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Tuesday, October 3

Washington minimum wage to top $16 an hour next year
Minimum wage workers in Washington will get a pay hike in January. The state’s minimum wage will rise to $16.28 an hour starting Jan. 1, the Washington Department of Labor and Industries has announced. That’s a 54-cent increase from the current hourly rate of $15.74, which is the highest of any state in the nation and more than double the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Getty)

Billion-dollar disasters nearly tripled in WA over 20 years
Natural disasters causing at least $1 billion in damage nearly tripled in Washington state over the last 20 years, due primarily to wildfires and droughts, according to recent data. In addition to threatening homes and property, disasters are causing insurers to change how they factor climate and extreme weather risks into premiums. Continue reading at Axios. (Kavya Beheraj)

Opening statements to begin in historic trial of three Tacoma officers
Opening statements in the historic murder trial of Tacoma police are scheduled for Tuesday morning, beginning what is expected to be a high-profile test of Washington’s expanded power to hold law enforcement accountable. It is the first prosecution under a 2018 voter-approved initiative, which lowered the threshold to hold police officers accountable for on-duty deaths. It is also the largest Washington state prosecution against officers for an on-duty death since the 1930s. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Brian Hayes)

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Axios
Washington’s Hispanic poverty rate falls, but disparities linger
Billion-dollar disasters nearly tripled in WA over 20 years
Seattle’s “Week Without Driving” challenge

Bellevue Reporter
King County Councilmember calls for audit of juvenile diversion programs

Capital Press
Cranberry growers start harvest with smaller surplus
Feds propose airlifting grizzly bears into north-central Washington

Columbian
Officials ask feds for $600 million to help pay for new I-5 Bridge
Kaiser braces for possible health care worker strike involving thousands in Washington
Editorial: Long-term value of BRT remains to be seen

Everett Herald
What to know about COVID and other vaccinations in Snohomish County
Infants’ deaths from unsafe sleeping far outpace other accidents
Comment: Estate tax would be ample, fitting child care solution
Comment: Child tax credit works against child poverty; renew it

News Tribune
Jury seated in Tacoma police officers’ in-custody death trial. Here’s its makeup

Olympian
WA minimum wage to increase to $16.28 an hour next year
October solar eclipse to darken Washington skies. Here’s what to know about historic event

Peninsula Daily News
Rain is keeping park fires in check

Puget Sound Business Journal
SBA reopens small-business contracting program after legal setback
What graduates of WA colleges can expect in early-career salary

Seattle Times
How WA’s Asian demographics have changed dramatically
Opening statements to begin in historic trial of three Tacoma officers
These turtles nearly went extinct in WA. Now they may get federal protection
She got chemo in WA and Alaska — and the price difference was a whopper
Editorial: Positive outliers may hold keys to Black student success
Opinion: WA schools and students don’t have to settle for mediocrity

Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit PUD receives grant for clean energy project

Spokesman Review
Spokane County getting $4.1 million from state for wildfire recovery
Getting there: WSDOT receives $72.8 million federal grant to repair ‘dilapidated’ railroads in Eastern Washington
Even after the pandemic, broadband is critical for rural education. $1 billion won’t be enough to reach everyone in Washington.
Opinion: State, local governments making gains in racial diversity

Washington Post
An epidemic of chronic illness is killing Americans in their prime

WA State Standard
Washington minimum wage to top $16 an hour next year
Washington watches as trial of 3 Tacoma officers accused of killing Manny Ellis gets underway (Lovick)

Wenatchee World
Public comment period open on grizzly bear reintroduction proposal

Yakima Herald-Republic
Burn ban lifted in unincorporated Yakima County

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
City of Seattle will pay more than $1.8 million to resolve family’s lawsuit, attorney
Watch Live: Prosecutors, defense offer opening statements in trial for the death of Manuel Ellis

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
‘Week Without Driving’ begins in King County, aims to highlight public transit shortfalls

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
State panel in damage control after confusion about eliminating sex offender notifications

KNKX Public Radio
Opening statements expected today in trial of Tacoma officers charged with killing Manny Ellis

KUOW Public Radio
The price to ride a Washington state ferry just went up
Washington state’s minimum wage is slated to rise in 2024
Jury seated in trial of Tacoma officers charged with killing Manny Ellis
Weekend vote to keep government open has WA state politicians calling for bipartisanship

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane Police note surge of retail crime in northeast Spokane

Q13 TV (FOX)
Opening statements to begin in Tacoma officers’ trial in death of Manny Ellis
‘We’re just struggling with the manpower‘; Thurston Co. Sheriff declares staffing emergency

Web

Cascadia Daily News
With shutdown averted, funding available to Whatcom flood victims

Monday, October 2

A new roadmap to speed the spread of electric vehicles in Washington state
When it comes to meeting Washington’s ambitious electric vehicle goals, bolder cash incentives and charging outlets in thousands more locations are needed now. Rules pushing drivers to forgo cars and trucks that run on gas for ones powered by batteries are needed soon. Continue reading at Everett Herald. (Olivia Vanni/The Herald)

Women workers could bear economic brunt as federal child care funding ends
A huge chunk of pandemic relief funding that kept child care programs afloat for the past few years is set to run out Saturday, and policy advocates say the economic impact will be profound, with the ripple effect hurting labor force participation and consumer spending at a time when the country is still trying to avoid a recession. Parents struggled to pay for child care and child care centers strained to retain workers well before 2020, but the pandemic accelerated many of the industry’s struggles and without the federal money many would have shut their doors. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent)

Washington is failing to aid child sex-trafficking victims
Washington state’s “Safe Harbor” law was supposed to address child sex trafficking in two ways. First, it would ensure that kids who are commercially sexually exploited are not charged as criminals. Second, it would create two receiving centers, one on the west side and one on the east side of the Cascade Mountains, where kids could get the treatment they need. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Moriah Ratner/InvestigateWest)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Federal officials, VIPs visit for port expansion project

Auburn Reporter
Dept of Health launches dashboard to track overdose death data

Bainbridge Island Review
Work continues on Hwy 305 fish passage on BI

Bellevue Reporter
Dept. of Commerce awards $35.4 million for solar power projects across the state

Columbian
As mediation program for tenants and landlords ends, evictions surge in Clark County (Cleveland)
C-Tran’s new ‘Red Vine’ service opens early and under budget
Editorial: Don’t spend money just because you have it (Robinson)

Everett Herald
A new roadmap to speed the spread of electric vehicles in Washington state
At Boeing’s Everett plant, new lawsuits allege further birth defects
Millions of dollars for ‘tree equity’ head to Snohomish County
Starting Sunday, ferry passengers will pay 4.25% more
Editorial: Pledge to honor treaties can save Columbia’s salmon

Federal Way Mirror
Opinion: Dear Government: Hold your horses when regulating trucks

Islands’ Weekly
State invests more than $81 million in salmon recovery

Journal of the San Juan Islands
Local pharmacy partners with WA Health Care Authority to address opioid misuse

News Tribune
She took a school district ‘in crisis’ from $5 million to $50 million. How did she do it?

Olympian
Op-Ed: Olympia’s police work must be fully transparent to rebuild community’s trust
WA Department of Health now tracking unintentional drug overdoses. Here’s how it works

Seattle Times
Iranian American lawmaker in WA says disinformation led to death threat (Farivar)
King County needs thousands of new homes. Where will they go?
Feds find flaws in how WA oversaw more than $1B in pandemic aid for schools
Many WA residents to get a raise as minimum wage increases
WA unemployment system still suffering from COVID-era problems
For WA music venues, carrying a lifesaving drug comes with concerns
Lessons from George Floyd’s death prepare WA court for police murder trial
Editorial: Growing pains: The geography of King County felony convictions
Editorial: The effort to end downtown Seattle homelessness ended — now what?
Opinion: West Coast cities start to confront the limits of the liberal dream
Opinion: A ‘thank you’ from a tribal citizen
Opinion: Here’s one of the most effective ways to prevent overdoses

Washington Post
Nobel Prize in medicine awarded to pair who laid foundation for covid-19 vaccines
Pediatricians and parents struggle to get updated covid vaccine for kids
4 million have enrolled in Biden’s new student loan repayment plan

WA State Standard
Women workers could bear economic brunt as federal child care funding ends
A new roadmap to speed the spread of electric vehicles in Washington state

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
‘Disheartening and scary’: Student loan payments resume this week, how Washington’s tab ranks
Fire retardant has killed thousands of fish in the Pacific Northwest, including endangered salmon species
Federal student loan payments are starting again. Here’s what you need to know
Threat of government shutdown ends as Congress passes a temporary funding plan and sends it to Biden
‘She’ll forever be in our heart’: Mother of victim killed in shooting clamors against gun violence at Annual CeaseFire 5K

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Trial to begin for Tacoma officers charged in 2020 death of Manny Ellis
Millions of Americans brace for return of student loan payments in October

KNKX Public Radio
Dept. of Interior launches boarding school oral history project
Federal officials want your thoughts on grizzly reintroduction plans
Understaffed jails, treatment centers complicate Seattle’s plan to reduce public drug use
Seattle cop who made callous remarks after woman’s death has been administratively reassigned
While this year’s lamprey numbers look good, tribes say more needs to be done
Biden calls for ‘abundant’ salmon populations, directs agencies to honor tribal treaty rights

KUOW Public Radio
Japanese American survivors revisit a troubling past and vow to protect the Idaho prison camp where they were held
Washington Supreme Court says pandemic eviction ban was legal. Landlords beg to differ
Northwest’s pond turtles to get federal protection

KXLY (ABC)
Thousands of Kaiser Permanente workers could walk off the job this week

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Frustration with PeaceHealth has become a political issue

Crosscut
Republicans push for bipartisan commission to redraw WA Latino district (Jinkins, Billig)
Washington is failing to aid child sex-trafficking victims (Orwall)

The Stranger
Seattle Does Not Have a Spending Problem, Big Business Has a Greed Problem
Bad Apples: Response Delays, No-Shows, and a Questionable Use of Force

Friday, September 29

How a government shutdown would affect Washington
A federal government shutdown is looking more and more likely and the impacts in Washington state could be huge. If Congress fails to pass a stopgap measure by midnight Saturday that would fund the government through Nov. 17, a partial shutdown of the federal government will begin Sunday. For federal employees, the effects would be immediate and obvious, as most would be furloughed without pay. Continue reading at Axios. (Alice Feng)

Inslee’s COVID-19 eviction ban was legal, state Supreme Court rules
A divided Washington Supreme Court on Thursday rejected claims that Gov. Jay Inslee exceeded powers granted to him under state law when he imposed an emergency ban on evictions during the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic. Landlords sued over the restrictions, arguing Inslee overstepped his authority and violated the state constitution. The court ruling notes estimates showing that without the moratorium, 790,000 people in Washington would have been evicted from their homes during the pandemic. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Getty)

100+ WA districts are starting school year without fully funded special ed. Here’s why
Historically, Washington public schools have seen a shortfall in special education funding. In April of this year, the Legislature passed HB 1436, adding an estimated $417 million to the state special education budget over the next biennium and nearly $1 billion over four years. The bill increased the multipliers used in the state’s funding formula and brought the funding cap up to 15%. Continue reading at Olympian.

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Aberdeen Daily World
Updating the public on large-scale projects at Greater Grays Harbor, Inc.

Axios
Student loan payments resume for about 800K Washingtonians
How a government shutdown would affect Washington

Bellingham Herald
‘Our property would become unlivable’: Rural Whatcom residents battle proposed rock quarry
Yes, your landlord can increase your rent that much. A local renter’s guide to rent raises
Four overdoses in four days. Lummi Nation calls for urgent action amid WA opioid crisis

Capital Press
Third time’s the charm? Feds try again to update Blue Mountains Forest Plan

The Daily News
Port of Woodland considers $6 million budget

Everett Herald
New EvCC learning resource center opens to students, public

News Tribune
Pierce County COVID-19 numbers saw an uptick in August. Here’s where they stand now

Olympian
WA Gov. Jay Inslee tests positive for COVID-19
Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders declares staffing emergency. Why now?
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, California Democratic icon and longest-serving female senator, dies at 90
100+ WA districts are starting school year without fully funded special ed. Here’s why (Pollet, Wellman)

Puget Sound Business Journal
Life science project in South Lake Union stalls
In reversal, Amazon begins monitoring individual employee badge-ins

Seattle Medium
Water Conservation Asked Of 1.5 Million In Seattle
Almost $77 Million For Upgrades To Washington State Rail Systems
Washington Cities Removing ‘Forever Chemicals’ From Water Supply
Boeing, Seattle Gov. Entities Fight Over $1 Billion River Cleanup

Seattle Times
WA Gov. Inslee tests positive for COVID
WA Supreme Court sides with Inslee in challenge to eviction moratorium
3,000 WA Kaiser workers consider strike as contract negotiations stall
‘Threat of harm’ should be present before Seattle drug arrests, Mayor Harrell says
Opinion: 4 ways to change our approach to the housing crisis

Spokesman Review
‘Tremendously impactful’: Here’s what a government shutdown could mean for the Inland Northwest
Inslee didn’t abuse power with pandemic eviction moratorium, Washington Supreme Court rules

Washington Post
Biden approves new offshore oil leases, faces hits by both sides
UAW will widen strikes at Ford and GM, but not Stellantis for now

WA State Standard
Inslee’s COVID-19 eviction ban was legal, state Supreme Court rules
There are new proposals to bring back grizzly bears in the North Cascades
Government shutdown won’t affect health care or most benefits for veterans, VA says
Conservative Latino leaders wary of how disputed legislative district lines will be redrawn (Jinkins, Billig)

Yakima Herald-Republic
Higher quality, lower yield for Yakima Valley wine grapes after ‘ideal’ harvest season
Yakima Health District program to provide Narcan to businesses is up and running

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Attorney for female neighbor calls Seattle officer’s racist comments an ‘abuse of power’
Seattle police officer heard joking about woman’s death on bodycam footage reassigned
Increased drought intensity opening the door for beetles to attack Washington forests

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
New study recommends police pursuits be limited to violent crimes
Sea-Tac airport sets summer travel records, passing pre-pandemic levels
Seattle Sounders invest $70 million in transformative facility at historic Longacres site in Renton

KUOW Public Radio
10 orcas killed in Bering Sea, prompting calls for fishing reforms
Seattle drug plan will balance rehabilitation and public safety, Harrell says
She overdosed and no one noticed. Grim realities as Seattle rushes to expand homeless housing
FTC Chair Lina Khan’s lawsuit isn’t about breaking up Amazon, for now

NW Public Radio
Biden calls for ‘abundant’ salmon populations, directs agencies to honor tribal treaty rights
Rallies held at multiple WSU campuses as student employees bargain for union contract
U.S. Department of Interior launches program to preserve Indian boarding school oral histories

Thursday, September 28

New state budget forecast offers $1B worth of good news for Washington leaders
A new forecast released Tuesday projects state revenues will reach $66.7 billion for the two-year budget cycle that began July 1, an increase of $663 million from what chief economist Steve Lerch predicted in June. He said the state also hauled in an additional $265 million in the last budget that was not in his June report. It came from tax collections that arrived after the forecast was prepared and before the fiscal year ended June 30, Lerch said. Added up, that’s $928 million more than when lawmakers adopted the current state spending plan in April. And if the trend continues, the amount will grow in November when the next revenue report is published. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Jerry Cornfield)

Washington post-secondary students struggle with food, housing insecurity, survey reveals
A recent survey found many post-secondary students are struggling to have their basic needs met. The WSAC conducted a basic needs survey to understand the prevalence of students facing food insecurity, housing insecurity, homelessness and other challenges during post-secondary school. Recently passed legislation helped fund grants that have been awarded this school year to post-secondary institutions in Washington to help students experiencing housing and food insecurity. Continue reading at KOMO (WA Student Achievement Council)

New study suggests looser WA drug laws do not mean more overdose deaths
As drug overdoses continue to claim lives and policymakers at all levels try to address the problem, new research examining Washington and Oregon suggests there isn’t a link between decriminalizing drug possession and a rise in fatal overdoses. The new research used statistical modeling to compare fatal overdose rates in each state in the year after the policy changes were put into place to what those rates might have looked like had those policies not been implemented. Continue reading at Seattle Times.

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Associated Press
A government shutdown is looming this weekend. What it means, who’s impacted and what’s next?

Aberdeen Daily World
City, state workers clean up State Street encampment grounds

Auburn Reporter
King County Council members encourage people not to drive for a week

Axios
Study: No link between PNW overdose deaths and drug laws
Seattleites challenge Fox News’ spin on the city’s crime

Bainbridge Island Review
Work continues on Hwy 305 fish passage on BI
2 agencies don’t enforce state laws against Kingston business

Capital Press
Biden tells agencies to help Columbia River wild fish

Columbian
Solar, battery projects in Clark County get $250K from state
Uptick in Lewis River Recreation Area’s popularity prompts officials to plan for growth
Government shutdown would likely close Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, Gifford Pinchot National Forest

Courier-Herald
Enumclaw secures another Boise Creek project grant

Everett Herald
Everett police chief to retire at the end of October
As Woods Creek railroad trestle comes down, a new doorway for salmon
Providence, Optum and Premera discuss challenges at Everett summit
Editorial: Shutdown hits kids, families at difficult moment
Comment: End of pandemic child-care aid will expose huge problem

The Inlander
As a hot labor summer turns to fall, a historic health care strike looms over Kaiser workers while Spokane unions see increased support (Ormsby)
Spokane gets $12 million for urban canopy projects to help plant more trees and train community foresters

Mercer Island Reporter
District’s electric buses run first routes

News Tribune
California enacts first gun and ammunition tax in the country
2 men called 911 to report assault. When no Tacoma cops came, their dispute turned deadly
Opinion: The Tacoma cops who killed Manuel Ellis want to evade justice. We can’t let them

Olympian
Biden directs agencies to take steps to restore Pacific Northwest salmon

Renton Reporter
Public comment open for Renton’s clean energy strategy

Seattle Times
New study suggests looser WA drug laws do not mean more overdose deaths
Bacteria and fungus in fuel caused ferry Walla Walla to run aground
As Seattle Targets close, shoppers question whether crime really is to blame
Redmond facility pushes limit on how much can fit under one roof
Editorial: Reducing violence and homicides begins at the top

Snoqualmie Valley Record
Snoqualmie Parkway project is complete (Callan, Ramos, Mullet)
Seattle leaders to fix false alarm problems at Tolt Dam

Spokesman Review
Weathercatch: The season’s first big storm system to be followed by a harvest moon
‘This is historic’: Biden orders whole-of-government effort to restore salmon in Columbia, Snake rivers

Washington Post
U.S. government starts notifying federal employees a shutdown may be imminent
White House defines ‘zero-emission’ buildings, hoping more get built
A nonbinary student faced discrimination at school. A jury awarded them $300K.

WA State Standard
New state budget forecast offers $1B worth of good news for Washington leaders (Robinson)
At Washington’s public colleges and universities, a lasting slump in enrollment
Washington senators join Democrats calling for Sen. Bob Menendez to resign

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima shelves regional fire authority plan after neighboring fire districts object

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Facing worker shortage, Boeing hopes to recruit young minds to aerospace industry

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
‘It’s definitely tough’: New study shows nearly third of WA households struggle to make ends meet

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
King County Metro unveils new electric bus design
DESC meet with Lake City neighbors about latest homeless housing project
SPD under fire for canceling body camera analysis contract amid misconduct allegations
Kentridge High School faces tuberculosis scare; evaluations recommended for 135 people
Washington post-secondary students struggle with food, housing insecurity, survey reveals

KNKX Public Radio
As a federal government shutdown looms, Washington state officials brace for impact
Biden calls for ‘abundant’ salmon populations, directs agencies to honor tribal treaty rights

KUOW Public Radio
Cantwell, Murray join Democrats calling for Menendez to resign

KXLY (ABC)
Washington State Patrol hiring lateral officers for first time
WSDOT replacing thousands of feet of burned guardrail following Gray fire

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Could giving cash to the homeless reduce the problem?
Improving retention key concern as WWU fall quarter begins
How to get new COVID-19 vaccines now available in Whatcom County

Crosscut
The effort to save SeaTac’s biggest forest amid airport expansion

The Stranger
Man Loses Nearly Half His Body Weight in King County Jail Custody

Wednesday, September 27

Washington lawmakers mull biometric ID options for alcohol purchases
The palm of your hand, a scan of your eye or a recording of your voice may soon be the key to purchasing alcohol in some places in Washington, as state lawmakers begin discussions on using biometric data for age verification. If they decide to tackle the issue with legislation, they’ll have to navigate concerns over privacy and equity and other questions about how to set guidelines for a nascent form of technology. There is no state law prohibiting biometric age verification when purchasing alcohol, but officials on the state Liquor and Cannabis Board told lawmakers Tuesday that a state law outlining a framework for how it can be used is likely necessary. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Tom Grill)

Editorial: Biden deal with tribes is a welcome step toward salmon restoration
The Biden administration and Northwest Native American tribes announced a deal last week to undo a historic wrong committed against the region and its Indigenous people. Abundant salmon and other game fish might once again swim in the Upper Columbia River Basin. The Biden administration agreed to fund restoration work in the Upper Columbia. The Bonneville Power Administration will provide $200 million over 20 years, and the Department of Energy will provide $8 million over two years. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Mike Siegel)

It’s hazing season on college campuses. State safeguards are uneven.
As college students begin a new semester this fall, many will participate in rituals to bring in new members of a Greek fraternity or sorority, a sports team or other club. Although awareness of hazing and its dangers has grown significantly, it still happens. Some experts and anti-hazing advocates say the penalties in some states aren’t harsh enough to deter organizations from participating in hazing. And even in states that have laws, incidents like the one that left Max Gruver dead don’t necessarily lead to serious criminal charges. Continue reading at Stateline. (Amanda Hernandez)