The manufacture and sale of guns defined as assault weapons would be banned in the state under a bill that passed out of the Senate Law & Justice Committee Tuesday afternoon.
House Bill 1240 defines dozens of guns that would qualify, including modifications that would add weapons to the list.
Committee chair Sen. Manka Dhingra (D- Redmond) and other Democrats said the legislation could prevent mass shootings, like Monday’s at a school in Nashville. Three students and three staff members of The Covenant School were killed by a former student. Read more
The City of Seattle and the Department of Justice have entered into a new agreement regarding the consent decree with the Seattle Police Department.
The agreement recognizes the portions of the federal consent decree that have been satisfied by SPD, as well as details on the remaining steps to be completed for a full settlement of the case.
The consent decree was implemented in 2012 for SPD “with the goal of ensuring that police services are delivered to the people of Seattle in a manner that fully complies with the Constitution and laws of the United States, effectively ensures public trust and officer safety, and promotes public confidence." Read more
University of Washington researchers will examine the potential impacts of drug use on air quality within public transit.
This week, they installed air pumps and filters onboard several King County Metro buses and light rail cars and will send them to labs to examine whether there are traces of fentanyl or other drugs inherent after smoke events. They will also wipe surfaces to check for deposits.
King County Metro Director of Communications and Marketing Sean Hawks said the study is designed to learn more about airflow, air quality and how the agency can improve cleaning and health. It comes after drivers called for more action to prevent drug use and the agency rolled out a plan to target safety issues. Read more
On Tuesday, Seattle became the first jurisdiction in the country to create permanent paid sick and safe time (PSST) benefits for gig workers.
Gig workers are independent contractors, like app-based food delivery workers. The ordinance was passed unanimously by Seattle City Council members.
Since 2020, gig workers in Seattle were granted paid sick leave as part of an emergency pandemic order, but that order was set to expire at the end of April. Read more
Tucked away in a wooded area on Marrowstone Island near Port Townsend is a small, nondescript loft. Inside, history is being preserved.
The Chimenti family is hand-sewing massive sails for large ships called tall ships, one of the few companies to continue the niche practice.
Wayne and Nicole Chimenti started the company Force 10 Sailmakers after falling in love at sea in the 1980s. Their travels brought them to the Pacific Northwest, where they decided to put down roots permanently. Since then, they’ve been hand-sewing sails for ships across the world. Read more
RELATED: Western Washington Forecast
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