Click here for our Daily E-Clips policy.

Thursday, July 27

Spokane removed parking minimums for housing near transit. Is the state next?
To help increase housing production at a time when it is desperately needed, some state lawmakers want to cut off-street parking requirements for new homes. They may end up following Spokane’s lead. The City Council there last week passed a temporary measure to remove minimum parking requirements for all housing built within a half mile of a transit stop. The policy is a pilot project that will expire in July 2024 unless the Council decides to make it permanent. Most local jurisdictions require new homes to be built with a certain number of parking spaces. Critics of these parking minimums say that they make it more expensive and complicated to build housing, while also taking up limited space in dense cities. Meanwhile, the requirements have left many U.S. cities with an abundance of parking compared to buildings and people. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Laurel Demkovich)

New portal to issue refunds in overturned drug cases in Washington state
It will soon be easier for Washingtonians with past drug convictions to get reimbursed for fees and fines they paid under the state’s now-overturned drug law. A new online portal will let people check whether they are eligible to get money back for court fines and penalties tied to old drug possession convictions in Washington state, after a 2021 court ruling struck down the state’s felony drug possession law as unconstitutional. The new statewide portal, which is slated to go live Saturday, also will create a centralized place where people can apply for reimbursement online. State officials estimate that at least 260,000 past felony drug convictions are eligible to be vacated, or wiped off people’s criminal records, because of the state Supreme Court’s 2021 Blake decision. Continue reading at Axios. (Shoshana Gordon)

The new law giving mobile home residents a chance to buy their parks
A mobile home park in Moses Lake is up for sale and a new state law assures residents a shot at buying the property. In the past they might’ve never known it was on the market until after it was sold. Owners of North Pointe notified residents on July 17 that they are looking to sell the 25-space mobile home park. This started the clock on a process providing those living there and eligible organizations approved by the state Department of Commerce an opportunity to compete with other potential buyers. That chance is etched into a law that took effect Sunday and is intended to help preserve this stock of affordable housing. The law gives mobile home park residents 70 days to tell the owners of their interest in acquiring the property and to form a tenant group, or align with an eligible organization, to pursue the purchase. If an offer is rejected, the owner must explain in writing why it was turned down and what terms and conditions would be acceptable, according to the law. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Mark Hatfield)

Print

Associated Press
Deer take refuge near wind turbines as fire scorches Washington state land
EU investigates Microsoft over concerns bundling Teams with Office eliminates competition
Biden looks to provide relief from extreme heat as record high temperatures persist across the US

Axios
Endangered Southern Resident orca baby gets a name
New portal to issue refunds in overturned drug cases in Washington state
Judge finds parts of Seattle’s encampment removal policy unconstitutional
Retirement feels out of reach for many, including in Washington state

Capital Press
Central Washington wildfire covers 93 square miles
Lock and dam system benefits Pacific Northwest, advocate says

Columbian
2 affordable housing projects planned for Battle Ground
Repairs to begin on North Fork Lewis River Bridge on Interstate 5

The Daily News
Editorial: Thumbs up to speedy Lewis and Clark Bridge repairs, thumbs down to coroner budget woes

Everett Herald
Firework sales stay legal in south county, even if you can’t light them
To speak for trees, Snohomish County activists arm themselves with data
‘Unseasonably dry’: Drought strikes corner of Snohomish County
Editorial: Win for cardrooms calls for lawmakers’ review

News Tribune
How bad is vehicle homelessness in Tacoma and Pierce County? It depends on who you ask
Pierce County has no response to RV homelessness yet. Other cities offer ideas

Northwest Asian Weekly
Even with grants, CID restaurants share hardships with officials

Olympian
US Navy to name ship after renowned Nisqually Tribal activist Billy Frank Jr.

Peninsula Daily News
Drought deepens in Clallam, Jefferson counties

Puget Sound Business Journal
IRS warns of a big ERC misstep companies are making
Affordable housing complex opens near Seattle University
Affordable housing leaders still seeking solutions to crisis
Developers: Seattle’s energy code constrains supply of new housing

Seattle Medium
A Year With 988: What Worked? What Challenges Lie Ahead?
Pushback Prevents PTAs From Working Together To Decrease Disparities In School Resources

Seattle Times
WA ferry passengers are about to see a transformed Colman Dock
Evacuations continue as Newell Road fire surpasses 61,000 acres

Skagit Valley Herald
Halibut fishing season and limits extended

Spokesman Review
Ecology, Cheney crews working to clean up diesel spill into Minnie Creek discovered last week
Lightning caused Whitman County wildfire that has burned more than 500 acres
Washington State University launches online certificate program for medical professionals working in Indigenous communities
Comment: Mastercard demands shutdown of marijuana purchases on its debit cards

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Wheat harvest continues as Walla Walla County endures drought conditions
Walla Walla sees opportunities for retail, housing in evaluating new taxing district

WA State Standard
Spokane removed parking minimums for housing near transit. Is the state next?
The new law giving mobile home residents a chance to buy their parks
State offers $16.3M to swap trash trucks, street sweepers for cleaner models
WA expands Medicaid coverage for people nearing release from jails and prisons
Crews make headway battling wildfire in southern Washington

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima looks at how to use opioid lawsuit settlement money
Selah will pass police bodycam editing costs on to video requesters
Mabton residents clamor for solutions to drinking water problems at crowded meeting
Editorial: Health district’s Narcan order will spare untold pain

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Stanwood man still waiting for reimbursement for medical equipment two years after wife’s death

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Fire chief says Seattle’s new overdose response unit seeing early success
Seattle City Council passes legislation to curb drag racing with speed enforcement cameras
Changes may be coming for how Seattle handles removing encampments following ACLU lawsuit

KUOW Public Radio
New book provides a primer for aspiring state legislators (Keiser)
Drought conditions lead to several new, large fires in WA, OR
New Washington law could make condos less expensive, but are buyers less protected? (Shewmake)

KXLY (ABC)
Over $200K coming to Spokane organizations to address youth mental health, homelessness
Cheney gas station tank leaks diesel into Minnie Creek, concerning residents
Low river levels prompt Level 2 water restrictions in Spokane
Daybreak still in legal battle with Department of Health, wants a chance in court
State grant could pay for upgrades at Spokane city parks

NW Public Radio
State Department of Natural Resource pauses King County timber auction

Web

Crosscut
WA homeless group exposed sensitive data on kids, young adults
Federal aid is supercharging local WA police surveillance tech

MyNorthwest
Sea-Tac reveals Monday was busiest day in history
Klickitat County fire causes families to evacuate, burning 56,000 acres
Boeing loses $149 million in Q2 as the plane maker is pushing ahead with production increases

West Seattle Blog
READER REPORT: WDFW enforcement on the West Seattle shore

Tuesday, July 25

Cantwell holds fentanyl roundtable as WA becomes overdose epicenter
Why is Washington the epicenter of the fentanyl crisis? U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell posed the question at a Seattle roundtable she convened Monday about the deadly drug, where speakers talked about innovations happening locally and the challenges that lay ahead. The senator pointed to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention numbers showing the state had the biggest increase in the nation — more than 21% — in fatal overdoses reported between February 2022 and February 2023. It might seem obvious that a crisis is at hand, but Congress has not yet officially labeled fentanyl’s carnage that way. “Let’s get that done,” Cantwell told roundtable participants, including Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, the city’s police and fire chiefs, Evergreen Treatment Services CEO Steve Woolworth, University of Washington researcher Caleb Banta-Green, and a mother who lost her 20-year-old son after he bought what he thought was a painkiller that turned out to contain fentanyl. A congressionally declared crisis would help get support from federal agencies, including needed leeway on Medicaid reimbursement for treatment, Cantwell said after the roundtable, one of a series held around the state. She is working on a bill with two of her colleagues to that effect. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Ellen M. Banner)

Washington declares drought emergency in 12 counties
With much of Washington parched from a warm and dry spring, state officials on Monday announced a drought emergency for watersheds in a dozen counties. Farmers, fish, and household water customers are all facing difficulties, according to the Department of Ecology. This follows a May and June that Ecology says were the fourth warmest and 11th driest since 1895. The conditions left the mountain snowpack diminished as summer arrived. Counties with watersheds affected by the drought emergency are spread around the state. They include: Benton, Clallam, Columbia, Jefferson, Kittitas, Klickitat, Okanogan, Skagit, Snohomish, Walla Walla, Whatcom, and Yakima. “Climate change is making warm, dry summers more frequent, and droughts more severe,” Ria Berns, manager of Ecology’s Water Resources program, said in a statement. “What we’re seeing this year is likely a sign of things to come.” Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Creative Commons Attribution)

Groups plan to sue to remove Snake River dams over hot water troubles for salmon
Several conservation and fishing groups say the Snake River dams are making the river too hot for sockeye salmon. Now, they’re planning to sue the federal government to remove the dams. But dam advocates say the move will make climate change – and hot waters – worse. When water temperatures spike above 68 degrees, adult salmon start to run into real trouble. In 2015, extremely high water temperatures and low river flows became a disastrous combination for adult salmon migrating to spawning grounds. That summer was supposed to be a banner year for salmon. Instead, nearly 99% of the run died before reaching Idaho’s Sawtooth Valley. Salmon advocates worried the year was a harbinger of the future with climate change. Continue reading at KUOW.

Print

Aberdeen Daily World
Erosion project protects key energy infrastructure

Axios
Watch out for this invasive Japanese beetle, state officials ask
Researchers learn gender of 1-year-old killer whale in Puget Sound
Wine industry braces against impacts of wildfire smoke
State’s 988 crisis line sees calls spike 75% in first year (Orwall)

Bellingham Herald
Bellingham seeks site for RVs, limits on where they can park for people who live in them
‘Major step.’ World’s largest radioactive waste melter heats to 2,100 degrees in E. WA

Capital Press
Washington declares drought in 12 watersheds
Conservation, fishing groups intend to sue to remove Snake River dams

Columbian
16% of homeless in Clark County are fleeing domestic violence
Editorial: Weigh the benefits of lotteries against the costs

Everett Herald
Cost-saving prison phone switch hits ‘road bumps’ in Monroe, elsewhere
Drivers must reroute so salmon have a better commute near Mill Creek
Editorial: Paine Field name change doesn’t change its value
Comment: The heat — and humidity — are on and rising
Comment: The Eco-nomics of preventing climate disaster

International Examiner
Seattle Fire Department to test run new overdose response unit in the CID, where rates are high

News Tribune
Her parents met at an incarceration camp. She’s making a Puyallup memorial to explain why
$5K grants available for Tacoma women- or BIPOC-owned businesses. Here’s how to apply

Olympian
Was WA right to cite Amazon for safety violations at area warehouses? Hearing underway
Tumwater Fire joins peer support program aimed at reducing stigma around mental health care

Puget Sound Business Journal
Sea-Tac Airport’s latest upgrade includes all-gender restroom

Seattle Times
WA small businesses see opportunities in handing ownership to workers
Cantwell holds fentanyl roundtable as WA becomes overdose epicenter
Parts of Seattle’s encampment clearing rules are unconstitutional, judge rules
Drought emergency declared in 12 WA counties after early snowmelt, warm weather
King County Metro reaches tentative agreement with union as staff shortages persist

Skagit Valley Herald
State Recreation and Conservation Office awards about $1.2 million to Skagit County projects

Spokesman Review
Spokane businesses get millions of state dollars in pandemic relief grants
Judge Laurel Siddoway retires from court of appeals after 13 years on the job
How much do Spokane and Spokane County spend on homelessness?

Tri-City Herald
Drought emergency declared in 12 WA counties. Watering restrictions for some
‘Hot water pollution’ lawsuit threat aims to remove 4 Eastern WA dams to save salmon

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla, Columbia counties receive $1.3M from State Recreation and Conservation Office

WA State Standard
State deals cardrooms a win, allowing for larger bets
Washington declares drought emergency in 12 counties

Yakima Herald-Republic
DUI suspect shot by Washington State trooper outside Wapato in critical condition
Army to install filtration systems for forever chemicals in East Selah homes this fall
Free drinking water program extended for Lower Yakima Valley residents affected by high nitrate levels

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
A more potent fentanyl that is more resistant to Narcan is now in western Washington
City of Milton overlooked Puyallup and Muckleshoot Tribes’ concerns about megachurch construction, lawyer says

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
UW begins recruitment for psychedelic cancer therapy study
Tacoma City Council passes new rent protections

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Newell Road Fire burns 56,100 acres in southern Washington
State delegates push for action in Congress as Washington grapples with fentanyl crisis
New Washington rental laws extend eviction notice period, offer tenants more time to get support (Mullet)

KNKX Public Radio
Crews keep Newell Road Fire from reaching solar farm, landfill

KUOW Public Radio
Judge rules some of Seattle’s encampment removal rules are unconstitutional
Groups plan to sue to remove Snake River dams over hot water troubles for salmon
Does Seattle’s tree protection ordinance protect developers more than trees?
Millions in wildfire funding coming to the West, projects already underway

KXLY (ABC)
Gov. Inslee issues emergency proclamation for severe weather in Douglas, Grant Counties
Spokane City Council hears new amendment for diversifying housing options

Q13 TV (FOX)
Edmonds Police ‘Gift Cards for Guns’ event nets 75 firearms, including 1 stolen

Web

Crosscut
Can the biodiversity crisis be reversed?

MyNorthwest
$820 million lottery jackpot is 8th largest in US
City of Seattle ‘too broad’ in defining when to clear homeless encampments
Seattle Chinatown-International District sees boost in pandemic relief funds

Monday, July 24

Law to protect trans youth in crisis will take effect as repeal effort fails
A new law allowing emergency shelters to notify state authorities rather than parents when a youth seeks refuge as they pursue gender-affirming health care or reproductive services will take effect Sunday after a push to repeal it failed. Opponents needed to turn in valid signatures of at least 162,258 registered voters by Saturday to get a referendum aimed at overturning the law on the November ballot. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Jules Frazier/Getty Images)

Is WA’s health ‘hub’ model the ‘secret sauce’ in treating fentanyl addiction?
Corey Haggerty walked into Gather Church’s drug treatment clinic at 6:50 p.m., 10 minutes before closing time. If he was a little late, that was OK. He showed up; that was the important thing. For a year, Haggerty had been coming to the clinic — a prototype “health engagement hub” aimed at helping people overcome addiction. That’s become more important than ever as the fentanyl crisis drives an unprecedented rise in overdose deaths in Washington, as elsewhere. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Daniel Kim / The Seattle Times)

New Washington state laws go into effect Sunday. Here are some of the key ones
Sunday, July 23, is 90 days since the adjournment of the 2023 legislative session. That means that a number of new laws will go into effect, including the creation of an aviation work group to find a suitable location for a new airport in Washington and a law to address the fentanyl crisis in the state. Continue reading at The Olympian. (The Olympian)

Print

Aberdeen Daily World
Coastal tribes link, paddle east as canoe journey continues

Capital Press
Preparedness level raised as wildfire season progresses
Industry says pipeline repair didn’t hike Washington gas prices

Columbian
Editorial: In Our View: Address immigration reform to support farms
Keeping Vancouver Lake afloat a complicated challenge

The Daily News
Cowlitz County fire crews pull out of Nippon fire
Longview centennial: How health care has changed over 100 years

Everett Herald
Arlington Pride event draws hundreds, protesters also show (Liias)
Everett passes code changes that could boost ADU construction
AG’s office presses Arlington for weapons-free zone at Pride event (Berg, Kuderer)

News Tribune
Former Puyallup police officer was accused of rape. Here’s why he’s already out of jail

Olympian
New Washington state laws go into effect Sunday. Here are some of the key ones
Food-borne illness kills 3, sickens others in south Puget Sound. Investigation underway
Initiative to house people displaced by freeway cleanups gains momentum in Thurston County

Peninsula Daily News
DNR enacts burning restrictions

Puget Sound Business Journal
Kshama Sawant’s rent-control bill still alive despite rejection by council committee

Seattle Medium
Bridge Project Connecting Washington And Oregon Moves Forward

Seattle Times
Parts of Seattle’s encampment clearing rules are unconstitutional, judge rules
WA law to protect trans youth in crisis takes effect as repeal effort fails (Liias)
Is WA’s health ‘hub’ model the ‘secret sauce’ in treating fentanyl addiction?
Feds propose $2B in PNW energy grid upgrades to meet rising demand
Why WA hitting federal special ed requirements is just a first step
WA doctors detail pros, cons of fentanyl addiction treatment methods
Once the new over-the-counter birth control pill is available, what about cost and coverage?

The Skanner
Seattle climate activists roost in old cedar tree to prevent it from being cut down for new housing

Spokesman Review
Daybreak Youth Services lays off staff as new allegations about counselor come to light, legal battle continues

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Providence St. Mary Medical Center appoints new chief medical officer
Walla Walla County commissioners, deputies’ union reach verbal deal about pay raises

WA State Standard
Law to protect trans youth in crisis takes effect as repeal effort fails (Liias)
Pipeline that Inslee blames for gas price spike has been open for nearly a month
New law pushes Washington cities and counties to plan for climate change (Lovelett)

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
How likely is a UPS strike, and what does it mean for you?

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Washington health department investigating cluster of severe food-borne illnesses

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Seattle police staffing was reportedly down 50% during busy weekend, union says
Snoqualmie Tribe fights to save historic tree in Seattle’s Wedgwood neighborhood
Evacuations in effect as 30,000 acre Washington brush fire continues to burn with 0% contained

KNKX Public Radio
These farmworkers thought a new overtime law would help them. Now, they want it gone
US wheat prices to jump, just as the Northwest is in harvest
A blossoming success: federal protections removed for a once-threatened NW prairie flower

KUOW Public Radio
How Luma, an ancient cedar, has transfixed Seattle
Snoqualmie Tribe says Wedgwood protest is about more than one tree
Week in Review: encampments, SPD, and gender-affirming care

KXLY (ABC)
Burn restrictions still in place across Eastern Washington

NW Public Radio
Private detention center operator files suit against Washington state
‘It’s really a crisis’: Why small towns are fighting to save their local newspapers
Latino communities celebrate conservation week

Web

Crosscut
Sound Transit settles whistleblower case over safety complaints

MyNorthwest
Battery storage sites in King County may become more regulated
Musk says Twitter to change logo to “X” from the bird
Pierce County Humane Society waives fees in wake of pet ‘state of emergency’
King County considering rehiring employees fired over vaccine mandate

The Stranger
Opinion: Ban Homeless Encampment Sweeps During Winter
The Fight for Pride in Arlington

West Seattle Blog
CANOE JOURNEY: Paddle to Muckleshoot this week, landing next weekend on Alki

Friday, July 21

Inslee, lawmakers turn up heat on oil companies as WA gas prices top nation
Gov. Jay Inslee and members of the Democratic-controlled Legislature on Thursday stressed their desire to rein in the oil industry’s record profits as Washingtonians continue to pay for the most expensive fuel in the nation. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ellen M. Banner / The Seattle Times)

Northwest health providers reflect on first anniversary of 988 hotline
A year after the implementation of the national 988 crisis and suicide hotline, Washingtonians are using that service more than ever, according to data from the Department of Health. Continue reading at Northwest Public Broadcasting. (Unsplash)

Print

Everett Herald
‘Gateway into the park’: Lake Stevens unveils water tower sculpture
Edmonds police hosting event to exchange guns for gift cards
Comment: Schwab: Getting to the heart of states’ six-week abortion bans

News Tribune
Chamber-led coalition calls on White House to intervene in UPS strike
Nebraska woman jailed for 90 days for burning fetus after abortion

Olympian
First all-gender bathroom opens at Sea-Tac in effort to widen accessibility, inclusivity
‘Way too much fruit.’ Small WA farms likely to lose money on cherries after huge CA harvest

Peninsula Daily News
Opioid money is to be dispersed

Puget Sound Business Journal
Greater Seattle Partners rolls out export accelerator program
Seattle lands No. 2 spot as best North America market for tech talent

Seattle Medium
Street Art Calls Out Amazon As ‘Prime Polluter’
Starbucks In Labor Spat Over Mistreatment Of Seattle Workers
City Council Committee To Vote On Rent Control Legislation

Seattle Times
Inslee, lawmakers turn up heat on oil companies as WA gas prices top nation (Nguyen, Fitzgibbon)
Homicide counts are falling in U.S. cities. In Seattle? Not so much
Bids to convert WA ferries to hybrid-electric pricier than expected
Can a program to help homeless people with biggest needs pay off? (Dhingra)
Toxic chemicals from flame retardant found in Puget Sound area moms’ breast milk
Algae blooms that cause pink snow could accelerate melting as Earth warms
Opinion: Jail and treatment can work together in helping WA drug crisis

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
988 hotline in Washington sees stark rise in percentage of calls answered
Multi-user, all-gender restroom opens at Sea-Tac Airport
The Snoqualmie Tribe working to save Wedgwood Redcedar as archaeological site

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Washington state lawmakers demand transparency from oil, gas companies amid soaring prices (Nguyen)
Large fire breaks out at encampment next to I-5 in downtown Seattle
Snoqualmie Tribe fights to save historic tree in Seattle’s Wedgwood neighborhood
Inslee says the state is doing its best to clear Seattle encampment near senior apartments

KNKX Public Radio
These farmworkers thought a new overtime law would help them. Now, they want it gone

KUOW Public Radio
Organizers, politicians predict ‘massive wave of enthusiasm’ will revive labor movement
Trump classified documents trial in Florida to begin in May 2024

NW Public Radio
Tribes celebrate as lamprey make a comeback
Northwest health providers reflect on first anniversary of 988 hotline
A blossoming success: Federal protections removed for once-threatened NW prairie flower
Millions in wildfire funding coming to the West, projects already underway

Thursday, July 20

New long-term care program will offer families crucial support at tough times

You don’t need a medical degree to understand that accessing care when you need it, in the comfort of your home, is essential to our well-being. Our first statewide long-term care program will help make this possible and at such a low cost. The program is finally here and it’s time to celebrate. As a family doctor, I know the need for care often comes without warning, at any age, often upending the lives of my patients and their families. A slip down the stairs, recovery from surgery, or a diagnosis of a progressively debilitating disease like multiple sclerosis can mean we need help dressing, bathing, getting around, and managing meals and medication. When this need for care is longer than a couple of weeks, it can be an enormous strain on our families. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Getty Images)

Seattle police chief says mock headstone, Trump flag undermined public trust
Seattle police Chief Adrian Diaz on Tuesday acknowledged his department caused community “mistrust” and “trauma” with the revelation that officers kept a mock tombstone of a young Black man killed by police in an East Precinct break room, along with a Trump campaign flag and other troubling keepsakes. Diaz appeared online before the city’s Community Police Commission, whose members had asked the chief to explain the items, which were seen on body-camera video turned over in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the city’s graffiti laws. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Courtesy McDonald Hoague & Bayless Law Firm)

Prior authorization, by any other name, threatens Washingtonians’ health
As tens of millions of Americans struggle with gastrointestinal diseases such as colorectal cancer and ulcerative colitis, health insurance company UnitedHealthcare (UHC) is making life more challenging for its more than 27 million commercial beneficiaries. Through a series of ill-informed policy moves, UHC is laying the groundwork to delay patients’ time-sensitive upper endoscopy and colonoscopy procedures, increasing the risk of deferred care and disease progression. Continue reading at The Olympian. (Dr. Barbara Jung)