Click here for our Daily E-Clips policy.

Tuesday, November 5

Washington public college tuition is declining. Here’s why
Public college education in Washington has been getting less costly, in line with a national trend spurred by higher funding, according to a recent report. Average in-state tuition at four-year colleges in Washington, after adjusting for inflation, is now 4.7% lower than it was in the 2019-20 academic year, according to the report published by College Board, a standardized testing organization. For two-year colleges, tuition fell by 7.1%. Continue reading at the Seattle Times. (Marcus Badgley)

Washington celebrates milestone with 5 million registered voters ahead of Election Day
The Office of the Secretary of State is celebrating a new milestone reached in voter registration. On Monday, the SOS announced that Washington has officially hit the 5 million registered voters mark and a new milestone for the state. The milestone was achieved due to a daily record of 10,059 voters registering on Oct. 28, the deadline for online and mail registration. According to the SOS, voters can still register or update registration information by visiting a voting center by 8 p.m. on Nov. 5. Ballots must be returned to a county ballot drop box or voting center by 8 p.m. on Election Day or postmarked by Tuesday, Nov. 5 if sent by mail. Continue reading at King 5. (Eric Gay)

Gov. Inslee approves plans for WA’s largest wind turbine farm
Gov. Jay Inslee has approved a revised plan to populate the Horse Heaven Hills south of Kennewick with the largest wind turbine farm in Washington. His approval leaves intact more than three-quarters of the originally requested number of turbines. While Inslee gave his approval on Oct. 18, his office and the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council confirmed that approval to Cascade PBS on Friday. In September the Site Evaluation Council voted 4 to 3 to approve the recommendation. Opponents of the project have until Dec. 17 to appeal the decision to the state’s courts. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Genna Martin)

Print

Axios
Boeing union ends strike after contract vote

Capital Press
Half of states support Tacoma port’s petition to Supreme Court

Everett Herald
9K remain without power in Snohomish, Island counties
Boeing Machinists approve contract, ending 52-day strike
Lynnwood light rail is super popular — but there’s a problem
Letter: We must team up against the climate crisis

News Tribune
The conflict over a beloved Pierce County golf course is headed for eminent domain
Psychiatric patient had violent history. Does WA deserve blame for roommate’s killing?
Remains of Navy aviators killed after Growler crash near Mount Rainier to return home
TPD Chief Avery Moore racked up $1K+ bill on work phone during international vacation
Did Point Ruston developer conspire with son to elude creditors? Estate case turns messy
$3.5M to address youth homelessness headed to Pierce County, where shelter options few

New York Times
Boeing Union Approves New Contract, Ending Costly Strike

Puget Sound Business Journal
Strike over: Boeing workers approve new contract
SBA aims to boost federal small-business spending by billions with new rule

Seattle Times
Boeing Machinists approve new contract, ending strike
Washington public college tuition is declining. Here’s why
WA courts’ online systems down after ‘unauthorized activity’
Washington projects $250M funding shortfall for homeless services
Black Americans still suffer worse health. Here’s why there’s so little progress

Spokesman Review
Bird flu detected in Stevens, Okanogan counties
Longtime federal Judge Justin Quackenbush remembered as ‘true jurist’ with ‘a passion for the law’
Getting There: Spokane Transit Authority looks to improve services in eastern portions of the county

Washington Post
The Fed cut interest rates. But mortgages continue to rise.
These investors have a warning about real estate and climate change. Will anyone listen?

WA State Standard
Boeing machinists approve contract, strike ends
Washington voter turnout is lagging behind four years ago
It’s Election Day. Officials ask for patience in waiting on the results.

Wenatchee World
Colville Tribe receives nearly $112K for drinking water safety, supply
Residents near Wenatchee Planned Parenthood frustrated by daily protests
Chelan County expenses in 2025 budgeted to outpace revenue in preliminary budget

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima City Council to hear public input on next year’s budget

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Yes, voter intimidation is illegal
Boeing machinists approve new contract, ending strike
3 injured in shooting in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood
Remains of 2 aviators killed in Navy growler crash returning to Washington this week

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Chinook Pass, Cayuse Pass remain closed for the season
WSDA confirms the first case of avian flu in Stevens County flock
Port Townsend-Coupeville ferry canceled due to extreme weather
More than 9,000 customers without power around Western Washington
University of Washington makes major contribution to local economy, jobs
King County introduces newest rescue boat with high-tech package for enhanced safety
Washington celebrates milestone with 5 million registered voters ahead of Election Day

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
High winds lead to widespread outages in western Washington
59% of Boeing machinists vote to accept company’s latest contract offer, ending strike

KNKX Public Radio
Boeing machinists approve contract, bringing an end to a bruising seven-week strike

KUOW Public Radio
Washington voter turnout expected to surpass 80% in 2024 general election
Father of Garfield student killed at school begs witnesses to ‘do the right thing’

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane County Clerk’s Office services modified due to statewide system shutdown
WA National Guard on standby to assist local law enforcement ahead of Election Day

NW Public Radio
How Washington is preventing and detecting voter fraud
Getting out the vote, Northwest tribes say, is an ‘essential part of our civic duty’

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Statewide court system shutdown impacts county court operations
Confirmed whooping cough cases in Whatcom rose to 11 in October
Opinion: Election anxiety doesn’t need to win — here are 3 science-backed strategies from a clinical psychologist to rein in the stress

Crosscut
Gov. Inslee approves plans for WA’s largest wind turbine farm

Monday, November 4

WA’s asylum-seeker response arrives months overdue
Washington’s aid network for the thousands of asylum-seekers who have moved to the state in recent years launched Friday after a two-month delay. About $25 million from the state Legislature will be distributed among nonprofits, cities and other entities involved in providing housing, shelter and legal help for people seeking to stay in the U.S. — most of whom are fleeing Venezuela, Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Continue reading at the Seattle Times. (Ken Lambert)

What happens to Washington ballots after they’re turned in?
So, you turned in your ballot for Tuesday’s election. Now what happens? Before it’s officially counted, a Washington ballot makes multiple stops on the road to acceptance. The state’s elections system is a large operation with thousands of workers and volunteers sorting mail, verifying signatures and counting ballots for weeks surrounding Election Day. As of Friday morning, 43.6% of ballots had been returned and were going through that process. That’s down from 61.4% at this time in the 2020 election, though election officials anticipate this year’s number to jump over the weekend and into early next week. Continue reading at the WA State Standard. (Laurel Demkovich)

Visually impaired Washingtonians face unique obstacles to voting
Of 1.4 million registered voters in Washington, about half wait until Election Day, or the days before, to cast their ballots in person, according to Julie Wise, King County Director of Elections. Those with disabilities, including those with seeing and hearing impairments, are often among this group, as accessible early voting can be difficult. King County Elections offers a couple accessible voting options. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Erin Hooley)

Print

Axios
Why ballot counting takes so long in Washington state

Capital Press
Washington fines farm labor contractor
Inslee OKs Horse Heaven; admonishes EFSEC
Cattlemen sue USDA over mandatory electronic ear tags
Barred owl removal strategy accused of interfering with ‘evolutionary paths’

Columbian
One person dead, two injured in shooting at Vancouver Mall food court

Everett Herald
Boeing: Strike vote will have no effect on planned layoffs
Darrington, Marysville tackle wood smoke to address poor air quality

News Tribune
Half of homeless people contacted by Tacoma outreach team refuse help. Why is that?
Rules of the Road: What are the laws regarding riding bikes in the dark? Are they enforced?

Puget Sound Business Journal
King County weighs 49% hike in development permit fees

Seattle Times
WA’s asylum-seeker response arrives months overdue
Washington public college tuition is declining. Here’s why
Influx of mobile methadone clinics bring treatment to the streets
WA, OR ballot drop box makers, officials explore changes after fires
176 more people allege sex abuse at WA youth detention centers in suit
Boeing Machinists head to the polls in decisive vote that could end strike

Skagit Valley Herald
Port of Anacortes receives electric conversion grant

Washington Post
Scientists may have solved the mystery of sky-high methane emissions
Medicare Advantage insurers fear losing millions over a few bad phone calls

WA State Standard
What happens to Washington ballots after they’re turned in?
Inslee activates Washington National Guard ahead of Election Day

Wenatchee World
Wenatchee schools emphasize biliteracy: ‘No child should lose a language to gain a language.”

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Yes, it’s normal for official results to come in after election night
Washington governor activates National Guard ahead of Election Day
Nail products, jewelry among priority products that contain chemicals Ecology may regulate

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Boeing machinists to vote on new contract Monday
Why call? 911 calls in recent street takeover released
Gov. Inslee activates National Guard to prevent election-related unrest
Landslides in consecutive weekends continue to block Washington roads
Pierce County Human Services awarded $3.5M to end youth homelessness
Washington governor OKs massive new wind farm and urges swift turbine approvals
Tacoma man dead, three others injured in separate shootings tied to South Hill party

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Growth at JBLM spurs regional collaboration, enhancing community support
Boeing machinists are holding a contract vote that could end their 7-week strike

KNKX Public Radio
What to expect in Washington on Election Day – and how to tune in

KXLY (ABC)
How the Spokane County Elections Office handles multiple ballot submissions
Spokane County urges people to use service centers over elections office for help, questions
Mayor Brown proposes City of Spokane’s 2025-2026 budget, addresses public safety and ‘fiscal sustainability’

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Downstream impacts: Stakes are high in Skagit dam dispute
In-person visits to Whatcom County Jail to resume in December
Chuckanut Drive reopened near Larrabee State Park after rockslide

Crosscut
Visually impaired Washingtonians face unique obstacles to voting (Farivar)

MyNorthwest
Gov. Inslee approves huge wind turbine farm south of the Tri-Cities
Gov. Inslee activates National Guard to prevent election-related unrest

The Urbanist
Sleepy Bainbridge Island decides how to grow up
Sunday video: replacing I-5 Lanes with Cascadia high speed rail

Friday, November 1

More people with felony records can vote now in Washington
Election officials are trying to let people know that even if you have a felony conviction on your record, you’re eligible to vote in Washington state. Under a state law that took effect in 2022, even those on parole or probation can cast ballots in the Nov. 5 election. The law made it so a person’s voting rights are automatically restored as soon as they leave prison, though they still must re-register to vote. Continue reading at Axios. (Axios Visuals)

Washington lawmakers ask President Biden to make Major Disaster Declaration for Colville Reservation wildfire
Washington’s U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray along with Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Rep. Dan Newhouse are asking President Biden to make a Major Disaster Declaration for the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation due to wildfire damages from earlier this year. The letter calls for help for the over 57,000 acres that burned July 17 through August 21 on the Colville Reservation. Continue reading at KXLY. (Confederated Tribes Of The Colville Reservation)

WA law restricts noncompete agreements. They keep popping up anyway
Once limited to high-level executives and specialized fields like engineering and medicine, noncompete clauses have proliferated widely across industries, becoming boilerplate contract language in fast-food and warehouse jobs. Washington state placed significant restrictions on the enforcement of noncompetes in 2019, passing a law that included a ban for workers making under $100,000 per year. Prior to Washington’s law change, noncompete agreements bound one in four Washington workers earning earn less than $100,000 per year, according to recent research from the University of Maryland Continue reading at Crosscut. (Enree Weaver)

Print

Axios
More people with felony records can vote now in Washington

Capital Press
Hazardous trees defended as sound conservation
9th Circuit nixes ‘Cody’s Beef’ lawsuit against Tyson

Everett Herald
Boeing Machinists to vote on new contract proposal

News Tribune
20 inches of snow in October? WSDOT is closing passes this afternoon due to the forecast

Puget Sound Business Journal
UW economic impact spikes over 5-year period
Colleges stare down an existential enrollment threat
Striking Boeing machinists to vote on new contract offer

Seattle Times
Is Seattle’s rental scene hot or cold? Yes
UW’s new freshman class is its most diverse yet
Boeing jettisons DEI under pressure building on new CEO
Seattle Public Schools to pay $16M to settle sex abuse lawsuit

Spokesman Review
The Trent Avenue shelter, once the backbone of Spokane’s homeless system, has closed

Washington Post
Boeing makes new contract offer to machinists in hopes of ending strike
As data centers for AI strain the power grid, bills rise for everyday customers
As daylight saving time ends Sunday, here’s what to know about the time change
As smuggling rings made billions from migrants, the U.S. did little to disrupt them
This material is almost everywhere, and bad for the planet. There’s a plan to make it better.

WA State Standard
Machinists union leadership urges approval of new Boeing contract offer
Washington man who killed eagles is ordered to prison and to pay nearly $800,000
Americans, anxious about AI’s role in the election, may not know its full scope, expert says

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Union encourages Boeing machinists to approve new contract offer
Police still looking for suspect in Vancouver Mall shooting that left 1 dead, 2 injured
Seattle mayor signs off on new music venue parking permits to ease burden on artists

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Two injured, one dead in shooting at Vancouver, Wash. mall
Union recommends approval of latest Boeing contract proposal
Another contract offer on the table for striking Boeing employees
Washington State House candidate allegedly attacked in Mukilteo (Peterson)
Nurses at Tacoma’s St. Joseph hospital picket over unsafe conditions
Bellevue sees 50% spike in DUI cases, police ask residents to stay safe
Chinook Pass, Cayuse Pass temporarily close for predicted heavy snowfall
Hundreds of Puget Sound buildings at risk during earthquake, retrofits expensive
Election officials ramp up security measures after increased threats of violence & harassment
Pentagon audit says Boeing cleaned up on Air Force parts, including soap dispensers marked up 8,000%

KNKX Public Radio
Public EV chargers are good for the planet. They’re also good for business

KUOW Public Radio
Machinists union endorses latest Boeing offer with higher pay but no pension
Boeing cleaned up on Air Force parts, including soap dispensers marked up 8,000%
Court decision shielding clergy sex abuse investigation records appealed by Washington state

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane County voter service centers expanding hours before Election Day
Washington lawmakers ask President Biden to make Major Disaster Declaration for Colville Reservation wildfire

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Whatcom County budget seeks to bolster ‘an organization under stress’
Whatcom election officials have multiple safety measures for ballot boxes

Crosscut
Whitman County searching for about 250 missing election ballots
WA law restricts noncompete agreements. They keep popping up anyway

MyNorthwest
It’s time to ‘Fall Back’ despite the Washington legislature
‘There is no excuse’: Bellevue hits five-year high in DUI incidents

Thursday, October 31

Legislators, educators seek fixes for WA’s struggling system to educate incarcerated youth
Green Hill, along with Echo Glen, a juvenile detention center in Snoqualmie where students are 11 to 25 years old, are Washington’s two major schools for its state-run juvenile detention facilities. Outcomes at both are dismal. Despite all the challenges that come with institutional education, the field is woefully underfunded by the state. No state agency has a strong role overseeing the state’s 31 institutional education facilities, leaving a patchwork of school districts and educational service districts, which provide services to school districts, in charge of student outcomes. Continue reading at the WA State Standard. (DCYF)

Millions of low-cost homes are deteriorating, making the U.S. housing shortage worse
Millions of people across the U.S. live in places that are falling into disrepair, even becoming uninhabitable, making a massive shortage of affordable housing worse. They are disproportionately lower-income and Black or Hispanic, and many are seniors on fixed incomes. But a patchwork of repair programs — federal, state, local and nonprofit — are largely underfunded, with years-long waitlists. It’s a crisis that threatens people’s health and lives, yet can be invisible from the outside. Continue reading at KUOW. (NPR)

Potential defense workload changes could have ripple effects
A change is in the air for the state criminal justice system; whether it will be positive or negative is the topic of conversation for Clallam and Jefferson counties. The state Supreme Court is deliberating mandating reductions for indigent (public) defense workloads, to be phased in over a three-year period. Currently, full-time public defenders can handle either 150 felonies or between 300 and 400 misdemeanors, as well as limits for other types of cases, according to the state Office of Public Defense. Many argue those caseload standards lead to overworked public defenders and a lower quality of defense. Continue reading at the Daily News.

Print

Associated Press
Police say the man behind ballot box fires might plan more attacks

Axios
Washington home prices have soared in recent decades
How ballot boxes in Washington state protect your vote
What to know about ballot box fires in Washington and Oregon
With abortion on the ballot, reports show how bans lead to preventable deaths

Everett Herald
Boeing, union hold ‘productive’ talks in attempt to end strike

The Inlander
NEWS BRIEFS: Community Colleges of Spokane partner with Whitworth for admissions.
Spokane’s largest homeless shelter is closing. There aren’t enough places for its clients to go.

News Tribune
Immigration officials identify man who died at Tacoma facility as Mexican national
Tacoma teacher’s discrimination case settled for $3K. She claims attorney defrauded her

Peninsula Daily News
Port of Port Angeles awarded $9.4M in funds
Potential defense workload changes could have ripple effects

Puget Sound Business Journal
SBA Seattle District lending rate hits 15-year high
$1B regional workforce housing proposal advances from committee

Seattle Times
Parents, students rally against proposed Seattle school closure
Congress protests ‘revolving door’ to Boeing while rushing through it

Spokesman Review
Federal agency sets new standards for allowable PCB discharges into Spokane River
Spokane police officer who kicked handcuffed man in genitals is de-certified by state

Washington Post
Apple told TikTok it’s unfit for young teens, new lawsuit details allege
Gun death rates in some U.S. states comparable to conflict zones, study finds
Road rage has soared in an increasingly angry nation: ‘People are just overwhelmed’

WA State Standard
Police describe ballot box arson suspect
Legislators, educators seek fixes for WA’s struggling system to educate incarcerated youth (Callan)
Iowa AG leads two dozen other states backing Port of Tacoma appeal in Clean Water Act case

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Quileute Tribe has two totem poles stolen from building in Forks
Boeing, machinists union hold first meeting since last contract rejection
Pressure mounting for Boeing strike to end from Washington business leaders
‘What needs to be done?’: Community members mourn teen fatally shot in Seattle’s Central District

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Students, parents rally over planned closure of Seattle schools
Police investigate Halloween threat at Mount Si High, suspect identified
Former Seattle police chief Adrian Diaz files $10 million claim against the city
New rules require airlines to issue automatic refunds for delayed or canceled flights
Washington tested: Under scrutiny amid burned and missing ballots, voter confusion
Police say man behind ballot box arsons has metalworking experience and may be planning more attacks

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
City of Ruston proposes new ordinance to cap alcohol sales past midnight
Sea-Tac airport likely to see record number of guns seized at TSA checkpoints
Lighthouse Mission’s innovative shelter in Bellingham combines housing with job training

KNKX Public Radio
ICE releases identity of latest death at Tacoma detention center

KUOW Public Radio
Why abortion referendums are also about the economy
Washington man dies at Tacoma ICE facility, days after human rights group visit
Caregiving can be a tough, lonely mission. One daughter found ways to reconnect
Vancouver couple recasts votes after ballots destroyed in Washington drop box arson
Millions of low-cost homes are deteriorating, making the U.S. housing shortage worse
Seattle Schools pays former student record $16 million to settle Garfield coach sex abuse lawsuit
‘Untruthful information’ cited as reason former Seattle Police Chief Diaz placed on leave, sources say

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane’s TRAC shelter officially shuts down
Meet MIKE, the new Pullman Police Department robot dog
Hundreds of voters in Whitman County still haven’t received ballots

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Bellingham’s 2025 budget is a ‘temporary bridge,’ mayor says
Proposed Port of Bellingham 2025 budget includes property tax increase

Washington Observer
Debts come due for the Department of Corrections

Wednesday, October 30

Spokane families may be leaving thousands of dollars on the table when filing their taxes. Here’s how to get your share
Thousands of households in Spokane County are eligible for a tax credit that they aren’t applying for, according to Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown, who helped design the credit when she served in the state Senate. The Working Families Tax Credit is an annual tax refund worth between $50 and $1,255 depending on income level, number of qualifying children and whether an individual is single or files their taxes jointly with a partner. Income eligibility is based on federal tax returns, but the credit is funded by state sales taxes. Continue reading at the Spokesman Review. (Emry Dinman)

Overdose deaths are rising among Black and Indigenous Americans
The recent decline in overdose deaths hides a tremendous disparity by race: Deaths have fallen only among white people while continuing to rise among people of color, according to a new Stateline analysis of federal data. Health experts in nonwhite communities say they’re finding strategies that work in their areas, but that they still struggle for recognition and funding to address the problems, especially among Black and Native people. Between 2021 and 2023, overdose deaths among white people dropped in all but a dozen states, most of them in the West. But few states saw any decline in deaths among Black or Native American populations. Continue reading at the WA State Standard. (Connecticut Harm Reduction Alliance)

New ferry sailing schedule designed to cut delays, frustration in San Juan Islands
Island life may be idyllic, but getting to and from the San Juan Islands from Anacortes takes planning for both locals and tourists. Now, for the first time in more than a decade, Washington State Ferries (WSF) is rolling out new sailing schedules for the Anacortes-San Juan Island route. “The current schedules have not been revised in 10 to 15 years and are so out of date that it causes delays and frustration for all involved,” Steve Nevey, the head at WSF, wrote in announcing this new change. Continue reading at KOMO. (KOMO)