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Wednesday, February 12

Popularity of Washington state’s new paid family and sick leave law leads to processing backlog
Washington state’s new paid family and medical leave program is so popular, it’s causing problems. Since going live three weeks ago, more than 20,000 Washington state residents applied for the partial-wage replacement leave program. And the large volume of applications has led to longer than anticipated wait times for processing with the Employment Security Department – close to four weeks. But the state says it will make it up to those affected by the delay, paying applicants retroactively to the date of their leave, not when their application is approved. Continue reading at The Spokesman Review. (Ted S. Warren/AP)

Bill to legalize sports gambling in Washington state advances to potential final House vote
Legalized sports gambling within Washington state’s tribal casinos took another step Tuesday toward becoming reality this year. A House appropriations committee voted 25-7 to forward sports gambling bill HB 2638 to a possible full floor vote before the March 13 end of this year’s shortened legislative session. If passed by the House, then followed with a similar Senate vote on companion bill SB 6394, the sports-gambling initiative could be forwarded to Gov. Jay Inslee by spring. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)

Commissioner: Officials overzealous in Iranian border stops
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Acting Commissioner Mark Morgan said Tuesday that border officials in Washington state “got a little overzealous” when they detained Iranian and Iranian-American travelers at the U.S.-Canada border last month. As many as 200 people of Iranian descent were held up for as long as 12 hours as they crossed the border from Canada into Washington state the weekend of Jan. 5-6, following a U.S. drone strike that killed a top Iranian general. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Mark Lambie/The El Paso Times via AP, File)

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Associated Press
Seattle councilwoman charged over work toward ‘Amazon tax’
Critics decry proposed cuts in Hanford nuclear cleanup plan
Officials were overzealous in Washington state border stops of Iranians, CBP says

Aberdeen Daily World
Stevens School, Elma stadium falling short, levies passing countywide
State set to repave 101 through Hoquiam, Aberdeen
House Democrats split on any action regarding Shea (Jinkins)
Popularity of state’s new paid family and sick leave law leads to processing backlog

Columbian
In Our View: Nuclear waste requires innovative solutions

The Daily News
Committee narrows list of potential homeless sites to two locations
Feb. 11 election results: Four of six local school levies pass

Everett Herald (subscription required)
Bond ballot measures are failing in several school districts
Snohomish County special election results for Feb. 11, 2020
Who gets money from opioid lawsuits? Everett woman has idea (Robinson)
Cornfield Report: New House speaker is hands-off when it comes to committees (Jinkims)
Lynnwood council OKs another city center housing development
Commentary: How T-Mobile-Sprint merger makes inequality worse
Editorial: Ballot’s ‘push polls’ on taxes don’t advise anyone (Kuderer)

Kirkland Reporter
County head tax bill passes committee (Macri, Frame)
Op-ed: We must keep firearms away from violent offenders (Walen)

Kitsap Sun (subscription required)
Bremerton school funding measures pass, North Mason’s fails in early results

New York Times
Trump praises attorney general for intervening in Roger Stone case
How the T-Mobile and Sprint merger would affect customers
FTC broadens review of tech giants, homing in on their deals
Parent at elite college accused of sex trafficking and abusing students
Juul Bought Ads Appearing on Cartoon Network and Other Youth Sites, Suit Claims
Trump Praises Attorney General for Intervening in Stone Case

Olympian (subscription required)
Thurston housing inventory remains at historic low as median price rises to $351,167
Wash. state reverses course on some nasty Hanford nuclear waste. Alternative was worse
Most Thurston school funding measures passing in early tallies, but 2 bonds in limbo

Peninsula Daily News
Wild Olympics legislation heads to House floor vote (Tharinger)
Lack of day care options a strain on county’s overall economy (Senn, Chapman, Tharinger)

Puget Sound Business Journal
Coronavirus shock could push Europe into a downturn
In a reversal, Amazon supports concept of head tax
Big Tech ordered to reveal details of smaller deals

Redmond Reporter
Standing room only at historical talk on Redmond’s ties to fascism
Unstable housing? Apply for Section 8

Seattle Times (subscription required)
In an all-time low, Boeing wins zero orders and delivers just 13 jets in January
Westneat: Where others failed, now Amazon is taking up the case against the president
Vying for a golden ticket: King County Housing Authority reopens subsidized housing lottery
Bill to legalize sports gambling in Washington state advances to potential final House vote (Petersen)
Special election results: Bellevue School District may get approval for largest bond it’s ever asked for
‘A luxury prison camp’: Washingtonians on cruise ships held captive by coronavirus, uncertainty
Reforms left to ‘die on the vine’ after teen is killed in 2017 King County sting, report says
Seattle police acted reasonably in fatal shooting of man in Lower Queen Anne, review finds
A new plan to prevent youth homelessness may be coming to King County — imported from 8,000 miles away
In an all-time low, Boeing wins zero orders and delivers just 13 jets in January
Seattle’s Kshama Sawant charged with violating city law by using council office to promote ‘Tax Amazon’ initiative
Editorial: Spread the word on new property-tax exemptions
Op-Ed: Washington should pass clean-fuel standard like Oregon, California
Op-Ed: Legislature can make it easier for workers to save for retirement
Editorial: Seattle Archdiocese should embrace true transparency

Skagit Valley Herald
Law enforcement challenges report on sting operation that killed Federal Way teen
Red Cross opens shelter after minor landslide in Fall City

Spokesman Review
Spokane County to spend $50,000 researching temporary jail structures
‘Activist in residence’ teaches EWU students about immigrant rights
Opinion: Amaroq Weiss: It’s time for a change in how Washington manages its wolves
Popularity of Washington state’s new paid family and sick leave law leads to processing backlog

Tri-City Herald
This Kennewick school has a new idea for getting kids to eat better — and throw away less
Wash. state reverses course on some nasty Hanford nuclear waste. Alternative was worse
Guest Opinion: Idaho dams must be part of fish discussion

Walla Walla Union Bulletin (subscription required)
Editorial: Lawmakers should learn from college tuition break mess (Pedersen)

Washington Post
Microsoft criticizes Amazon’s ‘sensationalist and politicized rhetoric’ in Pentagon cloud lawsuit

Broadcast

KING5 TV (NBC)
Results from hot measures in Washington’s February special election
Jury awards Amtrak train crash victim $10 million
Washington bill could allow for sale of hard liquor at smaller grocery stores
Bill to ban solitary confinement for teens passes out of committee
Tacoma redesigning popular beach using climate change projections
Metal debris damages vehicles on I-405 in Kirkland Tuesday morning (Kilduff)

KIRO7 TV (CBS)
Coronavirus taking toll on King County public health staff, funds ahead of possible outbreak
Jesse Jones investigates mailers called ‘deceptive as all-get-out’
Committee passes plan to limit sports betting to tribal casinos

KOMO4 TV (ABC)
International District businesses stigmatized by coronavirus concerns
Sawant charged with ethics code violations over ‘Tax Amazon’ initiative
Trio of unrelated fentanyl deaths in King County stir concern
Review blasts King Co Sheriff’s shooting investigation into 17-year-old’s death
King County official vows to fight feds over immigration flight ban at Boeing Field
Sanders declares victory in NH; Buttigieg secures close 2nd, Klobuchar 3rd

NW Public Radio
Odds Improving That Washington May Legalize Sports Betting, But Not Like Oregon

Q13 TV (Fox)
‘It’s hard to stay positive’: Five Washington state residents stuck on cruise ship in Japan amid coronavirus outbreak
Teachers unions sound alarm on active shooter drills
Kshama Sawant facing ethics charges over Tax Amazon campaign
Bernie Sanders wins New Hampshire primary as race shifts to Nevada and South Carolina

Web

Civic Skunkworks
Honey, I Shrunk the Government

Crosscut
Will flood protections set back salmon restoration in the Chehalis River Basin? (Frockt)
Opinion: Solving Seattle’s violent crime begins with mentorship, not fear and punishment

My Edmonds News
Liias-proposed compromise on vehicle valuation issue wins Senate Transportation Committee approval (Liias)

MyNorthwest.com
Almost 20 cars get flat tires on stretch of I-405 Tuesday morning (Kilduff)

Seattle P.I.
Critics decry proposed cuts in Hanford nuclear cleanup plan
New study names Kent and Renton among most ethnically diverse cities in U.S.
House poised to protect Washington’s Olympic wilderness, rivers

Slog
King County Sheriff’s Office Criticized in Scathing Report Over 17-Year-Old’s Death
King County Closes the Case of a Hoax Robbery at Bob’s Burgers

South Seattle Emerald
What the state Legislature could have in store for South Seattle (Santos, Hasegawa, Hudgins, Bergquist, Pettigrew, Saldaña)

Washington State Wire
Series of housing bills pass out of the House Finance Committee (Macri, Walen, Wylie)

Tuesday, February 11

College grant funding bill signed into law
Gov. Jay Inslee on Monday signed the first new law of this year’s legislative session, a measure that changes the structure of a new business and occupation tax surcharge levied on some professional services and technology companies in order to create a more stable revenue stream for the state’s college grant program. Continue reading at The Bellingham Herald. (Rachel La Corte/AP Photo)

Attorney General William Barr waves as he walks on stage to speak at the National Sheriffs’ Association Winter Legislative and Technology Conference in Washington

Justice Department brings new suits over sanctuary policies
The Justice Department ratcheted up legal pressure Monday on local governments over “sanctuary” policies that hinder federal immigration officers, bringing two new lawsuits and launching a coordinated messaging campaign to highlight an election-year priority of President Donald Trump. Declaring that law enforcement officers are being “put in harm’s way by these ideologically driven policies,” Attorney General William Barr said the Trump administration is suing the state of New Jersey and the county that is home to Seattle over immigration policies that offer protections to immigrants in the U.S. illegally. Continue reading at The Skagit Valley Herald. (Susan Walsh)

RIP to these Washington state legislative bills
our weeks into the 2020 legislative session, it’s impossible to say what new laws will be created to address major issues like the environment, homelessness or taxes. It is possible to predict with some certainty some bills that won’t become law.Friday was the first of several deadlines known as cut-off dates, which a bill has to get past with a minimum level of approval to remain viable in the scramble to push legislation through the two chambers before the session ends March 12. Continue reading at The Daily World.

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Associated Press
Seattle City Council approves winter eviction ban
Timber companies, environmentalists sign ‘historic’ pact
Justice department sues King County over ban at Boeing Field
College grant funding bill signed into law
Ethics board dismisses staffer complaint against lawmaker (Santos)
Officials seek voluntary evacuations due to landslide risk
Committee OKs carve out for media on birth date disclosure (Gregerson)
Bill would create office to collect firearm violence data (Dhingra)
Defense rests without Weinstein testifying at rape trial
Philippines notifies US of intent to end major security pact
US says Chinese military stole masses of Americans’ data
Justice Department brings new suits over sanctuary policies
Many winter residential evictions banned in pricey Seattle
Epilepsy treatment side effect: New insights about the brain
Concordia University in Oregon to close this year
US speeds cases of translators, others blocked by travel ban
Feds suing NJ, Seattle county over ‘sanctuary’ policies
Psychiatric hospital patient dies, another hospitalized
Trump wins suit over records of meetings with world leaders

Aberdeen Daily World
County gets $750,000 over two years to stem opioid epidemic
Rep. Walsh introduces bill to reduce classroom disruptions
RIP to these Washington state legislative bills (Van De Wege)
Letter: Gun bill goes further than necessary

Bellingham Herald (subscription required)
‘There’s so many hungry kids’ and these Whatcom volunteers ‘don’t want to look away’
Trump administration proposes deep Hanford spending cuts. “Woefully short,” says senator
Patient found dead at Western State Hospital, another hospitalized
Olympia woman among those stuck on quarantined cruise ship in Japan

Bothell Reporter
Gov. Inslee signs tax bill to help fund higher education (Pedersen)

Columbian
In Our View: We must be wary of election interference

Everett Herald (subscription required)
Early light rail station preparations under way in Lynnwood
Cornfield Report: Halfway there, budget committees dive into a pile of bills (Santos)
Fortney decries hire of ex-sheriff as ‘political payback’
Editorial: Ballot’s ‘push polls’ on taxes don’t advise anyone

Federal Way Mirror
King County Metro bus fleet will be electrified by 2035

The Inlander
WSU researchers receive grant to study rural incarceration in Eastern Washington

Islands’ Weekly
Comprehensive Plan draft transportation element and appendix now available
King County studies youth gun violence amid rising suicides
Windows and Mirrors: We need to, but how do we talk about race?
Mental illness: Lawmakers propose plan to treat without consent
UW summarizes Washington climate impact on water
The future could look a lot like this year’s flood season

Journal of the San Juan Islands
Flooding results in county road closures
More drug offenders would be sentenced to treatment instead of prison under proposed law (Dhingra)

Kitsap Sun (subscription required)
As Kitsap’s housing crunch continues, home prices soar
Naval Base Kitsap can house passengers quarantined for coronavirus

News Tribune (subscription required)
Pierce County is a mess of fireworks rules. Will one big city finally catch up?
High risk of serious harm.’ Multiple violations found at Tacoma psychiatric hospital last year
Bill would lower car tabs for Pierce taxpayers, but Sound Transit warns of delays (Liias)

New York Times
Ransomware attacks mount, crippling cities and businesses
Trump says coronavirus ‘will go away in April,’ when it gets warmer
Shooting of Man in the Face by ICE Turns Into a Trump-New York Fight

Peninsula Daily News
Housing group looking for solutions for workforce
Opinion: On car taxes, Sound Transit says it gets it, but does it? (Liias)
Legislation would change tax to benefit small businesses (Pedersen, Van De Wege, Tharinger, Chapman)
Committee approves carve out for media on birth date disclosure (Gregerson)
Sprint, T-Mobile win judicial approval of merger
Safe haven dollar is headwind for US economy
Opinion: Regulation lags behind banking in the digital age

Seattle Times (subscription required)
Seattle City Council OKs ban on wintertime evictions; here’s how it would work for renters, landlords
Seattle looks at allowing far more tiny house villages and tent cities
Don’t take away Seattle’s ability to tax big businesses, City Council tells Washington lawmakers (Macri, Springer, Kesier)
Gov. Jay Inslee signs college grant funding bill into law
Will the sun stick around in the Seattle area? Sorry, but …
Trump administration suing King County to allow deportation flights from Boeing Field
Hundreds blocked by travel ban move to front of the line, in settlement filed in Seattle
Seattle University launches public course to bring the ethics of artificial intelligence to the masses
Seattle teenagers get a crash course in cooking and food justice
West Seattle church to host ‘safe lot’ for people living in cars, as pilot program starts to expand
Police shoot and kill man near downtown Kennewick
Washington judge rules city noise ordinance unconstitutional
Patient found dead, another unresponsive at Western State Hospital
Cladoosby defeated in Swinomish Senate election
Annual conference aims to connect, empower women

Spokesman Review
Inslee signs B&O tax surcharge to pay for expanded college aid
Federal attorneys fire opening shot in fight over immigration enforcement restrictions in state of Washington
GSI-backed bill designed to bring development dollars to East Side

Tri-City Herald
Trump administration proposes deep Hanford spending cuts. “Woefully short,” says senator
54 flood victims, 12 pets rescued by helicopters. Damaged I-84 and Hwy 12 reopen
Guest Opinion: Looming power shortage is ‘killer argument’ against dam-breaching

USA Today
President Trump slams sentencing recommendation for Roger Stone, calling it a ‘miscarriage of justice’
Trump says Coronavirus will be gone by April when the weather gets warmer, doesn’t offer scientific explanation

Walla Walla Union Bulletin (subscription required)
For decades, CIA read encrypted communications of allies and adversaries
Once-powerful Montana mining town warily awaits cleanup of its toxic past
Some Americans are already voting by phone. Here’s why that could become more popular.
China urges countries to restore ties for sake of global economy as coronavirus deaths pass 1,000
The U.S. deported them, ignoring their pleas. Then they were killed.
In South Dakota, a budding transgender movement is taking on conservative lawmakers — and winning
A stolen plaque marking slave auctions shook Charlottesville. Then an odd thing happened.
The coronavirus is spreading rapidly. So is misinformation about it.

Wenatchee World
Vibrant murals on Yakamart building bring awareness to missing, murdered indigenous peopl

Broadcast

KHQ
“How can dumping a murdered body be a misdemeanor?”: Spokane families work to change state law

KING5 TV (NBC)
Federal judge approves T-Mobile’s $26.5B takeover of Sprint
Common recycling mistakes and how to fix them
Voluntary evacuations in Fall City due to landslide concerns
UW testing technique identifies 64 new chemicals in Puget Sound
Mudslide isolates Snohomish County community — and the fix could take a year

KIRO7 TV (CBS)
Mother of 5 dies after 4 days of solitary confinement at SCORE (GRAPHIC WARNING)
DOJ sues King County to resume ICE flights
Classes canceled at two schools in Shoreline as police investigate threats
Victoria Clipper proposes taking over Anacortes-Sidney ferry route if state pulls out

KOMO4 TV (ABC)
Kent named one of most ethnically diverse cities in America
Feds sue King County over immigration flight ban at Boeing Field
Washington lawmaker introduces student restraint legislation
New proposal to authorize additional tiny home villages in Seattle advances

KNKX FM
Lawmaker wants to end better-than-Boeing tax break for prescription drug warehouses (Davis)
Flood Waters Begin To Recede In Pacific Northwest
Helicopter Rescues, Highways Closed, Sandbags Filled As SE Washington And NE Oregon Hit With Floods

KUOW FM
Seattle Council bans some winter evictions, but mayor will have final say
Barr: ‘Door Is Open’ To Giuliani Tips On Ukraine, Though They’d Be Scrutinized
‘Proceed very cautiously’: Experts say WA online elections raise security concerns
Chinese Hackers Charged In Alleged Cyber-Theft Of 145 Million Americans’ Data
Amazon Wants Trump To Testify About Military Contract Awarded To Microsoft

NW Public Radio
Federal Government Sues King County Over Ban Of Deportation Flights From Boeing Field
Mitzi Montoya Left Job As WSU’s Provost After 2 Months. Newly Obtained Emails Shed Light
Canadian Court Clears The Way For Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion; First Nations Opposed

Q13 TV (Fox)</strong
Seattle City Council passes moratorium on winter evictions
Escorted convoy helps residents near Mount Rainier navigate through landslides on SR 706

Web

Crosscut
After a century of suppression, Native languages are being revived in Washington schools (McCoy)
King County’s new youth jail and the false promise of ‘zero youth detention’

MyNorthwest.com
DOJ suing over ban on Boeing Field ICE flights
Seattle City Council approves Sawant’s ban on winter evictions
New Washington state bill would track and merge gun violence data
Judge clears a major path to T-Mobile’s $26.5B Sprint bid
Seattle City Council passes amended proposal to ban winter evictions
15 U.S. senators sign letter to Jeff Bezos demanding Amazon put worker safety ahead of profits

Monday, February 10

Advisory votes on tax increases under fire | 2020 Legislative Session
Advisory votes that give voters a chance to let lawmakers know their opinions on legislation to increase taxes may be removed from future ballots. Instead, senators are considering replacing advisory votes with a public opinion task force. The proposal is not about silencing voters, but rather finding different ways to collect “genuine,” feedback from voters, said the sponsor of Senate Bill 6610, Sen. Patty Kuderer, D-Bellevue. Continue reading at The Bainbridge Island Review.

As new coronavirus spreads, another epidemic looms: ‘yellow peril’ racism
After an unexpected December trip to China’s Hunan province to bury her father, a Renton woman returned home on Feb. 2. The following day, her husband told me, the woman was confronted at her door by her condo property manager. The manager told her because she had traveled to China, she should leave her home and be quarantined. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Erika Schultz / The Seattle Times)

Lawmakers consider allowing recreational pot users to grow it at home
People may be allowed to grow up to six of their own cannabis plants and up to 15 plants per household for recreational use if the Legislature passes House Bill 1131 or its companion, Senate Bill 5155. Under current law, people can obtain prescriptions for medical marijuana to grow up to 15 plants at home. But the proposed bills, sponsored by Rep. Brian Blake, D-Aberdeen, in the house and Sen. Maureen Walsh, R-Walla-Walla, in the Senate, would extend similar home-grow ability to recreational users. Continue reading at Peninsula Daily News.

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Federal Way Mirror
If the coronavirus makes it to Federal Way, how will the city respond?
Short legislative session turns left (Jinkins, Pellicciotti, Das, Wilson)

Inlander
State bill aims to speed up process that keeps Washington patients stuck in hospitals

Islands’ Weekly
Gov. Inslee comments on monument plan

Issaquah Reporter
Heavy rainfall leads to phase 4 flood warnings in Issaquah
Rapid rainfall has led to flooding, impacting all parts of King County.

Kitsap Sun (subscription required)
Brother Don’s: Kitsap County judge rules Bremerton’s noise ordinance unconstitutional
Navy to expand daycare space at Jackson Park through $2.1 million renovation
A homeless shelter in Poulsbo? City leaders start discussion about affordable housing funds
Highway 305 roundabouts: Day Road project pushed back, Totten Road project elevated

Lynnwood Today
21st District telephone town hall set for Feb. 11 (Ortiz-Self, Peterson)

New York Times
Trump’s Budget Math Grapples With Economic Reality
Trump Opens National Monument Land to Energy Exploration

Olympian
Thurston County lifts evacuation advisory after Nisqually River flood waters recede
Peninsula Daily News
More drug offenders would be sentenced to treatment instead of prison under proposed law (Dhingra)
Lawmakers consider allowing recreational pot users to grow it at home (Blake)

Puget Sound Business Journal
Ransomware attacks grow, crippling cities and businesses

Renton Reporter
Guest opinion: Legislative ‘wants’ and ‘needs’
Mental illness: Lawmakers propose plan to treat without consent

Seattle Times (subscription required)
‘Road to Paradise’ blocked by mudslide as Western Washington dries out
Should Seattle ban most evictions in wintertime? City Council will vote today
Ishisaka: As new coronavirus spreads, another epidemic looms: ‘yellow peril’ racism
West Seattle church to host ‘safe lot’ for people living in cars, as pilot program starts to expand
Mudslide closes only road to 120-person neighborhood near Monroe
How fast can a new internet standard for sharing patient data catch fire?
Improved data could help Washington state get ahead of gun violence, says bill sponsor (Dhingra, Pedersen)
A new plan to prevent youth homelessness may be coming to King County — imported from 8,000 miles away
As 3 die of overdoses on same day, King County officials renew fentanyl warning
Who’s in charge at Amazon? Moves on secretive S Team signal tech giant’s priorities
Amazon’s senior leadership team slowly becoming more diverse
Amazon wants to depose Trump over loss of military contract
Editorial: Legislators, keep prioritizing congestion relief
Op-Ed: Seattle keeps making it harder for small landlords like us
Editorial: Charter schools are public schools and deserve more equitable funding
Op-Ed: I am a cancer survivor, and I support the dedicated nurses at Swedish
Op-Ed: For healing, Catholic Church must open sexual-abuse scandal records

Seattle Weekly
The future could look a lot like this year’s flood season
UW summarizes Washington climate impact on water

Skagit Valley Herald
Report says Mount Vernon lawmaker likely violated policy (Morris)

Snoqualmie Valley Record
Snoqualmie still seeking public records software
Flood waters inundate Carnation

Spokesman Review
A look at Rep. Matt Shea’s legal career: Recently laid off, he’s sued bad drivers and a state university
Washington could join national nursing compact, but first needs legislative approval (Riccelli)
RIP to these Washington state legislative bills (Van De Wege, Hunt)
House Democrats split on any action regarding Shea (Jinkins)
Popularity of Washington state’s new paid family and sick leave law leads to processing backlog
Homelessness, housing needs at center of Woodward’s 2020 plans
Opinion: Dr. Michael Dunn, Brad Van Dyne and Lorri Reilly: Creating access and opportunity through STEM education

Tri-City Herald
Rep. Newhouse and Trump at odds after tweets about dangerous nuclear waste disposal
Editorial: State presidential primary is exciting, but many won’t like the rules
Vancouver Business Journal
New CAT rules filed in Oregon, could affect Wash. businesses
Oregon passes new Corporate Activity Tax

Walla Walla Union Bulletin (subscription required)
Editorial: It’s time to end non-binding tax advisory votes
Editorial: Not extending ban on flavored vape products a mistake

Washington Post
James Comey: Trump called me a sleaze. The audience reaction to his rant was more upsetting.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s would-be successor resigns, reports say
Self-driving car company Nuro wins federal safety approval for grocery delivery robot
What, exactly, is the Trump administration’s 5G policy?
Trump’s hostile agenda against low-wage workers
British Airways plane flies from New York to London in under 5 hours, an unofficial record
U.S. charges four members of Chinese military in connection with 2017 hack at Equifax

Broadcast

KING5 TV (NBC)
Snohomish County community isolated after road damaged by mudslide
SR 410 opens only to local traffic near Greenwater after multiple landslides
Seattle City Council due to vote Monday on winter evictions ban

KIRO7 TV (CBS)
Two rivers remain above flood stage; landslides, road closures persist
Travelers believed to be exposed to coronavirus will be quarantined at Shoreline site
Sawant supports business tax, rejects potential restrictions
Judge weighs challenge to Tim Eyman’s $30 car tab measure
Preserving the history of the first black-owned bank in the Pacific Northwest

KOMO4 TV (ABC)
New study ranks Seattle as nation’s 2nd-healthiest city
Families rescued as Umatilla County floods turn deadly; part of I-84 remains closed
Private road damaged by slide near Monroe, isolating 44 homes

KNKX FM
Annual free health clinic in Seattle returns with some changes
Community leaders denounce stigma surrounding coronavirus

KGW8
Vancouver mom’s murder leads to push to strengthen laws protecting victims of domestic violence (Wylie)

KUOW FM
65 More Coronavirus Cases On Diamond Princess Cruise Ship Stuck In Japan
Climate Change Complicates Counting Some Alaska Native Villages For Census
Trump To Again Propose Slashing Foreign Aid In Budget
Floodwaters Begin To Recede In Oregon, Washington
How Trump’s Impeachment Unfolded, In The Words Of Those Who Administered It

NW Public Radio
Helicopter Rescues, Roads Closed, Sandbags Filled: SE Washington And NE Oregon Hit With Floods
Legal Betting On The Super Bowl Was A Big Draw In Oregon. Washington Could Be Next

Q13 TV (Fox)
‘Devastating:’ Residents return home to inspect flood damage as rivers recede
Storm aftermath: Mudslide leaves crumbling path to hilltop neighborhood in Monroe
Amazon wants Trump to testify in battle over $10 billion Pentagon contract

Web

Crosscut
Seattle to consider limiting evictions in winter
‘Free’ casino apps prey on addiction, users say, and WA lawmakers are considering a crackdown

My Northwest
Why Washington will weather Boeing’s 737 MAX crisis
Issaquah residents struggle with flooding and raging waters
Snohomish County task force has plan to address affordable housing
The ‘most important thing’ in Washington’s bid to curb vaping
FAA announces possible certification flight for Boeing 737 MAX in coming weeks

Seattle P.I.
Boeing gets good and bad news on its grounded 737 Max plane

Slog
Washington CEO Says Proposed Payroll Tax Would Cost Less Than a Holiday Party (Macri, Saldana, Nguyen, Frame)

Washington State Wire
Privacy and technology bills to watch this session (Hudgins, Sells)

Friday, February 7

Media would retain access to employee birth dates under new version of bill
Journalists would continue to have access to the birth dates of state and local government employees under the state Public Records Act, but other people would not, under a bill that a House of Representatives committee is expected to vote on Friday. The first version of HB 1888 would have exempted the birth dates of public sector employees from the state’s transparency law. The bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Zack Hudgins, helped craft a compromise between media members who opposed HB 1888 and the public employees’ unions that pushed for it. Continue reading at The Bellingham Herald. (The Olympian)

Investigation: Former lawmaker likely violated House policy
A workplace conduct investigation into former Democratic Rep. Jeff Morris found that he likely violated the Washington House’s policy against harassment and intimidation and “unreasonably interfered with individuals’ work performance.” A four-page summary of the the investigation, written in March 2019, was released Wednesday night in response to public records requests made last year by The Associated Press. House administrators did not release the full report, which is still being sought by the AP and other news organizations. Continue reading at The Walla Walla Union-Bulletin.

Washington lawmakers approve change to business tax to fund college affordability
The Legislature has passed a bill changing the business-and-occupation tax to increase funding for a new program to make college more affordable to students across Washington. Democratic House lawmakers Thursday night approved Senate Bill 6492, 52 to 45. No Republicans voted in favor of the bill; five Democrats from swing districts around the Puget Sound voted against it. Continue reading at The Seattle Times.

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Associated Press
Advisory votes on tax increases under fire (Kuderer)
Lawmakers propose a plan to treatmentally ill people without their consent (O’Ban)
Lawmakers propose cap and trade amid continued push for an emission-reduction policy (Carlyle)
Bipartisan bill to stop Ore. jail from taking detainees
Rains continue to cause flooding in western Washington
Investigation: Former lawmaker likely violated House policy

Bellingham Herald (subscription required)
Government workers rally to try to shield their birth dates from public (Hudgins)
Washington Senate panel OKs partial chlorpyrifos ban (Rolfes)
Washington farmers testify against cap-and-trade bill (Hobbs)
Washington wheat farmer honored for excellence

Columbian
Clark County homeless advocates meet with legislators to push for bills (Cleveland, Stonier, Ramel)
Cornfield Report: It’s cutoff day for policy bills to move out of committee (Jinkins, Chopp)
Editorial: Need grows to aid foster kids, homeless students

Federal Way Mirror
If the coronavirus makes it to Federal Way, how will the city respond?

Islands’ Weekly
Gov. Inslee comments on monument plan

Issaquah Reporter
Heavy rainfall leads to phase 4 flood warnings in Issaquah
Rapid rainfall has led to flooding, impacting all parts of King County.

Kitsap Sun (subscription required)
Corrections contractor charged with sexual misconduct with inmates, false rape accusation
Effort underway to save USS Bremerton sail as monument

News Tribune (subscription required)
Media would retain access to employee birth dates under new version of bill (Hudgins)
Immigrants, refugees, and advocates come to the Capitol to make their voices heard

Peninsula Daily News
Risk of coronavirus ‘not a serious threat’ on Peninsula
U.S. added 225,000 jobs in January; unemployment at 3.6%
As the virus spreads, face mask makers go into overdrive
Amazon plans 15,000 more jobs in Bellevue

Seattle Times (subscription required)
Washington lawmakers approve change to business tax to fund college affordability (Pedersen, Sullivan)
Transit alert: No light rail in downtown Seattle this weekend
Girlfriend of downtown Seattle shooting suspect charged after allegedly hiding him in Las Vegas hotel room
Facing 737 MAX crisis and other challenges, local aerospace suppliers hold tight, try to minimize layoffs
Tight housing inventories and January price jumps hint at a sellers’ spring
Cold windstorm is on the way to Puget Sound area as flooding continues
Report: Ex-state Rep. Morris likely violated House policies; Jinkins ‘unhappy’ with disclosure rules (Jinkins)
Lessons from a year of reporting on the homelessness crisis in Olympia
Op-Ed: Black Americans should not be denied opportunities due to their hairstyles (Morgan)
Editorial: Legislature must end capital punishment once and for all (Goodman, Jinkins, Carlyle)
Ice carvings, lavish dinners and limo rides: Inside a successful UW football recruiting weekend

Skagit Valley Herald
Report says Mount Vernon lawmaker likely violated policy (Morris)

Spokesman Review
‘It gives us food when we don’t have money’: Work begins to expand Second Harvest
Speaker: Next generation must use new ideas to save farms
Murder suspect accused of strangling Eastern State nurse, faking mental illness while awaiting trial
Boeing gets good and bad news on its grounded 737 Max 8 jet

Tri-City Herald
Coronavirus is NOT at Columbia Basin College in Pasco. Here’s how the rumor spread
He brought a gun to Ki-Be High School. Then he threatened a classmate, deputies say
Feds fight $1 million Hanford fine. It increases $30,000 every week the fight continues
Cyber thieves steal $740,000 from Benton County. Employee fell for a common scam
Vancouver Business Journal
City continues work on affordable housing

Walla Walla Union Bulletin (subscription required)
Editorial: Caucuses are lousy way to pick nominees

Washington Post
Boeing’s Starliner space capsule had second software glitch during test flight
Trump preparing to oust national security official who testified in House inquiry
$650 a night at Mar-a-Lago, $17,000 a month at Bedminster: What Trump’s company charged taxpayers for Secret Service lodging
Doctor’s death sparks fury in China; more cruise passengers infected
Digital uprising rattles China’s leaders
Opinion: Why I asked a mom to choose risking her child’s life or deportation
Opinion: Here’s a new abuse of power by Trump that should alarm you
U.S. labor market remained strong, adding 225,000 jobs in January
Judge reduces bond for teen charged with killing her alleged sex trafficker
15 dead in six weeks. Can a federal investigation fix the grim legacy of Mississippi’s prisons?
The Technology 202: Jeff Bezos’s White House tensions get more personal in Instagram swipe
Lawmakers propose a plan to treat mentally ill people without their consent (O’Ban)
CWU student tests negative for coronaviru

Broadcast

KING5 TV (NBC)
KING 5 News Poll: 45% of voters say Washington gun laws aren’t strict enough
Boeing discovers new software issue on 737 Max
Washington state’s ban on flavored vape products expires Friday
Nisqually River flooding forces evacuations in parts of Thurston County

KIRO7 TV (CBS)
Issaquah residents struggle with flooding and raging waters

KOMO4 TV (ABC)
City of Carnation could be ‘island’ due to heavy rains, more flooding expected Friday
‘This is the worst we’ve ever seen:’ Rain causes flooding in Snohomish County
DNA evidence helps police arrest suspect in two sexual assaults

KNKX FM
Washington researchers tackle ocean acidification with new seaweed crops
Big insurers rack up billions in surpluses, now lawmakers may take a bite of the pie (Robinson, Rolfes)

KGW8
Vancouver mom’s murder leads to push to strengthen laws protecting victims of domestic violence (Wylie)

NW Public Radio
Immigrant-Rights Activists Demand Ban On Courthouse Arrests At Olympia Rally (Thai)
Big Insurers Rack Up Billions In Surpluses, Now Lawmakers May Take A Bite Of The Pie (Robinson, Rolfes)

Q13 TV (Fox)
Dozens of roads closed as flooding continues in western Washington
From drizzle to downpours, ‘atmospheric rivers’ are wreaking havoc on western Washington
Maple Valley flooding as bad as it’s been in a decade, locals say
Fourth person charged after deadly downtown Seattle shooting
DNA evidence helps Seattle police arrest suspect accused of raping 2 women

Web

Crosscut
‘My reality became the app’: Why state lawmakers want to rein in mobile games that have in-app purchases (Kloba, Stanford)
How coronavirus has tested Seattle’s infectious disease response
Opinion: Why Seattle’s first responders need to better understand trauma
Why Washington will weather Boeing’s 737 MAX crisis
Issaquah residents struggle with flooding and raging waters
Snohomish County task force has plan to address affordable housing
The ‘most important thing’ in Washington’s bid to curb vaping
FAA announces possible certification flight for Boeing 737 MAX in coming weeks

Seattle P.I.
Boeing gets good and bad news on its grounded 737 Max plae

Slog
If Doctors Prescribe a High Dose of Opioids, They Should Also Prescribe the Overdose Antidote (Liias)
Washington Strippers Won New Workplace Protections Last Year—So Where Are They? (Orwall)If Doctors Prescribe a High Dose of Opioids, They Should Also Prescribe the Overdose Antidote (Liias)
Why Class Warfare Is Escalating in Seattle

Thursday, February 6

Facial Recognition Moves Into a New Front: Schools
Jim Shultz tried everything he could think of to stop facial recognition technology from entering the public schools in Lockport, a small city 20 miles east of Niagara Falls. He posted about the issue in a Facebook group called Lockportians. He wrote an Op-Ed in The New York Times. He filed a petition with the superintendent of the district, where his daughter is in high school. But a few weeks ago, he lost. The Lockport City School District turned on the technology to monitor who’s on the property at its eight schools, becoming the first known public school district in New York to adopt facial recognition, and one of the first in the nation. Continue reading at The New York Times. (Libby March for The New York Times)

King County opens doors to controversial new youth detention center
Over the next two weeks, King County will transfer about forty youth in its custody from the old Youth Services Center to the new Children and Family Justice Center. The new facility in the Central District contains courtrooms, a resource center for families, and 112 new juvenile detention beds, despite ongoing community protests against youth detention. County officials say the new $232 million facility will offer better conditions for court visitors as well as incarcerated youth and their families than the cramped building it replaces. Continue reading at KUOW. (KUOW photo/Megan Farmer)

Amazon, Microsoft support business tax to address housing
Major Seattle-area companies say they are willing to be taxed to help address regional challenges, such as affordable housing and public safety. KUOW reports the companies — including Amazon, Microsoft, Starbucks, and Alaska Airlines – signed a statement released Tuesday, saying: “We think the most high impact way to contribute to meet those needs is in the form of a new business tax.” The statement comes as state lawmakers consider a bill that would allow King County to tax large businesses with high earners to help address homelessness in the region. Continue reading at The Skagit Valley Herald.