Click here for our Daily E-Clips policy.

Tuesday, December 10

How Washington is promising free college to low-income kids
Washington state plans to let low-income kids know by the 10th grade that they automatically qualify for free college, rather than making them wait on the outcome of financial aid applications in their senior year. The new system will make it so students whose families are on food stamps can start thinking about college or career training earlier, while eliminating the barrier that the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can pose for some. Continue reading at Axios. (Maura Losch)

New guaranteed basic income program in WA aims to help Native parents
American Indian and Alaska Natives in Washington have a higher maternal mortality rate than any other ethnic group. Babies born to Indigenous people are more likely to have birth complications. Tribal communities disproportionately experience housing insecurity, poverty and worse health outcomes — disparities rooted in racism and discrimination, and forged by centuries of violence, cultural genocide and economic dispossession. To help reverse those dire trends, Hummingbird Indigenous Family Services launched the Nest in August 2023, the first guaranteed income program in the United States that specifically serves Native communities. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ivy Ceballo)

Voters upheld Washington’s major climate law. Advocates hope it’ll be a blueprint for other states
Washington state voters upheld one of the most ambitious climate laws in the U.S. in November, by rejecting a ballot initiative that would have repealed the state’s landmark cap-and-invest law, the Climate Commitment Act. This comes as a new Donald Trump administration is expected to roll back federal climate policies. The Climate Commitment Act took effect in 2023. It puts a cap on carbon emissions and raises billions of dollars for programs that help the state prepare for and adapt to climate change. One of the largest polluters in the state actually supports this law and framework. Continue reading at KNKX. (KNKX Graphic)

Print

Axios
How Washington is promising free college to low-income kids

Bellingham Herald
Whatcom County waste hauler says it won’t accept these ‘problematic’ containers for recycling

Capital Press
California loses 8.4 million birds in past month to bird flu
U.S. appeals nationwide injunction against corporate reporting law

Everett Herald
Boeing lays off 396 more workers in Washington
Community Transit approves budget with more service
Comment: Green investments aren’t having a good year, but their focus on the bottom line still makes good financial sense.

Journal of the San Juan Islands
Grants up to $120,000 educate about local environmental projects

News Tribune
Pierce County school district buys 20 acres for $6.2 million. What are their plans?

Puget Sound Business Journal
Alaska adds 2 international routes at Sea-Tac
IRS again delays a key tax-reporting requirement
737 Max production yet to restart post-strike, report says

Seattle Times
Three WA members of Congress talk strategy ahead of Trump presidency
New guaranteed basic income program in WA aims to help Native parents
U.S. life expectancy gap widens to 20 years among groups, Seattle researchers found
Editorial: WA Legislature must keep gun safety a priority

Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit County Board of Commissioners passes county’s 2025 budget

Spokesman Review
STA seeking feedback on planned 2025 service changes
Spokane City Council will continue to meet on Mondays after contentious fight ends in concessions
Spokane County Commissioners approve 2025 budget totaling $865 million, smaller than years past
Northeast Spokane gets a representative on the Transit Authority as the city council shuffles board appointments

Tri-City Herald
French fry giant deals Eastern WA town another blow. It laid off nearly 400 in October
Benton to spend $1.2M to help turn abandoned hospital rooms into recovery apartments

Washington Post
The party that came out on top in state legislative races
Could Trump end birthright citizenship? Probably not, legal scholars say.
Impasse deepens over U.S. Steel takeover as government review nears end

WA State Standard
Why home and auto insurance rates are up in Washington
Major new office building nears opening on Washington Capitol campus

Wenatchee World
Federal Grants Awarded to Chelan and Okanogan Counties for Habitat Restoration Projects

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Lewis County utility commissioner arrested, accused of bribery
Seattle judge denies request to dismiss protester trespassing case
Violent crime in CID deterring patients from seeking medical care
Family member of homeless woman killed in bomb cyclone speaks out
Shuttering Edmonds PD on the table as city looks to address budget deficit
‘Adult cabaret’ on Ballard Ave. NW? Bar seeks approval after Washington state law change

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
License plate reading cameras up in Renton
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell will run for reelection
King County judge to rule on Kroger/Albertsons merger
Bellevue Police involved in deadly officer involved shooting
Boeing issues nearly 400 layoff notices to Washington employees
City of Edmonds exploring possibility of dissolving police department
Boeing is building new 737 Max planes for the first time since workers went on strike
New WA law aims to protect vulnerable road users with harsher penalties for negligent drivers

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Nearly 400 Boeing workers in Washington receive layoff notices
Salvage efforts in Elliott Bay after boat fire; boom deployed to stop fuel spill
City of Edmonds explores contracting police services amid $13M budget deficit
Boeing is building new 737 MAX planes for the 1st time since workers went on strike
Neighbors, businesses call for safeguards against drug use at Redmond homeless facility

KNKX Public Radio
Voters upheld Washington’s major climate law. Advocates hope it’ll be a blueprint for other states

KUOW Public Radio
Free online therapy for teens and young adults is coming to Seattle
Ruling by a conservative Supreme Court could help blue states resist Trump policies
Will King County’s relief for windstorm victims be enough for low-income residents?

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane City Council votes in favor of C.O.P.S contract extension
Spokane City Council approves Mayor Brown’s 2025-2026 budget
Staffing and safety issues at Adams County Jail prompt costly overtime for corrections officers

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Claim forms for water rights lawsuit finalized; expected to mail in February

Crosscut
Thurston County must repay up to $668K in fraudulent rental aid
Young WA councilmembers provide a ‘generational voice’ in politics
San Juan County adopted a 32-hour workweek. Here’s what happened

MyNorthwest
Boeing lays off nearly 400 more people in Washington, state reports
South King County man sentenced for ‘straw purchasing’ over 130 firearms
‘I would feel less safe’: Potential loss of Edmonds Police Department sparks public outcry

The Urbanist
Opinion: State must reform Sound Transit to keep expansion on track
Opinion: Queen Anne must embrace new neighbors rather than fear housing

Washington Observer
Takeaways from our political operatives (Cleveland)

West Seattle Blog
Week and a half left to comment on new zoning plans. Morgan Community Association briefing Thursday

Monday, December 9

Washington to guarantee college tuition for low-income families
The FAFSA has long been a sticking point for students, with billions of dollars in federal aid going unclaimed because they simply give up on it, or don’t complete it correctly. An overhaul last year meant to simplify the process only made things worse, with technical problems that led to even lower completion rates and contributed to a decline of 7 percentage points in the proportion of high school seniors going directly to college, according to the National College Attainment Network, or NCAN. Now some states, including Washington, propose to work around the FAFSA altogether and find ways to automatically award financial aid to families that need it. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Camilla Forte)

Lawmakers return to Olympia for meetings ahead of 2025 session
Child care affordability, crime trends, environmental protections, access to addiction treatment and housing costs. These are some of the issues on Washington lawmakers’ agenda this week. Starting Monday, legislators convene in Olympia for their annual “committee days,” a chance to get up to speed on issues that may arise during next year’s session and to get situated with any committee changes. And with 20 new faces roaming the halls following last month’s election, it’s also an opportunity for lawmakers to meet their colleagues. Continue reading at The WA State Standard. (Bill Lucia)

How many species could go extinct from climate change? It depends on how hot it gets.
Researchers have conducted hundreds of studies projecting how different species might respond to different levels of climate change, finding varied results. In an analysis published Thursday in the journal Science, Urban sought to bring all those studies together. If countries meet the shared goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, 1.8% of species will be at risk of extinction by the end of the century, Urban reports. But if global warming gets out of hand, warming four or five degrees Celsius, as many as 30% of species could be at risk .In many instances, stopping biodiversity loss means preserving their natural habitats, through protected areas or national parks. Continue reading at KNKX. (Universal Images Group)

Print

Axios
How much you need to make to be in Washington’s top 1%
New pedestrian improvements completed in Pioneer Square
Biden administration’s probes of police agencies in jeopardy

Capital Press
Sandison to stay as Washington agriculture director
Commentary: Next EPA administrator must clean house in Region 10

Everett Herald
Wallace Falls closed due to bomb cyclone damage
How will new Everett library hours affect its programs?
Wine woes not yet affecting Snohomish County glass recycling
What will Trump’s immigration policy mean for Snohomish County?
Comment: State should drop its lawsuit to block grocery merger
Comment: Ban on flavored tobacco can keep kids from addiction
Comment: Comment: HPV vaccine saving lives; RFK Jr. should see that
Editorial: Trump: State officials planning for ‘chaos’ of second Trump term

International Examiner
Alexis Mercedes Rinck, Seattle’s newest City Councilmember, speaks on CID stabbings, threats from the Trump administration, and setting a 20-year vision

Kitsap Sun
Medical centers facing health care demands of Kitsap’s aging population

News Tribune
Trump is threatening mass deportations. What would that mean for ICE lockup in Tacoma?

New York Times
E.P.A. Bans Cancer-Causing Chemicals Used in Dry Cleaning
Three-Quarters of Earth’s Land Got Drier in Recent Decades, U.N. Says
A $400 Billion Clean Energy Program Is Racing to Get Money Out the Door
Their Fertilizer Poisons Farmland. Now, They Want Protection From Lawsuits.
Spying on Student Devices, Schools Aim to Intercept Self-Harm Before It Happens

Olympian
After 2 years and $33.8 million, see inside the renovated Temple of Justice in Olympia

Puget Sound Business Journal
How safe are Washington hospitals for patients?
Under-the-radar workforce issues that could shape 2025

Seattle Times
Seattle schools must post list of union discrimination violations
Washington to guarantee college tuition for low-income families
Saving Boeing is the hardest job and biggest opportunity in business
Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson’s early approach to fix WA $10B budget deficit
Opinion: The GOP went all-in on taxes — and lost. It’s shaking up WA politics

Spokesman Review
University of Idaho closure of diversity offices up in the air
After nine months of research, a Washington State University sociologist concludes rural clinics aren’t ready for artificial intelligence

Washington Post
It’s almost winter, but much of the U.S. is still unusually dry
Biden urged to empty federal death row before Trump takes office
EPA bans two cancer-causing chemicals used in everyday products
Colleges scramble to shield programs amid growing hostility from GOP
LGBTQ+ Americans stockpile meds and make plans to move after Trump’s win

WA State Standard
Two new Washington state lawmakers are sworn in (Chapman, Bernbaum, Jinkins, Fitzgibbon)
Lawmakers return to Olympia for meetings ahead of 2025 session
WA Rep. DelBene tapped for another term leading House Democratic campaign effort

Wenatchee World
City council allots $4 million for Confluence Parkway project easements
Funding secured for Bridge Street improvements for pedestrians and cyclists
Wenatchee Convention Center receives $50,000 more due to ‘unforeseen conditions’ in renovation project

Whidbey News-Times
District discusses funding challenges with lawmakers (Shavers)

Yakima Herald-Republic
Wildfire this summer worsened risk to aging Yakima Tieton irrigation canal

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Boeing cancels employee surveillance pilot program
Hundreds more SPEEA employees at Boeing receive layoff notices
Here are some of the bills WA legislators will try to pass this session (Chapman)

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Boeing lays off hundreds more SPEEA employees
CID businesses tired of lack of attention from city
Organic waste collection coming to Bellingham in 2025
Five shot in the Chinatown-International District in Seattle
Monroe High School closed Monday because of electrical fire
Parents search for answers after school bus kills daughter, drives away
Everett City Council approves new budget, cutting funds for libraries, parks

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Federal Way sees 11% drop in overall crime as drug arrests surge by more than 402%

KNKX Public Radio
San Juan County sees benefits from shortened work week
How many species could go extinct from climate change? It depends on how hot it gets.

KUOW Public Radio
Southern Resident orcas have been seen wearing salmon ‘hats.’ But it’s not all fun and games

KXLY (ABC)
Newman Lake residents face 45% rate hike for vital water resource
No timeline for 64 displaced downtown Spokane residents to return home

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Skagit school leaders say state underfunds districts by millions

Crosscut
Strickland takes Congressional Black Caucus leadership role

MyNorthwest
Boeing lays off hundreds more SPEEA workers

The Urbanist
WSDOT Secretary Millar Issues Departing Warning to Policymakers

Washington Observer
The Housing Finance Commission’s rent-a-problem (Pollet, Stearns)

Friday, December 6

Bill offering wildfire survivors relief from taxes and fees passes Congress
After more than five years of waiting in some cases, wildfire survivors across the West will be relieved of paying federal income taxes on their recovery settlements and lawyers fees. The Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2023 passed the Senate on Wednesday night, about six months after it was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives nearly unanimously. The bill, which is likely to be signed by President Joe Biden, would exempt people who have survived a wildfire between 2016 and 2026 from paying federal income taxes on disaster recovery settlements and fees paid to lawyers that were received or paid between 2020 and 2026. Continue reading at The WA State Standard. (Chris Majors)

King County seeks help from State legislature After Approving 2025 Budget
Days after finalizing a 2025 budget, King County Executive Dow Constantine and the King County Council met with state lawmakers this week, advocating for legislative fixes to some of the county’s most structural financial issues. Monday’s annual meeting with King County’s legislative delegation, lawmakers from 17 districts from Woodinville to Federal Way, was a formal opportunity to present the County’s legislative priorities for the 2025 session, which starts January 13. Continue reading at The Urbanist. (Ryan Packer)

Area school districts discuss legislative priorities
The superintendents and many school board representatives from area school districts met Thursday afternoon to speak about their legislative priorities for the coming session. They were joined by state Reps. Carolyn Eslick, Sam Low and Clyde Shavers, and Sens. Liz Lovelett and Keith Wagoner. Mount Vernon School Board President Larry Otos said several years ago the districts decided to form a group with the area superintendents and board presidents to better relay the collective needs of the districts to elected officials. Continue reading at The Skagit Valley Herald.

Print

Aberdeen Daily World
Opinion: PUD entering 85th year in good hands, on solid ground

Axios
Psilocybin eases burnout and depression, UW study finds

Capital Press
Northwest family foresters feel drought effect in 2025
Updated treaty shows biggest change in moderately wet years
Roundtable mulls ways to force wide buffers on Washington farmland
Farmers face lower bonus depreciation, other tax challenges as year closes

Everett Herald
Everett council approves $644M budget with cuts to parks, libraries
Federal judge rejects Boeing’s guilty plea related to 737 Max crashes
Snohomish County awards money to improve warming, cooling centers

International Examiner
Sound Transit casts doubt on 4th Avenue station, resurrects controversial 5th Avenue option

News Tribune
U.S. Rep. Marilyn Strickland elected secretary of Congressional Black Caucus
If Sound Transit gets its way, the light rail from Federal Way will stop here in Tacoma
Owner’s vast Lakewood property selloff over 2 years clears way for housing near transit

Puget Sound Business Journal
2 Seattle colleges make deal to merge
New data reveals Seattle’s surprising ranking for GDP growth

Skagit Valley Herald
Area school districts discuss legislative priorities (Lovelett, Shavers)

Spokesman Review
Spokane Board of Health will not outsource treatment services anytime soon
Spokane Valley Fire Department celebrates opening of $13 million training center, burn tower

Washington Post
AI chatbots are exploiting loneliness, with tragic results
Appeals court upholds nationwide TikTok ban-or-sale law
UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting is driving corporations to bolster security

WA State Standard
Bill offering wildfire survivors relief from taxes and fees passes Congress
Attorneys in Idaho abortion trafficking case call court decision ‘major victory’
Scammers claiming to be from a state agency are targeting Washington businesses
Here’s who Bob Ferguson wants to lead WA’s departments of corrections and ecology
Opinion: Washington must continue programs that address homelessness

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Seattle to double school zone speed cameras by the end of 2025
Muslims in Washington likely to have experienced discrimination
US judge rejects plea deal between Boeing and DOJ over fatal 737 Max crashes
Damage from bomb cyclone wind storm nearing $20 million in Snohomish County

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
SPD reveals derailed plan to return officer to Seattle high school
Social Security benefits to increase for millions of recipients in 2025
Seattle University and Cornish College of the Arts planning to join forces
Bellevue updating affordable housing strategy to address growing housing needs
US added a strong 227,000 jobs in November in bounce-back from October slowdown
UW: Artificial Intelligence is headed towards doctors’ offices and it is not always a good thing

KNKX Public Radio
Tacoma City Council will direct city manager to make layoffs to balance budget

KUOW Public Radio
Cornish and Seattle U announce plans to merge as higher ed storm looms

KXLY (ABC)
New training facility will help SVFD firefighters prepare for emergency situations
City of Spokane launches new data dashboard to help track and respond to homelessness crisis
FBI agent tells true story behind new movie “The Order” named after domestic terrorist group from INW

NW Public Radio
Hazardous chemicals leak into groundwater below Pasco Sanitary Landfill
Group representing retired Clarkston ophthalmologist asks US Supreme Court for injunctive relief

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Lummi Nation receives nearly $5M for salmon habitat projects
Health equity event brings rural Whatcom residents together to voice what’s needed

Crosscut
Strickland takes Congressional Black Caucus leadership role

The Urbanist
King County seeks help from State Legislature after approving 2025 budget (Pedersen)
Seattle’s embattled Police Accountability Director resigns, raising reform questions

Thursday, December 5

Washington secretary of state certifies 2024 election results
Washington’s 2024 election is in the books. Well, almost. Secretary of State Steve Hobbs and Gov. Jay Inslee certified the results on Wednesday — except for a recount of ballots cast in the duel for a state Senate seat in southwest Washington. Election officials predicted 80% of voters would cast a ballot. Washington came up just short of that mark with a turnout of 78.94% and 3,961,859 voters participating. That’s down from an 84% rate in 2020 when 4,116,894 people cast a ballot, but higher than in 2016. Continue reading at The Washington State Standard. (Jerry Cornfield)

New taxes part of discussion for legislative leaders about to make history
Tax increases, and potentially new tax proposals, will be on the table when Washington state legislators convene in Olympia in January for an historic session. Meanwhile, the leaders of the House and Senate will be making history of their own. Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins and Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen will be the first LGBTQ members to lead their respective chambers. One of their priorities this upcoming session will be passing a balanced budget. Both Pedersen and Jinkins said new streams of revenue will be explored, and said they drew confidence from the results of the November election. Continue reading at King 5. (King 5)

Washington carbon auctions resume after surviving election challenge
Washington state held its first carbon auction since voters upheld the state’s flagship climate law in November. The results of Wednesday’s auction, with hundreds of millions of dollars changing hands, won’t be revealed for another week. But with the state’s system for capping carbon emissions no longer at risk of being repealed by voters, the price businesses are willing to pay to keep harming the climate is expected to climb. Continue reading at KUOW. (Kathleen Lumiere)

Print

Axios
Emerald City’s $1.5 million housing future
Seattle City Councilmember Tammy Morales resigns
Downtown Seattle sees visitors and worker numbers rise

Capital Press
Judge puts nationwide hold on corporate reporting law
Report: Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission seen as ‘dysfunctional’

Everett Herald
Edmonds residents urge city to reconsider fire annexation
Mukilteo police investigate online threat at Kamiak High
Off-duty Edmonds officer accused of pointing gun at fellow driver
Public damage costs from bomb cyclone near $20M in Snohomish County
Editorial: Stop the clock on our twice-yearly time change (Dhingra)

The Inlander
NEW BRIEFS: Spokane City Council wants the state to protect cryptocurrency users
Opinion: Demonizing “enemies” for political gain goes back to the very start of United States history

International Examiner
Councilmember Tammy Morales announces resignation from the Seattle City Council

News Tribune
Tacoma expects layoffs, doesn’t fund firefighter program amid ‘dire’ financial situation
Late-night liquor sales were just banned in this Pierce County city. Some are displeased
Why aren’t parents told when a kid who made threats returns to school? What is shared?
$72 million in federal funding was at stake. Pierce County says it will keep its ARPA funding
Opinion: Trump’s plan to use US military for mass deportations destroys an important boundary

New York Times
E.P.A. Again Seeks Limits on a Harmful Pesticide
What Trump’s Cabinet Picks and Advisers Say About Climate Change
Most Rural Hospitals Have Closed Their Maternity Wards, Study Finds
Her Wrestling Empire Was Said to Harm Children. Trump Chose Her for Education.

Olympian
Washington AG-elect Nick Brown fears next Trump term bringing ‘uniquely dangerous threats’

Puget Sound Business Journal
Seattle City Council member to resign
A big small-business reporting requirement is no more. Here’s why.

Seattle Medium
12-Year-Old’s Joyride Ends After 160-Mile Chase In Washington
Seattle Embraces Co-Living: New Law Eases Housing Restrictions (Salomon)

Spokesman Review
Department of Natural Resources defends proposed sale and development in Latah Valley
Newman Lake irrigation district considers hefty rate hike; small farmers say they can’t afford it
Nikki Otero Lockwood will carry on as Spokane Public Schools’ board president as board selects leadership
For years, some employers have legally paid disabled workers below minimum wage. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Patty Murray are hopeful a Labor Department proposal will end the practice

Washington Post
What happened the last time Trump moved federal jobs out of D.C.

WA State Standard
Washington secretary of state certifies 2024 election results
Appeals court allows Idaho to enforce its ‘abortion trafficking’ law
$849 million for Western water projects announced by Biden administration
WA program to help low-income tenants buy homes has led to zero purchases (Pollet, Stearns)

Wenatchee World
East Wenatchee City Council pulls from general fund to finalize 2025 budget

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima City Council approves utility rate increases
Enrollment up at Yakima Valley College and Heritage University

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
‘Swatting calls’ reported at several western Washington schools
New taxes part of discussion for legislative leaders about to make history (Jinkins, Pedersen)
Morales says she’s worried about Seattle City Council’s future, announces resignation
Lynnwood City Council approves 52% property tax increase to fund $420 million budget

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Gov. Inslee issues freeze on most non-essential hiring
Need a ride? Bellevue launches daily SEA Airport shuttles
Jeff Bezos says he is ‘optimistic’ about a new Trump term and can help with cutting regulations

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Tammy Morales announces resignation from Seattle City Council
Tacoma faces budget crisis amid looming tariffs proposed by President-elect Trump
Tacoma City Council fails to pass amendment to keep firefighter rover program running
Pioneer Square completes walkability project, boosting downtown and waterfront access

KUOW Public Radio
Washington carbon auctions resume after surviving election challenge

KXLY (ABC)
Washington certifies election votes with nearly 80% voter turnout
Code Enforcement struggles to remove abandoned cars around Spokane
Apartment fire in downtown Spokane displaces over 60 people, businesses impacted
‘We are deeply concerned’: Mead fires head football coach for inaction, dishonesty in hazing, bullying case

NW Public Radio
Tacoma City Council will direct city manager to make layoffs to balance budget

Web

Cascadia Daily News
More opioid treatment services coming in 2025 through tribal partnership

Crosscut
Spokane doesn’t want feds to truck nuclear waste through the city

MyNorthwest
Already stretched thin, Tacoma firefighters warn city that budget cuts could cost lives
UW: Artificial Intelligence is headed towards doctors’ offices and it is not always a good thing

Washington Observer
Early takeaways from Re-Wire (Pedersen, Fitzgibbon, Berg, Alvarado)

Wednesday, December 4

Auburn is finalizing ‘asks’ for state lawmakers
For months, Auburn city leaders have been trying to determine what the city’s wants and wishes will be for the upcoming legislative session in Olympia, which begins Jan. 3 and is expected to end by April 27. Among Auburn’s priorities are a number of carryovers city leaders have sought for years. Generally, they fit into six major classes: public safety; regulatory and land use; public works, transportation and infrastructure; parks and open spaces; and social services budget and finance. Continue reading at The Kent Reporter. (Kent Reporter)

Costs remain high for WA affordable housing projects
Many affordable housing projects in Washington are funded in part by the state’s Housing Trust Fund. A new report from the Department of Commerce looked at the cost of building more than 1,200 new affordable units with money from the fund last year. It shows project costs dipped but remained up overall statewide. According to the data, the Housing Trust Fund helped build 21 multifamily projects across the state in 2023. That’s a drop from 32 the year before and way down from 2019 when there were 51. Continue reading at The WA State Standard. (Dan Reynolds)

Adult entertainers to see safety and wage improvement starting in 2025
Starting on Jan. 2, 2025, those who work in the adult entertainment industry will see an increase in safety measures and wage improvements. On Tuesday, the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries announced that adult entertainers will be able to keep more of their wages and be safer. The rules were approved and signed into law in March 2024. “Like any other worker in the state, adult entertainers deserve job-site safety and protection from unfair labor practices,” said Celeste Monahan, L&I assistant director for Fraud Prevention and Labor Standards. “These new rules make sure safety and a level playing field are the standard.” Continue reading at KIRO 7. (KIRO 7)