WASHINGTON STATE

Washington State House Democrats

HOUSE DEMOCRATS

Monday, September 22

Illustration: Tiffany Herring/Axios
Washington ranks among top states for AI use
Washington ranks among the top U.S. states for per-capita AI use, according to a new report from AI company Anthropic. The big picture: The data suggests Washingtonians are embracing artificial intelligence — not just for tech jobs but across daily life. Driving the news: Washington’s use of Claude — Anthropic’s AI platform — is 1.51 times higher than expected, based on the state’s percentage of the nation’s working-age population, the report found. Continue reading at Axios. (Tiffany Herring)


A June 2019 view of homes in the small community of North Brentwood, Maryland. Sizes range from 1,000 to 2,000 square feet, though larger homes of 2,400 square feet are available. (Carolyn Van Houten/The Washington Post).
Smaller houses are on the rise. Are the days of McMansions over?
For decades, building new meant building bigger. Down came the bungalows and ranch homes and up went the sprawling McMansions. But for the better part of the last decade or more, the median home size has been shrinking, hitting a low of 2,210 square feet, down from 2,500 square feet in 2015, according to data compiled by the National Association of Realtors. Census data for homes sold over the past decade roughly line up with what buyers say they want in their next home — a few hundred fewer square feet. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Carolyn Van Houten)


University of Washington President Robert J. Jones, left, and Washington State University President Elizabeth Cantwell. Photos courtesy of Washington State University and University of Washington.
New leaders of WA’s two largest universities navigate tough era for higher education
For the first time in nearly a decade, Washington’s two largest universities welcomed new presidents within the same year. Elizabeth Cantwell became the first female president of Washington State University in April, and Robert J. Jones, in August, became the first Black president of the University of Washington. The two leaders made a joint appearance this week at the Association of Washington Business 2025 Policy Summit, in a panel mirroring one held at the summit in 2016. Continue reading at The Washington State Standard. (WSU, UW)


Print

Axios
Washington ranks among top states for AI use

Capital Press
Mass farm layoffs in Washington? Relax, it’s seasonal
Seasonal climate outlook promising for drought-hit Northwest

Columbian
‘People need a chance to restart’: Affordable housing the foundation for keeping people with criminal records stable

Courier-Herald
Plateau businesses can now apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans

Everett Herald
SnoCo students perform well on metrics, state data shows
Snohomish PUD cuts ribbon on new Sultan River side channel
Seattle Children’s layoffs include Everett employees amid federal cuts
Letter: We need to watch our political speech for violence
Comment: State’s tax code needs rewrite for fair share
Comment: Just where is this political violence coming from?
Comment: Loss of ACA tax credits puts local families at risk
Editorial: Using the First Amendment to protect our rights

Kitsap Sun
Election forums coming in September, October for Kitsap candidates
Bremerton may consider increasing car tab fees as leaders look at escalating costs

News Tribune
Rules of the Road: Making room for commercial vehicles isn’t optional
Traffic alert: ‘Expect long delays’ on Pierce County highway during construction
Microsoft president bashes WA taxes, saying they are ‘driving people and jobs away’ (Frame)
Opinion: Community libraries are worth fighting for 

Peninsula Daily News
Crunch continues for Sequim Food Bank and its users

Puget Sound Business Journal
Brewery boom in Washington goes flat
White House unveils overhaul, $100K fee for H-1B visa program
Alaska Air backs $150M investment in Gates-led green energy fund

Seattle Times
Trump appointees roll back enforcement of fair housing laws
Cops who may lose badges have long wait for WA state review
Blewett Pass in Central WA closed due to Labor Mountain Fire
Smaller houses are on the rise. Are the days of McMansions over?
Seattle City Council signs off on new growth plan, zoning changes
Army identifies 4 soldiers who died in Black Hawk crash near JBLM
At Seattle rally for Jimmy Kimmel, protesters see free speech in peril
Trump ends annual report on U.S. hunger amid rising food insecurity
Seattle’s Nisei veterans hall honors the past while building community
Gunman killed in early morning shooting at an Amazon facility in Georgia
Teachers are losing jobs as conservatives target lessons, speech they dislike
Opinion: If you sound like me, you’re a suspect

South Whidbey Record
State Rep. Dave Paul frustrated after Whidbey grants removed from budget (Paul)

Spokesman Review
Getting There: First double-decker bus rolls out from Cheney
The arrest of the ‘Spokane 9’ stained by accusations of political justice
WSU president details changes ahead for the 135-year-old land-grant institution
Comment: Pam Haley and Karl Otterstrom: STA continues Moving Forward with launch of new airport to Valley route

Tri-City Herald
‘Dramatic change.’ Downtown Pasco small businesses hit hard as customers fear ICE sweeps

Washington Post
Trump administration set to tie Tylenol to autism risk, officials say
Trump’s new demands on Justice Department raise alarm among prosecutors

WA State Standard
WA congresswoman misses vote on stopgap budget bill
I-5 bridge replacement slogs through permitting as costs rise
New leaders of WA’s two largest universities navigate tough era for higher education
Fewer households, businesses will get high-speed internet under revamped federal plan


Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Hearing scheduled for teen accused of plotting school shooting in Pierce County
Wildfires burn across Washington as crews battle flames in Olympic, North Cascades and Chelan forests

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
T-Mobile announces new CEO
Bear Gulch Fire grows to over 19,000 acres
4 soldiers killed in helicopter crash near JBLM identified
Thurston County Sheriff facing 26% cuts to operating budget
Governor Ferguson kicks off FAFSA completion campaign at Renton High School
Pentagon steps up media restrictions, now requiring approval before reporting even unclassified info

KNKX Public Radio
Attorneys press for release of Bear Gulch firefighter detained by immigration officials

KXLY (ABC)
Evacuations in place for wildfire burning near Wenatchee
Phone lines down at Okanogan County government offices


Web

Cascadia Daily News
Law enforcement support of Auditor’s Office vital to secure elections
Opioid overdoses down despite widely accessible supply of meth, fentanyl
Opinion: Vote-at-home is the law in Washington — and it works

Cascade PBS
Reporters talk mobile home owners’ rights at Pierce County library
Ukrainian refugees in WA face uncertainty in immigration crackdown

The Stranger
WA Supreme Court Deciding if Live-In Caregivers Deserve Minimum Wage

Washington Observer
A looming hole in the eviction safety net
A boozy experiment on dropping the DUI threshold (Lovick)

West Seattle Blog
WEEK AHEAD: Emergency culvert repairs to start in Fauntleroy
TRAFFIC CAMS, WEATHER, ROAD WORK, TRANSIT: Change-of-seasons Monday