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Wednesday, April 3

As Washington’s prison population shrank, the cost of incarceration went up
Keeping people in Washington’s prisons has gotten more expensive in recent years. The state is one of several where costs per prisoner have climbed as overall prison populations decline. Washington recently closed a prison to save money, but officials say rising prices for essentials, as well as facility maintenance, are contributing to the ballooning price of keeping people locked up. Continue reading at KNKX. (Jeanie Lindsay)

Washington adds worker protection laws, including ban on mandatory anti-union meetings Washington workers will soon gain some new rights, including protections against employers holding mandatory meetings on religious and political issues. “In Washington state, we protect that which we value. We value our workers and we value our working families,” said Gov. Jay Inslee, who signed a slate of workplace protection bills on Thursday. The Employee Free Choice Act makes Washington the sixth state to prohibit employers from disciplining or firing employees who refuse to attend “captive audience” meetings, which employers often use as a union-busting tactic. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Office of the Governor)

Study says Washington state is home to four of the healthiest cities in the country
A new study conducted by Wallethub found that where you live does matter when it comes to health, and depending on the effectiveness of your city’s wellness promotions, it can impact your ability to stay healthy. The Wallethub comparison looked at 182 cities and identified the healthiest and unhealthiest cities in the country. The study listed four cities in Washington. One was ranked among the top three healthiest cities: Seattle. Continue reading at The News Tribune. (Pete Caster)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Dialogue Project aims to mend community division with conversation

Axios
Traffic deaths are up in Washington state

Columbian
New Washington budget boosts state spending by $2B
Battle Ground City Council rejects partnership to create Eaton Park Apartments
Murray, Perez secure $3 million for Salmon Creek Wastewater Treatment facility improvement project (Murray, Gluesenkamp)

Everett Herald
Everett faces June deadline to present AquaSox stadium plan
Congress approves $5M for Everett’s opioid crisis, child care needs

News Tribune
Study says Washington state is home to four of the healthiest cities in the country
Congressional dollars headed for Pierce County. Here’s which projects will receive funding

Northwest Asian Weekly
Police arrest suspects in string of burglaries targeting Asian Americans in Kirkland

Port Townsend Leader
Short-term rental options under review

Seattle Times
WA laws aim to detect cyber attacks, protect election workers (Leavitt, Valdez)
WA’s top problem? Your answer may depend on where you live
U.S. Supreme Court denies stay in Central WA redistricting case
‘Lost Patients’ podcast Episode 4: What led to deinstitutionalization
Opinion: Finally here to stay? Near 1 million in WA now get Obamacare
Opinion: Why a TikTok ban isn’t what we need
Editorial: New alternatives to WA bar exam level the field for law licensing

Spokesman Review
Not ‘reasonable’: Spokane International Airport hits back against state PFAS cleanup order
Veteran Benefits Administration officials hold Pullman town hall to discuss PACT Act with local veterans
Opinion: We should invest in the lower Snake River Dams – not tear them down

Washington Post
Boeing’s troubles are spilling over to its airline customers
As obesity rises, Big Food and dietitians push ‘anti-diet’ advice

WA State Standard
U.S. Supreme Court won’t block Washington’s new legislative district map
Power generated from Northwest dams fell last year to lowest level in two decades
Washington adds worker protection laws, including ban on mandatory anti-union meetings (Keiser)

Wenatchee World
WA addresses AI in public schools
SCOTUS OKs new WA voting maps, Wenatchee Valley to split into 3 districts

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Northwest dairy farms push to allow whole milk, 2% milk in schools
Thurston County hires former Tacoma officer acquitted in death of Manuel Ellis
Washington now home to 18 cities where the typical home is worth $1 million or more
Facing demotion, Washington State Patrol trooper resigns after citing innocent truck driver
Scathing federal report rips Microsoft for shoddy security, insincerity in response to Chinese hack
Community meeting held after deadly Renton crash; residents call for more traffic safety measures
Defense in a Des Moines triple homicide case attempted to submit AI-enhanced video as evidence. A judge said no

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Race to save an orca calf off Vancouver Island
Pacific Northwest leads nation in infrastructure vandalism
Thousands of Pierce County Comcast customers without services after vandalism
Federal Student Aid Application overhaul frustrates high school seniors and families

KNKX
As Washington’s prison population shrank, the cost of incarceration went up

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Seattle City Council approves wage increases, simultaneously growing budget shortfall
Former Redmond hotel to open as supportive housing for chronically homeless by May

KXLY (ABC)
Children and families in Northeast Spokane benefitting from local mental health clinic
SNAP hosting resource carnival to help families apply for Working Families Tax Credit

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Opinion: Another NW port city wonders: How do we keep local news alive?

Crosscut
Seattle Council unanimously approves raises for 10,000 city workers

West Seattle Blog
East Marginal Way ceremonial groundbreaking, and levy talk
Look ahead 20 years in one night: ‘Draft One Seattle Plan’ WS open house Wednesday

Tuesday, April 2

Use Food Well: New Campaign Seeks to Reduce Food Waste in Washington
Each year, Washington generates one million tons of food waste, including half a million tons of edible food. That’s enough food to make 105 meals for every person in Washington. On April 1, the Washington Department of Ecology will launch the Use Food Well campaign in conjunction with the start of National Food Waste Prevention Week, April 1 to 7. Reducing food waste can increase food security, reduce climate impacts, and help Washington residents save money. Continue reading at The Skanner. (WA Department of Ecology)

Gov. Inslee signed more than 150 bills last week. Here’s some of what he signed into law
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed more than 150 bills last week at appearances throughout Western Washington. On Monday, the governor signed bills at the state Capitol in Olympia. On Tuesday, he signed a host of climate, environmental and labor bills in Kent, and on Friday, Inslee signed supplemental capital and operating budgets at the UW Center for Behavioral Health and Learning in Seattle. Here’s some of what the governor signed last week. Continue reading at The Olympian. (Elaine Thompson)

As campaigning revs up, WA laws aim to detect cyber attacks and protect election workers
As the 2024 campaign season heats up, new laws are taking hold in Washington to protect election workers and boost security of ballot counting statewide…Washington lawmakers seek to bolster public confidence in the conduct of elections amid the continuing spread of misinformation and cyberthreats. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Karen Ducey)

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Associated Press
3M settlement over ‘forever chemicals’ OK’d
West Coast whale population recovers 5 years after hundreds wash ashore
States move to shore up voting rights protections after courts erode federal safeguards

Aberdeen Daily World
Judge dismisses Wills recall petition
Truckloads of trash hoisted from Quinault beaches

Axios
New Washington law will crack down on catalytic converter theft
Meet the Washington company at the center of the EV battery revolution

Bellingham Herald
Birchwood Food Desert Fighters ask community for help to promote local food access

Capital Press
Spokane County cattlemen deliver beef to veterans

Columbian
Clark Public Utilities pilot program offers $50 credit to electric vehicle owners
EV owners agree to not charge during peak hours, helping utility manage power supply, its costs
Clark County Sheriff’s Office’s program lets deputies call mental health providers for help on calls

Everett Herald
WSU hosting spring trainings on marine conservation, sustainability
New Latino community center in south Everett gets $3.8M from state
Editorial: Small nuclear plants may be key to state’s energy mix

High Country News
Meet the women fighting to end detention and deportation in Washington

News Tribune
Puget Sound Energy is asking to raise gas and electricity rates. Here’s what we know
A dozen U.S. senators call on ICE, DHS to end misuse of solitary in immigration detention

Olympian
Gov. Inslee signed more than 150 bills last week. Here’s some of what he signed into law

Seattle Times
WA timber sale blocked as judge orders climate change study
Chinatown International District activist Matt Chan dead at 71 (Nguyen)
Are potatoes vegetables? WA Sen. Cantwell and Gov. Inslee think so
Opinion: Roll on, Columbia: How to meet WA’s complex power, conservation needs

The Skanner
‘Use Food Well’: New Campaign Seeks to Reduce Food Waste in Washington

Spokesman Review
Department of Ecology forces Spokane International Airport into PFAS cleanup framework after agreement could not be reached

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
WWCC, professional staff union reach collective bargaining agreement
Public meetings roundup: Sheriff’s office requests funds for new reserve deputy
CTUIR smolt release part of broader effort to return salmon to Walla Walla Basin

Washington Post
HOAs are blocking solar panels and native lawns. Here’s how to fight back.

WA State Standard
‘Work of passion:’ How Catalina Velasquez’s life led her to immigrant rights advocacy
As campaigning revs up, WA laws aim to detect cyber attacks and protect election workers (Leavitt, Valdez)
Ferguson, other Democratic AGs ask SCOTUS to block red state bans on emergency abortions

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Money running out for critical transportation program in Snohomish County
‘Most’ King County public health clinics could close in 2025 without funding fix
Renton community members to share concerns about street where woman, 3 children were killed

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
New $15 Peak Toll is costing SR 167 commuters more; state insists speeds are up
Delayed Boeing Max deliveries affecting airlines; United is asking pilots to take unpaid leave

KXLY (ABC)
MultiCare, nurses union reach agreement pending union vote
Spokane Valley retirement community advocates for more security amidst rising crime

Web

Cascadia Daily News
State awards $500K for DNA testing to help clear backlog of unidentified remains

Crosscut
How property tax caps push some WA counties to the financial edge (Pedersen, Randall)

West Seattle Blog
Highland Park ex-substation now officially open for ‘affordable homeownership’ proposals. Here’s what that means
East Marginal Way Corridor Project update and transportation-levy process preview @ West Seattle Transportation Coalition’s meeting

Monday, April 1

Fentanyl crisis descends on jail in a small WA town short on treatment
Fentanyl is the most ubiquitous opioid available without a prescription and the cause of record-breaking overdose deaths across Washington. Fentanyl is 50 times more powerful than heroin, and opioid treatment experts say that access to medications like methadone and buprenorphine is more important than ever to help people stay alive. As the fentanyl crisis tightens its grip in Washington and across the country, there is growing agreement in the public safety sphere that people in jails and prisons would benefit from medications to treat opioid use disorder. But logistical and bureaucratic barriers still exist. Continue reading at The Columbian. (Elise Amendola)

New WA law aims to erase black market for stolen catalytic converters
When the price of precious metals began tumbling late last summer, so too did demand for stolen catalytic converters, the exhaust-cleaning components that can be cut from a vehicle’s undercarriage in seconds and sold on the black market. But demand will inevitably go back up once the prices of rhodium, palladium and platinum — metals used in the manufacture of catalytic converters — rise again, law enforcement officials and lawmakers say. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Steve Helber)

Washington youth mental health shows best improvement in 20 years
Suicidal thoughts among 10th graders in Washington are at the lowest rate in 20 years, according to a new survey from the state Department of Health. The same survey also found that while mental health among youth in the state is improving, 30% of 10th graders are experiencing persistent depressive feelings and six in 10 report feeling anxious or nervous. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Dorothy Edwards)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Less likely to ignite: Westport launches wildfire resilience effort
Agreement would lend Aberdeen staff to process Cosi utility bills

Axios
$3 million from state advances Garfield Super Block

Bellingham Herald
Bellingham City Council votes to explore possible annexation of area northeast of city limits

Columbian
Controversial clean energy law takes effect in Washington
Inslee signs final transportation budget, warns of tough sledding
Fearing political violence, more states ban guns at polling places
Fentanyl crisis descends on jail in a small WA town short on treatment (Goodman)
Labor and love: 1 in 10 Clark County residents are caregivers, dealing with isolation and rewards

Everett Herald
‘A huge year for transit’: Swift Orange Line begins in Lynnwood
Roundabout, walkway, bridge coming to ‘atrocious’ Bothell intersection
Comment: At higher cancer risk, firefighters need early tests
Comment: Eco-nomics: Changes to cycle of water weigh on climate plans
Comment: Loss of power reliability calls for a stronger grid
Editorial: A welcome return of grizzlies to North Cascades

News Tribune
WA immigration rights activists say they faced harassment, intimidation in Tacoma
The fighting’s not over, but site work has begun on Tacoma mega-warehouse project (Mena)
Instead of tearing down old buildings, what if we recycled them? Tacoma might try it

Olympian
Tumwater delays decision on code on nighttime loitering on city property

Puget Sound Business Journal
Small-business grants you can apply for in April 2024
Why Microsoft’s diversity chief says her work will never be done
Homelessness authority at critical juncture, Seattle council says

Seattle Times
In Tacoma, a detention center where people become ‘invisible’
State takes over closed Burien facility, plans to serve kids in crisis
New Gates Foundation grant will tackle WA’s postsecondary problem
New WA law aims to erase black market for stolen catalytic converters (Ryu)
Why Seattle Public Schools is closing its highly capable cohort program

Spokesman Review
Roadwork to watch for this week
Bipartisanship rises in Washington Legislature (Billig, Pederson)
Getting There: Spokane County begins work on final stretch of Bigelow Gulch project

Tri-City Herald
In-depth investigation into troubled Pasco group ordered after damning WA state audit
What’s being built there? $24M apartments + $7M church remodel + Queensgate terraces

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla City Council approves $15M police guild contract for 2022-2024

Washington Post
America is divided over major efforts to rewrite child labor laws
‘You only live once’: How covid changed the way we spend money
Last year was bad for commercial real estate. 2024 could be worse.
Algorithms are guiding senior home staffing. Managers say care is suffering.
America suddenly has a record number of bees. What happened to colony collapse?

WA State Standard
New Washington budget boosts state spending by $2B
Calls for federal investigation into Tacoma detention center mount amid detainee death

Yakima Herald-Republic
Dispute over Caton Landfill operations moves to state pollution control board

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
New public transit Swift Orange Line opens in Snohomish County
Revive I-5 to impact traffic between Tukwila and Seattle overnight this weekend
Gun violence disproportionately affects Black and brown people. What’s being done about it?

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
WSP explains why there was no Amber Alert for 4-year-old Ariel Garcia
City of Burien suing King County Sheriff’s Office over camping ban enforcement

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Western Washington University starts online cannabis course for industry hopefuls

KUOW Public Radio
Seattle businesses caught in tug of war between app companies and delivery drivers

KXLY (ABC)
Deputies shoot, wanted felony suspect dead in Deer Park standoff
Police shoot, kill one person at house fire in West Central Spokane
Former Washington pipeline retiree takes on big oil, wins 8-year-long battle over pension losses

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Northwest Washington state: Dead zone for tech startups?
Is Bellingham’s waterfront future ripe for a reset after past missteps?

Crosscut
Washington youth mental health shows best improvement in 20 years

West Seattle Blog
WEST SEATTLE SCHOOLS: Madison MS to pilot new laptop surveillance software before it goes district-wide

Friday, March 29

WA Gov. Inslee signs slate of climate and environment bills into law
During the last bill-signing tour of his career at the helm of Washington, outgoing Gov. Jay Inslee signed a wide slate of climate and environmental bills into law Thursday afternoon. The bills include Senate Bill 6058, an attempt to help link Washington’s carbon market with that of California and Quebec. Combining markets would stabilize the cost of greenhouse gas allowances paid by major polluters, in turn lowering pass-through costs for gasoline, Inslee and others have repeatedly said. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ellen M. Banner)

Washington becomes first state to ban lead in cookware
Governor Jay Inslee signed the Lead in Cookware Act Thursday, banning lead from any products used to cook food, becoming the first state in the U.S. to do so. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Gerry Pollet (D-46), officially bans any manufacturing or sales of cookware or related components that contain more than five parts per million (ppm) of lead by 2026. It passed on a 47-0 vote (two excused) in the Senate before passing in the House on a 96-0 vote (one excused). Continue reading at My Northwest. (Hazardous Waste Management Program)

Washington Saves retirement act signed, set to launch in 2027
Washington is set to create a state-run automatic retirement savings system for workers who don’t already have access to an employer-based retirement system. Washington Saves will require businesses without retirement plans for employees to allow their workers an opportunity to contribute to an individual retirement account (IRA) via an automatic payroll deduction through the Washington Small Business Retirement Marketplace. Employers will be required to enroll employees who have had continuous employment of one year or more in the program at default contribution rates. Continue reading at Crosscut.

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Auburn Reporter
New state law gives green light to more traffic cameras (Donaghy)

Bellingham Herald
‘I’m so grateful’: Leaders, planners, future tenants unite to celebrate new Bellingham senior housing

Capital Press
Inslee signs wolf bill, tips cap to Kretz
Inslee vetoes study to keep elk off farms, urges alternative (Van De Wege)

Everett Herald
Mill Creek Starbucks votes 21-1 to form union
County: Everett mining yard violated order to halt work next to school

Journal of the San Juan Islands
Eligible Washington state taxpayers can now use free IRS Direct File

News Tribune
Why is litter along Puyallup highways ‘much worse’ this year? Mayor asks state for help
Could Baltimore bridge disaster happen to Tacoma Narrows spans? Here’s what we know

Olympian
Best- and worst-run cities in Washington

Puget Sound Business Journal
Amazon reportedly moving to cut empty office costs by $1.3B
Seattle council weighs changes to delivery-app driver pay law
Seattle Housing Authority acquires former Post-Intelligencer building

Seattle Times
Burien sues King County, Sheriff claiming breach of contract
WA Gov. Inslee signs slate of climate and environment bills into law
Eastside developers track the light rail rollout with measured optimism
Editorial: WA must continue its role as lead defender of abortion rights

Tri-City Herald
‘Built with parts from eBay.’ Tri-Cities leaders rush to replace failing 911 system
PNNL scientists are working to advance the future of offshore floating wind farms
Seattle company proposes new solar farm near Tri-Cities. It could be the county’s 6th
What’s known about the evacuation and need for a bomb squad at Hanford last month?
Opinion: New WA legislative districts could dilute Tri-Cities clout in Olympia

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref addresses crime, fentanyl on tribal lands

Washington Post
Biden aims to smooth the bumpy road to electric trucks
Covid changed how we spend: More YOLO splurging but less saving
U.S. updates how it classifies people by race, ethnicity for first time in decades

WA State Standard
Controversial clean energy law takes effect in Washington
WA governor urged to veto $25M for nuclear power project (Mullet, Tharinger)
Inslee signs final transportation budget, warns of tough sledding

Wenatchee World
Budget update: Wenatchee School District considers cutting 63 positions
Amazon to open 45,000 square-foot ‘last mile’ distribution center in NCW

Yakima Herald-Republic
Students walk out of Yakima high schools to protest staff cuts
Fewer farms, but Yakima County still No. 2 in state for farm products sold
Experts keep close eye on Yakima Valley economy as 2024 begins with layoffs

Broadcast

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Instacart settles with Seattle over alleged sick leave policy violations
White House rolls out new steps to try to protect people who buy short-term health plans

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Carnation leaders say ‘drain the dam,’ threaten to sue Seattle after latest false alarm
Seattle City Council may revise delivery pay law following restaurant, gig worker pushback

KNKX Public Radio
Olympia oyster comeback impact goes beyond the menu and the shooter glass

KUOW Public Radio
After receiving racist hate mail, UW students call for action
Meaty razor clams bring profits, protein to Quinault Nation in Washington state
Washington’s largest newspaper publisher sold to out-of-state investors following financial hardship
Muslims observing Ramadan at Tacoma ICE center aren’t receiving timely meals, immigration advocates say

KXLY (ABC)
Metal fences removed from Browne Street viaduct
Affordable housing initiative announced in Spokane Valley
Former CVSD teacher pleads guilty to sexual misconduct charges, required to register as a sex offender

NW Public Radio
WA leaders highlight progress on homelessness, worry about encampment cleanup funding

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Mount Baker schools to cut $3M in spending
Bellingham drivers facing pain at the pump — average gas prices continue to rise

Crosscut
Washington Saves retirement act signed, set to launch in 2027
U.S. Appeals Court won’t block WA’s new legislative district map
WA Department of Health updates COVID-19, flu quarantine guidance

MyNorthwest
Ways to deal with Seattle grocery store sticker shock
Washington becomes first state to ban lead in cookware (Pollet)
Carnation frustrated with Seattle again after 8th false emergency alarm induces widespread panic

West Seattle Blog
West Seattle’s second off-leash area location is finalized
Sound Transit Board gives staff go-ahead to pursue first ‘early property acquisitions’ for West Seattle light rail

Thursday, March 28

Washington legislators voted this session to add the perspective of marginalized communities into state learning standards
Nearly 40 years ago, Cal Anderson was appointed to the Washington House of Representatives, becoming the first openly LGBTQ+ person to hold the office in the state. His name, however, is absent from any Washington curriculum on state government, according to state Sen. Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle. That may soon change though with Gov. Jay Inslee’s March 18 signing of Senate Bill 5462 into state law, which would make sure that the K-12 curriculum is more inclusive of people from marginalized communities. The law takes effect on June 6. Continue reading at The Inlander.

You need to earn how much for a ‘starter home’ in Seattle?!
Rising costs of living and property price tags are hitting first-time homebuyers hard — and even harder in Seattle. A person would have to earn a $173,378 annual salary to earn what Redfin considers a “starter home” in Seattle, according to the real estate company’s February 2024 data. That salary estimate is up roughly $31,000 from just six months ago, and up 8.4% from February 2023. As of February, the median sale price of a Seattle starter home is $535,000, with a monthly mortgage of $4,334. Seattle’s numbers are a significant uptick from just six months ago when Redfin calculated that a person needed to earn $142,000 annually to afford the purchase. Continue reading at KUOW. (Jaye Haych)

In rural Washington, patients travel hours for basic healthcare
In Washington, patients outside of urban centers often travel long distances to get basic health care, and researchers and providers say the impact — on everything from dementia treatment to maternity care — can lead to worse patient outcomes and delays in treatment. Telehealth is also making a difference. But training physicians can take a decade or more, and not all kinds of care translate well to a virtual space. In the meantime, patients face major disparities in access to basic — and sometimes urgent — care between urban and rural Washington, and between east and west. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Harbor Regional Hospital)