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Thursday, July 28

Should you still be wearing a mask? As COVID rates climb, health experts say the answer is yes
About four months have passed since Washington’s statewide indoor mask mandate ended, but some local infectious disease experts and state epidemiologists are hoping recent increasing case rates will remind residents not to relax measures too much. Statewide COVID levels had been rising since mid-March and began to show signs of leveling off in mid- to late-May, according to the state Department of Health’s COVID data dashboard. As of early July, the state recorded a seven-day case rate of about 225 infections per 100,000 people, compared to about 42 per 100,000 in March. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Alan Berner)

Is this week’s heat wave fueling your climate anxiety? Yeah, us too.
We’re experiencing record temperatures in the Pacific Northwest this week. In Europe, unprecedented heat is fueling wildfires in Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece, France, and Germany. The new climate reality is here. For many of us, that reality is leading to feelings of hopelessness, stress, and late night doom-scrolling. Researchers have terms for these feelings — “eco-grief” and “climate anxiety.” Soundside spoke to Dr. Kate Hoerster, a psychologist and public health researcher with the VA Puget Sound Health Care System about how we grapple with these emotions. Continue reading at KUOW. (Megan Farmer)

Struggle to protect gay, bisexual men from monkeypox exposes inequities
The struggle for limited resources as tens of thousands of at-risk gay and bisexual men try to get vaccinated, tested and treated during the growing monkeypox outbreak has exposed deep disparities in the gay community. While urban professionals scramble to protect themselves from a disease that can cause searing symptoms and force weeks of isolation, people of color, lower-income individuals and those living outside large cities face even greater challenges accessing care for the latest viral threat hanging over gay life. And as the country awaits millions of vaccine doses the federal government expects to arrive in coming months, there are not enough shots to protect all sexually active gay and bisexual men with the Jynneos vaccine, believed to work before and after exposure to the virus. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Jeenah Moon)

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Associated Press
Scorching heat wave in US Northwest forecast to last longer
Temperatures could hit triple digits again in Northwest

Bellingham Herald
Lighthouse Mission Ministries: What to know as Bellingham homeless shelter plans expansion

Capital Press
Washington dairy rep rips Ecology’s embrace of buffers
Japanese beetles pop up elsewhere in Washington

Columbian
Editorial: In Our View: More officers needed to address rising crime

The Daily News
Cowlitz County calls for affordable housing proposals
Longview ups income limits for reduced utility payments, as inflation increases

Everett Herald
In new approach, Edmonds adds mental health worker to social services
Edmonds repeals gun safety ordinance after state Supreme Court ruling

High Country News
Protecting neighborhoods from future flames

The Inlander
How the “Yes In My Back Yard” movement won an out-of-nowhere unanimous victory in Spokane

News Tribune
Her son died in a Parkland crosswalk. Now she’s on a mission to increase bike safety

Olympian
Port of Olympia commission approves plan to expand. Now, what will voters do?
Credit cards, mortgages and jobs: How the Fed’s latest rate hike will affect you

Puget Sound Business Journal
Seattle City Council weighs permanent cap on food delivery fees
This SBA Covid-19 relief program still has money left

Seattle Medium
Harrell Selects Gino Betts To Lead Office Of Police Accountability
Union Cries Foul As Starbucks Announces The Closing Of 16 Locations

Seattle Times
Seattle heat wave daily news updates, July 28
WA landlords sue over eviction protection (Kuderer)
Should you still be wearing a mask? As COVID rates climb, health experts say the answer is yes
Ferry crashes into West Seattle dock, sustaining heavy damage
Seattle man charged with felony stalking for targeting U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, prosecutors say

Skagit Valley Herald
County close to settling lawsuit against state Department of Natural Resources
Skagit County commissioners hear about COVID recovery funding proposals

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Interim Dayton schools head wants to aid in healing community

Washington Post
Manchin says he ‘never walked away’ as Democrats push spending deal
What causes a recession?
What is reconciliation, and what are Democrats going to get done with it?
Struggle to protect gay, bisexual men from monkeypox exposes inequities

Yakima Herald-Republic
Bureau of Land Management to purchase land in Yakima Canyon, securing recreation access
Japanese beetles found in Wapato, 30 miles from Grandview infestation area
Excessive heat warning extended for Yakima Valley

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Seattle man charged with felony stalking after yelling expletives outside US Rep. Pramila Jayapal’s home
Emergency protections in place for Washington farm workers amid hot temperatures
Vancouver clears homeless camps at risk of spreading fire
Point Ruston now allowing Tacoma Farmers Market to sell ‘Mexican style food’

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Fauntleroy ferry crashes into dock structure causing significant damage
After controversy over ban, Point Ruston will allow Mexican food vendors at Tacoma Farmers Market
Heat wave breaks records, hot temperatures continue through Friday
Lawmakers question CEOs of gun manufacturers in wake of mass shootings

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Man accused of threatening to kill Rep. Pramila Jayapal charged with felony stalking

KUOW Public Radio
Excessive Heat Warning Remains in Effect Through Saturday
Low tides go out a bit earlier amid heat wave, endangering fewer shellfish
High temp records broken on first day of Western Washington heat wave
Covid-19 testing company hampers public health response and frustrates consumers for more than a year
Is this week’s heat wave fueling your climate anxiety? Yeah, us too.

KXLY (ABC)
Washington is having the slowest start to fire season in six years
Washington hospitals are facing a financial crisis and it’s impacting patient care

Web

MyNorthwest
Seattle Schools strives to modernize student transportation with new bus company
WA workers receive extra breaks to keep cool in the extreme heat
High temperature records fall Tuesday – will there be more?

West Seattle Blog
UPDATE: Ferry hits Fauntleroy dock
THURSDAY: Sound Transit Board expected to vote on West Seattle light rail ‘preferred alternative’

Wednesday, July 27

King County approves free transit for youths
Beginning Sept. 1, people 18 and under will ride King County buses, water taxis and streetcars for free. The new policy comes as the result of a nearly $17 billion transportation funding package passed by state lawmakers in Washington’s 2022 legislative session, with almost exclusively Democratic votes. While much of the measure will be rolled out over the next 16 years, elected officials wanted a component with an immediate impact. Enter free transit for youths. The state transportation package includes $3 billion for transit, about half of which will only flow to local transit agencies through grants if they adopt policies to make rides free for youths. This includes local buses, as well as Amtrak trains and Washington State Ferries. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Greg Gilbert)

Seattle and Portland are sizzling in hottest weather of the summer
Nearly 40 million Americans are under heat alerts Tuesday as two zones of excessively high temperatures roast portions of the Lower 48. But for the Pacific Northwest, the arrival of this sweltering heat is more of a shock after a relatively cool summer thus far. In Seattle and Portland, this heat wave could approach records for longevity. Both cities are under excessive heat warnings until Thursday evening. Seattle may see the mercury hit 90 on four consecutive days through Friday, while Portland may get afternoon temperatures hovering near 100. The heat wave in the Pacific Northwest comes a little over a year after all-time records were smashed in Seattle and Portland, with high temperatures of 108 and 116 degrees, respectively. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (WeatherBell)

Assault Weapons Makers Pulled In Over $1 Billion as Violence Surged, Report Says
The leading manufacturers of assault rifles used to perpetrate the deadliest mass shootings in the United States have collected more than $1 billion in revenue over the past decade as gun violence across the country has surged, according to a House investigation set to be presented on Capitol Hill on Wednesday. The findings, released before a congressional hearing on Wednesday on the marketing of assault rifles, indicate that the gun industry has thrived by selling and marketing military-grade weapons to civilians, specifically targeting and playing to the insecurities of young men, while some have made thinly veiled references to white supremacist groups. Continue reading at The New York Times. (Matthew Busch)

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Associated Press
King County OKs free transit for youth starting Sept. 1
Idaho sued over law banning abortion after 6 weeks pregnancy
Northwestern US set for its hottest day in long heat wave
Lawsuit: Providence failed to provide ASL interpreters
Records fall as Northwest swelters under multiday heat wave
Seattle to be sanctuary for abortion providers, patients

Auburn Reporter
All King County residents under the age of 19 to ride for free on ORCA transit.
Washington cracks down on invasive European Green Crabs

Bellingham Herald
Bellingham, Whatcom councils get first looks at possible racial equity commission
Public asked for help in finding missing Indigenous woman last seen in Whatcom
Here’s where you can keep cool as heat wave bakes Whatcom County
This is how Bellingham will change hiring standards amid ongoing police staffing shortage

Columbian
Editorial: In Our View: Room for agreement, dissent on I-5 Bridge

Everett Herald
Scientists: Gray whale spotted at Mukilteo waterfront was a newcomer
3 deaf patients from Snohomish County sue Providence over indignities
28 cooling centers open in Snohomish County amid weeklong heat wave

Indian Country Today
Pope honors grandparents after Indigenous apology

International Examiner
ICHS: COVID-19 vaccines now authorized for young children under the age of 5
Eight story workforce housing project, ‘Blossom,’ approved on 5th and Main Street
Opinion: Seattle residents have a unique, once a decade opportunity to shape our political destinies through redistricting

News Tribune
Restaurant at center of Point Ruston controversy says farmers market vendors can stay

New York Times
Assault Weapons Makers Pulled In Over $1 Billion as Violence Surged, Report Says
Interstate Abortion Travel Is Already Straining Parts of the System
The Housing Shortage Isn’t Just a Coastal Crisis Anymore
How the Government Is Failing Americans Uprooted by Calamity

Olympian
Whew! Olympia sets new heat record on Tuesday
What does the Lacey police department do with surrendered and seized guns?
With Supreme Court mandate issued, Idaho’s abortion ban will start in 30 days

Peninsula Daily News
North Olympic Peninsula sizzles in summer sun

Puget Sound Business Journal
Interest rates, project costs dampen Seattle-area industrial demand
Small-business owners are already burned out. Many see trouble ahead.
Port program aims to expand contracting for underrepresented groups

Seattle Times
Seattle removes homeless encampment in Sodo during heat wave
Seattle heat wave likely to be longer, hotter than expected
The rise in Seattle’s 90 degree days, charted all the way back to 1945
King County approves free transit for youths
King County isn’t prepared for wildfire, executive says, but needs to be
Seattle police won’t make arrests on abortion-related charges, after City Council establishes ‘sanctuary city’
King County Council approves voluntary gun dropoff program
Opinion: $7.25 per hour: The federal minimum wage peaked in purchasing power in 1968

Skagit Valley Herald
Investigation into Sedro-Woolley police shooting wrapping up

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Cooling centers to open as record-breaking heat hits the Walla Walla Valley

Washington Post
Justice Dept. investigating Trump’s actions in Jan. 6 criminal probe
Biden says he’s ‘feeling great’ after testing negative for the coronavirus
Seattle and Portland are sizzling in hottest weather of the summer
Scientists hone argument that coronavirus came from Wuhan market
Longtime HIV patient is effectively cured after stem cell transplant

Yakima Herald-Republic
Plaintiffs allege more than 100 public meeting violations in lawsuit against Yakima County Commissioners

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
King County preparing for increased risk of wildfires due to hotter, drier summers
Seattle residents drive to Canada for monkeypox vaccine doses

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
L&I rules help outdoor workers deal with the heat
King County Council passes plan allowing youth to ride public transit for free year-round
Seattle City Council delays vote to end hazard pay for grocery store workers
Gun, ammo return program approved in King County
Over 100 people diagnosed with monkeypox in Washington
King County officials unveil region’s first wildfire risk reduction plan
Study shows AG’s no-poach initiative increased wages for low-income franchise workers
Microsoft blames economic woes for missing profit targets

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Seattle City Councilmember calls SODO sweep a ‘continued failure’ of city’s homeless plan

KUOW Public Radio
Wildfire smoke drifting into Western Washington from Canada amid heat wave
How is the rollout of 988 going in Washington state?

KXLY (ABC)
Critical staffing levels in Kootenai County’s 911 Center force changes to response
We now know the day abortion becomes illegal in Idaho

Q13 TV (FOX)
Washington committee hears proposals to change derogatory names of geographic features
King County launches strategy to combat wildfire risk in the region

Web

Crosscut
‘Full of injustice’: Burden of court fines vary by race, county in WA

MyNorthwest
Missing Indigenous Person Alert issues first notification to look for Angela Maguire
Payroll tax on Seattle’s biggest earners funds $97 million in affordable housing

The Stranger
Everything You Need to Know About Monkeypox
Seattle Turns Cops Into Abortion Protectors

West Seattle Blog
Mayor to announce new SDOT director Wednesday

Tuesday, July 26

The 2021 heat wave ‘was a wake-up call.’ But Seattle’s still unprepared for high temps
Last June’s triple-digit heat wave was the deadliest weather event in King County’s history. More than 30 people died here, and a KUOW analysis indicates that, statewide, about 400 people died. Now, Seattle is bracing for another stretch of record-breaking temperatures, with highs hovering around 90. On the heels of last summer’s heat wave, local officials are implementing extra precautions to keep people safe from the heat but broader solutions are slow to roll out. “Last year’s extreme weather was a wake-up call,” King County Councilmember Girmay Zahilay said. Preparing for extreme heat “is a growing priority because every year our region is just going to get hotter and hotter.” Continue reading at KUOW. (Genna Martin)

King County Council considering year-round gun return program
King County Council will vote Tuesday on a proposal establishing a year-round voluntary safe firearm and ammunition return program within the King County Sheriff’s Office. The proposal requests King County Executive Dow Constantine look at several options and “assess their feasibility.” “I think it can save lives by reducing the number of guns that are out there because we know that guns in homes dramatically increases the risk to folks living in those homes,” said council member Rod Dembowski at the full council meeting last Wednesday. Buy-back events have seen a high turnout. This summer Kirkland has hosted two buy-back events where police collected 151 firearms. They distributed $18,350 in gift cards for the weapons. The city plans to hold a third event sometime in September. Continue reading at KING 5.

Spokane City Council passes resolution reaffirming abortion access
Spokane City council passed a resolution protecting abortion rights in Spokane. City Council members voted 4-2 in favor of the resolution. The resolution put forward by Council President Breean Briggs, which reaffirms and supports abortion laws in place. It also limits City employees, which includes police officers, from participating in out-of-state abortion investigations or investigating the outcome of a pregnancy. “This resolution also establishes that City policy is that city staff, resources, and law enforcement should not assist with any investigatory requests related to abortion that come from agencies in other states,” part of [City Councilmember Zack] Zappone’s statement read. “This is not a what-if scenario. It is a reality individuals face today.” Continue reading at KXLY.

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Associated Press
US to plant more trees as climate change kills off forests

Capital Press
‘Murder hornets’ get a new name

Columbian
Editorial: In Our View: Take high temperatures, climate change seriously

Everett Herald
State OKs lower Highway 99 speed limits in south Everett
Monkeypox vaccine supply ‘severely limited,’ but more is on the way
Editorial: If a tree falls in a forest, can it build a school?

News Tribune
Tacoma to transfer a city landmark to the feds for $1. Here’s why and what it means

Olympian
Thurston to open cooling site, collect items for those living outside during heat wave
Residents call for Port of Olympia executive director Gibboney to resign

Peninsula Daily News
Clallam County has pledged to spend $15M in relief funds
National hotline created for mental health crisis assistance
Heat wave to hit Pacific Northwest a year after deadly event

Puget Sound Business Journal
Survey: Washington state hospitals lost nearly $1B in first quarter

Seattle Medium
Seattle Grows 20,100 In One Year
Seattle Man Phoned Buffalo NY Stores Threatening To Shoot Black People

Seattle Times
Where Western WA weather will be hottest, coolest
West Seattle Bridge repair reaches new milestone
If you’re homeless, here are places you can go to escape the heat this week

Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit County COVID-19 case numbers take another jump

Washington Post
After court ruling, activists push prayer into schools
Heat to wane in Northeast as Pacific Northwest prepares to roast
Biden poised for big wins in Congress
Gunmaker’s Super Bowl stunt sheds light on marketing of ‘America’s rifle’
The changing shape of inflation

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
King County Council considering year-round gun return program
Seattle Center seeing increasing reports of women being sexually harassed
Point Ruston under fire after directing Tacoma Farmers Market to stop selling ‘Mexican style food’

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Seattle mayor’s office seeks community input on next chief of police

KNKX Public Radio
Oregon researchers propose innovative path forward for farming’s water woes

KUOW Public Radio
The 2021 heat wave ‘was a wake-up call.’ But Seattle’s still unprepared for high temps
Western Washington prepares for heat wave this week

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane City Council passes resolution reaffirming abortion access
Abortion rights activists protest outside Spokane City Hall

Q13 TV (FOX)
Election Integrity: Washington Secretary of State fighting misinformation about elections

Monday, July 25

Seattle heat wave on the way; here’s how to prepare
High temperatures are on the way and an excessive heat advisory has been issued for the Puget Sound region from noon Tuesday through 10 p.m. on Friday. Monday’s high is expected to be around 82 degrees. Tuesday and Wednesday are expected to be the warmest days with a predicted high of 90 degrees, according to the National Weather Service of Seattle forecast. Thursday and Friday are forecast to reach 89 and 88, respectively. By Saturday and Sunday, we should be back down to 80 or 81. Just as telling as the daily high temperatures, however, are the expected overnight low temperatures, which are expected to be much higher than our normal night lows. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Kori Suzuki)

Previously incarcerated people struggle to find jobs in Washington
Trauma and the stigma of prison create barriers for those who are trying to reenter society and atone for past mistakes. “One of the biggest barriers is how they view themselves,” Cawthon said at the symposium. “If they can have cyclical support … that is where we can step up and engage with people who have been incarcerated and create a path for them to be successful.” One example of a path is the Graduated Reentry program (GRE), which was approved by Washington state lawmakers in 2018 and later expanded in 2021. The program provides structured supervision for incarcerated people who can serve the remainder of their sentences while transitioning into the community permanently. The state reports 78 percent of participants have successfully completed the program. Continue reading at Auburn Reporter. (Andy Hobbs)

She survived a forced sterilization. She fears more could occur post-Roe.
Elaine Riddick was 13 years old when she says she was raped by a neighbor in Winfall, N.C. Nine months later, in 1968, she was involuntarily sterilized in the hospital while delivering her first and only child. “I had no idea,” she told The Washington Post, adding that she didn’t find out about the operation until five years later, at age 19, after she had married and hoped to have more children. The doctors “butchered” her — cutting, tying and cauterizing her fallopian tubes — she said she was told when she learned of her sterilization during a medical examination. Riddick, who is now 68 and lives in Marietta, Ga., is one of tens of thousands of survivors of forced sterilization in the 20th century — a disproportionate share of them Black, like Riddick. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Tami Chappell)

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Associated Press
Heat wave to slam into US Pacific Northwest, linger for days
Alaska has seen plenty of wildfires. Just not like this.

Auburn Reporter
Previously incarcerated people struggle to find jobs in Washington

Bellingham Herald
On the ‘back end of this pandemic,’ here’s who is keeping Whatcom’s hospital busy
Catholic hospitals’ growth impacts reproductive health care

Capital Press
All sides declare victory in Washington logging ruling

Columbian
Editorial: In Our View: Districts show investment in schools pays off

The Daily News
Free federal meal waivers expire, leaving Lower Columbia school districts to find other ways to provide food
Heat wave to push temperatures to mid-90s through the week in Lower Columbia

Everett Herald
Community Transit plan: more frequent buses, new routes, ‘clean’ fuel
Built with 124 beds, Everett youth detention center down to 5 to 8 kids
‘Hate and bigotry’ lead to canceled Everett drag show, organizers say
Lynnwood man charged with racist threats at Buffalo mass shooting site
PUD fast-charging EV stations in Everett ready for drivers
Comment: Infrastructure act building equity for Americans, too
Comment: Our grid can save salmon and a green energy future
Comment: Month into abortion bans, is this what was intended?

High Country News
A new proposal to ensure fire protection for all

Indian Country Today
Papal Visit: Pope takes first step toward apology
Gaps hinder police response to Indigenous cases
Justice lags for Indigenous survivors of violence

News Tribune
This Pierce County clinic treats pregnant people with substance use disorders. Here’s how
Tacoma came together 30 years ago to stop a deadly crime wave. Can we do it again?

Olympian
South Sound cooling centers set to open as region prepares for soaring temperatures
Voters will decide in November whether to expand the Thurston County Board

Puget Sound Business Journal
How manufactured homes could help solve affordable housing crisis
As construction restarts, huge Seattle condo project pivots to rentals

Seattle Times
Electrify Expo gives Seattleites a taste of electric transportation
How schools in Seattle are being affected by dwindling enrollment
Seattle heat wave on the way; here’s how to prepare
One month after Supreme Court’s Roe ruling, over half of states have banned or moved to limit abortions
Can a new encampment strategy get people housed permanently? Two Seattle campers find different answers
FYI Guy: How many WA residents are immigrants or have at least one parent who is?

Skagit Valley Herald
A constant struggle — Small businesses overcome inflation, staff shortages

Tri-City Herald
‘A lot of infection.’ COVID level high in Tri-Cities. Thousands must wear masks

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Army Corps seeks comments on dredging parts of the Lower Snake River

Washington Post
WHO declares monkeypox a global health emergency as infections soar
Second coronavirus booster shots for people under 50 on hold amid drive to speed up new vaccine
She survived a forced sterilization. She fears more could occur post-Roe.

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima County hospitals faring OK amid statewide capacity crisis
Should utility accounts be held by tenants or property owners? Yakima Council debates the question

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Parkland community remembers 13-year-old cyclist hit and killed; family calling for change
Washington’s E-DUI law reaches 5th anniversary as patrols increase

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Preparations underway for western Washington heat wave this week
King County hoping to close heat disparity gap in low-income areas
Lynnwood man arrested for making violent threats toward Black, Hispanic communities across country
Wildfire near Chelan now 100% contained

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Washington State Ferries address line cutting during busy summer season

KXLY (ABC)
Gas prices average below $5 a gallon in Spokane County
New WA program gives low-income renters access to A/C

Q13 TV (FOX)
Staying cool during Seattle’s hottest days of the year: Tips, cooling centers & pet safety

Web

MyNorthwest
North Sound man charged with hate crime after multiple robberies at Asian-owned spas
WA honoring J. P. Patches with new, limited-edition license plate
Three construction workers fired over incident with noose, police investigating hate crime
COVID-19 reinfections on the rise as officials call for a new booster
Near-record inflation sees demand at Snohomish County’s food banks outpace mid-pandemic levels
WA Supreme Court rules on multiple benefits of trust lands

West Seattle Blog
‘Not as bad’ summer discussed @ Alki Community Council
CORONAVIRUS: Newest West Seattle, countywide numbers and trends

Friday, July 22

WA hospitals facing ‘unsustainable’ financial losses, in danger of cutting services
Washington’s hospitals are facing massive financial losses after the first quarter of 2022, placing the state’s health care system in the most precarious situation many hospital leaders say they’ve seen in their lives. According to a recent survey conducted by the Washington State Hospital Association, hospitals across the state suffered a net loss of about $929 million in the first three months of 2022. While operating revenue increased by 5%, operating expenses increased by 11%, which — combined with nonoperating investment losses — resulted in a total loss of about 13% Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Elaine Thompson/AP)

Jan. 6 takeaways: White House in chaos, unmovable Trump
The House Jan. 6 committee closed out its set of summer hearings with its most detailed focus yet on the investigation’s main target: former President Donald Trump. The panel on Thursday examined Trump’s actions on Jan. 6, 2021, as hundreds of his supporters broke into the U.S. Capitol, guiding viewers minute-by-minute through the deadly afternoon to show how long it took for the former president to call off the rioters. The panel focused on 187 minutes that day, between the end of Trump’s speech calling for supporters to march to the Capitol at 1:10 p.m. and a video he released at 4:17 p.m. telling the rioters they were “very special” but they had to go home. Continue reading at Tacoma News Tribune. (Scott Applewhite/AP)

Some WA Republicans vote against protecting contraceptive access, same-sex marriage
Washington’s three Republican congresspeople voted Thursday against legislation intended to protect access to contraception nationwide, just two days after two of the three voted against a bill to protect same-sex marriage. Democrats brought up the vote on high-profile social issues they see as potentially under attack following the Supreme Court’s overturning of abortion rights. Republicans said the votes were rushed for election-year messaging purposes. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Andrew Harnik/AP)