KIRO 7 Investigates: Grocery loyalty programs sell shopper data for millions
State Rep. Shelley Kloba, D-District 1, has introduced House Bill 1671, the “People’s Privacy Act”, to give consumers rights over what information is collected and sold. The legislation has been pending for several years.“There’s a lack of transparency,” Kloba told KIRO 7. “Most people have no awareness that this data is being collected, they don’t have an awareness of what gets done with it, and they certainly don’t have an understanding of how it can be used to harm them.” The proposed law would give consumers the legal right to see what data has been collected about them, correct errors, and opt out of targeted profiling. Continue reading at KIRO 7. (KIRO 7)
Record deaths in WA child welfare system have Legislature’s attention
Ortiz-Self has been firm in her opinion that her 2021 law shouldn’t be rolled back. “We must address critical incidents that continue to occur, that have occurred before the law, during the law, after the law,” said Ortiz-Self, a Mukilteo Democrat. “This just clarifies the policy that reasonable concern for those little ones is reason to get the courts to mandate certain conditions be met,” she said of her new bill. Continue reading at Washignton State Standard. (Jacquelyn Jimenez)
Proposed workers’ comp bills target medical access, disability pay
For claims with a date of injury or illness on or after July 1, 2026, the bill would ensure unmarried workers with children receive the same benefit percentages as married workers with the same number of dependents. It would also establish fixed monthly benefit amounts for a spouse and for each child, clarify how benefits apply when both spouses are eligible and allow benefits to account for additional dependent children in newer claims. “If you got injured on the job July 1 or July 2, the vision with this legislation is that you don’t have to worry about a gap in health care coverage that you would otherwise have to pay out of pocket,” Salahuddin said. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Nick Wagner)
Associated Press
Government Shutdown Day 3: Johnson relying on Trump as House prepares to vote on funding bill
Aberdeen Daily World
Opinion: Signs of the times: ‘What kind of a Republican are you?’
Axios
January layoffs shake Seattle tech sector
Washington state’s population growth outpaces U.S. average
Bellingham Herald
Cost of December flooding in Whatcom County looking worse than 2021
Capital Press
Legislation offers little relief as Washington ag slumps
The Daily News
Toutle Lake cancels school with 150 students out sick
Everett Herald
Lake Stevens robotics team receives world recognition
Comment: When no one can believe anything anymore
Everett proposes law to help close unpermitted food carts
Comment: A millionaires’ tax won’t chase the wealthy out of state
Kitsap Sun
Poulsbo grocery giving back with opportunities for students
Kitsap will decide how to spend $6.4 million in opioid settlement
Here’s how much Washington gas prices slightly rose from last week
Mercer Island Reporter
Superintendent discusses how MISD will respond if ICE is on a school campus
News Tribune
Pierce County Jail made dicey hires to fight staffing crisis, review finds
What is the Point in Time Count and why is it important to Pierce County?
WA bill seeks to limit when local governments can sweep homeless encampments
Olympian
Can I record ICE activity in my WA city? Here’s what law, immigration experts say
Scathing audit: WA program neglected basic ‘tenets of government accountability’
Puget Sound Business Journal
What would a Super Bowl title do to Seahawks’ valuation?
Seattle Medium
Two Teens Fatally Shot Near South Shore PreK-8; Suspect At Large
Seattle Times
King County, WA eviction levels hit an all-time high, again
Federal agents again deploy tear gas at Portland ICE protest
What is ‘rapid response’ in WA? Can you film ICE? Blow a whistle?
Proposed workers’ comp bills target medical access, disability pay
Thousands decry ICE in rallies led by Seattle nurses, cyclists, teachers
Portland mayor issues scathing statement after ICE protesters are gassed
Editorial: Fine-tune law to protect WA consumers from misleading emails (Springer)
Jayapal vows to dismantle DHS, impeach Trump officials if Dems win midterm
South Seattle Emerald
Washington Deportation Defense Hotline Seeks State Funding as Calls Surge
South Whidbey Record
Whidbey Island officials express alarm, fear over ICE in unprecedented session
Spokesman Review
Army Corps to raise Mount St. Helens sediment dam
Proposal would let Legislature decide how long it meets (Thomas)
Lawmakers consider tax on cell phone lines to fund public broadcasters (Stearns)
State awards $12.1 million for EV charging stations following federal delay
Opinion: HB 2489 raises serious concerns for Spokane in the age of fentanyl
Opinion: Restore the Washington College Grant — Washington’s future depends on it
How Moses Lake processes a deadly school shooting 30 years later: ‘If you try to bury it, it’ll get to you’
Escaping embers: Spokane Fire wraps up wildfire prevention efforts on South Hill bluff and other public land across the city
How can someone in midst of legal process to stay be deported? And other questions about America’s confusing immigration laws
Washington Post
Trump’s chaotic governing style is hurting the value of the U.S. dollar
House GOP searches for votes to end shutdown with razor-thin majority
Insiders sounded alarms. Then Musk’s chatbot exploded with sexual content.
WA State Standard
Illness sidelines chair of key WA budget committee (Tharinger, Callan)
Kratom taxes and regulations weighed in WA Legislature (Saldaña, Salomon, Reeves)
Demand grows for doulas who can help moms with addiction
Comment: Eviction prevention cuts will only drive more costs for WA
Record deaths in WA child welfare system have Legislature’s attention (Ortiz-Self)
Feds greenlight $2B renewable energy project on Yakama Nation sacred site
WA legislator proposes solution to address vacancies by nonpartisan officeholders
Broadcast
KING 5 TV (NBC)
Seattle VA union holds vigil for Alex Pretti
WATCH: New Seattle Public Schools superintendent gives first remarks, days after shooting
KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Hundreds attend vigil for teens killed in Rainier Beach
Some companies tie AI to layoffs, but the reality is more complicated
Mount Baker Highway will close for 5 days as crews repair flood damage
KIRO 7 Investigates: Grocery loyalty programs sell shopper data for millions (Kloba)
Protesters march through downtown Seattle against ICE immigration tactics
KNKX Public Radio
Border Patrol cites missed check-ins in arrest of Spokane asylum-seeking family; child reportedly sick
KUOW Public Radio
UW requires civil rights training after federal antisemitism probe
LISTEN: WA wants to unmask ICE agents. That might not hold up in court
WA among states trying to block the sale of people’s precise location data (Kloba)
KXLY (ABC)
Anti-ICE protesters march through downtown Spokane
Web
Cascadia Daily News
Bellingham cyclists ride in memory of Alex Pretti
Dueling perspectives on display at hearing over Ferndale fossil fuel terminal
Opinion: Filming ICE is legal, but know how to minimize risks of digital tracking
Students in Whatcom, Skagit counties join nationwide demonstrations against ICE
InvestigateWest
Lawsuit alleges Bureau of Indian Affairs officers “executed” unarmed Shoshone-Paiute man in Idaho
MyNorthwest
Seattle metro area leads nation in affordable housing
The Urbanist
Bill Curbing Mandates for Ground-Floor Retail Spaces Advances at Legislature (Alvarado, Salomon)
Opinion: State Lawmakers Should Hold Amazon, Microsoft Accountable for Supporting Fascism (Hansen, Pederson, Paul, Leavitt, Reed)
Washington Observer
Electing the Supremes
An interesting divided vote on tightening DUI standard (Lovick, Chapman, Conway, Cortes, Kauffman, Krishnadasan, Trudeau)
West Seattle Blog
TRAFFIC, WEATHER, TRANSIT: First February weekday