WASHINGTON STATE

Washington State House Democrats

HOUSE DEMOCRATS

Thursday, March 25

Under an orange and blue cloudy sky, a fountain sprays water into the air in the middle of a large lawn, with the silhouetted Washington State Capitol dome in the background.

Drug possession bills emerge to address wide-reaching state Supreme Court ruling
About a month has passed since the Washington state Supreme Court ruled the state’s simple drug possession law unconstitutional in its State v. Blake decision. Justices found the law was unconstitutional because it didn’t require prosecutors to prove an accused person knowingly or intentionally had drugs. Continue reading at The Bellingham Herald. (The Olympian)


A woman carrying a black bag places items into the open trunk of a car on the left side of the frame. In the background is a row of parked cars next to a beige building.

No hug for eight months, isolation-driven depression, & no chance to grieve: Inside the pandemic’s disproportionate impacts
Nearly everyone has struggled somehow over the last year as the COVID-19 pandemic halted daily routines, kept relatives and friends from visiting one another, and prompted a system of temporary restrictions, many of which remain in place a year later. But some groups have been disproportionately impacted. Students struggled to learn remotely as their families had to navigate working and schooling from home. Virus outbreaks in some factories and essential industries had an outsized effect on minorities. Continue reading at The Inlander. (Young Kwak)


The orange lights of an oil refinery seen against a black night sky and reflected in the water below.

Environmental justice moves to mainstream as governments embrace cause
Washington state’s five oil refineries all sit near, or on, Indian reservations. Environmental justice advocates say that fact reflects a national pattern of air pollution disproportionately hitting people of color. The Swinomish Reservation is next to two refineries: the Shell Puget Sound refinery and the neighboring Marathon Oil plant in Anacortes. Continue reading at KUOW. (John Ryan)


Print

Associated Press
WA residents 16 and up to be eligible for vaccines by May 1
Over 50 infected in COVID-19 outbreak at King County Jail
Stocks dip as oil falls back, Wall Street keeps churning
Former Washington state auditor faces prison over tax fraud
Conservationists sue to save spotted owl logging protections

Aberdeen Daily World
Mayors share their challenges, successes in year of COVID
Looking to the ocean to produce clean energy
Undeterred by pandemic, Aberdeen Community Court marks four years

Auburn Reporter
Insurers told to stop using credit scores to set rates

Bellingham Herald (subscription required)
Drug possession bills emerge to address wide-reaching state Supreme Court ruling (Billig, Dhingra, Hobbs, Mullet, Jinkins, Davis)
Here are the latest COVID-19 case numbers confirmed Wednesday in Washington state
Whatcom County measure expands this sales tax for affordable housing
Whatcom business COVID-19 updates: More travel, more liquor, more hand sanitizer
Take a look at taxes in Washington state
Whatcom providers to get 3,470 first doses of COVID vaccine, fewer than last week
Bald eagles bouncing back from the brink of extinction, officials say. How’d it happen?

Bothell Reporter
Eastside police agencies form independent use of force investigation team

Capital Press
Senate bill would mandate more meatpacker cash purchases
WSDA seeks public’s help against Japanese beetle outbreak

Columbian
Tower Mall COVID-19 vaccination site prioritizing second doses
In Our View: Washington’s housing issues require legislative action (Liias)

El Sol De Yakima (available in English via Google Translate)
UFWF: More Opportunities Needed to Vaccinate Farm Workers
English program at Yakima Valley College helps prepare for the future

Everett Herald (subscription required)
County Council upholds approval for Bothell-area subdivision
325 people sign petition opposing new shelter near Coupeville
What we know: Washington coronavirus outbreak at a glance
Finding farmland in King County is a perpetual struggle
WaPo Comment: Press has something to prove, as much as Biden does
WaPo Comment: Vice president moves past ‘thoughts and prayers’

High Country News
Mass shootings are a product of America’s violent culture

The Inlander
A year into the pandemic, numbers fail to capture the loss caused by COVID-19
Though the Spokane area lost many businesses to COVID-19, the economy is already bouncing back
Public health got a lot about COVID wrong, but that’s science for ya
No hug for eight months, isolation-driven depression, & no chance to grieve: Inside the pandemic’s disproportionate impacts
Idaho saved more jobs during the pandemic, but Washington prevented more deaths
Timeline of Significant Covid-19 Events
Locals recall their last taste of “normal” pre-shutdown, and what they’re looking forward to most post-COVID
I’m 30 and COVID kicked my ass. Please get vaccinated

Issaquah Reporter
Guest column: Issaquah leaders support a clean fuel standard
Comment: Transportation plan puts a focus on equity for all

Kitsap Sun (subscription required)
Bainbridge Island approves hazard pay hike requirement for grocery store workers

News Tribune (subscription required)
Pierce County COVID-19 case rate shows uptick since mid-month, health experts say
Pierce County will begin to collect behavioral health tax this summer
Fife passes law targeting that which street racers hold dear: their cars
Tacoma moves to crack down on street racing. Violators face jail time, fines
Editorial: Was Sheriff Troyer wrong to call 911? This lawmaker says yes, wants law against it (Das)

New York Times
E.P.A. to Review Attacks on Science Under Trump
Biden’s Recovery Plan Bets Big on Clean Energy
Jobless Claims Fall to Lowest Point in the Pandemic: Live Updates
Riders Are Abandoning Buses and Trains. That’s a Problem for Climate Change.
Biden May Be the Most Pro-Labor President Ever; That May Not Save Unions
Amazon Walks a Political Tightrope in Its Union Fight
‘Essential’ Migrant Farmworkers Risk Infection and Deportation
Watch Live: Social Media Executives Testify on Online ‘Disinformation’

Olympian (subscription required)
Drug possession bills emerge to address wide-reaching state Supreme Court ruling (Billig, Dhingra, Hobbs, Mullet, Jinkins, Davis)
Here are the latest COVID-19 case numbers confirmed Wednesday in Washington state
Thurston County adds 29 COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, increasing total to 7,660

Peninsula Daily News
Seattle Proud Boys leader pleads not guilty in Capitol siege
WHAT WE KNOW: Coronavirus outbreak at a glance
Flow of vaccine to Peninsula to slow

Port Townsend Leader
Preventing increased homelessness begins now | Housing Hub (Van De Wege, Tharinger, Chapman)
New case of coronavirus confirmed in Jefferson County 

Puget Sound Business Journal
Pandemic upends economics for public-private projects on campuses
SBA cash grant program has sent its first checks. Here’s how many have applied.
Boeing engineer works to address racism, discrimination by speaking up
Washington to expand Covid vaccine eligibility to everyone 16 and older by May 1
Seattle homes selling for 5% above asking price, among tops in the US
Opinion: Hospital mergers create monopolies and increase burdens for patients
SBA reveals first-ever timeline for $28.6B grant program for restaurants hit hard by the pandemic
SBA is more than tripling the size of its disaster loans. Here are the details.

Redmond Reporter
Ground broken on unprecedented model for affordable housing, health and social services in Redmond

Seattle Times (subscription required)
Welfare check by SPD turns into ordeal for 74-year-old man who was handcuffed, held at gunpoint in own home
Washingtonians 16 and up will be eligible for COVID vaccines by May 1, state says; here’s how we get there
King County would spend $600 million in COVID-19 recovery under plan proposed by County Executive Dow Constantine
Seattle School Board chooses new board member, approves plan to return to classrooms
Editorial: Legalize America’s essential immigrant farmworkers
Northwest senators introduce bill to halt sale of National Archives at Seattle
Opinion: Invest in Seattle Colleges for a path to higher education equity

Seattle Medium
House Bill Would Make Racial Equity A Reality At Community Colleges (Updated)

Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit PUD looking at helping farmers with crop irrigation
Skagit County doing well in getting residents vaccinated
Mount Vernon seeks public input on fireworks

South Seattle Emerald
Le family settles, says KCSO, Deputy Molina culpable — sheriff email claims otherwise
Fractures emerge as council continues police budget cut debate
Opinion: What we can no longer accept
Volunteer group that removes trash from homeless encampments draws criticism
Opinion: Seattle Public Schools commit to going fossil fuel free by 2040

Spokesman Review
Idaho Panhandle residents ages 16 and older eligible for COVID-19 vaccine starting today
Need for utility assistance remains severe in Spokane
Some Washington lawmakers wonder if federal stimulus will be enough for transportation projects
Spokane Public Schools expects the state will drop student distancing requirements to 3 feet
Durham faces second L&I investigation and management changes over COVID-19 issues

Tri-City Herald
Drug possession bills emerge to address wide-reaching state Supreme Court ruling
Kennewick police shoot man with rubber bullets after threats to kill wife hiding with 4 kids
3 adults and child killed in head-on crash in the Yakima Valley
FBI arrests Proud Boys suspect south of Tri-Cities in deadly U.S. Capitol conspiracy
3 Tri-Cities districts vote to return students to schools. Is it just wishful thinking?
Not eligible yet for COVID vaccine in Tri-Cities? Health officials say check again
Driver fired 10+ shots into orchard near Benton City. He didn’t see the workers
3 adults and child killed in head-on crash in the Yakima Valley

Vancouver Business Journal
Clark County announces 2021 Green Awards winners

Walla Walla Union Bulletin (subscription required)
Change in CDC guidelines could result in longer school days in Walla Walla Valley
Walla Walla police arrest alleged car casing Clarkston couple
Walla Walla County reports 2 new coronavirus cases Wednesday, no new deaths
2 new coronavirus cases in Walla Walla County Tuesday, no new deaths
Carman Gerking keeps the wheels turning on College Place school buses, even during the pandemic
Washington state health officials issue protective order against Walla Walla nurse
The Club in Dayton cancels spring break program
Crime stats 2020, Part 2: Walla Walla, College Place police chiefs implement new, diverse committees

Washington Post
Sorrow, hope, rage, pain: In Atlanta, photographer Hannah Yoon chronicles an Asian American community staggered by a mass shooting

Yakima Herald Republic
Yakima Valley school districts favor shift to 3-foot distancing on campus; state decision yet to be made
Washingtonians 16 and up will be eligible for COVID vaccines by May 1, state says; here’s how we get there
Mandatory 10-digit dialing coming to the 509 area code
Conservationists sue to save spotted owl logging protections
Judge: Amtrak, not engineer, liable for deadly derailment
People asked to watch for Japanese beetles after sighting near Grandview
City fined in southwest Washington after council members go without masks

Broadcast

KING5 TV (NBC)
Tacoma doctor removed from expert role in diagnosing child abuse amid questions about her credibility
Sea-Tac Airport gets busier as travelers credit vaccines and spring break as reasons to fly
As ‘vaccine chasers’ seek leftover COVID-19 shots, Washington health officials urge patience
Everyone 16 and older in Washington will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccine by May 1
King County to pay $5 million settlement in 2017 deputy shooting death of Tommy Le

KIRO7 TV (CBS)
Washingtonians 16 and up to be eligible for vaccines by May 1
Surge of COVID-19 vaccine related scams, security experts warn
North Sound woman remembers police officer brother killed in Colorado shootings
46 inmates at the King County Correctional Facility test positive for COVID-19
Seattle women in tech work together to make industry more inclusive
King County Sheriff’s Office to pay $5M for shooting death of Tommy Le

KOMO4 TV (ABC)
Homeless encampment near Capitol Hill middle school grows, while city faces questions
Over 50 infected in COVID-19 outbreak at King County Jail
AstraZeneca confirms strong vaccine protection after US rift

KNKX FM
‘Blue tides’ of sailor jellies on Northwest coast correlate with warmer seas in winter
Murray, Jayapal, Murkowski sponsor bill to improve care for sexual assault survivors

KUOW FM
‘Blue tides’ of sailor jellies on Northwest coast correlate with warmer seas in winter
Updates on the pandemic in the Northwest
Jerome Powell: Economy Is Better Thanks To ‘Dunkirk’-Like Rescue By Fed, Congress
Homelessness went up in the U.S. last year, and in Washington state
Environmental justice moves to mainstream as governments embrace cause
How the federal rescue plan could affect individuals, families, and the future

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane Public Schools braces for updated reopening guidance from the state
‘I was so behind, it was so scary’: Spokane man receives rental assistance from SNAP
SNAP offering rental assistance for people in need
Washington lawmakers support major disaster declaration in wake of winter storm damage

NW Public Radio
Timber Wars Continued: Conservationists Sue To Save Spotted Owl Logging Protections

Q13 TV (Fox)
Tacoma aims to crack down on street racing with proposed law
Washingtonians 16 and up to be eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccine by May 1, state says
Tommy Le’s family agrees to $5 million settlement in lawsuit against King County, deputy who killed him
Downtown Seattle hotel reopens as temporary homeless shelter
Local little league says children are threatened at Seattle parks
46 inmates at King County Correctional Facility test positive for coronavirus

Web

Crosscut
WA looks to end driver’s license suspensions over unpaid debt (Salomon, Cleveland)
Opinion: In Seattle and Atlanta, anti-Asian hate sparks unspeakable grief
Opinion: Why we should honor Billy Frank Jr. in the U.S. Capitol
Opinion: A Seattle doctor reflects on Atlanta and anti-Asian racism

MyNorthwest
State BLM coalition calls for suspension, review of Pierce County Sheriff’s officer certification
Proposed ordinance in Tacoma targets illegal street racing
West Point Treatment Plant in for $65 million makeover after sewage spills
King County to pay $5 million settlement over 2017 deadly shooting of Tommy Le
Seattle councilmember: Changing how city responds to 911 calls needs to be priority
Washington State Hospital Association CEO: ‘COVID is not done with us’
Two recent mass shootings reignite local, national gun control discussions
State Insurance Commissioner prohibits insurers from using credit scores to set rates
Bill requiring paddlesport safety course stalls, but boating laws still apply
Seattle traffic engineer: ‘Our street design is harming people’
Pierce County Council to conduct investigation into sheriff who called police on Black delivery driver
Seattle councilmember targets compromise on proposed SPD budget cut
Northshore educator insists Seattle attack was hate crime, says legal system ignores Asian Americans
Snohomish Lions Club reuses plastic bags for community benches

Slog
Guest Editorial: Washington Must Continue to Make Strides to End Youth Homelessness

West Seattle Blog
Why West Seattle’s city-run site is getting out of the testing business