Demand for WA paid family leave benefits is overwhelming staff, agency says; WA renters pay more for housing than renters in all but four states, Census Bureau says

AGRICULTURE

• U.S., Japan try again on fresh-potato access (Capital Press)

BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR

• Longshoremen at key US ports threatening to strike over automation and pay (AP)
• Biden administration allows WA’s Alaska Airlines merger with Hawaiian Air (FOX 13)
• Union rallies against grocery merger as Washington’s trial to stop it begins (KOMO TV)
• Boeing workers having trouble making ends meet as strike hits third day (KUOW Radio)
• Amazon’s return-to-office mandate could boost downtown Seattle’s recovery (The Center Square)
• Yelp names Pike Place Market 12th most popular U.S. business (Axios – Seattle)

COMMUNITY & FAMILY ISSUES

• Ocean Shores battles erosion crisis as WA shoreline vanishes, homes at risk (FOX 13)

CONGRESS

• Congress is gridlocked. These members are convinced AI legislation could break through (AP)

CORRECTIONS & JAILS

• Department of Corrections to shutter its execution chamber in Walla Walla (KING TV)
• Man serving life sentence for 1991 murder in Pierce County to be set free. Here’s why (The News Tribune)
• COLUMN: Democrats released so many inmates that Washington has a shortage of license plates (Jason Rantz/MyNorthwest)

COURTS (STATE)

• Supreme Court reinstates Mill Creek child rape conviction (The Everett Herald)

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY

• WSP increasing patrols on I-5 after string of armed carjackings in Federal Way area (KING TV)
• Missing information, court grants pretrial release to Wapato man accused of killing girlfriend hours later (KAPP/KVEW)
• Renton Civic Theatre recasts leadership following revelations of child sex abuse convictions (KUOW Radio)

EDUCATION

• Washington ranks No. 4 in public education study (FOX 13)
• Seattle Public Schools’ closure plans’ impact on dual language programs (KOMO TV)
• Seattle Schools forces parents to pay ‘junk fees’ to access school lunch (KUOW Radio)
• One Tri-Cities school district is far outpacing the others in COVID enrollment recovery (Tri-City Herald)

ELECTIONS

• Election officials beef up security in advance of Election Day (AP)

ENERGY & UTILITIES

• Dissatisfaction all around at WA energy council’s approval of Horse Heaven project (The Center Square)

ENVIRONMENT

• New Washington litter initiative launched (Columbia Basin Herald)

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT & THE WHITE HOUSE

• Federal Reserve is set to cut interest rates for the first time in 4 years (AP)

FISH

• Washington’s sockeye runs are smashing records (Axios – Seattle)

HIGHER EDUCATION

• Can UW students expect a smooth start to semester amid potential campus tensions? (KOMO TV)
• Campus tensions linger after pro-Palestinian org disrupts UW Board of Regents meeting (The Center Square)

HOMELESSNESS

• Spokane City Council stalls fifth measure related to homelessness since mid-July (The Center Square)
• Questions raised around legality of Spokane mayor’s plan to save homeless shelter (The Center Square)
• Vancouver City Council considers problems at homeless camp at Mill Plain sound wall but takes no action (The Columbian)
• What is the city doing about homeless encampments? Mayor Lund just provided an update (The Bellingham Herald)
• Auburn enforces stricter rules on public camping (KIRO TV)

HOUSING

• WA renters pay more for housing than renters in all but four states, Census Bureau says (The Bellingham Herald)
• Seattle saw the nation’s 3rd-largest spike in home prices in August (FOX 13)
• More than 500 units of affordable housing planned in Tacoma. Here’s when they might open (The News Tribune)
• Chelan, Douglas counties will need another 17,000+ homes by 2044 (KPQ Radio)

IMMIGRATION

• 25 immigrants become U.S. Citizens in Richland in naturalization ceremony (KAPP/KVEW)

INVASIVE SPECIES

• Visitors to Washington’s State Parks asked to help stop the spread of invasive pests (KNDO/KNDU)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• Seattle enacts controversial drug, prostitution “stay out” zones (Cascade PBS)
• Ann Davison on SOAP laws curbing Seattle sex trafficking: ‘The goal is disruption’ (MyNorthwest)
• Vancouver City Council OKs $900K loan, tax breaks for developer to remodel building for mixed-income housing (The Columbian)
• North Bend’s $26 million funding gap has city looking at development (Snoqualmie Valley Record)

OTHER STATES

• Oregon wildfires are shattering records this year (The Oregonian)
• Deadline nears for Oregon schools to use or lose millions in federal pandemic aid (The Oregonian)
• Virginia adopts statewide ‘bell-to-bell’ cell phone ban in public schools (FOX 13)

PARKS

• Historic cabins at beloved state park may be closed forever (KING TV)

SPORTS

• Portland gets WNBA expansion franchise, giving Seattle Storm potential new rival (KING TV)

STATE GOVERNMENT

• Demand for WA paid family leave benefits is overwhelming staff, agency says (Washington State Standard)
• Sisters recount physical, sexual abuse in WA foster home (FOX 13)
• Washington receives $300,000 for landslide research and prevention (KIRO TV)

TAXES

• Clallam Commissioners say public will vote on ‘cultural tax’ proposal (KONP Radio)

TRANSPORTATION

• West Seattle’s light rail estimate soars past $6 billion (The Seattle Times)

WILDLIFE

• Orca baby born to L pod (The Seattle Times)
• Saturday fundraiser in Zillah to benefit Yakama Nation’s bison herd (Yakima Herald-Republic)
• Idaho mule deer found with rare plague by WSU experts (KHQ TV)

WOLVES

• Ritzville meeting tackles wolves and big cats’ impact on Washington state cattle ranchers (KHQ TV)