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Monday, February 24

RIP: Bills that didn’t survive the WA Legislature’s first major deadline
Bills dealing with cow burps, the state flag, and changes to police traffic stop standards are among the first to land in the legislative graveyard this year in Olympia. This session, lawmakers in the state House and Senate have introduced nearly 1,800 bills. To stay alive, much of that legislation needed to get voted out of policy committees by Friday. Continue reading at The Washington State Standard. (Bill Lucia)

‘Nobody wins’: Bellingham business owners discuss local impacts of Trump’s proposed tariffs
A recent nationwide survey found that 30% of small business owners believe President Trump’s tariffs will lower their revenue, and The Herald reached out to Bellingham business owners to hear their thoughts. President Trump has placed a 10% tariff on goods from China and has proposed a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico, although the border-country tariffs have been postponed until March, according to recent reporting by McClatchy. Continue reading at The Bellingham Herald. (Video Team)

‘They thought they were living the American dream’: ICE arrest of Othello woman rattles community as teen son is left to run family’s food truck
Eighteen-year-old Raul Gomez-Eudave woke up on a Saturday morning earlier this month to a flood of missed calls and text messages. When he unlocked his phone, his heart dropped. They were videos and photos of U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents searching through his mother’s belongings. And then another video of his mother, Micaela Eudave, handcuffed and being led away on Feb. 8. Continue reading at The Spokesman-Review. (Monica Carrillo-Casas)

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Axios
Washington faces over $1 billion in research funding losses

Bellingham Herald
Two WA secretaries of state oppose bill proposing changes to initiative process (Valdez, Pedersen)
‘Nobody wins’: Bellingham business owners discuss local impacts of Trump’s proposed tariffs

Capital Press
Battery project in Skagit County clears hurdle
Lawmakers may overhaul Oregon water grant rules
Oregon farm groups leery of water measurement bill

Everett Herald
Port of Everett raises parking rates
Lynnwood City Council appoints new member
Everett is planning for lots of growth. Here’s how.
15 in Snohomish County killed by flu, highest in three years
Edmonds School District may revert to old sexual harassment policy
Records show Stanwood-Camano school board plagued by ideological strife
Editorial: Steer clear of the state’s gas tax dead end (Fey)
Comment: Producers must step up to reduce flood of plastic
Comment: Cities needs modest tax hike to meet growing needs
Comment: Provide transparency, fairness to drug pricing process
Comment: Pending cuts to medical research would harm all in state
Bloomberg comment: Infant deaths have risen with states’ abortion bans

The Inlander
While less visible than the recreational market, Washington’s medical marijuana infrastructure is still an asset

International Examiner
After Pike Place Market cancels Day of Remembrance event, Japanese American community rallies to remember WWII incarceration, warn of Trump administration deportation policies

Journal of the San Juan Islands
Washington joins landmark multistate lawsuit to stop Elon Musk’s unconstitutional power grab

News Tribune
Neighbors fight proposed housing development, tree removal in East Pierce County
Patti Jackson’s first day as Tacoma’s interim police chief delayed, city says. Here’s why
Opinion: Why is Trump hostile to Canada? Washington, speak up for us

New York Times
Federal Judge Bars Elon Musk’s Team From Student Loan Databases
Farmers Sue Over Deletion of Climate Data From Government Websites

Northwest Asian Weekly
Washington State Legislature holds Day of Remembrance ceremonies (Hasegawa, Santos)
United States deporting Asian immigrants to South American countries
Tsuru for Solidarity rally draws crowd of hundreds to CID after Pike Place Market cancels Day of Remembrance event (Hasegawa)

Puget Sound Business Journal
How economic pressures reshape workplace dynamics
Here’s which institutions have the most to lose in NIH grants
SBA’s mass firings could hurt disaster recovery, loan oversight
Bill aims to end abuse of landmarking process in Seattle, Tacoma
Legal uncertainty complicates workplace policies around discrimination

Seattle Times
Bill would give WA jails independent oversight (Saldaña)
Health care worker assault law could see reform this year (Farivar)
A $50M idea to add lots of foot ferries to WA waters — fast (Nance, Reed, Liias, Fey)
WA pay transparency lawsuits spark ‘cottage industry’ claims
WA GOP criticizes ‘initiative killer’ that adds new signature rules (Valdez, Pedersen)
WA lawmakers clash on parental rights, make progress on housing (Pedersen)
Relatives of people who’ve died in WA jails press for state oversight (Saldaña, Obras)
WA unemployment claims from federal employees spike 35% over last year (Saldaña)
Opinion: WA is at a crucial moment in data center development
Editorial: WA Schools chief to Trump and his Dept. of Education: Back off
Editorial: UW behavioral health center finally open; dysfunction threatens it (Dhingra)

Skagit Valley Herald
Sedro-Woolley School District superintendent resigns

Sol De Yakima
Legislador de WA propone rediseñar la bandera estatal (Peterson)

Spokesman Review
Word of firings at Grand Coulee Dam remains uncertain
Washington Legislature considers allowing local elections in even years as secretaries of state voice concerns (Gregerson)
‘They thought they were living the American dream’: ICE arrest of Othello woman rattles community as teen son is left to run family’s food truck
Opinion: Rent control’s record of ruin

Tri-City Herald
Strong wind gusts to blast Tri-Cities area. Will it finally dry out?

Washington Post
Sharp cuts at HUD are likely to upend housing markets
Starbucks plans to lay off more than 1,100 corporate jobs
Inside the USDA, staffers struggle with White House funding freeze
Latest Trump guidance on race has schools scrambling amid ‘intense fear’
Measles, once eliminated in the U.S., sickens 99 in Texas and New Mexico

WA State Standard
WA lawmakers light up plan for cigarette tax hike (Reeves)
WA lawmakers weigh further delay to early learning expansion (Ormsby)
WA sheriffs respond to Trump’s immigration enforcement plans
RIP: Bills that didn’t survive the WA Legislature’s first major deadline (Mena, Thai, Parshley, Peterson, Reeves, Davis, Jinkins, Fosse)
Lawsuit against Amazon provides first test of WA’s health data privacy law (Slatter)

Wenatchee World
And the Beat Goes On: African drumming at the WVC
Legislative Watch | WA lawmakers push for local wolf management, debate state flag redesign
Homeless count shows decline in unsheltered, but Wenatchee mayor casts doubt on new methods

Yakima Herald-Republic
Frustration and shock accompany firings of Yakima Valley’s federal workers

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
New Starbucks CEO announces global layoffs, aims at streamlining operations
In Session: ‘Homes for Heroes Act’ would help public servants buy homes in Washington
‘It’s just chaos’: Local TSA employee gets conflicting messaging about job justification query
Washington’s U.S. Rep. Smith: ‘There’s absolutely nothing helpful about what Elon Musk is doing’
Proposal to implement year-round Pacific Standard Time in Washington among bills that appear dead (Valdez, Pedersen)

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Starbucks to lay off more than 1,000 corporate employees
Washington veterans speak out after being fired in federal cuts
Tacoma invests $800K to enrich youth and cultural programming for District 4
Employment Security Department sees rise in unemployment claims from federal layoffs

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Fire at Grays Harbor County Jail prompts evacuations of inmates
NOAA spring forecast looking cool and wet for western Washington
Starbucks lays of 1,100 corporate employees as coffee chain streamlines
Seattle ramps up efforts to protect pedestrians at vehicle-swamped Pike Place Market

KNKX Public Radio
WA organizations raise concerns over changes to federal art grants

KUOW Public Radio
Federal cuts could raise the risk of wildfire in WA
Hundreds of federal workers apply for unemployment in Washington state amid Trump’s purge
Domestic workers could get guaranteed breaks, minimum wage under proposed Washington state bill

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Whatcom Community College names new president
Farmers warn ICE raids threaten Washington agriculture
‘Trans joy is resistance’: 200-plus attend Bellingham protest for trans rights
Bellingham residents in multi-family units could combine recycling, waste bins with neighbors

Cascade PBS
New WA rule states abortion care must be provided in emergencies

MyNorthwest
Truckers push back against California emission rules
Proposed tobacco and vapor tax hike would make small dent in $14 billion deficit
Public health and political power: Democratic bill says ‘best science’ must be followed (Bronoske)
Federal layoffs drive 35% jump in unemployment claims among Washington employees
Revised bill overhauling governor’s emergency powers weakened by Democrats, say republicans

Washington Observer
Unpacking the fight over the Parents’ Bill of Rights (Wilson, Pedersen)

West Seattle Blog
TRAFFIC CAMS, WEATHER, TRANSIT: Potentially stormy Monday
FOLLOWUP: City’s CARE Responders set the date for West Seattle service to begin

Friday, February 21

RFK Jr., Trump target meds that 1 in 3 Seattle-area young women use
Are President Donald Trump and his administration going after the most commonly prescribed medications for depression and anxiety? A lot of people have expressed this concern after an executive order from the White House announced the creation of a “Make America Healthy Again” Commission, headed by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Trump’s order included a directive to “assess the prevalence of and threat posed by the prescription of” drugs including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs. Kennedy has characterized SSRIs, a class of drugs often used to treat depression and anxiety, as highly addictive, potentially dangerous and overprescribed. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Dean Rutz)

‘We are not going backward.’ Washington schools chief tells districts to maintain DEI programs despite Trump threat
Washington’s top education leader says schools shouldn’t make any changes in response to the Trump administration’s recent edict to axe race-based initiatives by the end of the month. In a statement Thursday, State Superintendent Chris Reykdal said although diversity, equity, and inclusion have “unfortunately been weaponized,” the idea has long been a core component of the education system. Continue reading at KUOW. (KUOW)

Snohomish County becomes haven for green energy
Snohomish County has become a center for green energy companies. Among the big names are fusion nuclear power companies Zap Energy and Helion, electric aircraft maker Eviation, hydrogen-electric powered aircraft maker ZeroAvia, Swedish marine battery maker Echandia, and Bill Gates-backed, small-scale nuclear reactor company TerraPower. Continue reading at The Herald. (Olivia Vanni)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Gas prices on the rise in Grays Harbor County
Trump’s job cuts lead to closed trails, staff shortages in WA

Auburn Reporter
OSPI superintendent responds to federal attempt to limit DEI programs

Axios
Is it safe to fly? NTSB data says yes
Tariff threats freeze automakers at critical moment
Gun violence dips in King County but concerns remain

Bainbridge Island Review
BI Japanese Americans speak out against Trump deportation

Bellingham Herald
Which federal agencies should be cut? Newly created DOGE is top choice, poll finds
Newly hired National Park staff ‘devastated’ after losing ‘dream job’ amid Trump cuts
Bellingham hospital’s ER is flooded with patients. Here’s where you can get help faster
Classic Pineapple Express expected to bring warm, wet, windy weather to Bellingham area

Capital Press
Trump brings new shift on bird flu tactics
Forest Service sued over Idaho mine plan

The Daily News
Cowlitz County sees 10 overdose deaths in first month of 2025

Everett Herald
Snohomish County becomes haven for green energy
Edmonds School District may revert to old sexual harassment policy
Eviation electric aircraft company reduces workforce at Arlington HQ
Comment: Infant deaths have risen with states’ abortion bans
Comment: Pending cuts to medical research would harm all in state

Islands’ Weekly
Working Families Tax Credit: Get money back this tax season

Kitsap Sun
Port Orchard wire theft part of trend that’s growing as copper prices rise

News Tribune
Tacoma hired an outside firm to investigate its ex-police chief. It cost the city $11K
Pierce County to pay $1M to ex-jail inmate who alleged negligence caused him to lose leg
Is Pierce County doing enough to help the homeless during cold weather? Providers say no

New York Times
Trump Claims Power to Fire Administrative Law Judges at Will
Environmentalists Sue to Block Trump’s Offshore Drilling Plans
Trump Administration Moves to Fast-Track Hundreds of Fossil Fuel Projects
Senate Passes G.O.P. Budget Plan After Democrats Force Long Night of Votes
Emergency Food, TB Tests and H.I.V. Drugs: Vital Health Aid Remains Frozen Despite Court Ruling

Northwest Asian Weekly
Washington State Legislature holds Day of Remembrance ceremonies

Olympian
Washington breweries sued to distribute beer in Idaho. Legislature is involved now
Can a manager collect tips, or is that wage theft? Here’s what Washington state law says
Washington is one of the ‘most educated’ states in the US. Here’s where it ranks and why

Puget Sound Business Journal
SBA’s mass firings could hurt disaster recovery, loan oversight
Bill aims to end abuse of landmarking process in Seattle, Tacoma (Duerr)
The National Observer: Real Estate: How Trump trade policy could affect port real estate markets

Seattle Medium
Washington State Lawmakers Propose Bill For Flag Redesign Committee (Peterson, Reed, Nance)
City of Seattle Awards $1.2 Million In Environmental Justice Fund Grants
Seattle Federal Workers Rally Against Workforce Cuts Amid Growing Concerns
Seattle Union Workers Launch Class Action Lawsuit Over Wage Theft Allegations

Seattle Times
Trump’s tariff threats stress WA’s Point Roberts
State bill aims to regulate WA cities’ homeless camping bans (Gregerson)
Japanese Americans protest Trump immigration policy in Seattle
WA Senate passes parking bill as one step to boost housing supply (Bateman, Chapman, Lovelett)
RFK Jr., Trump target meds that 1 in 3 Seattle-area young women use
Franklin County wants health district to stop offering COVID vaccines
Voters approved the Seattle Public Schools levies. What happens next?
WA superintendent tells schools to stand firm on ‘race-based’ programs
After ceding power of the purse, GOP lawmakers beg Trump team for funds
Federal judge allows Trump’s mass firings of federal workers to move forward
Democrats channel their outrage over DOGE, Ukraine and more in marathon Senate session

Spokesman Review
Ferguson cancels trip to Governors’ conference as budget work continues (Pedersen, Jinkins)
More people traveled through Spokane International Airport than ever in 2024
‘We need to fight’ Spokane NAACP, prominent Spokane figures respond to Trump’s DEI attacks
Opinion: State must invest in workforce for skilled nursing facilities
Opinion: The Legislature should support good jobs for all cannabis workers

Tri-City Herald
Not so fast. Richland railroad repairs must wait amid federal grant uncertainty
‘I have concerns.’ GOP Rep. Newhouse weighs in on job cuts at nuclear site and more

Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
Commentary: Lessons from WWII for our current immigration debate

Washington Post
With multiple tariffs looming, farmers who support Trump grow nervous
Trump expected to take control of USPS and fire postal board, officials say

WA State Standard
New walk-on ferry routes across Puget Sound readied to sail if funded (Fey, Liias, Reed, Nance)
National Park Service firings hit Mount Rainier, Olympic, North Cascades

Wenatchee World
Leavenworth pushes back on Tumwater Mountain cross as county awaits permit application

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Port Angeles embraces Canadians with heartfelt welcome amidst political tension
Western Washington universities respond to White House ultimatum on DEI programs
Proposed bill aims to require private, public insurance companies to cover biomarker testing
Jayapal: There will be ‘direct consequences’ to the country because of Trump administration layoffs
WA leaders say schools must choose between funding and helping vulnerable students under DEI executive order

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Doctor exchange could end as Idaho may dump UW over ‘Idaho values’ and abortion

KUOW Public Radio
Firings and bad vibes hit PNW’s federal workers
‘We are not going backward.’ Washington schools chief tells districts to maintain DEI programs despite Trump threat

KXLY (ABC)
Washington Senate panel advances age-based restrictions for social media platforms (Frame, Stanford)
New Spokane bond and levy plan could end decade-long dispute over sports complex
Washington schools maintain DEI programs despite U.S. Dept. of Education letter on discrimination

NW Public Radio
Snake River water, recreation studies look at the river’s future

Web

Cascadia Daily News
PeaceHealth emergency room overwhelmed this week
3K calls, 17K emails: WA’s congressional delegation inboxes flooded in 2 weeks
WA schools await legal guidance after letter threatens pulling federal funding over race
‘Things are off’: Once friendly neighbors, Canadians and Americans frustrated and angry

Cascade PBS
Poll: Majority of WA voters support bill limiting rent increases
Seattle scientists protest Trump’s NIH cuts to research funding
Appeals court upholds block on Trump’s birthright citizenship ban

MyNorthwest
State Senate’s New Parking Rules: Housing Crisis Impact (Bateman)
Washington Prison Reform Bill Passes Amid Safety Concerns (Wilson)

The Urbanist
Washington Senate Greenlights Elevator Reform Aimed at Boosting Midrise Homebuilding (Salomon, Valdez, Slatter, Orwall)

West Seattle Blog
TRAFFIC CAMS, WEATHER, TRANSIT: Friday info
FOLLOWUP: Here’s the mayor’s promised executive order, hoping to speed up West Seattle light rail

Thursday, February 20

WA sheriffs respond to Trump’s immigration enforcement plans
In a survey conducted by InvestigateWest and Cascade PBS, the majority of Washington sheriffs said they would focus their resources on public safety and local laws, not federal immigration enforcement. Continue reading at Cascade PBS. (Genna Martin)

Seattle holds Day of Remembrance rally 83 years after Executive Order 9066 was signed
Wednesday, Feb. 19, marked a grim anniversary in American history: Eighty-three years ago, an executive order led to the mass incarceration of thousands of Japanese Americans. The trauma from the forced removals still remains today, as Seattle held its Day of Remembrance rally. Continue reading at King 5. (King 5)

Washington State Senate Approves Sweeping Parking Reform Bill
By a 40-8 vote Wednesday, the Washington State Senate approved a comprehensive overhaul limiting the ability of local counties and medium- and large-sized cities to require off-street parking in new development. The final passage of Senate Bill 5184, sponsored by Senator Jessica Bateman (D-22nd, Olympia), represents a seismic shift when it comes to parking reform in Washington. It is one of the most robust parking reform packages to move forward in any state. Continue reading at The Urbanist. (Doug Trumm)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Letters (parental rights, gun bills)

Axios
Washington state home listings rise but affordability doesn’t
Trump’s appeal on birthright citizenship order rejected by court
Federal layoffs hit national parks and forests in Washington state

Bellingham Herald
Washington is one of the ‘most educated’ states in the US. Here’s where it ranks and why
Here’s what WA sheriffs said when asked about Trump administration’s immigration plans
Federal investigation finds Bellingham restaurants owe workers $82K for OT, tip violations

Capital Press
Economic outlook for grains appears volatile
Washington Democrat says wolf policy failing (Chapman)
Judge reinstates CTA reporting law; new deadline set
Oregon farm regulators look to expand poultry options
$4 million proposed in Oregon for disadvantaged community water research

Courier-Herald
Opinion: WA journalism bill update, Longview paper resumes after cyberattack

Everett Herald
15 in Snohomish County killed by flu, highest in three years
A frustrated Trump wants Boeing to deliver his new Air Force One pronto
Comment: Musk’s shoddy aim at USAID hit U.S. farmers, too
Comment: In slashing ‘overhead,’ cuts for NIH put health at risk

High Country News
Poll finds majority of Westerners support climate action and conservation

Indian Country Today
Trump’s cuts to federal wildfire crews could have ‘scary’ consequences

The Inlander
Egg-reliant businesses around Spokane take profit hits amid the national bird flu outbreak

Kent Reporter
Federal Way woman recalls her time in U.S. concentration camp

Kitsap Sun
Federal directives create uncertainty for local health care providers, Medicaid funding

News Tribune
Here’s why there have been fewer Sounder trains between Pierce County and Seattle lately
Trump administration cut ‘woke spending.’ Why a Tacoma schools math study got shelved
Here’s what WA sheriffs said when asked about Trump administration’s immigration plans
Op-Ed: Far too many Washingtonians are dying from excessive speeding. This bill could help (Leavitt)
Opinion: With oppression mounting nationally, Tacoma should become a trans sanctuary city

Northwest Asian Weekly
Wing Luke’s 100th birthday celebration: Family and friends share memories and mementos

Olympian
‘It violates who we are as a nation.’ Ex-federal workers from WA angered by firings
WA’s leaders blast Trump’s ‘dangerous’ cuts to Bonneville Power Administration’s staff
As gas tax revenue drops, Washington lawmakers mull pay-by-mile program for drivers (Ramos)

Puget Sound Business Journal
Deadline looms for small-business reporting requirement

Seattle Medium
City Leaders Provide Update On Downtown Activation Plan
Washington State Legislative Update: Advocates, Black Legislators Denounce GOP’s Attempt To Dismantle State Office Of Equity

Seattle Times
State bill aims to regulate WA cities’ homeless camping bans (Gregerson)
Editorial: High-tech roadblock for repeat speeders could save lives

Spokesman Review
Republican legislators propose collection of bills to build more housing amid ‘urgent affordability crisis’

Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
Ferry leaders land on mid-sized dock for Fauntleroy rebuild

Washington Post
New EV batteries are making electric cars cheaper and safer
These feds took Trump’s ‘fork’ deal. Then they got fired anyway.
Many of Trump’s early actions are unpopular, Post-Ipsos poll finds
Appeals court denies Trump’s bid to reinstate birthright citizenship order

WA State Standard
Even sanctuary policies can’t stop ICE arrests
Washington lawmakers may tap brakes on specialty license plates (Donaghy)
Bracing for impacts on land, water and wildlife after feds fire thousands
Legal battles escalate over Trump executive order on birthright citizenship
Litigation grinds on over WA’s power to regulate immigrant detention center

Wenatchee World
Leavenworth pushes back on Tumwater Mountain cross as county awaits permit application

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Retired ambassador critical of Trump’s proposed USAID closure
‘Wah Mee Massacre’ remains Washington’s deadliest mass shooting
Western Washington universities respond to White House ultimatum on DEI programs
Seattle holds Day of Remembrance rally 83 years after Executive Order 9066 was signed
9th Circuit upholds judge’s ruling to block President Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Trump’s historic war on traditional media
Lacey teacher sues district for retaliation following protest
Want to save $19.5 million? Republican lawmaker says cut the Office of Equity

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Electric vehicle fire risks prompt urgent safety warnings by Pierce County officials
New SPD chief emphasizes trust, cooperation in statement on immigration status
Seattle mayor apologizes for joke about Sonics’ return during State of the City address
Popular Washington rec areas hit with closures, unsafe conditions after USFS workers fired

KXLY (ABC)
Ferguson advocates for proposal limiting governor’s emergency powers
Washington sheriffs respond to Trump’s immigration enforcement plans
WA state legislature debates bill mandating teacher-librarians in public schools
Spokane County law enforcement no longer need to consider shelter bed availability when enforcing no-camping ordinance

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Bellingham airport has fewer air traffic controllers, tower closed some days
Diverse WA Supreme Court pledges commitment to equity despite federal rhetoric

Cascade PBS
WA sheriffs respond to Trump’s immigration enforcement plans
Washington lawmakers mull new protections for immigrant workers (Hasegawa)
WSU could lose up to $25M per year from Trump research funding cuts

MyNorthwest
UW researchers to rally against Trump administration cuts
Washington senate moves rent cap bill forward, but not without a fight (Trudeau)
Want to save $19.5 million? Republican lawmaker says cut the Office of Equity
State Senate considers controversial bill to ban diet pills and muscle supplements for minors (Lovick)

The Urbanist
Washington State Senate Approves Sweeping Parking Reform Bill (Bateman, Conway, Hasegawa, Peterson)
Washington Legislature Wants to Rein In Historic Landmarking to Spur Housing (Salomon, Bateman, Goehner, Gildon, Walen)

Washington Observer
A tax on smartphones to pay it forward (Gregerson)
A fleeting tax for Seattle’s soccer summer (Cortes)
House pushes forward on new isolation & restraint bill (Callan, Wilson)
Unraveling a shotgun compromise on low-carbon fuels (Fitzgibbon)

West Seattle Blog
TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Thursday begins

Wednesday, February 19

U.S. homebuilders raise alarm over tariffs as sentiment falls to 5-month low
Sentiment among the nation’s single-family homebuilders dropped to the lowest level in five months in February, largely due to concern over tariffs, which would raise their costs significantly. The National Association of Home Builders’ Housing Market Index, or HMI, dropped a sharp 5 points from January to a reading of 42. Anything below 50 is considered negative sentiment. Last February, the index stood at 48. Continue reading at CNBC. (CNBC)

Statewide ban on flavored tobacco, nicotine and vape moves forward, expect no passage this year
The Washington State House Committee on Consumer Protection & Business narrowly advanced House Bill 1203 (HB 1203) by an 8-7 vote Tuesday, setting the stage for further legislative debate on a proposal to ban flavored tobacco, nicotine, and vapor products statewide. Continue reading at MyNorthwest. (Bobby Caina Calvan)

New bill calls for better fraud protections after Olympia woman loses life savings in scam
On Tuesday, the House Consumer Protection and Business Committee held a hearing on a bill to better protect vulnerable adults. This comes amid the rise in financial scams involving transfers of money made by consumers under duress from fraudsters. Continue reading at King 5. (King 5)

Print

Aberdeen Daily World
Hundreds rally at state Capitol to protect parental rights
What’s in a name? WA wants to officially be ‘The Evergreen State’
From states of emergency to watersports, councils have been busy in recent weeks

Axios
All the ways Washington state is suing Trump in his second term

Columbian
Proposed EPA cuts put funding for Clark County energy, clean water projects at risk

The Daily News
There are no data centers in SW WA. Is that good, or bad?
New Kalama schools solar panels expected to save $7K a year

Everett Herald
Everett extends deadline for homeless service facing closure
Edmonds School District faces estimated $8.5 million deficit

Islands’ Weekly
Judge grants injunction in WA suit against unconstitutional birthright citizenship order

News Tribune
Busiest library branch in Tacoma to close indefinitely this spring. Here’s what we know
He left his City Council seat for the Pierce County Council. Here’s who might replace him
Opinion: Tacoma’s housing crisis demands solutions: Exploring social housing as a key strategy

New York Times
Struggle Over Americans’ Personal Data Plays Out Across the Government
Forest Service Layoffs and Frozen Funds Increase the Risk From Wildfires

Olympian
Are WA lawmakers who text and talk in hearings really listening? Some say ‘Not a good look’ (Pedersen, Dhingra)

Port Townsend Leader
State Parks terminates PDA lease
‘Thou Musk not steal’: Hundreds gather in protest
After sheriff’s resignation, Democrats nominate three to replace him

Puget Sound Business Journal
Seattle nonprofit cuts staff amid funding freeze
Tariffs create uncertainty for port real estate markets

Seattle Times
Trump’s firings strike the nation’s health agencies
Washington lawmaker wants to redesign state flag (Peterson)
Trump’s job cuts lead to closed trails, staff shortages in WA
Ferguson suspends auto-deletion of public records after $225K settlement
Opinion: These are troubling times for WA farmers
Editorial: Trump’s gutting of federal workforce threatens national security in WA

South Whidbey Record
Passenger-only ferries concept gaining traction (Nance)

Spokesman Review
Idaho considers end to 50-year physician-training partnership with University of Washington over ‘Idaho values’
‘Public lands will suffer’: Idaho, home to seven national forests, loses integral forest service employees across the state to Trump terminations
Opinion: Medical Lake project shows progress toward bridging the digital divide

Washington Post
After ceding power of the purse, GOP lawmakers beg Trump team for funds

WA State Standard
Washington lawmaker waves plan for state flag redesign (Peterson)
How Republicans want to fix WA’s affordable housing shortage (Pedersen)
Trump’s cuts to federal wildfire crews could have ‘scary’ consequences
Clash in WA Legislature over proposal to add rules for initiative signers (Valdez, Pedersen)
30 Bonneville Power workers get jobs back amid hundreds of layoffs and buyouts

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Hikers, climbers could have increased danger after National Parks layoffs
Everett day shelter granted 2-month reprieve before it must move out of downtown
New bill calls for better fraud protections after Olympia woman loses life savings in scam (Doglio)

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
US Forest Service layoffs hit popular hiking areas in King County
Washington State History Museum reopens after month-long closure
Seattle City Council leaders discuss transit safety following bus violence
Safety on public transit: KIRO 7 takes a ride-a-long with a public safety expert
Second chances with strings attached: DUI record vacation bill clears key hurdle in Washington (Ortiz-Self, Goodman)

KNKX Public Radio
Trump’s budget cuts could put local weather forecasts and you in danger

KUOW Public Radio
WA’s GOP leaders not worried by Trump’s federal changes
Legislative carveout would change penalties for assaults on health care workers
Video appears to show ICE agents targeting Latinos in Washington state, but are mass deportations coming?

KXLY (ABC)
Downtown Spokane businesses hit with flooding for second time in the last few months

NW Public Radio
This Yakima church is getting an upgrade to its energy infrastructure
Washington state bill could strengthen regulations, increase fines for ‘troublesome’ landfills (Duerr)

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Opinion: Whatcom County needs a new path to a modern index of public records

CNBC
U.S. Homebuilders raise alarm over tariffs as sentiment falls to 5-month low

MyNorthwest
Washington’s Road Usage Charge: Future in Doubt (Jinkins)
Statewide ban on flavored tobacco, nicotine and advances (Reeves, Donaghy)
Bill: Washington would confiscate cars from police evaders (Lovick)

Tuesday, February 18

Washington’s Legislature has more Black members than ever
Having greater Black representation in the Legislature — coupled with greater diversity in general at the Capitol — “really just enhances the number of perspectives being brought to the public policy debate,” state Rep. Kristine Reeves (D-Federal Way), who chairs the Legislative Black Caucus, told Axios. Continue reading at Axios. (Chona Kasinger)

Editorial: Shut down flavored tobacco’s gateway to youths
That targeting of youths to find new consumers for tobacco has alarmed health and disease experts, parental groups and children’s advocates, coalitions of communities of color and others, who in recent years have sought restrictions on youths’ use of cigarettes, electronic cigarettes and other tobacco products. Continue reading at The Everett Herald. (Tony Dejak)

Sen. Patty Murray ‘deeply concerned’ over layoffs at Washington nuclear site
“These are everyone from safety inspectors to people who deal with cybersecurity across the board, and they basically were laying off the newest, latest employees that had only been there a year or two,” Murray told KING 5 on Monday. “These are often our best and brightest. They have the new technology, and this is a real safety concern, at Hanford, which is a nuclear waste clean-up site.” Continue reading at King 5. (King 5)