Drivers across our state are once again getting gouged at the gas pump, paying an average of $4.39 a gallon—a full $1.24 more than the national average. Only California and Hawaii are worse, which tells you all you need to know about how things are going.

Why so expensive? Look no further than Olympia’s favorite tools: new taxes and climate schemes. On July 1, the state gas tax jumped 6 cents per gallon—bringing the total tax to 55.4 cents per gallon, with automatic inflation hikes baked in. Diesel is on a similar upward spiral. Lawmakers claim it’s to cover a $1 billion transportation budget hole, mostly caused by their own mismanagement and declining revenues from the very gas taxes they just hiked.

Oh, and don’t forget the Climate Commitment Act—Washington’s very own cap-and-trade racket—which has already raked in $3.2 billion, supposedly for “clean energy.” Translation: it’s making gas more expensive while funding pet projects for green bureaucrats.

Larry Behrens from Power The Future didn’t mince words: Washington is basically trying to out-California California in the race for worst energy policy in America.

Of course, the Department of Ecology insists it’s all fine. Deputy flack Andrew Wineke says prices are “down from 2022”—as if that’s comforting when you’re still paying over four bucks at the pump in 2025. He blames everything but policy—pipelines, refineries, geography—anything except the stack of taxes and mandates his agency helped impose.

Bottom line: Washington’s gas prices are sky-high by design, and Democrats are still pretending it’s just a coincidence. Read more at Center Square.

ICE arrests in Washington state doubled in June, hitting 275 detentions—far above the usual monthly average—and KING 5 is clutching its pearls. You’d think law enforcement enforcing immigration law was some shocking new development. But no, it’s just ICE finally picking up the slack, mirroring a national rise in enforcement as over 56,000 individuals now sit in ICE custody—up 15,000 since the start of the year.

Naturally, KING 5 fixates on the fact that 70% of detainees had no prior criminal convictions, as if illegal entry isn’t, you know, illegal. Meanwhile, deportations are also trending up—averaging 84 more removals per day in July versus June. The horror!

This isn’t a crackdown—it’s long-overdue enforcement. But in KING 5’s world, the real threat isn’t the border crisis, it’s a government agency daring to do its job. Read more at MyNorthwest.com.

Speaking of KING 5 News, the station has traded in its old “racial justice” talking points for a fresh gig: defending violent felons from deportation, as long as they’re here illegally. As Seattle Red’s Jason Rantz points out, in Sharon Yoo’s latest masterclass in activist-journalism, she paints Kimlis Tek — who slashed his wife’s arm with a 7.5-inch combat knife and tried to silence her with 40 illegal phone calls — as the real victim. Why? Because after serving 15 years in prison, ICE dared to detain him for deportation.

Yoo conveniently skips over the graphic details of his crimes, avoids quoting the victim, and instead treats viewers to weepy family interviews meant to spark outrage over America’s mean ol’ immigration laws. This “double punishment” sob story ignores the obvious: if you’re not a U.S. citizen and you brutalize someone, you don’t get to stay. That’s called public safety, not oppression.

But at KING 5, every illegal immigrant is a hero, and every cop or ICE agent is the villain. Real victims? Irrelevant. Facts? Inconvenient. Journalism? Not even close. Welcome to Resistance TV: where criminal records are redacted, and sympathy is reserved for the knife-wielding repeat offenders. Read more at Seattle Red.

Spokane native Chris Patterson is back under Trump’s direction, now running HUD Region 10, and he’s not mincing words: Housing First is failing, taxpayers are getting ripped off, and cities that keep enabling urban camping can forget about federal funding.

Trump’s new executive order torches the progressive darling “Housing First” model for ignoring accountability and delivering zero results. Instead, HUD will now prioritize treatment-first and enforcement-based strategies—meaning low-barrier, no-rules shelters are on the chopping block. If cities like Spokane don’t clean up their act (literally), they’ll not only lose HUD funds, but potentially DOJ and HHS grants too.

Meanwhile, Spokane’s progressive city council dumped a voter-approved camping ban (backed by nearly 75% of residents) in favor of a toothless version that lets campers play hopscotch to avoid enforcement. With a $13.4 million budget hole and a growing sidewalk sanitation crisis, even local advocates like Barry Barfield admit the Housing First model is missing the “treatment” part—and enabling addicts and mentally ill people to rot in apartments or on the streets.

The Spokane Business Association is now pushing a charter amendment to dedicate 5% of the budget toward real solutions: shelter, treatment, and enforcement—without raising taxes. Barfield backs it, noting it’s time for taxpayers to decide whether they want their dollars spent on porta-potties in parks—or actual change.

Bottom line? The era of coddling criminal vagrancy with “compassion” and no consequences may be coming to an end. HUD’s message is clear: results or no funding. Read more at Center Square.

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.

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