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Monday, Feb. 14

Keeping kids in school during the pandemic has been tough. In WA, at least 29,000 can’t be found.
Around the state and country, school districts have grappled with big enrollment drops and high numbers of disengaged students during the pandemic — to the extent that some, as far as educators know, have gone missing. They are not going to school anywhere at all. “Disengagement isn’t a new problem, but this is a different kind of magnitude,” said Krissy Johnson, assistant director of attendance and engagement for the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Stephani Espinoza)

‘Survival mode’: Inflation falls hardest on low-income Americans
After 15 years, Jacqueline Rodriguez had almost saved enough for a down payment on a house. Then the pandemic hit. Rodriguez was laid off from her job and dug into her savings to cover the rising costs of everything, including her 18-year-old son’s pre-med textbooks. If Rodriguez had been able to buy a house and lock in a mortgage, it would have helped shield her from the highest inflation she has seen in her adult life. Instead, her landlord recently hiked her monthly rent from $1,200 to $1,500. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Mark Abramson)

State House passes safe staffing standards bill for hospitals
A bill to improve worker safety and patient care at health care facilities passed in the state House with a 55-43 vote Saturday. House Bill 1868, sponsored by Rep. Marcus Riccelli (D-Spokane), addresses staffing needs, overtime, meal and rest breaks, and enforcement, making Washington the second state to mandate safe staffing standards for hospitals. “Nurses and healthcare workers have moved mountains over the last two years, but they are burning out,” said Riccelli. Continue reading at KIRO 7.

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Bainbridge Island Review
BI on the move to finalize transportation plan

Bellingham Herald
Whatcom’s not alone in high gasoline prices. Check out this interactive map
Can a Salish Sea snail return from the brink of extinction? Whatcom scientists, tribe hope so
Whatcom businesses fined more than $200,000 for pandemic rules violations
State may have more than $9 million for Whatcom transportation. Here’s how it would be used
Bail set at $5 million for Whatcom attempted murder suspect who allegedly shot 2 deputies
Whatcom County finishes week with 769 new COVID-19 cases and 6 related deaths reported

Capital Press
Washington Democrats boost transportation plan with higher taxes
One year later, Simpson dam removal proposal remains a threat, ag groups say

Columbian
Opinion: In Our View: Get moving on state transportation package (Fey, Wylie, Liias)
Opinion: In Our View: Cheers & Jeers: COVID rate falls; foul flyer

The Daily News
Capitol Dispatch: Transportation package largely ignores Southwest Washington, rankles reps
Cowlitz County commissioners discuss, add tiny homes to hosted homeless site plan

Everett Herald
3,500 households seek rental assistance
Transportation package could bring $600M to Snohomish County (Fey, Liias)
Fare is fair? Everett bus rider’s case en route to state Supreme Court
Ecology again fines boat owner $70K for fuel spill in river
Families: Loved ones behind bars are not ‘in good spirits’
What we know: Washington coronavirus outbreak at a glance
Bloomberg Comment: Mask mandates were a good idea that didn’t work
WaPo Comment: We may not wait for covid numbers to call ‘all clear’
Comment: State must join work against domestic terrorism
Comment: More funding can boost good work of family centers
Sen. Liias: Teams improving on-time grad rates for 9th graders
Editorial: Transportation plan can move Washington ahead (Liias, Fey)
Letter: Is current arrangement what founders intended?
Letter: House bill wouldn’t deny restitution to victims

News Tribune
Pierce County property tax ‘valentines’ are coming your way; rates to hop modestly in 2022
Opinion: Enough with the Rambo cosplay. It’s time for WA to finally ban high-capacity magazines (Jinkins)
Opinion: Critical race theory to sex ed: WA parents deserve easy access to school board meetings
Op-Ed: Don’t listen to management posing as bedside nurses. WA hospitals need safe staffing law

New York Times
Pedestrian Deaths Spike in U.S. as Reckless Driving Surges
How Bad Is the Western Drought? Worst in 12 Centuries, Study Finds
Wolves Will Regain Federal Protection in Much of the U.S.
How Billions in Infrastructure Funding Could Worsen Global Warming

North American Post
Seattle Public Schools Japanese Immersion

Olympian
Thurston County may spend $9.9 million remodeling its ballot processing complex
‘We have to do more,’ Capital High principal says about addressing racism, discrimination
$75M proposed to address I-5 flood risk in Nisqually basin. Here’s what it would pay for
Confused by COVID guidance? Here’s what Thurston’s Health Officer recommends
Editorial: It may be the little things that determine whether whales and salmon survive

Peninsula Daily News
Bill would ban sales of high-capacity gun clips (Van De Wege, Chapman, Tharinger)
New site for Clallam County Emergency Operations Center considered
State health officers weigh metrics for lifting mask mandates
Residents want Miller Peninsula in its natural state
Senate OKs school seismic safety bill (Tharinger, Van De Wege, Chapman)

Port Townsend Leader
Gov. Inslee urges action on plan on homelessness
Police restraint gets clarification in House bill

Puget Sound Business Journal
Seattle ranks near bottom in percentage of Black-owned businesses, study finds
Community college chancellor on the role of 2-year schools in addressing labor shortage
U.S. foreclosure activity at highest since pandemic in January
‘Gainful employment’ regulations to improve college accountability are back on the table
Federal cannabis legalization effort to ‘tear down the walls’ gains momentum
Regulations could be biggest competitive threat to Washington’s cannabis industry
How much do the striking Teamsters make? The two sides don’t agree on even that.
Opinion: An equitable society demands an inclusive approach

Seattle Medium
Challenging Seattle Communities To Address Reparations
Johnson Bill Creating A New Tax Break To Help Homeless Youth Passes House (Johnson)
Senn Bill Preventing Youth Homelessness Passes House (Senn)

Seattle Times
Keeping kids in school during the pandemic has been tough. In WA, at least 29,000 can’t be found.
Gov. Inslee’s $7,500 electric car rebate remains uncertain in WA Legislature (Fitzgibbon, Das)
WA House bill would expand outdoor education statewide (Hunt, Rule)
Drugs on buses have become an everyday hazard, Seattle-area transit workers say
Drivers are getting fewer tickets even as WA traffic goes back to normal. Why? (Nguyen)

Skagit Valley Herald
Lifting of trade ban a plus for Taylor Shellfish Farms

The Skanner
Seattle’s Eviction Moratorium Will Expire at the End of February

South Seattle Emerald
Seattle’s Eviction Moratorium To Expire At The End Of February

Tri-City Herald
Kennewick, Finley and Prosser school levies fail. One is losing by 5 votes
Fake contractor scammed Tri-Cities couple, others out of thousands, says WA state
COVID cases on decline in Tri-Cities. But 9 more people died

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla-area fire departments build new tower for drills
Flood recovery cases nearly closed as Walla Walla Valley finishes disaster cleanup from 2020
Walla Walla Valley florists get creative this Valentine’s Day amid supply chain issues

Washington Post
Texas patients are rushing to get abortions before the state’s six-week limit. Clinics are struggling to keep up.
Vital U.S.-Canada border crossing reopens, but ‘Freedom Convoy’ trucker protests continue in Ottawa
Putin leaves a door to diplomacy open, as European, U.S. leaders race to defuse Ukraine crisis
Biden’s free covid tests plan shortchanges Americans of color and hardest-hit communities, say health workers and activists
‘Survival mode’: Inflation falls hardest on low-income Americans

Yakima Herald-Republic
‘Students supporting students’ — Yakima Valley College opens food pantries on both campuses
Column: Biden’s border surveillance empire should scare you regardless of politics
LA Times: Yakima health board to send letter encouraging end to Washington’s mask mandate
Omicron numbers on downturn in Yakima County, with deaths still high

Broadcast

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Washington hospitals stuck in staffing crisis
Eastside parents vow to fight conversion of hotel to permanent supportive housing
Senate passes bill banning sale of high-capacity firearm magazines; now goes to House (Liias)
Canadian protest impacts border north of Blaine
Seattle business owners looking to city to help stem violence
Police use-of-force bill clears state House (Goodman)
State House passes safe staffing standards bill for hospitals (Riccelli, Sells)
COVID-19 pandemic becoming endemic
$75M proposed to address I-5 flood risk in Nisqually basin. Here’s what it would pay for (Fey, Liias)
DOL estimates around 650,000 individuals affected in data breach
Chinese Americans march in remembrance of immigrants’ expulsion

KNKX Public Radio
Thieves got access to 650K individuals’ info on WA database

KUOW Public Radio
Pandemic updates for Seattle: How sewage can help track Covid outbreaks
It’s not just home prices. Rents rise sharply across the U.S.
Pandemic updates for Seattle: Monday, February 14, 2022
Biden speaks with Ukraine’s leader as U.S. officials warn of imminent Russian attack
Week in Review: Mask mandates, Mazdas stuck on KUOW, and the concrete workers strike

KXLY (ABC)
Move Ahead WA package to provide $16B for state’s transportation (Riccelli)
Riccelli bill to expand number of schools offering free meals heads to Senate (Riccelli)
Bill to ease patient loads for healthcare workers advances to Senate

Web

Crosscut
Adding pot shops to improve social equity hits snag in WA Legislature (Wicks)

MyNorthwest
‘30 truckloads from the finish line’: West Seattle Bridge reopening jeopardized by concrete strike
Doctors, hospital leaders: WA not ready to end indoor mask mandate
UW researchers: ‘The pandemic phase of COVID-19 is gone’
Mayor Harrell to end Seattle eviction moratorium on Feb. 28
Washington ranks 6th in US for SIM card swapping scam

Patch
WA Legislative Roundup: Police Reform, Insulin Caps, Salary Laws (Randall, Keiser, Frockt, Riccelli)

The Stranger
Boy I Sure Hope Lawmakers Don’t Weaken Another Bill to Protect Renters (Macri, Peterson, Leavitt, Paul, Chapman, Rule, Trudeau)

West Seattle Blog
WEST SEATTLE LIGHT RAIL: City Council briefing Tuesday
CORONAVIRUS: City’s West Seattle vaccination clinic to close at month’s end

Friday, Feb. 11

Billions of federal dollars headed to Western forests to manage fires
Less than a year after Washington state committed $328 million toward reducing the impacts of climate-charged catastrophic wildfire and improving forest health, the U.S. Forest Service announced a plan liable to supercharge that effort. A U.S. Department of Agriculture announcement on Jan. 18 adds nearly $3 billion more to the nation’s forest restoration efforts and fire reduction, especially on federal forest lands in the heart of Washington’s fire country and in 10 other Western states. Just as significant, the accompanying plan incorporates the newest science and reflects Indigenous stewardship practices. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Ted S. Warren)

Bill to limit ammunition magazines shows how firearms debate has changed in Olympia
One 24-hour span demonstrates just how much the debate over firearms, at least for now, has changed at the Washington Legislature. After an emotional debate late Wednesday night, Democratic lawmakers passed Senate Bill 5078 on a party-line vote. The legislation, now headed for debate in the House, would prohibit the manufacture, distribution and sale of firearm magazines holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition. If enacted into law, the ban — which advocates and many Democrats have called necessary to reduce gun violence and fatalities — would limit not just magazines for rifles that hold 20 or 30 rounds. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Daniel Kim)

Cost of living for US families up an extra $276 on average
The cost of living for an average U.S. family has gone up an extra $276 a month, according to The Wall Street Journal. As inflation rises, the price of groceries, gasoline and cars is making up all those costs. Overall household debt jumped by $1 trillion, the most since 2007, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Driving that debt in part are car and home loans, as car prices jumped up over 12%. Low supply and high demand are driving up car prices, but shoppers are still driving off with new cars and higher loans. Continue reading at KOMO News.

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Associated Press
Justices reject 4th recall against Sheriff Adam Fortney
State Senate OKs ban on sale of high-capacity gun ammunition (Jinkins, Liias)
Deadly NW heat wave prompts effort to boost air conditioning (Mullet)
Judge restores protections for gray wolves across much of US
Washington Senate approves seismic safety bill for schools (Frockt)

Auburn Reporter
COVID-19 cases decrease in Auburn
Inslee: Mask mandate is going away, but not quite yet

Bainbridge Island Review
All-electric ferry in the works for Bremerton

Bellingham Herald
Whatcom man arrested in area of Thursday’s shooting of 2 deputies booked in Skagit County
Suspect surrenders, Whatcom deputies who were shot ‘conscious, alert, in stable condition’
As Lynden students protest, Whatcom schools await guidance on universal masking mandates
PETA said orca named by Lummi Nation was ‘deathly ill.’ Seaquarium says she’s recovering

Capital Press
Judge restores some wolves to endangered species list

Columbian
Opinion: In Our View: Nurse staffing bills may not be healthy approach (Stonier)

Everett Herald
What we know: Washington coronavirus outbreak at a glance
Hundreds gather for annual aerospace conference — without Boeing
Bloomberg Comment: The bill that could head off another Jan. 6 debacle

High Country News
The first answer for food insecurity: data sovereignty

Islands’ Weekly
Application period now open for new county climate and sustainability advisory committee

News Tribune
Editorial: Critical race theory to sex ed: WA parents deserve easy access to school board meetings

Olympian
Gun rights activists gather in Olympia to oppose gun bill passed Wednesday night in Senate
Lacey set to spend $4 million to acquire 12 acres for new police station
Thurston commission to expand LEAD diversion program for non-violent offenders

Peninsula Daily News
State superintendent comments surprise regional officials
WHAT WE KNOW: Coronavirus outbreak at a glance

Puget Sound Business Journal
Amazon drops mask requirements for vaccinated employees
Report: Amazon retail CEO Dave Clark sells Medina home, moves to Dallas
Crime-weary business leaders offer recommendations to Seattle council committee
State lawmakers weigh nurse staffing bill to address shortages, burnout (Riccelli)

Seattle Times
Bill to limit ammunition magazines shows how firearms debate has changed in Olympia (Hansen, Jinkins, Liias)
WA cannabis bill seeks to make industry more diverse, equitable (Wicks, Morgan)
Journalists of color at KING 5 hope to inspire the next generation of trailblazers

Skagit Valley Herald
City of Sedro-Woolley upgrading its facilities

South Seattle Emerald
New Children’s Book Speaks Truth Through An Indigenous Lens
From Refugee To Advocate: Medard Ngueita, World Relief Seattle’s New Executive Director

Tri-City Herald
Mask frustration boils over in another tense Richland School Board meeting
Well-known Tri-Citian to lead Ben Franklin Transit until new manager is hired

Washington Post
Biden to split billions in Afghanistan funds between 9/11 victims and humanitarian aid
How Supreme Court Diversity has Shaped American Life
Officers charged in George Floyd’s killing omitted key details from the scene, Minneapolis officer testifies
Some Trump records taken to Mar-a-Lago clearly marked as classified, including documents at ‘top secret’ level
Biden says easing mask mandates ‘probably premature’ as blue states loosen covid restrictions

Yakima Herald-Republic
Selah police, Yakima County sheriff’s deputies to get body cameras
Yakima, Ellensburg set high temperature records on Wednesday and Thursday
Washington officially has a new all-time maximum temperature record: 120 degrees
Letter: Books like “The 1619 Project” offer crucial truths

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Seattle landlords make plea to end eviction moratorium
2 Whatcom County sheriff’s deputies shot after responding to dispute between neighbors

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Two deputies shot, injured responding to dispute between neighbors
State schools chief says it’s time to remove statewide mask mandate in schools
West Seattle residents react to potential bridge reopening delay
Bill to require job postings to include salaries passes Washington Senate

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Two Whatcom County deputies wounded while responding to active shooter call, officials say
Should Washington schools drop mask mandates?
Seattle man sentenced for assaulting federal officer during Jan. 6 riot at US Capitol
Cost of living for US families up an extra $276 on average
How inflation and tangled supply lines are gripping economy

KNKX Public Radio
Washington state legislators propose tax on Oregon drivers’ fuel (Fey, Wylie)

KUOW Public Radio
Seattle Sellers Can ‘kick Back and Let the Market’ Decide What People Will Pay for Their Homes
Gun violence devastated her family. Now she’s working with Seattle to end it
Pandemic updates for Seattle: Washington state mask mandate to be phased out
Outdoor event mask mandate ends soon. Indoor may be next
Pandemic conditions are changing again. Let’s talk: Today So Far

KXLY (ABC)
‘Rethinking the relationship’: How Spokane’s new planning director says he’ll make housing more affordable (Jinkins)

Web

Crosscut
Billions of federal dollars headed to Western forests to manage fires

MyNorthwest
City of Bellevue reaches deal with owners for demolition of home that slid off foundations
Why aren’t metal theft laws working in Washington state?
Seattle chief librarian race takes a surprise twist with remote work dispute
Two deputies shot, injured responding to dispute between neighbors
Judge restores gray wolf protections after being eliminated in 2020
Seattle man sentenced for assaulting officers during US Capitol riot
NOAA committee verifies record for state’s hottest ever day from 2021 heatwave
‘This is the year this gets done’: State restrictions on high capacity magazines on path to passage (Liias, Kuderer)
Washington inches closer toward dream of high speed rail system (Liias)

West Seattle Blog
VIDEO: What the Community Advisory Group for West Seattle’s light-rail project heard, and asked, at first Draft Environmental Impact Statement briefing
CORONAVIRUS: What the governor announced today, and how local numbers are going

Thursday, Feb. 10

Inslee: Mask mandate is going away, but not quite yet
As mask mandates disappear around the country, Gov. Jay Inslee said Wednesday it will happen in Washington, too, very soon. The governor said he’ll reveal exactly when next week. “Today is not the day to totally eliminate masks. The day is close,” he said at a virtual news conference. “It is no longer a matter of if. It is a matter of when.” COVID cases are falling “like a rock” after a rocket-like surge fueled by the omicron variant, he said. Continue reading at The Everett Herald. (Ted S. Warren)

WA House members unanimously pass legislation to provide relief for farmers, ranchers
House legislators voted unanimously Wednesday on a measure to help provide short-term financial disaster relief to farmers and ranchers in Washington state. Under the bill, the Washington State Conservation Commission would be tasked with developing and implementing the program to provide funds for farmers and ranchers who can furnish documentation of “lost agricultural income or activity.” The bill doesn’t identify funding for the aid after a $600,000 appropriation from the State General Fund was removed from the original bill. Continue reading at The Olympian.

House passes bill allowing Medicaid to pay for doula services
Members of the state’s House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly Wednesday, 85-8, to allow doula services to be covered by Medicaid. Doulas, non-medical advocates who assist birthing families before, during, and after births, would receive state certification under House Bill 1881. The optional certification would allow doula services to be covered by Medicaid, the primary health insurance provider for low-income residents. Bill sponsor Rep. Kirsten Harris-Talley said Medicaid provides health coverage for 52 percent of births in the state. Continue reading at KING 5.

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Associated Press
Washington lifting outdoor mask mandate, elective surgery ban; indoor mask rules stay for now
WA Senate approves temporary $35 cap on 30-day insulin supply

Bainbridge Island Review
Subs help keep BI schools open during surge

Bellevue Reporter
U.S. House passes postal service reform bill after concerns of facility closures and declining service standards

Bellingham Herald
County asking about interest in buyouts, elevating sites damaged in November flood
Bellingham will use ranked-choice voting for City Council vacancies. How does it work?
Omicron on the way out? Bellingham hospital reports fewest COVID patients since Jan. 1

Capital Press
House passes bill to help Whatcom County farmers recuperate from floods; funding unsure (Rule, Ormsby, Springer)
Q&A: Washington Gov. Jay Inslee talks about agriculture, dams and COVID
Groups lay out conditions for Blue Mountain forest plan
Spokane Ag Show a ‘welcome back’ after two years

Columbian
COVID-19 cases declining in Clark County school districts
Opinion: In Our View: Jan. 6 probe vital to defending our democracy

Everett Herald
Inslee: Mask mandate is going away, but not quite yet
School funding measures now passing in Snohomish, Northshore
New political mapping concludes with revisions by lawmakers
Cornfield report: 5 things Democrats didn’t say about their $17B transpo plan (Saldana)
What we know: Washington coronavirus outbreak at a glance
WaPo Comment: WWII tale shows white ’comfort’ ingrained in schools
Editorial: Celebrating our partners in ‘defense of democracy’

The Inlander
For months, the downtown police precinct’s building featured “mosquito devices” banned by the Spokane City Council

Journal of the San Juan Islands
Black History Month is a time to honor and remember

News Tribune
Group that taught people to evade vaccine mandate is raising cash for Troyer’s legal fees
Exclusive: Steilacoom teacher warned to stop touching students. He didn’t, records show
Column: There’s no rush to end WA’s indoor mask mandate. Stop putting politics over public health
Op-Ed: There’s a severe nursing shortage in WA hospitals. This bill would make the crisis worse

New York Times
Prices climbed 7.5 percent in January, the fastest inflation since 1982.
Canada Live Updates: Multiple Blockades at U.S.-Canada Border Disrupt Auto Industry
Covid Live Updates: U.S. Emerges Unevenly From Omicron Surge
How Billions in Infrastructure Funding Could Worsen Global Warming
Masks Come Off in More States, but Not Everyone Is Grinning

Olympian
Here are the latest COVID-19 numbers confirmed Wednesday in Washington state
Outdoor mask mandates to be lifted, indoor mandate under consideration, says Gov. Inslee
WA House members unanimously pass legislation to provide relief for farmers, ranchers

Peninsula Daily News
No lasting state fix coming for Highway 112 (Chapman, Tharinger)
School district bond threshold remains 60 percent (Tharinger, Van De Wege)
Region’s health officer warns of lifting mask mandates too soon

Puget Sound Business Journal
King County seeks deals to keep concrete flowing for up to 6 years
Businesses’ two biggest challenges are colliding. Price hikes are coming.
Reporter’s notebook: Supply chain concerns weigh on aerospace industry
Inslee to begin lifting mask mandates as state ‘transitions’ out of pandemic
Amazon’s headcount in Washington state swells past 85,000

Seattle Medium
Seattle Mayor Raises Issue Of Violence

Seattle Times
WA Senate OKs ban on sales of gun ammunition magazines with more than 10 rounds (Liias, Jinkins)
Unfunded Seattle Police hiring bonuses continued last month contrary to City Council vote
WA to end outdoor mask mandate next week; more mask changes likely ahead
Are cottages like this a fix for WA housing problems? How zoning change played out in South Park (Bateman, Pollet)
Sharon Jodock-King, advocate for people with disabilities in Washington and beyond, dies at 81
Sen. Liias and Rep. Fey: We can modernize WA transportation priorities without raising the gas tax

Skagit Valley Herald
Downtown Mount Vernon medical center taking shape

Sol De Yakima
Escuelas de Zillah, Wapato investigan insulto racial en juego de básquetbol
Superintendente estatal de Washington pide quitar mandato de mascarilla en escuelas
Resultados mixtos salen en elecciones especiales de distritos escolares

South Seattle Emerald
Inslee: Indoor Mask Mandate Will Stay in Place for ‘Weeks Rather Than Months’
With Backing Of Build Back Black Alliance, Yimby Housing Bill Moves Forward
Concrete Workers Strike, Rainier Beach High Revisions, City Crime Crackdown

Spokesman Review
Washington House approves bill to prevent disclosure of voter envelopes and signatures
Spokane County stands to lose thousands in MacArthur funding over stalled criminal justice reform program
Inslee plans to announce next week when Washington’s indoor mask mandate will end
First train pulled by Amtrak’s new, more efficient locomotive headed to Spokane

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
College Place pursues state funding for more trees in local parks
Urgent care facility coming to College Place
Walla Walla to consider tattoo policy for city employees as residents threaten litigation

Washington Post
Prices climbed 7.5% in January, compared with last year, continuing inflation’s fastest pace in 40 years
‘From the White House down,’ pleas for help disrupted Afghan evacuation, top U.S. commander says
More cities seek to redress widespread 20th-century destruction of Black neighborhoods
They rushed to get IUDs before Trump took office. Five years later, would they do it again?

Yakima Herald-Republic
Attorney objects to use of Chief Owhi name for Selah park, saying permission is needed
Yakima students support longer summer break as district looks at calendar changes
Opinion: Toppenish School District didn’t rush to judgment

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
House passes bill allowing Medicaid to pay for doula services (Harris-Talley)
Washington Senate passes ban on sale of high capacity magazines
Washington’s outdoor mask mandate will lift by Feb. 18, no date for indoor mandate
King County Drug Diversion Court offering hope for its graduates
Here’s why millions of Americans are quitting their jobs to change careers

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Concrete workers’ strike could delay reopening of West Seattle Bridge
Seattle business vandalized, worries about downtown crime
Boeing Seafair to return “100%” this summer
Gov. Inslee announces statewide outdoor mask mandate to be lifted Feb. 18

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Inslee: State to lift outdoor mask mandate Feb.18, info on indoor mask mandate to come
Schools Superintendent Reykdal: Time to drop statewide face mask mandate for students
Chinatown-ID Seattle business owners call out city leaders, demand action to stop crime
Local business owners, councilmembers discuss efforts to combat crime in Seattle
City’s inaction on parked RVs in Ballard neighborhood has many residents revved up
Concrete strike could cost King County taxpayers, delay projects
Tensions flare at dueling rallies in Kirkland over homeless shelter proposal

KNKX Public Radio
Washington governor says announcement on state indoor mask mandate coming next week

KUOW Public Radio
Wash. Gov. Inslee says state outdoor mask rule will end this February
Pandemic updates for Seattle: Thursday, February 10, 2022
A healthcare researcher weighs in on the nurse-to-patient ratio debate
How to protect yourself from a data breach
Washington state legislators propose tax on Oregon drivers’ fuel (Fey, Liias, Wylie)

KXLY (ABC)
‘No longer a matter of if, but when’: Inslee says health leaders discussing when to lift indoor mask mandate

NW Public Radio
Are Homeless Being Bused Into The Tri Cities?
Richland Fred Meyer Shooter: A Tale Of Fraying Mental Health And Early Warnings
Washington Lawmakers Unveil 16-Year Transportation Package (Fey, Liias)
Teen Dating Violence Is Serious In WA

Q13 TV (FOX)
Washington outdoor mask mandate to end Feb. 18, but what about indoors?
Pierce County Executive wants police restriction removed

Web

Crosscut
Washington ski resorts tested by climate and pandemic
WA officials want to end fees charged to parents for kids’ jail time

MyNorthwest
Washington superintendent calls for end to state’s school mask mandate
Seattle private downtown security a ‘stopgap’ until ‘hotspot’ policing materializes
Pressure mounts in concrete strike as King County offers $35 million bargaining chip
Washington’s outdoor mask mandate to be lifted Feb. 18; indoor to follow
Tsunami safety bond in North Beach School District failing in early results
State fines trio of companies for knowingly putting warehouse workers at risk for COVID
Seattle adds new layer to 911 calls with ‘Nurse Navigator’ program

The Stranger
Harrell Wants Local Control Over Gun Policy. He’ll Need Way More Than Luck. (Nguyen, Hackney, Macri, Kuderer)
WA Lawmakers Aren’t Just “Tweaking” Police Accountability Bills, They’re Poised to Roll Back Protections (Goodman)

West Seattle Blog
CORONAVIRUS: What the governor announced today, and how local numbers are going
WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE: City says concrete strike may push back reopening schedule

Wednesday, Feb. 9

WA Democrats propose $16B for transportation, hoping to boost highways, transit and ferries
Democrats in the Washington Legislature want to spend $16.8 billion over the next 16 years on the state’s transportation system, releasing a proposal Tuesday that would shore up the state’s largest highway projects and promote transit ridership through grants for improved service and free ridership for anyone 18 and under. The proposal also envisions adding four new hybrid-electric boats to the state’s aging ferry fleet, matching available federal dollars to move forward on a high-speed rail project between British Columbia and Oregon and spending nearly $2.5 billion removing barriers to fish passage. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ken Lambert)

As omicron subsides in WA, health officials are hopeful and vigilant
As COVID-19 case counts come down from the recent omicron peak, many in Washington, including health officials and experts, are starting to wonder if the latest surge could signal the end of the pandemic. But while local public health experts confirm we have new reasons to be hopeful, the way out remains murky. “We are absolutely in a better place today than we were a year ago…. We are making meaningful progress,” said Dr. Jeff Duchin, health officer at Public Health — Seattle & King County, in a recent media briefing. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Matt M. McKnight)

Gap continues to widen for housing affordability, inventory
New data this week illustrates how difficult it is for households earning less than $100,000 to become homeowners in the current market. The National Association of Realtors in a report this week found there are more than 400,000 fewer affordable homes available for sale for households that earn $75,000 to $100,000, compared to the start of the pandemic. Nationally, there’s one affordable home listing at that income level available for every 65 households. That’s compared to one listing for every 24 households in 2019. Continue reading at The Puget Sound Business Journal.

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Associated Press
WA House, Senate Democrats release $16 billion transportation package
COVID-19 hospitalizations falling throughout Washington
Starbucks, citing safety, fires 7 seeking union in Memphis

Aberdeen Daily World
Special Election 2022: Proposed merger of Aberdeen, Hoquiam fire departments trails key threshold in initial returns

Bellingham Herald
It’s your last chance to comment on clean-up plans for this future Bellingham park
County health officials expect Whatcom hasn’t reached peak for COVID-related deaths yet

Capital Press
WSDA to stop certifying organic dairies

Columbian
$1 billion for Interstate Bridge Replacement Project included in transportation package (Fey, Wylie)

Everett Herald
Democrats unveil 16-year, $16.8 billion transportation plan (Liias, Fey, Ortiz-Self)
Edmonds mayor: Reopened budget process causing staff ‘distress’
What we know: Washington coronavirus outbreak at a glance
School funding measures failing in 7 county districts
Bloomberg Comment: U.S. abandoned its best solution to child poverty
Bloomberg Comment: States should save their surpluses, not spend them

The Facts Newspaper
Mayor Bruce Harrell Announces New Leadership

High Country News
What’s getting more expensive? Everything but grazing fees.

Journal of the San Juan Islands
Application period now open for new county climate and sustainability advisory committee

News Tribune
A family of Afghan refugees has found a home on Puyallup’s South Hill. They’re not alone
Pierce County sees COVID cases drop by more than 1,500, deaths by nearly half from previous week

New York Times
House Passes Bill to Shore Up Postal Service, Working to Avert Insolvency
House Passes Short-Term Spending Bill, Punting Again on a Deal

Olympian
WA state Democrats unveil $16.8 billion transportation package. Here’s what it includes (Liias, Fey)
Homeless camp that caused rift between city and LGBTQ nonprofit being dismantled after fire
After protests, North Thurston school board hears from students, parents and teachers
WA state food distribution center hit with hefty COVID fines after workers infected
13 more Thurston residents die of COVID-19 amid declining but still high virus cases
Man at center of Lacey police shooting shot himself, Thurston Coroner says

Peninsula Daily News
Two more COVID-19 deaths reported on Peninsula

Puget Sound Business Journal
Gap continues to widen for housing affordability, inventory
Omicron hospitalizations are waning in Washington, but cases ‘still quite high’
15K laborers will soon be idled if concrete strike continues, contractors estimate
Boeing buys 2M gallons of green fuel for commercial operations
‘It should be illegal:’ How to navigate after-hours messages in the remote era

Seattle Times
WA Democrats propose $16B for transportation, hoping to boost highways, transit and ferries (Liias, Fey)
Eleanor Owen, mental health champion in Washington and co-founder of NAMI, dies at 101
Mini Mart City Park, a converted gas station in Georgetown, opens as cultural center after 15 years
SAM security guards push to unionize
Opinion: Public school foundations are an essential part of the funding puzzle

Skagit Valley Herald
Mount Vernon High School students perform on Latino Legislative Day
Mount Vernon affordable housing project awarded $300,000 grant
Progress reported on managing local elk herd

South Seattle Emerald
Seattle Green Book Tour App Aims to Keep Local Black History Alive
Celebration of Africatown Plaza Groundbreaking Rings in New Affordable Housing
Black History Today: Dr. Kristine Bellamy, Actualizing Her Dreams in Service of Others

Spokesman Review
State Democrats announce transportation package that includes funding for new bus ‘rapid transit line’ on Division (Riccelli)

Tri-City Herald
3 Tri-City school district levies failing, including one of the largest

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla County voters approve new and renewed school district levies, transportation tax
Walla Walla Valley health officials see hope in declining numbers
Walla Walla’s St. Mary Medical Center receiving extra nursing hands for COVID-19 work

Washington Post
‘Legitimate political discourse’: Three words about Jan. 6 spark rift among Republicans
Almost half of Republicans say Trump bears no blame for Jan. 6 — and that he likely won in 2020
‘Freedom Convoy’ protests disrupt another U.S.-Canada border crossing as more arrests are made
School mask mandates are falling in states across the country

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Democratic lawmakers introduce $16 billion transportation spending proposal (Fey, Liias)
‘Tacoma shuffle’: People return to I-705 homeless encampment days after sweep
Dozens of disenrolled Nooksack tribal members face eviction

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Pressure grows for Inslee to roll back mask mandate
Giant computer wall helps EVCC students to prevent worldwide cyber attacks
4 states plan to lift school mask mandates; Washington will revisit in ‘near future’
Demonstration shows how state’s transportation system can go electric
State reopens online portal to order at-home COVID-19 tests

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Neighbors in Capitol Hill worried about troublesome homeless camp at Seven Hills
Nearly a dozen planes hit with lasers in one hour at Sea-Tac as concerning trend
Leading local infectious diseases expert sees hope in recent COVID case trends
Lawmaker suggests stiffening penalties for those convicted of fire station thefts
Business leaders will get chance to talk crime issues with Seattle City

KNKX Public Radio
Limit on toilet flushes adds to inmates’ concerns about health, safety
Effort to address critical shortage of forensic pathologists stalls
Listen: What’s next as 2022 legislative session hits halfway mark?

KUOW Public Radio
Washington ‘missing middle housing’ bill survives in altered form (Das, Bateman)
Pandemic updates for Seattle: Wednesday, February 9, 2022
Utilities in Washington are tackling the clean energy to-do list
Politically-risky solutions to our housing woes: Today So Far

KXLY (ABC)
Gov. Jay Inslee to hold press conference Wednesday

Q13 TV (FOX)
Marijuana industry is a cash cow for Washington, yet many local stores struggle to stay afloat
When will Washington state’s mask mandate end?
Gov. Inslee is ‘optimistic’ Washington will revisit mask mandate in the near future
‘This is a slap in the face to crime victims’; WA House considers bill to end life without parole (Dhingra, Nguyen)

Web

Clark County Today
Largest transportation package in state history proposed by Washington Democrats (Liias, Fey)

Crosscut
How big a makeover does WA redistricting need?
As omicron subsides in WA, health officials are hopeful and vigilant

MyNorthwest
Seattle ‘not likely’ to see repeat of 2021’s record-shattering February snow
Seattle mulls first-of-its-kind minimum wage for app-based delivery drivers
National Starbucks unionization echoes in Seattle City Hall as ‘misinformation’ accusations fly
Police monitor finds Seattle police conducted fewest on-record stops in 2021
Washington reopens COVID at-home test ordering portal for third time
Washington Democrats unveil expansive $16 billion transportation package (Fey, Liias)
Tsunami ‘towers’ proposed in North Beach School District bond
As Oregon sets end date for mask mandate, Washington hopes to revisit it ‘in near future’
From Olympia to Spokane: Battle over changes to state’s new police accountability laws heats up

The Stranger
New Housing Bill Passes with Big Changes — Here’s What’s Different (Pollet)
Arts Mailbox: Black Fret Seattle Announces 11 Grant Recipients, Frye Art Museum Director to Step Down, and More (Riccelli, Frockt)

West Seattle Blog
CAMP SECOND CHANCE: Still seeking utilities
FOLLOWUP: Plan scrapped for small shelter at Admiral Church

Tuesday, Feb. 8

Personal info from WA state licensing agency database may already be on ‘dark web’
Personal information of some of the hundreds of thousands of licensed professionals potentially exposed in a breach of a Washington state database may already have shown up on “dark web” clearinghouses used by identity thieves. State investigators haven’t said whether Social Security numbers and other personal data were actually stolen from a database of more than 250,000 professional and business licensees used by the state Department of Licensing, agency officials said. The database is maintained by Salesforce, a San Francisco software company. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ken Lambert)

Inflation is hurting all Americans — but experts say Latinos are ‘feeling it the most’
The price of meat and gasoline is rising, and for Antonio Hernandez, owner of Tacos El Tony, the cost to run his business is taking a bite out of his personal savings. “We’ve had to buy less for ourselves,” said the 40-year-old Modesto resident, speaking in Spanish. Hernandez said he’s no longer buying personal items for his family like he used to. They’ve had to buy less for themselves and save their money. They aren’t sure how much longer they’ll need to dip into their personal savings to fund their business. Continue reading at The News Tribune. (Andy Alfaro)

Washington’s mask requirements may be revisited in the ‘near future’
With Oregon and California set to lift mask mandates in indoor public places, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee’s office is being asked when the Evergreen State could see relaxed masking rules. In a brief statement Monday, Inslee said state officials are tracking cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. “We are optimistic that these numbers will continue to decline in a way that will let us revisit the mask requirements in the near future,” the statement reads. Continue reading at KING 5.