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 […]
Sen Liias bill would expand pedestrian access in construction zones
OLYMPIA [CASSIE DIAMOND]—Hospitals, parks and schools: These key locations are the focus of a bill that would require accessible pedestrian passage to be maintained during construction there. The prime sponsor of Senate Bill 6311, Sen. Marko Liias, D-Edmonds, said the measure was born out of a story he heard from Monroe about a hospital that […]
Bill seeks to expand state’s involuntary treatment law
OLYMPIA [CASSIE DIAMOND]—The Senate Law and Justice Committee held a hearing Feb. 2 for legislation that would make it easier to commit someone to involuntary mental health treatment. Sen. Jesse Salomon, D-Shoreline, is the prime sponsor of Senate Bill 6296, which is scheduled for an executive session Feb. 3. Salomon said there is a need to […]
ICE Out: Heated debate on bill to bar hiring of ICE agents
OLYMPIA [CASSIE DIAMOND]—Lawmakers clashed during a public hearing for a bill that would prohibit Washington law enforcement agencies from employing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers hired after Trump’s second-term inauguration. During a House Community Safety Committee meeting Thursday, Jan. 29, the division between Democratic and Republican legislators regarding their stances towards ICE was made […]
Senate bill addresses grocery closures in food deserts
OLYMPIA [CASSIE DIAMOND]– When the Fred Meyer in Tacoma’s South End neighborhood closed in September 2025, local resident Steven Bock said he considered leaving the area. “Our store was a primary food source of our district for almost 50 years, half a century,” Bock said. “My neighborhood is now without its last source of food […]
Snohomish County expands Agricultural Advisory Board to broaden industry representation
SNOHOMISH COUNTY – Snohomish County is expanding its Agricultural Advisory Board with the addition of two new positions to better reflect the breadth of the county’s agricultural economy. The new positions were requested by the Agricultural Advisory Board and include one forestry representative (starting in 2026) and one representative from an agribusiness but may not […]
Breaking barriers in Snohomish County: JJ Frank’s inspiring journey for Black History Month
SNOHOMISH COUNTY—In honor of Black History Month, the Lynnwood Times met with YMCA Snohomish County District Director JJ Frank who, along with being YMCA Snohomish County’s first ever Black District Director in its 125 years, but has been a pillar in organizing, championing for, and lifting Black voices in the region for decades. Frank was […]
Trump admin awards $1M in emergency funds to WA workers affected by December’s record flood
OLYMPIA – The Employment Security Department was awarded a $1 million disaster recovery grant from the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) to help workers living in Washington who were affected by December’s severe weather and record flooding. Employment Security will submit a full application to USDOL within 60 business days for additional disaster recovery funds for a […]
‘Pie Crust Promise,’ Rally at Capitol pushes for Parental Rights and Girls’ Sports protections
OLYMPIA—Hundreds gathered on the steps of the Washington state Capitol on Tuesday to rally in support of two citizen initiatives aimed at restoring parental rights in schools and barring biological males from competing in female sports, voicing frustration that Democratic leaders in the Legislature have refused to hold hearings on the measures despite constitutional requirements. […]
Detransitioner wins $2M landmark malpractice lawsuit after gender surgery regret
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK—A New York jury awarded $2 million to detransitioner Fox Varian in a landmark medical malpractice case over a double mastectomy she underwent as a minor, marking the first such verdict against providers of gender-affirming care for adolescents. The six-member jury in Westchester County Supreme Court found psychologist Kenneth Einhorn and surgeon […]
