Click here for our Daily E-Clips policy.

Wednesday, October 5

WA offers $4K bonuses to combat homeless-service worker crisis
The homeless-services sector struggled with low pay, burnout and turnover long before the pandemic. But industry leaders say the pandemic cranked the challenges of the work to 11, leading to a crisis-level shortage of frontline workers. In recognition of that crisis and the need to stanch the outflow of social-service providers, the Washington state Legislature earmarked $55 million in federal COVID-19 grants in the 2022 budget to pay for two rounds of $2,000 stipends for people doing direct homeless assistance in the state. The money also pays for a study that will look at long-term solutions to stabilize the industry. Applications for the stipend program opened Sept. 29. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Amanda Snyder)

Meet Snoqualmie Police Department’s new behavioral health specialist
“When people are calling 911, it could be one of the worst days of their lives, and anything to support them and support the officers is super exciting to me and super beneficial to the community,” [Behavioral Health Specialist Stephanie Butler] said. “I know we’re a small community here, but I don’t doubt that we can have as big an impact as other mental health professionals responding in other communities.” Butler’s position is part of a pilot-program that, if successful, could be expanded to other cities. Her work was funded during last year’s state legislative session, when state Rep. Lisa Callan (D-Issaquah) requested $150,000 from the state budget on behalf of Snoqualmie and North Bend to fund the position for a single year. Continue reading at Snoqualmie Valley Record. (Conor Wilson)

OPEC and its allies move to slash oil production by 2 million barrels a day
A coalition of oil-producing nations, including Russia, announced Wednesday it would slash oil production by 2 million barrels per day, in a rebuke to President Biden that could push up gas prices worldwide, worsen the risk of a global recession and bolster Russia’s war in Ukraine. The move by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries prompted a blistering reaction from White House officials who hinted at working with Congress to reduce the power of the oil producing consortium. The OPEC Plus coalition, which is led by crude-oil giant Saudi Arabia, said the cut in production would take effect in November. This would be the first time the group cut oil production targets since the beginning of the pandemic. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Joe Klamar)

Print

Associated Press
Amazon sues Washington’s labor agency over alleged hazards
Settlement reached in fatal police shooting lawsuit

Aberdeen Daily World
Aberdeen schools shut down, one arrested following threat

Bellevue Reporter
Bellevue adopts internationally recognized definition of antisemitism
Homeless service workers may qualify for up to $4,000 in relief
WA Liquor and Cannabis Board creates first Cannabinoid Science Work Group

Bellingham Herald
Bellingham’s new budget adds police and firefighters, funds Racial Equity Commission

Bothell-Kenmore Reporter
Advocates praise the Inflation Reduction Act’s investment in climate

Capital Press
Easterday sentenced to 11 years in prison for $244 million fraud case

Courier-Herald
State funds approved for Flaming Geyser, Boise Creek salmon revival projects

The Daily News
Senator Cantwell talks turning basins, airport improvements at Port of Kalama roundtable
PeaceHealth St. John staff, supporters picket for fair wages Tuesday in Longview

Everett Herald
2 ‘extraordinary educators’ honored nationally for success in classroom
Everett City Council district commission sticks with map
Editorial: Right call made to keep Paine on light rail route

Journal of the San Juan Islands
Special Council meeting regarding ferries

Kent Reporter
Kent-based Puget Sound Fire expands community assistance programs

News Tribune
Paper charts, canceled appointments at VMFH clinics, hospitals as network outage drags on
Received a surprise P-EBT card in the mail for your Tacoma Public Schools child? Here’s why

Puget Sound Business Journal
Amazon sues Washington state labor agency over safety citation
Amazon said to be freezing hiring in its retail division
A million job openings vanished in August. Here’s what it means.

Seattle Medium
King County Council Approves Measure To Support Local Food Banks

Seattle Times
Following dramatic jump in traffic deaths, Pierce County seeks change
Amazon won’t say what partial corporate hiring freeze means to Seattle
WA hospitals still face record financial losses; more service cuts expected
No prison for Seattle hacker behind Capital One $250M data breach
Seattle announces $2M storefront repair fund for small businesses

Snoqualmie Valley Record
Meet Snoqualmie Police Department’s new behavioral health specialist (Callan)

South Whidbey Record
State grants fund salmon recovery on Whidbey

Spokesman Review
Spokane County to sue WSDOT over Camp Hope
‘I will never live the same’: Friends and family hold vigil for Hillyard man killed by Spokane police

Washington Post
OPEC and its allies move to slash oil production by 2 million barrels a day
Far from coasts, flooding from Hurricane Ian devastates inland communities

Yakima Herald-Republic
WA state proposes increases to workers’ compensation insurance rates
Free meals are the popular norm for many Yakima County schools, as state looks to expand program
Electric cars and bikes on display at downtown Yakima Farmers Market

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Washington state hospitals lose more than $1 billion in six months
Seattle’s minimum wage increasing by $1.42 in 2023
Local food banks are being impacted by inflation, supply chain issues
Utility prices expected to rise across much of western Washington

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Experts warn of King County COVID surge, say few people have gotten updated booster
Bolt Creek Fire again forcing closure of Highway 2

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
US Highway 2 shut down Wednesday due to Bolt Creek wildfire
Washington state allows students to be excused for mental health days
Seattle, King County move forward with pilot program for RV safe lot

KUOW Public Radio
Cody Easterday sentenced to 11 years in prison for cattle fraud scam
Seattle minimum wage will rise in 2023

NW Public Radio
It’s Been A Decade Since The Removal Of Condit Dam And The Return Of Salmon To White Salmon River

Q13 TV (FOX)
NOAA determines dams on lower Snake River must be breached

Web

Crosscut
WA offers $4K bonuses to combat homeless-service worker crisis

Tuesday, October 4

Supreme Court kicks off new term with North Idaho couple’s case that could limit reach of Clean Water Act
The Supreme Court on Monday kicked off what promises to be another contentious and high-stakes term with oral arguments in a North Idaho couple’s case that could see the court’s conservative supermajority roll back federal protections for the nation’s wetlands. At issue is what exactly counts as “waters of the United States,” which are protected from pollution by the Clean Water Act of 1972. In previous cases, the high court has agreed the law applies to wetlands – which play important roles, including flood control and filtering pollutants – in addition to “navigable” bodies of water. But in a muddled 2006 decision, the court’s nine justices split three ways, leaving conflicting “tests” for lower courts to apply in deciding if a wetland is protected. Continue reading at The Spokesman-Review. (Pacific Legal Foundation)

People experiencing homelessness may lose decades of life
People experiencing homelessness in King County may die decades earlier than their peers in the broader community. That’s one takeaway from a recent report from the King County Medical Examiner’s Office on some of the deaths that have occurred among people living unhoused over the past decade. The Medical Examiner’s office doesn’t investigate all deaths in the county, only those that are unexpected, sudden, violent, suspicious, or where the cause of death is unknown. Over the past 10 years, the office has investigated 1,429 deaths of people presumed to be homeless. Additionally, as is true in the overall homeless population in the county, Black and Native people were overrepresented in the deaths investigated by the office. Continue reading at KUOW. (Megan Farmer)

$500M-plus from opioid deal starts heading to Washington
The first payments from a $518 million settlement with the nation’s three largest opioid distributors will begin reaching Washington communities in December, providing much-needed cash officials can use to hire first responders or direct toward prevention, treatment and other services, Attorney General Bob Ferguson said Monday. Over the last two decades, the deaths of more than 500,000 Americans have been linked to overdoses of opioids, including both prescription pain killers and illicit drugs such as heroin. Deaths have recently skyrocketed from the spread of illegally produced fentanyl. Continue reading at The Associated Press.

Print

Associated Press
Washington wildfire human caused, evacuation orders lifted
$500M-plus from opioid deal starts heading to Washington

Bellingham Herald
Can you get your flu and COVID booster shots together? What experts recommend
Water utility shutoffs have resumed in Bellingham. Here’s what to know
Nooksack Tribe, PSE get creative to make warehouse solar project possible
You’ll soon need a REAL ID to fly domestically. Here’s how to get one in Washington

Capital Press
Tyson calls Easterday’s multimillion-dollar claims ‘imaginary’
Stink bug will pose more risk to crops in the future, researcher predicts

Columbian
Interstate 5 Bridge replacement project submits federal grant application

Courier-Herald
King County wants to update its flood plans — and wants your opinion

Everett Herald
Federal funds could pay for Everett bathrooms, gun buyback, more

High Country News
Why the country’s largest shellfish farm is struggling to hire and retain workers

News Tribune
This elected official sent a racist meme in an email. The City Council took action
His friend killed 4 Lakewood police officers. What did Dorcus Allen know about the plan?
More ‘deeply affordable housing’ coming to Tacoma after apartment complex changes hands

Olympian
Total staff costs of expanded Port and Thurston County commissions: $2.23 million
‘Shocking’ rise in STIs during COVID alarms health workers

Puget Sound Business Journal
Housing in Seattle’s manufacturing centers possible under latest city plan

Seattle Times
Seattle to stay smoky amid record heat, low rainfall
After 4 students shot, UW president calls gun violence a ‘public health crisis’
Utility bills likely to go up, Puget Sound Energy says
Researchers warn of mental health risks of high-potency cannabis (Davis)
Job openings in WA grew rapidly this summer
Seattle police recruits now learn about history, communities before setting foot in the academy

Spokesman Review
While UI faculty are warned against even talking about emergency contraception, WSU will offer emergency contraceptives in vending machine
Supreme Court kicks off new term with North Idaho couple’s case that could limit reach of Clean Water Act
Comment: Fight over social media’s role in terror content goes to Supreme Court
Opinion: Faith leaders unite in condemning Idaho’s abortion ban

Tri-City Herald
Officials warn Eastern WA hunters to watch for neurological disease in deer and elk
Benton, Franklin counties get $60 million in federal COVID relief to spend. Where’s it going?
COVID cases on the decline in Tri-Cities. Health officials question how long it will last

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Hot, dry September brings minor drought conditions back to parts of Walla Walla County

Washington Post
Trump’s lawyer refused his request in February to say all documents returned
‘The worst we’ve seen’: Ranchers threatened by historic heat and drought
Supreme Court debates narrowing protections in Clean Water Act

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima County, communities around the state to receive funding from WA opioid deal
Shipping container shelters at Camp Hope offer safe housing for people with trauma
Federal official visits Rimrock Lake to announce $400K boost for fish passage project
Environmental statement issued on Yakima County Solar Projects

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Report: Seattle’s housing market cooling faster than any other US city
Seattle, UW leaders working on solutions after a violent weekend in the University District
Yes, a change to the student loan forgiveness plan excludes some borrowers from relief

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Many parts of western Washington dealing with ‘moderate’ air quality as smoky conditions persist

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
With flu season around the corner, local doctors urge people to get shots now
Study: Washington teens falling victim to online scams faster than seniors

KUOW Public Radio
People experiencing homelessness may lose decades of life

Q13 TV (FOX)
Wildfire smoke a growing concern as locals breathe in ‘moderate’-quality air for weeks

Web

MyNorthwest
Pierce County breaks ground on its first new transit center since the 90s
Bellevue adopts proclamation defining antisemitism

Monday, October 3

‘Still here’: Tulalip boarding school descendants celebrate resilience
Also known as Orange Shirt Day, Sept. 30 recognizes the victims and survivors of federally mandated schools intended to strip Indigenous people of their culture. People wear orange as a nod to Phyllis Webstad, a survivor of a Canadian boarding school whose “shiny new orange shirt, bought by her grandmother, was taken from her as a six-year-old girl,” on her first day at the school, according to the Orange Shirt Day website. Boarding schools for Native American children dotted the continent for well over a century. At Tulalip, hundreds of Indigenous children were taken from their parents and put in a federal school that operated for three decades, starting around 1900. There, they were subject to malnourishment, neglect and physical and sexual abuse. Continue reading at The Everett Herald. (Kevin Clark)

The SCOTUS power-plant ruling won’t affect Washington — yet
In June the U.S. Supreme Court gutted the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to regulate power plants, prompting widespread questions about the broader environmental implications. But in Washington, where lawmakers have doubled down on greenhouse-gas emission regulations in recent years and the only coal-fired power plant is expected to close its coal-fired boilers soon, experts say the effects will likely be minimal — at least initially. Washington has one of the cleanest power grids in the country, with hydroelectric power making up about two-thirds of its electricity generation from utility-scale and small-scale facilities in 2020 and wind power accounting for about 8%, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Ted S. Warren)

October marks start of ‘Move Ahead Washington’ legislation impacts
Several measures took effect on October 1 that will impact drivers and public transit users in Washington state. Some were tied to the passage of “Move Ahead Washington,” a transportation package that invests $16.9 billion over 16 years in projects statewide. Starting October 1, children and teens can ride Washington State Ferries vessels for free. The package empowered free fares for passengers 18 and younger on all public transportation. A press release said the package also put $5.4 billion toward “carbon reduction and multimodal expansion,” $3 billion toward “maintenance and preservation,” and $3 billion toward public transportation. Continue reading at KING5.

Print

Associated Press
After rocky start, hopes up in Oregon drug decriminalization

Aberdeen Daily World
Weyerhaeuser strike continues in Aberdeen and across state
One year on, trees returning to restored tidelands

Auburn Reporter
Auburn Community Court takes holistic approach to crime

Bellevue Reporter
Department of Ecology finalizes cap-and-invest plan to cut carbon pollution

Bellingham Herald
Did you feel this earthquake that shook in Whatcom County, only miles west of Mount Baker
Whatcom sheriff describes opioid’s human toll amid rising overdoses

Capital Press
Wolves continue attacks on northeast Washington cattle
Rules for Washington’s new tax unsettled pending state Supreme Court decision
Final report: Dam breaching ‘centerpiece’ of restoring Snake River fish populations
Endangered southern resident orca numbers drop from 74 to 73

Columbian
Editorial: In Our View: Investing in child care will benefit economy

The Daily News
Restoration of the Port of Kalama’s Lelooska totem poles underway
Cowlitz County Noxious Weed Board proposes taxing public rights of way

Everett Herald
‘Senseless’: Mom sues state DOC after son’s suicide at Monroe prison
Fall brings concerns of a ‘twindemic’ of flu, COVID
U.S. 2 open again near Skykomish after Bolt Creek fire closure
‘Still here’: Tulalip boarding school descendants celebrate resilience

Kitsap Sun
When will student loans be forgiven? What to know about debt relief applications

News Tribune
After 21 long years, the Seattle Mariners are back in the playoffs. Savor the moment
This land was set to be developed into 40 homes. Now it’ll be kept as salmon habitat
This $115 million business park would bring jobs to Pierce County, roundabout to SR 410
Who was the victim? Activists, police disagree over incident at Tacoma street protest

Olympian
Thurston County finds new provider for rent, utility help after breaking with old one
A developer cleared acres of trees in Olympia. This group is trying to reverse the damage
A new airport in Thurston County? Local officials push back on unpopular proposal

Peninsula Daily News
COVID infections plateau on Peninsula

Puget Sound Business Journal
Office-demand indices continue to tumble at close of summer

Seattle Times
WA faces an epidemic of inaccessible sidewalks
Harrell wants to overrule own vote on human services wages in Seattle
Nearly 200 Durkan texts were manually deleted after 2020 Seattle protests, filing says
Column: How King County piles its problems on the Chinatown International District

Spokesman Review
The U.S. Postal Service holds massive hiring event to fill 2,000 positions in Washington

Tri-City Herald
Will Cody Easterday only have to pay back a fraction of the $250M ‘ghost cattle’ fraud?
Final federal report on saving salmon calls breaching Snake dams a ‘centerpiece action’

Washington Post
Prosecutors outline Oath Keepers’ alleged roles in seditious conspiracy case
U.S. economy stumbles into final stretch of 2022 facing new pressures

Yakima Herald-Republic
Washington Building Code Council hears an earful in Yakima about switch from gas to electric
All aboard: Kids and students get free Yakima Transit rides starting Saturday

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
October marks start of ‘Move Ahead Washington’ legislation impacts
Seattle mayor wants millions to improve traffic safety on busiest roadways

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Officials say Bolt Creek Fire was caused by humans
Classes canceled Monday for students in Aberdeen School District due to online threats

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Aberdeen schools closed Monday as investigation continues into online threats
Downtown Seattle ‘a lot better’ as King Co. Prosecutor’s Office files more cases

KNKX Public Radio
Tiny Oregon town hosts 1st wind-solar-battery ‘hybrid’ plant

KUOW Public Radio
King County begins work on ‘Stop Hate Hotline’
After years of sewage spills, King County settles tribal lawsuit, agrees to plant upgrades
WA recently expanded voting access for formerly incarcerated people. But barriers remain

NW Public Radio
Federal Report Recommends Removing Four Lower Snake River Dams To Protect Salmon

Q13 TV (FOX)
Bolt Creek Fire: Officials determine fire was ‘human-caused’

Web

Crosscut
The SCOTUS power-plant ruling won’t affect Washington — yet

The Stranger
Mayor Harrell Proposes $1 Million for Questionable Surveillance Tech

Friday, September 30

WA state ferries free for people 18 and under starting Saturday
Starting Saturday, trips on Washington state ferries will be free for children and teens 18 and under. Earlier this month, bus and other transit fares were lifted for young riders in most of Washington. It’s part of a move by agencies across the state toward providing free rides for people 18 and under. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ken Lambert/ Seattle Times)

Woman raped by on-duty police officer says Spokane Police Department ignored ‘red flags’ in claim against city
One of the women raped by a former Spokane police officer has filed a $1 million claim against the city alleging the police department ignored “red flags” in the officer’s behavior. The city allowed Nathan Nash “to use his uniform and authority to prey on women,” the 25-year-old victim wrote in her claim for damages, an administrative precursor to a lawsuit. A Spokane jury convicted Nash, 39, of raping two women in 2019 during follow-up visits to physical assault investigations he responded to in his role as a Spokane Police officer. Continue reading at The Spokesman-Review. (Jesse Tinsley/ The Spokesman-Review)

How climate change is rapidly fueling super hurricanes
As Hurricane Ian barreled toward Florida this week, it did what six other storms did over the past six years as they approached the United States: It intensified, quickly. A few factors help account for the shift, including the warming waters — fueled by climate change — that give hurricanes more energy to release through crushing winds and pounding waves. Climate scientists suspect the slow movement of storms like Ian also stems from global warming, giving them a greater opportunity to strengthen and destroy as long as day-to-day conditions remain ripe. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Wilfredo Lee/AP)

Print

Capital Press
State kills two wolves in NE Washington pack

Everett Herald
Plan seeks to transform Smokey Point Blvd. into ‘neighborhood corridor’
Welcome aboard, kids! Ferry rides are free for those 18 and under
Should light rail skip Paine Field and Boeing? We asked, you answered

Kitsap Sun
St. Michael Medical Center denied preliminary accreditation

News Tribune
Another construction setback for Tacoma Link extension. When will it finish?

Olympian
Hurricane Ian death toll rises in storm-stricken areas. ‘Takes days’ or longer to determine
Are we in an El Niño or La Niña year? What this winter could mean for Washington weather

Puget Sound Business Journal
Seattle restaurateurs rethink business model with fewer workers
Analyst: Amazon ‘playing defense’ with move to boost pay at warehouses
Report: Travel demand — and frustration — returns to Sea-Tac Airport

Seattle Medium
Washington Healthcare Providers In Trouble

Seattle Times
Snoqualmie Tribe says Forterra misled it, feds in $20M grant application
Bodies, majority of wreckage recovered from Whidbey Island plane crash
Seattle area to see weather at or near 80 degrees
WA state ferries free for people 18 and under starting Saturday
What we know about trauma’s effect on our health, and how people can recover
Magnolia, Fremont poised to swap Seattle council districts in redistricting

Skagit Valley Herald
New carpenters training center unveiled in Burlington
Leaders in flood response expecting another wet year

Spokesman Review
Woman raped by on-duty police officer says Spokane Police Department ignored ‘red flags’ in claim against city
Public hearing on heat pump mandate in Washington draws split testimony
Opinion: Sheriff and prosecutor making unsubstantiated claims about bail
When community will ‘finally grow up’ it will be ‘unstoppable,’ Knezovich says

Washington Post
U.S. imposes new sanctions over Russia’s illegal annexation
Judge overrules special master, says Trump lawyers need not clarify claims on seized files
FDA approves first ALS drug in 5 years after pleas from patients
How climate change is rapidly fueling super hurricanes

Yakima Herald-Republic
Inflation, public safety are top topics in Yakima city budget process
Unprecedented salmon recovery funds to benefit Yakima Basin projects
Editorial: Hybrid classes are the path to success for schools

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Seattle Children’s ER faces ‘unprecedented demand’
‘The law has let us down’: Family of man killed by Olympia police want legislative change
Study finds wide gap between number of BIPOC and White homeowners in Washington
Seattle Public Schools faces nearly $190 million budget shortfall
SR 520, southbound I-5 closures in the Seattle area this weekend
Director of US Cyber Defense Agency focused on protecting Washington state agencies from attack

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Southern Resident orca population is the lowest its been in decades
Photos and video of orcas and humpback whales clashing near US/Canada border
Weekend traffic: SR 520 closing over Lake Washington for Montlake Lid Project work
Kent to discuss stronger ban to address homeless camping

KXLY (ABC)
Voters voice displeasure with polling location, County Commissioner expects it to remain
WSDOT clearing out excess trash to set up fences around Camp Hope

NW Public Radio
33 States, Including Washington, Idaho & Oregon Exempt Clergy From Reporting Abuse

Q13 TV (FOX)
‘It feels like I lost a family member’; Endangered orca population drops from 74 to 73 in annual census

Web

The Stranger
Mayor Harrell Proposes $1 Million for Questionable Surveillance Tech
The Mayor Wants to Pay Human Service Providers Less

Thursday, September 29

BIPOC homeownership would have to increase by 140K in Washington to reach parity, report says
A new report says the home ownership gap in Washington state is so large that Black, Indigenous and people of color would have to purchase more than 140,000 houses to achieve parity with white homeowners. Breaking it down by county: 49,494 homes would have to be purchased in King County, 9,645 homes in Snohomish County, and 17,550 in Pierce County. Among the findings that the Homeownership Disparities Work Group found over its 10-month lifespan is that the homeownership gap between Black and white households is worse today than it was in the 60s. Continue reading at KUOW. (Tierra Mallorca)

First school-based clinic in Snohomish County opens at Meadowdale High
This fall, the Edmonds School District opened a school-based health center — an on-campus walk-in clinic that provides medical, dental and mental health services. The clinic is run by Community Health Centers of Snohomish County out of a small room formerly used to store library supplies. Not one student at Meadowdale High School started school late this year because they were missing the required vaccines to attend school. Instead of waiting up to a month for a doctor’s appointment, students who needed immunizations visited the health center, received their shots and got right back to class. Continue reading at The Everett Herald. (Ryan Berry)

Washington state auditor taking a closer look at law enforcement use of deadly force investigations
Washington has announced that it will be taking a closer look at investigations into the use of deadly force by law enforcement. The State’s Auditor’s Office (SAO) will run audits into investigations going back to January 2020, comparing them against rules and best practices established by the state Criminal Justice Training Commission. “We want to increase trust in government, that’s a goal of ours,” [State Auditor Pat McCarthy] said. “I think everyone wants the system to work, and they want to see that it’s working, and we provide that outside, independent, objective set of eyes to do that.” Continue reading at KING5.