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Wednesday, April 17

WA Legislative Black Caucus members chime in on controversial hire by Thurston Sheriff
Members of Washington State’s Legislative Black Caucus issued a statement Tuesday regarding a recent controversial hire at the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office. On April 1, the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office announced that a former Tacoma police officer acquitted in the Manny Ellis murder trial had been hired as a Lateral Patrol Deputy. Christopher Burbank was one of three officers acquitted in December in Ellis’ 2020 death while he was in police custody. Continue reading at The News Tribune. (The Olympian)

Advocates Claim Universal Free Meals Are A Critical Tool To Help Combat Childhood Obesity
Childhood obesity is on the rise, but providing free meals universally may help decrease the trend. In February 2023, Democratic State Representative Marcus Riccelli of Spokane introduced House Bill 1238, which would provide meals to all requesting students without charge. Starting the 2023-2024 school year, out of 1.1 million students in Washington, around 700,000 now qualify for free meals through different programs. Continue reading at The Seattle Medium.

Education levels among Washington workforce falling short of labor market demand
Washington employers will need more educated workers over the next several years than the state is projected to have. That’s according to a new report from the Washington State Student Achievement Council, which estimates that 70% of jobs in 2023 and 72% in 2031 will require college degrees or other post-secondary credentials. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Getty Images)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Trapping for harmful green crab continues in Grays Harbor, elsewhere

Axios
Who the U.S. economic safety net leaves behind
Seattle homicides decline, mirroring national trend

Bellevue Reporter
Schools navigate the new world of explicit AI-generated images (Orwall)

Bellingham Herald
The Lummi Nation received $9.8 million to restore the watershed. Here’s how they plan to do it.

Capital Press
Washington declares drought, expects dry summer

Columbian
Lummi Nation gets $9.8M to restore South Fork Nooksack watershed
Washington law allows tax breaks for affordable housing built on state land
As fentanyl use increases, Clark County Jail grapples with opioid withdrawals

Everett Herald
Boeing fired lobbying firm that helped it navigate 737 Max crashes
To combat fentanyl, Snohomish County trickles out cash to recovery groups
Comment: Why cannabis is bringing less green to state coffers
Letter: Apply ‘Kayden’s Law’ in Washington’s family courts

News Tribune
WA Legislative Black Caucus members chime in on controversial hire by Thurston Sheriff
Opinion: People incarcerated in WA prisons have political power now. Here’s how we’re using it

Olympian
‘Risk of undue hardship:’ Washington issues statewide drought declaration

Peninsula Daily News
Police reform efforts stalled (Chapman)

Puget Sound Business Journal
Tax bills for metro Seattle homeowners are surging
How downtown Seattle’s recovery compares with other US cities

Seattle Medium
Advocates Claim Universal Free Meals Are A Critical Tool To Help Combat Childhood Obesity (Riccelli)
Washington Student Achievement Council Receives $1 Million Grant To Support Transitions into the Workforce

Seattle Times
Seattle’s University District may at last get public restrooms
A sliver of hope in a record-setting year of deaths of homeless people
Seattle studied dozens of sites for housing growth. These 24 got picked

Snoqualmie Valley Record
Senator proposes million-dollar fee for false alarms at Tolt Dam

South Whidbey Record
Federal grants fund behavioral health programs in Oak Harbor elementary schools

Spokesman Review
Spokane joins PFAS lawsuit against chemical manufacturers
Warm weather and low snowpack leads to Washington drought emergency
Getting There: Finally fully funded, North Spokane Corridor on track for completion in 2030

Tri-City Herald
WA, feds to release Hanford radioactive waste plan after 4 years of closed-door talks
Why is a special prosecutor looking into the ex-Richland police chief and Benton sheriff?

WA State Standard
Court ruling clears way for carbon storage projects on state logging lands
Education levels among Washington workforce falling short of labor market demand

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Dept. of Ecology declares drought emergency for most of Washington state
Tacoma police to implement gunshot detection technology as part of pilot program
‘A huge win’: Washington becomes first state to regulate lead content in metal cookware
Antisemitic incidents continue to rise in the Pacific Northwest, Anti-Defamation League reports
‘Pattern of negligence’: Carnation residents sound the alarm about Tolt River Dam emergency system

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
FAA issues ground stop advisory for Alaska, Horizon airlines
Advocates call on Congress to end solitary confinement in prisons
Security guard kidnapped during Tumwater armed cannabis heist
Antisemitic incidents skyrocketing in Western Washington and across U.S.

KUOW Public Radio
Seattle has a long road ahead to eliminate all traffic deaths by 2030
Persistent shortage of growth hormone frustrates parents and clinicians

KXLY (ABC)
City of Spokane joins lawsuit against 3M, DuPont, others over PFAs contamination
Hospital management prepares for strike, could offer more pay to replacement workers

FOX13 TV
New safety measures at Chief Sealth HS after teen left campus and was shot
AG Ferguson announces DNA collection from thousands of violent offenders
Latest results from Tacoma’s crime reduction plan shows progress in enhancing public safety

Web

Crosscut
Facing shortages, WA expands police trainings and fronts the bill (Stearns, Keiser, Pedersen)

MyNorthwest
Washington remains in the grips of drought, will stay there
Brace yourself for weeks of poor air quality in 2024, Seattle residents

Publicola
Mayor’s office edited ambitious growth plan for Seattle to preserve the status quo

Tuesday, April 16

Why child care costs are soaring
The cost of daycare and preschool rose 4.4% in March from the year before — outpacing the overall inflation rate, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Rising costs are putting stress on families, with some spending at a slower pace and dipping into savings, and there’s even some evidence that parents are leaving the workforce entirely. Continue reading at Axios. (Axios Visuals)

This law said teachers could hurt kids to ‘correct’ them in Washington. One boy shared his story to change that
A longstanding law — changed this legislative session — said teachers could use physical discipline as long as the violence was “reasonable and moderate” and caused only “transient pain or minor temporary marks.” That’s despite the state having passed a law banning corporal punishment three decades ago. The new law passed this year removed teachers from the list of caregivers who can physically discipline students. Continue reading at KUOW. (TVW)

Foam coolers, takeout containers will be banned in Washington starting June 1
Those foam clamshell containers long used by restaurants for takeout food will soon be illegal statewide in Washington. Coffee cups, plates, trays, and other food and drink carriers made from the same material – known as expanded polystyrene – will also be outlawed. The prohibition on the sale and distribution of these products will take effect June 1 under a law the Legislature approved in 2021. Last year, the state prohibited the sale and distribution of foam packing peanuts under the same law. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Spencer Platt)

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Associated Press
Boeing pushes back on whistleblower’s allegations and details how airframes are put together

Aberdeen Daily World
Laying out complex, controversial step of North Shore Levee Project

Auburn Reporter
WSDOT: Slow down for Work Zone Awareness Week

Axios
Why child care costs are soaring
Number of homicides plummets in major U.S. cities
How social media is changing the real estate landscape

Capital Press
Conditions mixed as sugar beet planting continues
How many acres get lower Snake River water? Irrigators, Corps differ by 44,5000 acres

Columbian
Vancouver-based BowFlex sold for $37.5 million
PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver revamping, expanding emergency department

Everett Herald
Boeing pushes back on Everett whistleblower’s allegations
Snohomish may sell off old City Hall, water treatment plant, more
Comment: Transgender care bans ignore science, humanity
Editorial: Among obstacles, hope to curb homelessness
Editorial: Apple-naming contest fun celebration of state icon

Kitsap Sun
Take a look at 5 residential housing projects in the works in East
Housing development could usher in a walkable look for Bremerton’s Wheaton Way corridor

Puget Sound Business Journal
Suburbs revolting against growth in development hot spots
Affordable housing project set for high-profile U District property

Seattle Times
WA fishing season opens April 27, with a redesigned app
Why environmental justice matters, from the founder himself
WA declares statewide drought emergency following poor snowpack

Washington Post
The IRS’s new tax software: Rave reviews, but low turnout
New report estimates U.S. fraud losses exceed $233 billion annually
A blood test to detect cancer? Some patients are using them already.

WA State Standard
In reversal, more states allow high-speed police chases
Foam coolers, takeout containers will be banned in Washington starting June 1
WA’s incoming high school juniors will be allowed to enroll in college courses this summer

Yakima Herald-Republic
State audits find no significant issues in city of Sunnyside

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Island County candidate targeted by fake email scam

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Renton City Council approves large bonus increase for lateral officer hires
Protesters, vehicles block traffic at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport; 46 arrested

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Washington’s average gas price over $1 more than national average
Growing Seattle encampment unmoved despite public drug use, safety concerns

KUOW Public Radio
Shelters in dog-loving Seattle are overcrowded with pups
This law said teachers could hurt kids to ‘correct’ them in Washington. One boy shared his story to change that (Santos)

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane protesters demand City Council to pass ceasefire resolution supporting Palestine
Washington Court of Appeals vacates sentence for Freeman High School shooter, orders him to be resentenced

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Draft Urban Forest Plan aims for 45% overall canopy cover in Bellingham

Crosscut
WA homeless youth program closes after contractor ‘misspent’ $330k

Monday, April 15

WA has passed lots of new gun laws. Could they be in legal trouble?
When a Cowlitz County judge ruled last week that Washington’s ban on high- capacity magazines is unconstitutional, he added one line, on Page 43 of his 55-page opinion, that could just be a little-noticed throwaway, or could prove shockingly prescient. There are, Judge Gary Bashor wrote, “few, if any, historical analogue laws by which a state can justify a modern firearms regulation.” Washington has passed a suite of new gun laws in the last decade. If each new law needs a “historical analogue” from 1791-era America, could many more gun laws be at risk? Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Eva Marie Uzcategui)

Lobbying the Legislature from behind bars
Charles Longshore is the author of a bill Washington lawmakers considered this year that would have allowed judges to review and shorten long prison sentences. He’s also behind bars, serving a nearly 36-year sentence at a state prison north of Olympia for killing two people in 2012. Longshore’s done a lot to change his life while incarcerated, including getting involved in legislative work. Continue reading at The WA State Standard. (Charles Longshore)

‘Failures at almost every level.’ Klickitat County Jail closure debate illuminates challenges facing rural corrections facilities
In May 2023 in South-Central Washington, a 24-year-old man named Ivan Howtopat died by suicide while going through fentanyl withdrawal in Klickitat County Jail. His mother, Melissa Howtopat, said when Ivan Howtopat was arrested for violating his probation, multiple relatives told deputies he suffered from addiction and needed to be closely monitored. He was dead five days later. Continue reading at KUOW. (Melissa Howtopat)

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Associated Press
How to tackle crime in Indian Country? Empower tribal justice, ex-Justice Department official says

Bellingham Herald
Northside Bellingham park expands, offering more recreation and a community center

Columbian
Whitebark pines are in trouble. That means our water supply is, too
New Boeing whistleblower alleges serious structural flaws on 787 and 777 jets

Everett Herald
Neighbors of Maltby recycling facility assert polluted runoff, noise
‘A slopportunity’: Darrington school calls in pigs to reduce food waste
Comment: Are we getting our money’s worth from our taxes?
Comment: Fighting the threat of ‘forever chemicals’
Opinion: Benefits outweigh risks of grizzlies in North Cascades

Kitsap Sun
Poulsbo Farmers Market could expand as city plans sale or lease of public works site

News Tribune
One U.S. state has (by far) the most generous overtime pay laws
Is a high school sports transfer portal coming to Washington? Talks underway, fears grow (Wellman)
City of Tacoma criticized for taking sides in Supreme Court case over public camping laws

Olympian
Development projects in Lacey to create hundreds more apartments

Puget Sound Business Journal
Former Seattle Housing Authority leader named regional HUD administrator
The National Observer: Suburbs revolting against growth in development hot spots
Surveys of landlords, occupiers suggest increased confidence in office-space decisions

Seattle Times
New WA gun laws could be in legal trouble because of a few words
Eastside carbon emissions still below pre-pandemic levels, studies find
SPS lost nearly 4,000 students in less than five years. What’s behind the decline?

Spokesman Review
New Washington law authorizes tax breaks for affordable housing built on state land
Getting There: Finally fully funded, North Spokane Corridor on track for completion in 2030

Vancouver Business Journal
STATE AUDITOR RELEASES REPORT ON CITY’S 120 DAY PERMIT PROCESSING
PeaceHealth receives $1 Million in Federal Funds for Emergency Department Expansion

Washington Post
They quit liberal public schools. Now they teach kids to be anti-‘woke.’

WA State Standard
Lobbying the Legislature from behind bars (Simmons, Peterson, Hansen)
Environmental groups sue to stop proposed golf course on state park land in Westport

Wenatchee World
Wenatchee awards #1.6 million contract for McKittrick Street improvements, construction expected in May

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
New Seattle resource allows sexual assault survivors to record what happened
Warning for Washingtonians: Student loan forgiveness scammers aim to steal money, personal information

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Budget issues forcing rolling closures at Seattle Public Libraries

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Seattle Public Library temporarily closing select branches through June 4
WSDOT urges drivers to use caution after 8 work zone crashes in one week
Sea-Tac airport on alert for potential security delays, threats amid Israel=Iran conflict

KNKX Public Radio
Money, politics, debate over crime victims: Prison reforms stalls in Olympia
(Frame, Simmons)

KUOW Public Radio
Puyallup Tribe to have 17 acres of waterfront land added to reservation
New Seattle apartment opens with promise to ‘end Native homelessness in King County’
‘Failures at almost every level.’ Klickitat County Jail closure debate illuminates challenges facing rural corrections facilities

KXLY (ABC)
Hundreds of workers at Sacred Heart to go on strike

NW Public Radio
Project Open Door will keep doors open

FOX13 TV
Port Angeles paraeducators reach tentative agreement with school district

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Environmentalists sample water as ABC Recycling loads metal in one of final trips
Vast property on Samish Crest is headache for developers, but haven for local hikers

Crosscut
FAFSA rollout delays highlight WA barriers to higher education

MyNorthwest
From mill town to top-ranked living destination: Washington city stands out

West Seattle Blog
POWER OUTAGE: 11,000+ lose electricity from southeast West Seattle south into South Park, White Center, Burien

Friday, April 12

More transparency needed for WA police asset seizures, audit says
A new state audit says that Washington police agencies could be more transparent about the process of seizing assets like cars, cash or guns in the course of criminal investigations and clearer about how people can get that property back. Between January 2020 and December 2022, more than 100 of Washington’s 250 police agencies got nearly $30 million in property from local and state forfeitures, according to the state auditor’s office. They received an additional $10 million through a partnership with the federal government. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Fiona Martin)

Washington extends emergency graduation waiver for class of 2024
Washington school districts will be able to keep waiving certain graduation requirements for high school students in the class of 2024. School officials asked the State Board of Education to continue allowing them to waive requirements for the state’s “graduation pathways” for the 2023-2024 school year, citing the lasting impact of COVID-19 on students. The board granted an extension to the emergency waiver on Thursday. Continue reading at The Washington State Standard. (Getty Images)

Washington to adopt new U.S. PFAS limits, but may take two years
The Washington Department of Health plans to lower the limits on “forever chemicals” in drinking water after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced new lower limits on Wednesday. The new EPA maximum levels are mostly lower than the limits adopted in 2021 by the Washington State Board of Health. Those state limits will stay in place until the Board of Health adopts the new federal levels, which can take up to two years, according to a news release from the DOH. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Andy Engelson)

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Axios
Voters to city: Fix the darn potholes
How climate change impacts Seattle’s allergy season

Capital Press
More Washington farmers face broken CREP contracts
Potato industry, senators urge opening of Japan fresh market

Columbian
1st tribal casino planned for Tri-Cities. What new documents reveal about the project
‘Tranq’-laced fentanyl nearly doubles in Clark County and expert says it will only get worse
Report estimates Lower Snake River dams, reservoirs emit millions of tons of greenhouse gases

Everett Herald
WA high court: DUI breath tests valid, machine results not at fault
Judge orders mining company to stop work next to Everett school
Washington will move to tougher limits on ‘forever chemicals’ in water

Kitsap Sun
Sidewalks for Warren Avenue Bridge redesign likely smaller than planned, due to budget
PGST, Bellingham nonprofit partner to remove lost crab pots in Hood Canal, Port Gamble Bay

News Tribune
There have been calls to close Tacoma’s immigration lock-up for years. Why hasn’t it?
Manny Ellis’ sister questions Thurston Sheriff about decision to hire acquitted officer
Opinion: Enrollment at Tacoma schools is falling. Providing better before-school care is key

New York Times
E.P.A. Says ‘Forever Chemicals’ Must Be Removed From Tap Water
Biden Administration Raises Costs to Drill and Mine on Public Lands
$7.4 Billion More in Student Loans Are Canceled, Biden Administration Says

Puget Sound Business Journal
Here’s how much Amazon CEO Andy Jassy made in 2023
Boeing stock hits a low as it faces new quality-control allegations
Chief Seattle Club cuts ribbon for $40M housing project in Lake City

Seattle Times
More transparency needed for WA police asset seizures, audit says
Wrong-way crash near Lynnwood kills 1, injures 2 after police chase
Biden administration announces another round of loan cancellation under new repayment plan

Spokesman Review
New air quality sensors arrive in Spokane, part of state effort to combat pollution
How do you name them apples? WSU seeks public input on what to name its new variety
Title company offering free service to defy historic racist property restrictions in Spokane County

Washington Post
Biden administration cancels another $7.4 billion in student loans

WA State Standard
New Washington apple needs a name
State audit charts course to retool how WA police seize assets
Washington extends emergency graduation waiver for class of 2024

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Public art at new light rail station brings mixed-race experience into focus
Seattle City Council considers changes to Seattle Police Department’s hiring process
Thurston County Sheriff holds forum after hiring former officer acquitted in Manuel Ellis’ death

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
‘Brown water’ at a Tacoma school outrages parents, students
Congress examines how to address rising childcare costs for families & providers

KNKX Public Radio
Pilot project in Port Angeles to use the power of the ocean for carbon removal

KUOW Public Radio
Not in my valley. Some San Juan Islanders say no to solar power
Sen. Murray pushes for outside investigation into Tacoma ICE facility
Should Washington state consider climate impacts when it approves timber sales?
Paraeducators strike in Port Angeles. But can strapped school districts afford to pay them more?

KXLY (ABC)
Families of Gorge Amphitheater shooting victims sue operator for wrongful death
Idaho library bill signed into law allowing parents to take action against “harmful material”
Spokane hospital workers voting on strike authorization amid contract negotiations with management

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Most school districts failing to follow rules in reviewing sexual harassment policies

Crosscut
Former WA Gov. Dan Evans feted for energy, conservation work
Washington to adopt new U.S. PFAS limits, but may take two years

MyNorthwest
Staffing crisis forcing closures of Seattle Public Library locations through June

Thursday, April 11

Washington gun store sold hundreds of high-capacity ammunition magazines in 90 minutes without ban
A Washington state gun store owner said he sold hundreds of high-capacity ammunition magazines in the short span of time Monday between a judge ruling a ban on the sales unconstitutional and the state filing an emergency appeal to the Washington Supreme Court. Continue reading at The Seattle Times.

Washington considers fee hikes for campers and boaters at its state parks
Camping and mooring boats on state lands may get more expensive next year. The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is considering upping the fees for campsites and mooring. The cost of Discover Passes, which are set in state law, will not change. The proposed increases will help the agency catch up with inflation over the last few years. Prices for camping were last updated in 2020 and for mooring in 2015. Under the new fee proposal, camping prices will jump no more than $6, though the exact price depends on the type of site and time of year. Continue reading at The WA State Standard. (WA State Parks)

States race to restrict deepfake porn as it becomes easier to create
Deepfakes — digitally altered photos and videos that can make someone appear to be, or be doing, just about anything — have proliferated on the internet…States, such as Florida, South Dakota and Washington, have enacted laws that update the definition of child pornography to include deepfakes. Washington’s law, which was signed by Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee in March, makes it illegal to be in possession of a “fabricated depiction of an identifiable minor” engaging in a sexually explicit act — a crime punishable by up to a year in jail. Continue reading at Stateline. (Associated Press)