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Wednesday, August 2

What WA’s new wildfire smoke rules might mean for outdoor workers
As climate change worsens the number and intensity of wildfires, people everywhere face the short- and long-term health effects of smoke exposure, from shortness of breath, to headaches and even death. Those who work long hours outside are increasingly at the mercy of their employers to minimize their exposure. There are no federal regulations explicitly protecting outdoor workers from wildfire smoke. But in the next few months, Washington could be the second state to impose a permanent rule regulating outdoor workers’ exposure to one of the fastest-growing pollutants. But, employers and workplace advocates disagree on the proposal. Continue reading at Crosscut. (Elaine Thompson)

Tribes call for feds to ban chemical in car tires that is linked to salmon deaths
The Port Gamble S’Klallam and Puyallup tribes, along with the Yurok, which is the largest native nation in California, petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday to establish regulations prohibiting the manufacture and use of the substance, known as 6PPD. Researchers in 2020 identified an offshoot of the chemical–6PPD-quinone, or 6PPD-q–as the culprit causing premature salmon deaths in urban streams and rivers in the Puget Sound region. In the current budget cycle, the state Legislature approved $2.7 million for developing a 6PPD action plan and completing an assessment of replacement options for the chemical, along with about $5.2 million for addressing toxic tire wear material in stormwater. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Getty Images)

Federal judge temporarily blocks any possible prosecution of Idaho doctors for providing out-of-state referrals for abortion
A federal judge has temporarily blocked any attempt to prosecute or strip medical licenses from Idaho doctors providing out-of-state referrals for abortion. Idaho implemented its ban on abortion at all stages of pregnancy last year following the Supreme Court’s landmark decision overturning Roe v. Wade. The court case is part of a broader strategy of Planned Parenthood to encourage those seeking abortions in Idaho to receive them in states where they are legal. Continue reading at Spokesman-Review. (Sarah A. Miller)

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Aberdeen Daily World
Aberdeen city administrator discusses homelessness survey
Westport drafts rules for winter homeless shelter

Axios
Predictions for hotter, drier late summer spark Washington wildfire fears

Capital Press
Washington blueberry farm fined $12,000 for irrigating without water right
Officials toast new USDA ARS building on WSU campus
Vilsack on Snake River dams: Ag ‘well-represented’ in mediation

Columbian
Clark County considers buying waste transfer stations
Clark College gets $1M in federal funding to develop Center for Clean Energy
Editorial: Lack of early learning spots hurts children

The Daily News
Fire department levy lid lift passing in Ryderwood, Vader and failing in Kalama

Everett Herald
2023 August primary election results for Snohomish County
Series of brush fires stalls I-5 traffic in Marysville
Editorial: Lacking confidence in elections? See how it’s done.

News Tribune
Live voting result updates for Aug. 1, 2023 primary election in Pierce County, WA
Can you drive through a yellow light in WA or should you stop? Here’s what the law says

Olympian
Live voting result updates for Aug. 1, 2023, primary election in Thurston County, WA
All six fire ballot measures on track to pass in Tuesday’s primary

Puget Sound Business Journal
Tacoma paper mill will close in September
Sound Transit to study Amazon’s preferred site for SLU station

Seattle Medium
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Seattle Public Library Present “Black Activism In Print”
Savannah Parker Makes History As The 2023 Miss Seafair: Inspiring Young Black Girls Across Seattle

Seattle Times
Seattle City Council votes down Sawant’s rent control proposal
Skagit County farm owners split over proposal to stop hosting weddings
Inflation is hurting meal providers as need for food rises
Seattle’s I-5 squeeze finally not so tight as new lane opens
Editorial: Give Seattle’s Community Violence Task Force time, resources
Opinion: I-5 wildlife crossings can ‘bridge the divide’ that hurts species diversity

Spokesman Review
Federal judge temporarily blocks any possible prosecution of Idaho doctors for providing out-of-state referrals for abortion
State dismisses allegations that Spokane City Councilman Zack Zappone violated campaign finance disclosure law

Vancouver Business Journal
Pickleball present exciting opportunities for local businesses

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Voter turnout appears in line with previous Walla Walla County primary elections

WA State Standard
Washington weighs in against Idaho law restricting out-of-state abortions
Tribes call for feds to ban chemical in car tires that is linked to salmon deaths

Yakima Herald-Republic
Editorial: Army’s doing the right thing for East Selah’s wells

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Tacoma’s Emergency Medical Services levy lid lift passing after initial returns
Paper license plates are out the window in Washington
Female Colonel takes over command of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Seattle District
Seattle City Council votes down rent control trigger law

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Climate change may be to blame for dying landscapes along I-5

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
King County voters favoring levy to support veterans, vulnerable communities
Inslee, Ferguson say Idaho’s abortion ‘travel ban’ is illegal

KNKX Public Radio
Seattle mayor proposes drug measure to align with state law, adding $27M for treatment

KUOW Public Radio
King County on pace to reach 35% turnout in Aug. 1 primary
The pandemic transformed Seattle’s homeless shelters for the better, advocates say. But challenges remain

KXLY (ABC)
Former Spokane city administrator refutes city’s claims of sexual misconduct
Nearly three years after Babb Road Fire, Malden continues to recover

NW Public Radio
Idaho Freedom Caucus asked hospitals for abortion records
Teams battle Eagle Bluff Fire in Okanogan County
As the money grows, Washington’s film and TV industry is taking root

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Incumbents fare well in Whatcom, Bellingham primaries

Crosscut
What WA’s new wildfire smoke rules might mean for outdoor workers

MyNorthwest
Link Light Rail tracks sinking near stadiums, disruptions expected
Dry July continues trend of below-average rainfall in WA
Seattle City Council votes down rent control proposal
AG Ferguson files brief challenging Idaho’s abortion travel ban
Seattle City Council tree protection ordinance goes into effect

The Stranger
Mayor Bruce Harrell Shares His New Pitch for the War on Drugs

West Seattle Blog
ELECTION 2023: County Council, School Board, Port, levy results

Tuesday, August 1

WA attorney general challenges Idaho’s abortion travel ban
Washington is joining several states in challenging Idaho’s recent abortion travel ban, arguing the new law is harmful and has already flooded Idaho’s neighbors with residents seeking care, according to a brief filed Monday. It’s the third time Washington has weighed in on Idaho’s latest abortion laws. The ban infringes on the right to interstate travel and First Amendment rights to talk about abortion with minors and engage in “expressive conduct,” the complaint argues. Continue reading at Seattle Times. (Greg Gilbert)

Labor’s plan for fighting climate change and creating jobs in Washington
A coalition of unions on Monday released a report laying out an ambitious “worker-centered climate roadmap” to create more than 800,000 jobs across Washington in the building, transportation, energy, and low-carbon manufacturing sectors. The 104-page blueprint details 20 actions that collectively, labor leaders say, will promote a healthier environment and economy by curbing greenhouse gas emissions and providing workers with family-sustaining wages. Some ideas in the report are already on the state’s to-do list, like expanding public transit to increase ridership, committing to 100% electric school buses, and building out electric vehicle public charging infrastructure. Some are bound to stir debate should they gain traction in the Legislature. Continue reading at WA State Standard. (Scott Eisen)

Washington State Patrol announces new hit-and-run alert system to begin Tuesday
The Washington State Patrol will implement a statewide hit-and-run alert system on Tuesday that will help various law enforcement agencies readily identify dangerous drivers who have been involved in serious crashes, the agency announced Monday. The alert system, which was authorized by the state legislature earlier this year, is scheduled for a two-year pilot and evaluation period. Last year, the state saw more than 300 hit and runs resulting in serious injury or death, WSP Chief John Batiste said in Monday’s news release. Continue reading at Olympian. (WA State Patrol)

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Associated Press
New wildfire near Spokane prompts mandatory evacuations
Amazon adds video telemedicine visits nationwide to its virtual clinic

Aberdeen Daily World
City of Aberdeen passes fees for vacant building program

Axios
New laws limit big box stores in Seattle’s historic maritime and industrial zones
Seattle moves toward installing cameras to catch drag racers

Bellingham Herald
New federal student loan repayment plan sign-up starts soon. What happens if you default?
Facial ID for whales and dolphins? It’s happening. Here’s how it can help research in WA

Capital Press
EPA proposes pesticide ban across much of western Oregon, Washington
Washington, B.C. resume hunt for scarce murder hornets

Columbian
YWCA, NAACP call for Vancouver police officer to be fired in Taser case
Noise wall takes shape on Highway 14 in Vancouver
Clark County Public Health: Avoid water at Vancouver, Camas lakes
Vancouver Housing Authority appoints Andy Silver as new CEO

News Tribune
Brown trees and shrubs ahead — entire sections of new I-5 HOV project landscaping are dead
Opinion: Those serving Tacoma’s most vulnerable can’t afford to live here. Ours are getting a raise

Northwest Asian Weekly
Sam Cho appointed to USDOT advisory committee on human trafficking

Olympian
Washington State Patrol announces new hit-and-run alert system to begin Tuesday

Puget Sound Business Journal
Can tax breaks fix housing? Bellevue is about to find out.
IRS may push for early end to lucrative ERC tax credit

Seattle Times
SPD agrees to improve public disclosure
WA attorney general challenges Idaho’s abortion travel ban
Divided Seattle City Council to vote on rent control
Harrell proposes $27 million for Seattle addiction treatment, drug enforcement bill
Seattle-area animal shelters say inflation is making more people surrender pets

Spokesman Review
Spokane-based Hi-Rel Laboratories is the only NASA contractor in Eastern Washington to work on new manned mission to the moon
‘This is not just impacting a section of the community’: Local leaders talk fentanyl crisis at roundtable discussion
Opinion: State has opportunity to help Black mothers with new doula guidelines

Tri-City Herald
Need to do laundry during a peak energy time? It’s going to cost more in Tri-Cities

Washington Post
An abortion ban made them teen parents. This is life two years later.
When every day somewhere is a climate record of some sort

WA State Standard
A parched summer is posing difficulties for Washington farmers and fish
Labor’s plan for fighting climate change and creating jobs in Washington
U.S. ag secretary touts Biden climate agenda as boost for rural America in Oregon visit
Plagued by teacher shortages, some states turn to fast-track credentialing

Wenatchee World
Washington cherry industry expects a larger harvest than last year’s
Secretary of state visits Wenatchee to talk election security, library system

Yakima Herald-Republic
Drones to monitor water levels for threatened bull trout in central WA
Editorial: Yakima City Council hosting public hearing on use of HUD funding

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Families of DUI victims waiting for justice because of case backlog
Gov. Inslee, AG Bob Ferguson say Idaho abortion travel ban ‘illegal’
‘An extreme step:’ Washington child welfare workers call on Inslee to fire top DCYF boss
Farmers watering selectively, high sturgeon deaths reported amid drought

KUOW Public Radio
Can mayor’s proposal mend rift between Seattle and Washington’s drug laws?

KXLY (ABC)
Washington v. Blake: New refund site launches for simple drug possession conviction costs
Evacuations in effect for wildfire burning southwest of Spokane

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Crews battle Sourdough wildfire in Whatcom County

Crosscut
What Crosscut learned from a public records request by Real Change

MyNorthwest
Federal Way mosque asks public for help after break-in
Seattle pushing to adopt WA laws on public drug use, possession

Monday, July 31

‘Clearly greenlighted’: Washington and Oregon lawmakers upbeat about I-5 bridge replacement

Washington and Oregon lawmakers got a clearer idea Friday of what a new Interstate 5 bridge across the Columbia River might look like, how much drivers may pay to use it and how residents of both states can stay involved as the project moves toward construction. The three-hour virtual meeting was the first major update since each state approved spending $1 billion toward a new bridge. Washington lawmakers committed $1 billion in 2022, while Oregon lawmakers in June authorized the first of four anticipated $250 million bond sales to pay the state’s share of the bridge replacement. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Oregon Department of Transportation)

New state housing dollars a ‘drop in the bucket’ compared to need

Despite record investments in housing this year, the state must continue pumping more money toward affordable housing and rent stabilization to curb homelessness in Washington, advocates told lawmakers Wednesday. At a state Senate Housing committee meeting in Vancouver, lawmakers heard from state and local leaders about what else is needed to address the housing and homelessness crisis. Continue reading at Washington State Standard. (Dan Reynolds Photography via Getty Images)

Seattle-area teachers worry as heat waves can make classes unbearable
When the classroom thermometer passes 80 degrees and starts marching toward 90, survival mode kicks in. During the Seattle area’s May heat wave, teachers grabbed ice pops and sprayed students’ flushed necks with water, urging them to move in front of a fan. Some found refuge under a shady tree outside, and some kids got sick and went home. Continue reading at The Seattle Times.

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Bellingham Herald
Whatcom County’s unemployment rate increases, ending a streak of post-pandemic drops
Whatcom County area fire growing in size on steep terrain near historic mountain lookout

Capital Press
Skagit County irrigation districts resume pumping

Columbian
With help of local farms, Clark County Food Bank keeps produce flowing to those who need it most
Demand for early learning programs vastly outstrips supply in Clark County
The big problem in the Columbia River no one is talking about
Increasing reports of adult sturgeon mortalities prompt closure of all sturgeon fishing on portion of Columbia River
Editorial: In Our View: Benefits of police body cameras made clear
Editorial: In Our View: No easy answer when RV is a person’s home

The Daily News
Schools lost track of homeless kids during the pandemic. Many face a steep path to recovery
Cowlitz County primary votes slow to roll in before Tuesday deadline
About 20% of HOPE Village residents find permanent housing since January

Everett Herald
Snohomish County invests $4.3M in ARPA money for workforce programs
Everett mayor’s new ‘no sit’ zones cover much of downtown, plus 300 acres
Child care, mental health set for $2M in federal funding from Everett

News Tribune
He tried to flee a welfare check in Spanaway. Did it warrant being shot to death?
Op-Ed: WA is a great place to live. Why can’t we have good schools and enough cops?

Olympian
More people will be booked into the Thurston County jail starting Aug. 1. Here’s why
Olympia school board directors say repair work is needed after president used N-word

Peninsula Daily News
Grants aid food bank, firefighters
Help available for veterans, survivors to get PACT Act benefits
Dearth of child care barrier to holding job

Seattle Times
Child welfare workers push Inslee to fire Department of Children, Youth and Families Secretary Ross Hunter
Seattle-area teachers worry as heat waves can make classes unbearable
After four years, tribal canoes journey Salish Sea once more
As ‘Oppenheimer’ movie debuts, FBI’s secret search for lesbians in Manhattan Project revealed
102-acre King County timber sale paused as politicians air climate concerns
Controversial WA timber sale near Elwha River rankles conservationists, Port Angeles leaders
Editorial: Make education part of fentanyl battle
Opinion: The value of Juvenile Court

Spokesman Review
Getting There: Federal money could bring affordable housing to empty WSDOT land along I-90

Tri-City Herald
Aerial spraying to combat West Nile-infected mosquitoes scheduled in Tri-Cities
Anchorage homeless face cold and bears. A plan to offer one-way airfare out reveals a bigger crisis
Richland changes its $21M plan again to ease traffic-congested George Washington Way
Murray secures proposed record-high funding to clean up radioactive waste in Eastern WA

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla City Council approves 3-year contract, pay increase for city manager

Washington Post
Rent is finally cooling. See how much prices have changed in your area.

WA State Standard
New state housing dollars a ‘drop in the bucket’ compared to need (Frame)
Fertility health coverage is still hard to come by in many states
‘Clearly greenlighted’: Washington and Oregon lawmakers upbeat about I-5 bridge replacement (Liias, Fey)

Yakima Herald-Republic
Judge grants sexual assault protection order against Granger police officer
Recovery, damage assessment begins for Newell Road Fire area in south-central WA
Here’s how to apply for a refund for a drug possession case in WA

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Millions could have student loan bills dropped to $0. Here’s how to sign up.
Some renters may get relief from biggest apartment construction boom in decades, but not all
Washington officials preparing for extended wildfire season
Duvall removes LGBTQ+ artwork from public right-of-way after flag associated with hate groups pinned next to it
Cougar attacks 8-year-old in Olympic National Park

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
State officials say emergency action taken to shut down Seattle encampment that exploded is ‘extremely rare’

KNKX Public Radio
Yes, heat can affect your brain and mood. Here’s why
New bureau launching for people with Blake-related drug convictions in Washington

KUOW Public Radio
Electric vehicle sales accelerate in Washington state
Would rent control slow new housing construction if it passes in Seattle?
Where does Amazon want Sound Transit to build a new Seattle light rail station?
WA school districts failed to document $31M in federal Covid grants, audit finds
Amtrak wants to spend $200M to improve Seattle’s rail yard
Constantly on the move in SoDo, trying not to get swept
Seven staffers injured in youth brawl at King County juvenile detention facility

KXLY (ABC)
Supply chain issues and demand leave shelves empty at 2nd Harvest
‘It’s really a real situation’: Carla Peperzak gets a tour of new Carla Olman Peperzak Middle School
SPD to begin enforcement of ordinance prohibiting staying at parks after hours

Q13 TV (FOX)
State looks to spend $1B to address encampments
Biden announces steps to offer relief from extreme heat as record temperatures continue

Web

Cascadia Daily News
City to hike fees on outdoor-dining ‘streateries’
Demand skyrockets at food bank serving Whatcom farmworkers

Crosscut
What does substance-use treatment in Seattle actually look like? (Robinson)

MyNorthwest
Wildfire evacuation in Okanogan County still uncontained
After raising prices sharply, corporate profits get squeezed as inflation eases
Environmental groups sue FAA over SpaceX rocket launch
King County invests $25M to address racism as a public health crisis

The Stranger
‘Strippers are workers’ maintains campaign energy after disappointing Legislative Session (Wylie, Kloba)

Friday, July 28

Demand skyrockets at food bank serving Whatcom farmworkers
Every Wednesday in the summer, Spanish music blares from the doors of the preschool gym housed in the Lynden School District office. A line extends outside and onto the front stairs, as people pass pulling carts filled with bags of maseca, stacks of nopal leaves, cartons of eggs and packages of diapers. Continue reading at Cascadia Daily News. (Hailey Hoffman/Cascadia Daily News)

Gun seizures at Sea-Tac airport surpass pre-pandemic levels amid surge in passenger numbers
As passenger levels at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport hit multi-year highs, KOMO News learned the number of guns seized at security checkpoints has far exceeded pre-pandemic levels. Continue reading at KOMO News.

‘The impact could be devastating’: Federal public defenders could lose staff, be unable to handle caseload due to proposed budget cuts
Washington State’s federal public defenders are calling on Sen. Patty Murray and other members of Congress to reverse course on proposed budget cuts. They said it will have devastating effects on those who need an attorney. Federal public defenders take on some of the most serious and time-consuming criminal cases and could be facing unimaginable workloads if Congress continues with proposed budget cuts. Continue reading at KING 5.

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Associated Press
Teen says she ‘just prayed’ while saving girl in Michigan school shooting

Aberdeen Daily World
Kilmer visits Hoquiam dam to discuss removal

The Daily News
Report: Cowlitz County unemployment remains at all-time low
Longview port purchases used fuel truck amid excess demand
Longview’s 20th Avenue bridge is still closed a month later. Here’s why.
Cowlitz County commissioners weigh future of mental health tax

Everett Herald
County gives Everett $4M for replacement shelter purchase
Child care, mental health set for $2M in federal funding from Everett

High Country News
Finding a fix for ‘forever chemicals’

News Tribune
Balconies, rooftop decks standard on new vertically designed houses going up in Tacoma
A taller, wider and safer overpass and longer HOV lanes are coming soon to I-5 in DuPont
Pierce County to repeal zoning for controversial homeless village but not until December
The forest under the surface of Puget Sound is declining. This team seeks clues as to why

Olympian
New lawsuit alleges WA state Senators were ‘silently withholding’ public records (Kuderer, Hasegawa, Randall)
This WA state highway is one of the most feared routes in the U.S., according to new study
Residents speak out against creating book-rating system at Timberland Regional Library

Seattle Medium
Seattle’s Homeless Encampments Clearing Unconstitutional
Restrictions On 4 Marijuana Farms Lifted
People Evacuated As Wildfire Rages

Seattle Times
Sound Transit sweats over spot for South Lake Union light-rail station
WA Sen. Dhingra faces ethics fine for using public funds for Dobbs news conference (Dhingra, Randall, Shewmake)
Young woman shot during Capitol Hill street race dies from injuries

Spokesman Review
‘They become my family, and I become theirs’: New memorial at Deaconess helps staff process the secret grief of cancer nurses

WA State Standard
Vote on expanding natural gas pipeline in Oregon and Washington delayed amid backlash
State ‘totally disregarded’ involuntary treatment law, held people too long, high court rules

Broadcast

KING 5 TV (NBC)
‘Gun violence has to end’: Family of Capitol Hill shooting victim speaks out
‘The impact could be devastating’: Federal public defenders could lose staff, be unable to handle caseload due to proposed budget cuts
Habitat for Humanity constructing condominiums for low-income Seattle residents

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Crews begin clearing large encampment outside Seattle hospital following explosion
Gun seizures at Seattle-Tacoma airport surpass pre-pandemic levels amid surge in passenger numbers
New Seattle ordinance set to protect 157,000 trees, address housing crisis

KUOW Public Radio
Public transit is now free for youth. But what happens when you turn 19?
1 in 6 Washington cars are EVs. The state aims for more
This goes beyond mere shoplifting: Today So Far

NW Public Radio
Three die of listeria in western WA, source of illnesses still unknown
Red Flag Warning: What does it mean?

Web

Cascadia Daily News
Demand skyrockets at food bank serving Whatcom farmworkers
Timeline for Tokitae move unrealistic, state officials say

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)