Daily E-Clips

Friday, September 25

WA public lands commissioner scales back order protecting older forests
Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove is scaling back an order to set aside 77,000 acres of older forests, citing financial strain and a lack of authority to carry out his vision. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ken Lambert)

WA toxicology labs see progress on backlog, but evidence delays continue
The Washington State Patrol reported that its toxicology division has experienced a 59% increase in forensic casework submissions since 2015, but staffing levels didn’t keep pace. Lawmakers stepped in with additional funding, and in 2023 the Washington State Patrol opened a second toxicology lab in Federal Way. State lab administrators believe they are now turning the tide, but say there’s a long way to go. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Mario Tama)

Wash. AG Nick Brown calls for checks on AI development from Congress
The statement said the attorneys general are asking Congress for federal oversight on safety testing and standards for models, a standard incident response, and both federal and international agreements to enforce those standards. The letter comes after leaders in AI development, including OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Anthropic’s Dario Amodei, have called for federal regulation of AI models, citing the potential dangers of an unrestricted future model. Continue reading at KIRO 7. (Julia Dallas)

Thursday, September 24

WA voters of color more likely to have ballots challenged, per report
But while white voters have seen 1.5% of their votes scrutinized for signature discrepancies, it’s 1.9% for Black voters, 2% for Asian voters and 2.2% for Hispanic voters, according to the UW research. … The disparity is more stark among age groups. Signature challenges decrease with age, from 5.3% among voters 18 to 25, to 0.7% for those 66 and older. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Jake Goldstein-Street)

WA offers 2,400 new free childcare slots for low-income families
The new slots under the state’s Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program, or ECEAP, come from existing providers increasing capacity, as well as 42 new sites across the state offering spots this school year. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Karen Ducey)

Washington nears final step in joining California-Quebec carbon market
In June, the three jurisdictions signed a linkage agreement to fully join operations in 2027. Washington hopes that joining the older and well-established carbon market will stabilize prices for businesses, which have swung wildly in recent years on the state’s 5-year-old market. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Courtesy of Washington State Department of Ecology)

Print

Aberdeen Daily World
Aberdeen still on track for federal grant funds for levee
Opinion: A bridge too far gone: Hoh River Bridge closure not surprising
Traveling the Olympic Peninsula in 24 hours using public transportation

Axios
Treasury yields rip higher on renewed inflation fear
White House defies court order, doesn’t reinstate access for banned reporters

Capital Press
Boise National Forest to begin controlled burns to blunt wildfires
Oregon forest health improves slightly in 2025, but don’t celebrate

Courier-Herald
Washington is fighting to limit its duty to protect vulnerable adults

The Daily News
New Amtrak Airo trains to stop in Kelso north and south
Washington has few paths to early prison release. Advocates fear Gov. Ferguson has closed off a critical one

Everett Herald
WSDOT shares update on high-speed rail planning
Everett, CT officials unveil details of proposed transit merger

Journal of the San Juan Islands
Preliminary budget 2027: What is cut and what remains

Kitsap Sun
Kitsap sheriff warns of staffing, service cuts without tax increase
Seattle the first U.S. city to ban ‘surveillance pricing’ on groceries
How Kitsap citizen-scientists do marine research with beach walks
PSE study says takeover of Kitsap assets could cost KPUD $1.5 billion

News Tribune
Will 900-year-old Pierce County tree be cut down for parking lot? Decision made

Northwest Asian Weekly
Fire forces closure of Seattle pho restaurant
Seattle Parks wants your input on Hing Hay Park fitness area

Olympian
Max rent of $1,100 expected at new affordable housing apartments in Olympia

Puget Sound Business Journal
Everett, Community Transit map out transit merger plan
SBA loans to this particular sector see a major plunge this year

Seattle Medium
Seattle’s Constitution Day March Focuses On Voting Rights, Civic Participation

Seattle Times
WA to lose a quarter of long-term psychiatric beds for children
WA offers 2,400 new free childcare slots for low-income families
Boeing’s white-collar union shows early support for new contract offer

South Seattle Emerald
Seattle Seeks Community Input on Pollution Plans for South Park and Georgetown
PHOTO ESSAY | In Hillman City, a ‘Best Day Ever’ Event Combines Community Service and Community-Building

Spokesman Review
Roadless rule comment period extended
Spokane County homeowners rebuilding fire damaged properties to save hundreds on building permits
Feds award Spokane County millions for additional gate, road improvements near Fairchild Air Force Base
Washington State Board of Education shares plan for updated graduation requirements with emphasis on preparing students for post-secondary plans

Washington Post
What happens to CNN when Paramount and Warner Bros. merge?
U.S. and China agree to extend temporary trade truce, Bessent says
Five Indianapolis officers charged after being accused of misusing Flock
Trump dismantled U.S. climate policy. But his war is cutting emissions.
Asylum seekers thought they had a haven in the U.S. Then Trump returned.
CNN, Politico, MS NOW journalists still barred from White House after judge blocks Trump’s ban

WA State Standard
WA voters of color more likely to have ballots challenged, per report
Washington nears final step in joining California-Quebec carbon market
Flock surveillance cameras raise constitutional questions, bipartisan US senators say
Federal appeals court blocks restrictions on placement of trans women in Oregon prisons

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
First responders sound alarm over overdose calls, toll on their mental health
Seattle police blame deputy mayor for delaying public briefing after Bite of Seattle shooting

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Starbucks to close 250 locations in North America
Seattle school bus drivers authorize strike amid contract dispute
Businesses, first responders react to Seattle mayor’s budget proposal
‘They identified themselves as ICE’: Navy veteran films two men abducted from Everett neighborhood
KIRO Newsradio finds Seattle Mayor’s Office misrepresented prosecutor support for gun violence plan

KNKX Public Radio
Report says local leaders distracted police after Bite of Seattle shooting

KUOW Public Radio
Seattle barely enforces its drug-free zone law. Did it ever have a chance to work?

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane man receives national award for translating during area fires
Spokane schools’ Engage IRL program boosts student performance and cuts screen time

Web

Cascadia Daily News
State Patrol issues alert for missing Lummi Nation teen
Peas used to make millions for Skagit County farmers. What happened?
Parents riled up as potential renters tour 2 Bellingham schools that may close

Cascade PBS
WATCH: Seattle promises funding in response to trans refugee crisis

MyNorthwest
Starbucks to close 250 stores in North America this week
Sound Transit to open new light rail station 5 years ahead of schedule
Instacart pays $150K to settle Seattle app-based worker pay violations
Whatcom County receives $25 million grant to replace Lummi Island Ferry
Growing list of key stakeholders say they were left out of Mayor Wilson’s ‘collaborative’ gun plan

The Urbanist
King County Council Debates Future of its Transportation Funding District

West Seattle Blog
TRANSIT, WEATHER, TRAFFIC: Thursday notes

Wednesday, September 23

Small businesses slow to take up WA’s new electric truck vouchers
When it comes to meeting its own greenhouse gas emissions, Washington is behind the curve on transitioning to electric vehicles. The transportation sector is the highest emitter in the state, accounting for 40% of total emissions, and will likely be the most difficult to decarbonize. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Aspen Ford)

Spokane garbage bills to increase next year to pay for carbon credits
If the city had to buy carbon credits to offset every metric ton of emissions coming from the incinerator’s smokestack, it estimated it would have to pay upwards of $7 million per year, costs ultimately borne by city ratepayers. Continue reading at The Spokesman-Review. (Kathy Plonka)

Trump officials cut 760,000 enrollees from ACA, claiming fraud
Oz said that the fraudulent enrollees were identified based on their lack of health care use and other factors, and that officials concluded many were fictitious. Continue reading at The SeattleTimes. (Yuri Gripas)

Print

Aberdeen Daily World
Summit Pacific earns top honors for patient safety
Opinion: The Democratic Socialists aren’t communists
Westport invites public to tsunami tower groundbreaking
What’s legal during crab pot closures in coastal marine areas

Axios
Trump’s last-ditch hunt for voter fraud
Trump TV is live. Here’s what it’s actually showing
Former council president launches site to track Seattle City Council
World Cup had an $889M economic impact on Seattle, analysis finds

Bainbridge Island Review
BIFD commissioners approve new medical transport fees

Capital Press
Upper Snake reservoir storage outlook improves slightly
Diesel prices soar during harvest, worsening tight farm budgets

Everett Herald
Mukilteo weighing rezone of property on waterfront

International Examiner
Amid an immigration crackdown and lack of consulate support, Filipino migrants continue to fight for their freedom

Kent Reporter
Kent Police chief addresses drone first responder program

Kitsap Sun
Kitsap jury awards $30M to deputy shot by AR-15 in training

News Tribune
Puyallup Tribe reveals plans for former ALMA space near downtown Tacoma
Bellingham files suit against federal agencies over ‘unlawful’ grant conditions

New York Times
Hospitals Shutter Youth Gender Clinics in Deal With Trump Administration

Puget Sound Business Journal
Federal rule changes that small businesses need to know
Did the World Cup bring Seattle the economic boost it expected?
Mayor Wilson’s budget aims to close $175M gap with no new taxes

Seattle Times
WA fruit group drops apple harvest forecast
Opinion: The Trump family’s corruption costs America
Opinion: Trump rolls out a Trojan horse to destroy Head Start
Trump officials cut 760,000 enrollees from ACA, claiming fraud
Wilson’s budget gets warm welcome from Seattle business leaders
Editorial: Seattle can address surveillance pricing without banning savings
Even medical professionals are skipping health insurance because of high prices

Snoqualmie Valley Record
Duvall residents petition against ‘unwarranted’ zoning changes

South Seattle Emerald
CID Businesses Say They Received Little Notice Before Four Nights of Power Outages

South Whidbey Record
Langley awards $57,000 to boost local tourism

Spokesman Review
Spokane garbage bills to increase next year to pay for carbon credits
Washington State Board of Education shares plan for updated graduation requirements with emphasis on preparing students for post-secondary plans

Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
Tahlequah traffic camera moves forward

Washington Post
Trump spurns calls for deal on AI ahead of superpower summit
Trump tells judge media ban is necessary to protect national security
760,000 enrollees cut from ACA as part of Vance-led anti-fraud effort
‘I am the code’: Trump clashed with ballroom architect over safety issues

WA State Standard
Trump administration’s WA voter roll lawsuit dismissed
Small businesses slow to take up WA’s new electric truck vouchers
Democrats, experts call for revocation of school voucher program under adoption by states

Whidbey News-Times
Island County puts housing tax dollars to work

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Seattle mayor proposes balanced budget with no new taxes
$14 million awarded for flood prevention across King County
Weekend construction across Puget Sound to cause major delays
Seattle City Council bans grocery stores from using AI-based ‘surveillance pricing’
Seattle school bus drivers authorize strike amid contract dispute with Zūm Services
‘An altar of child sacrifice’: Man charged with trying to burn down Bellevue Planned Parenthood cited religious beliefs

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Seattle gas prices hit $5.73 as diesel surge squeezes farmers
Sound Transit report details plans for Everett light rail extension
300 Seattle school bus drivers threaten strike as contract dispute stalls
Overcharged for generic drugs? Washington AG says you may be eligible for compensation

KNKX Public Radio
Washington state trade bruised by US-Canada tariff dispute

KUOW Public Radio
Seattle nets $889 million from World Cup, but not everyone scores
Seattle Police say meddling by absent chief, mayor’s staff complicated shooting response
Seattle Mayor Wilson’s first budget proposal adds cops, trims departments with no new taxes

KXLY (ABC)
A truck crashed into a Spokane Housing Authority building Tuesday night
Spokane implements first Emergency Streets lane closure after fatal motorcycle crash
Fire relief donations overflow in Spokane Valley as organizations redirect excess support

NW Public Radio
Pierce County invests $300k in training programs at technical college

Web

Cascadia Daily News
ICE detains Skagit man working to get his green card. Community rallies behind him

Cascade PBS
WATCH: Measuring the World Cup’s impact on Seattle

Geekwire
Expedia Group laying off 58 employees in Washington state in latest cuts at travel giant
Facing ‘seismic shifts’ in tech sector, Seattle mayor freezes JumpStart tax rates in new budget

InvestigateWest
Washington has few paths to early prison release. Advocates fear Gov. Ferguson has closed off a critical one

MyNorthwest
PeaceHealth cutting 150 Washington jobs as IT work outsourced to India
Tacoma youth facility closing after $3 million in losses, laying off 92 employees
Seattle businesses say short notice for multi-day planned outages led to revenue losses
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson’s budget proposal: $50 million in cuts, no major new taxes
Seattle police detail what did and didn’t work during response to Bite of Seattle shooting
Seattle World Cup matches deliver $889 million impact, but hospitality results are mixed
Seattle council passes ‘groundbreaking’ policy that bars retailers from using personal data to set grocery prices

West Seattle Blog
ROAD WORK, WEATHER, TRANSIT, TRAFFIC: Wednesday watch, first full day of fall

Tuesday, September 22

Washington’s medication collection program faces hurdles despite success
Washington’s program to collect medication so it doesn’t end up in the wrong hands has brought in over 1 million pounds of drugs since 2020, according to a state audit. But it’s still beset with some challenges, like a lack of sites to return unused pills in rural areas, a limited sense of the program’s effectiveness and the recent withdrawal of one of the two companies collecting the drugs in the state, according to the report from Washington’s Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee released this month. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Getty)

With H.R. 1 cutting Medicaid for tens of thousands of refugees and asylum seekers, local agencies scramble to find solutions
More than 10,000 refugees, asylum seekers and non-citizens living in Washington state could lose Medicaid coverage on Oct. 1, a consequence of President Donald Trump’s H.R. 1, or so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill.” With 40% of that population residing in King County, local organizations and agencies are hustling to find solutions. Continue reading at International Examiner. (Courtesy of ICHS)

FIFA World Cup in Seattle delivered $889M economic boost, report says
In Seattle and King County, the global soccer tournament drove $889 million in total economic impact, which includes $109 million in state and local tax revenue. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Dean Rutz)

Print

Axios
6 Seattle census tracts have 0 kids
The AI doomsday fear hidden in self-improving AI
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library returns to King County
Homebuilders say they struggle to find workers amid ICE crackdowns

Bellevue Reporter
Auburn Police start drone first responder pilot program

Bellingham Herald
WWU’s new research vessel will be built from scratch to meet school’s needs

Capital Press
Trump looks to buy potash from Belarus; counterpart says no deal possible
Judge impatient with Labor Department’s timeline for setting farmworker wages

The Daily News
Opinion: Subscription model might cure broken health care system | Aaron Brown

Everett Herald
Marysville police shut down 21 illicit massage businesses
Boeing unions to begin voting Thursday on latest contract offer
Arlington police launch crime tracking platform with local tech company

International Examiner
With H.R. 1 cutting Medicaid for tens of thousands of refugees and asylum seekers, local agencies scramble to find solutions

Kent Reporter
Kent City Council adopts mobile food vendor regulations

Kitsap Sun
What to know about vaccines in Washington ahead of flu season
Hospital NP joining outreach program through Kitsap fire departments

News Tribune
What’s the best state for teachers? See how Washington state ranked
Tacoma youth residential treatment facility to close 6 years after expansion

Northwest Asian Weekly
Communities band together to help Spokane residents displaced by Spokane-area fires

Puget Sound Business Journal
WA cannabis sales taper off
Health system to cut 150 WA jobs
SBA lending is down 18% — here’s why
Plans to upgrade Tacoma’s Union Station take shape
Seattle mayor orders review of government spending
This is the salary needed to afford childcare across the country
Consumer sentiment fell in August, and one factor is largely at fault

Seattle Medium
AI Programs Can Interfere With Key Lessons Of Childhood. Here’s What Parents Can Do

Seattle Times
Trees in WA temperate rainforest spared from chopping block
Microsoft layoffs hit hundreds in WA again, Xbox roles included
SPD blames budget, ‘distractions’ in Bite of Seattle shooting response
FIFA World Cup in Seattle delivered $889M economic boost, report says
Trump administration says developers, loggers can kill endangered species

Spokesman Review
Wildfire relief checks reach hundreds of Spokane residents

Tri-City Herald
Is curbside recycling coming to Pasco? Big changes are in the works

Washington Post
Bear encounters are rising across the United States
Should you get a covid vaccine this fall? Here’s what to know.
Major TV networks halt video coverage of Trump over CNN ban
Trump officials plan to cut hundreds of thousands from ACA, claiming fraud
AI is hurting students’ ability to learn and think for themselves, educators say
Trump’s plan to militarize proposed arch raises new legal and safety concerns

WA State Standard
Washington’s medication collection program faces hurdles despite success (Pollet)
Oregon has one of the nation’s largest funding gaps to meet road maintenance needs
Washington, 11 other states reach settlement with Paramount, Warner Bros. over merger
Diesel prices shoot upward as top farm-state GOP senator begs Trump for export embargo

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
West Seattle leaders keeping close eye on search for new police chief
ICE arrests reported across Puget Sound during Fiestas Patrias celebrations
Burien 76 gas station owner says same masked gunman robbed store three times
Elected officials ‘distracted’ officers after deadly Bite of Seattle shooting, report says

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
DNR: Fire risk shifting to flooding risk in WA burn scars
Seattle schools to limit screen time, pull iPads from youngest students
Amazon drops WA delivery partner, 120 employees laid off with one day’s notice
SPD chief search: Non-profit plans public listening sessions instead of Mayor Katie Wilson
NEW VIDEO: SPD officer shoots woman while responding to domestic violence call near Jose Rizal Park

KUOW Public Radio
Microsoft lays off 268 Xbox employees in Washington state
Seattle had record-breaking bike traffic this summer. What’s behind the numbers?
K-2 students no longer get personal iPads, Seattle superintendent says, pledging less screen time

KXLY (ABC)
Record-high diesel prices create challenges for farmers
Calls to 988 suicide lifeline surge as awareness grows in Washington
Spokane fire survivors get easier rebuilding process at help center in Shadle Library

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Battery facility proposed north of Ferndale in PSE push for renewables
Petty cash? State education agency requires mailed checks to pay for public records

Geekwire
Microsoft cuts hundreds more jobs, shifts next ‘Halo’ game to Activision in Xbox overhaul

InvestigateWest
Washington is fighting to limit its duty to protect vulnerable adults

MyNorthwest
Olympia looks to close 3 schools amid another $3.5 million in projected cuts
Microsoft cuts 300 more Washington jobs as gaming division continues its restructuring
Bite of Seattle shooting report reveals elected officials distracted police from getting information out
‘It shouldn’t be that hard of a lift’: Seattle schools to limit screen time, pull iPads from youngest students

The Urbanist
Wilson Seeks to Clean House Ahead of First Budget Rollout

Washington Observer
Tough times for K-12
The carpenters go big
Unwrapping the gift card grift

West Seattle Blog
ROAD WORK, WEATHER, TRANSIT, TRAFFIC: Tuesday, with autumn arriving before sunset
VIDEO: Seattle Public Schools changes technology approach for kindergarteners and 1st-2nd graders

Monday, September 21

Is WA meeting its constitutional commitment to education?
If education is truly Washington’s “paramount duty,” what should that promise look like across a child’s life? Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Jennifer Luxton)

The relentless drip of Seattle’s tech layoffs
Giant layoffs may grab headlines, but Seattle’s tech sector is also enduring a seemingly relentless drip of smaller cuts — 50 jobs here, 100 there — that are taking a toll. Why it matters: The steady drumbeat is quietly chipping away at an economic engine that powered Seattle’s growth for decades. Continue reading at Axios. (Natalie Peeples)

As Seattle festival reveled in Latino culture, ICE swooped in nearby
This year’s festival came with the backdrop of a federal government pushing to deport as many immigrants as possible, and a surge of arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement all over Seattle. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ivy Ceballo)