On Friday, a federal judge in Rhode Island blocked the Trump administration from halting SNAP benefits that feed 42 million Americans amid the ongoing government shutdown.

During the hearing, an attorney for the Justice Department argued the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program no longer existed because Congress had not appropriated funds for it, and that it was up to the administration whether to tap $6 billion in contingency funds to keep the program running.

The Rhode Island ruling came just minutes after a federal judge in Boston said plaintiffs in a similar case are likely to prevail on their claim that suspending SNAP benefits is unlawful. That judge said she is still weighing a request for a temporary restraining order to maintain the payments.

Gov. Ferguson diverts $2.2M to local food banks

In a last-minute effort, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson is diverting $2.2 million to food banks across the state. Many low-income, no-income, or disabled residents who are SNAP-eligible people rely on food banks for groceries every day.

However, Aaron Czyzewski, Director of Advocacy and Public Policy at the non-profit Food Lifeline, said it may be too late for governments to intervene, and SNAP recipients are now left to rely on the kindness of friends, family, and their communities for help.

He said they are also seeing more and more federal government and military families in need and actively reaching out, asking for help.

“There were 200 military families who were needing support for Thanksgiving groceries,” Czyzewski told KIRO Newsradio. “That list is now up to 800 families.”

On Tuesday, U.S. Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal partnered with the City of Seattle on a resource fair to help other federal workers with food and bills, who were impacted by the shutdown.

One of those workers, Alison Jowers, a furloughed federal contractor, shared, “I was able to stockpile some food, so I have a little bit to get me by. I have rent for November. If this continues, I may not have rent for December.”

Nonprofits stockpile resources in preparation for SNAP benefits running out

Jamie Lynn Wheeler with Northwest Harvest said, while a lot of nonprofits stockpiled food and other resources in anticipation of SNAP benefits running out, they are thinking outside the box for ways to help.

“I’ve even seen, with Halloween around the corner, people trying to provide packaged food from their front doors that way,” Wheeler said.

The Edmonds Food Bank is teaming up with the Feed Me Hospitality and Restaurant Group to deliver extra food and repurposed food to people in need.

“The combination of inflation, increased grocery costs, the shutdown, SNAP cuts, and then already us dealing with food cuts from food we would normally receive,” explained spokesperson Kelly Lewis. “All of that is hard.”

Private companies are also chipping in to help. Instacart is offering customers who receive SNAP benefits 50% off their next grocery order. DoorDash is waiving service and delivery fees for 300,000 orders for SNAP recipients. And GoPuff is donating $10 million to help SNAP recipients.

Bank of America said it’s delivering $5 million to immediately support families and individuals experiencing urgent food needs. The money will go to nearly 100 nonprofit organizations currently addressing increasing needs at the local level in communities nationwide. In addition, the corporation is committing $250 million over the next five years to support food insecurity across American communities.

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There, she partnered with the city to put on a resource fair for federal workers who have been impacted by the government shutdown.

“I was thrilled to be able to propose this to the City of Seattle, and today is all about providing federal workers with as many resources as we can,” Jayapal said.

More than 100 people came in the first 45 minutes of the fair.

“I was able to stockpile some food, so I have a little bit to get me by. I have rent for November. If this continues, I may not have rent for December,” furloughed federal contractor Alison Jowers said.

Some were worried, depressed, and anxious about the near-term future for their families.

“It’s not easy not knowing if the Department of Defense is going to pay service members. I will have to shoulder all of our bills — two car payments, a mortgage in Georgia, rent in Seattle, groceries for both places. And, it’s going to be tight,” Caressa, who lives in Seattle while her husband serves in the military in Georgia, said.

Impacted workers were offered help and support for things like food, rental and mortgage assistance, as well as information about transportation, and help with utilities.

“We want to support our customers through these uncertain times as they navigate financial challenges. Our customer care team is prepared to work with anyone impacted so they don’t have to worry about their utility bills while waiting for their paychecks,” Andrew Lee, General Manager and CEO of Seattle Public Utilities, said.

Several organizations participate in Seattle resource fair

A number of community and government partners participated, including Seattle City Light.

“We know that in times of financial uncertainty, it can be hard to ask for assistance. We want customers to know that there are options available for everyone, and we want to help,” Dawn Lindell, General Manager and CEO of Seattle City Light, said.

Other agencies and organizations participating were Seattle Public Utilities, Food Lifeline, BECU, Essentials First, United Way of King County, Washington State Employment Security Department, and Workforce Development Council of Seattle – King County.

“The City of Seattle cares deeply about our residents and communities, especially those facing hardship because of the federal shutdown,” Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell said. “We also know affordability pressures are real for many families across our city. That’s why we’re connecting federal workers and people of all occupations to resources they can use right now.”

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Buckingham Palace said Thursday that the king has “initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew.”

Andrew will be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and not as a prince, and he will move from his Royal Lodge residence into “private accommodation.”

Pressure had been growing on the palace to oust the prince from Royal Lodge after he surrendered his use of the title Duke of York earlier this month over his friendship with Epstein and allegations by one of Epstein’s victims, Virginia Roberts Giuffre.

But the king went even further, stripping him of the title of prince that he has had since birth as a child of a monarch, the late Queen Elizabeth II.

“These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him,” the palace said. “Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.”

Andrew faced a new round of public opprobrium after emails emerged earlier this month showing he had remained in contact with Epstein longer than he previously admitted.

That news was followed by publication of a posthumous memoir by Epstein accuser Giuffre, who alleged she had sex with Andrew when she was 17. “Nobody’s Girl” detailed three alleged sexual encounters with Andrew, who she said acted as if he believed “having sex with me was his birthright.”

Andrew, 65, has long denied Giuffre’s claims, but stepped down from royal duties after a disastrous November 2019 BBC interview in which he attempted to rebut her allegations.

Andrew paid millions in an out-of-court settlement in 2022 after Giuffre filed a civil suit against him in New York. While he didn’t admit wrongdoing, he acknowledged Giuffre’s suffering as a victim of sex trafficking.

Giuffre died by suicide in April at the age of 41.

Casey Cutter Patterson, 34, made several “veiled” death threats toward Ferguson that were posted as replies on the Governor’s X account, according to The News Tribune.

After Patterson was arrested on a bench warrant Monday, he pleaded not guilty to the charges the following day, and his bail was set at $200,000.

Pierce County Superior Court Commissioner Barbara McInvaile also ordered a 10-year no-contact order for Patterson, who is currently in custody at the Pierce County Jail.

Lakewood man allegedly captures photos of Ferguson’s home

Investigators revealed that Patterson began to reply to Ferguson’s social media posts while he was the Washington Attorney General in 2023.

Initially, Patterson’s comments were not deemed threatening and were protected under the First Amendment as free speech, but in January 2024, Patterson’s tone shifted.

Patterson allegedly posted photos of the front door of Ferguson’s home several times, accompanied by threatening statements, with a specific March 2024 post being highlighted.

“Hey Bob, here’s your frequent reminder that you actually have no power over the people,” Patterson posted, according to The News Tribune, citing court documents. “The constitution limits you, not us. We have the right to alter or abolish our government when it no longer serves us. Here’s a picture of a quaint front door to help you sleep at night.”

Patterson’s threatening behavior continued, as he allegedly posted the photo of Ferguson’s front door four times over 19 days.

The Washington State Patrol (WSP) Criminal Investigations Department previously claimed it was unknown if Patterson took the photo himself, but it was later determined that he did allegedly capture the image of Ferguson’s front door.

A WSP lieutenant contacted Patterson on March 24, 2024, stating that his social media behavior had raised concerns.

“Mr. Ferguson does not want to be contacted, followed, tracked, or monitored in his personal life,” the lieutenant reportedly said, according to The News Tribune, citing court documents.

Patterson claimed he did not make any threatening statements toward Ferguson, and did not post or reply on the Governor’s pages for a long time after speaking with the lieutenant.

Threatening messages return months later

The concerning statements returned in November 2024, when Patterson allegedly replied to an account not affiliated with Ferguson, stating that he would continue using photos of the Governor’s front door.

“I know he’s worried about his address, which is public information,” Patterson said, according to The News Tribune, citing court documents. “He had WSP contact me for tweeting a picture of his front door. I’m going to keep tweeting it.”

Court documents revealed that Patterson allegedly continued to post photos of Ferguson’s door, or posts disclosing his address, through the end of 2024 and into 2025.

Another August 2025 post that raised concerns was Patterson allegedly uploading a photo of an AR-15, which was followed up with an Oct. 2 statement alluding to Ferguson’s security detail.

“I’d like to remind you that we have more guns than you and your WSP PSD, and we know where you live,” Patterson posted, according to The News Tribune, citing court documents.

Detectives pursued an arrest warrant for Patterson, alleging that his statements had escalated in severity and posed a legitimate threat to Ferguson.

Court documents noted detectives opted to move forward with an arrest warrant due to the possibility of Patterson resorting to physical violence in response to a court summons.

Patterson does not have any prior convictions, according to The News Tribune, citing court records.

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“We generally see about 82,000 people per month, and move about 1.9 million pounds of food,” Andrea Blue, the president of Eloise’s Cooking Pot Food Bank in Tacoma, said. “We’ve already surpassed that. We believe we will be over 100,000 people this month, and more than 2.5 million pounds of food.”

Eloise’s Cook Pot Food Bank sponsored a pop-up food distribution event. She expected to see about 400 cars, but more than 800 cars showed up, and they keep coming.

“They’ve driven across other counties, from Olympia, from Kitsap County, from Seattle, to come get food at this distribution,” Blue said.

Many of the people here are already on food assistance programs. For others, this is their family’s first time of need. Many feel left out and forgotten.

“Why should we pay millions of dollars to support all these other countries when our country needs it? Our homeless need it. Our veterans need it. You got all these people here who need food,” Erica Smith, a parent, said. “I work two jobs and can barely even afford to put food on my table, so it’s pretty bad.”

Each car receives a box containing nine meals, along with some fresh produce, including celery, lettuce, butternut squash, chicken, potatoes, and onions. They also get a home cleaning product.

Eloise’s also providing aid to JBLM

Eloise’s Cooking Pot Food Bank also has a team at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) to provide food for the families of military personnel who are currently working without pay due to the ongoing government shutdown.

“This don’t make no sense,” Ernestine Wiggins, another parent, said. “Everything is going to be out of control next month, and I hate to see it.”

Eloise’s Cooking Pot Food Bank aims to continue delivering as long as there is a need, and Blue says help is welcome. They need volunteers to hand out food and donations to make sure they have enough to fill the need for as long as it’s needed.

If you’d like to volunteer or donate, call Eloise’s Cooking Pot Food Bank in Tacoma.

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Topics ranged from Harrell’s plans for the city and his campaign against Katie Wilson to a more personal look into why he’s running for re-election.

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell addresses public safety comment

Gee brought up a comment from Harrell that caught national attention regarding his stance on repeat offenders.

In a previous debate, Harrell was asked whether, if someone offended six, seven, or eight times, at what point should they take accountability. He responded that when someone is committing that many crimes, he wants to find out their story and that he had “no desire to put them in jail.”

To answer Gee, Harrell said he was excluding felony crimes in his response.

“When I’m hearing six or seven offenses, I’m thinking petty offenses, at which point I said that we, as a city, need to understand why this person is committing that offense,” Harrell said on “The Gee and Ursula Show” on KIRO Newsradio.

Police officers in schools could be an opportunity

Another controversial topic in Seattle has been the presence of police officers in schools. Harrell sees it as an opportunity for kids to have mentors and, therefore, prevent crime.

“One reason why I’m pushing for that is that a lot of these kids are experiencing trauma, and maybe they’ll bring a gun to school and put it in a locker because they’re walking around with untreated trauma,” he said. “Maybe they could look at an officer, someone that’s in safety, and that officer could have the skill set to come to develop that trusting relationship.”

A faith-based approach to cleaning up the streets

As for cleaning up the streets, the mayor is looking at a faith-based approach.

“We invested in a pilot downtown where a lot of people who are destroying themselves with fentanyl, and I said, ‘Let’s try a faith-based approach,’ because they might be able to get sheltered, they might be able to be kind, but they look in the mirror and they don’t see someone worthy of love. So that’s another strategy that we’ve employed,” he explained.

Harrell noted that he has spoken with mayors in other cities about what they’re doing to address the drug crisis.

“We are leading the way in our approaches, not following other cities,” Harrell shared. “You’ve been to other cities — you see how devastating some of their downtowns are. So we’ll try faith-based mentoring, everything that can help.”

‘A recipe for disaster’: Harrell comments on Wilson’s approach

Looking at challenger Katie Wilson’s approach, Harrell said there is nothing to get excited about.

“When my opponent talked about building 4,000 shelters, through the city, for emergency shelter for people to live in, her proposal is to take the very same money that we achieve through a $970 million levy for people, for teachers, for social workers, for baristas — that affordable housing chunk that we’re spending a billion dollars for — she’s talking about taking that and putting homeless people in those units that are earmarked, in the vacancies for those folks, without wraparound services — that is a recipe for disaster — and that is playing a short game with long term potential to be devastating,” he remarked.

Harrell said he has worked with other cities in King County to address homelessness, but will not shy away from ending the current funding model.

“What I’m doing right now, I have a motion that I’ve submitted to that board to say, ‘You have to become a regional approach. You have to put in resources, and it could be land, not just money, and if you don’t, we could terminate this deal,'” he explained. “So I’m prepared next year to either terminate their relationship or make sure that it’s regionalized, but this prolonged, ineffective model is unsatisfactory.”

Who is Bruce Harrell?

But beyond policy decisions, Baldwin asked who Bruce Harrell is as a person and what drives his decisions.

“Quite candidly, I’ll own it, but I think I’ve been scrutinized probably more than any mayor in recent history,” Harrell responded.

For example, Harrell said, a person on the far right called him lazy.

“He doesn’t have a clue as to how hard I work,” he expressed. “Everyone around me knows that, because I love it, it’s not even work when you love it.”

However, Harrell’s closing message targeted what he sees as Seattle’s missing middle.

“I have learned that there’s that missing swath of people, that middle swath of people, that need to be heard, they needed to be felt like they’re heard, and that, yes, I’ve been in a position of power, but they have to be convinced that not only am I the right person for the job, but I’m the right person for them,” he said.

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to Gee and Ursula on “The Gee and Ursula Show” weekday mornings from 9 am to 12 pm on KIRO Newsradio.

“This is a matter of Congressional concern,” the senators wrote to NBA commissioner Adam Silver.

Cantwell, a ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Cruz, the chairman, requested a comprehensive response by November 10.

“Americans love basketball because it is fast-paced and unpredictable,” the senators wrote. “That volatility is the sport’s magic, and precisely why allegations that current and former NBA players and coaches compromised the game’s integrity are so troubling.”

Indictments issued against NBA players, coaches

The letter follows federal indictments issued on October 16 against Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, former NBA player and coach Damon Jones, and others for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. Prosecutors allege that Rozier and his associates used insider information to place profitable bets, including rigging outcomes to ensure favorable results.

One example cited in the senators’ letter involves a March 23, 2023, game, where Rozier allegedly informed friends he would exit early due to injury. Bets were placed on his underperformance, and Rozier played fewer than ten minutes, scoring just five points.

Another incident involved Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, who allegedly informed others that key players would sit out a game against the Chicago Bulls and that the team planned to lose intentionally to improve draft odds.

“Needless to say, these connections are disturbing and suggest that gambling-related corruption threatens to infect professional sports,” the senators wrote.

The letter also references Damon Jones, who allegedly sold nonpublic injury information while serving as an unofficial assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers. Jones reportedly texted a co-conspirator that a “prominent player” — believed to be LeBron James — would miss a February 9, 2023 game.

The senators also questioned the NBA’s internal investigation into Rozier, which reportedly found no rule violations.

“This committee needs to understand the specifics of the NBA’s investigation and why Rozier was cleared to continue playing basketball,” the letter stated.

Citing their jurisdiction over professional sports, Cantwell and Cruz requested documents detailing NBA policies on gambling, investigations into rule violations, communications with betting platforms, and findings from the Rozier probe.

“The integrity of NBA games must be trustworthy and free from the influence of organized crime or gambling-related activity. Sports betting scandals like this one may lead the American public to assume that all sports are corrupt,” the senators wrote.

The NBA betting scandal deepened with accusations that Billups participated in a Mafia-backed poker ring. According to federal indictments, Billups acted as a “face card,” a celebrity used to lure wealthy individuals into rigged, high-stakes poker games.

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If the legislation is approved, Seattle would be the first city in Washington and among a few major U.S. cities to adopt a law enforcement mask ban, the City of Seattle announced.

“Federal law enforcement officials operating in Seattle are not above the laws of our city,” Harrell stated. “The Trump administration’s tactic of using masked, unidentified agents to carry out their inhumane deportation agenda with impunity not only erodes accountability but also sows fear in our communities and creates a dangerous possibility for copycat actors.”

Face coverings and identification requirements

The face coverings that could potentially be outlawed include any mask, garment, helmet, headgear, or additional items that conceal law enforcement’s facial identification. Other facial coverings include a Balaclava, tactical mask, gator, or ski mask. The ordinance would also require officers to visibly display badges and emblems of their agency.

Various exemptions are provided for law enforcement officials who use medical or surgical masks to protect against the transmission of diseases or other environmental hazards.

Violations of the proposed ordinance by an agency or officer would result in a civil violation and a penalty of $5,000, enforced by the Office for Civil Rights.

“Accountability is not punishment, it is a promise kept,” said Derrick Wheeler-Smith, Director of the Seattle Office for Civil Rights. “This legislation strengthens civil rights by ensuring that masked or unidentified federal agents, and those pretending to be, are seen, documented, and addressed rather than swept aside.”

The ordinance aligns with two previously signed executive orders by Mayor Harrell earlier this month. The orders focused on the City’s preparedness in the event of unilateral troop deployment in Seattle, and its role in not aiding civil immigration enforcement.

The Seattle Police Department (SPD) is also developing policies for officers responding to cases where masked and unidentified individuals are detaining people. The mayor’s office noted that the increased use of masks among officers has contributed to civilians impersonating federal immigration enforcement officials, which poses a severe threat to communities.

“Our officers’ appearance will be consistent when someone calls 9-1-1 for help and Seattle police officers are dispatched. They will show up ready to serve the public with their faces uncovered and their SPD badge and name proudly displayed,” Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes said. “At our core, we are peace officers, and our goal is to protect people and keep the peace.”

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Cantwell originally introduced the legislation in April, co-sponsored by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). The bipartisan Trade Review Act of 2025 is modeled after the War Powers Act.

“The U.S. Chamber of Commerce (‘the Chamber’) urges Congress to pass legislation to reclaim its constitutional role setting tariffs, including the Trade Review Act,” the U.S. Chamber of Commerce wrote in an open letter to the U.S. Senate. “Doing so would restore appropriate procedural deliberation in the enactment of taxes on trade, benefitting the millions of Americans whose livelihoods depend on international commerce and the certainty that supports investments in our economy.”

Under the proposal, the president would be required to explain why a tariff is needed and its potential impact on the economy. After 60 days, the tariff would expire unless Congress passed a joint resolution approving it.

“Trade wars devastate American working families, small businesses, and manufacturers,” Cantwell said back in April. “Article One, Section Eight of the U.S. Constitution gave Congress—the explicit authority to impose duties and regulate commerce, given the far-reaching impact to our national economy.”

Cantwell’s bill has since picked up 12 additional co-sponsors – an equal mix of Republicans and Democrats – and been endorsed by several other major U.S. business organizations, including the National Retail Federation.

“The Chamber has long supported legislative proposals to reassert congressional prerogatives on trade as a means to securing durable outcomes,” the letter continued. “The Constitution grants exclusive authority to Congress ‘to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises … [and] to regulate commerce with foreign nations,’ and exercising leadership on this front should be a priority in the context of today’s challenging economic outlook.”

According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, two out of every five jobs in Washington are tied to trade and trade-related industries.

Congress would take tariff power under bill

Congress would also have the authority to pass a joint resolution to end the tariff at any time.

“For too long, Congress has delegated its clear authority to regulate interstate and foreign commerce to the executive branch,” Grassley said in a statement.

For decades, global commerce abided by tariff rates agreed to by the U.S. and 122 other countries during the 1980s and 1990s. On Wednesday, President Trump dismantled that arrangement, saying other countries had exploited the system and “ripped off” the United States for years, causing its once-mighty manufacturing base to shrink.

“Our country has been looted, pillaged, raped, and plundered,” Trump said in the Rose Garden in April. “Taxpayers have been ripped off for more than 50 years. But it is not going to happen anymore.”

Contributing: The Associated Press

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King County Elections spokesperson Haley Watkins said some counties started noticing — for the first time — problems during the August primary, when ballots weren’t always marked the same day carriers picked them up. The new USPS rules clarify that postmarks may no longer reflect the day mail was first collected.

“I know several other counties did see a big, big jump in how many ballots were returned too late because they didn’t get that postmark,” Watkins said. “You are not guaranteed a postmark on the same day that you drop your ballot in the mail.”

Secretary of State urges residents not to use mail-in voting

In a statement sent to KIRO Newsradio, Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said voters should “consider using a drop box, going to a voting center, or physically visiting a post office within seven days of the Nov. 4 general election,” adding that his office can’t guarantee ballots mailed later will be postmarked in time.

The Postal Service has issued similar guidance, recommending voters mail ballots by October 29 to ensure on-time delivery. The agency has also stopped counting Saturdays as transit days, reduced afternoon pickups, and slowed some first-class mail delivery standards. Most of those issues, they say, could impact more rural areas.

The new standards come as USPS faces significant financial challenges, with a projected net loss of $6.9 billion for fiscal year 2025. While they’re not necessarily new standards, when it comes to mail-in ballots, fewer postmarks and votes not being counted are new to many election officials across the state.

“You need to make sure that you’re getting your ballot postmarkeFd if you’re going to utilize the mail,” Pierce County elections spokesperson Kyle Haugh said. “You can’t just rely on putting it in the box in front of your home.”

The Washington Secretary of State has provided voters with a map that includes statewide locations of ballot drop boxes and voting centers for the current election.

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Washington joins 25 other states, and D.C., in suing the Trump administration for suspending SNAP benefits during the government shutdown. The lawsuit demands for the USDA to restore food aid for 42 million Americans. Approximately 900,000 Washington residents rely on SNAP benefits.

Officials claim the agency has billions in contingency funds but is choosing not to use them.

Trump administration posts notice that no federal food aid will go out Nov. 1

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has posted a notice on its website saying federal food aid will not go out Nov. 1, raising the stakes for families nationwide as the government shutdown drags on.

The new notice comes after the Trump administration said it would not tap roughly $5 billion in contingency funds to keep benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly referred to as SNAP, flowing into November. That program helps about 1 in 8 Americans buy groceries.

“Bottom line, the well has run dry,” the USDA notice says. “At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01. We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats.”

The shutdown, which began Oct. 1, is now the second-longest on record. While the Republican administration took steps leading up to the shutdown to ensure SNAP benefits were paid this month, the cutoff would expand the impact of the impasse to a wider swath of Americans — and some of those most in need — unless a political resolution is found in just a few days.

The administration blames Democrats, who say they will not agree to reopen the government until Republicans negotiate with them on extending expiring subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. Republicans say Democrats must first agree to reopen the government before negotiation.

Democratic lawmakers have written to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins requesting to use contingency funds to cover the bulk of next month’s benefits.

But a USDA memo that surfaced Friday says “contingency funds are not legally available to cover regular benefits.” The document says the money is reserved for such things such as helping people in disaster areas.

It cited a storm named Melissa, which has strengthened into a major hurricane, as an example of why it’s important to have the money available to mobilize quickly in the event of a disaster.

The prospect of families not receiving food aid has deeply concerned states run by both parties.

Some states have pledged to keep SNAP benefits flowing even if the federal program halts payments, but there are questions about whether U.S. government directives may allow that to happen. The USDA memo also says states would not be reimbursed for temporarily picking up the cost.

Other states are telling SNAP recipients to be ready for the benefits to stop. Arkansas and Oklahoma, for example, are advising recipients to identify food pantries and other groups that help with food.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., accused Republicans and Trump of not agreeing to negotiate.

“The reality is, if they sat down to try to negotiate, we could probably come up with something pretty quickly,” Murphy said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “We could open up the government on Tuesday or Wednesday, and there wouldn’t be any crisis in the food stamp program.”

Contributing: The Associated Press

Day 28 also marks a very significant day for air traffic controllers, who are working their first day without pay. Off-duty air traffic controllers, at airports all over the country, including here in Seattle, spent the day handing out informational pamphlets.

At the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), they stood in three different skybridges, handing out pamphlets and talking to travelers about the strain air traffic controllers are feeling about working without pay, and the potential consequences of having such critical workers working for free.

“How am I going to pay my bills? How am I going to put food on the table? How am I going to pay for gas to go to work where I’m going to get a zero-dollar paycheck?” National Air Traffic Controllers Association Regional Vice President Mark Rausch said.

Air traffic controllers are working mandatory overtime, so, no time during the day to work a second job to make ends meet. Workers are calling in sick while flights are being canceled or delayed.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and the president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, Nick Daniels, have continued to emphasize the pressure that controllers are feeling. They told The Associated Press the problems are likely to only get worse the longer the shutdown continues.

“Air traffic controllers have to have 100% focus 100% of the time,” Daniels said Tuesday at a news conference alongside Duffy at LaGuardia Airport in New York. “I’m watching air traffic controllers going to work. I’m getting the stories. They’re worried about paying for their daughter’s medicine. I got a message from a controller that said, ‘I’m running out of money. And if she doesn’t get the medicine she needs, she dies. That’s the end.'”

“I think the message is simple. Let’s end the shutdown now,” Mark Rausch said. “We can’t expect people to do an honest day’s work and not get an honest day’s pay.”

Rausch said, in spite of the sick call-ins and delayed and canceled flights, not much has changed since before the shutdown. There was a shortage of controllers, long hours, and a lot of stress on the people who keep us safe in the air.

“You’re flying from Seattle, let’s say you’re going all the way to New York. The entire trip, your aircraft is in constant communication with air traffic controllers that aren’t being paid,” Rausch said. “Stopping funding and stopping paying air traffic controllers certainly doesn’t provide additional safety. It’s just going to add that additional distraction and introduce risk.”

Contributing: The Associated Press

After taking the lead in a poll over Mayor Bruce Harrell, Katie Wilson started laying the groundwork for her potential administration.

“We’ve been doing a lot of serious work to make sure that I’m going to be ready to step into office and lead from day one,” Wilson told “The John Curley Show” on KIRO Newsradio Thursday.

Harrell recently claimed Wilson lacks the experience to become mayor, saying she has “zero housing experience” and has “done no work in the sector.”

Meanwhile, Wilson sees the homelessness crisis as a housing issue.

“There’s lots of homeless people in Seattle who work full-time jobs, and they might live in their vehicle, or they might even live in a tent, but housing is so expensive that it’s just really hard to afford that. That’s more of an issue here,” Wilson shared.

And really, if we look at it, we’ve had this tech boom for the last 10, 20 years, we’ve had population growth, and our housing stock hasn’t grown to match, and that’s really driven up rents. It’s really driven up home prices, and so we have a much worse homelessness crisis here as a result,” she continued.

Wilson said building more housing comes down to Seattle’s land use and zoning laws.

“One of the things that we can do, that I’m interested in, is expanding the number of neighborhood centers around the city, and so those are areas where, kind of like neighborhood business districts — you’re allowed to build higher, you’re allowed to build more multi-family housing. There’s a lot of things we can do in our land use and zoning laws to make it possible for the private market to build more housing in the great neighborhoods all over the city. And we absolutely need to do that,” she explained.

When asked about deterring homeless people from other cities from coming to Seattle, Wilson said she doesn’t think that’s the right approach.

“Certainly within King County, it’s true that a lot of people who become homeless in other cities end up coming to Seattle because that is where lots of the services are. That is where a lot of the shelter is — and so we do need those other cities to step up — but I don’t think that trying to take a hard line here in Seattle on not helping people who become homeless somewhere else is the right way to do that,” she said.

Watch the full discussion in the conversation above.

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A group of Washington parents, school board members, and educators filed a lawsuit in Thurston County Superior Court, stating that House Bill 1296 (HB 1296) strips families of key rights. The law limits what schools can tell parents about their kids.

Democrats said the bill clarifies what rights parents and students have in public schools, protecting student privacy while still giving parents access to most records and information.

However, Paige McElwrath with the Citizen Action Defense Fund, which filed suit against the bill, argues it is unconstitutional.

“It’s less about, you know, transgender issues or ideology,” she said. “It’s more so about parental rights, given that parents are the primary stakeholders and the outcome of their children.”

McElwrath stated the bill violates not only parents’ rights, but also religious freedoms, the single-subject rule in the Washington Constitution, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and federal law.

Supporters argue HB 1296 will ensure all students are protected from discrimination and harassment.

The Washington State Attorney General’s Office told KIRO Newsradio it will work with state agencies to respond in court, but it has not yet seen the filing.

Meanwhile, the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction told KIRO Newsradio it is reviewing the complaint.

“OSPI is charged with implementing, upholding, and enforcing the law and will continue to do so unless or until the law changes,” a spokesperson for OSPI stated.

Breaking down Washington’s parental rights bill

Controversies about HB 1296 are not new. In February, Democrats and Republicans in Washington traded verbal fireworks over the bill.

Democratic lawmakers accused their Republican counterparts of misleading and confusing the public regarding one of the most contentious aspects of the bill: parental notifications.

HB 1296 modified parts of Initiative 2081 (I-2081), the Parents’ Bill of Rights, which was passed by the legislature last year. The initiative was originally intended for a statewide vote, but the Democratic-controlled House and Senate adopted it as law without sending it to the ballot.

Democrats later vowed to “fix” certain aspects of the initiative. HB 1296 contains some of those revisions, particularly regarding the rule that requires parents to be notified immediately if their child is involved in an incident at school or a health care decision that the student wishes to keep private.

HB 1296 sought to revert back to a 48-hour notification rule, which had been in place for 20 years. Democrats argued this time frame allows school officials and law enforcement to properly assess situations before informing parents.

House Bill 1296 passed

In April, despite not receiving any Republican votes, Senate Democrats were able to pass HB 1296.

Democrats argued HB 1296 creates and installs important safeguards for students while providing greater clarity to the already-existing Parents’ Bill of Rights law. But Republicans argued it guts and rewrites the voter-backed initiative that was passed into law last year, taking control away from parents and local school districts.

Contributing: Frank Lenzi and Matt Markovich, KIRO Newsradio; Frank Sumrall and Julia Dallas, MyNorthwest

The plan was introduced by King County Executive Shannon Braddock earlier this year and centers on ambitious climate goals with a strong emphasis on supporting frontline communities most affected by environmental changes.

“This Strategic Climate Action Plan advances ambitious climate action and builds on years of work to advocate for strong policies that deliver solutions and real benefits, especially for our frontline communities,” Braddock said in a statement.

King County’s climate plan centers on frontline communities and sustainability

SCAP outlines a comprehensive approach to reduce emissions, prepare for climate impacts, and build resilient ecosystems. It prioritizes community-driven solutions and strengthens partnerships to scale up climate action.

Key areas include improving housing and buildings to withstand extreme weather, expanding sustainable transportation options, protecting natural ecosystems, and creating economic opportunities in clean energy sectors.

Developed with input from local organizations, community groups, and climate experts, SCAP builds on Washington’s strong climate policies. It also pairs with the Climate and Workforce Strategy to ensure that green jobs and career pathways are accessible to those in frontline communities.

Community members and partners are invited to participate in the implementation of the plan. For more information, visit King County’s website.

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Under the agreement, police officers will receive a retroactive pay increase of 6% for 2024 and 4.1% for 2025. Officers will get an additional 2.7% increase in 2026, and the 2027 increase will range from 3% to 4%, depending on the Consumer Price Index.

“This contract supports our officers’ work to address crime and delivers on our promise to create a comprehensive, diversified public safety system that protects every neighborhood in Seattle,” Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell said.

Harrell said the contract also strengthens police accountability by allowing civilian investigators to work on cases involving potential termination, and streamlines disciplinary processes to address misconduct swiftly and appropriately.

“The agreement modernizes our wages and keeps benefits high so that we can, of course, maintain a well-staffed police department, which translates to public safety for everyone,” Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes said. “I commend Mayor Harrell for his tireless dedication in securing a collective bargaining agreement that not only strengthens support for our officers but also enhances public safety in Seattle. This agreement reflects our shared commitment to the community and ensures that the brave men and women of our police department can continue to serve with pride and dedication.”

Major changes for Seattle’s CARE department

The agreement was ratified by SPOG members last weekend and makes big changes to the Community Assisted Response and Engagement (CARE) department. It is now elevated from a pilot program started in 2023 to a permanent part of public safety in Seattle, on par with the police and fire departments. It also removes limits on its number of employees, allowing for the expansion and direct dispatch of CARE crisis responders for those experiencing a behavioral health crisis, due in part to homelessness, mental illness, and addiction.

“This expanded agreement between the City and SPOG is the most significant milestone since the CARE responder pilot launched two years ago, and I commend Mayor Harrell for keeping diversified response a top and unequivocal priority,” CARE Chief Amy Barton stated. “Going forward, we will finally be able to predictably and consistently send the best first response to a 911 call — something our community has demanded and deserves. Further, law enforcement officers can now be significantly freed up to respond to high-priority police calls.”

Harrell said the money for the officers and the expansion of the CARE department will require no new money, as it has already been worked into the budget.

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Council members heard public testimony Wednesday from critics and supporters.

“These ordinances criminalize homelessness when people have nowhere else to sleep or rest, their choice to be outside is not voluntary,” Everett resident Caitlyn McKienney said. “These laws disproportionately impact vulnerable populations, making the simple fact of being unhoused a punishable offense.”

Rich Ryan told the council this is a personal issue for him, having experienced homelessness himself for more than five years.

” l could tell you from experience that dehumanizing people does not help whatsoever,” Ryan said. ” Do you guys really think this is a good time to make poverty a crime when everybody’s kind of hanging on by their fingernails?”

A speaker identified only as “Jose” spoke to the council about the buffer zone near Compass Health in Everett.

“The buffer zone has opened up more collaboration between the city, police, Compass Health, and the neighborhood, ” Jose said. “This includes the monthly meetings and communication lines that did not exist before. Removing the zone prematurely could signal that the situation is solved when, in reality, we’re still in a fragile stage of progress.”

He said there are still people in the area loitering and taking drugs. He even said there had been a stabbing recently.

Everett Deputy Police Jeff Hendrickson said police have issued 156 warnings and 11 citations.

Council member Mary Fosse requested more information on the individuals who have been warned and cited. She made a motion to table the vote until that information comes in.

The council voted in favor of delaying the vote 4-3.

Everett City Council passes ‘no sit, no lie’ law in 2021

The Everett City Council first passed the ordinance in 2021, banning homeless camping on a 10-block radius along Smith Avenue near the I-5 overpass. The measure was originally paired with a larger proposal of using a $1 million state-funded grant to set up a pallet shelter space capable of housing 20 to 30 people.

Although the ordinance gave police the ability to sweep encampments, the plan was to first educate people who were camping and to clear access to sidewalks and businesses for pedestrians.

Then, in May 2023, Everett expanded its “no sit, no lie” law to prohibit camping and loitering outside certain shelters and facilities, including the Everett Gospel Mission. The offense was punishable with a fine of up to $500 and a jail sentence of up to 90 days.

The new ordinance also prohibited people from sitting or lying down within a two-block radius of facilities that provided substance abuse, behavioral health, and temporary housing services, KIRO 7 reported. The measure further gave Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin the authority to designate other areas as “no sit, no lie” zones.

However, the decision came with pushback, with some council members arguing people should first have a place to go before they’re told they can’t be in certain public areas of the city.

Contributing: Frank Lenzi, KIRO Newsradio; Julia Dallas and Frank Sumrall, MyNorthwest

Council passes previous Tacoma camping ban in 2022

The previous ban was passed in 2022 after Council member John Hines drafted the measure in response to a sharp increase in public health and safety concerns reported by community members regarding areas near Tacoma shelters.

Three years later, Hines asked to expand the city’s no-camping ordinance.

“I am a firm believer that we need to provide shelter and housing for people to end homelessness,” Hines said, according to KIRO 7. “At the same time, we have to keep our public spaces open and accessible to the public.”

Hines cited a 7% decrease in service calls for homelessness-related complaints in 2025 compared to 2024.

Supporters stated the proposal is about public safety, while critics argue it criminalizes homelessness. Violating the no-camping ordinance results in 30 days in jail, a $250 fine, or both.

Under the new proposal, Hines added an option for violators to attend Therapeutic Court, where individuals can engage with services in exchange for having their charges dropped.

“It’s a policy that really focuses on making people move from one place to another and clean up whatever they leave behind, and there’s just not enough of a focus on solving the people’s situation,” Rob Huff, the community relations manager for the Tacoma-Pierce County Coalition to End Homelessness, told KIRO 7.

This story was originally published on October 8, 2025. It has been updated and republished since then.

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Oddly enough, if they were sent home without pay, they’d be able to apply for unemployment benefits through Washington state.

“For the folks who are going to work, and working without pay? They won’t be eligible for unemployment insurance because they’re working,” Donna Mack, the Rapid Response Manager for the state Employment Security Department (ESD), said.

Those include workers such as air traffic controllers, some federal law enforcement agents, disaster response workers, and more.

Both furloughed and essential workers will likely receive back pay once the government reopens, and then any jobless benefits received would need to be paid back.

Webinar to help federal workers navigate unemployment benefits

It’s all a little confusing, and it’s why the ESD is holding a webinar on Thursday, October 23, to help federal workers navigate the state and local resources available to them. Those interested can register here.

Mack said experts will discuss unemployment benefits, options for health care coverage, career training and education programs, as well as other local resources.

“What you’re going to find in your community if you need food assistance, or assistance with power bills, that sort of thing,” Mack explained.

The virtual meeting aims to cover a wide range of topics because the effects of the shutdown are so broad.

“I’ll be really curious to see who comes to this event,” Mack said.

She said it could appeal to several groups of people, not only workers who’ve been furloughed and essential workers who are still on the job.

“We may have a group of state workers who are impacted by federal funding ending — at least briefly — while the government is shut down and who are being furloughed,” Mack said. “And then I think that we may have a group of people who have received some sort of layoff notices.”

Finally, family members of federal workers may be looking for guidance on how to reenter the workforce or change jobs, as the shutdown lingers on.

The ESD estimates that up to 80,000 workers in Washington state are being impacted.

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The U.S. has struck seven boats in the Caribbean since Sept. 1, killing 32 people.

“You can’t just kill people for no reason,” Smith told KIRO Newsradio. “You have to have some sort of legal justification before you simply kill somebody without any evidence and without any imminent threat to the country.”

WA officials push for review of boat strikes

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said a boat that was hit Friday was linked to a Colombian guerrilla group that the U.S. has considered a terrorist group since the 1990s, and that it was “transporting substantial amounts of narcotics.”

The administration has argued that narcotics, smuggled into the U.S., kill tens of thousands of Americans every year, which constitutes an attack. President Donald Trump has declared drug cartels foreign terrorist organizations.

“I’m not saying for the moment that they don’t have any evidence,” Smith said. “But other than just the blanket statement — these were narcoterrorists associated with one drug cartel or the other — we don’t even know the names of the people who were killed.”

Smith, who has served on the House Armed Services Committee since 1997, said the Caribbean boat strikes are being handled much differently than U.S. military strikes against Al Qaeda and ISIS.

“In every instance I saw, they presented robust evidence as to exactly who the people they targeted were, who they were connected to and why. No such evidence has been presented to anyone in the U.S. on these strikes against these boats down in the Caribbean,” Smith insisted.

Smith suggested the boats should be stopped and searched instead.

CBS News Military Consultant and Ret. U.S. Army Colonel Jeff McCausland pointed out the U.S. Coast Guard has intercepted a large number of ships coming from Caribbean.

“I’ve talked to Coast Guard officers who’ve been involved. I’ve been told usually about one in five times — when they’ve stopped the vessel — they found in fact it was not carrying narcotics.” McCausland said.

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