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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)

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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)

Print

Aberdeen Daily World
Chinook Indian Nation steps away from MGP for federal recognition bill

Axios
Trump administration opens antisemitism probe into UW after protest unrest

Capital Press
Drought worsens in Yakima River basin; irrigators face half rations

Columbian
Clark County staffing companies brace for tax expansion awaiting governor’s signature (Frame)

The Daily News
‘Not a forever status quo’: Southwest Washington braces for tariffs

Everett Herald
‘A seat at the table’: Edmonds residents engage community in new online group
Editorial:‘Big One’ will hit one day; today’s the day to prepare

News Tribune
‘Not going to give up.’ Pierce County trans youth discuss life under Trump
It’s supposed to bring medical care to the homeless. Why isn’t it operational?

New York Times
E.P.A. Plans to Shut Down the Energy Star Program
N.I.H. Bans New Funding From U.S. Scientists to Partners Abroad

Northwest Asian Weekly
Vivian Song seeks return to Seattle School Board

Peninsula Daily News
Upper Hoh Road to reopen (Chapman, Tharinger, Bernbaum, Fey)
Port Angeles Waterfront District aims for downtown improvements

Puget Sound Business Journal
Construction to start on big Eastside apartment project
Seattle biotech firm Shape Therapeutics trims workforce
Sea-Tac Airport braces for Real ID rollout, expects no ‘major disruptions’

Seattle Medium
Bridging Justice And Health: New Program Gives Drug Offenders A Way Forward
Breaking The Silence: Addressing Mental Health Disparities In The Black Community
Ferguson Signs Bill To Expanding Access To Homeownership For Communities of Color (Taylor)
Brittany Gregory Appointed New Director Of The Washington State Women’s Commission

Seattle Times
Trump’s attack on AmeriCorps rips through Seattle area
Supreme Court gives Trump early win on transgender military ban

Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit County nonprofits brace for effects of federal cuts

South Whidbey Record
Food programs on Whidbey face challenges

Spokesman Review
Washington veteran says Supreme Court decision on trans troops will hurt readiness
Spokane’s recycling bin blues: Many plastics end up incinerated despite residents’ best efforts
DOJ launches investigation into new state law that requires clergy to report suspected child abuse (Frame)

Washington Post
DOGE aims to pool federal data, putting personal information at risk
Proposed cuts to housing programs could affect millions, experts warn
The Fed is likely to hold interest rates steady, despite pressure from Trump
Tariffs hit baby industry hard, threatening parents with price hikes, shortages

WA State Standard
WA governor pressed to veto $1.8B piece of Democrats’ tax bill (Fitzgibbon, Berg)
WA’s congressional lawmakers press for reversal of millions in canceled DOJ grants
U.S. Supreme Court lets Trump ban transgender people in military while case continues

Wenatchee World
Chelan County PUD negotiates power, land agreement with nuclear fusion company Helion

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima County landfills receive $1 million to reduce methane emissions
Yakima school board hears concerns about librarians and other staff cuts
CWU trustees to review cuts to student newspaper and magazine next week

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
REAL ID requirement begins at SEA Airport
Trump administration opens review of UW protests for antisemitism
REAL ID Frequently Asked Questions: Here’s what you need to know
‘Wow, what on Earth happened?’: UW students shocked by protest damage to lab equipment
FBI adds $10K reward to arrest people responsible for hundreds of laser strikes on airplanes in Washington

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
SEA Airport aircraft fuelers vote to authorize strike
Rite Aid files for bankruptcy; could spell end for Bartell Drugs
How Seattle’s mayor plans to bring new businesses, housing to city
Sea-Tac flights in jeopardy as 150 aircraft fuelers vote to strike today
WA concerned federal government won’t help fight wildfires this year
DOJ investigating Washington law requiring priests to report confessions
Bellevue police launch emphasis patrols after 163% spike in speeding tickets
People waiting 2+ hours in line at DOL offices to get REAL ID before Wednesday’s deadline

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Gov. Ferguson expected to sign rent control bill that caps increases at 7%
Port of Everett braces for significant trade reductions amid ongoing tariff impacts
Seattle city leaders back doubling school zone speed cameras, expanding into neighborhoods

KUOW Public Radio
WA businesses brace for tariff impacts
Dozens of pro-Palestine demonstrators to appear in court after occupying UW building
UW officials, police unclear how many arrested pro-Palestinian protesters were students
U.S. Justice Department investigating new WA law requiring clergy to report child abuse (Frame)

KXLY (ABC)
New Salish Village to be established along Spokane River
Border Patrol agent alleges Spokane immigrant elbowed him in the face during arrest

NW Public Radio
New process could help recycle wind turbine blades
What’s next for the Harvest Hills Wind Project on the Palouse
As Washington cannabis grows, certificate programs spring up

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Planned social services campus on Orcas Island gets $5M in state budget (Lekanoff)

MyNorthwest
Gov. Ferguson expected to sign bill capping rent increases today (Bateman)
4 face judge after chaotic protest, standoff at UW ends in 32 arrests
WA concerned federal government won’t help fight wildfires this year
Central Valley School Board files additional Title IX amid trans student probe
Riley Gaines UW speech against trans athletes met with protestors, harassment

West Seattle Blog
Orcas in Elliott Bay again

Tuesday, May 6

WA lawmakers approve $1.1B for salmon habitat restoration
Another billion dollars of highway construction to restore salmon habitat will likely be coming to Western Washington over the next six years. The state Legislature approved an additional $1.1 billion for court-ordered Department of Transportation culvert replacement projects, bringing the program’s roughly two-decade total to $5.2 billion. At least for now. Gov. Bob Ferguson still has until May 20 to review and veto items in the budget. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Kevin Clark)

Washington eyes speed-limiting tech for reckless drivers after Renton crash kills 4
Lawmakers in Washington state are moving to require GPS-based speed-limiting devices for repeat traffic offenders, using the case of a teen driver who caused a fatal high-speed crash in Renton as a powerful example. The technology, known as Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA), prevents vehicles from exceeding the posted speed limit by using GPS to track location and adjust speed accordingly. An override button may be included for emergencies, but any use of it can be reported to authorities. Continue reading at KIRO 7. (KIRO 7)

Why police accountability efforts failed again in the Washington Legislature
For a second year in a row, Washington police accountability advocates have seen their priorities fall flat in Olympia. They entered this year’s session wanting to grant the attorney general stronger oversight of local police departments. They also wanted to create an independent prosecutor to handle cases when police use deadly force; restrict when officers can pull drivers over; block law enforcement from lying during interrogations; and set new standards for police chiefs and sheriffs. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero)

Print

Associated Press
Major PNW quake could make ground sink 6 feet

Axios
Washington slips in 2025 best states ranking
Hoh Rain Forest access to be restored Thursday
Economic outlook deteriorates in Mountain West
How Washington state is suing Trump in his second term
Trump administration urges court to dismiss abortion pill challenge
How Wednesday’s REAL ID deadline affects Washington state

Bellingham Herald
WA residents struggling to get REAL ID appointments as DOL sees record surge
Here’s what the Trump admin proposes spending on WA’s toxic Hanford nuclear site

Everett Herald
Everett to host open house on comp plan update
Deputies: 11-year-old in custody after bringing knives to Lynnwood school
Editorial: County had no choice but to sue over new grant rules

Kent Reporter
Kent Police receive state grant for dedicated DUI officer

Kitsap Sun
Hood Canal Bridge open Tuesday after closing due to mechanical issue

News Tribune
Tacoma college to build $42M fire-training center. Here’s what’s inside
Pierce County sues Trump administration over ‘coercive’ grant requirements
Here’s what the Trump admin proposes spending on WA’s toxic Hanford nuclear site
Opinion: In parts of the West, taxation is becoming more fair

Olympian
WA residents struggling to get REAL ID appointments as DOL sees record surge
Here’s what the Trump admin proposes spending on WA’s toxic Hanford nuclear site
Seattle archbishop decries new WA mandatory reporting law: ‘Alarmed by this overreach’

Peninsula Daily News
March honors missing indigenous people
Medicaid program cuts could have ‘devastating’ impacts

Puget Sound Business Journal
Noncompliance with new ID rules could make you miss your flight
Trump’s climate policy threatens burgeoning sector in Moses Lake

Seattle Times
WA lawmakers approve $1.1B for salmon habitat restoration (Trudeau, Tharinger)
Trump budget would slash money for housing programs in WA
WA slides again in ranking of best states, but remains in Top 10
What’s WA’s top problem? Survey shows a new issue has emerged
DOJ opens inquiry into new WA law requiring clergy to report abuse (Frame)
What the WA Legislature approved, and didn’t, that could affect drivers

Spokesman Review
Washington sues over cuts to Health and Human Services
Washington challenges federal blocking of wind energy development
‘The only acceptable number is zero’: Kalispel Tribe honors missing Indigenous people
Despite ongoing federal probe into state schools, Central Valley School Board sends Title IX complaint to feds

Washington Post
Park Service suspends air-quality monitoring at all national parks
From prosperity to austerity: Trump’s tone shifts ahead of tariff impacts
Dyes, soda, and chronic disease: How RFK Jr. is shaping his food agenda

WA State Standard
Why police accountability efforts failed again in the Washington Legislature (Trudeau, Farivar, Goodman)
WA law mandating clergy report child abuse to be investigated by Trump’s Justice Department (Frame)
‘Big One’ coupled with rising ocean could leave many in Northwest living in flood zones, study finds

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
DOGE cuts target domestic violence advocates
REAL ID deadline at SEA Airport just one day away
Tacoma police deputy chief fired for gender discrimination, hostile workplace
Survey findings on perceptions of Asian Americans in the US are ‘upsetting’
Around 30 pro-Palestinian protesters arrested after breaking into University of Washington building
Hundreds of Washington Native Americans gather to raise awareness for missing, murdered community members

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Seattle riot police arrest 30 pro-Palestinian protesters at UW
Sound Transit to open two new stations in Redmond on May 10
‘Masked activists’ take over new UW engineering building, stage blockade
Washington eyes speed-limiting tech for reckless drivers after Renton crash kills 4 (Leavitt)
Seattle’s $300M Amtrak expansion to bring modern trains, transportation by 2027
Two Lakewood police officers suspended for offensive comments toward colleagues

KNKX Public Radio
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library seeks donations after Washington state cuts funding

KUOW Public Radio
Spokane man arrested by ICE spent more than a decade trying to obtain legal status
Federal funding cuts to AmeriCorps leave Washington volunteers, nonprofits scrambling for answers

KXLY (ABC)
“This is about getting information”: Central Valley School Board to send letter to Dept. of Ed. on WA schools’ transgender athlete policy

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Mobile markets will accept more benefits in 2026 thanks to new state law (Shewmake)
Speeding, bad drivers, congestion in your neighborhood? City wants input with new program

Cascade PBS
REAL ID starts May 7. Here’s what Washingtonians need to know
How Washington’s new tax and fee increases could hit your pocket
Harrell’s updated Climate Action Plan would cut carbon emissions

InvestigateWest
WA civil legal aid organizations mourn state funding cuts: ‘It’s a gut punch’
WA law mandating clergy report child abuse to be investigated by Trump’s Justice Department (Frame)

MyNorthwest
WA sues Trump over wind energy projects freeze
DOJ to investigates Washington’s clergy reporting law
King County among local governments suing Trump administration
More than 25 ‘masked activists’ arrested after taking over UW building
Last day before REAL ID deadline: WA residents face long DOL wait times

The Urbanist
Washington State Budget Compromise Leaves Many Hoping for More (Ormsby, Robinson, Jinkins, Pederson, Scott, Fitzgibbon, Heck, Stonier, Dhingra)

Washington Observer
And it’s filing week (Hunt, Callan, Ramos, Krishnadasan)
A summer tax hike on drivers (Fey)
How an accountability bill for bad actors in the insurance industry died (Walen, Reeves, Taylor, Santos)

Monday, May 5

Man without a country: ICE arrests Spokane resident brought to America as toddler
A rainy morning in a North Spokane neighborhood erupted Tuesday with the kind of legal reckoning that’s uprooting families across Washington and the country. A series of videos captured the confrontation that started when 35-year-old Martin R. Diaz pulled his SUV in front of his home a few blocks south of Hays Park. Diaz sits in his vehicle for a moment before another vehicle arrives. Diaz then exits his vehicle and runs into his own yard. He ditches what appears to be a coffee mug as a man gains ground and catches Diaz as he tries to enter the fence gate into his back yard.

“I caught you, (expletive),” said a man who was later identified as a federal agent, as two more run into the yard to take Diaz into custody. Continue reading at The Spokesman-Review. (Kendall Diaz)

What the WA Legislature approved, and didn’t, that could affect drivers
This year’s legislative session in Olympia was dominated by talk of shortfalls, taxes and impacts from the Trump administration. But, as usual, lawmakers considered many bills that cruised under the radar of anyone who isn’t a legislative staffer, advocate or lobbyist. Some bills made it over the finish line, others did not. The world of transportation — one of the big mandates for the Legislature — is no exception. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ellen M. Banner)

WA Legislature’s budget doubles public defense funds. Counties say it’s still not enough
While Washington state lawmakers’ budget more than doubles funding for public defenders, those attorneys say the sum is still woefully inadequate to meet the needs of local courts. Unlike most states, Washington does not bear the burden of funding the constitutional right to counsel. Instead, the onus is on local governments with the state historically only funding less than 3% of overall costs. Continue reading at The Washington State Standard. (Jake Parrish)