Washington law restricts noncompete agreements. They keep popping up anyway; Washington is far below average in number of first responders

BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR

• Washington law restricts noncompete agreements. They keep popping up anyway (Cascade PBS)
• Boeing Machinists to vote on new contract offer meant to end strike (The Seattle Times)
• Machinists union endorses latest Boeing offer with higher pay but no pension (KUOW Radio)
• Boeing overcharged Air Force, including soap dispensers marked up 8,000%, audit says (AP)
• Amazon employees challenge five-day-a-week office return (The Seattle Times)
• Amazon reports $15 billion profit for third-quarter 2024 (The Seattle Times)

COURTS (STATE)

• Court decision shielding clergy sex abuse investigation records appealed by Washington state (KUOW Radio)
• Washington Court of Appeals reverses decision in health district data breach lawsuit (The Wenatchee World)

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY

• Level 3 sex offender living in Spokane after 20-year sentence for child rape, molestation (The Spokesman-Review)
• Bellevue sees 50% spike in DUI cases, police ask residents to stay safe (KIRO TV)

DRUG CRISIS

• Members of violent U District drug trafficking ring arrested (MyNorthwest)
• Sunnyside man with family tie to Sinaloa drug cartel sentenced to federal prison in drug case (Yakima Herald-Republic)
• Government moves to seize North Bend property in dark web drug case (KIRO TV)

EDUCATION

• Principal apologizes two Ellensburg middle schoolers told to hide cross necklaces (Daily Record)

ELECTIONS

• More people with felony records can vote now in Washington (Axios – Seattle)
• Police describe ballot box arson suspect (Washington State Standard)
• Election ballots found alongside road in Oak Harbor, USPS investigating (KIRO TV)

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & SERVICES

• Washington is far below average in number of first responders (KPQ Radio)
• Hundreds of Puget Sound buildings at risk during earthquake, retrofits expensive (KIRO TV)

FISH

• Hatchery steelhead fishing to be open on Columbia (KIHR Radio)

HANFORD

• Take a look at huge nuclear submarine compartments’ journey to Tri-Cities resting place (Tri-City Herald)

HOMELESSNESS

• The Trent Avenue shelter, once the backbone of Spokane’s homeless system, has closed (The Spokesman-Review)

HOUSING

• Is Seattle’s rental scene hot or cold? Yes (The Seattle Times)

LAW ENFORCEMENT

• Vancouver police chief candidate says he’ll work to add staff, make city safest in the state (The Columbian)
• Pullman Police introduce robot dog (The Lewiston Tribune)

LEGISLATURE

• Here’s where Washington state stands on making daylight saving time permanent (KING TV)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• Mayor denies discrimination and retaliation allegations by former Seattle police chief (KOMO TV)
• Attorney charged with drug-smuggling to resign from West Pierce Fire commissioners board (The News Tribune)

MENTAL HEALTH

• Psychiatric patient had violent history. Does Washington deserve blame for roommate’s killing? (The News Tribune)
• Kitsap County awards $10.4 million for behavioral health projects (Kitsap Sun)

MILITARY & VETERANS

• World War I memorial for local soldiers to be rededicated in Carlsborg (KONP Radio)

OTHER STATES

• Idaho governor unveils executive order to restrict cell phone use in schools (KREM TV)
• Maui wildfire: No criminal charges after investigation into fire that killed 102 (AP/KING TV)

PARKS

• Olympic National Park to begin burning debris piles (KONP Radio)

SCHOOL SAFETY

• Seattle Public Schools to pay $16M to settle sex abuse lawsuit (The Seattle Times)

STATE GOVERNMENT

• Washington state official who helped update trans inmate policies appointed to DOJ board (KOMO TV)

TRANSPORTATION

• Chinook and Cayuse passes temporary closed with 20 inches of snow in forecast (Yakima Herald-Republic)
• Port taking public feedback on expansion of service at Bremerton National Airport (Kitsap Sun)
• OPINION: As Sea-Tac traffic grows, so does airport communities’ need for relief (Brian Davis, vice chair of the Burien Airport Committee/The Seattle Times)

TRIBAL ISSUES

• Washington congressional members ask Biden for disaster declaration for Colville tribes (Columbia Basin Herald)

WATER

• Washington state launches new water rights application portal for easy online access (KHQ TV)

WEATHER & CLIMATE

• Washington’s snowpack was bad last year. Could La Niña bring relief? (The Seattle Times)

WILDFIRE PREVENTION & RESPONSE

• Wildfire season in Washington and Oregon comes to an end (KAPP/KVEW)

WILDLIFE

• Federal agencies plan wild horse emergency roundup after Eastern Oregon wildfire (Oregon Public Broadcasting)