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Friday, September 22

Washington Senate’s budget-writing panel gets a new leader
Sen. June Robinson, an Everett Democrat, was named Thursday as the new chair of the Senate Ways & Means Committee, the budget-writing panel responsible for developing tax policies and deciding how the state spends billions of dollars each year. Robinson, the committee vice chair for the operating budget and revenue the last three sessions, was chosen in a morning meeting of the Senate Democratic Caucus. The full Senate will confirm the selection when it convenes in January for the 2024 session. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Legislative Support Services)

$200M pledged to return salmon to Upper Columbia Basin in Biden deal with tribesThe Biden administration Thursday committed more than $200 million toward salmon recovery in the Upper Columbia Basin in return for a 20-year stay of litigation. The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe and Spokane Tribe of Indians signed the agreement with federal officials in a ceremony Thursday. The agreement secures $200 million from the Bonneville Power Administration to be paid over 20 years to advance a tribally led implementation plan to restore salmon and steelhead in the Upper Columbia Basin. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Steve Ringman/Seattle Times)

Seattle Police Officer Hurls Racist Slur at Chinese-American Neighbor
During a confrontation last year, a Seattle Police officer hurled racist slurs and sexist language at his elderly Chinese-American neighbor. He also appeared to threaten to put her in jail. The woman recorded the audio of the incident, and a Chinese social services organization recently filed a complaint with the Office of Police Accountability (OPA). In the past, the OPA has recommended firing officers for making derogatory comments or using racial slurs, even when not on duty. Continue reading at The Stranger.

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Associated Press
Governors, Biden administration push to quadruple efficient heating, AC units by 2030
Firefighters fear the toxic chemicals in their gear could be contributing to cancer cases

Axios
Tacoma makes list of 15 happiest places to live in U.S.
Seattle residents asked to cut water use amid dry weather

Bellingham Herald
What does winter have in store for Whatcom? With a strong El Niño, it’s anyone’s guess
Landlords have gripes, too. How to be the best tenant according to WA property owners
Lummi Nation will honor orca Tokitae with private traditional ceremony in Bellingham Bay
Outdoor burning restrictions eased: Bellingham lifts recreational fire ban for 2023

Capital Press
U.S. Senate panel grapples with how to ensure access to water across West
Feds to fund study on reintroducing salmon in upper Columbia River

The Daily News
Port of Longview considers electrifying equipment to reduce greenhouse emissions

Everett Herald
Everett mayor presents balanced budget for 2024; future deficit looms
PUD program seeks to make energy grid smarter for 380K customers
County releases $114.5M housing, behavioral health plan
Everett police target public drug use, netting 84 arrests since July
County Council delays vote on requiring businesses to take cash
Comment: Terms like ‘abortion tourism’ meant to fabricate outrage
Letter: Resumption of expanded child tax credit can fight poverty

News Tribune
Manuel Ellis trial spawns phone scam aimed at duping victims into helping police
Opinion: A Tacoma school changed its name over racism concerns. It was complicated
A 2-year-old Spanaway girl died from a fentanyl overdose. Her father has been charged

Olympian
Nisquallys unveil sweeping, eye-opening development plan for land in Lacey near Cabela’s
100-year-old big leaf maple tree to be removed on Capitol Campus Friday
Embattled WA library wins lawsuit, won’t shut down after book-ban fight
Jury acquits Olympia man of murder nearly 2 years after his arrest. Here’s why

Puget Sound Business Journal
AI will impact every job — and it’s already pushing down tech salaries

Seattle Medium
Washington State’s Homeschooling Is Up
Homicides In Seattle Increasing
Same Guns Being Used In Different Shootings
Urban League Of Metropolitan Seattle Acquires Prime Property For Affordable Housing And Future Headquarters
City Of Seattle Receives $12.9 Million Grant To Boost Tree Equity And Combat Climate Change
Seattle Officer Says Fatally Struck Woman’s Life Had ‘Limited Value’

Seattle Times
$200M pledged to return salmon to Upper Columbia Basin in Biden deal with tribes
Will your grocery store survive a Kroger-Albertsons merger? What history and experts say
Seattle Public Utilities tells 1.5 million users to conserve water, change daily habits
How King County’s new proposed hate crime hotline would work
Following deaths, King County cancels deal to send people to a regional jail
Editorial: AG Bob Ferguson takes careful aim in suing gun dealers
Opinion: Abortion tourism’: A tidy phrase for punching down at desperate people
Opinion: Here’s how two groups are increasing teacher diversity in WA
Opinion: AI wrote this editorial, and it argues that human journalists should keep their jobs

Spokesman Review
Spokane voices weigh in on state heat pump debate
Eastern Washington railroad getting millions for upgrades
Spokane City Council asks for transparency after SCRAPS euthanizes 14 dogs in a day
Zappone calls for independent investigation into handling of former City Administrator

WA State Standard
U.S. Senate lawmakers grapple with Western drought
Washington Senate’s budget-writing panel gets a new leader (Robinson)
Biden administration to create new gun violence prevention office
New tree-planting projects to sprout in Washington with help from $36M in grants

Wenatchee World
Washington apples bounce back this year with good weather, lifted tariffs

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima Council approves lodging tax spending, gets update on aquatic center
New well coming soon to Mabton with more attention on foul-smelling water
Editorial: State leaves redistricting mess up to courts

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Looking to get the updated COVID-19 vaccine in western Washington? Here’s why appointments are scarce
Bipartisan effort from states, White House looks to quadruple efficient AC, heating by 2030
Catching wildfires: How cameras with AI are being used to detect them in Washington
‘Destroying families’: Lummi Nation leaders report 4 fentanyl overdose deaths this week

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Strikes against automakers spread to 38 locations in 20 states, Stellantis & GM targeted
Seattle residents asked to use less water after an unusually dry summer
Seattle mayor reveals details of city’s 3rd public safety department
Seattle community demands accountability after police officers joke about fatal collision on bodycam footage
Service dogs help US veterans with PTSD, but demand outweighs supply

KUOW Public Radio
Conserve water? In the Northwest? Seattle utility asks for voluntary water reductions
Here’s when Seattle Public Schools will announce possible school closures
Program pledging to get every unsheltered person off downtown Seattle’s streets comes to an end
Newly signed drug law gets mixed reviews among Seattleites
Free Covid tests by mail are back, starting Monday
How to keep carbon in Washington’s forests

NW Public Radio
The science of smoke and health
Feds announce millions in funding to bring salmon back to the Upper Columbia River
WSU Academic Student Employees’ union files complaint against the university alleging unfair labor practice

Q13 TV (FOX)
‘These children are lost’: Seattle town hall meeting addresses youth crimes
Snohomish County, tribal law enforcement issue warning of rainbow pastel fentanyl-laced pills
Seattle’s new CARE Department will help provide more response options to public safety calls

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Fired Bellingham detective gets hero’s send-off with unauthorized flag raising, vehicle escort
Bellingham kicks off annual Climate Action Week Sept. 22

Crosscut
Court blocks ballot measure to close WA rural library district

The Stranger
Opinion – From Grief to Action – JusticeForJaahnavi Means Solidarity Against Expanding Failed Public Safety Strategies
Seattle Police Officer Hurls Racist Slur at Chinese-American Neighbor

Thursday, September 21

Heat pumps key to WA, coalition’s plan to end building emissions
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee vowed this week to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from new buildings, in large part by rapidly expanding the installation of heat pumps. Buildings are Washington’s second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, pumping out an estimated 27% of the state’s emissions. “We are in a climate emergency and the window to act is closing,” Inslee said in a release. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Karen Ducey)

Regulators in Olympia make public data on the state’s cannabis social equity program
In 2020, House Bill 2870 was passed by the state Legislature to establish the state’s cannabis social equity program where the LCB would award 46 retail licenses under the program, ideally to members of a community that had been disproportionately harmed by the war on drugs. Last Wednesday, the LCB made public some statistics on those who have applied for licenses under the program. Continue reading at Inlander. (Will Maupin)

Could selling sewage save the Salish Sea?
The Legislature and the state Ecology Department are considering taking a page from Washington’s new carbon pricing system and applying it to this other kind of pollution. Should Washington put a price on the nutrients flowing from the region’s 58 sewage treatment plants into the Salish Sea? Decisions on whether to pursue this approach will likely be made during the next three years. Continue reading at Crosscut. (King County Wastewater Treatment Division)

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Aberdeen Daily World
10th Annual Grays Harbor Pride Festival starts Friday
Facing short supply and high costs, food bank calls on community

Axios
Seattle-area homes are selling fast — typically in 8 days
Washington’s paid family leave program could see more delays

Capital Press
Ecology toughens stance on water use by Washington farm
Court hears suit to stop phase-out of gas, diesel vehicles

Columbian
Clark County’s Bi-Zi Farms at risk; Ecology says it will enforce 5,000 gallon per day water limit
Editorial: Safe Stay communities humane, efficient

Everett Herald
After Maui wildfires, Sky Valley locals look warily at US 2
Editorial: Restore salmon habitat but provide view of its work

The Inlander
Regulators in Olympia make public data on the state’s cannabis social equity program
Attendance rates still haven’t recovered from COVID, but Spokane’s On Track Academy thinks it has a path to student success

News Tribune
Opinion: Lawmakers should reconvene redistricting commission, not shirk their responsibility

Olympian
WA students are scoring higher on state assessments. Is Thurston County following?

Peninsula Daily News
Blazes spread in center of Olympic National Park

Puget Sound Business Journal
Sea-Tac Airport slips in passenger satisfaction survey

Seattle Times
As prices skyrocket on WA megaprojects, few contractors want the jobs (Liias, Fey)
WA, climate coalition announce goal of installing 20M heat pumps
Bellevue light-rail line isn’t open yet, but something’s already broken
Editorial: Passage of drug use bill is not the end of debate in Seattle
Opinion: 2 small rule changes that will give WA farmers a big boost

Spokesman Review
Northwest lawmakers weigh in as House GOP infighting raises government shutdown risk

Washington Post
Wildfire smoke has unraveled decades of progress on cleaning the air
Federal government to start providing free coronavirus tests once again
Opinion: One simple fix for our broken policing system: Hiring more women

WA State Standard
The latest clash over managing Washington’s wolves
Millions of federal workers’ paychecks would be on hold in a shutdown

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Community Police Commission calls for action after Seattle police bodycam video
Tacoma School District is working to address students’ mental health despite limited funds
Seattle police, SDOT team up to curb illegal street markets in Chinatown-International District
South Bellevue Station needs tile repairs due to faulty installation, Sound Transit says
‘Disappointing end result’ for King County Regional Homelessness Authority’s Partnership for Zero, executive says

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Seattle mayor says new drug possession law prioritizes treatment over jail time
‘This reeks of white supremacy:’ Drama continues on Burien Council amid encampment woes
Lummi Nation to spread orca Tokitae’s ashes in Puget Sound during private ceremony
Seattle Community Police Commission urges unpaid leave for officer caught allegedly mocking woman’s death

KUOW Public Radio
The toll of a homelessness ‘experiment’

KXLY (ABC)
Additional property tax relief available to local wildfire victims
Spokane hopes to add more shade, educate others through urban forestry grants

Q13 TV (FOX)
Jill Biden will be in Seattle on Friday: Here’s what to know about her visit
Health officials use TikTok and Instagram ads to warn kids about fentanyl
Bremerton city council passes unauthorized camping ban

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Ashes of famed orca Tokitae returned to Lummi Nation for private ceremony

Crosscut
With 3 recent wins, Starbucks union gains traction in Eastern WA
Could selling sewage save the Salish Sea?

Wednesday, September 20

As paid family leave claims rise in Washington, the wait for benefits gets longer
Washington’s Paid Family and Medical Leave program wants to hire 49 more employees to deal with steadily rising demand that has some people waiting over a month to receive benefits. Without added staff, ESD officials project the time required to process a benefit application could reach four months by June 2025. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Getty)

Is Inslee’s plan working? The EV age arrives — in wealthier areas
Our state’s sizzling gas prices, second highest in the nation, have been described this summer as annoying, painful, even scandalous, depending on who’s doing the talking. But here’s another aspect to expensive gas that leaders seem shy to acknowledge: It’s working. Something is happening in the car market, suddenly, but also as part of a long-building strategy. Going electric — saying goodbye to oil — is surging. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Ted S. Warren)

How earthquake research can help save the PNW from “The Big One”
A new research center in the Pacific Northwest aims to help the region prepare for a possible magnitude 9 earthquake that is predicted to happen along the West Coast sometime in the future. “If we prepare now — if we stiffen our building codes, if we plan our evacuation zones correctly, if we build our hospitals and schools and firehouses and police stations out of tsunami inundation zones — the next big earthquake isn’t going to be pretty, but we can fare pretty well,” said Diego Melgar at the University of Oregon. Continue reading at Axios. (Jared Whalen)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Officials emphasize need for homeless shelter

Auburn Reporter
King County salmon habitat recovery projects receive state funding

Axios
How earthquake research can help save the PNW from “The Big One”

Bainbridge Island Review
Kitsap ferry service takes another reduction

Columbian
Vancouver OKs contract to design water treatment system for PFAS
Clark County salmon recovery groups get $1 million in grants
Editorial: Decriminalizing drugs harms community

Everett Herald
With 1 Seattle ferry down, Edmonds-Kingston route could be affected

International Examiner
Wing Luke Museum attacker charged with hate crime; police blame slow response on “staffing constraints”

News Tribune
Can Tacoma, Pierce County work together to combat homelessness? Rare meeting sets stage

Olympian
Port of Olympia and its executive director agree to part ways, commission announces
L&I plan calls for employees, businesses to pay more for workers compensation in 2024

Puget Sound Business Journal
Regional Homelessness Authority ends downtown Seattle outreach program
SBA proposes opening loan programs to those with criminal records

Seattle Medium
Seattle City Council Passes Historic Seattle Drug Reform Legislation That Prioritizes Treatment And Diversion

Seattle Times
How wildfire risk scoring puts WA homeowners in insurance jeopardy
Editorial: Amid SPD controversy, Mayor Harrell leads with empathy
Opinion: Is Inslee’s plan working? The EV age arrives — in wealthier areas
Opinion: Seattle’s Asian community asks: When will we be heard?

Spokesman Review
‘We’re in a big hole’: Spokane leaders point fingers as budget deficit looms
New COVID vaccines may be a ‘few weeks’ from becoming common in Washington, the state Department of Health says
Some Northwest colleges bounce back from pandemic enrollment slump, while others are still seeing fewer freshmen

Washington Post
Biden to create new office for gun violence prevention

WA State Standard
As paid family leave claims rise in Washington, the wait for benefits gets longer
‘Marred by litter’: Millions of pounds of trash soil Washington roads and state lands
States and cities eye stronger protections for gig economy workers

Wenatchee World
60th Washington State Autumn Leaf Festival kicks off Friday
From the ground up: Common Ground Community Housing Trust creates affordable housing in Wenatchee area

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Despite falling out of favor, Marysville considering mandatory minimum sentences for drugs
Fire chief: Seattle’s 2023 overdose responses already surpassed 2022
Washington schools grapple with fentanyl crisis as students head back to class

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Seattle City Council makes public drug use a crime, pushes toward treatment
King County Prosecutor’s Office seeing more felony traffic cases than ever before

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Take a hike with free admission to Washington’s national, state parks Saturday
Seattle’s Health 99 unit showing promise in battle against citywide fentanyl crisis

KUOW Public Radio
Trans rights drew this family to Washington
Seattle City Council passes controversial drug ordinance
The best time to apply for an AC unit, before federal funding cools off in Washington
Seattle program addresses key gap in the opioid crisis — support post overdose
Washington’s pandemic dashboard upgraded to include flu and RSV

KXLY (ABC)
City of Spokane receives $12 million to improve tree canopy
Local wildfire victims question funding for fire recovery efforts

Q13 TV (FOX)
Pilot program underway to stem opioid overdoses in Seattle
Seattle moms form support group for parents of murdered children

Web

Crosscut
Facing burnout, Washington nurses are exploring new career paths
Seattle City Council passes law to prosecute drug use, possession

Tuesday, September 19

Bainbridge Island runner, entrepreneur selected as 23rd District representative
Greg Nance, a Bainbridge Island resident, entrepreneur and the guy who ran across the country last summer, will serve as the next 23rd District representative after an appointment by the Kitsap County Commissioners on Monday. The seat was previously held by Drew Hansen, who commissioners appointed to fill the 23rd District State Senate position formerly held by Christine Rolfes, who was appointed as the county’s District 1 commissioner to replace Rob Gelder after his departure in May. Nance will serve as a state representative until the 2024 general election, where he will be considered the incumbent candidate for the 23rd District position if he chooses to run for election. Continue reading at Kitsap Sun. (Nathan Pilling)

Seattle Police Officer Probably Won’t Get Fired for Laughing about Jaahnavi Kandula’s Death
Though a Seattle City Council Member characterized the publication of Auderer’s comments as a triumph of transparency, his employment with SPD actually serves as an indictment of our police accountability systems.” During a 2010 arrest, he and 14 other officers nearly beat to death a schizophrenic man, leaving him with brain damage and resulting in a $1.75 million settlement from the City. Since then, the OPA has repeatedly investigated Auderer in 2015 and 2016. None of these incidents resulted in consequences for him.” Continue reading at The Stranger. (Chavi Hohm)

Police response time to Wing Luke Museum 911 calls raises questions about priorities
Museum staff are still assessing the damage and trying to make sense of racist vandalism that occurred last Thursday evening, when a man with a sledge hammer smashed windows and said hateful things about Chinese people. At least five people called 911. Eventually, he says, they were told to stop calling. Stan Shikuma was at the Wing Luke when the attack occurred. “The CID and Asian American community in general is feeling under attack,” Shikuma said. He points to recent robberies targeting elderly Asian American community members, as well as callous comments by SPD officers about the death of a South Asian community member, as signs of neglect from the city. “It just seems like our communities don’t count as much as other other communities do.” Continue reading at KUOW. (David Hyde)

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Associated Press
Man Charged With Hate Crime After Seattle Museum Windows Smashed In Chinatown-International District

Axios
Remote work in Seattle remains above U.S. average

Bellingham Herald
About 100 acres of forested coastal land is now preserved in Whatcom County. Take a look
Canadian seismologists monitoring swarm of earthquakes off British Columbia coast
Water flows into new Bellingham Bay estuary; trail and footbridge now open, city announces
Bellingham library will soon have a mental health professional available during open hours

Columbian
Repair of I-5 North Fork Lewis River Bridge continues into October causing traffic delays

The Daily News
Cowlitz County nixes sixth Superior Court judge request
Longview passes new limits on camping in medians, park rights-of-way

Everett Herald
Lynnwood settles for $1.7 million after 2021 suicide at city jail
Editorial: A plea for watchful calm this time regarding covid

High Country News
Farmworkers fight for higher pay, better hours and fair treatment

Kitsap Sun
Bainbridge Island runner, entrepreneur selected as 23rd District representative (Hansen, Rolfes, Nance)

News Tribune
Trial of 3 Tacoma police officers accused of killing Manuel Ellis in 2020 gets underway
‘Extraordinary’ biologist drowns while doing fish survey in Washington river, cops say

Olympian
Do you need to turn back the clock for daylight saving in WA? Didn’t Congress vote it away?
Tri-Cities lawmaker proposes sending families a gas tax refund check. ‘It’s your money’
WA statewide COVID-19 data dashboard has been replaced. Here’s what to know
Didn’t get your rental deposit back? Here’s how to get your cash from a landlord in WA

Peninsula Daily News
DNR: Decision on land transfers could be soon

Puget Sound Business Journal
Green hype? Why corporate net zero promises may be exaggerated

Seattle Medium
Seattle Police Chief Caught In Dating Rumor Fires Officer

Seattle Times
Seattle grew more racially diverse in 2022, census data shows
Another WA ferry out for at least a month, forcing fleet shuffle
This King County high school is starting the semester with a focus on preventing violence
Fires grow in Olympic National Park; tens of thousands of acres burn across WA
Editorial: New Parents of Murdered Children chapter a vital resource in WA
Opinion: Make WA the Silicon Valley of carbon tech

The Skanner
Oregon Judge to Decide in New Trial Whether Voter-Approved Gun Control Law Is Constitutional

Spokesman Review
Spokane voices weigh in on state heat pump debate
Spokane loosens outdoor water restrictions as river flow increases

Tri-City Herald
One Tri-Cities school district saw a 200+ student enrollment bump this fall
State ranks above national average for trash on roadways. Here’s how bad it’s gotten

Washington Post
UAW threatens to expand strike if talks don’t yield progress soon
The Fed is still pushing to get inflation down. Do people feel it?
Opinion: It’s time for the world to stop building coal plants, once and for all

WA State Standard
Searching for fixes to the farm fuel carveout in Washington’s climate law (Mullet)
Animal tranquilizer xylazine rarely found in WA’s illegal fentanyl, study finds

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Ferry frustrations continue: Walla Walla out of service for weeks
Nisqually tribe plans to turn traditional homeland into resort, retail development in Lacey
Mysterious giant white sturgeon could shed light on toxins in Lake Washington
Proposal tightening restrictions on vacant buildings in Seattle’s monitoring program passes committee

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
After months of controversy, Burien City Council approves camping ban
Marysville considers 3-strike drug law with mandatory jail time

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Former doctor, prosecutor accuse state of recklessly releasing patients from Western State Hospital

KNKX Public Radio
Trial begins for Tacoma officers charged with killing Manuel Ellis

KUOW Public Radio
Police response time to Wing Luke Museum 911 calls raises questions about priorities
Making sense of SPD’s bodycam video

KXLY (ABC)
Flu and COVID vaccines coming to Washington
All northbound lanes of Maple Street Bridge closed for next three weeks

NW Public Radio
As residents rebuild, Orofino Hospital Fire reveals challenges of urban fires

Web

The Stranger
Seattle Police Officer Probably Won’t Get Fired for Laughing about Jaahnavi Kandula’s Death

Monday, September 18

After court ruling, new Central WA legislative maps could mean shakeup in Olympia
A legislative district in Central Washington was found to violate the rights of Latino voters, and a court is now expected to decide how to redraw its boundaries. The newly drawn map could potentially add a few more Democrats to the mix in Olympia. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Elaine Thompson/The Associated Press)

Wing Luke Museum vandalized — Suspect: “The Chinese ruined my life”
Bail has been set at $30,000 for the man arrested for using a sledgehammer to smash windows at the Wing Luke Museum on Thursday. According to probable cause documents, 76-year-old Craig Milne told the Seattle police officer who arrested him that “the Chinese ruined my life.” Continue reading at Northwest Asian Weekly. (Susan Lee Woo)

Trial to begin for 3 Tacoma officers charged in death of Manny Ellis
Jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday in the trial of three Tacoma police officers charged in the death of Manuel “Manny” Ellis, a 33-year-old Black man who was tackled, punched, shocked with a stun gun and held face down on a sidewalk in March 2020, two months before George Floyd met a similar fate. Officers Christopher Burbank and Matthew Collins, who are white, have been charged with second-degree murder, and Timothy Rankine, who is Asian American, faces first-degree manslaughter charges. They pleaded not guilty. Continue reading at The Columbian. (Tony Overman/The News Tribune)