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Wednesday, November 2

WA needs to expand mental health care. What happens when neighbors object?
Since 2018, Washington state has slowly attempted to integrate mental health care into communities — a move necessitated after Western State Hospital lost its federal certification and after years of reports from families who’ve struggled to find care. State psychiatric hospitals were the norm for much of the 20th century, but in 1963, President John F. Kennedy signed the Community Mental Health Act, marking the start of deinstitutionalization. Now Washington is catching up, investing in community-based mental health care by piecing together funds across several state agencies. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Daniel Kim)

Toxic metal pollution is 10 times worse in racially segregated communities
Racially segregated communities in the United States are exposed to airborne toxic metals at a rate that’s nearly 10 times higher than more well-integrated areas, according to a new study published Tuesday. The study, published in Nature Communications, also found that highly segregated locations were exposed to two times the degree of total air pollution of well-integrated communities.It has long been known that communities of color bear a disproportionate burden of pollution. But the study puts a finer point on it — documenting that people in segregated communities breathe much higher levels of certain toxic heavy metals. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Tamir Kalifa)

CVS, Walgreens agree to settle opioid lawsuits for $10 billion
CVS Health and Walgreens, two of the nation’s largest retail pharmacies, have agreed to pay about $10 billion to states, cities and Native American tribes to settle all opioid lawsuits. If the CVS settlement goes through, the chain would distribute roughly $4.9 billion to states and local governments and about $130 million to Native American tribes over 10 years, beginning in 2023. Walgreens has tentatively agreed to pay $4.79 billion to states and $154.5 million to tribes. Walmart also has a settlement pending that will pay $3 billion to resolve similar lawsuits, people familiar with the matter told The Washington Post. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Gene J. Puskar)

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Associated Press
Climate Questions: Does what I do matter?

Aberdeen Daily World
Port of Grays Harbor receives $25.5 million federal grant
Public invited to coastal steelhead virtual town halls

Bainbridge Island Review
Hospital’s operation in an emergency

Columbian
I-5 Bridge replacement officials learn from past, hope policy changes smooth path to new span

Everett Herald
Lynnwood mayor vetoes council’s scrapping of car tab fees
Business Briefs: State minimum wage rises in January

Islands’ Weekly
County Council Approves $3.5 Million Commitment to Affordable Housing

News Tribune
Tacoma police implemented a violent crime plan 90 days ago. Is crime starting to decrease?

Olympian
Thurston homeless camps could be allowed with more flexibility under proposed change
Port of Olympia set to receive $9.27 million grant for marine terminal upgrades

Puget Sound Business Journal
Hispanic business owners are optimistic — but financing is a challenge
AG files suit to block $4B payout ahead of Albertsons-Kroger deal
Economist Conway foresees ‘shallow’ recession for Seattle region
Affirmative action could be “first domino falling” for corporate DEI

Renton Reporter
Sunset Neighborhood transformation projects underway

Seattle Times
WA needs to expand mental health care. What happens when neighbors object?
Lawsuit against Seattle police, Raz Simone can go forward in sex trafficking case
WA sues to block $4 billion Albertsons dividend ahead of Kroger merger

Skagit Valley Herald
Invasive green crab numbers soar, trapping efforts wrapping up

Spokesman Review
Fire marshal issues permit for Camp Hope shelter as legal battles continue

Tri-City Herald
Kennewick water and sewer rates are going up. Council vote was unanimous
Surging West Pasco growth forces new council districts. What it means for voters

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Health director thanks Walla Walla community for response to COVID

Washington Post
New extreme weather pattern emerging: A wintry West and record-warm East
Pandemic led to sharp spike in Black, Asian and Latino homeownership
CVS, Walgreens agree to settle opioid lawsuits for $10 billion
Toxic metal pollution is 10 times worse in racially segregated communities

Yakima Herald-Republic
WSDOT advises traction tires for U.S. 12

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
State-paid psychiatrist never held accountable despite pattern of alleged ‘sexually intrusive’ questions
Department of Ecology working on specifics of future ban on new gas-powered car sales
Dam removal part of plan to clean Olympia’s Capitol Lake
Snohomish County seniors get help adapting to post-COVID pandemic world
New Washington state law protects election workers from online threats (Frockt)
Crime is down citywide in Tacoma, police chief says

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Gov. Inslee to push for cleanup of more homeless camps, tiny home construction
King Co. homelessness authority offers incentive package for landlords, housing providers

KUOW Public Radio
AG files suit to block $4 billion pre-merger payout to Albertson shareholders
Washington’s emergency order has ended, but you still have to wear masks in these places
Seattle is suing marketing firm over opioid crisis

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane County allocates over $12 million for new neighborhood features
WA Dept. of Social and Human Services provide resources to people living at Camp Hope

Web

Crosscut
Advocates want Pierce County to stop using E-Verify technology

MyNorthwest
AG: Grocers ‘cannot sabotage their ability to compete,’ halting payout
Incentive program looks to house homeless with help from Seattle landlords

Tuesday, November 1

Want to start saving for college? WA’s GET Prepaid Tuition Program reopens enrollment
Washington’s Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) program will accept new enrollments starting Tuesday, Nov. 1, providing families a way to save for future college and career training costs while their children are young, the Washington College Savings Plans program announced Monday. The 2022-2023 enrollment period runs through May 31 and provides an opportunity to prepay future tuition costs at today’s rates. Continue reading at The Olympian. (Merrill Images)

Indigenous people of the ‘Salmon Seas’ sign proclamation at Woodland Park Zoo
Everywhere, ocean acidification, drought and man-made obstructions have made it increasingly hard for salmon and their predators, like the killer whale, to survive, said Jay Julius, president of Se’Si’Le, the Indigenous-led nonprofit that organized the Monday event. In a proclamation signed by some attendees, they pledged to honor the rights of the salmon people, support efforts to restore and protect salmon populations and call for respect and reciprocity across cultures in the effort. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Kylie Cooper)

The Chinook Nation’s existential fight for recognition
The Chinook never stopped fighting for their own land and federal status, filing numerous lawsuits and land claims over the decades. They’ve scored a few victories, even securing a brief period of federal recognition during the Clinton administration. Then shifting politics snatched that away, and the government returned to a position that Chinook leaders view as an erasure of that history, of their very identity: that they simply don’t exist. Continue reading at Indian County Today. (Amiran White)

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Bellingham Herald
More storms take aim at Whatcom, raising concerns about flooding
Timber sale is on despite conservationists’ concern for this storm-damaged legacy forest

Capital Press
Washington farm to pay $138,500 to settle irrigation complaint
Construction slated to begin on new Odessa area pipeline next year

Columbian
Editorial: In Our View: Hate-mongering behind attack on Paul Pelosi

Everett Herald
No trick. Gov. Inslee ends his COVID-19 state of emergency
Comment: Law, compassion required Housing First for shelters

Indian Country Today
The Chinook Nation’s existential fight for recognition

News Tribune
Did Dorcus Allen help his boss murder 4 Lakewood cops in 2009? A jury now has the case
Tacoma police officers are racking up millions in overtime pay. Here’s the problem

New York Times
A Surge of Overseas Abortion Pills Blunted the Effects of State Abortion Bans

Olympian
Team wrapping up investigation of Olympia police’s fatal shooting of Timothy Green
Want to start saving for college? WA’s GET Prepaid Tuition Program reopens enrollment
State announces its official recommendation for future of Capitol Lake

Peninsula Daily News
Port of Port Angeles receives federal grant for infrastructure project

Puget Sound Business Journal
SBA says no EIDL applications still considered outstanding

Seattle Times
King County gun violence outpaces 2021 while number of shooting victims dips
Many in WA oppose gas-car ban, poll shows — but electric vehicle demand is high
How to drive on WA passes in winter weather
Seattle redistricting panel rejects late changes, advances Magnolia split
WA’s COVID-19 state of emergency ended but a winter of infections on the way. So what does it all mean?
Indigenous people of the ‘Salmon Seas’ sign proclamation at Woodland Park Zoo
Roadway telepathy: Bellevue blazes a trail in road safety devices

Skagit Valley Herald
Winter Washington State Ferries reservations open Tuesday

Spokesman Review
Spokane County sees typical flu shot participation but low COVID booster numbers
After years of resistance, Spokane joins regional 911 communications system
Some local, nonemergency 911 calls may be placed on hold starting Monday

Tri-City Herald
Cascade Natural Gas bills to jump 20% this month. Here’s why it is going up
Benton County to buy old hospital, create a mental health and addiction recovery center

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla Public Schools graduates with good grades can earn guaranteed admission to five universities and colleges in new program

Washington Post
The truth about election fraud: It’s rare
Pfizer’s RSV vaccine, given during pregnancy, protects infants from severe illness
The world’s melting glaciers are yielding up their secrets too quickly
Supreme Court seems open to ending affirmative action in college admissions

Yakima Herald-Republic
WA Building Code Council may allow gas or electricity to power required heat pumps
Missing Omak teen with ties to Yakima added to WSP’s list of missing Indigenous people

Broadcast

KUOW Public Radio
Emergency Covid orders are ending. Where does that leave renters and landlords?
Washington’s lingering pandemic emergency orders are expiring
As Seattle’s Covid orders end, so will extra pay for food delivery drivers

KXLY (ABC)
Former Spokane County worker pleads guilty to theft of $1.38M in public funds

Q13 TV (FOX)
Community forum to discuss public safety concerns in Pierce County
US diesel supplier warns businesses to prepare for shortages, higher prices for consumers

Web

Crosscut
Breaking down WA’s school funding formula

MyNorthwest
Bivalent booster protects against omicron mutations ahead of winter

West Seattle Blog
TERMINAL 5 UPDATES: Still no shore-power use; newest estimate for south-berth completion

Monday, October 31

Gov. Jay Inslee, lawmakers aim to keep anti-abortion ‘tentacles’ out of WA
Gov. Jay Inslee and state Democratic lawmakers revealed details Friday about a push to enact a “shield law” that would protect abortion patients and providers from out-of-state legal action, and announced two more bills in the works designed to ensure reproductive health care access. One would indemnify Washington-based corporations helping employees in other states get abortions. Another bill would block hospital and health care organization mergers that would limit services such as abortion. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ellen M. Banner)

Yakima Valley schools look for ways to engage kids who regularly miss class
Regular attendance is connected to better academic performance and higher graduation rates, even in early grades, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Being present in class is the first step toward learning. The Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction tracks attendance data each school year. It defines chronic absenteeism as missing two days of school a month on average. That may seem like a low bar, but across nine months of school that would add up to 10% of all instructional days. Continue reading at Yakima Herald-Republic. (Emree Weaver)

WA and Seattle ended their COVID states of emergency. What’s next?
Oct. 31, 2022 marked the end of those states of emergency at the state level and in the city of Seattle. Most restrictions had already been phased out, both because of improvements in pandemic conditions and political pressure to do so. Another 23 orders from the governor’s office ended this month. But COVID-19 remains a problem in Washington. There are still 600 new cases popping up every day and more than 40 deaths each week, according to state health department data. As we enter this next phase of the pandemic, here’s what you need to know. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Lindsey Wasson)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Quinault Indian Nation to close ‘digital gap’ with new cable landing station
Grays Harbor College going vertical

Columbian
I-5 span replacement chief Greg Johnson has history of building bridges
Editorial: In Our View: Update Electoral Count Act, protect democracy

Everett Herald
What Snohomish County officials learned from not driving (Robinson, Kloba)
Arlington agrees to purchase land for new park in Smokey Point
Countywide agency investigating Everett officers’ taser use

News Tribune
Staffing shortage is still hampering Pierce County Jail. Will bonuses bring more recruits?

Olympian
Olympia, Tumwater firefighters plead for creation of RFA before joint council meeting
Olympia residents voice support, concern about school board’s first Black member

Peninsula Daily News
Quilcene Bay now open for shellfish gathering

Seattle Times
Kent tightens homeless camping ban with new ordinance
How to help reduce flooding, stay safe during Seattle’s rainy season
Seattle Public Schools offers new Filipino American history class
Gov. Jay Inslee, lawmakers aim to keep anti-abortion ‘tentacles’ out of WA (Hansen, Simmons)

Skagit Valley Herald
Bad medicine: Inflation hitting health care

Spokesman Review
Some local, nonemergency 911 calls may be placed on hold starting Monday
Veteran of HUD, city of Spokane tapped as Woodward’s next leader of housing, homelessness initiatives

Tri-City Herald
Pasco says goodbye to its city manager. He ‘opened doors’ to rapid growth and diversity
5 more Tri-Cities COVID deaths. Hospitals admitting more children for RSV
One of Tri-Cities most congested areas to get $40M road revamp ahead of new development

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
‘Touchet Redhawks’ replace Indians logo, mascot
Body cameras not included in city of Walla Walla’s draft budget
Walla Walla Public Schools further scales back COVID-19 protocols, voluntarily keeps some precautions in place

Washington Post
Supreme Court hears arguments in Harvard, UNC affirmative action cases
How the Fed’s rate hikes slow the economy — and impact you
Elon Musk, right-wing figures push misinformation about Pelosi attack

Wenatchee World
Jobless rate trends down in September for Chelan and Douglas counties

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima Valley schools look for ways engage kids who regularly miss class
Yakima Health District rescinds local health emergency
Economic leaders discuss post-pandemic economy in Yakima Valley

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Washington state’s COVID-19 state of emergency ends Monday
Skagit County Republicans claim ‘anomalies’ in voter rolls. Here’s what we found
Washington state’s art community to get $10M boost for post-pandemic recovery

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Gas prices drop in Seattle, across Washington state for third straight week
2022 fire season burns fewer acres than recent years, Washington fire officials say

KUOW Public Radio
Proposed Kroger-Albertsons merger under state scrutiny
Only 15% of Washingtonians have gotten the updated omicron booster

KXLY (ABC)
Washington’s COVID-19 emergency order ends Monday

Web

Crosscut
WA and Seattle ended their COVID states of emergency. What’s next?
How tribes, local organizations are bolstering food sovereignty

MyNorthwest
Use-of-force investigation in to Everett Police who fired Tasers during arrest
Last public emergency room in Bremerton closed for good
City of Everett fined after millions of gallons of wastewater discharged into river

West Seattle Blog
CORONAVIRUS: More booster clinics scheduled in West Seattle

Friday, October 28

Elon Musk buys Twitter, fires top executives, declares ‘the bird is freed’
Elon Musk has taken over Twitter, seizing control of one of the most influential social media platforms in a $44 billion blockbuster deal. “Let the good times roll,” he tweeted Friday. Changes to the company were immediately visible — Twitter stock stopped trading Friday, several top executives were fired and some anonymous trolls were emboldened to spew hate on the site. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)

Why our third COVID winter could be a ‘variant soup’ — but also less severe
The third winter of COVID-19 is approaching. This year, along with cold weather, heightened transmission and a host of other respiratory infections are on their way. For the most part, we know the drill: Mask up in crowded, indoor spaces. Test regularly. Ventilate spaces. Isolate if sick. Get vaccinated. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Photo Courtesy of IDWeek)

Spokane’s Camp Hope is the center of a political storm
As chairman of the East Central Neighborhood Council, Randy McGlenn II is the Spokane neighborhood’s most prominent advocate. After living there for nearly two decades, McGlenn believes the community has been thriving and still has a lot of potential for future growth. While many think of the neighborhood alongside Interstate 90 as low-income, the area has attracted residents across a variety of income levels. It’s a melting pot of Latine, Black and Pacific Islander communities. Many small businesses have opened shops, bringing additional dollars to the area. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Young Kwak/Crosscut)

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Bellingham Herald
WA health officials say time is now to get vaccinated ahead of fall, winter illness
Virus surge hits Whatcom County, here’s how to protect children from the respiratory virus
‘This isn’t a one-off and Western isn’t alone’ as bigotry rises on campus

The Daily News
‘A massive crisis’: Learning setbacks show COVID’s toll on kids. A district-by-district analysis
Port of Longview establishes updated public records procedure

Everett Herald
State fines Everett $13K for incompletely treated wastewater
Hundreds of Ukrainian refugees get free weekly English lessons at EvCC
Everett eyeing bans on rabbit sales, peafowl and roosters

Federal Way Mirror
Unvaccinated South King firefighters can return to work

News Tribune
Tacoma Link riders will soon have to pay. When will fares start and how much will it be?
WA health officials say time is now to get vaccinated ahead of fall, winter illness
Kids sick with RSV filling Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital waiting rooms and beds
Pierce County prefers this site for a big homeless housing project. Why it might not work

Olympian
SPSCC closer to offering its first bachelor’s degree

Puget Sound Business Journal
Seattle falls from top 10 of ULI’s annual ‘markets to watch’ list
The disconnect over remote work lingers. It may intensify in 2023.
New disclosures highlight billions in losses for college endowments

Seattle Medium
Why Seattle’s Air Quality Is News
Washington’s Paid Family Leave Program Deficit

Seattle Times
Four WA communities tried to end youth homelessness. One is seeing success
Why our third COVID winter could be a ‘variant soup’ — but also less severe
Sound Transit takes ownership of aging downtown Seattle tunnel
King County proposed mental health study on students after insisting it wasn’t doing research
Seattle Aquarium’s Ocean Pavilion will transform its focus and the waterfront
Foot of snow closes WA’s Chinook and Cayuse passes for the season
As fentanyl drives overdose deaths, mistaken beliefs persist

Skagit Valley Herald
Sports betting coming to Swinomish Casino & Lodge

South Seattle Emerald
Seattle Forest Week Continues Through Oct. 29, Ending with Green Seattle Day!

Spokesman Review
Washington health officials encourage vaccination as triple-whammy respiratory season approaches
Body camera shows man had knife and toddler in his hands seconds before police shot and killed him in January
Spokane hires Salvation Army to operate homeless shelters
Woman’s legal quest illuminates the rights of hospital patients who want to leave

Tri-City Herald
New drug and alcohol court aims to stop the revolving door of Benton County crimes
Does a school policy on race ‘villainize teachers’ or set Richland ‘students up for success’?
Every WA congressional leader is sending Biden the same message about the Hanford nuclear site

Washington Post
Assailant shouted ‘Where is Nancy?’ in break-in at speaker’s home, attack on Paul Pelosi
Inside the secretive effort by Trump allies to access voting machines
Elon Musk buys Twitter, fires top executives, declares ‘the bird is freed’
So far, this flu season is more severe than it has been in 13 years

Wenatchee World
Chelan Douglas Regional Port Authority discusses potential Mansfield Airport closure

Yakima Herald-Republic
‘A no-win for everyone:’ Restaurants struggle to keep customers, employees as prices rise
Monkeypox numbers plateau in Yakima County with no new cases since August
Board of Health sends names to the Yakima County commissioners for appointment
Every WA congressional leader is sending Biden the same message about the Hanford nuclear site

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
‘It’s scary’: Chinatown-International District advocates ask for funding to improve public safety
Business owners impacted by Bolt Creek Fire talk with lawmakers about relief, future safety measures

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
People urged to get flu, COVID shots ahead of winter season in Washington
Seattle pending home sales falling at higher rate than all but two major US cities
‘Lengthy closure,’ lanes of SR 520 bridge reopen following hours-long closure

KXLY (ABC)
Yakima, Spokane counties forfeit nearly $2M in federal rental aid
Spokane City Council terminates agreement with shelter operator amid fraud scandal

NW Public Radio
Hundreds of gallons of oil leak into Snake River from Little Goose Dam
Voting access for people with disabilities in Washington

Web

Crosscut
Spokane’s Camp Hope is the center of a political storm

Thursday, October 27

Facebook parent company fined $25M for WA campaign finance violations
Meta, Facebook’s parent company, was fined nearly $25 million Wednesday for intentionally and repeatedly violating Washington’s campaign finance laws. King County Superior Court Judge Douglass North issued the maximum possible fine to the social media giant, after finding that the company had, between 2019 and 2021, violated Washington’s longstanding political disclosure law 822 separate times. It is the largest campaign finance penalty ever issued anywhere in the country, Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s office said. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Jim Wilson)

Yakima, Spokane counties forfeit nearly $2M in federal rental aid
Spokane and Yakima counties lost a combined $1.9 million in emergency federal rental assistance, the U.S. Treasury reported last week, part of the latest round of a process intended to speed distribution of funds to renters at risk of eviction. Spokane officials will reportedly lose $1 million from their $7.2 million allocation. Yakima County gave up $900,000 in this round of reallocations, adding to a previous $1.1 million the county handed back to the federal government earlier this year. Yakima County’s previous loss of $1.1 million earlier this year made it the only county in the state forced to give back rental assistance funding at the time. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Nicholas K. Geranios)

World falls ‘pitifully short’ of meeting climate goals, U.N. report says
Despite a high-profile promise to boost ambitions at last year’s U.N. climate summit, nations have shaved just 1 percent off their projected greenhouse gas emissions for 2030, a new United Nations report found — leaving Earth on track to blow past a safe temperature threshold by almost a full degree. Thursday’s report on the emissions gap — the gulf between national plans to reduce carbon pollution and the actual cuts needed to avert catastrophic warming — found that countries’ strongest climate pledges put the Earth on a path to warm by a dangerous 2.4 degrees Celsius (4.3 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of the century. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Afolabi Sotunde)