State: 1 in 5 charge failures a ‘substantial risk’ to Washington’s EV strategy; As wildfire season becomes more threatening, experts are turning to AI

TAKE THE CAPITOL BUZZ SURVEY

• Take the Capitol Buzz Survey (Washington House Republicans)

ABORTION

• WA abortion providers, patients feel impact of Dobbs (Cascade PBS)

AGRICULTURE

• EDITORIAL: Increasing labor costs imperil U.S. security (Capital Press)

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

• As wildfire season becomes more threatening, experts are turning to AI (Washington State Standard)

BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR

• Fewer Americans file for jobless benefits last week, but applications remain slightly elevated (AP)
• As DEI backlash builds, here’s how employee support is changing (Puget Sound Business Journal)
• As teen employment rises in WA, so do youth labor violations (Cascade PBS)
• Claims of retaliation, inaction fly as Boeing faces NTSB in Alaska Air blowout (The Seattle Times)
• ‘We are hemorrhaging:’ Woodland Park Zoo workers prepare to strike (MyNorthwest)
• EDITORIAL: New Boeing CEO should reexamine HQ move (The Columbian)

CHILD CARE

• Concern over child care programs as federal funds dry up (Pluribus News)

CONGRESS

• Sen. Maria Cantwell set to visit Lewis County Thursday for clinic tour, roundtable discussion (The Chronicle)

COURTS (FEDERAL)

• EDITORIAL: Biden’s proposed Supreme Court reforms are sorely needed (The Seattle Times)

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY

• Insurance fraud case kingpin pleads guilty after years as a fugitive (The Spokesman-Review)

DRUG CRISIS

• Organized crime leader distributing to Whatcom County arrested in major drug bust (KGMI Radio/My Bellingham Now)
• COLUMN: Chelan County launches therapy court to help struggling offenders (Rufus Woods, publisher emeritus/The Wenatchee World)

EDUCATION

• ‘Alarming audit’ raising concerns for Marysville School District families (KING TV)

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & SERVICES

• The next Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake will be devastating. Spokane County will help rally resources and could become home to thousands of refugees (The Inlander)

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT & THE WHITE HOUSE

• EPA cancels all uses for herbicide, effective now (Capital Press)
• U.S. Education Department to gradually roll out new FAFSA form by Dec. 1 (Washington State Standard)

FISH

• NCW waters seeing record returns of sockeye (KPQ Radio)

HEALTH CARE & HOSPITALS

• Too few Seattle-area kids are vaccinated, officials warn (Axios – Seattle)
• Seattle’s Kaiser midwifery practice shuts down, even as demand for midwives increases (KUOW Radio)
• OHSU study finds wildfire smoke impacts fertility; Clark County residents included in research (The Columbian)

HIGHER EDUCATION

• Edmonds College to offer 2 new four-year degree programs (The Everett Herald)

HOMELESSNESS

• How about sending homeless people to live on McNeil Island? (Washington State Standard)
• Local organizations in Thurston County enhance efforts to address homelessness (KOMO TV)

HOUSING

• Mortgage rates fall to lowest level this year (FOX 13)

MEDIA

• COLUMN: Google antitrust ruling should boost journalism bills (Brier Dudley/The Seattle Times)

MILITARY & VETERANS

• Does Uncle Sam want her? Veterans and politicians weigh idea of women in the draft (The Spokesman-Review)

OTHER STATES

• Oregon on track to set wildfire record In excess of 1.3 million acres have been blackened, with weeks of the season remaining (Oregon Capital Chronicle/The Lewiston Tribune)
• What layoffs at 2 major Oregon employers could mean for the state’s economic future (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
• EDITORIAL: Solar development behind the power curve (Capital Press)

POLITICS

ELECTIONS

• Washington’s 2024 primary election: Results and updates (Washington State Standard)

TAXES

• State offers wildfire tax relief to those in affected areas (KIRO TV)

TRANSPORTATION

• State: 1 in 5 charge failures a ‘substantial risk’ to Washington’s EV strategy (The Center Square)
• New weight limit restrictions on Fairfax Bridge causing problems for emergency responders (KING TV)
• ‘We’re at a breaking point.’ Washington ferry workers demand 20% raise (KUOW Radio)
• COLUMN: Unseen workers keep the ferries afloat, but a breaking point is near (Chris Sullivan/MyNorthwest)
• OPINION: Demand greater accountability, transparency before ST3 goes further (Mike Lonergan, Pierce County assessor and treasurer, and Dave Teitzel, former Edmonds City Council member/The Seattle Times)

WILDFIRE PREVENTION & RESPONSE

• Stehekin residents prepare to defend their town as Pioneer fire nears (The Seattle Times)
• Retreat Fire close to 65% contained (KAPP/KVEW)
• Fire Report: Williams Mine Fire expands rapidly (Columbia Basin Herald)

WILDLIFE

• What it will take for the Southern Resident orca population to bounce back (KING TV)
• Bellingham man fined $1,000 for steering yacht through orca pod (KUOW Radio)