WA pre-filed bill proposes ban on gas-powered tools, sparks concerns for outdoor equipment industry; Unemployment rate in Washington increases to 4% for the first time in 5 months

ABORTION

• Some state abortion bans stir confusion, and it’s uncertain if lawmakers will clarify them (AP)

AGRICULTURE & WATER

• EPA to restore some uses for chlorpyrifos (Capital Press)
• Two Chelan County projects get $1.25 million to restore waterways (KPQ Radio)

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

• Washington lawmaker proposes establishing artificial intelligence task force (The Chronicle)
• OPINION: AI, Green Hill School problems and holiday political discourse (John McCroskey, former Lewis County sheriff /The Chronicle)

BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR

• Unemployment rate in Washington increases to 4% for the first time in 5 months (KHQ TV)
• Setting a holiday table still spendy in Seattle even as inflation ebbs (The Seattle Times)
• Washington Manufacturing Council discusses 2024 legislative session (Columbia Basin Herald)
• Complaint claims Starbucks app traps Washington customers in cycle of spending (Washington State Standard)

CAP-AND-TRADE PROGRAM

• Ecology introduces draft language on linking WA’s carbon market to CA-Quebec (The Center Square)

CENSUS

• 5 Southern states had most of the nation’s population growth (Stateline/Washington State Standard)

CHILD CARE

• Huge state grants are about to change the peninsula ‘childcare desert’ (KONP Radio)
• 3 Eastern Washington non-profits to receive part of $2 million childcare grant (KREM TV)
• Commerce grants to address statewide child care shortages (KNDO/KNDU)

COMMUNITY & FAMILY ISSUES

• 7 Western WA synagogues receive false bomb threats (The Seattle Times)
• Chelan County’s Secure Crisis Residential Center is 1 of 2 in the state (The Wenatchee World)

CONGRESS

• Smith: Israel-Hamas war and the ‘impossible nature of the situation’ (MyNorthwest)

CORONAVIRUS

• New coronavirus variant JN.1 is spreading fast. Here’s what to know (The Washington Post/The Seattle Times)

COURTS (STATE)

• King County Prosecutor’s Office accused of mishandling sexual assault cases (KIRO TV)
• Mistrial looming? Presiding juror in Tacoma police trial says panel having difficulty (The News Tribune)
• Jury tells judge in Ellis case they cannot reach a unanimous decision (FOX 13)
• EDITORIAL: Race and the trial of Manny Ellis (The Seattle Times)

DAMS

• Idaho is the latest to join in litigation over Snake River salmon, dams (The Center Square)
• EDITORIAL: Congress should keep doing nothing with Snake River dams (Capital Press)

ELECTIONS

• What ruling barring Trump from Colorado ballot could mean for status in Washington state (KIRO TV)

ENVIRONMENT

• Local shellfish harvesting closed due to high biotoxin levels. Here are the areas to avoid (The Olympian)

GUN RIGHTS

• Gun control nonprofit gives Washington top grade for actions against gun violence (KGMI Radio)

HEALTH CARE & HOSPITALS

• State board decides Washington doctor who sold COVID vaccine waivers will keep her license (KING TV)
• Respiratory illnesses on the rise, masks required in MultiCare Health System hospitals (KNDO/KNDU)

HIGHER EDUCATION

• Report: Washington State, Oregon State to join WCC as affiliate members for two seasons (The Seattle Times)
• University of Washington steeped in controversy over transgender volleyball player (KOMO TV)

HOMELESSNESS

• COLUMN: A Seattle advocate tired of our homeless debate. He blames ‘performative moralism’ (Matt Driscoll/News Tribune)

HOUSING

• Vancouver City Council adopts short-term rental rules for 24-month pilot period (The Columbian)
• Chelan County to focus on housing crisis, homelessness in 2024 (KPQ Radio)

IMMIGRATION

• Nonprofit in Western Washington needs help serving high volume of new arrival refugees (FOX 13)

LAND USE & PROPERTY RIGHTS

• Wildlife officials advance Chapman Lake land deal (The Spokesman-Review)

LAW ENFORCEMENT

• Everett police turns off Facebook comments, citing online threats (The Everett Herald)

LEGISLATURE

• WA pre-filed bill proposes ban on gas-powered tools, sparks concerns for outdoor equipment industry (KXLY TV)
• Schoesler pushing for school construction (The Lewiston Tribune)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• Tacoma approves $1,000 tax credit for employers hiring disabled people (The Center Square)
• Gig Harbor City Council not allowing virtual public commenting via Zoom amid rise in hate speech (KING TV)
• Yakima County Commissioners devote $1.1 million of mental health tax to court, corrections (Yakima Herald-Republic)
• Everett lawmakers approve measure that gives 30-day jail sentence to repeat offenders (KOMO TV)

MEDIA

• COLUMN: Canadian publisher on Google deal boosting newsrooms (Brier Dudley/The Seattle Times)

MENTAL HEALTH

• WA mental health providers say insurance reimbursement isn’t enough (The Seattle Times)

MILITARY & VETERANS

• Report: Nearly $3B needed for maintenance, renovation on Naval Base Kitsap buildings (Kitsap Sun)

OPEN GOVERNMENT

• WWPD sued over public records request (KWHT Radio)

OTHER STATES

• Oregon court strikes down state climate program, rules in favor of utilities, industry (The Oregonian)
• Tight labor market among factors hampering Oregon Measure 110, new audit finds (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
• Methamphetamine, fentanyl drive record homeless deaths in Portland, annual report finds (AP)

STATE GOVERNMENT

• Washington Lieutenant Governor addresses civic health crisis and political divisions (KEPR TV)
• Washington state wants a say in how you roll… when you go tire shopping (Washington State Standard)
• Program aims to educate youth on careers in forestry, natural resources (KING TV)
• Ecology decision further prevents mine for Green River near Mount St. Helens (The Chronicle)

TRANSPORTATION

• High-speed rail with potential Everett stop misses out on $198M grant (The Everett Herald)
• Is Amtrak Cascades a new commuter option from Vancouver into Portland? (The Columbian)

TRIBAL ISSUES

• Makah Tribe still waiting for decision from NOAA on whale hunt (KNKX Radio)
• In a major shift, Northwest tribes — not US officials — will control salmon recovery funds (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

WEATHER & CLIMATE

• Deadly heat waves to be more frequent, intense (NW News Network)

WILDLIFE

• Black bear damage permits will be available Washington commercial timber owners (NW News Network)