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Friday, May 3

WA grant offers free tuition at several colleges. Here’s why so few apply & how you can
Washington has one of the most expansive financial aid programs of any U.S. state, the Washington College Grant. But according to Governor Jay Inslee, few students are aware that they can apply. They often assume the program is reserved for low-income students, or don’t know about it at all. On May 1, Gov. Inslee’s office published a call for students to apply before next month’s deadline. Here’s what you need to know. Continue reading at the Bellingham Herald. (AP Photo)

Should Washington’s public schools ban students from using cellphones?
Schools around the state and country are searching for a balance with their cellphone policies for students. Phones can not only cause distractions, they can also contribute to bullying and pose mental health risks, especially for kids. A bill in the state Legislature this year would’ve directed school districts to adopt restrictions on student cellphone use by the start of the 2027-28 school year. The measure passed out of the House Education Committee with bipartisan support, then stalled. Continue reading at the WA State Standard. (Getty Images)

What feds’ new cannabis policy could mean for WA weed shops
The U.S. government is moving toward reclassifying marijuana as a less harmful drug, a federal spokesperson confirmed this week. In 2012, Washington and Colorado became the first states to legalize recreational cannabis distribution. Yet, weed sellers and lawmakers in Washington state say the cannabis industry faces unfair hurdles that other taxpaying businesses do not. Continue reading at the Seattle Times.

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Associated Press
EPA bans consumer use of a toxic chemical widely used as a paint stripper but known to cause cancer

Auburn Reporter
Project targets major flooding of Green River

Axios
Quake-proofing Seattle’s vulnerable buildings

Bellingham Herald
WA grant offers free tuition at several colleges. Here’s why so few apply & how you can
WA Dept. of Ecology files lawsuit officially launching Nooksack River water rights process
Southwest plans to pull its operations in Bellingham. Thousands are asking the airline to reconsider

Columbian
Officials say new Vancouver low-income senior housing will improve lives
Demand for electricity in Northwest projected to grow 30% in decade, triple previous estimates

The Daily News
Editorial: Homelessness won’t go away, regardless of Supreme Court ruling

Everett Herald
Everett to use $2.2M for Holly neighborhood’s first park

Kitsap Sun
With childcare at a premium in Kitsap, provider lands state grant to fuel expansion

News Tribune
‘A safe space for all:’ After-school club discusses antiracism, history and politics
Puyallup police, sheriff’s deputy to be honored with Law Enforcement Medal of Honor
Opinion: Health care is broken. Puyallup thrift shop run by ‘grannies’ is the latest victim

Puget Sound Business Journal
Seattle among nation’s holdouts in return-to-office trend, report finds

Seattle Times
What feds’ new cannabis policy could mean for WA weed shops (Ormsby)
San Juan County ‘encouraged’ by initial results of 32-hour workweek
From Kitsap, with best wishes for success, some tips for the new ferries chief

Spokesman Review
Spokane may be out of the Trent homeless shelter by October
Over 10,000 Premera-insured MultiCare patients in Spokane at risk of losing in-network care at the end of May
The Inland Northwest could burn again: Potential for more wildfires highlights need for safety, preventative measures
Over half of West Plains wells exceed PFAS limits, Ecology finds. Many private wells have PFAS chemicals over ten times the new federal limit

Tri-City Herald
Washington high school ranked third-best in nation in 2024 U.S. News annual ranking list
Editorial: Hanford site nuclear deal is hopeful development. But will it work this time?

Washington Post
Where seas are rising at alarming speed
GOP split could doom bipartisan child tax credit bill
Booming labor market poised to reach milestone for low unemployment

WA State Standard
Should Washington’s public schools ban students from using cellphones?
Demand for electricity in Northwest projected to grow 30% in decade, triple previous estimates

Yakima Herald-Republic
Bree Black Horse formally sworn in to prosecute MMIP cases in federal court
Yakima school superintendent responds community questions about budget cuts

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Mobile Department of Licensing office hits the road in Washington
What EPA, researchers and cleaning industry say about detergent pods
Being Pacific Islander means everything’ | Celebrating AANHPI Heritage Month
Friends of woman killed in south Seattle home speak out; Ex-Bothell City Council member arrested

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
How Olympic National Park will respond to wildland and structure fires
Doctors of color call on Congress to help address minority physician shortage
Two more suspects arrested in string of burglaries targeting Asian, East Indian homeowners
‘Workers go home hurt:’ New bill aims to protect warehouse workers from unsafe conditions
Customers to pay for $100k damage after King County power lines, equipment were ‘sabotaged’

KNKX Public Radio
Centralia’s coal plant has to close next year. Can other communities learn from their transition?

KUOW Public Radio
Can King County actually close its youth jail? It’s not so simple, audit finds

KXLY (ABC)
Family of man killed by fellow patient at Eastern State Hospital files lawsuit against the state
Eastern Washington police officers to receive medal of honor for bravery during 2023 Gorge concert shooting

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Department of Ecology files water rights lawsuit in Whatcom County

Crosscut
More students experiencing homelessness in Washington

MyNorthwest
Travel alert: Washington ferry prices have gone up amid wave of riders

Thursday, March 2

Need for diapers persists, even with new WA cash benefit
A law providing low-income Washington families with a monthly subsidy to buy diapers has been in effect for six months, but the need for diaper banks and other resources remains high. According to the National Diaper Bank Network, diaper need is a growing problem. One in two U.S. families can’t afford enough diapers to keep their infant or child clean, dry and healthy, according to a 2023 study commissioned by the network. Three in five parents miss work or school because they can’t afford the diapers required to leave their baby in child care, the national diaper bank says. Continue reading at The Columbian. (Mike Stewart)

My plan as head of Washington State Ferries
As I settle into the role of directing the nation’s largest ferry system, my commitment is to ensure Washington State Ferries restores service to the levels our customers expect and enact long-term solutions that make us reliable for decades to come. WSF’s greatest challenges are the need for new vessels and licensed maritime workers. Since 2021, legislators adopted policies and funding that empower our agency to be more responsive in a nationally competitive market for shipbuilders and mariners. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Erika Schultz)

Republican legislative staff move first to unionize under new WA law
Employees of the Washington Legislature could start pursuing union representation Wednesday and two groups of workers did. Both are Republican. Legislative assistants for GOP members of the state House and Senate want the recently formed Legislative Professionals Association to represent them. Petitions on behalf of workers in each chamber were filed with the Public Employment Relations Commission, which will certify the bargaining unit and conduct an election. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Laurel Demkovich)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Letters: Climate change, salmon
School board members elaborate on reasons for resigning

Axios
Quake-proofing Seattle’s vulnerable buildings
Pro-Palestinian encampments arrive at Seattle-area colleges

Bellingham Herald
Traffic slows in downtown Bellingham as work on bike lanes trial project kicks off
Opinion: My dad was addicted to crack. That doesn’t mean our family needed to be broken up

Capital Press
Insurance industry mulls wildfire risk reduction
Comment: The many consequences of breaching the Snake River dams
Editorial: Consider relocation from the bear’s perspective

Columbian
Need for diapers persists, even with new WA cash benefit
Report finds Washington ranks low on access to preschool, reinforcing assertions of Clark County education leaders

Everett Herald
Skills, not As, are what count at Tulalip, Everett alternative schools
Court overturns $185M verdict for Monsanto PCBs at Monroe school
Almost all mountain goats died after airlift from Olympics to Cascades
Snohomish County to test for meth contamination in supportive housing

High Country News
Tribes lead on wildlife passages
The Boldt Decision and where the rule of law held

The Inlander
Spokane County’s regional 911 dispatch center wants Spokane to either fully commit or provide its own dispatch
Spokane will require four to six months of advanced notice for rent increases — but many landlords haven’t complied with the city’s other rental rules

Journal of the San Juan Islands
New ferry schedule to take current challenges into account

Kitsap Sun
Naloxone availability expands throughout Kitsap as opioid overdoses continue to rise
Former Breidablik school building to host regional site for students with intensive needs

News Tribune
City of Tacoma ranked among the top 100 places to live in the U.S., here’s why
How long is too long to wait in Pierce County Jail for a probable-cause hearing?
Office of Policing Accountability might come to Tacoma. How much power should it have?
Steve Hobbs: Ranked-choice voting sounds good. But here’s why it would disenfranchise many voters

Olympian
Opinion: My dad was addicted to crack. That doesn’t mean our family needed to be broken up

Puget Sound Business Journal
EV maker Rivian leases South Sound warehouse
REI records steeper losses after year of ‘challenges and growth’

Seattle Times
WA police academy faces second sexual harassment lawsuit
San Juan County ‘encouraged’ by initial results of 32-hour workweek
Surge in electricity demand poses tricky path ahead for PNW utilities, report shows
Opinion: My plan as head of Washington State Ferries

Skagit Valley Herald
Walnuts recalled from two Skagit County stores due to E. coli contamination

Spokesman Review
‘Overcoming reefer madness’: Feds appear poised to ease restrictions on weed. Here’s how the change could impact Washington (Ormsby)

Tri-City Herald
Feds called in to help investigate cause of largest building fire in Tri-Cities history

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
ECEAP preschool roundups scheduled in Pasco

Washington Post
How a Connecticut middle school won the battle against cellphones
Fed leaves interest rates unchanged, signals worries in inflation fight
Biden is spending another $3 billion to replace lead pipes. Some experts say it’s not enough.

WA State Standard
Washington’s neverending housing crisis
Republican legislative staff move first to unionize under new WA law (Stanford, Fitzgibbon)

Yakima Herald-Republic
Efforts underway to add glass recycling option in Central Washington

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Local emergency declared amid Mercer Island water supply shortage
‘Being Pacific Islander means everything’ | Celebrating AANHPI Heritage Month
Amtrak requests $130 million from Congress to upgrade service before 2026 World Cup
Former Bothell City Council member arrested under investigation of second-degree murder
UW students protesting in solidarity with Gaza demand the university cut ties with Israel, Boeing

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
The Snohomish County Jail’s drug detection dog is on duty
Warning period over for new speed cameras in Everett school zone
EPA awarding nearly $1 billion in grants to replace aging school buses
Goats airlifted from Olympic Peninsula to North Cascades are mysteriously dying, per Tulalip Tribes

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Washington’s new inclusive education law starts soon: Will districts comply?
Seattle I-5 protest defendants challenge social media use for suspect identification
Tensions escalate as pro-Palestinian encampment grows at University of Washington

KNKX Public Radio
Upwards of 16,000 immigrants on track to enroll in WA Medicaid expansion

KUOW Public Radio
Hundreds of asylum-seekers move into park in Seattle’s Central District
Seattle mayor taps outside investigator to address Seattle Police sexism claims

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane elementary school teacher arrested, tests positive for drugs, back in classroom

Web

Crosscut
Audit finds inflation, wages drove Seattle’s $1.7B budget increase
Whatcom County to investigate handling of sexual harassment case

MyNorthwest
Puget Sound Energy customers now paying more as rate hike takes effect

Publicola
Council kills Morales’ affordable housing bill, arguing for more process and delay

The Urbanist
Seattle Council Rejects Morales’ Affordable Housing Bill
Washington’s Statewide E-bike Rebate Program Is Still on the Way (Shewmake)
Community Development Counters Eco-Gentrification from Duwamish Valley Cleanup

Wednesday, May 1

Homelessness on the rise among Washington’s K-12 students
The number of students in Washington’s school system experiencing homelessness climbed last year, a new report finds. Data from the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction shows that 3.8%, or 42,436 students, experienced homelessness during the 2022-2023 school year. Students who are homeless often suffer academically and are more likely to drop out of school or get suspended or expelled than their peers. They also tend to have higher absentee rates, worse test scores and lower graduation rates, according to the report. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Getty Images)

Spokane landlords soon required to give four to six months notice for rent increases
Starting in June, Spokane landlords will be required to give six months notice for rent increases above three percent. Spokane City Council passed the measure on Monday evening, also requiring landlords give four months notice for rent increases of three percent or less. The city is also working on a housing registry to show how many units in Spokane are actually available for rent. Continue reading at KXLY. (Bronte Sorotsky)

Garfield High School sex abuse allegations reveal weaknesses in staff oversight laws
Sexual abuse allegations against two former coaches at Garfield High School in Seattle reveal numerous failures and weaknesses in the oversight system meant to protect children in schools. Two Washington state laws designed to keep abusive teachers out of the classroom – and to report suspected abuse of students – do not typically apply to staff without state certificates, which is often the case with coaches. Continue reading at KUOW. (Cliff Meyer)

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Associated Press
Growing wildfire risk leaves states grappling with how to keep property insurers from fleeing

Axios
Seattle considers flipping delivery driver law

Bellingham Herald
Whatcom County Council votes to investigate handling of sexual harassment claim
New Bellingham citywide minimum wage goes into effect May 1; among highest rates in WA
ABC Recycling withdraws plan for controversial metal shredder along Bellingham waterfront

Capital Press
EFSEC releases findings on Horse Heaven energy proposal
USDA to require electronic ear tags in cattle, bison crossing state lines

Columbian
Cowlitz Indian Tribe expands reservation near La Center by about 60 acres
City of Vancouver prepares for pavement projects across 20 neighborhoods
Vancouver schools celebrate future of trades education with new building at Hudson’s Bay

Everett Herald
Boeing firefighters picket in Everett for better pay
‘Not a finish line’: For water providers, new PFAS rule is first step
Almost all mountain goats died after airlift from Olympics to Cascades

Issaquah Reporter
Governor announces rebate program for EV purchases

News Tribune
Unfortunately, it is animal fighting season in our state
Pierce County food banks facing ‘crisis’ as record numbers seek help and donations dry up
Opinion: Activists who want ICE abolished skew the truth. The NWIPC is safe, secure and humane

North American Post
Secretary Hobbs Heads to Japan for Cultural and Trade Mission

Northwest Asian Weekly
Seattle mayor, tech CEOs and others join government AI safety board

Puget Sound Business Journal
The coveted perk workers would take a pay cut for
Seattle NPR affiliate trims staff, axes youth radio program
Home prices have reached a milestone. Here’s why it’s a double-edged sword

Seattle Times
Why auto thefts, still high in WA, aren’t ‘just a property crime’
Seattle City Council rejects more density for affordable housing

Skagit Valley Herald
New high-resolution land cover data may help with management of coastal areas

Spokesman Review
Spokane Airport planning expansion to ground transportation
Spokane County funds program aimed at helping homeless people leave Spokane for greener pastures

Tri-City Herald
Late outlaw gang leader’s 2 sons sentenced for ‘pumping poison’ into Eastern WA
Home builders freaked over 140% Pasco water rights fee increase. This is what’s changing

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla residents invited to hear about 10-year tourism master plan
Red Dress Day display, evening vigils bring MMIW awareness to Walla Walla

Washington Post
Biden seeks to boost climate-friendly flying
Attorney general moves to reclassify marijuana as lower-risk drug
This middle school’s battle against cellphones yielded surprising results

WA State Standard
Homelessness on the rise among Washington’s K-12 students
Inslee has 60 days to decide on controversial Horse Heaven wind farm

Wenatchee World
East Wenatchee City Council appoints new councilmember
Latest unemployment numbers dipping after 5-month climb

Yakima Herald-Republic
Need for diapers persists, even with new WA cash benefit
Events planned May 5 to honor missing and murdered Indigenous people in WA and OR

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
WSDOT officially testing drones to cover up graffiti on bridges and overpasses
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell addresses violence, crime at community safety forum
Seattle mayor taps independent investigator to look into claims of gender discrimination, harassment at Seattle Police Department

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Pierce County man charged after chasing his stolen truck

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Hundreds of refugees set up encampment at Powell Barnett Park in Seattle
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell hosts public safety forum at Garfield High School
King County’s $16 million tax fund faces scrutiny over misuse in eviction aid case

KUOW Public Radio
What’s sending first-generation electric cars to an early grave?
Garfield High School sex abuse allegations reveal weaknesses in staff oversight laws

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane landlords soon required to give four to six months notice for rent increases
Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown discusses budget deficit and homelessness in State of the City speech

Web

Crosscut
How PNW trans swimmers are finding comfort in and out of water

MyNorthwest
Washington walnuts recalled as 7 hospitalized from E. coli

Tuesday, April 30

WA, feds upend plan to clean up one of nation’s most costly, dangerous radioactive sites
The Department of Energy and its regulators have released a revised path forward for DOE’s most costly liability in the nation — the 56 million gallons of radioactive waste stored in leak-prone underground tanks in Eastern Washington. The agreement took nearly four years to negotiate and was made public Monday. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Ted S. Warren)

Washington seeks to fix discrimination from racially restrictive property deeds
Washington has tens of thousands of homes with racially restrictive deeds dating back to the 1960s. Although modern laws prevent the language from being enforced, the deeds have had long-term effects undermining homeownership opportunities for people of color. A new program, set to launch in a few months, aims to right this wrong. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Getty Images)

Look, up in the sky! It’s a drone … painting over graffiti in Washington state
The Washington State Department of Transportation has begun experimenting with drones to take on graffiti along state roads. It’s just one part of a larger experiment using cameras to tackle graffiti between Tacoma and Seattle. It’s the first time a public agency has deployed drones to paint over graffiti, as far as WSDOT knows. Continue reading at KUOW. (WSDOT)

Print

Axios
UW’s “magic mushroom” trial advancing

Bellingham Herald
New WA rebate program could get you an electric car with payments cheaper than phone bills

Capital Press
Stripe rust hot spot found during high-pressure season

Columbian
Vancouver Clinic: FTC’s ban of noncompete clauses is unhealthy
WA farmers brace for summer drought on heels of harvest shortfalls
Biden approves disaster declaration for Washington after January storms

Everett Herald
Boeing firefighters picket in Everett for better pay
Grizzlies to return to North Cascades, feds confirm in controversial plan
Editorial: Bird act’s renewal can aid in saving species
Editorial: Cities don’t need to wait for ruling on homelessness

Kitsap Sun
South Sound 911 program brings counselors into emergency dispatchers
In defense of advanced practice providers in urgent care: Bridging healthcare gaps

News Tribune
Can AI help homeless families find long-term solutions? A local model shows promise
Natural gas customers set to see refund in portion of costs tied to Tacoma’s LNG plant

Seattle Times
WA, feds upend plan to clean up one of nation’s most costly, dangerous radioactive sites

Spokesman Review
Grant Co. rail expansions to aid economic growth
Spokane increases required notice before rents can be increased

Tri-City Herald
2 PNW tribes say Tri-Cities casino plan could start an ‘Indian war’

Washington Post
EPA bans most uses of toxic solvent tied to dozens of deaths
4 zebras made a daring highway escape. A bullfighter came to the rescue
Court says state health-care plans can’t exclude gender-affirming surgery
UnitedHealth grew very big. Now some see its size as an economic and national security concern

WA State Standard
Washington seeks to fix discrimination from racially restrictive property deeds (Taylor)
More people landed jobs in Washington last month. More wound up jobless, too

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Lummi Island man files injunction as he tries to stop ferry rate hike set for June
Over 100 asylum seekers forced out of Kent hotel, now in encampment in Seattle park
Seattle police would receive retroactive wage increases for past three years under tentative deal

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Drone pilot program to tackle graffiti problem in Washington
KIRO 7 investigates massive backlog in DUI toxicology results
Thousands could walk off jobs after UW student employees vote to strike
Mayor Harrell announces tentative agreement with Seattle Police Officers Guild
Hundreds of asylum seekers now in Seattle encampment in a Central District park

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
City plans to clear encampment between South Lake Union and Seattle Center
Plan to build homeless pallet village in Burien delayed as rezoning fight continues
Seattle mayor announces initiatives to enhance police recruitment and accountability

KUOW Public Radio
Look, up in the sky! It’s a drone … painting over graffiti in Washington state

KXLY (ABC)
New Pride crosswalk unveiled in Downtown Spokane
Spokane City Council votes to extend TRAC shelter contract through end of May

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Whatcom Community College national hub for filling cybersecurity worker demand

Crosscut
Is Seattle a walkable city? Pedestrian death rates show otherwise
Hanford’s new plan to clean up 56 million gallons of nuclear waste
Next stop: Sound Transit East Line now links Bellevue to Redmond

MyNorthwest
Boeing firefighters picket with strike fast approaching
Hundreds of asylum-seeking refugees create encampment in Central District park
Mayor Harrell announces new SPD agreement with more civilian involvement, higher wages

Monday, April 29

Washington electric vehicle rebates up to $9,000 available beginning in August
Washington motorists will gain access this summer to new state rebates – up to $9,000 in some cases – to help cover the cost of leasing or purchasing electric vehicles. Single Washington residents earning up to $45,180 annually or a family of four with income up to $93,600, will be eligible for a rebate of up to $9,000 for a new electric vehicle lease of three years or more. They’d also qualify for up to $5,000 for a new EV purchase or two-year lease. Continue reading at The Columbian. (David Zalubowski)

Heard of the Working Families Tax Credit? Neither have many local families
The Legislature created and funded the Working Families Tax Credit in 2021. Depending on income and number of dependents, taxpayers can receive a refund from the state between $50 and $1,255 per year. It’s a new program, so many don’t know it exists and could be missing out on free money. Though the state has refunded more than $8.3 million to Snohomish County taxpayers, more than $18 million is still available for taxpayers who qualify, according to December 2023 data from the state Department of Revenue. Continue reading at The Everett Herald. (Olivia Vanni)

Inslee: ‘We’re going as fast as humanly possible’ getting ferry boats in the water
As Washington residents and ferry users become “justifiably frustrated” with the state’s ferry system, Governor Jay Inslee is pushing to keep electric ferries in the fold long after his tenure as governor has ended. “We’re getting boats in the water as fast as humanly possible,” Inslee said on The John and Shari Show on KIRO 97.3 FM. “There are five electric boats that are going through the RFP process to get them in as fast as humanly possible.” Continue reading at KIRO 7. (KIRO 7)