Washington aviation group looks to restart discussion about state’s airport needs; Washington’s highest-in-nation minimum wage to go up to $16.66 an hour in 2025

AGRICULTURE

• Northwest winter wheat production up 23% over last year (Capital Press)

BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR

• Washington’s highest-in-nation minimum wage to go up to $16.66 an hour in 2025 (The Center Square)
• Boeing withdraws contract offer after talks with striking workers break down (AP)
• ‘You can’t afford to not do this:’ Pilots association says plane safety on the line with Boeing contract (MyNorthwest)

CONGRESS

• Newhouse to introduce bill to stop rural post office closures (The Wenatchee World)
• Rep. Jayapal urges US investigation into IDF killing of Seattle woman (FOX 13)

COURTS (FEDERAL)

• U.S. Supreme Court considers Biden administration regulation of ‘ghost guns’ (States Newsroom/Washington State Standard)

COURTS (STATE)

• Washington AG seeks sanctions against Albertson’s in opioid suit (The Spokesman-Review)

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY

• Survey: Public safety top concern for Seattlites despite improving crime stats (The Center Square)
• Does King County have the most retail theft? Nordstrom believes so (Puget Sound Business Journal/MyNorthwest)
• Seattle adding surveillance cameras to crime-fighting efforts in three neighborhoods (KUOW Radio)
• Crime concerns impact downtown Spokane businesses despite data trends (KHQ TV)
• Yakima Valley secures big grant to combat domestic violence (KIT Radio)

EDUCATION

• Seattle parents press for more details on school closures (The Seattle Times)
• Seattle still aims to close more schools despite ‘consolidation’ plan (FOX 13)
• Kitsap schools follow Gig Harbor’s lead with cell phone bans this fall (Kitsap Sun)
• Ousted Marysville superintendent to get over $400K in severance (The Everett Herald)
• OPINION: SPS board must make it clear the well-resourced schools plan is done (Sarah Clark, serves on the Seattle School Board representing District 2/The Seattle Times)

ELECTIONS

• On a screen near you: Officials are livestreaming the election process for more transparency (AP)
• Suspicious device found near downtown Vancouver ballot drop box; ATF and bomb disposal unit respond (The Columbian)

ENERGY & UTILITIES

• Carbon dioxide pollution in the West could drop with expansion of electrical grid, report says (Oregon Capital Chronicle/Oregon Public Broadcasting)
• USDA awards renewable energy grants to 29 Northwest projects (Capital Press)
• Tacoma Public Utilities proposing rate increases for 2025, 2026 (KING TV)

ENVIRONMENT

• Washington state awards over $53 million in grants to restore rivers and streamflows (KHQ TV)
• Transportation continues to be main source of greenhouse gas emissions in Vancouver (The Columbian)
• Mount Rainier is getting shorter. Here’s what is happening with WA’s highest point (The News Tribune)

HANFORD

• New $45B Hanford contract still in limbo. What a federal judge had to say about that (Tri-City Herald)

HEALTH CARE & HOSPITALS

• From hospitals and beyond: High schoolers tour medical facilities for glimpse of health careers (The Spokesman-Review)
• WA women 9th in nation for breast cancer diagnoses, analysis finds (Washington State Standard)

HIGHER EDUCATION

• Nobel Prize in chemistry awarded to 3 scientists for work on proteins, building blocks of life (The Seattle Times)
• Record-busting freshman classes boost Tri-Cities college attendance. What’s driving it (Tri-City Herald)
• CBC sees 11% enrollment increase in fall 2024 compared to previous year (KAPP/KVEW)

HOMELESSNESS

• ‘There’s nowhere for her to go’: Advocates say lack of shelter, safe housing fuel domestic violence in Washington (The Columbian)
• Changes to KCHRA governmental structure ratified (The Center Square)

HOUSING

• Mukilteo council denies controversial rezone for up to 200 homes (The Everett Herald)

LAW ENFORCEMENT

• Seattle increases police hiring bonus to $50,000 (Cascade PBS)

LGBTQ+

• 3% of U.S. high-schoolers identify as transgender, national survey finds (The New York Times/The Seattle Times)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• Spokane City Council considers expanding sit and lie ordinance beyond downtown (KXLY TV)
• Proposed Vancouver budget includes 5 new taxes and job cuts as city faces $43 million deficit (The Columbian)
• City’s minimum wage at center of heated debate in Olympia (KING TV)
• Tumwater City Council members want action after passing cars spew hate speech (The Olympian)
• Franklin County is changing popular, but expensive benefits program. Employees cry foul (Tri-City Herald)

MEDIA

• Announcing the new president and general manager of KNKX (KNKX Radio)

MENTAL HEALTH

• Seattle Children’s Hospital opens first mental health urgent care clinic in Washington (KOMO TV)

OTHER STATES

• Oregon could become the first state to tax big companies and send the cash to all residents (Stateline/Washington State Standard)
• Data show that public school students are struggling, but a new poll suggests Oregon voters aren’t terribly concerned (The Oregonian)

SECURITY

• Oklahoma City man faces charges related to planned Election Day terrorist attack, authorities say (States Newsroom/Washington State Standard)

SOCIAL MEDIA

• Washington among states suing TikTok, claiming its platform is addictive and harms the mental health of children (AP)

TAXES

• OPINION: Understanding the wireless tax burden and its impact on consumers (Sebastian Griffin, Mountain States Policy Center/The Center Square)

TRANSPORTATION

• Washington aviation group looks to restart discussion about state’s airport needs (Yakima Herald-Republic)
• New report ranks Seattle among the worst U.S. cities for drivers (The Center Square)

WILDFIRE PREVENTION & RESPONSETiger Creek Fire shrinks slightly; weather expected to help efforts (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin)