guns

Updated at 4:11 p.m., 1/7/2015:

Reports of an armed male on school grounds sent Shoreline schools into lockdown on Wednesday morning, said Sergeant DB Gates of the King County Sheriff's Office.

Lockdown was lifted at 10:15 a.m., and students were sent home. Police stayed at schools until all students were safely released.

An armed male was reportedly seen at Meridian Park Elementary at Meridian Avenue North and North 175th. Police released a limited description of the man on Twitter: "Only suspect is a male, camo pants, dark hoodie. Unknown race, unknown age. Had a firearm."

A food service employee spotted the man; staff at the elementary school called 911 at 7:50 a.m. Children had been at the school as early as 6:30 a.m. for child care.

Ross Reynolds talks to Andrea Seabrook, founder of DecodeDC, about how local initiatives create laws in spite of the stalemate in Congress.

Opponents of the new measure that expands gun background checks in Washington have filed suit against it.

They're asking a federal judge to block parts of Initiative 594 that involve transfers of guns. That initiative was approved by voters in November.

Jeannie Yandel talks with KUOW's Olympia corespondent, Austin Jenkins, about a few of the biggest stories of the year from the Washington State Legislature

Initiative 594 took effect Thursday, and Washington joined six other states with the broadest background checks for gun sales. Cheryl Stumbo and other members of the Washington Alliance for Gun Responsibility marked the date with a press conference at Plymouth Church in downtown Seattle.

“Initiative 594 is in effect, and today Washington has closed the background check loophole,” Stumbo said as members applauded.

Marcie Sillman talks to Ivan Moreno, reporter for the Associated Press in Colorado, about the how their universal background check law went into effect last year. Washington state's passed a similar law in November.

A beloved Cuban sandwich shop falls apart. A gun-rights rally is coming to Olympia. Should police bother to find who broke into your car? Is our lieutenant governor a slacker? And what would you put into a Washington state time capsule?

Bill Radke is with Crosscut’s Knute Berger, Northwest News Network’s Phyllis Fletcher and LiveWire’s Luke Burbank to answer these questions.