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Christian homeless shelter challenges Washington state law prohibiting anti-LGBTQ+ hiring practices

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Christian homeless shelter challenges Washington state law prohibiting anti-LGBTQ+ hiring practices


SAN FRANCISCO — Lawyers for a Christian homeless shelter are scheduled to be in a federal appeals court Friday to challenge a Washington state anti-discrimination law that would require the charity to hire LGBTQ+ people and others who do not share its religious beliefs, including those on sexuality and marriage.

Union Gospel Mission in Yakima, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) southeast of Seattle, is asking the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to revive a lawsuit dismissed by a lower court. The Alliance Defending Freedom, a global legal organization, is assisting the mission.

Ryan Tucker, senior counsel with the alliance, said the mission faces prosecution for engaging in its “constitutionally protected freedom to hire fellow believers who share the mission’s calling to spread the gospel and care for vulnerable people” in the community.

But U.S. District Judge Mary K. Dimke dismissed the case last year, agreeing with attorneys for the state that the lawsuit filed by Yakima’s mission was a prohibited appeal of another case decided by the Washington Supreme Court.

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The current case arises out of a 2017 lawsuit filed by Matt Woods, a bisexual Christian man who was denied a job as an attorney at a legal aid clinic operated by the Union Gospel Mission in Seattle. Washington’s Law Against Discrimination exempts religious nonprofits, but in 2021 the state Supreme Court held that the religious hiring exemption should only apply to ministerial positions.

The case was sent back to trial to determine if the role of legal aid attorney would fall under the exemption but Woods said he dismissed the case because he had gotten the ruling he sought and did not want to pursue monetary damages from a homeless shelter.

“I’m confident that the trial court would have found that a staff attorney position with a legal aid clinic is not a ministerial position,” he said in an email to The Associated Press.

The Union Gospel Mission in Yakima says its policy is to hire only co-religionists who adhere to its religious beliefs and expects “employees to abstain from sexual immorality, including adultery, nonmarried cohabitation, and homosexual conduct,” according to court documents.

The mission has held off on hiring an IT consultant and operations assistant.

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The U.S. Supreme Court in 2022 denied review of the Woods decision, but Justice Samuel Alito said “the day may soon come when we must decide whether the autonomy guaranteed by the First Amendment protects religious organizations’ freedom to hire co-religionists without state or judicial interference.”



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San Antonio at Washington, Final Score: Spurs complete season sweep of Wizards, 124-113

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San Antonio at Washington, Final Score: Spurs complete season sweep of Wizards, 124-113


Facing the worst team in the league for the 2nd time in 3 games, the San Antonio Spurs came into this one looking for their 10th road win this year and their first 6 game winstreak since March of 2019. A sluggish start to the game saw them trailing after the 1st quarter, but an 18-4 run to start the 2nd put the game firmly in San Antonio’s hand, eventually outscoring Washington 43-21 in the period and securing a 20 point lead going into halftime. Washington was able to hang around all throughout the 3rd quarter though and even managed to cut the deficit to single digits a few times in the 4th, but solid defense and a dominant performance from Luke Kornet throughout the period saved the day for San Antonio. Seven players finished in double figures, while three also had double-doubles in the win. Washington meanwhile had five players finish in double figures, led by Bub Carrington’s 21 points.

The Spurs (21-7) are back in action Tuesday night in San Antonio at 7:30 CT for the first of two rematches this week with the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.



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Storm debris cleanup in Lake Washington to last weeks amid flood aftermath

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Storm debris cleanup in Lake Washington to last weeks amid flood aftermath


The recent floods in Western Washington have left a trail of destruction, with swollen rivers depositing debris into Lake Washington, and over the weekend, the Mercer Island Police Department’s Marine Patrol Unit actively engaged in storm clean-up efforts, focusing on removing trees and logs that pose navigation hazards.

SEE ALSO | Atmospheric river impact: why landslide risks linger long after the rain stops

The operation is expected to continue for several weeks as river levels gradually recede, city officials said.

Three atmospheric rivers slammed the region in the span of a week, leading to widespread flooding and damage to the state’s infrastructure.

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Boaters on Lake Washington are urged to exercise extreme caution due to the hundreds of trees and logs floating in the water, the city of Mercer Island announced.

The Mercer Island police marine patrol is prioritizing the removal of free-floating debris that presents the greatest public risk, the department said Friday.

RELATED | King County identifies specific ‘levees of concern’ from floodwaters

Once these hazards are addressed, efforts will shift to clearing hazardous logs along public shorelines.

Residents and boaters who encounter free-floating logs or trees are encouraged to report them by calling the non-emergency line at 425-577-5656 or leaving a message at 206-275-7909.

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Access to the Mercer Island Boat Launch may be restricted as Public Works staff process and chip the recovered debris.

For logs accumulated against private docks or shorelines, residents are advised to contact private towing or landscaping services, as city resources are currently focused on ensuring public navigation safety, the city said.



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Bucks park goes beyond ‘Washington crossing’ to showcase Revolutionary history

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Bucks park goes beyond ‘Washington crossing’ to showcase Revolutionary history


From Philly and the Pa. suburbs to South Jersey and Delaware, what would you like WHYY News to cover? Let us know!

Thousands of people will gather in Bucks County next week to watch a reenactment of an event that shaped the course of United States’ history exactly 249 years ago.

Interpreters will bring to life the scene on Christmas Day 1776, when Gen. George Washington led some 2,400 troops through the icy waters of the Delaware River to reach New Jersey and fight back the British and Hessian soldiers in the Battle of Trenton.

For 73 years, Washington Crossing Historic Park has played host to the reenactment. Every December it transforms the commemoration of national history into a source of local pride and community, said Jennifer Martin, executive director of Friends of Washington Crossing Park.

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“I’ve spent so many Christmases with our community talking about the years of tradition that they have rooted within the park, people that have come here as children, people that are now bringing their children or grandchildren,” said Martin, who has worked with the organization for 12 years. “I think there’s just something so special about the idea that, on Christmas Day — which is, of course, such an important and significant day … individuals are not only making that time for their family, but they’re coming together as a community to create new memories together.”

Reenactors braved the snow on Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, for the first of two reenactments of Gen. George Washington crossing the Delaware River at Washington Crossing Historic Park in Bucks County. (Courtesy of Friends of Washington Crossing Park)

As the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence approaches next year, the historic site is preparing a wide range of special events and programming, Martin said.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime celebration, thinking about our nation’s founding,” she said. “We’re really focusing on opportunities to welcome our community in a way that really connects them to the history.”

From April through December, living history presentations at the site will play a key part in bringing the events of the revolution to life for local, national and international visitors, Martin said.

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The free programs include reenactors from On the Army’s Strength, a civilian-based group that highlights the role of the women who followed the Continental Army and contributed a range of domestic labor tasks, from doing laundry and cooking to mending uniforms and clothes.



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