Natalie Swaby

Governor cites new report projecting $2.2B in losses, steep grocery price hikes if tariffs fully implemented. OLYMPIA, Wash. — Washington Governor Bob Ferguson issued a stark warning about the potential economic devastation President Trump's proposed tariffs could bring to the state, citing a new nonpartisan analysis that projects massive job losses and significant price increases for families across the region. The first statewide report on tariff impacts shows Washington could lose up to 31,900 jobs if Trump's full tariff package is implemented through 2029, with $2.2 billion in lost revenues projected for the state over the next four years. The steepest job losses would occur in crop production, food, beverage and tobacco manufacturing, and aircraft manufacturing sectors. RELATED: Trump administration asks Supreme Court to quickly take up tariffs case after appeals court loss “If the full tariffs are in effect through 2029, we expect up to a 16% increase for groceries over the next two years,” Ferguson said during a press conference. He added that clothing and shoe costs could rise 7% under the proposal. The governor referred to Trump’s package of import duties, unveiled in April and branded by the former president as “Liberation Day” tariffs. Ferguson said state officials will use the findings to shape policy decisions and prepare communities most vulnerable to trade disruptions. Local business owners say they are already experiencing the effects of trade uncertainties. Efrem Fesaha, owner of Boon Boona Coffee, described the constant tension tariffs create for his business. “Coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world,” Fesaha said. “We’ve got invoices to show we’ve been paying the additional minimum 10% on our coffee. There is uncertainty around what percentage you’re going to be paying. How do you price your product so that you’re not losing such a huge amount?” RELATED: Imports plunge at Seattle, Tacoma ports as tariffs take toll Republican Party Chair Jim Walsh criticized the governor's announcement in a statement, calling it "a desperate attempt to distract attention away from his budget and policy failures." Ferguson dismissed the criticism, emphasizing the need for reality-based leadership. "It is easy to put out a press release and a statement I get that, that's what he does. But look, as a Governor and as leaders in our communities, we need to engage in reality, and reality is what these numbers say."

A former Sparkman Cellars employee pleaded guilty Wednesday and will pay nearly $50,000 in restitution. SEATTLE — A former Sparkman Cellars employee who caused $300,000 in damage by draining thousands of gallons of wine at the Woodinville winery has pleaded guilty and was sentenced Wednesday to restitution but no jail time. Mark Griswold admitted to criminal trespass in the first degree and malicious mischief in the third degree. A judge ordered him to pay nearly $50,000 in restitution, undergo a mental health evaluation within 30 days, and stay away from the winery’s owners and staff. Prosecutors said Griswold committed the act of vandalism just before Thanksgiving 2023, about 14 months after leaving his job at the family-owned winery. Surveillance footage showed him wearing a mask and using an employee access code to enter the barrel room. In six minutes, he opened valves on two tanks, releasing roughly 2,300 gallons of wine before slipping out the back door. Griswold had worked at Sparkman Cellars for about a year before leaving in September 2022. According to investigators, he "felt angry about how much he was being paid and harbored resentment and anger toward the winery owner." “According to the Sparkmans’ victim impact statement, he had asked for a 25% raise, and they were not financially able to do that, but they said they met him halfway and did give him a raise, and they could have another conversation later that year,” said Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Stephanie Sato. “And then he quit two weeks after that, in the middle of harvest, which is a very crucial time.” The destruction left a deep mark on the winery, Sato added. "Their family was scared because they didn't know why it was done to them. And from speaking with the Sparkman's, they said that their employees were also scared," she explained. Griswold offered no explanation for his actions in court. When asked by the judge for his plea, he simply replied, “Guilty.”

Results of a pilot program will be presented to the school board early next year. SEATTLE — As students return to Seattle Public Schools on Wednesday, the district is weighing changes to its cell phone policy while also grappling with an $80 million budget shortfall, declining enrollment and a search for a permanent superintendent. Some schools are piloting a program that requires students to lock their phones away during the day. Results will be presented to the school board early next year, said Carlos Del Valle, the district’s chief information officer and superintendent for technology and optimization. RELATED: Seattle Public Schools are fully funded - for now Alongside potential policy changes, the district is investing in school safety. Voter-approved levies have funded new buildings, redesigned entryways and upgraded monitoring and visitor management systems. “We have made big investments in our buildings, redesigned entryways, better monitoring systems, better security systems, visitor management system,” Interim Superintendent Fred Podesta said. At Kimball Elementary, Principal Angela Sheffey-Bogan said students and staff already feel the difference. “All the exterior gates are locked during school hours and the only way to enter the building is the front door,” she said. “You have to be buzzed in and there is a camera there, so feeling very secure in this building.” The new year begins amid financial challenges. The $80 million gap is part of the district’s $1.3 billion budget, which Podesta said underscores the difficulty of staffing and funding schools. “While it’s not a trivial problem, it’s one that we think can be addressed by continuing to look for efficiencies in central office, looking to operate our school buildings more efficiently,” he said. “Seventy-eight percent of our costs are labor, so we’re going to have to continue to look at how we staff classrooms.” Podesta added that the district’s reliance on state funding is a major concern. “The revenue received from the state is not nearly enough to cover the expenses, especially for legally mandated programs,” he said. Enrollment has dropped from more than 52,000 students five years ago to just over 49,000 this year, with kindergarten numbers continuing to shrink. The district’s superintendent search remains ongoing. Applications are open until Sept. 15, with finalists expected later in the fall.