WASHINGTON STATE

Washington State House Democrats

HOUSE DEMOCRATS

Monday, October 24

Brandi Hyatt’s family has been drastically affected by contaminated well water at their home near Selah

Heartache, anger in Central Washington over drinking-water wells tainted by ‘forever chemicals’
The Hyatts’ well was one of 300 residential drinking water wells tested for contamination from two firefighting foam chemicals that seeped into groundwater flows from the Army’s Yakima Training Center. They are part of a class of “forever chemicals” — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances known as PFAS — that rank as one of the most pervasive sources of pollution on the planet. In the human body, the two firefighting foam chemicals may disrupt the immune system, interfere with hormones, increase the risk of prostate, kidney and testicular cancers, high blood pressure in pregnant women and harm the reproductive system, according to studies cited by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Jennifer Buchanan)


King County Superior Court Judge Melinda Young, top left, holds a video call with lawyers Friday

Judge to decide if Seattle police can be held liable in sex trafficking case
Women who say they were abused and sexually assaulted by a Seattle hip-hop artist will have to wait to learn whether the Seattle Police Department can be held liable for its handling of an alleged multistate sex trafficking scheme. Since at least 2017, interviews and records including police case files, emails and texts show that eight people — six women and the parents of two women — told police that women have been sexually abused and exploited for profit by [Solomon “Raz”] Simone against their will. But despite assurance from a lead detective that he was investigating claims, and had opened a case, the allegations languished. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ellen M. Banner)


Caitlyne Gonzales, 10, pauses next to a mural of her best friend, Jackie Cazares, who was killed in the May 24 mass shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde

At 10, she speaks out for Uvalde’s victims, but the girl she used to be is gone.
In the shooting’s aftermath, many of Uvalde’s children were plagued by post-traumatic stress, but, to most people, Caitlyne [Gonzales] wasn’t one of them. By September, she had become Robb’s most public survivor, a voice for her friends who were dead and for those who were alive but too daunted to say anything. She had spoken at rallies in Uvalde and Austin and to U.S. senators in Washington. She’d demanded that the people in charge of her school district fire the police officers who failed to save her classmates. But the girl Caitlyne had been before “that day,” as she’d started calling the May 24 massacre, was gone. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Katherine Frey)


Print

Associated Press
A federal appeals court has temporarily blocked Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan

Bainbridge Island Review
Medicare open enrollment is October 15 to December 7

Bellingham Herald
You don’t need solar panels for solar power. Community solar sites can power your WA home

Capital Press
U.S. natural gas industry breaking production, export records

Columbian
Student enrollment a roller coaster in Clark County

The Daily News
Three Cowlitz County school districts ask for more time to spend pandemic relief funds

Everett Herald
‘Hungry to shop local,’ but obstacles abound in downtown Everett

Journal of the San Juan Islands
County Council Approves $3.5 Million Commitment to Affordable Housing

News Tribune
A commercial airport in East Pierce County? These people are mobilizing to fight it

Olympian
Olympia area officials, residents organize against Thurston airport proposal

Peninsula Daily News
North Olympic Peninsula counties to view COVID measures

Puget Sound Business Journal
Amazon to switch security vendors, resulting in 1,200 Seattle-area layoffs
Seattle-area health care leaders warn hospital finances are in dire shape

Seattle Times
King County adds email, text ballot tracker ahead of WA election
Through Pacific Northwest drought and downpour, what will happen to the salmon?
Federal exam shows pandemic hit 8th grade math especially hard in WA
Judge to decide if Seattle police can be held liable in sex trafficking case
Heartache, anger in Central Washington over drinking-water wells tainted by ‘forever chemicals’
Column: Why Seattle needs to start taking wildfire smoke more seriously

Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit County’s COVID-19 case rate at six-month low

Tri-City Herald
More COVID deaths in Tri-Cities area. Vaccines urged before holiday gatherings
World’s largest radioactive waste melter halted in Eastern WA. It was overheating

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Worsening inflation takes toll on everyday life in Walla Walla Valley
With old Walla Walla regional airport terminal set for demolition, Civil Air Patrol seeks new meeting space

Washington Post
Rishi Sunak, the next U.K. prime minister, says nation faces ‘profound economic challenge’ in first public remarks
At 10, she speaks out for Uvalde’s victims. But the girl she used to be is gone.
U.S. economy likely grew a lot last quarter. Most people didn’t notice.

Yakima Herald-Republic
Stanford University to study foreign agricultural worker program in WA
Yakima City Council takes another look at regional crime center

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Seattle homeless encampment under Ship Canal Bridge has some neighbors concerned

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Grocery store unions push back on Kroger-Albertsons merger
Biannual workshop held in King County for women interested in pursuing firefighting, EMS careers

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Snohomish County seeing uptick in business following reopening of US-2
Gas prices drop for 2nd straight week in Seattle, Washington state, nationally

KUOW Public Radio
Rain has finally arrived in the Northwest … watch out

KXLY (ABC)
City Council to discuss resolution on the future of transportation in Spokane

Q13 TV (FOX)
Weekend rain brings needed relief to exhausted firefighters
Researchers concerned about mental health risks of dabbing, highly potent cannabis products

Web

MyNorthwest
Gov. Inslee: State is doing everything it can to fight wildfires
Seattle Children’s seeing spike in RSV cases

West Seattle Blog
More brown water reported in The Junction (and beyond)