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Friday, December 6

Bill offering wildfire survivors relief from taxes and fees passes Congress
After more than five years of waiting in some cases, wildfire survivors across the West will be relieved of paying federal income taxes on their recovery settlements and lawyers fees. The Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2023 passed the Senate on Wednesday night, about six months after it was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives nearly unanimously. The bill, which is likely to be signed by President Joe Biden, would exempt people who have survived a wildfire between 2016 and 2026 from paying federal income taxes on disaster recovery settlements and fees paid to lawyers that were received or paid between 2020 and 2026. Continue reading at The WA State Standard. (Chris Majors)

King County seeks help from State legislature After Approving 2025 Budget
Days after finalizing a 2025 budget, King County Executive Dow Constantine and the King County Council met with state lawmakers this week, advocating for legislative fixes to some of the county’s most structural financial issues. Monday’s annual meeting with King County’s legislative delegation, lawmakers from 17 districts from Woodinville to Federal Way, was a formal opportunity to present the County’s legislative priorities for the 2025 session, which starts January 13. Continue reading at The Urbanist. (Ryan Packer)

Area school districts discuss legislative priorities
The superintendents and many school board representatives from area school districts met Thursday afternoon to speak about their legislative priorities for the coming session. They were joined by state Reps. Carolyn Eslick, Sam Low and Clyde Shavers, and Sens. Liz Lovelett and Keith Wagoner. Mount Vernon School Board President Larry Otos said several years ago the districts decided to form a group with the area superintendents and board presidents to better relay the collective needs of the districts to elected officials. Continue reading at The Skagit Valley Herald.

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Aberdeen Daily World
Opinion: PUD entering 85th year in good hands, on solid ground

Axios
Psilocybin eases burnout and depression, UW study finds

Capital Press
Northwest family foresters feel drought effect in 2025
Updated treaty shows biggest change in moderately wet years
Roundtable mulls ways to force wide buffers on Washington farmland
Farmers face lower bonus depreciation, other tax challenges as year closes

Everett Herald
Everett council approves $644M budget with cuts to parks, libraries
Federal judge rejects Boeing’s guilty plea related to 737 Max crashes
Snohomish County awards money to improve warming, cooling centers

International Examiner
Sound Transit casts doubt on 4th Avenue station, resurrects controversial 5th Avenue option

News Tribune
U.S. Rep. Marilyn Strickland elected secretary of Congressional Black Caucus
If Sound Transit gets its way, the light rail from Federal Way will stop here in Tacoma
Owner’s vast Lakewood property selloff over 2 years clears way for housing near transit

Puget Sound Business Journal
2 Seattle colleges make deal to merge
New data reveals Seattle’s surprising ranking for GDP growth

Skagit Valley Herald
Area school districts discuss legislative priorities (Lovelett, Shavers)

Spokesman Review
Spokane Board of Health will not outsource treatment services anytime soon
Spokane Valley Fire Department celebrates opening of $13 million training center, burn tower

Washington Post
AI chatbots are exploiting loneliness, with tragic results
Appeals court upholds nationwide TikTok ban-or-sale law
UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting is driving corporations to bolster security

WA State Standard
Bill offering wildfire survivors relief from taxes and fees passes Congress
Attorneys in Idaho abortion trafficking case call court decision ‘major victory’
Scammers claiming to be from a state agency are targeting Washington businesses
Here’s who Bob Ferguson wants to lead WA’s departments of corrections and ecology
Opinion: Washington must continue programs that address homelessness

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Seattle to double school zone speed cameras by the end of 2025
Muslims in Washington likely to have experienced discrimination
US judge rejects plea deal between Boeing and DOJ over fatal 737 Max crashes
Damage from bomb cyclone wind storm nearing $20 million in Snohomish County

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
SPD reveals derailed plan to return officer to Seattle high school
Social Security benefits to increase for millions of recipients in 2025
Seattle University and Cornish College of the Arts planning to join forces
Bellevue updating affordable housing strategy to address growing housing needs
US added a strong 227,000 jobs in November in bounce-back from October slowdown
UW: Artificial Intelligence is headed towards doctors’ offices and it is not always a good thing

KNKX Public Radio
Tacoma City Council will direct city manager to make layoffs to balance budget

KUOW Public Radio
Cornish and Seattle U announce plans to merge as higher ed storm looms

KXLY (ABC)
New training facility will help SVFD firefighters prepare for emergency situations
City of Spokane launches new data dashboard to help track and respond to homelessness crisis
FBI agent tells true story behind new movie “The Order” named after domestic terrorist group from INW

NW Public Radio
Hazardous chemicals leak into groundwater below Pasco Sanitary Landfill
Group representing retired Clarkston ophthalmologist asks US Supreme Court for injunctive relief

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Lummi Nation receives nearly $5M for salmon habitat projects
Health equity event brings rural Whatcom residents together to voice what’s needed

Crosscut
Strickland takes Congressional Black Caucus leadership role

The Urbanist
King County seeks help from State Legislature after approving 2025 budget (Pedersen)
Seattle’s embattled Police Accountability Director resigns, raising reform questions

Thursday, December 5

Washington secretary of state certifies 2024 election results
Washington’s 2024 election is in the books. Well, almost. Secretary of State Steve Hobbs and Gov. Jay Inslee certified the results on Wednesday — except for a recount of ballots cast in the duel for a state Senate seat in southwest Washington. Election officials predicted 80% of voters would cast a ballot. Washington came up just short of that mark with a turnout of 78.94% and 3,961,859 voters participating. That’s down from an 84% rate in 2020 when 4,116,894 people cast a ballot, but higher than in 2016. Continue reading at The Washington State Standard. (Jerry Cornfield)

New taxes part of discussion for legislative leaders about to make history
Tax increases, and potentially new tax proposals, will be on the table when Washington state legislators convene in Olympia in January for an historic session. Meanwhile, the leaders of the House and Senate will be making history of their own. Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins and Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen will be the first LGBTQ members to lead their respective chambers. One of their priorities this upcoming session will be passing a balanced budget. Both Pedersen and Jinkins said new streams of revenue will be explored, and said they drew confidence from the results of the November election. Continue reading at King 5. (King 5)

Washington carbon auctions resume after surviving election challenge
Washington state held its first carbon auction since voters upheld the state’s flagship climate law in November. The results of Wednesday’s auction, with hundreds of millions of dollars changing hands, won’t be revealed for another week. But with the state’s system for capping carbon emissions no longer at risk of being repealed by voters, the price businesses are willing to pay to keep harming the climate is expected to climb. Continue reading at KUOW. (Kathleen Lumiere)

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Axios
Emerald City’s $1.5 million housing future
Seattle City Councilmember Tammy Morales resigns
Downtown Seattle sees visitors and worker numbers rise

Capital Press
Judge puts nationwide hold on corporate reporting law
Report: Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission seen as ‘dysfunctional’

Everett Herald
Edmonds residents urge city to reconsider fire annexation
Mukilteo police investigate online threat at Kamiak High
Off-duty Edmonds officer accused of pointing gun at fellow driver
Public damage costs from bomb cyclone near $20M in Snohomish County
Editorial: Stop the clock on our twice-yearly time change (Dhingra)

The Inlander
NEW BRIEFS: Spokane City Council wants the state to protect cryptocurrency users
Opinion: Demonizing “enemies” for political gain goes back to the very start of United States history

International Examiner
Councilmember Tammy Morales announces resignation from the Seattle City Council

News Tribune
Tacoma expects layoffs, doesn’t fund firefighter program amid ‘dire’ financial situation
Late-night liquor sales were just banned in this Pierce County city. Some are displeased
Why aren’t parents told when a kid who made threats returns to school? What is shared?
$72 million in federal funding was at stake. Pierce County says it will keep its ARPA funding
Opinion: Trump’s plan to use US military for mass deportations destroys an important boundary

New York Times
E.P.A. Again Seeks Limits on a Harmful Pesticide
What Trump’s Cabinet Picks and Advisers Say About Climate Change
Most Rural Hospitals Have Closed Their Maternity Wards, Study Finds
Her Wrestling Empire Was Said to Harm Children. Trump Chose Her for Education.

Olympian
Washington AG-elect Nick Brown fears next Trump term bringing ‘uniquely dangerous threats’

Puget Sound Business Journal
Seattle City Council member to resign
A big small-business reporting requirement is no more. Here’s why.

Seattle Medium
12-Year-Old’s Joyride Ends After 160-Mile Chase In Washington
Seattle Embraces Co-Living: New Law Eases Housing Restrictions (Salomon)

Spokesman Review
Department of Natural Resources defends proposed sale and development in Latah Valley
Newman Lake irrigation district considers hefty rate hike; small farmers say they can’t afford it
Nikki Otero Lockwood will carry on as Spokane Public Schools’ board president as board selects leadership
For years, some employers have legally paid disabled workers below minimum wage. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Patty Murray are hopeful a Labor Department proposal will end the practice

Washington Post
What happened the last time Trump moved federal jobs out of D.C.

WA State Standard
Washington secretary of state certifies 2024 election results
Appeals court allows Idaho to enforce its ‘abortion trafficking’ law
$849 million for Western water projects announced by Biden administration
WA program to help low-income tenants buy homes has led to zero purchases (Pollet, Stearns)

Wenatchee World
East Wenatchee City Council pulls from general fund to finalize 2025 budget

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima City Council approves utility rate increases
Enrollment up at Yakima Valley College and Heritage University

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
‘Swatting calls’ reported at several western Washington schools
New taxes part of discussion for legislative leaders about to make history (Jinkins, Pedersen)
Morales says she’s worried about Seattle City Council’s future, announces resignation
Lynnwood City Council approves 52% property tax increase to fund $420 million budget

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Gov. Inslee issues freeze on most non-essential hiring
Need a ride? Bellevue launches daily SEA Airport shuttles
Jeff Bezos says he is ‘optimistic’ about a new Trump term and can help with cutting regulations

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Tammy Morales announces resignation from Seattle City Council
Tacoma faces budget crisis amid looming tariffs proposed by President-elect Trump
Tacoma City Council fails to pass amendment to keep firefighter rover program running
Pioneer Square completes walkability project, boosting downtown and waterfront access

KUOW Public Radio
Washington carbon auctions resume after surviving election challenge

KXLY (ABC)
Washington certifies election votes with nearly 80% voter turnout
Code Enforcement struggles to remove abandoned cars around Spokane
Apartment fire in downtown Spokane displaces over 60 people, businesses impacted
‘We are deeply concerned’: Mead fires head football coach for inaction, dishonesty in hazing, bullying case

NW Public Radio
Tacoma City Council will direct city manager to make layoffs to balance budget

Web

Cascadia Daily News
More opioid treatment services coming in 2025 through tribal partnership

Crosscut
Spokane doesn’t want feds to truck nuclear waste through the city

MyNorthwest
Already stretched thin, Tacoma firefighters warn city that budget cuts could cost lives
UW: Artificial Intelligence is headed towards doctors’ offices and it is not always a good thing

Washington Observer
Early takeaways from Re-Wire (Pedersen, Fitzgibbon, Berg, Alvarado)

Wednesday, December 4

Auburn is finalizing ‘asks’ for state lawmakers
For months, Auburn city leaders have been trying to determine what the city’s wants and wishes will be for the upcoming legislative session in Olympia, which begins Jan. 3 and is expected to end by April 27. Among Auburn’s priorities are a number of carryovers city leaders have sought for years. Generally, they fit into six major classes: public safety; regulatory and land use; public works, transportation and infrastructure; parks and open spaces; and social services budget and finance. Continue reading at The Kent Reporter. (Kent Reporter)

Costs remain high for WA affordable housing projects
Many affordable housing projects in Washington are funded in part by the state’s Housing Trust Fund. A new report from the Department of Commerce looked at the cost of building more than 1,200 new affordable units with money from the fund last year. It shows project costs dipped but remained up overall statewide. According to the data, the Housing Trust Fund helped build 21 multifamily projects across the state in 2023. That’s a drop from 32 the year before and way down from 2019 when there were 51. Continue reading at The WA State Standard. (Dan Reynolds)

Adult entertainers to see safety and wage improvement starting in 2025
Starting on Jan. 2, 2025, those who work in the adult entertainment industry will see an increase in safety measures and wage improvements. On Tuesday, the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries announced that adult entertainers will be able to keep more of their wages and be safer. The rules were approved and signed into law in March 2024. “Like any other worker in the state, adult entertainers deserve job-site safety and protection from unfair labor practices,” said Celeste Monahan, L&I assistant director for Fraud Prevention and Labor Standards. “These new rules make sure safety and a level playing field are the standard.” Continue reading at KIRO 7. (KIRO 7)

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Associated Press
Deportation fights to continue at Seattle airport after federal court ruling

Axios
Office to investigate cops is a work in progress in Washington (Entenman)

Bellingham Herald
Bellingham Old Town development proposes 84-unit housing project on site of former landfill

Capital Press
Yakama Nation sues Inslee over Horse Heaven wind and solar project

Everett Herald
‘I feel safe here’: Marysville shelter saves lives as temperatures drop
Comment: What will mass deportation look like in our hometowns?

Kent Reporter
Auburn is finalizing ‘asks’ for state lawmakers

News Tribune
Gov.-elect Ferguson names Tim Lang new secretary of the WA Department of Corrections

Olympian
Gov.-elect Ferguson names Tim Lang new secretary of the WA Department of Corrections
State secures $1M grant to increase flood resilience of Deschutes Estuary restoration project
WA Gov. Inslee freezes nonessential hiring, spending amid projected $10B-$12B budget gap

Puget Sound Business Journal
Here’s what to expect in the 2025 housing market
Bezos gifts millions in Amazon stock to his climate fund

Seattle Times
Advocates devise a plan to pay child care providers a living wage
Majority of Supreme Court seems reluctant to block state bans on medical treatments for minors

South Whidbey Record
Whidbey environmentalists push for state agency to codify fish net-pen ban

Spokesman Review
Pro-Israel sign vandalized for second time at Plymouth Congregational Church
Nez Perce Tribe receives $1.9 million grant to restore creek near abandoned mine

WA State Standard
Costs remain high for WA affordable housing projects
WA Gov. Inslee orders hiring and travel freeze for state agencies

Wenatchee World
Chelan County clarifies homeless camp removal policy

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
State health department suspends the license of Rainier Recovery centers
Off-duty police officer arrested in Lynnwood after allegedly flashing gun at driver
King County urging people to report damages caused by November’s bomb cyclone
‘We’re stealing from the taxpayers’: Whistleblower alleges timecard fraud scheme at Hanford
Republican senator plans push to end state sanctuary law, faces opposition from immigrant advocates (Pedersen)

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Tammy Morales to resign from Seattle City Council
King County estimates over $11 million in November storm damage
Lynnwood City Council voted 4-3 to increase property taxes by 52%
Adult entertainers to see safety and wage improvement starting in 2025
US can continue using Seattle airport for deportation flights, appeals court says
DC lawsuit says Amazon secretly stopped fast deliveries to 2 predominantly Black zip codes
Off-duty Edmonds police officer allegedly points gun at driver during road rage incident in Lynnwood

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
US can continue using Seattle airport for deportation flights, appeals court says
Inslee’s hiring and spending freeze ignites tax hike fears amid looming budget deficit
King County’s $160M battery averts power failure, protects Puget Sound during bomb cyclone

KNKX Public Radio
Lummi Nation brothers win $100K environmental prize
Newest Seattle Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck takes oath

KUOW Public Radio
Sleeping in a stairwell when Seattle shelters are full
Seattle City Councilmember Tammy Morales steps down, citing harmful work environment

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane City Council considers $90,000 grant to crack down on retail theft
Downtown Spokane data shows few individuals responsible for majority of crimes

Web

Crosscut
Newest Seattle councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck takes oath

MyNorthwest
Lynnwood city property taxes to go up by a whopping 52%

West Seattle Blog
FOLLOWUP: Alexis Mercedes Rinck now officially in office as citywide Seattle Councilmember

Tuesday, December 3

More logging is proposed to help curb wildfires in the US Pacific Northwest
U.S. officials would allow increased logging on federal lands across the Pacific Northwest in the name of fighting wildfires and boosting rural economies under proposed changes to a sweeping forest management plan that’s been in place for three decades. The U.S. Forest Service proposal, released Nov. 15, would overhaul the Northwest Forest Plan that governs about 38,000 square miles in Oregon, Washington and California. Continue reading at Indian Country Today. (Rick Bowmer)

Gov. Inslee imposes WA spending freeze amid budget shortfall
Gov. Jay Inslee has declared a spending freeze for Washington state government agencies in response to “a significant operating deficit.” The freeze affects nonessential hiring, service contracts, purchasing of goods and equipment and travel. Spending on critical services, as well as hiring to fill vacancies in critical areas, is exempt from the freeze. Inslee urged other state officials to impose similar restrictions within their agencies and jurisdictions. The Monday directive will remain in place indefinitely. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ellen M. Banner)

First bills drop ahead of WA’s 2025 legislative session
Washington lawmakers have begun teeing up legislation ahead of the 2025 session. Monday marked the first day they could pre-file bills. Legislators will have 105 days to push their ideas through the process after the session kicks off on Jan. 13. There’s no guarantee a pre-filed bill will receive a hearing, the first step on the journey to getting signed into law. Committee chairs make those critical decisions about which bills get an airing and which do not. By pre-filing, lawmakers hope to get their ideas on the radar of those setting agendas for committee meetings. Continue reading at The Washington State Standard. (Jerry Cornfield)

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Axios
Seattle plans to double school zone speed cameras next year

Bellingham Herald
State audit finds low-income tenant homeownership program ‘ineffective’ in Whatcom County
Gov.-elect Ferguson creates subcommittee to combat new administration’s Project 2025: ‘It is dark’

Capital Press
Oregon winter range for wild horses debated before 9th Circuit

Everett Herald
Editorial: What do you want and what are you willing to pay?

Indian Country Today
More logging is proposed to help curb wildfires in the US Pacific Northwest

Olympian
Ferguson names Casey Sixkiller new director of the WA Department of Ecology
WA Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson reveals his selections to lead these 3 state departments
State coalition defends police pursuit restrictions after Sheriff Sanders calls them out

Peninsula Daily News
Cities, counties approve tax hikes
Clallam County commissioners discuss legislative priorities

Puget Sound Business Journal
Small businesses to receive billions in federal funds in 2025

Seattle Times
Fees that pay for WA homelessness programs running short
ICE can use Boeing Field for deportations, appeals court rules
Gov. Inslee imposes WA spending freeze amid budget shortfall
WA lawmakers to make another run at ending daylight saving time
Native American students miss school at higher rates. It got worse during the pandemic

Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit County holds public hearing on preliminary 2025 budget

Spokesman Review
Washington judges uphold $35M judgment against Facebook
Spokane’s building fees jump again next year as city tries to afford growth
Spokane City Council asks for delay to transfer of Thorpe Road property to developer
Getting There: Disagreements flare again over how to pay for promised Spokane traffic unit that still hasn’t ramped up
Spokane County Sheriff’s Office unveils new high tech center intended to help solve crimes more efficiently and effectively

Tri-City Herald
Ferguson names Casey Sixkiller new director of the WA Department of Ecology
Chemicals at $75M Superfund cleanup site leak into Tri-Cities area groundwater
3 lawsuits claim Inslee, regulators sidestepped state law to approve Eastern WA wind farm

Washington Post
Biden moves to end subminimum wages for people with disabilities
Supreme Court to weigh bans on puberty blockers, hormones for trans teens
No more daylight saving time? Musk, Ramaswamy muse on ending clock changes.

WA State Standard
First bills drop ahead of WA’s 2025 legislative session (Dhingra, Saldaña)

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Tacoma Firefighters Union continues to push for more funding in proposed city budget
18-year-old narrowly escapes gunfire in confrontation with driver of stolen car in Ballard
‘These are preventable’: Arrests made in multiple crashes involving impaired drivers Sunday
How a group of Redmond businesses is coming together to raise thousands to fight food insecurity

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
King County is using AI cameras to catch bus lane violators
UW-led research links wildfire smoke with increased dementia risk
Washington State Patrol investigates three suspected DUI crashes in one night
FTC opens Microsoft antitrust investigation that Trump administration must carry on or drop
City of Tacoma considers cutting firefighting program to help with budget deficit; firefighter union

KNKX Public Radio
Bellingham mulls ending parking-space mandates to boost housing

KUOW Public Radio
Judge throws out attempted recall of Seattle School Board president
The U.S. is facing a youth mental health crisis. These skaters want to help
Teens can’t get off their phones. Here’s what some schools are doing about it
Salmonella-linked cucumbers sicken 5 Washingtonians amid string of national foodborne illness outbreaks

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane City Council votes to delay sale of 200 acres in Latah Valley
New Real Time Crime Center aims to enhance safety in Spokane County
Spokane C.O.P.S. director says the program has some money to continue operations

Web

Crosscut
Nooksack Tribe serves eviction notices to disenrolled households

Washington Observer
Re-Wire is almost here (Berg)

Monday, December 2

Enrollment drops, but demand for workforce development grows at community colleges
Washington employers are turning to community colleges to meet their workforce needs amid a worker shortage. But the pipeline for skilled workers is running dry. Enrollment declines at community and technical colleges hit many institutions hard during the pandemic, and a full return to pre-pandemic levels remains elusive. Community and technical colleges have long been regarded as premier providers of mid-skilled workers, like electricians, carpenters, dental assistants and construction managers, among others. Demand for such jobs is expected to increase in the coming years as more potential workers shy away from the prospect. Continue reading at PSBJ. (Anthony Bolante)

Fees that pay for WA homelessness programs running short
State funds that pay for homelessness services in Washington are running low, and the Legislature may need to find extra money to avoid program cuts. The Department of Commerce anticipates a nearly $403 million shortfall in fee revenue that goes toward programs like emergency shelter grants, temporary rent assistance and support for homeless youth. The department is asking the Legislature to set aside general funds to maintain current levels of service, to address inflation and to help local governments who have seen declines in their own homelessness funding.
Continue reading at the Washington State Standard. (Laurel Demkovich)

Could Trump withhold federal funding to Washington state? Treasurer prepares for worst
As Washington state officials prep for a second Trump presidency, perhaps no state official has been more explicit than Pellicciotti about preparing for what he sees as the worst possible outcome: Donald Trump and his administration cutting federal funding to liberal states. In the last fiscal year, the federal government provided Washington state more than $27 billion: health care, law enforcement, education funding. Pellicciotti has also been speaking to other Democratic treasurers or comptrollers around the country trying to get ready for similar things. Continue reading at KUOW. (Scott Greenstone)