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Thursday, July 6

Can WA state utilities turn off your electricity in a heat wave? New law says they can’t
According to NWS Seattle, the Emerald City experienced one of its warmest Independence Days on record. The hot-temperature trend isn’t unique to Washington or even the U.S. On July 4, the planet experienced its warmest day in recorded history at 17.18 degrees Celsius, according to Climate Reanalyzer. No matter the region, summer heat poses a risk to residents’ safety. In 2021, a scathing heat dome hit Washington, resulting in 100 people dying due to heat-related illness, according to the Washington State Department of Health. In anticipation of extreme summer heat, the Washington state legislature passed a law in early 2023 that prohibits utility services from shutting off someone’s power due to nonpayment during heat advisory periods. The legislation, which Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law in April, goes into effect July 23. Continue reading at Bellingham Herald. (News Tribune)

NW drinking water concerns could get worse as the climate changes
In the Northwest, climate change is expected to alter how precipitation falls. Changes in snowpack and streamflow could mean places like the Yakima Basin in Washington and the Willamette River Basin in Oregon have bigger chances for more frequent water shortages in the summer, according to the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group and the Oregon Climate Assessments. Climate change also could damage infrastructure and lead to service disruptions, according to the Climate Impacts GroupClimate, including concern for the quality of drinking water sources, especially surface water sources. With the heat, the city’s backup water wells might not have held enough water. So, the city asked residents to conserve water for a few days – by washing their clothes and dishes only when machines are full, taking shorter showers, and watering gardens in the early morning or late evening. Continue reading at KUOW. (Flickr)

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg returns to Washington
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will be in Washington Thursday and Friday to highlight major infrastructure projects. Buttigieg will visit Mukilteo and Port Orchard to talk about the ferry system Thursday near the site of the future Port Orchard Marina Breakwater and include highlighting Bipartisan Infrastructure Law investments. He will give remarks at a press conference with Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee, Democratic Rep. Derek Kilmer and both of the state’s U.S. Senators, Democrats Patty Murray and Nancy Cantwell. On Friday morning, Buttigieg will visit Washougal to speak on infrastructure investments that are intended to improve safety, speed up emergency response times, and strengthen supply chains. The visit is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s plan to highlight the new $4.4 billion infrastructure law. Over 350 projects in Washington have been identified for funding. There are 416 bridges and over 5,469 miles of highway that have been identified as needing renovation. In addition, 281,000 households across the state are now getting lower-cost high-speed internet because of the new law. Continue reading at MyNorthwest. (Matt Freed)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Officials tighten burn ban as wildfires spark, grow

Axios
Study: Mothers are dying more often – especially if they’re Indigenous

Bellingham Herald
Wildfire smoke drifting across Whatcom County. Here’s how long will it hang around
WA wildfire information: What’s the difference between a controlled and a contained fire?
Can WA state utilities turn off your electricity in a heat wave? New law says they can’t

Capital Press
Washington senator calls for cap-and-trade changes (Nguyen)

Columbian
Tunnel Five Fire in Columbia River Gorge still at 5 percent containment
Fireworks spark six fires in Clark County, cause nearly $1M in damage
Clark County Public Health outlines key environmental goals
Editorial: Take action, help people prepare for extreme heat

The Daily News
Coweeman River Bridge closes for inspection Thursday

Everett Herald
Sauk-Suiattle members urge feds to step in against leaders ‘abusing’ power
Comment: As bullets fly at schools, stores, streets, are we free?
Comment: To ‘forever chemicals, add ‘Frankenstein’ byproducts
Comment: America’s student loan debt mess was avoidable
Comment: For court, others LGBTQ+ lives are viewed as imposition
Comment: Court’s affirmative action ruling built on mushy logic
Comment: Court student debt ruling exposes its judicial activism
Editorial: Everett tax on guns, ammo would fund safety work

The Inlander
Can the high court’s recent ruling impact Washington’s cannabis industry?

News Tribune
Why’s it so hazy? Here’s what we know about factors affecting Pierce County air quality
Editorial: Don’t scrap new CO2 reduction program, but a fix to WA’s soaring gas prices can’t wait
Opinion: I’m a high school teacher in Tacoma. Ending affirmative action is bad for my students

New York Times
Ex-Prisoners Face Headwinds as Job Seekers, Even as Openings Abound
Fight or Flight: Transgender Care Bans Leave Families and Doctors Scrambling

Olympian
Gov. Inslee speaks at new Lacey homeless shelter as 16 residents settle in to new home
Firefighters work to contain McEwan Fire near Shelton, but evacuations downgraded
WDFW looking for weather window to conduct prescribed burns in Thurston as soon as next week

Peninsula Daily News
Forks fire contained; new blaze on Protection Island

Puget Sound Business Journal
Seattle council OKs legislation to streamline housing production
Groundbreaking to be held for $150M road project in East Pierce County
Seattle’s richest have gotten richer in 2023

Seattle Medium
The Washington Cares Fund Begins Now
King County Officials Urge Caution Around Bodies Of Water
Department Of Education And Early Learning Awards $7.2 Million To Youth Programs

Seattle Times
Where are King County’s homeless residents from?
Pedestrians gain space as Seattle closes part of Pike Street to traffic
WA ferries alert system down as some sailings are canceled
Seattle cuts a bit of red tape for affordable housing construction

Skagit Valley Herald
Broadband in the works for rural Skagit County
Long-awaited decision looms for protection of wolverines

Spokesman Review
NASA chief, industry officials say Washington is a leader in space
July Fourth was Earth’s hottest day on record. What does this mean for Spokane?
Free meals for kids available at sites around Spokane this summer

Tri-City Herald
WA felony prison and jail sentences fell by 47% in 5 years. Here’s why

Washington Post
Why a sudden surge of broken heat records is scaring scientists

WA State Standard
Why WA is taking a new approach to caring for newborns exposed to drugs
State sells land to Kitsap County for affordable housing

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Washington nursing homes getting more help with new Medicaid boost from the state

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
PLU’s new ‘Seed Teachers Program’ aims for more diverse classrooms in Tacoma

KNKX Public Radio
Disappointed but optimistic: WA student loan borrowers react to Supreme Court debt relief ruling

KUOW Public Radio
NW drinking water concerns could get worse as the climate changes
2 things just happened that could affect your wallet: Today So Far

KXLY (ABC)
Bomb threat briefly halts flights in and out of Spokane International Airport

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Federal affirmative action ruling has ‘little impact’ at WWU

Crosscut
WA repurposes a Days Inn in Lacey for those living along highways

MyNorthwest
U.S. job openings dip to 9.8 million but remain high, showing resilience in labor market
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg returns to Washington
Help arrives to battle wildfire near Columbia River Gorge

Wednesday, July 5

WA must double-down on its investment in sustainable aviation
For the first time since the pandemic, the Paris Air Show returned to Le Bourget last month with a focus on air travel’s next great challenge: sustainability. Washington state should get ahead of the competition by creating incentives for the development of sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, with infrastructure grant programs and even more aggressive tax credits than we already have. The aviation industry aims to decarbonize commercial flying by 2050, and Washington state is taking advantage of its existing aerospace infrastructure to become a leader in developing the technology needed to get us there. Washington state has taken a big step in the right direction, but we’ve only just left the starting blocks. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Dominic Gates)

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. He claimed the weapons surrender order violates his Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights against unreasonable searches and seizures and self-incrimination, since turning in his weapons would mean admitting he had firearms that he wasn’t legally allowed to have under the no-contact order, which made it a felony offense for him to possess firearms. The Washington Court of Appeals agreed with Flannery, dropping the weapons surrender order in a November 2022 decision. State legislators attempted to clarify Flannery’s Fifth Amendment concern with a “Flannery fix” contained in recently passed legislation, but it’s unclear whether judges will find the change sufficient when the law takes effect in late July. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Getty Images)

Cantwell, Murray Announce $1.2 Billion Federal Investment In Broadband Infrastructure For Washington
Last week, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that the State of Washington will receive $1,227,742,066 from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to help expand broadband access to areas that remain without high-speed broadband. “The COVID pandemic laid bare just how crucial fast and affordable internet access is for all Washingtonians. But for more than a quarter of a million households in the State of Washington, broadband remains inaccessible,” said Sen. Cantwell. “This major new broadband investment will help ensure that more Washingtonians – from patients booking a telehealth appointment, to students filing an assignment, to small business owners connecting with customers – are able to fully participate in our 21st Century economy.” Continue reading at Seattle Medium.

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Associated Press
Climate change making wildfires, smoke worse, Scientists call it the ‘new abnormal’
Morning-after pill vending machines gain popularity on college campuses post-Roe
Wider than websites? LGBTQ+ advocates fear broader discrimination after Supreme Court ruling

Capital Press
Dry weather increases fire risk in much of West

Columbian
Editorial: Small businesses have big impact on economy
Personnel on Tunnel Five Fire in the Columbia River Gorge almost doubles

Everett Herald
Heavy interest spurs free tutoring through summer in Everett
Free kids meal and snack programs start soon across Everett
‘Forever chemicals’ in drinking water found at Whidbey ‘slice of heaven’
Stanwood farm owners to pay restitution for starving herd of alpacas
Comment: Equality difficult concept for justices and founders
Comment: Making ‘We the People’ true to the Founders words
Comment: What we learned from Washington’s deadly 2021 heat dome
Comment: Big things coming for Link light rail in our county
Editorial: Extreme heat new threat Northwest must prepare for

News Tribune
Tacoma plans to give renters more rights. This group says city isn’t going far enough
Will this new road help alleviate traffic in East Pierce County? Here’s what we know
Opinion: In a crisis, you depend on Pierce County 911 dispatchers. They deserve a break

Olympian
A major affordable housing project on Olympia’s east side just hit an obstacle
State PDC dismisses case over RFA flier bias, but issues warning to Olympia, Tumwater
Judge approves $13.35M settlement of lawsuit against DSHS over disabled man’s abuse
Fireworks are fun, but what impact do they have on climate change — and your health?

Peninsula Daily News
Canadian wildfire smoke seeps into Peninsula
Fireworks banned in Jefferson County
$16 million grant to fund trail design in Kitsap, Clallam counties

Puget Sound Business Journal
Analyst: Boeing faces more pain if supplier delays prove ‘contagious’
How Paine Field’s new airport director aims to get a handle on growth
Tech employers seek more H1-B visas as layoffs mount
Businesses face complex minefield after religious accommodation ruling
Sea-Tac earmarked $5B for updates. Here’s what’s planned.
How employers can help workers repay their student loans
Small-business grants you can apply for in July 2023

Seattle Medium
Cantwell, Murray Announce $1.2 Billion Federal Investment In Broadband Infrastructure For Washington

Seattle Times
So many King County Metro buses are out of service, routes will be cut for months
Here’s why people think Seattle will reverse course on homelessness
Fatal Belltown shooting draws focus on Seattle’s illegal market for stolen guns
After months of delays, Seattle getting RV safe parking lot
Seattle welcomes 501 new American citizens at July Fourth ceremony
WA felony prison and jail sentences fell by 47% in 5 years. Here’s why
Editorial: WA must double-down on its investment in sustainable aviation

Spokesman Review
New Washington state laws take effect in July. Here are a few:
Summer conditions spark fires throughout Washington
Avista Utilities set to raise Washington electricity rates
Firefighters contain 1,300-acre fire that jumped Yakima River in Benton County
White House announces $3 billion effort to reduce homelessness, especially among veterans
WA DOC workers say they were wrongfully excluded from $1K pandemic bonuses
Pickleball sees surge in interest across the Inland Northwest, with demand for new courts to match
What does Spokane need most? Groups narrows priorities to more shade, housing, child care or mental health services

Tri-City Herald
Highly radioactive spill near Columbia River in E. Washington worse than expected
Opinion: Don’t scrap new CO2 reduction program, but a fix to WA’s soaring gas prices can’t wait

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Uncertain fate of Dayton Memorial Library looms after board meeting

Washington Post
This July 4 was hot. Earth’s hottest day on record, in fact.

WA State Standard
New bridge, higher tolls on the horizon at Hood River
Washington gained more residents last year, but growth slowed
Washington’s highest-paid state workers are coaches, not politicians
Study shows sharp increases in maternal deaths over two decades
Why many judges in WA won’t order abusers to turn in guns (Davis)
Low-income domestic violence survivors face uphill battle in obtaining court-ordered protections

Wenatchee World
DSHS offers additional meal assistance for qualified children

Yakima Herald-Republic
Selah Cliffs brush fire prompts evacuations, closes road through Yakima Canyon
Tunnel 5 fire in Columbia River Gorge leads to evacuations, affects traffic
First of several Yakima County solar projects ready to start construction
Editorial: Signs of justice, hope for families of missing and murdered Indigenous people

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Parts of western Washington under Red Flag Warning
Record number of businesses in Washington cited for child labor violations in 2022
State resources approved to fight Rest Haven fire in Yakima

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Smoke from fireworks, wildfires takes air quality in Seattle and Tacoma down to ‘unhealthy’ levels

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Record-breaking ferry ridership leaves hundreds stranded amidst high winds in Puget Sound
New heat protections for outdoor workers go in effect starting July 17
Everett City Council expands drug enforcement zones to tackle hot spots in local parks

KNKX Public Radio
Honeybee deaths rose last year. Here’s why farmers would go bust without bees

KUOW Public Radio
Washington Cares tax hits worker paychecks
Puget Sound starts getting crabby with it for summer 2023
Could Seattle see rent control? Only if the state allows it
Seattle’s queer history: Out from the underground

KXLY (ABC)
Police enforcing city’s new drug ordinance

NW Public Radio
Bringing Indigenous languages into public schools
Is the Gorge safe? Trouble and violence mar popular concert venue and campsite

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Point Roberts labor shortages persist with few solutions
Opinion: Washington leads nation in gas prices — here’s why (Shewmake, Rule, Lovelett, Lekanoff, Ramel)

Crosscut
Low-income domestic violence survivors still lack support in WA
Spokane aims to reduce homelessness by 40% with regional authority
More Washington college students are opting for single dorm rooms

MyNorthwest
Washington Wildfire season just warming up with high rain deficits

Friday, June 30

Supreme Court reveals decision on student loan forgiveness
A sharply divided Supreme Court on Friday effectively killed President Joe Biden’s $400 billion plan to cancel or reduce federal student loan debts for millions of Americans. The 6-3 decision, with conservative justices in the majority, said the Biden administration overstepped its authority with the plan, and it leaves borrowers on the hook for repayments that are expected to resume by late summer. Advocacy groups supporting debt cancellation condemned the decision while demanding that the President find another avenue to fulfill his promise of debt relief. Continue reading at Associated Press. (THV11)

Private WA colleges pledge diversity in wake of Supreme Court affirmative action ruling
Washington has barred its public universities and colleges from using race in admissions for a quarter century. But the U.S. Supreme Court’s Thursday decision gutting race-conscious admissions policies will still affect thousands of students here. The state’s private colleges, which were exempt from the state law banning government agencies from giving preferential treatment to any individual or group on the basis of race, are now comparing their admissions processes with the court’s ruling against Harvard and the University of North Carolina’s use of affirmative action. The decision does not ban schools from considering race in the admissions, but raises the legal bar so high that many universities nationwide are expected to set aside affirmative action entirely. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Ellen M. Banner)

How local laws restrict the location of subsidized housing
Federally subsidized housing in the Puget Sound region is not only in short supply, it’s also unfairly distributed, says a new analysis. The effect of local zoning laws is segregated communities in and around Seattle, where families with low and moderate incomes and people of color can only live in certain neighborhoods where subsidy vouchers are accepted, the Urban Institute research found. Solutions like the state’s new middle housing law, which will go into effect next month, are steps in the right direction, but Yonah Freemark, who authored the study, said much more is needed. Paul Inghram, director of growth management at the Puget Sound Regional Council, said where affordable housing is located is something politicians and planning officials have been talking about for many years. He said part of it comes down to land prices. The more expensive the neighborhood, he said, the harder it is to provide affordable housing. But one way to change the region is through local zoning laws, Inghram added. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Getty Images)

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Associated Press
Supreme Court reveals decision on student loan forgiveness

Aberdeen Daily World
Port to excavate toxic gas station site in Westport

Axios
July 4 weekend travel is expected to be bigger than ever

Capital Press
Hydropower advocate crosses swords with anti-dam activists
Washington heat rule requiring hourly breaks coming July 17

Everett Herald
Ballinger Park’s new playground aims to be accessible for all
Everett adds 2 parks to list of areas banning drug offenders
Everett ammo, gun tax proposal modeled after Seattle, Tacoma

News Tribune
She was allegedly abused for years. Lawyers say her Pierce County home was warning sign
Tacoma-based health giant announces layoffs amid continuing multi-million dollar loses

New York Times
Supreme Court rejects Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan

Northwest Asian Weekly
“Faux pas” over Tateuchi East Asia Library — Leads UW to form review committee—legislators (Hasegawa, Thai, Ryu)

Olympian
Gov. Inslee calls for more speed cameras as fatal crashes in WA state rise

Peninsula Daily News
Clallam Transit manager leaves after 39 years
New commanding officer takes over at Naval Magazine
Navy to be in Port Angeles for Fourth of July
Clallam board picks administrator choice

Puget Sound Business Journal
Report: Amazon to face big FTC antitrust suit over online marketplace
Workers at key Boeing supplier ratify labor contract, ending strike
What employers need to know after affirmative action was struck down

Seattle Medium
What Does The End Of Affirmative Action Mean For Black Students?

Seattle Times
Just outside Seattle, residents endure a dangerous yet ordinary intersection (Saldaña)
Seattle’s encampment clearings receive mixed results: poll
Private WA colleges pledge diversity in wake of Supreme Court affirmative action ruling
Scientists find worrisome lesions on endangered southern resident orcas
Editorial: WA Supreme Court is clear: Fix discriminatory election systems
Opinion: How we can better protect all residents during WA’s next heat wave

Spokesman Review
Gonzaga says it remains committed to diversity as U.S. Supreme Court strikes down use of race in college admissions decisions
Jury finds Airway Heights Corrections Center had hostile work environment in sexual harassment case, DOC must pay $175k

Washington Post
Supreme Court rejects Biden student loan forgiveness plan
Supreme Court protects web designer who won’t do gay wedding websites
The affirmative action ruling has already upended college applications

WA State Standard
How local laws restrict the location of subsidized housing
US Supreme Court rules against Biden administration student loan debt relief plan
Summer wildfire threat could imperil unexpected US regions: the Northeast and Midwest
What the Supreme Court’s rejection of affirmative action programs means for WA colleges

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima Health District denies permits for two private landfills
Multicare layoffs affect 37 people at Yakima Memorial Hospital
Opinion: Affordable housing crisis should be a top Yakima Valley priority

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Legal experts, community activists react to Supreme Court’s affirmative action ruling
Man pleads guilty to stalking in case involving US Rep. Pramila Jayapal
Work underway to clear ‘catastrophic’ landslide near Mount St. Helens
SR 520 bridge tolls increasing up to $1.10 during peak hours
City of Edmonds addresses problematic Highway 99

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Lewis County sees wave of LGBTQIA+ spaces vandalized, believed to be hate crimes

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
3 years post-CHOP: An activist’s full circle journey through Seattle’s social reckoning
How will the Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action reshape college admissions?
Aberdeen may regulate donations to homeless camp amid concerns over dumping

KUOW Public Radio
What does SCOTUS’ ruling against affirmative action mean for WA?
Why the Supreme Court decision on affirmative action matters
An education law professor on why race should be considered in college applications
More radioactive waste under Hanford’s ‘324 Building’ than previously known
Puget Sound’s biggest bat colony could be big loser of dam-removal project
Family of trans teen sues after insurance refuses to cover gender-affirming surgery

NW Public Radio
Gay rodeos are queer spaces in rural places
To protect bighorns, officials review grazing allotments in a central WA national forest

Web

Crosscut
More women are casting their net into the salmon fishing industry
Supreme Court affirmative action ruling likely won’t impact WA

Thursday, June 29

Opinion: Inslee can cement climate legacy by making room for community solar
As far as state governors go, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee is a clean energy and climate champion beyond compare. Under his decade of leadership, the Evergreen State has enacted policies mandating the rapid decarbonization of Washington’s high-emitting electric power, transportation and buildings sectors and established one of the country’s first state-level emissions trading systems. He has even led on energy justice, an issue where so many policymakers come up short. While he intends to maintain Washington’s position at the leading edge of climate policy, he must address neglected opportunities and do right by Washington’s most vulnerable residents to leave office with a flawless climate record. One of the key opportunities available is to use his remaining time to embrace locally sited, subscription-based community solar projects. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (AP Systems)

As road deaths rise, WA officials say traffic enforcement, driver education need work
Washington officials say they want more enforcement of traffic laws and better training for drivers as they seek solutions to reduce fatalities on the state’s increasingly deadly roads. At a meeting with top transportation officials Wednesday, Gov. Jay Inslee called for more use of traffic safety cameras across Washington. Earlier this year, lawmakers approved the use of speed cameras in highway work zones. “I’m glad we’ve taken the first step in construction zones, but we can’t allow this carnage to continue when we have a technology that works,” he said. According to a state analysis, traffic deaths increased 39 percent between 2019 and 2022. Preliminary data shows 750 traffic deaths last year alone, with impaired driving and speeding as key contributors. Continue reading at KUOW. (KUOW Photo)

Supreme Court guts affirmative action, effectively ending race-conscious admissions
The U.S. Supreme Court has found that Harvard and the University of North Carolina’s admissions policy violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. The decision reverses decades of precedent upheld over the years by narrow court majorities that included Republican-appointed justices. It could end the ability of colleges and universities — public and private — to do what most say they still need to do: consider race as one of many factors in deciding which of the qualified applicants is to be admitted. In furious dissents, the court’s liberals pilloried the majority’s reasoning and its view of racial reality in the United States. “The Court subverts the constitutional guarantee of equal protection by further entrenching racial inequality in education, the very foundation of our democratic government and pluralistic society,” Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote. Continue reading at NPR. (Alex Wong)

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Associated Press
Washington’s long-term care payroll tax starts July 1, as other states explore similar programs
Expect a hot, smoky summer in much of America. Here’s why you’d better get used to it
Supreme Court strikes down affirmative action, bans consideration of race in college admissions

Aberdeen Daily World
Nonprofit expands foster youth services
Animal shelter partners with prison for dog training program

Axios
What to know about student loan payments resuming

Bellingham Herald
Many WA residents still don’t have internet access. How much will $1 billion help?
Whatcom County’s unemployment rate in May is down from previous month and year

Columbian
Homelessness on the rise in Clark County, especially among newly homeless
Evergreen Public Schools’ deputy superintendent tapped to lead Oregon Department of Education
Editorial: No easy answers for Snake River dams, salmon

Everett Herald
Lynnwood police using new GPS tracking dart to pursue fleeing vehicles
Amid massive changes, Port of Everett to host open house
Apparent new orca calf spotted in endangered pod near British Columbia
Comment: High court protects speech at cost of women’s silence

The Inlander
Spokane home values just officially skyrocketed, and not everyone is happy about it
A lawyer in a local wrongful termination lawsuit says the state’s argument could render Washington’s Constitution ‘toothless’

News Tribune
Opinion: To respond to gun violence, young people need more than ‘run, hide, and fight’

Olympian
Gov. Inslee to attend ceremony for new Lacey homeless shelter, housing group says
Average 2022 annual wage in Washington grew 2% to $84,167

Puget Sound Business Journal
Council members pledge fast action on mayor’s Downtown Activation Plan
Costco is cracking down on using someone else’s membership

Seattle Medium
Seattle Fire Department Investigation: Knot Not Noose

Seattle Times
Gov. Inslee: Install speed-enforcement cameras on WA highways (Fey)
Northwest ICE detention center to remain open after WA law deemed unenforceable (Ortiz-Self)
WA hospitals no longer required to report all substance-exposed infants
Opinion: Inslee can cement climate legacy by making room for community solar (Hackney)

Spokesman Review
Regional approach to Spokane-area homelessness takes shape
Weathercatch: Exactly two years ago, Spokane baked at its hottest recorded temperature ever. Here’s how the dry ground made it even worse
White House touts ‘Bidenomics’ after announcing $1.4 billion for broadband in Washington, $703 million in Idaho
Opinion: One Year After the Dobbs Decision

Tri-City Herald
Franklin County’s entire civil service commission just quit. What happens now?

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
College Place Public Schools prepares for major population growth

Washington Post
Supreme Court restricts race-based affirmative action in college admissions

WA State Standard
Wage growth in WA slows, but average remains over $80k
Inslee calls for more speed cameras to curb deadly traffic crashes

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima Council not in favor of cutting funding for future community fireworks shows
More help called in on Roza Creek fire in Yakima Canyon

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
New Washington state laws go into effect in July. Here’s what you should know (Morgan)
Washington apple growers celebrate India’s lifted tariff on agriculture
Gov. Inslee wants to explore expanding the use of speed cameras on state roads (Liias)

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell prepares for renewed push on drug possession law
3 years post-CHOP: Seattle’s East Precinct reflects on policing controversy
Seattle City Council committee could vote on affordable housing legislation Wednesday
Washington State Ferries warns of potential last-minute schedule changes ahead of 4th of July weekend

KNKX Public Radio
WA minimum-security prison to close, DOC refocusing resources as part of system reform
Washington’s new drug law was ‘designed to fill our treatment centers.’ Experts say it won’t
Supreme Court guts affirmative action, effectively ending race-conscious admissions

KUOW Public Radio
Cash is still king in unincorporated King County
As road deaths rise, WA officials say traffic enforcement, driver education need work
7 graphics on kids and guns in the Seattle area
Melter to treat radioactive waste switches on for the second time at Hanford
Will some Northwest wolves call Colorado home?

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane Regional Collaborative makes recommendations to reduce homelessness locally

NW Public Radio
Rising gas prices in WA fuel debate over who pays to combat climate change
Congress members dive into Northwest dams debate

Web

Crosscut
WA Cares Act paycheck tax for long-term care takes effect July 1
Washington Department of Corrections to close one of 12 prisons
Seattle parents move to reduce school fundraising inequity

MyNorthwest
Capital gains tax brings in $330M more than expected for state budget
Washington abortion numbers: Patients traveling from Idaho surge
Dep. of Ecology plans cleanup at Seattle’s Gas Works Park
Body of whale washes up in Ocean Shores raising concerns for overall health of the ocean
Nationwide flight fiasco leads to long lines at Sea-Tac Airport

Wednesday, June 28

In the WA v. Idaho abortion wars, data shows Idaho is losing
Now that a year has passed since women lost the right to abortion, we can assess how our neighbor Idaho’s near-total ban on it is faring. In short: It has accomplished next to nothing. You can’t say categorically that the Idaho ban hasn’t stopped a single abortion. But the data suggests that is essentially the case – that the whole thing is a burden, cost and danger to Idaho’s own women, but hasn’t met the anti-abortion goals that supposedly informed it. We know this now because clinics in the Pacific Northwest have started releasing data on where women come from to use their services, both back when abortion was legal nationwide, and now that it’s not. Idaho women are simply fleeing. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Angie Smith)

Editorial: LGBTQ+ community still has to fight for Pride
If you’re wondering why Pride Month — a recognition and celebration of the LGBTQ+ community and its members — is so named, it’s a matter of necessity to stress that message of pride in the face of pockets of resistance to that acceptance that remain present in Snohomish County and throughout the state and nation. The continued opposition to Pride — whether it’s reluctance to express simple support for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community or blatantly hostile intimidation and threats — is ample proof of why Pride events are necessary in our communities. The message of such events is a declaration that members of the LGBTQ+ community have legal and recognized rights to live their lives openly and without fear of retribution or attack. Continue reading at Everett Herald. (Ryan Berry)

Saving lives from extreme heat: Lessons from the deadly 2021 Pacific Northwest heat wave
The heat dome that descended upon the Pacific Northwest in late June 2021 met a population radically unprepared for it. Almost two-thirds of households earning $50,000 or less and 70% of rented houses in Washington’s King, Pierce and Snohomish counties had no air conditioning. In Spokane, nearly one-quarter of survey respondents didn’t have in-home air conditioning, and among those who did, 1 in 5 faced significant, often financial, barriers to using it. Extreme heat disasters like this are becoming increasingly common in regions where high heat used to be rare. Blackouts during severe heat waves can also leave residents who believe they are protected because they have in home air conditioners at unexpected risk. To prepare, cities, neighborhoods, companies and individuals can take steps now that can reduce the harm. In a new report, written with colleagues at universities and the Washington State Department of Health and released ahead of the two-year anniversary of the heat wave, we show how municipal planning agencies, parks departments, local health agencies, community-based organizations like churches and nonprofits, multiple state agencies, hospitals, public health professionals and emergency response personnel, as well as individuals and families, can play a vital role in reducing risk. Continue reading at The Daily News.