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Wednesday, April 13

How salary transparency could impact the job hunt in Washington state
Senate Bill 5761 requires employers to disclose a salary range upfront in print or online job postings and provide general information about the position’s benefits. In addition to saving time for both employers and applicants, bill sponsor state Sen. Emily Randall, D-Bremerton, argues, the measure will improve transparency by empowering applicants with more information when they negotiate their salaries. She also hopes it will help narrow stubborn pay gaps for women and people of color, she said. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Jovelle Tamayo)

Report: Use of force by Seattle police at all-time low, but racial disparities cloud numbers
Use of force by Seattle police officers reached an all-time low last year — after skyrocketing in 2020 during the summer protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd — but statistics continue to show sharp and disturbing evidence of racial inequities when officers resort to their hands, Tasers or guns. A preliminary review of the department’s use-of-force trends since 2019, released this week by the federal monitor overseeing court-ordered police reforms, remarks on significant and ongoing progress made by SPD in lowering the number of use-of-force incidents of all types, and praised the city’s review of the violence in 2020 that marred and undermined those efforts. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Ken Lambert)

After 3-day strike, Marysville Starbucks workers move to unionize
Starbucks workers at a Marysville store have moved to unionize following a three-day strike in protest of working conditions. Strike organizer Katie McCoy said she and another employee walked out of the Lakewood Crossing store on Thursday night after being short-staffed. McCoy said she was asked to stay past closing time and run the store with her coworker, who is almost nine months pregnant. Continue reading at Everett Herald.

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Associated Press
Overdose deaths in Washington jumped 66% from 2019 to 2021
Providence agrees to pay $22 million in medical fraud case
Surging energy costs push producer prices to record 11.2% in March

Auburn Reporter
New alert system aims to bring home missing Indigenous people (Lekanoff)

Bellingham Herald
Allergies or COVID? How to know if your symptoms are seasonal allergies or COVID-19

Capital Press
California company plans side-by-side solar complexes in Yakima County
Decision delayed on Washington’s wolf rule
Race to robotic apple harvest continues

Columbian
Opinion: In Our View: Drop hyperbole in bridge-transit discussions

Everett Herald
After 3-day strike, Marysville Starbucks workers move to unionize
What we know: Washington coronavirus outbreak at a glance

Kitsap Sun
Galley service returning to some Washington State Ferries routes soon

News Tribune
Pierce County’s number of weekly COVID-19 cases on the rise over past three weeks

Olympian
Thurston County adds 272 COVID-19 cases as virus activity remains moderate

Peninsula Daily News
State reps speak on legislation (Chapman, Tharinger)
Ferry system suffers staff shortage
Kilmer asymptomatic with COVID-19

Puget Sound Business Journal
Why this underused Covid-19 tax credit might be worth a second look
Report: Serious injuries at Amazon warehouses climbed 15% in 2021
Wealthy colleges address student debt crisis with ‘no-loan’ financial aid programs
Community Roots Housing signs deal for sizable project on Lake City church site

Runta News
New Funding Opportunity: CBOs Are Invited to Apply for DEEL’s Summer Learning Request for Investment

Seattle Times
Mixed bag of weather to continue for Seattle area
Replacing derogatory names in WA gets dragged into our larger culture war
Shoreline may decide to allow duplexes and triplexes in all residential neighborhoods
Candidates for King County sheriff stress community engagement as they vie for top job
WA State Parks funds $700K for floating restroom, pump-out projects
Seattle developer pushes for WA’s first floating offshore wind farm off Olympic Peninsula
100 days as Seattle mayor: Bruce Harrell relying on likability, relationship-building in charting city’s course
Report: Use of force by Seattle police at all-time low, but racial disparities cloud numbers

Skagit Valley Herald
Construction on new Skagit Public Utility District building likely to start by late 2022, early 2023

South Seattle Emerald
Just what is social housing?
The urban fresh food collective tackles food insecurity in South Park

Tri-City Herald
Tri-Cities meeting erupts into shouting matches over paying for a damaged county vehicle

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
L&I fines Walla Walla Foundry $94K for safety violations
More details emerge on Providence St. Mary Medical Center’s requirement to pay largest ever health care settlement in Eastern WA
Walla Walla High School graduate returns as assistant principal
Walla Walla’s Providence St. Mary Medical Center at center of largest Eastern WA health care settlement
Milton-Freewater City Council says yes to warmer pool water

Washington Post
Russia’s deliberate attacks on civilians in Mariupol are ‘war crimes,’ OSCE says
Loads of fruit, goods sit idle as Texas inspection policy targets cargo trucks from Mexico
A call, a text, an apology: How an abortion arrest shook up a Texas town
Despite a decades-long effort, babies are still dying of SIDS

Yakima Herald-Republic
Letter: Bipartisanship in Olympia? Republicans didn’t see it

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Washington health officials to consider requiring COVID vaccinations for students
Corrections officer in Clallam County kept job for decades, despite violations
Pierce County escaped eviction ‘tidal wave’ with rental assistance funds

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Snohomish County deputy fires shot at driver ramming police vehicles
COVID-19: CDC to extend travel mask mandate: reports
Biden waiving ethanol rule in bid to lower gas prices
COVID cases rising in western Washington
Report: Seattle rent increased nearly 19% year over year
Officials: Limit consumption of sturgeon from lower Columbia

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Questions raised after West Seattle homeless encampment cleanup
Seattle City Council mulls hiring more cops amid survey that found crime is a top concern
Use-of-force incident under investigation after Snohomish County deputy shoots at suspect

KNKX Public Radio
Federal plan to quickly rename 18 places across WA clashes with slower state process
Riding or hiking across WA just got easier with new bridge over Columbia River

KUOW Public Radio
Pandemic updates: Covid hospitalizations tick up in King County
Biden appeared to accuse Putin of committing a ‘genocide’ in Ukraine

KXLY (ABC)
Overdose deaths in Washington top 2,000 in 2021

Q13 TV (FOX)
SPD: 24 ghost guns recovered so far this year, compared to just 3 during same period last year

Web

Crosscut
How salary transparency could impact the job hunt in Washington state (Randall)

MyNorthwest
‘Going to take some time to ramp up,’ concrete suppliers say of deliveries after strike ends
SPD hiring bonuses debate sparks overhaul to how City of Seattle recruits talent
Providence agrees to pay $22 million in medical fraud case
Seattle lays groundwork for ‘shared vision’ of denser housing

West Seattle Blog
VIDEO: Drop Avalon light-rail station? It’s a cost-cutting possibility, Sound Transit tells West Seattle Community Advisory Group
CAMP SECOND CHANCE: Long-discussed capacity expansion finally about to happen
WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE: Concrete progress report

Tuesday, April 12

White House announces $46 million in climate resilience funding for Tribal communities
Tribal communities will soon receive $46 million in funding to address climate change, the Department of the Interior announced Monday, April 11. The funding is made available from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and 2022 appropriations for projects and initiatives that address and strengthen climate resilience and adaptation; ocean and coastal management; community-driven relocation and protect-in-place activities; as well as internships and youth engagement. Continue reading at the Olympian. (Natasha Brennan)

State ferry system experiencing unprecedented staff shortage
Officials with Washington State Ferries acknowledge the system is short on staff and in need of dozens of new recruits. A March report from the ferry system says staff shortages are unprecedented in the system’s 70-year history, KING-TV reported. “It’s not good, quite honestly. We don’t have enough people to sail the vessels right now,” Washington State Ferry spokesman Ian Sterling said Monday. “We need to hire, train, and get people out on the water.” Delays and cancellations have been typical during the pandemic. Continue reading at the Associated Press. (Olivia Vanni)

Teen drug use is down in WA, but overdose deaths among youths are skyrocketing, studies show
Two new pieces of research now help confirm the duality [Johnny] Ohta and many others are witnessing locally: Overall, teen drug use has dropped to a relative historic low, according to the state’s latest Healthy Youth Survey and national data. But the drug supply is becoming more dangerous. And teen overdose deaths, which have been flat for the last decade, are now increasing rapidly, suggests a national study published today in The Journal of the American Medical Association, or JAMA. Continue reading at the Seattle Times.

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Associated Press
State ferry system experiencing unprecedented staff shortage
Portland sees 1st measurable snow in April in known history
CFPB sues TransUnion for violating previous agreement
Supreme Court reinstates Donald Trump-era water rule
US inflation jumped 8.5% in past year, highest since 1981

Auburn Reporter
King County to offer grants for innovative recycling, reuse and waste reduction project proposals

Bellingham Herald
Whatcom master gardeners have these plans for Hovander after the flood
With COVID-19 cases decreasing, March was a busy month for Bellingham airport
Whatcom County’s weekly COVID case count increases, and two more related deaths reported
See how Whatcom County’s housing market is reaching new highs in sales and values

Columbian
Washington’s new education bills highlight digital infrastructure, student health
Opinion: In Our View: Spring snowstorm warns of climate change

Everett Herald
Dead gray whale on Camano Island beach to stay put for months
New solar array is coming to Walter Hall Park in Everett
Envelope-less in Everett due to supply chain disruptions
What we know: Washington coronavirus outbreak at a glance
Bloomberg Comment: Despite reprieve, resume paying your student loans
WaPo Comment: Why a 4-day-workweek could help workers, employers
Editorial: A price on carbon will keep forests saving climate

Indian Country Today
‘Remembering the Children’ memorial gets $2 million grant

News Tribune
Volunteers transport evidence, write parking tickets in Gig Harbor. Here’s how it works

New York Times
Ukraine Live Updates: Putin Says Peace Talks Hit ‘Dead End’ and Vows That War Will Go On
Biden will allow summertime sales of higher-ethanol gas as prices remain elevated.
PFAS: The ‘Forever Chemicals’ You Couldn’t Escape if You Tried
Red States Push L.G.B.T.Q. Restrictions as Education Battles Intensify

North American Post
Black Skies (Not Smiling at Me) ~JCCCW’s Omoide

Olympian
WA state, federal officials urge a quick response to I-5’s Nisqually River flood risk
17 Port of Olympia employees say they have formed a new union
Washington ranks as the nation’s best state for teachers. Here’s why
White House announces $46 million in climate resilience funding for Tribal communities
Public invited to participate in Olympia’s ‘Reimagining Public Safety’ workshop April 14

Peninsula Daily News
Peninsula back in moderate-risk category

Puget Sound Business Journal
Air Force budget signals work ahead for Boeing’s Puget Sound-area factories
What happens when a remote worker is injured at home?
Senate Covid-19 relief bill renews CERTS, establishes new grant programs
Alaska Airlines cuts flights through June amid pilot shortage
Opinion: Expiration of Seattle’s eviction moratorium is cause for optimism

Seattle Times
What you need to know about Alaska Airlines cancellations
Tracking COVID’s unequal, unpredictable toll across Washington state
Long COVID grips some Washingtonians and perplexes scientists; new research underway
Teen drug use is down in WA, but overdose deaths among youths are skyrocketing, studies show
Seattle police arrest 15-year-old wanted in deadly Tacoma pot shop robbery; 2 suspects remain at large
Why WA lawmakers of color, women face disadvantages: Look to the horse-and-buggy days (Harris-Talley, Das, Johnson)
Editorial: Safeguard federal family-planning funds

Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit County farm to fight Ecology fine over water fights
Mount Vernon medical practice reaches settlement with U.S. Department of Justice
Number of new COVID-19 cases in Skagit County rises slightly

South Seattle Emerald
A month after ‘operation new day’ crackdown, impacts on crime remain unclear
Opinion: A simple solution to one of Seattle’s homeless problems

Tri-City Herald
I-84 through E. Oregon to Idaho remains closed after blizzard-like conditions overnight
Pasco set to spend $1.2M to buy and destroy troubled motel that’s been a hotbed of crime
Freak spring snow knocks out power, breaks 87-year Tri-Cities weather record

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla County commissioners propose making few changes to current political maps

Washington Post
Multiple people shot, at least 17 injured in Brooklyn subway station, ‘undetonated devices’ found, FDNY officials say
Prices climbed 8.5% in March, compared to last year, amid growing fears of economic slowdown
Putin calls Ukraine war a ‘tragedy’ but insists Russia ‘had no choice’
Hubris and isolation led Vladimir Putin to misjudge Ukraine
Nearly two-thirds of Ukrainian children displaced by war, U.N. says
Oklahoma governor signs bill criminalizing the performing of abortions

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Flooding could wipe out a stretch of I-5 over the Nisqually River, survey warns
Washington State Ferries in need of new recruits

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Poll says 2 out of 3 Seattle voters are considering moving
Despite truce in concrete strike, drivers aren’t called back to work
Suit: Women discriminated against in Sheriff’s Department
Space Needle celebrates 60 years with unique contest
Study shows Washington is fifth most ‘catfished’ state in 2021
DOJ settles with Mount Vernon family clinic after False Claims Act investigation
Tacoma business owners speak with police chief about crime concerns

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Tacoma police chief speaks to community concerns over soaring crime
Mount Rainier ranks in top 10 among family-friendly national parks
Survey by Seattle Chamber of Commerce finds dissatisfaction with downtown’s woes
Emergency powers for Gov. Inslee remain in place although COVID crisis has eased

KNKX Public Radio
Washington state to preserve 10,000 forest acres through carbon markets
Snow crabs in the Bering Sea have been hard to find — partially due to climate change

KUOW Public Radio
Washington’s new plan to make money from its trees: Today So Far
Pandemic updates: Covid rates increasing in Western Washington, and in schools
A report on violence against kids with disabilities is sobering — if not surprising
How much energy powers a good life? Less than you’re using, says a new report
The Cougar Conundrum
In the Yakima Valley, tiny beetles are posing major problems for growers

KXLY (ABC)
WSDOT asks public to wear orange for National Work Zone Awareness week
Spokane mayor plans to form task force following shootings

Web

Crosscut
How Afghan and Ukrainian refugee resettlement compares in WA
Formerly homeless workers will lead King County’s homelessness response
Watchdog work to track federal spending in WA
Hanford report reveals problem with nuclear waste solution

MyNorthwest
Lawsuit over planned Kirkland hotel shelter is ‘without merit’ says mayor
Two-thirds of Seattle voters polled have ‘actively considered’ leaving the city, according to survey
‘Not very transparent,’ King County councilmember says of search for new sheriff
Galley service to return to Washington ferries starting this week
Workers at Marysville Starbucks go on strike over lack of staffing, working conditions

The Stranger
The Seattle Human Rights Commission Wants to Step In for an Underperforming Community Police Commission

West Seattle Blog
FOLLOWUP: ‘Pavement restoration’ soon for site of California SW utility work
DRILL: Here’s what you might see at sea Tuesday
Need help getting around? SDOT announces ‘Ride Now’

Monday, April 11

State now will prioritize keeping children with relatives when both parents lose custody
A new law could reshape the way child dependency cases are handled in Washington state, potentially leading to more children staying with family members without those relatives being required to adopt them. The current practice, explained Shrounda Selivanoff, director of public policy for Children’s Home Society of Washington, is for the state to force relatives to adopt children in cases where neither parent is able to take care of the child. If family members don’t wish to adopt, the Department of Children, Youth and Families removes children from those placements, even if those relatives still want permanent kinship guardianship, and places the child up for adoption. Continue reading at The Olympian. (The Olympian)

New alert system aims to bring home missing Indigenous people
LaVerne Jones brought a ribbon shirt with a photo of her son, Kyle, attached to the front to watch Gov. Jay Inslee sign legislation aimed at addressing the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Inslee inked House Bill 1725 alongside Indigenous leaders and state lawmakers March 31 at the Tulalip Resort Casino. The law creates a missing Indigenous persons alert system. When activated, an alert will broadcast information about a missing Indigenous person on highway message signs and distribute details to law enforcement agencies. Continue reading at The Everett Herald. (Olivia Vanni)

New federal rule requires serial numbers, background checks for ‘ghost gun’ kits
The Biden administration announced a new federal rule meant to crack down on the use of what’s been dubbed as ghost guns – untraceable homemade firearms that do not have serial numbers. The new rule requires the kits to make homemade guns to be treated like other guns made and sold in the U.S. The kits will need to have serial numbers and the person buying one would need to pass a background check. The rule goes into effect in four months, according to the Department of Justice. Continue reading at KIRO 7.

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Associated Press
New WA law looks to keep children with family if both parents lose custody (Ortiz-Self)
Appeals court OKs Biden federal employee vaccine mandate
Biden to nominate new ATF director, release ghost gun rule
State says Washington’s wolf population grew 16% last year
Idaho Supreme Court temporarily blocks new abortion law

Bellingham Herald
See how Whatcom County’s housing market is reaching new highs in sales and values
It’s an act of kindness (and the law, too) to yield to buses as they enter the roadway
Northwest Indian College received a grant from Adobe, Spotify. This is how they will use it
What is the difference between old-growth, legacy and plantation forests?
Here’s how Bellingham Parks is offering these free summer programs for kids
Here’s how food staple prices stack up at Bellingham grocery stores

Capital Press
Washington wolf population up 16%, tops 200

Columbian
If light rail comes to Vancouver, security will be a concern

Everett Herald
New alert system aims to bring home missing Indigenous people (Lekanoff)
‘Whole new demon’: Fentanyl deaths soar, and recovery is harder
What we know: Washington coronavirus outbreak at a glance
State says Washington’s wolf population grew 16% last year
Editorial: Switch to electric cars making increasing sense

News Tribune
Power outages reported for thousands in South Tacoma
Lawsuit alleges discrimination against women in Pierce County Sheriff’s Department

New York Times
Texas Will Dismiss Murder Charge Against Woman Connected to ‘Self-Induced Abortion’
Maryland Lawmakers Expand Abortion Access, Overriding Governor’s Veto
Opinion: Roe v. Wade Is the Floor. Reproductive Justice Is the Mountaintop.

North American Post
Densho Director search update
New Torii Gate at Seward Park
No foreign tourism in Japan this spring
Notable people in Seattle and expectations of the consulate

Olympian
Winter weather advisory says Olympia area could get 1-3 inches of snow
Thurston County renters left in limbo waiting for resumed rent assistance
State now will prioritize keeping children with relatives when both parents lose custody (Ortiz-Self)
City selects Habitat for Humanity to build affordable housing on Boulevard Road
UTC staff recommend $923,000 penalty for improper CenturyLink disconnections

Peninsula Daily News
Several COVID deaths in state happened before first was announced
New tactic for site at Mill Road in Port Townsend
Employers in Washington state soon will have to list salaries in job postings
Inslee signs law intended to reduce hazing incidents

Seattle Medium
Biden To Announce New Gun Regulation And Name ATF Nominee

Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit Valley farmers and entrepreneurs weigh in on agritourism
Anacortes schools superintendent responds to tort claims by departing employees

South Seattle Emerald
Seattle Public Library helps teens explore mental health with virtual reality
Brighton Development Group hopes to keep the arches apartments affordable
Douglass-Truth Library resurrects its soul pole
Fourth Annual Aces showcases the work of over 100 artists of color

Tri-City Herald
Late spring snowstorm hits Tri-Cites region. Travel on Snoqualmie ‘difficult to impossible’
Ben Franklin Transit tax on the chopping block for a second time
Contractors could bring $4.5 million investment to business park near Pasco
COVID deaths still being reported in Tri-Cities, even as case rates continue dropping
What would it take for electric scooter rentals to expand to Tri-Cities?
Tri-Cities readers say these are the most dangerous roads. What’s being done about them?
Travel warning of fresh snow on I-90 at pass. More blowing dust for Tri-Cities
Work starting on 1,300 homes, apartments in massive Pasco development. Stores are next
WashCOG requests thousands of records after Richland school official admits deleting texts

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla County commissioners to vote Monday on final district maps
Walla Walla salon Beehive Cut and Color takes steps to reduce waste
Parents scramble, on short notice, to plan and collect funds for the Walla Walla High School senior party
Great Explorations in Education for seventh- and eighth-grade girls returns to Walla Walla on May 14
Dedication of Walla Walla’s Gold Star Families Memorial Monument set for Friday, April 15
Walla Walla University conference this week to focus on Latino experience in Eastern Washington
Touchet School District screening for child development
Umatilla National Forest to begin spring burning in Blue Mountains
Petco — no, not that Petco — fined for Milton-Freewater work without license
Walla Walla job fair showcases employment opportunities as area businesses face staffing shortages

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
More Washingtonians say they’re not using cell phones while driving for this reason
Seattle concrete workers agree to return to work amid lengthy strike

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Spring weather is ‘typical winter pattern’
Tacoma police chief to meet with business owners concerned about rising crime
New federal rule requires serial numbers, background checks for ‘ghost gun’ kits
Construction trades celebrating return of concrete workers
Striking concrete mixer drivers offer to return to work Monday
Alaska Airlines to reduce flights by 2% to improve service after cancellations, pilot shortage
‘Seattle Restored’ launches in downtown core
Shoreline victim in anti-Asian hate crime earns legal victory over neighbor
Ferry riders face long waits, and it could get worse as summer approaches

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Concrete workers strike to end Monday after 5 months
Lawmakers pushing WA capital gains tax regardless of judge ruling it unconstitutional

KNKX Public Radio
Conservation funding for states one step closer to becoming law
Washington wants drivers to plug into clean cars by 2030 before other West Coast states (Liias)
Jackson notes the progress she represents in her journey to the Supreme Court
Mortgage rates just hit 5%. Here’s how much more expensive that makes home ownership
What to do if you test positive for COVID at this point in the pandemic

KUOW Public Radio
$3 million will help tribes study salmon reintroduction in the Upper Columbia Basin
Pandemic updates: Covid rates increasing in Western Washington, and in schools
‘I do feel that level of burnout:’ Why Washington’s Rep. Jesse Johnson won’t seek reelection (Johnson)

Q13 TV (FOX)
Some concrete workers expected to return to work
Sea-Tac Airport awarded $16.8 million grant for construction work
Sound Transit: Light rail projects delayed following strike

Web

Crosscut
Hanford report reveals problem with nuclear waste solution

MyNorthwest
Workers at Marysville Starbucks go on strike over lack of staffing, working conditions
Scattered snow showers move in to South Sound Monday morning
Snoqualmie, Stevens passes reopen after multiple collisions, spinouts
Sammamish city manager removed from job after investigation into privacy violations
‘Time to change tactics:’ Striking concrete drivers unconditionally offer to resume deliveries
Income or excise? Figuring out how state Supreme Court might rule on challenge to capital gains tax
Boeing 757 cargo jet skids off runaway in Costa Rica, splits in half
Alaska Airlines to scale back flights amid slew of cancellations as pilot shortage persists
Seattle loses nearly 3,000 rental properties in less than a year
Crew shortage cancels inter-island San Juan ferry service through Sunday
‘Long-term’ app-based delivery driver guaranteed wage push gains momentum in Seattle
Uptick in road rage across King County fuels spate of recent freeway shootings
Search for next King County Sheriff narrowed down to three finalists

The Stranger
The Future Looks Bright for Washington Filmmakers
The Only Way to Solve Homelessness Is to Build More Homes

West Seattle Blog
Highland Park Improvement Club gets closer to rebuilding, with reveal of design options
CORONAVIRUS: West Seattle and countywide trends, one month post-restrictions
Next step on Alki Elementary’s road to rebuilding: Landmarks Board consideration

Friday, April 8

How Ketanji Brown Jackson will recast the Supreme Court
With Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation comes a new version of the Supreme Court. White men for the first time will no longer make up a majority. The oldest and longest-serving justice is Black. Women will be as close to parity as is possible on a nine-member bench, and in a government where the president is 79 and the speaker of the House is 82, the average age of a justice will be 61. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

WA schools prepare for potential Russian cyberattacks
Alert to the heightened threat of Russian cyberattacks on U.S. targets after the invasion of Ukraine, the Seattle Public Schools district in the past several weeks has blocked web traffic from Russia, upgraded safety firewall services and hired an additional antivirus company. “The biggest problem is that schools are an easy target,” said April Mardock, the district’s cybersecurity manager. “Russia could release a whole bunch of attack bots, and they can do a good job of using them to go after lots of computers remotely.” Continue reading at Crosscut. (Chris Zoeller/The Courier via AP)

Inslee Signs Legislation Boosting Access To Community-based Behavioral Health Treatment Into Law
Last week, Gov. Jay Inslee signed legislation into law that will improve access to community-based treatment for people with serious behavioral health issues and make it easier for families to get their loved one’s care when they need it, without hospitalization. The bill, HB 1773, introduced by State Rep. Jamila Taylor (D-Federal Way), streamlines the process for assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) — a court-ordered treatment in the community, instead of an inpatient setting — and expands who can receive this care Continue reading at Seattle Medium.

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Bellevue Reporter
Op-ed: Community health centers are the backbone of equity in our healthcare system (Dhingra)

Bellingham Herald
‘Carbon sequestration’ is a key tool in curbing climate change. What is it?
These Whatcom forests are protected from logging in WA’s ‘historic’ new carbon project

Capital Press
Western Innovator: Yakima Farm Bureau president stands against solar rush
Some Yakima irrigators face small cut in water supply
U.S. fresh-potato access to all of Mexico could start by mid-May

Everett Herald
Traffic cameras get the green light from Everett council
Port of Edmonds settles complaint over ADA parking
What we know: Washington coronavirus outbreak at a glance

Indian Country Today
The Wrap: Tribal partnerships bring regional jobs
Climate change elevates environmental inequities

News Tribune
Hilltop trolley extension to cost $30M more, not start running until 2023. Here’s why
Hoax 911 call to Puyallup residence was ‘swatting’ incident targeting Twitch streamer
Black, Indigenous princesses of color are ‘paving the way’ in this year’s Daffodil court

New York Times
A Transformative Justice Whose Impact May Be Limited
Covid Live Updates: Cases Rise Quickly in New York City and Washington, D.C.

Olympian
Here’s how affordable housing and affordable solar power are coming together in Olympia
Driver kills pedestrian on Old Highway 99 in Tumwater Thursday
About 129,000 beds sold by Costco, Amazon and others recalled after one killed a woman
UTC staff recommend $923,000 penalty for improper CenturyLink disconnections
Umpqua Bank partners with Kiva to offer no-interest loans to BIPOC, women businesses
Olympia solar nonprofit expands its ‘Solarize’ program to offer bulk-buying deals to all

Puget Sound Business Journal
Survey shows employees want to travel for business again
Region’s housing market still at ‘shock and awe levels’ despite rising interest rates
Billions in new Covid-19 relief funding for small businesses advances, but hurdles loom

Seattle Medium
Inslee Signs Legislation Boosting Access To Community-based Behavioral Health Treatment Into Law (Taylor, Davis, Dhingra)

Seattle Times
Sound Transit moves toward lighter touch on fare enforcement
Sammamish City Council votes down release of full investigative report into ex-city manager
Jennifer Belcher, WA’s first woman lands commissioner, dies
King County names 3 finalists for new sheriff, including interim sheriff
Local author’s ‘Skid Road’ is a look at Seattle’s homeless past
Editorial: Override Inslee’s snub of bipartisanship and rural WA (Randall)
Opinion: Refocus Fish and Wildlife mandate on conservation

Skagit Valley Herald
Mount Vernon Police Department proposing expanding its social worker program

South Seattle Emerald
OPA interviews suggest former OPA Dir. retroactively ok’d out-of-policy force tactic
Former INS building, now largest Seattle artist enclave, at risk of redevelopment
Concrete deliveries resume to West Seattle bridge as worker strike continues

Washington Post
Did your house earn more than you did in 2021?
At least 50 killed in airstrike on Kramatorsk train station
U.S. quietly paying millions to send Starlink terminals to Ukraine, contrary to SpaceX’s claims
How Ketanji Brown Jackson will recast the Supreme Court
An Indigenous village works to save a Brazilian forest, seed by seed

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Housing for LGBTQIA+ seniors under construction in Capitol Hill
Gondola system proposed as light rail alternative in West Seattle deemed ‘not feasible’

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Alaska Airlines to reduce flights by 2% to improve service after cancellations, pilot shortage
3 finalists named for new King County sheriff
Seattle council to consider new gig worker protections
Education Secretary says ‘conversations about broader loan forgiveness’ are continuing
Ketanji Brown Jackson confirmed to the Supreme Court on 53-47 vote
COVID-19 cases on the rise in King County in recent weeks
Member of hacking group sentenced for scheme that compromised more than $1 billion

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Riders return to mass transit in Seattle, but some raise safety concerns
Puget Sound Fire responds to homeless encampment fire in Kent
Another teen escaping from Echo Glen Children’s Center prompts security concerns
Some Seattle City Council members lend support to plan for base wage rate for gig workers

KXLY (ABC)
Tribal leaders say WA state is ignoring treaty rights
WA employers soon will have to list salaries in job postings

NW Public Radio
Washington Wants Drivers To Plug Into Clean Cars By 2030 Before Other West Coast States (Liias)

Q13 TV (FOX)
King County acknowledges millions of dollars spent on ‘inappropriate’ rental assistance payments
Interisland ferry service suspended all day Friday due to staff shortage

Web

Crosscut
WA schools prepare for potential Russian cyberattacks
Human Elements: How otters can help recover imperiled ecosystems

The Stranger
What’s the Deal with City Hall Park?

Thursday, April 7

WA to become first state in U.S. to preserve 10,000 acres of land for carbon mitigation
A new, first of its kind carbon project that will preserve 10,000 acres of state lands in Washington was announced Wednesday morning by the Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz. The program launched Wednesday and will be rolled out in two phases. The first phase will place 3,750 acres into a protected status, starting with areas in Whatcom, Thurston, King and Grays Harbor counties. Areas not protected from harvesting are included in the first phase and were considered priority areas. Continue reading at The Olympian.

Interactive map shows gas prices getting lower in these Washington state counties
Gas prices continue to be at record highs, but Washington state might be turning the corner on painful gas prices at the pump. According to the American Automobile Association, the average gas price at the pump in the United States has decreased since the last week of March, now averaging $4.17 a gallon. In Washington state overall, the average gas price has also decreased, dropping three cents since the last week of March, now averaging $4.70. Continue reading at The News Tribune.

A new glimpse into WA’s earliest COVID deaths — and why we may never have a complete record
In a recent review of the state’s earliest COVID deaths, the state Department of Health has confirmed at least four other Washingtonians died from COVID complications before or on Feb. 28, 2020. Three were from long-term care facility Life Care Center of Kirkland, the site of the first known coronavirus outbreak in the U.S., while DOH now believes the first person to die in the state was actually a Snohomish County woman in her 30s. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Alan Berner)