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Seattle's tax on gun ammo goes into effect next year. bplanet/Shutterstock

The City of Seattle's Tax on Guns Withstood a Challenge from the NRA: As Heidi reports, King County Judge Palmer Robinson found that "per-gun and per-bullet fees were indeed taxes, not regulations, in part because they will raise money to fund public health programs, not the regulation of guns in the city." One of the groups challenging the law, along with the National Rifle Association, vowed to file an "immediate appeal" and called the ruling "social bigotry against firearms retailers and their customers."

Congress Lifted the Ban on Oil Exports. Not Good: Lifting the ban—a move supported by Washington's two senators—could make the Pacific Northwest into a "speed bump on a fossil-fuel highway to Asia," Sydney reports. Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan compared the lifting of the ban to having "100 Keystone pipelines." So much for the Paris climate accord.

More Than Three Thousand Washington Prisoners Were Released Early: "A technical glitch in the Washington State Department of Corrections' computer system has resulted in the early release of about 3,200 state prisoners over the last 13 years," Heidi reports. "The error was first discovered by the DOC in 2012, but never fixed."

Cal Anderson Park Needs Better Lighting, According to Study: A report commissioned by the Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce "recommends $780,000 to $960,000 worth of lighting improvements to make the park safer by making it more inviting," Capitol Hill Seattle reports.

Danielle Logan and Brent McDonald in 2011.
Brent McDonald and his partner, Danielle Logan, in 2011. McDonald was shot on December 13 in Belltown. His killer has not yet been caught. Photo courtesy of Danielle Logan


Vigil Remembers Shooting Victim Brent McDonald: "Friends and family gathered Tuesday night at Powell Barnett Park," KIRO 7 reports, "to remember the Seattle artist who was killed in a Belltown shooting earlier this month." Sydney wrote about how McDonald has left behind a community shaped by his work.

Fire in West Seattle: A man in his 20s suffered life-threatening burns to up to 90 percent of his body in an apartment fire Tuesday afternoon in West Seattle, the Seattle Times reports. He was taken to Harborview. As they searched the building, firefighters found the body of a man whose death wasn't caused by the fire in a bed, according to the Seattle Fire Department.

Two New Lawsuits Against Ride the Ducks: Two students, both severely injured in the September 24 crash on Aurora Bridge, have filed suits seeking damages over alleged negligence by the tour company, KING 5 reports. Still, the company could make a comeback to Seattle next year.

Task Force on Public Safety in the International District Holds First Meeting: The 21-member task force, set up after the shooting death of Donnie Chin, includes the deputy mayor, deputy police chief, and local business owners. Miun Liu, who owns several cafes, said the task force needs to create a durable solution. "Everybody has a new idea and it's great for a while but, the people who have lived here for decades and generations have seen all these changes come and go," she told KOMO.

Oregon's Automatic Voter Registration Law Goes Into Effect Next Month: Officials expect "about 10,000 people a month will be registered using the new automatic system," KPLU reports. Get on this, Washington State Legislature.