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Wednesday, February 5

Fact-checking President Trump’s 2020 State of the Union address
President Donald Trump’s State of the Union speech once again was chock-full of stretched facts and dubious figures. Many of these claims have been fact-checked repeatedly, yet the president persists in using them. Here, in the order in which he made them, are 31 statements by the president. As is our practice with live events, we do not award Pinocchio ratings, which are reserved for complete columns. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Washington Post photo by Jonathan Newton)

Iowa caucus chaos has Washington Democrats feeling ‘brilliant’ for switching to a primary
Speedy election results generally aren’t an area where Washington state — a place where vote-counting often lasts days — gets to claim bragging rights. Still, for many Washington state Democrats, watching the delayed results from Iowa’s highly anticipated precinct caucuses this week brought a feeling of validation. The Washington state Democratic Party recently ditched a similar system of precinct caucus meetings to allocate delegates to presidential candidates. Instead, Washington Democrats will use the results of the presidential primary election on March 10 to help decide the party’s presidential nominee — a first in state history. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Elaine Thompson/AP)

New state legislator reflects on Federal Way service
I recently announced that I am stepping down from my seat on the Federal Way City Council to more fully dedicate myself to my work in Olympia as state representative. It was my absolute pleasure to serve on the council and I’ve made this decision after much reflection, both based on what we’ve accomplished over the last several years and what still remains to be done. Continue reading at The Federal Way Mirror.

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Associated Press
Trump uses State of Union to campaign; Pelosi rips up speech
Macy’s to close 125 stores, shed 2,000 corporate jobs
Trump impeachment acquittal on track ahead of Senate vote
Japan quarantines cruise ship as toll of new virus grows
California pardons gay civil rights leader in new initiative
$30 car tab measure gets a hearing before Wash. state Senate panel
Washington lawmakers retreat on flavored vaping ban (Cleveland)
Washington cannabis farm focus of $4.8M Ponzi scheme case
Canadian court rejects challenge to pipeline, tankers
Court dismisses court challenge to Trans Mountain pipeline

Aberdeen Daily World
Still time to comment on expanded service to Olympia
Chehalis Basin board backs funding bill
Letter: Schools cost money; there’s just no way around it

Columbian
Opinion: In Our View: Legislature must repair its McCleary ‘fix’

The Daily News
University, ICE clash over venue in Cowlitz County records case
Silt study to search for ways to boost Willapa oyster industry

The Daily Republic
Washington State Legislators Debate over New Privacy Bills

Everett Herald (subscription required)
Cornfield Report: Odd-year elections, guns at the Capitol, the death penalty

Federal Way Mirror
Highline College unveils $30.3M renovation of Health and Life Sciences building (Pellicciotti)
New state legislator reflects on Federal Way service (Johnson)

Islands’ Weekly
Rain causes widespread impacts
L41, a prominent Southern resident killer whale, missing
Transition Lopez Island launches Fossil Free by ‘33 Campaign

Journal of the San Juan Islands
Funding for studying harmful algal blooms

Kirkland Reporter
A homeless village at Camp Calvinwood? Kitsap officials look to shuttered park to host tiny homes
Two-boat fast ferry service from Bremerton to begin Feb. 24

New York Times
Tesla’s stock is up 36% in two Days. What’s going on?
1 in 5 Mothers Gets Postpartum Depression. New York City Plans to Help.
Religious School Choice Case May Yield Landmark Supreme Court Decision
Making Yellow School Buses a Little More Green

Olympian (subscription required)
Winning bidder for ferry at port says seller decided to sell it to someone else
You’ve heard of ‘missing middle.’ Now, Olympia wants to take an additional step on housing

Peninsula Daily News
Chapman, Van De Wege against repeal of death penalty (Van De Wege, Tharinger, Chapman)

Puget Sound Business Journal
U.S. oil industry is already suffering from the coronavirus
All-electric’ movement picks up speed, catching some off guard
Big business attacks big tech’s favorite law

Redmond Reporter
We need to, but how do we talk about race?

Seattle Times (subscription required)
Longtime Seattle police victim advocate was accused of child sex abuse while he was a priest
New coronavirus quarantine facility to be in North Bend
State lawmakers back down from flavored vape ban (Dhingra, Cleveland, Kuderer)
Kitsap Transit to launch additional Fast Ferry service between Bremerton and Seattle
Westneat: Banning gas cars? It’s a ‘fringe crazy bill’ no longer (Macri)
Seattle city councilmember agrees to pay fine for texting police chief about RV in front of her home
Seattle police union elects hard-line candidate as president in landslide vote
Big businesses like Amazon support tax for King County, but questions about Seattle, suburbs remain (Macri, Tarleton)
Washington schools don’t have to test their drinking water for lead. This bill would change that. (Pollet, Tomiko Santos)
Gates Foundation pledges $100 million to combat new coronavirus
Bloomberg: Visa is planning the biggest changes to swipe fees in a decade
Amid threats, police presence boosted at Spokane City Council meetings
After Iowa snafu, Washington state officials glad to be rid of caucuses
Op-Ed: No to ‘Head Tax 2.0’: Let regional housing authority do its work
Editorial: Washington Legislature must resist fearmongering and secrecy
LTE: Iowa caucuses: Go, Washington!

Seattle Weekly
Lawmakers back timber industry to help reduce WA’s carbon emissions

Skagit Valley Herald
County monitoring coronavirus outbreak
Panel to debate options for postsecondary education
Road bisecting bear habitat to reopen amid national security

Spokesman Review
Amid unspecific threats, police presence boosted at Spokane City Council meetings
‘The need is critical’: Inpatient psychiatric unit for teens set to open this month
FCC action could improve broadband access across area tribal lands
Spokane County considering temporary jail outside Geiger to ease crowding
Community invited to discuss future plan for downtown
Contract negotiated in private between Spokane and prosecutors approved; Cathcart cries foul
Senate could toughen penalties for crimes involving threats, guns (Dhingra, Salomon)

USA Today
Build the wall? Travel ban? Tax cuts? After Trump’s State of the Union, here’s where he stands on promises

Washington Post
Fact-checking President Trump’s 2020 State of the Union address
Trump paints strong economy as vindication as he tries to move past impeachment
Impeachment trial live updates: Senate expected to acquit Trump today on abuse of power, obstruction of Congress charges

Whidbey News-Times
New planning director hopes to improve service

Yakima Herald Republic
West Valley music program may win out over K-6 grade configuration
Yakima County looking at a bustling real-estate marke

Broadcast

KING5 TV (NBC)
Federal coronavirus quarantine site in North Bend is one of 5 in US
Riot highlights ongoing safety problems at Washington juvenile lockup
SR 99 tunnel marks one-year anniversary and more than a million monthly drivers

KFLD
Dem legislators seek loan program for undocumented students (Liias)

KOMO4 TV (ABC)
In letter, over 200 businesses demand drastic safety upgrade in downtown Seattle
Snow, ice create dangerous conditions over Snoqualmie Pass
Canada court clears way for pipeline, tankers in Wash. state waters
Local elections officials try to ease concerns over security after Iowa results delay

NW Public Radio
Southeastern Washington And North-Central Idaho Libraries Shush Talk Of Continuing Overdue Fines
FACT CHECK: President Trump Delivers His 3rd State Of The Union Address
Insured Adults Are Seeking Less Primary Care As Out-Of-Pocket Health Costs Rise

Q13 TV (Fox)
Landslide closes road in east King County; more landslides possible as heavy rains continue

Web

Bloomberg Law
Latest Allure for Mexico, Caymans Travelers: the Pharmacy (Keiser)

Crosscut
From Canadian imports to price caps, WA lawmakers seek ways to cut drug prices (Keiser)
Iowa caucus chaos has Washington Democrats feeling ‘brilliant’ for switching to a primary (Liias)
Opinion: Washington should join West Coast in banning harmful hobby mining

MyNorthwest.com
How Washington state plans to avoid repeat of Iowa caucus debacle
Battle over death penalty heats up in Olympia (Carlyle, Pedersen)

Seattle P.I.
Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell: Russia will interfere again with 2020 election

Slog
Flavored E-Cigarettes Could Be Allowed in Washington Under New Proposal(Cleveland, Keiser)

Tuesday, February 4

Jayapal: CBP admits to ‘enormous mistakes’ in border stops of Iranian Americans, others from Middle East
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials said the agency made “enormous mistakes in protocol” when its officers questioned Iranian-born people — some for as long as 12 hours — at the U.S.-Canada border last month, according to U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal. On Monday, Jayapal met with Adele Fasano, the director of field operations for the Seattle Field Office of Customs and Border Protection, and Fasano’s chief of staff, as well as U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene and representatives from the offices of U.S. Rep. Kim Schrier and Sen. Maria Cantwell. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ken Lambert/The Seattle Times)

What happens to a ferry after it retires? It gets sold for $200K
A pile of scrap metal or sold off at auction to someone with a dream. Those are the two usual fates that await a 60-something-year-old Washington State Ferry. Unless that dreamer wants to pass along the opportunity at sailing the “largest registered private yacht,” which is exactly what happened with the Evergreen State, the first boat built specifically for use as a ferry in Puget Sound. After being bought at auction in 2018 by Greg Jones, an entrepreneur from Florida, under the buyer name of Jones Broadcasting, it was put back on the auction block. Continue reading at KOMO News. (WSDOT)

Washington lawmaker wants to ban openly carried guns at the state Capitol
Following an unpermitted pro-gun rally, a Democratic state lawmaker has introduced legislation to ban openly-carried guns on Washington’s Capitol grounds. State Rep. Tana Senn of Mercer Island said she filed her bill Monday, just days before a key cut-off deadline, after witnessing what she described as an “unsafe work environment” at the Capitol last Friday. That’s when a group of approximately 250 people, many of them openly-carrying pistols and rifles, staged a pro-Second Amendment “March for Our Rights” event that had not secured a required permit. Pictures posted to Facebook showed the participants rallying on the steps of the Capitol before going inside. Continue reading at KNKX.

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Associated Press
First coronavirus patient in United States home from Everett hospital
Bill seeks to fully reinstate Clean Air Rule (Fitzgibbon)
DHS: New screening to begin amid coronavirus concerns
Window opens for tribes to seek licenses for internet access

Aberdeen Daily World
Aberdeen Armory insurance claim could pay millions more
New legislation would extend tax credits for historic local buildings (Blake)

Auburn Reporter
Fortunato’s $30 car tab legislation to receive public hearing
As the economy soars, so does the number of homeless students in public schools. Why?

Bothell Reporter
Stanford sworn in as senator for 1st Legislative District (Stanford)
Lawmakers back timber industry to help reduce WA’s carbon emissions

Capital Press
Proposed pesticide ban eased; Washington farmers still warn of pitfalls

Everett Herald
Everett bikini baristas file petition to U.S. Supreme Court
Clean technology is about more than just wind and solar
First U.S. coronavirus patient released from Everett hospital
New ferry terminal is making noise again; work on pier begun
Wastewater treatment through ‘real science, real engineering’
McCusker: Our problems need more efficient management, not ‘free stuff’
Cornfield Report: It’s beat-up-on-Sound Transit day at the state Capitol
Editorial: Fix funding for innovative college grant program

Federal Way Mirror
Recredentialed: Hundreds of WA doctors are stuck working survival jobs

Journal of the San Juan Islands
Funding for studying harmful algal blooms
Woods officially appointed as superintendent

Kitsap Sun (subscription required)
In latest report, Kitsap sees improvements in freshwater quality
OPINION: Make our state’s restrictions on vaping permanent

News Tribune (subscription required)
Editorial: Quit trying to hide Washington public employee birthdates. Privacy argument fails
Tacoma community survey shows we feel safe … except when we don’t

New York Times
Big business attacks Big Tech’s favorite law

Olympian (subscription required)
Winning bid for ferry at Port of Olympia was $205,100. Or was it?

Peninsula Daily News
Chapman, Van De Wege against repeal of death penalty (Chapman, Van De Wege, Tharinger)
Supreme Court justice with Peninsula ties set to retire

Seattle Times (subscription required)
Shouldn’t WSDOT address our congested roads? Washington legislators don’t think so (Shewemake, Saldaña)
Third and Pine shooting suspects set to appear for extradition hearing after arrest in Las Vegas
Jayapal: CBP admits to ‘enormous mistakes’ in border stops of Iranian Americans, others from Middle East
Lawmaker proposes bill to ban firearms on Capitol campus after gun-rights activists appear at rally for Shea (Senn)
Washington state businesses brace for impact of the coronavirus, including a big hit to Seattle tourism
Can you trust your smartphone’s weather app?
In an attempt to protect hourly service workers, lawmakers push for statewide law on scheduling (Saldaña)
Small, modular nuclear reactors in Eastern Washington could balance more renewable electricity, power agency says
Heavy rain headed to Seattle area, bringing risk of landslides and flooding
Op-Ed: Raise the gold standard for salmon and orca
Op-Ed: A welcome, timely gathering of scientists in Seattle

Spokesman Review
Senate could toughen penalties for crimes involving threats, guns (Salomon, Dhingra)
Rural nursing shortages leave critical access hospitals in tough spots
Proposed law aims to reduce impact of Planned Parenthood protests in Spokane
Spokane City Council to vote on revised ban on high-pitched devices designed to drive away homeless

Tri-City Herald
Richland’s 12th elementary school still uncertain after state blocks matching money

Walla Walla Union Bulletin (subscription required)
Editorial: Loss of National Archives in Northwest unacceptable
Many are interested in Washington state’s hardest-to-fill teacher jobs. They just need support to get there, survey finds

Washington Post
What travelers should know about face masks amid growing coronavirus concerns
Boris Johnson launches ‘year of climate action’ amid accusations he still ‘doesn’t really get it’
Dow surges a second day as manufacturing data, strong earnings offset coronavirus fears
Jared Kushner put a knife ‘in Netanyahu’s back’ over annexation delay, Israeli settler leader says
Rush Limbaugh says he has advanced lung cancer, will continue radio program while he undergoes treatment
Police handcuffed an autistic teenager. He was having a seizure.
As primary season gets underway, YouTube cracks down on doctored election videos

Wenatchee World
Senate moves to kill death penalty (Carlyle)

Whidbey News-Times
Whidbey water systems respond to state PFAS draft rules
Oak Harbor City Council to consider rates at meeting

Broadcast

KING5 TV (NBC)
State Senate bill could allow sale of flavored vape products (Pollet)
Gun rights rally sparks open carry debate on state Capitol grounds (Senn)
Edmonds-Kingston ferry back in service after train crash blocks terminal
Riot highlights ongoing safety problems at Washington juvenile lockup
Snohomish County man diagnosed with coronavirus released from hospital

KIRO7 TV (CBS)
Nooksack Valley cleaning up after flood
Jayapal, DelBene want more answers on Iranian detentions
New travel restrictions now in effect to help stop spread of coronavirus

KOMO4 TV (ABC)
Fake you? Voice cloning allows for creation of audio that may not be authentic
Snohomish County man treated for coronavirus leaves hospital
Kingston-Edmonds ferry resumes service after car-train crash
Boeing confirms SEC investigating disclosures around 737 Max
What happens to a ferry after it retires? It gets sold for $200K

KNKX FM
El Centro de la Raza opens Federal Way location, responding to demographic shift
Washington lawmaker wants to ban openly carried guns at the state Capitol (Senn)

KUOW FM
Jayapal: Border agents admit ‘enormous mistakes’ in stopping Iranian Americans
Seattle City Council considers banning winter evictions
As Out-Of-Pocket Health Costs Rise, Insured Adults Are Seeking Less Primary Care

Q13 TV (Fox)
Ferguson asks for state cold case unit after hundreds of backlogged rape kits linked to known criminals (Orwall)
Snohomish County man with Wuhan coronavirus released from hospital

Web

Crosscut
Lawmakers want to protect water rights in Washington from Wall Street speculation (Rolfes)
Opinion: Washington should join West Coast in banning harmful hobby mining

Edmonds Beacon
Liias bill would require healthier kid beverages (Liias)

MyNorthwest.com
Study: Washington’s rate of natural disasters tripled in last couple decades
WA lawmaker looks to break ground on universal basic income (Nguyen)

Schmudget
All taxpayers should be eligible for the Working Families Tax Credit

Seattle P.I.
What will it cost to solve the homelessness crisis in King County? New report says up to $11 billion
New study finds that nearly 8% of Seattleites work remotely
US adds ‘low yield’ nuclear weapon to its submarine arsenal

Slog
Washington Is Closer Than Ever Before to Legalizing Homegrown Pot (Blake, Jinkins, Davis, Hasegawa, Saldana, Ryu, Ormsby)

Monday, February 3

Want to make streets safer? Listen to those who have left crime behind
On Jan. 22, eight people were hit as 20 bullets flew from three gunmen in an armed dispute during rush hour on one of Seattle’s busiest intersections. Tanya Jackson, a woman who was called a “protector” of others and who had finally gotten some stability in her life, was shot and killed; a 9-year-old boy was injured. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Greg Gilbert / The Seattle Times)

New Privacy Legislation Introduced in Washington State
A series of privacy bills have been introduced in Washington state, but they present conflicting regulatory visions and their sponsors don’t necessarily see eye-to-eye. After what was designed to be the state’s landmark privacy law failed to materialize last year, its primary sponsor, Sen. Reuven Carlyle, D-Seattle, has introduced Senate Bill 6281, which he hopes will be able to appeal to a diversity of stakeholders in its pursuit of an overarching policy framework. Continue reading at Government Technology. (Shutterstock/Alphaspirit)

Washington’s natural disaster rate has increased, but here’s a way to help prepare
The frequency of FEMA-reported natural disasters within the state of Washington has nearly tripled since 2000, according to a recent study. Between 2000 and 2017, Washington saw 61 natural disasters, according to an analysis by insurance comparison website QuoteWizard, which looked at FEMA natural disaster data for the report. That tied with New Mexico for the fifth-highest number of natural disasters during the time, the study found, behind Texas (172), California (153), Oklahoma (122) and Florida (66). Continue reading at The News Tribune. (The Bellingham Herald)

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Associated Press
Washington Senate passes death penalty repeal bill (Jinkins, Carlyle)
Federal complaint: Pot farm used in Ponzi scheme
Bill seeks special guardian pilot program in three counties
Navy to test drinking water near base for contamination
Senate approves fix to new business tax to fund college aid

Aberdeen Daily World
City Council considers homeless camp alternatives
Washington House passes Blake bill on drought response

Auburn Reporter
Recredentialed: Hundreds of WA doctors are stuck working survival jobs
Lawmakers back timber industry to help reduce WA’s carbon emissions
Opinion: As session moves along, lawmakers sharpen their focus

Capital Press
Washington lawmaker prods WDFW to collar more wolves

Centralia Chronicle
State Senate Votes Again to Strike Death Penalty Statute (Pedersen, Carlyle, Keiser)

Columbian
Is Washington ready for a plastic bag ban? (Das)
Washington Senate passes ‘Tiffany Hill Act’ (Pedersen)

The Daily News
Capitol Dispatch: Local lawmakers oppose clean fuel standard (Blake, Takko)
Plan for homeless campsites worth the cost, officials say

Everett Herald (subscription required)
Inundation: Flood water ‘higher than we’ve seen in years’
New study pulls back veil on Everett’s coronavirus patient
Strike at Swedish is over, but contract dispute is not
Boundaries a big question mark in Marysville schools
2nd nuclear reactor being studied for eastern Washington
WaPo: Viewpoints: The homeless that aren’t being counted
Commentary: What’s at play in drop in timber harvests
Glad to see state make animal cruelty a felony
New ferry terminal is making noise again; work on pier begun
448 housing units planned on 20 acres near Arlington Airport
Cornfield Report: Deadline pressure is growing to get bills out of committees
Burke: How did we get here, and how to we get out?

Islands’ Weekly
Funding for studying harmful algal blooms

Issaquah Reporter
Recredentialed: Hundreds of WA doctors are stuck working survival jobs (Saldaña, Stanford)
Swedish nurses, caregivers return to work

Kitsap Sun (subscription required)
State’s levy lid lift for schools leads to large tax increase in South Kitsap
For those who are homeless, recovering from surgery isn’t easy
‘A very bad example’: China accuses US of spreading fear about coronavirus after travel advisory
Melding new ideas into old traditions surrounding death

News Tribune (subscription required)
Washington’s natural disaster rate has increased, but here’s a way to help prepare

Olympian (subscription required)
Congressman hopes to collect thousands of valentines for veterans one last time
Benton County Republicans decry report labeling state lawmaker a domestic terrorist
How to help people with mental illness who refuse care? Sen. O’Ban has a plan

Peninsula Daily News
Opinion: What lawmakers want to do isn’t always what needs to be done
Legislation to discard Discover Pass ‘dead’ (Van De Wege, Tharinger, Chapman)

Puget Sound Business Journal
How chaos at chain pharmacies is putting patients at risk
DSA CEO: Burden of crime prevention has fallen on community, retailers
Opinion: Crime in Seattle can no longer go unchecked
King County’s $130M electric bus purchase called ‘one of the leading moves in zero emissions for transit’
Analysts fear the market is hooked on Fed support
SARS stung the global economy. The coronavirus is a greater menace.

Seattle Times (subscription required)
Heavy rain headed to Seattle area; higher elevations see snowflakes Monday morning
Seattle unprepared to deliver promised Madison bus line, expert review says
Many are interested in Washington state’s hardest-to-fill teacher jobs. They just need support to get there, survey finds
Opinion: Shift policies to treat trafficked girls as victims (Orwall, Dhingra)
Washington lawmakers in both parties push to open the cannabis industry to out-of-state investors (Pettigrew, Saldaña)
‘Incredibly disappointing’: Fred Hutch, feds end HIV vaccine trial after data shows no benefit
Want to make streets safer? Listen to those who have left crime behind
FYI Guy: The most and least diverse places in King County
Olympia made homeless camping legal in one parking lot. A year later, did it work?
Cannabis farm near Anacortes was center of alleged $4.85 million Ponzi scheme
Clues hint at direction of federal probe into Seattle transportation projects
Talks underway in Olympia on allowing King County to tax big businesses with high salaries (Macri, Tarleton, Springer, Rolfes)
Editorial: Regulate ballot collection in Washington elections
Editoral: Don’t send Seattle’s federal archives across the country
Washington state senator unveils bill to aid people who refuse treatment for drug addiction or mental-health issues (Dhingra)

Skagit Valley Herald
Fight re-emerges over protecting wolverines
Skagit County agriculture industry hosts annual summit
Inslee joins local leaders for housing roundtable

Spokesman Review
Getting There: With City Line coming, STA plans expanded service elsewhere; plus, double-decker buses to Cheney?
Spin Control: Will state really study removing Ballard Locks and raising Lake Washington? No dam way (Carlyle)
Shea’s absence, prohibition on questions raise concerns at Valley GOP meeting
State Patrol under pressure to examine bias in traffic stops following investigation (Goodman, Lekanoff, Ormsby, Senn)

Sequim Gazette
Senate moves to eliminate death penalty (Carlyle, Van De Wege)

Tri-City Herald
Is cannabis increasing traffic fatalities in Washington? Here’s what AAA found
Letters to the Editor: Arts center, dams, Starbucks protest and more

Walla Walla Union Bulletin (subscription required)
Editorial: Study of Washington’s Death with Dignity Act is needed
Editorial: Lawmakers’ transparency effort limits paper documents (Dolan)

Washington Post
Senate hears closing arguments
China’s stock markets plunge as coronavirus nears pandemic status
Stephen King deletes Facebook account over ‘flood of false information’ and privacy concerns
Trial of promising HIV vaccine fails in South Africa
Second man with ties to Mexico’s largest monarch butterfly reserve found dead
Groundhog Day 2020: Punxsutawney Phil sees no shadow, predicts early spring
Republican Sen. Susan Collins finds it’s lonely in the middle
The Big Number: 300,000 break their hips each year. Calcium and vitamin D could cut that number, research says.

Wenatchee World
Armed 2nd Amendment supporters rallied in resistance at Capitol

Yakima Herald Republic
Transitional kindergartens prepare students for success in K-12. Now they’re spreading throughout Washington
Cowiche Canyon Conservancy seeking to secure land to protect trails
Immigration law workers carry burden of others’ lives
Letter: Rollback in nutritional school lunch standards is horrifying
Column: Give families with special needs children up to $15,000 to pay for education
Employers locally — and across the state — eager to recruit former Astria Regional employee

Broadcast

KING5 TV (NBC)
Washington senator ‘shocked’ by prison body scanner policy (Darneille)

KIRO7 TV (CBS)
New travel restrictions now in effect to help stop spread of coronavirus
North Sound city underwater after Nooksack River floods
Impeachment Trial Day 12: What time does it start, how to watch, livestream
Proposed House bill could cause liquor store locations to multiply (Kirby)
O’Ban proposal bridges mental health gap

KOMO4 TV (ABC)
U.S.-Canada border crossings closed at Sumas, Lynden due to flooding
With downtown Seattle shooting suspects in custody, residents speak out

KNKX FM
Democratic lawmakers want to create a loan program for undocumented students

NW Public Radio
Clean Water Protection Businesses Could Dry Up As Trump Administration Rolls Back Regulations
FCC Proposes $13M Fine For Idaho White Supremacist Over Racist Robocalls
WSU Sues Yakima Grower Over Alleged Apple Patent Infringement

Q13 TV (Fox)
9-year-old Bellevue boy stuck in China amid coronavirus outbreak
Brandi Kruse: Seattle pushes crime data – but none of us can access it
CAPTURED: Coordinated effort leads to arrest of downtown Seattle shooting suspects in Las Vegas

Web

Crosscut
King County’s largest businesses weigh support for proposed payroll tax (Macri)
New hydroelectric turbine designs are safer for fish and improve energy efficiency

Government Technolgy
New Privacy Legislation Introduced in Washington State (Carlyle)

MyNorthwest.com
Heavy rain brings flooding, landslides to Western Washington
Dori: It’s time for Washington to legalize sports gambling
Will the proposed King County head tax hurt the local economy?

Slog
The Craziest Cover-Up in American History
Legalizing Pot Lounges Could Make Washington’s Weed Industry More Equitable (Kirby)

Washington State Wire
House passes bill to help fund projects in distressed communities (Ortiz-Self)

Sports Handle
Sports Betting Showdown In Washington State: Tribes Vs. Commercial Interests (Keiser)

Yelmonline.com
Armed 2nd Amendment Supporters Rally in Resistance at State Capitol

Friday, January 31

What does Microsoft want from the Legislature? Here are 3 things
Microsoft President Brad Smith on Thursday answered questions from state government reporters in Olympia about the corporation’s legislative priorities. Here are three things Smith is asking lawmakers to address during the 60-day session that ends March 12. Continue reading at The News Tribune. (Alex Brandon/AP file photo)

We may avoid the very worst climate scenario. But the next-worst is still pretty awful.
The year is 2100, and the world’s 12 billion people are still burning fossil fuels with abandon. Compared with preindustrial times, the planet has warmed by 4.5 degrees Celsius, or 8.1 degrees Fahrenheit. The atmosphere is filled with greenhouse gases, and parts of the Earth sometimes experience temperatures too extreme for humans. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters)

Democratic lawmakers propose law to protect domestic worker rights
A measure designed to protect the health, safety and overall well-being of domestic workers in Washington state has been sponsored by Democratic senators at the request of Gov. Jay Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson. If passed, SB 6247 would guarantee that domestic workers be paid at least minimum wage, which is $13.50 per hour, according to the state Department of Labor and Industries. Continue reading at Peninsula Daily News.

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Associated Press
Congresswoman eyes document on border detention of Iranians
Trump trial end in sight as vote nears on more witnesses
Tokyo Olympic organizers try to dampen cancellation rumors
Stocks drop amid uncertainty over virus impact; Amazon soars
Weinstein rape accuser to testify in pivotal trial moment
Woman who says Trump raped her seeks his DNA
Battle being fought over sports betting in Washington state
Washington House narrowly passes low-carbon fuels standard
State psychiatric hospital to open wards to reduce violence
Oregon Legislature considers sweeping wildfire plan
Weather officials warn of possible flooding and landslides
As forests burn around the world, drinking water is at risk

Aberdeen Daily World
Grays Harbor Transit wants input on expanded express service, but hurry
Op-ed: Bill would lock in ed funding source in timber counties (Tharinger, Chapman, Blake, Van de Wege)

Arlington Times
Urban village planned on 20 acres south of Arlington Airport

Auburn Reporter
Entenman, Sullivan to participate in 47th District Telephone Town Hall (Entenman, Sullivan)
Recredentialed: Barriers face Washington’s immigrant, refugee professionals

The Daily News
State Rep. Blake’s drought response bill passes House again (Blake)

Everett Herald (subscription required)
Teachers’ dogs kicked out of classes at Snohomish High School
No large-scale supportive housing in Everett’s single-family areas
Tribal leaders make the case for sales tax-sharing deals (Tarleton)
Cornfield Report: Place your bets, but not if you’re under age (Fey, Pettigrew)
Coronavirus test results pending for two in Snohomish County
Editorial: Everett council drops tool to resolve homelessness

Federal Way Mirror
South King Fire Capt. Jeff Bellinghausen retires after 34 years in fire service

Journal of the San Juan Islands
Woods officially appointed as superintendent
School district seeks levy renewal
Measure to fund emergency radio upgrade on ballot

Kitsap Sun (subscription required)
While other cities rely on state funds, Bainbridge Island eyes raising sales tax for affordable housing

News Tribune (subscription required)
What does Microsoft want from the Legislature? Here are 3 things
Editorial: Yes, restore voting rights to felons in Washington state – but not while still on probation or parole (Kuderer)

New York Times
We pay a lot for online subscription services. Here’s how to regain control.

Peninsula Daily News
Sequim School Board mulls handling of vaping issues at meeting
Democratic lawmakers propose law to protect domestic worker rights (Saldaña)
Lawmakers back timber industry as way to reduce state’s carbon emissions

Puget Sound Business Journal
U.S. growth at slowest since 2016, complicating Trump’s pitch
Swedish nurses and caregivers expected back at work by Sunday
Wuhan coronavirus may hit North American airlines harder than SARS as global emergency grows
King County’s $130M electric bus purchase called ‘one of the leading moves in zero emissions for transit’
Port of Seattle moves to combat human trafficking at airport, maritime facilities
Financial hit looms as businesses feel their dependence on China

Seattle Times (subscription required)
Editorial: Better than the other Washington: State should model transparency, ethics (Jinkins, Pellicciotti, Carlyle)
Talks underway in Olympia on allowing King County to tax big businesses with high salaries (Tarleton, Macri, Springer, Rolfes)
‘She was one of the protectors’: Victim of last week’s downtown mass shooting remembered
Seattle broke a rain record this month, and we’re in for a blustery, wintry weekend
Planning group recommends $1.7 billion in upgrades for King County-owned Harborview Medical Center
Swedish has hundreds of nursing jobs open, creating double the vacancy rate of other local hospitals
Swedish Medical Center workers set to end 3-day strike Friday morning
Seattle will distribute 700 naloxone kits, hold trainings in bid to counter fentanyl overdoses
Amazon’s bet on one-day deliveries helps drive better-than-expected sales
Op-Ed: Kids and deadly magnets: Amazon’s moment to help
LTE: Downtown Seattle crime: ‘Come together with compassionate, meaningful solutions’

Seattle Weekly
Fatal ride: Report details summer collision with Kent Police SUV
Lawmakers hear pitch to replace gas tax with per-mile fees

Skagit Valley Herald
Concrete church to open temporary homeless shelter
Roundabout planned for Bay View intersection

Spokesman Review
Senate passes fix for new business tax to fund college aid (Pedersen, Frockt)
State could take sales tax off diapers (Robinson)
Volunteers work to find homeless during Point in Time Count

Vancouver Business Journal
Rethinking technology in today’s classrooms
Coworker or robot – why not both?

Walla Walla Union Bulletin (subscription required)
Editorial: Widening of Highway 12 should be completed

Washington Post
Impeachment, wow! A study of the exclamation running wild on Twitter
We may avoid the very worst climate scenario. But the next-worst is still pretty awful.
Republicans show confidence that Senate will block witnesses, move to acquit Trump
GOP pushes toward acquittal as early as tonight
Coronavirus death toll in China rises to more than 200
Brexit Day: U.K. marks its final hours in the E.U.
Opinion: People told the truth about Weinstein in 2004 and 2010. Why weren’t they heard?
Coast Guard lieutenant accused of plotting mass attack on politicians and journalists to be sentenced
Trump’s border wall, vulnerable to flash floods, needs large storm gates left open for months
iHeartMedia laid off hundreds of radio DJs. Executives blame AI. DJs blame the executives.
Facebook will remove misinformation about coronavirus

Yakima Herald Republic
Domestic violence takes its toll on Yakima County, claiming at least 12 lives in five years
While presidential primary is what counts this year, local parties say caucuses are important, too
Volunteers, service providers turn out in droves to annual homeless count
Editorial: Legislature needs to get it right as it fixes college financial aid pla

Broadcast

KING5 TV (NBC)
Did a study prove that Washington marijuana legalization increased fatal crashes?
Leaked memo apparently directed border agents to detain Iran-linked travelers at Washington border
Most Washington adults concerned with coronavirus, survey finds
Seattle mayor wants school nurses, nightlife workers trained to reverse overdoses

KIRO7 TV (CBS)
As Swedish nurses’ strike ends, some might not be able to return to work right away
Republicans poised to bring Trump trial to a close in Senate
‘Do Not Travel’ to China; State Department issues highest advisory level
Instagram fights with Auburn middle schoolers
WHO declares coronavirus a global public health emergency
Sports betting plan faces challenges

KOMO4 TV (ABC)
Number of THC positive drivers in fatal crashes has doubled in Wash. state
Washington state lawmakers mull legalizing sports betting (Peterson)
Study: Washington’s immigrants bolster the state’s economy
King County Metro agrees to buy 40 new battery-electric buses

KNKX FM
Podcast: Episode 1: The Rain
What time is it here? That question could resurface in border counties thanks to Idaho Legislature

KUOW FM
‘Everyone counts!’ Census gets creative in Pierce County
Education Dept. Unveils Fix For Student Loan Program’s ‘Bureaucratic Nightmare’
Senators To CFPB: Why Are You Still Failing To Protect Student Loan Borrowers?

NW Public Radio
Low Snow To Snowmageddon: January Dumps Gave Needed Bump To Northwest’s Lagging Snowpack
After Attacks, Western State Hospital Will Open New Ward For Most Violent Psychiatric Patients

Q13 TV (Fox)
Push to tax large companies now a state legislative matter (Macri)

Web

Crosscut
Washington state looks to end ICE courthouse arrests (Thai, Wellman)
Memo shows border officers were directed to stop Iranian Americans at Canada border, despite agency’s claims
Opinion: Magnolia’s private surveillance system: Good for Amazon packages, bad for people of color

MyNorthwest.com
Should Washington state allow sports betting?

Queen Anne & Magnolia News
Washington State Transportation Commission recommends replacing gas tax (Saldaña, Hobbs)

Schmudget
Progressive taxation can advance gender equity

Seattle P.I.
Leaked directive: ‘Vetting’ of Iranian-Americans ordered at Canadian border

Slog
Swedish Appears to Have Hired Unlicensed “Tactical” Security Guards to Staff Strike
Rep. Eric Pettigrew Says He Won’t Seek Re-Election, Opening Space for a True Progressive to Run (Pettigrew)

The Urbanist
Constantine and Durkan Unveil Countywide Payroll Tax to Raise $121 Million Annually for Housing and Homelessness (Macri, Springer, Fitzgibbon, Frame, Pollet, Cody, Tarleton, Slatter, Doglio, Hudgins, Senn, Gregerson)

Thursday, January 30

House passes bill to cut vehicle pollution, increase number of electric cars
Washington motorists would use fuel that emits fewer greenhouse gases – and likely pay more for it – over the next 15 years under a proposal to reduce those pollutants that the House approved Wednesday. After more than three hours of contentious debate, Democrats pushed through a bill that tells the state Department of Ecology to set up a Clean Fuels Program limiting the amount of carbon dioxide and related greenhouse gases released by transportation fuels. Continue reading at The Spokesman-Review. (Jim Camden / The Spokesman-Review)

New ‘head tax’? Proposed law would let King County tax large businesses to tackle homelessness
A new measure introduced in the Washington state Legislature Wednesday would allow King County to impose a tax of 0.1 to 0.2 percent on businesses on the total payroll of employees who earn $150,000 per year or more. The money would have to be used to pay for homelessness services, affordable housing, public safety, and behavioral health services. If passed, House Bill 2907 could allow the county to raise approximately $121 million per year, according to the King County Executive’s office. Continue reading at KUOW. (Flickr photo/amishrobot)

Mega was the only adult male orca left in his immediate family and is now feared dead
Another southern resident orca, L41, is feared dead, according to the Center for Whale Research. The whale, born in 1977, was not seen during an encounter with its family by the center’s researchers on Friday. Because of his age, and the fact that he was thin when he was seen a year ago, ”we fear he may be gone and will consider him missing unless he shows up unexpectedly in an upcoming encounter,” the center reported. If L41 remains missing, that would bring the population of southern resident orcas to only 72, the second-lowest since the center first began its population census 45 years ago. Continue reading at The Olympian. (David Ellifrit/Center for Whale Research AP)