The Capitol Buzz is a daily summary of online news clips from across the state, discussing policies and politics affecting Washington state.
AGRICULTURE & WATER
BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR
- DSA expects full economic recovery will take at least 2 years (Puget Sound Business Journal)
- State-funded project should’ve included local bids, SAFE Boats says (Kitsap Sun)
CONGRESS
- Democrats in Congress charge ahead with relief package that includes $1,400 checks, monthly payments for parents (The Spokesman-Review)
- Herrera Beutler’s revelations rocked the impeachment and made headlines across the U.S. (The Daily News)
- How will high-profile role affect future of Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler? (The Columbian)
- EDITORIAL: Herrera Beutler’s principled stand rarity in GOP (The Columbian)
- EDITORIAL: Rep. Herrera Beutler earns all Washingtonians’ respect for role in Trump impeachment (The News Tribune)
- EDITORIAL: Lift children out of poverty (The Seattle Times)
CORONAVIRUS
- When will Washington move to Phase 3 under state’s reopening plan? (KOMO TV)
- Lawmakers from both parties push for teachers to be vaccinated to open schools faster (The Spokesman-Review)
- Statewide vaccine equity efforts could see a philanthropic boost (The Spokesman-Review)
- Public-private ‘vaccine equity’ fund aims to bring doses to Black and brown communities in Washington state (The Seattle Times)
- Latinos face barriers like fear, language in getting vaccine (AP/The Seattle Times)
- Backlog of COVID-19 cases in Yakima County due to delayed reporting by testing facilities (Yakima Herald-Republic)
- Governor blames lack of first COVID-19 vaccine doses on hospital, providers (KIRO TV)
- Frustrated patients struggle to secure second dose (KIRO TV)
- State puts brakes on Whitman County vaccination plan (The Lewiston Tribune)
- Walla Walla hospital explains unintentional COVID-19 over count that impacted reopening (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin)
- As adult family homes fall through vaccine system cracks, Seattle and Bellevue fire departments help pull them out (KUOW Radio)
- State Senate committee hears bill to extend COVID unemployment benefits to undocumented workers (KGMI Radio)
- EDITORIAL: With phase state saves face (Daily Record)
CRIME & LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Downtown Nordstrom display windows valued at more than $50,000 each smashed Sunday (The Seattle Times)
- Amid protests and unrest, demand for security jobs in Washington has jumped (KOMO TV)
- Whatcom deputy arrested for smuggling contraband talked with inmate for months, records show (The Bellingham Herald)
- Law would end driver’s license suspensions over unpaid fines (AP/Seattle P-I)
- Bill would let some young people who are incarcerated transition to live in the community (KNKX Radio)
- WA considering legalizing narcotics (KWHT)
DAMS
EDUCATION & SCHOOL SAFETY
- Washington sees ‘fairly low’ levels of COVID-19 transmission in K-12 schools, report finds (Seattle P-I)
- Local report finds few COVID cases spread through classrooms (The Everett Herald)
- After CDC ruling, state’s school districts ponder when they can resume in-class learning (KOMO TV)
- Bill to ban Native American mascots passes House committee (AP/The Seattle Times)
- OPINION: Washington must expand funding for students in foster care (Ken Schutz, principal of Joel E. Ferris High School/The Spokesman-Review)
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & SERVICES
ENERGY & UTILITIES
ENVIRONMENT
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT & THE WHITE HOUSE
- Biden wants the IRS to drive his recovery plan, but it can barely function as is. (The Washington Post/The Seattle Times)
- Biden faces pressure as US sets new course on immigration (The Seattle Times)
HANFORD
HIGHER EDUCATION
HOMELESSNESS
HOUSING
- Here’s how much Whatcom got in pandemic relief to help renters (The Bellingham Herald)
- Clark County housing inventory a bit better (The Columbian)
- Study: Seattle-area home bidding wars on the rise as inventory dries up (Puget Sound Business Journal)
- Construction on largest residential development in Poulsbo history set to begin this year (Kitsap Sun)
LEGISLATURE
- 2021 policy committee cutoff: what passed and who had the most bills (Washington State Wire)
- Free lunches, immigrant help get House approval; Dent bill passes (WNPA News Service/Columbia Basin Herald)
- Rep. Abbarno hosts first virtual town hall (The Reflector)
- Teens pushing WA Legislature to ban retail puppy sales (Crosscut)
- COLUMN: Credit scores, Phase 3 and a GOP call to take down the fence (Jerry Cornfield/The Everett Herald)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
- Richland reconsiders police body cameras after another officer-involved shooting (Tri-City Herald)
- Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan touts 70% vaccination target in low-key, final State of the City address (The Seattle Times)
- Thurston board of commissioners OKs climate emergency declaration, mitigation plan (The Olympian)
- COLUMN: Another ‘defund’ Seattle councilmember reports crimes to police she gutted (Jason Rantz/MyNorthwest)
MENTAL HEALTH
REDISTRICTING
STATE GOVERNMENT
TAXES
TRANSPORTATION
WILDFIRE PREVENTION & RESPONSE
- Bill aims to fight wildfire before ‘Evergreen state turns charcoal black’ (Kitsap Sun)
- Orcutt discusses HB 1168 (Pacific Northwest Ag Network)
- Sen. Hawkins bill to implement utility-wildfire task force recommendations advances (KPQ Radio)
WILDLIFE
