Drew Mikkelsen

Let's Go Washington, the backers of the 2024 initiatives, is looking for signatures again. OLYMPIA, Wash. — Let's Go Washington is back in the initiative game. The organization, founded by Brian Heywood, sponsored several initiatives in 2024 changing state law. Heywood announced Monday signatures are being gathered to submit two initiatives to the 2026 state Legislature or potentially voters. The initiatives relate to parental rights and trans youth athletes. Heywood's organization achieved significant victories last year when voters supported initiatives restricting natural gas use and overturning state laws limiting police pursuits. The state Legislature also passed Let's Go Washington-backed measures banning income taxes and guaranteeing parental rights to access school records. The success came after Heywood invested more than $5 million of his own money into seven initiatives. "Someone has to stand up and fight back. And what I think I've done is given the voice. I've given voice to 1.2 million people who signed at least one of our initiatives," Heywood said. However, the organization faced a setback earlier this year when Gov. Bob Ferguson signed legislation overhauling the "parents bill of rights" initiative.  "It stripped all the parts about parental notification or parental access to information," Heywood said. In response, Let's Go Washington is now gathering signatures for two new campaigns. The first seeks to overturn Ferguson's recent law, restoring their original parental rights initiative. The second would require physicians to assign genders to youth athletes during physicals, prohibiting those considered males from competing against females. "Allowing biological males to compete in girls sports is a blatant, a flagrant violation of Title IX, I would argue, and also extremely unfair to girls who've worked really hard to get in a position to be top athletes," Heywood said. Despite failing to pass initiatives targeting the state's climate law, long-term care savings program, and capital gains tax in 2024, Heywood remains optimistic about his organization's impact.  "Four out of seven, I'm pretty, pretty happy with what we did, and we're not done," he said. If the organization can collect enough signatures by the end of the year, the issues would be submitted to the state Legislature. Lawmakers could either pass the initiatives or let voters decide in November 2026.

A Thurston County commissioner says federal agents put politics over public safety. THURSTON COUNTY, Wash. — The immigration arrests of two firefighters working a wildfire in Mason County have prompted a Thurston County commissioner to propose an ordinance limiting the authority of federal agents during emergency responses. “We don’t—we don’t like cops coming onto our fires,” said Commissioner Wayne Fournier, an Aberdeen firefighter. “You’ve got to let us do our job. That’s it.” Last week, the U.S. Border Patrol arrested two firefighters on the Bear Gulch Fire, burning near Lake Cushman. The fire began in early July and is 10% contained, according to fire information officers. Fournier called the arrests unacceptable, adding, “Emergency scenes are already hazardous. Jurisdictional overreach only adds confusion, causes delays, and increases risk to life and property.” Under his proposal, federal agents would be required to “refrain from disrupting emergency operations or interfering with personnel unless there is an immediate and articulable threat to public safety.” The proposed law would also require federal authorities to obtain warrants and coordinate any enforcement actions with incident commanders, preferably after emergencies are resolved. “This is not a partisan issue,” Fournier said. “Emergencies should not, you know, they should not be part of any partisan discussion. People’s lives, people’s property, need to be put first.” One of the detained firefighters, Jose Cruz Estrada, was previously deported following a 2013 drug charge but had stayed out of trouble since returning to the United States in 2019, according to his family. Fournier emphasized the importance of allowing emergency responders to focus on their duties without interference. The commissioner encouraged other counties to consider similar protective measures for emergency operations.

The man is accused of driving 135 mph in the wrong direction on I-5. OLYMPIA, Wash. — When authorities from several counties arrested a driver who they said didn't want to stop for them, Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders said the state's "most dangerous driver" was off the streets. "This is not someone who is safe to be on our roadways," Sanders said of the suspect's driving behavior. Saturday morning's high-speed chase, that included a driver headed the wrong direction on Interstate 5, spanned over 30 miles from Lacey to Federal Way, according to Sanders. Andrey Lupulyak, who prosecutors say has been arrested dozens of times, led police on the pursuit that began early Saturday morning. Sanders attempted to stop him for car prowling.  Sanders said he stopped chasing after Lupulyak when the 33-year-old drove north in the southbound lanes of I-5. "I'm not chasing him down the highway. I don't have a death wish," the sheriff explained. He relied on neighboring agencies and a Washington State Patrol's airplane to track the driver until he stopped and got out on foot in Federal Way about an hour later. Court records reveal Lupulyak's extensive criminal background, including 14 prior felony convictions. Three of those convictions resulted in state prison sentences: vehicular assault in 2015, auto theft and attempting to elude in 2017, and a felony DUI charge earlier this year where he served less than a month. Lupulyak had been released on probation in February but failed to check in with his probation officer, resulting in an outstanding warrant.  During Saturday's court appearance, the judge highlighted the severity of his actions. "You repeatedly drove over 100 miles per hour on I-5, going the wrong direction," Judge Allyson Zipp said before setting bail at $100,000.  She said if Lupulyak posts bail, he cannot drive until the case is resolved. Investigators said the vehicle he was driving had been stolen, equipped with stolen license plates from another car, and that Lupulyak possessed drugs and was believed to be under the influence during the incident. Sheriff Sanders emphasized the potential catastrophic consequences of the wrong-way driving. "That's a scenario where no one survives that car crash. When you're going 60 mph and somebody hits you at 120 mph? Everyone dies in that." No injuries were reported during the multi-agency pursuit.

Max Londonio, a green-card holder, was arrested at Sea-Tac in May and held in detention for two months. TACOMA, Wash. — Crystal Londonio says federal officials held her husband for two months, and the family is not sure why. In May she said agents took Maximo Londonio into custody after he arrived at Sea-Tac after a flight from the Philippines.  He was released two months later, without an explanation from the federal government, Crystal Londonio said at a Labor Day Rally in front of the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma. She was one of several speakers critical of the facility and its policies. Crystal Londonio said her husband described the living conditions as "inhumane." The passionate crowd included family members of detainees who say they have not been told why their loved ones are being held, how long they will remain detained, or whether they face deportation. Protesters raised serious concerns about conditions inside the facility, claiming detainees are not receiving proper food or medical care. "A lack of compassion, a lack of care when it comes to necessities, basic needs, you know good water. Quality water," Crystal Londonio said. According to Londonio's wife, her husband has a green card and has lived in the United States for 30 years, yet they were not informed why he was taken into custody. She said her husband has a criminal conviction from more than 20 years ago, but does not have any outstanding warrants or crimes. During the rally, which organizers said brought out more than 800 people, family members of detainees expressed frustration about being kept in the dark regarding their loved ones' legal status and detention timeline, while also raising questions about basic living conditions within the facility. Federal authorities were contacted for a response to the claims made during the protest, but had not responded by the time of reporting.

Alyssa's Law mandates new safety tools and emergency plans in Washington state schools. MARYSVILLE, Wash. — Students returning to Washington schools may notice some new technological tools meant to make campuses safer. Districts are required to install safety devices and emergency response plans with police under a law passed by legislators earlier this year. "Alyssa's Law" was signed into law by Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson in May. Under the law, districts have until Oct. 1 to inform the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction the details of their emergency plans and what devices are on campus. Districts have multiple options for improving campus security: issuing panic alarms or two-way radios to all staffers, installing remotely controlled door locks, or surveillance cameras. Snohomish County equipped all Marysville School District staff with Motorola's "Rave" app, allowing teachers and administrators to alert colleagues and emergency services directly from their phones during shootings, fires or medical emergencies.  At Marysville-Pilchuck High School, where four students were killed in a 2014 shooting, the optional app was downloaded by most staff, said Principal Pete Apple. "Every school that I've been in has always had the buy-in of staff on safety," Apple said. "We know our No. 1 priority is safety and a supportive learning environment, and everyone needs to be focused on that." Marysville-Pilchuck English teacher and yearbook advisor Nicole Burns said she feels safer with the app.  "It's great for peace of mind. It's great for being in the loop and understanding what any given situation is," said Burns. The law is named after Alyssa Alhadeff, a 14-year-old killed in the 2018 Parkland, Florida school shooting. Alyssa's mother, Lori Alhadeff, believes panic alarms might have saved her daughter's life and is working to pass similar legislation nationwide. Tumwater schools have installed high-definition, controllable cameras throughout their campuses that can track movement and be monitored remotely by both school officials and police.  "I'm able to move in, if I need to. I can move the camera side to side," Heidi Center-Howden, principal at Michael T. Simmons Elementary, said while demonstrating how the camera works. Some districts are going beyond the law's requirements. Olympia schools now require visitors at all schools to enter through secured vestibules that direct them to the main office first.