The Capitol Buzz is a weekday summary of online news stories from across the state, highlighting policies, politics and other issues that affect Washingtonians.
CORONAVIRUS
CASE COUNTS & COUNTY UPDATES
- Washington state reports 773 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday and 24 deaths (The News Tribune)
- Spokane County crests 7,000 COVID cases as school cases also grow (The Spokesman-Review)
- 130 new confirmed cases of coronavirus in Tri-Cities region over four-day-span (KEPR TV)
- Pierce County sees 52 new COVID-19 cases, three new deaths Tuesday (The News Tribune)
- COVID-19 outbreak results in 39 cases, six deaths at Whatcom skilled nursing facility (The Bellingham Herald)
- COVID-19 deaths in Wenatchee Valley now number 24 (NCW Life Channel)
- Chelan County up to 17 COVID-19 deaths after additional death reported Tuesday (iFiberOne)
- County reports 19 COVID cases, 9 linked to Pacific Seafood outbreak (The Daily News)
- Ten COVID-19 cases confirmed Tuesday in Grant Co.; rate of new cases continues to decrease (iFiberOne)
- Five new COVID-19 cases in Thurston County. Health Officer shares causes for recent uptick (The Olympian)
- Three more COVID-19 deaths reported in Grays Harbor County Tuesday (The Daily World)
- Clark County COVID-19 activity moves farther into ‘high’ range (The Columbian)
- Coronavirus numbers tick up slightly locally (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin)
- Snohomish County sees another uptick in COVID-19 cases (Everett Herald)
- Coronavirus cases reported in Grant, Adams counties (Columbia Basin Herald)
- Clarkston care center dealing with outbreak (The Lewiston Tribune)
BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR
- Three Washington businesses on how they’re getting creative to survive (Crosscut)
- Mount Baker to open in winter season with limited coronavirus restrictions in place (The Bellingham Herald)
- COLUMN: Losing The Swiss hurts. It’s also a reminder Tacoma has bounced back before (Matt Driscoll/The News Tribune)
COMMUNITY & FAMILY ISSUES
- State to issue grants to support youth-oriented nonprofits (Columbia Basin Herald)
- COLUMN: Among the costs of the pandemic, a loss of human contact (Shawn Vestal/The Spokesman-Review)
COURTS, CRIME & LAW ENFORCEMENT
EDUCATION & SCHOOL SAFETY
- School reopenings linked to increase in coronavirus cases among U.S. children (AP/The Oregonian)
- Seattle schools launches applications for reopening task force (The Seattle Times)
- Here’s how Clover Park schools are preparing for students to safety return in October (The News Tribune)
- Walla Walla schools will not reopen yet (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin)
- Ellensburg School Board calls special meeting to amend school reopening plan (Daily Record)
- Once most impacted Washington counties, Yakima and Tri-Cities look toward schools reopening (Northwest Public Broadcasting)
- Lynden K-2 in-person restart now Oct. 12 (Lynden Tribune)
- Mead School District reports two more COVID-19 cases bringing total cases to 4 (KHQ TV)
- Blaine School District announces hybrid schedule (KGMI)
- More Yakima County schools announce plans for in-person learning (Yakima Herald-Republic)
- Longview School Board delays initial return to hybrid to Oct. 19 (The Daily News)
- EDITORIAL: Back in class, questions remain (The Daily Record)
GENERAL NEWS
HEALTH CARE
- Department of Health says flu shot is essential this year (KEPR TV)
- Health experts warn catching COVID-19 and flu together doubles the risk of death, doctor discusses local case (iFiberOne)
HIGHER EDUCATION
- CWU’s fall enrollment numbers stay strong (The Daily Record)
- Clark College will continue with remote learning for winter quarter (The Columbian)
- College responds to positive COVID-19 test result (My Columbia Basin)
- COVID-19 updates: UW modelers predict ‘large increase’ in deaths by November (MyNorthwest)
- COLUMN: At the University of Washington, daily rapid testing so the football team can gather, but not the other students (Danny Westneat/The Seattle Times)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
- Snohomish County laying groundwork for COVID vaccine (KING TV)
- Healthy reserve fund built since 2016 at Spokane City Hall is preventing layoffs during pandemic (The Spokesman-Review)
OTHER STATES
- Snake River prison sees COVID cases nearly double in a month, with about 400 cases (Malheur Enterprise/The Oregonian)
- Governor commutes sentences for 66 more inmates, including 10 considered vulnerable to COVID (The Oregonian)
- Coronavirus in Oregon: 299 new cases, eight deaths as congresswoman scrutinizes large workplace outbreak (The Oregonian)
- Disney lays off a quarter of U.S. theme park workers (The New York Times/The Seattle Times)
- Schools navigating coronavirus challenges (The Lewiston Tribune)
AGRICULTURE & WATER
BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR
- Boeing will consolidate 787 production in S.C., leaving Everett, WSJ reports (The Seattle Times)
- 14 Seattle-area Boeing supply chain execs leaving as jet maker works to be ‘more agile, affordable’ (Puget Sound Business Journal)
- Les Schwab sold to California investment fund, Meritage Group (The Oregonian)
- Competition emerges in the Seattle-area human-composting burial business (The Seattle Times)
- Lyft, Uber say Seattle ordinance will mean fewer jobs for drivers (Puget Sound Business Journal)
- Ridgefield road project aims to attract jobs, investment (The Columbian)
CONGRESS & FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
- Ex-FBI Director Comey to appear for Russia probe hearing (AP/The Seattle Times)
- Lawmakers propose new rules targeting Boeing’s safety issues (Everett Herald)
- Stocks climb on Wall Street on hopes for deal on stimulus (AP/Seattle P-I)
- With eyes on election, Postal Service workers quietly resist DeJoy’s changes (The Washington Post/The Seattle Times)
COURTS, CRIME & LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Here’s what civilian oversight of Bellingham police could look like (The Bellingham Herald)
- Dayton and Columbia County law enforcement battle rages on (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin)
- State experts on sex trafficking in Spokane: “It’s hidden in plain sight.” (KHQ TV)
- Man previously held at McNeil Island investigated for alleged rape in Spokane (The Spokesman-Review)
- EDITORIAL: Case of captain’s arrest in vice sting shows need for SPD accountability (The Seattle Times)
CYBERSECURITY
DAMS
- Federal decision to keep Snake River Dams in place is now official. Controversy far from over (Northwest Public Broadcasting)
- Feds formally adopt salmon, dams plan (The Lewiston Tribune)
EDUCATION & SCHOOL SAFETY
- What’s next for Tacoma middle school after plans for turning it into housing fails? (The News Tribune)
- Quincy schools criticized in two state audit reports (NCW Life Channel)
- COVID-19 Diaries: Wins and losses with remote learning (Kitsap Sun)
ENERGY & UTILITIES
ENVIRONMENT, NATURAL RESOURCES & PARKS
FISH
- State grants up to $5,000 available for shellfish producers impacted by COVID-19 (The Daily World)
- Coho Salmon season begins Oct. 1 (KPQ)
- OPINION: It’s fall, and the salmon are coming home (Carly Vester, Harbor Wildwatch/The Peninsula Gateway/The News Tribune)
HANFORD
HOMELESSNESS
HOUSING
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
- Durkan’s proposed 2021 budget: $100M for BIPOC communities, wage freezes, and more (KUOW Radio)
- Mayor of Spokane Nadine Woodward releases plan for the next 100 days (KHQ TV)
- County OKs enormous flag at Tacoma Screw’s warehouse in Gig Harbor (The News Tribune)
POLITICS
ELECTIONS
- Your anxiety could be delaying your voter registration in Washington (Crosscut)
- Auditor’s office preparing for general election (KIT Radio)
- Implications for public safety, business community in 5th District Senate race (Lens)
STATEWIDE OFFICE
NATIONAL
TRANSPORTATION
- If the coast is clear, you can legally coast your bike through stop signs in Washington state (The Seattle Times)
- Treasury grants relief loans to Alaska Airlines, six other carriers (Puget Sound Business Journal)
TRIBAL ISSUES
WILDFIRE PREVENTION & RESPONSE
WILDLIFE
