It’s not just housing: Another soaring cost is squeezing employees; Western WA predicted to see above normal fire risk this summer

AGRICULTURE

• Northwest conditions hint at higher yields for wheat crop (Capital Press)
• Northwest cherry growers hopeful 2024 harvest will steady ship after several tumultuous years (The Spokesman-Review)

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

• Microsoft unveils new AI software, devices as it battles Apple, Google (Bloomberg/The Seattle Times)

BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR

• Fewer Canadians are crossing the border to visit Point Roberts (Washington State Standard)
• Collins Aerospace announces $200 million West Plains factory expansion (The Spokesman-Review)
• OPINION: Ensure long-lasting protection for workers with a Right-To-Work constitutional amendment (Madi Clark, Senior Policy Analyst for the Mountain States Policy Center/The Center Square)

CANNABIS

• How reclassifying marijuana could impact Washington state (Axios – Seattle)
• Research shows regular marijuana users may have traces of metal in their system (KIRO TV)

CHILD CARE

• It’s not just housing: Another soaring cost is squeezing employees (The Business Journals/Puget Sound Business Journal)

COURTS (STATE)

• New lawsuit alleges a minor suffered sexual abuse in Thurston County juvenile detention (The Olympian)

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY

• Roosters set for Pierce County sanctuary shot, killed by Yakima County agents (FOX 13)
• Tacoma sees drop in violent crime, but residents near ‘hot spot’ still feel unsafe (KOMO TV)
• Perpetrators of sexual assault are under-prosecuted. The Department of Justice wants to change that (KHQ TV)

CYBERSECURITY

• EPA warns of increasing cyberattacks on water systems, urges utilities to take immediate steps (KING TV)

DRUG CRISIS

• Washington receives first shipment of free naloxone kits (KIRO TV)

EDUCATION

• EDITORIAL: Toppenish teacher offers a lesson in creative compassion (Yakima Herald-Republic)

ELECTIONS

• OPINION: Clark County election process transparent, accountable, secure (Greg Kimsey, Clark County Auditor/The Reflector)

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & SERVICES

• Chehalis Basin Strategy wants renters to understand flood risks (The Chronicle)

ENERGY & UTILITIES

• EDITORIAL: Biden right to call for coal’s end in nation’s largest deposit (The Seattle Times)

FISH

• Northwest tribes, feds dive into work on salmon revival in upper Columbia River (Oregon Capital Chronicle/Washington State Standard)

HEALTH CARE & HOSPITALS

• Washington State takes action against certain healthcare licenses, certifications, and registrations (KIRO TV)
• Family says racism at Seattle Children’s hospital led to teen’s death (The Seattle Times)
• Workers at Kadlec to host informational picket line over unfair wages and turnover issue (KAPP/KVEW)
• New walk-in clinic at Comprehensive Healthcare offers same-day care for its patients (Yakima Herald-Republic)
• Wait times at Olympic Medical Center emergency department improving, board told (Peninsula Daily News)
• OPINION: Can’t get into your doctor’s office? You’re not alone (Nariman Heshmati, OB-GYN in Everett and president of the Washington State Medical Association, and Jennifer Hanscom, CEO of the Washington State Medical Association/The Seattle Times)

HIGHER EDUCATION

• UW clears pro-Palestinian encampment after weeks of tension and vandalism concerns (KOMO TV)
• Protesters clear UW encampment by deadline (The Seattle Times)
• ‘The administration has failed’: UW faces costly damages after pro-Palestinian encampment (KOMO TV)
• UW professor warns of ‘long-lived’ damage from deal with protestors (The Center Square)
• WSU staff to get pay increases (The Lewiston Tribune)
• Former WWU auditor awarded nearly $3 million in whistleblower case (KGMI Radio/My Bellingham Now)

HOMELESSNESS

• Seattle’s latest homelessness count finds 34% drop in homeless tents (The Center Square)
• Homelessness down nearly 10% in Snohomish County, annual count shows (The Everett Herald)

HOUSING

• Seattle’s median asking rent falls 7.3%, biggest drop in U.S. (FOX 13)
• Sammamish finally proceeds with major housing, commercial project (The Seattle Times)
• Home prices, inventory rise in Cowlitz County year-over-year (The Daily News)
• Sequim site could include 600 homes (Peninsula Daily News)

IMMIGRATION

• COLUMN: Asylum seeker says Seattle activists are taking advantage of migrants (Jason Rantz/MyNorthwest)

LAW ENFORCEMENT

• Seattle police aptitude test under scrutiny amid recruitment struggles (MyNorthwest)
• ‘Appearance of segregation’ at Seattle Police Department, captain says in lawsuit (KUOW Radio)
• Spokane police to request funding for new vehicles, equipment, software (The Center Square)
• Ex-Tacoma officer seeks $94M from city, state for defamation (KNKX Radio)
• Body camera video shows arrest of Everett woman accused of murdering her 4-year-old son (KOMO TV)

LEGISLATURE

• Adding up lawmakers’ bill wins in Olympia (The Washington Observer)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• Seattle Animal Shelter accused of safety issues, retaliation (Cascade PBS)
• Tanya Woo should recuse from minimum wage vote, ethics head says (The Seattle Times)
• Spokane mayor readies city departments for possible 10% budget cuts (The Center Square)
• Spokane landlords may soon no longer ban air conditioning units during the worst summer heat (The Spokesman-Review)
• Whatcom County kicking tires on costs, benefits of converting fleet to electric with new study (The Bellingham Herald)
• Alleged cover-up. Secret recording. New documents shed light on Franklin Co. investigation (Tri-City Herald)
• Deputy’s final lawsuit against Chelan County settled for $1.5 million (NCW Life Channel)

MENTAL HEALTH

• Private equity moves into care in Clark County: Investment firms buying mental health, substance use clinics (The Columbian)

MILITARY & VETERANS

• Biden to announce 1 million claims granted for VA benefits under toxic exposure law (States Newsroom/Washington State Standard)

OTHER STATES

• Percentage of Oregon students missing vaccines rises again (The Oregonian)

PARKS

• Mount St. Helens trails close through 2027 as work to update Spirit Lake tunnel starts (The Daily News)

STATE GOVERNMENT

• State will provide $120 EBT cards to help keep Clark County kids fed while school is out (The Columbian)
• EDITORIAL: Washington Saves program to provide lifeline (The Columbian)

TRANSPORTATION

• Pierce County bridge closed indefinitely to pedestrians, traffic after deemed unsafe (The News Tribune)
• New $50 Million WA EV leasing-sale plan will reduce emissions 0.0 (KONA Radio)
• No ‘transition services’ needed from Sound Transit ex-CEO despite $375K payout (The Seattle Times)
• Missing pilot found dead among wreckage in Cascades (The Seattle Times)

TRIBAL ISSUES

• Samish Indian Nation debuts first village in 125 years to ‘bring the elders back home’ (KUOW Radio)

WATER

• Grant will help Yakima extend water, wastewater service to unserved areas (KNDO/KNDU)
• Snowpack remains low, Skagit County in drought (Skagit Valley Herald)

WILDFIRE PREVENTION & RESPONSE

• Western WA predicted to see above normal fire risk this summer (The Seattle Times)

WOLVES

• OPINION: Washington should think carefully before downlisting wolves (Susan Kane-Ronning, co-chair of the Washington Sierra Club Wildlife Committee/The Spokesman-Review)