WASHINGTON STATE

Washington State House Democrats

HOUSE DEMOCRATS

Monday, January 4

A light gray domed building with large steps and pillars stands out against a sunny blue sky.

Washington lawmakers face a tall order, including balancing the budget mid-pandemic
As state lawmakers head back to Olympia virtually for the 2021 legislative session, making sure that everyone’s webcam is working properly will be just one of the many concerns to deal with. The good news is that revenue hasn’t dropped anywhere near as dramatically as predicted this June after the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on jobs during a spring shutdown. Continue reading at The Inlander. (Jim Bowen)


A black orca fin sits above the water, with a faded snowy mountain and boats in the background.

New Washington laws going into effect in 2021
The new year brings changes, and more laws at both state and local levels. In Washington, 2021 will bring new wages, a law concerning criminal background checks and new rules to protect orcas. As we reflect on the year that was 2020 in life, news and sports, take a look at what’s to come with these new laws and updated rules. Continue reading at Seattle PI. (Sergio Amiti)


A man in a baseball cap and mask sits at a table in a dark room. The table has multiple computer screens, keyboards, and equipment spread across it.

Olympia lawmaking is about to go virtual. Participants see both minefields and silver linings
During the 2021 session, Olympia’s Capitol Campus that comes alive each January will, under current plans, remain largely dormant. Legislative buildings will stay closed to the public, with COVID-19 transmission prevention in mind. Much of the typical activity and conversation will move online. Continue reading at The Bellingham Herald. (Tony Overman)


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Associated Press
Boeing Max returns to US skies with first passenger flight
New whale-watching restrictions enacted for resident orcas
Winds and heavy rain could lead to landslides, flooding
Washington state vaccinates high-risk inmates, prison staff
Fast rollout of virus vaccine trials reveals tribal distrust
More GOP lawmakers enlist in Trump effort to undo Biden win
New Washington law sets $100 cap on copayments for insulin (Keiser)
Sound Transit cancels north line train due to mudslide
PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center has COVID-19 outbreak
Fauci: Vaccinations are increasing in a ‘glimmer of hope’
Quinault Tribe recalls 29 tons of Dungeness crab due to toxin
NCAA to play all 67 March Madness games in Indiana
Iran starts 20% uranium enrichment, seizes South Korean ship
King County seeks to buy up to dozen more hotels to house homeless
Fauci: ‘Glimmer of hope’ as vaccinations increase, but post-holiday coronavirus surge likely

Aberdeen Daily World
County tops 2,100 COVID-19 cases
Corps of Engineers to start Grays Harbor maintenance dredging Jan. 4
County reports three new COVID-related deaths on Wednesday
First reponders get COVID-19 vaccinations at Grays Harbor Community Hospital

Auburn Reporter
US Navy punishes suicidal sailor who sought mental health treatment
Column: A legislative session like no other we’ve seen

Bellingham Herald (subscription required)
Does that pup on your lap violate the law against distracted driving?
Olympia lawmaking is about to go virtual. Participants see both minefields and silver linings (Jinkins, Liias, Billig)
Whatcom records 171 new confirmed COVID-19 cases over three days, state reports Sunday
Here are the latest COVID-19 case numbers confirmed Sunday in Washington state
Bellingham opens this new temporary winter shelter for the homeless
Swift Haven opens as temporary winter shelter in Bellingham
Should an electoral college pick WA’s next governor? This Tri-Cities lawmaker says so
Seventh state prison inmate dies from COVID-19, Department of Corrections announces
‘The deaths are real deaths.’ Fauci rebuts Trump claim COVID numbers are ‘exaggerated’

Capital Press
New York judge blocks Trump pesticide rule
Higher wheat prices likely have ‘staying power,’ market experts say
Animal health officials on alert for bird flu
Only a fraction of vaccine has been used in Washington
Pandemic increases need for Beef Counts aid
WSDA tells legislators to leave beef labels to feds
West Coast states issue stop order for organic soil amendment; company to appeal

Columbian
In Our View: Shake up Employment Security Department
In Our View: Cheers & Jeers: Add diversity, not guns
In Our View: Inslee budget request offers several good ideas
In Our View: Resolve now to ditch single-use plastic bags
Vancouver’s PeaceHealth hit with COVID-19 outbreak among staff, patients
Nurses describe ‘huge emotional toll’ amid high COVID-19 numbers in Clark County

Everett Herald (subscription required)
Fans blow methane away from Everett houses built on landfill
Bus cuts, light rail and road work highlight the year ahead
Amid pandemic, 2020 was an historic year for unemployment
For tribes, climate change fight is about saving culture
2020 was what it was, and here are the top 10 local stories
Coronavirus commerce: The baddest business stories of 2021
Pandemic, protests and ‘murder hornets’ top state stories
Mudslide cancels Sounder commuter train Monday
Concrete barriers coming to stretch of U.S. 2 at Snohomish
Health care workers find silver linings in the year of COVID
Edmonds eases penalties for driving with a suspended license (Salomon)
What we know: Washington coronavirus outbreak at a glance
Only a fraction of vaccine has been used in Washington
Mom: Pandemic safety restrictions are hitting children hard
Sno-Isle Libraries offers new online service for job seekers
Tenants, landlords are pondering alternatives to eviction
Comment: Environment needs fairer hand in local development
Bloomberg Comment: ‘She-cession’ has hit minority women especially hard
WaPo Comment: Biden can help restaurants survive by lifting tariffs
WaPo Comment: Election showed what we don’t know about Constitution
WaPo Comment: Why has Warp Speed slowed to a trot for vaccines?
Editorial: Changes needed to build more middle-income housing
Editorial: Three resolutions for a safe and prosperous 2021

The Inlander
Washington lawmakers face a tall order, including balancing the budget mid-pandemic (Riccelli, Billig)

International Examiner
Retiring from ICHS, Ron Chew reflects on his career, local history, and looking to what’s in front of us

Island’s Weekly
Public hospital district boards decide against potential purchase agreement for Hospice of the Northwest

Journal of the San Juan Islands
Salmon advocates celebrate Canada removing salmon farms in the Discovery Islands

Kitsap Sun (subscription required)
USS Nimitz ordered to stay in the Persian Gulf region following threats
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard begins year with face mask emphasis
Residents at Washington Veterans Home in Port Orchard receive coronavirus vaccine
Standing up for families in Kitsap: Why I voted to override the President’s veto
Scientists study impact of Growlers’ growl over Olympic National Park
Kitsap schools could join forces, create own sports plan
Gun range remains shuttered under contempt-of-court ruling, upheld on appeal
Hearing examiner rules against developers of proposed apartment complex in Silverdale

News Tribune (subscription required)
Police, civilian witnesses tell conflicting stories of fight that ended in Ellis’ death
Tacoma puts 5th officer that report says restrained Manuel Ellis on administrative leave
Navy will get funds to continue noise monitoring on Olympic Peninsula
Pierce County reports 189 new COVID-19 cases
As the world waited for a vaccine to end a crippling disease, here’s how Tacoma responded
Editorial: Tacoma woman, thousands more on hook to repay jobless benefits. State, fix your mess
Editorial: Tacomans with disabilities are isolated by COVID, shortchanged by local government
Op-Ed: Pierce County must invest in broadband sooner, not later. Innovation depends on it 

New York Times
Trump, in Taped Call, Pressured Georgia Official to ‘Find’ Votes to Overturn Election
Trump Call to Georgia Official Might Violate State and Federal Law
Election Day Voting in 2020 Took Longer in America’s Poorest Neighborhoods
Covid-19 Live Updates: Scientists Debate Holding Back Second Vaccine Dose
Hundreds of Google Employees Unionize, Culminating Years of Activism
As the Virus Spikes, Vaccine Distribution Is One More Hurdle for States

Olympian (subscription required)
Olympia lawmaking is about to go virtual. Participants see both minefields and silver linings (Jinkins, Billig, Liias)
Militia group plans to occupy Legislative Building in Olympia when session begins (Jinkins, Billig)
Here are the latest COVID-19 case numbers confirmed Sunday in Washington state
Trump demands Georgia elections official overturn his defeat in hourlong call
Thurston County COVID-19 cases grow by 52 on Sunday
Stories that defined the year 2020 in Thurston County
Washington state extends pandemic assistance as Trump stalls federal relief package
Capital Medical Center in Olympia to be acquired by Tacoma-based MultiCare Health System
Washington’s minimum wage hike will show up on paychecks earlier than expected

Peninsula Daily News
School districts plan to go with more in-person teaching
Pandemic changes ceremonies, but not vows
Sequim experiences flooding
Sixteen new cases reported since Thursday night on Peninsula
Former Clallam Bay corrections officer dies from COVID-19 complications
Pastor welcomes ‘community spirit village’
Sequim first responders receive Moderna vaccine
Progressive tax top priority of Port Angeles City Council
Social Distancing Center lease extended

Port Townsend Leader
COVID-19 case count in JeffCo rises to 229

Puget Sound Business Journal
Slack begins 2021 with major outage
Colleges stand to receive billions in new stimulus, but warning signs are flashing
Hundreds of Google employees unionize, culminating years of activism
Gig workers bear the brunt of US labour market slowdown
Once a fringe idea, the $15 minimum wage is making big gains
Year in Review: This is what 2020 looked like through our lens
Microsoft says Russian cyberattack exposed its source code
Inslee extends Washington’s eviction moratorium
US stocks close tumultuous year at record high
The big questions for Big Tech in 2021
Group calls for investigation after longtime leader of Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic resigns
Microsoft’s giant campus expansion marches on, even as it embraces remote work
Most Americans are expected to save, not spend, their $600 check
Opinion: When working on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, experts say start with strategy
Inslee extends Covid restrictions on businesses to Jan. 11
9 ways the pandemic will change travel in 2021
The year inequality became less visible, and more visible than ever

Runta News
Bill to Provide Automatic Rental Assistance to Families

Seattle Times (subscription required)
New laws lead some Washington prosecutors to rethink three-strike life sentences (Goodman, Dhingra)
A ‘homelessness authority’ was supposed to get Seattle and its suburbs on the same page; after a slow year, they may be further apart
Hydroponic kits and toys for black bears: Washington science teachers get creative during pandemic learning
Changes ahead for Washington state’s political landscape: Redistricting may bring some drama
Need for free food in Washington state has doubled, many groups report, as COVID-19 rips away jobs and security
Opinion: Legislature’s ‘Four Corners’ square off on state challenges in 2021 (Billig, Jinkins)

Seattle Weekly
US Navy punishes suicidal sailor who sought mental health treatment
New proposal might help Washington get a Republican governor
Gov. Inslee extends ban on indoor dining, other restrictions

Skagit Valley Herald
Relationships were key in Skagit County commissioner’s two decades of service
Study examines privatizing Anacortes-to-Sidney ferry route
Ask the Undersheriff: Taking a look at the crime stats for 2020

South Seattle Emerald
Future Gazing: Honor the Indigenous people of these territories
State health officials cautiously optimistic as COVID-19 rates hold steady and vaccination of health care workers continues
‘The Shadow Beside Me’: Seattle nonprofit debuts poetry from King County juvenile detention
Opinion: What we lost in 2020
Future Gazing: A place where poverty is no longer criminalized
Seattle Public Library offers free printing, job search assistance, and online tutoring during pandemic
Future Gazing: Striving for Black and Brown queer and trans joy

Spokesman Review
These are the Washington laws changing in the new year
More than 200 new COVID-19 cases, one death reported in Spokane County on Sunday
Inslee extends indoor dining ban, other COVID-19 restrictions until Jan. 11
Washington to pay unemployment benefit after delay of federal coronavirus package
Medical director resigns from clinic in protest of racism at Seattle Children’s hospital, prompting demands for change
‘It’s not our job to find votes’: Spokane County auditor reacts to Trump pressuring Georgia secretary of state
Opinion: Ed Taylor and Phil Ballinger: What should count in college admissions: the quality of future leaders we most need
Opinion: Christine Johnson: COVID-19 defined our year. We won’t let it define our decade.
Opinion: Anne Mason, DNP, ARNP: AMA needs to do less trolling, more collaborating

Tri-City Herald
$3.8M tiny house project will give Tri-Cities homeless a place of their own
Tri-Cities new COVID cases hit plateau, but 36 people died in December
Should an electoral college pick WA’s next governor? This Tri-Cities lawmaker says so
3 WA prison COVID deaths this week. The latest in Walla Walla
Tri-Cities bar’s liquor license suspended. It violated state COVID restrictions
Tri-Cities COVID numbers affected by holiday spikes, reporting delays
Editorial: Klippert’s anti-vax bill goes too far, sets us back on COVID and measles

Vancouver Business Journal
Gov. Jay Inslee announces one-week extension of statewide restrictions

Washington Post
‘I just want to find 11,780 votes’: In extraordinary hour-long call, Trump pressures Georgia secretary of state to recalculate the vote in his favor
Months later, more than 1 million Americans are still waiting for unemployment aid
Opinion: It’s impeachable. It’s likely illegal. It’s a coup.

Yakima Herald Republic
As 2021 session approaches, Yakima Valley lawmakers say they want to roll back governor’s emergency powers
Longtime Yakima pediatrician Roy Simms gets vaccinated, encourages others to do the same
Records show who is on ICE flights at Yakima airport; fewer deportations during pandemic
Yakima Heath District reports 358 new coronavirus cases Friday and Saturday
Eviction moratorium has been extended, but debate likely to continue in Olympia
Opinion: Our wish list for 2021
Opinion: Return to classrooms on the horizon

Broadcast

KING5 TV (NBC)
Union wants Washington grocery store workers vaccinated as soon as possible
Puget Sound-area food banks remain busy as unemployment declines
Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose vaccine next to seek emergency use authorization

KIRO7 TV (CBS)
Medical workers across Washington to get 2nd dose of Pfizer vaccine
6 arrested at SPD’s East Precinct over weekend
Trump urged Georgia secretary of state to ‘find’ votes during phone call
New Washington law sets $100 cap on copayments for insulin (Keiser)
Cal Anderson campers appear to have moved to new park
State preparing questionnaire for vaccine eligibility
North Sound restaurant also defying COVID-19 restrictions
New law requires faster treatment for addiction (Davis)
New year marks increase of state’s minimum wage, raise for Seattle rideshare drivers
145 employees at Costco near Yakima positive for COVID-19
Fifth officer identified in Tacoma police death of Manuel Ellis put on leave
Woman who was a victim of sex trafficking at age 14 sues Backpage.com and Salesforce
Local distilleries billed thousands for making hand sanitizer, but feds reverse course
2nd Washington corrections officer dies of COVID-19
All residents of long-term care facility will now get vaccine
Four arrested during New Year’s Eve demonstrations in Seattle

KOMO4 TV (ABC)
Two Seattle artists document 2020 and the year in face masks

KNKX FM
Teachers’ unions express concerns as some districts prepare for in-person learning
State Rep. John Lovick: Events since George Floyd’s death are ‘a turning point for all of us (Lovick)

KUOW FM
In Seattle, pandemic stress overshadows new minimum wage boost
Trump And The Military: What An Erratic Commander In Chief Leaves Behind
Republican Lawmakers Divided On Election Certification
Pandemic updates for Seattle and the Northwest
COVID-19 Cases Surge In U.S. As Vaccinations Fall Below Government Predictions
More Republicans Announce Plans To Object To Electoral College Results
Judge Rejects Last-Minute Claim That Pence Can Ignore States’ Presidential Electors
New COVID-19 Variant Spreads To Dozens Of Countries
Congress Overturns Trump Veto On Defense Bill After Political Detour
U.S. Surpasses 20 Million Confirmed Coronavirus Cases
President Trump Extends Freeze On Many Worker Visas

NW Public Radio
In Seattle, People Living In Their RVs Get Help From City Waste Pumper
It Wasn’t Just The Pandemic: Oil’s Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Year
Despite What The Logging Industry Says, Cutting Down Trees Isn’t Stopping Catastrophic Wildfires

Q13 TV (Fox)
An Olympia cafe followed all of Inslee’s mandates – the state threatened them anyway
Snoqualmie parents rally for return to in-person learning
The Divide: Should Washington change how it elects governors?
The Divide: Congresswoman Jayapal on fight for COVID-19 relief
Washington creates online system to help determine who can get COVID-19 vaccine
Gold Bar restaurant defies governor’s orders

Web

Crosscut
How Seattle’s new payroll tax complicates efforts to enact one statewide
Opinion: Why the Kalama methanol refinery would hurt the Yakama tribe
WA coronavirus restrictions extended through Jan. 11
Revered doctor steps down, accusing Seattle Children’s Hospital of racism
Black-owned pot shops are rare in WA. Can a task force fix that?
Salmon spawn in the upper Columbia after an 80-year hiatus
Environment officials want input on aging Central Washington dam

Seattle P.I.
New Washington laws going into effect in 2021
University of Washington begins seeking volunteers for Novavax COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial
Washington has the third-lowest COVID-19 spread in US

Slog
The War on Cars Enters Its 135th Year
Why So Many Fires in Seattle All of a Sudden?
Herman Cain Ends the Year as the Most Noted Republican Killed by Covid
2020, The Year Death Became a Major Political Party in America