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Tuesday, February 10

WA ‘millionaires tax’ advances in Senate with some changes
Democrats voted to move the bill ahead for a possible vote next week by the full Senate, while stressing that further changes may be considered to add tax breaks for employers and families. Sen. Yasmin Trudeau, D-Tacoma, said the income tax proposal is about “making things more fair” by targeting wealthy residents whose fortunes have grown “exponentially greater than those at the bottom.” “It is trying to level that playing field,” Trudeau said. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Karen Ducey)

Report: WA was third in the US for layoffs in January. What industries were hit?
Still, the information industry has dominated recent worker adjustment and retraining notification (WARN) layoff notices, with 4,667 WARN layoffs in King County in 2024 and 6,857 in 2025, according to the index. Last year the sectors with the next-highest number of WARN layoffs were accommodation and food services (2,090) and retail trade (1,383). In December, the state’s economy got a boost of about 9,000 jobs, according to ESD, while the unemployment rate ticked up slightly from 4.6% in November to 4.7% the following month. Continue reading at The News Tribune. (The News Tribune)

Western WA police, first responders say they’ve been mistaken for ICE agents
Police in Vancouver, Washington, have posted descriptions of what officers wear on duty after people confronted officers during investigations three times within two weeks. In one instance, people interrupted surveillance of a homicide suspect. Continue reading at KNKX. (Courtesy of the Vancouver Police Department)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Cantwell and Murray question Forest Service chief on understaffed National Forest trails

Axios
Seattle’s Super Bowl parade could draw a million fans

Bellingham Herald
‘This is in jeopardy’: Whatcom County schools’ mental health funds are drying up

Capital Press
Washington Fish and Wildlife proposes changes to predator compensation program
Washington Fish and Wildlife officers withdraw from probing wolf attacks on cattle

The Daily News
Kelso police see rise in calls, arrests in 2025
Mark Morris High students protest after sexual assault allegations
Silent slaughter: Warden estimates majority of poaching cases go unsolved, undetected
Trump budget maintains many Columbia River salmon, environment programs — despite dramatic proposed cuts

Everett Herald
Kayak Point Park construction to resume
Tensions flare during Lake Stevens student ICE protests
Editorial: Seahawks’ win whets appetite for Sonics’ return
Boeing expands hours for Future of Flight and factory tour
Letter: Don’t relax your vigilance of abuses by ICE, Trump administration

Islands’ Weekly
Larsen supports impeaching Secretary Kristi Noem

Kitsap Sun
WSF, Kitsap Transit expand service in anticipation of Seahawks parade

News Tribune
Man caught fishing for salmon in closed WA river ordered to jail
Opinion: Washington long-term care residents can appeal evictions
Families worry about ICE in Tacoma schools. Here’s what we’ve found out
What to know about legal battle over would-be lawyer for Sheriff Keith Swank
Report: WA was third in the US for layoffs in January. What industries were hit?
900-year-old Pierce County tree may be cut down for new semi-truck parking lot
Trump’s plan to wipe out US climate rules relies on EPA rescinding its 2009 endangerment finding – but will courts allow it?

New York Times
Trump Allies Near ‘Total Victory’ in Wiping Out U.S. Climate Regulation

Northwest Asian Weekly
Rally and march in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District marks 1886 Chinese removal

Puget Sound Business Journal
The illegal job interview questions you can’t ask in 2026

Seattle Medium
Huge Crowds Expected For Seahawks Victory Parade, Officials Encourage Fans To Plan Accordingly

Seattle Times
WA ‘millionaires tax’ advances in Senate with some changes
What WA should know about Minnesota ICE surge, from two ex-Seattleites
Editorial: Fix DUI test backlog at state labs before lowering blood-alcohol limit

Spokesman Review
Opinion: To reduce Washington health care costs, add transparency to 340B
Opinion: This is the moment. A Millionaires Tax will strengthen our communities
Washington lawmakers consider tax break for two data centers in Spokane County (Ormsby, Berg)
How a Gonzaga alum unknown to them stepped in to free a Spokane girl and her father from ICE custody
Before Pretti’s killing gave the issue new relevance, legal guns at protests were fairly common at the state Capitol (Farivar)
Spokane mayor proposes giving $100,000 of police outreach dollars to immigrant aid group as another nonprofit says it deserves the allocation

Washington Post
Trump threatens to block opening of bridge between U.S. and Canada
Republicans are pushing to drastically change the way you cast ballots
Trump wants lower mortgage rates. His Fed pick may push the other way.
Under pressure, the biggest social networks agree to be rated on teen safety

WA State Standard
WA income tax on higher earners clears first legislative hurdle (Hansen, Pedersen)
Health care workers want ICE out of hospitals, and blue states are responding
State lawmaker wants closer look at public records burden for WA school districts
As school cellphone bans gain in popularity, lawmakers say it’s time to go bell-to-bell

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Olympic marmot under consideration for endangered species status

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Spokane family, wrongfully detained asylum seeker released from ICE custody
Washington schools keep $1.4B after AGs reach deal with U.S. Education Department
King County argues Trump overreached on funding for housing, roads and health care
Judge blocks California’s ban on federal agents wearing masks but requires badges be clearly seen
3 women shot at Auburn youth transitional housing complex; 4th gunshot victim found at Southcenter

KNKX Public Radio
Western WA police, first responders say they’ve been mistaken for ICE agents

KUOW Public Radio
As pennies disappear, Washington must address how retailers make change (Berg)

KXLY (ABC)
Fugitive arrested in Spokane on child sex crimes charges
Program that helps people in need at downtown library to end
Washington bill could cut funding for children’s disability services
Father and daughter released from federal detention after month-long separation

NW Public Radio
Citizenship oath ceremonies canceled for several in North Central Washington

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Construction to begin on new $12.7M 911 call center in Bellingham

Cascade PBS
WATCH: Erika Evans talks drug prosecutions, working with police

MyNorthwest
‘Millionaire tax’ clears first committee, Tim Eyman escorted out (Trudeau)
Spokane family, wrongfully detained asylum seeker released from ICE custody
No more pennies? WA lawmakers considering rounding all cash transactions (Berg)

The Urbanist
Supportive Housing Building Opens Near Seattle’s Woodland Park

Washington Observer
Big Pharma v The Hospitals, cont’d. (Thai)
The pressure cooker of the fiscal deadline
About those security guards at your grocery store… (Obras)
Some tidbits from the fiscal note on the income tax bill

West Seattle Blog
TRAFFIC, WEATHER, TRANSIT: Tuesday notes (and parade-day info)

Monday, February 9

‘It’s better to grow the pie than to fight about slicing it’: Lawmakers hear public testimony on ‘millionaire tax’ proposal
Republican State Senator Chris Gildon challenged Fowler. “What’s stopping you from paying the tax right now?” he asked. “I mean, you could without having legislation mandated for you. Why don’t you just do it voluntarily?” “Because I want to be a part of a society that asks and creates a progressive revenue base to provide prosperity for all Washingtonians,” Fowler responded. “A system like that provides, frankly, more success for the business I run than lowering my tax rate.” Continue reading at MyNorthwest. (Getty Images)

WA lawmakers aim to expand military families’ access to free preschool
The legislation filed in the state House and Senate has received bipartisan support. “ECEAP is a critical early learning program, and this bill ensures it can better serve military families whose childcare needs don’t always align with standard eligibility rules,” said Democratic state Sen. T’wina Nobles, the primary sponsor of the proposal in the state Senate. Continue reading at KNKX. (AP)

Despite success, family reading program in Washington state faces deep funding cuts
Ziegler said the program got an infusion of $1 million in one-time federal funding in 2022, which allowed it to expand. But then the Trump administration and state lawmakers cut the program’s funding completely last year. There’s demand for 92 locations statewide, but right now they can only offer 20 that obtained funding from private foundations. Ziegler said the goal is to serve communities that don’t have any private funders available. Continue reading at KUOW. (Courtesy of Humanities Washington)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Sanctuary city? Ocean Shores postpones City Council meeting

Columbian
Op-Ed: I-5 Bridge project urgent, vital (Stonier, Wylie, Fey, Cleveland, Liias)
5 obstacles to green energy: Pacific Northwest strives to move away from fossil fuels, but goal proves complicated; here’s why

The Daily News
Longview civil engineers, LCC class team up to train future land surveyors

Everett Herald
Crashes, speeding down near Everett traffic cameras
Berg: Listening to, helping boys and men can help us all
Letter: Welcome new immigrants adjusting to a new culture
State awards $2M in affordable housing grants to Lynnwood
Editorial: Protect utility ratepayers as data centers ramp up (Doglio)
Comment: Without child care support, work stops; it’s simple
Comment: As go our forests, so goes our environmental future
Comment: Bill can restore hope for incarcerated Native people
Comment: NFL suits up Bad Bunny in long drive for global appeal
Comment: LifeWise misreads Constitution in suing Everett Schools
Comment: Immigration raids involving children cause lasting trauma
Providence Everett to end hospitalist contract with Optum after 20 years

Kitsap Sun
Kitsap health board taps Duber as permanent health officer
Opinion: Minnesota doctors reacting to shooting show what heroism is

News Tribune
Families worry about ICE in Tacoma schools. Here’s what we’ve found out
‘Law-free zone’: Guard abuses unchecked at Tacoma ICE lockup, suit claims

New York Times
How Democrats Are Trying to Rein in ICE
Google Workers Demand End to Cloud Services for Immigration Agencies

Olympian
Nearly half of WA business leaders are considering leaving the state, AWB says (Fitzgibbon)

Peninsula Daily News
Olympic marmots under review
Sequim Free Clinic to celebrate 25th year

Puget Sound Business Journal
A hidden ‘tax’ is costing owners
Push for statewide 4-day workweek stalls (Scott, Parshley, Simmons, Fosse, Cortes, Hill)

Seattle Medium
Governor Calls Initial Draft Of Millionaire’s Tax “A Good Start” (Fitzgibbon, Pedersen)
Seattle Students Walk Out To Protest ICE and Immigration Injustice

Seattle Times
WA lawmakers consider bill to reduce need for penny (Frame)
Opinion: Mayor Wilson should halt use, expansion of CCTV in Seattle
Editorial: Democrats’ income tax plan must include overhaul of entire code (Pedersen, Fitzgibbon, Springer)
Editorial: Black History Month observed for a century, but erasure efforts go on

Skagit Valley Herald
Recall attempts have cost Skagit County significant time, prosecuting attorney says

South Seattle Emerald
Washington Senate Passes Bill Regulating License Plate Reader Data (Trudeau)

Spokesman Review
Lawsuit accuses WA ICE detention center staff of assault, sexual abuse
Washington lawmakers consider tax break for two data centers in Spokane County (Ormsby, Berg)
Father and 10-year-old daughter released ICE custody in Texas; pair returns to Spokane (Hill)

Washington Post
Here’s where colleges are offering free tuition
More signs of a coming El Niño that could trigger record global warmth
Trump set off a surge of AI in the federal government. See what happened.

WA State Standard
In the next decade, states will see a surge in obesity
After loss of tax credits, WA sees a drop in insurance coverage
Microsoft’s Smith urges housing supply push, cautions on tax burden
As pennies disappear, Washington must address how retailers make change (Berg)
Trump’s calls to ‘nationalize’ elections have state, local election officials bracing for tumult

Yakima Herald-Republic
‘This needs to happen.’ Yakima County officials push for ninth judge

Broadcast

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
UW research: Human trials begin for SARS virus vaccine
Landmark social media addiction trial begins in Los Angeles
‘Take the vaccine, please,’ a top US health official says in an appeal as measles cases rise

KNKX Public Radio
WA lawmakers aim to expand military families’ access to free preschool

KUOW Public Radio
Despite success, family reading program in Washington state faces deep funding cuts

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane rental property owners face new eviction rules
Feds charge Spokane man with pointing laser pointer at law enforcement helicopter
10-year-old girl and father who were detained by border patrol agents in Spokane released, Latinos en Spokane says

NW Public Radio
Washington ski areas are having to adjust to less snow this season
Citizenship oath ceremonies canceled for several in North Central Washington
Health care premiums are pushing more middle-income buyers out of the marketplace

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Skagit Valley College names interim president
Court to consider extending water adjudication claim deadline

Cascade PBS
New Seattle City Attorney Erika Evans plans big changes

MyNorthwest
Seattle tops nation in budgeting, WalletHub study finds
Lawmakers hear public testimony on ‘millionaire tax’ proposal

Washington Observer
More ICE chill
A campaign against sideboards on pay transparency (Salahuddin, Berry, Nobles)

West Seattle Blog
TRAFFIC CAMS, WEATHER. TRANSIT: Monday begins

Friday, February 6

Lawsuit accuses WA detention center staff of assault, sexual abuse
One man held at the federal government’s immigrant detention center in Tacoma was allegedly groped by a guard. Another was allegedly slammed to the floor by officers, then made to strip in front of a female staffer, who recorded a video. Guards allegedly beat a third detained man so badly he had to be moved by stretcher. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (PhotoCredit)

Health care premiums are pushing more middle-income buyers out of the marketplace
Washington’s enrollment seems to have dropped by about 31,000 people from the year before. Idaho’s enrollment continued to grow, but the state saw a higher disenrollment rate and more people selecting lower premium, higher out-of-pocket plans, according to a report by Boise State Public Radio. A different report by KFF found that just over half of the people losing their enhanced tax credits were between the ages of 50 and 64. Continue reading at Northwest Public Broadcasting. (AP)

Washington governor talks potential return of SuperSonics with NBA commissioner
Ferguson’s public calendar was updated Wednesday afternoon, showing an 11:15 a.m. meeting Thursday with Silver. This set off alarm bells for local basketball fans yearning for their team back 18 years after the Sonics left. The NBA didn’t respond to a request for comment. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Getty Images)

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Associated Press
Trump shares a racist video that depicts the Obamas as primates

Aberdeen Daily World
Bill seeks to repeal rule that locks up Washington timberland (Scott)

Axios
Trump officials push citizenship question in test survey for 2030 census
Trump admin crackdown on journalists’ sources “chilling,” press groups say

Bellevue Reporter
Here’s how child care oversight works in WA (Wellman, Nobles, Wilson)

Bellingham Herald
WA’s top education official comes out in support of new ‘millionaires tax’

Capital Press
WSU economist addresses long-term tariff impacts on trade

The Daily News
Proposed Longview coal terminal dead by 2021. Now Utah eyes site.
Kalama superintendent receives national award for communication

Everett Herald
Parent support collaborative worries money will run out
Lakewood student walkout ends after man makes alleged threats
Letter: Bill for cardiac response plans at schools can save lives of children
Snohomish County Council approves plan to remove Design Review Board

Kitsap Sun
Kitsap health board taps Duber as permanent health officer
Opinion: Why Kitsap’s system to fund tourism needs reform
Child in Kitsap dies of flu-related illness, health district confirms
Building plans to streamline permitting picking up interest in Kitsap

News Tribune
If a rural WA school dissolves, students could go to Tri-Cities area
Watch: City raises ‘12’ flag above Tacoma Dome ahead of Super Bowl
Opinion: This is what Tacoma school budget cuts look like on the ground
WA’s top education official comes out in support of new ‘millionaires tax’
What are the Super Bowl governors betting on the game? Here’s their wager (Jinkins)
Opinion: One thing WA agrees on: Government location tracking needs limits
Feds say MultiCare ignored surgeon’s ‘red flags.’ Health system to pay millions
WA pushes to end the need for pennies by changing the rules about using cash (Frame, Berg)

Peninsula Daily News
Fire protection may impact insurance rates
Lack of snow has impact at Hurricane Ridge
Respiratory viruses are rising on the Peninsula
Port Angeles secures grant to aid in salmon recovery

Puget Sound Business Journal
Gov. Ferguson meets with NBA commissioner
Commute times are nearing a milestone amid return-to-office push

Seattle Medium
Strickland Delivers $8.1 Million For 12 South Sound Projects
Nobles Proposes Bill To Streamline Vehicle Total-Loss Transfers (Nobles)
Seattle Students Walk Out To Protest ICE and Immigration Injustice
Celebration Of Life For Historian Dr. Quintard Taylor Jr. Set For Saturday
Booker House Brings Hope, Stability To Homeless And Low-Income Residents In Federal Way

Seattle Times
Health care provider pulls out of WA jails after big lawsuit payouts
Lawsuit accuses WA detention center staff of assault, sexual abuse
Opinion: As election access and security are tested, WA keeps data safe

Spokesman Review
Opinion: Safe storage is a practical step to reduce gun violence
$200,000 grant will boost an unorthodox approach to student wellbeing in Spokane
Ferguson to meet with NBA commissioner amid speculation of potential league expansion
How a Spokane conservative and Tacoma liberal found common ground on restrictions for automated license plate readers (Trudeau)

Washington Post
Those seeking to sue ICE for injuries or damage face an uphill battle
We asked 187 top U.S. universities about faculty diversity. Here’s what we found.

WA State Standard
Ferguson looks to avoid hearing in ethics probe
Immigration detention passed 70,000 in January
State bill would prohibit local bans on encampments in Washington (Gregerson. Richards, Timmons)
Reykdal makes pitch for spending income tax collections on education
Washington tribes could get more say in management of state logging lands (Stearns)
Washington governor talks potential return of SuperSonics with NBA commissioner

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Boeing to move some engineering work out of Washington state
King County reviews 2025 gun violence, reports 35% decline in shots fired
Washington governor meets with NBA commissioner as league eyes expansion
Lawsuit claims DCYF failed to protect girl believed to have been killed by her father
Detainees sue GEO Group, allege sexual assaults, beatings and cover-ups at Tacoma ICE facility

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Up to 300 Boeing engineering jobs could leave WA for South Carolina
Skagit Co. man sentenced for threatening phone calls against Congressmen

KUOW Public Radio
Washington Senate OKs guardrails for license plate readers
‘ICE out!’ Seattle students gather downtown to protest federal immigration crackdown

NW Public Radio
Health care premiums are pushing more middle-income buyers out of the marketplace

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Single-stream recycling spreads across Whatcom County
Nurse practitioners could fill care gaps, but path to becoming one is stymied
New foot, bike connections in store for Bellingham’s King Mountain neighborhood

Cascade PBS
WATCH: WA rapid response volunteers working to monitor ICE enforcement

InvestigateWest
Two Colville women were booked into a rural Washington jail. It became a death sentence

MyNorthwest
Even as national growth slows, WA’s population hits record 8 million
Thousands of high school students rally against ICE in downtown Seattle
Gov. Ferguson makes bet with Massachusetts governor over Super Bowl LX result
Victim testifies in Seattle hate crime trial over alleged unprovoked anti-trans attack
Washington school superintendent calls for major education investments, property tax relief
Light rail between Angle Lake and Federal Way to be shut down for repairs, Sound Transit blames copper wire theft

The Stranger
Opinion: We Need to Regulate Automated License Plate Readers Now

West Seattle Blog
TRAFFIC, WEATHER, TRANSIT: February’s first Friday
FERRY ALERT: Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth may be on two-boat schedule for more of next week

Thursday, February 5

New WA caseload standards cast doubt on future of public defense
Rep. Roger Goodman, D-Kirkland, chair of the House Community Safety Committee, said staffing shortages exist across the criminal justice system, including among public defenders and prosecutors. While he said there is a genuine crisis in public defense, he noted that prosecutors’ offices also need additional resources. Despite last year’s funding increase, Goodman said the state has “a long way to go.” He said the new standards seem to have a “rational basis” but are effectively unenforceable without additional legislative funding. “I’m not going to blame the Supreme Court or assert that they did anything improper or rational or unworkable,” Goodman said. “It really is up to the Legislature to provide the funding to get this done.” Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ken Lambert)

Amazon outbids WA utility for one of nation’s largest solar projects
PSE, on the other hand, is racing to meet the deadline set by Washington state to phase out fossil fuels. Washington passed the Clean Energy Transformation Act in 2019 which requires utilities to provide carbon-neutral electricity to their customers by 2030 and use 100% renewable or non-carbon emitting electricity by 2045. PSE said about 57% of its electricity was coming from renewable energy sources in 2025, up more than double from when the state’s law was passed. The Sunstone project would have largely closed the gap for PSE to meet state mandates. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Rebecca Noble / Bloomberg)

Senate advances bill regulating ‘Flock’ license plate reader cameras
Sen. Yasmin Trudeau, D-Tacoma, who sponsored the bill, said the measure is intended to establish guardrails around the use of powerful surveillance tools while preserving their value for public safety. “This is not about restricting law enforcement tools,” Trudeau said. “This is about putting in place reasonable rules around how the data is used and accessed.” Continue reading at KING 5. (KING 5)

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Auburn Reporter
Senator secures $1.75 million for sexual assault survivors in King Co.

Axios
The West’s snowpack is in trouble this winter
Saving for a home in the Seattle area takes 22+ years
Why Washington’s income tax ban won’t block a millionaire tax (Pedersen)

Capital Press
Bill seeks to repeal rule that locks up Washington timberland (Scott)
Farmers turn pessimistic, worried about bad times ahead and exports

Columbian
I-5 Bridge replacement program’s Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement complete, ready to be signed

The Daily News
Cowlitz County vaccine guidelines mirror CDC changes
Rainier family to leave country after father detained by ICE
Feds greenlight $2B renewable project on Yakama Nation sacred site along Columbia

Everett Herald
Editorial: Limit redundant reviews of those providing care (Zahn)
Edmonds passes resolution affirming support for immigrants

International Examiner
Quynh Pham of Friends of Little Saigon appointed Department of Neighborhoods director by Mayor Wilson

Islands’ Weekly
Assessor’s Office supports HB 1004 to reduce small-business tax burden and urges local participation(Lekanoff, Ramel, Lovelett)

Kitsap Sun
Column: Protect Liberty Bay by monitoring, clearing derelict boats
Column: New taxes in WA won’t fix budget that keeps running deficits (Richards)

News Tribune
Opinion: This is what Tacoma school budget cuts look like on the ground
Immigration and privacy limits on license plate cameras pass WA Senate (Trudeau)
‘Devastating’: Sole grocery store, gas station closes on Pierce County island
Major ICE, grocery store closure and other bills that survived WA Leg cutoff (Jinkins, Valdez, Trudeau, Obras, Orwall, Conway, Gregerson, Doglio)
State funding for Pierce Co. schools has soared. Why are some still struggling?
ICE might want to expand detention in WA. What would that mean for Tacoma?

Puget Sound Business Journal
WA ranks among fastest-growing states in US
Migration magnets: These states are attracting the most new residents

Seattle Times
Lawmakers target insurance fraud loopholes (Goodman, Lovick)
New WA caseload standards cast doubt on future of public defense (Davis, Salomon, Goodman, Pedersen, Richards)
Opinion: ICE isn’t just breaking the law. It’s trying to rewrite it
Amazon outbids WA utility for one of nation’s largest solar projects
WA GOP holds ‘listening sessions’ on trans athletes, parental rights
Lawmakers may roll back new sales tax for WA schools. But by how much? (Frame, Pollet)
Remote work transformed King County, but not evenly, census data shows
Study ties particle pollution from wildfire smoke to 24,100 US deaths per year
ICE agents can’t make warrantless arrests in Oregon unless there’s a risk of escape, US judge rules

Skagit Valley Herald
Bill would help foster youth with college tuition

Spokesman Review
WSU agriculture economist: Area farmers face grim realities
Penny-pinching: Washington lawmakers consider bill to reduce need of 1-cent coin (Frame)
Amended bill to regulate local anti-camping rules clears Washington House committee (Gregerson, Ormsby, Hill)
A $1 million fleet of robots is Spokane Public School custodians’ latest tool for squeaky clean floors
Lawmakers unveil income tax on millionaires, but Ferguson says new revenue should pay for more tax cuts (Fitzgibbon, Pedersen)

Tri-City Herald
Major ICE, grocery store closure and other bills that survived WA Leg cutoff (Valdez, Hanson, Trudeau, Obras, Orwall, Gregerson, Doglio)

Washington Post
Minnesota teachers sue to keep ICE off school property
Trump’s assault on DEI halts universities’ progress on diverse faculties
Will the IRS be disorganized this tax season? Here are 3 issues to watch.
Supreme Court clears way for California voting map that bolsters Democrats

WA State Standard
The bills that didn’t survive the WA Legislature’s first major deadline (Reeves, Farivar, Lekanoff, Leavitt)

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima City Council hears details on potential EMS levy

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Senate advances bill regulating ‘Flock’ license plate reader cameras (Trudeau)
Seattle man on trial for alleged hate crime attack on transgender woman in U-District

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Young child dies from flu in Kitsap County
WSU programs face $11M in cuts under state operating budget proposal
Supreme Court allows new California congressional districts that favor Democrats
ICE agents can’t make warrantless arrests in Oregon unless there’s a risk of escape, US judge rules

KUOW Public Radio
Proposed block on WA police hiring ICE agents fizzles out in Legislature (Simmons, Fosse)
Justice Department ‘workaround’ keeps former immigration judge as Seattle’s top prosecutor

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane church plans affordable housing development during fire rebuilding
Federal prosecutors reach multi-million dollar settlement with Multicare over former neurosurgeon

NW Public Radio
Goldendale Energy Storage Project receives ‘milestone’ license, tribes continue to raise concerns

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Sedro-Woolley Mayor resigns, effective April 3
Opinion: Parents, don’t assume your kids don’t know what’s going on

Cascade PBS
WATCH: Whistles become grassroots ICE alert system

MyNorthwest
Should motorcycles be allowed to ride on the shoulder? WA lawmakers weigh in

The Urbanist
2 Line Countdown Milestone Points to Light Rail Battles Ahead

Washington Observer
Tax fairness vs. revenue sufficiency (Pedersen)
Power flex by the trial lawyers (Dhingra)

West Seattle Blog
TRAFFIC, WEATHER, TRANSIT: Thursday begins with weather alert
FERRY ALERT: More temporary changes ahead for Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route

Wednesday, February 4

Income tax debate opens up in WA Legislature
Supporters see the bill as a step toward reengineering a state tax code that favors the rich and forces lower-income residents to pay an outsized share of their income in taxes and fees. “We have a broken, upside-down tax system that we have been stuck with for 90 years. We have a generational opportunity in front of us to change that trajectory and to make the whole system fairer,” Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, told reporters Tuesday. Pedersen said he and other Democrats are “interested in shifting the tax system, shifting the tax burden so that it’s paid by wealthier people and large businesses who have the capacity to pay.” Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Bill Lucia)

Opinion: Pro: Income tax would fix WA’s broken, unfair system
Asking the ultrawealthy to pay a little more would begin to fix a nearly century-old structural problem in our state’s tax system. The essential services we all depend on will continue to face cuts in the state budget if we continue to rely on high sales and property taxes, which strain family budgets and limit the state’s flexibility. That’s why as part of the Millionaires Tax, we will also eliminate sales taxes on personal care products, such as shampoo and deodorant; reduce taxes on small businesses; and expand the Working Families Tax Credit. These ideas are baked right into the bill, so when the Millionaires Tax goes into effect, every Washingtonian will get a tax cut. (Sen. Jamie Pedersen) Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ken Lambert)

With rally and ‘listening sessions’, WA initiative supporters deliver their message
On Monday, initiative opponents spoke with reporters on Zoom to discuss the flaws in each ballot measure. Much of the conversation centered on how the measure concerning athletes would harm transgender youth and how, in their view, it’s likely unconstitutional. If passed, female students wishing to compete in sports would need their biological sex verified by a healthcare provider. Opponents say the state Supreme Court would find this unconstitutional because it is an unnecessary invasion of privacy…“What we’re seeing is truly hatred,” said Danni Askini, executive director of the Seattle-based advocacy group Gender Justice League. “Trans people don’t have a lobby, they don’t have the ability to really fight back and so they make a very easy target.” Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Aspen Ford)