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Tuesday, October 31

Editorial: Clean energy, not expanding gas pipeline, is WA’s future
In the fight against climate change, Washington has led by example. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s recent decision to allow expansion of a natural gas pipeline through Idaho, Washington and Oregon is antithetical to those efforts. “It makes no sense to shackle ourselves to a source of energy whose cost will go up in the coming decades instead of the clean energy sources whose costs are coming down dramatically,” argued Washington Gov. Jay Inslee. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Paul Tong)

The challenge in mandating electric heating in Washington state
Government officials see electric heat pumps as a crucial tool for decarbonizing buildings, which produce an estimated 25% to 28% of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions globally. But, new building codes that would have required most new buildings in Washington state to use electric heat pumps were shelved a few months before they were set to take effect in July. Washington state officials are now pursuing a different strategy for residential and commercial buildings that doesn’t strictly require heat pumps in new buildings. Continue reading at Axios. (Aida Amer)

Here’s how collective bargaining for Washington legislative staffers could go
Recommendations in a 100- page report from the leader of the Office of State Legislative Labor Relations were delivered to lawmakers earlier this month. The report arrives after Washington became one of the first states to allow employees of the House, Senate and legislative agencies to form unions and collectively bargain. Debbie Brookman, director of the labor relations office shared that “the report is my best effort to take feedback from employee survey data and other research, including my personal experience with the practical impacts of collective bargaining, and provide a thoughtful approach for the Legislature’s consideration,” she said. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Bill Lucia)

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Associated Press
Prosecutors In Manny Ellis Trial Enter Its 5Th Week By Questioning His Closest Allies
Abuse victims say gun surrender laws save lives. Will the Supreme Court agree?
Autoworkers are the latest to spotlight the power of US labor. What is the state of unions today?
Biden administration is moving toward a narrower student loan relief targeting groups of borrowers

Axios
The challenge in mandating electric heating in Washington state
Breaking even on your Seattle-area home could take 11 years

Bainbridge Island Review
KPHD: Mental health keeps getting progressively worse

Capital Press
Washington Fish and Wildlife rejects petition from wolf advocates

Columbian
Sales of electric vehicles revving up in Clark County; 2,000 BEVs registered in county this year
Kaiser Permanente, Washington health care workers reach tentative contract agreement
Editorial: Opposition to libraries continues despite benefits

The Daily News
Cowlitz County Jail to receive new cameras

Everett Herald
Edmonds-Kingston ferry route at half-capacity ‘until further notice’
Editorial: Meta lawsuit must bring changes to protect children

Islands’ Weekly
State awards LIFRC $148,610 for environmental education

Olympian
Jury hears recorded statements of two police officers accused of killing Manuel Ellis
Amid financial issues, Pierce County AIDS agency lays off CEO, staff. CEO alleges racism

Puget Sound Business Journal
Port outlines priorities for Sea-Tac Airport in proposed spending plan
Opinion: Our property insurance crisis has been a long time coming

Seattle Times
Seattle police’s delayed deception policy goes into effect Wednesday
Kaiser Permanente and WA workers reach tentative contract agreement
WA ferry fleet loses a Seattle to Bremerton boat; strain continues
Editorial: Clean energy, not expanding gas pipeline, is WA’s future

Spokesman Review
Pickleball club coming to downtown Spokane
Spokane VA recognized for dramatic improvement in patient feedback
As Washington gas prices stay higher than almost any other state’s, debate over state climate legislation rages
Opinion: Fall is here, and with it the beginning of respiratory illness season
Opinion: More action needed to keep river on road to recovery

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Port of Walla Walla Commissioners vote to create tax increment area

Washington Post
Home schooling’s rise from fringe to fastest-growing form of education
Online news hits a tipping point, as creators surge past legacy media

WA State Standard
Conservationists fail in push to tighten WA wolf killing rules
Here’s how collective bargaining for Washington legislative staffers could go (Riccelli, Pedersen, Stanford)

Yakima Herald-Republic
Work to locate burials at Fort Simcoe Indian boarding school in WA intensifies
Respiratory illness in Yakima County remains low as colder weather arrives
Agritourism is growing across Yakima Valley and the state … just don’t call it that

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Providence Everett nurses approve strike as labor contract expires
Washington’s Baker River sockeye salmon run smashes record, despite hydroelectric dams
Bus driver workers’ compensation claims skyrocket as exposure to drugs increases
New program will use heat from King County sewers to warm privately owned buildings

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Seattle survey seeks your input on crime, police response times and community concerns
Seattle to implement nation’s 1st policy governing use of police ‘ruses’ during investigations
Bellevue parents protest against potential school closure amid district’s declining enrollment concerns

KUOW Public Radio
Hong Kong drops gun charge against Washington state Sen. Jeff Wilson
Kaiser reaches tentative deal with WA health care workers, avoiding strike
Could a streetcar be the key to reviving downtown Seattle’s arts and entertainment scene?
Wildlife advocates push back on pickleball in Seattle’s Lincoln Park

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane County Sheriff’s Office warns of crypto scam

NW Public Radio
Missing: What to do when someone disappears

Q13 TV (FOX)
‘Fall back’ this weekend for daylight saving time. Here’s what you need to know

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Landlords to face higher fees for inspections

MyNorthwest
In Seattle, phones ding. Killer whales could be close
‘It does not smell’: Wash. program to use sewage to keep businesses warm

The Stranger
Delays Plague Workgroup Meant to Help Victims of Police Violence

West Seattle Blog
FERRY-DOCK WORK: Fauntleroy repairs, repaving tonight and Tuesday night
LIGHT RAIL: Here’s everything Sound Transit showed at West Seattle event, as another round of drilling continues

Monday, October 30

Providence Everett staffing spurs nurses to authorize strike
Dana Robison, a labor and delivery nurse at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett, has seen patients in labor waiting on a bench in the hallway. “I tell them, ‘If you think your baby’s coming out, yell real loud,’” she said. According to nurses, it’s just one of many examples of a daily crisis at the Everett hospital. Continue reading at Everett Herald. (Olivia Vanni/The Herald)

Family members of police brutality victims push for more reform
Washington Coalition for Police Accountability members and citizens whose loved ones died in police encounters announced on Thursday they will back three police reform laws in the 2024 legislative session. These include House Bill 1513, which would prohibit police from stopping drivers solely for infractions like broken headlights or expired registration tabs. House Bill 1445 would expand the Washington Attorney General Office’s authority to investigate law enforcement agencies, and House Bill 1579 would establish an independent prosecutor at the state level to make charging decisions regarding officers involved in deaths. Continue reading at KING 5.

Hong Kong authorities dismiss gun charges against Washington state senator
A Washington state senator won’t be prosecuted for having a revolver in his baggage when he arrived at the Hong Kong International Airport earlier this month. Firearm-related charges against Sen. Jeff Wilson, R-Longview, were dismissed by a Hong Kong court, according to information a Wilson spokesman provided Sunday night. But prosecutors could refile if he commits another gun offense in Hong Kong in two years, spokesman Erik Smith said in an email. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (B.S.P.I./Getty Images)

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Bellevue Reporter
Off-duty pilot charged after psychedelic mushroom-induced ‘breakdown’

Columbian
Voices of Experience: Those who’ve lived on the streets bring empathy to organizations helping Clark County’s homeless
Clark County retail space continues to be in high demand
Vancouver traffic calming project sites announced
Volunteer restoration project celebrates 1 million trees in Southwest Washington watersheds

Everett Herald
$2.2M project to widen sidewalk on Mukilteo bridge starts Sunday
Providence Everett staffing spurs nurses to authorize strike
Snohomish County deputy sues police academy, trainer over sexual harassment allegations
Comment: Use law to keep guns out of hands of domestic abusers
Washington clears backlog of over 10,000 sexual assault testing kits

News Tribune
Kids can get dental, medical care at this local school without parents taking off work

Peninsula Daily News
Ridge funding included in Biden ask

Puget Sound Business Journal
Why supermarket bank branches have increasingly become a relic
Southwest Airlines makes triple-digit order for more Boeing 737 Max jets

Seattle Times
Snohomish County settles lawsuit over care worker’s rough arrest
Sound Transit needs more railcars soon, so it won’t run out of room for riders
PFAS is in the groundwater west of Spokane. What’s known about the contamination is only growing.
Case against WA state Sen. Jeff Wilson, who brought a gun on flight, dismissed
Seattle leaders don’t have much to say about city’s restroom problem
Data shows Seattle area is more liberal than ever
As Skagit Valley waterways get warmer, the Swinomish push to save fish
Editorial: King County gun violence prevention office is a much needed new tool
Opinion: ‘Hug your kids every day’: A Bellevue mom’s fentanyl tragedy
Opinion: ‘He had so much in life to live’: A son, brother, friend lost to gun violence

Tri-City Herald
‘Voice of hope.’ Help for the Tri-Cities most vulnerable and homeless
Trouble finding Tri-Cities child care? You’re not alone and why it may get worse

Vancouver Business Journal
The Ed & Dollie Lynch Fund Joins the Endeaver Fund to support new trades facility for Vancouver Public Schools

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Meet Heather VanTassell, the next director of the Walla Walla Public Library

Washington Post
The Native American population exploded, the Census shows. Here’s why.
UAW reaches tentative deal with GM, which could end strike
$100,000 bills. No forbearance. Student loan servicers are making dramatic errors.
Biden to sign sweeping artificial intelligence executive order
Why many scientists are now saying climate change is an all-out ‘emergency’

WA State Standard
New rules to protect homes from wildfire ignite controversy
Hong Kong authorities dismiss gun charges against Washington state senator
How you can help prevent your ballot from getting rejected

Wenatchee World
Newhouse criticizes North Cascades grizzly bear reintroduction plan, public comment period open

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Family members of police brutality victims push for more reform
Washington state senator who inadvertently brought firearm in luggage will not face charges
5th anniversary of Lion Air 737-Max crash: Lessons learned

KUOW Public Radio
Washington ferries will pause ads, at least until Coca-Cola controversy fizzles
New push to ‘hold police accountable’ gains steam in Washington state
Snohomish County businesses can’t totally nix cash under new law

KXLY (ABC)
National Drug Take Back Day helps families dispose of unused drugs

Q13 TV (FOX)
Firearms charge against Washington state senator Jeff Wilson dismissed in Hong Kong court

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Resuming police foot patrols downtown part of city’s renewed safety plan
Western alum creates nasal spray device for opioid overdoses

Crosscut
Fair weather yields fruitful 2023 apple harvests in Washington

MyNorthwest
Gov. Inslee, some local residents speak out about ads on ferry exteriors

The Stranger
Forced Out: The Electrical Engineer

West Seattle Blog
FERRY ALERT UPDATE: Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth back to two boats
LINCOLN PARK PICKLEBALL? Councilmember Herbold asks Parks to host public meeting

Friday, October 27

Illegal child labor is surging in WA and across US. Sen. Murray wants to hold businesses accountable
A record 138 businesses in Washington were fined for violating child labor laws last year, the highest number in recent memory, according to U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, a Washington Democrat. Murray introduced legislation Thursday to crack down on the growing problem. “Companies have gotten away with it,” Murray said in an interview with KUOW. “And the more they get away with it and the more they have cheap labor and nobody’s noticing you’re doing anything, they just keep doing it.” Continue reading at KUOW. (Megan Farmer)

Mobile home residents are seizing the opportunity to buy their parks
Mobile home parks are coming up for sale and there are signs that a new law giving residents a chance to buy them is working. Since mid-July, 11 properties have gone on the market in Washington and residents of seven are using tools from the three-month-old law to pursue ownership, the state House Housing Committee heard Thursday. Before Senate Bill 5198 became law, mobile home parks did not have to be sold on the open market. Now, owners must notify tenants and dozens of eligible community groups of the opportunity to make an offer. They also have to inform the Washington State Housing Finance Commission and the state Department of Commerce. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Mark Hatfield)

WA has cleared its backlog of sexual assault testing kits, AG says
The state has cleared a decades-old backlog of more than 10,000 forensic kits collected from sexual assault survivors, state officials said Thursday. In 2015, legislators passed a state law requiring police agencies to send kits for testing within 30 days and for the lab to test a kit within 45 days of getting it. In 2016, the state implemented a kit-tracking system, and the next year, the Attorney General’s Office received a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to inventory and test kits. In 2019, lawmakers budgeted money to build a new lab in Vancouver, which is now operating. Continue reading at Seattle Times.

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Bellingham Herald
A wave of loss in opioid epidemic spurs WA tribal leaders, politicians toward a solution

Capital Press
Tech Hub aims to grow Northwest mass timber industry
Wildlife advocates petition for less hunting of cougars, bears in Washington

Everett Herald
Third inmate since September dies at Snohomish County Jail
Everett-based Housing Hope cuts positions amid financial troubles

News Tribune
New 60-unit tiny home village could fill vacant lot in Tacoma. Here’s what we know
Puyallup church ends lease of K-6 school that would play teams with transgender athletes
Jury hears recorded interview of one Tacoma officer accused of killing Manuel Ellis

Olympian
11 years after WA voters legalized marijuana, two Pasco stores will open within days
This Olympia cannabis testing lab just got its certification suspended. Here’s why

Puget Sound Business Journal
Seattle’s crane count drops but still tops this list

Seattle Times
WA has cleared its backlog of sexual assault testing kits, AG says (Orwall)
Former cadets sue WA police academy, trainer over sexual harassment allegations
WA state ferry fans see red over Coca-Cola banner ads on vessels
Murray earmarks $80M to rebuild Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge
Editorial: A good news AI story shows the value of early tech education
Dow Constantine: To create safety, King County needs more than jails

Washington Post
College enrollment grew for the first time since the pandemic started
Ford workers praise new UAW contract: ‘This will change so many lives’

WA State Standard
Washington clears backlog of over 10,000 sexual assault testing kits (Orwall)
Mobile home residents are seizing the opportunity to buy their parks
Sound Transit weighs more night and weekend trips on Seattle-Tacoma train line

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima County plans to tap reserves to balance 2024 operating budget
WA farm workers voice varying opinions on increased overtime protections
Editorial: Costs shouldn’t prevent domestic violence intervention treatment

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Freeze warning leads some Western Washington cold weather shelters to open early

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Bellevue School District considers middle school consolidation
Police accountability group lays out 2024 priorities for Washington lawmakers

KNKX Public Radio
Built during protests, Seattle’s BLM Garden fights for its future

KUOW Public Radio
Thousands of untested sexual assault kits finally processed in Washington state (Orwall, Dhingra)
Illegal child labor is surging in WA and across US. Sen. Murray wants to hold businesses accountable
Ballard and North Seattle teens are being mugged on their way home from school

KXLY (ABC)
CDC warns of RSV vaccine shortage, urges parents to stay informed

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Resuming police foot patrols downtown part of city’s renewed safety plan

MyNorthwest
Edmonds property taxes likely to rise as city faces budget shortfall

The Stranger
Slog AM: Washington Clears Rape Kit Backlog

West Seattle Blog
FAUNTLEROY FERRY DOCK: Nine replacement options shown at Community Advisory Group’s first meeting in a year
Sound Transit returns to West Seattle to talk about light-rail stations, kicking off another round of feedback

Thursday, October 26

WA lands chief: State just had one of its ‘most challenging’ fire seasons ever
Lands commissioner Hilary Franz says while responders kept most fires contained, the overall number of blazes was at a historic high, and more burned in western Washington. Franz attributed the department’s success to spending lawmakers approved in recent years. Legislation passed in 2021 set aside $125 million every two years for wildfire response, forest restoration and community resilience – the most significant investment into the state’s wildfire programs in recent years. Continue reading at WA State Standard (Laurel Demkovich)

WA lawmaker moves to fix system for child sex trafficking victims
The lead legislator of Washington’s “Safe Harbor” law aimed at aiding child sex trafficking victims plans to introduce a bill addressing the law’s shortcomings. Stakeholders say a new bill with more funding is needed following an InvestigateWest report that uncovered the state’s failure to provide treatment options for trafficked youth. The purpose of the Safe Harbor law was to ensure that trafficked kids are treated as victims, not criminalized and detained. But with very few treatment options available, stakeholders think repurposing vacant juvenile detention buildings could provide a solution. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Kelsey Turner)

Creating an ecosystem for Black homeownership in WA
For many of us, the biggest asset we will ever own is our home. It’s more than just a place to live. For Black families, however, the dream of homeownership has been a much greater challenge. Today, only 35% of Black households in Washington state own their own homes compared with 68% of white households. Forty-two percent of Black households have zero net worth. A study released earlier this year estimates that racist housing policies have cost Black families in King County between $12 and $34 billion. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Getty)

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Associated Press
An increase in harassment against Jewish and Muslim Americans has been reported since Hamas attacks

Bainbridge Island Review
Longtime state 23^rd District Rep. Sherry Appleton dies

Bellingham Herald
Will metal shredder proposal move forward? Here’s what Whatcom decided on possible ban

Columbian
Washington blood banks face low supply
Southwest Washington viticulture area clears hurdle
Nam’u qas apartments for people exiting foster care opens in Hazel Dell
Battle Ground schools win grant for mental health work
Editorial: Washington, other states wise to scrutinize Meta

Everett Herald
After marathon meeting, Edmonds council raises property taxes 1%
Ban on cash-free businesses passes in unincorporated Snohomish County
Comment: Adults are parenting more but kids are learning less

The Inlander
Cannabis users fared better against COVID, arrests went up
Spokane City Council moves $6 million in pandemic funds toward Trent shelter
A strike force led by local U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref is working to uncover millions of dollars in pandemic relief

News Tribune
Cardiologist testifies police restraint of Manuel Ellis led to his death in their custody
Op-Ed: The carbon tax on gas is burdening WA families. How we can lighten the load (Mullet)

Olympian
Forecast says El Niño will be strong this winter. Here’s what it means for WA weather
Another earthquake rattled NW Washington on Sunday. What’s causing quakes in Puget Sound?

Peninsula Daily News
Sequim looks for ways to encourage housing

Port Townsend Leader
Endangered Southern Resident orcas make return

Puget Sound Business Journal
These are Washington’s most expensive colleges
Why Washington, 32 other states are suing Facebook, Instagram parent
Child-care costs are on the rise — and women are leaving the workforce

Seattle Medium
Schools Aren’t Prepared To Handle Racist Bullying
Gun Violence Is Shaking The Foundation Of Seattle’s Neighborhoods

Seattle Times
WA 2023 fire season a ‘wake-up call,’ DNR chief says
Emergency blood supply dangerously low in WA
Seattle launches pilot program to tackle mental health calls
Snohomish County joins King in mandating stores to accept cash
Seattle students robbed in 14 incidents since September, police say
Opinion: Creating an ecosystem for Black homeownership in WA

Skagit Valley Herald
Inslee checks in on Skagit County’s electric ferry project

Spokesman Review
This year was one of Washington’s ‘most challenging’ fire seasons yet, according to lands chief
Sheriff tells Spokane Valley City Council policy change is underway after beating of man in park, saying his office ‘has to uphold public trust’

Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
Ferry service eyes Spring 2024 return to three-boat service on Vashon’s north end

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
‘A big change:’ Homeless alliance shows new transitional shelter

Washington Post
UAW and Ford reach tentative deal to end strike
U.S. economy grows at blockbuster pace in third quarter
As child-care crisis looms, Biden asks Congress for urgent help

WA State Standard
WA lands chief: State just had one of its ‘most challenging’ fire seasons ever
Washington fine-tunes its options for boosting electric vehicle sales
Washington lawmaker vows to fix law that’s failing to help victims of child sex trafficking (Orwall)

Wenatchee World
Wenatchee-based Stemilt Growers partners with Atlas Agro in green fertilizer, hydrogen plant

Yakima Herald-Republic
Boil water notice issued in Zillah after E.coli found in the water system

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
5 Shoreline elementary schools to lose district-run childcare next school year

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Seattle outreach program offers a lifeline: Turning dilapidated RVs into permanent homes
Seattle launches crisis responder team to handle 911 calls alongside police and firefighters
Are 4-day school weeks better or worse for students? Here’s what the research says

KNKX Public Radio
Behind the effort to save Pierce County’s historic Parkland School

KUOW Public Radio
Protesters sought new 911 response in Seattle. Here it is

KXLY (ABC)
Local firefighter with cancer doesn’t qualify for worker’s compensation
NAACP criticizes county commissioners over appointment of Racial Equity Subcommittee chair

Q13 TV (FOX)
Pierce County considers new grant program to help small businesses upgrade security
Food Safety Lawyer: Check Halloween candy labels for Red No. 3, recently banned in California
UAW reaches tentative deal with Ford on new contract amind historic strike with Detroit automakers

Web

Cascadia Daily News
City, county fund winter and severe weather shelters

Crosscut
New study brings home the danger of fentanyl for WA residents
WA lawmaker moves to fix system for child sex trafficking victims (Orwall)

MyNorthwest
Seattle approves changes that allow them to pave Burke-Gilman’s ‘missing link’
Parents voice frustrations as Lake Stevens schools see 49 bus cancellations in less than 2 months
Providence nurses fight for better rights after more than 600 quit in last 18 months

Wednesday, October 25

Lack of civil engineers a bottleneck for WA’s large transportation projects
The desperate clamor to hire civil engineers is a symptom of a larger shortage of civil engineers facing contractors in Washington and across the U.S. Opportunities for work are abundant at every level, but fewer people are graduating with civil engineering degrees while thousands more retire each year. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Ken Lambert)

Washington’s new youth homelessness ‘Lifeline’ service lags
In 2021, nearly one in six of the approximately 7,300 youth and young adults — more than half of them people of color — exiting Washington state foster care, justice or behavioral health systems were homeless a year later. The Lifeline pilot was supposed to test whether the program could serve as a crucial safety net for those who have left state care and serve as a model for similar efforts elsewhere. But first the model has to work. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Caroline Walker Evans)

Meta sued by Washington, 41 other states for addictive features targeting children
Dozens of US states, including Washington state, are suing Meta Platforms Inc. for harming young people’s mental health and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms. The lawsuit claims that Meta routinely collects data on children under 13 without their parents’ consent, in violation of federal law. In addition to the 33 states, nine other attorneys general are filing in their respective states, bringing the total number of states taking action to 42. Continue reading at KING 5 TV.