Friday, July 5

Biden’s undocumented spouses order could ‘change everything’ for some in WA
On June 18, President Joe Biden issued an executive order that grants protection to many undocumented spouses of American citizens who have lived in the U.S. for at least 10 years. An estimated 12,000 spouses of American citizens in Washington and 500,000 nationally could benefit from the order, along with any of their children who aren’t U.S. citizens. Biden’s action not only protects qualifying individuals from deportation but allows them a much easier path to getting permanent legal residency. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Audrey Richardson)

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Court fight tests WA’s protections for tenants threatened with eviction
When a tenant in Washington faces eviction, it’s possible they can reach a settlement agreement with their landlord that allows them to stay in their home. A state law approved in 2021 bars these agreements from forcing renters to waive certain protections – things like rights to mediation of tenant-landlord disagreements, rent repayment plans, and 14-day eviction notices. That law is now getting tested by litigation that is on the verge of landing before the state Supreme Court. Continue reading at The Washington State Standard. (Stephen Zenner)

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As heat waves intensify, more public housing residents may get help with AC bills
The summer has already been a scorcher and heat alerts across the country could lead to more records broken. Public housing residents, many elderly, children or sick, are disproportionately vulnerable to heat illness, yet there’s no federal mandate to provide them air conditioning. In fact, until last month the Department of Housing and Urban Development allowed local housing agencies to subsidize tenants’ heating bills, but — with some exceptions — explicitly said they could not pay for cooling bills. Continue reading at KUOW. (AP)

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Auburn Reporter
Auburn woman begs city to act on frequent gunfire

Axios
Barred owls on the chopping block
Schools ban phones, but do the policies work?
West Coast faces record temps as 150M under heat alerts across U.S.

Capital Press
Amid harvest, judge restores prevailing wages for Washington farmworkers
Smokey Bear Turns 80: Furry icon part of long-running fire-prevention campaign

Columbian
Air quality in much of Clark County falls into unhealthy range

Courier-Herald
Opinion: WA, Oregon newspaper cuts show why press support is needed | The Free Press Initiative

Everett Herald
Edmonds ditches $37M Landmark public park project off Highway 99
Snohomish County stream team bushwhacks a path to healthier waterways
Comment: Supreme Court has ruled; now Congress must act

Federal Way Mirror
Ghost gun found on student at Todd Beamer High School

The Inlander
 It’s not just humans — dogs in Spokane are also overdosing on drugs

News Tribune
Pierce County Council member refuses to sit in chambers because Pride flag ‘distracting’
WA had over 55 tons of trash on beaches last July 5. Experts say this year could be worse
Doctor based at JBLM faces dozens of sexual-abuse charges. There are 41 alleged victims       
Tacoma spending $2.2M on Police Department report takers. Will they help reduce crime?       
Comment: The Supreme Court has spoken. Time for Tacoma to get tough on public camping       

Olympian
WA State Supreme Court sides with city of Lacey on parking limit for RVs

Puget Sound Business Journal
Microsoft conducts another round of layoffs
More Washington public companies are ‘going dark’

Renton Reporter
Renton Police Department accredited by top state agency

Seattle Times
Health officials alert possible measles exposures in King County
Stakes, and costs, growing in WA’s fight against Kroger-Albertsons merger
Biden’s undocumented spouses order could ‘change everything’ for some in WA

South Whidbey Record
Opinion: Sound Off: State Ferries need to improve decision making

Spokesman Review
Why U.S. government may still do business with Boeing, even as a felon
Brown commits to ‘Safe Streets Now,’ finally relaunching Spokane’s delayed traffic officer unit

Washington Post
Cancer deaths are down. So why does cancer scare us so much?
General Motors to pay nearly $146 million for excess car emissions
A covid summer uptick is underway as FLiRT and LB.1 variants ascend
FDA to ban BVO, an additive found in some fruity sodas and sports drinks
Economy adds 206,000 jobs in June, reflecting continued resilience in labor market

WA State Standard
‘Frustrating’ partisan stalemate: the new normal for farm bills?
Court fight tests WA’s protections for tenants threatened with eviction
Opinion: The best way to fight higher prices? Higher wages

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Only on KIRO 7: On-board video of out of control Seattle bus crash
To save the spotted owl, wildlife officials want to kill hundreds of thousands of competing owls
4 SPD Officers file lawsuit against SPD, Seattle over sexual harassment and gender discrimination

KUOW Public Radio
As heat waves intensify, more public housing residents may get help with AC bills

KXLY (ABC)
Native Washington bird species listed as threatened
People told to evacuate now for 85 acre Balsam Root Fire near Wenatchee
Mayor Brown implements two initiatives to improve Spokane street safety

Cascadia Daily News
Last year, hundreds of ballots were rejected in Whatcom County: Here’s why
Applications open for steering committee to help manage Nooksack water rights lawsuit

Crosscut
Federal project presents Yakama Nation with a double-edged sword
Out & Back: Reclaiming recreational spaces for BIPOC communities
WA Supreme Court upholds Lacey law limiting homeless RV parking
The Newsfeed: Malcolm Gladwell on America’s gun violence epidemic