Over the weekend, Washington lawmakers allocated millions of dollars from the state's opioid abatement account — funded by settlements with companies that contributed to the opioid crisis — to help provide treatment options around the state. Maddie's Place, a recovery nursery in Spokane that helps treat babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome and their parents, received $2 million from the opioid settlement funding in the state's biennial budget, which passed on April 27. The hope is the one-time allocation will provide leeway for the nonprofit, which was at risk of closing, to secure more stable funding. Maddie's Place President and CEO Shaun Cross thanked state Sen. Marcus Riccelli, D-Spokane, for his support in obtaining the funding. "[Sen.] Riccelli has allowed us to keep our doors open through the summer of 2026," Cross said in a press release. "No stone will be unturned in our efforts to obtain a permanent solution to our funding. We're seeing so many lives changed by our services at a cost substantially below the current model of care." In a statement, Gov. Bob Ferguson noted he plans to review the budget "line by line over the next few weeks" and then decide what to sign or veto. (SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL)
STABLE HOMES
Nearly 40% of Washingtonians are renters. More than half of them are "rent burdened," meaning that they spend more than a third of their income to pay for housing. The state is in dire need of more affordable housing, and the state Department of Commerce estimates that 1 million more housing units are needed in the next two decades to meet housing demands for all income levels. To provide relief from rising housing costs, the Washington Legislature passed a rent stabilization bill limiting annual rent increases for older rental units and manufactured homes. For rentals built more than 12 years ago, the bill limits annual rent increases to 7% plus inflation or 10%, whichever is less. The limit for manufactured homes is 5%. There is no limit on rent increases for newer apartments or affordable housing managed by nonprofits. The bill awaits a final signature from Gov. Bob Ferguson. (ELIZA BILLINGHAM)
POLITICAL EVENTS
Latinos en Spokane is organizing the annual May Day March on Thursday, May 1, at 5 pm in Riverfront Park, near the clock tower. The march is to commemorate the struggles and achievements of labor movements. The organization calls on the community to show solidarity with essential immigrant workers. "We reject the criminalization of immigrant essential workers and call on labor unions, faith leaders, and community members to take a stand and march with us." The next day, the annual Spokane County GOP Lincoln Day dinner takes place on Friday, May 2, at 5 pm at the Spokane Convention Center. The keynote speaker for the sold-out event is InfoWars host Owen Shroyer, who attended the Stop the Steal rally and pleaded guilty to illegally entering a restricted area for standing on the Capitol steps during the Jan. 6 riot. Olivia Krolczyk will also speak. She has made headlines on conservative media for her role as an ambassador for the Riley Gaines Center, which promotes anti-trans policies. (VICTOR CORRAL MARTINEZ)
