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Tuesday, July 19

WA hospitals are far over capacity, as backlogs and staff shortages add up
Washington’s hospitals are again “dramatically over capacity,” as challenges discharging patients worsen and staff shortages persist, the state’s health care leaders said Monday. In a news briefing, leaders from the Washington State Hospital Association said many health care facilities are 120% to 130% full, leading to long wait times in emergency departments, declining patient care and disruptions in ambulance services throughout the state. The high patient loads aren’t directly due to COVID-19 cases: Instead, officials say delayed procedures and difficulties discharging hospital patients are behind the capacity problems. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Elaine Thompson)

CEOs made 324 times more than average worker in 2021. Group calls it ‘greedflation’
Executive wages in the U.S. continue to grow to record highs while their workers struggle to keep up with rising prices, new data shows. The average S&P 500 CEO made 324 times the median pay for their workers in 2021, according to the AFL-CIO’s annual Executive Paywatch report. That is a 23% jump from 2020’s 299-to-1 CEO-to-worker pay ratio. In 2021, CEOs earned an average of $18.3 million in compensation, an increase of 18.2% from 2020. Meanwhile, U.S. worker wages rose 4.7% in 2021, falling behind the record-breaking 7.1% inflation rate, the report shows. After adjusting for inflation, U.S. workers’ average hourly earnings fell by 2.4% in 2021, the report says. Continue reading at The Olympian. (Michel Spingler)

Biden could declare climate emergency as soon as this week, sources say
President Biden is considering declaring a national climate emergency as soon as this week as he seeks to salvage his environmental agenda in the wake of stalled talks on Capitol Hill, according to three people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private deliberations. Some climate activists have urged the White House in recent months to deploy an emergency declaration to maximum effect, arguing that it would allow the president to halt crude oil exports, limit oil and gas drilling in federal waters, and direct agencies including the Federal Emergency Management Agency to boost renewable-energy sources. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Bill O’Leary)

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Associated Press
Lawmakers, wildlife officials study E-bikes on trails (Liias)
AP source: Biden holds off on climate emergency declaration
6 members of white supremacist group appear in Idaho court
Washington superintendent to resign, receive nearly $400K

Bellingham Herald
Four proposals offered for a major waterfront project. See the details, vote for your favorite

Capital Press
Trade regulators decide against tariffs on UAN imports

The Daily News
New fees proposed at Gifford Pinchot National Forest

Everett Herald
Comment: ‘Right to life’ will end up killing more women

High Country News
Washington’s largest homeless encampment faces an uncertain future

Kitsap Sun
New models show tsunami’s effects on Kitsap after Seattle Fault quake

News Tribune
Here’s Pierce County’s $50M plan to house 200-300 of its chronically homeless residents
Nuisance Tacoma school property to be redeveloped into housing, urban village, plans show

Olympian
Port of Olympia commissioner Downing speaks out after ‘vote of no confidence’ story
Americans’ confidence in public schools approaches all-time low, Gallup poll finds
CEOs made 324 times more than average worker in 2021. Group calls it ‘greedflation’
WA state hospitals remain over capacity, and it’s not just the fault of COVID-19

Peninsula Daily News
Highly infectious COVID-19 on the rise

Puget Sound Business Journal
Starbucks baristas at Seattle roastery strike as union tension mounts
Senators say SBA EIDL program has billions left to lend, but will it?
Foreclosure starts, bank repossessions rising to pre-Covid levels
Employers may need to rethink Covid-19 testing after new EEOC guidance

Seattle Times
WA hospitals are far over capacity, as backlogs and staff shortages add up
Opinion: Don’t roll back cruelty-free cosmetics laws

Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit County moves to protect farmland in fish habitat debate
New Skagit County COVID-19 case rate takes a jump

Tri-City Herald
Richland nuclear plant could be 1st in U.S. to produce power this way under new deal
Rent prices are skyrocketing across the U.S. How does Tri-Cities compare?

Washington Post
Biden could declare climate emergency as soon as this week, sources say
Heat waves are getting hotter and more frequent. Here’s how to prepare.
Ways to spot and combat ‘shrinkflation’ as grocery bills soar
A 1792 case reveals that key Founders saw abortion as a private matter

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Soda and similar taxes are beneficial for lower-income communities, UW study finds
Some Washington hospitals reportedly overcapacity

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Potential for very warm weather across western Washington next week
Evacuations ordered for wildfire near Chelan
Starbucks union workers say union busting, not safety is the cause for store closures
Monkeypox cases on the rise in western Washington
‘Just the beginning’: Starbucks CEO says ‘many more’ store closings on tap
Average price of gas continues to fall in Washington

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Homeless camp on private property in SLU cleared after months of complaints
Survivor says she had to jump through hoops to get rape kit tested in Washington (Orwall)

KNKX Public Radio
These gun deaths didn’t make national headlines, but they left a devastating mark
These are the 4 key takeaways from the Uvalde shooting investigation report

KUOW Public Radio
Colleges navigate confusing legal landscapes as new abortion laws take effect

Q13 TV (FOX)
Washington’s routine childhood vaccination rates still lag behind pre-pandemic levels
New UW study on effective dispensing of abortion medications via telehealth services

Web

MyNorthwest
Des Moines betting on fast ferry service to attract visitors
Hospitals sound alarm with 130% patient capacity as WA stares down BA.5 wave
Starbucks Roastery workers protest store closures as Schultz says its “just the beginning”
Several western Washington counties experiencing high levels of COVID-19 infection

West Seattle Blog
Save Fauntleroy Cove Park group leaps into lull for ferry-dock project
DEVELOPMENT: Microapartments proposed for site of fire-gutted South Delridge building

Monday, July 18

Majority of state supports offering abortions to out-of-state residents, according to WA Poll
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the constitutional right to abortion was met with broad opposition in Washington state, according to a recent statewide poll. Results from the WA Poll, conducted among 825 Washington adults earlier this month, showed strong pushback to the Supreme Court ruling — making abortion one of the top issues on voters’ minds in the weeks following the Roe v. Wade decision. While most opposition came from female and Democrat respondents, feelings of disagreement generally increased with residents’ education and household income. Meanwhile, male and Republican respondents showed the strongest backing of the ruling, according to poll results. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Daniel Kim)

Climate change prompts a push away from natural gas
While the gas industry describes heat pumps as “not a silver bullet,” many do consider them a major weapon in the battle to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Heat pumps not only provide efficient space heating but double as air conditioners, because they can transfer warm air in either direction. They offer protection against heat waves and allow Pacific Northwesterners to close their windows and breathe filtered air when forest fire smoke invades the region. An estimated 40% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions is attributed to buildings, and half of home energy demand is for space and water heating. Continue reading at The Everett Herald. (Ryan Berry)

Climate change is pushing hospitals to tipping point
When an unprecedented heat wave baked the Pacific Northwest last July, emergency rooms sought any way possible to lower the core body temperatures of patients coming in droves with heat-related ailments. Many emergency departments in the region began putting people in body bags filled with ice to help safely adjust their temperatures. But despite their lifesaving efforts, around 1,000 excess deaths occurred from the brutal heat. The scramble to save lives paints the challenging reality that many hospitals and medical workers are facing again this year as severe weather-related health emergencies escalate because of extreme climate events. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Spencer Platt)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Bid protest delays North Shore Levee project in Grays Harbor County
Gov. Inslee visits flood hazard reduction projects in Montesano
Inslee attends Fry Creek pump station groundbreaking (Tharinger)

Capital Press
Cougar rule to help Washington elk herd passes
Suit invites federal judges to change wolf control in Washington

Columbian
Editorial: In Our View: Solutions, not more studies, to save salmon

The Daily News
National mental health crisis line 988 goes live Saturday; expected to lower 911 mental crisis calls in Cowlitz County

Everett Herald
Climate change prompts a push away from natural gas

News Tribune
Bartell pharmacy leader explains why it’s a good idea to get kids vaccinated for COVID

Olympian
Thurston County spending COVID-19 recovery money too slowly, officials say
Olympia school officials, families say more info needed for decision on balanced calendar
Do your kids receive free or reduced-price school lunches? WA summer food aid coming
Living in an independent senior facility? Advocates for WA seniors want to hear from you (Hunt, Dolan, Bateman)

Seattle Times
How we talk about monkeypox could protect lives
Majority of state supports offering abortions to out-of-state residents, according to WA Poll
Poll: most WA residents blame Trump for Jan. 6 attack, but many Republicans don’t
This is how far Seattle Schools are from meeting students’ mental health demands

Skagit Valley Herald
Slowing housing market puts homeless services funding at risk

Tri-City Herald
CDC increases Tri-Cities COVID rating to ‘high.’ Thousands of workers must wear masks

Washington Post
Scientists rush to save 1,000-year-old trees on the brink of death
Climate change is pushing hospitals to tipping point
Is it safe to travel while BA.5 spreads? Health experts weigh in.
Under right-leaning Supreme Court, the church-state wall is crumbling

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima apartment vacancy rate improving as construction surges
Yakima County commissioners plan moratorium on solar farms until siting rules are devised
12,000 Yakima County permanent residents eligible to naturalize, gain citizenship

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
WA Poll: Nearly two-thirds of Washington adults oppose overturning Roe v. Wade
Washington state adults mostly blame Trump supporters, not Trump for Jan. 6 attack, WA Poll finds
Washington lawmakers, wildlife officials study E-bike impact on trails (Liias)
King County health officials in ‘active discussions’ about possible mask mandate

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Gas prices continue to drop in Seattle, Washington state and nationwide
Starbucks workers hold picket line at Reserve Roastery, accuse company of union busting
New national 988 mental health crisis line active; Puget Sound advocates approve effort

KXLY (ABC)
City Council to discuss Trent homeless shelter negotiations on Monday

Q13 TV (FOX)
Monday at 10 p.m.: Why Southern Resident orcas’ behaviors have changed

Web

MyNorthwest
UW astronomer: NASA’s new telescope shows clearest images of other galaxies to date
King County struggling to find solutions to keep homeless off the streets permanently
Extreme Risk Protection Order filed against man accused of threatening to kill Rep. Jayapal
Starbucks union to bring lawsuit against company, disputes reason for closures
Duwamish River Park opens after decades of redevelopment

The Stranger
Seattle City Council Puts Ranked-Choice Voting on Ballot

Friday, July 15

988 – the new crisis phone and text line – goes live this weekend
Starting Saturday, people in a mental health or behavioral crisis can call or text 988, a three-digit national replacement for local suicide hotlines and other helplines. It’s the first step in a long process to improve crisis-response systems across the U.S. While questions have been raised about whether the hotlines are ready to go nationwide, operators in Washington state say they’ve been able to ramp up hiring and feel prepared for the launch. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Dean Rutz/The Seattle Times)

Worst backslide in global vaccinations ‘in a generation,’ U.N. says
The coronavirus pandemic coincided with the worst backslide in global vaccination coverage in a generation, according to new data from the United Nations. This came despite a historic effort to develop and distribute billions of coronavirus vaccines during the pandemic. The new data, released late Thursday by UNICEF and the World Health Organization, showed that average global childhood coverage for vaccines developed for 11 key diseases had fallen from 71 percent in 2019 to 68 percent in 2021, marking the first time in over 30 years that the metric had fallen. Continue reading at Washington Post. (Baz Ratner/Reuters)

Prosecutor issues decision on Tacoma police officer who drove through street-race crowd
A Tacoma police officer who drove his vehicle through a crowd of pedestrians Jan. 23, 2021 during an illegal street racing event won’t be charged with any crimes, Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney Mary Robnett told Tacoma Police Chief Avery Moore on Thursday. The man who apparently was run over in the incident is facing criminal charges. Continue reading at Tacoma News Tribune.

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Bellingham Herald
Inslee promotes marine blue economy during this visit to Bellingham

Capital Press
Outlook improves for a third straight La Nina
Driver saves pilot after helicopter hits tractor
Report: $2.66 billion annual crop value of Columbia Basin Project

The Daily News
Initial I-5 Bridge plan gets OK from Metro, transportation councils
Flood mitigation in downtown Centralia moves forward
Seasonal burn ban begins Friday in Cowlitz County, region

Everett Herald
Providence nurses seek hazard pay from Everett amid staffing woes
‘It’s a start’: 8 years later, MPHS families see step toward gun control
Comment: A pre-Civil War lens on coming abortion fights

News Tribune
Prosecutor issues decision on Tacoma police officer who drove through street-race crowd
Tacoma police officers justified in 2017 fatal shooting of armed man, prosecutor says
Second probable case of monkeypox reported in Pierce County by health department
43 people applied to be on Tacoma City Council. How will the vacant position be filled?
MultiCare turning to drones for medical deliveries with new service to start in Tacoma area

Olympian
It’s official: Panattoni submits plan for 480,000-square-foot warehouse in Tumwater
Two men accused of vandalizing Olympia mural also linked to Idaho pride event incident
Thurston County adds 13 more COVID deaths as CDC status remains ‘high risk’
Another tree disease is spreading in South Sound, and this one can hurt people, too

Puget Sound Business Journal
Seattle-area CEOs back effort that would require schools to offer computer science education
Port of Seattle approves lease for Des Moines industrial development

Seattle Medium
After The Repeal Of Roe v. Wade: What Does It Mean For Black Women
Comment: Overturning Roe v. Wade Weakens Our Union

Seattle Times
Two-thirds of WA counties had more deaths than births this past year
WA Poll shows residents back assault weapon ban
Some city of Seattle workers ready to quit rather than return to the office
Seattle logs more than a week of dry weather for the first time in months
988 – the new crisis phone and text line – goes live this weekend
Starbucks will appeal mail-in unionization vote at Seattle Roastery
Opinion: Protect our National Park Service from the politics of Washington, D.C.
Opinion: The Webb telescope restores (some of) my faith in humanity

Skagit Valley Herald
Mount Vernon council approves $12.5 million bond for fire station remodels
Skagit 911 suspends plan to ask voters for sales tax increase
Construction begins on Veterans Community Plaza

Washington Post
Secret Service erased texts from Jan. 5 and 6, 2021, official says
Nobody wants to be in the office on Fridays
Inflation is soaring. Time to rethink your emergency savings.
Groups that aid abortion patients pull back, fearing legal liability
Worst backslide in global vaccinations ‘in a generation,’ U.N. says

Broadcast

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
UW professor sues school over language in syllabus regarding land acknowledgment
Seattle mulls a rezone of all residential neighborhoods
Providence nurses demand hazard pay amid staffing shortage

KXLY (ABC)
Camp Hope grows to small town population, many stuck without a choice
Business owners in downtown concerned about safety, hoping for solutions
WA county considers mandates, urges masking, boosters

NW Public Radio
Federal Report Recommends Breaching Lower Snake River Dams To Restore Salmon

Q13 TV (FOX)
Food pantries say Washington seniors are hit the hardest by inflation
Second ‘probable’ case of monkeypox detected in Pierce County

Thursday, July 14

Washington Supreme Court to hear challenge to new capital gains tax, bypassing Court of Appeals
The Washington Supreme Court will decide the legality of the state’s new capital gains tax, bypassing the Court of Appeals, in a case with hundreds of millions of dollars of tax revenue on the line and the potential to overturn decades of state Supreme Court precedent. The capital gains tax, passed by the Legislature in 2021, was a major and long-sought progressive victory for Democratic legislators. It created a 7% tax on profits from the sales of stocks, bonds and similar investments. But the tax only applies to profits above $250,000. The court is expected to hear oral arguments potentially around November, a court spokesperson said, although that could be pushed back if parties request an extension. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ellen M. Banner)

Uvalde parents, Highland Park survivors demand assault weapons ban
Kimberly Rubio keeps trying to picture the classroom through her 10-year-old daughter Lexi’s eyes, haunted by the different ways that May day could have ended. What side of the room did Lexi run toward with her classmates, huddling and fearing for their lives? What if Rubio had taken her daughter home earlier after an award ceremony that day? What if the outside door locked properly? What if police had immediately engaged the suspected gunman? But the one question that lawmakers should ask themselves every morning and night, she posed, was: “What if the gunman never had access to an assault weapon?” Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Salwan Georges)

New 988 crisis line launches Saturday; here’s how it works
988 – this is the new number people can call if they’re having a substance abuse or mental health crisis or if they’re also feeling suicidal. The new number will be operational starting Saturday. The three-digit number is meant to be easier to remember when someone is feeling overwhelmed and in crisis. It’s a lifeline and another option for those who need help. The 988 number is the same as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number, just now shortened. When people do call 988, they’re greeted with a message. When they’re listening to that message, the call is being routed to a local crisis center or as close as it can be. Continue reading at KXLY.

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Associated Press
Washington Supreme Court to decide capital gains tax case

Auburn Reporter
Hirotaka appointed as the next Washington State Archivist

Bainbridge Island Review
Work on BI overhead ferry walkway begins

Bellevue Reporter
Sexual assault advocates speak out about loss of bodily autonomy following Roe v. Wade decision

Capital Press
Whatcom County water talks stumble out of the gate
Study calls for smarter land use planning to curb farmland loss
Ag stakeholders reject White House draft reports on dam breaching

Columbian
Portland City Council, Port of Portland unanimously vote for I-5 Bridge plan

The Daily News
Kalama, Longview ports team up to consider whether to add, deepen Columbia River turning basins

Everett Herald
‘Broccoli in the brownies’: New takes on summer school boost attendance
Public electric vehicle chargers come to downtown Everett
Comment: Even at inflation’s new highs, concerns may be easing

News Tribune
Another tree disease has appeared in Pierce County, and this one can injure people, too

NNPA Newswire
Union Cries Foul as Starbucks Announce the Closing of 16 Locations

Olympian
Olympia council OKs funding for Family Support Center’s supportive housing project

Seattle Medium
Attorney Questions System And Policies As Inquest Jury Determines That Officers Were Justified In Shooting Death Of Charleena Lyles
Mayor’s Office Announces Finalists For OPA Director
Strickland Introduces Legislation To Help HBCUs Become Top Tier Research Institutions

Seattle Times
Man who allegedly threatened to kill U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal released from jail
Harrell proposes new hiring incentives for Seattle police, aims to add 500 officers in next 5 years
Inflation hits record 10.1% in Seattle as prices keep climbing
Washington Supreme Court to hear challenge to new capital gains tax, bypassing Court of Appeals
SeaTac detention center has most COVID infections among federally run prisons

Tri-City Herald
Kennewick council divided over prayer at meetings. Attorney says rules must be followed

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla City Council punts on Whitman statue, stalls for more study

Washington Post
Democratic cities in Republican states seek ways around abortion bans
The nonstop scam economy is costing us more than just money
FDA authorizes Novavax coronavirus vaccine, adding to pandemic arsenal
Uvalde parents, Highland Park survivors demand assault weapons ban
Veterans forced out for being gay are still waiting for VA benefits

Broadcast

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Seattle social housing initiative falling short on signatures
Federal lawmakers discussing ways to solve affordable housing crisis amid surging rent prices
Can cash incentives help SPD’s hiring, retention problem?
Washington Supreme Court to decide capital gains tax case

KUOW Public Radio
Federal report recommends breaching Lower Snake River dams to save salmon
Seattle’s low income communities benefit from soda tax revenue, UW study says
What recent SCOTUS ruling could mean for PNW Indigenous peoples

KXLY (ABC)
New 988 crisis line launches Saturday; here’s how it works

NW Public Radio
Why Some Benton County Residents Are Paying A Hospital Tax But Have No Hospital
Ben Franklin Transit Board Will Hold Two Meetings: Will They Refuse $75 Million From The State?

Q13 TV (FOX)
Seattle mayor, police chief announce $2M recruitment plan, but no cash incentive to keep officers

Web

MyNorthwest
Seattle Mayor Harrell commits to hiring 500 SPD officers by 2027
Washington charter school chain to repay $790,000 for misusing funds
Number of ‘high risk’ COVID counties in Washington cut in half over last week

The Stranger
Mayor Harrell Wants to Give Cops an Extra $30,000 to Work in Seattle

Wednesday, July 13

After Roe falls, local abortion clinics already feel strained system
Roughly half the states in the United States have already banned abortions, or are likely to ban them, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that supports abortion rights. In neighboring Idaho, a trigger ban passed in 2020 is set to make nearly all abortions illegal. Washington is one of 16 states with laws protecting abortion. The state could see an increase of up to 385% of patients whose nearest abortion provider is in Washington, Guttmacher predicts. Courtney Normand, Washington director for Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates, said clinics across Western Washington are already seeing patients who have flown or driven thousands of miles for the medical procedure. Continue reading at The Everett Herald. (Olivia Vanni)

U.S. emissions linked to over $1.8 trillion of global economic losses, study says
The United States and China, the world’s two leading greenhouse gas emitters, are each responsible for more than $1.8 trillion of global income losses from 1990 to 2014, according to a new study that links the emissions in individual countries to the economic impacts of climate change in others. The report may bolster the scientific basis for legal claims for losses tied to global warming. The Dartmouth College study, published in the journal Climatic Change, linked one nation’s emissions of heat-trapping gases to losses and gains in the gross domestic product of 143 countries for which data is available. It found that five of the world’s leading emitters of greenhouse gases caused $6 trillion of global economic losses through warming caused by their emissions from 1990 to 2014. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Drew Angerer)

WHO warns covid ‘nowhere near over’ as variants spike in U.S., Europe
“The virus is running freely,” the World Health Organization warns as the latest omicron offshoots drive up coronavirus infections around the world. Many countries have lifted restrictions and reduced coronavirus tracking as they grapple with pandemic fatigue. But “new waves of the virus demonstrate again that covid-19 is nowhere near over,” according to WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. He appealed to governments Tuesday to pour efforts back into testing and improving vaccine deployment and said rising cases were straining medical systems already stretched by the pandemic. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (David Ryder)