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Wednesday, April 23

Changes made to WA tax plan: What’s still in play as end of session nears
With just days left to go in the 2025 legislative session, Washington lawmakers are still mulling over new tax proposals to balance a multibillion-dollar hole in the state’s budget while details of their final spending plan remain under wraps. Those proposals are moving fast and changing quickly as the Sunday deadline approaches. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Nick Wagner)

Deportation flights pick up pace at Boeing Field
As deportation flights out of Boeing Field increase in frequency, human rights advocates are calling for change regarding the treatment of detainees on board. In December 2024, a federal judge ruled deportation flights could continue at Boeing Field. King County’s then-executive Dow Constantine made a 2019 order suspending deportation flights, and after litigation, flights resumed at the King County International Airport in May 2023. Then in December 2024, a federal appeals court judge ruled the flights could continue. Continue reading at King 5. (King 5)

WA bill to keep medical debt off credit reports signed into law
Washingtonians’ medical debt will not be included in their credit reports, under a bill signed into law on Tuesday. Having medical debt can create a spiraling effect and prevent people from getting approved for car or home loans or apartment rentals. Medical debt can also cause providers to deny services to patients with outstanding bills or dissuade people from seeking care. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero)

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Auburn Reporter
Fifth case of measles in state identified in a King County infant

Axios
Pike Place Market restricts car access in new pilot

Bellingham Herald
WA House advances ‘Tesla tax’ bill after tense late-night debate (Fitzgibbon)

Capital Press
Washington vineyard, accused of favoring foreign workers, pays $180K

Columbian
Workforce Southwest Washington plans for the worst amid funding uncertainties, rising demand for employment services

Courier-Herald
Carbon River Fairfax bridge buckling, closed indefinitely

Everett Herald
North Cascades Highway reopens for 2025 season
Federal agency cancels $250k grant to Everett museum
State budget cuts could hurt education work at nonprofits
Edmonds voters approve measure to annex into South County Fire
Edmonds approves interim ordinance to protect landmark trees from removal
Letter: Due process is for all of us
Comment: A distressing accounting of what Trump has wrought

High Country News
Nearly all federal workers who investigate firefighter deaths fired

Islands’ Weekly
What did you think of the winter ferry schedule? Take the survey

Kitsap Sun
Virginia Mason Franciscan Health network bracing for possible cutbacks

News Tribune
WA gray wolf population down for the first time in 16 years. Is that bad?
Here’s what Tacoma’s U.S. Rep. Emily Randall saw in tour of ICE detention center
COLUMN: Teachers, states stepping up to keep climate change education alive as federal government defunds it

New York Times
Almost Half of Americans Breathe Unhealthy Air, Report Finds
E.P.A. Set to Cancel Grants Aimed at Protecting Children From Toxic Chemicals

Olympian
WA House advances ‘Tesla tax’ bill after tense late-night debate (Fitzgibbon)
Bridge to Mount Rainier National Park permanently closed due to safety risks
WA drivers could see 6-cent rise in gas tax as lawmakers mull transportation budget

Puget Sound Business Journal
Housing market shifts to favor buyers — but they’re not buying
Why small-business owners say tariffs create an uneven playing field

Seattle Times
San Juan Islands get walk-on ferry this spring
WA lawmakers want PFAS testing for human waste fertilizer
New WA law prohibits medical debt reporting on credit scores (Riccelli)
Lawmakers debate closing WA facility for people with disabilities
Changes made to WA tax plan: What’s still in play as end of session nears
Highly capable services don’t measure up across Seattle schools, families say
Opinion: WA hospitals can cut costs, improve patient care (Robinson, Macri)
Editorial: Lawmakers should backstop the fragile WA ferry system comeback (Nance)
Westneat: UW profs push for a ‘NATO’ defense pact — against our own government

Spokesman Review
Spokane County public defender charged with misusing non-profit funds
Democratic lawmakers push tax increases in hopes of balancing Washington’s budget (Liias, Salamon)
State militias now prevented from entering Washington without permission from governor (Mena)
Opinion: Local leaders need new revenue tools to serve our communities

Washington Post
Americans unsure what to believe about the measles vaccine, poll shows
Top aides urged Trump to tone down attacks on Fed chief after markets slid
When government thinks you’re dead, it upends lives. DOGE may make it worse.

WA State Standard
WA bill to keep medical debt off credit reports signed into law (Riccelli)
6-cent gas tax hike central to new transportation deal in WA Legislature (Fey, Liias)

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Deportation flights pick up pace at Boeing Field
As Tesla profits drop, Seattle protesters applaud
U.S. Representative Emily Randall visits Tacoma ICE facility
Adoption of electric vehicles presents new challenges, and dangers, for firefighters
Parents demand action after Washington student allegedly makes ‘hit list,’ brings weapon to school

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Diving into the gas tax debate
City of Lynden votes to remove fluoride from city water supply
Gets Real: Investigating the ‘DEI divide’ rocking American culture
WA Democratic Senator upset after VA is ‘no show’ at veterans round table
Controversial transgender student-athlete ruling falls one vote shy of passing
Police crack down as hundreds flock to illegal street racing events across Seattle
VIDEO: Aviation expert explains what Boeing’s first quarter numbers mean for WA

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Pike Place Market to start limiting vehicle access at 1st and Pike
Whatcom County fluoride-free as Lynden joins others in water policy shift
Harrell signs Earth Day executive order to develop new climate action plan
Infant measles case confirmed in King County: 5th in Washington this year
Federal Way parents criticize school district’s emergency response to playground shooting
Budget crisis threatens $40M state funding cut to Washington homeless outreach program

KUOW Public Radio
Seattle cleared 2,500 homeless encampments last year. Is it helping?
The White House killed this one of a kind report. The scientists behind it aren’t giving up

KXLY (ABC)
Boeing doesn’t expect its recovery to be impacted by trade war with China

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Family farms get added protections with new agritourism bill (Berg)
Northwest Indian College gets state support to address student homelessness (Timmons)
Skagit County takes step to buy Haller property to protect farmland, salmon habit
Chuckanut Drive between Oyster Dome and Chuckanut Manor to be closed for days due to slide
Opinion: Washington renters need stability (Shewmake)

Cascade PBS
Voters renew property tax for King County fingerprinting system
WA asylum seekers, lawyers receive emails ordering they leave U.S.

MyNorthwest
WA’s new transportation bill hits drivers where it hurts
Seattle business leaders issue dire warning over state tax proposals
Totaled car? New WA law stops insurers from lowballing payout or repairs (Stanford)
WA Democratic Senator upset after VA is ‘no show’ at veterans round table
WA’s midnight tax storm: House pushes through big business hit, Tesla tax

The Urbanist
Market to Test Out Long-Requested Pike Place Car Ban

West Seattle Blog
TRAFFIC, WEATHER, TRANSIT, ROAD WORK: Wednesday notes
ELECTION 2025: Fingerprint-tech levy renewal passing
VIDEO: City and county leaders come to West Seattle to plead for full state funding of a ‘gold standard’ encampment-resolution program (Alvarado, Fitzgibbon, Thomas, Robinson, Ormsby, Pedersen)

Tuesday, April 22

Washington legislators continue work on tax proposals with less than a week before session ends
Lawmakers continue to take big steps toward passing a tax package to close a multi-billion-dollar deficit, but one tax increase appears to be off the table. On Saturday, the Senate passed a handful of revenue proposals, including an increase to capital gains and estate taxes, removing certain tax preferences, and extending the sales tax to computer-related services and other areas previously exempt. Continue reading at KXLY. (KXLY)

Climate anxiety runs high in King County
King County has one of the highest rates of climate anxiety in the U.S., with three-fourths of county residents worried about global warming, according to recent estimates. Why it matters: High concern about climate change in Washington’s most populous county helps shape statewide policy — like when Washington voters overwhelmingly upheld the state’s cap-and-trade law last fall. Continue reading at Axios. (Alex Fitzpatrick)

Protests call for ICE to leave Washington
Protests were held Saturday in areas of Skagit County, including Mount Vernon and Anacortes, as part of the ongoing Hands Off movement that has spoken out against changes and proposed changes by the Trump administration. The theme of the protests was ICEOutofWA, a call for the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency to steer clear of a state that has indicated it is pro-immigrant. Continue reading at Skagit Valley Herald. (Cameron Martinez)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Amazon’s ‘Project Eagle’ lands in Elma
DNR adds voice to Damon Point chorus

Axios
Climate anxiety runs high in King County
Catholic leaders in Seattle mourn Pope Francis

Bellingham Herald
WA gray wolf population down for the first time in 16 years. Is that bad?
WA state senator dies unexpectedly during trail run. ‘Difficult to process’ (Pedersen, Jinkins)
With under a week left in session, WA lawmakers butt heads on tax ideas (Pedersen)
How proposals addressing WA high school transgender athlete participation fared

Courier-Herald
Sen. Bill Ramos of WA District 5 dead at 69

Everett Herald
Options abound for observance of Earth Day
Edmonds red-light camera program underway
Snohomish County residents rushing to become REAL ID compliant
Editorial: Earth Day calls for trust in act of planting trees
NYT column: How did we get here? By not bothering to read.
Letter: Allow all to opt back in to long-term care benefit program (Robinson, Fosse, Cortes)
Bloomberg comment: Tariffs, immigration crackdown likely to hit economy

Kitsap Sun
Amendments aimed at altering transgender athlete policy fail in Washington

News Tribune
Schools push career ed classes ‘for all,’ even kids heading to college
Transfer rules loosened for WA high school student-athletes. Details here
Rules of the Road: What are Washington’s exceptions for phone use while driving?

Peninsula Daily News
Legislature hearing wide range of bills

Puget Sound Business Journal
World Cup spawning its own economy in Seattle
Why child-labor laws are being reexamined in many states
WA’s trade deficit widens as manufacturers face new tariff hurdles
Bill to slay ‘biggest tool NIMBYs have’ heads to Gov. Ferguson’s desk (Kauffman, Conway)

Seattle Times
WA early preschool program faces budget elimination (Wilson, C.)
UW, other WA universities decry Trump’s ‘political interference’
WA students with disabilities prepare for life beyond high school
WA can now restrict outside National Guard from entering state (Mena)
Editorial: WA House’s prudent approach to transportation is the right one (Liias, Fey)

Skagit Valley Herald
Protests call for ICE to leave Washington
Highway 20 over North Cascades to open Tuesday

South Whidbey Record
Town hall and forum planned for veterans

Spokesman Review
Upgraded recycling center unveiled in Spokane Tuesday
Education Department to resume seizing wages for student loan debt
Pride flags, bathroom rules: Idaho laws are ‘frightening,’ trans advocates say
Spokane City Council declines to reinstate Prop 1 after state Supreme Court strikes it down

Tri-City Herald
Opinion: Washington must close this facility to protect our rights

Washington Post
IMF says Trump’s tariffs will be a drag on global economic growth
Harvard sues the Trump administration in escalating confrontation
Draft executive order outlines plan to integrate AI into K-12 schools
Challenge to ACA preventive-care panel draws skepticism from Supreme Court

WA State Standard
Plan to raise cap on property tax growth collapses in WA Legislature (Bergquist)
Walk-on ferry between Anacortes and San Juans launches on trial basis (Liias)
‘A devastating loss’: WA state Sen. Bill Ramos mourned after dying unexpectedly (Pedersen, Jinkins)

Wenatchee World
Legislative Watch: April 22
More than 300 ‘Rally for Justice’ at Wenatchee’s Memorial Park
Chelan County Community Development director talks turnover, customers and Hawkins

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Process begins to fill position left vacant by late Sen. Bill Ramos
Washington newborns testing positive for drugs at alarming rates
‘I know that people will die:’ Concerns over possible Medicaid cuts have some fearing the worst

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Lacking ‘three-corners agreement,’ state Democrats ditch property tax plan
EXCLUSIVE: Inside look into the world of cockfighting rings and the fight to stop them
A salute to a state senator

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Harrell to sign Earth Day executive order to develop new climate action plan
Lynden’s fluoride debate returns as city council revisits last year’s vetoed ban
Gov. Ferguson signs bill restricting out-of-state military forces in Washington
Portal Space Systems aims for 2026 launch of versatile ‘Supernova’ spacecraft
Proposals to ban transgender student-athlete from girls’ sports in Washington fail

KNKX Public Radio
WA school districts monitoring thousands of students 24/7

KUOW Public Radio
At Seattle Children’s, the future of gender-affirming care is uncertain

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane City Council passes ‘Ban the Address’ ordinance
Washington legislators continue work on tax proposals with less than a week before session ends (Frame)

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Statewide proposals in WA to restrict trans student-athletes from girls sports fail
Residential well owners not required to meter water usage under adjudication plan
Climate anxiety plagues many young people. A WWU student wants to talk about it

Cascade PBS
Washington lawmakers remember State Senator Bill Ramos
How will tariffs impact WA’s trade-dependent agriculture industry?

Daily Fly
Health Coverage for Low-Income Illegal Immigrants in Washington State Likely to Continue (Thai)

MyNorthwest
State Democrats ditch property tax plan (Bergquist)
Cuts possible at UW College of Arts and Sciences
Transgender student-athlete ruling falls one vote short

Pluribus
Speed limiter laws gain momentum in states (Leavitt)

The Stranger
Advocates Urge Seattle Children’s To Offer Gender-Affirming Surgery To Trans People Under 19

The Urbanist
Seattle Sets the Stage for Automatic Traffic Camera Expansion

Washington Observer
A taxing Saturday in the Senate (Frame, Cortes, A., Krishnadasan, Wilson, C.)
A lifeline for drug treatment on the ropes (Davis)
Eastside Senator dies suddenly over the weekend

West Seattle Blog
TRAFFIC, WEATHER, TRANSIT, ROAD WORK: Tuesday info
FOLLOWUP: Vehicle-noise enforcement camera bill dies in Legislature (Fitzgibbon)

Monday, April 21

US seeks to turn deportations into an efficient business ‘like Amazon’
Amid rural Louisiana’s crawfish farms, towering pine trees and cafes serving po’boys, nearly 7,000 people are waiting at immigration detention centers to learn whether they will be expelled from the United States. If President Donald Trump’s administration has its way, the capacity to hold tens of thousands more migrants will soon be added around the country as the U.S. seeks an explosive expansion of what is already the world’s largest immigration detention system. Continue reading at The Daily News. (Stephen Smith)

WA Sen. Bill Ramos dies suddenly at 69
State Sen. Bill Ramos, D-Issaquah, died unexpectedly Saturday evening, according to a Facebook post by his wife, King County Councilmember Sarah Perry. Ramos was 69 years old. He died during a trail run, his wife wrote. “Billy is my East, my West, my North and South,” Perry wrote in the post. Ramos and Perry have two children together: Maya and Max. “I don’t know how I’ll do this without him. Prayers for him, for us, please.” Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ramos Campaign)

Washington State Just Made Stocking Up on Hormones Much Easier
On Wednesday, the Washington State Senate passed HB 1971, a first-of-its-kind bill from House Rep. Nicole Macri that compels insurance companies in the state to cover up to a year’s supply of hormone replacement therapy, starting in January 2026. Now it’s on its way to the governor’s desk. For trans people, whose health care is under federal attack, it’s coming at a clutch time. Continue reading at The Stranger. (Ryan J. Lane)

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Associated Press
Renters call on Washington lawmakers to approve rent-control bill (Alvarado, Shewmake, Liias)

Axios
Downtown Seattle is perking up, new report shows
Federal job cuts could land hard in Washington state

Capital Press
Trade rep scales back entry fees on Chinese ships
Grant County PUD waits to condemn farmland for transmission line

The Daily News
US seeks to turn deportations into an efficient business ‘like Amazon’
Woodland port rejects tax plan used to build Vancouver port waterfront

Everett Herald
Edmonds launches technology to destroy PFAS
DelBene talks possible Medicaid cuts at Monroe roundtable
Protesters line Broadway in Everett for Main Street USA rally
PDC issues warning, dismisses complaint against Edmonds officials
$2M grant will fund job training and employment programs for laid-off Boeing workers in Snohomish and King counties.
Editorial: Trump order, SAVE Act do not serve voters
Comment: Lawmakers must protect abortion access in state
Comment: States make the call as to who votes; not Congress

Journal of the San Juan Islands
Draft budgets don’t meet governor’s expectations (Gregerson)

Kent Reporter
33rd Legislative District sets Telephone Town Hall for April 29 (Orwall, Gregerson, Obras)

Kitsap Sun
Grand Forest property grows on Bainbridge after sale of school property
New Bremerton freestanding clinic helping bring down wait times at hospital ER

News Tribune
Updates on Washington’s rent cap debate in the state legislature (Trudeau)
$6 million project in downtown Puyallup will transform this busy street
‘It screws with all of us.’ Tacoma small businesses react to tariff uncertainty

Olympian
Lynden School Board formalizes actions opposing transgender athlete policy
Housing advocates say Senate version of rent-cap bill ‘guts’ tenant protections (Alvarado, Jinkins)
Sign wavers continue string of protests to send messages to President Trump, GOP

Seattle Medium
State Lawmakers Decry Failure Of Juvenile Justice Reform Bill: “We Chose The Wrong Path” (Duerr, Hill, Berquist, Doglio, Simmons, Bernbaum, Mena, Taylor, Obras, Thomas, Reed, Cortes, Lekanoff, Thai, Scott, Berg, Donaghy, Farivar, Entenman, Stearns, Salahuddin, Wylie, Kloba, Peterson)
Rep. Jamila Taylor Advances New Laws to Protect Vulnerable Communities And End-of-Life Rights (Taylor)

Seattle Times
WA Sen. Bill Ramos dies suddenly at 69 (Ramos, Pedersen, Leavitt)
Inflated Seattle public pensions for retirees cost tens of millions (Conway)
Anti-Trump protests build momentum in WA: ‘We’re just getting louder’
Editorial: Is confusion around Head Start a sign of things to come?

Skagit Valley Herald
Return of Guemes Island Ferry delayed

Spokesman Review
Are you ready? What to know with the Real ID deadline only weeks away
Talking more about politics? Lots of Washingtonians are these days, poll shows
Getting There: Few days remain to apply for state’s first instant rebate for e-bike purchases
Spokane County Sheriff seeks $30,000 raise as wages for command staff subordinates outpace his own
Even after devastating blazes, Whitman County doesn’t have a fire protection plan. Now, residents have a chance to shape it

Washington Post
Pope Francis dies at 88
Supreme Court to weigh future of free preventive care
Police officers who joined Jan. 6 rally ask Supreme Court for anonymity

WA State Standard
Tax fight crescendos in Washington Legislature (Pedersen, Frame)
WA Commerce chief warns tariff fallout could hit state hard
Up a creek: $5B culvert removal plan appears dead in WA Legislature (Tharinger, Trudeau)
WA food banks bracing for potential impacts from federal cuts and tariffs
WA health care expansion for low-income immigrants on track to be maintained (Thai)

Wenatchee World
Officials break ground on Confluence Parkway project
Cantwell, Schrier visit Wenatchee to hear concerns about potential Medicaid cuts

Yakima Herald-Republic
More than 100 rally in Yakima against Trump policies on immigration, climate change

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
State Senator Bill Ramos passes away during trail run
Protesters shaken by gunfire near Whidbey Island rally
Less than a quarter of Boeing employees would recommend it as a place to work, survey shows
Extended interview: Gov. Ferguson ahead of state budget deadline, global tariff impacts, deportations and more

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
WA State Senator Bill Ramos dies unexpectedly

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Washington mourns the loss of Sen. Bill Ramos after unexpected passing
Real ID deadline prompts long waits at Washington licensing departments
Whatcom County businesses hit as Canadian visits drop amid tariffs, Trump boycotts

KUOW Public Radio
34 international students in Washington state deleted from federal database

KXLY (ABC)
Preschool access in question: Washington lawmakers could limit TK programs (Santos)
Governor Ferguson to decide fate of over 30 house bills Monday as legislative session comes to a close

NW Public Radio
Why affordable housing providers say they’re facing an ‘existential’ crisis
Repentina suspensión de Head Start afecta a cientos de niños en el centro de Washington

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Glacier gets wildfire plan created by WWU students
Northwest farmworker activist gets court hearing date; still detained in ICE facility
New soil mix that strips salmon-killing chemical out of runoff water being tested in Bellingham

Cascade PBS
The Washington Legislature’s final week brings long to-do list (Jinkins)
WA lawmakers pass major parking reform bill to boost housing (Bateman)
WA Supreme Court strikes down Spokane camping ban initiative
The Newsfeed: ACLU of Washington offers ‘Know Your Rights’ info

MyNorthwest
Washington State Senator Bill Ramos dies unexpectedly
Limited appointments, hour-long lines: Real ID deadline looms in WA
Washington Democrats push through $12 billion tax hikes, as new poll shows little support (Frame)

The Stranger
Washington State Just Made Stocking Up on Hormones Much Easier (Macri)

The Urbanist
State Budget Cuts Could Slash Puget Sound’s Passenger Ferry Service (Liias, Nance, Alvarado)
Op-Ed: Ferguson Must Get Tough on Trump, Illegal Tacoma ICE Jail (Ortiz-Self, Jinkins)

Washington Observer
Democrats tighten gun control (Berry, Krishnadasan)
A new rulebook for nonprofit jails (Ortiz-Self)
Lot-splitting has its day in the Senate (Hansen)
A tax on short-term rentals gets axed (Lovelett)
Saving kids and critters from deadly cars (Leavitt)
Senate passes transit-oriented development (Reed, Trudeau)
More Ferguson shade on Democrats’ tax proposals
Washington moves toward a new Medicaid money shuffle (Macri, Riccelli)

Friday, April 18

Ferguson calls Democrats’ $12B tax plan ‘too risky’; offers no fix
Gov. Bob Ferguson on Thursday criticized a four-year, $12 billion tax proposal from legislative Democrats as “too risky,” arguing it would set the state on an unsustainable fiscal path ahead of looming federal cuts from the Trump administration. But Ferguson offered no details or alternative plans in a public statement issued more than a day after Democratic lawmakers unveiled the latest tax package, which dropped a wealth tax he previously criticized. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Lindsey Wasson)

Bainbridge Island couple revives WWII Norwegian movement to protest Trump
Among Kitsap residents gathered at Muriel Iverson Williams Waterfront Park in Poulsbo every Sunday, Ollie and Janice Pedersen can be spotted with signs that stand out: “WEAR A PAPERCLIP.” The Bainbridge Island couple also hands out paperclips at rallies protesting the Trump administration, and another sign they hold — created after learning about a movement that repurposed the office supply staple as its symbol over 80 years ago — adds more clarity to the message: “NORWEGIAN WWII RESISTANCE,” complete with the Norwegian flag. Continue reading at the Kitsap Sun. (Meegan M. Reid)

Housing advocates rallying to restore lower cap on rent increases
Renters and housing advocates will rally on the state Capitol steps in Olympia Friday. They’re pushing lawmakers to restore key protections in a bill limiting rent increases. The rally is expected to be a big one. Protesters are calling on lawmakers to fix a rent cap bill they say is now in limbo after some big changes in the Senate. Continue reading at KOMO. (KOMO)

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Bellingham Herald
WA Democrats bring back wealth tax idea with ‘limited dollar amount’ (Jinkins, Frame, Pedersen)

Capital Press
Washington Senate passes farm fuel bill
Trump administration proposes pulling back reach of ESA
WSU scientists help develop ‘Power Bars’ to help honey bees survive, thrive

Everett Herald
Edmonds City Council may reconsider selling city parks, buildings
Larsen talks federal funding for Snohomish County transit projects
Washington takes ‘historic’ step toward full funding for special education (Pollet, Berg, Pedersen)
Everett council approves budget amendment for staffing, stadium funding
Washington AG defends state’s ‘sanctuary’ policy amid congressional scrutiny
Washington Senate passes bill to require speed limiting devices for habitual speeders (Lovick, Leavitt)
Letter: Trump logging policy isn’t solution to wildfires
Letter: Ask yourself who’s next for El Salvador prison
Letter: Don’t cut vital spending on health from state budget

The Inlander
Why the Department of Natural Resources is trading a Spokane forest for a Bellingham grocery store

International Examiner
How loss of federal funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) will harm marginalized communities in the Northwest

Kitsap Sun
Bainbridge Island couple revives WWII Norwegian movement to protest Trump
Mount Rainier National Park bridge closure cuts off access to part of park: What to know

News Tribune
Trump wants more logging in national forests. Here’s what that could mean for WA
Opinion: Public deserves to be heard on Washington transit projects

Olympian
Iconic Tacoma candymaker hit hard by tariffs, losing China business, CEO says
Gov. Bob Ferguson calls Dems’ new tax plan ‘too risky’ amid federal uncertainty (Jinkins)

Peninsula Daily News
Forum to speak about local news
Revenue proposals undecided for state (Chapman, Bernbaum, Tharinger)

Seattle Times
WA’s recycling system may finally get an overhaul (Lovelett)
WA Supreme Court strikes down Spokane homeless initiative
Ferguson calls Democrats’ $12B tax plan ‘too risky’; offers no fix
Trump administration pulls funds for WA communities at risk for floods
WA programs helping legal immigrants become citizens lose federal funds
Supreme Court to review WA challenge to Trump birthright citizenship order

Skagit Valley Herald
U.S. Rep. Larsen discusses health care concerns
Maintenance work continues on Guemes Island Ferry

Spokesman Review
Homeless camping ban struck down by state Supreme Court
‘They’re not worried about accuracy’: Lawyers, people across Washington state receive a letter telling them they have 7 days to leave
Opinion: Congress is trying to limit which citizens can vote

Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
Commentary: A call to action on our local news crisis

Washington Post
Google holds an illegal monopoly in ad sales, court rules
DOGE begins to freeze health-care payments for extra review
Travel to the U.S. from almost everywhere is falling sharply since Trump’s return to office

WA State Standard
Ferguson criticizes Democrats’ $12B tax plan as ‘too risky’ (Fitzgibbon, Jinkins)
Democratic AGs warn U.S. is on ‘precipice’ of constitutional crisis

Yakima Herald-Republic
City approves ‘exciting first step’ for Yakima airport improvements

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Washington’s newest police training academy opens in Arlington
State prison libraries could lose staffing, resources under federal cuts
Uncovering a Pierce County lawyer’s ties to ‘corrupt’ treatment clinics
Federal judge orders U.S. government to reinstate visa for UW graduate student

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Housing advocates rallying to restore lower cap on rent increases
Early signs of shoppers stockpiling good as tariff threats loom on foreign-made products

KNKX Public Radio
Tension over new taxes mounts in Olympia, as Ferguson slams latest pitch from Democrats (Jinkins, Frame)

KUOW Public Radio
Could Washington state be on the brink of fully funding special education?
Police hiring bill advances in Washington, requiring mix of state and local funds (Dhingra, Entenman, Lovick)
Tension over taxes mounts in Olympia, as Ferguson slams latest pitch from Democrats (Jinkins, Frame)

KXLY (ABC)
Preschool access in question: Washington lawmakers could limit TK programs (Santos)
Debate over police hiring grant continues as Washington legislative session nears close (Dhingra)

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Petrogas West settlement goes toward energy projects in Bellingham
Lynden School District to take legal action against state over gender policies
Halfway through, it’s slow progress for Whatcom County Charter Review Commission

Cascade PBS
Bill to fully fund special ed progresses through WA legislature (Pollet, Pedersen)
Seattle can continue housing plan after legal challenges dismissed (Fitzgibbon)

InvestigateWest
As in D.C., a fight breaks out in Washington state over who gets access to lawmakers

MyNorthwest
Number of UW students’ visas revoked increases to 23
Beer gardens optional? New booze law sets stage for World Cup street sipping
Booze biz hit with 50% fee hike as WA Senate passes controversial bill by one vote

The Stranger
Seattle Children’s Has Again Stopped Providing Gender-Affirming Surgery For Trans People Under 19

The Urbanist
Auditor Criticizes Seattle’s Approach to Gun Violence, Deputy Mayor Fires Back

West Seattle Blog
TRAFFIC, WEATHER, TRANSIT, ROAD WORK: Friday notes
WEST SEATTLE LIGHT RAIL: Milestone for state bill enabling more relocation compensation (Fitzgibbon)

Thursday, April 17

Washington takes ‘historic’ step toward full funding for special education
Washington lawmakers are on the cusp of eliminating a special education funding cap, which critics said was straining school finances, hurting students, and putting the state at risk of a major lawsuit. On a 97-0 vote, the House amended, then passed Senate Bill 5263 on Wednesday to put Washington, for the first time, on a course to fully fund special education in its public schools. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Maskot)

After years of growth, wolf numbers fall in Washington state
Washington’s gray wolves saw their first population drop since the species returned nearly two decades ago. Why it matters: Gray wolves have been on the state’s endangered species list since 1980, and their previous track of recovery marked a milestone in restoring a native species to the wilds of Washington. Continue reading at Axios. (WDFW)

Battling a deadline, Washington Dems propose a new $12B tax plan
Legislative Democrats have released a new tax proposal to fill an estimated $15 billion budget gap after Gov. Bob Ferguson said earlier this month he would not support their first plan. The plan does not include a “wealth tax” on the state’s highest earners, which Ferguson said he would veto. Instead, the updated package includes expanded taxes on businesses, properties, stocks and bonds. It would raise about $12 billion over the next four years. Continue reading at Cascade PBS. (M. Scott Brauer)