The fate of gun control Initiative 1639 currently rests with Secretary of State Kim Wyman. The initiative is being challenged for violating the single-subject rule and lacking legally-required text on the back side of petitions. Alan Gottlieb of the Second Amendment Foundation said, “So when one reads it, they don’t know what the current law is, what is being proposed as new law, or what is being taken away as law. That is illegal.” (My Northwest)

Volunteers in kayaks cleaned up 553 pounds of garbage and debris from Lake Union following Independence Day revelry. Roughly 100 volunteers arrived for Thursday morning’s cleanup organized by Puget Soundkeeper, an environmental group focused on Puget Sound. (Seattle Times)

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue visited the Tri-Cities this week, where he sat down with 200 Mid-Columbia farmers. Cong. Dan Newhouse said Perdue is the first agriculture secretary to come to the area since Earl Butz, who served under Nixon and Ford. (Tri-City Herald)

A Wapato City Council member was forced off the council Tuesday after being accused of having three consecutive “unexcused” absences at regular council meetings. Former Mayor Terry Guzman says that while he missed a May meeting and also Tuesday’s meeting, in both cases he notified the council. (Yakima Herald-Republic)

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