Apple Health Expansion opens for WA adults without legal status; Registered WA sex offender accused of using Snapchat to assault 3 more teen girls

AGRICULTURE

• National farm groups sue to stop Biden EV push (Capital Press)

BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR

• The number of job openings has declined sharply in every state (Stateline/Washington State Standard)
• Electricians in Puget Sound region approve contract offer, end strike (Washington State Standard)
• Relatives of people killed in 2 Boeing Max crashes ask the US to fine the company $24.8 billion (AP)

CHILD CARE

• Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez hosts roundtable with first responders to discuss child care access (The Columbian)

CONGRESS

• Lawmaker: High grocery prices due to ‘Corporate Greed’ (MyNorthwest)

COURTS (STATE)

• Washington Supreme Court reinstates lawsuit challenging Sunnyside crime-free rental program (Yakima Herald-Republic)

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY

• Registered WA sex offender accused of using Snapchat to assault 3 more teen girls (FOX 13)

DAMS

• Feds acknowledge dams devastated Northwest tribes and fish stocks (Washington State Standard)
• Umatilla tribe leader praises report on dams on the Columbia River (KWHT/KTEL/KWVN – Elkhorn Media)

DRUG CRISIS

• Olympia council considers decriminalizing shrooms and other psychedelics. (The Olympian)

EDUCATION

• 2 Seattle schools to say goodbye to cell phones in the fall (MyNorthwest)
• This Tri-Cities district’s substitute teachers could make nearly $5k a month next year (Tri-City Herald)

ENERGY & UTILITIES

• Opponents reiterate their stance against wind farm on the Palouse (The Lewiston Tribune)

ENVIRONMENT

• Old-growth forest plan offers protections, but no ban on cutting (The Seattle Times)
• Opposition heats up over proposed wood pellet mill in western Washington (Washington State Standard)
• ‘Stay out of the water’: 3 Lake Washington beaches closed due to high bacteria levels (KOMO TV)

FISH

• How beavers are helping and harming salmon restoration in WA (The Seattle Times)

HANFORD

• Technical troubles halt new tests at huge Eastern Washington radioactive waste melter (Tri-City Herald)

HEALTH CARE & HOSPITALS

• Apple Health Expansion opens for WA adults without legal status (The Seattle Times)

HIGHER EDUCATION

• COLUMN: Biden just erased my student loan debt. If it’s a campaign ploy, I’m all for it (Matt Driscoll, The News Tribune)

HOMELESSNESS

• ‘King County, we have a problem’: Health Board divided on homeless call for action (The Center Square)

HOUSING

• WA mobile home complaints over rent hikes, policies surged in 2023 (Cascade PBS)

LAW ENFORCEMENT

• Man faces felony charges after running over Milton Police Officer (KIRO TV)
• 40-year-old Vancouver man fatally shot by police on Andresen Road identified (The Columbian)
• Trial of Auburn police officer in death of Jesse Sarey sent to jury (KNKX Radio)

LEGISLATURE

• New law aims to help Washington funeral homes overwhelmed with unclaimed bodies (The Center Square)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• Clark County focuses on climate planning; public meetings to focus on resilience, equity (The Columbian)
• A boy drowned during a Steilacoom summer camp. Now, the town will pay $15M (The News Tribune)

MEDIA

• Everett Herald’s new owner appears to censor story about layoffs (KUOW Radio)

OTHER STATES

• California workplace safety board approves heat protections for indoor workers, excluding prisons (AP)
• Idaho water users reach agreement, avoid curtailment (Capital Press)

SCHOOL SAFETY

• Two weeks after fatal shooting of Garfield High student, no arrests made (The Seattle Times)

TAXES

• Could your retail and online deliveries soon be taxed in Washington? (MyNorthwest)
• WA legislators mulling delivery fees on online purchases (KONA Radio)

TRANSPORTATION

• Washington state urges drivers to keep ‘butts in the car’ or pay up to $5,000 (KOMO TV)
• Road to Artist Point opens for summer season, WSDOT announces (KGMI Radio/My Bellingham Now)
• Keller Ferry to close for repairs and maintenance (KHQ TV)
• After 4 years of reduced ferry service, Bremerton businesses near the dock are struggling to stay afloat (KING TV)

WILDFIRE PREVENTION & RESPONSE

• Amid Washington’s wildfire season, the state’s aerial firefighting fleet is ready to respond (KING TV)
• Environmental, health and labor groups petition FEMA for resources for extreme heat, wildfire smoke (KING TV)
• DNR expert sees average fire season, near term wind issue (KPQ Radio)

WILDLIFE

• OPINION: Proposed WA cougar-hunting regulations are good science; support them (Mark Elbroch, Puma Program director for Panthera, a global wild cat conservation organization/The Seattle Times)