David Fitzsimmons, Arizona Star

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Spokesman Review

What should a pot shop be like? (Hurst)

AP-State

Wash. lawmakers to get update on revenues

Columbian

Bill in Legislature would seal most juvenile offender records (Kagi)

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AP-State

State Senate leaders vow to up higher ed funding

Scaled-back toxics bill before Wash. Senate panel

Nearly 250 laid off at Wash. Hanford nuclear site

Washington touts credentials of new pot consultant

Boeing wins major 737 jet order from Ryanair

Community colleges in Wash., Calif. win top prize

House GOP budget adds $550 million to education

Former Wash. state Gov. Booth Gardner dies at age 76

Bill regulating drones dies in Wash. Legislature

Wash. legislature: What's alive, what's dead as budget looms (Murray)

Survey: 1 in 50 school kids have autism

2 districts plan to apply to be charter approvers

Ballard News Tribune

Education dominates discussion at legislative townhall (Kohl-Welles, Tarleton, Carlyle)

Ballardites explore possibility of Restricted Parking Zones

Bellingham Herald

Agency plan would up toll over Narrows  (Schlicher)

GOP proposes boost in spending for state colleges  (Frockt)

Bothell Reporter

National award for King County’s innovative management practices

Chinook Observer

Dems crack crab (Blake, Takko, Hatfield)

The Daily News

2 districts plan to apply to be charter approvers

Everett Herald

$10 million wrongful death claim filed in inmate's death

Davis: View budget forecast with caution

Editorial: Restore higher ed funding (Kohl-Welles, Frockt)

Issaquah Press

Education, gun control dominate town hall meeting (Mullet)

Kitsap Sun

Senator tells Transportation Commission it can't raise bridge tolls (Schlicher)

Mercer Island Reporter

State Transportation Commission proposes toll rate increase on SR 520 Bridge

News Tribune (subscription required)

Agency plan would up toll over Narrows

States spotty in reporting mentally ill to gun database

Editorial: Give DNR more tools to deal with derelict vessels

Editorial: VA’s delays, errors create hardships for veterans

Op-ed: Callaghan: 'Anti-politician' Gardner leaves an admirable legacy

Blog: Steve Kirby: ‘Severe,’ ‘sensible’ bill on protective orders is a big deal for gun control (Kirby, Goodman. Fraser)

Olympian (subscription required)

Fishing issues on Skokomish, Nisqually and Puyallup rivers topic of meeting tonight

Wash. Senate leaders vow to up higher ed funding

Under the Dome: Today is Wednesday, March 20 (Keiser)

Letter: Keep hands off state alternative learning

Blog: GOP proposes boost in spending for colleges

Blog: 25 Senate lawmakers sign onto $42 million pledge for food aid in next state budget (Billig, McAuliffe, Hargrove, Nelson, Mullet, Pettigrew)

Blog: As bills died last week, some lawmakers’ bills seemed to die more quickly (Schlicher)

Oregonian

Rep. Monica Stonier urges creation of statewide online resource for teachers (Stonier)

Washington Transportation Commission reminded Columbia River Crossing tolls must have lawmaker approval (Schlicher)

Peninsula Daily News

Nippon Paper, union going back to bargaining table with mediator

Port Angeles ferry landing project to be done by April 30

Sequim schools OK funds for action plan

Port Orchard Independent

State Transportation Commission proposes toll rate increase on Tacoma Narrows Bridge, seeks public input

Renton Reporter

UPDATED: SPEEA technical unit approves contract by large margin

Boeing announces $15.6 billion deal with Europe's Ryanair

Boeing rolls out first 737 built at increased production rate

Seattle Times

Briefing on science, math education finds lawmakers already singing the tune

Ore. Legislature considers drone regulation

State senators pledge $300M more for higher ed (Frockt)

Civil-rights reviews focus on several school districts, state

State chief consultant Mark Kleiman knows in, outs of pot legalization

Walla Walla college wins national prize for excellence

Column: Today’s young workers shouldn’t despair about their future

Editorial: Good news from Google part of Seattle region’s economic uptick

Blog: College Bound program appears to motivate more students to finish high school

Blog: House committee considers changes to marijuana law (Hurst)

Blog: How politicians get to ‘I do’ on same-sex marriage

Spokesman Review

Shea has call-in Wednesday evening

Spokane and others make pitch for STEM money

GOP plan would add $300 million to higher ed budget

Changes to I-502 rules considered

Tri-City Herald

Kennewick City Council votes to oppose state bills for universal background checks

Yakima Herald Republic

Yakima schools under federal civil-rights review

Editorial: Legalization also must educate youth about pitfalls of pot

BROADCAST

KING 5 TV (NBC)

State pot consultant eager to test legalization theories

New math standards leave some seniors struggling to graduate

Class of 2013 faces another hurdle to graduate in Washington

Party tries to out-vote other after lawmaker leaves chamber to nurse baby

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)

New panel will help determine who can grow, sell pot

KOMO Radio

Local entrepreneur looking to open marijuana grow operation

KPLU FM

Wash. town rides ups, downs of 'broken' immigration system

Want to explore state parks? There’s an app for that

UW Tacoma to offer cybersecurity degree

Pot consultant: Size of joint matters in gauging pot usage

MyNorthwest.com (KIRO FM)

Problem dubbed the 'school to prison pipeline'

Washington community college among best in US

Why the new GOP playbook focuses on the wrong things

State seeks higher tolls on SR 520 bridge

Northwest News Network

Washington Budget Shortfall May Get Worse With Revenue Forecast

Joint Size Matters When Gauging Marijuana Usage

NW Public Radio

Washington Senate Majority Wants More Higher Ed Funding

Oregon Is Adding Jobs

Q13 TV (Fox)

State Senate GOP leaders pledge $300 million for higher education (Kohl-Welles, Frockt)

State’s new marijuana consultant once said legalization ‘can’t be done’

State Senate rejects effort to seek sub-minimum ‘training’ wage (Conway)

State survey on kids’ attitudes toward pot, thoughts of suicide

Sex abuse case in children’s psychiatric hospital leads to civil suit

WEB

Adelante con Demócratas

¿Se va de excursión? Hay una aplicación para eso (Chopp)

¿Quiere saber lo que hay en los cojines de su sofá?

The Capitol Record

House Transportation committee considers motorcycle bills

Crosscut

Liquor shoplifting: Did initiative create a problem?  (Hurst, Chopp)

Coal Wars: Port opponents make big use of access to information

No politics, please, we’re immigrants (Habib)

Puyallup city politics get nasty over state Public Disclosure appointment

Flame retardant bill still sparks legislative debate (Van De Wege, Chase, Ranker)

HDC Advance

Going on a hike? There’s an app for that (Chopp)

Publicola

On other blogs today: Hanford radiation and higher education

Isn’t it weird that… (Kohl-Welles, Frockt)

Fizz: The cost of these preferences greatly exceeds the estimated benefits (Pollet, Hasegawa)

Fizz: These questions have not been asked very much (Murray, Carlyle)

Schmudget

WorkFirst a Lifeline for Children and Families

SDC Hopper

Kohl-Welles, Frockt comment on higher ed plans (Frockt, Kohl-Welles)

Seattle PI

Blog: Washington’s new marijuana guru: Daunting challenge, but I-502 system can work

Blog: Grocery chains announce refusal to sell engineered salmon

Blog: Nomination of REI’s Jewell as interior sec. likely headed to Senate floor

Slog

Washington State a National Leader! (In Tuition Hikes!)

Your Tax Dollars at Work: New Report Finds Substandard Working Conditions at Sea-Tac Airport

Hospital Calls Police on Patient for Possessing Pot Legally

Quote of the Day

"As always, of course, the question is HOW to pay for this laudable proposed $300 million, 10-percent increase in funds for higher education. The proposal doesn’t pay for itself."

Rep. Gerry Pollet on Senate Republican Caucus Higher Education proposal

Story of the Day

Want to know what's in your couch cushions?

We're not talking about spare change, though.

Today from noon to 1:00 p.m. the Washington Toxics Coalition will be conducting free testing for flame retardant chemicals in foam products like couch cushions, strollers or car seats.

Just bring them to Senate Hearing Room 1 during that time and let the toxics analyzer check them out.

Beginning at 1:30 p.m., the Senate Environment committee will hold a hearing on House Bill 1294 in Senate Hearing Room 4.

 This bill, which passed the House two weeks ago, would ban the toxic flame retardant chlorinated Tris in home furniture and children's products.

 The chemical is a known carcinogen and was removed from children's pajamas way back in the 1970's over health concerns. But it is still being used today in many children's products and upholstered furniture.

A couple of legislators decided to have their own couches tested recently, and the results were alarming.

House Bill 1294 has been nicknamed the Toxic-Free Kids and Families Act, because the goal is not only to remove these harmful chemicals from products and protect people's health, but to make sure that equally toxic chemicals are not being substituted in their place.