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Monday, October 31

Gov. Jay Inslee, lawmakers aim to keep anti-abortion ‘tentacles’ out of WA
Gov. Jay Inslee and state Democratic lawmakers revealed details Friday about a push to enact a “shield law” that would protect abortion patients and providers from out-of-state legal action, and announced two more bills in the works designed to ensure reproductive health care access. One would indemnify Washington-based corporations helping employees in other states get abortions. Another bill would block hospital and health care organization mergers that would limit services such as abortion. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ellen M. Banner)

Yakima Valley schools look for ways to engage kids who regularly miss class
Regular attendance is connected to better academic performance and higher graduation rates, even in early grades, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Being present in class is the first step toward learning. The Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction tracks attendance data each school year. It defines chronic absenteeism as missing two days of school a month on average. That may seem like a low bar, but across nine months of school that would add up to 10% of all instructional days. Continue reading at Yakima Herald-Republic. (Emree Weaver)

WA and Seattle ended their COVID states of emergency. What’s next?
Oct. 31, 2022 marked the end of those states of emergency at the state level and in the city of Seattle. Most restrictions had already been phased out, both because of improvements in pandemic conditions and political pressure to do so. Another 23 orders from the governor’s office ended this month. But COVID-19 remains a problem in Washington. There are still 600 new cases popping up every day and more than 40 deaths each week, according to state health department data. As we enter this next phase of the pandemic, here’s what you need to know. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Lindsey Wasson)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Quinault Indian Nation to close ‘digital gap’ with new cable landing station
Grays Harbor College going vertical

Columbian
I-5 span replacement chief Greg Johnson has history of building bridges
Editorial: In Our View: Update Electoral Count Act, protect democracy

Everett Herald
What Snohomish County officials learned from not driving (Robinson, Kloba)
Arlington agrees to purchase land for new park in Smokey Point
Countywide agency investigating Everett officers’ taser use

News Tribune
Staffing shortage is still hampering Pierce County Jail. Will bonuses bring more recruits?

Olympian
Olympia, Tumwater firefighters plead for creation of RFA before joint council meeting
Olympia residents voice support, concern about school board’s first Black member

Peninsula Daily News
Quilcene Bay now open for shellfish gathering

Seattle Times
Kent tightens homeless camping ban with new ordinance
How to help reduce flooding, stay safe during Seattle’s rainy season
Seattle Public Schools offers new Filipino American history class
Gov. Jay Inslee, lawmakers aim to keep anti-abortion ‘tentacles’ out of WA (Hansen, Simmons)

Skagit Valley Herald
Bad medicine: Inflation hitting health care

Spokesman Review
Some local, nonemergency 911 calls may be placed on hold starting Monday
Veteran of HUD, city of Spokane tapped as Woodward’s next leader of housing, homelessness initiatives

Tri-City Herald
Pasco says goodbye to its city manager. He ‘opened doors’ to rapid growth and diversity
5 more Tri-Cities COVID deaths. Hospitals admitting more children for RSV
One of Tri-Cities most congested areas to get $40M road revamp ahead of new development

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
‘Touchet Redhawks’ replace Indians logo, mascot
Body cameras not included in city of Walla Walla’s draft budget
Walla Walla Public Schools further scales back COVID-19 protocols, voluntarily keeps some precautions in place

Washington Post
Supreme Court hears arguments in Harvard, UNC affirmative action cases
How the Fed’s rate hikes slow the economy — and impact you
Elon Musk, right-wing figures push misinformation about Pelosi attack

Wenatchee World
Jobless rate trends down in September for Chelan and Douglas counties

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima Valley schools look for ways engage kids who regularly miss class
Yakima Health District rescinds local health emergency
Economic leaders discuss post-pandemic economy in Yakima Valley

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Washington state’s COVID-19 state of emergency ends Monday
Skagit County Republicans claim ‘anomalies’ in voter rolls. Here’s what we found
Washington state’s art community to get $10M boost for post-pandemic recovery

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Gas prices drop in Seattle, across Washington state for third straight week
2022 fire season burns fewer acres than recent years, Washington fire officials say

KUOW Public Radio
Proposed Kroger-Albertsons merger under state scrutiny
Only 15% of Washingtonians have gotten the updated omicron booster

KXLY (ABC)
Washington’s COVID-19 emergency order ends Monday

Web

Crosscut
WA and Seattle ended their COVID states of emergency. What’s next?
How tribes, local organizations are bolstering food sovereignty

MyNorthwest
Use-of-force investigation in to Everett Police who fired Tasers during arrest
Last public emergency room in Bremerton closed for good
City of Everett fined after millions of gallons of wastewater discharged into river

West Seattle Blog
CORONAVIRUS: More booster clinics scheduled in West Seattle

Friday, October 28

Elon Musk buys Twitter, fires top executives, declares ‘the bird is freed’
Elon Musk has taken over Twitter, seizing control of one of the most influential social media platforms in a $44 billion blockbuster deal. “Let the good times roll,” he tweeted Friday. Changes to the company were immediately visible — Twitter stock stopped trading Friday, several top executives were fired and some anonymous trolls were emboldened to spew hate on the site. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)

Why our third COVID winter could be a ‘variant soup’ — but also less severe
The third winter of COVID-19 is approaching. This year, along with cold weather, heightened transmission and a host of other respiratory infections are on their way. For the most part, we know the drill: Mask up in crowded, indoor spaces. Test regularly. Ventilate spaces. Isolate if sick. Get vaccinated. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Photo Courtesy of IDWeek)

Spokane’s Camp Hope is the center of a political storm
As chairman of the East Central Neighborhood Council, Randy McGlenn II is the Spokane neighborhood’s most prominent advocate. After living there for nearly two decades, McGlenn believes the community has been thriving and still has a lot of potential for future growth. While many think of the neighborhood alongside Interstate 90 as low-income, the area has attracted residents across a variety of income levels. It’s a melting pot of Latine, Black and Pacific Islander communities. Many small businesses have opened shops, bringing additional dollars to the area. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Young Kwak/Crosscut)

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Bellingham Herald
WA health officials say time is now to get vaccinated ahead of fall, winter illness
Virus surge hits Whatcom County, here’s how to protect children from the respiratory virus
‘This isn’t a one-off and Western isn’t alone’ as bigotry rises on campus

The Daily News
‘A massive crisis’: Learning setbacks show COVID’s toll on kids. A district-by-district analysis
Port of Longview establishes updated public records procedure

Everett Herald
State fines Everett $13K for incompletely treated wastewater
Hundreds of Ukrainian refugees get free weekly English lessons at EvCC
Everett eyeing bans on rabbit sales, peafowl and roosters

Federal Way Mirror
Unvaccinated South King firefighters can return to work

News Tribune
Tacoma Link riders will soon have to pay. When will fares start and how much will it be?
WA health officials say time is now to get vaccinated ahead of fall, winter illness
Kids sick with RSV filling Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital waiting rooms and beds
Pierce County prefers this site for a big homeless housing project. Why it might not work

Olympian
SPSCC closer to offering its first bachelor’s degree

Puget Sound Business Journal
Seattle falls from top 10 of ULI’s annual ‘markets to watch’ list
The disconnect over remote work lingers. It may intensify in 2023.
New disclosures highlight billions in losses for college endowments

Seattle Medium
Why Seattle’s Air Quality Is News
Washington’s Paid Family Leave Program Deficit

Seattle Times
Four WA communities tried to end youth homelessness. One is seeing success
Why our third COVID winter could be a ‘variant soup’ — but also less severe
Sound Transit takes ownership of aging downtown Seattle tunnel
King County proposed mental health study on students after insisting it wasn’t doing research
Seattle Aquarium’s Ocean Pavilion will transform its focus and the waterfront
Foot of snow closes WA’s Chinook and Cayuse passes for the season
As fentanyl drives overdose deaths, mistaken beliefs persist

Skagit Valley Herald
Sports betting coming to Swinomish Casino & Lodge

South Seattle Emerald
Seattle Forest Week Continues Through Oct. 29, Ending with Green Seattle Day!

Spokesman Review
Washington health officials encourage vaccination as triple-whammy respiratory season approaches
Body camera shows man had knife and toddler in his hands seconds before police shot and killed him in January
Spokane hires Salvation Army to operate homeless shelters
Woman’s legal quest illuminates the rights of hospital patients who want to leave

Tri-City Herald
New drug and alcohol court aims to stop the revolving door of Benton County crimes
Does a school policy on race ‘villainize teachers’ or set Richland ‘students up for success’?
Every WA congressional leader is sending Biden the same message about the Hanford nuclear site

Washington Post
Assailant shouted ‘Where is Nancy?’ in break-in at speaker’s home, attack on Paul Pelosi
Inside the secretive effort by Trump allies to access voting machines
Elon Musk buys Twitter, fires top executives, declares ‘the bird is freed’
So far, this flu season is more severe than it has been in 13 years

Wenatchee World
Chelan Douglas Regional Port Authority discusses potential Mansfield Airport closure

Yakima Herald-Republic
‘A no-win for everyone:’ Restaurants struggle to keep customers, employees as prices rise
Monkeypox numbers plateau in Yakima County with no new cases since August
Board of Health sends names to the Yakima County commissioners for appointment
Every WA congressional leader is sending Biden the same message about the Hanford nuclear site

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
‘It’s scary’: Chinatown-International District advocates ask for funding to improve public safety
Business owners impacted by Bolt Creek Fire talk with lawmakers about relief, future safety measures

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
People urged to get flu, COVID shots ahead of winter season in Washington
Seattle pending home sales falling at higher rate than all but two major US cities
‘Lengthy closure,’ lanes of SR 520 bridge reopen following hours-long closure

KXLY (ABC)
Yakima, Spokane counties forfeit nearly $2M in federal rental aid
Spokane City Council terminates agreement with shelter operator amid fraud scandal

NW Public Radio
Hundreds of gallons of oil leak into Snake River from Little Goose Dam
Voting access for people with disabilities in Washington

Web

Crosscut
Spokane’s Camp Hope is the center of a political storm

Thursday, October 27

Facebook parent company fined $25M for WA campaign finance violations
Meta, Facebook’s parent company, was fined nearly $25 million Wednesday for intentionally and repeatedly violating Washington’s campaign finance laws. King County Superior Court Judge Douglass North issued the maximum possible fine to the social media giant, after finding that the company had, between 2019 and 2021, violated Washington’s longstanding political disclosure law 822 separate times. It is the largest campaign finance penalty ever issued anywhere in the country, Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s office said. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Jim Wilson)

Yakima, Spokane counties forfeit nearly $2M in federal rental aid
Spokane and Yakima counties lost a combined $1.9 million in emergency federal rental assistance, the U.S. Treasury reported last week, part of the latest round of a process intended to speed distribution of funds to renters at risk of eviction. Spokane officials will reportedly lose $1 million from their $7.2 million allocation. Yakima County gave up $900,000 in this round of reallocations, adding to a previous $1.1 million the county handed back to the federal government earlier this year. Yakima County’s previous loss of $1.1 million earlier this year made it the only county in the state forced to give back rental assistance funding at the time. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Nicholas K. Geranios)

World falls ‘pitifully short’ of meeting climate goals, U.N. report says
Despite a high-profile promise to boost ambitions at last year’s U.N. climate summit, nations have shaved just 1 percent off their projected greenhouse gas emissions for 2030, a new United Nations report found — leaving Earth on track to blow past a safe temperature threshold by almost a full degree. Thursday’s report on the emissions gap — the gulf between national plans to reduce carbon pollution and the actual cuts needed to avert catastrophic warming — found that countries’ strongest climate pledges put the Earth on a path to warm by a dangerous 2.4 degrees Celsius (4.3 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of the century. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Afolabi Sotunde)

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Associated Press
Student loan forgiveness support split between Washington Democrats, Republicans
Meta fined $24.7M for campaign finance disclosure violations

Columbian
Editorial: In Our View: State is wise to develop clean-energy industry

Everett Herald
Everett council districting commission erred in meetings, resident says
Judge asked to cut number of Growler flights on Whidbey Island

Kent Reporter
State long-term care fund projected to be solvent over long term

News Tribune
Tacoma wants to raise business license fees. Now, 3 council members are asking for more
Pepper spray, shouting as people clash at anti-transgender rally in Tacoma on Wednesday

Olympian
South Puget Sound Community College closer to offering its first bachelor’s degree

Puget Sound Business Journal
Meta fined $24.6M for WA campaign finance violations

Seattle Times
Facebook parent company fined $25M for WA campaign finance violations
Woman’s legal quest illuminates the rights of hospital patients who want to leave
WA AG slams $4B dividend by Albertsons ahead of Kroger merger
Amazon to open new Kirkland plant to build Project Kuiper satellites
SPU lawsuit against WA AG dismissed by federal judge
WA supports student loan forgiveness, but some have misgivings
Seattle City Council proposes amendments to Harrell’s budget plan
Respiratory infections surge in WA, leading to long waits at hospitals

Skagit Valley Herald
COVID-19 testing site at Cascade Mall may close

Spokesman Review
Spokane ending contract with homeless shelter operator just weeks after embezzlement allegations
‘It’s like you belong again’: State agencies helping Camp Hope residents get critical ID cards
‘False deadlines,’ emergency proclamation only hinders Camp Hope efforts, state, health foundation say

Tri-City Herald
Cocooning the past. Plutonium reactor in Eastern WA encased in steel to protect the river

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla County to consider allowing some rural wineries to build restaurants, overnight lodging

Washington Post
U.S. economy grows in third quarter, reversing a six-month slump
Overt U.S. antisemitism returns with Trump, Kanye West: ‘Something is different’
World falls ‘pitifully short’ of meeting climate goals, U.N. report says
Communities of color record big gains in health insurance coverage

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima County will tap more than $47 million in reserves for 2023 operating budget; jail debt retired
Yakima County’s jobless rate is lowest since September 2018
Chinook and Cayuse passes close for the season

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Thousands of formerly incarcerated people in Washington allowed to vote for the first time this year
Almost half of nearly 3,000 unsolved murder cases in Washington are in King County

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Starbucks union employees say company is penalizing them for being members

KNKX Public Radio
The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program just got more flexible

KUOW Public Radio
Washington’s HIV prevention program just ran out of money

KXLY (ABC)
State agencies unwilling to set deadline to clear Camp Hope without housing options
‘It needs to go’: East Spokane Business Association wants Camp Hope removed by Thanksgiving
Spokane County to use $2 million in ARP funds to enhance tourism, travel and hospitality

Web

Crosscut
Yakima, Spokane counties forfeit nearly $2M in federal rental aid

MyNorthwest
Big losses, but potential future gains for Boeing

The Stranger
Eyebrow-Raising City Council Budget Items

Wednesday, October 26

EPA awarding nearly $1 billion to schools for electric buses
Nearly 400 school districts spanning all 50 states and Washington, D.C., along with several tribes and U.S. territories, are receiving roughly $1 billion in grants to purchase about 2,500 “clean” school buses under a new federal program. Vice President Kamala Harris and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan are set to announce the grant awards Wednesday in Seattle. The new, mostly electric school buses will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save money and better protect children’s health, the White House said. Continue reading at The Associated Press. (Jacquelyn Martin)

Climate warming methane emissions rising faster than ever, study says
The amount of methane in the atmosphere is racing ahead at an accelerating pace, according to a study by the World Meteorological Organization, threatening to undermine efforts to slow climate change. The WMO’s Greenhouse Gas Bulletin said that “global emissions have rebounded since the COVID-related lockdowns” and that the increases in methane levels in 2020 and 2021 were the largest since systematic record keeping began in 1983. “Methane concentrations are not just rising, they’re rising faster than ever,” said Rob Jackson, a professor of Earth system science at Stanford University. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (David Goldman)

Why aren’t clergy members obligated to report abuse in WA?
In Washington, clergy — unlike teachers, physicians and law enforcement — were not listed as mandatory reporters of child abuse or neglect. [Former Rep. Mary Lou] Dickerson, D-Seattle, introduced a bill that would have changed that. But each attempt failed. The closest any version came was in 2005, when a bill that would have compelled clergy to report sexual abuse passed the state House unanimously. However, a watered-down version still couldn’t make it out of a state Senate committee. No similar bill has been proposed since. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Erick Doxey)

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Associated Press
3 men convicted of supporting plot to kidnap Gov. Whitmer
Water investigations said to test Biden racial equity pledge
VP Harris in Seattle to announce $1 billion for electric school buses

Aberdeen Daily World
State representative’s wife killed in Cosmopolis car accident

Bellevue Reporter
DOH data shows childhood vaccination rates remain stagnant

Capital Press
Company’s stake in proposed Washington carbon credits unclear

Columbian
Editorial: In Our View: Meta defies campaign law, will of the voters
Editorial: In Our View: Wildfire underscores climate, forests need help

The Daily News
Area burn bans lifted as rainy weather forecasted through the week in Lower Columbia

Everett Herald
Everett city dress code for bikini baristas ruled unconstitutional
Everett tenant joins lawsuit alleging price fixing by major landlords
Lynnwood council again scraps $40 car tab fees

Journal of the San Juan Islands
San Juan Island Library Capital Grant Advances to Legislature

News Tribune
Texts he sought were deleted. Fired Pierce deputy will get $400K but not his job back
Ex-Pierce County sheriff’s sergeant pleads guilty to lesser charge in felony assault case

Olympian
Olympia City Council gets update on housing projects — and a nudge to clarify objectives

Peninsula Daily News
Burn bans lifted on Peninsula
In November, Peninsula COVD updates to be monthly

Puget Sound Business Journal
Port approves $260M for Sea-Tac Airport upgrades
The IRS is warning business owners about a lucrative Covid-19 credit
Cyberattacks on small business owners are on the rise.

Seattle Times
Snow, spinouts on WA mountain passes: Here’s what to know
Seattle’s Forterra fires executive after tribe, investors, ex-staff speak out
Delta ‘weaponized’ mental health rules against a pilot. She fought back

Skagit Valley Herald
Sedro-Woolley seeks new planning commissioner
Grant-funded projects provide new opportunities for Swinomish justice system

Spokesman Review
Heart of the Columbia Basin: Othello is young, Hispanic and growing fast
Volunteers of America Eastern Washington will add behavioral health services with $4 million federal grant
City Council approves payment in $4 million settlement with family of man killed by police

Tri-City Herald
Pasco picks new interim city manager. He has more than a decade of experience
Dam turbine leaks hundreds of gallons of oil into Snake River in Eastern WA

Washington Post
Trump chief of staff Meadows ordered to testify before Ga. grand jury
For those still trying to duck covid, the isolation is worse than ever
Climate warming methane emissions rising faster than ever, study says
Regular exercise may improve the effectiveness of coronavirus vaccines
A profound change is coming to American school buses

Yakima Herald-Republic
Old orchard pesticide cleanup open house planned for Nov. 8 in Yakima
Gathering in Toppenish calls for an end to violence on Yakama Reservation

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Western Washington University investigating anti-Semitic graffiti on ‘free speech board’

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
New federal program recruiting volunteers to address public health shortages
What changes when Washington’s COVID-19 emergency ends next week?

KNKX Public Radio
Omicron keeps finding new evolutionary tricks to outsmart our immunity
Early retirement took off during the pandemic. An economic downturn could change that

KUOW Public Radio
As electric vehicles become more popular, home renters face a charging dilemma

KXLY (ABC)
School districts, tutoring centers look to boost student learning after decline in test scores
Local officials activate emergency operations center in effort to clear Camp Hope by Nov. 15

Web

Crosscut
Why aren’t clergy members obligated to report abuse in WA? (Billig)

MyNorthwest
After Supreme Court ruling Bremerton coach to be reinstated by March
WSU lifting COVID-19 vaccine mandate, legal experts weigh in on move
New safety feature for Light Rail in the Rainier Valley

West Seattle Blog
More ‘natural drainage’ in Highland Park, and a chance to ask questions

Tuesday, October 25

Washington students may be leaving behind $50 million in federal aid
About $50 million in federal aid has been left on the table by Washington students that never filed a FAFSA, according to the office of the Governor. Low and middle-income families can find that the cost of college is either completely or significantly covered after aid. State programs also support students that choose technical education or apprenticeships. Many students ineligible for federal aid can still receive state aid, including undocumented immigrants and people that owe repayment of federal grants. Continue reading at KXLY. (Alexander Mils)

Recycling plastic is practically impossible — and the problem is getting worse
Waste management experts say the problem with plastic is that it is expensive to collect and sort. There are now thousands of different types of plastic, and none of them can be melted down together. Plastic also degrades after one or two uses. Greenpeace found the more plastic is reused the more toxic it becomes. An NPR investigative report found in 2020 that industry officials misled the public about the recyclability of plastic even though their own reports showed they knew as early as the 1970s and 1980s that plastic could not be economically recycled. Continue reading at KNKX. (Laura Sullivan)

Investigation finds software company’s algorithm could be artificially inflating rent prices in Seattle
A software company and nine property management groups are being accused of artificially inflating rents. An investigation found the software that sparked the lawsuit is used by management companies in Seattle. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District County in San Diego by renters. It alleges the property management companies and Texas-based software company RealPage formed a cartel to artificially inflate rent prices and decrease the supply of multifamily real estate in violation of federal law. ProPublica’s investigation found that “70% of apartments [in Belltown] were overseen by just 10 property managers, every single one of which used pricing software sold by RealPage.” Continue reading at KING 5.