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Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick acknowledges meetings with Epstein that contradict previous claims

WASHINGTON (AP) — Under questioning from Democrats Tuesday, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick acknowledged that he had met with Jeffrey Epstein twice after his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a child, reversing Lutnick’s previous claim that he had cut ties with the late financier after 2005.Lutnick once again downplayed his relationship with the disgraced financier who was once his neighbor in New York City as he was questioned by Democrats during a subcommittee hearing of

Governors won’t hold Trump meeting after White House only invited Republicans

WASHINGTON (AP) — The National Governors Association will no longer hold a formal meeting with President Donald Trump when the group of state leaders meet in Washington later this month after the White House planned to invite only Republicans.“NGA staff was informed that the White House intends to limit invitations to the annual business meeting, scheduled for February 20, to Republican governors only,” Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican who is the chairman of the NGA, said in a Monday lett

Shiffrin out of the medals again at the Winter Olympics as Klæbo closes on record for golds

She is set to compete in her core events of slalom and giant slalom later in the Milan Cortina Games as she looks to add to her two golds and a silver from her first two Olympics.Johnson missed out on a second medal of these Games, having won the downhill on Sunday.Klaebo nears gold medal recordDon’t be surprised if Johannes Høsflot Klæbo soon holds the all-time record for gold medals at the Winter Games.The Norwegian cross-country star powered to his second straight Olympic gold — and sev

Elon Musk’s AI company xAI expands to Bellevue with new office lease

“I will deeply miss the people, the warrooms, and all those battles we have fought together.”I resigned from xAI today.This company – and the family we became – will stay with me forever. I will deeply miss the people, the warrooms, and all those battles we have fought together.It’s time for my next chapter. It is an era with full possibilities: a small team armed…— Yuhuai (Tony) Wu (@Yuhu_ai_) February 10, 2026Wu was among the 12 co-founders, including Musk, who la

Four shot in Auburn, including three women, at housing program for homeless young adults

Four people, including three women, were injured after a shooting broke out at a youth homelessness housing building in Auburn.The shooting took place at approximately 4:20 p.m. Monday at Phoenix Rising apartments, a housing program for young adults experiencing homelessness, on 26th Street N.E. in Auburn. It’s unclear what prompted the shooting, as of this reporting.“Upon arrival, officers located three adult female victims who had sustained gunshot wounds inside an apartment,” the Auburn Police Department <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AuburnWAPolice/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a>. “All three victims were stabilized at the scene and transported to Harborview Medical Center for further treatment.”Each victim is in their 20s, police told <a href="https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/three-people-shot-auburn/L3OPLSWBANHTTGTUHLJAUIBF3E/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KIRO 7</a>. One female victim is in satisfactory condition, another is in serious condition, and the third is in critical condition.A fourth gunshot victim was accounted for hours later after he made his way to Tukwila and walked into Southcenter Mall with a gunshot wound in his arm, according to KIRO 7. The fourth victim is in satisfactory condition, as of this reporting.The Auburn Police Department claimed there is no ongoing threat to the community.This is a developing story, check back for updatesContributing: Julia Dallas, MyNorthwestFollow 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>

Susan Collins announces reelection bid in pivotal Maine Senate race

She repeated that charge Tuesday.“Seniority without a backbone is just tenure, and after decades in Washington, Senator Collins has failed to demonstrate the leadership required in this dangerous moment in history,” she said in a statement.Platner has demanded that Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which is part of DHS, be dismantled and said he did not believe Collins or the Trump administration’s promise to leave Maine. He said Tuesday in a post on the social platform X that Col

WA snowpack remains far below normal as WSU unveils new AI water forecast tool

The use of AI in this tool helps account for snowpack differences across a region’s complex terrain and topography.This new tool also accounts for uncertainty in daily and weekly snow-water equivalent forecasts, much like weather forecasts do today.“The most important thing is how confident we are about those predictions because the decisions that water managers make are going to impact people,” Bhupinderjeet Singh, another research co-author who finished his WSU doctorate with this

Harger: Grocery prices in WA are already painful, but new legislative proposals could make them even worse

Grocery prices are getting ridiculous.You don’t need a chart to tell you that. You just need to stand at the checkout line and watch the total climb while you’re thinking, wait, how did we spend two hundred bucks? We didn’t even buy steak.And groceries hit differently than other inflation. You can put off buying a new TV. You can wait on a vacation. You can skip Amazon for a month. But you can’t skip dinner. Everyone needs to eat.That’s why a letter I got last week from the <a href="https://www.nwgrocery.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Northwest Grocery Retail Association</a> caught my attention.Their message to Olympia is simple: Please stop piling on new costs.They say the legislature is considering a whole stack of bills that would increase the cost of operating grocery stores in Washington. A <a href="https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/1607-S3.pdf?q=20260210051452" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bottle deposit</a> system. A <a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/BillSummary/?BillNumber=1607&Year=2025&Initiative=false" target="_blank" rel="noopener">moratorium</a> on electronic shelf labels. Packaging <a href="https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/2271-S2.pdf?q=20260210051643" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mandates</a>. Publicly owned <a href="https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/2313.pdf?q=20260210051719" target="_blank" rel="noopener">grocery stores</a>. More fees and penalties around closures and vacancies. A <a href="https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/2734.pdf?q=20260210051825" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statewide tax</a> on sugary beverages. Even possible excise tax increases on items that are sitting on grocery shelves. A statewide payroll tax. Expanding local B&O taxes.Now, take any one of these ideas by itself, and I can see why someone would like it. Some of them might even be good policy. I’m not here to say every proposal is terrible. I’m saying the pile is getting tall.Because grocery stores don’t work like Boeing or Microsoft. They operate on razor-thin margins. When their costs go up, they don’t have room to absorb it. They’ve got two options. Raise prices or stop offering the service.And the letter from the association puts a number on it. They claimed one grocery retailer is looking at up to $39 million dollars in new state and local taxes in 2026. Thirty-nine million.<div class="related alignright"><div class="col_label"><h2>RELATED STORIES</h2></div><ul><li><a class="related-link" href="https://mynorthwest.com/kiro-opinion/homeless-tents-bill-shelter/4198737"><img decoding="async" width="719" height="404" src="https://mynorthwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Untitled-design-2026-02-05T073205.258-420x236.jpg" class="sub_art" alt="Harger: The bill that could put homeless tents on your kid's soccer field" loading="lazy"></a><div class="sub_story"><h3><a class="related-link" href="https://mynorthwest.com/kiro-opinion/homeless-tents-bill-shelter/4198737">Harger: The bill that could put homeless tents on your kid's soccer field</a></h3></div></li><li><a class="related-link" href="https://mynorthwest.com/kiro-opinion/seattle-seahawks-super-bowl/4200601"><img decoding="async" width="719" height="404" src="https://mynorthwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Untitled-design-2026-02-09T070352.109-420x236.jpg" class="sub_art" alt="Harger: Seattle Seahawks win the Super Bowl, a championship fueled by belief, doubt, and defiance" loading="lazy"></a><div class="sub_story"><h3><a class="related-link" href="https://mynorthwest.com/kiro-opinion/seattle-seahawks-super-bowl/4200601">Harger: Seattle Seahawks win the Super Bowl, a championship fueled by belief, doubt, and defiance</a></h3></div></li><li><a class="related-link" href="https://mynorthwest.com/kiro-opinion/wa-millionaires-tax-emergency/4198303"><img decoding="async" width="719" height="404" src="https://mynorthwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Legislative-building-420x236.jpg" class="sub_art" alt="Harger: New WA 'millionaires tax' includes emergency clause blocking voter referendum" loading="lazy"></a><div class="sub_story"><h3><a class="related-link" href="https://mynorthwest.com/kiro-opinion/wa-millionaires-tax-emergency/4198303">Harger: New WA 'millionaires tax' includes emergency clause blocking voter referendum</a></h3></div></li></ul></div><h2>Where do we think that comes from?</h2>It doesn’t come from a magic corporate vault. It comes from your wallet. From the family buying cereal, diapers, and chicken thighs, trying to stretch it to payday.We keep saying we care about affordability. Olympia is full of speeches about helping working people. But if you make it more expensive to operate a grocery store, groceries get more expensive.And this is where I try to be fair. Some of these bills are aimed at real problems. Environmental waste is real. Health care costs are real. Worker protections are real. I’m not dismissing any of that.But we don’t get to pretend there are no trade-offs.You can’t pile on mandates, taxes, and compliance costs, then act surprised when the price of food goes up again. You can’t say you’re fighting for working families while quietly making the most basic necessity of life — food — more expensive.The grocery association is asking lawmakers to pause. Not to stop caring about the environment or workers. Just to look at the cumulative impact of all these bills together.If lawmakers want to help working families, here’s a simple test for every new proposal.Before you vote on it, ask yourself: What does this do to the price of groceries? Because people are already doing that math at home, and a lot of them are coming up short.Charlie Harger is the host of <a id="menurkpt" class="fui-Link ___1q1shib f2hkw1w f3rmtva f1ewtqcl fyind8e f1k6fduh f1w7gpdv fk6fouc fjoy568 figsok6 f1s184ao f1mk8lai fnbmjn9 f1o700av f13mvf36 f1cmlufx f9n3di6 f1ids18y f1tx3yz7 f1deo86v f1eh06m1 f1iescvh fhgqx19 f1olyrje f1p93eir f1nev41a f1h8hb77 f1lqvz6u f10aw75t fsle3fq f17ae5zn" title="https://mynorthwest.com/category/seattles-morning-news/" href="https://mynorthwest.com/category/seattles-morning-news/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Link “Seattle’s Morning News”">“Seattle’s Morning News”</a> on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries <a id="menurkpv" class="fui-Link ___1q1shib f2hkw1w f3rmtva f1ewtqcl fyind8e f1k6fduh f1w7gpdv fk6fouc fjoy568 figsok6 f1s184ao f1mk8lai fnbmjn9 f1o700av f13mvf36 f1cmlufx f9n3di6 f1ids18y f1tx3yz7 f1deo86v f1eh06m1 f1iescvh fhgqx19 f1olyrje f1p93eir f1nev41a f1h8hb77 f1lqvz6u f10aw75t fsle3fq f17ae5zn" title="https://mynorthwest.com/author/charger/" href="https://mynorthwest.com/author/charger/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Link here">here</a>. Follow Charlie <a id="menurkq1" class="fui-Link ___1q1shib f2hkw1w f3rmtva f1ewtqcl fyind8e f1k6fduh f1w7gpdv fk6fouc fjoy568 figsok6 f1s184ao f1mk8lai fnbmjn9 f1o700av f13mvf36 f1cmlufx f9n3di6 f1ids18y f1tx3yz7 f1deo86v f1eh06m1 f1iescvh fhgqx19 f1olyrje f1p93eir f1nev41a f1h8hb77 f1lqvz6u f10aw75t fsle3fq f17ae5zn" title="https://x.com/kirocharlie" href="https://x.com/kirocharlie" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Link on X">on X</a> and email him <a id="menurkq3" class="fui-Link ___1q1shib f2hkw1w f3rmtva f1ewtqcl fyind8e f1k6fduh f1w7gpdv fk6fouc fjoy568 figsok6 f1s184ao f1mk8lai fnbmjn9 f1o700av f13mvf36 f1cmlufx f9n3di6 f1ids18y f1tx3yz7 f1deo86v f1eh06m1 f1iescvh fhgqx19 f1olyrje f1p93eir f1nev41a f1h8hb77 f1lqvz6u f10aw75t fsle3fq f17ae5zn" title="mailto:[email protected]" href="mailto:[email protected]" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Link here">here</a>. <a class="twitter-follow-button" href="https://twitter.com/https://twitter.com/kirocharlie" data-show-count="false" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Follow @https://twitter.com/kirocharlie</a><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Retail sales unchanged in December from November, closing out year on a lackluster tone

NEW YORK (AP) — Shoppers pulled back the pace of their spending in December from November, closing out the holiday shopping season and the year on a lackluster tone.Retail sales were flat in December from November, when business was up 0.6%, according to the Commerce Department. Economists were expecting a 0.4% increase. The report on Wednesday was delayed more than a month because of the 43-day government shutdown.The retail sales figures, which are not adjusted for inflation, showed that many

Small town mayor calls out Ferguson for focusing on Trump and not local emergency

They refused to spend money to keep the bridge in good shape, despite reports that it was deteriorating.That doesn’t qualify as an emergency that would give businesses access to loans to stay afloat, and the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) said it will take at least six years to replace the bridge.State Senator Phil Fortunato now wants to ask the federal government for help, not for funding, but to cut red tape.“We’re asking the federal government to speed this

In China, consumerism trumps nationalism despite tensions with the U.S. and Japan

Ralph Lauren’s sales have grown faster in China than in Europe or North America.“What attracts me most is its stable brand image and design,” said Zhang Tianyu, who was shopping recently at a Ralph Lauren outlet in Beijing.American brands that are succeeding are doing so because they genuinely meet consumer needs or represent a lifestyle Chinese consumers want to associate with, not because of country-of-origin alone, said Cooke from WPIC Marketing + Technologies.Evolving patterns as ‘patriotic

US immigration court blocks deportation of Tufts graduate student from Turkey, her attorneys say

Öztürk’s attorneys told the 2nd Circuit that the government may try to detain their client again if it appeals the immigration court’s decision to the Board of Immigration Appeals.The Department of Homeland Security didn’t immediately return an email message seeking comment. Öztürk said it was heartening to know that some justice can prevail. “Today, I breathe a sigh of relief knowing that despite the justice system’s flaws, my case may give hope to those who have also been wro

Curley: The 500-year history behind Bad Bunny’s halftime show

does this thing where they transfer Puerto Rico, but they don’t actually take it as a state. They take it as property.They said, “Well, we’re a republic, we’re not an empire.”So Puerto Rico becomes like part of the United States, but only sort of a weird addition, because the Supreme Court in 1901 came up with this kind of cockamamie, better read the small print stuff, saying, “Well, you’re not a state, but you’re a territory, we’ll make you

Seattle police thank 12s for mostly peaceful Super Bowl celebration

Seattle police are thanking loyal 12s for a mostly peaceful Seahawks Super Bowl victory celebration that sprang up last night at Lumen Field, Pioneer Square, Pike Place Market, and in Capitol Hill.Immediately after the final few seconds ticked off the clock in Santa Ana, 12s converged on downtown Seattle for a celebration long overdue. There were a handful of problems, but police said nothing too serious. Seattle Police Department (SPD) officers fanned out all over the city, and many of them wer

3 shot at Auburn apartment complex

Three people were shot at an apartment complex in Auburn Monday night.The shooting occurred at a housing facility for homeless young adults, according to KOMO News.Police responded to the facility on 26th Street Northeast after reports of a woman being shot.When police arrived, they found two additional people shot, KOMO News reported.Police told the media outlet the shooting likely happened inside the building, and that at least one person was shot multiple times.All three people are in stable

Trump is threatening to block a new bridge between Detroit and Canada from opening

<block>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to block the opening of a new Canadian-built bridge across the Detroit River, demanding that Canada turn over at least half of the ownership of the bridge and agree to other unspecified demands in his latest salvo over cross-border trade issues.“We will start negotiations, IMMEDIATELY. With all that we have given them, we should own, perhaps, at least one half of this asset,” Trump said in a lengthy social media post, complaining that the United States would get nothing from the bridge and that Canada did not use U.S. steel to built it.The Gordie Howe International Bridge, named after a Canadian hockey star who played for the Detroit Red Wings for 25 seasons, had been expected to open in early 2026, according to information on the project’s website. The project was negotiated by former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder — a Republican — and paid for by the Canadian government to help ease congestion over the existing Ambassador Bridge and Detroit-Windsor tunnel. Work has been underway since 2018.It’s unclear how Trump would seek to block the bridge from being opened, and the White House did not immediately return a request for comment on more details. The Canadian Embassy in Washington also did not immediately return a request for comment. Trump’s threat comes as the relationship between the U.S. and Canada increasingly sours during the U.S. president’s second term. The United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement is up for review this year, and Trump has been taking a hard-line position ahead of those talks, including by issuing new tariff threats. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, meanwhile, has spoken out on the world stage against economic coercion by the United States.Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., said the Canadian-funded project is a “huge boon” to her state and its economic future. “You’ll be able to move cargo from Montreal to Miami without ever stopping at a street light,” Slotkin told The Associated Press.“So to shoot yourself in the foot and threaten the Gordie Howe Bridge means that this guy has completely lost the plot on what’s good for us versus just what’s spite against the Canadians,” Slotkin said.Michigan, a swing state that Trump carried in both 2016 and 2024, has so far largely avoided the brunt of his second-term crackdown, which has targeted blue states with aggressive immigration raids and cuts to federal funding for major infrastructure projects.Trump and Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer have also maintained an unusually cordial relationship, with the president publicly praising her during an Oval Office appearance last April. The two also shared a hug last year ahead of Trump’s announcement of a new fighter jet mission for an Air National Guard base in Michigan. While Canada paid for the project, the bridge will be operated under a joint ownership agreement between Michigan and Canada, said Stacey LaRouche, press secretary to Whitmer. “This is the busiest trade crossing in North America,” LaRouche said, saying the bridge was “good for Michigan workers and it’s good for Michigan’s auto industry” as well as being a good example of bipartisan and international cooperation.“It’s going to open one way or another, and the governor looks forward to attending the ribbon-cutting,” LaRouche said.Rep. Shri Thanedar, the Democratic House representative of Detroit, said blocking the bridge would be “crazy” and said Trump’s attacks on Canada weren’t good for business or jobs. “The bridge is going to help Michigan’s economy. There’s so much commerce between Michigan and Canada. They’re one of our biggest partners,” Thanedar said.Democratic Rep. Debbie Dingell of Ann Arbor brushed aside the president’s threat, saying she’s looking forward to the bridge’s opening later in the spring. “And I’ll be there,” Dingell said.“That bridge is the biggest crossing in this country on the northern border. It’s jobs. It’s about protecting our economy. It was built with union jobs on both sides,” said Dingell. “It’s going to open. Canada is our ally.”___AP writer Ed White contributed from Detroit.</block>

King County argues Trump overreached on funding for housing, roads and health care

King County argued Monday in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals that conditions attached to federal funding by the Trump administration are illegal and unconstitutional, according to county officials.During oral arguments in downtown Seattle, attorneys for King County said the directives — which target diversity, equity and inclusion programs, immigration policies, LGBTQ+ protections and abortion access — improperly attempt to override Congress’ authority over federal spending.“No one is above the

‘Right place at the right time’: Superfan finds Seahawks in unforgettable moment at Disneyland

After the Seahawks’ Super Bowl win, Sam Darnold and Kenneth Walker III took a trip over to Disneyland, where one lucky 12th man happened to be in the right place at the right time for the victory parade.Louis Alier, a diehard Seahawks fan and Seattle Sports listener for more than 25 years, called into “The Jake and Spike Show” on KIRO Newsradio to detail what the scene looked like at Disneyland as the Seahawks players and fans took over the premises.“The reason we came do

‘Millionaire tax’ clears first committee, Tim Eyman escorted out

Shortly after the vote, anti-tax activist Tim Eyman was escorted out of the hearing room.The Senate Ways and Means Committee on Monday advanced SB 6346, which would impose a 9.9% tax on Washington residents with more than $1 million in annual income.Before the vote, Democratic Senator Yasmin Trudeau said the proposal is about “leveling the playing field” between the state’s wealthiest residents and people struggling to make ends meet.“We’ve had a lot of benefit to the top, which is w

PNW-dedicated furniture chain closing all locations, going-out-of-business sale underway

A small furniture chain in the Pacific Northwest is closing its doors after nearly 40 years.Kasala Modern Home Furnishings is shutting down all three of its locations — Bellevue, Seattle, and Tukwila — after the owners announced they are retiring from the furniture business, according to The Puget Sound Business Journal.The Tukwila store was officially closed Saturday, while the Bellevue and Seattle showrooms are still open for a going-out-of-business sale. According to Kasala, it intends to sel