Click here for our Daily E-Clips policy.

Wednesday, November 13

WA voter turnout appears to be lowest since 2000
Fewer than 78% of the state’s 5 million registered voters cast ballots in the Nov. 5 election, the lowest turnout since 2000, when just 75.5% participated. Washington has gone to great lengths to make it easy to vote. Every registered voter is sent a ballot, which can be mailed in postage free or deposited by Election Day in a secure drop box. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Erika Schultz)

Bob Ferguson continues fight against abortion pill restrictions
Donald Trump’s reelection could bring new energy to a Washington state fight for abortion access begun in the courts last year. Earlier this month, Bob Ferguson — then attorney general, now governor-elect — filed a summary judgment motion requesting that an ongoing case challenging restrictions on the common abortion drug mifepristone be decided without a trial. If the judge sides with Ferguson, the Food and Drug Administration could be obligated to revisit their policies on the drug used in more than half of all abortions. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Charlie Neibergall)

Washington voters stand up for climate action
This election season, Washington voters overwhelmingly rejected an initiative that sought to repeal the state’s landmark climate law. In a landslide victory, 62% of voters elected to save the Climate Commitment Act. The 2021 law established Washington’s cap-and-trade program, the state’s primary tool to slash carbon emissions to 95% below 1990 levels by 2050 and thereby prevent the worst impacts of climate chaos. Continue reading at High Country News. (Stuart Westmorland)

Print

Axios
Blue state resistance builds against Trump
Why Washington was the only state to shift blue in 2024
What happens if Trump eliminates the Department of Education
Seattle biotech aims to cure hep B with breakthrough gene therapy

Bellingham Herald
National Weather Service issues high-wind warning for midweek in Whatcom County lowlands

Capital Press
USDA to begin testing bulk milk for avian flu
Market analysts: No ‘Trump bump’ for wheat prices

Everett Herald
Orca family returns to Penn Cove after 50 years
Big changes ahead as Community Transit mulls $254M budget

High Country News
Washington voters stand up for climate action

New York Times
Trump’s Immigration Plans Could Bring an Economic Toll
Trump’s Middle East Picks Signal Staunch Pro-Israel Policy
Trump Taps Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to Slash Government
Trump Transition Live Updates: President-Elect Visits Biden After Meeting With Republicans

Port Townsend Leader
Jefferson County sees unusually low election turnout
Department of Fish and Wildlife to host steelhead town hall
Inslee says state not going back on climate after 1-2117 defeat

Puget Sound Business Journal
How business owners can prepare for potential tariff hikes in 2025
New overtime rule boosting pay to millions could be ‘moot’ in 2025
Seattle council member proposes retiring South Lake Union streetcar

Seattle Times
WA voter turnout appears to be lowest since 2000
Balance of power in WA Legislature still in question
Trump’s defense choice stuns the Pentagon and raises questions about the Fox News host’s experience

Skagit Valley Herald
Many Skagit County ballots remain challenged
Port of Skagit swears in commissioner, approves budget

Spokesman Review
Central Valley School Board decides not to send letter on transgender students in sports
Colville residents rally against plans to upgrade behavioral health facility, saying ‘small, conservative town’ isn’t the right fit

Washington Post
Oil companies face a new fine for methane. Trump could scrap it.
Trump pledged to close the Education Department. What would that mean?
How to save money with the Inflation Reduction Act before it might disappear

WA State Standard
Newhouse holds onto seat after defeating Trump-backed challenger
With WA courts’ online systems down, thousands of firearm sales on hold
Ferguson names 53-person team to assist with transition into governor’s office

Wenatchee World
Firearm background checks down as part of WA courts outage
WA courts outage prompts emergency changes to Douglas County District Court cases

Yakima Herald-Republic
House race between Manjarrez and Kennedy tightens; Gloria Mendoza wins seat

Broadcast

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Pierce County officials get bigger raises than initially approved
UW Medicine study highlights patient safety risks with late-career doctors
K Pod orca may be dead even as Southern Residents hang out in Puget Sound
Survey: Veteran homelessness at record lows, 48,000 veterans permanently housed
Boeing says it will take several weeks to resume production of planes after the strike
WDFW is holding public comment on 20 proposed land acquisitions across Washington
Old hospital site to be revived as a residential substance use treatment facility in Kennewick

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
SPS parents confront district leaders over potential school closures
Boeing announces 10% workforce layoff amid major financial struggles
King County jail resumes booking for low-level crimes after 4-year hiatus
US inflation rose slightly last month after 2 years of steady cooling but remained low

KXLY (ABC)
Whooping cough outbreak declared in Spokane County
Spokane’s scattered shelter system receives mixed responses
Spokane Valley proposes ordinance to make sleeping in parks a misdemeanor
Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown part of Governor-Elect Bob Ferguson’s transition team (Billig)
Man who threatened Spokane City Hall has history of making threats toward city officials and police
Central Valley School District holds off on sending letter urging WIAA to review policy on transgender athletes

Web

Cascadia Daily News
A Bellingham housing program was preparing to shut down — then Opportunity Council stepped up

Crosscut
Bob Ferguson continues fight against abortion pill restrictions

Tuesday, November 12

Seattle police no longer face restrictions for misdemeanor bookings
It’s been a little over a week since jail booking restrictions were lifted, enabling Seattle police to book people into the King County Jail for low-level offenses, like shoplifting or property destruction, for the first time in more than four years. But not much has changed — yet. Officers and sergeants are still adjusting to the shift and, with winter weather in full effect, there’s already a reduction in the number of potential bookings to begin with, said Deputy Chief Eric Barden. But the lifting of restrictions first put in place at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic means officers can again weigh whether there’s a public safety benefit to getting someone off the streets, however briefly. Continue reading a the Seattle Times. (Greg Gilbert)

Seattle senator Pedersen to become new WA Senate majority leader
Washington Senate Democrats chose state Sen. Jamie Pedersen as their new majority leader on Monday. His appointment makes Washington the first in the nation to have two LGBTQ+ legislative leaders at the same time. He joins House Speaker Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, who became the first woman and first lesbian to lead the chamber in 2020. In the 2025 legislative session that begins Jan. 13, lawmakers will be working with a new governor and writing a new two-year state operating budget. Separately and together they will be wrestling with how to plug a potential multi-billion dollar gap between incoming revenue and the costs of maintaining programs and services approved in prior years. Continue reading at the WA State Standard. (LSS)

Removing guns is a key suicide prevention strategy in WA
Statistics show that a significant portion of firearm deaths in Washington are suicides. In 2023, 66% of all firearm deaths were suicides, and just two years ago, in 2021, that number was above 69%, according to figures from the state Department of Health. But despite the propensity of firearm use in completed suicides, such deaths are discussed far less often among the public and in the media compared to other forms of gun violence and firearm injury, such as mass shootings and homicides. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Grant Hindsley)

Print

Associated Press
USDA bans school lunch fees for low-income families

Aberdeen Daily World
Meet your new Grays Harbor County Commissioners

Axios
The 20-year saga of the hole across from Seattle City Hall
Gluesenkamp Perez wins rematch against Republican Joe Kent
What Trump’s election could mean for student debt in Washington

Bainbridge Island Review
Upping fees, legislative goals on Nov. 12 BI agenda

Bellingham Herald
Nooksack Tribe rejects housing counteroffer, moves to evict disenrolled Indigenous families

Capital Press
Air quality impacts of farm practices studied
Labor seeks say in defense of Biden farmworker union rule
Federal agency blames drought for low hydropower numbers

Everett Herald
2 years later, Glacier Peak seismometers delayed again
Everett council votes to increase penalties for wage theft
New gate is latest piece in Stanwood’s flood protection puzzle
‘Doesn’t make any sense’: Skykomish residents decry increased outages
‘Very hostile work environment’: Stanwood-Camano school supe resigns
Editorial: What Washington state’s results say about election

International Examiner
Pradeepta Upadhyay retires from InterIm CDA, two co-executive directors step up

News Tribune
Pierce County sheriff, executive might get bigger raises next year than first approved

New York Times
How to Raise Trillions to Fight Climate Change, With or Without the U.S.
Trump Chooses Lee Zeldin to Run E.P.A. as He Plans to Gut Climate Rules

Olympian
Why does Thurston County want to help pay for dredging in Olympia’s West Bay?
Three years later, no investigations started by WA police oversight group. What gives? (Stonier)

Puget Sound Business Journal
Seattle council member proposes tax for housing, nutrition help
How a groundbreaking NCAA settlement could disrupt this Seattle nonprofit
Washington city ordered to pay builder millions for breaking development agreement

Seattle Times
Women stockpile abortion pills before Trump term
What Trump’s reelection means for immigrants in WA
Seattle police no longer face restrictions for misdemeanor bookings

Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit County allocates lodging tax funds to various groups
Mount Vernon Police Department swears in first female sergeant

Spokesman Review
Democrats on their way to grow their majority in Washington’s Legislature if current election results hold (Pedersen, Billig, Riccelli)
Dan Newhouse defeats fellow Republican Jerrod Sessler in tight race to represent central Washington in the House
Threats from man accused of harassing 2 Spokane mayors causes lockdown and cancellation of City Council meetings
As country gets redder, Washington voters are getting bluer, showing potential support for an income tax, stricter climate regulations down the line
Opinion: Closing the gap: How my first proposed budget puts Spokane back on track

Tri-City Herald
Tri-Cities nonprofit considers suing WA to stop or cut Inslee decision on huge wind farm

Washington Post
Trump expected to try to halt TikTok ban, allies say
Trump pledged more tariffs. We have no idea what they will do.
Trump pledged to close the Education Department. What would that mean?

WA State Standard
WA’s governor-elect Ferguson names senior staff
Washington voters approve pro-natural gas measure
Washington’s rural maternity wards are struggling to stay afloat
Seattle senator Pedersen to become new WA Senate majority leader (Pedersen, Billig, Riccelli, Bateman, Chapman, Jinkins, Mullet, Ramos, Hasegawa)
As 2026 World Cup planning kicks off, smooth border crossings are a goal
Gluesenkamp Perez defeats Kent, holding WA congressional seat for Democrats

Wenatchee World
Chelan County Planning Commission hosting final public hearing on STRs Wednesday

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima Council looks at solutions for budget problems, including levy lift

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
New veterans memorial unveiled in Maple Valley
Why Washington state flags will be at half-staff on Tuesday
Demand at West Seattle Food Bank has been steadily rising since 2020
Seattle council member helps rescue dog from ‘disturbing’ abuse incident
Federal lawsuit filed against Peninsula School District after ‘violent’ tackle that injured high school football player

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Is America doing enough to serve those who served?
Gangs still plague the Puget Sound – especially among teens
Strike ends, layoffs begin: Boeing to cut 10% of global workforce
Renton police find success combating juvenile crime with new unit

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Washington state sees alarming rise in whooping cough cases this year
Seattle streetcar faces uncertain future amid costly repairs and low ridership
Boeing strike over but production of planes could take several weeks to resume

KUOW Public Radio
Seattle could get its own baby capital gains tax
Washington’s natural gas initiative wins, but court challenges could be next

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane Transit Authority faces community pushback on new strategic plan priorities
Central Valley could be next school district to urge WIAA to change gender sports policy

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Bellingham’s growth plan for next 20 years open for public feedback
‘Putting the country first’: Community celebrates Veterans Day in Bellingham
Declining crime victim funds could impact Whatcom County children, services

Crosscut
Removing guns is a key suicide prevention strategy in WA
Seattle City Council to consider a city-level capital gains tax
Jamie Pedersen of Seattle elected majority leader in WA Senate (Pedersen, Billig)

West Seattle Blog
How should the city spend your money? Last major chance to speak out
UPDATE: Flames tear through West Seattle park Camp Long’s historic lodge
CRIME WATCH FOLLOW UP: Wrong-way, high-speed, drunk driver sentenced for West Seattle Bridge crash that killed two 18-year-olds

Friday, November 8

Inslee exults as voters support cap-and-trade
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said Wednesday an initiative to repeal cap-and-trade suffered a “thumping,” showing the rest of the country that fighting climate change was a winning policy. I-2117 received only 38% of the vote, according to the Secretary of State’s vote count as of Wednesday afternoon. The measure sought to abolish the main climate bill of Inslee’s three terms. I-2117’s defeat cements a tax on fossil fuels that went into effect Jan. 1, 2023. Cap-and-trade requires oil and natural gas producers to bid for a limited number of allowances to emit carbon. Continue reading at Capital Press. (TVW)

Ferguson and other WA Democrats prepare for new era of showdowns with Trump
After suing the Trump administration nearly 100 times as attorney general, Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson has an idea of what the next four years could look like. Ferguson said he is particularly concerned about the federal government limiting access to reproductive health care, removing protections for LGBTQ+ residents and eliminating Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals which protects immigrants who came to the U.S. as children without legal authorization from deportation. On Wednesday, Gov. Jay Inslee called Ferguson and Brown “the best duo to defend Washington state.” Continue reading at KUOW. (Karen Ducey)

Historic first: Washington state senator is first queer Latina in Congress
State Sen. Emily Randall has made history as the first LGBTQ+ Latina in Congress and the first out person to represent Washington at the federal level. Randall was elected to represent the 6th Congressional District, replacing Rep. Derek Kilmer, who did not seek reelection. The 6th District covers the Kitsap and Olympic peninsulas and Mason and Grays Harbor counties. There were several other historic firsts in the 2024 election across the country. Delaware elected Sarah McBride to the U.S. House, marking the first openly transgender member of Congress. It’s also the first time two Black women will serve in the Senate at the same time. Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland were both elected. Continue reading at King 5.

Print

Associated Press
Congresswoman Kim Schrier wins reelection against challenger
Judge strikes down Biden program shielding immigrant spouses from deportation

Aberdeen Daily World
Harbor police looking for Citizens Academy participants

Axios
Washington state prepares to push back against Trump

Capital Press
Inslee exults as voters support cap-and-trade
Trump victory met with positive but mixed reactions among Western ag

Everett Herald
WA Supreme Court race is incredibly close
Everett shares details on upcoming budget cuts
Everett to hold info session on AquaSox stadium plan
Democrats on cusp of expanding majorities in WA Legislature (Randall)
Comment: What’s ahead in a second Trump administration
Comment: Universal pre-K is worth the cost; we now have proof

Indian Country Today
Climate initiatives fare well across the country despite national political climate

News Tribune
FDA says commonly used decongestant ‘not effective,’ proposes removal
This Pierce County city plans to raise utility rates, property taxes, budget next year
Is it legal to pull into an intersection while waiting to turn left in Washington State?
Lakewood to pay $8 million to family of man killed by police officer during traffic stop

New York Times
What a Second Trump Term Could Mean for Your Money
Judge Tosses Out Biden Program for Undocumented Spouses
Trump’s Supreme Court Agenda Is Likely to Include Legal U-Turns
A Red-District Conqueror Wants Fellow Democrats to Look in the Mirror
With Trump Tariffs Looming, Businesses Try to ‘Run From a Moving Target’

Puget Sound Business Journal
The National Observer: What Trump’s win could mean for businesses
Future Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts may hinge on Trump policies

Seattle Times
Upthegrove elected WA lands commissioner
WA reports nearly 1,200 whooping cough cases so far this year
Boeing to refund lost pay to employees furloughed during Machinists strike
Incoming WA gov, AG vow to take on Trump administration if it overreaches

Spokesman Review
French maintains lead over Marshall; handful of local, state races too close to call
Washington’s newly elected governor and top lawyer pledge to defend the state against Trump

Washington Post
The state of play in the House
What kind of influence could RFK Jr. have over vaccines?
Here’s how Biden’s racing to Trump-proof his climate legacy
State votes on marijuana and psychedelics signal drug policy concerns

WA State Standard
Washington legislative races tighten as ballot counting slows
Immigration groups brace for a second Trump administration
Ferguson and other WA Democrats prepare for new era of showdowns with Trump

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Voters approve Initiative 2066 as other ballot measures fail
REAL ID deadline just 6 months away. Here’s what to know
Alexis Mercedes Rinck wins Seattle City Council Position 8 seat
Orcas spotted in Penn Cove for the first time in over five decades
Historic first: Washington state senator is first queer Latina in Congress
Seattle Public Schools holds first on-site meeting over potential school closures
WA Gov-elect Ferguson, AG-elect Brown discuss preparations for second Trump admin

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Ferguson lays out plan for second Trump term
Bellingham High student attacked for being transgender
Marysville strengthens mandatory minimum sentences for repeat offenders
NASA awards $2.5 million to establish local consortium for space biology research
Parents and students rally for elementary schools amidst Seattle Public Schools proposed closures

KNKX Public Radio
Latest results for Pierce County executive and sheriff races

KUOW Public Radio
What the election means for school funding in Washington state
Washington Gov-elect Ferguson lays out plan ahead of second Trump term
Have a Holly Noxious Christmas? State board eyes un-jolly label for invasive greenery

KXLY (ABC)
Six days later and the WA statewide court system is still shut down
Mayor Lisa Brown orders city flags at half-staff in remembrance of Navy aviators
More harm than help; Spokane woman’s experience shines spotlight on controversial youth residential programs

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Smaller Lummi Island ferry replacement recommended by County Council
Harris says nation must accept election results while urging supporters to keep fighting

Crosscut
WSU study: Presidential debates trigger ‘fight or flight’ response

MyNorthwest
Democrats fall short of supermajority in state legislature but are set to flip GOP seats

The Urbanist
Seattle Voters Approve $1.55 Billion Transportation Levy
Seattle Set to Double Down on Arbitrary Parking Mandates

Thursday, November 7

Global temperatures likely to exceed key limit for first time
With October’s initial temperature data in, 2024 will rank as the first calendar year in modern record-keeping in which global average surface temperatures exceed the Paris Agreement’s aspirational 1.5°C guardrail. Holding long-term warming to the 1.5-degree target compared to the preindustrial era is crucial for lowering the risk of triggering climate change tipping points, beyond which potentially catastrophic impacts have a higher likelihood of occurring, studies show. Continue reading at Axios. (Axios Visuals)

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee reacts to Trump’s election, acknowledging national fear but calling for local optimism
Moments after Vice President Kamala Harris conceded the election to President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee gave a speech urging residents of the Evergreen State to remain hopeful about the future. The news conference was likely one of the last times the longtime governor will address the public as he prepares to step down from his post and pass the torch to the newly elected Bob Ferguson. Inslee, a Democrat, announced last year that he would not seek re-election once he closed out his third term as governor. Continue reading at the Spokesman Review. (Ellen Dennis)

Democrats on cusp of expanding majorities in WA Legislature
Democrats are on course to grow their majorities in the Washington Legislature but Republicans are positioned to sweep seats in one of the state’s most watched districts. Democrats outnumber Republicans by margins of 58-40 in the House and 29-20 in the Senate. Entering Tuesday, the majority party had designs on capturing Republican-held seats in districts where GOP incumbents retired. Continue reading at the WA State Standard. (LSS)

Print

Axios
Global temperatures likely to exceed key limit for first time
Democratic socialist Shaun Scott wins Seattle legislative race

Capital Press
Skagit tidegate controversy puts thousands of acres of farmland at risk
Editorial: Let them eat mud

Everett Herald
Margin narrows between Muzzall and St. Clair in WA Senate race
Voters approving Everett minimum wage, Snohomish River rights measures

News Tribune
Will Pierce County lose firefighters? Early results for contentious fire levy are in
This Pierce County city plans to raise utility rates, property taxes, budget next year

New York Times
Trump Will Return to Power With a More Expansive Agenda
An Emboldened G.O.P. Senate Majority Is Ready to Empower Trump

Puget Sound Business Journal
How Trump’s victory could reshape Fed rate cuts
Seattle tech unicorn Outreach lays off 9% of staff in latest cuts
Challenger leads business-backed incumbent in Seattle council race
Amazon’s headcount in Bellevue will make another jump by year’s end
From taxes to tariffs, here’s how Trump’s victory could affect businesses

Seattle Times
WA bucks national trend and swings further to the left
Initiative 2109: Voters keep WA capital gains tax on state’s richest
Trump’s return could be bad for WA trade and workers, good for tech
Vote totals on WA’s natural gas measure, Initiative 2066, remain tight
WA congressional race too close to call with House majority still in play

Spokesman Review
Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown announces revival of city arts department
Spokane economy next year likely to grow at slower pace, but these are still ‘uncertain times’
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee reacts to Trump’s election, acknowledging national fear but calling for local optimism

Tri-City Herald
1,100 ratify contract with Tri-Cities hospital after strike. Some were the lowest paid

Washington Post
Trump poised to push tax plan with hefty price tag
The Fed preps another rate cut, amid cloudy post-election outlook
What Trump’s victory could mean for oil companies and climate change policy
Oil and Elon Musk may benefit from Trump’s win. Retail and unions, not so much.

WA State Standard
Natural gas measure still on track to pass in Washington
Kuderer wins Washington insurance commissioner race (Kuderer)
Democrats on cusp of expanding majorities in WA Legislature
Democratic incumbents sweep Washington’s down ballot races
Newhouse maintains narrow lead against Trump-backed Sessler
How Washington’s Congressional candidates fared on Tuesday (Randall)
Gluesenkamp Perez keeps lead in key congressional race in Washington
Trump in second administration promises mass deportations, tariffs and spending cuts

Wenatchee World
Bell Canada spends $3.65 billion to acquire Ziply Fiber
East Wenatchee City Council passes homelessness code

Yakima Herald-Republic
Mabton School District to search for new superintendent
‘We’re flying blind:’ Court records outage expected to last through week
Republicans maintain leads in state House and Senate races in 14th and 15th
Newhouse maintains lead over Sessler after more results released Wednesday
Sunnyside school board approves new voting district map. All 5 up for election next year

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Seattle study finds salmon is being mislabeled in restaurants
Results for each of 2024 Washington state ballot initiatives so far
Sound Transit plans on replacing elevators and escalators at downtown Seattle light rail stations
Man harasses victim at Seattle homeless encampment before fatally shooting him, court documents say

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Rally held in Seattle park following election
Thousands of Boeing machinists return to work
Loaded gun discovered near Lacey grade school
Some Boeing machinists back at work after new contract
King County Elections: ‘We still have 300,000 votes to count’
Snohomish County school funding measures appear poised for defeat
82-year-old Edmonds woman accused of hate crime, attack at Trump rally
Washington unemployment rates linked to employee pickiness in job search
Clallam County breaks 40-year streak of voting for winning presidential candidate
‘Confusing verbiage’ may have influenced WA voters on statewide initiatives, expert says

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Initiative 20-04 sees strong voter approval for significant wage increase in Everett
Washington state, Seattle leaders discuss potential response to Trump’s 2nd Term
Boeing machinists return to work, boosting local economies in Everett and Renton
Seattle small businesses see drop-off in customers as Amazon reassigns hundreds of workers

KNKX Public Radio
Emily Randall will represent WA’s 6th congressional district
WA Democrats celebrate Lands Commissioner lead, climate law
Amazon ordered to let workers vote on unionizing — for the 3rd time

KUOW Public Radio
Harris concedes the election but vows to not stop fighting for a better future

KXLY (ABC)
Three of four WA ballot initiatives set to fail despite massive spending
Spokane voters likely pass 0.1% sales tax for public safety improvements
Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown announces plan to form new Office of Arts and Culture

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Results narrowing on natural gas initiative
Trump’s White House return poised to tangle health care safety net
Trump in second administration promises mass deportations, tariffs and spending cuts

Crosscut
Low prices mean a lean year for WA’s commercial salmon fishers
Everett voters likely to boost minimum wage among highest in US

MyNorthwest
Successful construction season ends on I-90
Southwest Washington business owners poisoned air for profit
Big money headed toward Seattle’s transportation infrastructure
Economist: Boeing contract will have big impact on housing in Western Washington

West Seattle Blog
UPDATE: West Seattle’s info session about proposed rezoning
OPENING: With cold nights ahead, West Seattle’s only emergency shelter is about to open

Wednesday, November 6

Democrats notch major wins in Washington state
Democrats were winning up and down the ballot in Washington state in early results from Tuesday’s election, while three Republican-backed ballot measures failed. The initial returns reinforce Washington’s deep-blue reputation at the state level, even as the Associated Press reported that Republicans would retake the U.S. Senate and the White House. In the presidential race, Harris won the state, capturing 58.6% of the first ballot count, compared to 39.1% for Trump. Democrat Bob Ferguson won the governor’s race, per the Associated Press, continuing Democrats’ 40-year winning streak for that office. Continue reading at Axios. (Brendan Lynch)

Bellingham High transgender student suffers potential brain trauma during group assault
Bellingham Police are investigating an attack on a transgender high school student and are pursuing possible assault and hate crime charges against the juveniles involved in the beating, which the suspects recorded and shared on social media. The assault left the 16-year-old victim with facial cuts, swelling and bruises. The student now suffers frequent headaches and memory loss, his mother told The Herald in an interview Tuesday. Continue reading at the Bellingham Herald. (Robert Mittendorf)

Voters reject measure to repeal landmark Washington climate law
Washington voters on Tuesday preserved a controversial climate law that’s generated billions of dollars from polluters to fund the state’s fight against the harmful effects of climate change. The law sets annual emission limits for major emitters, such as oil refiners and utilities, and requires them to buy allowances at state auctions for each metric ton of their air pollution. Over time, the limits are lowered to compel polluters to curb their emissions. The program started on Jan. 1, 2023, and the first emissions allowance auction was held on Feb. 28, 2023. The cap-and-invest program has raised $2.3 billion for the state to date. Those dollars are getting spent on an array of undertakings in the state’s current operating, capital and transportation budgets. Continue reading at the WA State Standard. (David Ryder)