Proposed WA bill would stop power and water shutoffs during extreme heat
Attorney General Bob Ferguson and Sen. Joe Nguyen, D-White Center, announced Thursday their plans to propose a bill during next year’s legislative session that would protect access to electricity and running water during extreme heat. Should the bill pass, utility companies in Washington would not be able to shut off power or water after temperatures reach or exceed 95 degrees Fahrenheit. The 2021 “heat dome” killed 157 people, according to the state Department of Health, making it the deadliest weather event in state history. Seven towns and cities — Walla Walla, Omak, Moses Lake, Yakima, Spokane, Seattle and Pullman — saw record-breaking heat. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Kori Suzuki)
Level 3 (Go Now) evacuation zone increases for Nakia Creek Fire burning near Larch Mountain in SW Washington
The Nakia Creek Fire has broken containment lines and evacuation zones have increased in size, according to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office. High winds over the weekend caused fire activity to increase and new evacuation notices are in place. Clark Regional Emergency Services (CRESA) told KGW that 2,903 homes are under Level 3 (Go Now) evacuation orders. The fire is believed to have been “human-caused,” but Washington state officials are still trying to determine exactly how the flames sparked. Red Cross Cascades has opened a shelter location in Washougal at the request of CRESA. The evacuation shelter is at the Camas Church of the Nazarene, located at 2204 Northeast Birch Street in Camas. Continue reading at KING 5. (Natascha Lavelle)
Leaders of democracies increasingly echo Putin in authoritarian tilt
It is no coincidence that populist leaders, many from business or other nonpolitical backgrounds, are rising in many countries around the same time. “In each of these countries, far-right movements have exploited resentments made much more acute by globalization,” said Kathleen Frydl, a historian at Johns Hopkins University who studies conservative institutions. “Each country has its own reasons why authoritarianism becomes appealing, its own inequalities or racial tensions. But there’s a validation across all these countries, where far-right leaders can point to Putin as a model of authority and control.” Continue reading at The Washington Post. (AFP)
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