Free Republic

MUKILTEO — Calling all unicorns. Mukilteo police want you on the force. What’s up with that? A uniformed unicorn police officer with rainbow hair is featured in a new recruitment strategy that reads: “Unicorns may not be real but a career with the Mukilteo Police is pure magic.” The city has two openings on its force slotted for 32 commissioned police officers. Entry-level pay is $81,544 to $105,295. Rookies must be at least 21 with a high school diploma or equivalent. “There’s a whole population who would be amazing police officers that had probably never even thought about the job...

The Biden administration's plan to relocate grizzly bear populations to rural parts of Washington State will have a devastating impact on agriculture and livestock in the region while posing a significant danger to local communities, a fifth generation cattle producer warned. Residents of Washington State are doubling down on their concerns surrounding the federal government's plan to translocate grizzly bears, an apex predator, to the federally-managed North Cascades National Park, after the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declared the strategy their preferred plan for grizzly bear management in the region. The North Cascades National Park borders...

The bar exam will no longer be required to become a lawyer in Washington, the state Supreme Court ruled in a pair of orders Friday. The court approved alternative ways to show competency and earn a law license after appointing a task force to examine the issue in 2020. The Bar Licensure Task Force found that the traditional exam “disproportionally and unnecessarily blocks” marginalized groups from becoming practicing attorneys and is “at best minimally effective” for ensuring competency, according to a news release from the Washington Administrative Office of the Courts. Washington is the second state to not require the...

JBLM Army doctor was formally arraigned on Friday in what has been described as the largest sexual assault case of its type in military history. Michael Stockin said little during the brief arraignment at the Cascade Courthouse Complex as part of an Article 120 hearing. He stands accused of sexually assaulting at least four dozen men during his time as a pain management doctor at Madigan Army Hospital at JBLM. Stockin deferred entering a plea during his first court appearance Friday, which is allowed in military court. A charging sheet obtained by KOMO News claims that Stockin abused the soldiers...

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) announced Thursday that she will not seek another term in Congress, marking an end to her tenure as one of Eastern Washington’s longest-serving representatives. McMorris Rodgers, who has been a familiar face on Capitol Hill since her first election in 2004, expressed a desire to serve her community in new capacities. “After much prayer and reflection, I’ve decided the time has come to serve the people of Eastern Washington in new ways. I will not be running for re-election to the People’s House,” Rodgers wrote on her X account. .....Snip........

A new report is highlighting how federal COVID funds were used in Washington state to give $1,000 checks to illegal immigrants who were ineligible to receive federal economic impact payments during the pandemic due to their immigration status. The report, by the Economic Policy Innovation Center (EPIC), points to money administered by the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF), which was created by the American Rescue Plan Act and was intended to help state and local governments with their response and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Washington state received $4.4 billion in funding overall from that program. The...

A juvenile boy is dead, and two others were taken into custody by Lakewood police on Dec. 2 after fleeing from police in a stolen Kia Sportage. At around 10:05 p.m. on Saturday, Lakewood Police Department (LPD) officers were alerted to a stolen Kia Sportage located on Steilacoom Blvd SW near Lakewood Dr. LPD officers said they followed the vehicle without lights or sirens at normal speeds while waiting for additional officers to assist. The stolen Kia proceeded to approach a locked gate at Lochburn Middle School when an officer turned their lights and sirens on to stop the stolen...

Skiing and Snowboarding in North Central WashingtonAs winter approaches, it’s time to dust off your snow gear and prepare to hit the slopes. North Central Washington has a variety of locations to enjoy downhill skiing and snowboarding, each offering unique views and diverse terrain. Mission RidgeConveniently located just 12 miles from downtown Wenatchee is the Mission Ridge Ski and Board Resort. The Ridge’s 2,000 acres of sunny Central Washington dry snow has been a Wenatchee favorite for generations. With spectacular views of town and the Columbia River, the Ridge is the place to be on a sunny powder day! Opening...

Many Americans to this day are wondering how all of this violence, mayhem, riots, and criminality came upon America. It’s as if someone flipped a switch, and it all started, and our world changed. The groups that are executing this insurrection were carefully planted, groomed, and prepared by the Obama administration and its remaining shadow government once President Trump was elected, just waiting for the green light to burn, destroy, and yes, even kill. It was all planned. This is what one investigative reporter, George Elliason, an American who lives in the Donbass region of East Ukraine, is proposing, and...

Washington state’s minimum wage will increase 54 cents to $16.28 an hour next year. The Washington Department of Labor and Industries made the announcement Friday, The Seattle Times reported. A full-time worker making that wage would earn nearly $34,000 per year. The 3.37% increase is a cost-of-living adjustment based on the federal Consumer Price Index. Washington’s minimum wage of $15.74 an hour is currently the highest state-level minimum wage in the nation, according to state labor officials. …

Washington state's leader said voters must reject "climate deniers" like TrumpThe record-high temperatures recorded around the world show "the climate change bomb has gone off" and Americans must push "further and faster" for solutions -- including voting against "climate deniers" like former President Donald Trump -- Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said Sunday."What the scientific community is telling us now is that the Earth is screaming at us," Inslee said.In an interview with ABC "This Week" co-anchor Martha Raddatz, Inslee, one of the Democratic Party's loudest voices on addressing climate, spoke gravely about the threat of a changing world: "The fuse...

Being a civil rights activist, advocate, and leader/founder of pro-freedom groups brings with it a certain amount of baggage. Trying to promote liberty in general – never mind the Second Amendment – on a national level, while being based in Washington state, can’t be easy. Our good friend Alan Gottlieb over at the Second Amendment Foundation knows this all too well, and has recently been left with no other recourse but to sue over alleged harassment. A recent announcement on the lawsuit against Washington’s Attorney General talks about two plus years worth of discriminatory practices, costing Gottlieb et.al. a pile...

Within minutes of being released from police custody for a string of crimes, a man was back out there again Joshua R McLemore was contacted by police four separate times on Monday and Tuesday. McLemore was first contacted by police for theft of a backpack at 4:50 a.m. Monday. He was transported to the police station and the backpack was recovered by police and he was released with third-degree theft charges Within minutes of being released by police, McLemore was reportedly trying to get into someone’s car without permission at 5:40 a.m. in the 200 block of Lottie Street, Murphy...

The passage of several gun control bills this session and in recent years could have enormous implications for certain firearm programs, such as shooting sports for both youth and adults, which may migrate toward friendlier states. HB 1240 bans various semi-automatic rifles, pistols, and shotguns, including youth target rifles shorter than 30 inches, labeling them “assault weapons.” SB 5078 prohibits the marketing of any firearms or accessories to minors, including gun holsters. Both bills have cleared the Legislature and have been sent to Gov. Jay Inslee for signing. Last year, the Legislature banned the sale or purchase of gun magazines...

While the news media was occupied vilifying the alleged Pentagon leaker, covering up Biden’s gaffes in Ireland, and slandering Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, there are very disturbing developments occurring elsewhere in the country. The Washington Free Beacon reported that The Washington House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 5599 last week. The bill passed on a 57-39 vote as Republican legislators unanimously voted against the bill. What does this bill do? Like all bills of this nature, there is a chasm of difference between the stated purpose and what the bill actually allows. The bill claims its purpose is to...

Guest post by Bill Bruch This article is a part-3 follow-up to my March 20 article, and March 30 article exposing RICO Election Crimes in Washington State. RICO, or the “Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.” Is a federal law that allows authorities to punish offenders engaging in criminal activities; particularly racketeering, organized crime, fraud, money laundering, identity theft​, and counterfeiting, defined as the act of making something in an imitation so good as to be fraudulently or deceptively put forth as the genuine article. As a summary, about 8 months ago Peter Bernegger of Election Watch (Wisconsin) and Chris...

The results of a recent poll that asked Washington voters who should run for governor if Jay Inslee decides to not run for a fourth term were released Thursday. On Mar. 7 and 8, the Northwest Progressive Institute asked 874 voters if the 2024 election for governor was held today, would they vote for Democrat Hilary Franz, Republican Bruce Dammeier, Democrat Dow Constantine, or Democrat Bob Ferguson? The poll revealed 35% would pick Dammeier, 21% would pick Ferguson, and 7% would back Constantine and Franz.

OLYMPIA — A bill that would strip single-family zoning regulations from neighborhoods across the state to allow duplexes or fourplexes to be built passed the Washington state House of Representatives late Monday. The measure, which passed 75-21 with bipartisan support, is aimed at alleviating the housing shortage by encouraging builders to put more people into existing city neighborhoods rather than encouraging urban sprawl. The bill requires cities between 25,000 and 75,000 people to allow two units per lot anywhere and four units on lots within one half-mile of a bus stop . Cities with more than 75,000 people or with...

Governor Jay Inslee can’t identify Ukraine on a map but wants Washingtonians to know he stands firm with Ukrainians. After all, Inslee knows what it’s like fighting for democracy. The governor is now pretending Russia’s assault on Ukraine is similar to unarmed Americans rioting at the U.S. Capitol on January 6. Inslee hosted Finnish President Sauli Niinistö at the state capitol for a legislative address and press conference. It was the first time a foreign leader addressed the state Legislature. The focus of the remarks was on energy and climate change, as we’re partners with the country on transportation and...

The trio were among a group of six people attempting to scale part of Colchuck Peak when the lead climber triggered the snow slide, according to local authorities. Four climbers were swept about 500 feet down the steep mountain, sheriff officials said. The three who died were a 60-year-old New York woman, a 66-year-old man from New Jersey and a 53-year-old Connecticut man, the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office said. A 56-year-old man from New York sustained non-life threatening injuries and was able to get down to the base camp. Two other survivors weren’t hurt, the sheriff’s office said. [Chelan County...