Daily Digest: WA priests will become mandatory reporters, BC a battleground in Canada's election
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Pope Francis dies, WA to require priests to report abuse
Pope Francis, head of the Catholic church, died this morning, a few days after sending a subordinate to lecture US Vice President JD Vance on compassion. Meanwhile, the Washington legislature continued to move forward legislation that would make religious leaders mandatory reporters of child abuse – even if the abuse is found out during confession.
WA legislature has one week left in session
I don't envy Washington legislators this week – Cascade PBS reports that in the final week of the session they have to confront a huge to-do list, including whether and how to raise taxes, balance the budget, and address the state's housing crisis. In other housing news (or lack of it) the Washington State Supreme Court tossed out a Spokane ballot measure banning homeless encampments near schools.
BC a battleground in Canada federal election
Global New reports that because the Liberal party is relatively week in British Columbia, Conservatives in Canada's federal election (which will be held next week) hope they'll make inroads in ridings held by the center-left NDP. In other election news, some residents of Prince George and Kamloops are annoyed that their cities are each split into two separate ridings. And Victoria News reports on a commission studying electoral reform for British Columbia, including proportional representation.
Forest in WA likely to be logged despite lawsuit
Columbia Insight reports on efforts to prevent a private logging company from cutting a "legacy" forest in southwest Washington – not old growth, but a forest with a good chance of maturing if protected. The logging will likely go forward despite a lawsuit, due to request from the state's DNR for compensation for lost revenue if the sale fails to proceed.
Band on Whidbey Island investigated by FBI
Apparently the FBI didn't like the lyrics of a song by the punk band Potbelly, which is based on Whidbey Island. According the the Whidbey News-Times an agent called to ask about the lyrics to "Throw the Brick," a strident anti-fascist anthem written in 2020. The band says it refuses to take the video to the song down from YouTube. Meanwhile, Vancouver-based band The New Pornographers will probably need a new name after its drummer was arrested on charges of child pornography.