Rep. Gloria Mendoza gives Republican response speech at start of legislative session; Ferguson’s conservative-sounding inaugural

Rep. Gloria Mendoza gives Republican response speech at start of legislative session

Yakima Herald-Republic — New Rep. Gloria Mendoza of Grandview wasted no time getting to work in Olympia this week, delivering the Republican response to Gov. Bob Ferguson’s inaugural speech on Wednesday. It was an opportunity for the freshman representative and former Grandview mayor to introduce herself to the Legislature, which convened for its 105-day session on Monday. $

Ferguson’s conservative-sounding inaugural

The Washington Observer — Gov. Bob Ferguson’s inaugural address was far more interesting than we expected, which is why we’re in your inbox with the special edition on a Thursday morning. The most interesting part of it was how Republican it sounded. Ferguson, whose distinctly Democratic political brand is firmly rooted in fervent progressive opposition to the first Trump Administration, opened with a quotation from the inaugural address of Washington’s first governor, Republican Elisha P. Ferry. And he closed with an excerpt from the 1965 inaugural of three-term Gov. Dan Evans, a moderate GOP icon. $

BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR

• Washington state ranks as unfairly expensive to live in (KPQ Radio)

CHILD CARE

• WA lawmakers consider axing child care licensing fees (The Seattle Times) $
• Proposed bill aims to make childcare more accessible in Washington (KHQ TV)

CORRECTIONS & JAILS

• Green Hill whistleblower warns the inmates could ‘take over the facility’ (The Center Square)
• Handcuffs used in brutal assault during juvenile detention escape attempt in Chehalis (KIRO TV)
• Tacoma prison must pay $23M for violating minimum wage, court says (The Seattle Times) $

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY

• Washington hate crime bill advances through House committee (The Center Square)
• FBI releases new details on metal compounds used to spark Pacific Northwest ballot box fires (FOX 13)
• New Pierce County sheriff puts emphasis on drug trafficking (MyNorthwest)
• Everett police ‘working tirelessly’ to find suspect who stabbed 13-year-old (FOX 13)

CYBERSECURITY

• Biden executive order aims to shore up US cyber defenses (AP)

DRUG CRISIS

• Kelso allows students to carry overdose reversal medication (Axios – Seattle)

EDUCATION

• Reykdal says Washington risks lawsuit if school funding isn’t hiked (Washington State Standard)
• ‘Let’s stop the blame game,’ Reykdal says in WA State of Education speech (FOX 13)
• In era of budget cuts, Washington schools chief calls for more ed funding (KUOW Radio)
• How Washington’s education department is gearing up for the new Trump administration (The News Tribune) $
• Gov. Ferguson pushes for free meals for all Washington K-12 students (KOMO TV)
• Rude introduces financial education bill (KWHT/KTEL/KWVN – Elkhorn Media)
• Richland asks WA state for ‘emergency’ $13.5M advance to cover school district bills (Tri-City Herald) $

ENERGY & UTILITIES

• On way out, Inslee offers $15 million to help Danish firm’s energy project (Capital Press) $

ENVIRONMENT

• New WA lands commissioner orders pause on logging sales for some older forests (Washington State Standard)
• Snohomish County delays decision on changes to habitat ordinance (The Everett Herald) $

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT & THE WHITE HOUSE

• How a second Trump presidency could impact Washington state (KING TV)
• Biden seeks last-minute moves that could be hard for Trump to undo (The Washington Post/The Seattle Times) $

FISH

• WA state releases tentative smelt dipping days ahead of 1st season with license requirement (The Daily News) $
• OPINION: Washington’s struggle: How far-too-slow salmon recovery impacts Orcas like Tahlequah (Jordan Rash, freelance write, podcaster, outdoorsman, and conservation advocate in Tacoma/The News Tribune)

GUN RIGHTS

• More than a dozen Democratic AGs say they’ll defend gun regulations ahead of Trump’s 2nd term (AP)

HIGHER EDUCATION

• UW agrees to federal terms to address discrimination claims (The Seattle Times) $

HOMELESSNESS

• Finalized Thurston County homeless census counted more people in 2024. New census starts soon (The Olympian) $

HOUSING

• Trump nominee for housing chief calls for building ‘millions more homes’ (States Newsroom/Washington State Standard)
• Washington Legislature weighs limiting rent increases (Axios – Seattle)
• First major showdown of Washington legislative session: ‘rent stabilization’ (KVI Radio)
• Washington state House lawmakers again push cap on rent increases (The Spokesman-Review) $
• Washington cities expanding home-rental protections as efforts at state level have stalled (KNKX Radio/The Bellingham Herald) $

IMMIGRATION

• WA human rights groups call on elected officials to expand protections for immigrants (FOX 13)
• WA advocates sue ICE over release of detention center records (Cascade PBS)
• COLUMN: Should WA cooperate with Trump deportation plans? Poll shows voters are split (Gene Balk/The Seattle Times) $
• COLUMN: Democrats embrace sanctuary status as law gives illegal immigrants unemployment benefits (Jason Rantz/MyNorthwest)

INSURANCE

• California fires show states’ ‘last resort’ insurance plans could be overwhelmed (Stateline/Washington State Standard)

LAW ENFORCEMENT

• Seattle officer who fatally struck woman in crosswalk appeals firing (The Seattle Times) $

LEGISLATURE

• Republicans ready to work with Gov. Ferguson but skeptical of the Democrats’ support (The Center Square)
• Proposed legislation would toughen penalties for ‘chop shop’ operators (The Center Square)
• Lawmakers again trying to lower legal alcohol limit for drivers in Washington (Washington State Standard)
• Legislation introduced to ban flavored tobacco in Washington (KWHT/KTEL/KWVN – Elkhorn Media)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• King County to spend $107M to expand green spaces and enhance conservation (The Center Square)
• Regional dispatch network boots city of Spokane, citing ‘fundamental distrust’ (The Center Square)
• Yakima County facing two lawsuits over handling of public records involving county coroner (KAPP/KVEW)
• EDITORIAL: Don’t treat Pasco citizens like DOPEs. Bring them serious plans, not just acronyms (Tri-City Herald) $

OTHER STATES

• Oregon’s lawmakers get to work next week. Here are their stated priorities (The Oregonian) $
• Oregon lawmaker wants to expand emergency housing program for people navigating drug addiction (The Oregonian) $

SCHOOL SAFETY

• Stanwood student’s online threats under investigation from sheriff’s office (The Everett Herald) $

SOCIAL MEDIA

• U.S. Supreme Court upholds ban on TikTok unless it’s sold as deadline nears (States Newsroom/Washington State Standard)

SPORTS

• Unrivaled and Seattle stars reshape women’s basketball (Axios – Seattle)

STATE GOVERNMENT

• EDITORIAL: Gov. Bob Ferguson signals a return to common sense (The Seattle Times) $

TRANSPORTATION

• EDITORIAL: Cap over I-5 in Vancouver would bridge divisions (The Columbian) $

WILDLIFE

• Tiny burrowing owls ‘evicted’ to make room for Pasco water plant. What happened next (Tri-City Herald) $