First Amendment Battle Heats Up: Journalists sue WA State House over denied press credentials
OLYMPIA—The Citizen Action Defense Fund (CADF) filed a lawsuit on Tuesday, February 10, against the Washington State House of Representatives and the Washington State Capitol Correspondents Association (WSCCA) on behalf of three prominent journalists—Ari Hoffman, Brandi Kruse, and Jonathan Choe—after all three were denied legislative press credentials to cover proceedings at the Washington State Capitol. […]
Lynnwood Mayor and Police Chief release joint statement on false allegations of LPD involvement in ICE activity
LYNNWOOD—In a joint message released on Monday, Lynnwood Mayor George Hurst and Police Chief Cole Langdon reaffirmed the city’s commitment to welcoming all community members regardless of origin, amid concerns over ICE activities and recent violence against protesters in Minneapolis. Mayor Hurst and Chief Langdon dispelled rumors about Lynnwood police involvement, and pledged adherence to […]
NASA Sets Coverage for Agency’s SpaceX Crew-12 Launch
NASA will stream live coverage of the upcoming prelaunch, launch, and docking activities for the agency’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station. Liftoff is targeted for no earlier than 6:01 a.m. EST on Wednesday, Feb. 11, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The targeted docking time […]
Millionaires’ Tax Showdown in Olympia: Fears of Business Exodus vs Calls for Fairness
OLYMPIA—Washington lawmakers heard impassioned pleas from both sides during a packed Senate Ways and Means Committee hearing on Friday, February 6, 2026, over Senate Bill 6346, a proposal to impose a 9.9% tax on individuals earning more than $1 million annually. Supporters cast the measure as a vital step toward fixing what they call a […]
State-Funded Media and Press Pass Denials: The Slippery Slope to Fascism Exposed
State-funded private media looks a lot like fascism. If the state funds preferred media while restricting access to critics, it stops looking like support for journalism and starts looking like state control of the news and political narratives. I’m somewhat of a free speech absolutist, even when it’s uncomfortable. We don’t have the 1st amendment […]
King County Superior Court Judge Sean P. O’Donnell announces run for Supreme Court Position 4
SEATTLE – Judge Sean P. O’Donnell announced his campaign for Washington State Supreme Court Position 4, a seat currently held by Justice Charles Johnson, who will Constitutionally ‘age-out’ in 2026. Judge O’Donnell has over 25 years experience as a prosecutor and judge and currently serves on the King County Superior Court. Judge O’Donnell’s peers elected him […]
Community Transit Board approves purchase of Goodwill Property
EVERETT—The Community Transit Board of Directors unanimously approved purchase of the Goodwill property, located at 2208 West Casino Road adjacent to the Cascade Administration Building, valued at $25,350,000. The agreement includes a 24-month seller lease-back of $120,000/mo. “This is smart move,” Mukilteo Mayor Joe Marine said. “It is something we are going to need in […]
Judge Ian Birk to Run for State Supreme Court Justice
SEATTLE– State Appeals Court Judge Ian Birk has announced that he will run for State Supreme Court Justice. Birk, 47, has served on Division 1 of the Appellate Court since 2022, following a two-decade year career as a leading litigator and plaintiff’s attorney. He is presently seeking the open seat being vacated by retiring Justice […]
Bill to regulate ALPR Cameras passes state Senate, now heads to House
OLYMPIA [CASSIE DIAMOND]—A bill establishing a regulatory structure for automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras advanced out of the state Senate Wednesday, Feb. 4. Senate Bill 6002 would restrict the use of ALPR cameras by state and local agencies, set a retention period for the data collected and limit the sharing of data. ALPR cameras, also […]
Bill proposes permanent tax break for senior centers
OLYMPIA [ANNIKA HAUER]—Roughly 200 senior centers in Washington state could become permanently exempt from paying property taxes under a proposed bill, which passed its first committee Feb. 3. In 2017, House Bill 1526 established that senior centers did not have to pay those taxes. That bill had an automatic termination, or “sunset clause,” set for […]
