Nationwide crime data shows an overall decrease in violent crime and murders in major cities across the country – except for Seattle and Washington, DC. In fact, shots-fired incidents are up 26% in Q1 of 2024 compared to the same period last year and shootings that hit a person are up 55%. So, while gun violence is down from the 2020 and 2021 levels, it has found a new normal that is “sticking at an alarmingly high rate” according to a crime analyst with the King County Prosecutor’s office. One would think with some of the strictest gun laws in the country that these numbers wouldn’t be possible. Guess when you pair it up with the lowest rate of police per capita in the country and make it impossible for the ones we do have to do their jobs, you get this unmitigated disaster…Seattle Times

KUOW is reporting that No on 2117, the group leading the effort against Initiative 2117, which would repeal the gas-raising carbon tax, has obtained over $11 million in pledges from wealthy donors. However, after putting that in the leade of the story, they later report that the group has only reported $4.8 million, and the rest hasn’t yet been reported to the Public Disclosure Commission. One would think that a news outlet would only report on verifiable information and not trust the reports of a group that is trying to make their effort sound more successful than it is. Guess that’s only if it doesn’t fit your narrative and agenda…KUOW

Whatcom County’s far-left County Executive Satpal Sidhu, along with other members of his leadership team helped their embattled former Public Works director get a new job and paid out $225K to several women who made allegations of sexual harassment. No discipline or action was taken against the director who had been accused by three women of making inappropriate comments or touching them at work. Instead, they wrote a favorable “letter of introduction,” saying, “It has been a pleasure working with Jon, and I am very confident that he will serve your organization well” to the City of Lynden, who hired him following his departure. Guess the Democrats’ support of women only extends to their words and not their deeds…Crosscut

The U.S. Supreme Court is currently hearing arguments in a case out of Grants Pass, OR where the city started fining people for camping in public spaces. Eventually, the San Francisco-based Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the law, saying that bans like these in cities without appropriate shelter beds are cruel and unusual punishment. This is partly to blame for the rampant expansion of public camping and large encampments in cities large and small that don’t have enough shelter beds to be able to clear them out. The outcome of this case – expected in June – will have far-reaching impacts on homelessness policy here and across the country. Stay tuned…Associated Press

Across the country, the amount of unpaid rent continues to grow, especially in the low-income housing market. This is causing alarm with some that a wave of evictions could be on the way – despite the incredible protections that are now provided in law – especially here in Washington state. Some providers are placing the blame on eviction moratoriums and  one-time pandemic relief programs for creating a culture of people simply choosing not to pay rent and expecting it to be forgiven. Providers say they are seeing the income come into their tenants but are not seeing that money being put toward rent. It’s almost like we could see this coming…Seattle Times

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