Capitol  Buzz

BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR

• What it would mean for the economy if the US defaults on its debt (AP/MyNorthwest)
• Seattle Amazon workers plan walkout over return to office, layoffs (The Seattle Times)

CONGRESS

• COLUMN: Trillions in taxes are being stolen by the wealthy (Dave Ross/MyNorthwest)

COURTS (STATE)

• Spokane City Council President Breean Beggs appointed as Superior Court judge (The Spokesman-Review)

CRIME

• Violence increasing at illegal street racing gatherings; new law taking effect in 2024 (KOMO TV)
• ‘A million pills a month’: KIRO 7 investigates how drugs could slip past airport security (KIRO TV)

EDUCATION

• School spending soars to record highs (Pluribus News)
• Bellevue schools offer most kids mental health screenings, help (The Seattle Times)
• New $37.8 million building at Pierce County school has secure courtyard, cafeteria space (The News Tribune)
• Shahala Middle School students protest schedule changes, budget cuts (Columbia Basin Herald)

ELECTIONS

• Washington voters can now register online with partial Social Security number (The Center Square)

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & SERVICES

• Renovations to transform new Kitsap County emergency management-elections site (Kitsap Sun)

ENERGY & UTILITIES

• Proposed pumped-storage energy project on sacred Yakama Nation site gets key permit (The Seattle Times)
• Horse Heaven solar, wind project foes seek report before hearings (Capital Press)

ENVIRONMENT

• Within the Salish Sea, Samish divers research kelp forests (Crosscut)

HANFORD

• Safety record, leadership criticized for new $45B Hanford radioactive waste contractor (Tri-City Herald)

HIGHER EDUCATION

• CWU receives $130m for new construction, salaries, expanded programs (Columbia Basin Herald)

HOMELESSNESS

• Despite evacuation order, firefighters put out two Camp Hope fires over weekend (The Center Square)
• OPINION: Renew regional commitment to preventing homelessness (Rachel Smith, president and CEO of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, Michelle Merriweather, president and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, and Dennis Quirin, executive director of the Raikes Foundation/The Seattle Times)
• COLUMN: ‘I don’t have faith’ in King County Regional Homelessness Authority (Gee Scott/MyNorthwest)

LAW ENFORCEMENT

• New report shows hundreds of cases opened into Seattle police misconduct in 2022 (FOX 13)
• Pasco man who fired at 2 WA troopers said his plan was to be shot. That didn’t happen (Tri-City Herald)
• Vancouver Police Department vacancies impact response to 911 calls (The Columbian)

LEGISLATURE

• More than 20 bills by North Clark County lawmakers signed (The Reflector)
• COLUMN: After Washington reparations law, Democrats vow more racist programs (Jason Rantz/MyNorthwest)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• King County Homeless Authority denounces sex offender board nomination (The Center Square)
• ‘The crisis is so vast’: Beeman’s climate ‘bucket’ is full (The Everett Herald)
• Port of Olympia didn’t have a signed contract to bring large ship here, commissioner says (The Olympian)

MENTAL HEALTH

• Having trouble finding mental health care in WA? A new agency can help (The Seattle Times)
• Snohomish County announces $8 million to boost mental and behavioral health treatment (The Seattle Times)

OTHER STATES

• Gov. Tina Kotek calls Senate Republicans ‘disrespectful’ for refusing to meet with her in person to discuss walkout (The Oregonian)
• Secession movements in the PNW aren’t new. But lately, eastern Oregon is feeling Idaho-curious (KUOW Radio)

RURAL BROADBAND

• $121 million awarded to broadband projects across Washington (Washington State Standard)

SCHOOL SAFETY

• ‘Coaches are very powerful’: Pierce County school district settles sex-abuse claims (The News Tribune)

SOCIAL MEDIA

• Car seats and baby formula are regulated. Is social media next? (AP)

SPORTS

• MLB gives Seattle $2 million for improvements ahead of All-Star Week (KOMO TV)

STATE GOVERNMENT

• Senate Minority Leader John Braun, Republican lawmakers criticize Inslee over veto of sexually violent predator provision (The Chronicle)
• Director of State’s Office of Equity fired by Gov. Inslee’s Office (KING TV)
• EDITORIAL: Shrink WA foster care safely with investment in social safety net (The Seattle Times)

SUBSTANCE ABUSE

• The Spotlight: Accountability vs. treatment when it comes to illegal substances (FOX 13)
• State tribal leaders address escalating opioid crisis (KIRO TV)
• Cowlitz County expects drug court to remain stable as district court plans to start its version (The Daily News)

TRANSPORTATION

• State roads chief: Transportation system is on ‘glidepath to failure’ (Washington State Standard)
• Looking back at the I-5 Skagit River bridge collapse 10 years later (KOMO TV)
• New survey tracks how we travel for the greater good (MyNorthwest)
• Spokane named one of the worst cities in the nation for potholes (KHQ TV)
• Train derailments in Washington have more than doubled in the last ten years (KING TV)
• Sound Transit increases Link light rail security by 300 guards (MyNorthwest)
• EDITORIAL: State airport reset leaves Yakima up in the air (Yakima Herald-Republic)
• EDITORIAL: Airport siting speaks to infrastructure concerns (The Columbian)

WILDFIRE PREVENTION & RESPONSE

• WA proposes new permanent wildfire smoke protection rules for outdoor workers (The Center Square)

WILDLIFE

• ‘She will become a symbol’: Inside the fight to bring Tokitae home (KING TV)