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Wednesday, Oct. 27

Number of Washington state, Seattle public workers getting vaccinated inches up
New state and city of Seattle figures show the number of government workers getting their shots continues to inch up amid the coronavirus vaccine mandates. About 275 more Washington state employees have been verified as having gotten their shots since last week’s Oct. 18 deadline, according to updated figures released by the Office of Financial Management. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Alan Berner)

Higher Food Prices Hit the Poor and Those Who Help Them
With food prices surging, many Americans have found their household budgets upended, forcing difficult choices at the supermarket and putting new demands on programs intended to help. Food banks and pantries, too, are struggling with the increase in costs, substituting or pulling the most expensive products, like beef, from offerings. What’s more, donations of food are down, even as the number of people seeking help remains elevated. Continue reading at The New York Times. (Kaiti Sullivan)

Day care for disabled children requires better funding, parents and experts say.
Eric Stobbart tried for three months to put his 3-year-old son with autism and epilepsy into a child-care program. Every center turned his son away. “Center-based day cares for basically your typical child would either turn him away because of his epilepsy or because of his autism,” says Stobbart, who lives in Foxborough, Mass. Continue reading at KUOW. (Getty Images)

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Associated Press
Washington’s Republican Secretary of State to serve in Biden Administration
Enforcement of indoor vaccine mandates proves uneven in US
Half its original size, Biden’s big plan in race to finish

Bellingham Herald
Flood watch issued for Whatcom as atmospheric river is set to drench region
COVID infection rates increase across Whatcom, but 2 regions reach vaccination milestones
COVID cases remain highest among Whatcom’s youngest residents, now hospitalizations climb
Bellingham hospital reports record-high COVID patient load, as Whatcom sees another death

Columbian
Clark County Public Health proposes new fees for services
400 fewer Clark County residents employed in September
Stronger Vancouver to get a new approach
Applicants sought for Clark County Development and Engineering Advisory Board

Everett Herald
Kids are big part of coronavirus surge in Snohomish County
What we know: Washington coronavirus outbreak at a glance
Editorial: Keep covid politics out of city’s plea for police
WaPo Comment: U.S. gun culture helping pave way for autocrat’s rule

The Facts Newspaper
Booster doses now available for all three COVID-19 vaccine types for certain individuals
City of Seattle launches $16 million Seattle Relief Fund

High Country News
Wildland firefighters struggle with homelessness

The Inlander
Spokane City Council approves sustainability plan meant to guide urgent climate action

Kitsap Sun
Kitsap school districts adopting new COVID-19 testing protocol to keep more students in class

News Tribune
Troyer violated policies, showed bias during run-in with newspaper carrier, probe finds
Tacoma police have plan to reduce violent crime. Will it work?
The fight over a megachurch in Milton has moved to a new front as opponents file suit
Arrest made in arson at Islamic Center of Tacoma

New York Times
Live Updates: Ahead of Meeting With White House Team, Manchin Criticizes Billionaire Tax Plan
Higher Food Prices Hit the Poor and Those Who Help Them
Oil Executives to Face Congress on Climate Disinformation
This May Be Democrats’ Best Chance to Lower Drug Prices
The Rich World’s Promise of $100 Billion in Climate Aid Inches Forward
F.D.A. Panel Recommends Covid Shots for Children 5 to 11

Olympian
Three residents die of COVID-19 in past week as Thurston County adds 589 cases
2 apartment proposals for Hicks Lake in Lacey are on hold, city says

Peninsula Daily News
Officials brace for sixth wave of COVID-19
Federal judge rejects bid to stop vaccine mandate
GOP election chief who rejects fraud claims up for fed job

Puget Sound Business Journal
Why there’s no relief in sight for supply-chain woes – or the accompanying price hikes

Seattle Times
Boeing projects $1 billion lost from 787 quality issues
Seattle motel owner facing obstacles in attempt to evict squatters from crime ‘hot spot’
‘Atmospheric river’ of rain is on its way to Seattle area
Number of Washington state, Seattle public workers getting vaccinated inches up
Homelessness authority has a vision for downtown Seattle recovery — but first they’re asking for $27M

Skagit Valley Herald
U.S. District Court judge weighing merits of Navy EIS for Whidbey Island

The Skanner
Strickland Amendment to Strengthen Workplace Equity for Women & Mothers Passes House

Spokesman Review
Could a homeless shelter be coming to Spokane Valley? New law makes it far more likely
ADU 4 U? Spokane Councilwoman wants fees waived for attached units
100 Years Ago Today: Spokane, academics back alternative to Grand Coulee Dam

Tri-City Herald
Newhouse takes on Biden COVID vaccine mandate for Hanford. Alternative proposed
$33M aquatic center would be ‘shining star’ for Tri-Cities. Here’s the timeline

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
49 employees fired from Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla, most vaccine exemption requests denied
New nonprofit aims to help improve racial equity in the Walla Walla Valley

Washington Post
Vaccine eligibility for mood disorders underscores elevated covid risk
HHS pledges more effort, resources toward harm reduction for drug users
New cases down nearly 60 percent since delta variant surge
Los Angeles is aiming to be first major carbon-free U.S. city, but obstacles loom
As closed-door arbitration soared last year, workers won cases against employers just 1.6 percent of the time
Floods, flames and heat: Images of this year’s extreme weather offer a stark backdrop for COP26 climate summit

Yakima Herald-Republic
School bus driver shortage continues in Yakima Valley, districts work on recruitment
Demand for Yakima Valley homes remains strong
Health officials urge Yakima County residents to get a flu vaccine as COVID-19 continues to spread
Yakima County’s proposed 2022 budget reflects boosts in revenue

Broadcast

KIRO7 TV (CBS)
‘Atmospheric river’ to produce heavy rainfall
City light ‘going back to the drawing board’ after second set of power poles collapses
Arrest made in arson of Islamic Center of Tacoma

KNKX FM
What does the future hold for Washington prisons?
Biden may face tension with allies over climate, Afghanistan and other issues

KUOW FM
Pandemic blog: Updates for Seattle and the NW
FDA advisory panel recommends Pfizer vaccine for kids ages 5 to 11
Day care for disabled children requires better funding, parents and experts say.
Big shippers promise zero carbon by 2040. Too late, say climate activists
Washington’s Kim Wyman accepts election security job under Biden administration

KXLY (ABC)
Moses Lake City Council votes to find accommodations for unvaccinated firefighters
Court leans toward school rights to curb campus campaigning
Data: Shootings in Spokane up by 27% this year compared to 2020
Report faults Pierce County sheriff over confrontation with Black man
‘Kids are going to suffer’: Local schools struggle to find staff, call on community to fill slots

Web

Crosscut
WA apple growers bank on new varieties to boost consumption

MyNorthwest
‘Atmospheric river’ to produce heavy rainfall across region
Investigation finds Pierce County Sheriff Troyer violated department standards
Seattle to open new COVID vaccination clinic in West Seattle

West Seattle Blog
What’s next for Admiral Church’s overnight-shelter plan, after meeting with neighbors
West Seattle-based Pliable gearing up to run city’s new vaccination hub in High Point – and looking to add vaccinators

Tuesday, Oct. 26

Report: More than 1,000 kids have lost a caregiver to COVID-19 in Washington
More than 140,000 children in the United States have lost a parent or grandparent to COVID-19. In Washington, researchers estimate 1,428 children have suffered such a loss. The findings are part of a peer-reviewed study set to be published in Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The study analyzed death data from April 1, 2020, through June 30, 2021, missing the devastation of the delta surge this fall. Continue reading at The Spokesman-Review. (Libby Kamrowski)

Number of women in state policing remains low
For two decades, amid the rise of women to governor’s mansions, military leadership and even the vice presidency, the percentage of women among the ranks of state police officers has hardly budged. A Stateline analysis finds that nationally, just 7% of sworn state troopers are female. That’s a tiny gain from 2000, when the average female makeup of state police troopers was 6%, according to a 50-state census by the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics. Overall, women make up less than 13% of full-time police officers in the United States. Continue reading at Stateline. (Ted S. Warren)

Riccelli: We can end childhood hunger, and you can help
Megan’s kids used to hate getting the free and reduced-price lunch at school. Was there enough money to cover the lunch co-pay in their account? The stigma of choosing from the limited free and reduced-price lunch food options, announcing their family’s economic status, was embarrassing. For Megan, a mother of 5 who volunteers as the director of a nonprofit which supports re-entry for the formerly incarcerated, it was one more bill to worry about. Despite losing her job in August, however, food has not been Megan’s biggest worry. Continue reading at The Spokesman-Review.

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Associated Press
Number of Washington state workers getting shots continues to grow
Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman up for federal job
Federal judge rejects bid to stop Washington vaccine mandate
Congress plans fixes for US military’s AWOL weapons problems
King County’s Proof of COVID Vaccine Policy Starts Monday

Auburn Reporter
Racial disparities in bike helmet law forces decision by King County health board

Bellingham Herald
COVID infection rate in Whatcom’s fully vaccinated drops, while unvaccinated see increase
Worst of windstorm hit Seattle, but forecast says Whatcom threat remains
Leonard Forsman named first Native American on UW Board of Regents

Capital Press
Bundy: Report on far-right group undercounted members
Judge allows delay of spotted owl’s critical habitat reduction
Farmers skeptical of Inslee-Murray plan, oppose breaching dams

Columbian
Homesteading family’s lasting legacy realized in agreement to return nearly 10,000 acres of habitat to Colville Tribes in conservation deal

The Daily News
Murray, Inslee Detail Salmon Recovery Process That Could Include Snake River Dam Removal
Conservation Groups Want Washington Forests Managed ‘For All The People’
20-Year Legal Battle Over Salmon To Be Paused Until Next Summer
Will The Passes Get Plowed? Impact Of Vaccine Mandate Firings On State Services Not Yet Clear

Everett Herald
Housing authority traded $2,000 for Lynnwood tenants’ silence
What we know: Washington coronavirus outbreak at a glance
Bloomberg Comment: Cutting through the confusion over booster shots
WaPo Comment: Threats, violence are threats to debate, democracy
WaPo Comment: Analysis: Trump backers mostly mum on results of fraud probes

High Country News
Alaska Native villages band together to keep the Yukon River’s wild salmon afloat
Decolonizing Idaho’s road signs

The Inlander
Spokane Public Schools pays $150k to family of first-grader held in isolation room for nearly 5 hours

News Tribune
Leonard Forsman named first Native American on UW Board of Regents
Jury returns verdict in sexual abuse, harassment suit against Bethel School District
Newspaper carrier files lawsuit over confrontation with Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer

New York Times
Live Updates: Democrats on the ‘Verge of Something Major,’ Pelosi Says of Budget Talks
YouTube, Snap and TikTok executives take their turn answering to Washington.
Covid Live Updates: F.D.A. Panel Considering Whether to Endorse Pfizer’s Vaccine for Young Children
Latest National Climate Plans Still Fall Far Short, U.N. Report Warns

North American Post
National Trust for Historic Preservation Grants

Olympian
Recent bomb threat was delivered via email, Olympia police say
Wind gusts, rain cause power outages across Thurston County Monday
Tacoma company must pay $214K for environmental violations, fire that hospitalized worker
Tree crushes two people driving in storm in ‘freak accident,’ Washington officials say
Here’s how many WA State Patrol workers left Pierce, Thurston after vaccine mandate

Peninsula Daily News
Long-term care facility resident dies of COVID-19
Tens of thousands without power in Pacific Northwest

Port Townsend Leader
Jefferson Healthcare takes next step on $112 million expansion

Puget Sound Business Journal
Report: Student enrollment at U.S. colleges continues to fall
Here’s what SBA head had to say about business recovery during Seattle visit
Covid-19 relief grants available to Seattle minority-owned businesses
King County order to prove Covid-19 status takes effect
SBA still has billions of dollars left in this EIDL grant program. But time is running out.

Seattle Times
Report: Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman will be named to Biden administration election-security post
Homelessness authority has a vision for downtown Seattle recovery — but first they’re asking for $27M
How Seattle-area businesses are dealing with King County’s new ‘show proof of COVID vaccine or test’ rule

Skagit Valley Herald
Commissioners review redistricting proposals
Skagit County records 459 new COVID-19 cases for the week
New Skagit Tourism Bureau hires its first CEO

Sol De Yakima
Más de 60 mil hogares siguen sin luz en Washington por tormenta de viento

South Seattle Emerald
Custodian photo exhibit hopes to help public value essential workers
Weekend Long Reads: How to save a quarter-trillion dollars in our healthcare system
Skyway community members offered stipend to participate in building local food economy
Law students demand Seattle University cut ties with data companies working with ICE

Spokesman Review
Riccelli: We can end childhood hunger, and you can help
More than 1,000 kids have lost a caregiver to COVID-19 in Washington
‘Angel of mercy:’ CHAS Health worker Ilze Zarins-Ilgen has built trust with Spokane’s homeless population
‘A moral obligation’: Spokane City Council adopts climate plan

Tri-City Herald
New air ambulance service opens in Tri-Cities to transport critical Eastern WA patients
Pasco councilman plans lawsuit to halt COVID vaccine mandate for 11,000 Hanford workers
Tri-Cities’ winter could be colder and wetter than usual, thanks to La Niña
New $90M PNNL center to focus on solving clean energy’s biggest puzzles
Toxic algae is back. Columbia River is unsafe again, say Tri-Cities officials

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla Toyota donates $20,000 in raised funds to local high schools
Walla Walla Community College could see biggest loss of staff among Valley colleges over vaccine mandate
Walla Walla County outlines their mental health care needs at forum
Case numbers continue dip in Walla Walla County
‘The bare minimum’: Body donation programs at Washington universities contend with shortages

Yakima Herald Republic
Demand for Yakima Valley homes remains strong
10-digit dialing now mandatory in the 509 area code
Multiple Lower Valley school districts receive online threats in past week
New redistricting proposal would create a Latino majority by voting age in the 14th

Broadcast

KIRO7 TV (CBS)
Storm cleanup continues with more wet weather this week
Coronavirus: FDA considers Pfizer vaccines for children ages 5-11 on Tuesday
Newspaper carrier files lawsuit against sheriff, Pierce County over January confrontation
Lingering power outages cancel classes at some schools
Power restored to most around the Sound
Port Angeles man convicted in misbranding drugs he claimed cured COVID-19
Some Kitsap Fast Ferry sailings canceled due to weather
Washington looks for ‘alternative’ paths to end years-long wait for permanent Daylight Saving Time

KUOW FM
Pandemic blog: Updates for Seattle and the NW
Marijuana vaping among teens has more than doubled since 2013
What the U.S. can — and cannot — do for vaccine equity per the State Department

KXLY (ABC)
Federal judge in Spokane denies motion to halt Washington vaccine mandate
Spokane City Council passes new sustainability plan

Web

Civic Skunkworks
Opinion: ‘Right-to-Work’ Legislation May Sound Nice, but It’s Actually Terrible
Opinion: Ultrawealthy Americans Use Philanthropy to Dodge Their Taxes
Opinion: Why American Workers Have Fallen Into the So-Called ‘Skills Gap’

Crosscut
Number of women in state policing remains low

MyNorthwest
Washington AG files lawsuit over ‘sweeping conspiracy’ involving chicken manufacturers
Newspaper carrier files lawsuit against sheriff, Pierce County over January confrontation
Judge rejects third bid to halt Washington’s state worker vaccine mandate
Report: Washington Sec. of State Wyman could be leaving role for new job with Biden administration
Booster doses of COVID vaccines available in Washington for eligible individuals
Potential ‘irreparable damage’ to Puget Sound orcas over alleged illegal salmon hatchery expansion
Mayor launches Seattle Relief Fund to help families impacted by COVID
State recovers $495,000 in stolen unemployment benefits with ‘innovative’ legal strategy
Washington looks for ‘alternative’ paths to end years-long wait for permanent Daylight Saving Time
Weekend storm knocks down trees, power lines
UW Medicine study seeks local participants to understand COVID spread
Amazon hiring for more than 500 positions at new sort center in Fife
Rural Eastern Washington hospitals say no big losses in staffing post-vaccine mandate

Slog
Twenty-Seven Days for Stealing a Souvenir Penny: What It Would Look Like to Get Tough on Misdemeanors in Seattle
Landlords Mess With the Wrong Old Folks Community

Monday, Oct. 25

Storm rips through Western Washington, killing two and leaving more than 100,000 without power in Seattle and beyond
A tree fell and killed two people and more than 100,000 customers lost power Sunday as a strong storm system brought wind and rain to the Puget Sound region. According to Puget Sound Energy’s website, by Sunday evening, the majority of outages were “concentrated in King and Pierce counties, with especially hard hit areas in and around Enumclaw, Graham, Issaquah, Orting, Redmond, Sammamish, Skykomish and Snoqualmie.” Available estimated restoration times and more information on outages are at pse.com/outage/outage-map. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ken Lambert)

Abortion pills available by mail in WA, but access isn’t equitable
In April, the Biden administration reversed a Trump-era requirement that made it impossible for doctors to remotely prescribe mifepristone, one of two drugs commonly used in medication abortion. The decision made abortion care accessible in the same way other forms of health care have been since March 2020, when clinicians pivoted to telehealth during the pandemic. But while providers in Washington state and across the country have embraced the new delivery system of medication abortion by mail, advocates say access remains far from universal, including in the Pacific Northwest. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Victor R. Caivano)

Greenhouse emissions reached record levels in 2020, even with pandemic lockdowns
Despite a world economy that slowed significantly due to COVID-19, the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached a new record last year, putting the goal of slowing the rise of global temperatures “way off track,” according to the World Meteorological Organization. The United Nations body said Monday that carbon dioxide had risen by more than the 10-year average in 2020 to 413.2 parts per million, despite a slight decrease in emissions due to the pandemic. Methane and nitrous oxide, two other potent greenhouse gases, also showed increases, the WMO said in the latest issue of its Greenhouse Gas Bulletin. Continue reading at KUOW. (Bloomberg)

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Auburn Reporter
King County to require vaccination proof at certain events, businesses

Bainbridge Island Review
BI wants ferry service restored

Bellingham Herald
Refugees are arriving in Whatcom within weeks. Here’s how you can help
Retail roundup: Fairhaven store to close, Kulshan has a Kraken new beer
Updated forecast warns this powerful storm is approaching Whatcom and Skagit counties
WA changed who can get a COVID-19 vaccine booster. Here’s what you need to know
It was a record-breaking year for Salish Sea humpback whale calves. Why?

Capital Press
Judge refuses to dismiss investor lawsuit over Bayer-Monsanto merger
Parties in federal salmon lawsuit seek pause in litigation

Everett Herald
Everett to get wireless electric bus chargers via grants
Councilman calls officers — with no vaccine or job — to Mill Creek (Berg, Lovick)
As a dam tries to mimic nature, Sultan River comes to life
Snohomish High students walk out to protest sexual misconduct
What we know: Washington coronavirus outbreak at a glance
WaPo Comment: Work requirements don’t work to curb ‘entitlement’
WaPo Comment: What you think you know about highways may be wrong
WaPo Comment: Do we want child care to be only for the wealthy?
Bloomberg Comment: Dems’ new plan to catch tax cheats makes more sense
Opinion: State can avoid California’s failures on clean energy
Opinion: A two-generation approach can best direct covid aid

The Facts Newspaper
Booster doses now available for all three COVID-19 vaccine types for certain individuals

Federal Way Mirror
Opinion: Domestic violence victims need more housing options

High Country News
Wildfire smoke pushes migrating birds hundreds of miles out of their way

Islands’ Weekly
Unvaccinated WSF Employees Fired, Staff Shortage Causing Ferry Delays
County updates COVID numbers

Kent Reporter
Kent School District reports 60 COVID-19 student cases so far in October
Kent City Council adds $500,000 for sidewalks to 2022 budget
Auburn City Council approves contract for police body cameras, Tasers

News Tribune
Pierce County school district won’t fire staff over COVID vaccine, risks state funding
Sexual abuse lawsuit filed against Pierce County Jehovah’s Witnesses congregation

New York Times
Facebook Wrestles With the Features It Used to Define Social Networking
Biden Meets With Manchin and Schumer as Democrats Race to Finish Social Policy Bill
The World ‘Has Found a Way to Do This’: The U.S. Lags on Paid Leave
Yes, There Has Been Progress on Climate. No, It’s Not Nearly Enough.
Inside Amazon’s Worst Human Resources Problem

Olympian
Thurston County sets public hearing for possibly short-lived redistricting plan
Tribe’s bridge built in a day: New Oakville span among only a few of its kind in U.S.
Why a plan to turn this Tumwater hotel into low-income housing is falling apart
Destroyed portable toilets at Wheeler camp escalate harassment, outreach workers say
Title 42 explained: The obscure public health policy at the center of a US border fight

Peninsula Daily News
Storm causes electrical power outages in Clallam County
WHAT WE KNOW: Coronavirus outbreak at a glance
Clallam County reports another COVID death

Puget Sound Business Journal
Here’s how the pandemic is changing the future of health care, say industry leaders
Apartment rents are on the rise nationally. Here’s how Seattle is faring.
Port of Everett spending millions to manage supply chain crunch
Boeing-backed program gives WSU Everett students real-life taste of aerospace work

Seattle Times
Devastating fires have left White Center in a ‘state of emergency.’ When will help arrive?
More than 60,000 in Washington without power after Sunday windstorm
Here’s what you need to know about King County’s vaccine or test requirement
Where does your Eastside neighborhood fall in this ‘diversity index’? Check our map
Storm rips through Western Washington, killing two and leaving more than 100,000 without power in Seattle and beyond
Seattle-area pet owners face long waits, and vet staff are burned out
As climate concerns threaten air travel, aviation industry banks on technology solutions
After almost a year on a ventilator, a Federal Way pastor stricken by COVID emerges
Opinion: Hybrid work is the opportunity to reimagine downtown Seattle, not its demise
Opinion: The Whitman reckoning: A missionary’s tale unravels amid a national awakening over racism

South Whidbey Record
Rather than get vaccine, nearly 2,000 state workers lose jobs

Washington Post
The case against Mark Zuckerberg: Insiders say Facebook’s CEO chose growth over safety
FDA review appears to pave the way for Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children 5 to 11
Longer, more frequent outages afflict the U.S. power grid as states fail to prepare for climate change
Mixing covid vaccines? What you need to know about mix-and-match booster shots.
Americans abroad search for a first vaccine dose as millions at home get their third one

Yakima Herald Republic
Veterans living at new Chuck Austin Place in Yakima finally have somewhere to call home
Veterans get information, help, camaraderie at ‘Stand Down’ event in Yakima
Majority of Yakima County educators fully vaccinated by deadline; very few leave over mandate
Yakima County proposes changing district boundaries based on who wins election
Comment: Keep guns from domestic abusers
Letter: Maybe Newhouse should spend all his time on his farm

Broadcast

KIRO7 TV (CBS)
Western Washington hit with heavy rain, high winds
Storm fallout cancels Monday classes around the Sound
Thousands without power around the Sound
Vaccine verification starts Monday in King County: What to expect
Container ship fire stabilized, same ship lost about 40 containers off Wash. coast
Pike Place Market celebrates 50 years since it was saved from demolition
Racial harassment allegations at Microsoft campus construction site
Record number of calves born to Salish Sea humpback whales this year

KNKX FM
Will the passes get plowed? Impact of vaccine mandate firings on state services not yet clear

KUOW FM
King County Vaccine Verification Requirements Start Monday. Here’s What to Know
Greenhouse emissions reached record levels in 2020, even with pandemic lockdowns
Pandemic blog: Updates for Seattle and the NW
Murray, Inslee detail salmon recovery process that could include Snake River dam removal
A new tool suggests we’re underestimating the environmental cost of new roads

Web

Crosscut
Abortion pills available by mail in WA, but access isn’t equitable

Friday, October 22

Four people killed in mass shooting in Tacoma’s Salishan neighborhood
Four people were shot dead in Tacoma’s Salishan neighborhood Thursday evening, Tacoma police said. The incident was first reported at 4:24 p.m. The victims appeared to be adults, police said, but their identities were not immediately known. Continue reading at Tacoma News Tribune. (Drew Perine/News Tribune)

CDC signs off on Moderna and Johnson & Johnson boosters and says people can get a shot different from their original one
Tens of millions of Americans can sign up to get Moderna and Johnson & Johnson boosters beginning Friday after the nation’s top public health official endorsed recommendations from expert advisers that the shots are safe and effective at bolstering protection against the coronavirus. The green light from Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, means that eligible Americans at risk of severe disease can choose any of the three boosters now authorized in the United States regardless of their original shot. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Tool for police reform rarely used by local prosecutors
Isaiah Obet was behaving erratically and in mental distress in 2017 when Auburn police officer Jeff Nelson ordered his police dog to attack and then shot Obet in the torso. Obet fell to the ground and Nelson fired again, fatally shooting Obet in the head. Police said the officer’s life was in danger because Obet was high on drugs and had a knife. The city later reached a settlement of $1.25 million with Obet’s family. The next year, Joseph Allen was crossing in front of Nelson’s patrol car when the officer swerved and pinned him against a fence, breaking both his ankles. His justification: Allen was a dangerous criminal. Continue reading at Everett Herald. (AP)

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Associated Press
Senate confirms first Asian American as US judge in Seattle
Tool for police reform rarely used by local prosecutors
COVID vaccine: CDC expands booster rollout, OKs mixing shots
Report: COVID-19 cases dropping rapidly in Washington

Auburn Reporter
VRFA loses seven firefighters over vaccine mandate

Bainbridge Island Review
90 new COVID cases confirmed in Kitsap
It’s a gamble not getting COVID vaccine

Bellingham Herald
Whatcom County sees 70 new confirmed COVID cases reported Thursday

Capital Press
Washington high court mulls forest management by ‘all the people’
NW Washington raspberry harvest down 30% due to heat wave
Parties in federal salmon lawsuit seek pause in litigation
Inslee, Murray lay out game plan for dam-breaching assessment
Winter forecast cool, wet for much of Northwest
Leadership change at Washington Crop Improvement Association

Columbian
Opinion: In Our View: Workers who refuse vaccine are not victims
Opinion: In Our View: Time to end state’s eviction moratorium
Skybridge, new buildings part of vision for Vancouver’s Waterfront Gateway
Agreement on Columbia, Snake dams cuts risk of blackouts, high electric costs

Courier-Herald
Dunn proposes memorial for King County residents lost to pandemic
Black Diamond approves Traffic Impact Fees ordinance

Everett Herald
State reduces penalty for Lake Stevens safety violations
‘Drop, cover, hold on!’ Stanwood kids hear new alarms in quake drill
What we know: Washington coronavirus outbreak at a glance
WaPo comment: Parents being used in a campaign against education
WaPo comment: Trump’s claims of privilege don’t pass ‘giggle test’

The Facts Newspaper
Proof of Vaccination required for entry to all Seattle Community Centers, Pools, and Tennis Center

The Inlander
Some differences in Washington’s medical and recreational cannabis products, from an expert

Kent Reporter
Enrollment drops again in Kent School District

Mercer Island Reporter
Drug disposal event set for Saturday

News Tribune
Tacoma mass shooting updates: What is known about how 4 people were shot dead
COVID cases dropping, immunity rising, but WA state’s hospitals still face hard season
Fatal shooting: What to know about Tacoma’s Salishan neighborhood
Four people killed in mass shooting in Tacoma’s Salishan neighborhood
Despite being free and in-person, Pierce County school meals stuck with pandemic ills
Facing charges, Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer uses dog whistles to play the victim
Pierce County deputies seek person of interest in arson at Islamic Center of Tacoma

New York Times
Covid Live Updates: Pfizer Says Vaccine Is Highly Protective in 5- to 11-Year-Olds
Sinema’s Tax-Rate Blockade Prods Democrats Left Toward Billionaires’ Tax
How the Supply Chain Broke, and Why It Won’t Be Fixed Anytime Soon
Biden Crafts a Climate Plan B: Tax Credits, Regulation and State Action

Olympian
Thurston County warns of toxic algae bloom at Black Lake
Train hits, kills man on tracks in South Thurston County
Agreement on Columbia, Snake dams cuts risk of blackouts, high electric costs
Pedestrian fleeing COVID quarantine disrupts traffic on I-5 near Maytown Tuesday

Peninsula Daily News
WHAT WE KNOW: Coronavirus outbreak at a glance
1,887 state workers fired, leave jobs due to vaccine mandate

Port Townsend Leader
Search for new Jefferson County administrator may start over after top pick declines job offer
Port OKs order for vax proof

Puget Sound Business Journal
Analyst says housing prices in Snohomish County ‘have never been higher’
Microsoft’s diversity numbers at executive level show improvement
Seattle chamber looks to help businesses prepare for vaccine verifications

Seattle Times
New estimates show 50% drop in COVID infections in Washington, according to state report
Lawsuit over dams on hold as Gov. Inslee, Sen. Murray pursue breaching assessment on Lower Snake River
After $1.15 billion renovation, Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena ‘will surprise people in the greatest way’
Madison Street merchants brace for disruption as RapidRide construction looms
Why losing daily walks to rainy season is hitting us hard — and what to do about it
How stigma prevents people from accessing mental health care and what can be done about it
Renting bees to farms and gardeners keeps Bothell company buzzing
Opinion: Repeal Tim Eyman’s misleading advisory votes-initiative, a waste of time and money (Hunt, Valdez)
Editorial: A trail of dishonesty: Sheriff Ed Troyer should leave office

Skagit Valley Herald
Trail closure suggested in Anacortes forest lands plan; climate change a future discussion

Sol De Yakima
Activistas de Yakima, fuerzas del orden crean coalición para abordar la violencia doméstica
Distrito escolar de Grandview cancela clases tras posible amenaza de violencia
Habrá tres ferias de empleo en Yakima, Kittitas la próxima semana

Spokesman Review
Spokane Public Schools hopes for legislative help on basic education, special ed, transportation
Forced to downsize their agenda, Democrats make final push for priorities and spin scaled-back bill as ‘good first step’
‘Fair’ and ‘historic’: Committee approves map splitting Spokane County into five new commissioner districts
Faced with equity concerns, EWU athletics aims to focus on ‘revenue problem,’ not spending
Washington’s hospital occupancy could stay high through the year as delayed surgeries are expected to resume

Tri-City Herald
‘Absolutely, positively infuriating.’ COVID vaccine rule locks out 2 Tri-Cities lawmakers
Agreement on Columbia, Snake dams cuts risk of blackouts, high electric costs
Drop in new Tri-Cities COVID cases, hospitalized patients is no fluke, says doctor
Some kind words kept this Tri-Cities leader in college. Now she’s honored as ‘an inspiration’

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla County outlines their mental health care needs at forum
Few Walla Walla Valley schools lose staff over Washington state vaccine mandate

Washington Post
Where President Biden’s economic plan stands: From taxes to climate policy to Medicare to immigration
CDC signs off on Moderna and Johnson & Johnson boosters and says people can get a shot different from their original one
Lyft says it recorded more than 4,000 cases of sexual assault over 3 years

Yakima Herald Republic
COVID-19 outbreaks continue in Yakima County even as cases, hospitalizations decline
Yakima area fire departments, WSP see a few losses in ranks tied to vaccine mandate

Broadcast

KIRO7 TV (CBS)
Ballard businesses hurting after series of break-ins
Sammamish scores top spot on list of best small US cities to live in
King County Board of Health delays vote to repeal bike helmet law

KNKX FM
CDC advisers back rollout of COVID vaccine boosters from Moderna and J&J

KUOW FM
When the big earthquake hits, 648 brick buildings in Seattle won’t be ready
Pandemic blog: Updates for Seattle and the NW
Will the passes get plowed? Impact of vaccine mandate firings on state services not yet clear
U.S. House approves criminal contempt referral for Steve Bannon

KXLY (ABC)
Proposed WA redistricting maps may violate Voting Rights Act
Spokane redistricting plan to create five new County Commissioner districts
Union calls on city to find accommodations for unvaccinated Moses Lake firefighters

Web

Crosscut
Podcast | Exploring the racist roots of America’s economic inequity

MyNorthwest
Washington Rep. Herrera Beutler breaks from GOP party line again over Bannon contempt vote
Explosions heard during fire in Bellevue
Police search for suspects in Tacoma shooting that left four people dead
King County Board of Health delays vote to repeal bike helmet law
Washington lawmaker is locked out of capitol over COVID vaccine mandate
Sammamish scores top spot on list of best small US cities to live in
Seattle among cities competing for hosting duties in 2026 World Cup
Seattle firefighter union reports 5 members facing termination over vaccine mandate

Slog
Seattle’s COVID Cost-Cutting Nearly Caused Thousands of Pounds of Food to Rot

West Seattle Blog
‘A place you’d be proud to come to’: Possibilities unveiled, community suggestions voiced, for West Seattle Junction parking-lot parcels

Thursday, Oct. 21

The FDA authorizes Moderna and J&J COVID vaccine boosters
The Food and Drug Administration authorized booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccines made by Moderna and Johnson & Johnson following unanimous votes by a committee of independent advisers backing the boosters last week. In a related decision, the FDA also authorized boosters that differ from the vaccine originally used to immunize people against COVID-19. So, for instance, a person who got a Johnson & Johnson vaccine could receive one from Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech as a booster. Continue reading at KUOW. (AFP)

House facility access limited to vaccinated through January
Lawmakers and legislative employees at the Washington state House must prove they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to access House facilities through early January, under a rule adopted by a House committee late last month. The policy took effect Monday, the same day that a statewide COVID-19 vaccine mandate deadline passed for many state workers and others to provide proof of vaccination — or an accommodated exemption — in order to keep their jobs. Continue reading at The Associated Press.

Latinas are still the lowest paid group in the U.S. Experts have tips for combating the inequity.
Oct. 21 marks another annual observation of Latina Equal Pay Day, which represents how far into the year Latinas, on average, needed to work to make up what White men made in the previous year. In other words, Latinas had to work, on average, nearly 22 months to earn what White men did in 12 months, because they typically make 57 cents for every dollar a White man makes. What’s more, this is the last Equal Pay Day of the year — which means that, on average, Latinas are paid less than White women, Asian women, Black women and Indigenous women. Continue reading at The Washington Post.