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Monday, September 19

West Seattle Bridge reopens for traffic after more than 2 years
With honks and blinking headlights, crosstown traffic returned to the repaired high-level West Seattle Bridge this weekend, as city officials urged commuters to slow down Monday, during the span’s first commute in 2 ½ years. Drivers took advantage of light volumes Sunday to go the speed limit and zip between the peninsula and Interstate 5 in four minutes, a novelty after detouring 30 to 60 minutes through Duwamish River valley interchanges or neighborhoods. King County Metro Transit buses that traveled the lower swing bridge, sometimes delayed by ship openings and congested intersections, will return to their red bus lane on the high-rise bridge Monday morning. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ken Lambert)

WA students can now take excused mental health days
Starting this school year, Washington has joined a growing number of states that can excuse students from school specifically to take care of their mental health. The change comes amid increasing rates of depression and anxiety — which have been steadily rising for at least a decade. Schools can now accept mental health symptoms in the definition of an excused absence, just as they do physical health symptoms. It formalizes allowing students to take days off to care for their mental health, including for counseling and behavioral health appointments. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Jake Parrish)

Tacoma got dragged into DeSantis’ immigration stunt. Even from here, his cruelty is clear
The migrants were loaded onto two planes and flown to a tiny island that wasn’t expecting them, and, according to [Rachel] Self, were also given falsified U.S. addresses by immigration officials, a tactic that could jeopardize the migrants’ chances of winning their immigration cases and staying in the country. Self told reporters that at least one person was given a mailing address of a Tacoma homeless shelter, saying that some migrants provided with a fake address were instructed to quickly check in with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office nearest to it. “There is no other reason to list as someone’s mailing address a homeless shelter in Tacoma, Washington when they ship him to Massachusetts. It is sickeningly cruel throwing obstacles in the way of people fleeing violence and oppression, some of whom walked through 10 countries in the hopes of finding safety,” Self said. Continue reading at The News Tribune.

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Bellingham Herald
Census estimates show number of Whatcom County million-dollar homes doubles since 2019
This earthquake was recorded north of Bellingham early Saturday morning

Capital Press
Labels only required for detectable biotech genes, judge says

Everett Herald
Goat Rocks Fire evacuation notices lifted for Packwood, High Valley
WATCH: Weyerhaeuser woodworkers strike continues
Longview has 1,500 fewer trees than usual. City staff is working to fix that.
PeaceHealth, Kaiser Permanente to keep employee vaccine mandates amid changing Washington state rules

Federal Way Mirror
Stormwater issues prompt downgrading of Poverty Bay shellfishing area

Kitsap Sun
Navy placing 10,000 yards of sand on Puget Sound seafloor as part of legal settlement

News Tribune
Your trash bill and business license fees might go up in Tacoma. Here are the reasons
Where will Washington’s new airport be? Locals are fighting against one of the options
Tacoma council member diagnosed with cancer. ‘I kindly ask for grace and understanding’
Long COVID for WA health systems? ‘Hospitals are struggling and will be for awhile’
Column: Tacoma got dragged into DeSantis’ immigration stunt. Even from here, his cruelty is clear

Olympian
Ensign Road to close for 2 days as city moves more residents to Quince Street Village
Thurston officials recommend new COVID booster, but some appointments are filling up fast
New details provided by Lewis County Sheriff’s Department regarding inmate death

Peninsula Daily News
Sunken vessel lifted from depths of Haro Strait
Ruby Beach reopens after upgrades
Lethal toxin prompts closures of beaches to shellfish harvesting
State Department of Natural Resources takes over small brush fire near Joyce

Seattle Times
Lake City seeks investments from Seattle City Hall amid growth, change
Seattle refugees turn junk into tote bags, medical scrubs and dog toys
King County moves toward $5 million settlement with Suquamish Tribe over sewage overflows
West Seattle Bridge reopens for traffic after more than 2 years

Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit County’s COVID-19 case rate takes a jump
West Big Lake residents call on Skagit County to prevent flooding

Spokesman Review
Spokane City Council looks to pass illegal camping ordinance Monday

Tri-City Herald
CDC gives Tri-Cities one of worst WA COVID ratings in WA. More deaths reported
Editorial: Tri-City teachers and schools across Washington state need support, not suspicion

Washington Post
Pentagon opens sweeping review of clandestine psychological operations
Biden announces release of U.S. hostage abducted in Kabul more than two years ago
As wildfire risk grows, campfires fade across an arid West
The U.S. safety net was built for cold winters. Hot summers threaten it.

Yakima Herald-Republic
Yakima Valley students make gains in test scores, still below pre-pandemic levels
WA task force on missing Indigenous people stresses need for funding, family support
L&I renews emergency rules for farmworker, other temporary worker housing

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Alki Beach locals, businesses eager as West Seattle Bridge finally reopens
West Seattle Bridge reopens after 2.5 years

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Gas prices drop in Seattle, statewide, nationwide for 14th straight week
WalletHub: Washington state among nation’s best for being a teacher

KNKX Public Radio
In a rare move, county buys a mental health facility to keep it from closing

KUOW Public Radio
Seattle’s urban forest is shrinking. How can it grow?
Coast Guard postpones effort to remove sunken fishing boat after lifting it to surface
‘A new dawn’ for carefully planned burns in Washington state
King County to buy treatment center as mental health beds are on the decline
Lawsuit aims to protect a rare West Coast carnivore, the fisher

Q13 TV (FOX)
West Seattle Bridge reopens to traffic after 2.5 year closure

Web

Crosscut
WA students can now take excused mental health days
What would it take to bring Seattle home prices down to earth?

The Stranger
Who Will Be Seattle’s Next Top Cop?

Friday, September 16

Early data suggests program can reduce recidivism in King County
Restorative Community Pathways (RCP), King County’s restorative justice program for youth offenders has shown promising results less than a year into its operation, Executive Dow Constantine said. “Restorative Community Pathways is an evidence and community-based program to help change a youth’s behavior, reducing crime and creating a better future for themselves, their families, and our community,” said Executive Constantine. Continue reading at Seattle Weekly. (Seattle Weekly file photo)

Clean energy just got a lot more cost-competitive, report says
The Inflation Reduction Act will cause the cost of renewable energy to decline dramatically over the next decade, according to an analysis shared exclusively with The Climate 202. The analysis from ICF Climate Center, a global consulting firm, concludes that the climate law will make clean energy projects easier to finance across the country, quickening the pace of America’s energy transition. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Brendan McDermid/Reuters)

West Seattle Bridge passes strength tests, will reopen Sunday as planned
Some critical strength tests were conducted on the West Seattle Bridge this week, and the Seattle Department of Transportation confirmed on Thursday that the bridge is safe and ready to reopen as planned on Sunday, Sept. 18. The exact time the bridge will reopen has not be released to prevent drivers from lining up to be the first to go over the repaired bridge. Continue reading at KIRO 7.

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Associated Press
Suquamish Tribe, King County reach $5M settlement deal over sewage spills
Biden plans floating platforms to expand offshore wind power
$5M settlement reached after King County dumped 6 million gallons of sewage in sound

Bellevue Reporter
Early data suggests program can reduce recidivism in King County
Ribbon cutting ceremony held for new Early Learning Center playground

Bellingham Herald
Struggling to pay for phone or internet? This federal program might be able to help

Capital Press
Agriculture welcomes tentative rail agreement

The Daily News
Ridgefield schools closed Friday as teachers, district continue bargaining
Goat Rocks Fire meeting in Packwood provides answers for residents

Everett Herald
Bolt Creek fire remains in check, but U.S. 2 to stay closed for now
Everett OKs shelter code changes to comply with changes in state laws
Everett joins statewide settlement with opioid distributors
A rising tide of trash forcing another closure of county facilities

Federal Way Mirror
South King Fire and Rescue Names New Assistant Chief of Operations

Kent Reporter
Meghin Margel sworn in as Kent School Board member
Jesse Johnson appointed to Highline College Board of Trustees

Kirkland Reporter
Kirkland 405 Corporate Center reaches net zero carbon operations

News Tribune
Hundreds honor 14-foot guardian on Gig Harbor’s shore. ‘This is medicine for our people’
Teachers in Pierce County school district ratify new contract, ending strike
‘This is life changing.’ Families at closing mobile home park say they’ve settled with developer

Olympian
City of Lacey employee speaks out against Pride Flag. And that was just the beginning
Amtrak worker strike is averted, but WA train riders will still be affected
WA Gov. Jay Inslee heads delegation traveling to Nordic countries for trade mission

Puget Sound Business Journal
Here’s how much the cost of living has risen in Seattle
Executives fear remote work will fuel the turnover tsunami

Seattle Medium
DEEL Provides Funding To Increase Educator Diversity And Organizational Development
Washington’s COVID-19 State Of Emergency To End Oct. 31
Reykdal Introduces Proposal To Provide School Meals At No Cost To All Washington Students
Consumers Observe Gas Prices Fall Weekly

Seattle Times
Seattle Pacific University staffer tells Christian campus: ‘I am a lesbian’
Why women with serious mental illness often get worse care than men
WSDOT eases up on weekend I-5 lane closures in Sodo
Highway 2 to remain closed through weekend amid Bolt Creek fire
Opinion: Millions from opioid settlement can offer healing — if leaders act

Washington Post
The Justice Dept.’s Jan. 6 investigation is looking at … everything
North America’s largest birds return to Northern California after a 130-year absence
Senate punts on same-sex marriage vote until after midterms
Clean energy just got a lot more cost-competitive, report says
Covid-19 in seniors linked to increased Alzheimer’s risk, study finds

Broadcast

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
West Seattle Bridge passes strength tests, will reopen Sunday as planned
Narcan vending machines coming to Pierce County
State Supreme Court rules insurance companies off the hook for SR 99 tunnel construction delays

Web

The Stranger
Seattle Warms Up to Democratically Run Homeless Shelters
Chinatown Protests “Homelessness Megaplex”

Thursday, September 15

Rail workers win key concessions in deal to prevent strike
Railroad workers secured a deal Thursday that will deliver 24% raises and $5,000 bonuses over five years and it will also address some of their concerns about strict attendance rules and time off. The deal that’s retroactive to 2020 will give rail workers the biggest raises they’ve seen in more than four decades. But the concessions related to working conditions may prove to be more important to them. The nation’s biggest railroads, including Norfolk Southern, CSX, BNSF, Union Pacific and Kansas City Southern all negotiated jointly with 12 unions. Continue reading at Capital Press. (BNSF Railway)

Washington state’s tax system is worsening income inequality
As she opened her $1,600 property-tax bill in February, Edith Baltazar suddenly lost her appetite for the eggs she’d prepared for lunch with her daughter. Her thoughts raced: Would their home be taken away if she couldn’t pay it. Baltazar’s daughter wept. The family would have to make a difficult decision: the property tax or $2,000 for diabetes medication. The taxes won. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Melissa Hellmann/Center for Public Integrity)

Public safety is about solving tough problems, not scoring political points
“Do not extend this dangerous program! How many repeat offenders will be put on the streets to steal, rob, assault and possibly kill.” Lately, my inbox has seen several emails like this. The program this person was referencing in this case is Restorative Community Pathways (RCP), a youth diversion program that my Democratic and Republican colleagues on the Metropolitan King County Council approved unanimously. It is an intervention that helps youth who have committed their first offense turn their lives around through community-based efforts — which studies show can be more effective than courts and jails. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

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Associated Press
Rail workers win key concessions in deal to prevent strike
Tentative railway labor deal reached, averting strike
Employees at timber company Weyerhaeuser strike over wages
Monkeypox cases declining in WA, outbreak trajectory unclear

Bainbridge Island Review
Footsteps emotional reminder at Japanese American memorial

Bellingham Herald
Faith-based university bans employees in same-sex marriages, Washington lawsuit says
WA Gov. Jay Inslee heads delegation traveling to Nordic countries for trade mission
Whatcom’s Chilliwack Complex wildfire still burning. Here’s how it compares to others

Capital Press
Carbon from Northwest electricity rose between 2016 and 2020
West Coast leaders: Time for states to act on climate change

Everett Herald
Comment: Increase support for state schools to end debt crisis
Comment: What will it take to grasp reality of climate change?

The Inlander
What does a legal illegal-camping ordinance look like?
Amtrak cancels Inland Northwest routes as freight rail strike looms

Journal of the San Juan Islands
State Treasurer talks about state finances, closing the wealth gap, and new legislation

Kent Reporter
State awards grant for solar panels at Kent Senior Center

Kirkland Reporter
Kirkland welcomes new community responders for mental health crisis situations

News Tribune
Is it too expensive to build affordable apartments in Tacoma now? This builder says it is
The opioid makers agreed to pay up. But we need more than cash to end this epidemic
Over 18 million pounds of litter is thrown across WA yearly, the state is asking for help
Pierce County to get $14M in opioid lawsuit settlement. How will the money be spent?

New York Times
F.D.A.’s Drug Industry Fees Fuel Concerns Over Influence

Olympian
Blaze at Montesano care facility displaces 77 patients Wednesday, draws regional response
Investigation underway into the death of a Lewis County inmate, Sheriff’s office confirms
WA state board suspends Thurston naturopathic physician, citing ‘immediate danger’

Peninsula Daily News
Voluntary conservation encouraged in Port Angeles
Clallam burn ban tightened; Jefferson’s already in place

Puget Sound Business Journal
Colleges cut thousands of faculty, $100M+ in payroll at Covid’s depths
Railroad union members reject tentative agreement, authorize strike
Amazon blocks HR chief from testifying in civil suit

Seattle Times
City spent millions planning a future West Seattle bridge it shouldn’t need until 2060
Insurers don’t have to pay for Highway 99 tunnel delays, WA Supreme Court rules
Stretch of North Cascades Highway closed after mudslide
Only one major city ranks higher than Seattle for remote work
Bolt Creek fire resurfaces choice not to rebuild highway
Seattle students head to class for first day after strike is suspended
Despite hot hiring in August, WA job market may be cooling
Harborview still way over capacity, as long-term care shortage persists
Opinion: Public safety is about solving tough problems, not scoring political points

Spokesman Review
Family of man shot and killed by Spokane police while holding toddler, plans to sue city, as prosecutor reviews officers actions
Test scores across Washington, including Spokane area, show decline from prior to pandemic

Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
As Health Care District purchases property for new clinic, Sea Mar says it will do the same

Washington Post
White House announces ‘tentative’ deal to avert rail strike
Mortgage rates surpass 6 percent for the first time since 2008
Insurers force change on police departments long resistant to it
Supreme Court reverses course on religious school’s LGBTQ club in 5-4 vote
Customs officials have copied Americans’ phone data at massive scale

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Biden says tentative railway labor agreement reached, averting strike
Some student loan borrowers will receive automatic refunds for payments made during pause
Task force aims to raise awareness, change policy in WA about missing and murdered Indigenous people
New initiative brings three vending machines to Pierce County to dispense Narcan
Fire at Montesano long-term care facility forces 77 patients to evacuate
‘It’s not sustainable’: Overcrowding problems persist at Harborview Medical Center

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Seattle Pacific University students, staff and faculty file complaint against Board of Trustees
New ordinance could create camping ‘buffer zones’ in Tacoma

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Closegap: A mental health check-in app for students
New details on contract that ended Seattle teacher strike emerge as school starts
Fire in Grays Harbor County displaces nearly 80 people at long-term care facility
Monkeypox cases declining in WA, outbreak trajectory unclear
Washington senator proposes plan to clean up space junk in orbit
Harborview Medical Center staff overwhelmed by patient volume

KUOW Public Radio
North King County cities will broaden mental-health response to 911 calls
Seattle Fire Dept. expands crisis response while city awaits new 911 options
West Seattle Bridge reopens this weekend

Q13 TV (FOX)
PNW railroad engineer explains why nationwide strike may be necessary

Web

Crosscut
In Seattle’s overpriced housing market, some opt to rent indefinitely
Podcast | Is Washington ready for this school year?
Central WA home prices spike amid influx of Seattle-area transplants
Shelved report details 14 COVID deaths inside Washington prisons
Washington state’s tax system is worsening income inequality

Wednesday, September 14

Seattle teacher strike suspended, students to return Wednesday
Seattle Public Schools educators voted Tuesday to suspend their five-day strike, pending a ratification of a full contract between the district and union. A suspension means that educators will return to work Wednesday, and school will begin for all students. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Ellen M. Banner/The Seattle Times)

Seattle’s 2022 smoke and fire season likely to be among our lightest
Was that it for this year’s smoke and wildfire season? Probably yes, say those keeping track. And if so, we’re lucky. Despite the recent wind-whipped fires in Western Washington that forced evacuations, sent hikers fleeing and blanketed Seattle and the region with smoke, the state is seeing its third-lightest wildfire season in a decade, according to the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Daniel Kim/The Seattle Times)

Lawsuit involving fatal Spokane officer-involved shooting of headed to trial; father settles, mother and sister press lawsuit
The city of Spokane has settled with one of the plaintiffs of the wrongful death lawsuit connected with the death of David Novak, who was shot and killed by Spokane police in 2019. The Spokane City Council voted Monday to authorize a $275,000 settlement with Michael Novak, David Novak’s father. Michael Novak joined the lawsuit lodged by David Novak’s mother, Debra Novak, and sister, Crystal Jenkins, a few months after it was filed in January 2021. The father chose to settle with the city, while the mother and daughter continue on with the lawsuit. Continue reading at The Spokesman-Review. (Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review)

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Associated Press
Montana coal plant operator to buy out co-owner Puget Sound Energy

Aberdeen Daily World
Department of Corrections fined over prison TB outbreak

Auburn Reporter
Auburn councilmembers voice support for abortion access
Public Health offers free COVID-19 boosters in Auburn

Bellevue Reporter
WA Department of Ecology launches “Simple As That” campaign to prevent littering

Capital Press
Comments won’t impact Washington’s EV law

Columbian
In Our View: Lack of training sites worsens police shortage (Lovick)

Everett Herald
No penalty, so far, for Lynnwood council member accused of racism
Evacuation order lifted for Index residents who fled Bolt Creek fire
Comment: 50-year path led to $1.6 trillion in student debt

Issaquah Reporter
Valley leaders celebrate start of SR 18/I-90 interchange construction

Kent Reporter
FAA to investigate Kent-based Blue Origin’s uncrewed rocket crash

News Tribune
‘It’s our job to do something.’ Tacoma council weighs encampment restriction ordinance
CHI medical group to pay $2.5M to settle wage-theft case tied to Gig Harbor clinic
High-speed pursuit of Tacoma man fleeing from crash with patrol car ends with arrest
Narcan vending machines? They’re coming to Pierce County, and there’s good reason for it

Olympian
Prescribed burn set for 10:30 a.m. Sept. 13 in south Thurston County

Puget Sound Business Journal
Amazon to invest $450M in pay, benefits for delivery drivers
Starbucks rolls out plans for faster service, better employee benefits
Congress beefed up the IRS. Here’s what it means for small businesses.

Seattle Times
Seattle moves forward with Green Lake bike trail
Lynnwood City Council supports 3,000 more apartments near light rail
Seattle teacher strike suspended, students to return Wednesday
Monkeypox cases declining in WA, but outbreak trajectory still unclear
Seattle’s new transportation director says he’s a ‘steward’ of streets
Seattle’s 2022 smoke and fire season likely to be among our lightest

Spokesman Review
Sandy Williams’ life and legacy, ‘radical empathy’ celebrated at Spokane memorial
Lawsuit involving fatal Spokane officer-involved shooting of headed to trial; father settles, mother and sister press lawsuit
Mead School Board strikes down proposals that would have banned critical race theory, gender studies

Washington Post
Russia spent millions on secret global political campaign, U.S. intelligence finds
Everything you need to know about the looming railroad strike
Republicans in muddle on abortion as ban proposed by Graham exposes rifts
This Midwestern factory was dead. Electric vehicles revived it.
Smoke from Western fires fuels dangerous air quality

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
SDOT conducts weight load test on West Seattle Bridge ahead of Sunday reopening
Snohomish County solid waste facilities may have to close temporarily due to excess garbage
Seattle City Council, Mayor discuss 911 response alternatives
Seattle teacher’s union votes to suspend strike, classes begin Wednesday
New proposal revisits camping ban on public property in Tacoma

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Seattle educators reach tentative agreement, classes begin Wednesday
State launches new campaign to try to keep litter off freeways/highways
2 major projects to delay traffic on westbound I-90 near Issaquah, Mercer Island
West Seattle Bridge expected to reopen this weekend following final tests
Tacoma City Council discusses ordinance banning camping in certain places

KUOW Public Radio
Omicron booster is step toward Covid ‘normalcy’

Web

The Stranger
What It Feels Like to Have Your Voting Rights Restored (Simmons)

Tuesday, September 13

Seattle Schools, educators reach tentative contract agreement to end strike
The Seattle Education Association has reached a tentative agreement with Seattle Public Schools, an announcement that appears to signal the end of a four-day strike. The agreement must still be approved by the membership; a vote to end the strike has been scheduled for Tuesday, and a vote to approve the agreement would likely happen later in the week. A school start date has not yet been announced. The union and district have been in negotiations for months and continued to bargain after SEA’s contract expired Aug. 31. SEA’s 6,000 members went on strike on Wednesday, which would have been the first day of school, after they were unable to reach a contract agreement with SPS. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Erika Schultz)

Faculty, students sue Christian school over LGBTQ hiring ban
Divisions over LGBTQ-related policies have flared recently at several religious colleges in the United States. On Monday, there was a dramatic new turn at one of the most rancorous battlegrounds – Seattle Pacific University. A group of students, faculty and staff at the Christian university sued leaders of the board of trustees for refusing to scrap an employment policy barring people in same-sex relationships from full-time jobs at SPU. The 16 plaintiffs say the trustees’ stance – widely opposed on campus – is a breach of their fiduciary duties that threatens to harm SPU’s reputation, worsen enrollment difficulties and possibly jeopardize its future. Continue reading at The Associated Press. (Chris Grygiel)

US inflation still stubbornly high despite August slowdown
Lower gas costs slowed U.S. inflation for a second straight month in August, but most other prices across the economy kept rising — evidence that inflation remains a heavy burden for American households. Consumer prices surged 8.3% last month compared with a year earlier, the government said Tuesday, down from an 8.5% increase in July and a four-decade high of 9.1% in June. On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.1%, after a flat reading in July. Inflation is higher than many Americans have ever experienced, escalating families’ grocery bills, rents and utility costs, among other expenses. It has deepened gloom about the economy despite strong job growth and low unemployment. Continue reading at The Associated Press. (Damian Dovarganes)