Good evening and happy Earth Day. From the KUOW Newsroom, this is Seattle now. I'm Paige Browning.

Here are today's top stories. It's Monday, April 22nd. How's everyone celebrating Earth Day? A lot of people got their hands dirty over the weekend doing restoration work in Seattle. Some folks are inventorying the amount of plastics they buy. More on that theme later in the show. And public officials are marking it by rolling out new environmental commitments. King County says it's going to install more electric vehicle chargers. The county will release details tomorrow about money it's getting from the state.

Also tomorrow, Washington State will announce a new rebate program for electric vehicle purchases.

Snohomish counties focusing on hard-to-recycle items.

Snohomish leaders invite people to an event next weekend to recycle pesky items

like styrofoam and tires for free. And the state's big news, more Washington residents could soon

get solar power thanks to new funding from the EPA. Casey Martin reports.

The sun was shining bright Monday on Earth Day in Seattle. Perfect

conditions for state leaders to announce more than $156 million from the feds to pay for solar

projects. Mike Fong is director of the State Department of Commerce. He says the money will help people

get solar panels,

whether they own a home or rent. Multi-family affordable housing projects where we'll be able to get

solar installed, other energy efficiency upgrades that will make a difference for all the residents

in affordable housing. He says some of the money is for low-income communities and people facing the worst

effects of the climate crisis. There will be dedicated funding to ensure that we reach tribes and

residents on reservations to be able to get solar panels installed as well. Project should

launch this fall in winter, according to the EPA. Casey Martin, KU.W. News.

The Republican Party convention in Spokane over the weekend was drama-filled.

But by the end, they endorsed a candidate for governor.

KNKX reporter Scott Greenstone has our story.

Former Richland School Board member Semmy Bird was endorsed by hundreds of Republican delegates at the state convention Saturday.

We have the people's business at hand, saving Washington State and making Washington State great again.

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