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Wednesday, October 26

EPA awarding nearly $1 billion to schools for electric buses
Nearly 400 school districts spanning all 50 states and Washington, D.C., along with several tribes and U.S. territories, are receiving roughly $1 billion in grants to purchase about 2,500 “clean” school buses under a new federal program. Vice President Kamala Harris and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan are set to announce the grant awards Wednesday in Seattle. The new, mostly electric school buses will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save money and better protect children’s health, the White House said. Continue reading at The Associated Press. (Jacquelyn Martin)

Climate warming methane emissions rising faster than ever, study says
The amount of methane in the atmosphere is racing ahead at an accelerating pace, according to a study by the World Meteorological Organization, threatening to undermine efforts to slow climate change. The WMO’s Greenhouse Gas Bulletin said that “global emissions have rebounded since the COVID-related lockdowns” and that the increases in methane levels in 2020 and 2021 were the largest since systematic record keeping began in 1983. “Methane concentrations are not just rising, they’re rising faster than ever,” said Rob Jackson, a professor of Earth system science at Stanford University. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (David Goldman)

Why aren’t clergy members obligated to report abuse in WA?
In Washington, clergy — unlike teachers, physicians and law enforcement — were not listed as mandatory reporters of child abuse or neglect. [Former Rep. Mary Lou] Dickerson, D-Seattle, introduced a bill that would have changed that. But each attempt failed. The closest any version came was in 2005, when a bill that would have compelled clergy to report sexual abuse passed the state House unanimously. However, a watered-down version still couldn’t make it out of a state Senate committee. No similar bill has been proposed since. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Erick Doxey)

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Associated Press
3 men convicted of supporting plot to kidnap Gov. Whitmer
Water investigations said to test Biden racial equity pledge
VP Harris in Seattle to announce $1 billion for electric school buses

Aberdeen Daily World
State representative’s wife killed in Cosmopolis car accident

Bellevue Reporter
DOH data shows childhood vaccination rates remain stagnant

Capital Press
Company’s stake in proposed Washington carbon credits unclear

Columbian
Editorial: In Our View: Meta defies campaign law, will of the voters
Editorial: In Our View: Wildfire underscores climate, forests need help

The Daily News
Area burn bans lifted as rainy weather forecasted through the week in Lower Columbia

Everett Herald
Everett city dress code for bikini baristas ruled unconstitutional
Everett tenant joins lawsuit alleging price fixing by major landlords
Lynnwood council again scraps $40 car tab fees

Journal of the San Juan Islands
San Juan Island Library Capital Grant Advances to Legislature

News Tribune
Texts he sought were deleted. Fired Pierce deputy will get $400K but not his job back
Ex-Pierce County sheriff’s sergeant pleads guilty to lesser charge in felony assault case

Olympian
Olympia City Council gets update on housing projects — and a nudge to clarify objectives

Peninsula Daily News
Burn bans lifted on Peninsula
In November, Peninsula COVD updates to be monthly

Puget Sound Business Journal
Port approves $260M for Sea-Tac Airport upgrades
The IRS is warning business owners about a lucrative Covid-19 credit
Cyberattacks on small business owners are on the rise.

Seattle Times
Snow, spinouts on WA mountain passes: Here’s what to know
Seattle’s Forterra fires executive after tribe, investors, ex-staff speak out
Delta ‘weaponized’ mental health rules against a pilot. She fought back

Skagit Valley Herald
Sedro-Woolley seeks new planning commissioner
Grant-funded projects provide new opportunities for Swinomish justice system

Spokesman Review
Heart of the Columbia Basin: Othello is young, Hispanic and growing fast
Volunteers of America Eastern Washington will add behavioral health services with $4 million federal grant
City Council approves payment in $4 million settlement with family of man killed by police

Tri-City Herald
Pasco picks new interim city manager. He has more than a decade of experience
Dam turbine leaks hundreds of gallons of oil into Snake River in Eastern WA

Washington Post
Trump chief of staff Meadows ordered to testify before Ga. grand jury
For those still trying to duck covid, the isolation is worse than ever
Climate warming methane emissions rising faster than ever, study says
Regular exercise may improve the effectiveness of coronavirus vaccines
A profound change is coming to American school buses

Yakima Herald-Republic
Old orchard pesticide cleanup open house planned for Nov. 8 in Yakima
Gathering in Toppenish calls for an end to violence on Yakama Reservation

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Western Washington University investigating anti-Semitic graffiti on ‘free speech board’

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
New federal program recruiting volunteers to address public health shortages
What changes when Washington’s COVID-19 emergency ends next week?

KNKX Public Radio
Omicron keeps finding new evolutionary tricks to outsmart our immunity
Early retirement took off during the pandemic. An economic downturn could change that

KUOW Public Radio
As electric vehicles become more popular, home renters face a charging dilemma

KXLY (ABC)
School districts, tutoring centers look to boost student learning after decline in test scores
Local officials activate emergency operations center in effort to clear Camp Hope by Nov. 15

Web

Crosscut
Why aren’t clergy members obligated to report abuse in WA? (Billig)

MyNorthwest
After Supreme Court ruling Bremerton coach to be reinstated by March
WSU lifting COVID-19 vaccine mandate, legal experts weigh in on move
New safety feature for Light Rail in the Rainier Valley

West Seattle Blog
More ‘natural drainage’ in Highland Park, and a chance to ask questions

Tuesday, October 25

Washington students may be leaving behind $50 million in federal aid
About $50 million in federal aid has been left on the table by Washington students that never filed a FAFSA, according to the office of the Governor. Low and middle-income families can find that the cost of college is either completely or significantly covered after aid. State programs also support students that choose technical education or apprenticeships. Many students ineligible for federal aid can still receive state aid, including undocumented immigrants and people that owe repayment of federal grants. Continue reading at KXLY. (Alexander Mils)

Recycling plastic is practically impossible — and the problem is getting worse
Waste management experts say the problem with plastic is that it is expensive to collect and sort. There are now thousands of different types of plastic, and none of them can be melted down together. Plastic also degrades after one or two uses. Greenpeace found the more plastic is reused the more toxic it becomes. An NPR investigative report found in 2020 that industry officials misled the public about the recyclability of plastic even though their own reports showed they knew as early as the 1970s and 1980s that plastic could not be economically recycled. Continue reading at KNKX. (Laura Sullivan)

Investigation finds software company’s algorithm could be artificially inflating rent prices in Seattle
A software company and nine property management groups are being accused of artificially inflating rents. An investigation found the software that sparked the lawsuit is used by management companies in Seattle. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District County in San Diego by renters. It alleges the property management companies and Texas-based software company RealPage formed a cartel to artificially inflate rent prices and decrease the supply of multifamily real estate in violation of federal law. ProPublica’s investigation found that “70% of apartments [in Belltown] were overseen by just 10 property managers, every single one of which used pricing software sold by RealPage.” Continue reading at KING 5.

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Associated Press
What is RSV? US children’s hospitals see rising number of cases

Bellingham Herald
‘Unacceptable and discriminatory act’ condemned at WWU

Capital Press
Tyson to pay $10.5 million to settle Washington chicken suit

Columbian
Vancouver resident recounts her journey with the foster care system and homelessness
Evergreen Public Schools paraeducators reject contract
Vancouver to fight lawsuit against Stay Safe Community

Everett Herald
Flash flood watch issued for Bolt Creek fire burn scar area
Comment: State’s current police pursuit law safe, effective

News Tribune
‘Where did our money go?’ Parents have questions after Gig Harbor preschool’s closure

Olympian
Port of Olympia commission votes 3-0 to sign letter in opposition to proposed airport
Olympia wants your thoughts on turning Capital Mall area into mixed-use urban center

Peninsula Daily News
Emergency declaration for COVID to wrap up in Clallam
COVID-19 emergency extended by board of Jefferson County commissioners
State Department of Natural Resources proposes forest lands set aside to store carbon

Puget Sound Business Journal
Trial date set for Amazon fraud suit against former employees
There’s $500M up for grabs. Here’s what small businesses want to see.

Seattle Times
After Whidbey crash, NTSB wants Otter seaplanes grounded pending inspection
Bolt Creek fire scar near Skykomish under flash flood watch
WA reaches $10M settlement with Tyson Foods in chicken price fixing
Editorial: Throw the book at Meta for intentional campaign finance violations

Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit County sites considered for state Carbon Project

Spokesman Review
City of Spokane and Knezovich requesting emergency proclamation for Camp Hope
Grant County residents sheltering in place after fertilizer plant fire
Inslee, legislators lay out first legislative proposals for protecting abortion in Washington (Dhingra, Slatter)
Opinion: After two light years, the 2022-2023 flu season may bring more sickness

Tri-City Herald
4 Tri-Cities companies pay EPA fines over home renovations that likely had lead paint
What caused the fiery plane wreck at Tri-Cities Airport last month? New details
Richland School Board to consider ‘race, culture’ policy passed by Kennewick

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Flu is here, and it’s predicted to be a ‘harsh’ season
Veterans Administration teams with Drug Enforcement Agency for RX drug take back in Walla Walla

Washington Post
Female bodybuilders describe widespread sexual exploitation
Ashton Carter, defense chief who opened combat roles to women, dies at 68
Climate change threatens emperor penguins with extinction, officials say
Adidas ends massive deal with Kanye West after antisemitism controversy

Wenatchee World
Respiratory problems increase at Central Washington Hospital in Wenatchee due to wildfire smoke

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Investigation finds software company’s algorithm could be artificially inflating rent prices in Seattle
Kirkland chef restores stream to make it habitable for salmon and sees ‘amazing’ results
‘A failure’: How Washington’s cannabis program shut out Black business owners
WA Cares Fund projected to be solvent through 2098 in new analysis

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Residents near Bolt Creek Fire warned of possible extended closures of US 2 amid flash flood watch
Thousands of students missing out on aid as Washington has third-lowest FAFSA completion rate in US

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Redfin: More than half of US homeowners have paid to protect homes from climate threats
Washington state one of 10 safest states in US, per WalletHub report
Western Washington’s poor air quality stifles learning in some classrooms

KNKX Public Radio
Recycling plastic is practically impossible — and the problem is getting worse
Children’s hospitals grapple with a nationwide surge in RSV infections

KUOW Public Radio
WA softened drug penalties last year. Now some South King County cities are cracking down
The PACT Act and you: what veterans need to know

KXLY (ABC)
Washington students may be leaving behind $50 million in federal aid
Spokane fish biologist appointed to Washington Salmon Recovery Board

Q13 TV (FOX)
Burn bans lifted for some counties

Web

Crosscut
Polluting WA gold mine broke environmental laws 3,539 times

MyNorthwest
Gov. Inslee touts state investments in school health center

The Stranger
Mayor Harrell Defunds Asian American Hate Crime Prevention by 50%

West Seattle Blog
FOLLOWUP: Zoning exceptions for new Alki Elementary? Extra time to comment
FOLLOWUP: Here’s what SPU says caused brown water for some West Seattle customers

Monday, October 24

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)

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)

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)

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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)

Friday, October 21

Gov. Inslee announces new measures to assure abortion access
Gov. Jay Inslee announced legislation he’ll seek to guarantee abortion access and ensure medical privacy in light of the U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned the national right to abortion and sent the matter to the states. Inslee, speaking outside the Campus Services Building at Western Washington University in Bellingham on Friday, Oct. 21, described a constitutional amendment and new laws that would be proposed if the Democratic Party keeps control of the Legislature. Continue reading at OutletName. (Rachel Showalter/The Bellingham Herald)

Winds and rain clear Seattle’s smoky air
Go ahead. Breathe a sigh of relief. Or, just breathe — in and out. With rainfall and winds moving through the Seattle area Friday morning, the wildfire smoke that has clouded air for the past few weeks will begin to subside. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Kylie Cooper/The Seattle Times)

The unseen toll of nonfatal police shootings
The way Kenneth Gilbert Jr. and his father tell the story, it had been a busy morning running errands in east Atlanta when their pickup was suddenly cut off by a dark truck and forced onto the curb. Once Gilbert Sr. got back on the road, he said, the truck swerved back into their lane. Gilbert Sr. said he hit the gas and sped around it, making a sweeping motion with his hand as he shouted at the driver to “move over.” Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Brian Howey/Washington Post)

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Associated Press
2 arrested after 2 killed, tribal officer shot in Washington

Bellevue Reporter
Mentors wanted for the Social Equity in Cannabis Technical Assistance Program

Everett Herald
County officially won’t require drug treatment at new hotel shelters

Kent Reporter
Kent City Council unanimously passes public camping ban

News Tribune
Gov. Inslee announces new measures to assure abortion access
Army special ops will bring nights of helicopters, planes and gunfire to JBLM
‘Thank you rain,’ and ‘I can breathe.’ Tacoma residents react to long-awaited rainfall

Olympian
Hiring bonuses for WA school staff part of new Reykdal proposal to attract employees
2 teens alert Lacey council to threat of violence, partial lock down at area schools
Olympia mayor criticizes Lacey for lack of support on housing; Lacey mayor defends city

Puget Sound Business Journal
Academia becomes economic catalyst for downtown Tacoma

Seattle Medium
Amazon Donates $3 Million To Seattle And Bellevue Colleges To Provide Greater Access To Computer Science Degrees

Seattle Times
Winds and rain clear Seattle’s smoky air
Hiring in WA may be at a tipping point
WA Supreme Court expands protections against racism in civil cases
WA’s HIV prevention program out of funding in 3 months, forced to close

Skagit Valley Herald
Federal grant could pay for study of rail crossings in Burlington
Aviation commission submits options to state Legislature

Spokesman Review
Spokane International Airport breaks ground on first phase of $150 million terminal expansion project
Knezovich asks state to audit ‘financing,’ ‘communication’ regarding Camp Hope

Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
Local experts roll out new risk assessment tool rolls out

Washington Post
Mar-a-Lago classified papers held U.S. secrets about Iran and China
The unseen toll of nonfatal police shootings
Steve Bannon sentenced to 4 months in prison for contempt of Congress in Jan. 6 probe
Federal deficit shrank by half in 2022, Biden administration says, but new battles over taxes and spending loom
EPA to further slash emissions from climate super-pollutants

Wenatchee World
Second Safe Park under construction for those living in RVs on Wenatchee Valley streets
COVID-19 cases slowly downtrending; two monkeypox cases identified

Yakima Herald-Republic
Northwest elections officials amp up defenses against fraud claims ahead of midterms
Editorial: The signs are all around us … and they’re wrong

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Washington paid family leave program could hit $8.7 million deficit
Wildfire smoke FAQ: When will the air quality improve?
Police association calls on Rep. Johnson to retract comment that police ‘go around killing people’

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Government invests $2.8 billion in bolstering EV battery supply chain
‘Like breathing underwater:’ Seattle residents hope Thursday is last day of terrible air
Seattle hospitals experience record volumes of pediatric patients
Washington’s paid family leave premiums to increase Jan. 1

KXLY (ABC)
$150 million expansion project underway at Spokane International Airport
Dangerous ‘PFAS’ chemicals found in Spokane River
WSU lifting COVID vaccine requirement for most employees, contractors and volunteers
Washington Superintendent proposes giving educators hiring bonuses to reduce turnover

Thursday, October 20

COVID-19 linked to increase in US pregnancy-related deaths
COVID-19 drove a dramatic increase in the number of women who died from pregnancy or childbirth complications in the U.S. last year, a crisis that has disproportionately claimed Black and Hispanic women as victims, according to a government report released Wednesday. The report lays out grim trends across the country for expectant mothers and their newborn babies. It finds that pregnancy-related deaths have spiked nearly 80% since 2018, with COVID-19 being a factor in a quarter of the 1,178 deaths reported last year. Continue reading at The Associated Press. (Rogelio V. Solis)

EPA’s deputy administrator gives Spokane high marks on clean-up efforts in visit to discuss infrastructure funding
Spokane’s past use of federal dollars to clean up environmental blights earned high marks from a delegation of top state and federal Environmental Protection Agency officials during a visit Tuesday. [Deputy EPA Administrator Janet] McCabe urged city officials to continue that tradition and put in applications for money that has been set aside in Congress by the infrastructure bill and the spending plan called the Inflation Reduction Act that passed earlier this year . She specifically mentioned $5 billion in grants supporting electrification of school buses, more charging infrastructure for electric vehicles and the administration’s new emphasis on environmental justice grants, intended to help underserved populations build pollution-prevention practices. Continue reading at The Spokesman-Review. (Dan Pelle)

Seattle’s air quality among the worst in the world due to wildfire smoke
Seattle’s air quality Thursday morning is the worst of any place in the world, according to IQAir’s Air Quality and pollution city rankings. The air quality in the region was measured at 238 on the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 7 a.m. Thursday, putting Seattle ahead of Portland, Ore., Beijing, China, Delhi, India, and Lahore, Pakistan in the top five. Seattle measured above 250 on the AQI by 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. An Air Quality Alert is in effect through Thursday evening for Seattle, as multiple fires continue to burn in the Cascades. The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency urges people to stay inside, and released a map Wednesday showing the areas most affected by the smoky conditions. Continue reading at KING 5.