Click here for our Daily E-Clips policy.

Tuesday, October 29

Why manufacturing recovery lags in Washington
Washington’s manufacturing sector, particularly aerospace, is still struggling to recover pre-pandemic job levels, lagging behind the national trend. Washington saw the steepest drop in manufacturing jobs in the nation in recent years, per a new analysis of government data by the Economic Innovation Group (EIG). Manufacturing jobs are back across much of the U.S., especially in the Sun Belt, where employment in the sector is now slightly above pre-pandemic levels, Meanwhile, Washington lost 6.7% of its manufacturing workforce — more than 19,000 jobs — between 2019 and 2023, per EIG. Continue reading at Axios. (Alex Fitzpatrick)

Rural dentist education to grow in Spokane under Legislature funding and new space
Education to train dentists mainly for rural work is expanding this summer in Spokane in facility size and student numbers. The University of Washington School of Dentistry will lease space for a new oral health training center in the UW-Gonzaga University Health Partnership’s building, 840 E. Spokane Falls Blvd., to grow its Regional Initiatives in Dental Education program. This spring, it received $2.5 million from the Legislature along with federal grants to expand the four-year program, doubling the number of students per year from eight to 16 – or 64 students once all cohorts are filled – and creating space for a second year in Spokane. Continue reading at the Spokesman Review. (Tyler Tjomsland)

Department of Corrections to spend $1.3 million of welfare fund for prisoners
Washington’s Department of Corrections has outlined new plans to spend $1.3 million collected from incarcerated people for phone calls and other fees — money that they’ve been criticized for sitting on, as the dollars are meant to go to improving prisoner welfare. Under the department’s plan, the dollars will primarily go to facility beautification projects, music programs and the “Washington Way” program, which focuses on making prison life similar to life on the outside. Continue reading at the WA State Standard. (Getty)

Print

Axios
Why manufacturing recovery lags in Washington
Fires at election drop boxes destroy hundreds of ballots in Washington, Oregon

Bellingham Herald
Just how big was the landslide that closed I-5 in Bellingham Sunday? Here are the numbers

Capital Press
Feds fund expansion of Washington grain terminal
USDA gives $167M for Northwest conservation projects

Everett Herald
Boeing launches $19B share sale to thwart downgrade

News Tribune
Tacoma motel near I-5 to convert to medical respite, supportive housing after acquisition

Spokesman Review
Arson burns hundreds of ballots in a southwest Washington ballot box
Rural dentist education to grow in Spokane under Legislature funding and new space
Most Gray and Oregon Road fire victims were underinsured, insurance commissioner says
All Spokane School Board members live in the same school’s boundary, but that could soon change
Matt Shea demands $24 million from city of Spokane over council’s condemnation of former mayor

Washington Post
The AI boom may unleash a global surge in electronic waste
On Elon Musk’s X, Republicans go viral as Democrats disappear
How the Inflation Reduction Act has remade America over the past two years
Planet-warming pollution is growing at the fastest rate in history, scientists say

WA State Standard
Arson destroys hundreds of ballots inside a Washington state drop box
Department of Corrections to spend $1.3 million of welfare fund for prisoners

Wenatchee World
Chelan, Douglas, Grant PUDs cease sending power to Canada; US, Canada reach tentative deal
USDA awards Chelan County Housing Authority $4.2M for agriculture workforce housing upgrades

Yakima Herald-Republic
Wautoma solar proposal moves ahead as Inslee tours Yakima County solar project

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Survivor has message for those dealing with domestic violence
Former Seattle police Chief Adrian Diaz on paid administrative leave
Seattle residents concerned about illegal street racing events over the weekend
Woman who allegedly yelled racial slurs, shoved teen in Puyallup charged with hate crime

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
King County Elections says local ballots ‘are safe’
WSDOT employee life-flighted after being hit on SR-206
More than 50 cars broken into in U-District near campus
Bipartisan proposal aim to crack down on organized retail crime nationwide
Man arrested for threatening LGBTQ nightclub, punching worker in Capitol Hill
Police say fires set at ballot boxes in Oregon and Washington are connected; ‘suspect vehicle’ ID’d
Ballot drop box fires highlight concerns that election conspiracy theories are making them a target

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Starbucks warns employees who continue to defy return to office order could be fired
Could Marysville School District closures be the key to solving their $3 million deficit
ACLU sues Seattle City Attorney’s Office for ‘misuse of power’ following judge removal
Former SPD Chief Adrian Diaz, communications director placed on paid administrative leave

KUOW Public Radio
Seattle Public Schools enrollment ticks up slightly as district moves ahead with closures
Former Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz placed on paid leave amid watchdog investigations

KXLY (ABC)
Two endangered gray wolves killed in WA, Fish and Wildlife investigating
Spokane County Elections Office steps up security during WA ballot box arson investigation
Researchers find PFAs in Medical Lake as West Plains neighbors still dealing with contaminated wells
“A violent attack on democracy:” Governor Inslee vows 24-hour security in response to WA ballot box arson

Web

Cascadia Daily News
As Bellingham weighs whether to replace a bridge, residents left in limbo
Carpet padding blocking a culvert caused interstate landslide in Bellingham

Crosscut
Seattle Veterans Affairs staffer alleges whistleblower retaliation

The Urbanist
Bellevue reveals initial designs for pedestrian bridge over I-405

Monday, October 28

Seattle becomes first U.S. city where EMTs can administer buprenorphine
Starting November, Seattle will become the first U.S. city where emergency medical technicians and firefighters in the field can use buprenorphine to treat people who have overdosed on fentanyl, according to city officials. The announcement follows the success the city has had with its paramedics administering the medication since February. If used regularly, experts say, buprenorphine can reduce fatal overdoses by nearly 70% and help people recover from opioid use disorder. The Washington Department of Health is collaborating on the pilot and granted approval to administer the drug. Continue reading at the Seattle Times. (Daniel Kim)

How much does your school district spend on special education per student?
The amount of money spent on special education students in Washington varies widely by district. That’s according to a new analysis of state data from July 2022 to June 2023 of Washington districts where there are over 2,500 students. According to the data, the amount each district spends per special education student ranges from $8,708 in Goldendale School District to $33,056 in Bellevue School District. Washington has steadily increased its cap on the percentage of a district’s population that can receive special education funding. Some lawmakers and advocates have pushed for the Legislature to end the cap entirely, as many districts have identified more special education students than they’re funded for. Continue reading at the WA State Standard. (Getty Images)

WA police get one hour of hate-crime training despite rising cases
Training records show the state’s Criminal Justice Training Commission requires just one hour of hate-crime-specific training as part of the 720-hour basic law enforcement academy that every officer must complete for certification. Experts argue more in-depth training could help officers better identify bias-motivated crimes and work more effectively with marginalized communities. In 2020, the state Office of the Attorney General released an advisory report recommending police departments adopt periodic training as part of their standard in-service requirements. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Genna Martin)

Print

Axios
Loneliness looms for Seattle’s remote workers

Bellingham Herald
Update: Interstate 5 in Bellingham opens after landslide is cleared
Bellingham will have a new public beach area next spring. Here’s what the city is planning

Capital Press
Washington case tests timberland owner’s immunity

Columbian
Washougal schools transportation director says school year off to a smooth start
Why don’t many WA highways have reflectors if the state gets so much rain? We asked WSDOT
Ballot drop boxes in Vancouver and Portland targeted by arson this morning, hundreds of ballots damaged
Electricity equilibrium? Finding power for the Pacific Northwest in the future ‘will be a significant challenge’

Everett Herald
Marysville schools HR director resigns, second since June

Kitsap Sun
Sedative now seen in East Coast fentanyl supply still rare in Kitsap

News Tribune
WA retailers lose $3 billion to theft each year. Here’s what Gig Harbor does to stop it

Seattle Times
Here’s how you can register online to vote Nov. 5 in WA
Seattle becomes first U.S. city where EMTs can administer buprenorphine

Skagit Valley Herald
PSE awarded $45 million for Skagit Valley project

Spokesman Review
Some snow forecast for mountain passes, but it won’t linger
Economists: Higher tariffs would hurt Washington farmers, consumers
Former Spokane HR director accused city leadership of racism and demanded a better payout. Now he wants $50 million

Washington Post
Supreme Court ignites wave of lawsuits against federal regulations
Many older Americans don’t trust AI-generated health information
The surprising winners — and losers — of America’s clean energy boom

WA State Standard
How much does your school district spend on special education per student?

Wenatchee World
WSU Wenatchee Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center to build $18M plant growth facility

Whidbey News-Times
State Ferries plans for charging infrastructure

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Ballot boxes in Portland and Vancouver lit on fire
Microsoft fires employees who organized vigil for Palestinians killed in Gaza
Boeing, in need of cash, looking to raise up to approximately $19B in offering
Care from medical staff who lack training, authority puts WA inmates at risk of injury, death, KING 5 investigation finds

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Massive landslide shuts down I-5 in Bellingham for hours
Ballot boxes in Vancouver, Portland set on fire Monday morning
Street chaos: Police battle a weekend of street takeovers in Tukwila, Seattle
Microsoft fires employees who organized vigil for Palestinians killed in Gaza
‘She tried to punch me’: Tenant accused of stabbing landlord to death over rent in White Center

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
School districts face closure amid significant budget crises
Washington sees 65% increase in car thefts, among highest in nation
Boeing, in need of cash, looks to raise up to approximately $19B in offering
Microsoft fires employees who organized vigil for Palestinians killed in Gaza

KNKX Public Radio
Commercial salmon fishers struggle with low prices

KUOW Public Radio
Mudslide shuts down I-5 North in Bellingham following extreme rain
Her journey through addiction and recovery came full circle in drug court
At the heart of the Boeing strike, an emotional fight over a lost pension plan

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Rep. Rick Larsen touts opioid-related legislation at Bellingham forum

Crosscut
WA police get one hour of hate-crime training despite rising cases

MyNorthwest
Street takeovers run rampant over weekend in multiple cities

Friday, October 25

Trump ignored disaster aid request from political rival
In early September 2020, wildfires tore through eastern Washington state, obliterating tens of millions of dollars of property, displacing hundreds of rural residents and killing a 1-year-old boy. But then-President Donald Trump refused to act on Gov. Jay Inslee’s request for $37 million in federal disaster aid because of a bitter personal dispute with the Democratic governor, an investigation by POLITICO’s E&E News shows. Trump sat on Inslee’s request for the final four months of his presidency, delaying recovery and leaving communities unsure about rebuilding because nobody knew if they would get federal help. Continue reading at EE News. (AP Photo)

Biden to issue landmark apology over Native American boarding schools
President Biden is expected to issue a formal apology for the federal government’s Native American boarding schools during a visit to Arizona on Friday. Biden’s message would be the first public apology from a sitting U.S. president in response to a federal policy that wreaked havoc on tribal communities. “In making this apology, the President acknowledges that we as a people who love our country must remember and teach our full history, even when it is painful,” the White House said in a statement. “And we must learn from that history so that it is never repeated.” Continue reading at KUOW. (Getty)

Senator Cantwell introduces new bill to help fight Spokane’s fentanyl crisis
Spokane’s fire engines are some of the busiest in the state and are prompting new legislation. A typical fire engine responds to about 2,000 calls per year. Spokane Fire Engine 1 is set to respond to 6,500 calls this year, according to Spokane Fire Department. U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell said the increased calls in Spokane are largely due to the city’s fentanyl crisis. She recently introduced a new bill in hopes of providing first responders better tools to fight against fentanyl. The legislation would fund and create new technology to detect fentanyl in a non-invasive way, in an attempt to crack down on drug smuggling. The technology would include using fentanyl-sniffing K9s and devices that can detect fentanyl vapor. Continue reading at KXLY. (KXLY)

Print

Aberdeen Daily World
Aberdeen official gives update on Vacant Building Program

Axios
Labor tensions at Boeing span decades
How an extended strike hurts Boeing’s comeback
Biden to issue historic apology for Indigenous boarding school abuses

Capital Press
WSDA: Migratory birds spreading avian influenza
Washington State to build $18 million plant growth facility
TESTING THE RAPID TEST: Wheat industry hopes to replace ‘complex, cumbersome’ falling number test

Everett Herald
Marysville seeks input from parents on school closures
Boeing Machinists return to the picket line after rejecting contract

News Tribune
Parents claim their nonverbal son was assaulted by a paraeducator at this Tacoma school
Tacoma Police Deputy Chief Paul Junger placed on administrative leave, sources tell TNT

Puget Sound Business Journal
Optimism surfaces in one of Seattle’s most problematic areas

Seattle Times
Here are the four schools Seattle proposes closing next year
EPA toughens requirements to remove lead paint dust around children

Spokesman Review
Man convicted of 1987 Spokane murder could be released as an old man under state’s resentencing rules
Opinion: How to keep and grow defense-related economic impact in Washington

Washington Post
Gas prices are barreling toward a 3-year low as election nears
Striking workers’ pension demand reflects longing for a bygone era
Biden set to apologize to Native Americans for Indian boarding schools
This huge lithium mine shows the trade-offs of the clean-energy transition

WA State Standard
WA paid family leave premiums are going up
CDC confirms two people in Washington infected with bird flu
‘We have persevered’: Biden will apologize for Native American boarding school history

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Seattle Public Schools proposes closure of 4 elementary schools
Sound Transit approves route for West Seattle light rail extension
Vote to continue strike exposes Boeing workers’ anger over lost pensions
Hosmer businesses hire security company to move people off private property amid public safety issues
Family of student denied right to graduate in tribal regalia takes legal action against Tacoma Public Schools

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Tacoma businesses hire security to sweep encampment
SPS names four schools it may close amid budget struggles

KUOW Public Radio
Biden to issue landmark apology over Native American boarding schools
The West Seattle light rail route has been chosen. But can Sound Transit afford it?
Questions of competition highlight legal battle over proposed Kroger Albertsons merger

KXLY (ABC)
Senator Cantwell introduces new bill to help fight Spokane’s fentanyl crisis
Public safety, homelessness top concerns in new Spokane community survey
New affordable housing units give Airway Heights families a place to call home
Violent threats against schools have become an unsettling trend; schools and police are fighting back

Web

Cascadia Daily News
WA health officials warning public of bird flu spread
Western Washington University sees fewer freshman, but overall stable enrollment

Crosscut
Seventy percent of WA students have access to free school lunches

EENews
Trump ignored disaster aid request from political rival

MyNorthwest
Struggling Boeing might leave the space business
Washington added to list of states affected by E. coli infections linked to McDonald’s

The Urbanist
Harrell proposes deep cuts for tenant assistance, advocates push back

Thursday, October 24

College tuition in Washington state bucks the inflation trend
College tuition is one of the rare things that may have actually become cheaper in Washington in recent years — at least, when adjusted for inflation, according to a new report. A recent report from the College Board, which runs the SAT test, found that in-state tuition and fees at Washington’s public four-year universities averages $11,850 this year. Washington’s college tuition prices have stayed more predictable from year to year since 2015, when the state Legislature passed a law tying undergraduate tuition increases to growth in the median wage. Continue reading at Axios. (Alex Fitzpatrick)

The latest fight over rules to protect homes from wildfire
New state building codes aim to protect properties on the edge between urban and wooded areas – a fast growing type of space known as the wildland urban interface – from wildfire. The codes at the center of the controversy are already approved and will take effect March 15. The guidelines, which apply to new construction or remodels, call for roofs, siding, decks, doors, windows and other parts of homes to be made out of fire resistant materials. Based on the new maps, areas near major cities, including Spokane, Olympia, Yakima and Issaquah, would be subject to the new rules. Continue reading at the WA State Standard. (Stephen Brashear)

How is the world doing on climate change? Not great
It’s report card season for climate change. Each year, the United Nations takes stock of whether countries are on track to cut carbon emissions and limit global warming. The grade this year: needs more improvement than ever. Global greenhouse gas emissions rose to a new record in 2023, and if countries do not change course, the world will see warming of more than 5.5 degrees Fahrenheit (3.1 degrees Celsius) by the end of the century. Continue reading at KUOW. (Getty Images)

Print

Axios
How Seattle is contending with delivery boom
Most U.S. counties have little to no local news sources
Why the GOP is challenging overseas and military voting
College tuition in Washington state bucks the inflation trend
Boeing workers reject contract offer as efforts to end strike fail

Bellingham Herald
WWU says small pandemic classes are behind us as latest enrollment numbers show growth
Why don’t many WA highways have reflectors if the state gets so much rain? We asked WSDOT
As La Niña chances decline, here’s what forecasters say about Whatcom County’s winter weather

Capital Press
Judges set hearings on H-2A farmworker union rule
20-year modernization effort pays dividends for irrigation district
Editorial: How we can prevent wildfires

Columbian
New analysis ranks the most energy-efficient states. See why Washington came out on top
World on pace for significantly more warming without immediate climate action, report warns

Everett Herald
Boeing Machinists reject latest offer; strike continues
Everett’s Naval commander gives update on new frigates

The Inlander
NEWS BRIEFS: Spokane workshops offer to help strike racist property records

Kitsap Sun
Bremerton Bay Bowl torn down, but major housing project to retain the name

News Tribune
Police Chief Avery Moore says Tacoma doesn’t ‘have a stand-alone drug unit’
Private security team to sweep stubborn Tacoma homeless camp after spate of violence

Puget Sound Business Journal
Seattle area’s office vacancy rate sets record
Boeing machinists reject contract offer, extending strike
What business leaders believe recent grads are lacking in
SBA wants to spur billions in investments with new license awards

Seattle Times
Olympia ranked No. 1 in U.S. for share of middle-class residents
Ice age’s largest waterfall is now one of WA’s best outdoor adventure sites

Spokesman Review
Brown names new city administrator and brings back former Councilman Jon Snyder for new transportation role
An influential group funded a study to gauge residents’ perceptions of downtown. Spokane’s got big problems, respondents told them

Vancouver Business Journal
Community Foundation awarded $1.9 million from state

Washington Post
Drought levels across the U.S. are notably high for this time of year
Striking Boeing workers vote to reject deal as company’s losses grow
Students still dealing with drama from last FAFSA, despite positive new data

WA State Standard
The latest fight over rules to protect homes from wildfire (Duerr)
Washington students scored high on ACT — but few take the test
Strike will continue as Boeing machinists reject another contract offer

Wenatchee World
Wenatchee Valley city governments experiencing ‘slow down’ in their finances

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Little Saigon restaurant business broken into 9 times
Boeing machinists reject company’s contract offer, remain on strike
How dog owners can play a role in protecting Washington waterways
Decision over Bellingham bridge replacement could oust homeowners

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
State plans to open new law enforcement training facility in Arlington
No deal: Workers return to picket line after rejecting Boeing’s latest contract offer

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Memorial Walk to honor victims of 2014 Marysville Pilchuck High School shooting
City of Tacoma to launch new Street Medicine Pilot Program to address homelessness

KNKX Public Radio
How is the world doing on climate change? Not great
Boeing posts a $6 billion loss as striking workers vote on a new contract

KUOW Public Radio
More Washington state kids are exposed to lead than we know

KXLY (ABC)
More than 6,400 racial covenants found on properties in Spokane. Is your home one of them?

Web

Cascadia Daily News
‘Era of the Pacific’: Port of Bellingham’s growth impacted by millions in federal funds
County council affirms food security as public health priority, asks for increased funds
Everson development on the Nooksack’s floodplain weighs climate risk with housing need

MyNorthwest
Washington defense attorney faces charges for allegedly smuggling drugs into jail

The Urbanist
Bellevue greenlights downtown bike detour proposed by Kemper Development

West Seattle Blog
WEST SEATTLE LIGHT RAIL: Key Sound Transit Board vote expected Thursday

Wednesday, October 23

New analysis ranks the most energy-efficient states. See why Washington came out on top
Energy is a top household expense, with the average family in America spending over $2,000 each year on utilities, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Gas ran the average consumer another $2,449 in 2023. However, the DOE estimates that energy-efficient measures can reduce utility costs up to 25%, and more fuel-efficient vehicles can save drivers nearly $900 per year. Washington state took the top spot for home and auto energy efficiency in the U.S., according to the analysis. Continue reading at the Bellingham Herald. (Steve Chenn)

Washington ban on over-the-counter sexual assault kits upheld by federal judge
Washington’s ban on the sale or advertising of over-the-counter sexual assault evidence kits was upheld by a federal judge on Monday. Proponents of Washington’s law, passed in 2023 as House Bill 1564, said over-the-counter kits aren’t sufficient compared to forensic sexual assault examinations by trained medical staff. Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s office called the kits “rarely, if ever, admissible in court.” In its lawsuit, Leda argued that the state’s 2023 ban targets sexual assault survivors and violates First Amendment rights related to free speech and advertising. But U.S. District Court Chief Judge David G. Estudillo disagreed, ruling that the statute is “an economic regulation of the sale of a particular product,” not a regulation of speech. Continue reading at the Washington State Standard. (Leda Health)

New audit reveals Washington’s cannabis tracking system is ‘yet to be fully realized’
Washington remains behind when it comes to tracking cannabis sales from production to smoke shop shelves, according to a new state audit. According to a press release from Adam Wilson, assistant director of communications for the Washington State Auditor’s Office, the active cannabis tracking system, developed more than a decade ago when voters approved the legalization of recreational marijuana use in the state, doesn’t efficiently track how cannabis is produced, processed or sold. The system helps identify risks of illegal or unsafe practices within the cannabis business from farm to store. Continue reading at KIRO. (Julio Cortez)