In our latest podcast episode, Chad Magendanz joins the show to talk about his campaign for the state Senate in Washington’s 5th Legislative District. With a background that spans submarining, teaching, lawmaking, and school board service, Chad breaks down the challenges facing Washington—from broken education systems to workforce misfires. He also dishes on what it means to be a sensible voice in a state drowning in political extremes.

Listen now and find out why Chad might just be the nerdy, practical disruptor Olympia desperately needs.

Available on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

For six years, the Cedar Park Assembly of God has been locked in legal combat with Washington state over a Democrat-imposed law that strong-arms churches into paying for abortion coverage. Despite a loss earlier this year in the reliably left-wing Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the church just scored a rare twist: the court rescinded its own ruling and will now rehear the case. That’s usually a sign the judges realized they might’ve botched it.

The case centers around the 2018 Reproductive Parity Act, a feel-good name for legislation that tells religious employers, “Thou shalt fund abortion, or else.” Democrats rammed it through even though a 1995 state law already carved out exemptions for faith-based organizations. But who cares about pesky little things like religious liberty or constitutional rights when there’s a progressive agenda to enforce?

Even the insurance commissioner had to admit that not every plan has to include abortion—but that didn’t stop the state from bullying Cedar Park for daring to object. Now, with support from 18 Republican-led states, the church is getting a second shot at justice.

And while the state AG’s office is pretending this is all normal court procedure, one thing’s clear: Democrats won’t stop until they can dictate what your pastor’s insurance policy looks like—because tolerance only runs one direction in Olympia. Read more at Washington State Standard.

Yakima County is staring down a $15 million budget hole and barely has enough reserves to survive one more year. Financial Services Director Brian Carlson laid it out plainly: do nothing, and the county crashes. Start cutting now, and maybe—just maybe—they can avoid becoming the next fiscal disaster headline. His fix? Let attrition quietly do the dirty work and pray no one notices.

But the real culprit? Surprise—Democrats in Olympia. While Yakima is bleeding funds to cover mandatory services, ballooning jail costs, and public defender overloads, state lawmakers are too busy burning through billions on fantasy projects like electric ferries. Local taxpayers are effectively subsidizing the state’s bad habits, while being told to make “tough choices” at home.

Unlike the City of Yakima, which is tossing a $6 million tax hike onto the November ballot, the county missed the deadline for a similar move—meaning actual spending cuts will have to do what bloated government never can: live within its means.

And those skyrocketing staff costs? Carlson calls it “personnel drift”—but it’s just government speak for raises, benefits, and contract creep piling on year after year. Meanwhile, COVID cash is gone, tax revenue is flat, and no one in Olympia seems interested in solving the mess they helped create.

Bottom line: Yakima County officials are being forced to clean up the financial hangover from pandemic-era overspending and state-level virtue signaling. But hey, at least the ferries are electric. Read more at Center Square.

Seattle-area activists are lacing up for the “Gaza 5K” at Marymoor Park on August 3, proudly raising money for UNRWA USA—the same group whose staff have been caught aiding Hamas, storing weapons in schools, and building terror tunnels under their HQ. But hey, don’t let that get in the way of your morning jog and feel-good hashtags.

UNRWA claims the run is for “mental health support” in Gaza. Translation: funneling cash to an organization so ethically bankrupt that even the Biden administration cut funding in 2024, joining Trump and over a dozen other countries in saying enough is enough. When UN aid workers are directly involved in terror attacks, it’s not “solidarity”—it’s terrorist laundering with a Fitbit.

And let’s be real: this event isn’t about refugees or peace. It’s a chance for Seattle’s activist set to cosplay as foreign policy experts while demonizing Israel. The reality on the ground in Gaza is complicated, and while many civilians deserve real compassion, funding a corrupt, terror-linked UN body isn’t the answer.

If you’re a local politician thinking of showing up—maybe reconsider unless you’re ready to publicly defend supporting a group that’s been caught collaborating with people who butchered civilians on October 7. And if you’re a tech bro who thinks this is just “running for peace”? Maybe try “running a background check” on who you’re supporting.

This isn’t charity. It’s PR for terrorists dressed up as a wellness event. Keep your solidarity bracelets and moral superiority—Seattle deserves better than this nonsense. Read more at KTTH.

Seattle Democrat Rep. Shaun Scott just got slapped with $11,000 in fines by the state’s Public Disclosure Commission, and let’s just say the violations weren’t exactly subtle. In a unanimous decision, the PDC nailed Scott for a laundry list of campaign finance failures—including reporting inaccurate or late information, hiding debts, blowing off inspection requests, and running ads without proper sponsor ID. Oh, and he used campaign cash to cover $756 in haircuts—because nothing says “fighting for the working class” like a taxpayer-funded lineup.

Scott’s campaign, ironically dubbed “The Fighting 43rd,” appears to have fought hardest against basic transparency. PDC staff discovered that Scott’s team filed mandatory pre-election reports months after the election—reporting over $79,000 in contributions and spending that voters never saw until it was way too late. That’s nearly half of his total $147,000 campaign haul, conveniently hidden until he was safely elected.

Washington State GOP Chair Jim Walsh called it what it is: not just a violation of finance laws, but of common sense. “Using campaign funds for fashionable hair salon styling doesn’t just defy campaign finance rules, it defies common sense,” he said.

To make matters worse, Scott didn’t even bother to dispute the charges. The PDC is giving him a break by suspending half the fines—as long as he behaves himself for the next four years. Because, of course, when you’re a Democrat in Seattle, even accountability comes with a soft landing. Read more at Center Square.

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