AGRICULTURE & WATER
CAP-AND-TRADE PROGRAM
CENSUS
COMMUNITY & FAMILY ISSUES
- Over 100 protesters block Seattle’s University Bridge (MyNorthwest)
- ‘River to the sea’ effigy left outside Everett municipal building (The Everett Herald)
CONGRESS
- Big pay raise for troops in defense bill sent to Biden. Conservatives stymied on cultural issues (AP)
- Schumer delays holiday break, pressing for border deal to unlock Ukraine aid (The New York Times/The Seattle Times)
- Congressional inaction leaves Ukrainian and Afghan arrivals in WA without health benefits (Washington State Standard)
COURTS (STATE)
- Jury in Tacoma police trial sends out two questions during first day of deliberations (The News Tribune)
- Explainer: Charges in the historic trial of 3 Tacoma police officers (KING TV)
DAMS
- Stakeholders, lawmakers sound alarm over Snake River dam deal (Capital Press)
- ‘Historic’ Columbia River agreement called ‘roadmap’ to breaching Snake River dams (Tri-City Herald)
- NW states, tribes reach ‘historic’ deal with feds over Columbia River Basin fish and dams (Oregon Capital Chronicle/Washington State Standard)
- Conservationists, tribes say deal with Biden administration is a road map to breach Snake River dams (FOX 13)
- Columbia Snake River irrigators support LSR dam breaching agreement (Pacific Northwest Ag Network)
- OPINION: NW utilities take bold stand in response to secret Snake River dam negotiations (Sean V. O’Brien, executive director, Energy Forward Alliance, a clean energy non-profit organization based in the Tri-Cities, WA/Capital Press)
EDUCATION
- Seattle School Board approves plan to reduce $105 million deficit (The Seattle Times)
- Ingraham High School staff, students say it’s time to get rid of starting pistols at track meets (KING TV)
ENVIRONMENT
FISH
- Salmon, rivers hit hard by recent Washington floods (KUOW Radio)
- Feds earmark $1 billion for salmon recovery in the Pacific Northwest (AP/KING TV)
GUN RIGHTS
HANFORD
HIGHER EDUCATION
- Investigation launched into UW discrimination as growing list of colleges face same probe (KIRO TV)
- Here’s how local universities in the Inland northwest are addressing antisemitism and islamophobia (The Spokesman-Review)
- US Department of Education investigates claims of discrimination at Whitman College (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin)
- More than 1,000 Western Washington University student employees file to unionize (The Bellingham Herald)
- The fall of Penn’s president brings campus free speech to a crossroads (The New York Times/The Seattle Times)
HOMELESSNESS
- Homeless shelter in Seattle for Native people slated to close (The Seattle Times)
- Pierce County still has large homeless encampments, despite sheriff’s efforts. Here’s why (The News Tribune)
- Bremerton’s plan for a new homeless shelter will wait until January after pushback (Kitsap Sun)
- EDITORIAL: Support bold new WA effort to divert foster youth from homelessness (The Seattle Times)
HOUSING
- Some housing policy news from Re-Wire (The Washington Observer)
- Higher interest rates free up housing, make financing difficult (Columbia Basin Herald)
- Rent prices show biggest decline in more than 3 years, Redfin report says (FOX 13)
- Missed grant means housing disruption, possible homelessness for some Tacoma residents (The News Tribune)
- Clark County could see 1,000s more apartments in 2024 as developments in Vancouver, Camas, Washougal take shape (The Columbian)
- Vancouver sets public hearing on short-term rentals, most of which are technically illegal in city (The Columbian)
INVASIVE SPECIES
LAW ENFORCEMENT
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
- Seattle’s new building emissions standard to cost city $35M to meet requirements (The Center Square)
- Tacoma City Council approves updates to street tree code that dates back nearly 100 years (The News Tribune)
- Everett council weighs minimum sentences for repeat offenders (The Everett Herald)
- Kenmore rejects housing plan after switch from formerly homeless, vets to homeless (The Center Square)
MENTAL HEALTH
OPERATING BUDGET
OTHER STATES
- Oregon’s massive kicker is spurring a fresh look at the state’s unique tax rebate law (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
- Oregon’s top court hears arguments in suit filed by GOP senators seeking reelection after boycott (AP)
SCHOOL SAFETY
- Tacoma parents call for accountability after district investigation shows instances of abuse to their son (KING TV)
- Classes canceled at 3 Renton schools after 2 threats within 24 hours (KIRO TV)
STATE GOVERNMENT
TRANSPORTATION
- Ballooning costs may delay road projects in Washington state (Axios – Seattle)
- Washington Department of Transportation–$500M needed to fix highway rest stops (KIT Radio)
- Are cameras tracking your vehicle? If you live in Pierce County, it is quite possible (The News Tribune)
- Clark County Council, area’s state legislators agree third bridge needed over Columbia River (The Columbian)
- Tri-Cities blue bridge to get $33.5M year-long makeover. Get ready for traffic headaches (Tri-City Herald)
- WA ferries fare system restored, after outage brought hours of delays (The Seattle Times)
- ‘Great value’: Air National Guard cedes airport parcels to Paine Field (The Everett Herald)
WILDFIRE PREVENTION & RESPONSE
WILDLIFE