🗓️ WA green card holders stuck in limbo

The Art Project That Became a Seattle Landmark

Widely known for co-creating the beloved Fremont Troll under the Aurora Bridge, Professor Emeritus Steve Badanes just retired from teaching at UW’s community-centered Neighborhood Design Build/Studio (NDBS). Steve joined City Cast Seattle from his home and studio on Whidbey Island to share the inside scoop on all the troll’s lore, discuss the past and future of public art in Seattle, and explain why he thinks the troll couldn’t be built today. [City Cast Seattle 🎧]

• Built to Solve a Problem: In 1989, the Fremont Arts Council (which runs Trolloween) launched a public art contest to rehabilitate the area under the bridge, which was becoming a dumping ground, with matching funds from the Department of Neighborhoods, then in its first year.
• Collectively Owned Copyrights: The Troll design handily won the public vote. And it was collaboratively designed and installed by Steve Badanes, Will Martin, Donna Walter, and Ross Whitehead, who all share any profits from the copyright. Remember the troll Chia Pet, anyone?
• A Continuing Legacy: Though Steve says “[the troll] is the one my obituary will talk about,” he is proudest of the many community projects he’s helped steward as a professor. Every spring, the NDBS studio designs and builds a small community project for a Seattle-area non-profit. Architecture graduates and undergraduates in their final year get hands-on experience that benefits the community through building projects like the Children’s Garden Cookery at the Danny Woo Community Garden.

WA Talking Book and Braille Library Faces Funding Cuts 📚

The library is seeking $3 million from the state’s general fund to prevent further cuts. Last year, the library had to lay off staff and make cuts to programming—including story times, low-vision workshops, and braille instruction. Currently, their audio and braille production capabilities are at risk of elimination. [PubliCola]

Governor Ferguson Announces 6 Requests for Bills 📜

The 2026 legislative session begins today, and Gov. Ferguson is requesting a slate of bills which he says will “increase the supply of housing, protect Washingtonians from impostors posing as law enforcement, bolster the state’s decision-making authority regarding vaccines, and provide safeguards for the public — particularly kids — when using AI companion chatbots.” A full list of the bills is available here.

WA Green Card Holders in Limbo 🗓️

The Trump administration stopped accepting immigration applications from citizens of "high-risk countries" after an Afghan national shot two National Guardsmen in November. However, lawful permanent residents from countries not on those lists are seeing their citizenship interviews cancelled. Seattle-area immigration lawyers and service providers report that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has canceled citizenship interviews for their clients without explanation. [Seattle Times]

Superintendent of Public Instruction Calls for Tax Reforms to Fund Education 🎓

At the end of last week, Superintendent Chris Reykdal gave his annual “State of Education” address in which he said the state’s current tax code is unsustainable, hurts public schools and middle-class families, and needs reform. Reykdal said Ferguson's budget proposal would keep education funding at the same level but that he’d like to see “a good billion dollars or more” for education, specifically to address the “immediate crisis” that is inflation. [KUOW]