Ban of guns at government meetings, ballot counting advances
Washington moved a step closer Monday to barring firearms where school boards and city councils meet, and where ballots are counted. The state House approved legislation barring “open carry” at buildings where elected city and county leaders hold their meetings, and both open and concealed carry where school boards meet and vote tallying occurs. Majority Democrats pushed through House Bill 1630 on a 57-41 party-line vote, contending the restrictions will keep those places free of intimidation from armed individuals. It now goes to the Senate for consideration. Continue reading at The Everett Herald. (Ted S. Warren)
COVID put thousands of procedures in WA on hold, frustrating patients and worrying surgeons
[Scott] Matsuda is among thousands of Washingtonians whose medical procedures have been pushed back during the pandemic, as hospitals cleared space for a crush of COVID-19 patients. Delayed procedures vary widely, from colonoscopies to cancer care — anything that, if postponed, is not anticipated to cause harm to a patient within 90 days, according to a recent emergency order from Gov. Jay Inslee that paused all elective care. Even now, exhausted health care workers are scrambling to catch up as patients with the omicron variant clog hospitals. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Daniel Kim)
Thousands of Washington students choose virtual learning despite return to in-person classes
Students in Washington state are finally learning and going to in-person classes more regularly compared to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. While discussions to get rid of school masking are underway, one aspect of schooling synonymous with the pandemic is sticking around: virtual learning. For one family in Renton, virtual learning was a manageable and welcomed approach to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 exposure. Scott Van Essen and Myra Martino both have the ability to work from home as a game designer and a writer, respectively. Continue reading at KING 5.
Associated Press
COVID-19 outbreak grows at prison in southwest Washington
Escaped inmate with Snohomish County convictions recaptured
WA House passes bill banning guns at ballot counts, school boards (Berg)
Regulators won’t let Boeing certify new 787 jets for flight
Aberdeen Daily World
Rep. Kilmer tours flood project site in Hoquiam
Bellingham Herald
Popular butter spread means a bigger facility for this Bellingham food manufacturer
A new downtown Bellingham venue will have get-together events including live music
Car break-ins in Bellingham were up late last year. Here’s why most are likely to go unsolved
These interactive maps show how Whatcom County’s median home value increased in 2 years
Improvised explosives device reported near WWU, Sehome High
WA leaders rethinking community planning as climate change bears down on state (Duerr, Ramel)
Capital Press
Washington Democrats stick with gas tax on Oregonians
Columbian
Opinion: In Our View: Lifting indoor masks mandates should be soon
Courier-Herald
Shooting, bomb threats closes Enumclaw High
Everett Herald
Everett ex-cop acquitted of perjury but is guilty of stalking
Ban of guns at government meetings, ballot counting advances (Berg, Senn)
What we know: Washington coronavirus outbreak at a glance
Cornfield Report: Will these bills be loved or spurned? A deadline is imminent (Hasegawa)
Editorial: Local health officials should set mask policy
Letter: America’s gun culture is too quick on the trigger
Letter: Child tax credit best option to fight poverty
High Country News
5 things to know about gray wolves regaining Endangered Species Act protection
A vision for more sustainable farmlands
Mercer Island Reporter
Legislators sound off on Mercer Island mayor’s letter to the community (Thai, Senn, Wellman)
News Tribune
Threats toward Enumclaw High School lead to canceled classes, 2 others locked down
Energy from the sun will help power this Pierce County school. Here’s the plan
New York Times
Covid Live Updates: Vaccination During Pregnancy Protects Infants from Hospitalization, Study Suggests
White House Takes Aim at Environmental Racism, but Won’t Mention Race
How Bad Is the Western Drought? Worst in 12 Centuries, Study Finds.
North American Post
History of “The North American Times” 2, 1918-1942
Olympian
Port of Olympia commission votes to reduce meetings, publish agendas later
Thurston County confirms 14 COVID-19 deaths as case counts continue to decline
Here are the latest COVID-19 numbers confirmed Monday in Washington state
New gun restrictions advance out of WA state House. Here’s what the proposed law would do (Senn, Berg, Kuderer)
Peninsula Daily News
Mask mandates may be lifted at state level as early as April
Puget Sound Business Journal
Contradictions and course corrections: WA, OR eye paths to national cannabis market
Sawant to Harrell: Not so fast on ending Seattle’s eviction ban
Seattle Starbucks flagship store joins effort to unionize
Analyst: Boeing’s next jet may not come from the Seattle-area factories
Seattle Medium
Gov Inslee’s Proposals On Homelessness (Kuderer)
Seattle Times
COVID put thousands of procedures in WA on hold, frustrating patients and worrying surgeons
Lawmakers demand fresh investigation into FAA decision not to penalize Boeing for MAX failures
No car, no problem: Here’s how to hit the trails around Greater Seattle using public transit
King County will close rent assistance program to new applicants as money runs out
Drugs on buses have become an everyday hazard, Seattle-area transit workers say (Taylor)
Opinion: Restore WA’s leadership on privacy legislation (Carlyle)
Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit County weighs in on winding down of mask mandate
Draper Valley Farms settles lawsuit with environmental nonprofit
Skagit County’s COVID-19 cases take slight drop
South Seattle Emerald
Mount Zion On 19th Affordable Senior Housing Project Receives State Funding Boost
Tribal Tribune
Under A Full Moon On Hollywood Boulevard, A Native Story Is Born
Tri-City Herald
‘Yes we can.’ Tri-Cities immigrants call for reform during rally
A Tri-Cities school bars students refusing masks. They’re no longer allowed in without one
‘Relentless’ Wanapum leader dies. He helped bring home Kennewick Man, the ‘Ancient One’
New gun restrictions advance out of WA state House. Here’s what the proposed law would do (Senn, Berg)
Washington Post
White House, congressional Democrats eye federal gas tax holiday as prices remain high, election looms
Russia says some troops withdrawing from Ukraine’s border; NATO chief notes ‘cautious optimism’ but sees no de-escalation yet
Vaccine scientists have been chasing variants. Now, they’re seeking a universal coronavirus vaccine.
Sarah Palin judge will dismiss her libel case, finding no malice by New York Times
Top environmental groups call on Biden to protect mature trees and forests on federal lands from logging
Broadcast
KATU
Washington lawmakers look to invest $1 billion in Interstate Bridge project (Wylie)
KING 5 TV (NBC)
Thousands of Washington students choose virtual learning despite return to in-person classes
Washington school district defies state mask mandate for schools
KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
People return to Tacoma homeless camp days after shutdown
Medication mix-up at corrections facility
Ban to limit high-capacity magazines gets push from mass shooting survivors
Seattle considering extending free outdoor dining permit program
KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
King County metro drivers frustrated with drug use, harassment on buses
KUOW Public Radio
Pandemic updates for Seattle: Tuesday, February 15, 2022
To mask or not to mask, that is the question: Today So Far
These bills still have a chance as Washington lawmakers close the first half of 2022 session (Jinkins, Lekanoff)
Study finds Western megadrought is the worst in 1,200 years
KXLY (ABC)
Washington’s COVID reproduction number drops below 1
Web
Cannabis Now
Hemp-derived Cannabinoids Create Controversy in Washington State (Keiser)
Crosscut
Washington is shipping more disabled students out of state
WA transit agencies say federal relief funds were distributed unfairly
MyNorthwest
Multi-billion dollar transportation package would strike down repeal of fuel export tax (Saldaña, Cleveland)
Seattle’s flagship Starbucks location throws weight behind nationwide unionization push
ACLU puts $500,000 behind push to codify decriminalization of drug possession statewide
Microsoft maintains hybrid model as it sets reopening date for Washington offices
‘I need a bill that can pass’: Proposal to rework state’s single-family zoning sheds core pieces (Bateman)
Still questions over timeline of Mayor Durkan’s missing texts in wake of forensic report