Jay Inslee’s Department of Transportation is not replacing trees it rips down for road construction projects.  Pierce County residents are complaining that areas that once had trees are now barren and have left “a scar” on their communities. (News Tribune)

In a clear case of “the blind leading the blind,” Governor Inslee is calling on the Washington State Department of Health to strengthen its oversite and enforcement of private psychiatric hospitals.  It was just over a year ago when the state’s largest public mental facility was decertified by the federal government (costing Washington taxpayers $53 million) due to poor administration from the state.  (Seattle Times)

State Democrat Party Chair Tina Podlodowski proclaims in a fundraising email that there is an “absence of party leadership” on the environmental issue.  This is due to the Democrat party rejecting Jay Inslee’s and Podlodowski’s demand that there be a Presidential debate just on climate change.   Makes one wonder if the Democrats can’t lead on the environment what makes Podlodowski think her party can lead on the economy or foreign policy?  (Washington State Democrat Party email)

Seattle Times joins the “Covering Climate Now” initiative along with 250 other newspapers.  From the Times’ description it is apparent that this likely means the paper’s bias for the environmental activists’ perspective will deepen.  It is also less likely the Times will scrutinize “environmental” causes that fail to help the environment (i.e. plastic bag ban) and that many “climate change” proposals are socialist wealth redistribution programs (i.e. Green New Deal). (Seattle Times)

Former Washington State Secretary of Transportation Doug McDonald said a new “scootershare” program in Seattle will have some downside.  McDonald believes it may end the current bikeshare program and there will be many insurance and liability problems with electronic scooters on Seattle’s sidewalks. (MyNorthwest)

Spokane City Council President and mayoral candidate Ben Stuckart admits wanting to stop money going to a developer who produced video of city’s crime and drug problem.  Real Estate Developer Larry Stone produced “Curing Spokane” that was critical of Spokane’s handling of the homeless crises and has received considerable attention.  Stuckart wants to take money away from a city program that provides incentives to developers (which Stone is a participant) and have the money go towards drug treatment instead.  Stuckart admits this new perspective is the result of the video. (Inlander and YouTube)

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