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Tuesday, June 11

WA medical cannabis users get break from the nation’s highest pot taxes
Thanks to a new state law, Washingtonians with a medical cannabis card can get a break from the nation’s highest tax on the drug. The change, which took effect Thursday, could nudge more people to get medical cards and potentially depress revenues from the cannabis tax, which generated nearly $470 million in fiscal year 2023. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Cindy Schultz)

No more lead in your eyeliner: New Washington state law bans toxic cosmetics
A new state law aims to get cosmetics with certain chemicals out of Washington’s stores and salons. Advocates say it’s the strongest law of its kind in the country, though states including California, Minnesota, and New York have similar regulations. Now comes the long process of store owners, hair stylists, and communities figuring out which products they’ll still be able to use and which ones they’ll need to toss. Continue reading at KUOW. (Megan Farmer)

Rural residents ask about tax rates, land use as state studies renewable energy projects
Washington officials want to know what rural residents think about renewable energy development. At an online public meeting Wednesday, people from across the state raised questions about tax rates, farm and forest land use, and views they said could be obstructed by wind and solar farms.In 2023,Governor Jay Inslee signed a law that could make it easier and faster to build renewable energy projects. The law also requires the state to study how these projects affect rural residents and local economics. Continue reading at KNKX. (Roy Harryman)

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Axios
Alternatives to ShotSpotter draw concern

Capital Press
Labor Department defends H-2A pay rules from union attack
Economist: Farmers get income boost from wind, solar projects

Columbian
Washington opens bidding to build its five new electric ferries
Washington, Oregon legislators press I-5 Bridge replacement officials about permits, cost and impact on property owners

Everett Herald
How will the FAA Act benefit Paine Field?
Free therapy service for seniors strives to meet soaring demand
A big decision for Boeing’s next CEO: Is it time for a new plane?
Edmonds School Board set to approve $200M plan to rebuild 2 schools

News Tribune
Some homeless folks to get portable toilets. Will they help curb disease, pollution?
Before 6 died in Tacoma wreck, officials knew intersection was deadly, lawsuit claims
Driving without a seat belt in Pierce County? These signs with special sensors will know
Pierce County’s only reentry center for DOC prisoners shifting focus after nearly 50 years
Man died at Tacoma immigration detention center of natural causes, medical examiner says
Study shows WA residents among top earners in US. Here’s how much the median person makes
Opinion: I love computers, but I didn’t see many people like me in tech. That’s changing

Olympian
Lawsuit filed against WA state, several agencies for automatically deleting messages
Washington ferries are going electric. WSDOT just opened nationwide bidding to build them

Peninsula Daily News
State ferries to host meetings next week

Seattle Times
King County approves use of e-bikes on regional trails
King County ignored civil rights complaints for 20 months
Thousands in WA behind on Puget Sound Energy bills risk shut-offs
WA medical cannabis users get break from the nation’s highest pot taxes

Spokesman Review
Annual survey counts 15% fewer homeless people in Spokane County
Getting There: Latah Valley and South Hill drivers may see significant delays during construction
Opinion: EWU “right-sized” out of existence

Washington Post
Retailers are finally cutting prices. Will it last?
The world agreed to ban this dangerous pollutant — and it’s working
‘Very unpredictable’: Colleges fear FAFSA fiasco will hurt enrollment
Biden proposes banning medical debt from credit reports, loan decisions
U.S. economy growing significantly faster than expected, World Bank says

WA State Standard
WSU receives grant to study bird flu, other diseases in livestock
72% of Washington eighth graders not proficient in math, report shows

Wenatchee World
Regional Sports Complex consultants study 2 potential Douglas County sites for project
Pioneer Fire suspected cause was structure fire, Chelan County marine patrol assists hikers

Yakima Herald-Republic
Wildfire burning on Yakima Training Center grounds

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Retail theft task force in Washington sends first conviction to prison
Renton deploying drone technology into different divisions of police department

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
‘Cut up and thrown into the street’: Pride flags vandalized in Burien

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Protesters demand accountability after video shows SPD officers beating man on sidewalk
What to know about FDA warning on paralytic shellfish poisoning in the Pacific Northwest

KNKX Public Radio
Medical examiner rules Tacoma ICE detainee died of natural causes
Rural residents ask about tax rates, land use as state studies renewable energy projects

KUOW Public Radio
Pierce County hopes to cultivate community gardens with new seed libraries
No more lead in your eyeliner: New Washington state law bans toxic cosmetics

KXLY (ABC)
Childcare funds available for local families
Spokane City Council approves $5 million in Covid relief funding for childcare, housing and other city projects

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Community gathers to mark 25 years at pipeline remembrance

MyNorthwest
Designs unveiled for new I-5 bridge between Washington, Oregon
‘If you flee, we will pursue you:’ Washington police respond to new law
Scammers impersonating police in Lynnwood, Olympia through phone calls
Year-long Washington probe yields 84,000 fentanyl pills, hundreds of pounds of drugs

Monday, June 10

‘Not enough beds’: A look at the farmworker housing crisis in eastern Washington
Washington’s robust agriculture industry is centered in and around Yakima and the Tri-Cities. That industry depends on H-2A guest workers and domestic workers to tend to orchards and fields, and harvest the fresh fruit and vegetables that fill American grocery stores and local markets. For those farmworkers, it can be a challenge to find quality, affordable housing in the Tri-Cities area. The gap in farmworker housing has serious implications for the future of Washington’s farming industry and its workers. Continue reading at The Columbian. (John Froschauer)

A law to protect WA health care workers keeps patients in crisis
Under Washington state law, any assault on a health care worker can be a felony — including spitting, slapping or other actions that might otherwise be treated as minor offenses with fewer consequences for the accused. The decades-old statute was meant to protect providers, who are increasingly harmed in violent attacks. But increased penalties for people in crisis do little to deter violence, experts say. And reporters’ findings reveal an unintended consequence: More people with serious mental illness are funneled into the legal system, even as cities across the country search for ways to keep them out. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Vartika Sharma)

‘It’s not just a Garfield problem.’ Students, families push for community safety measures following school shooting
A growing vigil of flowers and candles lined the front steps at Seattle’s Garfield High school this weekend, in tribute to a 17-year-old student who was fatally shot on campus Thursday. He has been identified by family and his football team as Amarr Murphy. The morning after the shooting, with Garfield closed for the day, a crowd of students, parents, and community members gathered outside to grieve and call for increased safety measures in the school and surrounding community. Several parents and students said they want to see more police presence outside the school and stronger measures to keep guns out of kid’s hands. Continue reading at KUOW. (Liz Jones)

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Axios
Where unaccompanied migrant children in the PNW come from

Bellevue Reporter
WSDOT responds to stakeholders about future I-90/SR 18 projects

Capital Press
Central Washington irrigators placed on half rations
Judge rejects U.S. government liability for $47 million Washington ranch fire

Columbian
Health experts: Syphilis is a prevalent infection in Clark County homeless camps
‘Not enough beds’: A look at the farmworker housing crisis in eastern Washington
Oregon closes more coastal shellfish harvesting due to ‘historic high levels’ of toxins

Everett Herald
How will the FAA Act benefit Paine Field?
For those with disabilities, recycling is harder in Snohomish County

Federal Way Mirror
Sen. Wilson talks new legislation with Senior Advisory Commission (Wilson)

New York Times
Some homeless folks to get portable toilets. Will they help curb disease, pollution?
Lawsuit filed against WA state, several agencies for automatically deleting messages
Driving without a seat belt in Pierce County? These signs with special sensors will know

Puget Sound Business Journal
Loan program aimed at Black affordable housing builders gets $1M boost

Seattle Times
One of the biggest myths about racism, revealed
A law to protect WA health care workers keeps patients in crisis (Dhingra, Davis)

Skagit Valley Herald
State audit identifies issues with La Conner Library District

Spokesman Review
How fentanyl’s despair ravages the streets of Spokane: ‘This doesn’t mean I want to die’
Officials say new broadband system in Spokane County will be a boost to rural communities
A tale of two middle schools: Spokane’s Salk Middle School enforces phone prohibition this year, ‘a marked change’

Washington Post
Pharmacists cite highest number of drug shortages since 2001
Microplastics are infiltrating our organs, threatening our health
Five ways to sleep better during a heat wave without blasting the AC
Which states make the most from sports betting? What about lotteries?
Biden administration sets 50 miles per gallon fuel economy standard for 2031

WA State Standard
Inslee’s effort to cut pay, oust regulatory leader falters
Comment: Here’s why Washington’s long-term care program is a game-changer

Wenatchee World
Pioneer Fire near Lake Chelan at 300 acres, evacuation notice issued
Wenatchee School Districts presents ‘other funds’ preliminary budget for 2024-2025
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife seeks public input on pygmy rabbit status

Yakima Herald-Republic
Water allotment drops to 47% in the Yakima Basin
Local fire jurisdictions to see quicker air support – at no cost to them

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Authorities investigating shooting involving Renton police officer
Families help Garfield High School seniors host prom after fatal shooting of classmate
Road closures, bus route delays due to fire in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Calls for action following gun violence
Maple Valley daycare loses it license and is under investigation
Thurston County deputies arrest man after car pursuit in Lacey
Bellevue Police Department has had enough with traffic fatalities

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Lake Chelan wildfire grows to nearly 300 acres; evacuation orders in place
‘Absolutely terrified’: Seattle students push for more mental health support in schools

KNKX Public Radio
There’s more to farmers markets than meets the eye
Seattle Public Library goes low-tech after cyberattack

KUOW Public Radio
Summer Covid surge hits Washington state
‘It’s not just a Garfield problem.’ Students, families push for community safety measures following school shooting

KXLY (ABC)
Thousands gather downtown for Spokane Pride Parade

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Olympic Pipe Line explosion’s human toll, and the families’ legacy
Bellingham’s tragedy was pivotal moment for national, state pipeline safety rules

Crosscut
Seattle Public Schools postpones next step in school closures

Friday, June 7

Why some WA students are still waiting for college financial aid
After months of confronting glitching forms, reporting errors and reprocessing efforts, Washington colleges have finally handed off financial aid award letters to thousands of students. The delays didn’t affect eligibility, but did force students to make enrollment decisions much later in the year. In Washington, some financial aid officials say numerous applications still need to be corrected and processed. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Kylie Cooper)

WA cracks down on gassy garbage
Washington is cracking down on landfill methane emissions — in other words, how gassy our garbage can get. The new rules, published by the state Department of Ecology in May, mean the state will surpass federal emission regulations set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The new rules mean municipal solid waste landfills will have stronger monitoring standards for methane emissions and will need to fix methane leaks within a certain timeline. The rules also require more landfills to install equipment that captures and destroys methane before it’s released into the atmosphere. Continue reading at The WA State Standard. (King County)

Fatal drug overdoses declining slightly in King County after 2023 surge
Officials in King County say after a bleak year of increased drug overdoses in 2023, they are starting to see signs of hope. At the county’s fourth annual conference on substance use Thursday, officials said fatal drug overdoses are trending down slightly in 2024. Brad Finegood is a strategic advisor with Public Health – Seattle & King County. He said when they met last year, “hope was hard to find. We were in a place of escalating overdose. Today I’m super excited to let you know that in 2024 our overdose numbers are actually going down a little bit…” Continue reading at KUOW. (Megan Farmer)

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Associated Press
Supreme Court sides with tribes in health care funding dispute

Everett Herald
Hey mate, Washington State Ferries wants to give you a full ride
Get ready for year of Mukilteo detours with $34M bridge replacement
Kayak Point, the county’s most popular park, to reopen by next weekend

News Tribune
Pierce County school district chooses interim superintendent after canceling forums
Recycling asphalt? It’s one trick Tacoma is using to make street repair climate friendly
Opinion: Why fight so hard to keep sewage in Puget Sound? Tacoma’s court case raises questions
Opinion: Prominent Tacoma underpass a haven for taggers. City hopes $40K mural changes that

Puget Sound Business Journal
SBA unveils line-of-credit loan program
Construction begins on MultiCare emergency room in Bremerton

Seattle Times
King County median home price tops $1M
What to know about the shooting outside Garfield High School
Why some WA students are still waiting for college financial aid
Seattle City Council approves new rules to condemn vacant buildings

Spokesman Review
Spokane City Council ratifies mayor’s overdose emergency declaration
Spokane’s new anti-homeless camping law to be reviewed by state Supreme Court
A stretch of downtown Spokane has been plagued by shootings. Can residents’ love of community transform it?
Opinion: New UW faculty get to know Spokane, and some of the ways UW students are helping promote better health in the region

WA State Standard
WA cracks down on gassy garbage
Washington Supreme Court will hear case on high-capacity ammo magazine ban

Wenatchee World
Douglas County Webb Fire contained at 554 acres
City announces Lake Chelan Vision Project launch
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife seeks public input on pygmy rabbit status
Music Theater of Wenatchee moves closer to extra space on old PUD headquarters land

Yakima Herald-Republic
Water allotment drops to 47% in the Yakima Basin
Yakima City Council sets hiring process for new city manager

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
A racially biased test miscalculated kidney health for Black patients
Classes canceled after teen was shot, killed near Garfield High School
US employers added a robust 272,000 jobs in May in a sign of sustained economic health

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Newcastle City Council votes against raising Pride flag
Garfield High School student killed in shooting, classes canceled
Hundreds of asylum-seekers are camped out near Seattle. There’s a vacant motel next door

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Seattle beaches experience lowest tides of the year
Newcastle City Council votes against raising Pride flag at city hall
At $350,000-$500,000 each, who will pay to demolish unsafe, vacant buildings in Seattle?

KNKX Public Radio
Study shows local health impacts from Growler noise
Student fatally shot in Garfield High School parking lot, authorities say

KUOW Public Radio
Train carrying hazardous sulfur derails in Whatcom County
Puget Sound electrical workers vote on whether to end 2-month strike
Fatal drug overdoses declining slightly in King County after 2023 surge
50 years of Pride in Seattle: The early days of the LGBTQ+ fight for acceptance

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane City Council ratifies opioid crisis emergency declaration
Lime plans to add ‘no ride zones’ near Pride crosswalk to prevent vandalism
Group yelled homophobic slurs while vandalizing Pride mural, according to court documents

Web

Washington Observer
Newcastle council votes to keep Pride flag in the closet (Senn)

Thursday, June 6

Seattle tries new approach for treating addiction — gift cards
The basic concept of contingency management — incentives to help treat addiction — has been around since the 1960s. The Department of Veterans Affairs began offering it in select locations in 2011 where more than 6,000 people have participated. Researchers found it to be effective. Washington last year became just the second state in the country to receive a waiver for the program, said Rachelle Alongi, policy communications director for the Washington State Health Care Authority, joining California as a place Medicaid and Medicare can cover its use. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Nick Wagner)

Could WA’s health ‘hub’ model treating opioid addiction go nationwide?
Imagine if anyone with an opioid addiction could walk into a local treatment center and receive medication for their addiction, primary care, emotional counseling and many more health and social services — all for free without an appointment. That’s the promise of the “health engagement hub.” It’s a model credited to Caleb Banta-Green, a research professor in the School of Medicine at the University of Washington. The hub model has shown signs of success in Washington, including a 68% reduction in overdose mortality rates among around 800 participants, according to preliminary data from the University of Washington. Continue reading at The WA State Standard. (Anna Moneymaker)

Police can now engage in car pursuits more often in Washington state
Amendments to Washington’s police pursuit law take effect on Thursday, which will allow law enforcement officers to engage in car pursuits more frequently. In 2021, Washington state law increased the threshold for evidence required for a police pursuit while limiting the types of crimes that can result in chases. Following the changes, law enforcement agencies across the state have taken different approaches in reaction to the new law, with some saying they would not change their pursuit policies that much. Continue reading at King 5.

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Aberdeen Daily World
Woman medevac’d after giving birth in transient camp

Auburn Reporter
Hundreds of new laws will take effect in state June 6

Axios
Million-dollar homes are the norm in 18 Seattle-area cities
Corporate diversity programs could be headed toward the Supreme Court

Bellingham Herald
High levels of fatal shellfish poison detected off WA coast. DOH issues recall, closures
Study analyzes which states have the best economies. WA among the best. Here’s the ranking

Capital Press
Yakima apple packing plant to close
Yakama Nation: Inslee dismissed Horse Heaven objections
Irrigating with wastewater: Oregon faces regulatory logjam hindering water recycling

Columbian
Train carrying molten sulfur derails in Whatcom County, BNSF investigation underway

The Daily News
Last fish barrier along Ostrander Creek to be removed
A year after building moratorium, Castle Rock opens gates for smaller homes
Cowlitz County PUD union and nonunion workers receive raises

Everett Herald
Coming soon: A Sno-Isle library on the ground floor, with housing above (Liias)

High Country News
The American Climate Corps take flight, with most jobs based in the West

News Tribune
A decision is in on controversial Pierce County village homeless project. Details here
High levels of fatal shellfish poison detected off WA coast. DOH issues recall, closures

Olympian
Study analyzes which states have the best economies. WA among the best. Here’s the ranking

Puget Sound Business Journal
Labor Department releases AI guidance for business owners
Small businesses fall behind on 401(k) benefits for employees

Seattle Medium
Amazon To Close Warehouses In Tukwila
Seattle Integrates Advanced Monitoring Tools As Part Of New Public Safety Strategy
Marginalized Job Seekers Outreach Campaign Aims To Promote Equitable Access To Unemployment Benefits

Seattle Times
Seattle tries new approach for treating addiction — gift cards
WA parental rights law allowed to take effect, despite opposition

Spokesman Review
Post Street bridge reopens after five-year closure and repair
Opinion: Washington has new Legislative Maps – again. Is it time for a new process?

Washington Post
The AI election is here. Regulators can’t decide whose problem it is
As nuclear power flails in the U.S., White House bets big on a revival

WA State Standard
Could WA’s health ‘hub’ model treating opioid addiction go nationwide?
State Supreme Court agrees to take up case against Spokane camping ban
WA State Parks could shorten campsite stay limits beginning this summer

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Newcastle City Council votes not to raise Pride flag in June
Police can now engage in car pursuits more often in Washington state
Washington man sentenced for 20 ‘swatting’ calls of false threats in US, Canada
OPA investigation finds Seattle officers waited 40 minutes to respond to domestic disturbance call

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Police pursuit for ‘reasonable suspicion’ allowed again
Paralytic poison detected in shellfish along Washington’s coast
Jesse Jones: 83 pharmacies closed across Washington State in 18 months
Financial turmoil continues within Marysville School District administration

KNKX Public Radio
Oral history project recounts queer resilience in Walla Walla Valley

KUOW Public Radio
What does June rain mean for Western Washington’s 2024 summer?
Sure Bezos bailed, but Seattle is minting millionaires by the thousands (Frame)
1 in 6 Seattle kids go to private school. Is that a factor in public school struggles?

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane’s Pride crosswalk repainted just in time for city’s Pride Parade
More red light and speed-check cameras could be coming to Spokane streets

NW Public Radio
Seattle veterans clinic faces complaints over leaks, ventilation

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Whatcom County to explore operating year-round homeless shelter
Washington’s first commercial kelp farm has good harvest despite setbacks

Crosscut
Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown declares opioid emergency
Inside Seattle’s political clash over equitable development money

MyNorthwest
OPA opens probe over incident where Seattle officers appear to be beating man

Wednesday, June 5

Washington parental rights law criticized as a ‘forced outing’ measure is allowed to take effect
A new Washington state parental rights law derided by critics as a “forced outing” measure will be allowed to take effect this week after a court commissioner on Tuesday declined to issue an emergency order temporarily blocking it. The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington and other groups challenging the measure say it violates the state Constitution, which requires that new laws not revise or revoke old laws without explicitly saying so. Continue reading at The Columbian. (Lindsey Wasson)

Hundreds of new laws will take effect in Washington on June 6
New limits on carrying guns openly in public, loosened restrictions on police pursuing suspects, a shorter time period for mortuaries to store unclaimed human remains, and a ban on octopus farming. What do all these topics have in common? They’re covered by some of the 310 laws set to take effect in Washington this Thursday. Here’s a look at some of the changes coming your way later this week. Continue reading at The Washington State Standard. (Laurel Demkovich)

Washington state opens bids for building new hybrid ferries
Washington State Ferries is inviting companies to express interest in building five new hybrid diesel/electric ferries. The bid process, announced Monday, is the latest step toward getting two new ferries running in Puget Sound by 2028, two more by 2029 and a fifth by 2030, said Steve Nevey, the Washington Department of Transportation’s assistant secretary for the ferry system. After contracts are awarded in 2025, the ferry system expects the design work to take one year and construction to take two years. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Genna Martin)