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Friday, February 21

Bills dead and alive: Where the Legislature stands
Washington lawmakers are more than halfway through their 60-day legislative session, clearing a key deadline for policy bills and receiving good news on the revenue front ahead of the release of the House and Senate’s supplemental budget proposals. A revenue forecast Wednesday showed state revenues will increase by about $606 million more than expected through the middle of the current two-year budget cycle that ends mid-2021, with total revenues topping out at about $52.3 billion. The state is projected to have about $4.1 billion in total reserves in that time frame. Continue reading at The Kitsap Sun. (Rachel La Corte)

Washington state lawmakers introduce new version of plan to let King County tax big businesses
State lawmakers from the Seattle area have restarted their push for a tax on big businesses in King County, using a technical change to buy more time. On Thursday, they unveiled a new version of their closely watched plan to let the county impose a tax to fund affordable housing and homeless services, and the updated bill could raise more money than previously proposed – nearly $152 million a year. That means talks will continue in Olympia about whether and how much to tax large corporations, including tech titans like Amazon. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Rachel la Corte)

High-capacity magazine ban dies, replacement filed
A proposal to ban the sale of high-capacity gun magazines in Washington died after not receiving a vote by a key deadline Wednesday evening, but gun-control advocates quickly reloaded with a new proposal. House Democrats failed to put a bill up for debate that would have banned magazines holding more than 15 rounds. It needed to pass the House by Wednesday to continue being considered in the 2020 session. The bill was pulled from consideration by the full House after Republicans filed 120 amendments to be debated before a final vote on the bill could be taken, Speaker Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma said. Continue reading at The Spokesman-Review.

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Associated Press
Homeless measures, carbon cap alive, most gun measures fail
Intel officials say Russia boosting Trump candidacy
For-profit firm seeking to run .org names makes concessions
Tokyo delays Olympic volunteer training because of virus
Bills dead and alive: Where the Legislature stands
Bills to limit size of firearm magazines fail in Legislature
Efforts to expel Rep. Shea from Washington Legislature ended
Washington State U to hire lawyer to review provost case
US panel delays vote on Oregon pipeline amid process issues
Authorities prepare mudslide emergency response amid fears
Washington Supreme Court reverses appeal win in murder case
Appeals court sends murder case back to court
States step up funding for Planned Parenthood clinics
Homeless measures, carbon cap alive, most gun measures fail
Virus patients to be treated at Washington state hospital
State Patrol settles with anti-Trump protester for $105,000

Aberdeen Daily World
Stevens School: Aberdeen will try again, if need be
Grays Harbor Emergency Management switches alerting systems, users must re-register
Local lawmakers sponsor bill to restructure education funding (Takko, Blake)

Arlington Times
Opinion: Breakdown of where your taxes go

Auburn Examiner
Senate Passes Wilson Bill to Improve Chances of Successful Reentry (Wilson)

Auburn Reporter
Proposed House bill would be bad for business

Bellingham Herald (subscription required)
Republican legislators push for $1 billion tax cut for state’s residents (Jinkins, Dinghra, Billig)

Capital Press
Washington lands chief presents climate-change plan
Washington Senate guts, then passes farm labor bill (Saldana)
Weatherman predicts dry March in E. Washington
Idaho Senate panel endorses hemp-authorization bill

Columbian
Legislator suspended from Republican caucus to emcee local GOP event (Jinkins, Senn, Tarleton)
In Our View: Boeing wanted those tax breaks until it didn’t

The Daily News
US panel delays vote on Oregon pipeline amid process issues

Eatonville Dispatch
Washington State Moves to Eliminate Youth Solitary Confinement (Wilson)

Edmonds Beacon
Healthy kids, healthy drinks

Everett Herald (subscription required)
High-capacity gun bill foiled by last-minute GOP tactics (Jinkins, Sullivan)
Bill would curtail solitary confinement for detained kids (Peterson)
Bloomberg: Commentary: Job market could slow growth of student loan debt
WaPo: Commentary: Intel hire shows Trump values loyalty over resume
Editorial: Avoid damaging trade war over Boeing tax break

Island’s Weekly
Census worker information meetings

Issaquah Reporter
Not a single fish died in the flooding

Journal of the San Juan Islands
Lovelett bill to boost fresh fruits and vegetables program passes Senate (Lovelett)

Kitsap Sun (subscription required)
What state law requires when transporting firearms
An unforeseen result of Trump’s trade war? More food for Washington food banks

Lynnwood Today
21st District legislative town hall set for Feb. 22 (Liias, Peterson, Ortiz-Self)

Moscow-Pullman Daily News
Bill related to Pullman flood fines fails in committee (Sells)

News Tribune (subscription required)
The kids keep coming. Where’s the money to educate them coming from? Check the mirror
Boeing’s tax-break giveback to Washington state is smart, proactive – but not heroic

New York Times
Warmest January Ever Puts 2020 on Track to Be One of Top 10 Hottest Years
Oil and Gas May Be a Far Bigger Climate Threat Than We Knew
Novel coronavirus has Amazon sweating

Olympian (subscription required)
Need a place to live? As many as 1,700 residences pitched for property in Tumwater
Republican legislators push for $1 billion tax cut for state’s residents (Jinkins, Billig)
Olympia woman who was stuck on Diamond Princess cruise ship contracts coronavirus

Peninsula Daily News
Bills to limit size of firearm magazines fail in Legislature

Seattle Times (subscription required)
False warning of ‘radiological hazard’ invades TV screens on Olympic Peninsula
Anti-Trump protester arrested on ‘blatantly false’ charge reaches $105,000 settlement with WSP
Lawmakers have new plan to let King County tax big businesses; here’s how it would work (Springer, Macri)
A reporter was in a homeless camp when someone overdosed. He left his recorder on
Seattle police arrest more than two dozen protesters at downtown bank
Bills to control insulin prices inch closer to Washington’s governor’s desk (Cody)
Washington state agency releases climate-change plan, with calls for more renewable projects

Sequim Gazette
Narrow Senate vote approves collection of gun violence data (Dhingra)

Skagit Valley Herald
Navy proposes special operations training in area State Parks
Lekanoff to host town hall meetings
High school students visit Skagit Valley College for Try-A-Trade Day
Fire departments consider merger

Snoqualmie Valley Record
Snoqualmie mayor, tribal chairman spar over House bill (Lekanoff, Gregerson)

Spokesman Review
High-capacity magazine ban dies, replacement filed (Jinkins)
Effort to remove Shea likely over after no Republicans sign House letter calling for expulsion (Senn, Jinkins, Tarleton)
Spokane Tribe celebrates federal compensation for damage caused by Grand Coulee Dam
WSU hiring lawyer to review allegations of sexism against former provost
Opinion: Reducing premature death from heart disease requires a broad approach

USA Today
Climate Point: Moms. vs. cement, and composting human remains

Walla Walla Union Bulletin (subscription required)
Editorial: Should release of college transcripts be tied to debt? (Slatter)

Wenatchee World
Grant PUD to purchase $4.5 million portable transformer
Lawmakers flinch on proposed ban of for-profit detention facilities (Ortiz-Self, Saldaña)

Yakima Herald Republic
Changes are needed to the state’s child care system. Several bills in Olympia could help

Broadcast

KING5 TV (NBC)
Former Kennedy Catholic students reflect on teachers who ‘voluntarily resigned’
Washington lawmakers try again to limit gun magazine capacity after bill initially failed (Senn, Jinkins)
WSDOT pinpoints source of leak in Seattle’s SR 99 tunnel

KIRO7 TV (CBS)
Democrats revive high-capacity magazine ban bill (Jinkins)
4 coronavirus patients transferred to Spokane hospital for treatment
Zero fares boost bus ridership by 20% in Thurston County
North Bend facility no longer coronavirus quarantine site

KOMO4 TV (ABC)
From sports betting to flavored vape ban, state lawmakers scramble to pass bills (Kuderer, Peterson, Pollet, Macri)
Bill taxing big businesses in King County to address homelessness revived at State Capitol (Springer, Macri)

KNKX FM
Immigrants applying for citizenship can still get fee waived while lawsuit moves forward

KUOW FM
The art of harassing birds: Why King County officials want to scare eagles with pyrotechnics
How easy is it to commit election fraud in Washington state?
Trump Administration Targets Your ‘Warrant-Proof’ Encrypted Messages

NW Public Radio
California Lawmakers Expected To Apologize For U.S. Internment Of Japanese Americans
Spokane Hospital Treating Out-Of-Area Coronavirus Patients In Specialized Unit
How Warming Winters Are Affecting Everything

Q13 TV (Fox)
New gun control legislation filed after bills fail to advance in Olympia (Valdez)

Web

Crosscut
Tribes worry a Canadian mine could poison Washington salmon
Closing Seattle’s National Archives is a ‘paper genocide’ for some Natives
‘Never again is now’: Japanese Americans driven by history in immigration fight

My Edmonds News
21st District legislative town hall set for Feb. 22 (Liias, Peterson, Ortiz-Self)

Seattle P.I.
States step up funding for Planned Parenthood clinics

Slog
Seattle’s LEAD Diversion Program Still Doesn’t Have 2020 Funding—Or a Contract

Thursday, February 20

Washington Senate passes bill to regulate governments’ use of facial-recognition technology
Washington state senators Wednesday approved a bill that would begin regulating the use of facial-recognition programs by local and state governments. Sponsored by Sen. Joe Nguyen, D-White Center, Senate Bill 6280 is one of a series of legislative proposals this year to counter technology that is evolving fast, regulated little and all but opaque to most residents. Facial recognition has been a particular concern, with worries that its use by law enforcement comes before the programs even can accurately identify people. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ted S. Warren/AP)

Boeing asks Washington lawmakers to suspend preferential tax rate
Washington state lawmakers announced Wednesday they will introduce bills, at The Boeing Co.’s request, to suspend the aerospace giant’s preferential business and occupation tax rate until the United States and European Union resolve their long-running international trade dispute. Democratic Sen. Marko Liias and Democratic House Majority Leader Rep. Pat Sullivan are the sponsors of the companion bills in the Senate and House. The legislation will suspend the 40% tax break that the Legislature adopted for the aerospace industry in 2003 and was expanded in 2013. Continue reading at Kitsap Sun. (AP Photo/Mic Smith)

Affordable housing bills remain alive in Legislature
Cities would have to allow up to two accessory dwelling units on all lots with a single-family house, duplex, triplex, fourplex, rowhouse, townhome, or apartment building under a bill that the Washington state Senate approved Wednesday. The bill, sponsored by state Sen. Marko Liias, D-Lynnwood, also would bar cities from requiring off-street parking for ADUs within half a mile of a major transit stop. Wednesday was the deadline for the Senate and House to pass non-fiscal policy bills that originated in their respective chambers. Continue reading at The Bellingham Herald. (Elaine Thompson)

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Associated Press
Revenue forecast good news for state lawmakers (Ormsby)
Trump ally Roger Stone to be sentenced as case roils DOJ
Boeing asks Washington lawmakers to suspend preferential tax rate (Liias, Sullivan)
Lack of funding for ferry worries Anacortes
Bills to limit size of firearm magazines fail in Legislature
Group requests judge order to relocate Navy practice flights
Climate protesters block Seattle street
Injured transient orca appears healthy near Washington state
Oregon denies permit for pipeline before federal decision
Injured transient orca appears healthy near San Juan Islands
Montana regulators shield power company’s coal contract
National shortage of forensic nurses frustrates rape victims
Toxic Superfund cleanups decline to more than 30-year low

Auburn Reporter
Lawmakers flinch on banning for-profit detention facilities (Saldaña, Ortiz-Self)
City asks state leaders for funding to address needs
Employers welcome Legislature’s effort to resolve trade dispute, support Washington exporters (Liias, Sullivan)
Senate passes Wilson bill to allow diplomas for deceased students (Wilson)

Bellingham Herald (subscription required)
Affordable housing bills remain alive in Legislature (Liias, Doglio, Das)
High-profile gun bills don’t move forward in Legislature despite support from Inslee and Ferguson (Kuderer, Doglio)
Bill to restore felons’ voting rights faster dies on Senate floor (Kuderer, Dhingra)
Whatcom County property taxes, values are up. Here’s what to know about your 2020 bill
Sunday’s Barkley neighborhood homeless camp fire created challenges for firefighters
What is personal property tax in Washington State?
Lawmakers flinch on banning for-profit detention facilities (Saldana, Ortiz-Self)
Beef label bill passes Washington House

Columbian
In Our View: Lawmakers should bottle up local water rights (Cleveland, Carlyle)
“We just want a place to live,’ Woodland RV park tenants tell judge
Kelso won’t finance another homeless camp, miffing Longview officials

Everett Herald (subscription required)
Boeing asks that its big state tax break be suspended (Sullivan, Liias)
Rising revenues may be a problem for Democratic leaders (Ormsby, Rolfes, Liias)
Community Transit looks to connect Link light rail and Swift

Federal Way Mirror
King County considers free transit for low-income residents
Senate passes Wilson bill to prohibit solitary confinement of youths (Wilson)

The Inlander
Washington state’s #MeToo-driven legislation has made it harder for journalists to investigate harassment (Dolan)
As the state works to protect endangered fish, Washington looks to block suction mining for gold
Person in San Juan County under investigation for Novel Coronavirus
Lawmakers flinch on banning for-profit detention facilities (Saldaña, Ortiz-Self)
King County considers free transit for low-income residents

Kent Reporter
State House passes legislation for survivors of child sex trafficking (Orwall, Dhingra)
State Senate passes three bills to curb prescription drug prices (Keiser)

Kitsap Sun (subscription required)
County explores options for 27 acres in canceled DNR land swap
Across the West Sound, rent continues to climb
Police hope new technology, more patrols will reduce fatal crashes

New York Times
Boeing, to Fend Off Sanctions, Backs Ending State Tax Breaks (Liias)
The 11 Criminals Granted Clemency by Trump Had One Thing in Common: Connections
Trump Administration Sees No Threat To Economy From Monopolies
In College and Homeless
Climate Change Rises as a Public Priority. But It’s More Partisan Than Ever.

Olympian (subscription required)
Intercity Transit ridership grows 20 percent in first month of zero-fare bus service
High-profile gun bills don’t move forward in Legislature despite support from Inslee and Ferguson (Kuderer)
Affordable housing bills remain alive in Legislature (Liias, Doglio, Das)
Revenue forecast brings good news for Washington lawmakers (Ormsby)

Port Townsend Leader
Boat school exec selected for national entrepreneurship program (Van De Wege, Tharinger, Chapman)

Puget Sound Business Journal
Trump administration sees no threat to economy from monopolies
Amazon ends delivery firm contracts, resulting in thousands of layoffs
Study: Tech pay gap in Seattle falls short of national average
Opinion: Clean Slate Act will give people meaningful access to second chances (Hansen)

Renton Reporter
Lawmakers flinch on banning for-profit detention facilities (Saldaña, Ortiz-Self)

Seattle Times (subscription required)
Seattle weather hit record high temperature; here’s how long the skies will stay clear
The most expensive home in L.A. cost Jeff Bezos only 0.13% of his net worth
Boeing may give up its major Washington state tax break to avoid European tariffs
Audio tape of an overdose: Listen as Olympia homeless camp comes together to save a life
Family of Orcas Island man says he was unfairly quarantined for coronavirus testing, targeted for his race
Ishisaka: As new coronavirus spreads, another epidemic looms: ‘yellow peril’ racism
The territorial governor wrote in 1880 that ice and snow were rare in Western Washington — the same day a record snowstorm buried Seattle
Washington Senate passes bill to regulate governments’ use of facial-recognition technology (Nguyen, Entenman)
Washington state House considers bills to curb insulin prices (Cody, Keiser, )
Downtown Seattle shooting suspects plead not guilty to murder and assault charges
Boeing may give up its major Washington state tax break to avoid European tariffs (Sullivan, Liias)
Amazon launches app-based health-care service for Seattle-based employees
Atlanta Journal: Bitcoin ATMs start to spread — and to draw scrutiny
Seattle City Council passes ordinance that would allow up to 40 tiny house villages, encampments or parking lot camps
No vote taken on House bill that would let King County tax big businesses, but backers still hopeful (Macri, Springer)
Editorial: Pass bills to reduce firearm violence through research, limiting magazine capacity (Dhingra, Kuderer, Valdez)

Seattle Weekly
Gov. Jay Inslee talks about homelessness and the climate
Potential loss of ferry a concern in Anacortes
Appeals court sends murder case back to Skagit County
Swinomish considering housing for didgwálič patients
Group asks for injunction regarding Growler flights
Settlement approved in discrimination suit against Motel 6
Students push universities to stop investing in fossil fuels
Boeing’s giant, new 777X seen in skies over Spokane
Seattle mayor says she’ll ask voters to maintain bus service

Snoqualmie Valley Record
King County considers free transit for low-income residents

Spokesman Review
Bill to allow felons to get voting rights back sooner dies in Senate (Kuderer, Dhingra)
EWU to allow Spokane County Sheriff’s Office access to its cameras during emergencies

Tri-City Herald
Editorial: Oregon governor is off base. Breaching the Snake River dams is not the answer

USA Today
First US patient has fully recovered from coronavirus in Washington state; nearly 800 still under watch

Walla Walla Union Bulletin (subscription required)
Washington State moves ahead on bill to regulate governments’ use of facial-recognition technology (Nguyen, Entenman)

Washington Post
Attorney General Barr blasts big tech, questioning its protection from liability
Merkel says racism a ‘poison’ Germany must face as 10 killed in far-right shooting
White House assembles team of advisers to guide clemency process as Trump considers more pardons
Opinion: The elusive animal at the forefront of the coronavirus crisis
Amid Ukraine swirl, Giuliani’s work for candidate in Dominican Republic caused unease
Morgan Stanley is buying E-Trade in a $13 billion shakeup to brokerage market
White House economists predict growth won’t hit Trump’s 3 percent target unless big changes occur
Kentucky was devastated for decades by mountaintop removal. Now scientists have figured out a way to undo the damage — one tree at a time.
Political ads are flooding Hulu, Roku and other streaming services, revealing loopholes in federal election laws

Yakima Herald Republic
Feds reveal Operation White Swan, a long-term commitment to fight violent crime on tribal lands
Newhouse updates Yakima Valley growers on farm worker bill
Editorial: State Patrol’s return to Yakama reservation patrols long overdu

Broadcast

KING5 TV (NBC)
Bills to limit gun magazines and restrict gun sales fail in Washington Legislature
779 people in Washington under public health supervision due to coronavirus
Kirkland community addressing racism after 2018 incident at yogurt shop
Seattle Children’s sues to block release of state health records related to mold
Exclusive: Boeing’s new CEO talks transparency and issues facing 737 MAX (Liias, Sullivan)

KIRO7 TV (CBS)
Olympia woman tests positive for coronavirus after Diamond Princess cruise
Boeing requests to pay higher state taxes to resolve trade dispute (Sullivan)
Trio of prescription cost bills pass off Washington Senate floor (Keiser)

KOMO4 TV (ABC)
Businesses hoping state lawmakers crack down on rise in shoplifters (Goodman)
‘Alyssa’s bill’ aims to spotlight little-known disorder that slowly kills
FBI now investigating city of Wapato and former leaders
Students talk about next steps after two teachers resign from Kennedy Catholic High School

KNKX FM
Legislative update: What’s moving forward — and what’s not — on the environment beat
Proposed bill would ban solitary confinement for juveniles
Health insurance industry lobbying pays off with key change to consumer-minded bill (Rolfes)

KUOW FM
Lowering your carbon footprint when living the family life outside Seattle
Report: Most Americans (wrongly) think the citizenship question is still on the census
Coronavirus Is Contagious, But Kids Seem Less Vulnerable So Far
White House Appoints Outspoken Ambassador As New Acting Head Of Intelligence
In middle of debate, felon voting rights bill dies on floor of Washington Senate (Liias, Kuderer, Dhingra)
To Address Homelessness, Spokane Is Starting To Put Relationships Before Punishments

Q13 TV (Fox)
Gun control bills fail to advance in Olympia
Olympia woman who was stuck on cruise ship in Japan tests positive for coronavirus
Boeing asks lawmakers to suspend preferential tax rate

Web

Baby Gaga
Washington State Bill Would Expand Opportunity To Make A Pregnancy Discrimination Complaint (Keiser)

Crosscut
WA lawmakers want to fund solutions for healthier soil — and less gassy cows (McCoy)

My Edmonds News
Salomon bill aimed at restoring salmon habitat wins state senate approval (Salomon)

MyNorthwest.com
Olympia woman tests positive for coronavirus after cruise
Downtown Seattle’s new bus-only lanes to cut commute times
Washington state lawmakers push to suspend Boeing tax breaks (Liias, Sullivan
Seattle Archbishop: Gay Catholic teachers face ‘particular consequences’
Bills to limit size of firearm magazines fail in Legislature
Olympia Just Gave the Weed Industry One Less Thing to Panic About (Peterson, Conway)
More and More People Identify as “Queer”
Slog PM: Diamond Princess Releases Its Passengers to a Worried Japan, Amazon Care Is Live, Who Will Be the Meanest to Bloomberg? (Liias, Sullivan)

Wednesday, February 19

Trio of prescription cost bills pass off Washington Senate floor
The Washington Senate on Tuesday passed three bills that aim to reign in the costs of prescription drugs. Two of the measures, all sponsored by Democratic Sen. Karen Keiser, address insulin costs, while the third addresses overall drug affordability. A measure that would cap the monthly out-of-pocket cost of insulin to $100 until Jan. 1, 2023 and requires the Health Care Authority to monitor the price of insulin, passed on a 34-14 vote. Continue reading at Kiro 7. (Associated Press)

Bill would expand free lunches to all students in Washington schools where 62.5% already qualify
Children in schools with a high percentage of low-income students would all get free breakfast and lunch while at school, under a bill moving through the Legislature. “We can’t expect kids who are hungry or doing their homework by the dome light of a car to be successful. They need to be fed,” said Rep. Marcus Riccelli, D-Spokane, the bill’s sponsor. Spokane Public Schools is among the districts with the most families getting help from federal food assistance programs, he said. In 2015, 16% of Spokane County youth reported experiencing food insecurity, slightly above the state average, according to data collected by the Spokane Regional Health District. Continue reading at The Spokesman-Review. (Kathy Plonka)

The Technology 202: Meme-makers are newest frontier in Facebook’s political content debate
Facebook told reporters last week that it would allow political campaigns and candidates to pay social media influencers to create sponsored content — the most high-profile example is the recent flood of Instagram memes purchased by presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg. But critics are concerned the social networking giant is not subjecting the paid posts to the same standards as traditional ads. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Gabby Jones/Bloomberg)

Print

Associated Press
Border Patrol memo contradicts Greyhound on bus raids
Ex-Gov. Blagojevich returns to Chicago, maintains innocence
Barr tells people he might quit over Trump tweets
Woman seeking Trump’s DNA fights his effort to delay suit
Office to collect firearm violence data approved by Senate
Trio of prescription cost bills pass off Senate floor (Keiser)
Seattle City Council OKs more tent cities, tiny houses
House approves bill protecting domestic workers
Washington state to consider ban on single family zoning (Das)

Aberdeen Daily World
Seaport retiring the Hawaiian Chieftain
House passes Chehalis Basin funding bill
WDFW approves a four-day razor clam dig starting Thursday, February 20
Aberdeen School District teams with local agencies to educate students about drug abuse
Chehalis River, all tributaries closed to all fishing
Lawmakers here and elsewhere open groundwater fights vs. bottled water companies (Carlyle)

Auburn Reporter
State Senate passes bill banning most Styrofoam-type products (Das)

Bellingham Herald (subscription required)
Bankruptcy court approves McClatchy’s mediation request, fueling hope of resolution

Capital Press
Washington Senate votes to ban chlorpyrifos (Rolfes)

Columbian
Sen. Cleveland measure strives to better protect caregivers (Cleveland)
In Our View: Blowing the whistle on sports-gambling bill (Stonier, Wylie, Peterson)

The Daily News
Kelso council won’t finance another homeless camp

Everett Herald (subscription required)
Bill would require kids’ menus to offer healthy beverages (Liias, Hobbs, Takko, Mullet, Robinson, Peterson)
Gov. Jay Inslee talks about homelessness and the climate
Op-ed: Oil trains need big enough crew for safety
WaPo Commentary: On climate, hope for the best, prepare for worst
Editorial: Insurance fee could limit wildfire risk, damage

Federal Way Mirror
Federal Way student serves as page with Rep. Pellicciotti (Pellicciotti)

Journal of the San Juan Islands
Long-Time Conservation Director Stepping Down

News Tribune (subscription required)
Battle over ‘missing middle’ moves from City Hall to the Capitol (Das)

New York Times
As Trump Claims to Be Law of the Land, Barr’s Irritation Builds
Fossil Fuels Are to Blame for Soaring Methane Levels, Study Shows

Olympian (subscription required)
Wrongful death trial on behalf of Susan Cox Powell’s sons begins in Pierce County
Editorial: Legislature clings to its use of title-only bills (Billig)

Peninsula Daily News
Bill would ban styrofoam food containers in Washington state (Das)

Seattle Times (subscription required)
Bill named after slain transgender Vancouver teen seeks to limit ‘panic defenses’ (Wylie)
Feared return of ‘The Blob’ fizzles as storms churn, chill Pacific Ocean
Where Seattle ranks among Washington’s safest and least safe cities
Seattle City Council passes ordinance that would allow up to 40 tiny house villages, encampments or parking lot camps
Mayor Jenny Durkan announces plan to curb gang violence in her third State of the City address
Resignation of 2 Seattle area Catholic-school teachers stirs protests over church stance on same-sex relationships
Westneat: Sorry treatment of gay teachers suggests Rush Limbaugh was, sadly, right
Boeing finds debris in wing fuel tanks of undelivered 737 MAXs, orders inspections
Day of Remembrance today: How Bainbridge Island’s Japanese residents were forced from their homes
Sweetened-beverage sales in Seattle dropped 30% after soda tax, new study says
What questions do you have about mental health?
Seattle area gets first ‘clear’ day since late November
Traffic relief coming for more than 26,000 bus riders
Adults bully me because of my disability. Education could solve that.
Spokane among four metro areas primed for growth in next decade, according to Redfin
FBI takes on investigation into criminal allegations against former Wapato government officials
Editorial: Legislature should let former inmates vote (Dolan, Kuderer)

Spokesman Review
Bill would expand free lunches to all students in Washington schools where 62.5% already qualify (Riccelli)
Washington considers new agency to study firearm violence prevention, safety (Dhingra, Pedersen)
Bill would allow Washington to offer undocumented students college loans (Liias)
Spokane area needs more physicians treating opioid use disorder, providers say
Cellphone use fines could double while driving in school zone
Amazon ramps up hiring for new Spokane fulfillment center on the West Plains
Opinion: Shawn Vestal: Greater Idaho is a wonderful name for a bad idea

USA Today
Secession in the Pacific Northwest? Some Oregon residents petition to join Idaho
AG Barr has considered resigning over President Trump’s interference in Justice investigations

Walla Walla Union Bulletin (subscription required)
Editorial: Legislature wise to move slow in OKing sports gambling
Editorial: Corrections officers will benefit from fix in state law

Washington Post
Republicans in super-liberal Oregon are so fed up they want to become part of Idaho
Trump declares himself America’s ‘chief law enforcement officer’
Against wishes of Barr, Trump fires off more tweets about the Justice Department
Boston harbor brings ashore a new enemy: Rising seas
Trump’s clemency spree shows white-collar felons it’s more about who you know than what you did
How the coronavirus can kill people
Opinion: Republicans have unleashed an ethical monster
Opinion: William Barr’s America vs. reality in 2020
Opinion: Trump’s corruption will get worse. His own advisers just showed how.
China expels three Wall Street Journal reporters over opinion article written by academic
Barr blasts tech giants for dodging liability for harmful online content
Methane is a hard-hitting greenhouse gas. Now scientists say we’ve dramatically underestimated how much we’re emitting
The Technology 202: Meme-makers are newest frontier in Facebook’s political content debate

Whidbey News-Times
County gathering flood forms for FEMA
Growing Coupevilles from-scratch program

Yakima Herald Republic
Cody’s Law would require missing persons to be entered into federal database  (Goodman)
Other views: Facial recognition software takes personal invasion into a new dimension

Broadcast

KING5 TV (NBC)
King County wants to shoot fireworks to keep bald eagles from landfill
Boeing finds a new issue with 737 MAX, debris in fuel tanks
Bill could ban single-family zoning in Washington state (Das)
Deadline nearing for dozens of legislative bills
Trial begins in lawsuit over Susan Powell’s murdered sons
Family of Orcas Island man blames racial profiling for coronavirus quarantine

KIRO7 TV (CBS)
Trio of prescription cost bills pass off Washington Senate floor (Keiser)
Kennedy Catholic students walk out in protest after they say two openly gay teachers were forced out

KOMO4 TV (ABC)
State House approves bill protecting domestic workers
Trio of prescription cost bills pass in state Senate
Are crime bosses paying shoplifters to steal?
After 80 straight days of clouds, Seattle FINALLY has first sunny day of the decade
Boeing finds a new issue with Max jet, debris in fuel tanks

KNKX FM
80 million years in the making: Local kids hope Washington designates official dinosaur (Morgan)
Analysis: A look at what bills are still alive and what’s in trouble in the Legislature

KUOW FM
Canoeing to work: Floods bring chaos, renewal to Snoqualmie Valley
Barr Has Considered Resigning Over Trump’s Remarks
Food Fight: How 2 Trump Proposals Could Bite Into School Lunch
Seattle soda tax works in curbing consumption, study says
Health insurance industry lobbying pays off with key change to consumer-minded bill (Rolfes)
Trump Commutes Sentence Of Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich
Return to Svalbard: Earth’s icy food chain is about more than polar bears
How Warming Winters Are Affecting Everything

NW Public Radio
Lobbying Pays Off: Washington Health Insurers Benefit From Change To Consumer-Focused Bill (Rolfes)
Ah, Shuck: Oysters, Cherries, Other Northwest Ag Products Back Up As Coronavirus Quarantines Trade

Q13 TV (Fox)
Civil trial begins over deaths of Powell children
Crowd rallies outside Catholic high school in Burien after gay teachers resign
Barr has said he’s considered resigning over Trump’s interference in Justice Department matters, source says

Web

Crosscut
Washington considers banning disposable plastics in restaurants and grocery stores (Gregerson)
State of Seattle: Mayor Durkan emphasizes progress, not problems
Opinion: A ‘trail of ghosts’ in Seattle, 78 years after Japanese incarceration

MyNorthwest.com
Seattle council raises cap on sanctioned homeless camps, tiny home villages
Inside Washington state’s battle with big tech over privacy

Schmudget
The revenue forecast explained in GIFs (and one chart)

Seattle P.I.
Officials: 746 people in Washington being supervised due to coronavirus outbreak
Durkan on state of Seattle: ‘Strong and Resilient,’ but not without challenges
Protest at Catholic Archdiocese over ouster of gay Kennedy High teachers

Slog
Nikki Kuhnhausen Was Killed by Transphobia (Stanford, Wylie)
Seattle City Council Votes to Allow 40 Transitional Encampments in Seattle

Tacoma Ledger
Truth behind Northwest detention centers (Ortiz-Self, Saldaña)

UW Medicine Newsroom
Patient supports $100 cap on insulin costs (Keiser)

Tuesday, February 18

Washington House embraces carbon-free state by 2050
Washington House Democrats passed a bill Sunday declaring climate change an “existential threat” and mandating a carbon-neutral state by 2050. Also on Sunday, the House approved legislation to require some counties and cities to adopt land-use rules that would help the state achieve its carbon limits. Both bills go to the Democratic-controlled Senate, where similar measures were introduced this session but failed to meet deadlines to be approved by committees. Continue reading at Capital Press. (Don Jenkins)

House passes bill to expand court-ordered gun confiscation | 2020 Legislative Session
Courts could be one step closer to ordering people subject to vulnerable adult protection orders to surrender their firearms after the House voted 55 to 42 on Friday, Feb. 14 in favor of a bill that expands authority to do so. House Bill 2305 would allow courts issuing a Vulnerable Adult Protection Order to consider whether a person named as an abuser should surrender their firearms, or concealed carry license. Continue reading at The Bainbridge Island Review.

Running Start in summer, mandatory sex education among the major K-12 bills still alive in Olympia
In even-numbered years, the Washington Legislature meets for just 60 days and essentially makes slight changes to the two-year budget lawmakers approved the year before. That rushed schedule means major legislation, including policy bills related to K-12 schools, often die in committee almost as quickly as lawmakers first introduced them. Two big legislative deadlines just came and went: Bills needed to both move out of their respective House and Senate education committees and receive a favorable vote from each chamber’s fiscal committee in order to stay alive. Continue reading at The Seattle Times.

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Associated Press
401(k)s hit records as workers sock away more, stocks jump
Quarantine on cruise ship in Japan comes under question
Washington to open fishing in May despite steelhead drop
Home quarantine for travelers buys time as new virus spreads
Washington State Patrol may return to Yakima Nation roads

Aberdeen Daily World
Historical property bill passes House (Blake)
Aberdeen asks county to help pay for homeless camp
Sports betting bill easily passes House, heads to Senate (Blake, Chapman, Thariner, Riccelli, Ormsby, Hansen, Billig)

Auburn Examiner
Auburn Representative Town halls You Should Put on Your Calendar (Pellicciotti, Johnson, Wilson)

Auburn Reporter
Senate passes Wilson bill to correct timetable for childcare payments (Wilson)

Bainbridge Island Review
House passes bill to expand court-ordered gun confiscation (Doglio, Irwin)

Bellingham Herald (subscription required)
Apartment move-in costs too high? The state offers the installment plan (Morgan, Kilduff, Fitzgibbon)
What is the most deadly occupation in Washington state?
Grant will help Whatcom Family YMCA expand child care
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown: Removing Snake River dams must be part of plan to save salmon
Under Donald Trump, Washington gets more back in federal money than it pays in taxes
Some faculty members criticize athletic spending at EWU
AP Interview: UN chief says new virus poses ‘enormous’ risks
China reports 1,886 new virus cases, death toll up by 98

Capital Press
Washington House embraces carbon-free state by 2050 (Blake)
Washington Senate passes soil health plan (Liias)
Waterways association opposes Brown support for breaching dams

Centralia Chronicle
House Passes Chehalis Basin Funding Bill (Pellicciottti)

Columbian
Vancouver lawmaker’s bill looks to bolster child abuse hotline (Cleveland)
Bill named after slain transgender Vancouver teen seeks to limit panic defenses (Wylie)
In Our View: Ranked-choice voting cons outweigh the pros (Stonier, Wylie)

The Daily News
Cowlitz Tribe celebrates 20 years of federal acknowledgement Sunday

Everett Herald (subscription required)
Senate bill requires student meals have healthy beverage option (Peterson,. Liias, Hobbs, Takko, Mullet, Robinson)
Crime is down, but Everett hopes to hire 24 more officers
Editorial: Insurance fee could limit wildfire risk, damage

Federal Way Mirror
Senate passes Wilson bill to prohibit solitary confinement of youths (Wilson)

Journal of the San Juan Islands
San Juan Island firefighters participate in stair climb challenge

Kitsap Sun (subscription required)
Opinion: Muddled answer to a clear public records question
Two Bremerton nursing homes file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
Jeff Bezos will spend $10 billion of his own money to go after climate change

News Tribune (subscription required)
State Senate honors U.S. Rep. Denny Heck for career that began in the state Legislature (Hunt)
Paying for Washington’s transportation system involves some not-so-simple math (Fey)

New York Times
Facing a wave of sex-abuse claims, Boy Scouts of America files for bankruptcy
Activate this ‘bracelet of silence,’ and Alexa can’t eavesdrop
The Struggle to Mend America’s Rural Roads
California Plans to Apologize to Japanese-Americans
Jeff Bezos Commits $10 Billion to Address Climate Change

Peninsula Daily News
Washington state moves to eliminate youth solitary confinement (Wilson)

Portland Mercury
Nikki Kuhnhausen Was Killed By Transphobia. Now, Her Community Fights for Her Legacy. (Stanford, Wylie)

Puget Sound Business Journal
Trump effort to keep U.S. tech out of China alarms American firms
Mark Zuckerberg: Big Tech needs more regulation
DreamBox Learning CEO: ‘Talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not’
Apple warns that coronavirus will hurt revenue

Seattle Times (subscription required)
King County wants to shoot fireworks at bald eagles
A better ride for 26,000 Seattle commuters when Metro buses shift to Columbia Street
The Seattle area is getting a reprieve from the rain — for now
Racist acts by Seattle-area students made news last year. Here’s how schools responded.
We know thousands of King County students leave high school without a diploma. Now we’re starting to learn why.
Bloomberg: In hot U.S. jobs market, half of college grads are missing out
City Light is struggling to keep up with repairs as wire thieves knock out Seattle streetlights
Bezos commits $10 billion to fight the ‘devastating impact of climate change’
Insulin is being sold illegally on Craigslist for a fraction of its retail price, study finds
Running Start in summer, mandatory sex education among the major K-12 bills still alive in Olympia
Bill to address racial inequity in cannabis licenses gets OK from Washington House
A change in Washington law helps parents address mental-health needs of their teenage children, but barriers remain
Editorial: The Legislature clings to its old tricks (Billig)

Seattle Weekly
Unstable housing? Apply for Section 8

Spokesman Review
House passes bill to release college transcripts regardless of fees (Slatter)
Washington Senate bill would give consumers access to personal data stored by businesses (Carlyle, Hasegawa)
With major need for foster parents, Spokane nonprofit seeks to fill gap
‘As for what we need?’ Housing, services and support, say those experiencing homelessness in Spokane
“Here’s the problem.” Body cameras show how police navigate Church at Planned Parenthood
Spin Control: Senate debates what’s the best things to drink in a kids meal (Liias, Cleveland, Frockt)

USA Today
Federal judges’ association calls emergency meeting after DOJ intervenes in case of Trump ally Roger Stone

Washington Post
Wuhan hospital director dies of coronavirus as infections mount
Roger Stone will be sentenced Thursday despite his ongoing bid to overturn conviction
Walmart employees brace for job cuts as retailer rolls out ‘Great Workplace’ program
How Ring and Nest helped normalize American surveillance — and turned us into a nation of voyeurs
Trump’s support for bipartisan Senate drug pricing bill may not be enough to push it into law
What it really means when Trump, DeVos and their allies refer to public schools as ‘government schools’
After a rape exam, women’s underclothes are often taken as evidence. This nurse buys them new ones.
The Technology 202: Mark Zuckerberg’s icy reception in E.U. signals coming clashes over tech regulation
Apple says the coronavirus will cause it to miss its revenue goals

Wenatchee World
Washington needs more sexual trauma nurses, but who trains them becomes a statewide debate

Yakima Herald Republic
City leaders say Yakima is proactive about the environment; group wants city to do more

Broadcast

King 5
712 people in Washington under public health supervision due to coronavirus
Fired for being gay? What the law allows
Seattle City Light struggles to keep up with copper wire thefts

KIRO7 TV (CBS)
Four people, including children, taken hostage at gunpoint in Issaquah; suspect believed dead
Bill designed to discourage traffic ticket quotas for officers passes state Senate
‘He needs to come home’: Dozens of searchers looking for missing 10-year-old Belfair boy
Washington state considers ban on single family zoning (Das)

KNKX FM
Seattle Public Schools says it will no longer offer separate honors classes in middle school
More than half of the student body at Evergreen identifies as LGBTQ or questioning

KUOW FM
Coronavirus Updates: Hospital Director In Wuhan Dies Of COVID-19
BLM Acting Director Defends Agency’s Controversial Move To Colorado
Jeff Bezos Pledges $10 Billion To Fight Climate Change, Planet’s ‘Biggest Threat’
The WHO Knows Insulin Is Too Expensive. How It Plans To Drive Down The Price
Police searching for missing 10-year-old boy in Mason County

Spokane Public Radio
Washington, Idaho Legislatures Busy During Presidents’ Day Holiday (Keiser)

Web

Crosscut
Transgender immigrants seeking asylum moved to Tacoma ICE prison amid care concerns
As landslides close roads, Washington’s remote towns deal with isolation
Downtown chaos may be the only constant in Seattle’s changing core

MyNorthwest.com
Rantz: WA Democrats push light punishment for intentional HIV infection (Macri, Cody)
UW study: Raising minimum wage requires ‘nuanced’ approach
New WA bill would discourage traffic-ticket quotas for officers

Seattle P.I.
Zillow unveils new search tool for affordable housing in Seattle To the State Legislature: Fulfill the Promise You Made, Pass the Clean Slate Act Today (Hansen)
Protests Planned to Support Gay Teachers Allegedly Forced Out of Catholic High School (Nguyen)

Monday, February 17

How can Washington better help young people who are homeless? Listen to their stories
Each year, about 1 in 4 young people in Washington state face a housing crisis within a year of leaving foster care, criminal justice facilities, or behavioral health institutions. The crisis for those between the ages of 12 and 24 means they sleep in emergency shelters, on the streets, in cars, in other unsafe or unstable places, or they “couch-surf,” moving from one place to another. Continue reading at Tacoma News Tribune. (Photo: Tony Overman)

Legislators, local officials consider fuel standard proposals that require cleaner gas, diesel
Sen. Christine Rolfes, D-Bainbridge Island, one of the co-sponsors of the Senate proposal, said the effect of the legislation would be “the same as taking millions of cars off the streets without taking millions of cars off the streets. It allows us to keep our quality of life just by being cleaner about how we go about our business.” Continue reading at Kitsap Sun. (Photo: Meegan M. Reid/Kitsap Sun)

State Senate bill would extend window for pregnancy discrimination complaints
A bill passed Thursday by the state Senate in Olympia with a broad bipartisan majority would extend the statute of limitations for filing a pregnancy discrimination complaint from six months to one year. Senate Bill 6034 would update the Washington Law Against Discrimination to give a pregnant woman or new mother more time to file a complaint with the Washington Human Rights Council. Continue reading at Kent Reporter.