Eight lawmakers helped to carve out the McCleary funding plan, with four Republicans and four Democrats coming together to help finish the budget plan just before the cutoff last Friday.

Mental health funding will get a $100 million boost in the new budget, which will help to begin an overhaul of Western State Hospital among aiding other parts of the mental health care facilities in Washington.

Laura Riquelme has been appointed to the Skagit County Superior Court by Gov. Inslee. She will be replacing Judge Michael Rickert. Riquelme has previously served on the court and is currently serving in the Skagit County Public Defender’s Office.

A Seattle judge has deemed speed limit signs in school zones are too wordy, overturning speeding tickets because they do not match federal regulations, exemplified in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices – despite meeting Washington State requirements.

Puget Sound Energy needs to lower their rates according to the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission staff. This recommendation came after the agency requested the ability to charge customers higher rates.

An Amtrak passenger trail derailed Sunday near Steilacoom. The train was carrying 267 passengers, some of whom are suffering with minor injuries post-crash.

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) is fighting to protect the Snake River dams in Congress, joining up with Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) to introduce legislation that will keep the Federal Columbia River Biological Opinion plan in place until 2022 – which protects salmon and helps to keep dam operations running. “Removing the Snake River dams would be harmful to our communities, the environment and our economy,” Newhouse said.

Summer wildfires are here… a wildfire near the Hanford Nuclear Site that has forced evacuation for workers at the site, as well as highway closures, has been burning since Sunday.

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