Is this the year WA ends single-family zoning?
Duplexes or fourplexes would be legalized in almost every neighborhood of almost every city in Washington, regardless of local zoning rules, under legislation advancing in the state House of Representatives. The bill aims to increase housing supply in cities throughout the state, which advocates say is a crucial step in easing the housing crisis that has seen home prices and homelessness numbers climb. The push to add more housing density would not mean the end of single-family home production in Washington. The bill (HB 1110) faces a crucial deadline Friday as it must pass out of the House Appropriations committee before the end of the day. The state Department of Commerce estimates Washington needs to build an additional 1 million homes over the next two-plus decades to keep pace with population growth. Advocates argue that allowing more homes that take up less space in cities is a good way to begin. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Amanda Synder)
Opinion: Salmon management must build on the lessons of the past 50 years
One year from now, in February 2024, we will mark the 50th anniversary of federal Judge George Boldt’s ruling in United States vs. Washington, which affirmed tribes’ treaty-reserved rights to harvest salmon outside of our reservations. The court case was brought about by the Fish Wars of the 1960s and ’70s, when state authorities arrested tribal fishermen violently — often with tear gas — for exercising the fishing rights we reserved in the Stevens treaties of the 1850s. Now, despite the co-management relationship we have developed since then to manage salmon harvest with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, some elected state leaders seem determined to set tribal fishermen up to endure that kind of racism again. Tribal governments and Fish and Wildlife have worked too hard to reach our current level of co-management to be undermined by calls to ban gillnets. Tribal and state co-managers have learned a lot of lessons. We all need to work together — not against each other. It’s what we have to do if we hope to have salmon to harvest for another 50 years. Continue reading at Bellingham Herald. (Deborah L. Preston)
Opinion: Racial disparities persist in WA prisons. Here’s a smart, proactive way to fix it
It’s now the third consecutive legislative session that the Department of Corrections has requested changes to “earned time,” which would allow our state’s incarcerated population to reduce their sentences for positive programming. Since the DOC has historically advocated for keeping convicted people behind bars as long as possible, many are wondering: What’s the catch? As it turns out, like many reforms, this one is being driven by a problem — actually, a few problems. First, the DOC has recognized that prisons suffer from significant racial disparity. Second, compounded by three years of COVID-19, prison conditions are poor and staffing is difficult. And third, the DOC is about to be hit with a massive wave of new admissions. House Bill 1798 proposes changes to earned time that are actually well-thought-out responses meant to meet these emergent needs. Continue reading at The Olympian. (Dean J. Koepfler)
Associated Press
Court rejects deception charges against Savers Value Village
Bellingham Herald
Opinion: Salmon management must build on the lessons of the past 50 years
Capital Press
Washington riparian buffer bill stalls in the House (Chapman)
Inslee’s new way to greenlight energy projects moving in House (Fitzgibbon, Doglio)
Columbian
Clark County police mostly followed law in probes of four police shootings
The Daily News
How employment of women in the trucking industry has changed over the past 20 years
Everett Herald
Housing Hope opens doors to affordable housing for 60 Marysville families
Guns for gift cards is back for second round in Mukilteo on Saturday
Letter: State legislation seeks to lock away carbon to help climate
Kent Reporter
Kent Police chief supports pursuit, illegal street racing bills
News Tribune
Opinion: Racial disparities persist in WA prisons. Here’s a smart, proactive way to fix it
New York Times
U.S. Eyes Trade Deals With Allies to Ease Clash Over Electric Car Subsidies
Olympian
Airport sites in Puget Sound could be put on no-go list due to military conflict
Could an earthquake like in Syria, Turkey hit WA? It’s possible. Here’s what could happen
Puget Sound Business Journal
Boeing in the running to replace NATO surveillance jet
Seattle Medium
Black-Owned Company Bridges Gap For Adults With Special Needs
Man Who Drove Through Protesters, Shot Protester Gets Prosecutor Deal
Seattle Times
WA preparing for conflict with anti-abortion states (Hansen)
Is this the year WA ends single-family zoning? (Bateman, Trudeau)
Seattle must do more to prevent traffic deaths, report says
Lawmakers consider limits to length of freight trains moving through WA (Santos)
Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit County proposal includes 71% increase to Guemes Ferry ticket prices
Spokesman Review
Opinion: Renters need legislative protections from gouging
Tri-City Herald
$13M project paused in Richland after soaring electric and water bills
Feds seek bids for new multi-million dollar Eastern WA nuclear site contract
KING 5 TV (NBC)
Washington’s salmon population struggling against climate change
International District, South Lake Union community members express concerns over light rail expansion
KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Drivers could soon pay per mile to use public roadways in Washington (Fey)
KXLY (ABC)
Turning downtown parking space into affordable housing
NW Public Radio
Animal advocacy group files complaints against WSU research animal deaths
Q13 TV (FOX)
Lawmakers take another step forward to removing some restrictions from police chases (Rule)
State lawmakers discuss bill that could shift instructional hours in public schools (Wellman)
Crosscut
Is a 17-inch fossil enough to inspire Washington’s state dinosaur? (Morgan)
Some farmers question WA state’s plan to pay workers overtime
