State lawmakers and advocates push for Amber Alert reform after Chelan County tragedy; Washington’s climate pollution data slow to see light of day, despite new law

State lawmakers and advocates push for Amber Alert reform after Chelan County tragedy

KOMO TV — Rep. Brian Burnett, R-Wenatchee, is a former sheriff in Chelan County, is another state lawmaker looking to see what may need to change. “We’re not here to make any rash judgments, but we want to look at the system and an ongoing evaluation and look at what we can do to make things safer,” Burnett said. “We’re going to look for the missing components. We’re going to say, ‘What can we do to add better layers.’” Part of that effort may involve pushing for reforms at the family court level, and specifically looking at whether more barriers should be in place for unsupervised custodial visits when mental health issues or other concerns are present.

Washington’s climate pollution data slow to see light of day, despite new law

KUOW Radio — In Washington state, it is hard to know how well climate solutions are working. The state takes up to four years to disclose whether it is keeping its promise—and legal mandate—to slash its climate-damaging pollution. The Washington Department of Ecology revealed statewide carbon dioxide emissions for 2020 and 2021 in January 2025, two years after its legal deadline … The state’s next greenhouse gas inventory is scheduled to be published by Dec. 1, 2026, to cover data from 2022 and 2023. Legislators have dedicated more funding and passed legislation to accelerate the state’s pollution tracking, while conservative activists have sued the state over its tardy transparency. Even so, better visibility into the state’s stubborn carbon problem is still years away.

AGRICULTURE

• Washington cherries are ripe for picking. But are there enough farm workers? (Tri-City Herald) $
• Commercial bee colony collapse threatens Washington apple, berry agriculture (Washington State Standard)
• Closure of Del Monte in Yakima leaves pear growers in a tough position (Yakima Herald-Republic) $

BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR

• COLUMN: Downtown Seattle shows significant comeback, but progress is fragile (Jon Talton/The Seattle Times) $
• EDITORIAL: WA leaders must find strategy to counter tariff consequences (The Seattle Times) $

CAPITAL BUDGET

• Wenatchee Valley College breaks ground on $50M center for technical education (The Wenatchee World) $

CHILD CARE

• Legislation makes opening a child care a little easier in WA (Murrow News/The Columbian) $

CONGRESS

• Republicans in Congress urge Trump to target criminals, not farmworkers, as ICE arrests increase (The Spokesman-Review) $
• Rep. Newhouse backs Trump on decision to keep Lower Snake River dams (KHQ TV)
• With Baumgartner in audience, Trump signs bill blocking Washington’s electric vehicle mandate; state sues in response (The Spokesman-Review) $
• Gluesenkamp Perez helps introduce bipartisan legislation to study impact of PFAS and microplastics on biosolids in farming (The Chronicle)
• OPINION: It’s vital to WA that Congress reassert control over trade (U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse and Edmund O. Schweitzer III, founder and president of Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories/The Seattle Times) $

CORRECTIONS & JAILS

• Inmate suspected of arson after license plate machine destroyed at Walla Walla prison (KIRO TV)
• OPINION: Response to Green Hill safety issues sunk by majority’s offender-friendly leanings (Sen. John Braun/The Reflector)

COURTS (FEDERAL)

• What’s left for the Supreme Court to decide? 21 cases, including state bans on transgender care (AP)
• Tumwater school board president sues WA OSPI for firing her after controversial vote (The Olympian) $

COURTS (STATE)

• Advocates push for child safety reforms following Decker sister deaths (KING TV)
• Travis Decker search: WA lawmakers, advocates demand family court reforms (The Seattle Times) $
• WA natural gas initiative may go to state Supreme Court (The Seattle Times) $
• A murder suspect’s race motivated King County prosecutor, judge finds (The Seattle Times) $
• OPINION: Without an independent judiciary, our rights are compromised (Ketu Shah, presiding judge, King County Superior Court/Snoqualmie Valley Record)

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY

• WA deputies urge vigilance as Travis Decker search continues in Kittitas County (FOX 13)

EDUCATION

• Proposed federal cuts ‘horrific,’ says Washington’s schools chief (The Seattle Times) $
• A West Valley High School Spanish teacher lost his job after he read aloud the ‘N-word’ from “To Kill a Mockingbird’ (The Spokesman-Review) $
• Should boys start kindergarten a year later than girls? (The New York Times/The Seattle Times) $
• OPINION: Critical decisions ahead for public schools — Add your voice (Nikki Otero Lockwood, president of the board of directors Spokane Public Schools/The Spokesman-Review) $
• EDITORIAL: SNAP-Ed shouldn’t be a target for federal funding cuts (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin) $

ENERGY & UTILITIES

• Northwest Reports outlines WA’s struggle to go green (Cascade PBS)

FISH

• Tulalip Tribes and DNR team up on salmon restoration project along the Pilchuck River (The Everett Herald) $

GUN RIGHTS

• How Washington state’s new gun permit law will work (Axios – Seattle)

HEALTH CARE & HOSPITALS

• WA health officials warn of whooping cough spike tied to lower vaccination rates (KIRO TV)
• OPINION: Little-known committee plays big role in primary care crisis (Kumhee Ro, on the faculty at Seattle University and a nurse practitioner at ICHS/The Seattle Times) $

HIGHER EDUCATION

• Peninsula College pivoting to meet deficit (Peninsula Daily News) $

HOMELESSNESS

• National group hired to help fix Seattle’s disjointed response to homelessness (Puget Sound Business Journal) $
• ‘Move along’: Businesses ask to make it easier to remove loitering homeless downtown, want more police resources (The Spokesman-Review) $
• Tacoma reports more than 300 fire calls related to homelessness over past year (The News Tribune) $
• EDITORIAL: Tacoma and Pierce County must adapt to restore lost shelter capacity (The News Tribune) $

HOUSING

• What tenants and landlords should know about WA’s new rent cap law (Cascade PBS)
• Property management firm misled WA senior tenants, AG lawsuit says (The Seattle Times) $
• Tacoma senior renters were deceived, WA alleges. A complaint seeks restitution (The News Tribune) $
• Tumwater is issuing fewer permits for ADUs than before. Will new rules boost construction? (The Olympian) $

IMMIGRATION

• Protest, confusion and panic after ‘unusual’ ICE screening (KING TV)
• ICE deportations leave empty seats at graduation ceremonies in Washington state (KUOW Radio)
• WA immigrants’ protected health data shared with deportation officials (The Seattle Times) $
• COLUMN: The fallout from 2 ICE arrests in Spokane: ‘We’re in a terrible Catch-22’ (Danny Westneat/The Seattle Times) $

LAW ENFORCEMENT

• After deaths of the Decker sisters, advocates call for review of Amber Alert system (KUOW Radio)
• WA Amber Alert system under review following Decker homicides (The Wenatchee World) $
• Off-duty WSP trooper will be charged in fatal Richland wreck, prosecutor says (Tri-City Herald) $

LEGISLATURE

• Washington legislators condemn political violence following Minnesota shooting (The Spokesman-Review) $
• OPINION: Condottanomics | Olympia is King (Cary Condotta, former state representative/The Wenatchee World)
• COLUMN: WA turns up the dial on reparations for slavery, but what will it mean? (Carlton Winfrey/The Seattle Times) $

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• As Bellingham readies sanctuary measure, transgender activists explain the need (The Bellingham Herald) $
• City of Cle Elum moves closer to bankruptcy without resolution (Cascade PBS)
• EDITORIAL: Sunnyside needs to clarify facts, then make some decisions (Yakima Herald-Republic) $

LONG-TERM CARE

• Retirees, get ready to need long-term care. Here’s what to know (The New York Times/The Seattle Times) $

MEDIA

• What could a loss of Corporation for Public Broadcasting funding mean for KNKX? (KNKX Radio)
• COLUMN: Sen. Cantwell on saving local news, public broadcasting and Elvis (Brier Dudley/The Seattle Times) $

MILITARY & VETERANS

• The Army turns 250. Trump turns 79. Cue funnel cakes, festive bling, military might — and protest (AP)

OTHER STATES

• Man suspected of shooting 2 Minnesota lawmakers is in custody after surrendering to police (AP)
• Crying in the Oregon Legislature: Lawmakers keep breaking into tears, unheard of a generation ago (The Oregonian) $
• Oregon Democrats’ transportation funding bill could raise $2B per year, analysis shows (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
• Lawmakers agree to limit rent hikes at Oregon manufactured home parks, marinas (The Oregonian) $

POLITICS

STATE

• Over 70K in Seattle denounce Trump at massive ‘No Kings’ rally (The Seattle Times) $
• Protesters set fire at entrance to Seattle federal building (KIRO TV)
• Spokane’s ‘No Kings’ protest nets 11 arrests (The Spokesman-Review) $
• ‘No Kings’ rallies draw thousands to Everett and throughout Snohomish County (The Everett Herald) $
• ‘No Kings’ rally in Olympia draws thousands to state Capitol (Washington State Standard)
• Thousands rally at state Capitol, send ‘No Kings’ message to D.C. (KING TV)
• Some 5,000 protesters rail against Trump, Musk at ‘No Kings’ rally in Olympia (The Olympian) $
• COLUMN: ‘No Kings’ gave cover for activist violence, arson in Seattle, Tukwila (Jason Rantz/MyNorthwest)

NATIONAL

• Protesters crowd into streets, parks and plazas at anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ demonstrations across US (AP)
• Protests grow violent late Saturday on West Coast (The Center Square)

STATE GOVERNMENT

• Washington state clemency and pardons board will be expanded (Washington State Standard)
• New state forest rule could mean another hit to timber revenue in Lewis County (The Chronicle)
• OPINION: WA might need a tiny dose of DOGE to improve livability (Nathan Mesaros, Seattle native who has led local, national and global strategies and programs designing the future of work/The Seattle Times) $

TRANSPORTATION

• Washington’s work zone speed cameras issue 2,500 infractions since April (Murrow News/The Columbian) $
• OPINION: Why would C-TRAN Board members put the agency on the hook for $7.2 million annually if they don’t have to? (Ken Vance, editor/Clark County Today)

WATER

• Spokane River access resumes amid suitable flow levels (KREM TV)

WILDFIRE PREVENTION & RESPONSE

• In a bone-dry June, wildfires begin to stalk Washington and Oregon (The Seattle Times) $

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