Washington to rein in fast drivers with speed limiters
In a few years, with the help of technology, prolific speeders in Washington won’t be able to drive as fast as they want. Gov. Bob Ferguson on Monday signed House Bill 1596 into law, requiring a new speed-limiting device as a condition to getting a restricted driver’s license after getting it suspended for reckless driving or excessive speeding. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Jake Goldstein-Street)
Dozens of layoffs expected at WA State Library amid state, federal reductions
The Washington State Library is bracing for dozens of anticipated layoffs due to a mixture of reduced state and federal funding. Secretary of State Steve Hobbs’ office noted in a Monday news release that 47 “at-risk of layoff letters” were delivered to employees over the past of couple weeks, the first step toward expected layoffs in the state’s process. Continue reading at Bellingham Herald. (BH)
New Washington law targets private detention centers
A new Washington law seeks to increase state oversight of privately run detention facilities, including the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma. Why it matters: The law — which Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson signed Monday — is the latest salvo in a battle over whether state officials can inspect and regulate the immigration detention center, which is run by a for-profit company, The GEO Group, under a federal contract. Continue reading at Axios. (Jason Redmond)
Aberdeen Daily World
Wildfire season is here
Axios
Seattle home sellers double down on buyer incentives
New Washington law targets private detention centers
Bellingham Herald
Two clinics closed amid PeaceHealth strike; no impact to care, officials say
Dozens of layoffs expected at WA State Library amid state, federal reductions
Do Canadians feel welcome in the US? What a poll found after Trump comments
Washington breweries just avoided a steep tax increase that’s expected to resurface
Capital Press
U.S., China agree to reset tariffs, but barriers remain
USDA closes southern border to imported cattle, bison, horses
British PM draws ‘red line’ on food safety standards for imports
Controversial ‘proxy’ provisions stripped from age discrimination bill
Everett Herald
How do you get rid of a bridge? Everett engineers can explain.
Editorial: 4 bills that need a second look by state lawmakers (Liias)
Letter: Allow transgender military members to serve country
Comment: Trump conditioning citizenship on wealth, background
Comment: RFK Jr.’s measles strategy leading U.S. down dark path
Islands’ Weekly
Federal cuts cripple Island Conservation Corps training program
Journal of the San Juan Islands
Letter: Washington has nation’s second-highest rate of missing and murdered Indigenous women rate
News Tribune
Do Canadians feel welcome in the US? What a poll found after Trump comments
Tacoma church opens 60 affordable-housing units to complete decades-long vision
Opinion: Gutting Endangered Species Act would harm Tacoma
New York Times
Chasing Tax Cuts, Trump and Republicans Want to Make States Pay
Republicans Target Federal Anti-Hunger Program as They Prepare Trump Tax Package
Northwest Asian Weekly
Little Saigon leaders demand action as economic, public safety concerns persist
Peninsula Daily News
Port Angeles School District to reduce budget by $1.9M
Puget Sound Business Journal
Microsoft to cut 3% of its global workforce
Majority of workers say their wages lag inflation
Seattle tourism faces headwinds amid decline in international visits
Seattle Times
Layoff notices, threats of closure rattle WA State Library
Abuse survivors defend WA law that feds slam as ‘anti-Catholic’ (Frame)
WA gets just 2 bids to build new electric ferries, and the prices are in
WA bill inspired by Renton family’s reparations quest signed into law (Hasegawa)
Spokesman Review
Ferguson signs bill to require speed-limiting devices for habitual speeders in Washington (Leavitt)
Fish and Wildlife Department biologists help to rebuild declining Eastern Washington hawk population
Spokane County to consider Avista plan to bury power lines to reduce wildfire risks in 3 Spokane County urban wildlands
Trump’s order seeking to loosen police oversight leaves those in accountability confused. Spokane benefits from that oversight, ombudsman says
Tri-City Herald
WA among best in the country for education, environment in new US News rankings
Seattle Dem blocked tax break to help Richland woo $3.5B in nuclear manufacturing (Pedersen)
Washington Post
What’s in Trump and Republicans’ giant tax and immigration bill
60,000 people set to prematurely lose federal housing assistance
Trump’s plan to lower U.S. drug prices contains threats but few teeth
GOP’s scaled-back Medicaid plan still threatens coverage for millions
Inflation rose in April compared to March but annual pace eased, in a first test of Trump policies
WA State Standard
Washington to rein in fast drivers with speed limiters (Leavitt)
Bids to build new plug-in Washington state ferries come in high (Fey, Nance)
Money crunch: Nearly 50 WA State Library employees facing layoffs
Abortion services program is in line for steep reduction in WA budget
Broadcast
KING 5 TV (NBC)
These are the Rite Aid stores expected to close in Washington, Oregon
DUI driver crashes into work zone in Spanaway, seriously injuring construction worker
‘Plain disrespectful’: Bellingham hospital workers demand better pay from PeaceHealth
Gov. Bob Ferguson signed nearly 40 bills into Washington state law today. Here’s what they are
A Puyallup boy died of fentanyl toxicity in March. His mother is now charged with manslaughter
KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Whatcom County sees first mumps case in seven years
Alaska Airlines now flies nonstop from Seattle to Tokyo
WA drivers can soon add blood type to IDs under new law (Nobles, Riccelli)
More than a thousand hospital employees strike in Bellingham
Sound Transit hoping for increased ridership with new stations
New push from city, Seattle PD for officers to return inside schools
KNKX Public Radio
Chinook Indian Nation federal status uncertain again after political break
KUOW Public Radio
How the Pacific Northwest’s dream of green energy fell apart (Shewmake)
Washington, other states sue to regain electric-vehicle funding as sales sag
Union farmworker organizer ‘Lelo’ denied bond to leave Tacoma ICE lockup
KXLY (ABC)
City Council votes to remove Monaghan statue from downtown Spokane
Governor signs bill into law requiring speed limiting devices for habitual speeders (Leavitt)
City could designate portions of Spokane parks ‘non-public’ to keep federal agents out
Web
Cascadia Daily News
Health department confirms mumps case in Whatcom County
PeaceHealth hospital workers start strike, demand ‘fair contracts’
New state rent cap prompted a stark, sudden rent increase for some (Alvarado)
Bellingham Public Schools to cut staff, freeze pay to address projected $15M deficit
Cascade PBS
WA lawmakers approve funding for 2026 World Cup matches in Seattle (Fitzgibbon, Reed, Dhingra)
MyNorthwest
Ferguson signs bill to crack down on speeding drivers (Leavitt)
Washington sues Trump Administration over environmental protection rules
The Stranger
Brian Heywood Tortures Us With More Ballot Measures (Macri)
The Urbanist
Long-time Seattle Inspector General Illegally Used Public Funds for Private Parking Spot
Washington Observer
Reining in the boy racers (Leavitt)
A brief history of the veto pen
West Seattle Blog
TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER, ROAD WORK: Tuesday info