WA program to help low-income tenants buy homes has led to zero purchases; Why aren’t parents told when a kid who made threats returns to school? What is shared?

WA program to help low-income tenants buy homes has led to zero purchases

From Washington State Standard — A state-run housing program that has failed to deliver on its promise of providing longtime tenants a chance to buy their homes came under fire from Washington lawmakers on Wednesday. A bipartisan panel conducted a hearing on a new state audit that found no purchases have been made through the program that operates mostly in Indian Country and is overseen by the Washington State Housing Finance Commission. That’s despite at least 135 units being eligible for homeownership.

Why aren’t parents told when a kid who made threats returns to school? What is shared? $

From The News Tribune — Shannon Sullivan was surprised to hear recently that a student accused of threatening a shooting at her daughter’s elementary school in September had been allowed to return to campus in the Puyallup School District. She kept her daughter home from first grade at Firgrove Elementary School for a few days following the social-media threat of a shooting at Firgrove and Ballou Junior High School in September, she said.ABORTION

• Can Idaho doctors refer patients to other states for abortions? Federal judges weigh in (The Idaho Statesman/The Seattle Times) $

BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR

• Freight executive says Trump’s tariffs could carry economic consequences (The Center Square)
• Downtown Seattle sees visitors and worker numbers rise (Axios – Seattle)
• COLUMN: Number of STEM grads living in Seattle has nearly doubled since 2010 (Gene Balk/The Seattle Times) $
• EDITORIAL: Trump wastes no time threatening tariffs (Capital Press) $

CANNABIS

• WSU study: Teen attitudes about cannabis shaped by perceptions of parent usage (KNDO/KNDU)

CAP-AND-TRADE PROGRAM

• French fry giant that closed Connell plant lands nearly $5M from WA Climate Act (Tri-City Herald) $

CHILD CARE

• Bad news for the tax-averse and for subsidized child care (The Washington Observer) $

CONGRESS

• Mike Johnson’s newest headache: The smallest House majority in history (The New York Times/The Seattle Times) $
• For years, some employers have legally paid disabled workers below minimum wage. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Patty Murray are hopeful a Labor Department proposal will end the practice (The Spokesman-Review) $

CORONAVIRUS

• Northwest researchers find teenage brains aged more quickly during the pandemic — especially for girls (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

COURTS (FEDERAL)

• Supreme Court seems likely to uphold Tennessee’s ban on medical treatments for transgender minors (AP)

COURTS (STATE)

• Judge slashes $237M jury award for Eastern WA worker for discrimination, retaliation (Tri-City Herald) $

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY

• Bellevue Police make over 45 arrests in shoplifting emphasis patrols (FOX 13)
• Wenatchee and Kennewick among highest auto theft rates in the US (KPQ Radio)
• Residents suspect a serial dog killer on Whidbey Island (MyNorthwest)
• ‘There’s power in information’: Camas police chief holds forum after shooting suspect’s release on bond stokes fear (The Columbian) $

DAMS

• Survey asks people how they use the Lower Snake River (The Spokesman-Review) $

DRUG CRISIS

• WA GOP chair files bill to restore felony status for fentanyl-related offenses (The Center Square)
• Spokane police probe several investigations as narcotics proliferate downtown core (The Center Square)
• State closes substance use treatment provider in Gig Harbor (Kitsap Sun) $

EARLY LEARNING

• EDITORIAL: Cutting early learning hurts all of WA in the longterm (The Seattle Times) $

EDUCATION

• Education leaders push for revenue (The Washington Observer) $
• Following visit to Napavine schools, Abbarno says Washington state ‘must do a better job providing safe learning environments’ (The Chronicle) $
• Lewis County Dolly Parton Imagination Library celebrates fifth anniversary, nearly 138,000 free books distributed so far (The Chronicle) $
• Kennewick school leaders restart work on the ‘most important’ decision for its board (Tri-City Herald) $

ELECTIONS

• Washington secretary of state certifies 2024 election results (Washington State Standard)

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & SERVICES

• Abbarno pre-files legislation to establish grant program for rural fire departments (The Chronicle) $
• Copper thefts partially to blame for slow internet repair following bomb cyclone (FOX 13)
• Spokane County would turn into disaster resources hub if mega quake erupts (The Spokesman-Review) $
• Tacoma expects layoffs, doesn’t fund firefighter program amid ‘dire’ financial situation (The News Tribune) $
• Public damage costs from bomb cyclone near $20M in Snohomish County (The Everett Herald) $

ENERGY & UTILITIES

• Election certification has both sides of natural gas fight preparing for legal battle (The Center Square)
• A year after increases, Clark Public Utilities won’t raise rates in 2025 (The Columbian) $

ENVIRONMENT

• 130k gallons of sewage spill into Liberty Bay, advisories still in effect (FOX 13)

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT & THE WHITE HOUSE

• Secret Service head vows accountability for ‘abject failure’ in first Trump assassination attempt (AP)
• EDITORIAL: Biden pardon erodes trust in justice system (The Columbian) $
• EDITORIAL: New ag secretary has big job ahead (Capital Press) $

FISH

• Inslee cheered by salmon advocates (The Lewiston Tribune) $

HIGHER EDUCATION

• WSU regents narrow field of presidential candidates to 5 but refuse to identify finalists (The Spokesman-Review) $

HOMELESSNESS

• Seattle counted 63% fewer homeless tents in September than at end of 2023 (The Center Square)
• Petition urges higher temperature threshold for Bellingham’s severe weather shelter (The Bellingham Herald) $
• EDITORIAL: Homeless problem is a human issue, doctor reminds (Yakima Herald-Republic) $

HOUSING

• Re-Wire’s bets on a Year of Housing: Part III (The Washington Observer) $
• Seattle-area housing market sluggish ahead of the holidays (The Seattle Times) $
• Seattle region’s housing market sees uptick in activity, rise in prices (Puget Sound Business Journal) $
• Emerald City’s $1.5 million housing future (Axios – Seattle)
• New affordable housing project planned in west Olympia. Thurston County contributes $1M (The Olympian) $

LAND USE & PROPERTY RIGHTS

• Department of Natural Resources defends proposed sale and development in Latah Valley (The Spokesman-Review) $

LAW ENFORCEMENT

• Vancouver police fatally shoot a man who physically attacked an officer (The Columbian) $
• COLUMN: Year-end Seattle Police staffing is dire, but union warns of new looming crisis (Jason Rantz/MyNorthwest)

LEGISLATURE

• Early takeaways from Re-Wire (The Washington Observer) $

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• Seattle Councilmember Tammy Morales announces resignation (Cascade PBS)
• Spokane doesn’t want feds to truck nuclear waste through the city (Cascade PBS)
• $72 million in federal funding was at stake. Pierce County says it will keep its ARPA funding (The News Tribune) $
• Tacoma faces budget crisis amid looming tariffs proposed by President-elect Trump (KOMO TV)
• Vancouver City Council’s $2.1B budget includes new taxes, cuts to nearly every department (The Columbian) $
• Lynnwood City Council approves 52% property tax increase to fund $420 million budget (KING TV)

MEDIA

• COLUMN: The Oregonian: Going strong at the start of 175th year (Therese Bottomly/The Seattle Times) $

MILITARY & VETERANS

• Trump selects a former soldier and Iraq War veteran to serve as Army secretary (AP)

PARKS

• Mount St. Helens visitor center closing for the winter (The Chronicle) $

SCHOOL SAFETY

• ‘Swatting calls’ reported at several western Washington schools (KING TV)
• Man accused of bringing gun onto Grandview High School campus, waving it at vehicles (Yakima Herald-Republic) $
• Mukilteo police investigate online threat at Kamiak High (The Everett Herald) $

STATE GOVERNMENT

• Gov. Inslee issues freeze on most non-essential hiring (KIRO TV)
• Washington state Productivity Board approves nearly $12,000 in cash awards to state employees for cost-saving ideas (The Chronicle) $
• Washington office begins tracking statewide deadly use of force incidents (The Center Square)
• Washington AG-elect Nick Brown fears next Trump term bringing ‘uniquely dangerous threats’ (The News Tribune) $
• This is why flags will be flown at half-staff in Washington on Saturday (KING TV)

TRANSPORTATION

• How WA’s spending, hiring freeze affects WSDOT (FOX 13)
• COLUMN: Will 2025 be the year of pay-by-mile? (Chris Sullivan/MyNorthwest)

TRIBAL ISSUES

• Some indigenous families leave Nooksack homes amid evictions; U.N. rep calls for action (The Bellingham Herald) $

WATER

• Sen. Patty Murray announces $57M for Washington water infrastructure (KNDO/KNDU)
• Newman Lake irrigation district considers hefty rate hike; small farmers say they can’t afford it (The Spokesman-Review) $

WILDLIFE

• Federal government proposes 19,112 square mile protected zone for endangered lynx (The Center Square)
• Documentary follows effort to free Tokitae, the famous orca held in captivity for 53 years (The Bellingham Herald) $