Click here for our Daily E-Clips policy.

Monday, December 12

Health officials say it is time to mask up
If you’ve been a little lax with masking over the past few months, health officials in Washington state are urging a change in behavior. Dozens of hospital leaders and county health officers from around the state are urging people to once again become diligent about masking in public indoor spaces. “This joint statement from a broad coalition of public health and healthcare professionals is an indication of our shared level of concern. We hope people share that concern and do what they can to help reduce the risk of this situation becoming even worse over the coming weeks,” Dr. Jeff Duchin, health officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County, and a signatory to the joint statement, said via email. Continue reading at KUOW. (Megan Farmer)

Traffic stops and qualified immunity: How one group wants to change policing this session
Police accountability advocates are hoping to convince the 2023 Washington state legislature to limit traffic safety stops, which they say disproportionately target communities of color and low-income people, and have escalated into tragic results. WCPA members were joined at a news conference by families of people who were killed by police, as well as Rep. Drew Hansen, D-Bainbridge Island, Rep. My-Linh Thai, D-Bellevue, Sen. Rebecca Saldaña, D-Seattle, new Rep. Darya Farivar, D-Seattle, and Enoka Herat with the ACLU of Washington. WCPA has worked with lawmakers over the past several legislative sessions on new police accountability laws such as legislation that prevents police officers from using chokeholds or neck restraints and legislation that created the Office of Independent Investigations to review incidents involving police officers. Continue reading at The Olympian. (Ted S. Warren)

Dinosaurs, drug laws and police pursuits on lawmaker to-do lists
Honoring Suciasaurus rex, celebrating Chinese-Americans, reining in the state schools superintendent and making drug possession a felony again are on the to-do list for lawmakers next year. Whether they get these done in the rapidly approaching 2023 legislative session is another matter. Legislators have begun pre-filing bills for introduction on the first day, Jan. 9. They’ll then have the rest of the 105-day session to get them through both chambers and onto the desk of Gov. Jay Inslee. Continue reading at Everett Herald.

Print

Aberdeen Daily World
Central Grays Harbor police departments to hold citizen’s academy

Columbian
Editorial: In Our View: Same-sex marriage has strengthened state, U.S.
Editorial: In Our View: Success of climate plan depends on hard work

Everett Herald
Dinosaurs, drug laws and police pursuits on lawmaker to-do lists (Lovick, Liias, Wellman, Morgan, Santos)
Except recounts, midterm election is all wrapped up (Shavers)
Health officials urge mask-wearing as viruses rise statewide
Boeing knew of ‘elevated’ miscarriage rate in ’80s, but followup fizzled
Comment: State homeless audit loses sight of who’s being served
Comment: Avoid ‘tripledemic’ with familiar steps: shots, masks
Comment: Expand child tax credit, but strengthen it first
Editorial: Dire nursing shortage needs range of efforts, stat!

News Tribune
Pierce County has an affordable housing crisis. A new sales tax can help solve it
‘Everybody’s getting sick.’ Masks recommended now with surging respiratory illnesses
Tacoma’s mayor agrees with the county prosecutor about crime — but it’s not that simple

Olympian
Thurston County plans to spend more money than it collects in 2023. Here’s why
Traffic stops and qualified immunity: How one group wants to change policing this session (Hansen, Thai, Saldana, Farivar, Ngyuen, Stonier)
3 things you need to know about Monday’s Port of Olympia commission meeting

Peninsula Daily News
Sequim schools seek funding for vocational facility on campus (Wellman)
Respiratory illness hits Peninsula hard

Puget Sound Business Journal
Year-end bonus season is coming — but there’s a big catch
Seattle metro ranks among top 5 in U.S. for immigrant success
How workers are hedging their bets ahead of a potential recession

Seattle Times
At 1st anniversary, Starbucks, union workers face reality check
HUD deputy secretary talks homelessness in Seattle and where she’s seeing progress
More ‘forever chemicals’ found in WA drinking water as cleanup costs mount
Editorial: More teacher diversity is better for students, but it could be costly
Opinion: Is WA doing enough on higher education reform?

Skagit Valley Herald
Masks again advised by Skagit County health officer
Service industry bracing for increase in minimum wage

Spokesman Review
Covenant project unearths the threads of historical housing discrimination in Washington
The Lummi Nation in northwest Washington is part of a push to give Native Americans more control over food assistance program
Washington wildlife commission toils to get through its slate amid pointed input from public

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla hires first woman as city manager

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima group helping Ukrainian refugees terminates service contract with Yakima County
Yakima City Council to rank projects for potential ARPA fund awards
Yakima County’s two top cops disagree over benefits of regional crime lab

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Investigation finds multiple ‘likely’ instances of racist slurs toward Lakes High students

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Sheriff Ed Troyer’s false-reporting trial continues Monday with cross-examination

KUOW Public Radio
Health officials say it is time to mask up

KXLY (ABC)
Gas prices falling across the Inland Northwest
City of Spokane launching fully-city snow response operations

NW Public Radio
Captains of big ships eased up on the throttle during trial slowdown to help endangered orcas
California legal decision could impact Washington law banning private detention of immigrants

Q13 TV (FOX)
‘Quiet Sound’ program offers hope for Southern Resident killer whales

Web

Crosscut
Why can’t WA rail workers use state sick leave? (Kuderer)

MyNorthwest
Doctor urges parents to get young kids vaccinated with updated COVID booster
Residents in Maple Valley claim they haven’t gotten mail in days
Avian flu outbreak kills 700 waterfowl around Skagit Bay

West Seattle Blog
FOLLOWUP: Raised center divider installed along Harbor/Alki

Friday, December 9

Business owners don’t have right to discriminate against same-sex couples
First it was the Washington florist and along the way, there were bakers and photographers. On Monday, a website designer made her case before the U.S. Supreme Court not to serve same-sex couples because she disagrees with their love. Ten years ago, Washington voters decided same-sex couples should have the same right to marry as opposite sex couples do. In fact, Tuesday was the 10th anniversary that same-sex couples could legally marry in our state. In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed same-sex couples’ constitutional right to wed. Since those monumental steps, individuals and business owners have tried to interrupt the rights of same-sex couples under the guise of protecting their own rights to freedom of speech or religion. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Jacquelyn Martin)

‘They have all this untapped potential’: First state library for incarcerated youth to open in January
The first state library for incarcerated youth will open at Echo Glen Children’s Center next month. Felice Upton, the assistant secretary for juvenile rehabilitation, said at any given time the state has about 450 youth at its facilities. A partnership between the Department of Children, Youth and Families, the Secretary of State’s Office, and Washington State Library, ILS is why the first state library for incarcerated youth is about to open. “We have some federal resources from the Institute of Museums and Library Services that helped us make this happen, both with materials but really primarily with the staff person,” said Sara Jones, the Washington state librarian. “We did get a really good substantial state funding in the last legislative session,” Jones added. “This investment here and the resources that we’re putting into this and hopefully the outcomes that we will see will be able to show that that kind of investment really matters.” Continue reading at KING 5. (Natalie Swaby)

Sauk-Suiattle Tribe alleges state unfairly charges online sales tax
The Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe is suing the state Department of Revenue over the collection of sales tax from tribal members’ online purchases despite a federal tax exemption. In a suit filed this week in U.S. District Court in Seattle, the tribe said it is seeking “declaratory and injunctive relief” from collection of the state’s 6.5% sales tax on online purchases. The state Department of Revenue and its acting director John Ryser are named as defendants. Online retailers began collecting sales tax from buyers according to their shipping addresses in 2018, following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling determining sellers had to collect taxes on behalf of states that impose them. But federal law has long exempted enrolled tribal members on reservations from sales taxes, with a few caveats. Continue reading at Everett Herald.

Print

Aberdeen Daily World
Hospital brimming as flu sweeps Grays Harbor
Report: Climate Change could polarize streamflow patterns

Auburn Reporter
Flu season is off to historically severe start | UW Medicine

Capital Press
Washington Ecology issues new rules for CAFOs

Columbian
Editorial: In Our View: Boeing and Washington’s future forever linked

The Daily News
LCC applies new ‘Sam’s Law’ in hopes to train students on anti-hazing

Everett Herald
Sauk-Suiattle Tribe alleges state unfairly charges online sales tax
Trade in an unloaded gun for a loaded gift card in Mukilteo, Everett
Mpox cases drop dramatically in Snohomish County, across state

Islands’ Weekly
Affordable Housing: The future of affordability

Mercer Island Reporter
Mercer Island City Council adopts 2023-24 biennial budget

News Tribune
Assault weapon restrictions, gun permits among measures WA Democrats want to pass in 2023
WSDOT-led study on south Pierce County’s transportation woes wants to hear from you
Sheriff Troyer tells his side of newspaper carrier encounter. Next: prosecutor questions
Opinion: Tacoma schools are receiving national recognition and large donations. Here’s why

Olympian
Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater don’t allow campfires. That’s about to change
Olympia City Council approves 2023 budget recommendations. Here’s what’s new this year

Peninsula Daily News
Applications taken for Port Angeles council seat
Program to benefit businesses and students
Aging assets and retention issues for Coast Guard

Puget Sound Business Journal
SBA waives interest, defers payment on new disaster loans
Seattle-area light rail extension projects encounter more setbacks
The ERC could be a windfall. But many small businesses are in limbo.
Report: Patient safety improving at Washington hospitals
FTC sues Microsoft to block $69B Activision deal
On Dec. 13, economic picture gets a little clearer for all businesses

Renton Reporter
Renton brewery vandalized days before monthly Drag Queen Story Hour event

Seattle Medium
Shots At Another Road Rage Incident In Seattle
Seattle Provides Access To Green New Deal

Seattle Times
Agreement reached over Hanford site contractor’s alleged hiring discrimination
Ditching Russia, Boeing’s engineer search intensifies in India, Brazil
WA LGBTQ+ community cheers bill protecting same-sex, interracial unions
Editorial: Business owners don’t have right to discriminate against same-sex couples

Spokesman Review
City of Spokane public bargaining mandate unconstitutional, state Supreme Court says
First Camp Hope residents move to Catalyst Project’s supportive housing program
Spokane City Council overrides mayoral veto removing purchase of Trent shelter, Municipal Justice Center from six-year plan

Yakima Herald-Republic
City of Yakima offers $295,000 to resolve Yakama Nation claim over former landfill
New members to join Yakima Board of Health in January

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
‘They have all this untapped potential’: First state library for incarcerated youth to open in January

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Tacoma’s camping ban nearly a month in effect; continues to draw controversy
Local health authorities recommend wearing masks in indoor public spaces

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
City of Gig Harbor calling for change in vehicle pursuit laws
Wholesale inflation in US further slowed in November to 7.4%

KNKX Public Radio
Live updates from Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer’s trial
String of electrical grid attacks in Pacific Northwest is unsolved

KUOW Public Radio
Are Seattle rents being artificially inflated via algorithm?
Kirkland on camera: Today So Far

Web

MyNorthwest
WSDOT: Drivers need to be prepared heading over the passes
FBI investigating after power grid lines attacked in WA

West Seattle Blog
VACCINATION: Another monkeypox clinic in West Seattle on Saturday
South Seattle College announces longtime educator Dr. Jean Hernandez as interim president

Thursday, December 8

Bill protecting same-sex, interracial unions clears Congress
The House gave final approval Thursday to legislation protecting same-sex marriages, a monumental step in a decades long battle for nationwide recognition of those unions that reflects a stark turnaround in societal attitudes. President Joe Biden is expected to promptly sign the measure, which requires all states to recognize same-sex marriages. It is a relief for hundreds of thousands of couples who have married since the Supreme Court’s 2015 decision that legalized those marriages and have worried about what would happen if the ruling were overturned. Continue reading at The Associated Press. (Andrew Harnik)

Inslee, Ferguson join efforts to ban semiautomatic rifles in WA
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson will request legislation for a statewide ban on the purchase or transfer of assault-style semiautomatic rifles as part of the latest push by firearms-safety advocates in Olympia. That proposal and others are in the legislative agenda released Wednesday by the Alliance for Gun Responsibility ahead of the legislative session beginning in January. They arrive after a recent shooting at Seattle’s Ingraham High School that killed a student, along with the latest spate of high-profile mass shootings nationwide. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Ted S. Warren)

Vashon’s senator, Joe Nguyễn, is tapped as environment chair
Majority Democrats in the Senate chose their committee chairs this week and one of the caucus’s youngest and brashest members came away with a big prize. Sen. Joe Nguyễn, who will begin his second term in January representing the 34th District, which includes Vashon, was named chair of Environment, Energy, and Technology, a post currently occupied by Sen Reuven Carlyle, who didn’t seek reelection. Nguyễn’s ascension to the post is noteworthy as a significant generational shift; he’s some 18 years Carlyle’s junior. He inherits the implementation stages of much of the landmark environmental legislation passed in the last few years, and tells us he’s going to focus on building out new clean electricity generation and new transmission infrastructure to move all those electrons around. Continue reading at Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber. (Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber)

Print

Associated Press
Bill protecting same-sex, interracial unions clears Congress
Washington sues gun shop over high-capacity magazine sales
No northern giant hornets found in 2022 in Washington state

Aberdeen Daily World
Keep her sailing: nonprofit fundraises for Lady Washington, eyes future

Bainbridge Island Review
BISD focuses on student mental health and kindness
St. Michael president provides update on hospital challenges

Bellingham Herald
Children under 5 can now get an updated COVID vaccine. What parents should know
Whatcom County sets rate for voter-approved children’s levy

Everett Herald
Final 747 rollout signals end of an era for Boeing, Everett
Stanwood-Camano School Board seeks applicants for vacancy
Editorial: Facebook’s bluff ends hopes for local news support

Federal Way Mirror
Federal Way Discount Guns faces lawsuit for illegally selling high-capacity gun magazines
U.S. Attorney’s Office reaches settlement with Kent-based Tri-Med

The Inlander
The region needs more homes. Here are 11 examples of what to build, rehabilitate and preserve

Mercer Island Reporter
City and Sound Transit sign agreement to halt legal dispute

News Tribune
TPD officer testifies that Troyer reported no death threat to him. Next, defense’s turn
Renton School District thanks Tyler Lockett, Bobby Wagner for paying off kids’ lunch tabs
Op-Ed: My homeless neighbors are being replaced by rocks. NIMBYs against boulders should unite

Olympian
Northern giant hornets not yet eradicated in Washington, but state happy with 2022
Eight WA state locales recognized in list of top 400 U.S. college towns and cities

Puget Sound Business Journal
Apartment cooldown continues as rents drop for 3rd consecutive month
New Labor Department rule could have big implications for businesses
AWS, Microsoft land piece of $9B Pentagon cloud contract

Seattle Medium
How To Get Connected And Fight Food Insecurity
Trader Joe’s Settles with Seattle Workers

Seattle Times
PSE substations among five attacked in Pacific Northwest in November
Bering Sea crab collapse spurs push for stronger conservation measures
Editorial: Proposed Pebble Mine in Alaska threatens salmon in WA

Spokesman Review
Some Spokane residents say their mail service has nearly stopped
Spokane City Council punts on rental reform package, final vote to come January
Opinion: WA Cares offers state’s residents a safety net

Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
Vashon’s senator, Joe Nguyễn, is tapped as environment chair

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Viral ‘trifecta’ firmly in Walla Walla area

Yakima Herald-Republic
New members to join Yakima Board of Health in January
Yakima Council pauses paid parking plan after opposition from business owners

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Hundreds of businesses apply for grants from Seattle to repair storefront damage
‘It was deliberate’: Power grid stations in Pacific Northwest fall victim to recent attacks
What is the future of Boeing’s Everett Factory?

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
DSHS investigating after more than a thousand Washington families’ state benefits stolen by scammers

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Doctors urge public to get flu shots ahead of holiday gatherings

KNKX Public Radio
Port Townsend recognizes legal rights of southern resident orcas

KUOW Public Radio
WA voters approved strict gun laws in 2018. Why haven’t they been implemented?

Q13 TV (FOX)
I-90 expected to remain closed over Snoqualmie Pass until this afternoon after multiple crashes

Web

Crosscut
Mushroom farmworkers in Yakima Valley rally for union support
Inslee, Ferguson join efforts to ban semiautomatic rifles in WA (Kuderer)

MyNorthwest
Seattle mayor plans to cut gas-powered cars at City Hall to slash greenhouse gas

Wednesday, December 7

Wave of turnover hits Washington state legislature
Kirby is one of the more senior Democrats in the House of Representatives. He has a reputation for working with Republicans, and being kind and friendly to young lawmakers. Upon hearing of his retirement, the Republican house minority leader, Rep. J.T. Wilcox, said he was saddened. But Kirby is hardly alone. There’s been an unusual amount of turnover in the legislature this year: Eleven Washington House members decided not to run again, and 12 more ran for other positions or lost reelection. Seven senators are departing as well. Continue reading at KNKX. (Scott Greenstone)

Homeless program audit finds low investment in permanent housing in Yakima County
Yakima County’s homeless program spent more than $13 million on contracted homeless services from 2019 to 2021 but invested less than 1% of resources into permanent housing, according to a new report by the Washington State Auditor’s Office. The report, which also reviewed homeless programs in Seattle, Spokane and Snohomish County, recommended local governments adopt a more data-driven approach to distributing funding and better monitor service providers. Continue reading at Yakima Herald. (Evan Abell)

Police, housing to be priorities
Police reform, housing and workforce development will lead the list of Democratic priorities when the 2023 Washington state legislative session begins Jan. 9, said Rep. Mike Chapman. Revisiting how the state funds education also will be a top concern, he said. Democrats will have strong majorities in the House of Representatives (58-40) and Senate (29-20) during the 105-day session that runs through April 29. Continue reading at Peninsula Daily News. (Peninsula Daily News)

Print

Associated Press
Federal judge OKs Oregon’s new high-capacity magazine ban
Boeing’s last 747 to roll out of Washington state factory
Pearl Harbor remembrance ceremony to draw handful of survivors to Hawaii

Aberdeen Daily World
Ocean Shores deals with ongoing illegal hunting problem

Bellingham Herald
WA data breaches are at a ‘record-breaking severity.’ How to keep your personal data safe

Capital Press
Tree fruit growers navigate outside investment opportunities

Columbian
I-5 Bridge Replacement Program leaders, critics make their case

Everett Herald
Christmas trees, a Washington cash crop, get a little more spendy
Comment: Judge’s ruling may end protections for abuse victims

News Tribune
Newspaper carrier testifies no threat to ‘take out’ sheriff. State’s last witness up next
Company that runs Tacoma’s Click being sold to global infrastructure management firm
As disorder surged, why didn’t Tacoma crack down on South Hosmer Street motels?
Editorial: WA schools are failing students with complex disabilities. It’s happening in Tacoma, too

Olympian
SEIU secretly lobbied the Washington State Redistricting Commission, court filings allege (Fitzgibbon)
Why more than four dozen Rainier School residents will be leaving by July 31

Peninsula Daily News
Police, housing to be priorities (Chapman)

Puget Sound Business Journal
Median home sale price tumbled nearly 15% in Redmond last month
Regulators push Kroger for more information on $25B Albertsons deal
Economic slowdown? Wages are still growing

Seattle Medium
King County Continues To Make Strides In Reducing The Number of Uninsured Residents
Philanthropic Organization Releases “Black Well-Being Report”, Empowering The Black Community
Vets Fair Well in Seattle But Racism Exists

Seattle Times
Ex-Seahawk Doug Baldwin will help decide on 6 lives that hang in the balance
Boeing lost hundreds of experienced Seattle-area engineers last month
Opinion: Invest in crisis response for people living with psychiatric conditions
Editorial: Improve, don’t abandon, WA ballot verification

Spokesman Review
Airway Heights, Kalipsel Tribe in public quarrel over payment for emergency services at casino
Funding secured for $38 million railroad underpass in Spokane Valley
‘This camp is to be closed’: Confusion, frustration after law enforcement hands out flyers at Camp Hope
Opinion: The homeless crisis is not about one camp, and it’s bigger than most people realize

Tri-City Herald
Tri-Cities earns national honor given to just one place in Washington state

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Waitsburg installs stream gauges in Touchet River, Coppei Creek
Respiratory viruses abound in Walla Walla area

Yakima Herald-Republic
Homeless program audit finds low investment in permanent housing in Yakima County

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
‘It’s about equity:’ Midwife works to diversify birthing field to help BIPOC families
Security solutions proposed after Tacoma Santa Parade was breached by reckless driver
Governor, legislators could see raises in 2023 and 2024

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Closure for 30-vehicle pileup on eastbound I-90 near Kittitas expected to last until evening

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Washington AG files lawsuit against gun store illegally selling high-capacity ammunition (Liias)

KNKX Public Radio
Slow down! Surge in traffic deaths continues in West Coast states
Wave of turnover hits Washington state legislature (Kirby)
REAL ID enforcement is delayed again to 2025

KUOW Public Radio
As avian influenza outbreak worsens, local farms remain cautious

KXLY (ABC)
Airway Heights to reduce emergency services on Kalispel Tribe property
WSDOT asking for feedback on twin bridges, intersection design on SR 26 and US 195 in Colfax

Web

Crosscut
Yet again, turnout was lowest among WA’s young voters. Why?
Feds said salmon is safe to eat – but didn’t consider Native diets

MyNorthwest
Doctor: It’s possible to get flu, RSV, and COVID at same time

West Seattle Blog
BUSES: Check before you go, Metro warns – trips canceled after ‘defect’ sidelines 126 buses
FOLLOWUP: Delridge pedestrian bridge will remain, get retrofit

Tuesday, December 6

White House invites in state lawmakers before 2023 sessions
The White House is playing host to roughly 50 Democratic state lawmakers from 31 states this week as legislatures prepare for their upcoming sessions, aiming to talk over strategy on top issues like climate change, gun violence, abortion rights and voting rights. The aim is to give state lawmakers a to-do list for the upcoming legislative session, though meeting those goals will be nearly impossible in states where Republicans are in control. The meetings come as Democrats are increasingly focused on making inroads in state governments in part through better alignment on top issues, a political tactic that helped the GOP secure leadership in 23 states. The legislators will meet with Biden administration policy experts on drug control, veterans affairs, environmental quality, criminal justice, violence prevention and climate change. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Manuel Balce Ceneta)

‘This is what we need’ Gov. Inslee says of Catalyst Project opening this week
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and state officials heralded the opening of the much anticipated, and at times controversial, hotel-turned-supportive housing project in the West Hills neighborhood on Monday as a crucial step forward for establishing housing for homeless people in Spokane and across the state. Inslee told a group of a few dozen reporters, government employees and social workers “this Catalyst facility is not a Band-Aid. It is not sweeping people under the rug. It is addressing their permanent long-term problems so that they can be permanently housed, and that is what we need across the state of Washington.” Inslee affirmed his commitment to investing in homelessness solutions in the coming year. “You are going to see very significant ambition and an aggressive approach to this statewide,” he said. “I am very hopeful the Legislature will join me in upping our game in this regard, because the existing funding is not adequate to solve this problem. In the upcoming legislative session you are going to see some big asks of the Legislature and the people of state of Washington to tackle this problem.” Continue reading at The Spokesman Review. (Quinn Welsch)

To address wealth gap, Washington will consider trust fund for low-income children
A new proposal coming to the Washington Legislature for consideration next year aims to break the cycle of poverty that’s trapped families and lift future generations of low-income residents toward a path of financial independence. The Washington Future Fund would create a pool of money that every child born under the state’s Medicaid program, Apple Health, could access a portion of upon adulthood to use toward homeownership, education or pursuing a small business. Pioneering a bold idea to narrow the wealth gap, Washington would be one of the first states to create a trust fund program for babies born into low-income families. The trusts are intended to even the financial playing field for lower-income residents by providing a chance to catch up to their wealthier peers. Continue reading at Associated Press. (Rachel La Corte)