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Friday, August 27

Supreme Court allows evictions to resume during pandemic
The Supreme Court’s conservative majority is allowing evictions to resume across the United States, blocking the Biden administration from enforcing a temporary ban that was put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic. The court’s action late Thursday ends protections for roughly 3.5 million people in the United States who said they faced eviction in the next two months, according to Census Bureau data from early August. Continue reading at The Spokesman-Review. (Brittany Newman)

Powell: Fed on track to slow aid for economy later this year
The Federal Reserve will start dialing back its ultra-low-rate policies this year as long as hiring continues to improve, Chair Jerome Powell said Friday, signaling the beginning of the end of the Fed’s extraordinary response to the pandemic recession. In a speech given virtually to an annual gathering of central bankers and academics, Powell said the economy had improved significantly this year, with average hiring in the past three months reaching the highest level on record for any similar period before the pandemic. Fed officials are monitoring the rapid rise in infections from the delta variant, he said, but they expect healthy job gains to continue. Continue reading at Tacoma News Tribune. (Jose Luis Magana/AP)

A few fringe Washington lawmakers should stop undermining elections
Nearly 10 months after President Donald Trump lost his bid for a second term in office, a handful of elected officeholders on the fringes of Washington’s Republican party persist in cynically pushing false allegations about a stolen election. They are shamelessly playing on concerns of voters, who turn out for rallies and tune in to social media posts that amplify their fears. Rumors of systemic voter fraud and gaping vulnerabilities in Washington’s election system are utterly unfounded, says Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman, a Republican who has held that office since 2013. Elected leaders strongly concur, including Republican leaders in the state House and Senate. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Steve Ringman/Seattle Times)

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Associated Press
Biden vows to finish Kabul evacuation, avenge U.S. deaths
Supreme Court allows evictions to resume during pandemic
COVID-19 forces Idaho hospitals past capacity, toward crisis
Kabul airport attack kills 60 Afghans, 12 US troops
US presses on with evacuations despite fears of more attacks
Powell: Fed on track to slow aid for economy later this year
EXPLAINER: What happens when an ICU reaches capacity?
Washington state orders the killing of up to 2 wolves
COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to rise in Washington
Suspect killed, Portland officer injured in shooting

Bellingham Herald
Whatcom’s recent string of reported COVID-related deaths continues with 2 more Thursday
State report: COVID delta variant cases in Whatcom County nearly double
Whatcom Health says these people are now eligible for a third dose of COVID vaccine
Southbound I-5 will close for these two nights as pavement is repaired
So, a cluster of small quakes have struck in Mount Baker’s shadow — should we be worried?
Eighth grader remembered for ‘unforgettable smile’ dies of COVID, Oklahoma school says

Capital Press
Judge awards L.A. firm $3.8M in legal fees for Easterday bankruptcy case
Fall wheat planting may be delayed as farmers wait for break in drought
Tyson rejected sharing feedlot profits with Easterday
Asian giant hornets target paper wasps, giving scientists a clue to trapping them

El Sol De Yakima (available in English via Google Translate)
Censo: latinos son más de la mitad de la población del condado de Yakima
Demanda el estado a dos huertas; alega que deben $450 mil en salarios atrasados
Destina EE.UU 500 millones de dólares a refugiados de Afganistán

Everett Herald
Here and elsewhere, angry unmasked parents disrupt meetings
What we know: Washington coronavirus outbreak at a glance
WaPo Comment: Can’t say we weren’t warned about war in Afghanistan
WaPo Comment: Criminal justice terms can inflict lasting harm
Letter: State employees union shouldn’t fight vaccine mandate

News Tribune
‘These are extraordinary times.’ Teachers weigh return to school, vaccine requirements
Delta is rising and schools are reopening. For parents, it’s hard to know how to feel
Daily number of new COVID-19 cases in Pierce County remains in triple digits

North American Post
History: Seattle Japanese Pioneers ~History of Seattle Nikkei Immigrants from ‘The North American Times’

Olympian
Who gets a big tax break in Washington state — and who doesn’t — under Biden tax plan

Peninsula Daily News
Rich payout as PUD head retires
COVID, staffing burden Olympic Peninsula hospitals

Puget Sound Business Journal
Tacoma council to reexamine controversial tax break for housing developers
Supreme Court ends Biden’s eviction moratorium
Delta’s extra $200 insurance fee shows vaccine dilemma for employers
Commercial building owners could get low-interest loans for upgrades under King County program

Seattle Times
Editorial: A few fringe Washington lawmakers should stop undermining elections
Sound Transit spends $4.2 million to study ways to lower costs
State superintendent’s emergency rule will penalize Washington schools not complying with mask, vaccine requirements
Wildfire smoke exposure linked to preterm births, study says
17-year-old critically wounded, 14-year-old in custody after gunfire outside Seattle middle school
Cities aren’t dying, but the future of office work remains unclear
In aftermath of Kabul attack, Northwest aid groups remain committed to work in Afghanistan
Opinion: Medicare in desperate need of more mental health providers, who stand ready to help

Skagit Valley Herald
Rally held against COVID-19 vaccine mandates
Mount Vernon approves sales tax increase for affordable housing
Sedro-Woolley Library to have its grand opening

South Seattle Emerald
Transit and sidewalks need improvement for disabled Washingtonians, report says
Mask mandates, school openings, sports, and other questions about COVID-19
Opinion: What’s in a name? Plenty, if it belongs to a slaveholder or white supremacist

Spokesman Review
Spokane Valley councilmember decries state COVID-19 mandates; claims rules are ‘destroying our city’

Tri-City Herald
Tri-Cities police piecing together path of Kennewick construction worker’s deadly rage
‘Unprecedented’ COVID stress. Tri-Cities hospitals diverting ambulances daily this month

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla County breaches 7K mark in COVID-19 cases; Oregon reports breakthrough cases
Walla Walla’s Sleep Center has first COVID-19 outbreak

Washington Post
U.S. forces preparing for more ISIS attacks in Kabul, top commander says
ISIS-K, the group behind the Kabul airport attack, sees both Taliban and the U.S. as enemies
Fed chief signals support for the economy could begin to be pulled back this year, if recovery stays strongly on track

Yakima Herald Republic
Yakima community COVID testing site to move to YVC on Monday
Crews use fire to prevent growth of Schneider Springs Fire to the south
Yakima man tests positive for West Nile virus

Broadcast

KIRO7 TV (CBS)
Encampment on Seattle Public Schools property will not be cleared before school starts
WSDA staff destroys first Asian giant hornet nest of 2021
Seattle parents work toward educational equity through school supplies

KUOW FM
Fed Chair Says It May Soon Be Time To Start Reducing Its Massive Economic Support
Nest with nearly 1,500 Asian giant hornets destroyed near Blaine
Greenhouse Gas Levels Are The Highest Ever Seen — And That’s Going Back 800,000 Years
Children’s Mental Health Gets Millions In Funding From The Biden Administration
At Least 169 Afghans Were Killed In The Kabul Airport Attack
Seattle ‘vaccine’ peddler pleads guilty to federal drug misbranding charges

KXLY (ABC)
Hospitals desperate to hire during critical staffing shortages
Spike in COVID-19 hospitalizations forces Providence to pause more surgeries, procedures
Supreme Court allows evictions to resume during pandemic

Web

Crosscut
How the Puget Sound region is changing the way zoos operate

MyNorthwest
Man who murdered ex-girlfriend at Seattle Center sentenced for ‘horrendous’ crime
ACLU lawsuit over ‘Compassion Seattle’ homelessness initiative set to go in front of judge
State scientists hopeful eradicated hornet nest may be only one in area
Teen suspect arrested in connection with shooting of 17-year-old
Gov. Inslee encourages continued evacuation efforts of Afghan refugees
Kent students return to classrooms
Seattle mayor announces $7.5 million in funds for neighborhood recovery
Hundreds can return to homes in Lake Chelan, but fire danger remains

Slog
An Update on This Year’s Wildfires: It’s Bad!

Thursday, Aug. 26

COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to rise in Washington
Health officials say that the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients is doubling every 18 to 19 days in the state. The surge, driven by the delta variant, has “stressed, stretched and strained” hospital resources across the state, Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah said Wednesday at a Department of Health briefing. The Seattle Times reported that the state has documented 5,879 possible vaccine breakthrough cases of COVID-19 in Washington state, but the vast majority of cases involve unvaccinated patients. Continue reading at The Associated Press.

Editorial: Vaccines: A surefire way to end a pandemic
Seventeen months ago, the country screeched to a halt. A novel coronavirus was spreading across the globe and had reached the United States, causing everything to shut down — seemingly over night. In the past 17 months, we’ve learned a lot — about the virus, pandemics in general, government stability, human decency and indecency, and ourselves. Continue reading at The Journal of the San Juan Islands.

Nearly 1,500 Giant Asian ‘murder hornets’ eradicated in rural Whatcom County nest
The first Asian giant hornet nest of the year has been eradicated in Washington state. The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) said its crews eradicated the nest in the base of a dead alder tree in rural Whatcom County. This net was about two miles from the nest eradicated last October and not far from where a resident saw the giant Murder hornet earlier this month. Continue reading at KOMO News. (Washington State Department of Agriculture)

Print

Associated Press
Most support school masks and vaccine mandates, poll says
COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to rise in Washington
Pierce Co. worries about firefighter exodus over vax mandate
Health experts predict 100,000 more US COVID deaths by Dec. 1
Health leaders report child COVID-19 death in Seattle as state sees continued surge
Pentagon: US troops must get their COVID-19 vaccines ASAP
US jobless claims rise by 4,000 to 353,000
US slightly upgrades GDP estimate for last quarter to 6.6%
Skagit County sues Seattle for utility financial records
House passes John Lewis voting rights bill
Capitol Police officers claim Trump, allies violated Ku Klux Klan Act in new lawsuit
Officials knew Seattle mayor’s phone setting caused texts to vanish
Census data shows US is diversifying, White population declining
Gaps in US wildfire smoke warning network leave many exposed

Auburn Reporter
Auburn firefighters union opposes vaccine mandate

Bellingham Herald
1,500 ‘Murder Hornets’ found in eradicated Whatcom nest, but experts expecting more nests
Bellingham medical group agrees to end decades-long monopoly in Whatcom, Skagit counties
State report: COVID delta variant cases in Whatcom County nearly double
Rates were up across the county, but one Whatcom region sees its infection rate double
These Whatcom health care workers are fighting COVID disinformation, stress

Capital Press
Washington to cull Togo wolfpack in Ferry County
Another Asian giant hornet nest destroyed

Columbian
PeaceHealth officials expect COVID-19 surge to peak Sept. 4
Opinion: In Our View: Biden, Congress must speed Hanford cleanup

Courier-Herald
Opinion: The fall of Afghanistan

El Sol De Yakima (available in English via Google Translate)
Requiere que menores hablen con un abogado antes de interrogatorios policiacos

Everett Herald
Everett City Council adopts tribal land acknowledgement
Light rail work to close I-5 north through Mountlake Terrace
What we know: Washington coronavirus outbreak at a glance
Editorial: Senate Democrats must advance voting rights bills
Bloomberg Comment: Clouds obscuring efforts to model climate change
WaPo Comment: During covid, judges’ partisan splits become clear
Letter: Sens. Murray, Cantwell must act on voting rights, climate
Letter: Anti-mask protest at hospital was insult to its staff

High Country News
Fire season is getting longer

The Inlander
We asked more than 65 local politicians if they were vaccinated for COVID-19. Here’s what they said

Journal of the San Juan Islands
Editorial: Vaccines: A surefire way to end a pandemic

Kent Reporter
Students from certain backgrounds more likely to be kicked out of Kent classrooms
COVID-19 guidance for parents of schoolkids | Harborview Medical Center tips

News Tribune
Vaccination rates in rural Pierce County are low. A local pastor wants to change that
Eatonville School District pauses use of COVID-related tracking monitors for athletes
Household items being collected in East Pierce County for Afghan refugees
Report: Tacoma ranks No. 1 in highest sales tax among major cities in the U.S.
With 30% of firefighters unvaccinated, Pierce County may see major staffing shortages

Olympian
The Evergreen State College, SPSCC announce COVID-19 requirements for in-person learning
Here are the latest COVID-19 numbers confirmed Wednesday in Washington state
Dr. Fauci says no end to COVID pandemic before spring 2022 — at the earliest

Peninsula Daily News
Jail space not keeping up with expectations
Peninsula College sets vaccine protocol
COVID, tuberculosis outbreaks grow at Clallam Bay prison
Sequim chamber honors essential workers
Navigating difficulties: Help offered to those in crisis

Pharmacy Times
State Legislation Aims to Improve Access to Generics (Van De Wege)

Port Townsend Leader
Jefferson County health officials: 86 new confirmed COVID infections in past two weeks

Puget Sound Business Journal
Tacoma seeks economic boost as it weighs plans to spend federal relief funds
Report: Tech job posting numbers flat in the Seattle area
Labor shortage forced some business owners to consider shutting down
FAA to open new probe into Boeing’s safety reporting practices
US Air Force secretary checks in on ULA, Blue Origin’s late rocket engine issues
Job postings requiring Covid-19 vaccinations are rising rapidly

Redmond Reporter
State looks at college enrollment goals for high school students

Seattle Times
Seattle’s restaurants are struggling through pandemic-induced supply issues — here’s why that affects you
Downtown Seattle courthouse safety issues are keeping jurors away, judges say
Washington COVID vaccine rule stresses long-term care facilities struggling to keep staff
As the delta variant surges, here’s what Seattle-area sports fans need to know when attending games
King County says 70% of residents have been vaccinated across all ages, ethnicities

Skagit Valley Herald
Gathering restrictions unlikely at the county level

Snoqualmie Valley Record
What to expect when SVSD students return to school

Spokesman Review
‘We have to take COVID-19 very seriously’: It is necessary to stay safe from the delta variant, Dr. Francisco Velazquez says
The latest in a trend, Spokane Public Schools’ in-person meeting was canceled over an anti-mask crowd
On the verge of crisis, Kootenai Health converts classroom into COVID unit

Tri-City Herald
Nearly 30% of patients in 4 Tri-Cities area hospitals are suffering from COVID
Editorial: Franklin Commissioner Clint Didier’s anti-mask stunt was an embarrassing misuse of power

Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
District schools welcome all students back, five days a week
Vashon case count rises, but rate has not increased
Opinion: Statement: Pandemic leaders respond to Krimmert controversy

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla School District to pay $333,000 in lawsuit for allegedly failing to protect student from sexual harassment
Pendleton man denied release in Walla Walla group attack; attorney says ‘minimal’ evidence in report
Walla Walla school leaders plan to spend reserves in support of pandemic recovery
Walla Walla Community Hospice learns to adapt as COVID-19 case numbers spike

Washington Post
Two blasts at Kabul airport cause U.S. and civilian casualties, Pentagon says
Hospitalizations hit 100,000 in United States for first time since January
Many measures of Earth’s health are at worst levels on record, NOAA finds
Seven Capitol Police officers sue Trump, right-wing groups over injuries from Jan. 6 riot
‘I’m still not planning to get it’: FDA approval not swaying some vaccine holdouts

Yakima Herald Republic
‘Dramatic spread’ of COVID-19 in Yakima Valley prompts pleas for vaccinations, masks
Yakima Board of Health urges Gov. Inslee to throttle back vaccination mandate
Weather-fire outlook is more favorable this fall in Washington, officials say
Opinion: Savoy tenants bear the brunt of landlord’s failures
Letter: Were you guilty of ‘BUI,’ Sheriff Songer?
Letter: ‘Rugged individualism’ or just selfishness?
Letter: Why the uproar? Vaccine requirements are nothing new
Letter: The Greatest Generation would’ve masked up

Broadcast

KING5 TV (NBC)
Resource officers return to Kent schools as students head back to class
Asian giant hornet nest eradicated in Whatcom County

KIRO7 TV (CBS)
Local school district shelves COVID-19 contact tracing program after parent pushback
Neighbors increasingly worried, want changes after shooting at Ballard encampment
Seattle Public Schools outlines safety measures, parent concerned it’s not enough

KOMO4 TV (ABC)
Parents, students excited as Kentridge High School welcomes them back to class
Seattle Public Schools won’t remove homeless encampment behind school before first day
Nearly 1,500 Giant Asian ‘murder hornets’ eradicated in rural Whatcom County nest
Much of federal pandemic aid for US schools is being used for practical, other needs

KNKX FM
More Than 100,000 People Are Hospitalized With COVID-19, The Most Since January
COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to rise in Washington
Pierce County worries about firefighter exodus because of vaccine mandate

KUOW FM
How did one Seattle ‘unhoused to hotels’ program work? The results are mixed

KXLY (ABC)
Students show support for masks at Spokane Public Schools board meeting
‘This pandemic is not slowing down’: State health leaders fear healthcare staffing crisis can’t keep up with hospitalizations

Q13 TV (Fox)
Kabul airport suicide attacks kill 13, wound 15 including 3 US Marines
King County leaders address courthouse safety in downtown Seattle, seek solutions to safety issues

Web

Crosscut
WA redistricting efforts aim to give more power to people of color
Unions warn of ‘mass exodus’ over city of Seattle vaccine mandate

MyNorthwest
State vacuums over 100 Asian giant hornets out of nest in Whatcom County
Eatonville High School halts use of contact-tracing ankle monitors for student-athletes
BBB warns of moving company, broker dishonesty in Washington
Potential jurors refuse to come to King County Courthouse over safety concerns
Snoqualmie School District bus routes suspended amid national labor shortage
Washington Sen. Patty Murray: Voting rights bill ‘should be wakeup call’ on changing filibuster
‘This pandemic rages on’: Delta variant has state’s hospitals filled to record levels
Seattle parents push for schools to move student lunches outdoors
Positive at-home COVID test results can be reported through state hotline
COVID vaccine exemption asks if state workers received medicine as an adult

Wednesday, Aug. 25

Thousands in Washington state in ‘limbo’ with halt to DACA applications
[Daniela] Reyes is among the tens of thousands of DACA applicants caught in a backlog of cases after U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen barred the federal government from approving new applications. The ruling has highlighted the transient nature of the protections afforded by DACA and has strengthened calls for comprehensive immigration reform that includes immigrants beyond those eligible for the program. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Alan Berner)

Opinion: In WA, incarcerated students are ‘left behind and left out’
Issaquah schools are among the best in Washington state. Ninety-six percent of students graduate on time, and more than 75% demonstrate solid math and language skills — results that far outstrip Seattle, and even Bellevue. Issaquah’s kids are clearly set up to succeed. But one school in the district languishes at the bottom of the pile, rating 2,044th out of 2,052 schools statewide. Continue reading at Crosscut.

State Rep. My-Linh Thai, herself a refugee, on the future for Afghans seeking shelter here
For state Rep. My-Linh Thai, the recent images and sounds from Afghanistan have hit close to home. “I turned on the news and I turned off the news, and I turned the news back on and I turned it back off,” she said. “It was hard, very hard.” Thai, D-Bellevue, is a refugee. She was a child during the Vietnam War, living in a small community on the Mekong River Delta. Continue reading at KNKX. (Steve Ringman)

Print

Associated Press
WA commissioner walks out of meeting during mask protest
Franklin County commissioner, audience members protest mask mandate at meeting
Commissioner calls for federal firefighter vaccine mandate
US regulators give full approval to Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine
US boarding school review prompts calls for trauma support
Feds report most rental assistance has still not gone out

Bellevue Reporter
State gets environmental OK for second I-405 toll lane

Bellingham Herald
Whatcom County sees another COVID-related death and surpasses milestone for cases Tuesday
The Canadian border opened 2 weeks ago — how many people are taking advantage of it?
Whatcom sees another triple-digit weekend in COVID-19 cases and more hospitalizations
Widow sues Washington man for attack on Capitol officer. Her husband died by suicide
Booster shot of J&J COVID vaccine significantly increases protection, data show

Capital Press
WSU creates new AI research institute for agriculture
Judge nixes mass discrimination suit against Stemilt
U.S. potato exports rise in marketing year
149-year-old farm in battle with Ecology over water right

Columbian
Vancouver: No plan to mandate vaccines for city employees
Opinion: In Our View: Action on climate will protect supply chain

Everett Herald
County expects 1,200 Afghans to settle here in coming months
Snohomish County infections near the highs set last winter
What we know: Washington coronavirus outbreak at a glance
Bloomberg: Boeing employees’ safety independence is under scrutiny by FAA

High Country News
Uncurbed climate change and extreme heat will extract a toll on outdoor labor
Colorado River water shortages highlight the urgency of reducing water waste

The Inlander
The delta variant plagued Watershed and got Pig Out canceled — is Hoopfest next?

Kitsap Sun
Kitsap County approves increase in transportation impact fees for developers

News Tribune
With 30% of firefighters unvaccinated, Pierce County may see major staffing shortages
Narrows Bridge toll hike approved. Increase to start later this year
Court orders ICE to test detainees for COVID before transfer to Tacoma detention center
Size of Puyallup cold storage facility creates delays in fire investigation
After decades of sitting empty, Tacoma moves forward on future of former landfill
How long will jail COVID outbreak affect arrests in Pierce County? Here’s what we know
Pierce County passes grim milestone: COVID-19 case rate now ‘the highest it’s been’
Editorial: Amid summer violence, true city leadership means helping all Tacomans feel safer

Olympian
10 Thurston residents died of COVID in the past week, as 676 new cases were tallied
High school in WA state requires tracking monitors for athletes at practice due to COVID
Does the Port of Olympia want to bring Panama Canal-size ships to the marine terminal?
Olympia arts venues to require proof of vaccination to attend events
Olympia’s embattled tent city will leave downtown in 2022
Watch county commissioner in WA state walk out after meeting melts down into mask protest
The secret bias hidden in mortgage-approval algorithms

Peninsula Daily News
COVID-19 case rates skyrocket on Olympic Peninsula
Clallam adds 107 cases, one death on weekend
US keeps ban on nonessential border crossings to slow COVID

Puget Sound Business Journal
How company size is shaping employer Covid-19 protocols
Report: Amazon, Microsoft, Apple CEOs to meet with Biden on cybersecurity
Pfizer approval clears way for more college campus vaccine mandates

Seattle Times
Scientists are racing to unravel the pandemic’s toll on kids’ brains
Skagit County sues Seattle for public records in fight over fish passage at city dams
Organizer of neo-Nazi group gets 3-year sentence for intimidation campaign aimed at Jews, journalists
Arena deals for Kraken and Arizona Coyotes provide a lesson in public funding and economic impact
Thousands in Washington state in ‘limbo’ with halt to DACA applications
Former Washington state employment chief leaves job in Biden Labor Department
Editorial: It shouldn’t take a 100-degree day to trigger heat protections for farmworkers

Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit County offers rental assistance website
Skagit County businesses adjust to mask requirement — again
Skagit County adopts new building codes

Snoqualmie Valley Record
Snoqualmie requires vaccine for city employees

South Seattle Emerald
Washington organizations are resettling Afghan refugees, here’s how you can help
Opinion: SNAP increase is overdue, welcome news for strapped family budgets

Spokesman Review
Washington’s vaccine mandate guidelines for school workers advocate caution in questioning religious exemptions
Riverside School district offers up office space to sheriff’s deputies in ‘unique partnership’
Jury trials paused in four out of five North Idaho counties as COVID cases surge

Tri-City Herald
‘Shot way up.’ Tri-Cities hospitalized COVID patient numbers reach new high
Franklin commissioner walks out of ‘illegal’ meeting after it melts down into WA mask protest

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla school leaders plan to spend reserves in support of pandemic recovery
Walla Walla Community Hospice learns to adapt as COVID-19 case numbers spike

Washington Post
Pentagon orders all active and reserve military personnel to be vaccinated
Weary of turmoil and division, most teens still voice faith in future, Post-Ipsos poll finds
The Mississippi clinic at the center of the fight to end abortion in America
House passes $3.5 trillion budget plan, aims to vote on infrastructure package by late September
House passes bill to strengthen Voting Rights Act in face of new restrictions in GOP-led states
Opinion: The FDA’s slow road to full vaccine approval shouldn’t surprise anyone

Yakima Herald Republic
New fencing along Naches Avenue in Yakima forces homeless people to move
Air quality in Yakima varies because of smoke; COVID testing at State Fair Park closed Tuesday
Community COVID testing center to reopen Wednesday in Sunnyside
Opinion: Neighborhood cleanup sets a great example for the community

Broadcast

KING5 TV (NBC)
WATCH LIVE: State health leaders provide update on response to COVID-19 pandemic
Johnson & Johnson: Booster shot prompted big jump in immune response
5 things you need to know this Wednesday
Suzi LeVine, former Washington employment security commissioner, leaves Biden administration
University of Washington ends philosophical exemptions for COVID-19 vaccine
Skagit County sues Seattle City Light for allegedly withholding Skagit River dam financial records
Parents urge Seattle Public Schools to move lunchtime outdoors to curb virus spread

KIRO7 TV (CBS)
Pentagon: US troops must get their COVID-19 vaccines ASAP
Seattle Public Schools outlines safety measures, parent concerned it’s not enough

KOMO4 TV (ABC)
Washington state could see up to 6,000 Afghan refugees in next few months (Thai)
King County leaders could propose taking control of City Hall park from city
Debate builds over imposing higher insurance costs for unvaccinated
Amid growing complaints about non-mask compliance, state warns of consequences

KNKX FM
Judge rules all detainees must be tested before flying to ICE facility in Tacoma
State Rep. My-Linh Thai, herself a refugee, on the future for Afghans seeking shelter here (Thai)
Canadians still can’t visit tiny Point Roberts, and community is losing hope
Biden praises WNBA champs Seattle Storm for social justice activism

KUOW FM
‘It’s not our rule. We’re just abiding by it.’ Statewide mask mandate returns to Washington
‘Gray skies and that dull orange orb in the sky’: The view from NW fire lines
Delta Air Lines Is Going To Start Charging Unvaccinated Employees $200 Per Month
School admin’s pushback against public health worries some Issaquah parents
Redmond man gets 3 years in federal prison for neo-Nazi plot to intimidate journalists, activists
Washington preparing for surge of Afghan refugees in coming weeks
Nation’s first hydrogen-powered ferry launches in Bellingham
No word yet on refunds for people fined under now-void WA drug law

Web

Crosscut
How the West’s divided electric grid slows green growth
Critical race theory: A political debate hits WA schools
$3M contract to research Seattle policing alternatives is legal, but lacking
The newest Washington mask mandate: What you need to know
Opinion: In WA, incarcerated students are ‘left behind and left out’
Opinion: 6 reasons September could mean crisis for many Washingtonians

MyNorthwest
‘This pandemic rages on’: Delta variant has state’s hospitals filled to record levels
Seattle parents push for schools to move student lunches outdoors
Positive at-home COVID test results can be reported through state hotline
COVID vaccine exemption asks if state workers received medicine as an adult
Former head of Washington Employment Security Department leaves Biden admin job
Snohomish County Executive: It’s a ‘perilous situation’ as schools reopen
Washington lawmakers issue plea to administration as wildfires burn across the state
Seattle’s blistering summer wraps up with cooler than normal temperatures
UW modelers: Delta variant could start ‘running out of people to infect’ by end of year
No Washington schools would reopen to all students under late-2020 threshold

Slog
Far-Right, Antifascist Protesters Fight in NE Portland; Police Refuse to Intervene
After City Hall Park Homeless Camp Is Emptied, Debate Over Solutions Intensifies

Tuesday, Aug. 24

Unvaccinated hospitalizations cost US health system $2.3 billion in June & July
Analysts say hospitalizing unvaccinated people is costing the U.S. health system billions of dollars. A Kaiser Family Foundation report found the average cost of a COVID-19 hospitalization is around $20,000. The foundation also looked at government data and found that 113,000 hospitalizations could have been prevented in June and July. Continue reading at KOMO News. (Rogelio V. Solis)

Immunocompromised? Here’s how to get a third COVID vaccine dose in Washington state
People with moderately or severely compromised immune systems qualify for a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Earlier this month, the state Department of Health officially recommended an additional dose for certain immunocompromised people. The recommendation applies for those who already received an mRNA vaccine, which include Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ellen M. Banner)

Businesses are struggling to fill open jobs. Here’s why some unemployed aren’t interested.
Small-business owners grappling with a tight labor market have raised wages, offered big bonuses and even adapted their business models to offer remote work — but a large portion of unemployed workers simply aren’t looking for a job. The lack of adequate workforce participation has resulted in an intense competition for talent and posed significant challenges for businesses, including some that are coping with decreased revenue because of staffing constraints. Continue reading at The Puget Sound Business Journal.

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Associated Press
Dozens test positive for COVID-19 at Pierce County Jail
Activists try to overturn Oregon’s newest election laws
Benton County Jail offers inmates ramen noodles for vaccines
Dr. Fauci expects uptick in COVID vaccinations after FDA OKs Pfizer shot
G-7 grapples with Afghanistan, an afterthought not long ago
Taliban says no extensions of August 31 deadline for US evacuations
Federal judge orders ICE to test detainees for COVID-19
Hawaii governor urges visitors to stay away

Aberdeen Daily World
Fifth COVID wave continues to roll through county

Columbian
Clark County business owners, employees, customers adjust as mask mandate returns
Legacy Health to pause nonurgent surgeries as COVID precaution
Clark County’s ‘breakthrough’ COVID-19 cases surge
Opinion: In Our View: Alleviating homelessness requires various efforts
Opinion: In Our View: New vaccine mandates matter of public health
Opinion: Cheers & Jeers: Vaccinations; delta variant
Opinion: In Our View: Earmarks are conducive to functional government

Courier-Herald
Letter: Worried about pollution? Check the litter box

The Daily News
Businesses see little initial blow back as mask mandate returns to Washington

Everett Herald
Everett council to consider tribal land acknowledgement
USS John Paul Jones arrives at a new home, in Everett
What we know: Washington coronavirus outbreak at a glance
Students gear up for a year of reading, writing and masking
Should Everett’s in-home businesses be given more latitude?
Editorial: Baseless claims of fraud threaten voter confidence
WaPo Comment: Should vaccination be a factor in who gets ICU care?
Comment: Murray, Inslee should back removal of Snake’s dams
Comment: Don’t end successful program for affordable legal aid
Letter: Racist ugliness doesn’t belong in the City of Snohomish

Islands’ Weekly
Childhood immunization data concern public health officials

Kitsap Sun
Kitsap County’s COVID cases up 9.7%; Washington cases surge 13.4%

North American Post
Musings on My First UW Year and the Summer Break Paradox

Port Townsend Leader
Jefferson Healthcare offers COVID self-test kits
COVID-19 surge prompts postponement, cancellations of concerts in Jefferson County
Free day coming soon for Washington State Parks

Puget Sound Business Journal
Businesses are struggling to fill open jobs. Here’s why some unemployed aren’t interested.
Biden and the fed wanted a hot economy. There’s risk of getting burned.
Will more employer mandates follow FDA’s approval of Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine?
Single-family rental owners at lower default risk, but smaller landlords still face challenges
UW Tacoma to start on $43M mass timber academic building
Adoption of VR in the workplace expected to accelerate as pandemic wears on

Renton Reporter
Local artist shares stories and portraits of refugees in the Northwest

Runta News
Delta, Tallaalka Caruurta, iyo Talooyin Ku Saabsan Ku Noqoshada Iskuulka (Somali)

Seattle Times
Immunocompromised? Here’s how to get a third COVID vaccine dose in Washington state
57 people from one Seattle homeless encampment got hotel rooms last year. More than 1/3 likely went back to the streets.
President Joe Biden goes off script during White House visit, gives Storm personal tour of Oval Office
State auditor finds ‘bare minimum of accountability’ for Seattle City Council’s Black Brilliance Project
Opinion: How to end child hunger — permanently
Editorial: In the region’s homelessness effort, helping RV campers is hardest lift, yet among the most urgent

Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit County plans to reopen COVID-19 testing and vaccination site
Rate of new COVID-19 cases in Skagit County remains high
Possible changes in juvenile justice system has county preparing to adjust

South Seattle Emerald
March to ‘protect public spaces’ meets anti-sweep protest at City Hall camp
The South End guide to reducing our carbon footprint: fighting plastics
KCEN calls on donors to divest, joins growing demands for Seattle Children’s resignations
Opinion: Despite Governor’s actions, eviction crisis still looms large
Opinion: Dear Seattle Children’s Hospital, please do not call yourself a leader in equity

Spokesman Review
Statewide mask mandate is back for everyone, but there are some exceptions. Here’s where you need to wear a mask in Washington
Washington Supreme Court mandates COVID-19 vaccines for workers, encourages lower courts to do same
Leaders in the Northwest praise final approval of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine

Tri-City Herald
WSU Tri-Cities students return to classes on campus — masked up and vaccinated

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla school leaders plan to spend reserves in support of pandemic recovery
Walla Walla Community Hospice learns to adapt as COVID-19 case numbers spike

Washington Post
Pandemic reemerges as Americans’ top concern, poll shows
CIA Director William Burns held secret meeting in Kabul with Taliban leader Abdul Ghani Baradar
Taliban doubles down on Aug. 31 deadline, says Afghans no longer allowed to reach Kabul airport
Facebook says post that cast doubt on covid-19 vaccine was most popular on the platform from January through March

Yakima Herald Republic
Yakima School District begins school year in person on Wednesday
Virtual talk on rental assistance planned Thursday
Commentary: Stopping the next mortgage meltdown

Broadcast

KING5 TV (NBC)
Do I need a mask? Breaking down Washington’s universal mask mandate

KOMO4 TV (ABC)
Mask mandate begins in Washington state amid concerns about enforcement
Washington land commissioner requiring all firefighters to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18
Unvaccinated hospitalizations cost US health system $2.3 billion in June & July

KXLY (ABC)
Commissioner Franz urges federal agencies to require vaccines for wildland firefighters

Q13 TV (Fox)
Troops won’t stay in Afghanistan past Aug. 31, official says
State Department of Agriculture to eradicate live Asian giant hornet nest this week
Help give Afghan refugees a new start in Washington state
Demonstrating against vaccine mandates as Pfizer’s COVID shot gains FDA approval
Airbnb says it will host up to 20,000 Afghan refugees

Web

MyNorthwest
Alaska Airlines flight evacuates after landing at Sea-Tac due to cell phone fire, officials say
No Washington schools would reopen to all students under late-2020 threshold
State prison nurse says workers preparing to leave over vaccine mandate
State Public Lands Commissioner wants COVID vaccination for firefighters
Mask mandate ‘a good, moderate step’ to keep state’s hospitality industry running
Could FDA approval lead to student vaccine mandate in Washington?

La Raza del Noroeste
¿Su prueba de COVID-19 es positiva?
El aumento de los casos de COVID-19 demuestra que hacerse la prueba es más importante que nunca
La orden actualizada sobre el uso de mascarillas en todo el estado entra en vigor el lunes 23 de agosto

Monday, Aug. 23

Out of war-ending chaos comes a wave of new Americans
Irshad Hamidi is getting a phone call. He has been dealing with a lot of surprises lately. “I wish it’s a good one, come on,” Hamidi says into his phone Tuesday afternoon outside a Lynnwood apartment complex. The next words out of his mouth are, “Whoa, whoa.” An apartment has opened in the building where he’s been staying with his cousin since arriving Aug. 5 from Kabul, Afghanistan. Continue reading at The Everett Herald. (Olivia Vanni)

Washington state’s indoor mask mandate now in effect
A statewide indoor mask mandate went into effect Monday for all individuals age 5 and up — regardless of vaccination status. Gov. Jay Inslee announced the mask requirement last week as COVID-19 hospitalizations in Washington have reached a new peak, and as every county in the state has been categorized as substantial or high risk for transmission by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Amanda Snyder)

US regulators give full approval to Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine
The U.S. gave full approval to Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine Monday, a milestone that could lift public confidence in the shots and spur more companies, universities and local governments to make vaccinations mandatory. The formula made by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech now carries the strongest endorsement from the Food and Drug Administration, which has never before had so much evidence to judge a shot’s safety. Continue reading at KING 5.