WASHINGTON STATE

Washington State House Democrats

HOUSE DEMOCRATS

Thursday, Oct. 28

Kids line up on the first day of school Sept. 1 outside Margaret Mead Elementary in Sammamish.

More than 300,000 kid-sized Pfizer COVID vaccine doses expected in Washington state next week
Washington expects about 316,000 doses of kid-sized Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines to arrive in the state by the end of next week for children between 5 and 11, pending federal authorization, state health officials said Wednesday. The kid-sized dose, which is equal to one-third of the adult Pfizer vaccine dose, still needs the emergency authorization of the Food and Drug Administration and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. The CDC’s committee meets next Tuesday and Wednesday. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Steve Ringman)


President Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi depart after a meeting.

Here’s what is in the $1.75 trillion Biden budget plan
President Biden on Thursday unveiled a roughly $1.75 trillion blueprint for overhauling the country’s health care, climate, education and tax laws, as he seeks to break an ongoing logjam among his party’s liberals and moderates that have stalled his economic agenda for months. The plan includes some of Biden’s earliest policy priorities, including new spending to enhance child care and offer prekindergarten free to all American families. But it also shelved some of Democrats’ most fervent plans, including an effort to provide paid leave to millions of workers — one of many casualties in the party’s efforts to reduce its original $3.5 trillion price tag. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Jabin Botsford)


Federal jury: Immigrant detainees are owed minimum wage
A federal jury has determined that The GEO Group must pay minimum wage — rather than $1 a day — to immigration detainees who perform tasks like cooking and cleaning at its for-profit detention center in Washington state. The verdict came Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Tacoma in a second trial over the issue. The first trial ended in June with a deadlocked jury. “This multi-billion dollar corporation illegally exploited the people it detains to line its own pockets,” Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson said in an emailed statement. Continue reading at The Associated Press.


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Associated Press
Pfizer vaccines for younger kids expected in state next week
Federal jury: Immigrant detainees are owed minimum wage
Workplace complaints before WA Parks director’s resignation
Senators urge emergency protections for wolves in U.S. West
Report Faults WA Sheriff Over Confrontation With Black Man

Bellingham Herald
Bellingham and utility provider sign this accord to fight climate change
WA health officials prepare for expected approval of pediatric COVID-19 vaccine next week
How could opening the border to Canadians impact Whatcom’s COVID testing availability?
Whatcom sees another death and surpasses 15,000 COVID cases, but hospital reports decrease
Flood watch issued for Whatcom as atmospheric river is set to drench region

Capital Press
Biden administration leaves ESA ‘habitat’ undefined
False advertising lawsuit over ‘natural’ chicken revived
21 senators urge emergency protections for wolves in West
Farm groups seek to save chlorpyrifos
Washington AG claims chicken suppliers fixed prices
NW onion shipments down

Everett Herald
What we know: Washington coronavirus outbreak at a glance
Rep. Rick Larsen: What building back better can mean for the region
Letter: State, local covid precautions have saved many lives
Letter: Community Transit vaccine mandate protects riders, drivers

Issaquah Reporter
New timeline of summer 2022 for opening HOV lanes through Tacoma
Washington secretary of state gets federal job

Journal of the San Juan Islands
Seasonal changes bring extra challenges to resident killer whales

News Tribune
Tacoma police might get extra money to reduce violent crime, boost staffing
Got questions about COVID vaccine for kids? Health department forum will answer them
Tacoma’s Asia Pacific Cultural Center plans major expansion as it celebrates 25th year
Pierce County could triple ferry fares by 2029. Would Anderson Island ‘wither and die’?

Olympian
Here are the latest COVID-19 numbers confirmed Wednesday in Washington state
City of Tumwater moves to annex 12 unincorporated ‘islands’ in Thurston County
WA health officials prepare for expected approval of pediatric COVID-19 vaccine next week

Peninsula Daily News
Hospitalizations from COVID-19 growing on Peninsula

Port Townsend Leader
Port Townsend schedules 2022 budget hearing

Puget Sound Business Journal
Starbucks, Costco bump up wages amid national labor shortage
Sound Transit to give update on large development site in Kent
Boeing looks to ramp up 737 Max output, but supply constraints await
Microsoft adds 23,000 employees in past year, mostly outside Redmond
Inflation replaces Covid-19 as chief concern among many small-business owners.

Seattle Times
Seattle police, other officers shoot and injure man near Des Moines grocery store
Seattle parents, educators protest special education staff moves
More than 300,000 kid-sized Pfizer COVID vaccine doses expected in Washington state next week
Man arrested in connection with fire at Islamic Center of Tacoma
Editorial: Move past vaccine-mandate rancor with faith, trust and belief

Skagit Valley Herald
Even with many openings, number of jobs in Skagit County dips in September
County resolution: Seattle City Light needs to do more for fish

South Seattle Emerald
Residents at SEED Affordable Housing properties protest poor conditions, rising rents 

South Whidbey Record
Op-Ed: Soundoff: Ferry delays are a dire emergency for Whidbey residents

Spokesman Review
Spokane County’s unemployment rate of 3.5% in September matches historic low
Spokane unveils plan to continue Spokane Parks water-saving projects
Projects would invest billions on Lake Roosevelt for needed renewable-energy storage, but hurdles are high

Washington Post
Biden crafts new spending package aimed at attracting all Democrats
Here’s what is in the $1.75 trillion Biden budget plan
Facebook told the White House to focus on the ‘facts’ about vaccine misinformation. Internal documents show it wasn’t sharing key data.
U.S. economy grew at annual rate of 2% in the third quarter, as delta variant pulled back progress
Big Oil CEOs set to testify before House Oversight Committee
At COP26, climate inequality will meet vaccine inequality

Whidbey News-Times
Letter: Ferry system has attitude problem (Paul)

Yakima Herald-Republic
COVID-19 boosters, vaccines for kids already on the way to Yakima County
Apple Valley Elementary construction dispute goes to Yakima City Council
School bus driver shortage continues in Yakima Valley, districts work on recruitment

Broadcast

KIRO7 TV (CBS)
‘Atmospheric river’ bringing heavy rainfall, increasing threat of urban flooding, mudslides
Pfizer vaccines for younger kids expected in WA next week
Power restored to more than 9,000 customers after utility pole fire causes outage
Disability rights group launches driving challenge to underscore driving disparities in Washington

KNKX FM
Biden unveils a smaller spending framework. Now he has to sell it to House Democrats
UW research captures link between exercise, screen time during the pandemic and kids’ mental health
Detainees at Tacoma ICE facility are owed minimum wage, federal jury says

KUOW FM
Pandemic blog: Updates for Seattle and the NW
This north Seattle hotel will house people who have been chronically homeless
The hopeful orca study, and the backlash that ensued

KXLY (ABC)
Former health officer Dr. Lutz suing Spokane health district for wrongful termination

Web

MyNorthwest
Group pushes to have Pierce County Sheriff added to list of officers with credibility issues
New report details behind-the-scenes saga leading up to firing of WSU football coach Nick Rolovich
King County sending out millions in rental assistance, but may not have enough
Washington health leaders say not enough people getting vaccine as cases plateau
More issues for Boeing with possible new safety concerns over 767, 757 planes
First Seattle homeless residents moving in to King County’s hotel

The Stranger
Why Are Seattle’s Tech Companies Funding Climate Opposition?

West Seattle Blog
Affordable homeownership or mixed use? Options for ex-substation site emerge @ HPAC ‘to get moving on a path forward’