Lynnwood passes $545 million biennium budget, contention over salaries
LYNNWOOD, Wash., December 14, 2022━The Lynnwood City Council passed amended versions of the 2023 salary schedule and 2023-2024 biennium budget during their December 12 meeting. The ordinances were delayed at the previous meeting on November 28. With all council members present at the meeting, Council Vice President Smith was the only dissenting vote to approve […]
Arlington City Council approve $14.7 million in budget amendments
ARLINGTON, December 11, 2022—The Arlington City Council unanimously approved amendments to the 2022 budget and to reduce an increase to utility rates at its December 5th meeting. The change to utility rates specifically impacts water, sewer and stormwater for 2023 and is adjusted yearly based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) changes for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue […]
Elon Musk Ventures: Neuralink, Telsa Smartphone and Starlink
SpaceX received approval to launch 7,500 Starlink satellites by the Federal Communications Commission on December 1st. The FCC only partially approved SpaceX’s application, as the company aims to launch 30,000 “Gen2” Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. “Our action will allow SpaceX to begin deployment of Gen2 Starlink, which will bring next generation satellite broadband […]
China in Lockdown: Zero-COVID policy protests
Large protests in China occurred over last weekend after tensions boiled over from the government’s “zero-COVID” policy. The Associated Press referred to the demonstrations as “the most widespread protests since the army crushed the 1989 student-led Tiananmen Square pro-democracy movement.” To ease the spread of protests, Reuters reports that at least two Chinese cities – […]
Vote for employee salary increases and 2023-2024 budget postponed
LYNNWOOD, Wash., November 29, 2022—The Lynnwood City Council unanimously voted on Monday to postpone adoption of the 2023–2024 budget and discussion of the 2023 salary schedule to their December 12th meeting. This decision — at least regarding the budget — did cause further deviation from the schedule set by the council but should have no […]
Subscription services: A new car industry trend hitting consumer wallets
In a continuing industry trend, Mercedes launched a new annual $1200 plus tax subscription service to unlock improved performance on several electric vehicle models. The “Acceleration Increase” subscription doesn’t involve any parts that get upgraded, but instead allows access to motor performance that is already there. This subscription is available on the Mercedes-EQ EQE and […]
Twitter, Meta, and the multi trillion-dollar tech industry
Elon Musk has owned Twitter for a few weeks now, but it isn’t hyperbole to call his tenure there “interesting.” Unable to back out of the $44 billion purchase, Musk quickly made the company private, fired top executives, and laid off roughly half of Twitter’s employees. However, that decisiveness has yet to show dividends, leaving […]
Lynnwood Council votes Monday to overturn veto of Car Tab relief
LYNNWOOD, November 13, 2022—Lynnwood Mayor Christine Frizzell vetoed the recently passed $40 car tab relief, Ordinance 3416, during the October 31 city council work session. The Council is scheduled to vote to overturn her veto at Monday’s meeting on November 14. “After substantial consideration of what is best and necessary for the long-term sustainability of our […]
County to receive up to $25.4M to save lives ravaged by the opioid crisis
SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash., November 1, 2022—Snohomish County is set to receive up to $25.4 million from a resolution with the three largest distributors of prescription opioids. Attorney General Bob Ferguson brought McKesson Corp., Cardinal Health Inc., and AmerisourceBergen Drug Corp. in 2021 after rejecting a national settlement. In Ferguson’s announcement, Washington state will receive a […]
Boeing suspends operations in Russia, major titanium supplier in crosshairs
EVERETT, Wash. March 2, 2022 – Governor Jay Inslee announced on Monday, February 28, that state entities are to identify and sever ties with Russian institutions. Boeing is certainly not part of the state government — the company also relocated their headquarters to Chicago in 2001 — but the aerospace giant still remains a major […]
