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Friday, September 20

King County inquests into killings by police remain broken, critics say
A King County program meant to provide answers for families of those killed by police — revised in 2018 to broaden its scope and address inequities — remains broken and should be fixed, replaced or abandoned, say prosecutors and private attorneys involved in the process. The county has completed 17 inquests since the program was upheld by the Washington Supreme Court and reinstated in 2021, with another underway and five more scheduled. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ellen M. Banner)

July recorded the highest number of calls to 988 in Washington since its launch
September is National Suicide Prevention Month and Washington state is seeing an increased demand for help when it comes to the national suicide and crisis line: 988. Since launching in 2022, calls to 988 in Washington have doubled in two years and continue to increase. July showed the highest number of calls received at 10,202. The Washington Department of Public Health attributes the increase to a campaign that aired through July bringing more awareness to the 988 program. Continue reading at King5.

New report says solitary confinement widely, ‘subjectively’ used in Washington prisons
Solitary confinement is still “widely used” in Washington prisons, despite an agency promise to reduce its use over the next five years. That’s according to a report released Thursday by the Office of the Corrections Ombudsman. State lawmakers created the agency in 2018 to resolve complaints against the Department of Corrections and to identify problems within the system. The new report is the second of three that the OCO will produce. Lawmakers will now review the report and the third of three that will come out later this year. That report will examine solutions and a suggested path forward for DOC. Continue reading at KXLY. (KXLY)

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Axios
America’s new election shields: panic buttons, bulletproof glass

Bellingham Herald
Counties with the most assisted-living facilities in Washington
Bellingham city officials ask court to order Walmart encampment be cleared by new year
Bellingham’s new medical respite shelter will have a 2.5-block protection zone for safety
Bellingham City Council votes to formally oppose Kroger-Albertsons supermarket merger

Capital Press
Wanted: Ideas to improve harvesting apples

Everett Herald
More I-405 closures ahead near Bothell
Everett sub hearing upends earlier expert theories on crew deaths

High Country News
The Department of Energy promised Yakama Nation $32 million for solar. It’s nearly impossible to access.

News Tribune
This Tacoma behavioral healthcare campus is one step closer to opening its doors
Big changes coming to Tacoma Dome Station. Would you like more parking or better biking?

Puget Sound Business Journal
Bellevue rolls out new incentive to boost affordable housing
Inflation is no longer the No. 1 concern for business executives
Newly filed bill aims to repeal lucrative small-business tax credit
Cost of attending a Seahawks game is on the rise. Here’s how much.

Seattle Times
New COVID-19 XEC variant circulating just before fall
King County inquests into killings by police remain broken, critics say
How a $32M solar grant to the Yakama Nation got tied up in bureaucracy
Hit by strike, Boeing flies in out-of-state janitors, applies furloughs broadly
Opinion: To protect the public, we must reduce public defender caseloads
Opinion: A powerful tool exists to treat youth drug abuse. Why don’t we use it?

Spokesman Review
Fairchild Air Force Base airmen conduct 24-hour vigil march to honor POW, MIA veterans
A Spokane police officer put a ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ sticker on his department car. He was fired

Washington Post
Microsoft deal would reopen Three Mile Island nuclear plant to power AI
Scientists have captured Earth’s climate over the last 485 million years. Here’s the surprising place we stand now.

WA State Standard
Some states want to make it easier to cancel subscriptions
Gluesenkamp Perez joins Republicans in vote for failed government funding measure

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
July recorded the highest number of calls to 988 in Washington since its launch
West Seattle neighbors say $2 billion increase for light rail extension is ‘astronomical’
King County executive proposes temporary funding fix to keep public health clinics open

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Jesse Jones: Hidden fees at Climate Pledge Arena
Large affordable housing complex planned in Tacoma
Another threat at a local school, what are the consequences?
A new life is proposed for Three Mile Island supplying power to Microsoft data centers

KUOW Public Radio
Mayor Harrell wants to triple Seattle’s spending on opioid treatment
FAA investigating cabin pressure problem that injured passengers aboard Boeing plane

KXLY (ABC)
New report says solitary confinement widely, ‘subjectively’ used in Washington prisons

Web

Cascadia Daily News
WWU expects layoffs, president says scope of operations ‘not sustainable’
A month lost in the North Cascades without food or shelter: Hiker details improbable rescue

MyNorthwest
Seattle City Council president: Stay out zones are ‘better than nothing’

The Urbanist
Seattle Design Commission Not On Board with Sidewalk Ad Kiosk Proposal
Opinion: Sound Transit Should Rethink Light Rail Extensions Beset with Overruns

Thursday, September 19

Overdose deaths are falling fast
Fatal drug overdoses, which fell in the U.S. last year for the first time since before the pandemic, are continuing to decline, according to preliminary CDC data. Overdoses kill more than 100,000 people a year, but the number appears to be dropping rapidly. We need more data and more research to determine what’s driving the decline in deaths, but experts have theories. Continue reading at Axios. (Axios Visuals)

Washington has the best public education on west coast, top five in US, new study says
Washington students have access to some of the best public education in the country, according to a new study. In a study published last week, market research outlet Consumer Affairs looked at statewide test scores, graduation rates and school funding, among other metrics, to determine which states offer the best public education. Washington took fourth place in the country, far outranking any of its west coast neighbors. Continue reading at The Olympian. (Getty Images)

Washington launches Simple As That to combat littering
Each year, approximately 38 million pounds of litter are discarded on Washington’s highways, roads, and public areas — a statistic reflecting about five pounds of trash for every resident in the state, according to the Washington State Department of Ecology. Litter poses threats to water quality and presents safety risks for motorists, according to the DOE. In response to these challenges, the department is collaborating with the Department of Transportation, State Patrol and other agencies to launch the “Simple As That” campaign. Continue reading at The Columbian.

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Associated Press
Hackers demand $6 million for files stolen from Seattle airport operator in cyberattack

Axios
Overdose deaths are falling fast
School absence linked to higher youth gun crimes

Capital Press
Judge dismisses Clean Water Act lawsuit against Idaho ranch
Suit seeks to halt Biden administration’s H-2A rule in all 50 states
Editorial: When a rule isn’t a rule

Columbian
Washington launches Simple As That to combat littering
Vancouver receives $10M loan to remove ‘forever chemicals’ from water supply
Migrants held at Tacoma detention facility spend longer in detention, more likely to be deported
Let’s Go Washington faces charges: Political group behind initiatives accused of violating campaign law

Covington-Maple Valley Reporter
Commerce invests $37 million in clean energy projects in South King County and state

The Daily News
Aberdeen city reps explain hiring freeze

Everett Herald
Boeing to furlough thousands of workers
Whooping cough is on the rise in Snohomish County

The Inlander
Spokane makes headway on bicycle infrastructure
People with HIV are living longer, creating a new demographic with unique health care needs
In November, Idaho voters will decide whether to open their primaries and switch to ranked-choice voting

Kitsap Sun
New fast ferry could come to Kingston-Seattle route by 2027 at the earliest

News Tribune
WA GOP, Franklin auditor sue over ‘devious’ change to voter residency waiting period
Good news for commuters: Cars can again drive across this Tacoma bridge after repairs

New York Times
F.T.C. Study Finds ‘Vast Surveillance’ of Social Media Users

Olympian
Washington has the best public education on west coast, top five in US, new study says

Puget Sound Business Journal
Kroger-Albertsons hearing wraps with closing arguments
The Fed finally cut rates. Here’s how it will affect businesses.
Seattle council OKs drug, prostitution laws over experts’ objections
With $1.9B merger complete, Alaska and Hawaiian roll out changes
Boeing to furlough tens of thousands of employees as strike continues

Seattle Times
Demand for WA paid leave program overwhelms staff, agency says
King County Regional Homelessness Authority’s new CEO is ‘undaunted’

Spokesman Review
New manufacturing plant slotted for airport area
Spokane Valley councilman Al Merkel appeals most recent investigation findings
Spokane Valley to enter mediation in City Hall lawsuit, total costs expected to rise
Transport of radioactive liquid waste from Hanford Site draws concern from Spokane, Oregon officials

Washington Post
Abortion clinics — and patients — are on the move as state laws shift
Mortgage rates are coming down, and home buyers are ready to pounce

WA State Standard
Biden administration seeks to remove gray wolf protections in Lower 48
States, hospital systems try less punitive drug testing of pregnant women and newborns

Wenatchee World
Committee explores 2 sites for $166.7M regional sports complex
Washington nonprofit offers up to $3,000 to farmworkers who win innovative apple harvest contest

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima County NAACP to celebrate 80th anniversary Friday
Reykdal seeks $3B injection for WA public schools in next budget
Yakima Council approves smaller Terrace Heights annexation area

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
I-5 shooting spree suspect to undergo competency evaluation
SPS considers closing its only K-8 school for the deaf, public meeting lacks ASL interpreter
Cantwell: Russian criminal organization requested $6 million of Bitcoin from Port of Seattle in ransomware attack

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Jesse Jones: What a rate cut means to you
Alaska Airlines officially purchases Hawaiian Airlines for $1 billion
Parents furious as Seattle Public Schools considers closing 21 schools
Online threats cause fear in Bonney Lake as mental health crisis grows
‘No meaningful progress’: Second full day of mediation ends between Boeing, union
Federal agency approves transforming miles of abandoned railroad for a Snohomish County trail

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Will Boeing’s furlough strategy during the strike ensure its financial stability?
WA state superintendent asks Gov. Inslee for $3 billion to boost K-12 education
Sen. Maria Cantwell convenes Senate hearing to investigate airport cyberattacks
‘Better off without it’: Washington closes execution chamber at state penitentiary
Seattle’s 3rd Avenue sees new overhead lights as part of Downtown Activation Plan
Seattle Public School parents rally outside district headquarters in protest of closures
Questions linger over enforcement of Seattle’s newly passed SOAP and SODA measures

KNKX Public Radio
Machinists strike comes at perilous time for Boeing
Here are 4 ways the Federal Reserve’s big rate cut could change the housing market

KUOW Public Radio
Seattle Schools forces parents to pay ‘junk fees’ to access school lunch
‘Don’t do this to our kids’: Hundreds of Seattle parents rally against school closures
Russian hackers posted Sea-Tac files to ‘dark website,’ airport director tells Congress

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane saw less smoke this summer than it has in eight years
East Central residents weigh in on plans for new I-90 pedestrian bridges
Health officials warn Deer Park dental patients of potential HIV and Hepatitis exposures
North Hill community worries about street safety and parking challenges posed by new apartments

Web

MyNorthwest
‘A very serious situation:’ WSP warns of ‘bump-jackings’
WA State Patrol sees rise in freeway shootings, citing gang activity: ‘More guns, more anger’

The Urbanist
Metro Works to Smooth Out Bumpy RapidRide G Launch
Habitat for Humanity Touts Its Largest Building Ever in Columbia City Groundbreaking

Wednesday, September 18

Washington’s sockeye runs are smashing records
Washington is seeing a record-breaking sockeye salmon run this year despite a July heatwave that threatened a kill-off in the Okanogan River. The surge is a tangible sign of success for a water management plan adopted in 2014 that has Indian tribes, dam operators and fish managers in the U.S. and Canada working together to ensure optimum river water levels as fish cross nine dams. Continue reading at Axios. (DeAgostini)

Demand for WA paid family leave benefits is overwhelming staff, agency says
Washington’s Paid Family and Medical Leave program keeps growing, but its staff and resources do not, leaving applicants with delays for benefits and long waits for customer service. The Employment Security Department wants to hire 98 new employees over the next two years in response. It’s a roughly $23 million ask. The new employees will help answer phones, process applications and assist employers with paperwork and questions.“ Despite recent staffing increases, the program is not adequately staffed based on current application volumes,” department officials wrote in a budget request to the governor. Continue reading at The WA State Standard. (Getty Images)

Inslee announces $1.5M emergency funding for San Juan ferries
Gov. Jay Inslee is providing $1.5 million in emergency funding to restore critical ferry transportation throughout the San Juan Islands, he announced during a meeting with county leaders Tuesday, Sept. 17. The interisland route has been the least reliable in the Washington State Ferries (WSF) system, Inslee said in a Tuesday news release. The challenges, caused by crew shortages, have created life and safety issues for island residents and service providers. Continue reading at Cascadia Daily News. (Andy Bronson)

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Associated Press
Russia goes all-out with covert disinformation aimed at Harris, Microsoft report says

Axios
Washington’s sockeye runs are smashing records
Suspicious packages mailed to election officials across U.S.
Downtown Seattle pins big hopes on Amazon workers’ return

Capital Press
Analysts: Global beef supplies shrinking
U.S., Japan try again on fresh-potato access
USDA approves field study of bird flu vaccine for cattle

Columbian
Disability advocates challenge Vancouver’s elected leaders to go a week without driving
Vancouver City Council OKs $900K loan, tax breaks for developer to remodel building for mixed-income housing
Vancouver City Council expresses collective decision on five ballot initiatives to appear before voters in November

Everett Herald
Feds OK key stretch of Eastrail in Snohomish County
Now a cooling center, Mill Creek Library gets big upgrades
Generations coveted Boeing jobs. Strike reveals how much has changed.

Indian Country Today
So few old trees, so much logging

News Tribune
Stalled Tacoma apartment project is for sale. Who will take on transit-oriented site?
Pierce County dam blocks salmon passage. Watch a crew of volunteers help fish move along
More than 500 units of affordable housing planned in Tacoma. Here’s when they might open

New York Times
Live Updates: Fed Expected to Cut Rates, but by How Much?

Puget Sound Business Journal
Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian cleared to seal merger
Former Zulily employees file lawsuit over handling of layoffs
Seattle’s social housing initiative faces alternate funding measure
Seattle moves to comply with state law to allow more backyard cottages

Seattle Times
West Seattle’s light rail estimate soars past $6 billion
Troopers caution I-5 drivers after 3 carjackings south of Seattle
Congress is gridlocked. These members are convinced AI legislation could break through

Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit River to temporarily close to recreational fishing

Spokesman Review
Spokane just sweltered through the city’s third-hottest summer on record
After a decade of steady increases, Spokane utility rates may jump next two years
BLM lifts fire restrictions; Spokane County and DNR still upholding theirs for now

Tri-City Herald
See inside Richland’s newest $7.4M fire station. It’s all about location, location location

Washington Post
Here’s how much water ChatGPT uses to help you write an email
House looks poised to reject GOP bill to avert government shutdown
How a rate cut would affect hiring, inflation, housing and the stock market
The Fed is poised to cut rates for the first time since 2020. The question is how much.

WA State Standard
Demand for WA paid family leave benefits is overwhelming staff, agency says

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Historic cabins at beloved state park may be closed forever
New Amazon return-to-office policy expected to impact traffic
Washington state’s cannabis industry braces for change as federal reclassification considered

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Seattle’s Downtown shines brighter with new lighting initiative
3 Bonney Lake schools targeted with threatening social media posts
New orca birth makes a big splash from San Juan Islands to Bothell
Inmate program rebuilds 30-year-old boardwalk in Whatcom County
Washington receives $300,000 for landslide research and prevention
State Patrol investigating multiple carjackings on I-5, suspects arrested
Washington man sentenced for joining violent attack on Capitol police line
Seattle City Council approves controversial drug and prostitution buffer zones
Tech employees are divided over Amazon’s decision to bring workers back to the office
It’s official: Boeing CEO announces temporary layoffs for ‘large number’ of US workers
The Biden administration is letting Alaska Airlines buy Hawaiian Air but with conditions

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Washington State Patrol to increase I-5 patrols after series of carjackings
Boeing CEO says company will begin furloughs to save cash during labor strike
Seattle City Council passes new measures to combat sex trafficking and drug related crimes

KNKX Public Radio
U.S. overdose deaths plummet, saving thousands of lives

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Ferndale School District tightens cell phone policy
Inslee announces $1.5M emergency funding for San Juan ferries
A new era of ADUs results in unprecedented move of a historic Bellingham home

Crosscut
Seattle enacts controversial drug, prostitution “stay out” zones

MyNorthwest
Seattle City Council passes legislation creating SODA, SOAP zones

The Urbanist
Harrell Proposal Would Relax Accessory Dwelling Unit Rules, Implement State Law

Tuesday, September 17

Almost 700,000 WA households receive $200 credit for electric bills
Nearly 700,000 Washington households received a $200 credit on their electricity bills in recent weeks — one of the state’s most visible investments to date under a climate law that is now in the hands of voters. State Department of Commerce officials estimated 685,113 low- and moderate-income households got the one-time credit as of Thursday, roughly 10,000 more than predicted when Gov. Jay Inslee launched the program in July.
Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ken Lambert)

Washington joins national campaign to curb recidivism among people exiting prison
Gov. Jay Inslee issued an executive order Monday to deepen and expand Washington’s efforts to prepare individuals for successful reentry in communities upon leaving prison. His order calls for developing “a comprehensive entry and exit process” tailored to each person’s needs in areas such as housing, employment, health care, substance use treatment, and mental health services. It also seeks to ensure each person has a Washington identification card or driver’s license and information on how to access social services. Continue reading at The WA State Standard. (Office of the Governor)

After budget cuts, juvenile probation counselors struggle to keep up with youth crime surge
In Washington state, every youth charged with a crime gets a juvenile probation counselor whose job is to figure out how they ended up in trouble — and how to keep them out of it. In King County, juvenile probation counselors say they are buckling under the weight of unmanageable caseloads following recent budget cuts and an increase in serious youth crime. Court staff say the caseloads ballooned after the county created a new program in 2021 meant to keep more young people out of the court system. It sent kids accused of first-time misdemeanors and lower-level felonies to community groups for intervention, rather than to diversion overseen by the court and probation counselors. Continue reading at KUOW. (Megan Farmer)

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Axios
Seattle City Council considers prostitution exclusion zone
Pandemic-era learning loss recovering but not for all students
Instagram overhauls teen accounts with sweeping privacy, age-verification changes

Bellingham Herald
What is the city doing about homeless encampments? Mayor Lund just provided an update
Whatcom County hired a temporary medical examiner based in Montana. How will that work?

Capital Press
Ag panel calls for new farm bill, and soon
USFSW goes to court to delist wolves in Lower 48

Columbian
Boeing considers temporary layoffs to cut costs during Machinists strike
Cowlitz Family Health Center uses RV to bring dental care to rural patients
Federal study finds climate change will boost Pacific Northwest hydropower
Oregon tribe sues over federal agency plans to hold an offshore wind energy auction

Everett Herald
Supreme Court reinstates Mill Creek child rape conviction
State appoints special administrator to oversee Marysville schools
Everett submersible was plagued with problems, investigators say
Boeing considers furloughs, other measures amid Machinists strike
Comment: Climate peril we overlook has already arrived

High Country News
States own lands on reservations. To use them, tribes have to pay

International Examiner
Wing Luke Museum executive director Joël Barraquiel Tan stepping down

News Tribune
WA renters pay more for housing than renters in all but four states, Census Bureau says
‘Not a matter of if.’ Sec. of State reveals how WA is combating AI deep-fakes this election

New York Times
What Fed Rate Cuts Will Mean for Five Areas of Your Financial Life
Instagram, Facing Pressure Over Child Safety Online, Unveils Sweeping Changes

Olympian
Check out what a new bridge and restored estuary could look like in downtown Olympia

Puget Sound Business Journal
Microsoft donates millions for Seattle park project
Habitat for Humanity embarks on Seattle condo project
Here’s what’s next as Kroger-Albertsons FTC trial wraps

Seattle Times
Orca baby born to L pod
Almost 700,000 WA households receive $200 credit for electric bills
WA death penalty chamber officially closes, ending tumultuous history
WA lawmakers call for investigation into UW grad’s death in West Bank

Spokesman Review
WSU board gives Schulz power to negotiate with newest Pac-12 members
Providence Heart Institute to undergo $42 million renovation beginning spring of 2025
Getting There: Spokane County commissioners reconsider proposed Bigelow Gulch name changes

Washington Post
Antibiotic resistance could cause over 39 million deaths by 2050, study says
Generations of workers coveted Boeing jobs. Strike reveals how much has changed.
In the U.S., opioid-maker Purdue is bankrupt. Its global counterparts make millions
Scientists just figured out how many chemicals enter our bodies from food packaging
This region has the world’s largest concentration of data centers. We got a rare glimpse inside one.

WA State Standard
Reykdal seeks $3B injection for WA public schools in next budget
Washington joins national campaign to curb recidivism among people exiting prison

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Poverty rate skyrocketed in Bellingham last year, census data shows
Police shoot, kill man in crisis armed with knife on BNSF tracks in Sumner
Family and advocates call for Maple Valley hit-and-run to be investigated as a hate crime
How Amazon’s new return-to-office mandate could impact Seattle’s economy, housing market and employees
Washington training canceled after Kim Potter, officer that killed unarmed man, was scheduled as guest speaker

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
How to earn free Seattle transit tickets
‘Person in crisis’ shot by police in Sumner
Orca calf – just days old – spotted with mother near San Juan Island
Amazon says workers will return to the office five days a week in 2025
Nearly a third of students stay home from middle school in Bonney Lake after online threats surface

KUOW Public Radio
Downtown Seattle may get a boost from coming interest rate cuts
Amazon is ordering employees to go back to pre-Covid, in-office schedules
Seattle’s free and subsidized preschool program still has room for 600 kids
After budget cuts, juvenile probation counselors struggle to keep up with youth crime surge

KXLY (ABC)
SPD says more police means less crime in Northeast Spokane parks
Spokane Valley Fire Department expresses support for regional 9-1-1 services amidst back-and-forth with city

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Bellingham nears completion of long-awaited wetland bank
Bellingham City Council formally opposes Albertsons-Kroger merger

Crosscut
State recommends limits for Tri-Cities wind turbine farm project

MyNorthwest
Sullivan: WA roads accumulated 38 million pounds of litter, stop littering!
Amazon employees ordered to report to work 5 days a week to ‘strengthen culture’

The Urbanist
Renton Seeks to Create a New Urban Neighborhood Around Planned Transit

Monday, September 16

Half of America’s rental households considered cost-burdened
Although a slowing rental-housing market may mean more concessions and even rent cuts in some locations, effectively half of America’s renters currently are considered cost-burdened. That’s according to one-year estimate data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey released last week. It found 21.1 million renters spent 30% or more of their income on housing costs last year — a reference to a commonly used threshold for housing affordability. That volume represents 49.7% of the 42.5 million rental households in the United States. Continue reading at The Puget Sound Business Journal. (Getty Images)

WA prisons sent 100 staffers to Norway. The goal: A humane system
Sgt. Alexandrea Collecchi knows all about the dangers of prison. Last year, the sergeant was offered the chance to head a team that is part of a multimillion-dollar effort advocates believe will make Washington’s prisons safer. It does not involve tighter restrictions, heightened surveillance or more fencing. Its operating principle: humanity. The effort looks to Norway, which in the 1990s transformed its prison system in response to frequent riots and high recidivism. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ellen M. Banner)

WA districts are banning student cellphone use. Here’s how it’s going
The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction released guidance in late August recommending that schools update their cellphone policies to limit use by the start of the 2025-26 school year amid a wave of research on the harmful effects of smartphones and social media. But many Washington districts are already instituting cellphone policies that restrict or ban use in classrooms. Policies differ across districts, but the goal remains the same: prevent distraction, improve mental health and get kids offline. Continue reading at The WA State Standard. (Tim Robberts)