prohibit rent increases during the first year of a tenancy. The rules wouldn’t apply to buildings under 12 years old or those owned by nonprofits or public housing authorities. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Photo by Jason Finn/Getty Images)
Associated Press
Turkish student at Tufts University is latest Palestinian supporter swept up in US crackdown
Aberdeen Daily World
Grays Harbor mayors discuss initiatives, challenges
WA state parks camping reservation system is changing
WDFW seeks public input on recreation at Olympic, Johns River, and Chehalis wildlife areas
Axios
Corrosion sidelines Amtrak trains on Cascades route
Washington state has one of the widest gender pay gaps
Bellingham Herald
Eastern WA nuclear site top manager resigns. No. 2 Hanford leader already is gone
WA Democrats in Congress demand Trump’s defense secretary resign amid Signal scandal
Capital Press
Some farm sectors asking Trump for tariffs
Oyster harvesting accused of polluting Tillamook Bay
Washington Farm Bureau stands alone against farm fuel bill
Commodity farmers can apply for emergency economic relief
The Daily News
Learn business banking, bookkeeping, more at LCC workshop
Gas pipeline upgrades, new compressor station planned near Kelso
Everett Herald
County council approves changes to ADU laws
Edmonds red-light camera program begins Friday
Port of Everett seeks new bids for bulkhead replacement project
Partnership works to train Snohomish County mental health doctors
Editorial: Right to repair win for consumers, shops, climate (Gregerson)
Comment: Governor should reconsider pulling fisheries expert
Bloomberg comment: Signal fiasco too big to be dismissed as a ‘glitch’
Kitsap Sun
Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue shifts plans, will rebuild Meadowdale station
News Tribune
Proposed Social Security staffing cuts, service reductions raise alarms in WA state
License plate cameras are controversial. Here’s what one Pierce County city decided
Employees, families predict turmoil if Pierce County center for disabled adults closes
Tacoma mayor accepted paid trip to Israel from advocacy group American Jewish Committee
Northwest Asian Weekly
Hobbs criticizes Trump’s election overhaul
Olympian
Proposed Social Security staffing cuts, service reductions raise alarms in WA state
WA Democrats in Congress demand Trump’s defense secretary resign amid Signal scandal
Peninsula Daily News
Activists answer call to protect forests
Port of Port Angeles talks project status (Senate Bill 5794)
Port Townsend Leader
Resolution on trans girls in sports stirs emotions in Quilcene
Proposal to cap rent hikes continues to move despite objections
Commissioners weigh short-term-rental rules as moratorium’s end nears
Puget Sound Business Journal
Snohomish County’s new zoning rules begin soon
Affordable housing project advances in Lynnwood
How Trump’s trade policies could affect US hotel market
Renton Reporter
Layoffs at Valley Medical Center stem from loss of funding
Seattle Medium
Trump Spending Freeze Threatens Free School Meals For Nearly 800,000 Students In Washington
Former Seattle Employee Sues City Over Alleged Wrongful Termination And Religious Discrimination
UW Foster School Of Business Program Uplifts Marginalized Students In Their Transition To Higher Education
Seattle Times
WA is losing $160M in federal health funding. Here’s what to know
Trump tariffs, ‘attacks’ over water complicate Columbia River Treaty negotiations
Editorial: WA Lawmakers can remake youth incarceration. Don’t blow it
Opinion: Surcharge on packaging to boost recycling in WA would hurt consumers
New York Times: 10,000 federal health workers to be laid off
New York Times: Trump administration abruptly cuts billions from state health services
LA Times: Deadly, drug-resistant fungus CDC calls ‘urgent threat’ is spreading in hospitals
Skagit Valley Herald
ICE apprehends two men in Skagit County
Spokesman Review
March heat breaks records over a century old across Inland Northwest
Meta, Micron projects will guzzle Idaho electricity, lawmakers say. Who’s going to pay?
Idaho Senate passes bill to prevent local, state governments from displaying some flags
Feds cancel $12 billion of grants to state health department, including $130 million to Washington
Washington’s senators raise alarm over Trump administration’s changes to Social Security Administration
Spokane temporarily waives downtown height restrictions for new development. Will the city’s towers get any taller?
Nearly $5 million in Washington emergency food assistance is canceled by USDA, including over $400K for Spokane
Opinion: Protecting our relationship with Canada protects us all
Tri-City Herald
UPDATE: Richland delta blaze 100% contained but blustery winds could change that
Washington Post
See all the tariffs Trump has enacted, threatened and canceled
Craft distillers hit hard as tariffs mix with 1930s rules for alcohol
How tariffs could upend the auto industry and add thousands to car prices
RFK Jr. says he’ll cut 20,000 positions from Health and Human Services workforce
WA State Standard
Washington bill to cap rent increases clears first Senate hurdle (Salomon, Alvarado, Pedersen)
Hospital price transparency bill in Washington Legislature gets reworked (Riccelli)
Broadcast
KING 5 TV (NBC)
Gov. Ferguson blocks release of Timothy Pauley, a three-time convicted killer
Minority leader: Democrat proposals ‘tax the joy out of being a Washingtonian’ (Berg, Liias)
Hundreds of Seattle environmental education programs, volunteers and employees cut from budget
Department of Health and Human Services will cut 10,000 jobs as part of a major restructuring plan
Anti-abortion groups mount effort to strip Planned Parenthood funding ahead of Supreme Court hearing
KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Gov. Ferguson cancels parole for triple murder convict set for release
Amtrak pulls train services in Cascades; here’s what you need to know
Here’s how a new law will fight catalytic converter thefts in Washington
Teens, parents fighting to keep Redmond teen center from closing down
Whooping cough cases continue to surge in Seattle, and across Washington
WA couple warns public after losing over $23,000 to scammer’s fake WSDOT text
‘Persistent gun violence is unacceptable’: New safety measures unveiled for bars open past 2 a.m.
KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Controversial CID homeless facility closes amid public safety concerns
Amtrak removes railcars from service due to corrosion damage, Cascade line affected
Seattle parks education programs at risk: 50% funding reduction, staff cuts announced
KUOW Public Radio
ICE detains leader of farmworker union in northwest Washington state
Trump’s order on voter registration raises questions for WA elections system
KXLY (ABC)
Washington lawmakers consider increase in gas tax to support transportation efforts (Fey, Liias)
Web
Cascadia Daily News
Last disenrolled household ordered to leave Nooksack housing
Supporters, politicians decry Northwest Washington activist’s ICE detention
Cascade PBS
Watch: PBS and NPR heads testify in U.S. House hearing
Federal cuts to Native services could impact Northwest nations
Frank Chopp remembered as champion for WA housing & homelessness (Macri, Taylor, Lovick, Fitzgibbon)
MyNorthwest
Washington AG joins coalition in writing letter to not give into ‘bullying’ by Trump Administration
The Urbanist
Op-Ed: Washington’s Legal Establishment Can’t Deliver True Justice for Our Kids
West Seattle Blog
TRAFFIC, WEATHER, ROAD WORK, TRANSIT: Thursday toplines
FOLLOWUP: Here’s the $450,000+ starting-salary contract Sound Transit proposes for Dow Constantine to become CEO