WASHINGTON STATE

Washington State House Democrats

HOUSE DEMOCRATS

Friday, March 19

With white tents in the background, workers in neon vests line orange traffic cones in a parking lot.

WA vaccine eligibility to expand to more groups on March 31
Restaurant workers and people with two or more specified underlying conditions are among the groups who will be able to get the COVID-19 vaccine starting March 31, under a broad expansion of eligibility announced Thursday by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee. Inslee also announced that the current statewide eviction moratorium, set to expire at the end of the month, will be extended through June 30, 2021. Continue reading at The Yakima Herald. (Amanda Ray)


Three people in jackets stand outside a large glass window, waving at someone on the inside.

Inslee says Washington state’s long-term care facilities can reopen for indoor visits
Citing increasing vaccination rates, Gov. Jay Inslee announced Thursday that the state’s nursing homes, assisted-living facilities and other long-term care sites can reopen their doors for visits. Indoor visits are now allowed if a resident or visitor is fully vaccinated, Inslee announced at a briefing in Olympia. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ken Lambert)


A crowd of people stands facing away from the camera, looking toward an orange-roofed structure in Hing Hay Park. People standing at the front of the crowd hold a large yellow banner reading “AAPI against hate.”

Hundreds rally in WA to protest attacks on Asian Americans
Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) activists organized three rallies against hate crimes last weekend, bringing hundreds of people out under the rain to demand public officials denounce racism and provide funding for community education. The turnout exceeded their expectations, with speeches from community leaders and bias crime victims. Continue reading at Northwest Asian Weekly. (George Liu)


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Associated Press
Court extends blocking the names of Seattle cops in DC riot
Seattle region hires first head of homelessness authority
Judge OKs $4-an-hour pay boost for Seattle grocery workers
WA vaccine eligibility to expand to more groups on March 31
Pedestrians now allowed through Washington Capitol fence
CDC changes school guidance, allowing desks to be closer
Stocks lower as bond yields rise; bank stocks fall
The Latest: CDC guidance: Desks 3 feet apart in schools OK
Judge limits evidence, refuses to move trial in Floyd death
House passes immigration bills for farm workers, ‘Dreamers’
President Biden says US to hit goal of 100 million COVID shots on Friday

Aberdeen Daily World
New youth shelter will help homeless teens
Commissioners balk on federal funds for a homless shelter
Some local legislators say strong quarterly state revenue forecast means no new taxes necessary (Chapman, Van De Wege)
After recommendations delayed, decisions around proposed dam are ‘a ways away’

Auburn Reporter
Roegner: Voter suppression and the stolen election myth

Bellingham Herald (subscription required)
Op-Ed: Whatcom Prosecutor: ‘We must stop using courts and laws to act as debt collectors’ (Salomon)
Here are the latest COVID-19 case numbers confirmed Thursday in Washington state
Watch: Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee’s COVID-19 update from Thursday (March 18)
Whatcom receives ‘really, really encouraging’ sign that COVID vaccination efforts working
National Guard is making sure these Whatcom communities are getting COVID-19 vaccinations
More Washington residents to be eligible for vaccines March 31, eviction moratorium extended
580,000 Americans were homeless in 2020, report says. What about in Washington?
WA teachers can get vaccine priority at this national drug store chain this month
Canada announces U.S. border closure extended another month until April 21
As Whatcom’s vaccination rates dip, county sees one death and 23 new COVID cases
All WA restaurant workers will soon be eligible for the COVID vaccine
Capitol Campus, where access has been limited since January, reopened to pedestrians
Can COVID vaccines help long-haulers with symptoms? Early evidence offers clues
COVID vaccine survey might be a scam, watchdog warns. What to know before clicking

Bothell Reporter
Bill would end Native imagery for public schools, teams

Capital Press
Washington rural counties fear losing money to environmental justice
Commercial bees gone when Asian giant hornets emerge
Official warns there’s a wasp worse than Asian giant hornet
Washington budget outlook as bright as before pandemic
COVID-19 relief bill includes $2 billion for timber counties, tribes
New ‘cutting-edge’ system predicts potato pest risk

Columbian
In Our View: Local schools must make most of federal aid

El Sol De Yakima (available in English via Google Translate)
British variant of coronavirus found in Yakima County
Inslee Expands COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility, Allows Nursing Home Visits
Benton-Franklin counties advance in vaccination plan

Everett Herald (subscription required)
With vaccine supply rising, governor will expand eligibility
Edmonds mayor announces interim police chief appointment
What we know: Washington coronavirus outbreak at a glance
Cornfield Report: 5 ways to spend federal aid, 1 reason to pass capital gains
WaPo Comment: Atlanta victims dehumanized long before shooting
WaPo Comment: Post-pandemic life will take heeding covid’s lessons
Editorial: Getting back to going back to school

High Country News
Geographer Diana Liverman explains how to tackle the climate crisis fairly
On day one, Haaland addresses Indigenous media
California tackles microplastics in drinking water

Journal of the San Juan Islands
Are you ready to reduce single-use plastic in San Juan County?
Larsen invites Second District students to participate in 2021 Congressional Art Competition

News Tribune (subscription required)
Tacoma’s affordable housing crunch is so bad even business leaders want a tax to fix it
Pierce County just under 100 new COVID-19 cases for Thursday
More eligibility means more competition for vaccines. Here’s who’s helping those at risk
Editorial: Tacoma needs full search for new school chief. Don’t rush to anoint heir apparent 
Pierce County to restructure Medicaid without the state, ensuring sales tax hike

New York Times
Covid-19 Live Updates: C.D.C. Says 3 Feet in Elementary Schools With Masks Is O.K.
U.S. Rushes to Expand Covid Vaccine Eligibility in a ‘Race Against Time’
Why Child Care Staff Had to Show Up While Teachers Worked Remotely
How Racism and Sexism Intertwine to Torment Asian-American Women
In Restricting Early Voting, the Right Sees a New ‘Center of Gravity’
After Georgia Attacks, Asian-Americans Demand Serious Action on Bias
Asian-Americans Are Being Attacked. Why Are Hate Crime Charges So Rare?
The U.S. Is Opening Up. For the Anxious, That Comes With a Cost.

Northwest Asian Weekly
Hundreds rally in WA to protest attacks on Asian Americans
PICTORIAL: #StopAAPIHate rallies across western Washington

Olympian (subscription required)
Washington Center is the only local theater scheduling events under Phase 3 rules
Nearly 1,900 Olympia residents sign petition to make old armory an arts center
JBLM has the COVID-19 vaccine. Here’s how to find out if you can get it
Here are the latest COVID-19 case numbers confirmed Thursday in Washington state
A pandemic milestone: Providence to close testing site in Hawks Prairie
Capitol Campus, where access has been limited since January, reopened to pedestrians
All WA restaurant workers will soon be eligible for the COVID vaccine
Thurston County reports 1 new COVID-19 death, 16 more cases on Thursday
Lacey deputy mayor Pratt withholds vote on more apartments in Hawks Prairie

Peninsula Daily News
Sequim School District sends out request for qualifications for capital projects

Port Townsend Leader
Three more confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported in Jefferson County

Puget Sound Business Journal
Amazon workers remain left out as Washington expands vaccine eligibility
Restaurant, manufacturing workers will be eligible for Covid vaccine March 31
Google’s Seattle-area workforce is up 10% from 2020, with more investment planned
Federal judge dismisses lawsuit against Seattle’s hazard pay for grocery store workers
Seattle lays out 6 big goals for clean transportation future

Seattle Times (subscription required)
Black newspaper delivery driver detained after Pierce County sheriff claims, then recants, threat to life
Audio: Pierce County sheriff repeatedly claimed man he mistook for a prowler ‘threatened to kill me’
Asian man shot at Seattle-area spa; Sheriff’s Office says it was takeover-style robbery
Washington state restaurant staff included in expanded COVID-19 vaccine eligibility
Inslee says Washington state’s long-term care facilities can reopen for indoor visits
Pregnant people become eligible for vaccine in Washington
How many people aren’t returning for a second COVID-19 vaccine shot? Do people have a choice of vaccine?
Now that Washington’s drug possession law has been struck down, swamped legal system faces massive do-over
Washington state projected to get $3.2 billion more in taxes as economy brightens amid COVID-19 recovery (Rolfes, Ormsby, Frockt)
Opinion: Responsible centrist senators must save Equality Act for LGBTQ+ rights

Skagit Valley Herald
Sedro-Woolley School District refinances bond

South Seattle Emerald
Inslee extends eviction moratorium through June, announces new vaccine tier
Organizations launch campaign for sidewalks and transit over highways

Spokesman Review
Amazon to lease air cargo facility at Spokane International Airport
‘Choose a side,’ tearful EWU president declares after student athlete targeted with racist graffiti
Proposal to make Kootenai County a ‘Second Amendment Sanctuary’ falls flat
Inslee: Anyone 60 and older, restaurant workers among new group eligible for vaccines on March 31
‘Suspicious’ fire damages St. Charles Catholic School in northwest Spokane
Inslee extends coronavirus eviction moratorium through June

Tri-City Herald
Here’s a handy way to find COVID vaccine appointments in Tri-Cities
Here are the latest COVID-19 case numbers confirmed Thursday in Washington state
More Washington residents to be eligible for vaccines March 31, eviction moratorium extended
WA teachers can get vaccine priority at this national drug store chain this month
More ‘wildcard’ COVID variants found in Tri-Cities area. They are more contagious
All WA restaurant workers will soon be eligible for the COVID vaccine
Woman pulls gun at a Tri-Cities auto shop then gets in line for lunch at Zip’s
Retiring Kennewick police chief plans to run for public office

Vancouver Business Journal
New web portal helps equip young people for a post-pandemic future

Walla Walla Union Bulletin (subscription required)
Oil leaks at Little Goose Dam north of Dayton following “electrical incident”
Former Whitman College student Benjamin R. Katz takes plea deal in Oregon child sex crime
COVID-19 numbers show Umatilla County within sight of lower risk level, officials say

Washington Post
Atlanta spa killings lead to questions about sex work and exploitation
Smoke from wildfires wiped out the U.S. pandemic-related clean air gains in 2020
Opinion: McConnell threatens to hold the Senate hostage unless he can keep holding the Senate hostage

Whidbey News-Times
Comprehensive plan talks veer into debate over systemic racism in Langley
In Our Opinion: Those fighting for racial equality should focus on county government

Yakima Herald Republic
Governor says long-term care residents have have visitors again indoors
Newhouse’s Farm Workforce Modernization Act passes the House
Newhouse one of 9 Republicans to vote in favor of American Dream and Promise Act
WA vaccine eligibility to expand to more groups on March 31
Asian Americans grieve, organize in wake of Atlanta attacks
Family of Black man killed by deputies to sue county
Forecast for spring: Nasty drought worsens for much of US

Broadcast

KING5 TV (NBC)
COVID-19 vaccine eligibility expanding by 2 million Washington residents on March 31
Seattle City Light told public their dam operations increased salmon runs as fish numbers declined
Washington nursing homes allowed to safely resume indoor visits
‘It’s disgusting’: Everett restaurant owner to rename business after residents protest offensive name
What you need to know about COVID-19 vaccines in Washington Friday
Instagram post over racist graffiti unites Olympia business owner and police officer

KIRO7 TV (CBS)
Employee shot during attempted robbery at Skyway spa, deputies say
Gov. Inslee moves up COVID-19 vaccine eligibility for next two tiers
Atlanta spa shootings: Biden, Harris visiting Georgia today to meet with Asian American leaders
State considers adjusting travel restrictions for vaccinated residents
Federal judge dismisses lawsuit challenging hazard pay for grocery store workers in Seattle
Pierce County to restructure Medicaid without the state, ensuring sales tax hike
South Seattle pastor speaks out after fatal shooting in church
Whatcom legislator missed floor votes during travel to El Salvador

KOMO4 TV (ABC)
COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to expand to 2 million more Washingtonians
Growing allyship, solidarity in Puget Sound to end violence targeting Asian Americans
Marc Dones: Consultant offered top job at new King County regional homelessness authority
‘Americans are getting tired:’ Doctors stress vigilance against COVID-19

KNKX FM
More people qualify for Covid vaccine; rent moratorium extended
Judge OKs $4-an-hour pay boost for Seattle grocery workers
B.C., Washington officials want to put an end to giant hornets

KUOW FM
Here’s what Seattle Schools’ first reopening phase could look like
Pandemic blog: Updates for the Northwest
Hundreds Of Migrant Children Held In Border Detention For More Than 10 Days
Washington readies juice, rice wine, and other weapons to fight ‘murder hornets’

KXLY (ABC)
Washington to further expand vaccine eligibility March 31
Washington DOH launches new vaccine locator site

Q13 TV (Fox)
2 million more people in Washington eligible for COVID-19 vaccines starting March 31
New money available for business owners through amended Paycheck Protection Program loans
UW Medicine, Mariners partner to provide COVID vaccines to underserved communities
Washington state youth, high school sports welcome more spectators back into stands
Judge OKs $4-an-hour pay boost for Seattle grocery workers
Appeals court again rejects former Bremerton Coach Kennedy’s lawsuit over prayer at football games

Web

Civic Skunkworks
What Happened on Monday? The Latest Argument From the Business Lobby Has Me Worried.

Crosscut
How the demographics of clinical trials can hurt people of color
Opinion: What Seattle should preserve after the pandemic
Clean fuel legislation could be blocked again by one WA Democrat (Fitzgibbon, Hobbs, Liias)
Gov. Inslee to add 2 million people to Washington vaccine rollout

MyNorthwest
Series of tornado warnings go out Friday morning along Washington coast
After first choice turns down job, King County homeless authority picks new CEO
Restaurant workers in Washington added to next eligibility tier for vaccine
Gov. Inslee: Vaccine eligibility in Washington expands again March 31
State Dept of Health expects boost of COVID vaccine doses per week in April
Judge dismisses lawsuit that sought to halt Seattle grocery store hazard pay ordinance
Security scaled back at Olympia Capitol, pedestrians allowed back on campus
Court blocks release of names of SPD officers who were in DC during Capitol riot

Slog
A Bill to Decriminalize Growing Pot at Home Just Died, but Its Sponsor Isn’t Giving up Yet (Kloba)
Inslee Speeds Up Vaccine Eligibility for Restaurant Workers, Homeless; Extends Eviction Moratorium Through June 30

West Seattle Blog
2 chances to recycle what you can’t put out at the curb