Click here for our Daily E-Clips policy.

Monday, May 13

Washington’s neverending housing crisis
Washington is on track to hit some of its housing goals, but homeownership remains expensive, homelessness is growing, and the supply of affordable homes is still running short. That’s according to a new state report. The Department of Commerce Housing Advisory Plan outlines how Washington has fared with housing since 2015 and what must be done in the next five years to meet the growing need. Continue reading at The Columbian. (Taylor Balkom)

Where are Seattle’s first-time homebuyers? Some are leaving town
Seattle’s sky-high home prices may not be news, but since the pandemic, a combination of heavy demand, flagging supply and sharp interest rate hikes have fueled a market that frustrates even well-off buyers. And for many first-time buyers, that market has become virtually inaccessible — and a rising generational barrier that could accelerate deeper changes in the Seattle area’s demographics and character. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ellen M. Banner)

With state policy stuck, a county charts its own path to allow more rural housing
While Washington lawmakers continue to fight over how to allow for more backyard cottages or in-law suites in rural areas, some counties are already moving in that direction. Whatcom County’s detached accessory dwelling units, like backyard cottages, particularly interested lawmakers, who in recent years have not been able to agree on how to allow more of this housing in rural areas. Continue reading at The Washington State Standard. (Getty Images)

Print

Associated Press
Schools turn to artificial intelligence to spot guns
More U.S. parents than ever have paid leave this Mother’s Day – but most still don’t

Axios
Washington’s pets need more vets

Capital Press
WSDA sprays to suppress spongy moths

Columbian
Washington’s neverending housing crisis
Opinion: In Our View: Cheers & Jeers: Tackling homelessness; ID woes

Everett Herald
In goal to reduce garbage to ‘nothing,’ Everett recyclers try Ridwell
After traffic cameras went in, Everett saw 70% decrease in speeding
Opinion: Climate column should include role of nuclear energy

Islands’ Weekly
Inslee issues emergency proclamation for imminent danger of spongy moth infestation

News Tribune
White House uses Infrastructure Week to tout progress on thousands of projects
Gig Harbor baby’s injuries raised red flags. Did child-welfare system fail her parents?
Pierce County wants to open a new homeless shelter. Where to put it has become a problem

Puget Sound Business Journal
Seattle-based corporate foundation grants haven’t kept pace with revenues

Seattle Times
WA older adults fight isolation by rethinking senior housing
Where are Seattle’s first-time homebuyers? Some are leaving town
Four things to know about Seattle’s plan to explore closing schools
Can overcast Seattle be a solar-powered city? Is it even worth trying?
Ending homelessness in downtown Seattle may be harder than expected
Opinion: Seattle can be a national model for large-city climate action

Spokesman Review
Thousands of grocery workers in region approve union contract
Live Nation’s bid to avoid U.S. antitrust suit seen as likely to fail
Getting There: Most Washington IDs won’t fly in a year, state officials say, urging people to get their enhanced licenses for airplane travel

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla City Council approves tax increment area along Myra Road
Public meetings roundup: Sheriff’s Office staffing on agenda in Columbia County

Washington Post
Abortion bans are repelling the nation’s future doctors
How banning genetically modified foods could backfire
Federal judge halts new U.S. rules limiting credit card late fees
Ordered back to the office, top tech talent left instead, study finds
Biden and oil companies like this climate tech. Many Americans do not.

WA State Standard
With state policy stuck, a county charts its own path to allow more rural housing (Lovelett, Salomon)

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Northwest beekeepers battle against leading killer of honeybees
Teen staying at relatives’ house in Spanaway dies in suspected overdose
‘The city has failed him’: Man stabbed to death at Capitol Hill light rail station
Seattle Children’s Hospital seeks to throw out lawsuit alleging health care racism

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Therapist demand grows amid increased awareness of mental health

KNKX Public Radio
Chinook Indian Nation is closer to securing ancestral winter village land

KUOW Public Radio
Washington state farmworkers sue U.S. Department of Labor over depressed wages

KXLY (ABC)
New program offers high school students college credit option
Traffic deaths in Washington the highest since 1990, according to new report
Riverside School District employee arrested on charges related to child pornography

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Start preparing for water rights legal battle, experts say
Hand Up for Health program offers non-traditional medical services and care

Crosscut
Volunteers power wildfire mitigation efforts in the Tri-Cities

Friday, May 10

Down payment on home out of reach as Clark County’s high rents challenge middle-income family
Much attention has focused on how Washington’s housing crisis has affected low-income families, but it also hurts middle-class families…Middle-class families find themselves in a pinch, said Mike Wilkerson, who teaches a real estate class at Portland State University and is the director of analytics at ECOnorthwest, a Portland-based economic consulting firm. “Those households aren’t able to save for down payments, particularly, let’s say, over the last several decades,” Wilkerson said. “The price of homes has increased, so the amount you need to save for a down payment just becomes larger and larger.” Continue reading at The Columbian. (Amanda Cowan)

Can’t keep up with Seattle-area rising food prices? You’re not alone
After four years of high food inflation, many Seattle residents are struggling to afford groceries. In a city where the well-offs have their pick of the best foods and produce at organic and specialty stores, food costs are among the highest in the country. At the other end, people living close to the poverty line are cutting back on meals, buying cheaper processed food or going to food banks. In between, many are feeling the squeeze at varying degrees. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ivy Ceballo)

Washington one step closer toward $1.2B to broaden internet reach
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved Washington’s initial proposal for the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program. The approval means Washington can request access to its allocation of BEAD funding — over $1.2 billion. The state can also start implementing the BEAD program, according to the NTIA. The BEAD program, as stated by the news release, is a $42.5 billion state grant program through President Joe Biden’s infrastructure law to provide everyone in the country access to reliable, affordable, high-speed internet. Continue reading at MyNorthwest. (Comcast)

Print

Axios
Seattle’s not the lure it once was for college grads

Capital Press
Climatologists expect La Nina to return before summer ends

Columbian
Catholic church is stonewalling sex abuse investigation, Washington attorney general says
Washingtonians have $31 million in unclaimed tax refunds. How to file by May 17 deadline
Down payment on home out of reach as Clark County’s high rents challenge middle-income family

Everett Herald
Everett substitute judge faces discipline for forged ‘joke’ document
Biden weighs in on Boeing lockout of firefighters in Everett, elsewhere
Low Chinook runs endanger prime fishing rivers in Snohomish County

High Country News
Killing one owl to save another

Indian Country Today
140 tribal leaders testified in the Capitol

Kitsap Sun
Unemployment claims in Washington increased last week
Poulsbo already expanding city’s innovative plan to address addiction, housing
New WSF leader aims to flip the script with success stories and worker empowerment (Nance)

News Tribune
Private firm used space in Pierce County Clerk’s Office rent free for more than 30 years
‘Renting down.’ One local city is pursuing market-rate apartments to ease housing crunch
Letter: Manuel Ellis’ death proved it: ‘Excited delirium’ is on over-used cop-out
Opinion: After 20 years in WA prison, county jail is still a different kind of hell

Northwest Asian Weekly
‘Inspire Inclusion’ this International Women’s Day

Olympian
President Biden (and a whole lot of traffic snarls) arrives in Puget Sound today
Washingtonians have $31 million in unclaimed tax refunds. How to file by May 17 deadline

Port Townsend Leader
New principal announced for high school

Puget Sound Business Journal
Microsoft retakes spot as Washington’s top corporate giver
Alaska Airlines gets high marks in passenger satisfaction survey
The Playbook: The surprising new twist in the remote-work debate

Seattle Times
Can’t keep up with Seattle-area rising food prices? You’re not alone
Editorial: Cellphones are a threat to learning, so where are the adults?

Spokesman Review
Plans to build solar farm in Whitman County scrapped
Underground fire still burning in a landfill on Eastern State Hospital nearly a year after Gray fire

Tri-City Herald
High-tech lettuce farm debuts in east Pasco. Giant greenhouse officially opens
New flight being added to Tri-Cities. It’s because of this popular U.S. destination
‘It will cause a storm.’ Elected Franklin officials investigated for criminal conspiracy

WA State Standard
Washington AG investigating Catholic Church’s role in clergy sex abuse
As millions lose federal help to pay for internet, some areas aim to fill the gap

Broadcast

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Migrants staying in Central District park cleared out
Three new incidents involving Boeing planes in just two days
Former Seattle student wins settlement against Seattle Public Schools
Are Washington teachers safe? Investigation reveals problem of violence against teachers
Traffic study to be done at Renton intersection where 4 people were killed in horrific crash

KUOW Public Radio
Seattle stayed cool in April while the planet felt record heat
Missed chemo treatments, water-crossed lovers separated: Washington state’s broken ferry system (Nance)

KXLY (ABC)
Coeur d’Alene police release video capturing racial slur incident
Catholic diocese in Spokane, others subpoenaed over handling of sexual abuse cases
Investigation finds Spokane Valley Councilman engaged in intimidating behavior toward staff

NW Public Radio
Community speaks of gap in HIV care, testing in Pierce County

Web

Cascadia Daily News
PeaceHealth clinicians push for historic union vote

Crosscut
The protest hike that stopped an Olympic coast highway
Washington AG subpoenas Seattle Archdiocese for sex abuse records

MyNorthwest
Washington one step closer toward $1.2B to broaden internet reach

Thursday, May 9

Guns are being stolen from cars at triple the rate they were 10 years ago, a report finds
The rate of guns stolen from cars in the U.S. has tripled over the last decade, making them the largest source of stolen guns in the country, an analysis of FBI data by the gun safety group Everytown found. The rate of stolen guns from cars climbed nearly every year and spiked during the coronavirus pandemic along with a major surge in weapons purchases in the U.S., according to the report, which analyzes FBI data from 337 cities in 44 states and was provided to The Associated Press. Continue reading at The Columbian. (AP)

New study says WA among the best states for nurses. See the results, reasons for ranking
College graduation season is back, bringing an influx of fresh faces to the job market. Some of the most popular majors lately include…nursing. Washington had the third best monthly average starting salary for nurses, adjusted for cost of living and sixth for projected competition by 2030. The Evergreen State had the seventh best nurses per capita and ninth best average annual salary for nurses, adjusted for cost of living. Washington also has one of the highest job growth rates, and some of the highest ranked nursing schools in the U.S. Continue reading at The Olympian. (Steve Bloom)

Seattle will soon have a place for people to go after surviving an overdose
Where can people go to recover after surviving a drug-related overdose? The answer for people in Seattle is usually limited to the emergency room, or nowhere at all. But a new option is on the way. The Downtown Emergency Services Center will eventually run the center at the Morrison Hotel on Third Avenue, following renovations expected to begin early next year. Once opened, this facility would likely be the first of its kind in Seattle, filling a current gap in the system for people often cycling through drug addiction and homelessness. Continue reading at KUOW. (DEA)

Print

Aberdeen Daily World
Grays Harbor gears up to dish out opioid settlement funds
Native students, educators raise awareness for victims of violence

Axios
Gun thefts from cars have skyrocketed in U.S., new report finds

Bellingham Herald
AltaGas outlines economic potential of ‘green’ hydrogen plant at former Intalco site

Capital Press
Researchers are growing gene-edited plants without light
Commentary: American agriculture needs farm workforce modernization
Editorial: Getting in front of animal agriculture issues

Columbian
Labcorp workers in Southwest Washington, Oregon vote to unionize
Guns are being stolen from cars at triple the rate they were 10 years ago, a report finds

The Daily News
Kelso schools serve free lunches of bison, salmon

Everett Herald
Edmonds police chief accidentally fires gun inside police vehicle
Residents, firefighters urge Edmonds to be annexed by South County Fire
Editorial: Social Security’s good news? Bad news delayed a bit

Indian Country Today
Chinook Indian Nation closer to resecuring ancestral winter village

The Inlander
Q&A: Spokane’s new Fire Chief Julie O’Berg talks wildfire season, the overdose crisis and how looming budget problems could affect the department

News Tribune
Its job is to advise Tacoma on police issues. What happens when the advice isn’t taken?
Tacoma doctor performed unnecessary surgeries on vets. He’ll pay $197K to resolve case
Shelter-in-place order shakes up Tacoma. Turns out, not everyone was supposed to get it
Tacoma is home to a school shooting expert. He calls U.S. debate ‘fear-based’ and skewed
Opinion: Megawarehouse will have huge costs for Tacoma. The environment is just the start

Olympian
Noticed all the temporary license plates in Thurston County? Here’s the reason
New study says WA among the best states for nurses. See the results, reasons for ranking
Lacey pitches public comment changes in wake of hate speech that marred March meeting
WA residents will need REAL ID-compliant identification to fly domestically by May 2025

Puget Sound Business Journal
Commercial builder distributes overdose antidote to construction sites
Opinion: Electrical grid crisis could be on the horizon

Seattle Medium
DelBene Introduces Bill To Increase Participation In Apprenticeships
Trees Are Coming To Your Neighborhood. That Might Not Be Enough.
Rescheduling Of Marijuana Presents Opportunities, Challenges For Washington State

Seattle Times
WA drops in ranking of best states, but it’s still in Top 10
Seattle Schools OKs proposal that could close 20 elementary schools
Divided Supreme Court rules no quick hearing required when police seize property
Editorial: Update banking rules around pot businesses to save lives
Editorial: WA’s new homeownership program must reach those it aims to help

Spokesman Review
‘Let the festivities begin’: Spokane leaders kick-start 50th anniversary of Expo ‘74

Washington Post
The world’s biggest plant to pull carbon from the sky just opened
High levels of ultra-processed foods linked with early death, brain issues

WA State Standard
Is WA’s school board association seeing a conservative takeover?
Washington is intercepting federal benefits bound for foster youth
Washington plans aerial spraying in two counties to kill tree-destroying spongy moth

Wenatchee World
Grant PUD CEO resigns to join Chelan County PUD in new COO position

Yakima Herald-Republic
MultiCare and Premera Blue Shield negotiating new contract with June 1 deadline

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Capitol Hill church looking to build affordable housing units on campus
Seattle Public Schools proposes closing approximately 20 elementary schools
‘Imminent danger’: Emergency declaration issued due to spongy moth infestation in Washington

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Seattle Public Schools proposal could close 20 elementary schools
Lawmakers hold hearing about rise in antisemitism in K-12 schools
Boeing 737-900 flight to Seattle makes emergency landing after engine failure
‘It’s a hot mess right now,’: Is the Boeing firefighter lockout putting Everett employees at risk?

KNKX Public Radio
What will it take to get companies to embrace reusable packaging?

KUOW Public Radio
Seattle will soon have a place for people to go after surviving an overdose
Shoreline Catholic school parents back gay teacher allegedly ousted over her engagement

KXLY (ABC)
Proposed building moratorium on development in Latah Valley

NW Public Radio
Drought expected to plague farmers in the Yakima Valley, Kittitas areas this summer

Web

B-Town Blog
Legislative update, issues with police, affordable housing & more discussed at Monday’s Burien City Council meeting (Keiser)

Cascadia Daily News
Opinion: Planners on both sides of border are on the same (density) page — the wrong one

MyNorthwest
Washington AG Ferguson investigating Catholic Church for alleged child sex abuse

Wednesday, May 8

Vancouver council awards millions to add affordable housing and shelter beds
Millions of dollars for affordable housing, rental assistance and services for homeless people are coming to Vancouver this summer. The money from the city’s Affordable Housing Fund and the federal government will help around 5,000 people with services for housing, homelessness, foster care and domestic violence, Vancouver city councilors said at their Monday night meeting. Continue reading at The Columbian. (Taylor Balkom)

Alaska tribe signs historic child welfare agreement with Washington state
An Alaska tribe has signed a historic agreement with Washington state to help keep Tlingit and Haida children with their families and tribes. The tribe “will collaborate closely with the Washington Department of Children, Youth and Families to deliver culturally sensitive and responsive services that prioritize the well-being of tribal children and families,” Tlingit & Haida said in the statement. Continue reading at Indian Country Today. (Tlingit & Haida)

Seattle gives asylum-seekers living in Central District park notice to leave
Seattle has posted notices at a Central District park saying that it will clear the area Thursday, indicating anyone still staying there in tents or outside will have to move. The notice is the first directed at asylum-seekers who have been moving between a church, hotels, short-term rentals and parks as they await the legal ability to work in the U.S. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Anna Patrick)

Print

Axios
Washington’s top-ranked high schools
Where to find the Seattle area’s cheapest rents

Bellingham Herald
Touch-up project at Bellingham’s iconic ‘rocket ships’ contaminates Container Village grass
Whatcom County Council names panel to investigate handling of sexual harassment allegations

Capital Press
FMMO reform could have unintended outcomes
USDA concerns don’t dissuade EPA from banning fungicide
Pacific Power faces $42.5 billion in new wildfire claims, seeks more rate increases

Columbian
WA economy slowing but in relatively good condition, state economists say
Vancouver council awards millions to add affordable housing and shelter beds
Clark County Council breaks deadlock to agree on way to distribute housing growth among cities
‘Trafficking happens in every school’: Heritage High School students raise awareness of sex trafficking

Everett Herald
After complaints, county shuts down DTG’s Maltby recycling facility
What Snohomish County ZIP codes have seen biggest jumps in home value?

Indian Country Today
‘We are going to lead the world’
Alaska tribe signs historic child welfare agreement with Washington state

Kitsap Sun
Seattle-Bremerton fast ferry suffers cancellations, vessel maintenance could bring more

News Tribune
South Sound Mag has named ‘best city’ in South Sound. Spoiler: It starts with a ‘T’

Peninsula Daily News
Roundabouts, timber industry top discussion (Tharinger, Chapman, Van De Wege)

Puget Sound Business Journal
What employers need to know about the new overtime pay rule
Forget the four-day workweek. Some corporate giants are trying out six.

Seattle Times
WA lawmaker retaliated by releasing names of witnesses, says report
Seattle gives asylum-seekers living in Central District park notice to leave

Spokesman Review
Avista to begin blackouts during storms to avoid fires
A first for 2024: Inland Northwest to hit 80 degrees and higher this weekend
Spokane County announces plans for initial $7.2 million in opioid settlement disbursements

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Anthony Spada won’t return to Walla Walla Fire Department

Washington Post
TikTok files court challenge to U.S. law that could lead to ban
Human disruptions to planet raise risk of new pandemic, study finds

WA State Standard
Washington Republicans wrestle with realities of a redrawn political map (Mena)

Wenatchee World
Orondo fire threatens structure, almost spreads to brush

Yakima Herald-Republic
Amazon to lease new warehouse in Terrace Heights

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Discovery of bark beetle in Bothell is ‘concerning,’ state says
5 juveniles, 15 and younger, arrested after multiple car thefts in Seattle

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
DOL warns of statewide license plate shortage
Echo Glen was put on lockdown Tuesday; it was not another escape
New cannabis course offered at Tacoma Community College as industry grows
Tacoma mother says 4-year-old non-verbal daughter was choked by school bus driver

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
City of Seattle paying for 2 more months of migrant housing at Kent hotel
Parents claim Shoreline teacher ‘unjustly dismissed’ because she’s engaged to a woman

KXLY (ABC)
Police to enforce rules in public parks throughout Spokane
Spokane County approves spending of $7.2 million in opioid settlement funds
Post Falls School District ‘disturbed’ by student’s racial slur at Utah basketball team

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Council members form investigative committee to review county’s handling of sexual harassment allegations

Crosscut
Mayor Bruce Harrell talks SCOTUS homelessness case and SPD culture

MyNorthwest
Major drug bust: Shoreline officers get 64 pounds of fentanyl off the streets

Publicola
The backlash to Harrell’s comp plan proves we’re all YIMBYs now (Reed, Pollet, Frame)
Burien proposes transitional housing ban that may violate state law (Peterson)

The Urbanist
Issaquah Approves Affordable Housing Incentives Near Future Light Rail

Tuesday, May 7

‘Going to save some lives.’ Puyallup Tribe launches outpatient opioid treatment clinic
Puyallup Tribal Council member Fred Dillon had a lot stacked against him growing up. He came from “broken homes” and ultimately wound up in a treatment center, which he credits with saving his life. Dillon joined his fellow Puyallup tribal members on Friday in celebrating Tacoma’s new Cedar Wellness Center, an outpatient clinic that will treat both Native and non-Native residents. The building, 503 E. 26th St. near the Tacoma Dome, officially opens its doors on Tuesday. Continue reading at The News Tribune. (Simone Carter)

Washington to receive over $28 million from EPA for lead pipe replacement
The Environmental Protection Agency has announced over $28 million in federal funds will go to help Washington residents replace harmful lead-lined pipes. According to the EPA, the Biden Administration is sending $28,650,000 to Washington so lead pipes can be identified and replaced which would prevent lead exposure in drinking water. The EPA says the funding will come from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and made available through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. Continue reading at KXLY. (Jon Elswick)

A ‘tool of last resort’: PSE may shut off power in some areas when fire risk is high
This year’s wildfire season may bring a new wrinkle for some Puget Sound Energy customers. The utility has said it may begin to use temporary power shut-offs in some communities to prevent powerlines from igniting blazes in risky weather conditions. Officials are calling this new approach a “tool of last resort.” In recent years, climate change, largely fueled by emissions from the use of coal, oil and gas, has led to longer and more severe wildfire seasons in Washington. Continue reading at KUOW. (Megan Farmer)