*** REGIONAL NEWS FROM WEDNESDAY ***

+ The Olympian: State announces it is all but certain to recommend converting Capitol Lake to an estuary

+ KING-5 TV: ‘Spring forward’ no more? Senate passes bill to make daylight saving time permanent – Even if the bill becomes law, the U.S. will still “fall back” in November 2022, before “springing forward” again next year. Its prospects in the House are unclear.

+ WSDOT Travel Advisory: Weekend roadwork reduces southbound I-5 to two lanes at Nisqually – Yelm could see an uptick in traffic bypassing the site from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, March 19-20. Real-time traffic information is available on the WSDOT app and WSDOT Travel Center.

+ JOLT News: New president of Saint Martin’s University will be first woman to serve in that post

+ NBC News: Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson is retiring, and Howard Schultz is returning as interim chief – Throughout his tenure, Johnson used his expertise as a former tech executive to push Starbucks into the digital age.

+ McClatchy Newspapers: Canada reportedly planning to drop pre-entry testing requirement at U.S. border – Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he thinks all Canadians are “eager to get back to normal as much as possible.”

*** NATIONAL/INT’L NEWS FROM WEDNESDAY ***

Truthout: Extradition Looms for Assange After UK Supreme Court Refuses to Hear His Appeal [Ed. note: Anyone that believes in Freedom of the Press and transparency of government misfeasance, should be shuddering at this travesty!]

*** SELECT UKRAINE NEWS FROM WEDNESDAY ***

CNBC: Anonymous declared a ‘cyber war’ against Russia. Here are the results

NBC News: International Court of Justice: Russia must suspend military operations in Ukraine immediately – the world’s highest court, ordered Wednesday that Russia immediately halt military operations in Ukraine, a preliminary decision in response to allegations of genocide brought by Ukraine. [Ed. note: Putin does not care. He has Peter The Great syndrome!]

Truthout: Marina Ovsyannikova Refuses to Retract Antiwar Statements in Moscow Court

CNBC: Burger King halts corporate support for its 800-plus franchised locations in Russia

CNBC: Russia stokes fears of first foreign currency default in more than a century as it attempts payment

Airliner Watch: Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport closes two terminals, one runway, suspends investment projects

Daily Kos: Hillary tweets perfect response to Russia’s move to sanction her

Salon: Trump admits he was wrong about Putin — but just can’t quit him

*** VIRUS NEWS FROM WEDNESDAY ***

McClatchy Newspapers: Pfizer asks US to allow 4th COVID vaccine dose for seniors

McClatchy Newspapers: Most in US say they’d go back to wearing masks if COVID cases rise again, poll finds – Meanwhile, the majority of the country wants all “federal, state and local government” restrictions to end, according to the poll.

McClatchy Newspapers: Chinese virus cases climb, raise threat of trade disruption, and Europe is getting hit by COVID resurgence after rushed exit

*** TRUMP NEWS FROM WEDNESDAY ***

Talking Points Memo: Trump: Putin Changed From The Totally Awesome Person He Was Before!

MSNBC’s Joyce Vance: America can’t afford to forget Zelenskyy’s role in Trump’s first impeachment -Many Americans have seemingly forgotten the fateful 2019 call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and how that call foreshadowed today.

CNN: Judge orders Justice Department to turn over certain internal documents to Bannon – The Daily Beast: Judge Wants to Review Investigation Tactics in Bannon Case