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Friday, April 3

‘I don’t have anybody’: Idaho is seeing its police flock to Washington agencies for better pay
As of now, the problem is so dire that all of the Idaho trooper positions in the Lewiston area – just across the border from Washington – are empty…Gardiner has resorted to sending troopers from across the state to stay in a Lewiston hotel for a week to cover the town of Moscow. It costs around $10,000 per month, he said. Continue reading at The Spokesman-Review. (Geoff Crimmins)

Stanwood reactivates Flock cameras as Spokane County joins Pierce County in shutting them down
The Driver Privacy Act, or Senate Bill 6002, requires agencies to delete most license plate data within 21 days, prohibits data collection near schools and immigration facilities, and restricts sharing information with out-of-state or federal agencies. Violations could result in gross misdemeanor charges and penalties under the Consumer Protection Act. Continue reading at MyNorthwest. (KIRO 7)

WA community colleges to be audited amid budget strain
Lawmakers say the new directive is meant to revisit those questions as financial pressures mount again. “The Legislature is asking for information about if there are potential cost savings by consolidating some colleges,” said Rep. Dave Paul, D-Oak Harbor, who chairs the House higher education committee…Paul emphasized the report is meant to inform future decisions, not dictate them, saying it would be “overzealous” to assume closures were imminent.“This is a first step of finding out if there’s a path to making the system more sustainable,” he said. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ivy Ceballo)

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Axios
Seattle jobless rate keeps climbing
AI boom drives clash over grid power vs. going it alone
Washington to require AI labels and set limits on chatbots
California cements its role as the national testing ground for AI rules

Bellingham Herald
Bellingham schools could face closure as enrollment drops. Parents have concerns

Capital Press
Scout touts Horse Heaven energy project to justices
AWSU turfgrass breeder shares successes amid budget challenges
Washington business AgriMACS to close, resulting in 145 job losses

Everett Herald
Mukilteo turned in financial statements to auditors 7 months late
Man shot and killed by Snohomish County deputies on Wednesday in Lynnwood

Kitsap Sun
Bremerton sets fire levy vote that could raise additional $3M per year

News Tribune
Gov. Bob Ferguson signs bill regulating flock cameras
Pierce County deputy’s camera was off at ‘critical phase’ of leader’s wreck
Thurston, Pierce sheriffs say law unseating decertified sheriffs is an overreach (Lovick)
Opinion: Career police leader to Swank: “We should always take the high road.”

Northwest Asian Weekly
Opinion: Lost in Translation: Interpretation Failures in the Courtroom — From the Courtroom to the Legislature (Hasegawa)

Olympian
What does Olympia’s new home energy score policy mean for homeowners?

Puget Sound Business Journal
How small manufacturers can get tariff refunds from suppliers

Seattle Times
WA community colleges to be audited amid budget strain (Leavitt, Paul, Pollet)

South Seattle Emerald
Opinion: The Millionaires’ Tax Won’t Block the Sonics’ Return

Spokesman Review
‘I don’t have anybody’: Idaho is seeing its police flock to Washington agencies for better pay
Man accused of threatening neighbors, using ethnic slurs and asking deputies to ‘deport’ them
Spokane Sheriff’s Office disables automated license plate reader due to new state regulations (Trudeau)
With Trump in attendance, Supreme Court justices voice skepticism of his attempt to end birthright citizenship

Tri-City Herald
Work halted over emergency response concerns after Hanford worker dies

Washington Post
ICE still arresting many with no criminal record, new data shows
That ACA subsidy isn’t free money. It could cost you at tax time.
U.S. economy created 178,000 jobs in March, a strong gain for labor market

WA State Standard
WA Fish and Wildlife commissioner accuses agency director of retaliation
Washington State Ferries terminates contract for streamlining reservations

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Snoqualmie tenants face eviction as company plans historic apartment overhaul
Robinhood sues Washington after state crackdown on Kalshi prediction markets

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Bellevue approves plan to transform shopping center into 900-unit complex
Stanwood reactivates Flock cameras as Spokane County joins Pierce County in shutting them down

KUOW Public Radio
Unemployment in WA reaches highest rate since 2021
The K-shaped economy: Why diners are dying but yachts are booming

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane County breaks ground on new $21 million recovery center

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Rising gas prices add to Bellingham residents’ burdens
Freight traffic clogging local roads after interstate slide
Opinion: Hearing examiner plays political hot potato with Ferndale LPG terminal

MyNorthwest
Stanwood reactivates Flock cameras as Spokane County joins Pierce County in shutting them down
‘I had to veto those programs’: Gov. Ferguson cuts retail crime funding as lawmaker says WA theft crisis grows (Leavitt)

The Stranger
Opinion: Guest Rant: Washington Farmworkers Want Union Rights (Saldaña)
Slog AM: UW Wartime Censorship, a Bundy Victim Identified, and Microsoft Outlook Errors Go to the Moon

The Urbanist
Ridership Topped 200,000 on 2 Line Crosslake Connection’s Opening Day

West Seattle Blog
Seattle Public Schools’ new superintendent comes here on second-to-last stop of community-engagement tour

Thursday, April 2

With more state financial stress on horizon, Ferguson signs WA budget
Most of the new spending is to address increasing demand for public services, the state’s growing lawsuit payouts for government misconduct, and the cost of complying with major federal changes to safety net programs like Medicaid and food stamps. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero)

As Washington lawmakers punt on school cellphone ban, some want more action
Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos, a Democrat from South Seattle, has been chair of the House Education Committee for more than a decade. She argued that the data on the effectiveness of blanket phone restrictions is more nuanced — and that phone policies are best left to individual districts. “I think it’s an overly-broad response to really the wrong target,” Santos said, adding that classroom distraction and students’ emotional and social wellbeing are distinct problems that need more targeted interventions. “It really depends on: What is the problem that you’ve identified that you’re trying to solve?” Santos said. Continue reading at KNKX. (Rick Bowmer)

WA traffic deaths are declining. What’s changing?
The number of people killed on Washington’s roads went down by nearly 12% in 2025, continuing a reversal of the fatalities that had erupted during the first years of the pandemic. Last year’s downward direction of road deaths in Washington — when an estimated 644 people were killed in traffic, from 730 the year before — mirrors national trends, according to numbers released Wednesday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Erika Schultz)

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Aberdeen Daily World
A Washington housing investor reform bill for Natives died in committee

Axios
Why Seattle gas could hit $10 a gallon
Washington conversion therapy ban in doubt after SCOTUS ruling (Liias)
Supreme Court casts doubt on Trump’s birthright citizenship order

Bellingham Herald
‘Alternatives to Incarceration’ forum to address Whatcom County jail project

The Daily News
Cowlitz County sees 4 infant deaths in 2025
The Bright Side: Kelso students promote inclusive sports teams
Humane society: Local commitment remains despite Cowlitz County, Kelso contract losses

News Tribune
Opinion: Sheriff Swank seeks to intimidate reporter with 70 emails
What will Sound Transit’s $34B shortfall mean for Tacoma’s light-rail extension?
Tacoma has a new city manager. His pay will be more than that of WA’s governor

New York Times
The ‘God Squad’ Waives Environmental Rules for Offshore Drilling

Olympian
WA Gov. Bob Ferguson blasts federal government at budget signing
Governor vetoes $500K meant to fight ‘dangerous’ organized retail crime (Leavitt)
Thurston, Pierce sheriffs say law unseating decertified sheriffs is an overreach (Lovick)

Peninsula Daily News
State senator intervenes in alleged assault (Chapman)

Puget Sound Business Journal
The HOA effect on the housing market is growing
FIFA scales back Seattle hotel reservations as World Cup nears
New college graduates have a different outlook on job priorities

Seattle Medium
Movies And TV shows casting In Washington
Historic ‘People’s Wall’ In Seattle’s Central District Considered For Landmark Status

Seattle Times
Rick Steves weighs in on WA ‘millionaires tax’
WA traffic deaths are declining. What’s changing?
Millions in WA child care provider payments in question
WA sees historic surge of immigrants challenging their detention
Opinion: Ruling on Columbia, Snake dams was a lifeline for salmon
Column: The party of the rich just taxed the rich in WA. Can that hold? (Pollet, Slatter, Pedersen)
Chair of WA House’s powerful budget committee won’t seek reelection (Ormsby, Gregerson, Macri, Hill)

South Seattle Emerald
Seattle City Council Passes Bills Limiting Immigration Inquiries, Surveillance Use

Spokesman Review
Spokane lawmaker Timm Ormsby, a mason by trade, will not seek re-election (Ormsby, Riccelli)
Despite ‘some reservations,’ Ferguson signs bill establishing new standards for sheriffs (Lovick)
With Trump in attendance, Supreme Court justices voice skepticism of his attempt to end birthright citizenship

Tri-City Herald
Police suspend using Tri-City Flock cameras because of new WA law
Governor vetoes $500K meant to fight ‘dangerous’ organized retail crime (Leavitt)

Washington Post
Trump endorses Republican plan to end DHS shutdown
Supreme Court appears skeptical of effort to end birthright citizenship
Judges are increasingly using AI to draft rulings and prepare for hearings
Higher social media use linked to lower support for democracy, poll shows
Oil prices jump, markets slide after Trump leaves reopening Hormuz to allies

WA State Standard
Ferguson signs controversial law tightening standards for WA sheriffs (Lovick, Goodman)
With more state financial stress on horizon, Ferguson signs WA budget (Leavitt)
Immigrants in WA to be notified of federal workplace inspections under new law

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Gas prices shoot back up above $4 Thursday after Trump’s primetime Iran speech
Clark County inmate with pending violent charges escapes Western State Hospital
Court denies City of Seattle’s request for new trial in CHOP case; city plans to appeal
Birthright citizenship debate raises concerns about newborn health coverage, doctors say
Sound Transit could break ground in 2026 on West Seattle light rail extension, mayor says

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
King County Sheriff takes over North Bend Police services
Amazon settles Oregon nitrate pollution lawsuit for $20.5M
City of Tacoma urges Sound Transit to prioritize investments in South Sound
Judge denies city of Seattle’s appeal of $30.5M ruling in deadly CHOP shooting
Surge in ICE arrests among farmworkers alarms WA farmers ahead of harvest season
Woman dies 2 weeks after being attacked by another patient at Tacoma psychiatric hospital

KNKX Public Radio
As Washington lawmakers punt on school cellphone ban, some want more action (Liias, Santos)

KUOW Public Radio
Policies meant to limit air pollution allow toxic dumping in Salish Sea

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane senior center gets boost in funding to stay open
Spokane County Sheriff’s Office disables license plate readers due to new state law
Spokane moving forward with park bathroom renovations paid for through Together Spokane initiative

NW Public Radio
Immigrants in WA to be notified of federal workplace inspections under new law

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Skagit Valley College seeks input on presidential search
No elementary schools will close before 2027, Bellingham superintendent says
Hearing Examiner scolds Whatcom County for AltaGas permitting process, orders redo

Cascade PBS
WSU Murrow News Fellowship fights news deserts across Washington

MyNorthwest
PSE wants to add around $51 a month to your electric bill by 2029
Public Health warns of measles exposure in Seattle, Kirkland, and Bellevue
Surge in ICE arrests among farmworkers alarms WA farmers ahead of harvest season

The Stranger
UW Librarians and University Press Staff Walk Out (Scott)

The Urbanist
Library Levy Amendments Would Expand Mayor’s $410 Million Proposal

West Seattle Blog
TRAFFIC, WEATHER, TRANSIT: Thursday watch

Wednesday, April 1

New WA rules expand property tax relief for seniors, disabled, veterans
Property tax relief is on the way for more disabled Washington homeowners and seniors. The Washington Legislature passed a new law that will expand property tax exemptions to cover more seniors, people with disabilities and disabled veterans starting with 2027 property tax statements. Continue reading at The Olympian. (Bob Brawdy)

Highway preservation at center of new WA transportation budget
The largest share of new budget outlays is for preserving and maintaining highways and bridges. Ferguson has made this a focal point in his first term as governor.“I called on the Legislature to make a historic investment in our infrastructure and they delivered,” he said before signing Senate Bill 6005. “Our state needs to keep investing.” Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Courtesy of WSDOT)

WA decertifies about 47 cops accused of misconduct a year. Here’s how it works
The CJTC has decertified about 47 officers each year for the last four years, according to annual reports from the commission. For context, the commission opened 982 certification cases in 2024, and it closed just over half (511) instead of moving to revoke the subject officer’s certification. Continue reading at The News Tribune. (Liesbeth Powers)

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Axios
King County contract fight could lengthen jail stays
Seattle could rename former Chávez park for Dolores Huerta

Capital Press
USDA projects lowest wheat acreage since 1919
Blue states file motion to cut off USDA’s funding conditions
Oregon declares drought emergencies for Baker, Deschutes and Umatilla counties

Everett Herald
Washington adds safeguards for Flock cameras (Trudeau)
SnoCo officials call on Congress to fund clean transportation (Liias)
Sultan lawmaker will not seek reelection when her term ends

News Tribune
Health leader’s ‘harsh’ style left workers in tears, per report obtained by TNT
Chemical firm sued by Port of Tacoma says port bought polluted sites ‘AS IS’
Police calls doubled before violent attacks at Tacoma psychiatric hospital. Why?
WA decertifies about 47 cops accused of misconduct a year. Here’s how it works

Olympian
New WA rules expand property tax relief for seniors, disabled, veterans
WA had $37 million in ‘questionable payments’ for child care in 2025, audit says

Port Townsend Leader
Federal salmon ruling spawns power rate hike
Housing group pushes for affordability in comp plan appeal

Puget Sound Business Journal
WA commits more than $200M to affordable housing
Meta layoffs will hit offices in Bellevue, Seattle and Redmond

Seattle Times
Opinion: Attorneys: WA needs to reform discriminatory bail system
Editorial: Iran war shows why WA should lean into all-electric future
King County Executive Zahilay seeks 500 housing units, explores levy
Opinion: Bail agent: There are hidden costs to reforming WA bail system

Snoqualmie Valley Record
Federal loans available for residents impacted by flooding

South Seattle Emerald
Who’s Keeping an Eye on Seattle’s Surveillance Cameras?

Spokesman Review
Ferguson signs ‘historic’ income tax as efforts to stop it begin (Pedersen, Riccelli, Fitzgibbon)
Cities in Washington ban new ICE detention centers amid Trump push to expand
Ferguson signs AI protection bills as public increasingly embraces the technology
Washington ban of conversion therapy likely overturned by Supreme Court ruling
Overpass may be renamed in honor of Spokane County deputy killed while helping driver last summer
Spokane public defenders are at a ‘critical moment’ as homelessness crackdown stresses courts and caseloads
Working together for wildlands: Dishman Hills Conservancy and Inland Northwest Land Conservancy consider merger

Washington Post
Trump issues order attempting to change rules for mail-in voting
Retirees receive six times as much in federal dollars as young people
Markets rally, oil prices fall as Trump prepares to address nation on Iran war

WA State Standard
Audit questions $37M in child care payments in WA (Wilson)
Highway preservation at center of new WA transportation budget (Fey)
March decline in rents around US is largest since before pandemic
Trump signs order seeking to curb vote-by-mail in bid to control state election laws

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Low snowpack, potentially dry summer increase wildfire risk
Record fuel prices, tariffs have Washington farmers running on empty

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Seattle City Council votes to pause CCTV program
Tech company Oracle announces nearly 500 layoffs in Seattle
T-Mobile cuts more jobs following 393 layoffs earlier this year
PSE proposes new rate increases. Here’s how much you could be paying
Washington doctors are sounding alarm on cannabis health effects, survey shows
‘500 new units of housing in 500 days’: King County executive signs order to combat homelessness

KNKX Public Radio
New agritourism rules are proposed in Skagit County

KUOW Public Radio
Inland Northwest farmers face rising fertilizer, diesel costs from Iran war

KXLY (ABC)
New Washington law expands property tax relief for seniors
City of Spokane plans neighborhood wildfire evacuation drill on April 25

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Skagit County to transition police radio scanners to encrypted frequency

Cascade PBS
WATCH: InvestigateWest tracks accused teachers skirting accountability

InvestigateWest
‘I lost it all’: Residents of Oregon homeless camp say Forest Service blew off calls, appointments to reclaim lost property

MyNorthwest
Pierce County sheriff shuts down Flock cameras after new WA law
Ferguson signs bill allowing college sports betting at tribal casinos (Cortes, A., Stearns)
Washington doctors are sounding alarm on cannabis health effects, survey shows

Washington Observer
A bet against online gambling
The real fight over the income tax begins (Pedersen)

West Seattle Blog
TRAFFIC, WEATHER, TRANSIT: First day of April

Tuesday, March 31

Ferguson signs WA high-earners income tax; challenges expected
State Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, the chief sponsor of the tax bill, smiled broadly at the Monday ceremony, saying the tax reform would “begin to right a historic wrong that has plagued our state for nearly 100 years and made our tax system one of the worst and most regressive in the entire country.” Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Nick Wagner)

Former WA Attorney General to spearhead lawsuit against ‘millionaires tax’
CADF says that it retained McKenna to spearhead the anticipated legal push challenging the measure’s constitutionality; a suit is likely to be filed “within the next few days,” according to the March 30 news release…Then, just before noon on Monday, the conservative political group Let’s Go Washington announced that it is filing a referendum to repeal the income tax, citing constitutionality concerns. Continue reading at The Olympian. (Simone Carter)

Washington adds safeguards for Flock cameras
The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Yasmin Trudeau, D-Tacoma, called the law “the strongest bill in the country.” But she added that “this is the floor, not the ceiling,” potentially leaving more work to be done on the issue in future years.The law takes effect immediately. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Aspen Ford)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Letters to the editor
Grays Harbor residents participate in No Kings rallies
Habitat for wildlife passage between Olympics and Cascades secured
Olympic Region Harmful Algal Bloom Partnership: Safeguarding lives and coastal traditions

Axios
Seattle has 6 big AI advantages but needs a strategy
Supreme Court rejects Colorado’s conversion therapy ban
Ferguson signs Washington income tax targeting millionaires (Pedersen)

Capital Press
Washington Farm Bureau: ‘Millionaire tax’ to pinch ag (Pedersen)
Idaho advances bill on data center water consumption

Everett Herald
New bike track to be built in Arlington
County program brings new tech to flood-impacted farmers
Former Snohomish County engineers describe dysfunctional development approach

The Inlander
Three decades after a Spokane teen’s death inspired Washington’s truancy law, school and court administrators struggle to comply due to funding (Ormsby)

Kitsap Sun
Appeal to stop Bainbridge affordable housing project dismissed

News Tribune
Pierce County woman’s Old Navy lawsuit raises more questions (Springer)
Does Sheriff Keith Swank have discretion to not enforce laws he deems invalid?

Olympian
Former WA Attorney General to spearhead lawsuit against ‘millionaires tax’ (Pedersen)

Peninsula Daily News
Hundreds participate in rally

Puget Sound Business Journal
WA passes income tax on millionaires (Pedersen)
Microsoft, Amazon hail opening of cross-lake light rail line
Renton’s indoor public market nears opening after $10M makeover

Seattle Medium
Sound Transit’s Cross Lake Connection Is Finally Here

Seattle Times
New WA law expands tribal sports betting to college teams (Cortes, A., Stearns)
Ferguson signs WA high-earners income tax; challenges expected
Opinion: WA Legislature left a vital task undone: funding public defenders

Washington Post
Trump administration lawsuit says a women’s retreat is discrimination
Gas hits $4 a gallon for first time since 2022, and costs may keep rising
Supreme Court finds law banning conversion therapy for minors probably violates free speech

WA State Standard
Washington adds safeguards for Flock cameras (Trudeau, Kauffman, Wellman)
Supreme Court to decide if Trump can end birthright citizenship

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Washington sets penny rounding rules for businesses (Berg)
Washington’s ‘millionaires tax’ to affect Seahawks, but impact seen as limited
Most TSA workers got first paycheck in weeks on Monday, signaling possible relief at airports
Washington governor signs trio of bills aimed at protecting immigrants from federal enforcement (Trudeau)

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
WA Gov. Ferguson signs ‘millionaires’ tax’ into law
TSA: Most of its workers paid for at least 2 missed checks
Lawsuit expected after WA ‘millionaires’ tax’ signed into law
Nearly 70 Starbucks employees laid off after Seattle store closures
One year later: Community holds vigil for missing Jonathan Hoang
WA AG sues Kalshi, alleges illegal gambling through prediction market
Supreme Court rules against Colorado ban on ‘conversion therapy’ for LGBTQ+ kids

KUOW Public Radio
Washington’s historic income tax on high earners is now law
Coming soon: Lawsuit challenging Washington state’s ‘millionaires tax’

NW Public Radio
C2FR says new insurance rating benefits rural properties
Tri-Cities business leaders worry there’s not enough power to go around
Feds aim to build pens in Columbia to hold dredge spoils, as land sites diminish
Hundreds of thousands turn out for ‘No Kings 3.0’ in cities and towns across the Northwest

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Skagit leaders approve agreement with Seattle City Light
Construction starts on new WWU student success building
New agritourism rules are proposed in Skagit County. Here’s what to know
Bellingham schools to eliminate 60 teaching positions due to budget challenges

The Stranger
Slog AM: Millionaire’s Tax Is Law, Insurrectionists Say Police Used Excessive Force on Jan. 6, Bob Dylan’s Weird Patreon Project Smells Like AI

The Urbanist
Highland Park Bikelash Presents Early Test for Katie Wilson’s SDOT

West Seattle Blog
TRAFFIC, WEATHER, TRANSIT: Final day of March
PHOTOS: Day of ‘No Kings’ rallies, including closed-street gathering in The Junction
On eve of new Seattle Public Schools superintendent’s West Seattle visit, WSHS PTSA sounds alarm about possible staff cuts

Monday, March 30

Ferguson poised to sign ‘millionaires tax’ into law in Washington
The proposal went through several iterations as lawmakers in the House and Senate debated amendments to the bill’s scope. Ferguson said earlier this month that he would sign the bill that passed the Legislature. Rep. April Berg, D-Everett, chair of the House Finance Committee, said revenue generated by the tax beginning in 2029 would fund schools, health care, higher education institutions, and public safety. Continue reading at KING 5. (Maddy Grassy)

WA income tax: A look at where the money will go
Pedersen said the tax cuts included in the bill are nothing to scoff at and will lower costs for millions of state residents every time they go shopping. Starting in 2029, the sales tax will be eliminated on purchases of over-the-counter drugs, diapers and hygiene products like toothpaste and shampoo. “Anything that you buy in a grocery store pretty much is going to be tax-free whether it’s Advil or Crest toothpaste, or Pampers or whatever,” Pedersen said. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Karen Ducey)

Washington farmers feel the pain of Iran war
The ongoing Iran War is affecting consumers at the gas pump. But for farmers, it’s not just the price of fuel, but fertilizer, too. And that could affect what we all pay at the grocery store. Continue reading at KUOW. (Posey Gruener)