Julia Dallas – MyNorthwest.com Seattle news, sports, weather, traffic, talk and community. Thu, 19 Jun 2025 00:51:29 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8 /wp-content/uploads/2024/06/favicon-needle.png Julia Dallas – MyNorthwest.com 32 32 Nice try: WSP busts driver using Halloween decoration in HOV lane /chokepoints/hov-lane-violator/4101052 Thu, 19 Jun 2025 12:00:52 +0000 /?p=4101052 The Washington State Patrol (WSP) can add another fake passenger to its growing list of HOV lane violators.

WSP Trooper Rick Johnson is reminding the public that items do not count as humans.

HOV lane violator uses a dummy

Troopers pulled over a woman on I-5 south near 185th street on Monday who had a fake skeleton in the back seat. At least this one was dressed up, wearing a black t-shirt and a paper crown.

Her excuse? That she “accidentally left her Halloween decoration up,” Johnson wrote on X.

Xվ Newsradio’s Chris Sullivan had a cheeky response.

“No Kings???” he commented .

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‘A new low point for county politics’: King County Assessor continues to fight restraining order /mynorthwest-politics/king-county-assessor-2/4101147 Thu, 19 Jun 2025 00:51:29 +0000 /?p=4101147 King County Assessor John Wilson is continuing to fight a temporary restraining order taken out against him by his former fiancée.

“This is a new low point for county politics,” Wilson stated in Wednesday. “And let me state this loud and clear–I have never posed a stalking threat or harassed Ms. Lee Keller, my former fiancée. I have posed no danger to her whatsoever.”

Wilson stated on June 30, he will ask a court to dismiss the order requested by Lee Keller.

“Because of the looming August primary, we will be asking on June 30 for the Court to take immediate action to execute the Order to Dismiss the TRO and have this brought to a full stop,” he wrote.

King County Assessor defends himself on John Curley

Earlier this month, he told Xվ Newsradio’s John Curley both sides had signed off on dismissing the order.

“This is the third time that she has taken some action like this, and each and every time she has withdrawn it before it ever went to court,” Wilson said.

Lee Keller says restraining order is ‘very active’

At that point, Keller said in a statement, through her attorneys, that she had no plans to drop the order.

“The restraining order against John Wilson remains in place. I will not be changing my mind, despite his repeated efforts to coerce me to dismiss it,” she wrote. “A hearing on the restraining order will be held on June 30, 2025. I welcome the opportunity to address John’s reference to a signed agreement at that time, and inform the court of John’s continuing violations of the very active restraining order.”

Xվ Newsradio has reached out to her again for comment.

Leaders call for Wilson’s resignation

Earlier this month, the King County Council unanimously passed a vote of no confidence in Wilson, who is also running for King County Executive.

The vote came after multiple leaders called for Wilson’s resignation after allegations that he stalked and harassed Keller resurfaced.

Contributing: Aaron Granillo and Frank Lenzi, Xվ Newsradio

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Former JBLM soldier pleads guilty to trying to deliver military secrets to China /crime_blotter/jblm-soldier-military-secrets/4101133 Thu, 19 Jun 2025 00:12:09 +0000 /?p=4101133 A former U.S. Army Sergeant whose last post was Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) pleaded guilty Wednesday to trying to share military secrets with China.

Joseph Daniel Schmidt, 31, pleaded guilty to two felonies—attempt to deliver national defense information and retention of national defense information, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.

Schmidt was an active-duty soldier from January 2015 to January 2020, with his primary assignment at JBLM’s 109th Military Intelligence Battalion, according to the attorney’s office.

“In his role, Schmidt had access to SECRET and TOP SECRET information,” the news release stated. “After his separation from the military, Schmidt reached out to the Chinese Consulate in Turkey and later, the Chinese security services via email, offering national defense information.”

Schmidt then traveled to Hong Kong in March 2020, where he continued to provide Chinese intelligence with classified information.

“He created multiple lengthy documents describing various ‘high-level secrets’ he was offering to the Chinese government,” the attorney’s office wrote.

Schmidt also offered a device to Chinese authorities that would allow them to access secure military records. He stayed in China, primarily Hong Kong, until October 2023, when he flew to San Francisco. He was subsequently arrested at the airport, according to the attorney’s office.

Schmidt will face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine when he is sentenced on September 9.

Active-duty JBLM soldiers, former U.S. Army soldier indicted

In March, two active-duty JBLM soldiers and a former U.S. Army soldier were indicted in connection with conspiring to transmit national defense information, theft of government property, and transferring sensitive military information,

A federal grand jury indicted Sgt. Jian Zhao on charges of espionage, bribery, and theft of government property.

The indictment in the Western District of Washington alleges that from July 2024 until his arrest, Zhao conspired to obtain and transmit national defense information to individuals in China.

Active-duty JBLM soldier Li Tian and former U.S. Army soldier Ruoyu Duan were also taken into custody following indictments by federal grand juries in the District of Oregon and the Western District of Washington.

The indictment in the District of Oregon alleges that from November 2021 to December 2024, Duan and Tian conspired to gather sensitive military information related to the U.S. Army’s operational capabilities, including technical manuals and sensitive information. Tian allegedly transmitted this information to Duan in exchange for money.

Tian and Duan were charged in the District of Oregon with conspiring to commit bribery and theft of government property. Zhao was charged in the Western District of Washington with conspiring to obtain and transmit national defense information to an unauthorized individual, as well as bribery and theft of government property.

Contributing: Aaron Granillo, Xվ Newsradio

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Retired four-star general believes peace more likely than expected in Israel-Iran conflict /gee-and-ursula/israel-iran-conflict/4101003 Wed, 18 Jun 2025 22:00:23 +0000 /?p=4101003 The death toll in Israel and Iran has been growing since the two have begun

Iran’s leader warned that any American military involvement would cause “irreparable damage to them,” . Israeli airstrikes targeted Iran’s capital , a day after President Donald Trump demanded “unconditional surrender.”

However, Trump has not been clear if he would strike Iran, telling reporters at the White House Wednesday, “I may do it, I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do,” .

Retired four-star General Barry McCaffrey told “The Gee and Ursula Show” on Xվ Newsradio he does not believe the U.S. is involved.

“We are participating with some very sophisticated air defense systems in Israel, but the general posture of the United States has not yet gone into offensive operations against Iran,” he said.

McCaffrey added that the U.S. is “influencing the situation, but we’re not part of the war yet.”

Israel-Iran conflict goes back decades

The conflict between Israel and Iran goes back 80 years, McCaffrey said.

“The Ayatollahs, since the Shah was deposed, have chanted in large groups of citizens, ‘Death to Israel’ and ‘Death to America,'” he said. “And we do have international issues at stake. The Iranians could cut off the Persian Gulf, the supply of oil to the world, primarily in western Europe and Japan. So, there are issues that force us to pay attention to what they’re doing. But the immediate, proximate threat is nuclear weapons.”

McCaffrey noted the U.S. will do what is necessary to protect itself.

“The bottom line is the Israelis have correctly decided that their existence is at stake, and they will take unbounded measures to prevent that from happening. The United States is also publicly in the same posture. We will not tolerate them fabricating nuclear weapons,” he said.

However, McCaffrey believes a resolution is on the horizon.

“My gut instinct is that Trump has taken measures that enhance the likelihood of the Iranians coming back to a diplomatic, negotiated outcome. They’re in an unbelievably vulnerable position. Their proxies are all essentially neutered,” he said.

McCaffrey added, “I think peace is more likely than many would assume, and that Trump would be ill-advised to join in on the war.”

Listen to the full conversation below.

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Former postal worker allegedly used scam letters to steal over $80K from WA charities, businesses /crime_blotter/man-charged-scam-letters/4100636 Wed, 18 Jun 2025 02:00:13 +0000 /?p=4100636 A former postal worker was charged for allegedly using scam letters to steal from thousands of Washington and California businesses and charities.

Johnny Q. Nguyen, 49, was charged in an 11-count indictment with multiple counts of mail fraud and money laundering, from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington stated Tuesday.

Nguyen, a San Jose, California, resident, allegedly sent mass mailings appearing to be from state agencies.

Man allegedly used scam letters to steal from WA businesses, charities

The letters had a fake government letterhead and included fraudulent billing statements, instructing recipients to send checks to a post office in Olympia, Washington, to pay fake registration and filing fees, according to the attorney’s office.

The agencies were allegedly told to make the checks payable to Nguyen’s limited liability company called “Business Entities,” authorities stated.

“Thousands of Washington and California victims sent checks, cashier’s checks, and money orders,” the news release stated.

Nguyen allegedly deposited around 350 checks from agencies in Washington, totaling $82,210. He also allegedly cashed 60 checks from California agencies, totaling $8,640. Investigators seized an additional 1,711 pieces of mail that contained $395,295 in total, according to the attorney’s office.

Nguyen is charged with three different types of money laundering, authorities noted, with money laundering and mail fraud being punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The indictment also calls for Nguyen to forfeit the $90,851 he profited.

“As a helpful reminder, if you receive a communication in any form purporting to be from a government agency, the best way to verify the source is to call the agency directly using a publicly available phone number on the agency’s website,” the attorney’s office wrote.

Nguyen is scheduled to appear in the Western District of Washington on July 1.

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Former Seattle Seahawks player charged with DUI following 2024 arrest /crime_blotter/richard-sherman-charged-with-dui/4100656 Wed, 18 Jun 2025 00:30:18 +0000 /?p=4100656 A former Seattle Seahawks player has been charged for allegedly Driving Under the Influence (DUI).

Richard Sherman charged with DUI

Richard Sherman was charged with alleged DUI on Tuesday for an arrest last year, according to a news release from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

Sherman was cited by a Washington State Patrol (WSP) trooper in February 2024 after being pulled over on I-405 south, authorities stated. However, the case wasn’t filed until June 17, a day after the attorney’s office received the blood test results from the WSP Crime Lab, which were taken the night of the arrest.

The attorney’s office noted it is not uncommon for blood test results to take months to return from the crime lab.

WSP troopers claimed Sherman was driving 79 miles per hour in a 60 miles per hour zone. He also admitted to having two margaritas, and officers detected signs of intoxication, according to the report.

Sherman previously waived his right to appear in court. His next court date is scheduled for June 30.

Sherman’s previous arrest

Sherman was also arrested in July 2021 in Redmond after police said he crashed his SUV in a construction zone and tried to break into his in-laws’ suburban Seattle home. His father-in-law, Raymond Moss, told officers that he armed himself with a handgun and fired pepper-spray at Sherman to protect his family.

Sherman, who said after the arrest he was “deeply remorseful,” pleaded guilty in March 2022 to two misdemeanor counts, first-degree negligent driving and second-degree criminal trespass. He also admitted to a criminal infraction of speeding in a roadway construction zone.

Contributing: Frank Sumrall, MyNorthwest

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Underground bunker that housed ballistic missile for sale in Washington /local/underground-missile-bunker/4100574 Tue, 17 Jun 2025 23:01:26 +0000 /?p=4100574 A unique property is for sale in rural Lincoln County, Washington.

Doomsday lovers, or those who want an underground vibe, can now purchase a Cold War missile silo, reported Tuesday.

The 12,946 square foot Atlas E missile silo is for $1,450,000.

Specs on underground missile bunker

The property was built in 1950 and encompasses a 24.15-acre lot. It has an 820 square foot living area, connected to a 3,794 square foot metal garage above ground and a 1,906 square foot living area below, Zillow stated.

The bunker was part of the 567th Strategic Missile Squadron, attached to a missile base in Spokane and held an intercontinental ballistic missile, according to The Seattle Times. It can withstand a 1-megaton airburst from 1.6 miles away, the media outlet stated.

The owner, David McIntyre, lived in the home for 30 years before it was put up for sale by his daughter, The Seattle Times noted.

Local fallout shelter

Also in Washington, a fallout shelter sits beneath I-5 in Seattle’s Ravenna neighborhood. The shelter dates back to 1963 and was built during the construction of I-5 in the area beneath the southbound lanes of the freeway where it crosses Weedin Place, just east of Green Lake and just north of the University District, around 68th Street in North Seattle.

The shelter interior isn’t open to the public, but the entrance courtyard and the landscaped area around the shelter are easily accessible to casual visitors and Cold War history buffs. According to The Seattle Times, it is the nation’s first shelter to be built into a freeway.

Contributing: Feliks Banel

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Juvenile shot outside Tacoma high school; Responding officer involved in 4-car crash /crime_blotter/lincoln-high-school/4100621 Tue, 17 Jun 2025 22:23:35 +0000 /?p=4100621 A juvenile was shot outside Lincoln High School in Tacoma. There was also a four-car crash involving an officer responding to the scene.

The incident occurred around 2:49 p.m. Tuesday, just before school let out, the Tacoma Police Department (TPD) told Xվ Newsradio.

TPD received a call that shots were fired, and then another call that a juvenile who was shot had shown up at their business near the shooting.

Police do not have a suspect at this time, but TPD is following leads and continuing to investigate.

4-car crash as officer responds to shooting by Lincoln High School

An officer en route to the school was involved in a crash with two other cars and a school bus that did not have any students in it, TPD stated. The officer is fine, and one other driver reported minor injuries.

The school was placed on a modified lockdown, but no other students were involved. TPD said it could not confirm if the juvenile shot was a student at the school.

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Man arrested after Tacoma Amber Alert issued, child found at his house /crime_blotter/tacoma-amber-alert/4099601 Mon, 16 Jun 2025 23:55:39 +0000 /?p=4099601 A man has been arrested for allegedly trying to kidnap a 2-year-old child.

The child’s mother reported her daughter missing from her home Saturday at 9:30 a.m., according to from the Tacoma Police Department (TPD).

Shortly after, an employee at a nearby business called. The employee reported a man had entered the business, saying he had found the child alone and outside, and was trying to find her parents.

However, when the employee told the man the police would be called, he left the business, got into a silver sedan with the child, and drove away, according to TPD.

Officers went to the business and gathered surveillance footage, showing the man and the car he was driving. Police then searched the area, hoping the man would turn in the child after his conversation with the employee. TPD contacted all local hospitals and fire stations, but no one had seen the child.

Police then tried to use technology to find the sedan, but no matches came up.

Authorities then made the decision to issue an Amber Alert. Within minutes, dozens of calls came in from the community, TPD stated, with one caller providing key information about the man seen with the child.

Tacoma Amber Alert leads to child

The information led officers to the man’s house, where they found the missing child just after 12 p.m. The man was subsequently taken into custody, where he was interviewed by detectives. The man’s friends and family were also interviewed.

TPD decided to book the man into the Pierce County Jail on an outstanding warrant. The kidnapping investigation was forwarded to the Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office for a charging decision.

Further information may be released once there is a charging decision, TPD noted.

“The Tacoma Police Department would like to thank the community and our agency partners for their swift assistance during this incident,” the department wrote in its release.

This story was originally published on June 14, 2025. It has been updated and republished since then.

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Costco expanding near Issaquah headquarters /local/costco-expanding-issaquah/4100221 Mon, 16 Jun 2025 23:09:43 +0000 /?p=4100221 Costco appears to be broadening its Issaquah store and headquarters.

The corporation bought the nearby former Red Robin property for $16 million, according to

Red Robin was sold to Selkirk Ridge LLC, which was planning a 275-unit apartment project, the media outlet stated.

Costco is also planning to move the neighboring fueling station to Lake Drive and 11th Avenue Northwest, which currently hosts a commercial building, according to The Puget Sound Business Journal. The fueling station is set to have 40,000-gallon underground storage tanks and an 18,800-square-foot canopy.

MyNorthwest has reached out to Costco for comment.

Costco tests checkout program

The warehouse giant recently announced it is testing a new “scan-and-go” checkout option to reduce long lines, according to .

With the new program, customers could pay through an app and show proof of purchase before leaving the store.

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Seattle doctor among CDC vaccine committee members removed by RFK Jr. /local/cdc-vaccine-committee/4100149 Mon, 16 Jun 2025 22:05:03 +0000 /?p=4100149 A Seattle doctor was among 17 members removed from a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) committee, reported Monday.

Helen Chu, an infectious disease doctor, was let go without warning from the CDC’s Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) via an email on June 9, according to the media outlet.

CDC vaccine committee being remodeled

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) stated it is “reconstituting” the committee, according to on the HHS’s website. The committee makes recommendations on the safety and need for clinical vaccines.

“Today we are prioritizing the restoration of public trust above any specific pro- or anti-vaccine agenda,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated via the release. “The public must know that unbiased science—evaluated through a transparent process and insulated from conflicts of interest—guides the recommendations of our health agencies.”

Each member will be replaced by a new member.

“A clean sweep is necessary to reestablish public confidence in vaccine science,” Kennedy stated. “ACIP’s new members will prioritize public health and evidence-based medicine.”

Among the new members of the panel are a scientist who spread misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines and an epidemiologist who opposed lockdowns, according to The Seattle Times.

The ACIP’s next meeting will be June 25 through June 27.

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Man charged for alleged bomb threat to get ‘justice’ for father’s death at Port of Tacoma /crime_blotter/man-charged-port-of-tacoma/4099442 Mon, 16 Jun 2025 12:02:35 +0000 /?p=4099442 A 46-year-old man from Graham was charged for allegedly threatening to build and set off a bomb.

David Eddo was arrested Thursday and charged Friday with illegal possession of ammunition, according to from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.

Eddo is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of a previous drive-by shooting and assault conviction. He was sentenced to 26 months in prison.

“In that 2019 case, Eddo fired multiple shots into the cab of a semi-truck that was on the I-5 exit ramp to the Port of Tacoma,” the news release stated.

Man allegedly writes manifesto tied to Port of Tacoma

Eddo then caught the attention of the FBI in May 2025 for allegedly writing a “manifesto” in which he claimed to be building and deploying a bomb to get “justice” for his father, who died around 20 years ago at the Port of Tacoma, according to the attorney’s office.

In the manifesto, authorities reported, Eddo names certain people who are involved in litigation over his father’s death as targets.

On Thursday, law enforcement searched Eddo’s home and allegedly found items that could be used to make an explosive device. Agents also allegedly recovered two different types of ammunition.

Eddo faces up to 15 years in prison for unlawful possession of ammunition, the attorney’s office noted. His hearing is scheduled for June 18.

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Whatcom County man sentenced to prison for ‘horrific attack’ of partner /crime_blotter/whatcom-county-man/4099399 Mon, 16 Jun 2025 12:00:27 +0000 /?p=4099399 A Whatcom County man was sentenced to prison for brutally assaulting his former partner.

Jason Sieber Sr., a 50-year-old member of the Lummi Nation, will spend more than four years behind bars for assault resulting in bodily injury, according to a from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington Friday.

“This was a horrific attack over a long period of time–it could have ended her life,” U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez said at the sentencing hearing.

Whatcom County man sentenced for attacking partner

Sieber, according to records filed in the case, became angry over the amount of time it was taking his then-partner to cook dinner. He struck her repeatedly in the face and head and kept her from leaving to get help, the attorney’s office stated. The attack was “brutal and prolonged,” according to prosecutors.

“Sieber himself admitted, his actions ’caused her to suffer extreme physical pain, as well as protracted and obvious disfigurement,'” prosecutors wrote in their sentencing memo.

Along with hitting her, Sieber hung her on hooks to his ceiling, leaving her trapped for 45 minutes, and strangled her, the attorney’s office stated. He also burned a cigarette on her and said it would be easy to kill her.

The woman reported the assault to Lummi Nation Police 10 days later, according to authorities. Sieber was subsequently charged in tribal court before the case was turned over to federal prosecutors.

Sieber also tried to have the woman change her account of what happened, according to the attorney’s office. Therefore, the judge determined that he tried to obstruct justice.

In addition to his time in prison, Sieber will be on three years of supervised release.

The Lummi Nation Police Department and the FBI investigated the case as part of the Safe Trails Task Force.

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Tacoma’s toxic past: ‘Murderland’ author links smelter plumes to serial killers /john-curley/tacoma-plumes-serial-killer/4099351 Sun, 15 Jun 2025 12:00:17 +0000 /?p=4099351 What creates a serial killer? Caroline Fraser, author of “Murderland,” has linked toxic fumes to the brain development of some of the most notorious criminals.

Fraser told “The John Curley Show” on Xվ Newsradio Thursday that the Asarco Company’s Tacoma copper smelter—which released arsenic, lead, and other heavy metals into the air, according to the Washington —may have been a culprit. The smelter, once the tallest smokestack in the world, ran for nearly 100 years before it was demolished in 1993, reported.

Scientists came up with the , Fraser explained, which suggests children who are exposed to lead can develop aggression, instability, neurosis, and even violent tendencies.

2 serial killers grew up next to toxic Tacoma plumes

Where did Ted Bundy, one of the most infamous serial killers, grow up? In Philadelphia—known then as the “City of Smelters”—before he moved to Tacoma and lived just across the bay from the smokestack.

Fraser said Gary Ridgway, the Green River Killer, also lived near the smokestack and was exposed to toxic air from I-5 vehicle emissions and airport traffic.

But, obviously, not everyone in the area became a serial killer, Fraser noted. Scientists are also exploring other factors that might contribute to the development of serial killers, such as physical or sexual abuse, poor diet associated with poverty, and head trauma.

Fraser, who grew up in the area during Bundy’s era, said she was frustrated that the media focused on the crimes but overlooked the deeper social issues behind them.

“There were headlines and newspapers and a hysteria about the topic, but the institutions that are responsible for dealing with crime, like the FBI and so forth, they were just kind of shrugging their shoulders,” she told “The John Curley Show.” “They were trying to figure out how to profile these guys, which was helpful, but I think the wider social questions just weren’t being asked at the time.”

If it were women attacking men, Fraser said the circumstances would have been different.

“If it were a series of women who had been dragging men off into the forest and attacking them and killing them, that would have occasioned all kinds of debate about what was going wrong with women, but we didn’t really see that about men or male violence,” she said.

Listen to the full conversation below.

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Person shot on Aurora Avenue, SPD looking for suspect /crime_blotter/person-shot-on-aurora-avenue-spd-looking-for-suspect/4099346 Fri, 13 Jun 2025 19:54:01 +0000 /?p=4099346 The Seattle Police Department (SPD) is investigating a shooting on Aurora Avenue.

A person was shot in the 9900 block of Aurora Avenue North on Friday, SPD reported .

The person was taken to Harborview Medical Center with a gunshot wound to the leg, the Seattle Fire Department told Xվ Newsradio.

Officers have contained the area and are searching for the suspect, according to the police department.

“Please avoid the area,” SPD wrote.

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Trump revokes Columbia River salmon restoration deal, citing energy concerns /mynorthwest-politics/columbia-river-basin-agreement/4099026 Fri, 13 Jun 2025 00:29:22 +0000 /?p=4099026 President Donald Trump Thursday revoking the Columbia River Basin agreement.

The directive nullifies the “Restoring Healthy and Abundant Salmon, Steelhead, and Other Native Fish Populations in the Columbia River Basin” put in place by the Biden administration.

The agreement was meant to increase funding for fisheries projects and explore alternative energy sources to replace the Lower Snake River dams, allowing fish to return to their natural habitats, , a nonprofit environmental law organization. The Orca Network has said that a lack of salmon is a primary driver of orca extinction.

“The Trump administration is turning its back on an unprecedented opportunity to support a thriving Columbia Basin—and ignoring the extinction crisis facing our salmon,” Earthjustice Senior Attorney Amanda Goodin said, via the nonprofit’s . “Unfortunately, this short-sighted decision to renege on this important agreement is just the latest in a series of anti-government and anti-science actions coming from the Trump administration.”

Columbia River Basin agreement would potentially hurt power grid

However, Rep. Dan Newhouse, WA-04, said breaching the dams would mean cutting a large power source.

“Today’s action by President Trump reverses the efforts by the Biden administration and extreme environmental activists to remove the dams, which would have threatened the reliability of our power grid, raised energy prices, and decimated our ability to export grain to foreign markets,” he said in a statement on his .

Meanwhile, the Trump administration wrote that the president is “putting America first.”

“President Trump continues to prioritize our nation’s energy infrastructure and use of natural resources to lower the cost of living for all Americans over speculative climate change concerns,” the White House’s stated.

Earthjustice said it will continue to fight to prevent the extinction of salmon.

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WA cold case unit for missing and murdered Indigenous people makes first arrest /crime_blotter/cold-case-port-angeles-police/4098962 Thu, 12 Jun 2025 21:36:23 +0000 /?p=4098962 The (MMIWP) has made its first arrest.

Port Angeles police took a 55-year-old woman into custody in connection with the 2016 homicide of George David, the Port Angeles Police Department reported Tuesday.

David, 65, was a “respected master woodcarver” from Port Alberni, British Columbia, and was living in Neah Bay at the time of his death in March 2016, the department stated. He was found dead in a Port Angeles apartment, where he had been staying temporarily before planning to visit family in British Columbia and attend a funeral.

The 55-year-old woman was initially identified as a primary suspect and was arrested in April 2016 in Mount Vernon on an outstanding warrant from Arkansas. She is from Arkansas but has ties to Clallam County, police explained.

The woman was taken to Clallam County Jail but was later extradited to Arkansas and incarcerated for violating the conditions of her probation on an unrelated felony conviction for theft.

Port Angeles police reopen cold case with MMIWP

However, in 2024, the Port Angeles Police Department reopened the case in partnership with the MMIWP.

“The task force provided critical support in advancing the investigation, offering culturally informed resources and victim advocacy in this matter of deep importance to Native and cross-border communities,” the department wrote.

The woman has been transported to the Clallam County Jail after coordination with officials in Arkansas. The Washington State Attorney General’s Office will be filing criminal charges in this case, police noted.

“This case has never been forgotten,” Port Angeles Police Chief Brian S. Smith stated, via the release. “The renewed investigation, bolstered by our partnership with the MMIWP Task Force, reflects our commitment to justice and to honoring George David’s memory.”

The woman remains in custody on $1 million bail, with her arraignment scheduled for June 20.

Anyone with information related to the case is asked to call the Port Angeles Police Department at 360-452-4545 extension 1.

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Seattle police arrest man, woman in connection with Capitol Hill stabbing /crime_blotter/capitol-hill-stabbing/4098955 Thu, 12 Jun 2025 20:38:24 +0000 /?p=4098955 Seattle officers arrested a man and a woman Thursday morning after a stabbing in Capitol Hill.

The stabbing occurred near 10th Avenue and East Pike Street, according to the Seattle Police Department, .

Officers were sent to the scene just after 12 a.m. and found an adult man who was stabbed in his stomach, arm, and back. They provided aid until the Seattle Fire Department arrived. The man was transported to Harborview Medical Center in serious condition.

Witnesses reported an argument between several men, in which a woman stabbed the man, according to SPD.

Police arrest 2 in Capitol Hill stabbing

The woman then fled the scene with a different man. Police apprehended both suspects after a brief foot chase.

Before they ran off, the woman reportedly threw the knife into nearby bushes. Officers were able to recover the weapons.

Detectives with the Homicide and Assault Unit are leading the investigation.

Police subsequently booked the woman into the King County Jail on investigation of assault. The man will be booked on additional charges, SPD stated.

Both suspects are expected to have a court hearing Thursday afternoon.

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Former state worker pleads guilty in scheme to steal nearly $900K in tax dollars /crime_blotter/state-worker-pleads-guilty/4098658 Thu, 12 Jun 2025 12:05:06 +0000 /?p=4098658 A man who worked for the state of Washington pleaded guilty earlier this week to a scheme involving the theft of state tax dollars.

Matthew Ping admitted to wire fraud and making and subscribing a false tax return, according to from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.

Ping started working for the Washington State Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) in 2009, the attorney’s office stated. By 2017, he was promoted to the position of management analyst.

Former state worker’s scheme ran several years

Ping’s scheme ran from 2019 to 2023, where he used his credit card access to embezzle at least $878,115 from the OAH.

To evade detection, Ping submitted false or incomplete transaction lists. He also approved his own transactions and manipulated the accounting data to conceal them.

Ping was able to conduct 210 transactions before he was discovered by the Washington State Auditor’s Office. He subsequently resigned from his job in 2023.

Ping’s sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 9.

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2 people shot in downtown Seattle, suspect arrested /crime_blotter/downtown-seattle-shooting-2/4098649 Thu, 12 Jun 2025 01:16:20 +0000 /?p=4098649 Two people were shot in downtown Seattle Wednesday around 5 p.m., .

A woman was shot in the head and a man was shot in the foot near 2nd Avenue and James Street, the media outlet reported.

The woman was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

Law enforcement arrested a suspect, according to Xվ 7. However, buses are being rerouted off Third Avenue as the Seattle Police Department investigates.

Contributing: Xվ 7

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Seattle downtown shooting 2...