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Friday, Jan. 14

‘The worst’ it’s been: Covid hospitalizations reach all-time high in Washington state
Since the highly infectious omicron variant was discovered in Washington state last month, health officials have warned that a surge in cases could cause hospitals to become severely overwhelmed. Health care workers say that moment is now here. “This is the worst situation hospitals in Washington state have been in compared to any prior point during the pandemic,” said Taya Briley, vice president and general counsel for the Washington State Hospital Association during a press conference Thursday morning. Continue reading at KUOW. (Jae C. Hong)

Inslee deploys National Guard to assist hospitals, testing
Gov. Jay Inslee is deploying 100 members of the state National Guard to some hospitals to set up testing sites and to assist in non-medical tasks amid crowding due to a spike in COVID-19 hospitalizations. Inslee announced Thursday that teams will be deployed to assist four overcrowded emergency departments at hospitals in Everett, Yakima, Wenatchee and Spokane, and that testing teams will be based at hospitals in Olympia, Richland, Seattle and Tacoma. There are plans for additional Federal Emergency Management Agency testing sites in King and Snohomish counties. Continue reading at The Associated Press.

Family hopes to turn loss into legislation after hazing leads to death of son at WSU: ‘It’s to save a life for the one taken from us’
It’s a day that Jolayne Houtz remembers vividly. She was sitting at her desk at work and heard ragged breathing outside her door. It was her husband, Hector Martinez, telling her they needed to go home immediately. When they pulled up to their home, they saw three police officers and a police chaplain. Their 19-year-old son, Sam Martinez, had been found dead at his fraternity house. It would later be revealed that the Washington State University freshman and pledge of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity had died of alcohol poisoning after attending a fraternity event. Continue reading at The Spokesman Review.

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Associated Press
Inslee deploys National Guard to assist hospitals, testing
AG: $45M settlement with student loan company
Senate hardens penalties for election worker harassment (Frockt)
State health board inundated with false fears of camps for unvaccinated
Microsoft to review workplace harassment, including Bill Gates allegations
Supreme Court halts COVID-19 vaccine-or-test requirement for businesses
WA Supreme Court OKs Cooke Aquaculture steelhead farming

Aberdeen Daily World
Gov. Inslee gives State of the State speech calling for action from lawmakers (Frockt)

Auburn Reporter
Surgeries paused, National Guard deployed to assist hospitals
Sequim senator seeks improvements to police accountability laws (Van De Wege, Mullet)
Auburn teachers and staff struggle during omicron wave
Unions: 2021 hosted a record number of workplace safety complaints vs. hospitals

Bellingham Herald
Whatcom adds 560 COVID cases, 26 hospitalizations, 2 deaths, as Base Camp sees outbreak
National Guard members will be activated to assist at Washington state hospitals
Sandbags placed to reduce Nooksack River flooding
Officials issue a burn ban in this Whatcom community due to air quality concerns
Washington hospitals describe ‘worst’ level of operational crisis since start of COVID
One in 77 Whatcom residents tested positive for COVID-19 during first 10 days of 2022

Columbian
Clark County emergency rooms report drastic increase in patients
Opinion: In Our View: Pandemic can’t squelch county entrepreneurs

Everett Herald
Sketchy firm’s COVID-test sites shut down as questions mount
Mail delays frustrate and perplex Snohomish residents
Surgeries paused, National Guard deployed to assist hospitals
What we know: Washington coronavirus outbreak at a glance
Bloomberg Comment: Filibuster showing cracks but could prove resilient
WaPo Comment: Supreme Court invites chaos if lawsuit model spreads
Letter: Ferry system’s reduced sailings affect commutes of many

Federal Way Mirror
Federal Way police are now wearing body cameras

New York Times
Sinema Rejects Changing Filibuster, Dealing Biden a Setback
Biden Will Nominate Three New Fed Officials
New Virus Cases Begin to Slow in U.S. Cities Where Omicron Hit First

Peninsula Daily News
National Guard aid requested
Bill aims to help homeless community college students (Leavitt, Tharinger)
State lawmakers consider Women’s Suffrage Day (Lekanoff)

Puget Sound Business Journal
Inslee declares state hospital crisis, deploys National Guard to provide aid
Omicron, Great Resignation and supply chain woes? Businesses are still optimistic.
Supreme Court’s OSHA ruling puts many employers back on the spot
Inslee: Supreme Court ruling doesn’t bar future vaccine mandate for Washington employers
Microsoft commits to outside review of sexual harassment policies
Op-Ed: Viewpoint: Why cities should embrace life sciences as an economic driver

Seattle Times
Downtown Seattle light rail closed for weekend tunnel repairs
Celebrate Martin Luther King’s life by retracing his footsteps from his 1961 visit to Seattle
After weeklong closure, Stevens Pass and White Pass reopen
Inslee calls out National Guard to help at overtaxed hospitals, testing sites
Head of corrections union calls for 2-week quarantined shutdown of King County jails
Editorial: Kent assistant police chief must resign over Nazi insignia

Sol De Yakima
¿Qué sabe de la variante ómicron en el condado de Yakima?
Distritos escolares de Yakima, Toppenish cambian aprendizaje en línea la próxima semana
The Truth Sanctuary ayuda a familias afectadas, en necesidad

Spokesman Review
Family hopes to turn loss into legislation after hazing leads to death of son at WSU: ‘It’s to save a life for the one taken from us’ (Senn)
National Guard deployed to help Sacred Heart; Inslee pauses nonurgent procedures statewide
Critical staff shortages will close Spokane Public Schools on Tuesday

Tri-City Herald
Omicron COVID variant is surging in Tri-Cities. Next 2 weeks could be worse
National Guard to set up Tri-Cities COVID testing site. Here’s where else you can go
Mid-Columbia School Delays & Closures
COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough cases on the rise amid unprecedented surge, WA says
Washington hospitals describe ‘worst’ level of operational crisis since start of COVID

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla mayor and mayor pro tem appointed for another two-year term
Tri-State Steelheaders seeks grants in Walla Walla’s Mill Creek fish passage remediation
College Place City Council approves purchase of new fire truck and other fire equipment

Washington Post
Lawmakers begin discussing government spending deal as Democrats eye virus aid, paid leave
These mass shooting survivors were called journalism heroes. Then the buyouts came.
Doctors call out Spotify over Joe Rogan spreading ‘false and societally harmful’ covid-19 claims

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima Valley hospitals strained by staffing shortages, rising hospitalizations
Memorial hospital in Yakima to get help from National Guard; Inslee pauses all non-urgent procedures

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
‘Sam’s Law,’ named after WSU student, would strengthen penalties for hazing-related deaths
Inslee pauses non-urgent medical procedures, deploys National Guard to Washington hospitals
Washington trash service workers on strike address frustrations over garbage collection delay
Upgrading your mask? Here’s how to make sure you’re spending your money on an authentic respirator
Pierce County schools adjust COVID guidelines, lower isolation times
Kittitas County ‘disappointed’ vaccine mandate prevents state from accepting help in clearing snow
Why it took longer to reopen Stevens and White passes

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
COVID testing company suspends operations in Washington while under investigation
Inslee deploys National Guard, halts non-urgent procedures to help hospitals
Food safety investigations – another casualty of the Covid-19 pandemic?
Classes canceled or shifted to remote learning for some schools under SPS
South Kitsap Schools closing campuses for several days due to COVID-19
DOH: Breakthrough COVID-19 cases on the rise during omicron surge

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
COVID-19 omicron surge: Inslee to deploy National Guard to help overwhelmed hospital
Local businesses weigh in on SCOTUS vaccine mandate decision
Columbia Sportswear plans to fire employees who won’t get COVID-19 vaccines
Seattle schools cancel classes, switch to remote because of COVID cases
Seattle students plan walkout, demanding tighter COVID safety measures
Test sites run by Center for COVID Control now under investigation; close temporarily

KNKX Public Radio
Inslee deploying 100 National Guard to help hospitals, orders pause on non-emergency procedures

KUOW Public Radio
‘The worst’ it’s been: Covid hospitalizations reach all-time high in Washington state
Covid updates for today: Don’t go to the hospital if you’re in Washington state
As WA lawmakers consider a safe staffing bill, nurses warn of crisis conditions and risks to patients
Washington grocery workers ‘begging’ for more hours as wages don’t keep up with bills
We asked how you’re feeling about Covid these days. This is what you told us

Q13 TV (FOX)
Washington hospitals in ‘worst situation’ yet since COVID-19 pandemic started: WSHA

Web

MyNorthwest
Burien extends eviction moratorium until state of emergency ends
WSDOT accuses Kittitas County of ‘misinformation’ on snow removal dispute
Franklin High School students stage sick-out to demand better COVID safety precautions
King County Corrections Guild calls for two-week shutdown of jail operations
Spate of Puget Sound region K-12 schools return to remote learning
Gov. Inslee deploys National Guard, halts non-urgent procedures amid hospital staffing crisis
Settlement over ‘predatory’ practices to erase student debt for over 1,400 Washingtonians
‘And then there were none:’ 4 major Washington mountain passes reopen
State Board of Health will not yet make a decision to require COVID vaccine for students
Seattle-area trash service could be delayed longer due to out-of-state strike

Reuters
U.S. suicide hotline 988 is set to go live, but many states may not be ready (Orwall)

West Seattle Blog
CORONAVIRUS: Chief Sealth International High School closed Friday due to ‘sickout’ over safety concerns

Thursday, Jan. 13

Washington logs 1M coronavirus cases
The number of coronavirus cases in Washington state has surpassed 1 million, with a new surge in cases largely driven by the highly transmissible omicron variant. The state Department of Health confirmed the number on Wednesday, just nine days shy of two years since the first case in the country was confirmed in Washington on Jan. 21, 2020. Washington surpassed 500,000 total coronavirus cases in August, the wave at that time fueled by the delta variant. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Amanda Snyder)

WA troopers still more likely to pull over Native American drivers
Two years after InvestigateWest reported that the Washington State Patrol was searching some racial and ethnic groups at a rate one researcher called “disturbing,” the agency has released a new analysis of its stop-and-search data. The headline: “No systematic agency bias.” The State Patrol and Washington State University researchers who released the study this month, however, acknowledge the problem InvestigateWest uncovered in 2019 persists. State troopers are still more likely to search Black, Latino, Native American and Pacific Islander drivers, even though the troopers are more likely to find contraband like drugs or weapons when they search white drivers. Continue reading at InvestigateWest. (Jason Buch)

No, Washington state isn’t forcing people into quarantine camps
A routine meeting of the Washington State Board of Health on Wednesday became the topic of a nationwide misinformation campaign this week as social media users, political hopefuls and conservative pundits spun bogus claims that the meeting would include a vote to force unvaccinated residents into COVID-19 quarantine camps. A communication manager for the board said it had been inundated with more than 30,000 public comments, some threatening, related to the false theory, which misrepresented the board’s scheduled discussion on HIV as a proposed change to COVID-19 policy. Continue reading at The Associated Press.

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Associated Press
No, Washington state isn’t forcing people into quarantine camps
Card-room operator files lawsuit over sports betting at WA tribal casinos
In State of the State, Inslee calls on lawmakers for ‘bold’ action
Charges filed against Electron Hydro over Puyallup River pollution
State senate OKs bigger penalty for election worker harassment (Frockt)
Biden highlighting federal ‘surge’ to help weather omicron
Omicron may be headed for a rapid drop in US and Britain
WA Senate approves bill further penalizing election worker harassment (Frockt)

Bainbridge Island Review
BISD makes plans if COVID keeps rising

Bellingham Herald
Magnitude of Whatcom’s COVID testing demand ‘far beyond anything we have ever seen before’
Whatcom’s 3 ‘Murder Hornet’ nests eradicated in 2021 genetically related to 2020 nest
One in 77 Whatcom residents tested positive for COVID-19 during first 10 days of 2022
With Whatcom’s emergency care system ‘stretched to its limits,’ residents asked to help
Whatcom’s record COVID rate continues, WWU extends online, Bellingham schools update rules

Capital Press
Washington Farm Bureau fears ‘bad outcome’ with CD election bill

Columbian
COVID-19 cases soar in Clark County schools
Opinion: In Our View: Police reform done right takes time, diligence

Everett Herald
No march, but many ways to celebrate MLK Day in Everett
What we know: Washington coronavirus outbreak at a glance
The state of the state and the mind of the governor (Carlyle)
Bloomberg Comment: If not to sway votes, why speak on voting rights?
WaPo Comment: Our certainly in our own beliefs may be our downfall
WaPo Comment: Our response to covid must change with each variant
Editorial: Keep guard up against covid’s omicron variant

The Inlander
As contagious omicron hits Spokane, focus on testing intensifies as hospitals fear being overwhelmed

Kitsap Sun
State senators propose making pickleball Washington’s official sport (Lovick, Hunt, Lovelett, Pedersen, Randall, Rolfes, Wellman)
Bill to reduce catalytic converter thefts introduced

News Tribune
Pierce County schools change quarantine, isolation guidelines amid COVID-19 case surge
State passes 1 million COVID pandemic cases as WA adds 17,000 more Wednesday
Opinion: Using Growth Management Act, WA lawmakers can create resilient climate future. Here’s how

New York Times
Covid Live Updates: Biden Announces 500 Million More Tests and Military Help for Hospitals
Is Omicron Peaking?
Democrats Plan to Fast-Track Voting Rights Bill, Speeding a Showdown

Olympian
State passes 1 million COVID pandemic cases as WA adds 17,000 more Wednesday
Washington Tribes face sports betting, gaming challenge in new lawsuit
‘We need action’ Gov. Inslee says in annual State of the State address

Peninsula Daily News
Four more deaths reported on Peninsula

Port Townsend Leader
Number of COVID-19 deaths in Jefferson County climbs to 21
19 new COVID-19 infections reported Tuesday in Jefferson County

Puget Sound Business Journal
Boeing needs to hand off hundreds of jets in inventory, setting up a big year ahead
Insurers will cover 8 at-home Covid-19 tests a month. Here’s why it won’t solve employers’ testing dilemma.
Mayor Harrell extends Seattle eviction moratorium for 30 days
A new $1B loan program aims to boost the food supply chain. Here’s who qualifies.
Campus mental health crisis adds to burdens on community colleges

Seattle Medium
House Democrats Introduce Bills To Provide Clarity To Police Accountability Laws (Johnson, Rule, Bronoske, Goodman)
Nobles Sponsors Bill To Support Economic Well-Being For Foster Youth (Nobles)
Inslee To Rescind Gubernatorial Directive That Fueled Disparate Impacts Of I-200
Mayor Harrell Appoints New Department Leaders And Hires Director Of Public Safety

Seattle Times
Protesters descend on WA Board of Health after misinformation about vaccine plans goes viral
Washington Democrats and Republicans want to spend more on transportation. But what will the Legislature get done? (Liias, Nguyen, Mullet, Fey)
Seattle police officer involved in 2020 Proud Boys hoax has been rehired
Has streetside dining overstayed its welcome in Edmonds?
A visual guide to protective masking against COVID
Seattle students demand masks and COVID tests, plan sickout as school closures climb
Washington logs 1M coronavirus cases

Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit Valley hospitals swamped due to omicron variant
Dakota Creek apprenticeship program getting going

Tri-City Herald
Fired Kennewick fire chief sues, saying racial discrimination cost him his job

Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
Vashon is hit with mudslides, flooding, high tides

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Providence St. Mary Medical Center in Walla Walla tightens visitor restrictions
Whitman College names physicist, Ohio college head Sarah Bolton as 15th president

Washington Post
The past seven years have been the hottest in recorded history, new data shows
Navient reaches $1.85 billion settlement over student loan practices
Colleges lost 465,000 students this fall. The continued erosion of enrollment is raising alarms.
Which mask? What test? Covid’s latest surge spreads an epidemic of confusion.

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Investigation launched into company operating COVID-19 testing in Washington
Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe files 3rd lawsuit over Seattle City Light’s dams
Teachers frustrated with Seattle Public Schools’ handling of COVID-19 case spike

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
After moving massive amounts of snow and ice, crews set to reopen Stevens Pass
Seattle mayor vows change on police ruses after police use fake radio chatter
Your trash service could be delayed even longer thanks to an out-of-state strike
Kittitas County: State DOT refused help in clearing roads
Bill hardening penalties for election worker harassment OK’d (Frockt)
New Seattle mayor issues executive order about evictions, uncertainty during pandemic

KNKX Public Radio
Local calls for blood donors grow urgent as shortage persists
Election offices and school board meetings could become weapons-free zones in Washington (Berg, Hansen)
Fact check: Washington state isn’t putting people in quarantine camps
Listen: What we can expect from Inslee, Legislature in 2022 session

KUOW Public Radio
Wa Lawmakers Outline 2 Quick Fixes to New Policing Laws (Goodman, Johnson)
Why 2021 was a whale of a year for orca sightings
Covid updates for today: The myth that coronavirus strains get milder
Sen. Patty Murray on her push for voting rights and the future of democracy
What are we willing to do to protect Southern Resident orcas?
Washington state lawmakers propose year-round standard time to get around Congress (Hunt)

KXLY (ABC)
Fires, drought, and heat cost the Northwest billions in 2021
FACT FOCUS: Washington state isn’t changing quarantine rules

NW Public Radio
5 Things To Know About Washington’s 2022 Legislative Session (Johnson, Carlyle)
A Paid Holiday In March? It’d Be Women’s Suffrage Day If Washington State Lawmakers Vote Yea (Lekanoff)

Q13 TV (FOX)
Mayor Harrell extends Seattle eviction moratorium
Kittitas County says WSDOT refused county’s snow removal assistance for not mandating vaccine

Web

Crosscut
WA troopers still more likely to pull over Native American drivers (Valdez)

MyNorthwest
State Board of Health will not yet make a decision to require COVID vaccine for students
Seattle-area trash service could be delayed longer due to out-of-state strike
Kittitas County says WSDOT refused help for clearing snow over lack of vaccine mandate
COVID cases in Seattle schools skyrocket, as cancellations, remote learning shifts mount
Mayor Harrell extends Seattle eviction moratorium another 30 days

The Stranger
As Harrell Extends Seattle’s Eviction Moratorium, Cracks Begin to Show in the Statewide Eviction Prevention Programs

Wednesday, Jan. 12

Gov. Inslee calls on lawmakers for ‘big’ and ‘bold’ action
Gov. Jay Inslee on Tuesday called on state lawmakers to take action on a multitude of issues during their 60-day legislative session, including addressing the homelessness crisis, helping children affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and taking more steps to address climate change. In his annual State of the State speech, the Democratic governor said that “this may be a ‘short session,’ but it is unlike any in our history.” Continue reading at The Associated Press. (Ted S. Warren)

Facing blood shortage, Bloodworks Northwest has less than a day’s supply
The critical blood shortage that started with the pandemic shows no signs of letting up, according to Bloodworks Northwest. The local nonprofit said the shortage has left it in dire straits. Bloodworks said it has less than a full day’s supply for the Northwest, with most blood types at emergency levels. Hospitals are canceling elective surgeries because of the shortage, said spokesperson John Yeager. The weather, an increase in COVID-19 cases and staff shortages that closed some donation centers all contributed to the crisis, he said. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ken Lambert)

Why Coronavirus Testing Is Falling Short in Many Schools Across the U.S.
In California, storms over the winter break destroyed a million coronavirus test kits that were meant to help schools screen returning students. In Seattle schools, children waited for hours for virus testing, some in a driving rain. In Florida this month, an attempt to supply tests to teachers in Broward County turned up expired kits. Continue reading at The New York Times. (Allison Zaucha)

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Associated Press
Gov. Inslee calls on lawmakers for ‘big’ and ‘bold’ action
Card-room operator files lawsuit over WA sports betting
Sim Sefzik to replace late Sen. Doug Ericksen in Senate
Biden sending more COVID tests to schools to keep them open

Aberdeen Daily World
Homeless man tells about lifestyle in Aberdeen

Auburn Reporter
Will omicron’s wave usher a new round of boosters?
Widespread burnout among healthcare workers prompts change at hospitals (Riccelli, Berry, Fitzgibbon, Shewmake, Robinson, Keiser)

Bellingham Herald
With a strong finish in 2021, here’s what Bellingham International Airport expects for 2022
With Whatcom’s emergency care system ‘stretched to its limits,’ residents asked to help
Whatcom County Council names replacement for Sen. Ericksen
Neo-Nazi gets 7 years in Seattle court for threats to reporters, activists
CDC advises against travel to Canada due to COVID, as lawmakers plead for no border closure
Whatcom’s record COVID rate continues, WWU extends online, Bellingham schools update rules
New forecasts show Nooksack rising higher as atmospheric river nears Whatcom

Capital Press
Uncertainty over latest WOTUS regs may require Supreme Court to sort out issue, Farm Bureau speakers say
Vilsack vows ‘voluntary and incentive-based’ climate strategy for farms

Columbian
Vancouver City Council approves $402K for modular shelters for homeless
Blood supply critical in Northwest, nationwide as COVID stems donations
Opinion: In Our View: Schools must strive to keep in-person learning

Everett Herald
If not for Tulalip Healing Lodge, ‘I wouldn’t be here right now’
Prediction: 33%-50% of Snohomish County could catch omicron
Mukilteo School Board plans vote on the fate of ‘Mockingbird’
Businesses and nonprofits plan to push through COVID in 2022
Federal lawsuit challenges ‘tribal monopoly’ on sports betting
What we know: Washington coronavirus outbreak at a glance
Economic Alliance launches new diversity and equity program
Bloomberg Comment: Going to take more than laws to defend democracy
WaPo Comment: Time to make N95 masks the standard for covid fight

High Country News
Building equity into the renewable energy transition

The Inlander
Consistent Inland Northwest blood donors needed as supplies reach crisis level nationally

Islands’ Weekly
COVID-19 booster recommendation expands to everyone age 12 and older

Kitsap Sun
Kitsap County commissioners approve sales tax increase for affordable housing

News Tribune
It’s taking Pierce County 911 operators longer to answer your calls for help. Here’s why
New terms for sale of Auburn federal campus. Government hopes to close next month
Pierce County nears 1,000 COVID-19 deaths since the start of pandemic as cases balloon
Criminal charges filed in Puyallup River pollution case. Dam operator faces jail time, fines
New JROTC program is a first for Peninsula School District. Here’s what they’re doing

New York Times
Consumer prices popped again in December as policymakers await an elusive peak.
A Voting Rights Push, as States Make Voting Harder
Why Coronavirus Testing Is Falling Short in Many Schools Across the U.S.

Olympian
County extends hotel stays for those displaced by Deschutes Parkway homeless camp sweep
Six more die due to COVID-19 in Thurston County as case count breaks record again
MultiCare submits plans to launch emergency medical center in Lacey
Washington Tribes face sports betting, gaming challenge in new lawsuit
‘We need action’ Gov. Inslee says in annual State of the State address
Thurston County 911 services hit with outage Tuesday evening

Puget Sound Business Journal
With Washington state hospitals pushed to the brink by Omicron, some recovered patients can’t leave
Inslee urges action on housing, climate in State of the State speech

Seattle Times
Facing blood shortage, Bloodworks Northwest has less than a day’s supply
I-90 eastbound closed near Ellensburg due to jackknifed semis
Purported leader of violent neo-Nazi group sentenced to prison for Seattle-area threats, intimidation
Growing list of Seattle-area schools switch to remote learning, cancel classes
Gov. Inslee gives State of the State speech calling for action from lawmakers (Frockt)
Simon Sefzik to replace late Sen. Doug Ericksen in Senate
Opinion: Lawmakers’ neglect of school seismic safety risks children’s lives

Skagit Valley Herald
Mount Vernon schools plan for possible return to online learning
Demand for COVID-19 testing exceeding capacity at county-run site

Tri-City Herald
Federal judge refuses to overturn Hanford, PNNL COVID vaccine mandate
Richland schools websites back up after ransomware discovered

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
City of Walla Walla to consider request to remove Marcus Whitman statue
Walla Walla County’s health leader on COVID-19: ‘We’re seeing numbers we’ve never seen before’

Washington Post
Omicron will infect ‘just about everybody,’ Fauci says
In America, a child is shot every hour, and hundreds die. Here are 13 young lives lost in 2021.
Americans visited IRS refund website 632 million times last year as challenges swamp tax agency ‘in crisis’
Senate Democrats, with White House backing, unveil Russia sanctions bill
December prices rise 7 percent, compared to a year ago, as 2021 inflation reaches highest in 40 years

Yakima Herald-Republic
Tiny homes project near Milroy Park in Yakima continues to gain ground

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Inslee calls on lawmakers to address safe housing, clean transportation
What it could take for Seattle Public Schools to opt for remote learning
Independent journalist reflects on uncovering undocumented ruse by Seattle police
Landslide closes more than 2 miles of Newport Way NW in Issaquah
Washington neo-Nazi leader convicted in intimidation plot sentenced to 7 years in prison

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Massive boulder complicates reopening of White Pass
Moderate flooding expected from Tolt, Snoqualmie rivers
How to clean and reuse your KN95, N95 mask as prices surge
Inslee calls for bold action in State of State address
Some Seattle schools move to remote learning during omicron surge
Washington Neo-Nazi group leader sentenced to 7 years in prison for intimidation plot
Scientists say 2021 was great year for whales in Salish Sea, except for endangered orcas
Senators grill Biden administration about confusion over CDC guidance, testing shortages

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Top health officials sound alarm again about rise of COVID-19 cases
Rep. Klippert calls out Gov. Inslee on freedom of speech
Issaquah landslide shuts down Newport Way NW
Experts estimate high number of unreported COVID-19 cases in Washington
Neo-Nazi group leader sentenced to 7 years in prison

KXLY (ABC)
‘Last resort option’: Local school districts exhaust resources to keep kids in class
Lack of COVID-19 tests forces Mead School District to cancel sporting events, practices and ‘test-to-stay’ program

Q13 TV (FOX)
State board of health, group to discuss considering COVID-19 vaccine requirement for students
WA Legislature considers limits on Gov. Inslee’s emergency powers (Jinkins)

Web

Crosscut
In WA and beyond, students question the value of college degrees
WA legislators prepare for long list of climate change bills

MyNorthwest
‘We need action’: Gov. Inslee’s State of the State address highlights lengthy to-do list in 2022
New lawsuit challenges tribal exclusive sports betting in Washington state
Seattle Mayor Harrell appoints director of housing office, public safety
SPD ‘misinformation campaign’ has council, mayor’s office demanding answers
Freeway, mountain pass closures hit Puget Sound region grocery stores with shortages
Fired SPD officer who punched handcuffed suspect to sue city over termination
Southern Resident orcas hit Puget Sound absence record in 2021
Washington Neo-Nazi group leader sentenced to 7 years in prison for intimidation plot

West Seattle Blog
WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE: Community Task Force will continue, mayor decides
WATER TAXI: Want to take your dog or cat on board? Finally you can

Tuesday, Jan. 11

Washington lawmakers kick off mostly remote session
Lawmakers in Washington state have started a new legislative session amid the backdrop of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and much of their work will be done remotely as leaders try to limit the possibility of exposure. Since Friday, three Democratic senators — Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig and Sens. John Lovick and Mark Mullet — announced they had tested positive for the coronavirus. Billig said he had no symptoms and Lovick described his symptoms as mild. Continue reading at The Associated Press. (Rachel La Corte)

Sunday saw record COVID cases in Washington state. Rate of COVID patients in ICU rising
COVID-19 continued its record-breaking pace through Washington over the weekend, based on data released by the state Department of Health on Monday. The state recorded 13,689 new cases Monday and 24 new deaths since Friday. The state reported 14,871 cases on Saturday and 19,150 cases on Sunday — a record high. As of Monday, statewide totals from the illness caused by the coronavirus were 978,680 cases and 10,028 deaths. Continue reading at The News Tribune.

Gov. Inslee to give State of the State address Tuesday
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee is set to give his State of the State address to the state Legislature Tuesday at noon. Inslee is expected to discuss the state’s COVID-19 response and what he hopes the state Legislature will accomplish in this session…Washington’s 60-day legislative session began Monday. Lawmakers will convene and pass new laws or change old ones before the session adjourns on March 10. Continue reading at KING 5.

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Associated Press
Snoqualmie Pass open; White Pass closes again in Washington
Washington lawmakers kick off mostly remote session (Billig, Bronoske, Jinkins, Lovick, Mullet, Trudeau)

Auburn Reporter
Washington Democrats introduce bills clarifying police reforms (Johnson, Rule, Bronoske)

Bainbridge Island Review
Legislature: Priorities are COVID, economy, climate, social services (Jinkins, Dhingra)

Bellingham Herald
With COVID cases on rise, Whatcom health department to open second isolation facility
Bellingham hospital reports 45% increase in COVID patients with record number over weekend
Strong wind, heavy rain forecast for Whatcom, raising threat of flooding
SSC proposing this change to its curbside recycling program in Bellingham
Bellingham hospital sees omicron’s ‘severity is very similar to what delta was causing’
COVID omicron variant will impact Bellingham meetings, remote workers

Columbian
House Democrats introduce bills to clarify police reform measures (Johnson, Rule, Stonier, Goodman, Bronoske)
Washington schools chief: School closures likely in coming weeks
Opinion: In Our View: Criminalizing election falsehoods misguided

Everett Herald
They’re off and legislating, and doing it remotely again (Donaghy, Jinkins, Billig, Lovick, Mullet, Trudeau)
County’s reported infections surpass earlier grim estimates
Schools in Marysville and elsewhere pivot as COVID spreads
60-day sprint: State lawmakers plan to fix what’s broken (Billig, Lovick)
What we know: Washington coronavirus outbreak at a glance
WaPo Comment: Danger of ignoring claims accusing Jews of genocide
Harrop Column: Vaccinated left to cope with impacts of unvaxxed
Editorial: Add your voice to Legislature’s 60-day session (Wicks, Robinson)

News Tribune
Sunday saw record COVID cases in Washington state. Rate of COVID patients in ICU rising

New York Times
Covid Live Updates: Over Half of Europe Could Be Infected in Next 2 Months, W.H.O. Says
Economists Pin More Blame on Tech for Rising Inequality
Biden Will Endorse Changing Senate Rules to Pass Voting Rights Legislation
2021 Outpaced Years Past in Breaking All-Time Temperature Records
Covid Test Misinformation Spikes Along With Spread of Omicron

Olympian
As omicron surges, Washington legislators convene for the first day of the session
Thurston County Superior Court extends jury trial suspension at least a month
Some Thurston County roads still closed Monday due to flooding
WA’s 2021 climate laws made history. What will happen in this year’s legislative session?

Peninsula Daily News
Health workers concerned about strain from oncoming COVID-19 surge of infections

Puget Sound Business Journal
Omicron wave expected to trigger large-scale absenteeism, delays and cancellations

Seattle Times
Leavenworth is running out of places to put its record-breaking snowfall
Seattle officials face questions about police lies, investigation into faked radio chatter
Washington state’s White Pass, Stevens Pass remain closed to travelers
Seattle schools could return to remote learning if high number of absences continues
Seattle has struggled to care for sick and homeless people since the 1800s; now programs are trying something different
Washington Legislature begins another session; now 5 senators test positive for COVID (Lovick, Billig, Mullet, Trudeau, Jinkins)
Editorial: COVID-19 exposure app is a tool worth using
Rep. Simmons: Redemption is possible, if our laws allow it

Skagit Valley Herald
COVID numbers continue to rise

Sol De Yakima
Pasos Snoqualmie, Blewett reabrieron el domingo; Paso White abre el lunes en la tarde
Cierra de nuevo el Paso White sobre la carretera US 12

Spokesman Review
Mead School Board votes to oppose efforts to mandate COVID-19 vaccine for students
School leaders struggle to keep doors open as absences mount among students and staff
City of Spokane adopts law protecting tenants from eviction while awaiting rental assistance

Tribal Tribune
Salmon Redds Show Promise in the Upper Columbia River

Tri-City Herald
U.S. Supreme Court agrees to review WA state law that helps ill Hanford workers
Omicron hits Tri-Cities schools, sickening nearly 700 kids. Hundreds more in quarantine

Washington Post
Fauci, Walensky testify at Senate hearing on federal response to omicron
U.S. breaks record with more than 145,000 covid-19 hospitalizations
Private insurers to cover some at-home coronavirus tests, Biden administration says amid omicron surge
Biden to call for changing the filibuster in major voting rights speech
Moderna vaccines the best — and Sinovac least effective — at stopping covid deaths, Singapore data suggests
Ocean warmth sets record high in 2021 as a result of greenhouse gas emissions

Yakima Herald-Republic
Wintry weather could affect travel Tuesday in Eastern Washington; White Pass closes again
Here’s where you can get a COVID-19 vaccine and booster in Yakima County
Seattle Times: Washington state lawmakers eye lowering minimum school age to 5 years old (Wellman)
Letter: Insurance industry is on the wrong side this time

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Whatcom County Republicans urge council to fill legislative seat left vacant by late Sen. Ericksen
Gov. Inslee to give State of the State address Tuesday
Research finds lungs may be resistant to omicron variant
No, Washington won’t forcibly quarantine those who have COVID-19 or are unvaccinated
Kent leaders work to regain community trust after assistant police chief displayed Nazi insignia
Debris on private property may be the culprit of downtown Issaquah flooding

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Double diagnosis worries doctors across the Sound
Omicron surge has some schools moving toward remote learning
Western Washington University continuing remote learning for two more weeks
Snoqualmie, Blewett passes reopen; Stevens Pass remains closed until Wednesday
Search for second Grays Harbor man swept away in Chehalis River flood
Robocalls target consumers as millions add phone numbers to national do not call list

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
New legislative session begins at state Capitol with COVID still lurking (Jinkins, Billig, Mullet, Trudeau)
Travel through the state’s mountain passes remains challenging for drivers
As floodwaters recede, Western Washington residents take stock, begin clean-up effort

KNKX Public Radio
Seattle immigrant rights group headed to the U.S. Supreme Court

KUOW Public Radio
Pandemic blog: Washington hospitals strained under Covid surge
As carbon removal gains traction, economists imagine a new market to save the planet
U.S. COVID hospitalizations hit new record high, raising risks for patients
So you got Covid. What do you do now?
Here’s what could send Seattle Public Schools back to remote learning
A paid holiday in March? It’d be Women’s Suffrage Day if Washington state lawmakers vote yea (Lekanoff)
Can salmon eggs survive Washington’s heavy floods?

KXLY (ABC)
‘That’s the dream’: New ideas to help the housing crisis in the 2022 legislative session
Washington Blood Coalition says there is a critical need for blood donations

Q13 TV (FOX)
Schools shift to temporary remote learning model due to substantial staffing shortages
WA lawmakers eye ‘tweaking’ police reform laws as 2022 legislative session opens (Jinkins)

Web

Crosscut
WA legislators prepare for long list of climate change bills (Fitzgibbon, Lekanoff, Carlyle, Liias)
10 job opportunities in a zero-emission future

MyNorthwest
Another atmospheric river, heavy rain hits Puget Sound region
Whatcom County Council to appoint replacement for late Sen. Ericksen
Legislative session kicks off with packed agenda, virtual testimony, and multiple lawmakers with COVID (Billig, Jinkins, Mullet, Lovick, Trudeau)
‘Temporary workforce challenge’ suspends handful of King County Metro bus routes
Race for King County prosecutor heats up as field of candidates quickly takes shape
Puget Sound schools feel strain of omicron surge, as some mull return to remote learning
National Guard arrives in Leavenworth to offer aid after emergency declaration
Snoqualmie, Blewett passes reopen; White, Stevens passes remain closed

Monday, Jan. 10

More than plots on a chart: The 10,000 lost to COVID in Washington state
10,000 lives. The number of Washingtonians lost to COVID-19 is still hard to comprehend. At the beginning of the pandemic, when the Seattle area was briefly the U.S.’ sole epicenter, each death was its own headline. Rarely now do individual names of those who died of COVID make it into news reports. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Courtesy of Linda Casey)

7 things WA Legislature is expected to address in 2022
As Washington’s Legislature begins a new session Monday, the omicron variant of COVID-19 continues its rampage through the state, scuttling lawmakers’ plans to conduct more of their operations in person. Even so, the 60-day session is likely to be jampacked. Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee has proposed new measures aimed at combating climate change. Top legislators want to revisit some of the police accountability bills they passed last year. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Ted S. Warren)

WA’s 2021 climate laws made history. What will happen in this year’s legislative session?
Washington’s climate-minded lawmakers have big shoes to fill during this year’s legislative session, after last year’s yielded the most aggressive suite of climate laws the state has ever seen. The stakes are high as the Legislature prepares to meet Monday, Jan. 10, kicking off a 60-day session: Climate change-fueled events such as wildfires, floods and heat waves have ravaged communities statewide in the past year, claiming lives and causing millions of dollars in damage. Continue reading at The Bellingham Herald.