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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)

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Axios
City acts to hasten demolition of derelict buildings
Health insurers take on the affordability crisis — in housing

Capital Press
Risk of large wildfires on the rise in parts of West
Public power officials: Horse Heaven won’t make grid more reliable

Columbian
Asylum-seekers looking for shelter set up encampment in Seattle suburb
Cowlitz tribe among groups awarded millions from state for clean-energy projects
State workers, you can win up to $10,000 for your ideas to save Washington money
Washington Secretary of State Hobbs visits Camas library for Dungeons & Dragons launch (Cleveland)
Washington parental rights law criticized as a ‘forced outing’ measure is allowed to take effect

Everett Herald
Sno-Isle students on the path to becoming fiber professionals
Bombshell letters accuse Marysville school leaders of ‘cronyism,’ ‘no plan’
Comment: Grizzly debates a bear of a social interaction problem

The Inlander
Spokane Regional Transportation Council has a plan to end traffic deaths by 2042 — will it work?

International Examiner
Pride Asia Fest returns to Hing Hay Park with joyful performances and advocacy

News Tribune
Cleanup underway for oil spill in Tacoma. Roadway closed into the afternoon
Pierce County bridge closed for safety concerns. It’ll reopen after $829k in repairs
A decision is in on controversial Pierce County village homeless project. Details here
What will become of unfinished Tacoma psychiatric hospital? Sale set for this month
This Tacoma waterway contains the most poop-polluted recreational waters in the PNW
Tacoma is repaving roads. What’s $600K machine, three-eyed creature have to do with it?

Puget Sound Business Journal
Comment: Gatekeepers are blocking our collective potential

Seattle Times
King County households can get low- to no-cost heat pumps

Spokesman Review
Pride history project opens at the Pavilion
Need a drive? Gonzaga to host electric cars for rent
Spokane has 3 months to join regional 911 communications system – or make other plans
Mayor Lisa Brown declares emergency for Spokane overdose hotspot at Second and Division
Class of COVID-19: This year’s graduating class started high school in lockdown. Here are their stories

Washington Post
What a ‘bike bus’ is, and why you should join one
Conservative attacks on birth control could threaten access
Panel recommends FDA reject MDMA as treatment for PTSD
Independent Amazon Labor Union moves to affiliate with Teamsters
A year of record global heat has pushed Earth closer to dangerous threshold

WA State Standard
States beg insurers not to drop climate-threatened homes
Hundreds of new laws will take effect in Washington on June 6
Puget Sound Energy will ramp up collection efforts for $140M in overdue bills

Wenatchee World
Live Updates: Level 2 wildfire evacuations issued on Batterman Road
Wenatchee PD Chief finalists present and answer questions; feedback deadline Friday

Yakima Herald-Republic
Fire-related power outages could become more frequent, Pacific Power says

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Washington parental rights law criticized as a ‘forced outing’ measure is allowed to take effect

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Migrant Encampment in Kent to stay after threats of arrests
Seattle fire chief given authority to order vacant, derelict buildings demolished

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Asylum-seekers in Kent avoid arrest as deadline passes
Seattle City Council approves emergency legislation to combat vacant building fires

KXLY (ABC)
Project-based middle school in Spokane closing its doors
Mayor Lisa Brown declares opioid crisis emergency in Spokane
Spokanites have mixed reactions to Mayor Brown’s opioid emergency declaration

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Port approves nearly $6K in compensation for digester tank grass removal

Crosscut
Washington state opens bids for building new hybrid ferries
Seattle veterans clinic faces complaints over leaks, ventilation
New WA program streamlines access to opioid addiction medications

MyNorthwest
Get your money! State’s deadline for tuna, chicken refunds approaching

Tuesday, June 4

How to find affordable child care and child care subsidies in WA
Washington leaders have recently taken steps to expand child care access in communities across the state, but it’s still difficult for many families to find high-quality, convenient and affordable care. Only 8% of 3-year-olds and 16% of 4-year-olds were served by Washington’s state-funded preschool programs last year, according to a new report by the National Institute for Early Education Research. The April report ranked Washington 17th among U.S. states in preschool access for 3-year-olds and 33rd for 4-year olds. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ellen M. Banner)

WA health officials turn to emergency rooms in fight against opioid epidemic
Washington health officials on Monday announced a new program to help emergency room clinicians prescribe medications to treat opioid addiction. ScalaNW, a state Health Care Authority program, will offer 24/7 live clinical support to hospitals and emergency rooms looking to provide patients with medications for opioid-use disorder. Continue reading at The Washington State Standard. (Joe Raedle)

WSDOT’s new drone pilot program aims to cover up hard-to-reach areas known as “heaven spots,” but is it just painting over a larger problem?
The state of Washington [is piloting] a new initiative to cover graffiti using drones in hard-to-reach places like bridges, overpasses or very high up on walls. This pilot program will run throughout the rest of the year from Tacoma to Olympia. A few highway maintenance employees are being trained to operate paint-spraying drones. WSDOT Maintenance and Operations Superintendent Michael Gauger and his crew will spend the rest of the year testing the drone. Continue reading at Crosscut. (M. Scott Brauer)

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Axios
New paralysis treatment restores use of hands, UW study finds

Capital Press
Court orders changes in wage survey for Washington farmworkers

Columbian
By the Numbers: Pay gap widens between CEOs, workers
Insurance companies abandoning victims of Medical Lake and Elk wildfires
Washington state’s ‘one of a kind’ youth homelessness response shows big results
PeaceHealth Bloom Clinic in Vancouver cares for pregnant women with opioid addictions, hopes to expand training

Everett Herald
Again, County Council approves Pride proclamation with no GOP support (Peterson)
Editorial: Money well spent on switch to electric school buses
Letter: State Legislature must pass rent stabilization law

International Examiner
Wing Luke Museum workers walk out, saying exhibit falsely equates Palestinian liberation with anti-Semitism

News Tribune
‘Not enough beds’ A look at the farmworker housing crisis in eastern Washington
Summer is coming. But first, we’ve got to get through one more day of rain and wind
State workers, you can win up to $10,000 for your ideas to save Washington state money
Can you get pulled over for driving with expired tabs in Washington state? Here’s the law

Puget Sound Business Journal
New report ranks WA top state for women-owned small businesses

Seattle Times
How to find affordable child care and child care subsidies in WA
WA shows off new design for its ferries — now it needs a shipbuilder

Spokesman Review
West faces first major heat wave of 2024 with triple digits into California
Getting There: Two road closures this summer to keep bridge, corridor healthy
‘Parents’ bill of rights’ legislation includes vague language, could lead to discrimination, says lawsuit (Stonier, Wylie)

WA State Standard
Making the case for Washington’s counties
WA health officials turn to emergency rooms in fight against opioid epidemic

Wenatchee World
Chelan Douglas Regional Port Authority shoots for new Peshastin firing range

Yakima Herald-Republic
Sunnyside adds Spanish interpreter service to its council meetings

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Thousands of Washington drivers fled from cops after law limited pursuits
‘I don’t want to see anybody grieve’: Kent woman launches traffic safety campaign
Poulsbo police investigating after nearly all downtown LGBTQ+ pride banners were vandalized

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Calmer waters ahead for Washington State Ferries? (Fey)
Marysville School District considering closing three schools
Jesse Jones: Millennials finding creative ways to become homeowners
Poulsbo police search for suspect responsible for slashing nearly a dozen Pride banners

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Asylum-seekers in Kent given deadline to vacate lot, face possible arrest
Washington leads as top state economy; See where your state falls on the list
Seattle Police Officers Guild open to flexible scheduling under new chief’s plan

KUOW Public Radio
Seattle’s once controversial soda tax may be paying off via children’s health

KXLY (ABC)
Lime Scooters will return to Spokane just in time for summer
City council approves settlement to family of man shot by police
Home-raised livestock in West Plains is unsafe to consume due to PFAS contamination

Web

Crosscut
Washington’s latest attempt at graffiti cleanup: drones

MyNorthwest
Seattle scraps ShotSpotter plans; advances surveillance, license plate readers

Monday, June 3

WA drought has already led some to shut off water to farmers
Washington’s dismal snowpack over the winter is turning into a dismal water supply for the growing season as farmers already are struggling to irrigate their crops. Summer is still weeks away and almost two thirds of the state is either abnormally dry or suffering from a moderate drought. The state declared a drought emergency in mid-April and in late May officials with the Roza Irrigation District — covering 72,000 acres and some of Washington’s most fertile ground — shut off its spigots in an attempt to conserve water for the dry months ahead. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Scott Revell)

Can smaller caseloads help Washington fill its public defender ranks?
Too few public defenders and too many cases are stressing the criminal justice system in Washington, with counties struggling to ensure people accused of crimes, but unable to afford a lawyer, receive counsel as they are constitutionally guaranteed. Public defenders, prosecutors, judges and local government officials agree on the problem. But they disagree on whether shrinking public defender caseloads is the best immediate solution, as members of a Senate panel heard during a work session last week. Continue reading at The WA State Standard. (Getty Images)

Why are your insurance premiums skyrocketing? Starting June 1 insurers in Washington state have to tell you
Starting June 1, insurance companies are required by Washington state law to answer the question, “Why are my insurance premiums going up?” Starting Saturday, people can submit a request in writing to the insurance company via email or post asking their insurer to explain premium increases, according to the Washington state Office of the Insurance Commissioner. The second part of the new rule, which kicks in in 2027, requires insurers to provide information explaining premium hikes when a policy renews. Continue reading at KUOW. (Vlad Deep)

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Axios
Banking locally for the future of food globally
Landmark review spotlights challenge of judging psychedelic therapies

Columbian
Can you carry a firearm onto school grounds in WA? This Little League mother didn’t think so
‘Wildfire risk is growing in our area’: Fire agencies working now to protect Southwest Washington

Everett Herald
3 schools face closure in Marysville School District in fall 2025
A tale of two bridges: County finally moving on from wooden spans
After Oso slide, with old growth in peril, timber sales go under microscope

Kitsap Sun
How West Sound networks are focused on crisis stabilization for individuals in need

News Tribune
Shelter for homeless veterans to close. Will they get the help they need elsewhere?
Over 20,000 people without power Monday morning in southern area of Pierce County
This Tacoma waterway contains the most poop-polluted recreational waters in the PNW
Puyallup Tribe government offices were closed for IT ‘incident.’ Here’s when they reopen

Puget Sound Business Journal
300,000 Metro riders fuel region’s recovery

Seattle Times
WA drought has already led some to shut off water to farmers
Asylum-seekers, looking for shelter, start encampment in Kent

Spokesman Review
Blowback to half-formed homeless project in Spokane portends murky path to a plan

Washington Post
Billions in taxpayer dollars now go to religious schools via vouchers

WA State Standard
Five water projects in Western states to receive $242M from feds
Can smaller caseloads help Washington fill its public defender ranks? (Dhingra)
Lawmakers look at allowing judges to resentence people serving long prison terms (Simmons)

Wenatchee World
Carol Wardell, 1st woman to serve as local Superior Court judge, dies
East Columbia Fruit Packers to close Yakima plant, consolidate in East Wenatchee

Yakima Herald-Republic
Lower Valley hospital district proposal has enough signatures for ballot
Comprehensive Healthcare gift reestablishes CWU mental health program
Roza Irrigation District restores water service after conservation shutdown

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Tacoma’s Pothole Palooza featuring ‘Phil the Pothole’ begins Monday

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
VA to offer no copays for mental health visits for veterans
Interim Seattle Police Chief discusses plans for the department
New statewide Styrofoam ban will ‘save Washingtonians a lot of money’
‘No, I do not want this to keep happening,’ another street takeover in Seattle

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Thousands without power across western Washington Monday morning
New SDP Chief Sue Rahr vows to stabilize department and boost recruiting
Can Seattle Public Schools improve community dialogue on school closures?
Tacoma businesses turin to private security for help with crime along S Hosmer St

KUOW Public Radio
A sneak peak at Washington’s planned hybrid electric ferries
Seattle and Spokane are slated to get 25 electric school buses each
Why are your insurance premiums skyrocketing? Starting June 1 insurers in Washington state have to tell you

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane County Sheriff’s Detectives cleared in shooting of man in 2023
Pride Month celebrations kick off in Coeur d’Alene, but not without distractions
Increased safety measures in place for Pride events in Coeur d’Alene and Spokane.

Web

Cascadia Daily News
AltaGas hydrogen plant proposal facing two important checkpoints

West Seattle Blog
VIDEO: Stunt driving in The Junction draws police response

Friday, May 31

NW demand for electricity projected to grow 30% in decade
Electricity demand in the Northwest is expected to grow more than 30% in the next decade, or about 5% more than estimated last year and triple the prediction three years ago, industry experts said in a new report. Increased demand for electricity for charging electric vehicles is projected to account for about 4% of total electricity demand in the West by 2034. Some utilities, such as Seattle City Light, are projecting demand from its customers for EV charging to be more than double that. Continue reading at Capital Press. (U.S. Department of Energy)

Foam food container ban starts June 1
Say goodbye to those flimsy containers. Foam cups, plates and other tableware are banned in Washington starting Saturday. The ban is the latest phase in the state’s 2021 law that seeks to reduce the use of plastic products that end up in the trash. The restriction includes portable coolers and food service products like containers, plates, bowls, trays, cups and clamshells. Any distribution or sale of the foam products will be illegal and companies and organizations are not allowed to use up existing inventories of foam products, starting June 1. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Robert F. Bukaty)

Finally! State ferry system goes out to bid for new hybrid-electric vessels
Washington State Ferries on Thursday published an invitation to bid on building five new hybrid-electric ferries, an overdue achievement that promises to eventually bring more reliability to cross-Sound ferry service. It’s the first time in more than 50 years that the state will accept bids from shipyards nationwide to construct its vessels. Going out to bid on this contract also represents a major step toward electrification of the WSF fleet. Bids from shipbuilders on the brand new hybrid ferries will be due in January and the contract awarded in February 2025. Continue reading at The WA State Standard. (WSDOT)

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Capital Press
NW demand for electricity projected to grow 30% in decade
Opinion: When Congress won’t act, find another way

Columbian
EPA grants Woodland Public Schools $2.8M to buy electric school buses
21 states join Biden administration in bid to modernize nation’s aging grid
Clark County Jail gets $270K from opioid suit to fund addiction treatment for inmates

Everett Herald
Controversial license plate, park cameras coming to Everett
As Mountlake Terrace grows, so does housing around light rail
Everett man arrested for smuggling immigrants in freight trains
After lockout, firefighter union approves Boeing’s latest contract offer
Whooping cough having an ‘epidemic year,’ Snohomish County doctor warns

Kitsap Sun
New bike trail connects neighborhoods to Bainbridge High, Ordway Elementary

News Tribune
“The homeless veterans are not going to have any place to go.”
Pothole damage your car? Here’s what it would take for the city of Tacoma to pay for it
Mountain pass connecting Pierce County to prime hiking, eastern WA to open imminently
Can you carry a firearm onto school grounds in WA? This Little League mother didn’t think so
Opinion: I saw her get a degree behind bars. Now she’s poised to lead a national movement

Olympian
Boeing pays record $11.5M in wages wrongly withheld from WA workers
WA’s largest winemaker retreats from $19M Prosser facility. Door opens for longtime grower

Puget Sound Business Journal
SBA lifts caps on loans for energy efficiency projects
More workers are staying with their current employer in 2024

Seattle Times
Foam food container ban starts June 1
WA’s smaller metros have been growing faster than Seattle since 2020
New chapter for Northwest Asian Weekly after decades of community coverage

Spokesman Review
Moses Lake School District to cut 85 more staff during budget crisis
‘You are in for a treat’: Spokane International Airport unveils newly constructed concourse
Spokane’s first (hopefully) annual pickleball tournament open to all players: ‘It’s pretty special to be here’
Opinion: Mike Fancher, Robert McClure and Colette Weeks (Jinkins)

Washington Post
What you need to know about the Trump verdict
Google scales back AI search answers after it told users to eat glue

WA State Standard
Boeing pays $11.5M to employees owed wages for work travel
Finally! State ferry system goes out to bid for new hybrid-electric vessels

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Jury awards potential damages of $250 million in trade secrets lawsuit against Boeing
Capitol Hill business owners share safety concerns & frustrations with their councilmember

NW Public Radio
Pride month proclamation rejected in Yakima, fails in Sunnyside

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Kids under 18 can ride for free on Amtrak Cascades trains
Tech innovator Janicki creates niche for products on the water, in the air and in space

MyNorthwest
Washington has become ‘safe haven for people seeking abortions,’ study finds
Parents plea for other solutions as SPS considers closing 20 elementary schools
Lawmakers, judges, incarcerated people seek resentencing reform amid victim concerns (Simmons, Frame, Dhingra, Goodman)

Thursday, May 30

Out-of-state abortions have increased by 50% in Washington post-Dobbs, UW study finds
Out-of-state abortions have increased by 50% in Washington since the Supreme Court ruled the procedure is not constitutionally protected, according to a new University of Washington study. Researchers found the number of patients seeking abortions in Washington from other states increased from 4% of abortions to 6% of abortions in the state. Much of that increase comes from Texas patients and other states that have restricted abortion since the ruling, known as the Dobbs decision. Despite the increase in patients, the study did not find the level of care had decreased. Continue reading at The Spokesman-Review. (Orion Donovan Smith)

WA salmon passage projects are getting more than $75 million
Migrating salmon and steelhead face all kinds of obstacles littered throughout Washington. But piece by piece, those barriers will be removed, thanks in part to nearly $75 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. The money will support projects working to free up miles of habitat for multiple species of steelhead and Pacific salmon, including those listed under the Endangered Species Act. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ellen M. Banner)

How WA counties are spending millions in opioid settlement dollars
Washington is so far set to receive around $1.6 billion in settlement funds from companies accused of playing a role in fueling the opioid epidemic. Local governments in Washington are expected to receive an estimated $373 million from the national settlement over the next two decades. They’ll also get about $645 million up until 2038 from $1.3 billion in various state settlements. The other half of the $1.3 billion will go to Washington’s state government. Other settlements still pending could yield additional money. Continue reading at The Washington State Standard. (Drew Angerer)