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Wednesday, July 17

Attorneys for convicted Auburn police officer seek new trial and judge
The attorneys for Auburn police officer Jeffrey Nelson, convicted last month of murder and assault for the shooting death of Jesse Sarey in 2019, are seeking a new trial and a new judge to hear it, alleging “unprecedented” judicial interference during deliberations and “egregious” misconduct by special prosecutors during his six-week trial. Nelson, a 12-year Auburn veteran officer, was the first police officer to be charged under new police-accountability and training provisions contained in I-940, a citizens initiative that passed in 2018. That measure removed language from the police deadly-force statute that previously made charging an officer with murder almost impossible. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Kevin Clark)

Biden’s push to cap rent hikes could energize the pursuit in Washington
Democratic state lawmakers in Washington came up empty this year when they sought to cap rent increases to help tenants cope with surging costs of housing. They view President Joe Biden’s call Tuesday for limiting rent hikes as validation that housing affordability is a problem nationwide, and say it could re-energize the conversation on assisting renters in Washington. Under Biden’s proposal, landlords could raise rents no more than 5% a year if they want to claim a federal tax break enabling faster write-off of depreciation costs. Continue reading at The WA State Standard. (Mario Tama)

Washington tribes receive $52 million through landmark climate law
Tens of millions of dollars raised by a landmark climate law in Washington state will go to Native American tribes that are at risk from climate change and rising sea levels to help them move to higher ground, install solar panels, buy electric vehicles and restore wetlands, Gov. Jay Inslee announced Tuesday. Nearly every Native American tribe in Washington is receiving money. Among them is the 3,000-member Quinault Indian Nation on the Pacific coast of the Olympic Peninsula, which is getting $13 million to help relocate its two main villages to higher ground, away from the tsunami zone and persistent flooding. Continue reading at KOMO. (Lindsey Wasson)

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Associated Press
Rising sea levels push the Quinault Nation to look toward higher ground
Judge rejects WA attorney general Bob Ferguson’s effort to get Catholic church records

Axios
Heat wave fans spread of avian flu

Capital Press
Yakima River basin water supply drops a little
The heat is on: Wildfire activity elevates in West
Hot potatoes: Above-normal heat stretch puts plants into lull
Farmers, red states ask Supreme Court to review electric vehicle mandate

Columbian
Kalama omits gender-inclusivity rules from student handbook
Vancouver City Council considers zoning district to protect city’s mobile home parks
Share’s Summer Meal Program moves into apartment complexes to feed more Clark County children

Everett Herald
At new Marysville water treatment facility, plants filter out pollutants
Editorial: Weekend’s violence should steel resolve in democracy

News Tribune
National Weather Service issues red flag warning for W. Washington over fire danger
Crowd-control restrictions implemented at popular Pierce County park. Will they continue?

Peninsula Daily News
Legislators learn effects of climate change in park

Puget Sound Business Journal
Seattle Aquarium sets opening date for $170M Ocean Pavilion

Seattle Times
Seattle’s cost of living crisis hits the arts hard. Why that matters
Restaurant industry scrambles as new minimum wage approaches
Attorneys for convicted Auburn police officer seek new trial and judge
Aging bridges in 16 states will be improved or replaced with the help of $5B in federal funding

Spokesman Review
Fair game: More teachers are ‘gaming’ during lessons, but is it safe?
New kiosk at Northeast Community Center offers free health supplies

Washington Post
Biden set to announce support for major Supreme Court changes

WA State Standard
Biden’s push to cap rent hikes could energize the pursuit in Washington (Trudeau, Peterson, Kuderer)
Jayapal, Smith call for closure of for-profit immigration detention facilities

Yakima Herald-Republic
Windmill Farms workers conduct work stoppage at Sunnyside mushroom plant

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
A woman’s toddler died of a fentanyl overdose in her bed. She is now charged with manslaughter
Skagit County mom wants death certificate changes for those killed by ‘controlled substance homicide’

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Activists call on Amazon to speed up climate goals amid Prime Day
Amazon Prime Day is a major cause of injuries for warehouse workers, Senate review says
Money from Washington’s landmark climate law will help tribes face rising seas, climate change

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Washington tribes receive $52 million through landmark climate law
Seattle City Council passes ordinance to adopt harsher penalties for illegal street racing

KUOW Public Radio
The Trump assassination attempt and why counterterrorism is hard to combat in the U.S.
Following Trump shooting, Washington state politicians condemn violence and spread conspiracy theories

KXLY (ABC)
Level 3 (Go Now) evacuations ordered for 520-acre wildfire burning in Asotin County
Catholic clergy abuse survivors call for alleged Washington abuse documents to be released

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Just how filthy is Bellingham Bay — and who is cleaning it up?
With new health center now open, Lummi Nation sets sights on detox facility

MyNorthwest
Seattle City Light rate hikes to be higher than forecast
Suspect dies in Pierce County deputy-involved shooting
Activists call on Amazon to speed up climate goals amid Prime Day
Whatcom County deaths of unhoused people on pace for record amount
Seattle council votes to crack down on street racing; adds fines, classifies as reckless driving

The Urbanist
King County Plans to Close Transit Center Restrooms Despite Promising Pilot

Tuesday, July 16

Sale of large capacity magazines remains illegal after WA Supreme Court stay ruling
The Washington State Supreme Court upheld Monday morning a temporary legal pause preventing the sale of large-capacity magazines in Washington after a Cowlitz County judge in April found the state ban violated the U.S. and Washington constitutions in lawsuits involving Kelso gun store Gator’s Custom Guns. The state Supreme Court will hear the overall case — which will determine the future of the 2022 state high-capacity magazine ban — after granting direct review and bypassing the Washington State Court of Appeals in June. Continue reading at The Columbian. (Keith Srakocic)

Washington faces shortfall of qualified special education teachers, audit finds
Washington lacks qualified special education teachers and teachers’ aides, but the state doesn’t know how bad the problem really is — just that at least 1.5% of the teachers aren’t qualified for their jobs. That’s according to a new state audit, which found that alongside high vacancy rates in special education, a “significant number of those in the classroom do not hold full teaching endorsements for special education or are comparatively inexperienced in this field.” Continue reading at The WA State Standard. (Richard Ross)

Where Have All the Washington State Ferries Walk-on Passengers Gone?
Washington State Ferries (WSF) ridership has recovered from the pandemic faster than nearly any public transit agency in the state. 2023 WSF ridership recovered to 78% of the 2019 ridership, better recovery than all but three Washington state transit agencies. But the recovery has been uneven, with drive-on ridership (drivers, passengers, and motorcycles) recovering much faster than ‘walk-ons’ (pedestrians and bicyclists). Continue reading at The Urbanist. (Travis Merrigan)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Changes to Aberdeen’s camping ordinances afoot
Editorial: Please follow county burn ban restrictions

Axios
Exclusive: Energy Department proposes AI strategy
Seattle statue of Hiroshima bombing survivor stolen
Biden to propose capping national rent increases at 5%
Gray wolves could fall off Washington state endangered list

Capital Press
Murphy leads WSU’s bread lab
Fish and Wildlife rules wolf shooting lawful, won’t remove more wolves

Columbian
Washington universities enrollment questions persist
Popular Clark County program Dozer Day expands nationally
Clark County Public Health shines the light on heat in new study
Sale of large capacity magazines remains illegal after WA Supreme Court stay ruling

Everett Herald
Ferry line jumpers face a $145 fine — and scorn from other drivers

News Tribune
‘Crucial’ undeveloped Pierce County trail will become 3.5 miles for bikers, pedestrians
Tacoma ranked one of the worst U.S. cities for renters, according to new study. Here’s why
Crowd-control restrictions implemented at popular Pierce County park. Will they continue?

New York Times
Why Is the Oil Industry Booming?

Olympian
This story pole honors the Boldt Decision and Indigenous activists who fought for it
WA has over 90 road construction projects this summer. Use our guide to avoid traffic
WA is one of the states with the highest quality of life, CNBC says. Here’s where it ranks

Puget Sound Business Journal
Distress, foreclosure worries grow for hotel properties
Feds deliver $1.5B for Columbia River I-5 bridge project

Seattle Times
Why some WA universities are seeing a drop in enrollment
Millions of world’s children unvaccinated against deadly diseases
Black women employed by King County report lower pay, discrimination
Amazon Prime Day is a major cause of injuries for warehouse workers, Senate review says

Spokesman Review
One dead, others hospitalized after weekend evening swim at Coyote Rock
Last week’s temperatures broke records and roadways, and the heat isn’t letting up anytime soon

Washington Post
Why melting ice sheets are making our days longer
Pentagon confronts Gold Star divide among grieving military families
Witnesses warned police of shooter at least 86 seconds before gunfire, video shows

WA State Standard
Washington faces shortfall of qualified special education teachers, audit finds
WA high court leaves ban in place for now on large capacity ammo magazines

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Voters to weigh in on Port of Everett boundary expansion
Yes, ‘zombie fires’ can happen in the Pacific Northwest. Here’s how they work
16-year-old accused of shooting Tacoma police officer could be charged as an adult, judge says

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Police investigating theft of WWII tribute statue in Seattle
Severe illnesses linked to Diamond Shruumz products, one potential fatality

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane police issue warnings for illegally parked campers
‘They looked the other way’; Child sex abuse victim wins suit against Cheney School District

Web

Cascadia Daily News
DNR expects a ‘sporty’ week of fire conditions in North Cascades
City of Bellingham anticipating budget deficit with ‘flattening of revenues’
Whatcom County, faced with ‘sobering’ budget reality, announces temporary hiring freeze

Crosscut
Wildlife advocates skeptical of WA wolf count
WA Supreme Court lets high-capacity ammo ban stand for now
Nonprofits to build affordable housing near Mount Baker station

MyNorthwest
Don’t be that person: State troopers fine ferry line cutters $145
Pierce County Sheriff’s Department reports officer-involved shooting
Court documents reveal ‘hate crime’ at Edmonds Ezell’s Chicken restaurant
King County deputies make arrests; seize nearly 30 pounds of drugs, 18 firearms, flame thrower

The Urbanist
Community Transit Plans ‘Swift Gold Line’ Bus to Arlington
Where Have All the Washington State Ferries Walk-on Passengers Gone?

Monday, July 15

Clark County’s Community Court ‘way different from regular court’, sees success in helping the homeless
It’s been one year since the launch of Clark County Community Court to connect homeless people with resources rather than punish them for living outside. The joint effort between Clark County District Court and the city of Vancouver has received Clark County mental health sales tax funds, as well as state dollars. Community Court sessions occur in a space that looks more like a classroom than a courtroom. The judge, prosecutor, defense attorney and defendant sit together at a paint-stained table in a small room at Recovery Café, a nonprofit on Fourth Plain Boulevard that helps people recover from addiction. Continue reading at The Columbian. (Taylor Balkom)

‘Unprecedented’: WA transfers 43 men in juvenile detention to adult prison
Forty-three men over the age of 21 were transferred Friday to adult prisons from the juvenile detention center they were sentenced to due to safety concerns from a “rapidly growing population,” according to the Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families. All of those transferred have sentences that extend past their 25th birthdays and would have eventually transferred to DOC to serve the remainder of their sentences, according to a DCYF news release. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Mike Siegel)

Selling Washington’s food and farm products to the world
Washington is the apple growing capital of the nation. It’s home to Walla Walla onions, Penn Cove mussels, Rainier cherries and Yakima Valley hops. While the state’s residents know these agriculture and aquaculture stars well, the rest of the country and world do not. To change that, the state Department of Agriculture is assembling a program to help promote products grown, raised, caught, baked and brewed in Washington. Continue reading at The WA State Standard. (WA Dept. of Agriculture)

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Axios
How to get money to install a heat pump in Washington state

Capital Press
Officials outline Columbia River Treaty update
Washington wolf pack attacks cattle; one wolf shot
Survey: Most adult consumers support farm subsidies
Heat hammers Oregon blackberries, aids Washington grapes
17 states allege Biden opens path to unionize foreign farmworkers

Columbian
Why Washington’s wolf count is under scrutiny
Feds approve new $1.5 billion grant for I-5 Bridge replacement
Seattle Peace Park statue of Hiroshima bombing survivor stolen
Clark County’s Community Court ‘way different from regular court’, sees success in helping the homeless

Everett Herald
Everett council locks in building heights for Park District (Fosse)
Lake Stevens fight to take over sewer district could end soon
Do plastic bans work? Local waste experts say it’s too soon to know
Beautiful but deadly: Drownings common at Eagle Falls, other local waters
Comment: Navy’s commitment to Everett homeport ironclad

News Tribune
A plus for electric buses: ‘They smell better.’ Pierce Transit gets big grant to buy more
Tacoma approves $4.6M for ‘homeless encampment mitigation.’ What will that pay for?
When will Tacoma’s Old City Hall open for business? Here’s an update on landmark’s rehab

Puget Sound Business Journal
Kiewit, Sound Transit still sorting out who will pay for I-90 flub
These WA cities rank among the most expensive for senior housing
Umpqua Bank business survey reveals trends and priorities for Puget Sound decision-makers
Negotiations over I-90 light rail ‘construction challenges’ continue, Sound Transit director says

Seattle Times
Why some WA universities are seeing a drop in enrollment
Regional homelessness efforts need success, but job tougher than ever
Black women employed by King County report lower pay, discrimination
Seattle City Light rates to increase as utility struggles with supply, demand
‘Unprecedented’: WA transfers 43 men in juvenile detention to adult prison
Comment: Couples and families need insurance coverage for therapy
Comment: What Seattle can learn from Boston and Detroit to decrease gun violence

Spokesman Review
EWU rebrands itself polytechnic, while shifting its definition
Expand SNAP or hike crop prices? Congress is locked in a farm bill fight.

Washington Post
Judge dismisses classified documents case against Trump
Wait, does America really still employ a ton of news reporters?
‘Everyone is drinking it’: Why this type of ‘forever chemical’ seems to be everywhere

WA State Standard
Selling Washington’s food and farm products to the world

Yakima Herald-Republic
Human trafficking prevalent in Washington, but precise numbers hard to find

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
New audit shows where drug overdoses, crime are the worst in Seattle
State department transfers 43 young men from juvenile to adult jails in Washington
Seattle restaurant owner responds to ire sparked by ‘living-wage’ surcharge after viral receipt

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Eight injured after bus crashes into Renton ravine
Parking rates are changing around Seattle starting July 15

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Fire at Pierce County recycling center caused ‘toxic smoke’
Kittitas County Jail first in WA to implement new inmate health monitoring system
Washington leaders condemn political violence after assassination attempt on Trump
Pierce County to improve road, driver safety using “SmartSigns” with real-time feedback

KNKX Public Radio
Green invasion hits Orcas Island’s Cascade Lake
‘Salmon Wars’ podcast documents Northwest tribes’ ongoing plight
Controversy arises over way Pierce County doles out homelessness aid
Ruling on homelessness raises the risks for domestic violence survivors, experts say

KUOW Public Radio
Robots are helping build new apartments in Seattle
Seattle-area grocery workers ‘flabbergasted’ by Kroger-Albertsons sales plan
Sex abuse survivors ask Vatican to investigate Seattle Archdiocese as Washington’s lawsuit fails

KXLY (ABC)
‘It makes me feel absolutely abandoned.’ City of Pullman construction impacting local downtown businesses

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Annual report: Bellingham, Whatcom County see drop in crime reported in 2023

Crosscut
Could B.C.’s safe drug supply experiment work in Washington? (Goodman)
What’s back, on hold six weeks after Seattle library cyberattack?

Washington Observer
School administrators get out early with a $1 billion budget boost request

Friday, July 12

Seattle launches initiative to reduce gun violence
Seattle, King County and others announced the launch Wednesday of a 100-day initiative to educate and support teens and others who are most at risk of gun violence. King County pledged $1.6 million to expand community-led violence intervention programs, amp up a public awareness campaign on gun violence prevention and responsible gun ownership and contribute to a Harborview Medical Center violence prevention program. Continue reading at Axios. (Aïda Amer)

WA adopts landfill rules to combat methane leaks
New rules intended to keep a tighter lid on methane gas leaking from the state’s landfills as food and garbage decompose went into effect last month. The state Department of Ecology estimates the new rules will affect 26 landfills, around half of those in the state, and will decrease landfill-related methane emissions by around 1.6 million metric tons a year. That would be a 38% reduction, according to environmental nonprofit Industrious Labs. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ken Lambert)

Kitsap launches youth opioid prevention program
As concerns about adolescent opioid use have grown across Washington, Kitsap County has launched a youth-oriented opioid prevention program using funds received from its participation in a settlement between the state and three companies who help fuel the opioid epidemic. The new Youth Opiate Prevention Program will work alongside school districts and other providers to distribute opioid education messaging and introduce science-based prevention strategies to both youth and caregivers. Continue reading at The Kitsap Sun.

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Axios
Seattle launches initiative to reduce gun violence

Bainbridge Island Review
VMFH plans hybrid emergency department in Port Orchard

Capital Press
Washington raspberry industry hopeful for harvest gains
Report revives talk of mandatory riparian buffers in Washington

Columbian
A dozen wildfires are burning across Washington
Richland condemns hate-filled antisemitic flyers left in mailboxes, driveways
Fire districts in Clark County warn of cuts amid rising call volumes, operation costs
Can Eastern WA nuclear workers raise safety issues without retaliation? Feds concerned

Everett Herald
Come fall, Monroe students must silence their cellphones in class

Federal Way Mirror
The quest for more accessibility at Federal Way parks
Lakehaven Water and Sewer District settles penalty for sewage spills

Kitsap Sun
Kitsap launches youth opioid prevention program

News Tribune
These Olympians in the 2024 Paris Games have ties to Washington state
Death at Tacoma park culvert wasn’t the first. It’s long been targeted for replacement

Peninsula Daily News
Department of Revenue to host tax workshop
Port of Port Townsend commissioners approve Short’s Farm plan
Port Angeles Port working to update its recreation, public access plan

Puget Sound Business Journal
VC funding in Seattle drops to 2016 low

Seattle Times
WA adopts landfill rules to combat methane leaks
How 5 King County cities are reimagining care for people in crisis
New recommendations for tackling fentanyl, crime on Seattle streets

Spokesman Review
New variant, updated vaccine: Coronavirus is back, but it never even left
‘Not just a tool, but a symbol’: UW Medicine celebrates first day of school with stethoscope ceremony

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
West Seattle businesses hold rally ahead of light rail decision
New audit shows where drug overdoses, crime are the worst in Seattle
King County’s youth diversion program draws scrutiny from councilmember
New work group tasked with finding solutions to curb growing crowds at SEA Airport

KNKX Public Radio
Higher tolls to begin in August on State Route 520 bridge
Opened with optimism, some residents struggle at Chief Seattle Club Native housing project

KUOW Public Radio
Conflict and confusion after state suspends intake for convicted juveniles
Mental health pilot program at Seattle schools is working, but challenges remain
Seattle affordable housing providers face operating troubles as mental health crisis grows
AI brings soaring emissions for Google and Microsoft, a major contributor to climate change

Web

MyNorthwest
Pioneer fire, burning since June 8, only 14% contained

The Urbanist
Coalition Urges Bellevue City Council to Ramp Up Road Safety Spending

Thursday, July 11

Washington issues statewide burn ban amid record heat wave
Washington’s Department of Natural Resources issued a burn ban on all the forest land it controls across the state, effective Wednesday, July 10. The ban, which runs through Sept. 30, was enacted in response to the heat wave that’s hit much of Washington over the past week…The ban covers “burning, campfires, the use of charcoal briquettes, and prescribed burns,” according to the DNR’s news release. Continue reading at The News Tribune. (WSDOT)

Spokane Public Schools to ban cellphone use in classrooms
Spokane Public Schools will ban cellphone use in classrooms next year. The Spokane School Board on Wednesday reviewed its districtwide procedure detailing student cellphone use, advising the district to adopt a more stringent and comprehensive policy for use in classrooms. The district plans to implement the proposal before school starts in September, superintendent Adam Swinyard said. Continue reading at The Spokesman Review. (Colin Mulvany)

Housing discrimination complaints fell sharply in Washington last year
Complaints from people who say they are being discriminated against in the housing market declined in Washington last year, but remained at an all-time high nationwide. It’s the third year in a row that the national record for the complaints has been broken, according to a new report from the National Fair Housing Alliance. In Washington, there were 347 total complaints of housing discrimination. The most being for discrimination against people with disabilities. That’s down nearly 56% from 787 last year. Continue reading at The Washington State Standard. (Getty Images)