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Tuesday, August 23

State’s new Clean Fuel Standard takes aim at climate-changing pollution
A mammoth accounting ledger. A carrot-and-stick rule with a focus on incentives. However you describe it, Washington’s proposed Clean Fuel Standard has a simple goal: reducing vehicle-related carbon pollution, which accounts for almost 45% of statewide greenhouse gas emissions. It is a flagship policy in Washington’s fight against climate change, said Joel Creswell, climate policy section manager for the Department of Ecology’s Air Quality Program. The standard will apply only to fuel producers. Still, residents may want to take advantage of the chance this month to comment on the standard, which will be finalized this fall and goes into effect on Jan. 1. Continue reading at The Everett Herald. (WA Dept. of Ecology)

Half of WA residents eligible for free or discounted hospital care
Millions of Washingtonians recently became eligible for free or discounted hospital care after an update to a state law went into effect last month, a significant step toward eliminating residents’ costly medical debts. Up until this year, however, the eligibility requirements were much more narrow, state Attorney General Bob Ferguson said in an interview. As of July 1, all Washingtonians within 300% of the federal poverty level now qualify for charity care for their full out-of-pocket hospital bill, as long as care is considered “medically necessary.” Those within 400% of the federal poverty level are eligible for discounted care, which is up to about $54,360 for a one-person home or $111,000 for a family of four. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Elaine Thompson)

Work in progress: In tight employment market, unions are gaining popularity and forcing companies to rethink labor relations
Two of Seattle’s most iconic companies are locked in standoffs between management and employees, as organized labor across the country receives a jolt of enthusiasm spurred largely by the Covid-19 pandemic. Employees for Starbucks and Amazon — two vast blue-collar workforces — have begun grassroots campaigns to form or join unions, though the success of those efforts has widely varied. Despite the velocity of the movement from Starbucks baristas, they face a stacked deck when it comes to ratifying a contract, labor advocates say — a hill that’s less steep for warehouse workers. Continue reading at Puget Sound Business Journal. (Jason Redmond)

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Associated Press
Columbia River’s salmon are at the core of ancient religion
Military families’ housing benefits lag as rents explode

Bellingham Herald
What can be done to make housing affordable again? Whatcom officials consider these ideas
Whatcom discusses post-flood repairs, housing needs and new forecasting measures
Soon only 10 of the governor’s COVID emergency orders will remain in effect. Which are they?

Capital Press
USDA set to spend $300M on organic ag

Columbian
Replacement I-5 Bridge could include pedestrian lookout
Editorial: In Our View: I-5 Bridge designers must have vision of future

Everett Herald
Juror shortage leads to postponed trials in municipal courts
Lynnwood light rail service start delayed 4 to 6 months
State’s new Clean Fuel Standard takes aim at climate-changing pollution
Editorial: Don’t mandate treatment at county homeless shelters

Federal Way Mirror
Opinion: Supreme Court should add justices and term limits

International Examiner
Photos: Lanterns bring messages of peace and hope, honoring atomic bombing victims

Kent Reporter
Kent teachers vote to strike if no contract agreement reached
W-2 wage information of Kent city employees ‘inadvertently disclosed’

Olympian
Earthquakes occur regularly in Washington, are you prepared before the next big one hits?
Thurston Sheriff’s Office launches program aimed at helping with mental health calls
Judge: Idaho abortion ban seems to conflict with federal law

Peninsula Daily News
Jamestown Tribe ushers in healing clinic
Commissioners ready 40-year lease for Caswell-Brown Village

Puget Sound Business Journal
Work in progress: In a historically tight employment market, unions are gaining popularity and forcing many companies to rethink labor relations
Downtown Seattle office population dipped in July, but signs point to recovery

Seattle Times
How the Inflation Reduction Act could affect WA health care (Keiser)
Half of WA residents eligible for free or discounted hospital care
Washington AG, West Coast states oppose major gas pipeline project
Seattle eyes JumpStart funds to cut growing revenue gaps in 2023, 2024
Transparency vs. trauma: Are inquests into King County killings by police worthwhile?

Skagit Valley Herald
Forest Service seeks fees for area recreation sites

Spokesman Review
AG Ferguson joins other western states in requesting to halt expansion of methane gas pipeline
Cantwell visits Liberty Lake to tout $280 billion tech bill
District judge to decide by Wednesday whether to pause Idaho’s trigger ban on abortions

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Smoke reported in dozens of Blue Mountain locations after morning thunderstorm

Washington Post
Files copied from voting systems were shared with Trump supporters, election deniers
1 in 3 American women have already lost abortion access. More restrictive laws are coming.
Your first brush with coronavirus could affect how a fall booster works
After Roe, teens are teaching themselves sex ed, because the adults won’t
Biden nears decision on canceling $10,000 in student loans as allies feud
As many as one in six U.S. tree species is threatened with extinction

Yakima Herald-Republic
Drought persists in Pacific Northwest, though it’s not as severe as last year
Japanese beetle quarantine approved for Grandview area
COVID guidelines will be less strict as Yakima area students head back to school

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Seattle nonprofit focusing efforts on school supplies for children in need
Kent educators vote to authorize strike if contract negotiations not complete by Wednesday

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Hotter summers could become the norm in the Pacific Northwest

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Washington state, Oregon, California seek to halt expansion of methane gas pipeline
Kent teachers’ union votes to authorize a strike, putting educators on the picket line

KUOW Public Radio
Approval voting promises simplicity, but can it deliver?
Seattle sweeps homeless camp from Interurban Trail

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane City Council approves ordinance giving them final say on siting city facilities

Q13 TV (FOX)
Washington toughs out drought conditions, but wildfire risk remains high

Web

Crosscut
WA ecosystems are changing. Conservation efforts are, too

MyNorthwest
Kitsap Transit bans large e-scooters from ferry, citing safety concerns

West Seattle Blog
WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE: Yes, buses will return to the high bridge

Monday, August 22

WA wants to secure housing for youth exiting state care
“We kind of just said it — and hoped it would be true — and never came around to providing the tools,” said State Rep. Tana Senn (D-Mercer Island), of the shortcomings in [SB 6560]. Senn was lead sponsor of HB 1905, resulting in that second law. Implemented in June, it establishes a five-year budget of over $5 million to reduce homelessness among those aforementioned groups. Washington’s Office of Homeless Youth will be responsible for much of that budget, administering $1.6 million in flexible funding that lets people who are allotted those dollars determine how to spend them on transportation, telephone or other everyday expenses. It also will oversee the quadrupling to $2 million of the budget for system of care grants and a $625,000 expansion of the housing stability for justice-involved youth program. The Department of Children, Youth, and Families will convene a new state rapid response team, with a budget of $1 million. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Valerie Niemeyer)

Need for home care rising, but caregivers are hard to find in rural WA
Caregivers assist with daily activities like preparing meals, helping with dressing and managing medications. The job descriptions have a wide range; one person may need someone for two hours a week to assist with household chores, while another may require help around the clock. For people with age-related needs or disabilities, caregivers are a line of defense against a cascade of complications — a burnt-out lightbulb may seem innocuous, until someone trips because they couldn’t see at night, breaks a bone during the fall and has to be hospitalized. But in rural areas, where about 1 in 5 of Americans 65 and older live, these services are less likely to be available compared with those in urban areas. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Dean Rutz)

The remote work revolution is already reshaping America
The coronavirus pandemic set in motion a shift to remote and hybrid work that is quietly reshaping American economics and demographics. While the fine women and men at U.S. statistical agencies are still grappling with how to measure this astonishing transformation, a host of academics and other experts have rushed to fill the data gap. They’ve found that remote work has ebbed significantly since the height of pandemic shutdowns in 2020, when almost two-thirds of work was done remotely. But it has since stabilized at an extraordinarily high level: Around a third of work was done remotely in the United States in 2021 and 2022, according to economists José María Barrero (Autonomous Technological Institute of Mexico), Nicholas Bloom (Stanford University) and Steven Davis (University of Chicago). Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Gabrielle Lurie)

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Associated Press
New coastal WA tsunami tower offers residents an escape
Prosecutor Asks for Probe Into Seattle Mayor’s Deleted Texts
Public health emergency declared over monkeypox in WA county

Columbian
Interstate Bridge: History of conflict, compromise

The Inlander
Spokane’s new land bank wants to obtain properties so nonprofits can build low-income housing

News Tribune
Ready or not, back-to-school season is coming. Here’s opening info about local districts

Peninsula Daily News
Jefferson County to consider OlyCAP lease for homeless encampment

Seattle Times
Grassroots effort to remove Highway 99 in South Park goes mainstream (Hackney)
Need for home care rising, but caregivers are hard to find in rural WA
UW professor outlines how states went from the laboratories of democracy to working against it
Column: Seattle’s Chinatown ID sees a ‘terrible beauty’ in the fight against a train station

Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit County COVID-19 case numbers lowest since April
Swinomish tribe building first modern clam garden in the U.S.

Spokesman Review
The Tri-Cities are among the fastest growing parts of Washington, according to 2020 Census data. Here’s how they’re dealing with explosive growth
‘People have gotten sucked into a lot of lies’: Experts say elections are secure, even as Republicans make baseless claims to the contrary
City of Spokane to host information sessions on temporary zoning change for multifamily housing options

Tri-City Herald
Debate on lifting Pasco pot shop ban gets heated. Already, the police were called once
CDC gives Tri-Cities new COVID rating and mask recommendations

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla Community College gets federal COVID-19 relief dollars

Washington Post
Fauci plans to step down in December after half a century in government
The remote work revolution is already reshaping America
Alaska’s snow crabs have disappeared. Where they went is a mystery.
Cognitive rehab may help older adults clear covid-related brain fog

Yakima Herald-Republic
Central Washington family that owns Wautoma solar project site explains benefits of proposal
Benton County officials, some residents object to solar project near Yakima County line
Opinion: Coming to the U.S. shouldn’t be this hard

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Student loan pause: Latest update from Biden administration
New data shows downtown Seattle approaching pre-pandemic tourism levels

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Amid rising numbers of attacks on Seattle firefighters, union seeks better protections
LISTEN: Washington sues Idaho over abortion ban
Dorli Rainey, Seattle woman who became symbol of Occupy movement, dies at 95

KUOW Public Radio
Monkeypox in children is “exceedingly rare”, but families should be aware says UW pediatrics professor
Deepwater diesel cleanup stalls at San Juans shipwreck

KXLY (ABC)
City Council to vote on emergency ordinance regarding siting essential City facilities

Web

Crosscut
WA wants to secure housing for youth exiting state care (Senn)
Study finds Seattle’s controversial soda tax can improve equity

MyNorthwest
Coast Guard reports progress at sunken fishing boat off San Juan Island
Rare tick disease hospitalizes Whatcom County man in first case from WA

West Seattle Blog
CORONAVIRUS: This week’s look at local numbers
WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE: Another milestone on the road to reopening

Friday, August 19

Doctor who sued Idaho says chaos reigns as abortion bans go into effect
Over the past week, the landscape around abortion in Idaho dramatically changed — and the rest of the country is watching, particularly in Washington, now receiving many abortion patients from its eastern neighbor. Idaho’s Legislature already had passed laws restricting, then almost totally banning, abortion. Due to an Idaho Supreme Court ruling on Aug. 12, medical professionals who provide an abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected, typically about six weeks into a pregnancy, now can be sued for a minimum of $20,000. At the same time, an Idaho law known as the “Total Abortion Ban” is scheduled to go into effect Aug. 25 unless a federal court grants a preliminary injunction. The state Supreme Court declined to do so. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Planned Parenthood)

Federal study: New climate law to slice carbon pollution 40%
Clean energy incentives in the new spending package signed this week by President Joe Biden will trim America’s emissions of heat-trapping gases by about 1.1 billion tons (1 billion metric tons) by 2030, a new Department of Energy analysis shows. The first official federal calculations, shared with The Associated Press before its release Thursday, say that between the bill just signed and last year’s infrastructure spending law, the U.S. by the end of the decade will be producing about 1.26 billion tons (1.15 billion metric tons) less carbon pollution than it would have without the laws. That saving is equivalent to about the annual greenhouse gas emissions of every home in the United States. Continue reading at The Associated Press. (Eugene Garcia)

Biden Bill to Help Millions Escape Higher Health Care Costs
Millions of people in the United States will be spared from big increases in health care costs next year after President Joe Biden signed legislation extending generous subsidies for those who buy plans through federal and state marketplaces. The sweeping climate, tax and health care bill sets aside $70 billion over the next three years to keep out-of-pocket premium costs low for roughly 13 million people, just before the reduced prices were set to expire in a year beset by record-high inflation. The bill will extend subsidies temporarily offered last year when Congress and Biden signed off on a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill that significantly lowered premiums and out-of-pocket costs for customers purchasing plans through the Affordable Care Act’s marketplace. It also continues reduced costs for more individuals and families who live well above the poverty line. Continue reading at The Associated Press. (Alex Brandon)

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Associated Press
State resources called to wildfire in Eastern Washington
Federal study: New climate law to slice carbon pollution 40%
Biden Bill to Help Millions Escape Higher Health Care Costs

Auburn Reporter
School supplies and meals will be free for Auburn students
King County Council approves $5 million in funding for youth mental health

Bellingham Herald
Will federal climate legislation help reopen aluminum plant in Whatcom County?

The Daily News
Washington Senator Patty Murray tours Longview port after influx of federal grants for green projects

Everett Herald
As violent crime trends up, Everett looks at gun buyback, legal options

Kitsap Sun
Kitsap Transit gives the boot to many electric scooters on Bremerton fast ferry
Two spills discharge sewage into Dyes Inlet, Oyster Bay

Olympian
Olympia City Council unanimously OKs rental housing code changes that limit move-in costs
Editorial: We have an election system we can trust. Don’t believe us? You can see for yourself

Seattle Times
More delays for light rail to Bellevue, Redmond, Federal Way, Lynnwood
Doctor who sued Idaho says chaos reigns as abortion bans go into effect
New Native-run health clinic opens in Pioneer Square
Seattle city attorney making quicker filing decisions, prosecuting misdemeanors more often, report says

Spokesman Review
‘It’s not about the books’: Boundary County library director resigns over intimidation and ‘political atmosphere of extremism’
Spokane teachers approve new labor contract

Washington Post
Lawmakers demand data about online threats against law enforcement
Amazon’s health ambitions sometimes clashed with medical best practices, nurses say

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima County sheriff’s deputies deploying body cameras to record interactions, interviews

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
As Indigenous overdose deaths spike, new clinic in Seattle offers treatment, hope
Washington senator proposes harsher penalties for jail guards who sexually abuse inmates
New tool explores heat, flood, fire risks by location

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Over-the-counter hearing aids could help lower cost, says doctor
Washington state confirms one pediatric monkeypox case
Prosecutor asks for probe into Seattle mayor’s deleted texts

KNKX Public Radio
Up, up and away. Forest Service looking at special balloons to monitor big wildfires
Washington nurses call for better pay as more colleagues turn to traveling work

KUOW Public Radio
Trans patients often travel out of state, pay more for gender-affirming care, study finds
Children in stolen vehicles account for most of 2022’s Amber Alerts, WA officials say
Seattle resolution condemns harassment against elected officials and political candidates
Seattle City Attorney says her office is filing more cases, more quickly

Web

The Stranger
One Easy Fix Could Shave Years Off Seattle’s Affordable Housing Developments

Thursday, August 18

Weather chaos in the West: High heat and concerns about fires and flood
Weather alerts blanket the West Coast, even as much of the rest of the country remains relatively quiet weather-wise. All across California and the Pacific Northwest, heat advisories and excessive heat warnings are in place, and temperatures are expected to top 100 degrees in spots. A few dry thunderstorms could bring fire concerns, too, and in the Desert Southwest there’s potential for flooding. More than 17 million Americans are under heat advisories on the West Coast, with another million or so included under excessive heat warnings. Advisories stretch through the entire San Joaquin Valley in California and blanket most of Washington state and the northern half of Oregon. Excessive heat warnings are in effect for central Washington state and include the city of Yakima. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Craig Mitchelldyer)

Ostrom Mushroom Farms faces civil rights lawsuit on gender, other discrimination
Ostrom Mushroom Farms, a major producer in the Pacific Northwest, systematically fired about 80% of its employees at its Sunnyside farm — the majority of whom were women — and replaced them with foreign workers, who were mostly men, under a visa that provides fewer labor rights, according to a lawsuit filed Wednesday by the state attorney general. The lawsuit alleges Ostrom violated the Washington Law Against Discrimination by engaging in retaliation against employees who reported concerns over working conditions and refused to hire U.S.-based workers and women. Attorney General Bob Ferguson said Wednesday during a news conference held at the Centilia Cultural Center in Seattle that his office was seeking pay lost by workers who were unjustly fired, restitution and civil penalties for the company. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Daisy Zavala Magaña)

Red flag warnings spark concerns of wildfires in WA. This interactive fire map shows where
Despite being in the thick of wildfire season, Washington firefighters are enjoying a relatively peaceful August. But the National Weather Service in Seattle is warning people not to rest on their laurels, especially over the next couple of days, as dry, hot and unstable conditions have resulted in red flag warnings throughout the state. A red flag warning is issued when dry conditions, warm weather and high winds combine to create a potential fire danger. The Weather Service is also keeping an eye on the potential for isolated thunderstorms over the Cascades on Thursday, where a lightning strike could also ignite a wildfire. Continue reading at The Olympian.

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Auburn Reporter
Congressman introduces bill to discourage large investors from buying homes

Bloomberg
U.S. jobless claims unexpectedly dip for first time in three weeks

Capital Press
Groups petition Oregon to regulate dairy air emissions

Columbian
Clark Council OKs request for COVID funds to expand broadband to rural residents
Editorial: In Our View: Future Fund an investment in Washingtonians (Stonier)

The Daily News
Kelso council looks to fund road repairs, maintenance after staff estimate $1.5M needed

Everett Herald
‘Small step’ toward affordable housing is big debate in Snohomish
County OKs hotel-shelter purchases, won’t require drug treatment

News Tribune
Hazardous chemical bin in Lakewood Industrial Park at risk of exploding, firefighters say
Opinion: I was in prison. This year I’ll vote for the first time in 25 years. Here’s why it matters (Simmons)

Olympian
WA struggles to provide mental health care. Here’s how an archaic law makes it harder
Red flag warnings spark concerns of wildfires in WA. This interactive fire map shows where

Peninsula Daily News
State provides tourism relief grants

Puget Sound Business Journal
Seattle City Council approves police hiring incentives
Washington AG accuses Meta of trying to gut state campaign finance law
Gravity Payments CEO Dan Price resigns amid assault charges

Seattle Times
Seattle saw one of its warmest nights ever, and more heat is ahead
Ostrom Mushroom Farms faces civil rights lawsuit on gender, other discrimination
What happens if you get COVID again? Here’s what an infectious disease expert says

Tri-City Herald
Some Tri-Cities kids are already back in class. Here’s a look at a post-COVID classroom
Kennewick Council reaches split decision on public prayer. Would it be divisive?

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Columbia County undersheriff OK to preach in uniform, sheriff, prosecutor say

Washington Post
Allen Weisselberg, longtime Trump executive, pleads guilty to tax scheme
Glaciers in Europe are experiencing the most severe melting on record
Weather chaos in the West: High heat and concerns about fires and flood

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima City Council signs on to letter welcoming refugees to the U.S.
WA attorney general files civil rights lawsuit against Ostrom Mushroom Farms in Sunnyside

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
South Seattle community bands together to save affordable housing
‘How do we diversify the teacher workforce?’: SPS program increasing representation in classrooms

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Snohomish County Council approves purchase of two hotels for homeless housing, wraparound services

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Snohomish County Council OKs plan to buy, convert 2 motels into housing for the homeless
Seattle, King County move forward with pilot program for RV safe lot

KNKX Public Radio
Massive new climate law could give Pacific Northwest green businesses a boost
‘Another kind of homophobia:’ Critics say King County’s monkeypox vaccine criteria are intrusive

KUOW Public Radio
Another heat wave arrives in the Northwest
The future of renewable energy may lie in organic waste

Q13 TV (FOX)
Firefighters prepare for increased threat of brush fires as excessive heat lingers

Web

The Stranger
Seattle Has Lost the Battle Against Air Conditioning

Wednesday, August 17

Federal climate and inflation bill to bolster wave of new laws in WA
The landmark climate change and health care bill signed by the president Tuesday will unlock a wave of federal funding just as Washington prepares to launch a number of pivotal state programs. The new law will begin to funnel billions of dollars into green technology and infrastructure, making 2023 a potentially monumental year in the state’s fight against climate change. Washington is preparing to roll out a spate of programs that will put a price on greenhouse gas emissions, require electric utilities to phase out coal and reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels. An influx of money could streamline and expedite state efforts to decarbonize. But the legislation’s success or failure will depend largely on how effectively federal funding complements state programs on the way. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ken Lambert)

Infectious disease expert suggests monkeypox prevention techniques for college students
At a time when thousands of college students prepare to flock back to local campuses, Edward Leonard, M.D., a board certified infectious disease specialist at Overlake Medical Center & Clinics, suggests college students take measures to protect themselves from the monkeypox virus. Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease that can cause flu-like symptoms, swollen lymph nodes and a rash that can appear anywhere on the body. Leonard recommends that college students don’t share towels, bedding, or clothing since the virus can spread if a person’s skin comes into contact with a contaminated object. Additionally, Leonard suggests covering coughs and sneezes since respiratory droplets can transmit the monkeypox virus with direct and extended face-to-face exposure. Continue reading at Bellevue Reporter. (Black Press File Photo)

Student loan borrowers will know ‘soon’ about moratorium extension
Student loan borrowers will know “soon” about an extension of the pause on student loan payments and possible debt cancellation, the U.S. education secretary said in an interview Tuesday, but still no decisions have been made. The pause expires Aug. 31. With the deadline just over two weeks away, borrowers and student loan servicers are growing weary without any guidance. “We’re having conversations daily with the White House and borrowers will know directly and soon from us when a decision is made,” U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona told CBS News. The White House has said Biden will make a decision by the end of August. Continue reading at KING 5.