Washington state ‘increasingly at risk’ for rolling blackouts; King County sees downturn in fentanyl-related deaths, yet the crisis persists

BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR

• CPI forecasts drop in inflation, consumers’ budgets remain tight (FOX 13)
• Washington worker fighting to leave state’s largest union (The Center Square)
• Alaska Airlines flight attendants reject contract offer backed by union leaders (The Seattle Times)
• ‘Rigging the system.’ Is Tacoma’s grease-trap policy killing its small-restaurant scene? (The News Tribune)

CAP-AND-TRADE PROGRAM

• Washington cap-and-trade rebates start Aug. 26 (Capital Press)

COMMUNITY & FAMILY ISSUES

• Why didn’t Washington make the top 20 in best states to live? (MyNorthwest)
• Seattle’s ‘Confronting Hate Together’ exhibit moves forward despite backlash (FOX 13)

CONGRESS

• Proposed legislation aims to fight opioid crisis and increase Tribal jurisdiction (KGMI Radio/My Bellingham Now)

CORRECTIONS & JAILS

• Prisoners still routinely isolated in WA, despite efforts to cut solitary confinement (Washington State Standard)

COURTS (FEDERAL)

• Judge overturns $72M jury verdict, clears Boeing in Zunum lawsuit (The Seattle Times)

COURTS (STATE)

• Charges for dozens of protesters that blocked access to airport dropped (KING TV)

DRUG CRISIS

• King County sees downturn in fentanyl-related deaths, yet the crisis persists (KOMO TV)
• DEA in Seattle warns of cocaine mixed with fentanyl after overdose deaths (FOX 13)
• Cowlitz tribe again offering youth addiction treatment in Hazel Dell, one of few places in the county that treats youth (The Columbian)
• Whatcom County launches 24/7 Narcan dispenser program with first location operational (The Bellingham Herald)

EDUCATION

• Millions of kids are still skipping school — some districts lure them back (AP)
• New school year brings changes for WA schools under Biden Title IX Final Rule (The Center Square)
• Wilson Creek School District to implement four-day week (Columbia Basin Herald)
• Cheney educators rally amidst contract negotiations with school district (KHQ TV)
• EDITORIAL: School finance woes show OSPI needs a mission update (The Seattle Times)

ENERGY & UTILITIES

• Washington state ‘increasingly at risk’ for rolling blackouts (The Center Square)

ENVIRONMENT

• New limits for toxic chemicals set for Washington’s waterways (KHQ TV)

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT & THE WHITE HOUSE

• White House says deals struck to cut prices of popular Medicare drugs that cost $50 billion yearly (AP)

HEALTH CARE & HOSPITALS

• New $50M rehab hospital near Lynnwood is ‘more than just a building’ (The Everett Herald)
• EDITORIAL: Cottage in the Meadow closure opens serious questions (Yakima Herald-Republic)

HOMELESSNESS

• Spokane’s Proposition 1 is now being enforced (The Spokesman-Review)
• Spokanites speak out against city council expanding homeless camping restrictions (The Center Square)

HOUSING

• Can 230 new units of affordable housing curb displacement in this Tacoma neighborhood? (Washington State Standard)
• COLUMN: Seattle ranks No. 1 for one-room living among large U.S. cities (Gene Balk/The Seattle Times)

LAW ENFORCEMENT

• The new statewide approach to recruit more police officers in Washington (KING TV)
• Washington State Patrol plans aerial traffic enforcement in Southwest Washington (The Columbian)
• Tacoma Police Department is dispatching unarmed officers to some calls (KING TV)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• Spokane approves $3.8 million for housing center before finalizing location (The Center Square)
• Thurston County commissioner suspended from boards, commissions after close-door session (The Olympian)
• Are shrooms and other psychedelics legal in Olympia after council vote? Here’s what to know (The Olympian)
• Have a safe trip: Olympia decriminalizes possession of psychedelics (The Center Square)
• Former Cusick town clerk, council member pleads guilty to bank fraud (The Spokesman-Review)

MENTAL HEALTH

• Back to school: Mental health is top of mind for Seattle students, advocates (KING TV)

MILITARY & VETERANS

• In farewell to McMorris Rodgers, Fairchild summit showcases progress, pitfalls for military families (The Spokesman-Review)
• Green housing pilot project breaks ground at JBLM (Puget Sound Business Journal)

OTHER STATES

• Waitlists abound for Oregon families seeking publicly funded child care (The Oregonian)
• Idaho Supreme Court dismisses lawsuit challenging a ballot initiative for ranked choice voting (AP)
• Montana Supreme Court rules minors don’t need parental permission for abortion (AP)
• OPINION: Idaho’s water is in trouble and farmers, not government mandates, are the solution (Idaho Gov. Brad Little/Capital Press)

SPORTS

• Bellevue-based ROOT Sports dropped by Portland Trail Blazers (KING TV)

TRANSPORTATION

• Possible price hike on personalized plates would help WA wildlife (Washington State Standard)
• Bellingham gas prices drop as Washington state sees third-highest prices in the U.S. (The Bellingham Herald)
• There’s a plan to replace I-5 bridges over Nisqually delta. Here’s how to give input (The News Tribune)
• Get ready for a more costly commute as SR 520 toll rates have gone up (MyNorthwest)
• Does light rail solve I-5’s traffic congestion? (The Seattle Times)
• ‘There are no quick fixes’: WSF director tackles long-standing issues in first 5 months (KOMO TV)
• Council approves Paine Field plan with $297M in potential improvements (The Everett Herald)

WATER

• OPINION: Progress on Columbia River Treaty is good news for Washington (Kris Johnson, president of the Association of Washington Business/The Chronicle)

WILDFIRE PREVENTION & RESPONSE

• Upper County fires continue to burn after weekend lightning storm (Daily Record)

WILDLIFE

• OPINION: In battle for survival between owls, should nature take its course? (Alex Alben, technology executive and professor at the UCLA School of Law, and Jennifer McCausland, senior vice president for corporate policy at the Center for a Humane Economy/The Seattle Times)