Capitol Buzz: Some doubtful backlog of unemployment claims will be cleared Friday; Report: COVID transmission rate sees slight decline across Washington

CORONAVIRUS

CASE COUNTS & COUNTY UPDATES

• Washington state reports 818 new COVID-19 cases and nine deaths on Thursday (The News Tribune)
• Tri-Cities new COVID cases appear to be holding steady. No new deaths reported (Tri-City Herald)
• Umatilla, Walla Walla counties tally more coronavirus infections, one death (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin)
• Rate of positive COVID tests takes a dip (Skagit Valley Herald)
• South King County is a hotspot for COVID-19 (KCPQ TV)
• Spokane to add isolation facility, contact tracers as 104 new cases are confirmed (The Spokesman-Review)

BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR

• Business starts are rising, though Washington lags the national pace | Coronavirus Economy daily chart (The Seattle Times)
• Tense times for the jobless, with claims high in this Washington and benefits from the other Washington lapsing (The Seattle Times)
• Record economic plunge, bleak jobs numbers reveal virus toll (AP/Seattle P-I)
• New Wash. jobless claims take slight dip, weekly bonus expires (AP/KOMO TV)
• Pandemic hammers Spokane hotel industry (The Spokesman-Review)
• 7 airlines seek relief from Sea-Tac leases that require them to cover its revenue shortfalls (Puget Sound Business Journal)
• Slight dip in initial jobless claims, weekly bonus expires (AP/The Bellingham Herald)
• Boeing layoffs hit amid progress on unemployment backlog (KUOW Radio)

CONGRESS & FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

• EDITORIAL: House, Senate must compromise on new coronavirus package (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin)

COURTS, CRIME & LAW ENFORCEMENT

• Spokane County Superior Court again suspends jury trials (The Spokesman-Review)

EARLY LEARNING

• As schools prepare for distance learning in the fall, child care becomes growing concern (Puget Sound Business Journal)

EDUCATION & SCHOOL SAFETY

• Catch up on the latest guidance and research on reopening schools amid COVID-19 (The Seattle Times)
• Jay Inslee: Some K-12 schools won’t fully reopen this fall, with more guidance coming soon (Northwest Public Broadcasting)
• Thurston County health officer recommends remote learning for all county schools in fall (KIRO TV)
• Thurston County Health Officer urges schools to keep buildings closed this fall (The Olympian)
• Some western Washington families consider ‘micro-schools’ as alternative to strictly remote learning (KING TV)
• Prescott School District superintendent hopes for return to in-person instruction, braces for distance learning (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin)
• Some Kennewick teachers upset with school starting online (KEPR-TV)
• Health District says disease transmission rates preventing schools from reopening (KEPR-TV)
• EDITORIAL: Help students in need prepare for whatever the school year brings (The Seattle Times)
• EDITORIAL: All-online school sensible, but Washington educators, legislators must get it right (The News Tribune)

ENVIRONMENT, NATURAL RESOURCES & PARKS

• State Parks say you might have to go elsewhere as people flock to the great outdoors (The Olympian)

GAMBLING

• Tribal Council’s review of EQC casino says allegations in OSHA complaint ‘not supported’ (The News Tribune)

GENERAL NEWS

• Report: COVID transmission rate sees slight decline across Washington (MyNorthwest)
• Coronavirus FAQ Friday: Your questions about COVID-19 testing, answered (The Seattle Times)
• COVID-19 rollbacks to rules for restaurants, bars and more now in effect (KIRO TV)
• Inslee: Mask use improving at businesses, but not in social settings (KING TV)
• Gov. Inslee: ‘Evidence is pretty strong’ protests haven’t increased spread of COVID-19 (MyNorthwest)
• Is the coronavirus airborne? Researchers say yes, it can spread through the air (AP/The Oregonian)
• COVID Q&A with Pierce County health director: testing, outbreaks, returning to school (The News Tribune)
• Inslee talks about unemployment backlog progress, vulnerable workers, contact tracing (The News Tribune)
• EDITORIAL: COVID-19 refresher can help us beat this virus (The Columbian)

HEALTH CARE

• US sinks another $2.1 billion into a potential vaccine (AP/KHQ TV)
• Inslee gives updates on reopenings, urges taking calls from contact tracers (Puget Sound Business Journal)

HIGHER EDUCATION

• University of Puget Sound announces remote learning, reduction in tuition (The News Tribune)
• WWU changes its fall classroom plans. Here‘s what that means for students, staff (The Bellingham Herald)

HOUSING

• Under COVID, some landlords of limited means worse off than their tenants (KOMO TV)

MILITARY & VETERANS

• Washington Army and Air National Guard and Health Department hold isolation facility drill in Ellensburg (Daily Record)

OTHER STATES

• Coronavirus stay-at-home order reinstated for Oregon’s Umatilla County, governor says (The Oregonian)
• Coronavirus in Oregon: State officials report a decline in weekly cases for first time since May (The Oregonian)
• Idaho’s weekly initial claims decrease 17 percent from previous week (KCLK Radio)

PRIVACY

• Gov. Jay Inslee issues contact tracing proclamation to protect personal information (KCLK Radio)

RURAL BROADBAND

• Broadband survey seeks to map internet access (Skagit Valley Herald)

STATE GOVERNMENT

• Some doubtful backlog of unemployment claims will be cleared Friday (KIRO TV)
• Inslee: Backlog of unemployment claims filed between March and June to be cleared Friday (KIRO TV)
• Historic jobless claims: ‘I didn’t get unemployment for 16 weeks’ (KCPQ TV)

TRANSPORTATION

• Poulsbo using COVID-19 dollars to make more space for pedestrians on Fjord Drive (Kitsap Sun)