As paid family leave claims rise in Washington, the wait for benefits gets longer
Washington’s Paid Family and Medical Leave program wants to hire 49 more employees to deal with steadily rising demand that has some people waiting over a month to receive benefits. Without added staff, ESD officials project the time required to process a benefit application could reach four months by June 2025. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Getty)
Is Inslee’s plan working? The EV age arrives — in wealthier areas
Our state’s sizzling gas prices, second highest in the nation, have been described this summer as annoying, painful, even scandalous, depending on who’s doing the talking. But here’s another aspect to expensive gas that leaders seem shy to acknowledge: It’s working. Something is happening in the car market, suddenly, but also as part of a long-building strategy. Going electric — saying goodbye to oil — is surging. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Ted S. Warren)
How earthquake research can help save the PNW from “The Big One”
A new research center in the Pacific Northwest aims to help the region prepare for a possible magnitude 9 earthquake that is predicted to happen along the West Coast sometime in the future. “If we prepare now — if we stiffen our building codes, if we plan our evacuation zones correctly, if we build our hospitals and schools and firehouses and police stations out of tsunami inundation zones — the next big earthquake isn’t going to be pretty, but we can fare pretty well,” said Diego Melgar at the University of Oregon. Continue reading at Axios. (Jared Whalen)
Aberdeen Daily World
Officials emphasize need for homeless shelter
Auburn Reporter
King County salmon habitat recovery projects receive state funding
Axios
How earthquake research can help save the PNW from “The Big One”
Bainbridge Island Review
Kitsap ferry service takes another reduction
Columbian
Vancouver OKs contract to design water treatment system for PFAS
Clark County salmon recovery groups get $1 million in grants
Editorial: Decriminalizing drugs harms community
Everett Herald
With 1 Seattle ferry down, Edmonds-Kingston route could be affected
International Examiner
Wing Luke Museum attacker charged with hate crime; police blame slow response on “staffing constraints”
News Tribune
Can Tacoma, Pierce County work together to combat homelessness? Rare meeting sets stage
Olympian
Port of Olympia and its executive director agree to part ways, commission announces
L&I plan calls for employees, businesses to pay more for workers compensation in 2024
Puget Sound Business Journal
Regional Homelessness Authority ends downtown Seattle outreach program
SBA proposes opening loan programs to those with criminal records
Seattle Medium
Seattle City Council Passes Historic Seattle Drug Reform Legislation That Prioritizes Treatment And Diversion
Seattle Times
How wildfire risk scoring puts WA homeowners in insurance jeopardy
Editorial: Amid SPD controversy, Mayor Harrell leads with empathy
Opinion: Is Inslee’s plan working? The EV age arrives — in wealthier areas
Opinion: Seattle’s Asian community asks: When will we be heard?
Spokesman Review
‘We’re in a big hole’: Spokane leaders point fingers as budget deficit looms
New COVID vaccines may be a ‘few weeks’ from becoming common in Washington, the state Department of Health says
Some Northwest colleges bounce back from pandemic enrollment slump, while others are still seeing fewer freshmen
Washington Post
Biden to create new office for gun violence prevention
WA State Standard
As paid family leave claims rise in Washington, the wait for benefits gets longer
‘Marred by litter’: Millions of pounds of trash soil Washington roads and state lands
States and cities eye stronger protections for gig economy workers
Wenatchee World
60th Washington State Autumn Leaf Festival kicks off Friday
From the ground up: Common Ground Community Housing Trust creates affordable housing in Wenatchee area
Broadcast
KING 5 TV (NBC)
Despite falling out of favor, Marysville considering mandatory minimum sentences for drugs
Fire chief: Seattle’s 2023 overdose responses already surpassed 2022
Washington schools grapple with fentanyl crisis as students head back to class
KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Seattle City Council makes public drug use a crime, pushes toward treatment
King County Prosecutor’s Office seeing more felony traffic cases than ever before
KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Take a hike with free admission to Washington’s national, state parks Saturday
Seattle’s Health 99 unit showing promise in battle against citywide fentanyl crisis
KUOW Public Radio
Trans rights drew this family to Washington
Seattle City Council passes controversial drug ordinance
The best time to apply for an AC unit, before federal funding cools off in Washington
Seattle program addresses key gap in the opioid crisis — support post overdose
Washington’s pandemic dashboard upgraded to include flu and RSV
KXLY (ABC)
City of Spokane receives $12 million to improve tree canopy
Local wildfire victims question funding for fire recovery efforts
Q13 TV (FOX)
Pilot program underway to stem opioid overdoses in Seattle
Seattle moms form support group for parents of murdered children
Web
Crosscut
Facing burnout, Washington nurses are exploring new career paths
Seattle City Council passes law to prosecute drug use, possession