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Wednesday, May 14

The Organizer Who Ran the State House Like a Union Hall
Recently departed Speaker Emeritus Frank Chopp would have turned 72 today, and already the activist roots, which grounded his political career have been seldom included in the frame of remembrance since he passed away on March 22. It’s true that Chopp was a 21st century political rarity: a powerful Democrat with partisan self-respect. When he left office on the day I officially succeeded him as 43rd Legislative District State Position 2 Representative on January 13, 2025, it marked the end of a 30-year legislative career in which he helped build a heaping majority for Washington State Democrats, presiding over it for two decades as Speaker of the House of Representatives. Unlike many liberals, Chopp understood that politics was a competition between conflicting worldviews; there are real stakes for partisan failure or success. “My parents would disown me if I became a Republican, trust me,” he once said. Continue reading at The Stranger. (Shaun Scott)

Washington cities are decriminalizing magic mushrooms. Could a psychedelic ‘renaissance’ take hold statewide?
Statewide efforts to legalize psychedelic mushrooms in Washington have stalled due to conflicting visions, concerns about cost and equity, and worries that pharmaceutical companies will take control of a natural medicine that grows in abundance in the woods across the Northwest. But beneath the fractured public debate, an underground network of advocates and activists is growing. Decriminalization efforts in cities and counties come at a moment when doctors and researchers are finding in clinical trials that psilocybin — the primary psychedelic compound in mushrooms — can help people who suffer from severe depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and addiction. Continue reading at KUOW. (KUOW)

High-speed Airo trains are coming to Seattle
Seattle is a step closer to getting new, faster Amtrak trains. Driving the news: Construction has begun at Amtrak’s Seattle maintenance facility to help launch the company’s new Airo trains, which can travel 125 miles per hour. Why it matters: The trains — which promise faster and more comfortable rides — are set to debut first on the Amtrak Cascades route, which connects Seattle to Portland and Vancouver B.C. The trains are slated to be in service on the route by the end of next year, according to Amtrak spokesperson W. Kyle Anderson. State of play: In the meantime, Seattleites may notice major work happening in SoDo. Continue reading at Axios. (WSDOT)

Print

Aberdeen Daily World
Trade war reaches Port of Grays Harbor
Op Ed: Rent cap will backfire — here’s what we should do instead

Auburn Reporter
WA to rein in fast drivers with speed limiters (Leavitt)
Renton, Bellevue among cities of possible measles exposure

Axios
High-speed Airo trains are coming to Seattle
New Washington state law gives dads diaper duty access (Hunt)
20 states sue Trump admin over immigration enforcement funding threats

Bellingham Herald
WA state lawmakers passed a final budget, but what happens next?
New U.S. energy secretary gives his take on removing 4 Eastern WA dams
Maternal health program funding aimed at Whatcom Co. area tribal women
Financial strain among Whatcom County families hits new high, report shows

Capital Press
Trade court takes up legality of Trump’s tariffs
Oregon farmers involved with illegal cannabis may lose property tax benefits

Columbian
With state funding cuts, dangerous homeless camps along Clark County highways could remain in place longer

Everett Herald
Marysville talks middle housing at open house
Washington to rein in fast drivers with speed limiters (Leavitt)
County will host two wildfire-preparedness meetings in May

News Tribune
WA state lawmakers passed a final budget, but what happens next?
New U.S. energy secretary gives his take on removing 4 Eastern WA dams
The clock is ticking. Will Tacoma will get money to keep homeless shelters open?
Opinion: Express bus to Seattle must keep rolling after light rail gets on track

New York Times
Trump Administration to Uphold Some PFAS Limits but Eliminate Others

Olympian
WA state lawmakers passed a final budget, but what happens next?

Peninsula Daily News
State leaders discuss budget (Chapman, Bernbaum, Liias, Tharinger)
High-speed internet coming to Highway 112 corridor

Seattle Times
WA, 19 states sue Trump for linking funding to immigration enforcement
Westneat: New WA data shows where GOP health cuts would hurt the most
Editorial: A rural WA health care model that’s worth multiplying

Skagit Valley Herald
Burlington changes direction on police department remodel
Anacortes superintendent provides state of the school district

Spokesman Review
WA among best in the country for education, environment in new U.S. News rankings
Washington sues federal agencies who tied funding to immigration enforcement cooperation
Spokane County to consider Avista plan to bury power lines to reduce wildfire risks in 3 Spokane County urban wildlands

WA State Standard
Trio of immigrant rights laws signed by WA governor (Ortiz-Self, Hasegawa, Trudeau)
Washington tries to maintain B.C. ties amid Trump era tensions (Wellman, Shewmake)
Next stop for Washington housing: More construction near transit
Children’s health services could see trims even under scaled-back Medicaid cuts
U.S. House Republican plan would force states to pay for a portion of SNAP benefits

Yakima Herald-Republic
Health officials continue to track tuberculosis in Yakima Valley, as number of cases drops

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Toll rates for State Route 99 tunnel are going up
Washington State Library system faces budget cuts, layoffs
Washington grants sweeping authority for state health inspections of private detention facilities
DUI suspect died of ‘multiple stab wounds’ from officer during struggle at Clark County testing facility
Gov. Bob Ferguson signed nearly 70 bills into Washington state law so far this week. Here’s what you need to know
Family of 12-year-old who died by suicide while under psychiatric care at Sacred Heart files wrongful death lawsuit

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
KIRO 7 Investigates: Could officers return to Seattle Public Schools?
Northshore School District to settle on new superintendent Wednesday
Family of Boeing whistleblower settles lawsuit with aircraft maker over his death
Pierce County family wants accountability after 5-year-old nephew dies from fentanyl poisoning

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Microsoft to lay off about 3% of its workforce
Seattle City Council approves expansion of traffic safety camera program
Small businesses in Seattle face uphill battle with temporary tariff reduction
Mayor Harrell to unveil initiative to improve Chinatown-International District

KNKX Public Radio
Pack a trash bag: WTA says hikers should anticipate reduced staffing

KUOW Public Radio
Whiplash at the Port of Seattle
Tariffs are paused. Will the ports of Seattle, Tacoma rebound?
What will it take to curb overcrowding at WA’s youth prisons?
Microsoft to lay off nearly 2,000 employees in Washington state
Should Catholic priests in Washington State be forced to break the confessional seal?
Seattle considers smart kiosks ahead of FIFA World Cup. Privacy advocates say that could be risky
Washington cities are decriminalizing magic mushrooms. Could a psychedelic ‘renaissance’ take hold statewide? (Salomon)

Web

Cascade PBS
‘Tone-deaf’: Proposed Seattle earplug law draws mixed reactions

MyNorthwest
Washington joins 19 states in lawsuits over immigration funding threats

The Stranger
Editorial: The Organizer Who Ran the State House Like a Union Hall (Scott, Macri, Pedersen)

West Seattle Blog
TRAFFIC, WEATHER, ROAD WORK, MORE: Wednesday info

Tuesday, May 13

Washington to rein in fast drivers with speed limiters
In a few years, with the help of technology, prolific speeders in Washington won’t be able to drive as fast as they want. Gov. Bob Ferguson on Monday signed House Bill 1596 into law, requiring a new speed-limiting device as a condition to getting a restricted driver’s license after getting it suspended for reckless driving or excessive speeding. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Jake Goldstein-Street)

Dozens of layoffs expected at WA State Library amid state, federal reductions
The Washington State Library is bracing for dozens of anticipated layoffs due to a mixture of reduced state and federal funding. Secretary of State Steve Hobbs’ office noted in a Monday news release that 47 “at-risk of layoff letters” were delivered to employees over the past of couple weeks, the first step toward expected layoffs in the state’s process. Continue reading at Bellingham Herald. (BH)

New Washington law targets private detention centers
A new Washington law seeks to increase state oversight of privately run detention facilities, including the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma. Why it matters: The law — which Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson signed Monday — is the latest salvo in a battle over whether state officials can inspect and regulate the immigration detention center, which is run by a for-profit company, The GEO Group, under a federal contract. Continue reading at Axios. (Jason Redmond)

Print

Aberdeen Daily World
Wildfire season is here

Axios
Seattle home sellers double down on buyer incentives
New Washington law targets private detention centers

Bellingham Herald
Two clinics closed amid PeaceHealth strike; no impact to care, officials say
Dozens of layoffs expected at WA State Library amid state, federal reductions
Do Canadians feel welcome in the US? What a poll found after Trump comments
Washington breweries just avoided a steep tax increase that’s expected to resurface

Capital Press
U.S., China agree to reset tariffs, but barriers remain
USDA closes southern border to imported cattle, bison, horses
British PM draws ‘red line’ on food safety standards for imports
Controversial ‘proxy’ provisions stripped from age discrimination bill

Everett Herald
How do you get rid of a bridge? Everett engineers can explain.
Editorial: 4 bills that need a second look by state lawmakers (Liias)
Letter: Allow transgender military members to serve country
Comment: Trump conditioning citizenship on wealth, background
Comment: RFK Jr.’s measles strategy leading U.S. down dark path

Islands’ Weekly
Federal cuts cripple Island Conservation Corps training program

Journal of the San Juan Islands
Letter: Washington has nation’s second-highest rate of missing and murdered Indigenous women rate

News Tribune
Do Canadians feel welcome in the US? What a poll found after Trump comments
Tacoma church opens 60 affordable-housing units to complete decades-long vision
Opinion: Gutting Endangered Species Act would harm Tacoma

New York Times
Chasing Tax Cuts, Trump and Republicans Want to Make States Pay
Republicans Target Federal Anti-Hunger Program as They Prepare Trump Tax Package

Northwest Asian Weekly
Little Saigon leaders demand action as economic, public safety concerns persist

Peninsula Daily News
Port Angeles School District to reduce budget by $1.9M

Puget Sound Business Journal
Microsoft to cut 3% of its global workforce
Majority of workers say their wages lag inflation
Seattle tourism faces headwinds amid decline in international visits

Seattle Times
Layoff notices, threats of closure rattle WA State Library
Abuse survivors defend WA law that feds slam as ‘anti-Catholic’ (Frame)
WA gets just 2 bids to build new electric ferries, and the prices are in
WA bill inspired by Renton family’s reparations quest signed into law (Hasegawa)

Spokesman Review
Ferguson signs bill to require speed-limiting devices for habitual speeders in Washington (Leavitt)
Fish and Wildlife Department biologists help to rebuild declining Eastern Washington hawk population
Spokane County to consider Avista plan to bury power lines to reduce wildfire risks in 3 Spokane County urban wildlands
Trump’s order seeking to loosen police oversight leaves those in accountability confused. Spokane benefits from that oversight, ombudsman says

Tri-City Herald
WA among best in the country for education, environment in new US News rankings
Seattle Dem blocked tax break to help Richland woo $3.5B in nuclear manufacturing (Pedersen)

Washington Post
What’s in Trump and Republicans’ giant tax and immigration bill
60,000 people set to prematurely lose federal housing assistance
Trump’s plan to lower U.S. drug prices contains threats but few teeth
GOP’s scaled-back Medicaid plan still threatens coverage for millions
Inflation rose in April compared to March but annual pace eased, in a first test of Trump policies

WA State Standard
Washington to rein in fast drivers with speed limiters (Leavitt)
Bids to build new plug-in Washington state ferries come in high (Fey, Nance)
Money crunch: Nearly 50 WA State Library employees facing layoffs
Abortion services program is in line for steep reduction in WA budget

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
These are the Rite Aid stores expected to close in Washington, Oregon
DUI driver crashes into work zone in Spanaway, seriously injuring construction worker
‘Plain disrespectful’: Bellingham hospital workers demand better pay from PeaceHealth
Gov. Bob Ferguson signed nearly 40 bills into Washington state law today. Here’s what they are
A Puyallup boy died of fentanyl toxicity in March. His mother is now charged with manslaughter

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Whatcom County sees first mumps case in seven years
Alaska Airlines now flies nonstop from Seattle to Tokyo
WA drivers can soon add blood type to IDs under new law (Nobles, Riccelli)
More than a thousand hospital employees strike in Bellingham
Sound Transit hoping for increased ridership with new stations
New push from city, Seattle PD for officers to return inside schools

KNKX Public Radio
Chinook Indian Nation federal status uncertain again after political break

KUOW Public Radio
How the Pacific Northwest’s dream of green energy fell apart (Shewmake)
Washington, other states sue to regain electric-vehicle funding as sales sag
Union farmworker organizer ‘Lelo’ denied bond to leave Tacoma ICE lockup

KXLY (ABC)
City Council votes to remove Monaghan statue from downtown Spokane
Governor signs bill into law requiring speed limiting devices for habitual speeders (Leavitt)
City could designate portions of Spokane parks ‘non-public’ to keep federal agents out

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Health department confirms mumps case in Whatcom County
PeaceHealth hospital workers start strike, demand ‘fair contracts’
New state rent cap prompted a stark, sudden rent increase for some (Alvarado)
Bellingham Public Schools to cut staff, freeze pay to address projected $15M deficit

Cascade PBS
WA lawmakers approve funding for 2026 World Cup matches in Seattle (Fitzgibbon, Reed, Dhingra)

MyNorthwest
Ferguson signs bill to crack down on speeding drivers (Leavitt)
Washington sues Trump Administration over environmental protection rules

The Stranger
Brian Heywood Tortures Us With More Ballot Measures (Macri)

The Urbanist
Long-time Seattle Inspector General Illegally Used Public Funds for Private Parking Spot

Washington Observer
Reining in the boy racers (Leavitt)
A brief history of the veto pen

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

Friday, May 9

US will stop tracking the costs of extreme weather fueled by climate change
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will no longer track the cost of climate change-fueled weather disasters, including floods, heat waves, wildfires and more. It is the latest example of changes to the agency and the Trump administration limiting federal government resources on climate change. NOAA falls under the U.S. Department of Commerce and is tasked with daily weather forecasts, severe storm warnings and climate monitoring. It is also parent to the National Weather Service. Continue reading at The Associated Press. (Mike Carlson)

Port of Olympia exploring ferry service
Commuters to and from Olympia might have another option in a couple of years. The Port of Olympia is exploring the establishment of electric-powered hydrofoil ferry service. “We’re ready to invest to make that happen,” said Port of Olympia President Jasmine Vasavada. Vasavada said the port is conducting feasibility and demand studies into the idea. Continue reading at King 5. (King 5)

Rent Stabilization, Parking Reforms Become Law in Washington
Governor Bob Ferguson came to Seattle Wednesday to sign a slate of housing-related legislation, putting the capstone on a number of long-awaited policies intended to increase housing supply and affordability in Washington. Among the bills signed were House Bill 1217, which imposes a cap on annual rent increases for tenants in buildings more than 12 years old, and Senate Bill 5184, which imposes a cap on the number of off-street parking spaces that local governments can mandate along with new construction. Continue reading at The Urbanist. (Ryan Packer)

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Capital Press
Oregon, Washington sue Trump for blowing off wind projects

Columbian
WA bill capping rent increases doesn’t ease tenants’ fears in Clark County (Cleveland)

Everett Herald
County Executive Dave Somers: ‘It’s working together’
Marysville to host open house on new middle housing rules
Everett considers ordinance to require more apprentice labor
The Snohomish County Council will hold new hearing on habitat ordinance
Letter: EATS Act would overrides state protections for animals
Letter: Build more housing sustainably to protect environment, climate

The Inlander
WA health department investigating Spokane hospital after girl’s suicide sparked public outcry

News Tribune
Trump wants to reopen Alcatraz. What about WA’s federal island prison?
Fight to close $52M WA school for adults with disabilities is over. What’s next?

New York Times
New Law Requires Priests to Break Seal of Confession to Report Child Abuse (Frame)

Olympian
WA Republican calls tax bills ‘body slam on blue collar joy’ (Berg)
WA State Supreme Court upholds ban on high-capacity gun ammo magazines

Peninsula Daily News
Hoh Road reopens
Court halts watershed logging
FEMA to reduce reimbursement eligibility

Puget Sound Business Journal
Bill Gates to wind down foundation by 2045
Gov. Ferguson signs landmark rent control bill (Alvarado)

Seattle Times
Gun ruling: WA high court upholds ban on high-capacity magazines
US will stop tracking the costs of extreme weather fueled by climate change

Spokesman Review
State supreme court upholds ban on high-capacity gun magazines
Patty Murray grills VA secretary over planned layoffs, handling of computer system rollout
Opinion: Keep Medicaid whole, keep families whole

Washington Post
Republicans fear political cost of Medicaid cuts
Uproar over surgeon general pick exposes factions among RFK Jr. allies
Head of FEMA removed after saying the agency should not be abolished

WA State Standard
Union urges Ferguson not to sign budget without their pay raises
Washington Supreme Court remembers former Justice Susan Owens

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Port of Olympia exploring ferry service
Seattle sees over 40M tourism visitors in 2024
New toll system, rules coming to State Route 167
WSDOT plans for ‘The Rock’ relocation in 2026 stir emotions
Washington Supreme Court upholds ban on high-capacity magazines
As King County housing prices hit record high, a new state zoning law aims to attract first-time home buyers

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
WA has rent control; what happens now?
Road to Hoh Rain Forest reopens after months-long closure
Morton city clerk admits to embezzling nearly $1 million over years
Washington cements ‘high-capacity’ magazine ban in landmark ruling
Demonstrators protest arrest, suspension of UW students following violent rally
All aboard! First ST3 light rail opens in Redmond Saturday with ribbon cutting, celebration
Council votes to replace Snoqualmie police with King County Sheriff’s services in North Bend

KNKX Public Radio
‘Vastly more walkable’: Seattle’s Pike Place Market tests car ban
Black Ball Ferry delays summer schedule citing US-Canada tensions
REI Co-op members reject company board picks after union campaign

KUOW Public Radio
Rent limits become law in WA with signature from Gov. Bob Ferguson (Alvarado)
His day started with selling a chicken coop. It ended in immigration detention
Could Seattle transit include water-skipping electric vessels? This Irish company hopes so (Nance)
Protesters demand UW reverse suspensions of students who occupied engineering building
High-capacity gun magazine ban upheld by WA Supreme Court. Opponents could seek SCOTUS review

KXLY (ABC)
Forest Service cuts could leave Inland Northwest communities more vulnerable to wildfires
Fentanyl Crisis: Spokane County Medical Examiner’s inside look at surging overdose deaths
21 people facing drug, gun charges in months-long drug trafficking investigation in downtown Spokane

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Coastal jam held to honor missing and murdered Indigenous people in Lummi Nation
Secret relationship in prosecutor’s office fueled allegations of favoritism and mismanagement
Editorial: A modest idea to help Gov. Ferguson recover from early staff, tax stumbles (Shewmake, Lovelett)

Cascade PBS
ArtSEA: NEA tells Northwest arts orgs their funding is “terminated”

MyNorthwest
Washington Supreme Court upholds high-capacity magazine ban
Demonstrators protest arrest, suspension of UW students following violent rally
Washington sues Trump admin. over ‘illegal’ $5B EV fund halt, slams move as ‘cash grab’

The Urbanist
Rent Stabilization, Parking Reforms Become Law in Washington (Bateman, Duerr, Alvarado)

Thursday, May 8

WA State Supreme Court upholds ban on high-capacity ammo magazine sales
The Washington Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the state’s ban on the sale of gun ammunition magazines that hold more than 10 rounds. The law, passed in 2022, faced a challenge from a Kelso gun shop that argued the ban on selling the magazines violates the state constitution, which protects “the right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself, or the state.” Gator’s Custom Guns also said the law ran afoul of the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. In a 7-2 ruling, state Supreme Court justices disagreed. Continue reading at The Washington State Standard. (Scott Olson)

Washington is now third U.S. state with a rent cap
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson signed a measure into law Wednesday limiting annual rent increases to no more than 10% per year for many tenants statewide. Why it matters: With the signing of House Bill 1217, Washington becomes the third state in the nation to enact a state-level rent stabilization law, after Oregon and California, according to advocacy groups who track such measures. Continue reading at Axios. (Maura Losch)

Cannabis policy saw some yeas and some nays in Olympia this legislative session
Washington’s 2025 legislative session came to a close on April 27. Lawmakers in Olympia spent the first four months of the year debating a handful of cannabis-related issues, and we now know which will become law and which will wait at least another year. Two of the five bills on the 2025 docket successfully made it through the Legislature. Continue reading at The Inlander. (Young Kwak)

Print

Axios
Washington is now third U.S. state with a rent cap
Trump admin cracks down on pro-Palestinian protests at colleges
University of Washington suspends 21 students after protest arrests

Capital Press
Trump administration retains Wyss as Washington FSA director
Washington solar project fast-tracked over Yakama Nation’s opposition

The Daily News
New Kalama electrified tugboat dock to save fuel, travel time
Lower Columbia College to break ground on vocational center

Everett Herald
‘Got Mud?’ Researchers monitor the health of the Puget Sound
Data breach compromises info of 1,000 patients from Edmonds hospital
Boy, 11, returns to Lynnwood school with knives weeks after alleged stabbing attempt

The Inlander
Cannabis policy saw some yeas and some nays in Olympia this legislative session (Ormsby, Hill)
Spokane unveils a new slate of traffic safety initiatives as fatal traffic collisions continue to rise in 2025
Op Ed: Many of the innovations coming out of the Washington Legislature this year were first enacted in Spokane

Kitsap Sun
Date set for WSF restorations in Bremerton, Southworth. Here’s when
North Mason schools warn about danger from TikTok Chromebook trend

News Tribune
Encampments removed in Tacoma were ‘notably larger’ in first quarter of 2025
WA Gov. Bob Ferguson signs controversial rent cap, other housing bills into law (Alvarado, Bateman, Walen, Taylor)

Olympian
Trump wants to reopen Alcatraz. What about WA’s federal island prison?
WA Gov. Bob Ferguson signs controversial rent cap, other housing bills into law (Alvarado, Bateman, Walen, Taylor)

Puget Sound Business Journal
Homeownership costs squeeze households
Bill Gates to wind down foundation by 2045
Gov. Ferguson ends Washington’s 44-year ban on rent control (Alvarado)
Housing-affordability challenges aren’t limited to home purchases

Seattle Times
Gov. Ferguson signs slate of 10 new WA housing bills into law (Alvarado, Bateman)
WA youth rehab system faces ‘mixed bag’ after legislative session
WA sues Trump administration over cuts to electric charging stations
Opinion: WA forests are too complex for ‘cut or don’t cut’ thinking
Opinion: Oregon policy may get tech giants to pay what they owe for news

Spokesman Review
Rent caps, other housing protections signed into Washington law (Alvarado, Heck)
Spokane man charged with assaulting agent during immigration arrest; allegations don’t match video, wife says
Washington state auditor’s reports find fraud, lack of financial controls at small towns in Franklin and Adams counties
Washington AG sues after Trump administration freezes $71 million program for EV charging stations in Eastern Washington
Spokane and Seattle bishops say they won’t comply with new mandatory reporting for child abuse if information obtained in confessions

Washington Post
Trump taps MAHA influencer for surgeon general, replacing first pick
Flu killed 216 children nationwide this season, the highest toll in years
Republicans wage a tax war over SALT, stalling Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’

WA State Standard
Cap on rent increases across Washington is signed into law (Alvarado)
WA State Supreme Court upholds ban on high-capacity ammo magazine sales
Ferguson says those who occupied, vandalized UW building should be ‘held accountable’
Students at WA’s private colleges would see financial aid slashed under new state budget (Robinson)
Congressional budget agency projects sweeping Medicaid cutbacks in states under GOP plans

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
UW suspends, bans 21 students after protest
Washington State Ferries add 18 vessels for summer travel
State officials investigating officer-involved shooting in Poulsbo
Trump Medicaid cuts could close long-term care facilities in WA, Cantwell says
Ferguson signs rent stabilization, suite of other housing proposals into Washington state law (Frame)

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
New light rail stations open this weekend in Redmond
21 students suspended from University of Washington following protest
WA bill would require ‘egregious speeders’ to install speed-limiting device in vehicles (Leavitt)
‘No consequences’: How teens access stolen guns, and why so many become repeat offenders
‘Meaningful progress’: Gov. Ferguson signs landmark bill to cap rent increases in Washington (Alvarado, Bateman)
‘Bigoted and toxic:’ Deputy settles with state academy, Federal Way PD over sex assault claims

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
DOJ investigates Washington’s new ‘anti-Catholic’ clergy reporting law
UW suspends 21 students involved in pro-Palestinian protest as federal grants examined

KUOW Public Radio
21 students suspended, banned after UW protest
UW president warns of budget crisis, potential layoffs

KXLY (ABC)
How Washington’s new tax and fee increases could hit your pocket
Kalispel Tribe’s buffalo herd represents cultural renewal and growth
“His story is rising again”: Local mom turns grief into her late son’s legacy
Potential Medicaid cuts threaten healthcare for millions in Washington state

NW Public Radio
Springwood Ranch: First Washington land co-owned, managed by a tribe and the state

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Road crews to begin removing boulders, debris from Chuckanut Drive rockslide
Bellingham driver’s license office slammed with residents seeking REAL ID on deadline
Opinion: Washington’s rent cap will backfire — here’s what we should do instead

Cascade PBS
‘Especially consequential’: Ferguson signs rent cap bill into law
‘Vastly more walkable’: Seattle’s Pike Place Market tests car ban

MyNorthwest
Trump launches task force following alleged anti-semitic violence at UW

The Urbanist
Downtown Redmond’s Building Boom Shows No Signs of Slowing
Op Ed: Ants — Has Seattle Strayed from its Public Art Mission?

Washington Observer
Less fine print for leases (Pedersen)
A challenge for the House business chair (Walen, Saldaña, Slatter)
Rewriting the commercial building rulebook (Saloman)

Wednesday, May 7

Gov. Ferguson expected to sign bill capping rent increases today
Governor Bob Ferguson is expected to sign a bill Wednesday that would set limits on rent increases—one of the first in the country if passed. If signed into law, the rent stabilization bill, HB 1217, would cap rent increases at 7% plus inflation, or 10%—whichever is lower. Washington would join Oregon and California in drafting legislation that curbs climbing rent prices. Continue reading at MyNorthwest. (KIRO 7)

Trump administration opens antisemitism probe into UW after protest unrest
The Trump administration announced Tuesday evening it’s investigating “recent incidents” of antisemitic “violence” at the University of Washington (UW) and its affiliates. The big picture: The review by the departments of Education and Health and Human Services and the General Services Administration follows the arrest of some 30 pro-Palestinian protesters on Monday after they occupied a UW engineering building in Seattle and “set fire to dumpsters,” per a statement from the college. Continue reading at Axios. (Jason Redmond)

WA governor pressed to veto $1.8B piece of Democrats’ tax bill
Hoteliers, restaurateurs and grocers are asking Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson to veto part of a tax bill that they say will drive up food costs for them and their customers. Excising the contentious provision that is counted on to raise hundreds of millions of dollars would knock the budget out of balance, and force Ferguson to call lawmakers back into special session, supporters said. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Justin Sullivan)