When citizens get used to being watched by their government
The slow creep of public surveillance can dull our sense of alarm, experts caution, turning extraordinary monitoring into an everyday norm. The big picture: The biggest threat may not be that government surveillance cameras and license plate readers track and watch us, but how easily we get used to being watched and tracked, said Woodrow Hartzog, a Boston University law professor and one of the authors of a 2024 Washington University School of Law Review paper on normalizing surveillance. By ignoring smaller surveillance-related privacy erosions, the law is teaching us to accept them, the authors argue. Continue reading at Axios. (Brendan Lynch)
Allegations of sex abuse, misused church dollars against WA priest divide parish
Emily Chapman could feel a pressure rising inside her. In the gym at Our Lady of Fatima, the Catholic church where she works, the Spokane Diocese was recapping how a leader of the parish, Father Miguel Mejía, had allegedly abused his powers as a priest to have “consensual and nonconsensual sex” with multiple women. They said he stalked a woman. That he gave money and gifts to women in exchange for sex. That he paid to have phone sex with a woman in jail — potentially misusing parish funds to do it. Continue reading at InvestigateWest. (Young Kwak)
WA’s largest proposed wind farm could shrink. Key decision expected
More limitations may be placed on where wind turbines can be built along the Horse Heaven Hills, cutting the number of turbines visible from the Tri-Cities, under a proposed plan to protect endangered ferruginous hawks. More than 60% of the nesting habitat of ferruginous hawks in Washington state is near the Tri-Cities in Benton and Franklin counties. Continue reading at Tri-City Herald. (Bob Brawdy)
Aberdeen Daily World
Montesano Health and Rehabilitation is once again serving the community
Axios
Seattle expands real-time surveillance tools
Newsom signs AI chatbots bill meant to protect children
When citizens get used to being watched by their government
How Seattle’s surveillance could threaten its safe haven promises
Capital Press
Washington Supreme Court: Tribes can’t be sued
Apple, blueberry industries welcome H-2A changes
Upper Snake reservoir system volume well below average
U.S. farm exports to China cut in half as trade beef deepens
24,400-acre logging project overturned due to ‘vague’ maps
The Daily News
Kaiser health workers strike starts Tuesday morning
Longview halts effort on voter initiative to spin-off city’s fire department
Kelso School Board incumbent touts rising grad rate, challenger questions job readiness
Everett Herald
Arlington Airport master plan receives criticism
Women Empowered program offers free self-defense classes for all ages
Snohomish County will pass grant funds to Everett to relocate water line
Kent Reporter
Kent nonprofit Open Doors loses two federal education grants
Kitsap Sun
Insurance subsidy at center of government shutdown could leave thousands uninsured in WA
News Tribune
Flags to fly at half-staff in honor of JBLM helicopter crash victims
WA’s largest proposed wind farm could shrink. Key decision expected
WA airports refuse to play Kristi Noem video blaming Dems for shutdown
Scaffolding will be going up soon around Tacoma’s city hall. Here’s what’s up
These Washington billionaires are some of the richest in the country for 2025
Where in Tacoma will homeless camps be banned under amended ordinance?
Opinion: Don’t change the Landlord Fairness Code. Finish studying its outcome
New York Times
Renewable Energy Is Booming Despite Trump’s Efforts to Slow It
Puget Sound Business Journal
Here’s how much the top 1% earns in Washington
New timeline surfaces for Microsoft’s $5B HQ overhaul
One soaring insurance cost is forcing employers into a tough decision
Seattle Times
Conservative WA school boards asked Trump for help — and got it
Southern resident K pod falls to lowest number since counts began
Op-Ed: WA lawmaker: How my missteps fueled juvenile violence (Davis)
Spokesman Review
EWU breaks ground on new $2M track, hoping to increase safety and visitors
Idaho projected to end fiscal year with unconstitutional $56.6M state budget deficit
Spokane International Airport won’t play DHS secretary’s video blaming Democrats for shutdown
Spokane city employees learn 30-50 positions may be cut ahead of holidays as another deficit looms
Dozens rescued, more than 1,000 displaced, at least 3 still missing after storm devastates Western Alaska
A Spokane Catholic priest accused of sexual misconduct is removed and reported to police; parishioners criticize allegations
Opinion: Congress must extend enhanced ACA premium tax credits before families are priced out
Tri-City Herald
WA’s largest proposed wind farm could shrink. Key decision expected
WA airports refuse to play Kristi Noem video blaming Dems for shutdown
WA State Standard
WA officials take stock as wildfire season winds down
Pentagon to shift research dollars to pay troops during shutdown
The West’s power grid could be stitched together — if red and blue states buy in
Cascadia quake may create ’emergency situation’ in other West Coast fault zone, study warns
Broadcast
KING 5 TV (NBC)
Washington settles inmate’s lawsuit for $12 million
Suspect injured after deputy-involved shooting in South Hill
Orcas Island activist released after several days in an Israeli prison
Kitsap County board to halt proposed equestrian facility code changes
Mother sues Edmonds School District over injury to son with special needs
KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Homeland Security video will not be shown at SEA Airport due to its ‘political nature’
Education Department layoffs hit offices that oversee special education and civil rights enforcement
KNKX Public Radio
New research links wildfire smoke to lower sperm counts
KXLY (ABC)
Elementary school teacher arrested on charges involving minor
On Track Academy opens new outdoor learning space focused on environmental issues and student wellness
Web
InvestigateWest
Allegations of sex abuse, misused church dollars against WA priest divide parish
Case closed: Inside Idaho State Police’s handling of prison sexual abuse complaints
The Urbanist
Op-Ed: Seattle’s MFTE Program 7 Widens Access and Participation
West Seattle Blog
TRAFFIC CAMS, WEATHER, TRANSIT: Tuesday info