Washington has 3rd highest homeless population in US, federal report shows; Washington state lawmakers propose expanding child endangerment laws to include fentanyl and other synthetic opioids

Washington has 3rd highest homeless population in US, federal report shows

KOMO TV — According to the HUD report, Washington state had the third largest homeless population in the country in 2024, with 31,554 people experiencing homelessness. The report also states Washington had an increase of 4,295 individuals with chronic patterns of homelessness since last year, which is a 55.8% increase. That increase is the largest, by percentage, of any state in the country. The HUD report shows Washington had 9,383 more individuals, a 360.5% increase, experiencing chronic homelessness since 2007.

Washington state lawmakers propose expanding child endangerment laws to include fentanyl and other synthetic opioids

The Chronicle — Two Republican legislators have proposed strengthening Washington’s child endangerment laws to include fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. Reps. Jenny Graham, R-Spokane, and Travis Couture, R-Allyn, have prefiled House Bill 1087, which would criminalize knowingly exposing a child or dependent adult to fentanyl or other synthetic opioids.

BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR

• Seattle’s minimum wage increase sparks tipping debate (KING TV)
• Once Seattle’s grocery darling, QFC in limbo after Kroger-Albertsons merger fails (The Seattle Times) $
• Jet crash disaster in South Korea marks another setback for Boeing (AP)
• When an anti-DEI activist took a swing at Costco, the board hit back (The Seattle Times) $

COMMUNITY & FAMILY ISSUES

• Junk food and drug use cut into life expectancy gains for states (Stateline/Washington State Standard)
• At WA’s Kindering, children get the care they need most (The Seattle Times) $

CONGRESS

• After 20 years at the Capitol, Cathy McMorris Rodgers leaves behind a changed Congress: ‘When she speaks, people listen’ (The Spokesman-Review) $

CORONAVIRUS

• Washington state gets NY bank to pay $10M for its role in pandemic unemployment fraud (KUOW Radio)

CORRECTIONS & JAILS

• Former female inmate files lawsuit claiming sex assaults from inmate who identified as a woman (KIRO TV)
• EDITORIAL: Officials owe inmate’s family, public some answers (Yakima Herald-Republic) $

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY

• EDITORIAL: King County prosecution of graffiti taggers should help deter vandals (The Seattle Times) $

DRUG CRISIS

• Northwest scientists develop a new way to detect sneaky new versions of fentanyl (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

ENERGY & UTILITIES

• Northwest power planners challenged by increasing demand of data centers (The Center Square)

ENVIRONMENT

• Nearly 150 miles of Columbia River added to EPA’s Superfund list (The Daily News) $
• OPINION: WA can safeguard forests and advance renewable energy (Sen. Shelly Short/The Seattle Times) $

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT & THE WHITE HOUSE

• Janet Yellen tells Congress US could hit debt limit in mid-January (AP)
• The EPA promotes a toxic fertilizer whose risks it knew about decades ago (The New York Times/The Seattle Times) $

FOOD SAFETY & SECURITY

• Bird flu scrambled Western Washington egg market for the holidays, and good luck finding eggnog (KUOW Radio)
• How America lost control of the bird flu, setting the stage for another pandemic (KFF Health News/The Oregonian)

HIGHER EDUCATION

• Seeking a college scholarship in WA? A guide to programs, resources, tips for applying (The Olympian) $

HOMELESSNESS

• Six WA cities pass anti-homeless laws after Grants Pass decision (Cascade PBS)
• Seattle to see more homeless services along Third Ave. corridor in 2025 (The Center Square)
• Pierce County shelter calls on community for help with record-breaking capacity crisis (FOX 13)
• After a year, Vancouver’s Kiggins Village Safe Stay shelter can point to its successes (The Columbian) $
• COLUMN: HUD homelessness report an absolute joke by ignoring drugs, mental health (Jason Rantz/MyNorthwest)

HOUSING

• Landlords beware: Rent-shamers are calling out overpriced listings online (Los Angeles Times/The Seattle Times) $
• Marysville neighbors push back against new homes (The Everett Herald) $

IMMIGRATION

• Trump appears to side with Musk, tech allies in debate over foreign workers roiling his supporters (AP)

LAW ENFORCEMENT

• Deputies use K9, drones to capture car theft suspect in Olympia, WA (FOX 13)

LEGISLATURE

• Join us for our 2025 Washington Legislative Preview Q&A with state lawmakers (The Olympian) $
• Proposed Washington bill would exempt those 75-older from property taxes (KPQ Radio)
• Rep. McClintock will host Clark County town halls (The Columbian) $

OPERATING BUDGET

• OPINION: State’s lawmakers have selves to blame for budget hole (Chris Cargill, president, Mountain States Policy Center/The Everett Herald) $

OTHER STATES

• U.S. homelessness up 18% since 2023; Oregon alone in not counting most unsheltered people this year, feds report (The Oregonian) $
• Kotek won’t designate rural land for chip industry after all as Oregon’s hopes for research hub fade (The Oregonian) $

PARKS

• Washington State Parks set 12 free parking days for 2025 (Cascade PBS)

POLITICS

STATE

• OPINION: Spin Control: The crystal ball for 2025 might be a bit cloudy (Jim Camden/The Spokesman-Review) $
• COLUMN: 2025 forecast: Even daylight saving time becomes partisan (Danny Westneat/The Seattle Times) $

NATIONAL

• Jimmy Carter, 39th President of the United States, dead at 100 (KING TV)
• A look back at President Jimmy Carter’s visits to Washington state (KING TV)
• Jimmy Carter is remembered fondly by WA leaders, but he never won here (The Seattle Times) $
• Washington, Inland Northwest lawmakers share commendations, condolences after death of former President Jimmy Carter (The Spokesman-Review) $

SCHOOL SAFETY

• Wisconsin school shooting renews calls for better security. 2 WA bills would do just that (The Olympian) $
• Sexual misconduct case against Hudson’s Bay High School teacher dropped due to statute of limitations expiring (The Columbian) $

SECURITY

• $7 million WSDOT grant intended to help speed U.S.-Canada border crossings in Whatcom County (The Bellingham Herald) $

SOCIAL MEDIA

• Trump asks Supreme Court to delay TikTok ban so he can weigh in after he takes office (AP)

STATE GOVERNMENT

• Ferguson and GOP leaders see value in eliminating WA’s elected schools chief (Washington State Standard)
• Ferguson taps Seattle state senator to lead WA Department of Commerce (Washington State Standard)
• EDITORIAL: The ‘Inslee effect’: Contemplating the legacy of a three-term governor (The Seattle Times) $
• EDITORIAL: Thank you, and farewell, Governor Inslee (The Columbian) $

TAXES

• OPINION: WA state’s proposed retail delivery tax is a bad idea for Tri-Cities restaurants (Steve Simmons, owner of CG Public House in Kennewick/Tri-City Herald) $
• EDITORIAL: Fresh food; secret tax plans (The Columbian) $

TRANSPORTATION

• Stiffer penalties, jail time await negligent WA drivers in the new year (The Seattle Times) $
• Despite cost concerns, WA districts accept federal grants for electric school buses (The Center Square)
• Getting There: Columbia River Treaty updates could force temporary closures of Inchelium Ferry (The Spokesman-Review) $

TRIBAL ISSUES

• ‘It just tastes like time’: Salmon are a sacred relative to the Nisqually tribe and Native Americans across the Northwest (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

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