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The Spin: Skykomish School Board fires teacher charged with grooming, raping student over 2 years

<p>The Skykomish School Board formally terminated a teacher charged with raping a student on Wednesday as criminal proceedings and administrative fallout continue to unfold.</p><p>The board issued a probable cause notice for discharge on March 11. According to the district’s agenda, the deadline for the teacher, Daniel L. Bubar, 62, to appeal that decision has expired.</p><p>Bubar pleaded not guilty on March 16 to multiple charges, including second- and third-degree rape of a child and communication with a minor for immoral purposes. Authorities alleged he groomed and sexually abused a student over a period of more than two years, beginning when she was in middle school.</p><p>He remains held on $750,000 bail and is subject to court orders prohibiting contact with minors in the Skykomish School District, requiring the surrender of weapons, and compliance with a sexual assault protection order if released.</p><p>Prosecutors said they are in discussions with the defense regarding a possible resolution short of trial. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for May 19. The case’s senior deputy prosecutor has also met with the victim, her family, and an advocate from the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center.</p><div class="related alignright"><div class="col_label"><h2>RELATED STORIES</h2></div><ul><li><a class="related-link" href="https://mynorthwest.com/crime-blotter/skykomish-superintendent/4221913"><img decoding="async" width="719" height="404" src="https://mynorthwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Untitled-design-2026-03-27T060309.079-420x236.jpg" class="sub_art" alt="Skykomish superintendent placed on leave after teacher charged with raping student" loading="lazy"></a><div class="sub_story"><h3><a class="related-link" href="https://mynorthwest.com/crime-blotter/skykomish-superintendent/4221913">Skykomish superintendent placed on leave after teacher charged with raping student</a></h3></div></li><li><a class="related-link" href="https://mynorthwest.com/local/seahawks-fan-cancer/4224635"><img decoding="async" width="719" height="404" src="https://mynorthwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Sehawks-fan-beats-cancer-420x236.jpg" class="sub_art" alt="Cancer-free after stage 3 diagnosis: Washington man shares recovery journey and Seahawks-fueled hope" loading="lazy"></a><div class="sub_story"><h3><a class="related-link" href="https://mynorthwest.com/local/seahawks-fan-cancer/4224635">Cancer-free after stage 3 diagnosis: Washington man shares recovery journey and Seahawks-fueled hope</a></h3></div></li><li><a class="related-link" href="https://mynorthwest.com/crime-blotter/skykomish-teacher-child-rape/4217824"><img decoding="async" width="719" height="404" src="https://mynorthwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Untitled-design-2026-03-17T085143.257-420x236.jpg" class="sub_art" alt="Skykomish P.E. teacher pleads not guilty to child rape" loading="lazy"></a><div class="sub_story"><h3><a class="related-link" href="https://mynorthwest.com/crime-blotter/skykomish-teacher-child-rape/4217824">Skykomish P.E. teacher pleads not guilty to child rape</a></h3></div></li></ul></div><h2>Investigation into Bubar</h2><p>According to charging documents, the investigation began on March 2 after the student’s mother contacted authorities. The girl reported the relationship began when she was in seventh grade and escalated over time, including alleged encounters on school grounds and at other locations.</p><p>Investigators said Bubar admitted to engaging in multiple sexual acts with the student. Authorities also cited emails they described as coded communication, surveillance footage placing the two together, and items the family said were given as gifts.</p><p>Bubar worked as a physical education teacher, athletic director, and Title IX coordinator in the small district.</p><p>Separately, the Skykomish School District superintendent has been placed on leave as the investigation continues.</p><p><em>Follow Luke Duecy on <a href="https://twitter.com/KIROLukeD" target="_blank" rel="noopener">X.</a> Read more of his stories <a href="https://mynorthwest.com/author/lduecy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. Submit news tips <a href="mailto:[email protected]">here</a>.</em></p>

Flying Alaska or Hawaiian? Checked bag fees just went up as fuel costs soar

Delta, United, JetBlue, and Southwest have all recently raised baggage fees.RELATED STORIESSEA Airport launching nonstop flights to Hong Kong with Cathay Pacific'We're proud': SEA celebrates ranking 6th least stressful major airport in U.S.SEA Airport proposes new terminal, 19 gates in massive expansion planSouthwest Airlines, once known for its free bags perk, hikes fees amid higher jet fuel costsSouthwest Airlines is raising checked baggage fees by $10, less than a year after ending its “bags

21-year-old driver dies after losing control, hitting Port Orchard police SUV

<p class="default__StyledText-sc-tl066j-0 gdrPeS body-paragraph">A driver died after losing control of his car and crashing into a Port Orchard Police Department vehicle early Thursday morning, Washington State Patrol (WSP) confirmed.</p><p>According to WSP, the driver was speeding down westbound on S.E. Lund Ave, near Sidney Avenue, just before 2 a.m. Thursday, when he lost control of his vehicle, crossed the center line, and struck the patrol vehicle.</p><p class="default__StyledText-sc-tl066j-0 gdrPeS body-paragraph">WSP confirmed that the driver, a 21-year-old, was pronounced dead at the scene. The agency believes that drugs or alcohol may have been involved.</p><p>It’s unclear if the Port Orchard officer was injured, as of this reporting.</p><p>A WSP investigation is underway.</p><p><em>This is a developing story, check back for updates</em></p><p><em>Follow Frank Sumrall <a href="https://x.com/FMSumrall" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on X</a>. Send <a href="https://mynorthwest.com/contact-us">news tips here.</a></em></p>

Climate change is outpacing evolution. Scientists are using DNA to catch up

<p><block></p><p>SAN DIEGO (AP) — Evolution works over millennia. Climate change is moving far faster.</p><p>That mismatch is killing some of the planet’s most vital ecosystems, from California’s towering redwoods to the seagrass meadows along its coast, both of which store vast amounts of carbon and support complex webs of life.</p><p>Marine heat waves, record wildfires and coastal development are pushing these systems beyond their limits as climate change, driven by emissions of fuels like oil and gas, accelerates. An estimated 1 million species face extinction, many within decades, largely due to human activities such as habitat destruction, pollution and overuse of natural resources, according to a 2019 report by a United Nations-affiliated intergovernmental scientific body. </p><p>Scientists are working to close the gap with an emerging discipline called conservation genomics: sequencing an organism’s complete genetic blueprint to pinpoint individuals with traits suited to survive drought, disease and other climate extremes, then using that information to guide restoration.</p><p>Coral reefs are among the first ecosystems where these genomic tools are being put to use. Repeated marine heat waves, which have caused mass bleaching, have devastated reefs worldwide. By sequencing corals and the algae that live inside them, researchers have identified colonies that naturally withstand higher temperatures and are beginning to test whether selectively breeding and growing those more resilient corals can support reef recovery. </p><p><hl2>Seagrass are under stress</hl2></p><p>In Southern California, researchers are applying the approach to eelgrass, a type of seagrass, as traditional restoration methods falter. The plant provides habitat for fish, crabs and plankton, feeds migratory birds and locks away carbon and methane — both heat-trapping greenhouse gases — in coastal sediments.</p><p>Conditions in San Diego’s bays are changing. Waters are warming. King tides — the year’s highest tides, which climate change is making more frequent and severe — stir up sediment and reduce the light that reaches the seafloor. Development sends runoff into bays, further clouding the water.</p><p>As a result, efforts to replant what’s been lost fail about half the time.</p><p>“Conservation genomics is becoming particularly important because right now, the climate is changing — a plant that was growing great in San Diego Bay, now San Diego Bay might be too hot for it,” said Todd Michael, a research professor at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.</p><p>In Mission Bay, Michael and his colleagues discovered a clue to improving those odds: a naturally occurring hybrid eelgrass that outperformed its parent species. The plant, a cross between shallow water eelgrass Zostera marina and deeper water Zostera pacifica, persisted where both parent species struggled.</p><p>By sequencing its genome, the team identified genes tied to the plant’s circadian clock that stayed active longer under low light conditions, a pattern scientists believe may help it photosynthesize more efficiently in murky water. </p><p>The findings suggest restoration could be improved by selecting or breeding eelgrass better suited to future conditions. But for now, that work remains largely experimental and has not yet been deployed at scale in the field. The researchers have partnered with ecologists at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography to explore how those insights could be applied in future restoration. </p><p><hl2>Applying similar techniques to Northern California’s redwoods</hl2></p><p>Redwoods are among the tallest and oldest trees on Earth and their forests store more carbon per acre than any other, according to a 2020 study by Save the Redwoods League and Humboldt State University. </p><p>While these trees evolved with frequent low intensity fire, today’s hotter and more destructive wildfires, combined with drought, are taking a growing toll. Logging has had an even greater impact: about 95% of old growth redwoods were cut, drastically reducing genetic diversity. </p><p>Scientists have already sequenced the redwood genome — a massive undertaking given its size, which is nearly nine times larger than the human genome.</p><p>However researchers say the work is not just about restoring what once existed, but preparing forests for a climate that no longer resembles the past.</p><p>“Where one organism was adapted to a certain location at one moment in time, it may no longer be,” said David Neale, a forest geneticist and distinguished professor emeritus at the University of California, Davis. “It might require different genetic variation to adapt to the new environment.”</p><p>Early analyses have begun to link genes to traits such as drought tolerance and temperature adaptation, but researchers say more rigorous work is needed to confirm those links before they can be used to guide restoration. That work has stalled due to limited funding.</p><p><hl2>Conservation genomics alone cannot solve climate change</hl2></p><p>“It can be helpful, but it’s not a solution unto itself,” said Karen Holl, a distinguished professor of environmental studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz. “What should be prioritized is reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”</p><p>Genomic tools may help certain species, particularly long-lived ones like redwoods that cannot adapt quickly enough on their own, but they come with limits. Ecosystems are built on complex relationships among plants, animals, microbes and fungi. Engineering or selecting for climate resilient traits in one species does not guarantee the survival of the many others that depend on it.</p><p>“Can you genetically engineer a few species that would be more tolerant? Absolutely. But that’s not an ecosystem,” said Holl. “We’re not going to engineer our way out of climate change.”</p><p>___</p><p>Follow Annika Hammerschlag on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ahammergram/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@ahammergram</a>.</p><p>___</p><p>The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP’s environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment</p><p></block></p>

Video shows kids attacking woman at Federal Way park

That’s what really started to piss me off,” Melissa said.She added that they’ve been to Steel Lake Park many times before and have never seen anything like that.“And it’s the first time I’ve ever experienced anything like that,” Melissa said.Federal Way police are looking into it, but are still trying to find those children in the video, as well as the woman who was assaulted.Police reached out to the Federal Way School District in order to help identify who is in the video.KIRO 7 showed the vid

Talk back: Tech deal promotes conversations between journalists and those who follow their stories

This week, Higgins responded to one message about her piece on the Brazilian arts community by sending Holland a lengthy personal video.They’ve turned the usual one-way conversation between a journalist and consumer into a two-way one, and a deal announced Friday indicates that is much more likely to be happening in the future.The New York-based news company Noosphere signed a multiyear licensing agreement with British broadcaster Sky News to make available its technology that facilitates

Try something new as spring rolls on with a weekend full of events

<p>We might be seeing some clouds rolling in this weekend, but the temperature is still going to be prime for a weekend full of fun!</p><p><div class="related alignright"><div class="col_label"><h2>RELATED STORIES</h2></div><ul><li><a class="related-link" href="https://mynorthwest.com/lifestyle/queen-anne-cocktail-bar/4226590"><img decoding="async" width="719" height="404" src="https://mynorthwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Untitled-design-2026-04-09T154431.744-420x236.jpg" class="sub_art" alt="Queen Anne cocktail bar earns national recognition as 5th best bar in U.S." loading="lazy"></a><div class="sub_story"><h3><a class="related-link" href="https://mynorthwest.com/lifestyle/queen-anne-cocktail-bar/4226590">Queen Anne cocktail bar earns national recognition as 5th best bar in U.S.</a></h3></div></li><li><a class="related-link" href="https://mynorthwest.com/lifestyle/travelers-face-higher-costs-and-fewer-flight-options-as-jet-fuel-prices-swing/4226471"><img decoding="async" width="719" height="404" src="https://mynorthwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Travel_Delays_56669-420x236.jpg" class="sub_art" alt="Travelers face higher costs and fewer flight options as jet fuel prices swing" loading="lazy"></a><div class="sub_story"><h3><a class="related-link" href="https://mynorthwest.com/lifestyle/travelers-face-higher-costs-and-fewer-flight-options-as-jet-fuel-prices-swing/4226471">Travelers face higher costs and fewer flight options as jet fuel prices swing</a></h3></div></li><li><a class="related-link" href="https://mynorthwest.com/lifestyle/seattle-japanese-garden-close/4225797"><img decoding="async" width="719" height="404" src="https://mynorthwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Untitled-design-2026-04-07T142600.376-420x236.jpg" class="sub_art" alt="Seattle Japanese Garden to temporarily close this summer for $2.8M restoration" loading="lazy"></a><div class="sub_story"><h3><a class="related-link" href="https://mynorthwest.com/lifestyle/seattle-japanese-garden-close/4225797">Seattle Japanese Garden to temporarily close this summer for $2.8M restoration</a></h3></div></li></ul></div></p><h2>WA Spring Fair</h2><p>One of the biggest events of the spring returns this weekend as the <a href="https://www.thefair.com/spring-fair/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Washington State Spring Fair</a> returns. It’s two weekends of rides, fair food, demolition derbies, monster trucks, BBQ competitions, racing pigs, and lots more! There will also be plenty of vendors to shop from as you get outside with friends and family. You can get tickets and more details right <a href="https://www.thefair.com/spring-fair/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p><h3>Toy show at the Angels of the Wind Arena</h3><p>If you are a collector, someone who loves nostalgia, or wants to find a unique gift for someone in your life, you will want to head to the Angels of the Wind Arena in Everett for the <a href="https://www.watoyshow.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Washington State Toy Show</a>. There will be over 250 vendors selling vintage and modern toys, comics, and collectibles this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For those looking to get a jump-start, there is early-bird registration as well. Tickets are still available.</p><h3>Cherry blossom festival</h3><p>The Festál series continues at the Seattle Center this weekend for the <a href="https://seattlecherryblossomfestival.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Seattle Cherry Blossom and Japanese Cultural Festival</a>. There is a full calendar of events starting today and running through Sunday, including an art exhibit, a kimono try-on experience, calligraphy, haiku, karate, dancing, Taiko, and lots more. This festival is free to attend, and there will be food available for purchase as well.</p><h3>Whales return to Whidbey Island</h3><p>Hop on a ferry this weekend and head to Whidbey Island for <a href="https://www.orcanetwork.org/events/welcome-the-whales-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Welcome the Whales</a>. This annual event in Langley celebrates the return of whales to the area with a weekend full of fun, starting with costume-making at Langley United Methodist Church on Saturday morning. While you make your costume, you and your family can learn about gray whales and check out the kids’ activities that will also be available. Why do you need a costume? Well, for the Welcome the Whales parade, of course! That will be at 2 p.m. The parade leads to the Seawall Park, where there will be music, poetry, and a whole lot more celebrating! This event is free to attend.</p><h3>Sunday sailing</h3><p>Try something different this weekend during the Sunday Public Sail at the <a href="https://www.cwb.org/public-sail" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Center for Wooden Boats</a>. This has been a tradition for over 27 years and resumes this weekend. Once a month from the late spring through the summer, you can take a ride around Lake Union for free. This Sunday is the first sailing of the season, with in-person sign-ups starting at 1 p.m. at the Wagner Education Center. You will want to show up early, as there is a limited number of available seats.</p><h3>Big Seattle sports weekend</h3><p>The <a href="https://www.mlb.com/mariners/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Seattle Mariners</a> hope to get things back on track this weekend as the dreaded Houston Astros are in town. It’s a big weekend for promotions as tonight is Ichiro Replica Statue night, tomorrow is Humpy Shoulder plush night, and Sunday is Ichiro Statue T-Shirt day. Tickets are still available for this weekend!</p><p>It is the final weekend of home games for the <a href="https://www.nhl.com/kraken/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Seattle Kraken</a> as they welcome the Calgary Flames on Saturday, with puck drop at 4 p.m. The team will play its final home game of the season on Monday against the LA Kings.</p><p>Can you believe we are already at our second weekend of April? Let me know what you are getting into this weekend at <em>[email protected].</em></p>

Western WA’s spring sunshine ends this weekend as showers return

In 1557, poet Thomas Tusser wrote, “sweet April showers, do spring May flowers.”More than a century earlier, in The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer wrote, “March winds and April showers bring forth May flowers and June bugs.” History shows this is where the “April showers bring May flowers” phrase began.Peak rainbow seasonThe return of unsettled weather and showers this weekend is a reminder that spring is the peak rainbow season. Rainbows can occur any tim

Democrats tackle outside groups flooding their primaries with campaign cash

“We had various resolutions that focused on different industries and groups, and instead of going one-by-one, we passed a blanket repudiation,” DNC Chair Ken Martin said in a statement.Campaign spending has divided DemocratsThe latest DNC meeting marks another chapter in longstanding disputes between progressives and the party establishment.Progressives want the party to adopt official language that all Democratic presidential contenders oppose money from dark-money groups, or super PACs that ar

Trump administration admits a glaring error in its accusations about New York health care fraud

He said the agency misidentified New York’s approach to applying billing codes and had since refined its methodology.“CMS is committed to ensuring its analyses fully reflect state-specific billing practices and will continue to work closely with New York to validate data and strengthen program integrity oversight,” he said in an emailed statement.Krepich said the probe was ongoing as the administration still has concerns with New York’s oversight of personal care services and the Medicaid progra

Asian stocks mostly higher and oil gains ahead of planned U.S.-Iran peace talks

<p><block></p><p>HONG KONG (AP) — Asian stocks were mostly up Friday tracking Wall Street gains while oil prices also rose on the fragile Iran war ceasefire and ahead of Iran-U.S. peace talks in Pakistan.</p><p>South Korea’s Kospi jumped 1.8% to 5,879.71. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 was up 1.6% to 56,789.58. Shares of Fast Retailing, parent of Japanese clothing retailer Uniqlo, surged more than 10% after the group raised profit expectations for the year.</p><p>Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 0.7% to 25,919.12, while the Shanghai Composite index was 0.6% higher at 3,991.14. China on Friday reported that its consumer price index – a main inflation gauge – was up 1% in March compared with a year ago, lower than what analysts had expected and down from the 1.3% increase in February.</p><p>Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.4%. Taiwan’s Taiex rose 1.3%, while India’s Sensex gained 0.7%.</p><p>Talks between the U.S. and Iran in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad for a possible permanent ceasefire agreement in the Iran war are expected to take place starting Saturday, with U.S. Vice President JD Vance leading the delegation for the United States.</p><p>But ahead of the talks, deadly Israeli strikes on Lebanon on Wednesday raised questions whether the two-week ceasefire in the Iran war is still intact, while the Islamic Republic maintained control over the Strait of Hormuz, which is largely closed despite demands from the U.S. to reopen the waterway critical for global oil and gas transport.</p><p>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had authorized talks with Lebanon, with negotiations said to be expected in Washington next week.</p><p>Oil was up modestly on Friday. Brent crude, the international standard, was 0.5% higher at $96.42 per barrel. Benchmark U.S. crude was up 0.4% to $98.28 a barrel.</p><p>For oil prices, “$65-70 a barrel is not coming back,” Ajay Rajadhyaksha of Barclays wrote in a recent research note, referring to the pre-Iran war oil price levels. The bank predicts that Brent crude could remain at around $85 per barrel on average for this year.</p><p>“A ceasefire is not a refund,” he wrote. “Ceasefires end wars; they don’t undo them.”</p><p>On Thursday, Wall Street gained on hopes of the Iran war ceasefire. The S&P 500 added 0.6% to 6,824.66. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.6% to 48,185.80, while the Nasdaq composite gained 0.8% to 22,822.42.</p><p>Shares of Constellation Brands, which sells Modelo and Corona beers in the U.S., jumped 8.5% following better-than-expected quarterly results. Cloud services provider CoreWeave was 3.5% higher after announcing an expanded deal with Meta Platforms through 2032. Meta was up 2.6%.</p><p>In other dealings, gold and silver prices fell. Gold’s price lost 0.5% to $4,791.90 an ounce, while silver prices dropped 0.6% to $76.02 per ounce.</p><p>The U.S. dollar rose to 159.18 Japanese yen from 158.96 yen. The euro was trading at $1.1694, down from $1.1699.</p><p>___</p><p>AP Business Writer Stan Choe contributed to this report.</p><p></block></p>

The Latest: Kuwait blames Iran for drone strikes as Trump casts doubt on ceasefire

delegation.Here is the latest:Japan releases more oil reservesJapan said it will release an additional 20 days’ worth of oil reserves in May, in a second round address supply uncertainty over the war in the Middle East.Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the planned release of the government reserves will start in early May, after an earlier release last month.Japan started releasing about 50 days’ worth of oil reserves, including from those held by the state, the private sector and oil-

Trump’s tenuous Iran exit plan isn’t healing Republican rifts exposed by the war

Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, a Trump supporter-turned-critic, called for the president to be removed from office through the Constitution’s 25th Amendment after he said earlier this week that a “whole civilization will die tonight” unless Iran made a deal. Megyn Kelly, the former Fox News anchor who now hosts a podcast, unloaded on Trump with a profane critique and asked, “Can’t he just behave like a normal human?” During a recent taping of “The Charlie Kirk Show,” the host wondered

A president and a pope: The world’s most influential Americans are at odds over Iran

Franklin Graham, son of iconic Baptist evangelist Billy Graham, said of Trump that God “raised him up for such a time as this.” And Graham prayed for victory so Iranians can “be set free from these Islamic lunatics.”Leo countered in his Palm Sunday message that God “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them.” He referenced an Old Testament passage from Isaiah, saying that “even though you make many prayers, I will not listen — your hands are full of blood.”While it&#

Vance sets off to Pakistan to lead talks with Iran as war’s ceasefire remains shaky

The White House has not said whether the pair, whom Trump has entrusted with some of his most difficult negotiations since returning to office, had a nuclear expert with them for those talks.Negotiating peace is a tall order for any vice presidentIt’s not unusual for vice presidents to take on important negotiating roles for the president, said Joel Goldstein, a professor of law at Saint Louis University who is an expert on the history of the vice presidency.But, he said, “I don’t recall a situa

$5M bail set for suspect in Kent double homicide party shooting

<p>Thursday afternoon was the first appearance hearing for Deangelo Cyrus Lynch, who was arrested in a Kent double homicide investigation.</p><p>Two men were killed in a shooting at a Kent home during a party Tuesday night, the Kent Police Department reported. The shooting happened at a residence along 120th Place S.E. at 10:22 p.m. Tuesday. According to 911 callers, there were initially sounds of an argument and cars speeding off. One neighbor claimed to have heard six gunshots.</p><p>“At some point during the party, two males were shot at that location, and tragically, neither of the two survived,” Kent Police Chief Rafael Padilla said.</p><p>The two victims were a 25-year-old Seattle man and a 26-year-old Federal Way man. The suspect, Lynch, was arrested around 7 p.m. Wednesday. It’s unclear how the suspect knew the victims, as of this reporting.</p><p>In court Thursday, the first appearance judge found probable cause for Lynch’s arrest on investigation of two counts of murder in the second degree with a firearm. King County prosecutors asked that he be held on $5 million bail. After hearing from both sides, the first appearance judge set bail at that amount.</p><p>A first-appearance hearing following an arrest is not the same as the process required by law for a felony charging decision, which carries a higher burden of proof. In all types of cases, it is <span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">routine for police investigators to send a case referral to prosecutors in the days following a first appearance hearing</span> to make a charging decision. King County prosecutors do not currently have that felony case referral from police, but anticipate receiving it from police investigators by April 13 for a charging decision.</p><p>No previous cases involving Lynch have been referred to the KCAPO.</p><p><em>Follow James Lynch on <a href="https://twitter.com/James_KIRORadio" target="_blank" rel="noopener">X.</a> Read more of his stories <a href="https://mynorthwest.com/mynorthwest-politics/state-of-the-county/4068236" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. Submit news tips <a href="mailto:[email protected]" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</em></p><p><a class="twitter-follow-button" href="https://twitter.com/James_KIRORadio" data-show-count="false" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Follow @James_KIRORadio</a><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>

Cliff Mass: It’s too early to predict a ‘super El Niño’ this year

Several climate scientists are warning the public that there is a growing chance of a super El Niño later this year, which could significantly affect hurricanes.“Cliff Mass, is it really super duper?” KIRO host John Curley asked.“Well, I think it’s a little early to go for super duper,” Mass answered. “We’ve been in a La Niña. That means colder-than-normal water, and the models are suggesting we’ll transition to an El Niño, which is warmer-than-nor

Immigration board denies Mahmoud Khalil’s appeal, bringing activist one step closer to deportation

In a 2-1 decision, the panel found that law requires the case to fully move through the immigration courts before Khalil can challenge the decision in federal court.Khalil’s lawyers are requesting the full appeals panel reconsider the decision. Earlier this month, they asked one of the appellate panel’s judges to step aside because of his previous role as a top Justice Department official involved in investigating student protesters.Khalil was born in Syria to a Palestinian family and holds Alge

For Chinese visa-seekers in the US, the path to good fortune lies in … Chick-fil-A?

(AP) — On a recent weekend afternoon, at a Chinese comedy show in northern Virginia, the host asked the audience, “What food do you like?” The loudest answer echoed through the hall: “Chick-fil-A!”“You still haven’t gotten your H-1B lottery, ha?” quipped the host, citing the most popular work visa among Chinese students.It’s an easy-to-get joke in the Chinese student community, where those eager for U.S. visas believe their chances at success might hinge upon something unexpected: an Ameri

Beijing calculates its next steps in Iran ceasefire ahead of Trump’s trip to China

and Iran holding for now, China is calculating its role in helping find a durable endgame to the war in the Middle East.After prodding China, which is more reliant on Persian Gulf oil than the U.S., to get involved in reopening the choked-off Strait of Hormuz, President Donald Trump told the French news outlet Agence France-Presse this week that he believed China played a part in encouraging Iran to agree to this week’s temporary truce.Three diplomats who were familiar with China’s behind-the-sc