WA agencies see largest wave of layoffs since Great Recession; 8 protesters arrested after fire, vandalism break out during Seattle rally to end ICE raids

WA agencies see largest wave of layoffs since Great Recession

The Seattle Times — As Washington grapples with a multibillion-dollar budget shortfall, some state agencies are starting the largest wave of layoffs since the Great Recession. The state worker layoffs come as the new state budget kicks in July 1. Gov. Bob Ferguson signed the 2025-27 budget last month. It totals nearly $78 billion for two years, adds $9 billion in new revenues, but also includes many cuts to state services and jobs in an attempt to shore up the estimated $10 billion to $12 billion deficit in the next four years. $

8 protesters arrested after fire, vandalism break out during Seattle rally to end ICE raids

MyNorthwest — The Seattle Police Department (SPD) arrested eight protesters after issuing a dispersal order once the downtown Seattle federal building was tagged with “Abolish ICE” and a dumpster fire broke out in the middle of the intersection of 2nd Avenue and Marion Street. Thousands gathered around the Henry M. Jackson Federal Building in downtown Seattle on Wednesday evening for a rally demanding an end to ICE immigration raids ordered by the Trump administration.

AGRICULTURE

• Potato exports showing mixed results (Capital Press) $

BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR

• Trump hails ‘done’ deal with China, but releases few details (Capital Press) $

CANNABIS

• National media ran wild with a story on negative health impacts of cannabis consumption (The Inlander)

CAP-AND-TRADE PROGRAM

• WA’s carbon market prices tick up (The Seattle Times) $

CONGRESS

• House will vote on Trump’s request to cut funding for NPR, PBS and foreign aid (AP)
• Congressman Baumgartner sounds off on NCAA Settlement and impacts it could have on Gonzaga and WSU (KHQ TV)

COURTS (FEDERAL)

• Federal court rules Christian-owned WA Korean spa can’t ban trans women (The Seattle Times) $
• Former state worker pleads guilty in scheme to steal nearly $900K in tax dollars (MyNorthwest)

COURTS (STATE)

• Man accused of shooting AR-15 at WA deputy faces life in prison (FOX 13)

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY

• Law enforcement shifts strategy in search for Travis Decker (The Wenatchee World) $

CYBERSECURITY

• Some SnoCo stores see shortages after cyberattack on grocery supplier (The Everett Herald) $

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & SERVICES

• Trio of coastal Washington schools secure money to move out of tsunami zone (Washington State Standard)

FISH

• Spring chinook numbers are third-best in decade, but wild numbers are low (Capital Press) $

HEALTH CARE & HOSPITALS

• Comprehensive Healthcare in Walla Walla starts same-day addiction assessments (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin) $
• OPINION: Health care and economic security of Washingtonians at risk (Monica R. McLemore, Ph.D, MPH, RN, FADLN, Hiroshi Nakano, MBA, and John Schapman, executive director of Thriving Together NCW/The Spokesman-Review) $

HIGHER EDUCATION

• Proposed TRIO cuts to impact around 1,300 Big Bend Community College students (Columbia Basin Herald) $

HOMELESSNESS

• Tacoma to close 200 homeless shelter beds at end of month. Here’s why and where (The News Tribune) $

HOUSING

• Harrell’s plan to speed up housing construction in Seattle (The Seattle Times) $
• In Seattle, preserving trees while increasing housing supply is a climate solution (KNKX Radio)
• Seattle considers banning controversial rent-setting software, RealPage (The Seattle Times) $

IMMIGRATION

• New Washington laws strengthen protections for immigrant communities amid federal attacks (The Inlander)
• Immigration officers intensify arrests in courthouse hallways on a fast track to deportation (AP)
• ‘From LA to Spokane’: Protests spreading amid Trump’s mass deportation crackdown (The Center Square)
• Anti-ICE protest in Seattle turns tense as fireworks, rocks thrown at police, 8 arrested (KOMO TV)
• More than 30 arrested at immigration protest in Spokane sparked by arrest of 2 immigrants (The Spokesman-Review) $
• Former Spokane councilman arrested at ICE protest released from Spokane County jail (KXLY TV)

INSURANCE

• Auto insurance rate increases are slowing down in 2025 compared to previous years (The Center Square)

LAW ENFORCEMENT

• Seattle police prepare for daily protests (Axios – Seattle)
• Tacoma ex-deputy police chief had ‘pattern of disrespect’ to women, inquiry says (The News Tribune) $

LEGISLATURE

• Centralia council recognizes 20th District lawmakers for bringing in funding for local projects (The Chronicle)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• Mayor Harrell says Seattle won’t cooperate with ICE amid reports of tactical unit deployments (KING TV)
• ‘Junk vehicle’ removal sparks due process lawsuit against Bellingham, staff (The Bellingham Herald) $
• Lynnwood to develop policy after pride flag controversy (The Everett Herald) $

MEDIA

• COLUMN: Corruption grows as newspapers fade, legislators favor secrecy (Brier Dudley/The Seattle Times) $

OPERATING BUDGET

• BLOG: Washington’s $77.8 billion hangover (Shift)

OTHER STATES

• Lawmakers compromise on 10 weeks of unemployment for striking workers, not 26 (The Oregonian) $
• Bill to require big tech to pay Oregon newsrooms advances with fewer legal concerns (The Oregonian) $
• Feds approve Idaho’s request to ban candy, soda purchases using SNAP (Moscow-Pullman Daily News) $
• EDITORIAL: 4 Democrats engineer a surprise in the Oregon Senate (The Oregonian) $

PARKS

• Sol Duc Falls closed to recover body of visitor, 18, who fell (The Seattle Times) $

POLITICS

STATE

• WA leaders watch L.A. warily, as protests planned for this weekend (The Seattle Times) $
• Thousands expected at ‘No Kings’ protest June 14 at Capitol Campus. What to know (The Olympian) $
• EDITORIAL: Let’s remember the ‘peaceably’ part of First Amendment (The Everett Herald) $

SPORTS

• Mayor Harrell says Seattle’s FIFA countdown clock sends a political message (KUOW Radio)
• Sam Adams, Roosevelt HS punished by WIAA for major recruiting violations (The Seattle Times) $

STATE GOVERNMENT

• WA council rejects optimistic revenue assumption amid worries over tort debt (The Center Square)
• Political fights put spotlight on leader of Washington’s largest public employee union (Washington State Standard)
• Ex-Washington state worker claims she was fired over school board vote on trans athletes (Washington State Standard)

TRANSPORTATION

• Will the North Spokane corridor finally be completed? (The Washington Observer) $
• Interstate Bridge Replacement Program moving forward with plans for light rail (Clark County Today)
• Snohomish County saw increase in traffic deaths in 2024 (The Everett Herald) $
• How auto dealers trucked EV makers (The Washington Observer) $
• London-bound Air India flight with more than 240 aboard crashes after takeoff from Ahmedabad, India (AP)

TRIBAL ISSUES

• WA missing and murdered Indigenous people unit’s work leads to charges (The Seattle Times) $

WATER

• City of Spokane releases its 2024 report on drinking water quality (The Spokesman-Review) $
• Two new irrigation systems slated to begin construction by end of 2025 (Capital Press) $

WILDFIRE PREVENTION & RESPONSE

• Red Bridge Fire near Cle Elum still 0% contained, listed at 44 acres (KPQ Radio)
• ‘Risk for fire is high’: Recreational burning banned in Vancouver (The Columbian) $

WILDLIFE

• New honey bee energy bar tested in Washington offers hope for struggling hives (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

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