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Tuesday, September 13

Seattle Schools, educators reach tentative contract agreement to end strike
The Seattle Education Association has reached a tentative agreement with Seattle Public Schools, an announcement that appears to signal the end of a four-day strike. The agreement must still be approved by the membership; a vote to end the strike has been scheduled for Tuesday, and a vote to approve the agreement would likely happen later in the week. A school start date has not yet been announced. The union and district have been in negotiations for months and continued to bargain after SEA’s contract expired Aug. 31. SEA’s 6,000 members went on strike on Wednesday, which would have been the first day of school, after they were unable to reach a contract agreement with SPS. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Erika Schultz)

Faculty, students sue Christian school over LGBTQ hiring ban
Divisions over LGBTQ-related policies have flared recently at several religious colleges in the United States. On Monday, there was a dramatic new turn at one of the most rancorous battlegrounds – Seattle Pacific University. A group of students, faculty and staff at the Christian university sued leaders of the board of trustees for refusing to scrap an employment policy barring people in same-sex relationships from full-time jobs at SPU. The 16 plaintiffs say the trustees’ stance – widely opposed on campus – is a breach of their fiduciary duties that threatens to harm SPU’s reputation, worsen enrollment difficulties and possibly jeopardize its future. Continue reading at The Associated Press. (Chris Grygiel)

US inflation still stubbornly high despite August slowdown
Lower gas costs slowed U.S. inflation for a second straight month in August, but most other prices across the economy kept rising — evidence that inflation remains a heavy burden for American households. Consumer prices surged 8.3% last month compared with a year earlier, the government said Tuesday, down from an 8.5% increase in July and a four-decade high of 9.1% in June. On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.1%, after a flat reading in July. Inflation is higher than many Americans have ever experienced, escalating families’ grocery bills, rents and utility costs, among other expenses. It has deepened gloom about the economy despite strong job growth and low unemployment. Continue reading at The Associated Press. (Damian Dovarganes)

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Associated Press
US inflation still stubbornly high despite August slowdown
Faculty, students sue Christian school over LGBTQ hiring ban

Bellevue Reporter
WA Department of Ecology launches “Simple As That” campaign to prevent littering

Capital Press
Concerns spiral over potential railroad shutdowns
Northwest weed experts sound alarm over palmer amaranth

Columbian
Editorial: In Our View: An unenforced law is worse than no law at all

The Daily News
Ridgefield teachers strike enters day 2, bargaining continues
Weyerhaeuser woodworkers in Longview strike for first time in 36 years
Weather helps crews fighting Kalama, Goat Rocks wildfires in Gifford Pinchot National Forest

Everett Herald
Wildfire smoke closes schools in Index, Sultan
Comment: Figures can help quell uncertainty on state economy
Comment: Involuntary treatment labels addiction as moral failure

Journal of the San Juan Islands
Preparing for herculean recovery of Aleutian Isle

Kent Reporter
Boeing plans to stay in Kent but presence remains smaller

Kitsap Sun
Cyclists, leaders brave Gorst in search of elusive north-south Kitsap County bike path (Randall)

Olympian
Should WA troopers be paid for commuting to work in marked cars? A lawsuit’s been started
Residents call for public forum on Port of Olympia Weyerhaeuser lease

Puget Sound Business Journal
Some small businesses are pulling back on hiring. Here’s why.
Concrete drivers dropped key demand as cost of Seattle strike rose
IRS to refund late fees for some small-business owners and individuals

Seattle Times
Seattle Schools, educators reach tentative contract agreement to end strike
Seattle Pacific University is imploding, lawsuit argues
WA among worst states for surge in traffic deaths
Floatplane wreckage located in Mutiny Bay
Bellevue put under pressure for affordable housing by groups with poll

Spokesman Review
Air quality in Spokane reaches ‘very unhealthy’ Monday as smoke blankets area
Relief from smoke in Spokane will wait until at least Tuesday
Mead School Board strikes down proposals that would have banned critical race theory, gender studies

Washington Post
Rising food and housing costs kept inflation high in August
‘The Russians are in trouble,’ U.S. official says of latest war analysis
She’s seen the effects of toxic masculinity. She wants better for her 5-year-old son.
Twitter whistleblower Peiter Zatko testifies before Congress

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Seattle Public Schools reaches tentative agreement with educators
New proposal revisits camping ban on public property in Tacoma
Pierce County’s housing market shows signs of cooling off
Washington Department of Health using red dye to study water quality around Oak Harbor
Faculty, students sue SPU over LGBTQ hiring ban

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
SDOT prepares to reopen the West Seattle Bridge
Dana Miles named 2023 Washington State Teacher of the Year

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Seattle Public Schools cancels class Tuesday, but announces agreement with teachers
Bolt Creek fire burns about 7,700 acres near Skykomish, Index, up to 5% contained
‘A lost generation’: COVID wipes out decades of students’ academic gains, nonprofit says

KUOW Public Radio
Index Residents Tell What It’s Like to Evacuate From a Forest Fire
Steep terrain, high winds, and dry conditions make Bolt Creek Fire difficult to contain
Washington schools chief calls for free lunch for all students

Q13 TV (FOX)
Washington wildfires continue to create hazy conditions

Web

Crosscut
King County has a plan to improve hate-crime reporting

Monday, September 12

Bolt Creek fire, Highway 2 closure and evacuations — Live updates
A major wildfire burning west of the Cascades since Saturday is now 2% contained — a welcome sign of progress as the blaze continues to burn in timber and brush. The Bolt Creek fire ignited early Saturday morning and spread rapidly to 7,600 acres by Sunday, prompting evacuations around the small town of Index in the western Cascade Mountain foothills. An 18-mile stretch of Highway 2 remains closed from east of Gold Bar to Skykomish. Evacuation orders remain in effect. Throughout Monday, on this page, updates will be provided on fires, air quality and evacuations. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Jennifer Buchanan)

Hottest August on record for Idaho, Oregon and Washington
Oregon, Idaho and Washington had their hottest Augusts in 128 years of record-keeping, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported Sept. 9. Heat records fell in all three states, topping old marks for the month by nearly a degree in Idaho and by more than a degree in Washington and Oregon. Temperatures were far above normal. Idaho’s average temperature was 5.67 degrees Fahrenheit above the norm, while Washington’s was 6.3 and Oregon’s 6.6. The three states also set records for average temperature over a two-month period, July and August. Continue reading at Capital Press. (Don Jenkins)

City to hand out meals to Seattle Public Schools students beginning Monday
The city of Seattle will begin distributing meals to Seattle Public Schools (SPS) students while an ongoing teacher strike continues to delay the first day of school. The city is partnering with PTSAs and community groups across the city to hand out meals prepared by the Seattle Public Schools’ culinary services team. Grab-and-go lunches will be available for students and families at nearly 50 locations between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. daily while the strike continues. In an update Sunday, SPS said the two sides had made progress during negotiations with a mediator, but still had not come to an agreement. Continue reading at KING 5.

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Associated Press
18 fires burning in Oregon, Washington lead to evacuations

Aberdeen Daily World
Solid salmon return numbers forecast for next several weeks in Grays Harbor

Bellingham Herald
‘Parents Bill of Rights’ targets CRT, sex ed, trans youth. Here’s what else it does
Many WA schools no longer give students free meals. Here are resources for families to save
Daylight-saving time ends in November. But didn’t WA decide to stop doing this?
Air quality remains unhealthy in Whatcom Sunday. Here’s where

Capital Press
Hottest August on record for Idaho, Oregon and Washington
La Nina settling in for third straight winter
Inslee champions alliance with California on climate

Columbian
Editorial: In Our View: COVID here to stay, no longer an emergency

The Daily News
U.S. Highway 12 opening, evacuations lifting as red flag warning ends
Cowlitz County ends summer with housing inventory increase

Everett Herald
Bolt Creek wildfire grows to nearly 8,000 acres; US 2 closed indefinitely
Snohomish County remote work study echoes national sentiment
COVID boosters targeting omicron are here, in limited supply

The Inlander
What we can learn from the 19 dead found over six years at Spokane’s Wolfe and New Washington apartments

News Tribune
‘Dangerous place to live’: Why state-run home for vulnerable adults is under fire again
Op-Ed: It’s time for free community college for students in Washington state. Here’s why

Olympian
U.S. 12 reopens over White Pass, Packwood evacuation levels reduced
State says it finds no wrongdoing in agency’s handling of Oakley Carlson’s case
Maps show possible new districts for expanded Thurston County, Port of Olympia boards
Corrections fined for violating safety rules amid tuberculosis outbreak at Stafford Creek
Lab results show Thurston has its first case of monkeypox, health officials announce
Editorial: Local equity groups are just getting under way, and already we are eager for results

Peninsula Daily News
Smoke clearing on North Olympic Peninsula
Courthouse security, state funding on county agendas

Seattle Medium
City of Seattle To Distribute Meals To Children At Nearly 50 Sites Across The City Starting Today

Seattle Times
Bolt Creek fire, Highway 2 closure and evacuations: Live updates
Cool marine breeze expected to clear air, dampen fires
WA utilities proactively turn off power as wildfires come west
King County proposes new hotline for victims of hate crimes
Wildfire smoke causes worst Seattle air quality in 2 years
No school as Seattle teachers, district keep talking; free meals available

Spokesman Review
In the Northwest and beyond, mature and old-growth trees remain under threat in spite of Biden’s move to protect them
Opinion: College costs are still sky high, but the debt picture is improving — at least a bit

Washington Post
Trump backers flood election offices with requests as 2022 vote nears
As U.S. rail strike looms, White House aides scramble to avert crisis
U.S. declares disaster for tribal salmon fisheries on the West Coast
Biden has achieved historic diversity. A new study says more can be done.

Yakima Herald-Republic
Air quality in Yakima Valley deemed unhealthy amid wildfire smoke
U.S. 12 over White Pass reopens; fire evacuation levels reduced near Packwood

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
City to hand out meals to Seattle Public Schools students beginning Monday
Seattle’s air quality was among the worst in the world this weekend

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Severe weather shelter activated in King County in response to poor air quality
Bolt Creek Fire near Skykomish nears 8,000 acres; evacuations, road closures remain in effect
‘Moderate’ air quality amid high smoke, haze but conditions expected to improve

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
No school on Monday for SPS
Danger from Bolt Creek fire displaces local families in Skykomish area
Gas prices drop in Seattle, Washington state, nation for 13th straight week

KNKX Public Radio
Port of Everett unveils Blue Heron Slough – one of the region’s largest estuary restorations

KUOW Public Radio
Go now (we’re serious), Snohomish County tells smoked-out residents near Bolt Creek fire

Q13 TV (FOX)
Bolt Creek Fire: Evacuations still in place for wildfire burning near Skykomish
Goat Rocks Fire: Fire burns nearly 3,000 acres; Highway 12, SR-123 reopen
FEMA authorizes emergency funds for Bolt Creek Fire

Web

Crosscut
How some low-income buyers can afford a home in pricey Seattle
A Washingtonian’s guide to living among volcanoes

The Stranger
How Can We Fix the King County Jail Crisis?

Friday, September 9

Washington’s COVID-19 state of emergency to end Oct. 31
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced Thursday that the state of emergency sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic will end Oct. 31, nearly three years after the Democratic governor first issued the order. A vast majority of the 85 orders issued – including most mask requirements, restrictions on commerce and restaurants – had already been previously lifted. An additional 13 health care related orders are set to end Oct. 27, including one that offered flexibility for locations pharmacies could store vaccines. Ten remaining orders, including the underlying emergency order and vaccination requirements for health care and education workers, will remain in place until the emergency order is lifted Oct. 31. Continue reading at The Associated Press. (Ted S. Warren)

All Washington state students would receive free meals under new OSPI proposal
All K-12 students in Washington would receive free school lunches under a new proposal announced by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Thursday morning. The proposal will be brought to the Legislature during the upcoming session, which begins in January. If passed, students will have free meals at school starting in the 2023-24 school year. The superintendent said about 47% of students in the state are already eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Additionally, more than half of Washington students attend schools that participate in the Community Eligibility Provision, which means that all students enrolled at schools in low-income areas are eligible for free breakfast and lunch. Continue reading at The Bellingham Herald. (Cheyenne Boone)

Unpacking the complexities of teacher strikes
Tens of thousands of Seattle students are getting an extended summer break after Seattle Public Schools educators went on strike Wednesday. It’s the latest in a long line of school interruptions since the beginning of the pandemic, from school closures and remote learning to school bus shortages. Instead of going back to the classroom this week, more than 50,000 Seattle Public School students were informed Tuesday that the start of school would be delayed because teachers were on strike. Along with salary, one of the main focuses of the contract negotiations underway between the Seattle Education Association and the district is special education. Continue reading at KUOW. (Megan Farmer)

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Associated Press
Washington’s COVID-19 state of emergency to end Oct. 31

Bellingham Herald
Wildfires near Baker mean smoky skies for Whatcom. Here’s what to expect
All Washington state students would receive free meals under new OSPI proposal (Nobles, Riccelli)

Bothell-Kenmore Reporter
Funding secured for behavioral health crisis stabilization facility in King County

Courier-Herald
Tribes, legislators, local leaders celebrate revival of Howard Hanson Dam project

The Daily News
Officials warn of fire danger, prepare for Gifford Pinchot wildfires to spread

Everett Herald
Everett settles $860K claim over ‘inadequate’ design of Grand Ave bridge
Comment: Abortion bans with medical exceptions present threat
Comment: Strong job market buoys hopes to avoid recession

Olympian
Gov. Inslee will rescind remaining COVID-19 emergency orders effective Oct. 31
Tumwater Starbucks workers announce they will strike Friday and Saturday

Puget Sound Business Journal
Tribal economic activity yields $1.2 billion in state and local taxes
Amazon still has no plan to require workers to come back to the office

Seattle Medium
New Measure Allows All Youth Under 18 To Ride Metro Buses For Free

Seattle Times
Federal survey delivers more bad news to Bering Sea crab fleet
Seattle-area home prices trend down. See what’s happening near you
Seattle in for smoky, hot stretch, but it won’t last long
WA’s COVID state of emergency will lift on Oct. 31, Inslee says
UW Regents vote to divest from fossil fuels by 2027
City of Seattle announces 3 finalists for police chief

Snoqualmie Valley Record
Carnation Mayor, community advocate steps down after nearly 30 years of service

Spokesman Review
Washington’s remaining COVID-19 emergency orders to end on Oct. 31 (Ormsby)
Air quality reaches unhealthy levels in Eastern Washington as wind pushes smoke across region

Washington Post
Britain mourns a life of duty, service
In ruling for Trump, low-profile judge Aileen Cannon invites scrutiny

Yakima Herald-Republic
‘Critical’ fire weather in forecast for this weekend; smoke visible in Yakima
Editorial: Yakima can’t afford to lose Memorial Hospital

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Inslee to remove remaining COVID-19 orders, state of emergency by Oct. 31
Most of western Washington under Red Flag Warning starting Friday
Organizers hope to honor Japanese-Americans imprisoned at Puyallup fairgrounds with gallery
An antidote for meth addiction? Doctors in Everett say it’s quite possible
No classes for Seattle Public Schools Friday as teacher strike continues

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Red flag warning: Poor air quality expected as wildfire smoke surges into Puget Sound
Bruce Harrell announces three finalists in nationwide search for Seattle Police Chief
No school in Eatonville tomorrow as bargaining continues

KUOW Public Radio
Unpacking the complexities of teacher strikes
Inslee announces Covid-19 state of emergency will end Oct. 31

NW Public Radio
Biden Administration Launches Website To Provide Real-Time Climate Data, Predict Future Scenarios

Q13 TV (FOX)
All Washington students could receive free school meals under new proposal (Riccelli)
Washington communities brace for wildfire danger with strong winds and hot temps ahead
18 Washington nature sites renamed to remove Indigenous slur after federal order

Thursday, September 8

New Covid-19 boosters coming to a site near you
Doses of the new omicron-specific Covid-19 boosters should become available at pharmacies and health-care sites around King County starting this week. Roughly 92,000 doses of the updated shots will be arriving in the county this week and next, according to Public Health – Seattle & King County. Statewide, an initial allocation of 191,100 doses is expected, according to the state Department of Health. You can also use the state’s vaccine locator website. Language assistance is available via the state’s Covid information hotline, 800-525-0127. Continue reading at KUOW. (Pfizer)

A WA town’s proactive approach to mental health care starts on the street
The problems of Mount Vernon, population 35,000, are mirrored in communities large and small across Washington. Still, [Erin] von Fempe and a handful of other influential people in the Skagit County town are transfixed by the idea that their labor and creative ideas may actually make a difference. Her work, and that of many others across Skagit, help illustrate the potential of a collaborative approach to mental health crises — one that, in an ideal world, would involve intensive coordination between social workers, behavioral health agencies, law enforcement and the courts. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ramon Dompor)

When a man with a pistol shows up outside a congresswoman’s house
Everyone could hear the men on the street. The car, a black Dodge Challenger with gold rims, sped down the block, just past the congresswoman’s house. Two voices shot through the dark. “HEY, PRAMILA,” the first man shouted. “F— YOUUUUU.” Then came the second: “F— you, c—!” The neighbors knew the car. It was the same Dodge Challenger they had seen several times that summer. [Brett] Forsell said he would come back to Jayapal’s house. “I’ll keep doin’ it. And you can let her know that I will in no way physically harm her,” he said, unless she harmed him. “But I will continue to drive by here and voice my opinion, until she goes back to India — or something else.” Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Jovelle Tamayo)

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Associated Press
Queen Elizabeth II dead at 96 after 70 years on the throne
Seattle Council OKs plan to ban gas-powered leaf blowers
Seattle teachers on strike over pay, staffing issues
King County health officials urge new COVID-19 booster, flu shot

Auburn Reporter
King County Council wants to look at ways to support food banks amid rising inflation
Washington healthcare providers will begin offering COVID vaccine boosters

Bellevue Reporter
First time in history: DSHS increases cash assistance grants for Aged, Blind or Disabled program

Bellingham Herald
Whatcom’s summer has been free of wildfire smoke. That’s about to change

Capital Press
Court rules in favor of Washington raspberry farmers

Courier-Herald
No, Mount Rainier is not erupting

Everett Herald
Snohomish County signs on for share of mega opioid settlement
Mukilteo restores stolen plaque at site of fateful Point Elliott Treaty
Diesel prices stay high for truckers, farmers

The Inlander
Wilbur Tankersley’s mental challenges led to a tragedy at the Wolfe Apartments. His family is still trying to make sense of it all.
As some in Idaho aim to villainize librarians (of all people), here’s one personal tally of the many good things Idaho educators do

Kent Reporter
Kent teachers, district reach tentative contract agreement

Kitsap Sun
Kitsap’s board of health is expanding. Who is expected to join?

News Tribune
As gas prices continue to drop, here are the areas in Washington you can save at the pump

Olympian
Cloud over Mount Rainier stirs up panic after people mistake it for sign of eruption
Thurston County commissioners join hundreds outside DNR in rally to save WA ‘legacy forests’

Peninsula Daily News
Port Townsend City Council continues to hear about trans issues
Waters near Whidbey Island will be dyed red for wastewater study

Puget Sound Business Journal
Survey: How construction companies are navigating labor issues
SBA unveils new labor union toolkit for small-business owners

Seattle Times
Witnesses recall Whidbey Island plane crash, rescue efforts
Here’s what you need to know about the Seattle teachers strike
Striking Seattle teachers, aides explain why they are on the picket line
Seattle City Council approves plan to ban gas-powered leaf blowers
A WA town’s proactive approach to mental health care starts on the street

Skagit Valley Herald
More arguments heard in debate over environmental mitigation
Skagit County protects more farmland

Spokesman Review
Spokane’s new homeless shelter on Trent Avenue drew several dozens on opening day
$60 million Gonzaga-UW medical school building opens in Spokane (Riccelli)

Washington Post
When a man with a pistol shows up outside a congresswoman’s house
Rising seas could swallow millions of U.S. acres within decades
Bannon charged with fraud, money laundering, conspiracy in ‘We Build the Wall’
People worried Mount Rainier may be erupting. It was just a cloud.

Yakima Herald-Republic
Rental assistance fair is planned for Yakima County renters on Sept. 14
Yakima School District consolidates early learning with push for kindergarten readiness

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
No classes for Seattle Public Schools Thursday as teacher strike continues
Kent teachers ratify new contract, classes set to begin Sept. 8

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Most Amazon tech workers will not be required to return to office
Federal audit finds many Coast Guard units in Northwest lack tsunami evacuation plans

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Kent schools return to the classroom Thursday after agreement is reached

KUOW Public Radio
What happened and why? Federal investigators begin search of seaplane wreckage
What will happen when Mount Rainier erupts?
New Covid-19 boosters coming to a site near you
‘New opportunities we didn’t have before’ – Gov. Inslee talks climate policy
What WA families need to know now that federal universal free lunch is gone

KXLY (ABC)
Gov. Inslee appoints Marla Polin to Spokane County Superior Court
‘Just as bad as Seattle’: City of Spokane will enforce sit-and-lie ordinance as people ask for change

Web

The Stranger
Seattle Teachers Strike

Wednesday, September 7

Seattle teachers strike, delaying first day of school
Seattle educators are on strike Wednesday after negotiating late into the night Tuesday, with classes canceled in the state’s largest school district on what would have been the first school day of the year. Teachers, paraprofessionals and certificated teaching staff began picketing at their schools at 7:30 a.m. and will stay on the picket lines until 3:30 p.m. each day until educators ratify a contract agreement, WEA said. Teachers have been negotiating with the district for months, with leadership mainly focused on pay increases and support for special education and multilingual students. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Erika Schultz)

A ‘doomsday glacier’ the size of Florida is disintegrating faster than thought
A large glacier in Antarctica that could raise sea levels several feet is disintegrating faster than last predicted, according to a new study published Monday in the journal Nature Geoscience. The Thwaites Glacier — dubbed the “doomsday glacier” because scientists estimate that without it and its supporting ice shelves, sea levels could rise more than 3 to 10 feet — lies in the western part of the continent. After recently mapping it in high-resolution, a group of international researchers found that the glacial expanse experienced a phase of “rapid retreat” sometime in the past two centuries — over a duration of less than six months. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Alexandra Mazur)

This weekend could bring critical fire danger to WA Cascades and lowlands
This weekend’s combination of high heat, low humidity and wind has prompted the National Weather Service to issue a red flag warning, meaning that wildfire danger is at a critical level. The danger extends from the Cascades to the Western Washington lowlands, the Weather Service said Tuesday. Gusty winds of 15-25 miles per hour from the north combined with humidity levels of 15-30 percent will make Friday and Saturday afternoons and evenings dangerous, the Weather Service said. Smoke from existing and new wildfires across the region could impact air quality Friday and Saturday in Puget Sound. Continue reading at The News Tribune.