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Monday, March 25

Inslee signs Strippers’ Bill of Rights today. When booze will hit WA clubs is uncertain
Madison Zack-Wu, 25, championed Washington’s Strippers’ Bill of Rights, groundbreaking legislation designed to improve safety and workplace conditions for adult dancers across the state. On the last Tuesday of February, with just over a week left in the 2024 session, she received the news she’d been waiting for. The state House — where similar legislation had stalled the year prior — would bring the Strippers’ Bill of Rights to a vote. It had been approved in the Senate a few weeks prior. Continue reading at Tri-City Herald. (Psychi Media)

Legislature passes bills that may help King County’s budget crisis
Last fall, King County Executive Dow Constantine issued dire warnings about the county’s budget situation: Without help from the Legislature, it would be forced to shutter all or almost all of its 10 public health clinics. [This session] legislators passed two obscure bills that could help King County raise taxes to fill its budget gap. House Bill 2044 allows King County to run a voter-approved levy to help fill its general fund. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Greg Gilbert)

Extended foster care for young adults up to 21 set to expand in WA
Extended foster care is a voluntary program in Washington available to certain foster care youth ages 18-21 who are no longer eligible for the usual foster care program. The program is aimed at making sure young people in foster care have the skills to enter independent adulthood. But Washington lawmakers want to lower the barriers to accessing extended foster care by removing those federal requirements. Senate Bill 5908, which does that, passed both legislative chambers. It is now awaiting Gov. Jay Inslee’s signature to become law. Continue reading at The Columbian.

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Axios
Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun to step down in wake of safety issues

Bellingham Herald
Whatcom County Health to host monthly vaccine clinics beginning in April
WA’s unemployment rate at its highest point since COVID-19 spike. Here are the numbers

Capital Press
Western Innovator: Bigwig’s visit inspires a farm boy’s long career in ag policy

Columbian
10 years in, here’s what to know about WA charter schools
Extended foster care for young adults up to 21 set to expand in WA (Wilson)
Amazon reports ‘measurable progress’ on worker safety; critics object
Widow: ‘I lost my partner, my best friend and then my home all at the same time
Rules that helped set real estate agent commissions are changing. Here’s what you need to know
Evicted into the cold: Disabled Vancouver woman, son find selves on street, told no help available

Everett Herald
County plans $35M redevelopment of Arlington maintenance yard
Orange Line, a rapid bus service to Lynnwood light rail, opens Saturday
Comment: ‘Right to repair’ fine for phones, not medical devices
Comment: Timber sales in county would destroy mature forests
Comment: Work of police reforms needs a year-round conversation (Peterson)
Comment: Better planning by PUD could have avoided rate increase
Editorial: State of city address makes case for Everett’s future

News Tribune
Albertsons joins Kroger in adding a huge benefit to customers
It was planned as a psychiatric hospital in Tacoma. So why is the land headed for sale?

Olympian
New study ranks states with the most affordable healthcare. Washington places in top five
New Thurston County manager responds to past controversy in interview with The Olympian

Peninsula Daily News
Port Angeles schools: State funding still short
Online learning keeps rising among state’s K-12 students

Puget Sound Business Journal
Sun Belt housing markets see high price-to-rent premiums
In a challenging year for startups, female-led ventures set a record
Amazon puts another $45 million toward Seattle-area affordable housing
737 Max safety crisis prompts Boeing CEO Calhoun, top Seattle exec to step down

Seattle Times
Legislature passes bills that may help King County’s budget crisis
How the drought hit WA’s farms, forests, fisheries and drinking water
As WA tackles PFAS pollution, some worry about ‘piecemeal’ approach (Lovelett)
Fentanyl crisis descends on jail in a small WA town short on treatment (Goodman)
Biden signs $1.2 trillion funding package after Senate’s early-morning passage ended shutdown threat
Editorial: As ferry system rebuilds, learn lessons of recent lapses
Opinion: Funding for WA schools is actually falling
Opinion: Seawalls offer a false sense of security as oceans rise
Opinion: Channeling old political spirits, Sen. Murray rains money on WA
Opinion: Rep. DelBene fights to prevent landslides and restore governance to House

Spokesman Review
Co-living residential housing is coming to Washington after Inslee signs bill into law (Gregerson)

Tri-City Herald
Inslee signs Strippers’ Bill of Rights today. When booze will hit WA clubs is uncertain (Saldaña, Trudeau)

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Lawmakers, candidates react to new WA district voting maps
Washington State Penitentiary inmate dies one week after assault

WA State Standard
Washington looks at new ways to clean up graffiti along state highways
‘Really troubling:’ Survey finds poor outcomes for students with disabilities after high school

Wenatchee World
Concerns voices at 1st hearing on Columbia Elementary closing

Yakima Herald-Republic
New voting map could mean new lawmakers in the Lower Yakima Valley
In basket: Yakima Valley Community Foundation board elects new officers
Yakima council reopens crime lab discussion, OKs funding for police equipment

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Teen crime rises sharply in Renton over one year period
Boeing CEO to step down after series of high-profile safety issues

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
FBI advises passengers onboard Alaska flight with doorplug blowout may be victims of criminal act
King County providing more business transparency to pet owners to make informed decisions about care

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Spring in western Washington could see above average temps, below normal rainfall
Boeing CEO to exit in management shakeup as manufacturing issues plague plane maker

KNKX Public Radio
Bird flu is decimating seal colonies. Scientists don’t know how to stop it

KUOW Public Radio
Week in Review: downtown Seattle, police, and landlines (Bateman)
Pickle-shaped sea creatures popping up along the NW coast, why it’s important
Put cops back in school and shut down the street, Garfield High parents say after another Seattle shooting

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane tourism buzzing from NCAA Tournament and other sports events
Mayor Brown proposes over $11 million investment in Spokane’s health and human services

Web

Crosscut
WA courts are meant to fine convicted sex buyers. Most don’t. (Orwall)

MyNorthwest
Pierce County Parks announces new scholarship program
Whatcom County agencies conduct major drug bust following dozens of overdoses

Friday, March 22

In shadow of scarred Oso hillside, mudslide’s wounds still feel fresh
A decade ago, on March 22, 2014, a piece of a hillside broke loose and tore through a quiet community in the Stillaguamish River valley. About 19 million tons of earth surged forward at the speed of a moving car. Eyewitnesses compared the thunderous roar to a plane crash. In about 60 seconds, the Steelhead Haven neighborhood was buried. This year, with the unveiling of a long-awaited memorial, the anniversary looms particularly large. Continue reading at The Everett Herald. (Olivia Vanni)

Another explosive year for gun bills in Washington Legislature
Democratic state lawmakers used this year’s legislative session to bolster Washington’s bonafides in reducing the threat of and harm from gun violence in communities. Three bills awaiting Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee’s signature will expand the list of places where open carrying of firearms is banned, penalize gun owners who fail to promptly report the theft of weapons and toughen security requirements for federally licensed firearms dealers. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Spencer Platt)

Homelessness, affordable-housing shortage in Seattle sparks ‘micro-apartments’ resurgence
Boarding houses that rented single rooms to low-income, blue-collar or temporary workers were prevalent across the U.S. in the early 1900s. Known as single room occupancy units, or SROs, they started to disappear in the postwar years amid urban renewal efforts and a focus on suburban single-family housing. Now the concept is reappearing — with the trendy name of “micro-apartment” and aimed at a much broader array of residents — as cities buffeted by surging homelessness struggle to make housing more affordable. Continue reading at KOMO News. (Manuel Valdes)

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Associated Press
Drug overdoses reach another record with almost 108,000 Americans in 2022, CDC says
House approves $1.2 trillion package of spending bills before shutdown deadline, Senate up next
New bipartisan bill would require online identification, labeling of AI-generated videos and audio

Aberdeen Daily World
City of Aberdeen hosts open house for North Aberdeen Bridge

Capital Press
Feds release final study on importing grizzlies into North Cascades

Columbian
Clark County to buy 125 acres along East Fork Lewis River as part of habitat restoration project
VSAA, Hudson’s Bay High School students walk out to protest Vancouver Public Schools budget cuts
Editorial: In Our View: Storm underscores high cost of climate change
Editorial: In Our View: Congress fails to do its job on annual budget

Everett Herald
Remembering the 43 lives lost in the Oso mudslide
‘It just all came down’: An oral history of the Oso mudslide
In shadow of scarred Oso hillside, mudslide’s wounds still feel fresh
How Oso slide changed local emergency response ‘on virtually every level’
Comment: Founders learned from their mistakes; let’s do the same
Comment: How to bridge political divides? Work toward a goal
Editorial: Mapping landslide risks honors those lost in Oso

Indian Country Today
Oil trains in the Gorge: Are we ready for a spill?

The Inlander
Spokane signs contract to continue using churches as homeless shelters through the end of August

News Tribune
Why would one of Tacoma’s largest elementary schools lose its vice principal to cuts?
Opinion: Lakewood needs more housing and apartments — but not where 390 new units are planned

Olympian
These 10 WA organizations got a piece of MacKenzie Scott’s $640 million donation spree

Puget Sound Business Journal
Downtown Seattle foot traffic trends up — albeit slowly

Renton Reporter
Future Renton, Tukwila transit centers get millions in federal funding

Seattle Times
Feds want grizzly bears back in the North Cascades
10 years after the Oso landslide, a new forest is rising
How to watch: Oso slide memorial opens with dedication ceremony
Seattle council pushes toward rollback of delivery driver minimum wage
FBI to Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 passengers: You may be a crime victim
Editorial: Face the promise and threat of technology in education
Opinion: Downtown Seattle has distinctive advantages, real challenges
Opinion: We’re not going to achieve a million new homes. Here’s what we can do

Spokesman Review
Thrive International teams with Spokane Public Library to create affordable housing

Washington Post
Democrats seize on a GOP budget proposal that would raise Social Security retirement age

WA State Standard
Another explosive year for gun bills in Washington Legislature (Dhingra)
Online learning keeps rising among Washington’s K-12 students
Inflation has turned Washington state’s property tax cap into a county budget-killer (Pedersen, Randall)

Wenatchee World
National Association of Realtors’ $418 million settlement could affect NCW real estate sales

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
‘Erased in schools’: Public schools in Washington required to teach LGBTQ history by 2025

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Oso 10 years later: The day the earth moved
Congressional Renters Caucus announces proposals to help renters with rising costs

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Inslee signs bill to combat graffiti in Washington with innovative pilot program
Gov. Inslee signs bill requiring schools to teach LGBTQ+ history starting in 2025 (Liias)
Homelessness, affordable-housing shortage in Seattle sparks ‘micro-apartments’ resurgence (Gregerson)

KUOW Public Radio
Biden cancels nearly $6 billion in student debt for public service workers
Why is Seattle’s rent so high? Justice Department investigates possible price fixing

KXLY (ABC)
Wilson Elementary faces backlash for insensitive language in weekly newsletter
A Cusick town clerk is accused of stealing more than $195,000 from public funds

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Feds identify preferred plan to reintroduce grizzly bears in North Cascades

Crosscut
Key takeaways from the 2024 WA legislative session
WA cherry growers eligible for loans after 2023 weather woes
WA, CA, Quebec move closer to creating a joint carbon market
Puget Sound transit and riders navigate post-pandemic commutes
WA Department of Health updates COVID-19, flu quarantine guidance

MyNorthwest
Affordable internet program may end for millions; these are other local options

Thursday, March 21

New laws aim to prevent youth opioid overdoses in Washington
New laws in Washington aim to combat rising fentanyl overdoses in Washington state, especially among young people. Public health officials say increased presence of the synthetic opioid fentanyl is driving a spike in overdose deaths across age groups. Measures that Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law this week will increase public education about fentanyl and other opioids and require more schools to stock overdose-reversal medications such as naloxone. Continue reading at Axios. (Maura Losch)

Following new state law, Vancouver will create rules to allow duplexes, fourplexes in any neighborhood
The city of Vancouver is moving toward implementing state-required rules that would permit duplexes, fourplexes and even some sixplexes in any neighborhood, even those zoned for single-family residences. House Bill 1110, which passed the state Legislature in 2023, aims to boost the state’s housing supply. The law doesn’t ban the construction of new single-family homes but overrides zoning laws that have kept areas exclusively for single-family homes. Continue reading at The Columbian. (Amanda Cowan)

‘Overturning historical trauma.’ Tulalip Tribes celebrates new laws supporting Native education in Washington schools
Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed into law 21 bills surrounding tribal resources and acknowledgements at the Tulalip Resort Casino on Tuesday, including two related to Native American education programs in K-12 schools. HB 1879 renames the state’s Since Time Immemorial curriculum on Native American history, culture, and government in honor of late Democratic state lawmaker and Tulalip Tribes member John McCoy (luliaš). McCoy sponsored a bill establishing the original curriculum, which was adopted in 2015 — a decade after McCoy first proposed legislation for the program. Continue reading at KUOW. (LSS)

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Associated Press
Washington Supreme Court: Bar exam will no longer be required to become attorney in state
Washington Gov. Inslee signs fentanyl bill sending money to disproportionately affected tribes (Leavitt)
Democratic senators push bill focusing on local detainment of immigrants linked to violent crime

Axios
New laws aim to prevent youth opioid overdoses in Washington

Bellingham Herald
Inslee signs bills to combat fentanyl and opioids and help Tribes in Washington state

Capital Press
USDA announces local meat capacity grants

Columbian
2024 Legislative Review: Southwest Washington lawmakers tout session’s successes (Cleveland, Stonier)
Following new state law, Vancouver will create rules to allow duplexes, fourplexes in any neighborhood
‘There was a miracle that happened there’: First graduates of downtown Vancouver Safe Stay celebrate milestone

Everett Herald
In Tulalip, Inslee signs bills to push back against opioid crisis
New memorial means ‘everything’ to survivors, 10 years after Oso slide
What geologists learned from Oso, and what they wish they knew in 2014
Editorial: Mapping landslide risks honors those lost in Oso

The Inlander
A new law requires all eggs sold in Washington to be cage-free — is it driving up egg prices?

News Tribune
Parts of Tacoma, Olympia susceptible to tsunamis. New regulations aim to make them safer

Olympian
Inslee signs bills to combat fentanyl and opioids and help Tribes in Washington state

Peninsula Daily News
More funds coming to Peninsula (Tharinger, Chapman, Van De Wege)

Puget Sound Business Journal
Graffiti-obliterating drones put to the test on state highways

Seattle Times
WA’s carbon market may partner with California and Quebec
What to know about WA’s law requiring LGBTQ+ history in public schools (Liias)
Opinion: One big reason the regional strategy on homelessness is struggling
Opinion: If we can come together to save salmon, so can you

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
RoseMary’s Place child care in Dayton to open April 1

Washington Post
Fed leaves interest rates steady as officials debate timing for cuts
Women dropping birth control amid misinformation on social media
Justice Dept. and states sue Apple, accusing tech giant of a smartphone monopoly

WA State Standard
WA cherry growers will be able to tap emergency loans after last year’s tough season
Care providers for developmentally disabled people come up short pushing for more pay

Wenatchee World
Governor signs ‘Walking Start to Running Start’ bill
NCW law enforcement officials react to police pursuit reversal
Link Transit board votes to maintain sales tax after overwhelming public support

Yakima Herald-Republic
State audit finds bookkeeper misappropriated funds from Yakima-area drainage districts

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Community members push for stronger renter protections in Tukwila
New report shows how drought impacted WA, helps agencies plan for future
Proposed supportive housing project drawing backlash from neighbors in Redmond
Parents protest outside Garfield High School calling for more safety, one week after shooting

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Neighbors of planned homeless housing project push back at Redmond City Council meeting
A burglary a week: 12th break-in at pot shop highlights ongoing criminal trend in Western Washington

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Parents rally at Garfield High School over gun violence concerns
Inslee signs bill to combat graffiti in Washington with innovative pilot program
Renton police chief sounds off on jump in juvenile crime after 15-year-olds arrested

KUOW Public Radio
10 years after Oso landslide, a new memorial is a gathering place for remembrance
Seattle Public Schools’ latest budget proposal: Tapping into reserves, changing school start times
‘Overturning historical trauma.’ Tulalip Tribes celebrates new laws supporting Native education in Washington schools (Lekanoff)

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Lummi Island Ferry fares to increase after decline in revenue, ridership
More than $55M paid to local governments from WA attorney general’s opioid cases

MyNorthwest
Washington unemployment rate rises for 5th month in a row

Wednesday, March 20

In Tulalip, Inslee signs bills to push back against opioid crisis
Drums and applause filled the Tulalip Resort Casino on Tuesday, as hundreds celebrated new strides in addressing the opioid crisis. Away from the walls of the governor’s conference room Tuesday, tribal members and lawmakers witnessed Gov. Jay Inslee sign into law a fleet of bills to help prevent drug overdoses, fortify behavioral health services for tribes and honor a Tulalip leader. Inslee also signed legislation making it mandatory for public schools and higher education institutions to incorporate overdose prevention education in their teachings. Continue reading at Everett Herald. (Ryan Berry)

New Washington law stiffens penalties on animal cruelty
A bill that imposes tougher criminal penalties for animal cruelty convictions was signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee last week and takes effect on June 6. The new law elevates the punishment for first-degree animal cruelty — which is already a class C felony — by reclassifying it as a crime that is ranked level III on the seriousness scale .Supporters say House Bill 1961, which overwhelmingly passed both chambers earlier this year, adds uniformity to sentencing by elevating the crime to a ranked, as opposed to unranked, felony. Continue reading at Axios. (Pasado’s Safe Haven)

Gov. Inslee signs bill expanding death benefits for families of slain rideshare drivers
Gov. Jay Inslee signed legislation Tuesday that will expand death benefits for families of rideshare drivers who are killed while on the job. House Bill 2382 passed the state House and Senate in early March. Supporters of the new law hope it will fill a crucial gap in current benefits. Since 2020, there have been five rideshare drivers killed while on the job. Washington state is the first in the nation to offer expanded benefits. Continue reading at King 5.

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Associated Press
EPA issues new auto rules aimed at cutting carbon emissions, boosting electric vehicles and hybrids

Aberdeen Daily World
Health center for students, staff opens at North Beach Jr/Sr High

Axios
New Washington law stiffens penalties on animal cruelty

Bellingham Herald
Child care grants adding nearly 30 spaces in Bellingham preschools

Columbian
January storm cost Clark Public Utilities about $26 million
Fort Vancouver students walk out of class to protest district staff reductions
Vancouver man sentenced for selling low-quality body armor to law enforcement, military
Ridgefield, Woodland business co-owner pleads guilty to tampering with federally regulated pollution devices

The Daily News
Sunrise Village’s affordable housing project breaks ground in Longview

Everett Herald
In Tulalip, Inslee signs bills to push back against opioid crisis

High Country News
Washington’s controversial cap-and-trade program, explained. Really.

Port Townsend Leader
Building toward the future: Students in Chimacum learn practical trade skills

Seattle Medium
Grow America To Empower Local BIPOC Businesses
Seattle Mayor Addresses Concerns About City’s Violence And Safety
Seattle Launches Innovative Business Community Ownership Fund With JPMorgan Chase And Grow America To Empower Local BIPOC Businesses

Seattle Times
WA drops 5-day COVID isolation rule
WA cherry growers get federal help after extreme heat hurt crops
Editorial: Gov. Inslee should veto legislation that keeps Seattle from regulating strip clubs (Saldaña, Pedersen)
Opinion: Human genetics research is critical to Seattle-area economy

Skagit Valley Herald
Anacortes bans new short-term rentals in four city zones

Spokesman Review
Inslee signs a bundle of bills advocating for Washington tribes and fighting opioid epidemic
Washington cherry growers to get federal loans after USDA declares 2023 harvest a disaster
Washington Department of Health’s Dr. Bob Lutz, former county health officer, speaks about Spokane opioid crisis, resigns days later

Washington Post
Biden seeks to accelerate the EV transition in biggest climate move yet
U.S. abortions reach recent high, with record number done via medication

WA State Standard
Inslee signs bills fighting opioid epidemic
How police reform efforts in the Legislature faltered this year (Trudeau, Goodman)
Washington hikes initiative filing fee for first time in over a century

Wenatchee World
New high temps set Sunday in NCW
NCW’s early snowpack predictions show lower than normal water for 2024

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima seeks four people to serve on Planning Commission
Lower Valley hospital district supporters gear up for a second try this fall

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Billionaire MacKenzie Scott donates $640M to 361 small nonprofits
City of Seattle funding fewer new affordable housing projects this year
Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer announces he won’t run in 2024 election
Proposed supportive housing project drawing backlash from neighbors in Redmond
Gov. Inslee signs bill expanding death benefits for families of slain rideshare drivers (Berry)
‘Your heart just sinks’: Family of single mother of four killed in Central District looks for answers

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Truck crashes into Georgetown cannabis shop in apparent smash and grab burglary
Class action lawsuit filed against Amazon claiming $2.99 fee for ad-free Prime violates law

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
10 years after deadly Oso landslide, climate change is increasing the danger
Gov. Inslee signs new laws addressing opioid crisis on tribal lands, in schools
Washington State drops bar exam requirement to reduce ‘barriers’ and inequities
King County councilman advocates for transparent juvenile sexual assault case data

KUOW Public Radio
In a boost for EVs, EPA finalizes strict new limits on tailpipe emissions
Last season was harsh on Washington cherry growers. The USDA is offering help
Booming: Seattle’s 15-minute makeover, TikTokers fear ban, what’s missing from your neighborhood

KXLY (ABC)
Whitman County neighbors upset about proposed wind farm

Web

Crosscut
A decade after the Oso landslide, WA works to improve preparedness

InvestigateWest
New WA Legislation Prioritizes Human Trafficking Prosecutions And Support For Child Victims (Dhingra, Orwall)

Route Fifty
Longtime state senator announces plans to retire (Keiser)

Tuesday, March 19

Inslee signs bill requiring schools to include LGBTQ history, perspective in teachings
Public schools in Washington will be required to update curriculum to include LGBTQ histories and perspectives under a new law signed by Gov. Jay Inslee on Monday. Senate Bill 5462 requires the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to incorporate “the concepts of diversity, equity and inclusion” in new or revised learning standards. The law requires OSPI to post a revision of learning standards on their website by September 2025, and requires schools to amend and conform with the model policies by October 2025. Continue reading at The Olympian. (The Olympian)

Inslee signs bill creating criminal penalties for distribution of AI fabricated intimate images
Gov. Jay Inslee signed that bill into law on Thursday…proposing criminal penalties for distributing digitally altered sexually explicit images or videos featuring identifiable minors. Deepfake technology, a way to digitally alter photos or videos to appear real, first appeared in late 2017. Sensity AI, a research company that has tracked online deepfake videos since 2019, found that between 90% and 95% of those videos online are pornographic, with the majority depicting women. Rep. Tina Orwall, D-Des Moines, has been working to strengthen protections against intimate images since 2019, though it wasn’t until this year that she proposed the idea of expanding restrictions against fabricated images. Continue reading at Spokesman review. (LSS)

Extended foster care for young adults up to 21 set to expand in WA
Extended foster care is a voluntary program in Washington available to certain foster care youth ages 18-21 who are no longer eligible for the usual foster care program. The program is aimed at making sure young people in foster care have the skills to enter independent adulthood. Currently, foster care youth about to age out of the system must meet certain federal requirements to qualify. Washington lawmakers want to lower the barriers to accessing extended foster care by removing those federal requirements. Senate Bill 5908, which does that, passed both legislative chambers. It is now awaiting Gov. Jay Inslee’s signature to become law. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Daniel Lugo)