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Tuesday, March 18

Democratic lawmakers warn of ‘all-out assault’ on Medicaid, though Trump says the program is safe
Billions of dollars in cuts to Medicaid would have a devastating impact on the more than 1.8 million Washingtonians who rely on the program, particularly in rural and Eastern Washington, Sen. Patty Murray said during a news conference at the state Capitol Monday. Murray said Republicans are waging an “all-out assault” on a program that provides health coverage for the elderly, those with disabilities and those in lower income levels, as they seek to pass tax cuts for billionaires. Continue reading at The Spokesman-Review. (Mitchell Roland)

GOP Rep. Baumgartner faces angry, disruptive town hall in Spokane
U.S. Rep. Michael Baumgartner was confronted by a disruptive, angry crowd that demanded answers about the freshman Republican congressman’s voting record and recent actions in President Donald Trump’s White House — and regularly interrupted each answer during a town hall Monday evening at Whitworth University in Spokane. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Aaron Barna)

WA bill aims to extend unemployment benefits to workers on strike
The Washington State Senate has passed Senate Bill 5041, which aims to extend unemployment insurance (UI) benefits to workers during a labor strike. If the bill passes the House and is signed by the Governor, Washington would become the third state — after New York and New Jersey — to grant this benefit. Striking workers who have logged at least 680 hours in the past year would become eligible for UI benefits starting the second Sunday after their legal strike begins, following a required one-week waiting period. Continue reading at Cascade PBS. (M. Scott Brauer)

Print

Aberdeen Daily World
Major milestone for fish passage project along coast

Axios
Washington unemployment dips but layoffs loom

Bellingham Herald
Ecology letters coming to 30k Whatcom County water users as part of adjudication process

Capital Press
USDA: Exempt farm pesticides from monarch butterfly rule

The Daily News
Longview woman gets 2nd chance at becoming a teacher

Everett Herald
Everett council awards $2M contract for Mall Station relocation
Editorial: One option for pausing pay raise for state electeds
Bloomberg Comment: Have lawmakers forgotten they have constituents?

Islands’ Weekly
Public health hot topic: Measles outbreaks

Kitsap Sun
Trump job cuts continue: What Washington state is saying about federal layoff numbers

News Tribune
Puyallup Tribe and NWSA enter historic pact to create new pier at Port of Tacoma

New York Times
Citing Trump’s Order, V.A. Halts Most Transgender Care
Musk’s Team Evicts Officials at the U.S. Institute of Peace
Trump Administration Aims to Eliminate E.P.A.’s Scientific Research Arm

Puget Sound Business Journal
Puyallup Tribe unveils plan for new terminal in Tacoma
Port officials raise concerns over $337M in airport grants
Affordability remains key barrier to minority homeownership

Seattle Medium
Dr. Brent Jones To Step Down As Superintendent Of Seattle Public Schools

Seattle Times
GOP Rep. Baumgartner faces angry, disruptive town hall in Spokane
Proposal would force millions to file Social Security claims in person
As Trump invokes Alien Enemies Act, here’s how it shaped WA history
Ferguson aide resigned amid toxic workplace complaints, lawmakers say (Trudeau, Chapman)
Editorial: WA lawmakers, resist the urge to keep your emails private

Skagit Valley Herald
San Juan County to rejoin Northwest Clean Air Agency

Spokesman Review
Spokane proposes spending plan for $1.5 million in opioid settlement funds
Baumgartner faces angry, disruptive town hall following two months of Trump’s presidency
Democratic lawmakers warn of ‘all-out assault’ on Medicaid, though Trump says the program is safe (Riccelli, Jinkins)
‘Housing is health’: As Colville phases out homeless camp, students and organizations are stepping up to get people sheltered

Tri-City Herald
Judge orders DOJ lawyers to justify secrecy around El Salvador deportations: reports
WA losing invasive beetle battle in Tri-Cities. Fight to stop them moves to Columbia River

Washington Post
VA rolls back care for trans veterans after Trump’s executive order
Trump escalates fight with federal courts over deportation authority
Trump administration plans a 25 percent staff cut at IRS taxpayer help office
Small banks in mostly red districts could lose funding under new Trump order

WA State Standard
Trump not held in contempt in WA gender-affirming care case
Opening of new Washington juvenile detention center is delayed
State workers blast Ferguson’s furlough plan, calling it a betrayal (Frame, Scott)
Will Idaho legalize medical marijuana? State lawmakers open discussion

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Washington state rally calls for tax hikes in budget plan (Frame)
How to make sure you’re ready for May 7 REAL ID deadline
Lawmakers, medical providers issue warning over possible Medicaid cuts
‘It made me feel crazy’ | Filipino fishermen spent nearly 2 months trapped aboard fishing vessels in Westport

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Washington highways among the worst in the nation, per report
Seattle eyes controversial change of zoning requirements in SODO
Infant hospitalized for possible fentanyl exposure, father in custody

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
King County Sheriff’s Office reduces staffing amid budget constraints
Customers using Lake Stevens water system asked to conserve during pipeline repairs

KUOW Public Radio
Federal forestry changes leave state officials in the lurch

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane officials and WSDOT clash over traffic plans for Latah Valley development
Sen. Murray raises concerns over potential Medicaid cuts and impacts to state budget (Riccelli)
Crowd reacts at Rep. Baumgartner’s town hall, raises concerns on healthcare, veterans affairs and social security

NW Public Radio
Religious freedom vs. health care access: How faith influences health care in Washington and Idaho

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Water right claim forms will start arriving this week

Cascade PBS
Seattle Public Schools superintendent Dr. Brent Jones to resign
WA bill aims to extend unemployment benefits to workers on strike (Riccelli)

MyNorthwest
Washington Senate bill would tax big tech to help save local journalism—here’s how (Liias)
Controversial bill expanding protections for undocumented or gender-diverse students advances to House (Nobles)

The Stranger
We Could Have Had Universal Healthcare (Cleveland, Bronoske, Hasegawa)

Washington Observer
A shocking departure from the gov’s office

West Seattle Blog
Seattle Public Schools looking for a new superintendent, again
TRAFFIC, WEATHER, TRANSIT, ROAD WORK: Winter’s final Tuesday
Two West Seattle routes lose trips, one gains trips for Metro’s next service change March 29

Monday, March 17

Legislators still considering furlough of Washington state employees
As Washington lawmakers look for solutions to the state’s $12 billion budget deficit, they’re considering a furlough of state workers. Workers could have to take one furlough day a month for two years. That could save about $300 million, according to a proposal by Governor Bob Ferguson. Continue reading at KNKX. (Andrew Stubblefield)

‘A wake-up call’: Fear of immigration enforcement leads to attendance declines in some NCW schools
Schools across North Central Washington are seeing mixed attendance trends as families navigate concerns over immigration enforcement. While the Quincy and Wenatchee school districts report steady attendance, the Eastmont School District has seen a noticeable drop among migrant students since the start of the school year. Continue reading at Wenatchee World. (Jacob Ford)

House Passes Bill To Strengthen Public Safety, Support Law Enforcement Recruitment And Training
The Washington State House of Representatives has passed House Bill 2015, legislation aimed at strengthening public safety by providing local governments with the resources they need to support law enforcement and public safety services. Sponsored by Representatives Debra Entenman, Kristine Reeves, and April Berg, along with other members of the Legislative Black Caucus, the bill establishes new funding mechanisms to help recruit and retain officers while prioritizing crisis intervention, de-escalation training, and trauma-informed policing. Continue reading at Seattle Medium. (LSS)

Print

Aberdeen Daily World
Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe hosts Uphill Developments seminar

Axios
Washington unemployment dips but layoffs loom
Trump’s historic test of immigrants’ speech rights
Seattle metro grows faster than U.S., driven by foreign immigration

Bothell-Kenmore Reporter
Opinion: Eastside residents battle large unexpected rent increases

Capital Press
Washington House passes cannabis union bill (Ortiz-Self)
Washington House passes farm fuel bill, rejects Farm Bureau’s proposal
New Office of Columbia River director: Drought relief ‘as soon as we can’

Columbian
Should Safe Stays stay? Vancouver officials, advocates for the homeless debate whether communities should be permanent

The Daily News
Woodland board member questions if schools should have nurses

Everett Herald
Everett responds to higher traffic deaths with ‘Vision Zero’ goal
Snohomish County schools react to education department firings
Lynnwood City Council eyes path forward at contentious meeting
Editorial: Don’t gut Medicaid for richest Americans’ tax cuts
Bloomberg comment: Learning costs of ignoring environment the hard way

Journal of the San Juan Islands
Shield Law for health care workers, patients winning support (Hansen)

Kitsap Sun
Bremerton police arrest 15 in drug operation, with more investigations ongoing
Grant from hospital system allows YMCA to expand efforts against chronic disease

News Tribune
New calf, loss, and trends in Washington’s Southern Resident killer whale population
Mount Rainier has many names to regional Native American tribes. Here are 19 of them
Amid mass NOAA firings, U.S. Sen. Murray delivers grim forecast: ‘Dark clouds coming’
Equity-sharing experiment part of new affordable-housing project in Tacoma. Can it work?

Northwest Asian Weekly
What to do if ICE comes to the CID: Community defense strategies

Renton Reporter
Renton moves forward with plan to expand middle housing

Seattle Medium
How Personal Income Has Changed In King County, Washington
House Passes Bill To Strengthen Public Safety, Support Law Enforcement Recruitment And Training (Reeves, Entenman)

Seattle Times
WA lawmakers aim to relieve strained juvenile legal system (Wilson C., Cortes J.)
WA schools see declines statewide in measles vaccination rates
Ferguson’s legislative director quits in governor’s office shake-up
Seattle Schools reaffirms support for all students amid DEI crackdown
Seattle law firm Perkins Coie drew Democrats’ cash, and Trump’s wrath
Editorial: Pass bill to cut plastic pollution and reduce waste in WA
Editorial: Closing Seattle SBA office one more petty act of retribution
Editorial: Special education students need more than an infusion of money

Skagit Valley Herald
Legislators of 40th District hold Mount Vernon town hall (Lovelett, Lekanoff, Ramel)

Spokesman Review
Lawmakers consider new permit for gun purchases as ammo tax fails to gain support (Berry, Valdez)
WSDOT again warns it may close local access to U.S. 195 without Latah Valley improvements
Patty Murray voices Democrats’ outrage over GOP spending bill after Schumer folds to avert shutdown
Spokane law enforcement leaders propose new strategies, state policy changes to drive down homicides
Tilting at windmills: How a developer’s emails became the bullhorn of Spokane’s anti-progressive politics
Opinion: ‘Sunshine’ an essential part of a functional democracy
Comment: High court upholds checks of voters’ signatures on ballot envelopes

Washington Post
Trump has a plan to remake the economy. But he’s not explaining it very well.
After CDC pick is abruptly yanked, worry over U.S. measles messaging remains
More than a quarter of computer-programming jobs just vanished. What happened?

WA State Standard
Ferguson loses his legislative team (Reed, Trudeau)
What Trump’s escalating trade wars mean for your grocery bill
Barring a referendum, WA elected leaders will receive hefty pay hikes in July
Fate of bill to cap rent increases now rests on fine-tuning in Washington Senate (Pedersen)
Washington bill seeks to prevent bail bond agents from enforcing immigration law (Trudeau)

Wenatchee World
‘A wake-up call”: Fear of immigration enforcement leads to attendance declines in some NCW schools
Chelan Douglas Regional Port Authority prepares to surplus Mansfield Airport, local entities push back

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakama Nation and city reach agreement on Toppenish cold weather shelter
OIC announces programs to get funds to first-time homebuyers and local businesses
Yakima Council could approve new internet company, rezone on Summitview in Tuesday meeting

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
In Session: Senate leader says with changes, rent stabilization bill could pass (Pedersen)

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Layoffs, hiring freezes raise concerns about economic stability in Western Washington
KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Close vote expected on SoDo housing rezone, refugee organization seek passage
Everett’s electric bus fleet faces setback, city turns to retrofitted diesel buses for now

KNKX Public Radio
Top staffer for Ferguson abruptly resigns (Trudeau)
Legislators still considering furlough of Washington state employees (Fitzgibbon, Saldaña)

KXLY (ABC)
City Council wants to hear your thoughts on Spokane’s public safety and traffic calming issues

NW Public Radio
Richland Lego robotics team hopes state grants won’t be put on hold
State considers closure of residential facilities for people with disabilities
Mount Vernon may create committee to address concerns from immigrant communities
Legislators still considering furlough of Washington state employees as lawmakers meet (Fitzgibbon)

Web

Cascadia Daily News
State budget cuts take center stage at Mount Vernon town hall (Lekanoff, Shewmake, Timmons, Rule, Lovelett, Ramel)
Refugees, aid agency face uncertainty with abrupt end of essential funding
Lawmakers discuss state budget woes, education funding at packed Ferndale town hall (Shewmake, Lekanoff, Lovelett, Ramel, Timmons, Rule)
Opinion: Add tariffs, border strife to expansion woes at Bellingham’s airport

Cascade PBS
Washington among the bottom of states in public defense funding
The Newsfeed: Why WA counties sued the state over public defense
Seattle housing, homelessness crisis would grow if Trump cuts HUD
Can Spokane’s shelter network program help alleviate homelessness?

MyNorthwest
Washington drivers feel higher gas prices as carbon costs soar
Hundreds rally at Washington state capitol for rent control bill
Washington highways among the worst in the nation, per report
WA Superintendent to Mead School Board: ‘Follow state law’ not Trump’s directive

Washington Observer
The houses of origin have spoken (Robinson, Alvarado, Macri, Wellman, Wilson, Ryu)

Friday, March 14

Washington joins 20 states to protect students from Trump’s education cuts
Washington state has joined a coalition of 20 other states in a lawsuit aimed at halting the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. Washington Attorney General Nick Brown stated that the administration’s actions are illegal and threaten to dismantle a critical federal agency responsible for ensuring that millions of students receive quality education and essential resources. Continue reading at KOMO. (AP)

With another cutoff having passed, here are some bills that WA lawmakers are still mulling
Another major deadline of the 2025 legislative session is now in the rear-view mirror. Wednesday marked the cutoff date for Washington state lawmakers to clear bills out of their respective houses of origin. Subjects ranged from passenger-only ferries to rent stabilization to cacti. Continue reading at The News Tribune. (Simone Carter)

WA Parents’ Bill of Rights advances out of House after heated debate
House Democrats advanced a bill in the early hours of Thursday that will undo several provisions of a popular Republican-backed parents’ rights initiative passed by the Legislature last year. The House vote comes after months of intense debate that centers on the balance between the rights of students to privacy, the rights of parents to know what students disclose to school officials and how existing legal frameworks deal with those issues. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ted S. Warren)

Print

Associated Press
Major boost to special education funding gets Washington Senate approval (Pederson)

Aberdeen Daily World
WA eyes disaster declaration to reopen Hoh Rainforest
Op Ed: How I’m setting WA forests on a better management path

Axios
Hoh Rain Forest could reopen in May with new road repair plan

Bellingham Herald
‘Vitriol and blame.’ Laid-off federal workers face polarized landscape and uncertainty

Everett Herald
Everett Transit set to sell nine electric buses
Crime rings target Arlington: Fake gold, panhandling schemes on the rise
Letter: Mandatory reporting of child abuse by clergy is just

The Inlander
Much like computers and the internet, artificial intelligence is here to stay. Educators hope to use the technology as a tool for student learning

Kent Reporter
33rd District Community Town Hall set for Saturday, March 15 (Orwall, Gregerson, Obras)

Kitsap Sun
First WA carbon auction of 2025 sees prices, revenue continue to increase
Island Lake housing development gains approval, despite concern over water levels
Japanese American Exclusion Memorial closing in on $4.5 million visitor center addition

News Tribune
Amid federal education cuts, what’s at stake for Washington’s public schools?
With another cutoff having passed, here are some bills that WA lawmakers are still mulling (Mena, Macri, Pedersen, Entenman, Nance)
Pierce County to spend $17M raised from new sales tax on affordable housing. Here’s where
New study ranks all 50 states by federal dependency levels. Here’s where Washington ranked
King County executive wants Sound Transit CEO job. What could that mean for Pierce County?

New York Times
U.S. Consumer Sentiment Drops as Inflation Anxiety Soars
This Stock Market Index Is Flashing a Clear Warning About the Economy

Northwest Asian Weekly
Most AAPI adults don’t support cutting agencies and want a focus on costs: AP-NORC/AAPI Data poll

Peninsula Daily News
State funds to repair Hoh Road (Bernbaum)

Puget Sound Business Journal
Seattle’s research institutions face ‘unprecedented threat’
Study reveals top barriers for women’s success in the workplace
Rising insurance costs squeeze Washington’s foster care providers

Seattle Times
Trump administration takes aim at bike lanes, other WA projects
Push to legalize neighborhood cafes in WA cities runs aground again (Walen)
WA Parents’ Bill of Rights advances out of House after heated debate (Macri, Stonier, Ortiz-Self, Pedersen, Jinkins)

Skagit Valley Herald
Mount Vernon attempting to foster more dialogue with the community

Spokesman Review
On five-year anniversary of COVID shutdowns, schools and hospitals reflect on ever-present effects
Legislative cutoff marks end for these bills that could have become Washington law, at least for now (Dhingra)
Washington federal workers defy Musk-directed ‘What did you do last week’ probe in their own mass emails
Sen. Murray, former NOAA administrator warn about danger of mass National Weather Service layoffs for farmers, fire season
A Hanford contractor, and not its owner, was sentenced for COVID relief fraud. How an unusual legal strategy helped him skirt charges
State Superintendent weighs in on Mead School Board letter to feds: ‘Follow state law, follow state law and then if you’re not sure, follow state law’

Tri-City Herald
Federal cuts freeze United Way food, housing funding for Tri-Cities families
What is the REAL ID deadline in Washington? Here are state requirements, current options

Washington Post
White House expects ‘mass reduction’ of federal workforce as deadline looms
Schumer to vote for GOP bill to avert shutdown; some Democrats bristle at his decision

WA State Standard
Washington to pay for road repairs so Hoh Rain Forest can reopen (Bernbaum)
The bills that are dead and still alive in the Washington Legislature
Trump asks Supreme Court to intervene in birthright citizenship case

Yakima Herald-Republic
Tom Brandt selected to be new Union Gap school superintendent

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Tesla set on fire in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood
Here are the bills that died, survived legislative cut-off deadline (Dhingra, Stonier)
Neighbors rally around Sedro-Woolley woman after Pride flag vandalism
Washington state imposes 20-minutes lunchtime for elementary students
Washington taxpayers shell out $60 million for jail claims, lawsuits as oversight bills fail

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Thurston County declares loneliness crisis
Doctor shortage across WA causing appointment delays
American Airlines Boeing 737 catches fire at Denver airport
School budgets under pressure amid federal funding concerns
No more waiting – Schools must notify parents immediately under reworked House bill

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Washington joins 20 states to protect students from Trump’s education cuts

KUOW Public Radio
Washington state industries and consumers brace for tariff impacts
Rent cap, parents rights survive key cutoff deadline in WA Legislature (Pedersen, Jinkins, Entenman, Lovick)
Safety measures for kids on social media may become law in Washington state
Washington state joins lawsuit against Trump’s mass Department of Education cuts
Unkept trails, cancelled programs. Washington state feels the impact of federal forest cuts

KXLY (ABC)
Central Valley School District considers stricter cell phone policy
Washington legislature passes deadline to advance legislation to opposite chamber (Pedersen)

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Federal cuts and research funding changes are ‘demoralizing’ to WWU faculty, students
Opinion: The outdoor industry’s biggest worries with Trump administration actions

MyNorthwest
Green vs. green: Will Washington sacrifice climate funds to fix budget? (Fitzgibbon, Pedersen)
Schools must notify parents immediately under reworked House Bill 1296
US, Canada, EU tariff war impacts red swing states and Washington alcohol
More than 50 universities face federal investigations as part of Trump’s anti-DEI campaign
WA among 21 states suing Trump Administration over ‘illegal’ Education Department firings
‘This is going to end in court:’ Washington Superintendent addresses Trump’s education cuts

The Stranger
No Cuts, No Furloughs—Tax the Rich!

The Urbanist
Washington House Approves Bill Capping Annual Rent Hikes at 7% (Alvarado, Chapman, Fitzgibbon, Peterson, Macri, Santos, Pederson)
State House Approves Bill Mapping Out Amtrak Cascades Upgrades (Reed)

Thursday, March 13

Federal student loan site down Wednesday, a day after layoffs gutted Education Department
An hours-long outage Wednesday on StudentAid.gov, the federal website for student loans and financial aid, underscored the risks in rapidly gutting the Department of Education, as President Donald Trump aims to dismantle the agency. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Mark Schiefelbein)

Washington legislature passes deadline to advance legislation to opposite chamber
Wednesday marked a key deadline for lawmakers, as they had to pass all legislation without budgetary impacts out of the chamber they originated from. A flurry of bills advanced from the senate to the house and vice versa. Proposals ranged from increasing farmer access to climate commitment act fuel exemptions, to creating more rules for online companies and platforms that serve kids and teens, to more funding for special education. Continue reading at KXLY. (KXLY)

Major boost to special education funding gets Washington Senate approval
State senators delivered a resounding message Wednesday that a looming budget shortfall cannot deter them from upping special education funding for Washington public schools. On a 48-0 vote, the Senate approved a bill to provide another $2 billion in the next four years for special education services in the state’s 295 public school districts. Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, and Senate Minority Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, are the sponsors of Senate Bill 5263 which identifies special education as a component of basic education that the state has a duty to fund. Continue reading at The Washington State Standard. (LSS)

Print

Aberdeen Daily World
Sea Level Rise Study presented to Commissioners

Axios
Where Seattle ranks in the growing field of AI jobs
How Washington’s proposed pay-per-mile tax would work (Fey, Liias)

Bellingham Herald
Amid federal education cuts, what’s at stake for Washington’s public schools?
Full effect of federal cuts yet to be felt in Western WA, but other layoffs adding up
University of Washington will pay $4 million settlement in pandemic tuition lawsuit
Is Trump making the economy better or worse? Here’s what Americans said in a new poll

Capital Press
EPA to review reach of Clean Water Act
USDA: Larger wheat supplies, fewer exports, lower prices
Washington joins lawsuit over fired USDA scientists, others

Columbian
Evergreen school board unanimously approves resolution protecting students from immigration enforcement on campus

Everett Herald
Snohomish County transit agencies report increased ridership
Letter: Sen. Murray protecting veterans’ services
Editorial: Open Sound Transit CEO hiring to public review

The Inlander
NEWS BRIEFS: Washington AG sues Adams County sheriff over immigration enforcement

Kitsap Sun
Washington is one of the least federally dependent states, data show

News Tribune
Tacoma-area university being investigated for antisemitism as part of federal probe

New York Times
DOGE Makes Its Latest Errors Harder to Find
Public Health Survived the Pandemic. Now It Fights Politics.
E.P.A. Cancels Climate Grants, Intensifying Battle Over $20 Billion
E.P.A. Targets Dozens of Environmental Rules as It Reframes Its Purpose
Democratic Attorneys General Sue Over Gutting of Education Department

Port Townsend Leader
State to pay for fix to only road access to Hoh Rain Forest

Puget Sound Business Journal
Executives’ optimism dips amid tariff concerns
Pandemic-era SBA programs spark debate five years later
Zoning proposal in Snohomish County targets struggling sector
Federal government’s potential portfolio sell-off raises eyebrows
State lawmakers aim to alter landmark process in Seattle, Tacoma (Walen)
Comment: Seattle is on the path toward progress

Seattle Times
A breakdown of major EPA deregulatory moves around water, air, climate
Federal student loan site down Wednesday, a day after layoffs gutted Education Department
Democratic-led states sue to block Trump administration layoffs at the Education Department
Editorial: AG’s lawsuit against Adams County protects civil rights, economy

Skagit Valley Herald
Sedro-Woolley School District to pay former superintendent $375,000

Spokesman Review
Senate pushes closer to shutdown after Democrats spurn funding bill
Trump administration flies all remaining Guantánamo migrants back to U.S.
Pedestrian safety improvements slated for Spokane streets, but activists say the progress is too slow
Protesters gather again at Tesla dealership in Liberty Lake amid Musk’s DOGE controversy: ‘Every day I wake up and see terrible news’
Spokane and Bonner county sheriff’s offices can no longer hide or delete critical Facebook comments after First Amendment concerns, judges rule

Washington Post
Washington braces for a government shutdown amid DOGE cuts
Judge says Trump penalties on law firm send ‘chills down my spine’
A rare setback for a Trump nominee as White House withdraws Dave Weldon’s name for CDC

WA State Standard
Washington carbon auction prices rise again
Immigration buoyed population in large counties, agricultural Midwest
Major boost to special education funding gets Washington Senate approval (Pedersen)
Trump administration to roll back many EPA regulations, revisit contested water rule

Wenatchee World
Chelan County permanently closes Leavenworth brush drop-off site
Helion fusion power community meeting draws nearly 400 to Mission View gym
Chelan County: Tumwater Mountain cross permit withdrawn, no ongoing land swap

Yakima Herald-Republic
Cow Palace dairy near Granger to close with more than 100 jobs lost
Sunnyside declares emergency to increase water capacity before summer
Yakima City Council will appeal after losing court decision on advisory committees

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
5 coyote attacks in Bellevue within the last week
What to know about the ICE arrest video out of Spokane
Seattle families claim SPS’s enrollment caps at option schools are backfiring
Experts say new tariffs on aluminum and steel could impact Boeing’s costs and production

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
University of Washington begins hiring freeze
Boeing’s Everett workforce impacted by latest rounds of cuts
King County audit concludes sheriff’s office should be more transparent
Washington House passes bill that could majorly redefine ‘excessive speeding’

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Another vacant house fire in Seattle. Is the city using its derelict building ordinance?
Lynnwood City Council reconsiders vacant seat appointment amid online controversy
Kirkland neighbors still uneasy over homeless facility near schools despite heated meeting

KNKX Public Radio
Proposed Medicaid cuts threaten rural healthcare in Washington, experts warn
Pierce County embarks on regional response to homelessness. Can it make a difference?

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane school back open from nearby law enforcement investigation
U.S. Marshals announce reward for help finding fugitive wanted in Spokane
Washington legislature passes deadline to advance legislation to opposite chamber (Pedersen)
Washington Senate Republicans release budget proposal to close budget gap without new taxes

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Whatcom food banks will be hurt by loss of USDA funding

Cascade PBS
Washington bill could transform prosthetics access for amputees (Stonier)
Hanford subcontractor must pay $1.1M for COVID-19 relief fraud

MyNorthwest
Washington bill could give cannabis industry agricultural status
Life over law? Washington House passes bill blocking arrests of wanted people who are overdosing (Macri)

The Urbanist
Seattle Gears Up to Fight Back as Trump Eviscerates Funding, Rights

Washington Observer
Expanding paid family leave (Berry, Rule, Springer)
House passes renter protections (again) (Macri, Alvarado, Bronoske, Walen, Santos, Leavitt)
Revised dental bill exits Senate floor on unanimous vote (Cleveland)

West Seattle Blog
TRAFFIC, WEATHER, ROAD WORK, TRANSIT: Thursday info

Wednesday, March 12

How COVID-19 changed Washington’s housing market
The pandemic upended America’s housing market, delivering wins for homeowners and roadblocks for those still dreaming. Why it matters: Sky-high home prices, elevated mortgage rates and a shortage of houses for sale are pushing homeownership out of reach for many. Zoom in: This week marks the five-year anniversary of when former Gov. Jay Inslee announced orders closing schools across Washington, which were followed by additional stay-home orders. Continue reading at Axios. (Axios Visuals)

Bill capping annual rent increases at 7% clears WA House: ‘We must give people stability’
House Bill 1217, sponsored by Democratic state Rep. Nicole Macri of Seattle, cleared the chamber 53-42, with another three members excused. Five Democrats broke with their caucus colleagues by voting against the bill; no Republican voted in favor of the legislation. Continue reading at The Olympian. (Steve Bloom)

Student privacy vs. safety: The AI surveillance dilemma in WA schools
Vancouver and many other districts around the country have turned to technology to monitor school-issued devices 24/7 for any signs of danger as they grapple with a student mental health crisis and the threat of shootings. The goal is to keep children safe, but these tools raise serious questions about privacy and security — as proven when Seattle Times and Associated Press reporters inadvertently received access to almost 3,500 sensitive, unredacted student documents through a records request about the district’s surveillance technology. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Gabriel Campanario)