Capitol Buzz: Washington could tie school district COVID-19 relief to campus return plan; Boeing clears out its Commercial Airplanes headquarters complex in Renton Washington House Republicans sent this bulletin at 02/19/2021 11:47 AM PST Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. Capitol Buzz: February 19, 2021 02/19/2021 11:48 AM PST AGRICULTURE & WATER Winter weather spells good news for regional water supply (Daily Record) Federal judge to rule next week on farm-worker pay injunction (Yakima Herald-Republic) State agency considers extending Okanogan County apple maggot zone (The Wenatchee World) BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR Amazon confirms fulfillment center in Spokane Valley; new facility will employ more than 1,000 (The Spokesman-Review) FAA using satellite technology to monitor every Boeing 737 MAX in flight (The Seattle Times) Boeing clears out its Commercial Airplanes headquarters complex in Renton (The Seattle Times) Insurance industry helped write changes that ‘gutted’ bill to take credit scoring out of insurance (KIRO TV) Tyson Foods to pay workers for getting the COVID vaccine (Pacific Northwest Ag Network) COLUMN: Business owner who left Seattle for Arizona was ‘sick and tired of being sick and tired’ (Dori Monson/MyNorthwest) CONGRESS McMorris Rodgers introduces Wildfire Wireless Resiliency Act (KWHT) CORONAVIRUS National coronavirus vaccine supply expected to surge, according to analysis (Bloomberg News/The Oregonian) Some 90% of COVID-19 vaccine shipments to Washington are delayed this week, state says (The Seattle Times) Equity gaps in vaccine distribution not as wide as first interpreted after further review (The News Tribune) COLUMN: I gave vaccine shots for one day. Now I may not be able to again (Dr. Niran Al-Agba, pediatrician in Silverdale/Kitsap Sun) COURTS (FEDERAL) Seattle pays $10,000 to settle lawsuit over homeless sweep (AP/iFiberOneNewsRadio-KMAS) COURTS (STATE) Divided Washington Supreme Court blocks Freedom Foundation political contribution case against unions (The Spokesman-Review) CRIME & LAW ENFORCEMENT WA Rep: Police tactics bill appeases ‘political group’ at expense of safety (MyNorthwest) Washington Senate passes police arbitration bill (KCPQ TV) Grays Harbor County Jail inmate dead, found hanging in his cell (The Daily World) Vancouver drops most police killing protest charges (AP/Walla Walla Union-Bulletin) Report: Woman shot dead over attempted theft of Loren Culp sign (iFiberOneNewsRadio-KMAS) EDITORIAL: Steps toward police reform, but a misstep on disciplinary actions (The Seattle Times) DAMS Seattle’s Skagit River dams hurt salmon, orcas and Native American culture, agencies say (KING TV) EDUCATION & SCHOOL SAFETY During Puyallup tour, Inslee says kids can return to school without teachers being vaccinated (The News Tribune) As other school districts open, Seattle remains split on returning to classrooms (The Seattle Times) Washington could tie school district COVID-19 relief to campus return plan (KING TV) In-person instruction makes difference at Columbia Basin Technical Skills Center (Columbia Basin Herald) ENVIRONMENT OPINION: Climate lawsuits detract from the real solutions (George Nethercutt, former Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2005, representing Washington’s 5th Congressional District/The Spokesman-Review) FEDERAL GOVERNMENT & THE WHITE HOUSE OPINION: Biden must quickly reinstate protections for ‘America’s salmon forest’ (Mike Dombeck, served as 14th chief of the U.S. Forest Service from 1997-2001, and Chris Wood, worked on the roadless rule for the Forest Service and president and CEO of Trout Unlimited/The Seattle Times) HEALTH CARE WA health care often lacks language services for immigrant patients (Crosscut) HOMELESSNESS COLUMN: After years of drama, outgoing young adult shelter provider questions Tacoma’s support (Matt Driscoll/The News Tribune) HOUSING WA lawmakers look to fix climate while solving the housing crisis (Crosscut) LEGISLATURE Washington state lawmakers say BLM group complaint is tactic to ‘intimidate or bully legislators’ (The Seattle Times) WA legislators make another push for free period products in schools (KXLY) Three bills sponsored by Rep. Vick advance past committee (The Reflector) Abbarno introduces bill to prevent waste discharge from vehicles into waterways (The Reflector) LOCAL GOVERNMENT Seattle falls out of top 10 in annual ranking of best-performing cities (Puget Sound Business Journal) Two Lacey Fred Meyer employees urge City Council to adopt hazard pay ordinance (The Olympian) With no control over state energy code, Lacey City Council approves ordinance (The Olympian) MENTAL HEALTH Suicide prevention team idea moves forward (The Reflector) OPINION: Why direct cash is a critical mental health strategy (Jesse Paulsen, MD, is a third year Psychiatry Resident at the University of Washington. Maeve Sloan is a third year Psy.D. Student at Antioch University Seattle and current practicum student in a local primary care clinic/Washington State Wire) OTHER STATES Some Oregon school districts let top administrators, office employees who don’t work with children sign up for vaccine appointments (The Oregonian) Oregon landlords whose tenants are behind on rent can now apply for relief (The Oregonian) POLITICS ELECTIONS Advocates say ranked choice voting will restore trust in democracy; Secretary of State’s Office opposes it (Washington State Wire) SECURITY States remain split on guns in capitols after armed protests (AP/Walla Walla Union-Bulletin) SPORTS High school football returns to Whatcom (finally) with seven games, and more to come (The Bellingham Herald) STATE GOVERNMENT Gov. Inslee names head of Washington state’s new Office of Equity (The Seattle Times) TAXES Pay-per-mile tax gets a test drive in Washington Legislature to augment gas tax (Northwest Public Broadcasting) Capital gains tax makes progress as lawmakers continue bid to tax state’s wealthiest residents (MyNorthwest) King County begins mailing out property tax bills; some areas to see double-digit increases in rates (Seattle P-I) Arlington, Marysville push state to extend key tax break (The Everett Herald) EDITORIAL: State tax system desperately needs overhaul (The Columbian) TRANSPORTATION Inslee taking ‘strategic role’ when it comes to transportation package (KPQ Radio) COLUMN: Scoop: Deal links carbon-fuel standard with transpo package (Jerry Cornfield/The Everett Herald) TRIBAL ISSUES On the Colville reservation, the vaccination rate is nearly double the state’s, despite challenges (The Spokesman-Review) WILDLIFE No cougar at Discovery Park, but WDFW says big cats are closer than you might think (KIRO TV)
