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Wednesday, August 13

Washington state dead last in U.S. police staffing
Washington state ranks last in law enforcement staffing for the 15th year in a row, according to FBI data analyzed by the Washington Association of Sheriffs & Police Chiefs (WASPC). Why it matters: Low staffing levels stretch departments thin, impact officer safety, slow response times and, according to law enforcement leaders, create a cycle that pushes more officers out of the profession. Continue reading at Axios. (Brendan Lynch)

WSP continues investigation into SCSO sergeant’s death; reminds drivers of road safety rules
As Washington State Patrol continues to investigate the death of a Spokane County Sheriff Sergeant who was hit and killed on the highway, the agency is reminding everyone of the road rules meant to keep us all safe. On Saturday, 59-year-old SCSO Sergeant Kenneth Salas died after being struck by a motorcycle while helping move a hay bale off I-90 near Four Lakes. The Washington State Patrol is investigating the crash. WSP said state law requires drivers to move over one lane or reduce speed to 10 miles below the posted speed limit when emergency vehicles, construction crews or vehicles providing roadside assistance block a traffic lane. Continue reading at KIRO 7. (KIRO 7)

Advances in AI cameras help catch wildfires faster
Summer is slowly fading, but it’s still hot. Especially in North Idaho. “ Our fire danger today is very high,” said Kane Steinbruecker, the chief fire warden of the Clearwater-Potlatch Timber Protective Association. “We’re one step below extreme, so we’re still very much in fire season, and we want folks to understand that and to plan accordingly when they go to the woods.” The summer fire season in North Idaho is on track to be average, he said, not better or worse than normal. But firefighting is becoming a year-round activity. Continue reading at NWPB. (Lauren Paterson)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Feedback sought on forest biomass for use as energy
Port holds $200M T4 Terminal expansion show and tell

Axios
Washington state dead last in U.S. police staffing
Tariffs may drive Washington car insurance rates higher

Bellevue Reporter
Free Discover Passes for state parks available at your local library

Bellingham Herald
Bellingham landlords modifying policies under city’s new rental fees laws

Capital Press
USDA announces extra purchase of apples, other commodities
No silver bullet, but researcher developing lots of ammo against invasive fly SWD

Courier-Herald
Washington’s food banks are on the brink
Buckley cuts ribbons on new city hall, trailhead

The Daily News
Toxic trade-off: WA air polluters are top Cowlitz County employers
PeaceHealth: ‘Administrative oversight’ creates over decade of Longview back taxes

Everett Herald
Lynnwood establishes its first Youth Council
WSDOT to pause I-5 repairs in Everett due to weather
SnoCo apartment companies push back on AG lawsuit
Public comment opens for cleanup plan at Paine Field site
Community Transit plan shows expanded service, electric buses coming soon

Islands’ Weekly
Multiple cougar sightings on San Juan
State issues million-dollar penalties to two refineries for dangerous waste violations
2025 Comp Plan: Transportation, utilities, housing needs, capital facilities inventory and maps

Kitsap Sun
Officials ask for information on suspect behind recent Tracyton fires
NY-based ship company fined $32K due to oil discharge in Manchester
Farmers’ Almanac winter forecast for Washington state is in. See 2025-26 seasonal outlook
Letter: A busy day for WSF, but we keep paying more
Opinion: WA House adds to list of government transparency assaults

New York Times
With Deep N.I.H. Cuts, Research Into Health Disparities Falters

Puget Sound Business Journal
Fishermen’s Terminal to get facelift as port OKs initial funds
A class-action lawsuit is a warning shot on AI risks for businesses

Seattle Medium
King County Adopts Caseload Limits For Public Defenders

Seattle Times
How much do you have to make to afford Seattle ‘out of whack’ rents?
Editorial: Do the math: Cutting education for foster kids doesn’t add up

South Whidbey Record
Highway speed limit reducing near Langley
Company offering high-speed internet to the underserved

Tri-City Herald
Labor dispute halts road construction project in south Richland
8 lawsuits filed against Providence and Kadlec over doctor’s alleged abuse
Sunnyside city manager threatens to sue city, claiming councilwoman targeted him

Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
Kelp farm lease in default after equipment sinks

WA State Standard
Kratom faces rising scrutiny from states and the feds
Concealed carry licenses in Washington jump after approval of gun permit law
Plan to expand WA’s tugboat escort requirements for oil tankers stirs pushback
Venezuelan man sues Montana authorities after arrest, detention in Tacoma ICE facility

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Tacoma tests AI cameras to cut recycling mistakes
Northbound I-5 completely closed through downtown Seattle this weekend

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Seattle median home prices rise to highest level in 5 years
Bear Gulch wildfire spreads, firefighters looking forward to cooler, wetter weather
Study finds these Pierce County areas are typically hotter than other spots in western WA

KNKX Public Radio
Rep. Randall pursues legislation to reinstate DEI policies at national parks

KUOW Public Radio
WA community and technical colleges wrestle with financial uncertainty
Washington state Sen. John Braun to seek Marie Gluesenkamp Perez’s congressional seat

KXLY (ABC)
WSP continues investigation into SCSO sergeant’s death; reminds drivers of road safety rules
Central Valley School District launches new balanced calendar to improve student attendance and overall well-being
Spokane Regional Transportation Council seeking community feedback on new and existing projects
Strike halts work on North Spokane Corridor, other projects

NW Public Radio
New tiny home village opens in South Tacoma
Advances in AI cameras help catch wildfires faster

Web

MyNorthwest
Why your utility bill may be higher this year
WA gas prices rise by 5% year over year while nation’s prices fall by nearly 10%

The Urbanist
Shoreline Makes Good on Pledge to Stop Mandating Car Parking Citywide

Washington Observer
Rookie lawmakers in retrospect (Pedersen, Berg, Paul, Callan, Ramos, Berry, Simmons, Taylor, Mena)

West Seattle Blog
TRAFFIC CAMS, WEATHER, ROAD WORK, TRANSIT: Wednesday watch
ROAD WORK ALERT: SW Roxbury, 15th SW and 16th SW delays expected Wednesday night

Tuesday, August 12

Rentals under $1,000 are vanishing in Washington state
Washington state has less than half as many rental units under $1,000 as it did just over a decade ago — even after adjusting for inflation, Harvard researchers found. Why it matters: The data shows how housing costs are squeezing renters not only in Seattle, but around the state. By the numbers: In 2013, more than 346,000 units across Washington were priced between $600 and $999, per a report by Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. Continue reading at Axios. (Axios Visuals)

Public art agencies hope to repair or recover stolen bronze statues
The small bronze feet are all that remained of the Sadako and the Thousand Cranes statue at Peace Park in Seattle’s University District. They’re surrounded by large bushes of fragrant lavender on a recent Monday morning. Yellow, orange and blue paper cranes are scattered at the site. Jonathan Betz-Zall, a member of the Quaker Church, University Friends Meeting, said he’s at the site weekly. He and the church are helping with the effort to replace the statue. Continue reading at KNKX. (Freddy Monares)

Outdoor sporting groups appeal federal court ruling on gray wolf protections
A coalition of outdoor sporting groups intend to appeal the decision of a federal judge in Montana made last week that directed the federal government to reconsider whether gray wolves in the Rocky Mountains require additional protections under the Endangered Species Act. The Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation, Safari Club International and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation on Wednesday submitted their notice to appeal the decision of U.S. District Court Judge Donald Molloy of Montana to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Continue reading at The Washington State Standard. (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife)

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Axios
Rentals under $1,000 are vanishing in Washington state
Higher power costs hit Washington as data center demand looms
Trump admin claims Social Security, Medicare at risk if tariffs blocked

Bellingham Herald
Second fuel spill fouls Padden Creek during work to enhance fish passage
Salmon work paying off: Record chinook return expected in Whatcom Creek
Several WA counties’ STD rates among highest in US, study says. See full list
As rent climbs at Bellingham manufactured home park, many there feeling trapped

Capital Press
Nuclear project eyed for part of former Lava Ridge wind site
Justice Department warns if tariffs fall, catastrophe will follow
Costs soars as Grant County PUD moves to take farmland for transmission line

Columbian
‘Battle Ground needs development like this’: Company proposes mixed-use campus north of Battle Ground Village

Everett Herald
Community Transit plan shows expanded service, electric buses coming soon
No crew required: Christening held for autonomous ship prototype in Everett
Comment: DOJ’s push for voter data is a fishing expedition

Federal Way Mirror
FW Chamber CEO: “We are a community with an entrepreneurial mindset”

Journal of the San Juan Islands
New fares for Washington State Ferries approved
Lost and found! The hidden wealth of island orchards
Sheriff’s Office reviews 2024 crime statistics at Council meeting

Kitsap Sun
Potentially toxic algae bloom closes Kitsap Lake in Bremerton
Downtown Bremerton’s Quincy Square closing to cars on weekends
Violence down, drug offenses up in Kitsap, according to 2024 crime report
The next endurance challenge for Bainbridge runner? Two months along the Mississippi (Nance)

Mercer Island Reporter
A Mercer Island teacher was accused twice of sexual misconduct with students. The school district kept it quiet.

News Tribune
What is the Home Rule Act? Trump just invoked it to ‘rescue’ Washington, DC
Tacoma 1-705 spur ramps to get revamped. Here’s what road closures look like
She received her cancer diagnosis during a council meeting. Here is her update

Puget Sound Business Journal
States rethink energy goals amid data-center boom

Seattle Times
Why Pierce County wants its own regional homelessness agency
Analysis: Richest gain most, poorest face steepest cuts under GOP law
Editorial: More uses for savings plans post-high school are big, beautiful indeed

Spokesman Review
Evacuation notice lifted for small fire in Riverside State Park
Washington’s new Youth crisis hotline used 161 times in first year (Callan)

Tri-City Herald
Deputies report ‘wild’ night of rattlesnakes, scorpions and chases near Tri-Cities

WA State Standard
US Coast Guard adds icebreaker to fleet for first time in 25 years
Outdoor sporting groups appeal federal court ruling on gray wolf protections
Trump mobilizes D.C. National Guard, pledges similar crackdown in Democratic cities

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
UW scientists, students rally against proposed federal research funding cuts
Scientists document alarming acceleration in glacier loss at Washington national park
Washington gun store files petition with Supreme Court over high-capacity magazine ban
‘Carry on our story’ | A Washington woman recalls her time in Idaho incarceration camp

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
NWS Data: Seattle is seeing more days above 90°
Seaweed-infused cement could cut concrete’s carbon footprint
Public defender caseload limits may cost Thurston County millions
WA AG sues Trump administration for over $9M in climate change funding cuts
Tacoma installs ‘no parking’ signs along Marine View Drive to prevent homeless encampments

KNKX Public Radio
Public art agencies hope to repair or recover stolen bronze statues

KUOW Public Radio
What the “One Big Beautiful Bill” means for WA energy prices
Washington state sues Trump administration for withholding funding to combat climate change

KXLY (ABC)
Mead School District teachers rally for contract negotiations as school year approaches
Central Valley School board could vote Monday night to sue state over gender policy, other new rules
“Willing to do anything for anybody”: Community honors Spokane County Sheriff Sergeant’s life of service

Web

Cascade PBS
WA families struggle to rebuild after utility-sparked wildfires

InvestigateWest
A beloved Mercer Island teacher was accused twice of sexual misconduct with students. The school district kept it quiet.

MyNorthwest
WA AG sues Trump administration for over $9M in climate change funding cuts

West Seattle Blog
TRAFFIC CAMS, WEATHER, ROAD WORK, TRANSIT: Tuesday info

Monday, August 11

WA homeless patients have a lot to lose under Trump’s Medicaid changes
For years, NeChole lived with the kind of pain that would stop her in her tracks. Lightning bolts would shoot down her leg, so painful it would bring her to her knees. She’s fallen many times because of it. Eventually she told her employer she couldn’t keep working until she could undergo surgery to fix the degenerative discs in her back causing this chaos. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Kevin Clark)

WA gun shop asks US Supreme Court to review high-capacity magazine ban
A Washington gun shop is taking its case against the state’s ban on the sale of high-capacity ammunition magazines to the U.S. Supreme Court. Gator’s Custom Guns in Kelso filed a petition this week, asking the high court to review the state Supreme Court’s decision in May upholding the controversial law. Supporters of the restriction see it as an important step for quelling gun violence. Walter Wentz, the Cowlitz County store’s owner, said Friday he hopes to convince the Supreme Court justices to “do their job and not accept all these lower courts waving their finger at them.” Continue reading at The Washington State Standard. (Alex Wong)

Immigrants urge Washington to address detentions, housing for asylum seekers
More than a dozen immigrants and advocates met with Washington state Gov. Bob Ferguson’s policy advisers last week in Olympia. They are asking the state government to address immigrant detentions and housing issues affecting asylum seekers in the region. The group is asking for a state of emergency to be declared, to protect migrants from evictions and rent hikes. Continue reading at NWPB. (International Immigration Alliance)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Rep. Randall visits NeighborWorks in Aberdeen

Axios
Checking out the new Pier 58 on Seattle’s waterfront

Bainbridge Island Review
UW physician named interim KPHD health officer

Bellingham Herald
How is Whatcom County’s homeless situation? Report details success, failure
Crime is down in Washington state and Thurston County, according to new data

Capital Press
Key WSU weed research team to depart

The Daily News
Longview council to vote on $2.99 trash increase Tuesday
Cowlitz County commissioners debate accepting $11M state homelessness grant

Everett Herald
5 takeaways from Tuesday’s primary election
Mountlake Terrace public express ongoing ire with future Flock system
In Snohomish County, pedestrian fatalities continue a troublesome trend
Comment: Stopping the ‘100 deadliest days’ for teen drivers
Editorial: Auditor’s Office tools provide view into government
Comment: Cities know what they need to do; they need funding
Comment: Efforts in this Washington offer hope for civic health

Federal Way Mirror
Free back-to-school resources in Federal Way
How the Federal Way Police Department handles overtime
Safe Return program protects the vulnerable in Federal Way

Islands’ Weekly
In review: County’s Marine Transport Services Pilot Project

Journal of the San Juan Islands
San Juan County celebrates Plastic Free July
Island Air: Lifeline in the sky for San Juan Islands
Opinion: San Juan Island Fire Rescue: Community report | Part 2 of 2: Looking ahead — A strategic vision for the future

Kent Reporter
Kent community meeting to discuss police hiring practices
Tolling coming this fall to new SR 509 Expressway near Kent

Kitsap Sun
When does school start? See district calendars for Kitsap, Mason counties
Bainbridge Islander farmer partnering with school to pass agriculture on to kids

Mercer Island Reporter
Hagey will discuss the state economy at Aug. 19 Rotary meeting

News Tribune
Destructive beetles multiplying rapidly in Tri-Cities. Why you should care
Updates on Pierce County transportation projects impacting drivers this summer
Barriers meant to deter homeless drew complaints. Here’s what Tacoma plans now

Peninsula Daily News
Peninsula food banks bracing for SNAP cuts

Puget Sound Business Journal
EvergreenHealth Monroe poised for expansion after $24.6M deal
How the new federal tax law changes wealth-management options
Comment: Seattle can’t afford to tax away its future

Renton Reporter
Renton road closures the week of Aug. 11

Seattle Medium
Seattle Innovates To Enhance Emergency Response For Robotaxis
Mortgage Rates Fall To 10‑month Low, Offering Relief For Seattle Buyers
Democrats Eye Redistricting Strategies For 2026 Amid Challenges In Washington

Seattle Times
WA launches certification for LGBTQ+-owned businesses
Seattle is seeing fewer homicides, catching up with national trend
Why Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ likely to raise WA energy costs
How rare are young, married homeowners in King County these days?
WA homeless patients have a lot to lose under Trump’s Medicaid changes
WA state employee stopped at Canada border, held by ICE in Texas, union says
Trump’s big bill is powering his mass deportations. Congress is starting to ask questions
Opinion: WA House adds to list of assaults on government transparency
Editorial: Trump order on homelessness has pitfalls for WA, but opportunity, too

South Whidbey Record
Resident population of porpoises identified
Larsen visits Whidbey to talk about funding cuts
Oak Harbor Council adopts B and O tax to fund marina repairs

Spokesman Review
Eastern Washington University looks to address state, federal funding cuts
Getting There: Spokane’s ‘Complete Streets’ law updated to require more bike and pedestrian infrastructure
Opinion: Spin Control: Why Washington won’t be in the gerrymandering sweepstakes

Tri-City Herald
Trump might hasten marijuana reclassification
80 years after atomic bombing. Nagasaki and Tri-Cities forever linked
Construction to close Richland intersection for 3 weeks. When and where
Destructive beetles multiplying rapidly in Tri-Cities. Why you should care
How Pasco sewage sludge gets recycled to fuel Benton County wheat farms
Is ‘sit-lie’ zone near Kennewick WinCo working? What the crime numbers show
Editorial: With Hanford Reach at risk again, is national park status the answer?
Comment: Direct primary care provides medical treatment the old-fashioned way

Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
Shellfishing closure extended to all of Vashon beaches
County buys third easement protecting Camp Sealth from development

WA State Standard
WA gun shop asks US Supreme Court to review high-capacity magazine ban
Eastern Washington’s rapidly declining groundwater highlighted in new study
WA School for the Blind superintendent resigns, citing harassment and threats
Microschools are growing in popularity, but state regulations haven’t caught up
Farmworkers’ union fights to curb migrant H-2A visa expansion in Whatcom, Skagit

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Imports plunge at Seattle, Tacoma ports as tariffs take toll
Washington state employee and 6-year-old son detained by ICE

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Man killed in shooting with Bellevue police officers
Shipping company fined for 199-gallon Puget Sound oil spill
State-wide drought causes farmers to worry about crops, livestock
Washington sues NOAA, Commerce over termination of $9M in climate resilience funds
What to know about how Trump’s judicial picks could reshape abortion rights for decades
Trial to start on whether deployment of National Guard to Los Angeles violated federal law
Tacoma council sends minimum wage initiative to voters, but misses deadline for November election
CDC shooter blamed COVID vaccine for depression; union demands statement against misinformation

KXLY (ABC)
Two SPS elementary schools nationally recognized for focus on health and wellness
Spokane County Sheriff’s Office sergeant dies following crash on I-90 Saturday morning
New and returning students beginning moving into Washington State University dorms for fall semester
“It’s a tough day”: Community continues mourning Spokane County Sheriff’s Sergeant killed in line of duty
Sergeant who died in the line of duty Saturday morning had plans to retire next month, says Spokane County Sheriff

NW Public Radio
Immigrants urge Washington to address detentions, housing for asylum seekers
How NASA satellites help researchers better understand NW river temperatures
Inmigrantes piden abordar detenciones y problemas de vivienda para solicitantes de asilo

Web

Cascade PBS
WA budget eliminates funding for adult family home activities

The Urbanist
Stoked for ‘Hot Bike Summer’? Thank a Former Mayor and Council
Op-Ed: Creating a City for Our Kids

Washington Observer
Democracy vouchers redux

West Seattle Blog
TRAFFIC CAMS, WEATHER, ROAD WORK, TRANSIT: Monday info
WEEK AHEAD: City’s traveling public-safety forum comes to West Seattle on Thursday

Friday, August 8

Trump’s new tariffs go into effect as US economy shows signs of strain
President Donald Trump began imposing higher import taxes on dozens of countries Thursday just as the economic fallout of his monthslong tariff threats has begun to cause visible damage to the U.S. economy. Just after midnight, goods from more than 60 countries and the European Union became subject to tariff rates of 10% or higher. Products from the EU, Japan and South Korea are taxed at 15%, while imports from Taiwan, Vietnam and Bangladesh are taxed at 20%. Trump also expects the EU, Japan and South Korea to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in the United States. Continue reading at King 5. (AP)

WA fines oil refineries millions for acid, wastewater violations
Two northwest Washington refineries are again in trouble with regulators. After receiving warnings from the state for nearly a year, the HF Sinclair and Tesoro refineries near Anacortes face million-dollar fines for failing to clean up thousands of gallons of dangerous and corrosive liquids. These are the latest in a long list of violations, including for toxic emissions, oil spills and safety lapses, at the refineries, heightening concerns for those who live in the area. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (AP)

“Big Beautiful Bill” Restricts Safety Net Programs, Spells Trouble for Seattle’s Vulnerable
On July 4th, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed into law H.R. 1, a budget reconciliation bill that is also known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” H.R. 1 makes permanent most of the tax cuts from Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, including expanded tax deductions and estate tax reductions that primarily benefit the wealthy. It also increases the budget for border security, defense, and fossil fuel-based energy production, which will partially be paid for by restrictions to government-sponsored healthcare and nutrition programs, namely by imposing work requirements. Continue reading at International Examiner. (ICHS)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Hoquiam, Aberdeen levee projects not dead yet

Axios
Seattle tech braces for AI workforce shake-up
House Democrats prepare to go scorched earth on redistricting

Bainbridge Island Review
Kitsap Humane Society at capacity, urgently seeking fosters
BI to allow planners to assess Winslow for affordable, middle housing

Capital Press
As the wheat harvest progresses, prices are ‘stubbornly low’
Yakima River basin water rationing stays at 40% of full supply
Citing unreported disease concerns, Kotek vetoes cattle preg check bill
Oregon Supreme Court orders reconsideration of irrigation reservoir denial

Columbian
Clark County-based property company to pay $2,000 for violating WA rent-increase rules

Everett Herald
Everett proposes new civil penalties for graffiti violations
When Boeing expects to start production of 737 MAX 10 plane in Everett

Federal Way Mirror
Federal Way Community Calendar

International Examiner
“Big Beautiful Bill” Restricts Safety Net Programs, Spells Trouble for Seattle’s Vulnerable

Islands’ Weekly
Local Public Health Department offers back-to-school immunization clinics

Kent Reporter
Kent, Seattle police arrest Tacoma man for multiple crimes

Kitsap Sun
Health officials encourage childhood vaccinations ahead of back to school
2nd roundabout likely coming along Highway 3 in Gorst, at Division Avenue

Mercer Island Reporter
Islanders attend National Night Out community-building event

News Tribune
Nighttime I-5 lane closures in Pierce County may mean traffic delays
Pierce County prosecutor says lawyer’s efforts to represent sheriff are criminal
Affordable-housing sales tax helped create 680 units in two years. What’s next?

Puget Sound Business Journal
Microsoft makes largest land grab in a decade
Seattle officials propose easing permit rules for small businesses
How the new federal tax law changes wealth-management options

Renton Reporter
What’s going on around Renton?
District approves design development of Renton HS expansion

Seattle Times
WA fines oil refineries millions for acid, wastewater violations
Opinion: BPA plan puts progress on clean energy and salmon recovery at risk

Snoqualmie Valley Record
Snoqualmie Valley community calendar

Spokesman Review
Pasco mayor chosen as Eastern District U.S. Attorney
Eastern State Hospital warns of possible tuberculosis exposure
Washington slashes grants funding foster care programs amid budget deficit (Robinson)
As Hanford Reach turns 25, Murray says preservation more critical than ever

Tri-City Herald
Warning: Tri-Cities will feel pain of federal changes to health care
2 workers hurt in collapse at new $20M Benton REA headquarters
80 years after atomic bombing. Nagasaki and Tri-Cities forever linked
As Hanford Reach turns 25, Murray says preservation more critical than ever
New Costco will spark development of hundreds more acres of old Richland orchard

WA State Standard
Interior secretary announces end to Lava Ridge wind project in Idaho
‘It’s just so disgusting’: Judges in WA detail threats after Trump-related rulings
ICE has a new courthouse tactic: Get immigrants’ cases tossed, then arrest them outside

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima River basin reservoirs at lowest levels on record
Yakima City Council appoints six to voter guide committees on tax levy
Near-record apple crop predicted for Washington — if enough workers can pick it
Yakima Health District distributing free under-the-sink PFAS filters for East Selah homes

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Island County’s only overnight shelters at risk of closing
Wine sales slump hits Woodinville amid statewide decline
Trump’s new tariffs go into effect as US economy shows signs of strain

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
WA AG forces landlords to refund illegal rent hikes
Tacoma City Council to consider ‘Worker’s Bill of Rights’
Trump orders colleges to prove they don’t consider race in admissions
Lakewood to pay $420K to assistant police chief — if he retires by 2026
College endowment tax is leading to hiring freezes and could mean cuts in financial aid
Q&A: Can Trump hold a census in the middle of a decade and exclude immigrants in the US illegally?
US Air Force to deny retirement pay to transgender service members being separated from the service

KNKX Public Radio
‘A tool for weaponizing dissent’ Rep. Jayapal on denaturalization

KUOW Public Radio
Landlords fined for first time under WA’s new law capping rent increases (Peterson)
Parts of rural WA pinched by lapse in federal payments to offset lost logging revenue
Trans people in WA prisons say gender-affirming care lacks, despite court-backed improvement plan

KXLY (ABC)
Providence Inland Northwest laying off more than 60 people, closing multiple clinics

Web

Cascade PBS
Early primary results in nine Western WA legislative districts (Obras, Salahuddin, Zahn, Hunt, Ramos, Krishnadasen, Slatter, Walen, Thomas)

MyNorthwest
Washington State Ferry fares to increase starting Oct. 1
WA AG forces landlords to refund illegal rent hikes under new WA law (Peterson, Alvarado)

West Seattle Blog
TRAFFIC CAMS, WEATHER, ROAD WORK, TRANSIT: Friday + weekend info
ELECTION 2025: Third round of results. Here’s where the five races we’re watching stand

Thursday, August 7

Landlords fined for first time under WA’s new rent cap law
For the first time, Washington’s attorney general has enforced the state’s new cap on rent hikes, fining eight landlords $2,000 each for violating the law. House Bill 1217 took effect in early May. The landlords told tenants before that time about rent increases that would exceed the new maximums. But these increases were tied to leases that renewed after the law took effect, according to the attorney general’s office. For example, one rent increase for a tenant in Lakewood would have begun June 22. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ken Lambert)

Washington state braces for ‘Inevitable’ Megafire. Climate change may bring it sooner.
Western Washington is one of the wettest places in the country. In the North Cascade mountains and on the Olympic Peninsula, lush cedars, ferns and mosses form classic Pacific Northwest rainforests. But even here, climate change is making wildfires more likely. And the state is figuring out how to respond. “It used to be that it really wasn’t until mid-August that fuels dried out in Western Washington,” said Derek Churchill, a forest health scientist at the Washington Department of Natural Resources. “Now it’s July or earlier.” In fact, last month human activity started a wildfire in the Olympic national forest. As of Tuesday, it had grown to more than 5,100 acres and some campgrounds were under evacuation orders. Continue reading at New York Times. (Ruth Fremson)

Parts of rural WA pinched by lapse in federal payments to offset lost logging revenue
Washington’s rural counties and school districts are preparing to start the school year without millions of dollars from a program meant to offset reduced revenue from logging on federal lands. The Secure Rural Schools program expired at the end of 2023 after Congress failed to renew it. Democratic and Republican lawmakers, along with local officials, are pushing U.S. House leadership to bring a bill renewing the program to the floor. Continue reading at The Washington State Standard. (Washington State Department of Natural Resources)