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Friday, August 5

Employers added 528,000 jobs in July, shattering expectations
The hot labor market strengthened more than expected in July, as employers added 528,000 jobs, a stunning figure that reflects an economy well-recovered from the pandemic, while quelling fears that a recession could be imminent. The unemployment rate edged down to 3.5 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, reaching its lowest point since February 2020, tying for the lowest rate since 1969. The job market has now more than recovered its pandemic losses, building confidence that a red-hot labor market can persevere, even as other parts of the economy sour. The momentum has afforded workers historic wage gains and more leverage at their jobs. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (John Locher)

Democrats say they’ve reached agreement on economic package
Senate Democrats have agreed to eleventh-hour changes to their marquee economic legislation, they announced late Thursday, clearing the major impediment to pushing one of President Joe Biden’s paramount election-year priorities through the chamber in coming days. The overall bill would raise $739 billion in revenue. That would come from tax boosts on high earners and some huge corporations, beefed-up IRS tax collections and curbs on drug prices, which would save money for the government and patients. It would spend much of that on initiatives helping clean energy, fossil fuels and health care, including helping some people buy private health insurance. That would still leave over $300 billion in the measure for deficit reduction. Continue reading at The Associated Press.

Snohomish County, cities announce $9.6M for mental health, shelter
Mental health and shelter needs are set for a nearly $10 million boost across Snohomish County, city and county leaders announced Thursday. Projects span Bothell, Edmonds, Everett, Lynnwood, Marysville, Monroe, Mukilteo, Snohomish and Sultan. Each city is using its federal American Rescue Plan Act money for the programs, with the county contributing some of its $160 million in ARPA funds as well. In all, about $9.6 million will provide shelter for a few dozen people, keep at least 130 people in their homes or help them to find new housing, and fund behavioral health services through case managers and social workers, according to the county. Continue reading at The Everett Herald.

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Associated Press
US employment numbers defy skeptics, still climbing as inflation fears deepen
Democrats say they’ve reached agreement on economic package

Bellingham Herald
Monkeypox vaccine being snapped up in WA as cases double each week
Working WA high school students could have ‘more flexibility’ under new OSPI plan

Everett Herald
Snohomish County, cities announce $9.6M for mental health, shelter

Seattle Medium
Heat-Related Deaths Rise As Millions In The Northwest Swelter Under Heat Alerts

Seattle Times
Longtime King County Housing Authority leader accused of racial, gender-based discrimination
Black driver mistakenly detained by Seattle police files lawsuit
Seattle City Council appoints first Indigenous Advisory Council
Men sue Alaska Airlines, alleging discrimination, after removal from flight
WA considers suspending license of Spokane youth mental health and addiction center

Skagit Valley Herald
Hours cut for some Mount Vernon schools staff

Washington Post
Employers added 528,000 jobs in July, shattering expectations
Democrats, Sinema reach deal on Inflation Reduction Act, after key changes to tax policies
White House summons Chinese ambassador for rebuke on Taiwan response
Great Barrier Reef has most coral in decades. Global warming could reverse it.
Alex Jones must pay $4.1 million to Sandy Hook parents, jury rules

Yakima Herald-Republic
Cow Canyon Fire leads to evacuations in Yakima and Kittitas counties; state closes Wenas Wildlife Area
Heat, dry conditions prompt Yakima County outdoor burn ban
Monkeypox cases continue to grow in WA, with one case in Yakima County
Vantage wildfire grows to 17,000 acres with better conditions expected Thursday

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
There are 166 reported cases of monkeypox in Washington state

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Officials provide updates on several wildfires racing across eastern Washington
Monkeypox cases doubling each week in Washington state

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
As new academic year looms, some local school districts still struggling to hire teachers
Employees at LGBTQ+-owned Capitol Hill bar share concerns over monkeypox outbreak
Nurses at Seattle Children’s Hospital plan informational pickets amid concerns over pay

KUOW Public Radio
Hazard pay is the latest casualty of the ‘waning pandemic phase’

KXLY (ABC)
Washington high school students could soon earn credit for paid work experience

Q13 TV (FOX)
Lind wildfire: Evacuation orders lifted, fire contained

Thursday, August 4

WA tenants need to work 72 hours a week at minimum wage to afford rent
Significant increases to Washington’s minimum wage have not been enough to offset rising rent prices for scores of workers across the state. A minimum-wage worker in Washington would need to work 72 hours each week to afford a typical one-bedroom apartment. In King and Snohomish counties, that stretches past 90 hours a week. The figures, calculated each year by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, highlight how difficult it can be to budget for Washington’s rising rents. That’s true even as workers have new leverage in the job market, and even for those making far beyond Washington’s $14.49 minimum wage. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ellen M. Banner)

4 Louisville police charged in Breonna Taylor probe, Garland says
Four current and former Louisville officers are facing federal charges in connection with the fatal police shooting of Breonna Taylor — including excessive force, falsifying information on the search warrant that let to the killing and staging a coverup, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Thursday. Kelly Goodlett, Joshua Jaynes and Kyle Meany are accused of falsifying information on a search warrant before and after Taylor, 26, was killed in March 2020, sparking a wave of racial justice protests across the country. Brett Hankison is charged with two counts of deprivation of rights under color of law. The counts announced Thursday are the first federal charges brought against any of the officers stemming from the raid. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Joshua Lott)

Curious how many monkeypox cases are in WA? This interactive map shows the latest numbers
Since the first confirmed case of monkeypox in the United States on May 17, over 6,300 cases have been reported in all but two states — Montana and Wyoming, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Washington state’s first presumptive case of monkeypox was reported on May 24, and 123 cases have been reported in total across the state, according to the CDC. Washington state’s Department of Health is reporting a slightly higher case number of 154 as of Tuesday, with 134 of those being in King County. Pierce County is next closest with six cases, while eight other counties such as Benton County have one or more cases. Continue reading at The Olympian.

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Associated Press
Feds charge 4 police officers in fatal Breonna Taylor raid
Judge rules against Navy in Growler jet fleet lawsuit
Seattle Ends COVID Hazard Pay for Grocery Store Workers

Auburn Reporter
Voters approve property tax levy increase to fund Mountainview Fire and Rescue

Bellevue Reporter
U.S. Department of Commerce awards $47 million in grants to WA organizations

Bellingham Herald
Monkeypox reaches Whatcom County, as health department reports first confirmed case

Capital Press
USDA purchases $52M of Pacific Northwest seafood

The Daily News
County commissioners approve contracts for substance-use treatment plans for courts, low-income housing

Everett Herald
Everett launches free evening bus rides to the waterfront
Snohomish-based docuseries to confront anti-LGBTQ laws across US

News Tribune
Former Pierce sheriff who left ‘heck of a legacy’ has died. He led the agency for 4 years

Olympian
Curious how many monkeypox cases are in WA? This interactive map shows the latest numbers
Lakewood violated records law in case of police killing of ‘antifascist.’ Here’s the cost

Puget Sound Business Journal
Seattle ends Covid-era hazard pay for grocery workers

Seattle Medium
Harrell Issues Executive Order To Support Sexual Assault Survivors
Mayor Harrell And Office Of Economic Development Have Expanded The Seattle Restored Program To Activate Vacant Commercial Storefronts Beyond Downtown Core

Seattle Times
WA tenants need to work 72 hours a week at minimum wage to afford rent
Seattle’s weather cool-down won’t last long before mini heat wave
New map would redraw Seattle’s City Council districts, with changes for Georgetown, Magnolia

Skagit Valley Herald
Judge rules against Navy in lawsuit over Growler expansion

Tri-City Herald
77 years ago atomic bomb fueled by Hanford dropped on Japan. Remembering it in Richland

Washington Post
Brittney Griner sentenced to 9 years in Russian prison on drug charges
4 Louisville police charged in Breonna Taylor probe, Garland says
Sandy Hook lawyers say Alex Jones’s attorneys accidentally gave them his phone contents
China launches military exercises around Taiwan after Pelosi visit

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima City Council members want to hear from residents at upcoming town halls
Cow Canyon Fire north of Naches grows overnight with evacuation orders in place
State panel to host information meeting, hearing on Wautoma Solar Project on SR 24
Yakima county courts, attorneys coordinating to break up case backlog

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Body found near Burke-Gilman Trail was that of missing Indigenous woman, family says
Federal resources could be coming to Seattle to encourage victims to report hate crimes

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Several wildfires racing across eastern Washington
Seattle residents driving to Canada for vaccine as local monkeypox cases are doubling weekly
Lynnwood man indicted for making racially motivated interstate threats
Level 3 evacuations issued for parts of Selah due to wildfire
King County at medium-risk category for COVID-19
State AG’s office cracking down on tow companies that preyed on service members

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Developer aims to preserve affordable housing in South Seattle’s Rainier Valley area
Local abortion providers expect surge in service requests from out-of-state residents

KXLY (ABC)
Students at SPS to receive free meals this coming school year
Monkeypox case no longer confirmed in Whitman County

NW Public Radio
Washington’s MMIW/P Task Force Releases First Report

Q13 TV (FOX)
Health officials to give update on state’s response to monkeypox outbreak
Multiple wildfires burning in Eastern Washington

Web

MyNorthwest
How the Northwest contributed to the atomic bombs of WWII
Councilmember Morales challenges mayor’s approach to homelessness, wants more permanent housing

The Stranger
Better Bike Lanes Coming Soon

West Seattle Blog
NEW MAPS: See proposed boundary changes for City Council districts, including ours, and how you can comment

Wednesday, August 3

Water shortages in E. Washington will happen in our lifetime, climate change to blame
A new long-term forecast has predicted that shifts in river flow and reduced snowpacks due to climate change over the next 20 years will result in drier summers and falls for eastern Washington. The report, conducted by the Washington Department of Ecology, Washington State University, and the State of Washington Water Research Center, looks at how trends in population growth along with a decline in groundwater levels could produce a water shortage in the latter half of the year. Shortages will persist throughout eastern Washington, but the report focused specifically on the Yakima River Basin, Lower Yakima watershed and the Columbia River. Continue reading at Tri-City Herald. (WA Dept. of Ecology)

‘Never seen it this bad’: America faces catastrophic teacher shortage
The teacher shortage in America has hit crisis levels — and school officials everywhere are scrambling to ensure that, as students return to classrooms, someone will be there to educate them. Why are America’s schools so short-staffed? Experts point to a confluence of factors including pandemic-induced teacher exhaustion, low pay and some educators’ sense that politicians and parents — and sometimes their own school board members — have little respect for their profession amid an escalating educational culture war that has seen many districts and states pass policies and laws restricting what teachers can say about U.S. history, race, racism, gender and sexual orientation, as well as LGBTQ issues. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Adam Glanzman)

Biden signs executive order to protect travel for abortion
President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed an executive order aimed in part at making it easier for women seeking abortions to travel between states to obtain access to the procedure. The order also directs the secretary to call on health care providers to comply with federal nondiscrimination laws and streamline the collection of key data and information on maternal health at the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Separately, on Tuesday, the Justice Department sued Idaho over its statute that criminalizes abortions, with Attorney General Merrick Garland arguing that it violates federal law. Continue reading at The Associated Press.

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Associated Press
Man accused of threatening Rep. Jayapal pleads not guilty
Biden signs executive order to protect travel for abortion

Bothell-Kenmore Reporter
State Attorney General opposes PSE rate increase request

Capital Press
Berry, tree fruit growers work to protect crops from heat wave

Everett Herald
Ahead of demolition, tribes lament loss of Mukilteo research center

International Examiner
Sound Transit will do more study before recommending where to build second Chinatown-ID light rail station

Olympian
Biden administration sues to block Idaho abortion ban, says it violates federal law
Restored Olympia pride mural survived hate vandalism, but now it needs a new home

Peninsula Daily News
Sequim wastewater facility wins ecology award

Puget Sound Business Journal
What new Treasury guidance for American Rescue Plan funds means for affordable-housing development
Amazon’s rapid growth in 2021 slowed progress on emissions, report shows
Small businesses in Seattle eligible for tenant improvement grants up to $100K

Seattle Medium
City Of Seattle To Provide Small Business Owners With Up to $100,000 For Tenant Improvement And Build Out Projects
Heat Wave Deadly In Seattle

Seattle Times
41 large polluters to get free passes in WA carbon trading market (Carlyle)
Some WA schools opt for ‘show what you know’ system over letter grades
Opinion: Prevent traffic deaths with proven solutions for Seattle streets

Snoqualmie Valley Record
Snoqualmie to use prison labor in public works department

Tri-City Herald
Water shortages in E. Washington will happen in our lifetime, climate change to blame

Washington Post
Phones of top Pentagon officials were wiped of Jan. 6 messages
Police accused her of making up her rape, then destroyed the evidence
Biden to sign executive order aimed at helping patients travel for abortions
‘Never seen it this bad’: America faces catastrophic teacher shortage

Yakima Herald-Republic
Evacuation notices lifted in Vantage, cabin lost in wildfire as Vantage Highway closed

Broadcast

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Senate approves bill to aid vets exposed to toxic burn pits
Seattle City Council votes to end hazard pay for grocery store workers
Speaker Pelosi, Washington Rep. DelBene visit Taiwan amid threats of Chinese retaliation
US sues Idaho over abortion law, cites medical treatment

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Federal judge rules Navy failed to consider damage of Growler jet program

KNKX Public Radio
Rising temperatures are harming trees

KUOW Public Radio
Washington heat wave kills 10. Emergency rooms treat 540 heat victims
School’s in session, and teachers need help
Amazon strayed further from its climate pledge in 2021

NW Public Radio
‘It’s Putrid.’ Yakima County Neighbors Raise Air, Groundwater Concerns About Nearby Landfill

Q13 TV (FOX)
Vantage Highway wildfire continues to burn in eastern Washington

Web

MyNorthwest
Seattle kills $4-per-hour hazard pay for grocery workers, effective next month
Vantage wildfire rages in Eastern WA, burning 5000 acres

The Stranger
Seattle Ends Hazard Pay for Grocery Workers During a COVID-19 Surge (Again)

Tuesday, August 2

Consistently hot temperatures take toll on Seattle’s most vulnerable people
“It’s stifling,” said Maurice Lavon Jones, 51, a resident of affordable housing building Pacific Apartments in Pioneer Square operated by Plymouth Housing. Much of the low-income and public housing in Seattle is older, made of concrete or brick, and lacks air conditioning. After four days of temperatures reaching 90-plus degrees, some people who live in these buildings and outdoors are feeling the impact. They have fewer means to escape the effects of extreme heat and are more likely to have weakened immune systems. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Greg Gilbert)

State expands telehealth options to improve access to COVID-19 treatment
Washington residents who test positive for COVID-19 can now get a free telehealth appointment for treatment consultation, regardless of their insurance coverage. Late last week, the state Department of Health launched the new telehealth option as an expansion of the federal government’s initiative to increase access to COVID treatments. Antiviral pills authorized to treat COVID-19 — Pfizer’s Paxlovid and Merck’s molnupiravir — are available by prescription only and should be started within five days of when symptoms begin, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Continue reading at The Daily News.

BP profits highest in 14 years, raking in $8.5B amid gas pump pinch
BP reported a profit of $8.5 billion for its second quarter on Tuesday, its biggest windfall in 14 years, making it the latest oil giant to cash in on higher crude prices as Russia’s war in Ukraine disrupts global energy markets. Just days earlier, the two largest U.S. oil companies ― ExxonMobil and Chevron ― reported that their profits had roughly tripled in the second quarter, while London-based Shell and France’s TotalEnergies also reported blockbuster results. The windfall comes as consumers around the world are feeling the sting of the highest inflation in decades and a cost-of-living crisis that is particularly painful at the gas pump. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Caroline Spiezio)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Recruitment and retention plague Grays Harbor

Bellevue Reporter
DOH launches new telehealth option to expand COVID-19 treatment access

Bellingham Herald
Single-use plastics now fully banned in Bellingham. These are the rules
This is how much you need to make to afford rent in Washington and Bellingham
Two years ago a Nooksack dam was destroyed. Now, where are the salmon?

Capital Press
Feds defend dropping plan to bring grizzlies to North Cascades

The Daily News
State expands telehealth options to improve access to COVID-19 treatment

Everett Herald
What we know: Washington coronavirus outbreak at a glance
Comment: FDA finally has a simple, well-timed booster plan
Comment: Fed may have no choice on higher unemployment

Indian Country Today
Editorial: Castro-Huerta decision ‘flips federal Indian law on its head’

The Inlander
Camp Hope cooling shelter remains standing as city’s deadline for takedown passes
The public and private perils of writing while Native

Kitsap Sun
WSF: Captain during ferry crash resigns; crew tests come back clean
South Kitsap landowner renews interest in tiny house village for homeless

News Tribune
Bicycling in Tacoma can be dangerous. Here are some of the worst spots in the city

Olympian
Task force issues new recommendations to address missing, murdered Indigenous people (Lekanoff)
As lawmakers consider ‘bill of rights’ for seniors, some share stories of care (Dolan, Hunt, Bateman)
1st West Nile virus of 2022 in WA found in Tri-Cities. What it means for you

Puget Sound Business Journal
Harrell expands effort to fill empty Seattle storefronts
After legal battle, contractor embraces running Point Ruston market
SBA head says businesses were not unfairly shut out of EIDL
The job market is still hot, but there are some emerging exceptions

Seattle Times
Upcoming Seattle City Council votes signal end of COVID emergency measures
Captain of wrecked WA ferry resigns (Rolfes, Nguyen, Fitzgibbon, Paul)
To help WA kids get ahead, schools must spend more pandemic aid now, experts say
WA task force urges new cold case unit for missing, murdered Indigenous people
Consistently hot temperatures take toll on Seattle’s most vulnerable people

Skagit Valley Herald
Helping Hands food bank reopens grocery-style program

Spokesman-Review
Three Patriot Front members plead not guilty in first court appearance

Tri-City Herald
Tri-Cities hospitals treating more patients for COVID. What experts say about masks
Invasive bug found in Tri-Cities. Why rose gardeners to local farmers should be worried

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Summer harvest delayed but robust in Walla Walla, Touchet valleys
BMAC receives $25,000 from Tyson Foods in Hunger Relief program

Washington Post
U.S. kills al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in drone strike in Kabul
BP profits highest in 14 years, raking in $8.5B amid gas pump pinch
Credit card debt surged as inflation forced Americans to borrow more
Democrats race to ready Inflation Reduction Act for vote this week
Opinion: Why I’m leading a congressional delegation to Taiwan

Yakima Herald-Republic
Program offers low-income households in Yakima County financial aid to keep houses cool
Community Q&A: Meet the new president of the Filipino-American Community of Yakima Valley
Job recovery from pandemic continues in Yakima County; agriculture playing a bigger role

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Ferry captain resigns after ‘hard landing’ that damaged vessel at West Seattle dock
Puget Sound Energy, Avista request electricity and gas rate increases; state attorney general opposes

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Concrete truck drivers a no-show to work after failed negotiations with concrete companies
NLRB dismisses Starbucks charge against union organizers
Cold case unit proposed in AG’s office to investigate missing and murdered indigenous people
State reps demand answers after reports of ‘mountain’ of undelivered packages, mail in North Sound

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Captain of ferry who crashed into West Seattle dock resigns from job
Concrete drivers back on picket lines after rejecting latest contract proposal
Officials release task force plan to help protect indigenous families (Dhingra)

KNKX Public Radio
Tacoma’s uphill battle to grow its urban tree canopy by 2030

KUOW Public Radio
Monkeypox cases are doubling in Washington, but more vaccines are on the way
Monkeypox outbreak in Washington state ‘is not under control’
Covid testing company with Washington outlets is under investigation

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane City Council delays vote on ordinance establishing criteria for siting essential facilities

Q13 TV (FOX)
Vantage wildfire 10% contained; Level 2 evacuation orders issued
Volunteers prove critical in the fight against invasive green crabs

Web

MyNorthwest
Ferry captain resigns after last week’s crash at West Seattle dock
Inslee to rescind 12 emergency decrees related to COVID-19
Congress responds to ‘all-time high’ number of threats against representatives with increased personal security

West Seattle Blog
FERRY CRASH: Cathlamet captain has resigned

Monday, August 1

How the climate bill could save you money and change what you buy
Dubbed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, the deal includes a slew of incentives, such as tax credits for electric vehicles, or EVs, and sustainable home improvement efforts, that aim to change the way households consume and use energy, and could help individuals wanting to make greener choices. If households invest in climate-friendly and energy-efficient technologies, with financial support from the bill, it could help the average household save $1,800 on its annual energy bill, according to an analysis by Rewiring America, a nonprofit dedicated to electrification. Another analysis from RMI, a clean-energy think tank, found that the tax incentives for clean energy sources, which would ramp up the use of wind and solar over the next decade, could save American households as much as $5 billion within two years. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Brian Snyder)

Our support makes sure lifeline is there in crises
Earlier this month, the existing national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline system, which was available by calling a 1-800 number, shortened the number to 988. The old number — 1-800-273-TALK — still works, but the new number — just as 911 simplified calls for medical, fire and other emergencies — is intended to greatly improve access to behavioral and mental health services and supports. As well, help also is available through text and chat services now. Inslee and state Rep. Tina Orwall, D-Des Moines, who sponsored the legislation with state Sen. Manka Dhingra, D-Redmond, that established funding, programs and expectations for the 988 service in the state, praised the leadership that the state has shown nationwide. Continue reading at The Everett Herald. (Ryan Berry)

Washington judge overturns insurance rate credit scoring ban
A judge on Friday overturned a Washington state rule prohibiting insurers from using credit scoring to set rates for auto, homeowner and renter insurance. Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler adopted the rule in February, immediately drawing a legal challenge from insurer groups. The rule, which was set to take effect March 4, was paused while the legal proceedings continued. In her oral ruling invalidating the rule, Thurston County Superior Court Judge Indu Thomas said that Kreidler exceeded his statutory authority, according to Kreidler’s office. In a statement, Kreidler said that while he was disappointed in the decision, the ruling “confirms that the best place to permanently address this issue is in the legislature.”
Continue reading at The Associated Press.