Washington clears backlog of over 10,000 sexual assault testing kits; Despite no income tax, Washington remains low in business climate ranking

AGRICULTURE & WATER

• Washington farm worker overtime threshold flaws could lead to supply shortages (The Center Square)
• WA farmworkers voice varying opinions on increased overtime protections (Yakima Herald-Republic)
• Fair weather yields fruitful 2023 apple harvests in Washington (Crosscut)
• A glut french fry potatoes means a big spud dump across Northwest (NW News Network)

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

• EDITORIAL: A good news AI story shows the value of early tech education (The Seattle Times)

BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR

• Despite no income tax, Washington remains low in business climate ranking (The Center Square)
• Business leaders protest Washington’s workers’ comp rate hike plan (The Center Square)
• Washington sees payroll employment climb in September (The Center Square)
• Layoffs spark class action lawsuit against shuttered Seattle startup Convoy (Puget Sound Business Journal)
• There’s big business in the great outdoors (The Lewiston Tribune)

CANNABIS

• This Olympia cannabis testing lab just got its certification suspended. Here’s why (The Olympian)
• 11 years after WA voters legalize marijuana, two Pasco stores will open within days (Tri-City Herald)

COMMUNITY & FAMILY ISSUES

• Millions of American families struggle to get food on the table, report finds (NPR/Oregon Public Broadcasting)
• Mossback’s Northwest: The Black migration from California to B.C. (Crosscut)
• King County sexual assault services leader reflects on 44 years (The Seattle Times)

CONGRESS

• EDITORIAL: Time for U.S. lawmakers to get work done (The Columbian)

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY

• Pierce County man arrested two days earlier for assault now accused of killing roommate (The News Tribune)
• OPINION: To create safety, King County needs more than jails (Dow Constantine, King County Executive/The Seattle Times)

DAMS

• Coulee Dam fined for EPA violations (Columbia Basin Herald)

DRUG CRISIS

• A wave of loss in opioid epidemic spurs WA tribal leaders, politicians toward a solution (The Olympian)
• Spokane Valley detectives make huge drug bust, including fentanyl, meth, heroin (The Spokesman-Review)
• Everett launches task force to combat drug crisis (FOX 13)

ENERGY & UTILITIES

• Washington ag director bows out of Horse Heaven decision (Capital Press)

ENVIRONMENT

• Volunteer restoration project celebrates 1 million trees in Southwest Washington watersheds (The Columbian)

HEALTH CARE & HOSPITALS

• New “infertility” definition could help boost coverage in Washington (Axios – Seattle)

HOMELESSNESS

• New 60-unit tiny home village could fill vacant lot in Tacoma. Here’s what we know (The News Tribune)

HOUSING

• Mobile home residents are seizing the opportunity to buy their parks (Washington State Standard)
• Everett-based Housing Hope cuts positions amid financial troubles (The Everett Herald)
• Frustrated renters create map of problem properties in Bellingham (FOX 13)

LAND USE & PROPERTY RIGHTS

• Carnation will not annex property north of city, at least for now (Snoqualmie Valley Record)

LAW ENFORCEMENT

• Former cadets sue WA police academy, trainer over sexual harassment allegations (The Seattle Times)
• Police accountability group lays out 2024 priorities for Washington lawmakers (KOMO TV)
• Family members of police brutality victims push for more reform (KING TV)
• Southwest Washington cop died of on-the-job fentanyl overdose, medical examiner says (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
• Battle Ground Police changing protocol after sergeant’s OD on seized drugs (MyNorthwest)
• Third inmate since September dies at Snohomish County Jail (The Everett Herald)
• Bellingham detective charged with misconduct, theft, falsifying accounts (MyNorthwest)
• Moses Lake names new Chief of Police (KPQ Radio)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• Your Whatcom home’s assessed value just went up. Will your property taxes also increase? (The Bellingham Herald)

MENTAL HEALTH

• New campaign seeks to address mental health stigma amid national crisis (KOMO TV)

OTHER STATES

• Portland metro area’s homeless tax could bring in nearly $1 billion in unexpected revenue by 2029 (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
• Judge says Georgia’s congressional and legislative districts are discriminatory and must be redrawn (AP)

PARKS

• Murray earmarks $80M to rebuild Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge (The Seattle Times)

POLITICS

LOCAL

• COLUMN: Data shows Seattle area is more liberal than ever (Gene Balk/The Seattle Times)

SCHOOL SAFETY

• Auburn Mountainview suspends 4 football players after reports of locker room hazing (KING TV)

STATE GOVERNMENT

• Washington clears backlog of over 10,000 sexual assault testing kits (Washington State Standard)
• WA has cleared its backlog of sexual assault testing kits, AG says (The Seattle Times)
• Vancouver lab credited with clearing state’s backlog of 10,000 sexual assault evidence kits (The Columbian)

TRANSPORTATION

• Kittitas County, state officials plan for I-90 bridge shutdown (Daily Record)
• Sound Transit weighs more night and weekend trips on Seattle-Tacoma train line (Washington State Standard)
• WA state ferry fans see red over Coca-Cola banner ads on vessels (The Seattle Times)

TRIBAL ISSUES

• Tribal councilwoman elected as Port Gamble S’Klallam chair to succeed Sullivan (Kitsap Sun)

WILDFIRE PREVENTION & RESPONSE

• Record fires or wildfire deficit, which is it for Washington state? (KUOW Radio)
• More mixed news on Washington’s wildfire front (The Washington Observer)
• Spokane Red Cross holds meeting to discuss ongoing recovery efforts for Medical Lake, Elk wildfires (KREM TV)

WILDLIFE

• Wildlife advocates petition for less hunting of cougars, bears in Washington (Capital Press)