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Monday, September 26

Green buildings get a boost in WA, but policy and demand still lag
Two decades ago, Washington became a foothold for a global movement to decarbonize buildings. But since then momentum has sputtered. The state has access to some of the cleanest and cheapest electricity in the country and yet its building codes remain strict, customers remain skeptical of upfront costs and state policy efforts have struggled to find traction. Homes, offices and other buildings account for a large portion of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. In Washington, public officials are looking to eliminate or reduce the carbon footprint of our built environment primarily through forms of financial assistance. But that approach has its limits. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Daniel Kim)

After a stressful few years, school districts prepare to support students with fragile mental health
Buffeted by the pandemic and social media, the mental health of children and teens appears increasingly fragile, according to one national survey. However, local school districts are attempting to meet the challenge. Based on a survey of insurance claims from more than 20 million children aged 1 to 19, the survey showed several troubling trends. From 2016 to 2021, inpatient admissions rose 61% and emergency department visits increased 20%. The rise was particularly acute among adolescents 12 to 15 years old, increasing 84% among girls and 83% among boys. Continue reading at The Spokesman-Review. (Colin Mulvany)

Another Olympia mother grieves as police reform inches along
It’s been over two years since the murder of George Floyd set off a reckoning about racism and police killings of Black men. It’s been seven years since the Olympia police shooting of Black brothers Andre Thompson and Bryson Chaplin, which left Chaplin paralyzed. So why, after all this, is the Olympia City Council still confronted by a grieving mother looking for an explanation for why the police took her son’s life during what was clearly a mental health crisis? How did all the training in de-escalation fail? Where was the mental health crisis responder who should have been there? Continue reading at The Olympian. (Olympia City Council)

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Associated Press
Canada won’t require masks on planes, drops vaccine mandate

Capital Press
U.S. trustee objects to millions of dollars in fees in Easterday bankruptcy case

Columbian
Bolt Creek fire ‘picks up’ in hot, dry conditions

The Daily News
Survey results: More Cowlitz County teens classified as obese following pandemic
Coast Guard brings in large crane to remove sunken ship from Columbia River

Everett Herald
County executive lays out blueprint for $85M in federal relief
Water district keeps leadership, for now, despite staff woes

Journal of the San Juan Islands
There is help for those in crisis | September is suicide prevention month

News Tribune
A large fire that destroyed homes in Pierce County could’ve been prevented, lawsuit alleges

Olympian
Protection efforts nearly complete with Goat Rocks Fire half a mile from Packwood neighborhood
Olympia council member says no time to waste in funding fight against climate change
Thurston and Pierce counties become focus of search for new 2-runway airport site
Editorial: Another Olympia mother grieves as police reform inches along

Peninsula Daily News
Face masks urged at some Peninsula schools

Puget Sound Business Journal
Alaska Airlines reaches tentative agreement with pilots union

Seattle Medium
Nobles Advocates To Reduce Child Hunger And Accelerate Learning (Nobles)
Private, Public Bus Stops On The Way
Cannabis Industry Update in Washington State

Seattle Times
Green buildings get a boost in WA, but policy and demand still lag (Duerr)
Unraveling needs of WA students may take more tests and screenings
Inquest into fatal Federal Way police shooting begins after month delay
Is Seattle Police Department ready to embrace alternative responses to a gun and a badge?
Chinatown International District pushes back at expanded homeless shelter. Officials ask where else?

Spokesman Review
After a stressful few years, school districts prepare to support students with fragile mental health
‘The future is electric’: Spokane’s prioritization of electric vehicles part of a larger trend

Tri-City Herald
Tri-Cities COVID deaths still worry officials. More outbreaks reported
Richland researchers advance science to convert plastics to more valuable fuels

Yakima Herald-Republic
Derogatory term for Native women removed from state creek, lake names

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Multiple protests held in Bellevue after death of Mahsa Amini in Iran

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Updates made to evacuation notices as winds increase activity from Bolt Creek Fire

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Community members hold “Bullet Free Weekend” event, efforting to lower gun violence

KNKX Public Radio
Flu is expected to flare up in U.S. this winter, raising fears of a ‘twindemic’

KUOW Public Radio
What to expect in the PNW after an especially dry summer
$6.5 million slated for Seattle Green New Deal
Should Seattle Public Library employees carry Narcan?
Seattle will launch a new unit of crisis responders under revamped 911 system
Monkeypox continues to infect about 20 people each week in Washington state

Q13 TV (FOX)
Bolt Creek Fire: Level 2 Evacuations issued again in Skykomish

Web

Crosscut
WA battery maker faces accusations of providing U.S. tech to China

MyNorthwest
New evacuations ordered for Bolt Creek Fire as containment drops to 7%

The Stranger
Seattle’s Left Proposes Defunding the Police, Stopping Sweeps, and Building Housing in Solidarity Budget

Friday, September 23

COVID and monkeypox levels are down in WA; prevention efforts continue
Viral infection levels continue on a downward trend in Washington, bringing the state into a “cautiously optimistic” place as public health teams continue to work on COVID-19 and monkeypox prevention this fall. The state is approaching an “important milestone” in its COVID recovery journey, state Secretary of Health Dr. Umair A. Shah said Thursday, referring to the Oct. 31 date when the state’s COVID state of emergency is set to expire. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Ted S. Warren/AP)

Knezovich plans to ‘clear’ Camp Hope by mid-October
Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich said he intends to clear Camp Hope by mid-October, citing crime and public health implications, and the plight of those living on the state-owned land off Interstate 90 in east Spokane.

Part of his plan is to provide bus tickets for the 600 homeless people living there so that they might reunite with family and find assistance in their recovery. Knezovich sent a letter outlining his plans and concerns to the Washington state Department of Transportation. The letter did not address the number of Camp Hope residents who may have come from outside the region and would therefore use the tickets. He said he will also engage church leaders to help with drug, alcohol and mental health treatmen Continue reading at Spokane Spokesman-Review. (Jesse Tinsley/Spokesman-Review)

Low unemployment rates continue in Yakima County, across Washington
Yakima County’s jobless rates remain at the lowest levels in decades. Continuing 17 months of decline, unemployment in the county in August stood at the lowest rate in at least 32 years. A newly released report shows the county’s jobless rate at 5.7% for last month, the lowest for that month since data began to be recorded electronically in 1990, said Don Meseck, regional labor economist with the state’s Employment Security Department. Continue reading at Yakima Herald.

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Associated Press
COVID, monkeypox levels down
State employees likely to get 1K bonuses for COVID booster

Auburn Reporter
Auburn to receive money from a settlement with opioid distributors

Capital Press
Fish and Wildlife targets Leadpoint wolf pack
Q&A: Simpson continues to push lower Snake River dam plan
Western Innovator: Washington farm advocate embraces tension

Courier-Herald
Buckley hires new city administrator

The Daily News
Longview police awarded 200K in state funds for mental health response team

Everett Herald
Complaint accuses Starbucks of anti-union threats in Marysville
Stanwood mental health facility clears hurdle, but faces opposition
New deal gives Swedish nurses, health care workers a big boost in pay
4th defendant pleads guilty in white supremacist attack

News Tribune
How much will your water and electric bill go up? Tacoma utilities propose rate increase
Man stole Lakewood police cruiser, drove onto I-5 before arrest, cops say
Fire burns on upper deck of shipping vessel docked at Port of Tacoma
Ex-politician’s car stolen from outside his Tacoma home. His father’s ashes were inside

Olympian
More closures of Ensign Road to come as city looks to end long-term parking indefinitely
Update: WSP trooper shot in Walla Walla. Then he drove himself to the hospital

Puget Sound Business Journal
Boeing settles on Max crashes with SEC for $200M
Senate aims to extend federal small-business investment programs
Pierce County awards $17M for affordable housing
Employers are staring at steep costs due to long Covid

Seattle Medium
Nobles Advocates To Reduce Child Hunger And Accelerate Learning (Nobles)
Private, Public Bus Stops On The Way
Cannabis Industry Update in Washington State

Seattle Times
Seattle looks to transform Third Avenue from transit-only to inviting ‘front door’
COVID and monkeypox levels are down in WA; prevention efforts continue
King County may offer loans to help people replace old furnaces
Column: What Seattle Mayor Harrell’s budget will reveal on city’s core beliefs
Seattle Mayor Harrell announces first steps toward Green New Deal

Skagit Valley Herald
Anacortes moves to fast-track trestle repairs
Work continues on Veterans Community Plaza

Spokesman Review
Washington in ‘markedly different place’ in COVID pandemic
Knezovich plans to ‘clear’ Camp Hope by mid-October

Tri-City Herald
Highway 395 reopens in south Kennewick after fire burns near Southridge High School

Washington Post
Inside the plant building the fastest passenger trains in America
U.S. has sent private warnings to Russia against using a nuclear weapon

Yakima Herald-Republic
Low unemployment rates continue in Yakima County, across Washington

Broadcast

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Man fatally shot during officer-involved-shooting in Wapato, police say
Police agencies in new video urge Washington lawmakers to reconsider 2021 pursuit law

KXLY (ABC)
Spokane Sheriff releases statement on plans to clear Camp Hope
‘The letter is disappointing’: Health agency reacts to sheriff’s vow to clear Camp Hope
Local organizations seek more volunteers to battle mentor shortage
Spokane Police officer under investigation for sexual assault of sheriff’s deputy
West Glen neighbors turn to C.O.P.S. after being fed up with crime
WA COVID, monkeypox levels down, prevention efforts continue

NW Public Radio
Pasco Ponders Pot
Washington Wine Grape Harvest Could Be “Biggest Yet”

Q13 TV (FOX)
More than $17M awarded to develop affordable housing across Pierce County

Web

Crosscut
What local leaders think of Seattle police chief nominee Adrian Diaz
The complicated process of recycling batteries in Washington state

The Stranger
Smell That? It’s the Sweet Smell of Seattle’s New Film Commission

Thursday, September 22

Projections lowered in latest Washington revenue forecast
Revenue projections for Washington state’s current two-year budget period increased by about $43 million more than projected at the state’s last quarterly update, but a series of factors — including slowing home sales due to high interest rates — led officials to lower the forecast for the next budget cycle. Updated numbers released Wednesday by the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council show that projected revenue collections for the 2021-2023 budget slightly exceed what had been forecast in June. But the council lowered the forecast for the next two-year budget cycle that ends in mid-2025 by $495 million. Continue reading at The Olympian. (The Olympian)

Yakima City Council accepts funds shy of $1 million for new affordable housing projects
Several new affordable housing projects planned in Yakima will get funds for water and utility improvements through the state Department of Commerce’s Connecting Housing to Infrastructure Program. The Yakima City Council on Tuesday accepted a total of $922,283 in CHIP funds, which can be used to pay for waived connection fees and utility improvements at affordable housing developments. Also at the meeting, the council moved to accept a Justice Assistance Grant of $66,982 to support recruitment efforts and software for the Yakima Police Department and radio upgrades for the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office. Continue reading at Yakima Herald-Republic. (Evan Abell)

Bolt Creek Fire is 95% contained. Smoke continues to drift into Western Washington
The Bolt Creek Fire in Snohomish County is now 95% contained after charring more than 10,000 acres this month. But it’s still burning and pumping out lots of smoke. Part of Highway 2 closed to through traffic between Index and Skykomish. Meanwhile, the smaller Goat Rocks Fire continues to burn southwest of Ellensburg in Central Washington. It flared up again this month after lightning sparked it in August. Smoke from both fires have been wafting into Western Washington recently, but forecast models show things should start clearing up by sometime Thursday. Continue reading at KUOW. (Puget Sound Clean Air Agency)

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Associated Press
Projections lowered in latest Washington revenue forecast (Rolfes)
Putin orders partial military call-up, sparking protests

Capital Press
More consumers buying organic, but farmers still wary

Columbian
C-Tran CEO Donaghy airs I-5 Bridge replacement plan worries

Everett Herald
Everett mayor pivots from plan to seek higher taxes
Snohomish Council rejects tax break on housing for low-income families
A year later, Afghan refugees in Lynnwood see brighter future ahead
Comment: In just a few months, 988 line is saving more lives

The Inlander
With a roaming community clinic, WSU brings the family doctor directly to rural communities

Kent Reporter
Kent to work with Seattle group to develop middle income housing

News Tribune
Is the next major Puget Sound airport in Pierce County? It’s not out of the question

Olympian
Estakio Beltran is named Washington state Digital Equity Manager
Thousands of state workers would get pay raises, COVID-19 booster bonuses in new contract
‘It’s not our fault’ teens cry out as book bans accelerate in every state, including WA

Peninsula Daily News
Counties ask that DOT not close Hood Canal Bridge on tourist weekends

Puget Sound Business Journal
Amazon inks deal for low carbon ‘electrofuel’ for trucking fleet
Here’s how Meta and Google are quietly shrinking their workforces
Boeing to outsource finance jobs as it shifts hiring focus

Seattle Times
Smoke pours into Seattle area, air quality plummets
Small WA credit unions get $75 million under federal program
Seattle median household income hits $110,000, census data shows
Why air quality may look fine on your phone, despite smoke in Seattle

Skagit Valley Herald
High-speed internet service set to go live in east Skagit County

Spokesman Review
Spokane police officer under investigation for attempted sexual assault of sheriff’s deputy
Spokane settles with family of man shot by police for $4 million on day trial set to begin
Inslee visits Nordic countries to talk energy, innovation, climate change
Police investigating after racist flyers posted in Airway Heights on Tuesday
Leader of Spokane’s housing, homelessness initiatives to depart city at end of month

Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
Boosters arrive, as new COVID death is reported

Washington Post
Appeals court: Justice Dept. can use Mar-a-Lago documents in criminal probe
More workers are back in offices. It’s still nothing like before.
Trump says presidents can declassify docs ‘even by thinking about it’

Yakima Herald-Republic
Thousands of WA state workers would get pay raises, COVID-19 booster bonuses
Yakima City Council accepts funds shy of $1 million for new affordable housing projects
Yakima County commissioners set October public hearing on solar farm moratorium
Critical step ahead for planned Yakima County solar projects

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Seattle’s air quality expected to improve Thursday after hitting ‘unhealthy’ levels

KUOW Public Radio
Seattle Housing Market is ‘cooling’ Fast
The Northwest is very thirsty
Bolt Creek Fire is 95% contained. Smoke continues to drift into Western Washington
Is Canada about to ease requirements for crossing the border?

KXLY (ABC)
Amid Camp Hope crisis, Spokane’s head of Neighborhood, Housing and Human Services resigns
Jewels Helping Hands to be fined unless they remove its ‘Camp Hope Access Tent’

Q13 TV (FOX)
WSDOT aims to reopen US 2 by Monday while crews evaluate Bolt Creek Fire
L&I fines 2 roofing companies millions for ‘egregious and willful’ safety violations

Web

The Stranger
There’s an App for That: How One Seattle Doctor Used Grindr to Help Patients Get Vaccinated for Monkeypox

Wednesday, September 21

New estimate for number of WA residents eligible for student loan forgiveness
Nearly 700,000 Washingtonians are eligible for President Joe Biden’s student debt relief program, with the majority of them Pell Grant recipients, according to an estimate the White House released Tuesday. In Washington state, as of March, nearly 783,000 residents hold $28.2 billion in outstanding federal student loans. Nearly half are burdened with federal loans of more than $20,000, and over 77% are under the age of 50. Last month, Biden announced his administration will cancel up to $10,000 in federal student loan debt for those earning under $125,000 a year or households that earn less than $250,000. Pell Grant recipients or undergraduates with the most significant financial need are eligible for up to $20,000 in debt relief, according to the plan. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Al Drago)

1,700 people aided by $1.8 million Snohomish County ARPA money
Snohomish County sent $1.8 million of its $160 million federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to family resource hubs. The county gave money to ChildStrive, Cocoon House, Community Resource Center of Stanwood-Camano, North Counties Family Services, Take the Next Step, Volunteers of America Western Washington in Arlington and Sky Valley, and YWCA. Those agencies helped over 1,700 people with pandemic-related bills as well as employment and social services. To qualify, they had to be at or below 60% of the area’s median income. That equals $5,788 per month for a family of four. Not all of them typically pass out money like this and had to set up the process in response to the pandemic. Continue reading at The Everett Herald. (Kevin Clark)

Spokane City Council passes emergency air quality ordinance
Two weeks ago, Spokane’s skies turned gray as wildfire smoke from afar wafted over the city and plunged the region’s air quality into the “very unhealthy” range. On Monday, the council unanimously approved an emergency ordinance that requires the city to provide shelter space when air quality reaches 201 on the Environmental Protection Agency’s air quality index. Air quality is considered to be “very unhealthy” when it exceeds 200. Under the previous version of the law, Spokane didn’t have to provide shelter space until the air quality index hit 250. Officials often cancel outdoor school activities and youth sporting events at the 150 threshold, which marks the beginning of the “unhealthy” category on the air quality index. Continue reading at The Spokesman Review. (Dan Pelle)

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Associated Press
Seattle teachers approve new contract following strike
Official: Canada likely to drop vaccine requirement to enter

Auburn Reporter
Department of Health introduces monkeypox data dashboard to track viral activity

Bellingham Herald
‘Serious, confirmed’ hazing incident leads to Sehome football’s forfeit of game
WA isn’t alone in book censorship. Here’s how one library is giving access back to students
Wildfires are still burning in Whatcom and B.C. Here’s what to expect for smoke

Capital Press
Feds recommend at least 10-year term for Easterday
Washington wolf pack crosses line; Fish and Wildlife mulls lethal control

Columbian
Editorial: In Our View: As journalism goes, so goes democracy

The Daily News
Cowlitz County commissioners deny reclassification of Woodland Bottoms for proposed subdivision
Justin Aguilar-Tofte family sues Longview in wrongful death claim after he was fatally shot by police in 2020
Castle Rock reviews limiting number of vacation rental homes at Wednesday planning commission meeting

Everett Herald
Snohomish County bus driver shortage creates ripple effect for schools
1,700 people aided by $1.8 million Snohomish County ARPA money
Comment: Dated attitudes about nursing factor in our crisis

The Inlander
State agencies push back on Spokane’s order to remove Camp Hope; call deadline ‘irrational’

Journal of the San Juan Islands
Final preparation for raising the Aleutian Isle

News Tribune
You can visit national parks for free this Saturday. Here’s what to know

Olympian
Which books are banned, challenged in WA? Here’s how to find out restricted titles
WA Congressional delegation supports bill to expand Chehalis Tribe’s leasing authority
Looking for new trails? Thurston County officials consider developing these four options

Puget Sound Business Journal
SBA, DOT team to expand capital, contracting opportunities

Seattle Times
Biden nominates Seattle business leader Roger Nyhus as ambassador
New estimate for number of WA residents eligible for student loan forgiveness
Undocumented immigrants can apply for WA COVID-19 relief funds
Ex-WA state employee gets 5 years for pandemic fraud of jobless claims
Seattle City Council OKs legislation to create Seattle Film Commission
Mayor Bruce Harrell appoints Adrian Diaz permanent Seattle police chief

Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit County to try new approach to mental health in minority communities

Spokesman Review
In scathing letter, state chides city of Spokane on Camp Hope response, accuses mayor of valuing ‘optics’ over ‘action’
Spokane City Council passes emergency air quality ordinance
‘It’s happening with younger and younger people’: UW expert talks about keeping youth safe amid rise in fentanyl use and overdoses

Washington Post
Fed poised for another sharp rate hike to fight inflation
In U.N. speech, Biden condemns Russia
Pickleball is exploding, and it’s getting messy
U.S. Civil Rights Commission sees inequities in FEMA disaster response

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Air quality worsens in Seattle overnight due to Bolt Creek Fire
Seattle mayor selects Adrian Diaz as new police chief

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Seattle City Council passes measure to create film commission

KNKX Public Radio
How Biden’s declaring the pandemic ‘over’ complicates efforts to fight COVID
For the first time in 230 years, Congress has full U.S. Indigenous representation
How do you make Seattle happy? Reopen the West Seattle Bridge

KUOW Public Radio
Western WA is covered by smoke again. But for how long?

KXLY (ABC)
‘Censorship divides us’: Spokane Public Library holds events for Banned Books Week
Spokane Fire Department orders Jewels Helping Hands to take down cooling shelter

Q13 TV (FOX)
Tacoma leaders postpone decision on homeless ban
Washington DOH launches monkeypox data dashboard, cases declining statewide

Web

Crosscut
Remembering Sandy Williams, the Spokane journalist and Black activist

The Stranger
New SPD Chief, Same as the Old Chief

Tuesday, September 20

King County proposes millions in funding for new policing alternatives
King County Executive Dow Constantine announced Monday a suite of funding proposals intended to boost public safety in the county with alternatives to traditional law enforcement. Constantine announced the proposals, many of which focus on alternatives to incarceration and law enforcement oversight, as both the county Sheriff’s Office and correctional staff seek to boost their depleted ranks with hiring bonuses and recruitment drives. The dual funding priorities — both policing and less-traditional approaches — represent what Constantine said were dual prerogatives — stopping “immediate harm” and addressing “root causes to prevent future offenses.” Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (David Gutman)

Military providing water to Yakima Valley homes after tests show it contaminated area’s wells
Military training exercises contaminated the drinking water of nearly 100 homes in the Yakima Valley. New test results show that the drinking water wells near the Army’s Yakima Training Center are contaminated with chemicals that increase the risks of certain kinds of cancer and other health conditions. The military is now providing bottled water for drinking and cooking to those residences. The contamination stems from a firefighting foam that the military used at the training center for decades, up until 2016. The foam contained dangerous chemicals that increase the risks of certain kinds of cancer, thyroid disease, and other health conditions. The chemicals can also harm people’s immune systems. Continue reading at KUOW. (Jos Speetjens)

In a first, health panel calls for routine anxiety screening in adults
In a nod to the nation’s pressing mental health crisis, an influential group of medical experts for the first time is recommending that adults under age 65 get screened for anxiety. The draft recommendations, from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, are designed to help primary care clinicians identify early signs of anxiety during routine care, using questionnaires and other screening tools. Anxiety disorders are often unrecognized and underdetected in primary care: One study cited by the task force found the median time for initiating treatment for anxiety is a staggering 23 years. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Washington Post Illustration)