Washington sets out to merge its carbon market with California and Québec; Lawmakers propose loosening heat pump requirement for homeowners rebuilding after Spokane County fires

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

• Lawmakers are sliding AI under the microscope in 2024 (Pluribus News)

BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR

• Study shows Washington is the second safest state for workers (KNDO/KNDU)
• Bye bye Bezos: Amazon’s founder is moving out of Seattle (KUOW Radio)
• Passion for Costco stands the test of shaky economy. Will it last? (The Seattle Times)
• The stakes are high for downtown recoveries. Here’s how Seattle stacks up. (Puget Sound Business Journal)
• COLUMN: Seattle rode the wave of the New Economy, yet the downside remains (Jon Talton/The Seattle Times)

CANNABIS

• It’s official, you can now legally buy cannabis in Pasco. Here’s how and where (Tri-City Herald)

CAP-AND-TRADE PROGRAM

• Washington sets out to merge its carbon market with California and Québec (Washington State Standard)
• Ecology gives early nod to linking WA’s cap-and-trade program to CA-Quebec (The Center Square)
• WA wants to join CA, Quebec in pollution pricing marketplace (Crosscut)
• In effort to calm high prices, WA to pursue linking carbon-pricing market with CA, Quebec (The Seattle Times)
• Washington state DOE seeks to work with California and Quebec on carbon auction market (KONA Radio)

CHILD CARE

• Child care costs are highest in these cities, data reveals (FOX 13)

CONGRESS

• House approves nearly $14.5 billion in military aid for Israel. Biden vows to veto the GOP approach (AP)
• Rep. McMorris Rodgers: Aid package for Israel critically important (KONA Radio)
• Bill proposes support for housing construction linked to public transit (The Center Square)

COURTS (STATE)

• Washington appellate court hears dispute over state yard sign law (The Spokesman-Review)
• Former medical examiner who conducted autopsy of Manuel Ellis testifies at police trial (The News Tribune)
• 3 passengers sue Alaska Airlines after off-duty pilot accused of trying to cut engines mid-flight (AP)

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY

• As Fred Meyer cites ‘concerns,’ Everett neighbors can’t imagine losing it (The Everett Herald)
• Four break-ins, one prowling incident reported following Olalla Post Office burglary (Kitsap Sun)
• Yakima police still winning the battle against bad guys (KIT Radio)

CYBERSECURITY

• Microsoft vows to revamp security products after repeated hacks (Bloomberg/The Spokesman-Review)

EDUCATION

• Washington’s Teacher of the Year makes online learning a success (KNKX Radio)

ELECTIONS

• Ballot measure from port authority includes massive error (KPQ Radio)

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & SERVICES

• Firefighter, 33, identified after deadly climbing fall in Index (The Everett Herald)

ENERGY & UTILITIES

• Report: Horse Heaven windmills would ‘dominate’ landscape (Capital Press)
• Wind causes power outages across Puget Sound (MyNorthwest)

ENVIRONMENT

• PNW landfills reached ‘explosive’ methane emission levels in 2022 (Crosscut)

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT & THE WHITE HOUSE

• Biden administration announces $334M to hire police officers, improve security at schools (The Hill/The News Tribune)

FISH

• EDITORIAL: Agreeable solution critical for iconic salmon (The Columbian)

HANFORD

• Hanford plant pours test glass in preparation of treating waste (KWHT Radio)

HEALTH CARE & HOSPITALS

• ‘Women don’t feel empowered enough’: A Seattle mom shares her experience going through labor and after birth (KING TV)
• Spokane and Washington state face high and rising cases of syphilis from heterosexual activity (The Spokesman-Review)

HIGHER EDUCATION

• Departing Pac-12 schools suggest WSU, OSU want 2023-24 revenue for themselves (The Seattle Times)
• State coalition to support Central’s elementary reading program (Daily Record)

HOMELESSNESS

• Converting parking lots to homeless encampments brings mixed results (The Center Square)
• Homeless in Bremerton notified that law against camping will be enforced as shelter opens (Kitsap Sun)
• Store employee says new homeless shelter in Lacey has brought more crime to area (The Olympian)

HOUSING

• Older adults want to ‘age in place,’ but their options are limited in most states (Washington State Standard)
• Senate Housing sizes up apartment tax breaks (The Washington Observer)
• ‘I won’t be here. I’ll leave’; Puyallup mobile homeowners up in arms over steep rent hikes (FOX 13)
• Tacoma contractor, former housing commissioner leaves families devastated (KIRO TV)

IMMIGRATION

• Big city mayors get audience with administration officials to pitch a request for help with migrants (AP)

LAW ENFORCEMENT

• ‘We’re not superheroes’: How Spokane police work on their own mental health amidst traumatic experiences (KHQ TV)
• Charges dropped for gunman accused of killing Bothell cop in 2020 (The Everett Herald)
• DeRousse appointed as new Everett police chief (The Everett Herald)
• Mason County Jail deputies raise safety, staffing concerns (KING TV)
• OD death of Battle Ground police sergeant detailed in investigative report (The Oregonian)
• Former correctional officer indicted for bribery scheme bringing meth, fentanyl into Seattle jail (FOX 13)

LEGISLATURE

• What advocacy groups want from lawmakers in 2024 (Washington State Standard)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• Feds send Tacoma Port $54.2 million for terminal expansion project (The Center Square)
• Diversity report identifies gaps in support at Snohomish County offices (The Everett Herald)
• Hearing examiner denies permit for cell tower proposed in Walla Walla neighborhood (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin)
• EDITORIAL: Make Seattle construction permitting transparent and fair (The Seattle Times)

MENTAL HEALTH

• How Seattle psychiatric providers are responding as system bursts at the seams (The Seattle Times)

MILITARY & VETERANS

• Sexual abuse allegations against JBLM doctor continue to grow (FOX 13)

OPEN GOVERNMENT

• WA state Senate settles case alleging ‘silent withholding’ of public records (The News Tribune)

OTHER STATES

• State money isn’t coming to end Portland teachers strike, lawmakers say (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
• Oregon cities join police, prosecutors in push to recriminalize drug possession (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
• Oregon property owners paying as much as 79% more for state fire protection (Capital Press)
• Idaho has obtained lethal chemicals, law protects where they came from (Idaho Capital Sun/The Lewiston Tribune)

SCHOOL SAFETY

• Report: Hundreds of local elementary schools may be dangerously close to potential pesticides (KIRO TV)

SPORTS

• OL Reign heads to NWSL semifinals and a shot at history (Axios – Seattle)

TRANSPORTATION

• WSDOT’s draft highway plan: more money needed to maintain what we’ve got (The Center Square)
• WSDOT is asking for public comment on their draft 20-year plan (KONP Radio)
• WSDOT celebrates new Winona Trestle two months after wildfire destroyed original bridge (KREM TV)
• Runaway barge in Seattle’s Elliott Bay hits marina (The Seattle Times)

TRIBAL ISSUES

• Northwest tribes build momentum in large gathering for dam removal, salmon restoration (The Seattle Times)

WILDFIRE PREVENTION & RESPONSE

• Lawmakers propose loosening heat pump requirement for homeowners rebuilding after Spokane County fires (The Spokesman-Review)

WILDLIFE

• US congressman urges feds to reconsider grizzly bear proposal (MyNorthwest)