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Monday, May 20

Washington is 2nd in the U.S. for missing and murdered Indigenous women; have recent efforts made headway?
Indigenous people go missing and are murdered at higher rates than any other group. In Washington, Indigenous people make up 2 percent of the general population but account for 5 percent of unsolved cases. Washington ranks second highest in the nation for missing and murdered Indigenous women. Although Washington has created a state task force and an alert system, advocates say justice remains out of reach for victims and their families. Obstacles include lack of data, tribal jurisdictions and the lingering impacts of colonization. Continue reading at The Columbian. (Taylor Balkom)

How much has Washington state spent on housing in the past decade?
For much of the past decade, the amount of money Washington lawmakers dedicated to housing and homelessness programs grew gradually, climbing from around $200 million to $400 million in each two-year budget between 2013 and 2021. Part of that spike is due to an infusion of federal pandemic aid. But it also reflects a growing acknowledgment among lawmakers that Washington has a housing problem, particularly a shortage of affordable homes. Continue reading at The Columbian. (Ian Dewar)

If you haven’t paid your electric bill, you may hear from a collection agency
If you haven’t paid your electric bill for a while, you may get a call from a collection agency. Puget Sound Energy (PSE) stopped using bill collection agencies during the COVID-19 pandemic. But the utility recently got permission from the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission to resume its collections processes, according to a news release from PSE. Continue reading at My Northwest. (PSE)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Westport wants fresh eyes on wetlands

Axios
Marijuana research could still be difficult after rescheduling
How a major real estate settlement could affect homebuying in Seattle

Bellingham Herald
Whatcom County kicking tires on costs, benefits of converting fleet to electric with new study

Capital Press
Farm groups support repeal of Corporate Transparency Act
Stemilt Growers to appeal $76,000 safety fine in worker’s death

Columbian
Navy jet noise could mean long-term health impacts for Washington’s Whidbey Island
Washington is 2nd in the U.S. for missing and murdered Indigenous women; have recent efforts made headway?
Opinion: In Our View: No tolls before date to begin bridge construction

Everett Herald
New hydrogen, electric buses get trial run in Snohomish County
On I-5 in Everett, traffic nightmare is reminder we’re ‘very vulnerable’
Elected officials to get 10% pay bump, or more, in Snohomish County

Federal Way Mirror
Washington state passes Halal Food Consumer Protection Act (Wilson)

The Inlander
Spokane city leaders denounce hate following defacement of an LGBTQ+ crosswalk (Billig)

Kitsap Sun
Delays expected at Southworth ferry terminal next week

News Tribune
This Pierce County school district to lay off 60 teachers, staff amid budget issues
Weaponizing music? Some Tacoma stores are blasting tunes to deter loitering, camping
Why doesn’t WSDOT shift traffic to the other Narrows Bridge during emergency repairs?
Opinion: Hilltop and the Eastside deserve new libraries. Don’t expect it anytime soon

Puget Sound Business Journal
Investor homebuying activity grows slightly in Q1
It’s not just housing: Another soaring cost is squeezing employees
Washington state ahead of the game as lawsuit rewrites real estate commission rules

Seattle Times
Beetles killing more trees in WA, likely due to drought
Burien poised to kill King County-funded shelter project
Western WA predicted to see above normal fire risk this summer
UW protesters start taking down encampment as deadline looms

Spokesman Review
A big impact on Spokane’s housing shortage could come in a tiny form
Shooting near Lilac Torchlight Parade that resulted in two injured remains under investigation
Shoplifting has retailers putting more items behind antitheft glass, but it’s driving customers away

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Warren Community Action Fund awards $58K in grants to area nonprofits

Washington Post
Charging stations are failing to keep up with the EV boom

WA State Standard
Electrician strike in Puget Sound region stretches beyond five weeks
How much has Washington state spent on housing in the past decade?

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima Council appoints four new planning commission members
Construction on solar power project near Moxee is ahead of schedule

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Tukwila Schools take on hundreds of new students from asylum-seeking families

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
300 union workers join Boeing firefighter picket lines in Seattle
UW encampment organizers reach agreement to disband by Monday afternoon

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
King County Recorder’s Office mishandled millions, audit reveals financial flaws
College seniors wary of homeownership amid soaring prices, rising mortgage rates
Honey bees at risk for colony collapse from longer, warmer fall seasons, per WSU research

KUOW Public Radio
Samish Indian Nation debuts first village in 125 years to ‘bring the elders back home’

KXLY (ABC)
Who pays for the Pride crosswalk in downtown Spokane?
City councilman calls on Mayor to condemn antisemitism at city council meetings

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Here’s where initial Healthy Children’s Fund dollars are going: Serving vulnerable children

Crosscut
Refugees find a new home in majority-immigrant Des Moines school

MyNorthwest
If you haven’t paid your electric bill, you may hear from a collection agency
Progress or problem? Seattle’s population keeps growing, but the growth has slowed

West Seattle Blog
YOU CAN HELP: Alki UCC’s monthly clothing-donation drive, concurrent with vandalism-response community art creation

Friday, May 17

WA homebuilding is slowing down, unlikely to keep up with growing need
Despite a building boom in recent years, Washington is not on track to add enough housing to meet residents’ needs over the next two decades, a red flag for the state’s affordability crisis. Applications for permits have dropped statewide, an early sign that the production of homes of all price points will dip in the coming years. The drop could worsen the scarcity of affordable homes. While overall housing production soared in recent years, construction of affordable housing has not kept pace with the need. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ken Lambert)

College students in Washington’s prisons will soon have access to federal Pell Grants
Compared to the rest of the country, Washington already has a robust college prison program funded by the state — but thanks to new federal dollars, offerings for students behind bars are set to expand. That’s because the U.S. Department of Education last summer restored federal Pell Grants for incarcerated students, following a nearly 30-year ban as part of the 1994 federal “tough on crime” bill signed by President Bill Clinton. Washington, alongside states across the country, is rushing to put these new funds to use and passed legislation in 2024 to use federal funding for the state’s college prison courses. Continue reading at The WA State Standard. (Richard Stephens)

Medical residents are avoiding abortion-ban states, survey finds
According to new statistics from the Association of American Medical Colleges, for the second year in a row, students graduating from U.S. medical schools were less likely to apply this year for residency positions in states with abortion bans and other significant abortion restrictions. Since the Supreme Court in 2022 overturned the constitutional right to an abortion, state fights over abortion access have created plenty of uncertainty for pregnant patients and their doctors. But that uncertainty has also bled into the world of medical education, forcing some new doctors to factor state abortion laws into their decisions about where to begin their careers. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Matt M. McKnight)

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Aberdeen Daily World
‘Big win for the Harbor’: Leaders celebrate pellet approval

Axios
King County homeless count rises
School segregation persists 70 years after Brown v. Board

Bellingham Herald
Expect long delays at intersection north of Bellingham as roundabout project nears
Meet the Bellingham teacher who is a finalist for a prestigious national science award
Planning a summer camping trip? These seven Washington state parks have closures coming up
Editorial: Long road ahead on eliminating traffic deaths

Capital Press
Lawsuit targets logging in Colville National Forest

Columbian
Support at Safe Stay communities helps residents address problems, exit cycle of homelessness

Everett Herald
Amid lockout, Boeing, union firefighters return to bargaining table
Is Port of Everett’s proposed expansion a ‘stealth tax?’ Judge says no
Everett-based magniX appoints longtime aerospace exec as new CEO
Harvey Field seeks to reroute runway in floodplain, faces new pushback
Letter: State must provide more financial aid for college students

Kitsap Sun
Bremerton landowner’s interest leads to affordable housing community

News Tribune
Tacoma’s wandering bear has been caught sightseeing. Here’s where he’s going
This system is supposed to help people in crisis find housing. It’s broken, many say
New emergency shelter opens for homeless families. It’s first one in this part of county

Peninsula Daily News
Crews evaluated after RV fire on Coho ferry
Clallam Transit considering proposal for Narcan at Gateway center

Puget Sound Business Journal
Boeing receives orders for just 7 planes in April
Tacoma City Councilmember Catherine Ushka dies at 55
Homeless population in King County climbs to over 16,000
Construction starting on hundreds of homes, retail in downtown Sammamish

Seattle Times
WA Supreme Court reverses century-old Yakama decision: ‘An injustice’
WA homebuilding is slowing down, unlikely to keep up with growing need

Spokesman Review
Thousands of free opioid overdose reversal kits headed to Washington
Downtown Spokane rainbow intersection defaced again, this time with fire
Bye bye benches: city of Spokane blocks off seating on Monroe Street bridge as part of safety improvement project

Tri-City Herald
Guilty. Federal officer thought he was meeting 13-year-old for sex in Eastern WA
Bat captured in Benton County house tests positive for rabies. 1st in WA this year
‘Buried at home.’ Tri-Cities is proposed new site for WA state’s 2nd veterans cemetery
WA school bus law named for slain Tri-Cities driver should ‘go federal,’ says lawmaker
Moses Lake lays off 100 teachers after $11M accounting error. Superintendent put on leave
Editorial: Tri-Cities health leaders must come together to deliver vital addiction services

Washington Post
The U.S. just took its biggest step yet to end coal mining
A water war is brewing between the U.S. and Mexico. Here’s why.
Brown v. Board of Education, 70 years on, is both revered and unfulfilled

WA State Standard
Beetles killing more trees in Washington, likely due to drought
Housing boom in most of the US could ease shortage, but cost is still a problem
College students in Washington’s prisons will soon have access to federal Pell Grants

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
SPS to hold public meetings over possible closure of 20 elementary schools
Road rage incident ends in state trooper shooting, killing suspect on I-5 in Everett
Teens take the wheel: Truck driver shortage has public schools preparing the pipeline
Washington State Ferries prepare for busy summer season, still facing shortage of boats
New report estimates over 16,000 people experience homelessness in King County on any given night

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Jewish students at UW feeling threatened after latest protest graffiti
Yelm school district holds community meeting after 120 teacher layoffs were announced
Key Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems is laying off 450 after production of troubled 737s slows
Fire district in Mason County losing insurance; public calling on two fire commissioners to resign

KNKX Public Radio
On time or not, the ferry schedule drives life in Bremerton
How can Washington build a sustainable state ferries system? (Nance)

KUOW Public Radio
Pro-Palestine protesters to disband UW encampment in Seattle after university makes concessions

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane Pride crosswalk defaced again
Washington AG’s office joins forces with local police to intensify search for missing Indigenous teen

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Ceremonial student projects honor Lummi’s cultural connection to salmon

Crosscut
Medical residents are avoiding abortion-ban states, survey finds
L&I issues $650K in fines after ag worker death in East Wenatchee

The Stranger
Lost Melodies: The Costs of Underfunded Music Education in Washington
Bad Apples: Seattle Police Officers Dismiss Domestic Violence, Unjustifiably Tase a Person, and Drive Drunk (Again)

Thursday, May 16

Spokane Public Schools teaching kids to ride bikes in gym class through state program
A statewide pilot project to bring bicycle education to elementary school students has arrived in the Inland Northwest, with Spokane Public Schools one of six districts in Washington selected to host the new program. The Cascade Bicycle Club is leading the effort, based on its experience offering youth bike education to students in Seattle and Edmonds public schools since 2016, teaching more than 25,000 students about bike safety skills. Continue reading at The Spokesman Review. (Colin Mulvany)

Cash crunch persists for WA’s paid family leave program
Washington’s Paid Family and Medical Leave program has a popularity problem. More people are applying for its benefits, but the state is running short of money to pay for them. The program, launched in 2020, allows people to take paid time off from work if they have a serious health condition, if they’re caring for family members, or if they have a new child. A tax that workers and employers each pay a share of covers the program’s cost. Continue reading at The WA State Standard. (Getty Images)

‘Take it with you wherever you go’: Gov. Inslee celebrates change to WA Cares
Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday celebrated the changes lawmakers made to the state’s new long-term care insurance program. Earlier this year, lawmakers passed a bill allowing residents to take their WA Cares savings with them if they leave the state, a longtime criticism of the original legislation. WA Cares now gives retirees access to the $36,500 benefit even if they move out of state. It also allows those who move out of state to continue participating in the long-term program if they continue paying into it. Continue reading at King 5.

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Associated Press
Community colleges offer clean energy training as climate-related jobs expand

Aberdeen Daily World
Health department adds mobile health van

Axios
King County raises minimum wage to $20.29
Microsoft highlights a growing AI data problem

Bellingham Herald
9 new bills filed to reverse Biden administration’s Snake River dams agreement
WWU Palestinian protest camp emerges after administration rejects students’ demands

Capital Press
Farm groups await China’s response to Biden tariffs
Grass for the future: Breeder keeps growers, consumers in mind
Editorial: The new era: Agriculture of Hope

Columbian
Tolls on existing I-5 bridge starting in 2026 will help pay for the new span linking Oregon and Washington

Everett Herald
Snohomish County bans fireworks sales where setting them off is illegal
Navy jet noise could mean long-term health impacts for Whidbey Island
‘A source of healing’: Archbishop Murphy unveils Coast Salish healing pole

The Inlander
The Inland Northwest is getting millions from opioid settlements; here’s how Spokane County plans to use the money
With state grant funding, Mujeres in Action will teach Spokane’s Spanish-speaking youth about domestic violence and sexual assault

News Tribune
Will a tenfold increase in jury pay mean better justice? Pierce County is going to see
Narrows Bridge emergency repairs are finished. Here’s when crews expect lanes to open
Washington is among the top ten states with the most billionaires in the U.S., Forbes says

Olympian
Evergreen has received 1,000 fewer federal student aid applications. Here’s why

Port Townsend Leader
Homeless population in King County climbs to over 16,000
Umpqua Bank parent cuts more than 230 jobs so far this year
Big changes afoot for Foss’ former yard on Seattle’s ship canal
Pay inflation remains a hiring hurdle – and it just took a big turn

Seattle Medium
Achievement Council Hopes To Boost Post-Pandemic Graduation Rates
Seattle Public School’s Pre-Apprenticeship Program Creates Pathways Into Construction Trades
Washington State Ferry System Faces Urgent Funding Crisis, Elected Leaders Seek Congressional Support

Seattle Times
Low-income Seattle households eligible for free AC units
Seattle tells Homelessness Authority to cut budget request
King County reports largest number of homeless people ever
Seattle drops out of Top 10 for growth among largest U.S. cities
UW president calls for cease-fire, criticizes protest encampment
Seattle Schools to hold community meetings before closure proposal
Congress passed its air travel overhaul. Here’s what that means for WA

Spokesman Review
Spokane Public Schools teaching kids to ride bikes in gym class through state program
Spokane prepares to build new affordable housing units with library access for both refugee and public

Tri-City Herald
‘A safe place.’ Refugees fleeing war, violence finding help at new Tri-Cities center

Washington Post
Supreme Court rejects broad challenge to consumer watchdog CFPB

WA State Standard
Cash crunch persists for WA’s paid family leave program (Keiser, Conway)

Wenatchee World
Pace, Stemilt Growers fined by state after 2023 worker death

Yakima Herald-Republic
Cottage Hill Place is one of several affordable housing projects on the horizon in Yakima

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
The murder trial of an Auburn police officer to begin Thursday
‘Take it with you wherever you go’: Gov. Inslee celebrates change to WA Cares
King County sees more kids and teens killed by gun violence compared to all of 2023
UW president calls for encampment to disband following ‘antisemitic and violent’ graffiti
SEA Airport undergoes major construction projects, potentially record-breaking summer nears

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
DOJ investigation could focus on Boeing’s Renton plant
Fentanyl seizures in the US have increased by over 1,700%
King County’s Point-in-Time Count shows homelessness up 23%
Yelm students stage walkout after 120 teachers get layoff notices
Tacoma neighborhood concerned with increasing frequency of drive-by shootings
Trial of Auburn officer accused of killing man outside store begins after nearly 5 years
Department of Health has launched the 988 Suicide and Crisis lifeline campaign website

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
City of Seattle looks to protect nude beach at Denny Blaine Park
Marysville School District to release plan addressing budget deficit
Endangered squirrels at heart of debate over new Spanaway tiny home village

KNKX Public Radio
A teacher, her student and Bremerton’s Illahee Preserve (Chopp)
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard still defines Bremerton, but what about the future?

KUOW Public Radio
Seattle just got 150 psych unit beds. Is it enough to make a difference?
A power move: Northwest companies charge toward battery tech revolution
Microsoft’s carbon emissions surge despite goal of becoming ‘carbon negative’ by 2030

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane Public Schools expanding Spanish immersion program
HUD announces $30 billion renewal funding for housing choice voucher program

NW Public Radio
CAFÉ highlights health care resources through cultural events
Elevated ‘forever chemicals’ found in Kennewick’s drinking water
Are ballot rejection rates going up in Mason County? Data says no.
Centralia, Wash.’s coal plant has to close next year. Can Pa. communities learn from Centralia’s transition?

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Gov. Inslee praises Climate Commitment Act’s impact on Lake Whatcom forests

MyNorthwest
King County deputies intercept Burien drug ring tied to Sinaloa cartel
Seattle requests KC Homelessness Authority to shrink budget by $21M
King County homelessness surges 23% as state releases plan to tackle housing

Normandy Park Blog
City fees, salary increases, legislative update & more discussed at Tuesday night’s Normandy Park City Council (Keiser)

Wednesday, May 15

Overdose deaths in 2023 fell for the first time since the pandemic
Deadly drug overdoses in the United States declined last year for the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic, new preliminary federal data show. But deaths from cocaine and stimulants like methamphetamine continued to tick up, as they are increasingly mixed with fentanyl, creating a new wave in the evolving drug epidemic. About 1 in 3 fatal overdoses last year involved stimulants, while just over 1 in 4 involved cocaine. Continue reading at Axios. (Getty Images)

Day care prices aren’t getting better; states step in
Across the country, the story for families is virtually the same: Child care is unaffordable for many, hard to find for those who can pay, and financially precarious for day care operators and their employees. The Biden administration and Congress tried to alleviate some of these problems when the pandemic crippled the child care industry. But as the record $52.5 billion in relief winds down, many states have stepped in with their own solutions. Continue reading at The Columbian. (Ellen Banner)

New 150-bed UW psychiatric hospital opens to serve hard-to-treat patients
After more than four years of planning and construction, the UW Medicine Center for Behavioral Health and Learning — a teaching hospital that will primarily serve people in need of inpatient psychiatric care — officially opened Wednesday. The project, like many new builds, faced construction delays due to a recent concrete workers strike; it was initially supposed to open last August. By Wednesday’s scheduled ribbon-cutting, finishing touches were still underway. Employee training continues, furniture is being delivered and hospital administrators are working feverishly to recruit dozens of people to fill psychiatrist, psychologist, social work and nursing positions. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ivy Ceballo)

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Associated Press
Day care prices aren’t getting better; states step in
Local governments struggle to distribute their share of billions from opioid settlements

Aberdeen Daily World
Hoquiam pellet plant approved for air quality permit

Axios
UW student protesters refuse to leave encampment
Overdose deaths in 2023 fell for the first time since the pandemic

Bellingham Herald
Could a WA volcano erupt again in our lifetime? What would happen and how you can prepare
A proposed port rail connection could bring new industry to the Bellingham Shipping Terminal
Whatcom County home prices hit highest mark in years; WA remains third most expensive state
Gov. Inslee touts benefits of Climate Commitment Act in visit to Lake Whatcom preservation site

Capital Press
Cheese prices continue to rise
Shortage of healthcare worker, physicians hits rural America hardest

Columbian
Washington road deaths jump 10%
Tacoma receives $4.95M for zero-emission trains

Everett Herald
Amazon to open new satellite internet manufacturing center in Everett
State: Marysville school plan ‘does not comply,’ must be fixed by Wednesday

The Inlander
Downtown Spokane’s Main Market is at risk of closing, increasing food insecurity in the city’s lowest income ZIP code

News Tribune
Will firefighters or fire stations disappear if these Pierce County agencies merge?
Tacoma ups penalties for littering. Some worry the law could hurt people already down
$18.9M project will close busy Pierce County thoroughfare for months. Here are details
Squirrels before the homeless? Opponents of micro village argue habitat might be at risk
Two studies ranked Washington among the top 10 best states for working moms, here’s why

Port Townsend Leader
Ferry system in crisis, officials say
Jefferson PUD to receive $4 million in broadband funds

Puget Sound Business Journal
Seattle emerging as a top climate tech funding hub
Seattle OKs new police contract with retroactive raises
Apartment project in downtown Redmond opens to residents
Amazon leases 2 warehouses on former Weyerhaeuser campus
Amazon confirms plans to open facility for satellite unit in Everett
Alaska Airlines and other carriers sue over federal fee-disclosure rules
Kaiser Permanente pulls plug on $500 million Yesler Terrace development
Greystar secures tax-exempt bond to acquire UW student housing buildings
How the symbiotic relationship between blue- and white-collar industries is making Seattle a top choice for businesses
Opinion: Regulatory barriers still block efforts to add affordable housing

Seattle Times
New 150-bed UW psychiatric hospital opens to serve hard-to-treat patients

Skagit Valley Herald
Preparations being made for wildfire season

Spokesman Review
Two weeks after strike, there is no contract between Providence and Sacred Heart technical workers
Some Mead parents, students frustrated with school district’s response to alleged football player assaults
Spokane considers $250,000 settlement with family of man killed by police while he held toddler, knife
Opinion: Even subsidized, Washington’s electric vehicle objectives won’t be met

Tri-City Herald
9 new bills filed to reverse Biden administration’s Snake River dams agreement
Opinion: Lives depend on keeping WA’ high-capacity magazine ban in place — like my sister’s

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Former Walla Walla farmer, state legislator celebrates 100th birthday
Walla Walla superintendent details how district avoided financial crisis
Openings on city committees include roles with sustainability, housing efforts

Washington Post
Inflation eased slightly in April, with timing for rate cuts still uncertain

WA State Standard
Environmentalists seek protections for marmots on Olympic Peninsula
Tolls on existing I-5 bridge will help pay for the new span linking Oregon and Washington (Liias)

Wenatchee World
City of Wenatchee sells former Wenatchee Police station
Wenatchee School Board votes to close Columbia Elementary
Chelan County PUD wraps up land deal, project funding; starts survey

Yakima Herald-Republic
In the Lower Yakima Valley, state agriculture department seeks to wipe out Japanese beetles

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Seattle City Council approves new police contract in 8-1 vote
King County Council approves $20 per hour minimum wage for 2025
$11 million accounting error leads to 100 teacher layoffs in Moses Lake School District
Boeing violated deal made to avoid prosecution after deadly 737 Max crashes, DOJ says
‘I found out I had fewer options’: Work underway in Washington state to establish infertility insurance laws (Stonier)

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Justice Department says Boeing violated deal that avoided prosecution after 737 Max crashes
KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
King County Council votes to increase minimum wage starting in 2025
UW student employees strike for equal pay, set up city-wide picket lines
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators set up encampment at Western Washington University
Seattle police officer who hit, killed Jaahnavi Kandula misses deadline to pay infraction

KUOW Public Radio
Seattle is now an air conditioning town
Seattle cops get big raises in new union contract
King County Council raises minimum wage in unincorporated areas
University of Washington academic student employees strike for better pay
Yes, hiking. No, traffic. Trailhead Direct offers car-free travel from Seattle to the mountains

KXLY
Spokane moving to new shelter system
Moses Lake School District places superintendent on administrative leave
FBI has seen an ‘alarming increase’ in online predators: Tips to keep your kids safe
$11 million accounting error contributing to major cuts in Moses Lake School District

Web

Cascadia Daily News
WWU students set up pro-Palestine encampment

Crosscut
The carbon cost of return-to-office mandates
What is an attorney general? They’re more attorney than general (Dhingra)
Seattle Council approves police union contract with 23% pay bump

MyNorthwest
Bellevue PD is teaching women to fight back with self-defense
Seattle passes contract with SPD amid concerns over lack of public comment
Privacy vs. finding stolen cars: Seattle considers expanding license plate readers
13 Western WA residents indicted for major drug ring, 350 pounds of drugs recovered

The Urbanist
Seattle Police Contract Passes Despite Limited Accountability Measures, Budget Hit

Tuesday, May 14

Washington wins grant to acquire 9,700 acres of forestland in Central Cascades
Washington has secured a $15.3 million federal grant for the purchase of nearly 10,000 acres of forestland around the headwaters of the Yakima River, near Cle Elum. The Department of Natural Resources, which would manage the land once the sale is complete, announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture award on Monday and noted $5.7 million in state matching funds to carry out the acquisition. The Department of Natural Resources has indicated that the land will be used for a mix of recreation, conservation, and logging. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (The Nature Conservancy)

WA agency fails to reinspect a third of ‘severe violator’ employers
Following a trench collapse that killed a worker in 2022, Washington state workplace safety regulators classified AAA Contractors as a “severe violator” based on multiple serious safety hazards. The designation came with a warning: “Follow-up inspections of this company will continue at a heightened level until the Department is satisfied that the conditions no longer exist.” More than 600 days later, records showed safety officers from the state’s Department of Labor & Industries had yet to reinspect a worksite of the Kent-based general contractor. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Lizz Giordano)

One woman’s tragedy propels statewide campaign on water safety for kids
Washington will mark the state’s first annual Water Safety Day this year on May 15. The legislation that created it, House Bill 1750, is also called Yori’s Law. It was inspired by the personal tragedy of Chezik Tsunoda, whose 3-year-old son, Yori Tsunoda, drowned in a swimming pool. She said that Water Safety Day is a first step toward raising awareness and teaching simple skills to families and kids to prevent injuries and deaths. Continue reading at KNKX. (Sarah Sweetman)