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Monday, June 5

The Pierce County ferry system is under stress. Island residents just want it to work
Ferry breakdowns can leave residents, including students as young as third-graders, stranded on the island or mainland, pushing the fire department or private sailors into action to transport people across the water. The predicament is particularly nerve-wracking for residents relying on the ferry to get to medical appointments or receive health care, although [Anderson Island Fire Chief Jim] Bixler assured that a fire boat or helicopter is ready in cases of emergencies. Continue reading at The News Tribune. (Tony Overman)

‘A delta for the future’: Scientists try to save salmon at Stilly’s mouth
Around 20,000 salmon, historically, were supported by the south fork of the Stillaguamish River, which flows to Port Susan Bay. In 2019, fewer than 500 fish returned to spawn, according to a Nature Conservancy fact sheet. This makes their main food source — tiny bugs — a big deal for the conservancy, as well as for a cohort of nonprofits and government entities dedicated to saving five species of salmon native to the watershed. Continue reading at The Everett Herald. (Olivia Vanni)

Washington vies to become a national hub for hydrogen fuel
The Pacific Northwest is in the running to receive hundreds of millions of federal dollars to create a regional hub for the production and distribution of “clean hydrogen,” viewed by some as a key ingredient in the transition away from fossil fuels. The Energy Department’s hydrogen hub program totals $8 billion. It was created under the $1.2 trillion infrastructure law President Joe Biden signed in late 2021. In this round of the program, the department plans to award $6 billion to $7 billion for between six and 10 projects. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Andreas Rentz)

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Associated Press
Debt deal imposes new work requirements for food aid and that frustrates many Democrats
Biden celebrates a ‘crisis averted’ in Oval Office address on bipartisan debt ceiling deal

Columbian
Vancouver’s Washington School for the Deaf applauds expansion
Port of Vancouver’s Terminal 1 project wins award
Involuntary treatment center opens in Fruit Valley
Nuclear power may again be on horizon for Clark County

Everett Herald
Wild Sky Wilderness grows 345 acres, as transfer chips at private land
Long waits, big bills: Everett mom’s painful search for dental care
‘A delta for the future’: Scientists try to save salmon at Stilly’s mouth
Sno-Isle workers cite safety, unfilled positions in union push
Snohomish County agencies to simulate major disaster
Comment: A defining divide in Supreme Court’s ‘unanimous’ ruling
Comment: What Congress can do to keep an eye on AI
Comment: Public safety lost ground in this year’s Legislature (Ramos)
Comment: State’s high court ignores precedent in writing its rules
Comment: What capital gains tax’s court win means for so many
Editorial: What it will require to bring Tokitae home

News Tribune
The Pierce County ferry system is under stress. Island residents just want it to work
Juneteenth is fast approaching. Here are some places to celebrate in Pierce County
Department of Health employees push back on mandatory agency training from Utah institute
This Pierce County city struggled with Airbnb-style rentals. Are its new rules working?

Olympian
Washington Cares Fund goes into effect on July 1. Here’s what to know
Olympia kicks off Pride Month by celebrating state’s first trans flag-painted crosswalks

Peninsula Daily News
Inslee tours Port Angeles projects
Derelict vessel recycling program kicks off in Port Townsend on Monday

Puget Sound Business Journal
Seattleites support denser housing only up to a point, survey finds
SBA opens doors to new lenders in flagship loan programs

Seattle Medium
Seattle Youth Invited To Teen Town Hall And Resource Fair June 7

Seattle Times
Why prosecutors in WA are recharging a man police nearly beat to death
WA faces spate of lawsuits from workers fired for refusing COVID vaccines
Snoqualmie creates alert system for future Echo Glen escapes
Opinion: Protect the viability of Puget Sound’s working waterfronts

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Police department staffing improves in Walla Walla Valley
Inflation, incoming FEMA funds affect Weston’s 2023-24 budget proposal
Walla Walla School District receives first of three electric school buses

WA State Standard
Washington vies to become a national hub for hydrogen fuel
Preparing for an invasive insect that is destructive to crops

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Centralia police utilizing new tools to prevent pursuits before they begin
Even in Washington, birth control demand surged amid Roe reversal, providers say
King County property values drop after last year’s all-time high
State, county-run ferry systems face problems with aging fleets
King County small business application filings highest in Washington state
Pawn shops that took banned assault weapons as collateral not sure if they can legally return gun to owner

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Washington fire departments prepare for brush fire response as wildfire season begins
Burien homeless camp moves to popular city park following eviction
Dry spring has climatologists looking at drought possibilities for summer
2 Northshore School District principals on administrative leave for alleged cocaine use
Gun violence fears continue following multiple shootings, threats near Garfield HS

KNKX Public Radio
Biden signs bipartisan deal to avert debt default

KUOW Public Radio
For tribes, welcoming salmon to the Upper Columbia is a reminder of ‘lifelong work’
Is the right to strike in danger?
Examining how the far right tore apart one of the best tools to fight voter fraud

KXLY (ABC)
‘These kids will die’: Daybreak license suspension leaves patients, families distraught
Daybreak files motion against Department of Health due to ‘ethical lapses’
‘We didn’t know some of the cancer risks’: Free lung cancer screenings held for firefighters and community members

NW Public Radio
Homeless Washington students: Tacoma schools seek housing resources as district with most homeless students

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Brokedown Palace timber sale paused again
Feds, tribes responding to mass baby salmon death in Skagit

MyNorthwest
Behavioral health hospital in Tukwila suddenly closing; patients scrambling
Garfield and Nova high schools set to return to in-person learning Monday
Ferry cancellations, delays causing frustration among island residents
KCRHA approves 5-year plan to address homelessness

Friday, June 2

Domestic violence law’s supporters see upsides and unfinished work
In the waning hours of their 2023 session, lawmakers pushed through a 43-page bill to strengthen Washington’s safety net for victims in domestic violence cases. The legislation takes steps to expand training for cops and judges, toughen requirements on suspects to surrender weapons and deploy special teams to identify and intercede in cases with a high risk of resulting in homicide. The legislation will also deliver a model policy for the use of electronic monitoring, with victim notification technology, and establish a research center at the University of Washington to suss out the most effective strategies for preventing violence among intimate partners. Supporters were glad to see the bill pass. But it’s also narrower than some had hoped for. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Getty Images)

Inslee rebuffs tribes seeking relief after WA climate laws boost gas prices
Gov. Jay Inslee doesn’t think Washington should exempt tribal gas stations from climate laws that have driven up fuel prices across the state since taking effect at the start of this year, he told tribal leaders this week. Having made no inroads with Inslee, tribal leaders may now turn to the Legislature, Tom Wooten, chair of the Samish Nation, said Thursday. In a written statement, Tony Hillaire, chair of the Lummi Nation, said that “this issue is about our sacred and inherent responsibility to take care of our home, ourselves and each other. We are not the ones who have created the crisis caused by development and fossil fuel extraction. But we certainly pay the highest price,” he added, citing habitat loss and degradation for salmon and shellfish. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Daniel Kim)

Family of WSU hazing victim working with UW students on national database to track incidents
Sam Martinez, a freshman at Washington State University, died in 2019 from alcohol poisoning. In 2022, Martinez’s parents helped convince legislators to pass a law requiring all clubs and organizations at Washington colleges report incidents of hazing. In 2023, lawmakers increased penalties for hazing, by passing the “Sam Martinez Stop Hazing Law.” They’re now preparing to take their anti-hazing message nationwide, thanks to help from University of Washington students. They also want Congress to pass federal laws requiring colleges list hazing incidents as part of annual campus safety reports along with crimes like bike thefts, harassment, and sexual assault. Continue reading at KING5.

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Axios
‘Shrooms go mainstream with Washington state medical trial

Capital Press
Washington Grain Commission in ‘strong position,’ approves $8.6 million budget

Everett Herald
At panel, mental health experts brainstorm answers to staff shortages
‘We’ve at least come a little ways’: Snohomish to host first Pride event

News Tribune
‘Riot’ at Tacoma juvenile detention center causes $35,000 in damages, police report says

Olympian
Former Days Inn motel set to welcome area homeless June 19, Lacey official says

Puget Sound Business Journal
Seattle council member has backed away from police defunding
Seattle tops nation in spending on parks, survey finds

Seattle Medium
Ferries Cancel Trips Due To Shortage Of Workers
WA Passes Historical Bathroom Access Law For Truckers (Berry, Santos, Reed, Fosse)
Huge Shortage Projected In School Camera Funds

Seattle Times
Skagit County pays $250,000 to settle lawsuit alleging ex-deputy falsified an arrest report
Inslee rebuffs tribes seeking relief after WA climate laws boost gas prices
King County issues debris burn ban as region sees warmer weather
Emergency repairs underway at Skagit River jetty after hundreds of dead baby salmon were found

Washington Post
Senate passes debt ceiling bill, sending it to Biden to sign into law

WA State Standard
Domestic violence law’s supporters see upsides and unfinished work (Davis, Dhingra)

Yakima Herald-Republic
ACLU warns Yakima County commissioners about proposed homeless encampment policy
Comment: Get guns out of domestic abusers’ hands

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Tacoma woman with tuberculosis detained after refusing treatment
Family of WSU hazing victim working with UW students on national database to track incidents
King County Regional Homelessness Authority unanimously approves 5-year plan

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Washington State Ferries staff discuss service restoration, proposed fare increase
Fentanyl crisis clashes with eviction regulations for Seattle landlord
Frustrations grow as Burien encampment is swept and no new plan emerges

KNKX Public Radio
The U.S. added 339,000 jobs in May. It’s a stunningly strong number

KUOW Public Radio
Community court is ending in Seattle. What does that mean for defendants?
Amazon must pay over $30 million over claims it invaded privacy with Ring and Alexa

Web

Crosscut
SCOTUS rules WA company can sue union over strike-related damage
King County home values drop for the first time in a decade
Climate hazards are the Duwamish Valley’s top concern, survey finds

Thursday, June 1

Your questions about WA Cares, answered
WA Cares, a first in the nation program of its kind to provide state insurance coverage for nursing care and other services to help people as they age. Here are some of the most common questions we received and the answers: Can I still opt out? What if I’m close to retirement? Will the tax rate go up? Is the program still solvent? How does WA Cares compare to private insurance plans? What can the benefit be used for? Continue reading at Axios. (Sarah Grillo)

At State Parks, revenue is up and staffing levels are down
Washington State Parks took in more money than expected during the past two years as the pandemic drove a boom in outdoor recreation. State Parks collected almost $123 million between July 2021 and April of this year, $12 million more than anticipated. That’s according to a financial report delivered at a State Parks and Recreation Commission meeting on Wednesday. Almost 70% of the income was from camping fees and the sale of Discover Passes, which are needed to access state recreation sites. Despite rising revenue, the agency is struggling to hire and keep staff, with the eastern Washington region staffed at only 60% of target levels. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Getty Images)

Lummi Nation says new Port of Vancouver terminal violates agreement, hurts fisheries
The Lummi Nation says the recently approved expansion of the marine terminal at the Port of Vancouver violates a Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in 2021 and would have a devastating impact on fisheries restoration. By claiming Aboriginal rights, the Lummi Nation is saying Canada and British Columbia need to consider how projects will impact Lummi treaty rights in the United States as well as the Aboriginal rights in Canada. The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority was required by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada to consult with 47 indigenous groups as part of the environmental assessment process. Of these groups, the port authority signed mutual benefit agreements with 26 of them. However, the Lummi Nation was not one of the groups consulted. Continue reading at Bellingham Herald. (Paul Conrad)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Aberdeen considering rent notice rule for mobile home parks

Axios
Your questions about WA Cares, answered
Payroll tax for long-term care program kicks in July 1 (Keiser)

Bellingham Herald
Lummi Nation says new Port of Vancouver terminal violates agreement, hurts fisheries

Columbian
Washougal to get $40M for underpass at railroad crossing
Daybreak Youth Services, state agency file complaints against each other
Don Bonker, former Southwest Washington congressional representative, dead at 86

Everett Herald
Police chief departing Mukilteo after 20 years, 322 Yelp reviews
Tune in for virtual meeting on Edmonds-Kingston ferry

The Inlander
Spokane’s police watchdog on fallout from the chief’s email controversy, expanding the ombudsman’s powers and the future of police accountability
WSU team invents an autonomous insect-like machine with a plethora of environmental and research applications

News Tribune
A waste of public money? ICE paid firm $40M for unused beds at Tacoma detention center

Puget Sound Business Journal
Seattle chamber data shows overwhelming adoption of hybrid work

Seattle Times
WA’s first alpine roller coaster opens in Leavenworth
3 shootings near Garfield High raise concerns about security, safety
Burien encampment deadline passes — questions over legality and shelter remain
U.S. Supreme Court rules against Seattle union in fight with concrete firm

Spokesman Review
Spokane breaks another monthly weather record with scorching May
House passes compromise deal to raise debt limit, despite opposition from Northwest lawmakers in both parties
Need for home builders is ‘tremendous’ as current workforce nears retirement and housing shortage grows
Opinion: Know your options for medical care in Idaho for early pregnancy emergencies 

Tri-City Herald
Waterfront homes, condos, restaurants and hotel planned in Pasco. Work about to start

Washington Post
New SNAP work requirements, explained

Washington State Standard
State wildlife managers look beyond ‘hook and bullet’ species
At State Parks, revenue is up and staffing levels are down

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
New law expands Driver’s Assistance Program for teens in foster care
‘Why would you do this to my family’: Auto theft adds to Tacoma family’s struggles
Family to sue Lewis County Sheriff’s Department for allegedly sabotaging death investigation of hiker

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
WSDOT announces major summer road construction projects

KUOW Public Radio
Lummi Nation moves to block BC port expansion they say would impact salmon
Federal judge ‘extremely skeptical’ that SPD could soon exit consent decree
Washington state hits the reset button on its search for a new airport site (Keiser, Fey)

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane woman pleads guilty to COVID relief fraud
‘This is the worst it’s been’: Wolves take aim at Republic ranch livestock

NW Public Radio
Washington Supreme Court to rule on constitutionality of Washington State Voting Rights Act

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Mount Baker Highway closure to begin June 5
Opinion: At Lummi Nation, healing comes from within

Wednesday, May 31

As WA State Ferries cancellations, delays continue, here’s what to know
Despite incremental improvements to ferry service in Washington state over the last year, a hectic Memorial Day weekend, replete with mechanical issues and crew shortages, highlighted the fragility of the nation’s largest ferry system. Lawmakers have pledged more than $1.5 billion over the next 16 years to build four new hybrid electric boats and to preserve those still in use. The Tillikum, as well as several other boats, is due for retirement, but is being kept afloat with nearly $20 million a year in maintenance costs. Lawmakers also approved budget increases in 2023 to cover a labor contract, new vessel construction and more training. The biennial transportation budget, passed this year, includes more than $20 million for scholarships, training, recruitment and overtime to ease the pain of crew shortages. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Karen Ducey)

AG sues makers of PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ that have seeped into drinking water
Companies involved in making and selling firefighting foam used for decades in Washington hid potential health risks from chemicals in the product, contributing to drinking water pollution around the state, according to allegations in a lawsuit Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed on Tuesday. Washington has already spent millions of dollars dealing with water tainted by the chemicals and these costs are expected to climb as testing reveals even more contamination. So far, nearly 200 water sources have tested positive for PFAS, according to state Department of Health data that the Attorney General’s Office pointed to. According to the Attorney General’s Office, groundwater testing near a military training center in the Yakima region, one of the areas noted in the new lawsuit, has found PFAS contamination that is more than 1,300 times the new threshold EPA has put forward. The lawsuit asks the court to force the companies to pay for past and future expenses stemming from the pollution, for things like water treatment, remediation and monitoring. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Getty Images)

‘988 saved my life’: local man shares how quickly-growing crisis line helped him overcome
Mental Health Awareness Month is coming to an end, but one local lifeline is continuing to grow: the 988 crisis lifeline number that launched last summer (a shorter version of the 10-digit suicide prevention hotline) has seen a 49% increase in calls, according to one local call center leader .Michelle McDaniel, Chief Executive Officer at Crisis Connections, where many 988 calls are routed, said her local call center has seen demand grow dramatically in the last ten months. As a result, they’re looking to hire and retain more trained crisis counselors. Continue reading at KING5.

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Associated Press
Crucial days ahead as debt ceiling deal goes for vote

Axios
Bid to boost vanishing tree canopy passes — but not everyone’s happy

Bellingham Herald
This mixed-use project is planned for a unique site in downtown Bellingham. Here’s more
Whatcom County’s unemployment rate drops in April, ranks 10th lowest in the state

Columbian
NorthStar ready to be new tool in opioid fight in Clark County
Nonprofit providing rent assistance in Clark County closes doors

Everett Herald
Comment: U.S. needs more housing, just not public housing
Editorial: Set your muscle memory for work zone speed cameras (Liias)

The Inlander
CAMP CLOSURE: City and state leaders agree on deadline to close Spokane’s Camp Hope

International Examiner
Exhibit tells the stories of those displaced by I-5, drawing parallels to present-day Chinatown-ID

Olympian
Henderson Inlet signs tagged with hate speech, hate symbol over the weekend
These remote jobs with state of WA pay $80k and up in annual salary, paid leave, benefits

Peninsula Daily News
Opinion: The house of the salmon

Puget Sound Business Journal
The feds aren’t the only entity targeting noncompete agreements
How Washington’s outdoor economy became a billion-dollar business

Seattle Times
Investigation sheds light on tenure of fired director of WA Equity Office
Judge overseeing Seattle police reform raises questions over racial disparities
As WA State Ferries cancellations, delays continue, here’s what to know (Rolfes, Lovelett)
How the Regional Homelessness Authority plans to get millions in new funding (Chopp)
WA AG sues PFAS manufacturers, seeks money for cleanup of drinking water

Spokesman Review
Camp Hope will close by June 30 as leaders project blame for duration of camp

Tri-City Herald
WA individual health insurance market customers could face average rate increase of 9.1%

WA State Standard
AG sues makers of PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ that have seeped into drinking water

Wenatchee World
Opinion: Washington State’s new drug possession law is a positive step forward

Yakima Herald-Republic
Family with contaminated water near training center left with growing pile of PFAS-filled filters

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
‘988 saved my life’: local man shares how quickly-growing crisis line helped him overcome
Restoration of aquatic ecosystem underway at former Mountlake Terrace golf course
Washington officials seeking worker safety solutions after string of robberies
‘Dangerous conditions’: Union representing Echo Glen staff says safety concerns have been ignored

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
British Columbia begins to send cancer patients to Bellingham for treatment

KNKX Public Radio
Seattle aims to protect gig workers from sudden termination
Adding affordable ‘workforce’ housing near Seattle’s industrial waterfront divides labor unions

KUOW Public Radio
Is the Seattle Police sufficiently reformed or does it require more oversight?

KXLY (ABC)
Former WSU football coach can’t sue Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, AD Pat Chun over vaccine termination

Web

Crosscut
Courts consider lifting federal oversight of Seattle Police
Washington public agencies win $121M to extend rural broadband

MyNorthwest
New state law could speed up construction of Washington ferries (Fey)
Medicaid coverage ending for some in Washington state

Tuesday, May 30

How new Washington laws aim to lower out-of-pocket health care costs
Insulin, abortions, hearing aids and cancer screenings are among the medical expenses that may soon cost less for Washington residents with health insurance. In a session when addressing rising costs and making the state more affordable was top of mind, the Legislature this year passed a number of bills to lower out-of-pocket costs for routine screenings or equipment. Supporters say the new measures could save individuals hundreds of dollars each year. Rep. Marcus Riccelli, D-Spokane, who chairs the House Health Care and Wellness Committee, said the bills will have significant upsides for consumers, though he said there’s still more to do, especially on prescription drug prices. “When you add these things up, it’s helpful, but you still need to look at the total cost of care,” he said. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Getty Images)

New Washington state laws give debt relief to people exiting prison
Starting this summer, people convicted of crimes in Washington state will face fewer court-ordered fees. It’s part of a national movement to reduce the impact of these fines on people exiting prison, many of whom have little ability to pay them. HB 1169, the new law, eliminates what had been a mandatory $100 fee for DNA collection. It also exempts juveniles and indigent adults from what had been a mandatory fee of $500 per felony and $250 per gross misdemeanor to fund victim support services. (The law does not change restitution owed to victims.) It’s the third in a series of laws championed by Rep. Tarra Simmons (D-Bremerton), who testified before the Washington State Legislature on the burden of court fines and fees before she was elected to the House in 2020. Continue reading at KUOW. (Kyrrah Nork)

Senator Cleveland & Rivers: Our emergency rooms and hospitals are facing an emergency
If you have needed to visit an emergency room lately, you have likely experienced the overwhelming number of patients. It is a problem evident in hospitals across the state. In every corner of Washington, patients are waking up in hospital beds ready to be discharged. They no longer meet the clinical criteria to be hospitalized and are ready to be transferred to post-acute care facilities, but that transfer is delayed or, too often, never comes. The factors contributing to this problem are varied, but they lead to the same result: patients are not able to access the next appropriate level of care after hospitalization. We must make long-term investments in supporting our post-acute health care system to ensure people have access to the services they need in the right setting. Continue reading at Daily News. (Victoria Ditkovsky)