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Thursday, July 13

New agency now accepting requests to review cases of police deadly forceThe Washington State Office of Independent Investigations is now accepting requests to review prior cases where law enforcement officers used deadly force – the latest step in setting up the state’s newest agency. Charged with conducting transparent and unbiased investigations into fatal incidents involving police, the agency has launched an online submission form for members of the public to submit cases for review. It will only dig into cases if there is new evidence presented. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

F.D.A. Approves First U.S. Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill
The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved a birth control pill to be sold without a prescription for the first time in the United States, a milestone that could significantly expand access to contraception. The medication, called Opill, will become the most effective birth control method available over the counter — more effective at preventing pregnancy than condoms, spermicides and other nonprescription methods. Experts in reproductive health said its availability could be especially useful for young women, teenagers and those who have difficulty dealing with the time, costs or logistical hurdles involved in visiting a doctor to obtain a prescription. Continue reading at The New York Times. (Perrigo, via Associated Press)

Estate of anti-fascist shot and killed by police in WA files wrongful death lawsuit
A federal lawsuit alleges police in Washington state had no plan other than to use deadly force against a fugitive who was on the run in 2020 after shooting a supporter of a far-right group during clashes between supporters of then-President Donald Trump and Black Lives Matter in the streets of Portland, Oregon. “The actions of the officers, before, during, and after the shooting, show that they either had no plan to arrest the man without injury, made no effort to follow such a plan, or planned to use deadly force from the start,” said the lawsuit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Tacoma by the estate of Michael Forest Reinoehl, who identified as an anti-fascist. Continue reading at The Olympian.

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Capital Press
Where the rhubarb grows: Washington farmers grow traditional niche crop
Elk overrun northeast Washington fields

Columbian
Bonneville Power Administration’s Ross Complex celebrates new addition
Vancouver-based United Grain Corp. optimistic despite low wheat yields forecast
State’s affordable housing fund could boost Clark County developments
Comment: WA Cares is worthwhile

Everett Herald
Arlington Proud Boy ‘Milkshake’ given 5 years in prison for Capitol siege
Comment: The real culprit for income gap for working mothers?

The Inlander
STA’s new transit line begins operating this weekend, the Inland Northwest’s first bus rapid transit system
Unionization efforts are underway to support workers’ rights in Washington’s cannabis industry
Opinion: In turning environmental policy back nearly 50 years, the Supreme Court has created more questions than answers for America’s wetlands

News Tribune
Tacoma paper mill agrees to monetary penalty, new rules after air pollution violation
Op-Ed: Thinking about boycotting salmon to help save the Orcas? Here’s a much better idea

New York Times
F.D.A. Approves First U.S. Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill
Democrats Try a Novel Tactic to Revive the Equal Rights Amendment
F.T.C. Opens Investigation Into ChatGPT Maker Over Technology’s Potential Harms
E.P.A. Proposes Tighter Limits on Lead Dust in Homes and Child Care Facilities

Olympian
Yakima orchard owners pay $500,000 in back wages to 400+ workers to settle lawsuit
Estate of anti-fascist shot and killed by police in WA files wrongful death lawsuit
Washington Lottery surpasses $1 billion in sales for first time in history

Puget Sound Business Journal
International travel on the rebound as Sea-Tac welcomes new routes
Small businesses back off price increases as inflation eases

Seattle Times
Plan for ‘monster’ road closures in and around Seattle
Investigation opened into mock tombstone, Trump flag at Seattle police precinct
Developer could be key at Seattle transit station south of Chinatown International District
Regional Homelessness Authority delays shakeup of funds to nonprofits
Opinion: Sustainable aviation fuels aren’t the answer; flying less is

Washington Post
FDA approves first over-the-counter birth control pill in U.S.
Floods, fires and deadly heat are the alarm bells of a planet on the brink

WA State Standard
New agency now accepting requests to review cases of police deadly force (Goodman)
Lyft shortchanged thousands of drivers on pay, state investigators find
Despite pandemic pay boost, low-wage workers still can’t afford basic needs

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
2021 video shows Trump flag, mock tombstone of teen killed in police shootout in SPD break room
First over-the-counter birth control pill gets FDA approval
Washington State Ferries work to keep up with mounting staffing issues
Tacoma ranked one of top 5 best places to live

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Councilmember Kshama Sawant proposes rent control law for Seattle tenants
Seattle committee deliberates increased protections for app-based workers facing deactivation
Kent school librarian rallies against rising book censorship based on race, sexuality
‘This is ludicrous’: Swimming pool installed at Seattle encampment angers neighbors

KNKX Public Radio
Frustration mounts as Makah tribe waits for word on the whale hunt
Could Seattle be the key to legalizing rent control statewide?
Part of the pipeline: Allegations of abusive culture at youth soccer club mirror problems at pro level

KUOW Public Radio
Many things got Amanda Schroeder into addiction. Her kids got her out
Numbing the pain: Opioid crisis on the Olympic Peninsula
Washington’s GOP isn’t finished battling against the WA Cares Fund

KXLY (ABC)
Avista doing more to reduce fire risks in the community
US 2 near Coulee City t9o remain closed following mudslide

Q13 TV (FOX)
Opill, first over-the-counter birth control pill, approved by FDA

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Floating ban coming to South Fork Nooksack River
Opinion: County council member: Climate change calls for balanced policies

MyNorthwest
Footage captured within Seattle Police precinct shows ‘appalling’ tombstone for Black man killed
Through CiviForm, Harrell optimizes access to Seattle’s discount programs
Estate of anti-fascist shot and killed by police in WA state files wrongful death lawsuit
MLB All-Star Week brings $50M, 100,000 visitors to Seattle
‘Astonishing’ discovery as 200-pound bluefin tuna turns up in Salish Sea for first time ever
Tacoma tenants compete with City Council for renters bill of rights
Battle for Holy Rosary Church’s survival stretches from Tacoma to the Vatican
Amazon union sued by former members seeking a new election

Wednesday, July 12

WA’s high cost of child care hits single moms hardest
A new report finds the average annual cost to send a toddler to a child care center in Washington state has risen to more than $14,000. Only five other states — Connecticut, Colorado, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and New York — and Washington, D.C., had a higher average annual cost for child care. And it’s especially burdensome for single mothers. The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s “KIDS COUNT” report, based on 2022 census data, found that the average single mom in Washington spends nearly 40% of her income on child care. For married couples, meanwhile, it’s about 12%. Stephan Blanford is the executive director of Children’s Alliance, a statewide advocacy group. He says the soaring cost for child care pushes women out of the workforce. The study found about 12% of Washington families were forced to switch jobs last year because of child care problems. Continue reading at KUOW. (Megan Farmer)

WA auditors flag $1.2B in federal aid over incomplete records
Insufficient documentation and tracking of federal dollars — mostly pandemic aid — resulted in nearly $1.2 billion in spending across Washington state agencies that fell short of federal rules in fiscal year 2022, according to a new state auditors’ report. The Office of the Washington State Auditor recently outlined 70 “findings” against 14 different state-level agencies over their handling of federal grants or COVID-19 relief money between July 2021 and June 2022. Auditors did not identify any fraud, but concluded some agencies spent money outside of allowed uses or did not comply with federal fraud-prevention policies such as background checks. Sadie Armijo, director of state audit and special investigations, said many findings resulted from missing or incomplete records of how state agencies spent federal money. “All of these federal programs, they’re really important,” she said. “You can see that these programs are for the most vulnerable people. We’re doing what we can to hold governments accountable.” Continue reading at Crosscut. (Lindsey Wasson)

Dangerous beauty: Cosmetics marketed to minorities come with cancer risk
The State of Washington is cracking down on what’s called “dangerous beauty” – the use of harmful hair chemicals targeting women of color. For many black women the pressure to “fit in” is increasing their risk of cancer. New product testing conducted earlier this year in state labs confirmed the presence of cancer-causing chemicals in many cosmetic products marketed and sold to women of color in Washington including lipsticks, foundation, lotions and chemical hair relaxers. “We detected formaldehyde in 26 out of 30 of those products,” said Marissa Smith, a senior regulatory toxicologist with the State of Washington. “We found lead in three out of 20 of the products that we tested. During development, our brains are so sensitive to lead exposure that there is no known safe dose according to the CDC. Washington’s “Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act” will ban PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing agents by 2025. It will also provide incentives for small businesses to make safer cosmetics. Continue reading at KING5.

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Associated Press
Climate change ratchets up the stress on farmworkers on the front lines of a warming Earth

Aberdeen Daily World
Years of construction ahead for main county highway

Axios
Seattle goes big on accessory dwelling units

Bellingham Herald
Serving a need: Summer lunch programs offer meals for children, teenagers in Bellingham
This part of Eastern WA no longer a ‘trauma desert.’ Severely injured to get quicker care
Growing wildfire in central Washington prompts evacuations and threatens homes and farms

Capital Press
WSU: ‘Very small area’ with low conflicts over solar

Columbian
Deaf, hard of hearing school program ends at Fircrest Elementary School in Vancouver
Editorial: Address tuition increases, bolster middle class

Everett Herald
Everett police pursue case of 10 stolen Pride flags as hate crime
Comment: What’s next for LGBTQ+ vs. religious rights? Lawsuits

News Tribune
He says he was sexually abused at boys ranch in Tacoma. His case is only the latest one

Puget Sound Business Journal
Amazon, Microsoft speakers join affordable housing discussion
Boeing has ‘surprisingly upbeat’ June but still loses ground to Airbus

Seattle Medium
Seattle Launches 2023 Summer Meals Program To Combat Childhood Hunger
DOH Launches Campaign To Combat The Aggressive Marketing Of Menthol Products To Black People
Health Officials Urge Precautions As Puget Sound Braces For High Temperatures And Poor Air Quality This Summer

Seattle Times
Sustainable aviation fuel startup breaks ground on Moses Lake plant
Seattle police kept mock tombstone for Black man, Trump flag in break room, video shows
Seeing orange stripes on I-5? It’s part of a new WA experiment
Opinion: Neighborhoods can be great allies for youth mental health

Spokesman Review
Cold front brought cooler weather, brief storms across Inland Northwest
Former Spokane City Attorney Nancy Isserlis named chair of Washington Public Disclosure Commission
Opinion: Science, not emotion, should dictate state hunting and wildlife policies

Washington Post
Inflation drops to lowest levels since March 2021 as economy cools
Teens buying ghost guns online, with deadly consequences

WA State Standard
Advocacy groups file lawsuit against Idaho’s ‘abortion trafficking’ law
New committee will advise on key plan for future of Northwest forests, adapting to climate change

Wenatchee World
FEMA approves federal dollars to tackle Baird Springs Fire

Yakima Herald-Republic
Sunnyside annexes 28 acres into city, including area on Alexander Road slated for new housing
What to know about Washington’s new heat rules for employees and employers

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Dangerous beauty: Cosmetics marketed to minorities come with cancer risk

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Rising concern over racial slurs, bullying spark demand for action in Issaquah School District
Seattle Public Schools offering ‘gender reaffirming care’ to students at ‘no cost’

KNKX Public Radio
Should we invest more in weather forecasting? It may save your life
A racist past and hotter future are testing Western water like never before

KUOW Public Radio
Report: WA’s high cost of child care hits single moms hardest
Low-income domestic violence survivors face uphill battle in obtaining court-ordered protections

NW Public Radio
Programa del Departamento de Justicia reforzará investigación de casos de MMIP en el este de Washington

Web

Crosscut
WA auditors flag $1.2B in federal aid over incomplete records

MyNorthwest
Another 250+ layoffs at Microsoft as company starts new fiscal year
‘Forever chemicals’ found in clothing could be making us sick
Growing wildfire in central Washington prompts evacuations
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay shares plans to move whale Tokitae ‘as soon as we can’

The Stranger
Seattle Democrats Snub Sawant After Request to Endorse Rent Control Trigger Law (Pollet, Valdez, Pedersen, Macri)

Tuesday, July 11

Rep. Ramel: Big Oil, not cap and trade, is gouging your wallet
Over the last few weeks, the public has been increasingly besieged by a public relations campaign focusing our attention on gas prices in Washington. You, your family and your wallet should be aware of what’s truly at stake here — corporations that stand to profit would prefer to blame Olympia when gas prices go up. The Climate Commitment Act is already utilizing revenue raised from its first two auctions to help our communities have access to affordable active transportation, alternative fuel and electrification that creates good-paying jobs, and modernizing our railways, ports and ferry systems. This funding will tangibly change Washington for the better. If oil companies or their surrogates suggest repealing the Climate Commitment Act, we should ask what they propose to replace it. Until I hear a better idea, I’m convinced that polluters’ pay is a fair system and an efficient way to support the emerging clean economy, a healthy, clean energy workforce, and real climate justice. Continue reading at Cascadia Daily News. (Hailey Hoffman)

Washington’s juries have a diversity problem, survey finds
People of color and those with lower incomes are underrepresented in Washington’s juries, according to a report released Monday. Black and Native jurors in particular “continue to face greater barriers to jury service,” Frank Thomas, an analyst for the Washington State Minority and Justice Commission, said in a statement. The study, completed by the Minority and Justice Commission in partnership with Seattle University researchers, collected nearly 250,000 usable survey responses over 17 months in 2022 and 2023. The authors of the report say it’s the largest and most comprehensive survey to date of juror demographics in Washington. On average, people who reported for jury service were more educated and had higher household incomes than the median in their respective counties. The study uses data from demographic surveys required under a state law the Legislature passed in 2021. The purpose of the effort is to determine whether people reporting for jury duty are representative of their respective counties’ demographics.. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Getty)

WA public colleges match private schools on diversity despite affirmative action restriction
Washington’s public universities are just as diverse as the state’s private colleges, even though they’ve had to work under a statewide ban on affirmative action for the past 25 years. Neither public nor private colleges are racially representative of the K-12 school population at large. But the available enrollment data from four-year colleges with more than 1,000 students show both types of colleges are around 50% students of color. As colleges around the country navigate the U.S. Supreme Court’s June ruling on race-conscious admissions, Washington and several other states with their own affirmative action bans might serve as examples of what happens to college enrollments if more colleges adopt a “race-neutral” doctrine when making decisions on applications. If Washington’s experience were indicative of the country, minus the most selective of institutions, not much would change — at least in the long term. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Alan Berner)

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Associated Press
Judge holds Washington state in contempt for not providing services to mentally ill people in jails

Axios
How Seattle-area demographics have changed since 2000
Republicans want to make state’s long-term care tax optional (Billig)

Columbian
Report: Crime up in Clark County and Washington

The Daily News
Coweeman River Bridge closes for inspection Thursday

Everett Herald
Edmonds drops $100K deposit on 10 acres off Highway 99
25 Snohomish County cooling centers provide a safe place to cool off
Paine Field or Sea-Tac? A tale of two prices
Port of Everett welcomes back ferry rides to Jetty Island
Comment: New tools can help high school grads get career skills
Comment: Officials, individuals must prepare for extreme heat
Comment: Finding a back door for popular gun restrictions

News Tribune
Opinion: Affirmative action ruling creates big opportunity for US schools. The kids deserve it

Olympian
Housing opportunity vanishes as new owner of Oyo Hotel plans no change, port official says

Puget Sound Business Journal
Why American manufacturing might be hitting a ‘supercycle’
Seattle one of the best big cities for biking, report says

Seattle Times
WA public colleges match private schools on diversity despite affirmative action restriction
WA Republicans propose making new long-term care tax optional (Keiser, Billig, Macri)
Homicides, violent crime up in WA as police staffing hits all-time low
UW study: Marine heat waves can endanger healthy seabird populations
Editorial: Congress must stand up to tech bullying on news content
Opinion: Increase federal investment in agriculture research institutions

Spokesman Review
After four years steering the City Council, Breean Beggs signs off
UW report offers solutions to help prevent deaths during WA heat waves
Veterans face Aug. 9 deadline for retroactive toxic exposure benefits
Campfire bans begin to take hold in Washington as dry weather persists
EWU graduate who bounced around foster homes credits state assistance for defying odds, receiving degree
Opinion: Increasing language access helps in many ways
Opinion: What is the legacy we are leaving with assault weapons?

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla seniors to share housing challenges at upcoming listening sessions
Walla Walla Public Schools receives $1.6M grant
Army Corps of Engineers plans herbicide treatments at Lake Wallula

WA State Standard
Murders hit record, auto thefts soared in 2022, new figures show
Washington’s juries have a diversity problem, survey finds

Wenatchee World
Wenatchee Valley schools project continued enrollment decline

Yakima Herald-Republic
WA Commerce director Mike Fong promotes affordable housing programs in visit to Yakima
Editorial: Look around — the climate has already changed

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Push to change public disclosure laws after trans woman’s complaint leads to harassment, death threats

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
TSA intercepts more than 3,000 firearms in first half of 2023
Budget cuts spark widespread concern: Washington school districts face backlash over potential job losses, program cuts

KUOW Public Radio
UW, other hospitals in Washington state relax masking policies
It’s hot. For farmworkers without federal heat protections, it could be life or death

KXLY (ABC)
More speed cameras could be coming to neighborhoods soon
Spokane Transit’s 10 years of work pays off with City Line

NW Public Radio
Solar development maps: Where is there less conflict?
Support outside of the classroom: how one western Washington school district aims to help families

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Bellingham’s tiny home villages must move next year
Hundred Acre Wood to be protected in perpetuity
Rep. Ramel: Big Oil, not cap and trade, is gouging your wallet

MyNorthwest
Yakima County, businesses raise funds to get more flights to Seattle

Monday, July 10

Judge holds Washington state in contempt for not providing services to mentally ill people in jails
A federal judge has found Washington state in contempt and ordered it to pay more than $100 million in fines for failing to provide timely psychiatric services to mentally ill people who are forced to wait in jails for weeks or months. In her order released late Friday, U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman said the Washington Department of Social and Health Services has been violating the constitutional rights of these people since 2015 due to a “lack of foresight, creativity, planning and timely response to a crisis of its own making.” Continue reading at The Olympian. (Getty Images)

UW report offers solutions to help prevent deaths during WA heat waves
Two years after the 2021 heat dome, Washington’s deadliest weather-related disaster, researchers are still trying to pin down its full impacts and what lessons can be learned. Officials estimate 126 people died from the heat between June 26 and July 2, 2021, when Washington set 128 all-time high temperature records, including in Seattle where people sweltered in up to 108 degrees. But a new report from the University of Washington says the heat dome was likely far deadlier, with 441 more people dying during that week than would have been expected based on previous years, after accounting for COVID-19. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Colin Mulvany / The Associated Press)

Why many judges in WA won’t order abusers to turn in guns
In June 2019, a woman lay on the floor of a trailer home in Kitsap County, struggling to breathe after her boyfriend, Dwayne Allen Flannery, allegedly beat and choked her. After a neighbor called the police, Flannery was charged with second-degree assault. The county’s Superior Court issued a no-contact order prohibiting Flannery from going near his girlfriend. The court also issued an order requiring him to immediately turn in his firearms. Four years later, Flannery has not turned in a single weapon. Continue reading at KUOW. (Roman Poberezhnik)

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Columbian
Ridgefield troubled waters: Failures in stormwater system send runoff into an already ailing Gee Creek
Spectacular Silver Star: Recreation planners foresee area as next big zone for increased hiking and camping access
Hayden Island holds its breath as Interstate Bridge Project takes shape
Editorial: In Our View: Homeless aren’t newcomers, but our neighbors
Editorial: In Our View: Take long and slow look at traffic issues, Buttigieg

The Daily News
New digital permit applications, virtual inspections aim to speed building in Cowlitz County

Everett Herald
Deputies shoot Sultan man who was reportedly wielding knife
Snohomish County to fund 360 new child care slots
Sauk-Suiattle members urge feds to step in against leaders ‘abusing’ power

News Tribune
Newlyweds, free hugs and drag queens. Tacoma turns out for LGBTQ Pride on Saturday

Olympian
Judge holds Washington state in contempt for not providing services to mentally ill people in jails
McEwan fire in Shelton now 70% contained, cause still under investigation

Peninsula Daily News
High fire risk expected to continue on Peninsula
Full burn bans in effect on Peninsula

Seattle Medium
Energy Response Unit – ENERGY 1 Unveiled To Fight Electrical Fires

Seattle Times
UW report offers solutions to help prevent deaths during WA heat waves
What survived Seattle schools’ budget cuts, and what didn’t
Column: Why some tragic deaths seem to matter more than others
Flags stolen, vandalized throughout Washington during Pride month

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla, Columbia counties see positive signs in May job growth
Grain merchant predicts poor yields for Walla Walla Valley wheat growers
WWCC wine program now accepts part-time students

WA State Standard
Gluesenkamp Perez dishes on gas prices, energy policy and electric vehicles
Centuries-old discriminatory policies cast long shadow on Puget Sound region

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
9-year-old injured in drive-by shooting at Point Defiance Park
Snohomish County allocating $7.6 million to increase high-quality, affordable childcare

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Washington residents express concerns before annual crime report release
CenturyLink fined $923,000 for unlawfully disconnecting Washington customers during pandemic
Washington state department slapped with $100 million fine for neglecting mental health services in jails
Mayor Bruce Harrell assures readiness as Seattle expects influx of fans for MLB All-Star festivities
What to know about Tacoma’s Pride celebrations starting this weekend

KNKX Public Radio
It’s hot. For farmworkers without federal heat protections, it could be life or death
Red flag, dry conditions, multiple wildfires worry Northwest fire managers after July Fourth holiday

KUOW Public Radio
Inside Seattle Schools’ budget: Staff cuts, but no teacher layoffs or school closures
Why many judges in WA won’t order abusers to turn in guns (Davis)
Week in Review: Air quality, guns, and SCOTUS
Child care gets $7.6 million boost in Snohomish County
It’s still Pride month in Tacoma where the celebration continues through July

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane City Council raises questions about proposed housing entity
Potential UPS strike threatens small businesses

NW Public Radio
DOJ’s Regional Outreach program will strengthen investigation of MMIP cases in eastern Washington

Q13 TV (FOX)
Fire season on track to match ‘some of the most devastating wildfire years’ in Washington

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Compass Health works to fill gaps in youth mental health services
Community celebrates Pride amid national anti-LGBTQ+ legislation

MyNorthwest
Seattle getting new safe RV parking lot with one catch
Twitter threatens legal action against Meta over its new rival app Threads
Snohomish County to allocate millions of dollars for nearly 360 child care spots
State of Washington held in contempt for not providing services to mentally ill people in jails

The Stranger
What the Gay Wedding Website Supreme Court Case Means for Washington – (Liias, Pedersen, AG Bob Ferguson)

Friday, July 7

What is the cost of extreme heat? $1B, according to a new report
Heat is bad for human health and leads to a rise in hospitalizations for cardiovascular, kidney and respiratory diseases, particularly among the urban poor, who often lack access to air conditioning and green spaces. Those hospitalizations will come with a hefty price tag. A new report from the public policy research group Center for American Progress estimates extreme heat will create $1 billion in health care-related costs in the United States this summer. The analysis, provided exclusively to Grist, projects that excessive heat will spur nearly 235,000 emergency department visits and more than 56,000 hospital admissions for conditions related to increased body temperature across the country this summer. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Brandon Bell)

UW study shows Seattle’s historically redlined communities have worse air quality
As Seattleites awoke to a hazy concoction of wildfire and Fourth of July firework smoke Wednesday morning, a new study dropped, revealing that some neighborhoods in the city are regularly subject to worse air pollution, reflective of historic racist policies. Those neighborhoods, according to research published Wednesday from the University of Washington, are today living with the impacts of redlining. Neighborhoods classified as “hazardous” under historical redlining practices are today exposed to higher concentrations of all types of pollution than those once labeled “desirable,” the study found. Black and lower-income communities were subject to some of the worst pollution. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Luke Johnson)

Statewide drought advisory issued for Washington. Here’s what that means
The Washington State Department of Ecology issued a statewide drought advisory Wednesday. The department said the state saw the warmest May on record and an abnormally dry spring and early summer which resulted in an early snowmelt. The snowmelt caused an initial surge for snow-fed rivers and streams but now most streamflows are projected to be 75% below normal. In addition, the department said the state only received 47% of normal precipitation between April 25 and June 23.The drought advisory is an early warning of a possible drought to make sure those in areas where drought conditions are developing are prepared. Continue reading at KING5.