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Thursday, September 15

Rail workers win key concessions in deal to prevent strike
Railroad workers secured a deal Thursday that will deliver 24% raises and $5,000 bonuses over five years and it will also address some of their concerns about strict attendance rules and time off. The deal that’s retroactive to 2020 will give rail workers the biggest raises they’ve seen in more than four decades. But the concessions related to working conditions may prove to be more important to them. The nation’s biggest railroads, including Norfolk Southern, CSX, BNSF, Union Pacific and Kansas City Southern all negotiated jointly with 12 unions. Continue reading at Capital Press. (BNSF Railway)

Washington state’s tax system is worsening income inequality
As she opened her $1,600 property-tax bill in February, Edith Baltazar suddenly lost her appetite for the eggs she’d prepared for lunch with her daughter. Her thoughts raced: Would their home be taken away if she couldn’t pay it. Baltazar’s daughter wept. The family would have to make a difficult decision: the property tax or $2,000 for diabetes medication. The taxes won. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Melissa Hellmann/Center for Public Integrity)

Public safety is about solving tough problems, not scoring political points
“Do not extend this dangerous program! How many repeat offenders will be put on the streets to steal, rob, assault and possibly kill.” Lately, my inbox has seen several emails like this. The program this person was referencing in this case is Restorative Community Pathways (RCP), a youth diversion program that my Democratic and Republican colleagues on the Metropolitan King County Council approved unanimously. It is an intervention that helps youth who have committed their first offense turn their lives around through community-based efforts — which studies show can be more effective than courts and jails. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

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Associated Press
Rail workers win key concessions in deal to prevent strike
Tentative railway labor deal reached, averting strike
Employees at timber company Weyerhaeuser strike over wages
Monkeypox cases declining in WA, outbreak trajectory unclear

Bainbridge Island Review
Footsteps emotional reminder at Japanese American memorial

Bellingham Herald
Faith-based university bans employees in same-sex marriages, Washington lawsuit says
WA Gov. Jay Inslee heads delegation traveling to Nordic countries for trade mission
Whatcom’s Chilliwack Complex wildfire still burning. Here’s how it compares to others

Capital Press
Carbon from Northwest electricity rose between 2016 and 2020
West Coast leaders: Time for states to act on climate change

Everett Herald
Comment: Increase support for state schools to end debt crisis
Comment: What will it take to grasp reality of climate change?

The Inlander
What does a legal illegal-camping ordinance look like?
Amtrak cancels Inland Northwest routes as freight rail strike looms

Journal of the San Juan Islands
State Treasurer talks about state finances, closing the wealth gap, and new legislation

Kent Reporter
State awards grant for solar panels at Kent Senior Center

Kirkland Reporter
Kirkland welcomes new community responders for mental health crisis situations

News Tribune
Is it too expensive to build affordable apartments in Tacoma now? This builder says it is
The opioid makers agreed to pay up. But we need more than cash to end this epidemic
Over 18 million pounds of litter is thrown across WA yearly, the state is asking for help
Pierce County to get $14M in opioid lawsuit settlement. How will the money be spent?

New York Times
F.D.A.’s Drug Industry Fees Fuel Concerns Over Influence

Olympian
Blaze at Montesano care facility displaces 77 patients Wednesday, draws regional response
Investigation underway into the death of a Lewis County inmate, Sheriff’s office confirms
WA state board suspends Thurston naturopathic physician, citing ‘immediate danger’

Peninsula Daily News
Voluntary conservation encouraged in Port Angeles
Clallam burn ban tightened; Jefferson’s already in place

Puget Sound Business Journal
Colleges cut thousands of faculty, $100M+ in payroll at Covid’s depths
Railroad union members reject tentative agreement, authorize strike
Amazon blocks HR chief from testifying in civil suit

Seattle Times
City spent millions planning a future West Seattle bridge it shouldn’t need until 2060
Insurers don’t have to pay for Highway 99 tunnel delays, WA Supreme Court rules
Stretch of North Cascades Highway closed after mudslide
Only one major city ranks higher than Seattle for remote work
Bolt Creek fire resurfaces choice not to rebuild highway
Seattle students head to class for first day after strike is suspended
Despite hot hiring in August, WA job market may be cooling
Harborview still way over capacity, as long-term care shortage persists
Opinion: Public safety is about solving tough problems, not scoring political points

Spokesman Review
Family of man shot and killed by Spokane police while holding toddler, plans to sue city, as prosecutor reviews officers actions
Test scores across Washington, including Spokane area, show decline from prior to pandemic

Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
As Health Care District purchases property for new clinic, Sea Mar says it will do the same

Washington Post
White House announces ‘tentative’ deal to avert rail strike
Mortgage rates surpass 6 percent for the first time since 2008
Insurers force change on police departments long resistant to it
Supreme Court reverses course on religious school’s LGBTQ club in 5-4 vote
Customs officials have copied Americans’ phone data at massive scale

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Biden says tentative railway labor agreement reached, averting strike
Some student loan borrowers will receive automatic refunds for payments made during pause
Task force aims to raise awareness, change policy in WA about missing and murdered Indigenous people
New initiative brings three vending machines to Pierce County to dispense Narcan
Fire at Montesano long-term care facility forces 77 patients to evacuate
‘It’s not sustainable’: Overcrowding problems persist at Harborview Medical Center

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Seattle Pacific University students, staff and faculty file complaint against Board of Trustees
New ordinance could create camping ‘buffer zones’ in Tacoma

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Closegap: A mental health check-in app for students
New details on contract that ended Seattle teacher strike emerge as school starts
Fire in Grays Harbor County displaces nearly 80 people at long-term care facility
Monkeypox cases declining in WA, outbreak trajectory unclear
Washington senator proposes plan to clean up space junk in orbit
Harborview Medical Center staff overwhelmed by patient volume

KUOW Public Radio
North King County cities will broaden mental-health response to 911 calls
Seattle Fire Dept. expands crisis response while city awaits new 911 options
West Seattle Bridge reopens this weekend

Q13 TV (FOX)
PNW railroad engineer explains why nationwide strike may be necessary

Web

Crosscut
In Seattle’s overpriced housing market, some opt to rent indefinitely
Podcast | Is Washington ready for this school year?
Central WA home prices spike amid influx of Seattle-area transplants
Shelved report details 14 COVID deaths inside Washington prisons
Washington state’s tax system is worsening income inequality

Wednesday, September 14

Seattle teacher strike suspended, students to return Wednesday
Seattle Public Schools educators voted Tuesday to suspend their five-day strike, pending a ratification of a full contract between the district and union. A suspension means that educators will return to work Wednesday, and school will begin for all students. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ellen M. Banner/The Seattle Times)

Seattle’s 2022 smoke and fire season likely to be among our lightest
Was that it for this year’s smoke and wildfire season? Probably yes, say those keeping track. And if so, we’re lucky. Despite the recent wind-whipped fires in Western Washington that forced evacuations, sent hikers fleeing and blanketed Seattle and the region with smoke, the state is seeing its third-lightest wildfire season in a decade, according to the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Daniel Kim/The Seattle Times)

Lawsuit involving fatal Spokane officer-involved shooting of headed to trial; father settles, mother and sister press lawsuit
The city of Spokane has settled with one of the plaintiffs of the wrongful death lawsuit connected with the death of David Novak, who was shot and killed by Spokane police in 2019. The Spokane City Council voted Monday to authorize a $275,000 settlement with Michael Novak, David Novak’s father. Michael Novak joined the lawsuit lodged by David Novak’s mother, Debra Novak, and sister, Crystal Jenkins, a few months after it was filed in January 2021. The father chose to settle with the city, while the mother and daughter continue on with the lawsuit. Continue reading at The Spokesman-Review. (Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review)

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Associated Press
Montana coal plant operator to buy out co-owner Puget Sound Energy

Aberdeen Daily World
Department of Corrections fined over prison TB outbreak

Auburn Reporter
Auburn councilmembers voice support for abortion access
Public Health offers free COVID-19 boosters in Auburn

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

Capital Press
Comments won’t impact Washington’s EV law

Columbian
In Our View: Lack of training sites worsens police shortage (Lovick)

Everett Herald
No penalty, so far, for Lynnwood council member accused of racism
Evacuation order lifted for Index residents who fled Bolt Creek fire
Comment: 50-year path led to $1.6 trillion in student debt

Issaquah Reporter
Valley leaders celebrate start of SR 18/I-90 interchange construction

Kent Reporter
FAA to investigate Kent-based Blue Origin’s uncrewed rocket crash

News Tribune
‘It’s our job to do something.’ Tacoma council weighs encampment restriction ordinance
CHI medical group to pay $2.5M to settle wage-theft case tied to Gig Harbor clinic
High-speed pursuit of Tacoma man fleeing from crash with patrol car ends with arrest
Narcan vending machines? They’re coming to Pierce County, and there’s good reason for it

Olympian
Prescribed burn set for 10:30 a.m. Sept. 13 in south Thurston County

Puget Sound Business Journal
Amazon to invest $450M in pay, benefits for delivery drivers
Starbucks rolls out plans for faster service, better employee benefits
Congress beefed up the IRS. Here’s what it means for small businesses.

Seattle Times
Seattle moves forward with Green Lake bike trail
Lynnwood City Council supports 3,000 more apartments near light rail
Seattle teacher strike suspended, students to return Wednesday
Monkeypox cases declining in WA, but outbreak trajectory still unclear
Seattle’s new transportation director says he’s a ‘steward’ of streets
Seattle’s 2022 smoke and fire season likely to be among our lightest

Spokesman Review
Sandy Williams’ life and legacy, ‘radical empathy’ celebrated at Spokane memorial
Lawsuit involving fatal Spokane officer-involved shooting of headed to trial; father settles, mother and sister press lawsuit
Mead School Board strikes down proposals that would have banned critical race theory, gender studies

Washington Post
Russia spent millions on secret global political campaign, U.S. intelligence finds
Everything you need to know about the looming railroad strike
Republicans in muddle on abortion as ban proposed by Graham exposes rifts
This Midwestern factory was dead. Electric vehicles revived it.
Smoke from Western fires fuels dangerous air quality

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
SDOT conducts weight load test on West Seattle Bridge ahead of Sunday reopening
Snohomish County solid waste facilities may have to close temporarily due to excess garbage
Seattle City Council, Mayor discuss 911 response alternatives
Seattle teacher’s union votes to suspend strike, classes begin Wednesday
New proposal revisits camping ban on public property in Tacoma

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Seattle educators reach tentative agreement, classes begin Wednesday
State launches new campaign to try to keep litter off freeways/highways
2 major projects to delay traffic on westbound I-90 near Issaquah, Mercer Island
West Seattle Bridge expected to reopen this weekend following final tests
Tacoma City Council discusses ordinance banning camping in certain places

KUOW Public Radio
Omicron booster is step toward Covid ‘normalcy’

Web

The Stranger
What It Feels Like to Have Your Voting Rights Restored (Simmons)

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)