Monday, October 12

Elwha River dam removal project nears capstone with land transfer to tribe
Twelve years ago, the last piece of two Elwha dams came down, in what was at the time the world’s largest dam removal project. It was hard-won by the tribe after generations of declining salmon runs and community health. Now, the so-called project lands, where the dams were blasted and a river freed, are slated to return to the tribe, marking the capstone of the federal project. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Erika Schultz)

Columbia City Will Be Home to Nation’s First Native-Owned Birth Center
In Washington State, Indigenous maternal mortality rates are more than seven times higher than rates for white mothers. The majority of these cases are preventable through better access to culturally responsive medical care and support services. Hummingbird offers culturally congruent support and care for Indigenous moms. Continue reading at South Seattle Emerald. (Courtesy Hummingbird Indigenous Family Services)

Election betting is booming as the midterms near. Do states have the power to curb it?
Prediction markets have emerged as a flashpoint in state and federal relations, as a host of states struggle with the Trump administration over who has authority to regulate the platforms and whether state laws restricting gambling apply to them. While much of the fight centers on the future of sports betting, a growing number of state officials fear the sites are opening the door to a new era of gambling on elections — a practice many states have long prohibited. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Katie Adkins)

Friday, October 9

OpenAI fires 3 safety researchers in dispute over AI risks
OpenAI said on Friday that it fired three safety researchers for a “breach of trust,” defending the dismissals after the trio accused the company of putting its corporate interests before safety as the reason for removing them. The ChatGPT maker said in a post on X that it “parted ways” with the researchers after an investigation found “they violated clear policies on handling sensitive information.” Continue reading at KIRO 7. (Jeff Chiu)

Microsoft faces foreign worker crackdown as Vance blasts layoffs
The Trump administration’s crackdown on foreign workers landed squarely in Seattle’s backyard Thursday, with Microsoft, Adobe and six other firms targeted for suspension from a federal green card program.The big picture: Vice President JD Vance and Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling announced the new restrictions Thursday. Continue reading at Axios. (Getty Images)

King County Holds Heartbreakingly Vast Funeral for People With Nobody to Bury Them
There are 626 people, the most King County has ever interred at one time through its indigent remains program, stacked neatly beneath a fresh marble grave marker, each with cremains in their own plastic urn within a weathertight concrete crypt. It’s also the biggest jump the county has seen from a previous ceremony to the next; the last one, held in June 2025, honored 405. The ceremonies are not annual—they occur whenever there are enough remains to bury. Continue reading at The Stranger. (Madison Kirkman)

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Axios
Microsoft faces foreign worker crackdown as Vance blasts layoffs

Capital Press
Bird flu detected in two dairy cow herds in Washington
WA water year sees floods, puny snowpack, irrigation cutbacks

The Daily News
PHOTOS: Longview leaders edit messages about Mark Morris case

Everett Herald
Mukilteo mayor proposes 2027-28 budget with new staff

Kitsap Sun
Costco owes $14 million to eligible Washington shoppers in marketing emails settlement

Puget Sound Business Journal
Microsoft suspended from green card program by Trump administration

Seattle Times
Seattle mayor signs grocery ‘fair pricing’ into law, bans surveillance
4 WA gas pipeline expansions are proposed. Here’s where they stand
As Microsoft is cut from green card program, workers have questions
US hits International Criminal Court with sweeping sanctions as part of drive to dismantle tribunal

Spokesman Review
As flu season ramps up, why should you get vaccinated?
Sen. Patty Murray meets with state policymakers to discuss AI regulations as federal action sputters

Tri-City Herald
Fusion energy developer plans to manufacture in Tri-Cities, create 100s of jobs

WA State Standard
Oregon’s Merkley, Utah’s Curtis propose extending military death benefits to fallen firefighters

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Man faces assault, machine gun charges after Tacoma shooting
Graham girl mauled to death by dog, Pierce County Medical Examiner finds
Seattle Convention Center, Seattle police launch new downtown public safety hub

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
OpenAI fires 3 safety researchers in dispute over AI risks
King County names FBI veteran as first taxpayer watchdog
Costco to pay Washington shoppers $14M to settle email lawsuit
Mayors gather for community conversation about fentanyl crisis
Local leaders issue statements on Microsoft green card restrictions
Trump administration suspends Microsoft’s use of green card program
Seattle working to clear massive Rainier Beach encampment; property owners file claim against city
The Latest: NYC Mayor Mamdani calls on Trump to halt ICE operations in the city after man is shot

KNKX Public Radio
Record-breaking El Niño comes with extra intensity along the coast

Web

Geekwire
From H-1B to CEO: How Satya Nadella traveled the path the U.S. just cut off for Microsoft workers

MyNorthwest
Edmonds police investigate scams involving fake Microsoft and FTC agents
Washington millionaires tax debate: Initiative 645 contrasts $3B in revenue v. fears of broader taxes

The Stranger
King County Holds Heartbreakingly Vast Funeral for People With Nobody to Bury Them

The Urbanist
Tug-of-War Over New Transportation Funding Heats Up in Bellevue

Thursday, October 8

Washington’s legislative map may get redrawn — again
Washington’s political maps may have to be redrawn again after an order handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court this week. Why it matters: Although the legal fight centers on Latino voting power in the Yakima Valley, changes to the map could ripple across the state’s legislative districts, including in King County. While the high court’s order won’t affect this fall’s election, it could lead to Washington’s political boundaries being redrawn for the third time this decade — a process that normally takes place once every 10 years. Continue reading at Axios. (Brendan Lynch)

Costco to pay Washington shoppers $14M to settle email lawsuit
Costco is paying Washington shoppers more than $14 million to settle a lawsuit over allegedly misleading marketing emails. According to The Seattle Times, the court has approved 313,275 claims. The settlement agreement applies to all Washington residents who received the emails from Costco between June 2, 2021, and July 7. The lawsuit accused Costco of falsely advertising deals as “last day” or “five days only.” Costco denies any wrongdoing. Continue reading at KIRO 7. (KIRO 7)

Recent SPD Surveillance Audits Highlight Overreach, Vulnerabilities
Last week, two newly released reports highlighted the vulnerabilities and sloppy implementation surrounding the Seattle Police Department’s (SPD) real-time crime center. Issues discovered included unauthorized Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) cameras being streamed through the center, federal access to SDOT camera data, and a lack of requirements and safeguards for private cameras incorporated into SPD’s system. Continue reading at The Urbanist. (Amy Sundberg)

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Axios
Washington’s legislative map may get redrawn — again
Seattle home prices fall, but housing costs stay stubborn
Trump’s foreign worker crackdown comes for Microsoft, Adobe, IT firms

Everett Herald
Rep. Larsen wants new naval ships sent to Everett

International Examiner
Left in the dark: City Light communication about CID power outages causes confusion

Kitsap Sun
South Kitsap’s $76M levy offers mix of upgrades, including turf fields
USS Abraham Lincoln completes deployment, no date set for Kitsap move
Planned Parenthood adds OB-GYN to stem Kitsap’s severe provider shortage
New poll tracker shows Donald Trump’s approval rating by state. See where Washington stands

News Tribune
Flu, COVID and RSV are surging early in Pierce County. How to stay safe
These are the safest states in the US. See where Washington state ranked
These are Washington state’s richest residents. See how much they’re worth
Fall razor clam season postponed for WA coastal beaches. Here’s what we know

Puget Sound Business Journal
See where Seattle lands on national pay raise scale
Starbucks lays off more WA workers amid store closures
As the Seattle-area housing market rebalances, sellers lose leverage
Higher ed’s management surge leaves instructional staff in the dust
College athletic departments employ WA’s highest-paid public employees

Seattle Times
King County memorial sets grim record
Costco to pay WA shoppers $14M to settle lawsuit
Microsoft pushes back on Vance’s H-1B visa claims
Girl asks Supreme Court to block WA state rules allowing trans athletes

Spokesman Review
WSU turns to artificial intelligence to assist sports communications
Patty Murray launches initiative to restore trust in public health, starting with event at WSU
Ferguson asks for another $13.2 million in FEMA funds to repair damaged public infrastructure
Advisory committee prepares recommendations as lawmaker worries abuse survivors being excluded (Farivar)

Washington Post
NFL tells Supreme Court prediction markets are gambling, not investing
Trump prods parents to claim child investment accounts as auto-enrollment begins

WA State Standard
Trump auto-enrolls 10s of millions in child investment accounts
WA officials consider steep cut to developmental disability services
Research suggests women living in states with abortion bans bear higher health insurance costs

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
How to watch the I-645 ‘millionaires tax’ debate
Parents arrested after toddler found dead in Mount Vernon home
‘Burden on families:’ PSE customers push back on proposed $1.5B rate hike
Tenants vanish after Irish construction scam exposed in western Washington
Unauthorized homeless encampment in Seattle being cleaned up following emergency order

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Report shows jobs are fleeing downtown Seattle
Costco to pay Washington shoppers $14M to settle email lawsuit
King County Council names former FBI agent as first inspector general
Copper wire thefts lead to overnight closures, repairs on West Seattle Bridge
King County audit flags $261K in potential double-billing by nonprofit Urban Family
Puget Sound Energy customers weigh in on proposed double-digit energy rate increases
VP says Microsoft is being suspended from program to apply for green cards for H-1B visa workers

Web

Cascadia Daily News
$335,000 and counting: Another WA local government settles Flock lawsuit
Dilapidated stretch of road the last hangup before Blaine’s massive de-annexation

The Urbanist
Recent SPD Surveillance Audits Highlight Overreach, Vulnerabilities

West Seattle Blog
TRANSIT, WEATHER, TRAFFIC, ROAD WORK: Thursday info

Wednesday, October 7

Amazon’s Walla Walla data center plan sparks tension between protesters, local officials
More than four hundred Washingtonians across 19 locations took to the streets Sunday to demand a statewide moratorium on data centers. In Walla Walla, where a $4.8 billion Amazon data center project is planned, the tension among opponents and local officials was palpable. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Aspen Ford)

Sen. Maria Cantwell outlines six-point plan to regulate frontier AI as concerns escalate
Last month, Cantwell took to the Senate floor to demand urgent federal regulations and mandatory independent safety testing for frontier AI models before their release. She warned that recent incidents in which autonomous AI agents carried out unauthorized cyberattacks show that dangerous threats are already here, well before the arrival of superintelligence. The framework proposed Wednesday includes six principles for regulating frontier AI development and deployment. Continue reading at GeekWire. (Dan DeLong)

Another grieving orca mom carries dead calf on her nose off Washington state
The female, a 31-year-old known as J31 or Tsuchi, had previously been photographed carrying a dead newborn on her nose in 2016. J31 has one living offspring, a 7-year-old daughter, but has lost at least eight other calves before or just after birth. Continue reading at KUOW. (Courtesy of Center for Whale Research)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Westport holds ground-breaking ceremony for tsunami tower

Auburn Reporter
Gov. Ferguson proposes Phone-Free Schools Act

Axios
DOJ moves to strip citizenship from 40 people
House GOP leaders admit redistricting fell short
Trump’s PAC won’t pay taxpayers back for his ads
New Medicaid rules cut coverage for 11,000 in Washington state

Bellevue Reporter
Another complicated Washington effort to support local news

Capital Press
Trump allows use of dyed diesel on highways
U.S. agriculture exports outpacing 2025, 2024
Judge sets deadline for new H-2A farmworker wages
Supreme Court considers suits blaming oil companies for heat, drought, wildfires

Everett Herald
Rosen presents proposed, balanced budget for 2027-28
Congressional Democrats ask U.S. Forest Service for answers on ICE involvement

Kitsap Sun
Frog Rock officially recognized as a Washington state landmark
Why some Washington residents are getting $90 Medicare checks
Bangor submarine base gets USS Wyoming in homeport shift among boomers

News Tribune
‘Just can’t afford it.’ Tacoma teams that aid cops, firefighters face budget ax
What are WA’s weirdest unexplained phenomena? Bigfoot, Oakville blobs and more

New York Times
Why Cities and States Are Fighting Climate Change in Courtrooms

Port Townsend Leader
Engine room call-outs cripple ferry system
Wage hike sparks debate among workers and business

Puget Sound Business Journal
Report: Seattle tax collections outpace population, job growth
FAA determines Boeing 737 Max software glitch is not a safety concern

Seattle Times
Trump-appointed judge accuses ICE of lying and fabricating records
Why your health insurance problem might not be over when you turn 65
Cantwell unveils AI safety framework as Congress stalls ahead of election
Camping arrests of WA immigrants spark questions from Congress members

South Whidbey Record
Engine crew shortage snarls ferry service on Whidbey Island

Spokesman Review
Spokane County Commission approves criminal justice sales tax increase to take effect next year
Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown, speaking from new venue, highlights challenges and accomplishments in third State of the City address

Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
Triangle route back on scheduled two-boat service

Washington Post
The unexpected ways that AI is reshaping the U.S. economy
South Texans who once backed Trump have doubts as ICE arrests take a toll
Sexual violence reports are up. Data from Cornell and other colleges in 8 charts.

WA State Standard
Rural Klickitat County faces surge in data center proposals
Amazon’s Walla Walla data center plan sparks tension between protesters, local officials

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Tower of trouble: 120-foot cell tower appears on couple’s property uninvited
Repairs underway for West Seattle Bridge streetlights after copper wire theft
Closer to normal operations after ‘sick-out’ disrupts Washington State Ferries
Bellingham resident charged in connection to February school shooting in British Columbia
Mortgage rates are increasing, raising questions about where the Seattle housing market is heading

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
In first public comment, Seattleites make budget preferences known
King County Council approves sales tax increase without seeking voter approval
Puget Sound Energy receives $40.2M federal grant to ‘modernize’ electrical grid
Washington joins lawsuit seeking $400 million from manufacturers for price-fixing drugs
WA State Ferries says service resumed Tuesday at normal levels after Monday’s disruptions

KNKX Public Radio
Seattle mayor proposes $1.4M to expand high-tech bathroom pilot

KUOW Public Radio
Another grieving orca mom carries dead calf on her nose off Washington state

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Bellingham mayor explains city’s approach to federal issues at immigration forum

Geekwire
In effort to diversify economy, Seattle Mayor names 18 leaders to new task force
Sen. Maria Cantwell outlines six-point plan to regulate frontier AI as concerns escalate

MyNorthwest
60% of WA men report regularly feeling lonely, survey finds
King County Council approves sales tax increase without seeking voter approval
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson disputes SPD account of delayed Bite of Seattle shooting briefing
Residents weigh in on Seattle’s $9.1 billion budget proposal focused on police staffing, homelessness, housing

The Urbanist
Plans for ‘Vibrant Waterfront Village’ Start to Come Together in Mukilteo

Washington Observer
Deep cuts loom for human services (Farivar, Wilson)

West Seattle Blog
TRANSIT, WEATHER, ROAD WORK, TRAFFIC: Wednesday watch

Tuesday, October 6

Puget Sound ferry service returns after Monday shut down
The disruption was the result of 23 engine room employees calling in sick. According to Washington State Ferries, dispatchers attempted to call substitutes, but any employees qualified to step in for the day declined to do so. The result was the cancelation of various sailings and entire routes across the system. Continue reading at KUOW. (Casey Martin)

Washington lawmakers look to close ‘gaps’ in state arson laws
State and local officials are working to close “gaps” in Washington’s arson law that punishes offenders the same even when their fires are drastically bigger or more destructive. Continue reading at The Spokesman-Review. (Tyler Tjomsland)

US Supreme Court orders another look at how WA political maps are drawn
On the first day of its new session, the court accepted a legal challenge to the boundaries, then remanded it to a lower court to determine if the way a federal judge drew the lines in 2024 complies with a ruling earlier this year in a Louisiana redistricting case. Monday’s action will not affect next month’s election. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Ashley Murray)