Northwest News Archives - Page 62 of 109 - Northwest Public Broadcasting

Northwest News

Idaho Education Board Orders Closure Of All Public Schools, Among Last States To Do So

By NWPB News March 24, 2020

The Moscow School District decided earlier in March to close schools after its spring break, after Idaho Gov. Brad Little declined a statewide closure. CREDIT: Architect21c at the English Wikipedia / GFDL gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html

During what the board called a “soft closure,” schools will be closed to students. At least for now, the shutdown runs through April 20. The shutdown is designed to provide some guidance for school administrators, as a global pandemic shakes the foundation of Idaho education.Read More

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee Announces Statewide ‘Stay-At-Home’ Order To Address Coronavirus

By NWPB News March 23, 2020

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced a statewide "stay at home" order Monday, March 23, with exceptions for essential travel, jobs, grocery shopping and exercise. He implored residents to maintain social distancing in the interest of public health. CREDIT: TVW

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced a stay-at-home order Monday for all Washington residents. The order builds on other "unprecedented steps" that the state has already imposed, including closing schools and public places such as bars and in-house dining services. It's all an effort to reduce in-person physical social interactions.Read More

Yakima County Gets Stay-At-Home Order As President Trump Declares Emergency For Washington

By NWPB News March 22, 2020

Jess White, a registered nurse at UW Northwest, demonstrates to another nurse how to properly remove a mask on Thursday, March 12, 2020, at UW Medicine's drive-through testing clinic in Seattle. CREDIT: Megan Farmer/KUOW

Coronavirus continues to spread in Washington and Idaho. As of Sunday, March 22, Washington had nearly 2,000 confirmed cases, with at least 95 deaths since the outbreak began. Idaho’s official number stood at 47 cases, with most in Blaine County. Read More

How Some Northwest School Districts Are Feeding Students During Coronavirus Closure

By Nicholas Deshais March 22, 2020

The Trump administration is giving schools more flexibility in the meals they serve. Critics say the rollback on school lunch rules is bad for kids' health. CREDIT: Mary Esch/AP

Washington school districts — and some in Idaho — have closed their doors for the foreseeable future, due to coronavirus precautions. But most are providing free meals to students and non-students alike. Here's a round-up of what some Inland Northwest districts are doing.Read More

Confronting Coronavirus: How Social Distancing Helps Save Lives

By PBS Newshour March 22, 2020

An illustration of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Image by CDC / Alissa Eckert, MS; Dan Higgins, MAMS

Public health professionals are urging “social distancing” – basically, staying away from crowds and other peoples’ personal space – to curb the spread of the virus. Though the disease seems to hit the elderly and immunocompromised the hardest, even young and healthy people are strongly encouraged to practice social distancing. Why?Read More

‘Everybody’s In This Really Strange Place Right Now,’ Says Washington’s Top Infectious Disease Doctor

By Austin Jenkins March 22, 2020

Laurie Kuypers, a registered nurse, reaches into a car to take a swab from a patient at a drive-through COVID-19 coronavirus testing station for University of Washington Medicine. The federal government is trying to get more protective equipment to states for medical workers who will be on the front lines of the growing coronavirus pandemic. CREDIT: Elaine Thompson/AP

These days Dr. Scott Lindquist is operating more like a military logistics officer. His phone is blowing up with calls from local public health officials on the frontlines of the battle against coronavirus. They’re asking for help in procuring the personal protective equipment that healthcare workers need to test and treat patients.Read More

Have Questions About The Coronavirus Pandemic? Share And We’ll Look For Answers

By NPR News March 21, 2020

Stuart Malcolm, a doctor with the Haight Ashbury Free Clinic, walks by a supportive sign on a boarded-up shop in San Francisco on Tuesday. NPR is launching The National Conversation with NPR's All Things Considered where we're going to have experts answer your questions about the coronavirus. CREDIT: Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images

NPR is launching The National Conversation with NPR's All Things Considered where we're going to have experts answer the questions you ask.Read More

No Shelter-In-Place Order Imminent In Washington, But More Restrictions Likely In Future

By NWPB News March 20, 2020

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announces the closing of all K-12 schools in three Washington counties on Thursday, March 12, 2020. The closure was extended statewide on Friday for at least six weeks. CREDIT: Rachel La Corte/AP

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee is not on the verge of issuing a statewide shelter-in-place order, as governors in California and elsewhere have done recently, a top Inslee aide said Friday.Read More

Coronavirus In Idaho: Moscow Closing Bars And Restaurants As Cases Grow Statewide

By NWPB News March 20, 2020

Idaho Gov. Brad Little, left, announces stricter guidelines for social interactions to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, and also livestreaming the discussion, at his office in Boise on March 18, 2020. CREDIT: Keith Ridler/AP

There may not be enough beds for coronavirus patients in Idaho, if even the most conservative estimates from state epidemiologists are accurate.Read More

He Texts His Wife: ‘I Was Just Stopped By Immigration.’ Then Reality Rippled Through The Methow Valley

By Enrique Pérez de la Rosa March 19, 2020

Brenda Lopez ran out of her office to meet her husband Francisco Morales by the roadside where he was pulled over by ICE agents after he dropped off his son at school in February 2020. Since then, she’s been fighting to bring him home to Twisp with the help of her community. CREDIT: Enrique Pérez de la Rosa/NWPB

In February, immigration agents arrested a man the federal government says is a danger to his community of Twisp in Washington’s Methow Valley. That same community fought to get their neighbor back. Read More

It’s Not Just Nursing Homes: Threat Of Coronavirus Spread Looms In Other Communal Settings

By Austin Jenkins March 19, 2020

At Western State Hospital, entrances have been blocked off and locks changed to prevent employees from entering without being screened first for coronavirus symptoms.

The best available science suggests that people should maintain at least six feet of distance from others to avoid contracting COVID-19 – which is believed to be spread through droplets. But practicing safe distancing is often a challenge in congregate living settings.Read More

Northwest Tribal Programs That Prepare For Public Health Crises Are Readying For Coronavirus

By Eilís O'Neill March 19, 2020

Kim Thompson, the health director of the Shoalwater Bay Tribe, says the clinic isn't ready for novel coronavirus cases yet, but they're trying to get there. Eilis O'Neill/KUOW

Across the country, public health workers on Native reservations are scrambling to prepare for COVID-19. In Washington, one of those who died at the hard-struck nursing home in Kirkland was a member of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe. But tribes are expecting much worse to come, and they're trying to get ready.Read More

Washington Appeals Court Rules Against Carlton Complex Fire Survivors In Suit Against State

By Courtney Flatt March 19, 2020

About 20 homes burned in this Pateros neighborhood, which included the mayor at the time, Libby Harrison, and her mom’s home behind her. The community church behind it survived, but the pastor’s home next door burned. CREDIT: Scott A. Leadingham

The Washington Court of Appeals on Tuesday dismissed a case against the state brought by more than 300 survivors of the 2014 Carlton Complex wildfire in north-central Washington.Read More

Social Distancing Yields Worries Of Blood Shortages As Donation Drives Get Canceled

By NPR News March 18, 2020

Workers use a tape measure mark spaces six feet apart for people to wait in line safely as they convert the outdoor plaza in front of Zaytinya, one of Chef José Andres' restaurants in Washington, D.C. Efforts to contain the coronavirus are affecting blood donor drives and supplies. CREDIT: Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

Coronavirus concerns and social distancing guidelines have prompted organizers to cancel thousands of blood drives around the country. Now officials warn there's a shortage for hospitals. Read More

Inslee Gives Washingtonians Eviction Protection; Little Asks Idahoans To Avoid Large Crowds

By NWPB News March 18, 2020

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, left, gives an elbow touch to American Sign Language interpreter Terry Dockter after a news conference about the coronavirus outbreak Monday, March 16, 2020, in Seattle. Inslee ordered all bars, restaurants, entertainment and recreation facilities to temporarily close to fight the spread of COVID-19.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced a slate of measures Wednesday to help the state’s workers, businesses and renters. In Idaho, Gov. Brad Little urged his state’s citizens to impose more discipline on themselves to keep COVID-19 from spreading. Read More

Washington Limits Federal Agents’ Ability To Arrest Undocumented People In Courthouses

By Enrique Pérez de la Rosa March 18, 2020

The Grant County Courthouse in Ephrata, pictured in November 2019, where federal immigration authorities have been spotted arresting undocumented people going to court since 2017. In front of the courthouse steps, Brenda Rodriguez with the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network takes a phone call while a volunteer hands out “Know Your Rights” pamphlets. CREDIT: Enrique Pérez de la Rosa/NWPB

The Courts Open To All Act effectively bans immigration enforcement agents from carrying out arrests inside courts and within one mile of state courthouses — unless they have a judicial warrant. Read More

Coronavirus Threatens Food Supply Chain As Farms Worry About Workers Getting Sick

By NPR News March 18, 2020

Workers pick apples in a Wapato, Wash., orchard last October. U.S. farms employ hundreds of thousands of seasonal workers, mostly from Mexico, who enter the country on H-2A visas. The potential impact of the coronavirus on seasonal workers has the food industry on edge. CREDIT: Elaine Thompson/AP

About 250,000 workers came to the U.S. on H-2A visas last year, the majority of them from Mexico. They've become an increasingly important piece of America's food industry.Read More

Outside Coronavirus Epicenter, Northwest Health System Workers Brace For What’s Coming

By Austin Jenkins March 18, 2020

While the greater Seattle area has so far borne the brunt of the outbreak in Washington, health care workers outside the epicenter are bracing for what’s to come. Read More

Meetings On Future Of Snake River Dams Now Teleconferences: Here’s How To Access

By Courtney Flatt March 17, 2020

Fish advocates say sending water through spill bays is the best way to ensure fish survival through dams in the Columbia and Snake rivers. CREDIT: CASSANDRA PROFITA

If you want to attend public hearings on the federal government’s plan to manage the Columbia and Snake River dams, you’ll have to do it by phone. The previously scheduled in-person meetings are now teleconferences.Read More

Coronavirus Makes Long DMV Lines A No-No With Real ID Deadline Fast Approaching

By Tom Banse March 17, 2020

Driver licensing offices around the country are closing temporarily to help limit spread of coronavirus. ODOT / FLICKR - TINYURL.COM/JO3K6VK

Thanks to coronavirus, one dreaded chore is temporarily off limits. No need to brace for long lines at the DMV to renew a driver license because those offices are closed for now in Washington and perhaps soon in Oregon.Read More

White House Pushes For Quick, Direct Payments To Americans In Response To Coronavirus

By NPR News March 17, 2020

President Donald Trump speaks Tuesday during a press briefing with the coronavirus task force at the White House. Evan Vucci/AP

"We want to go big," President Trump said as his administration seeks to boost the now stalled economy.Read More

‘Hours Count.’ Governor Officially Orders Washington Businesses Close; Counties Adapt To Help

By NWPB News March 17, 2020

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee addresses a news conference about the coronavirus outbreak Monday, March 16, 2020, in Seattle. Inslee ordered all bars, restaurants, entertainment and recreation facilities to temporarily close to fight the spread of COVID-19 in the state with by far the most deaths in the U.S. from the disease. CREDIT: Elaine Thompson/AP

Gov. Jay Inslee made it official Monday: Any Washington businesses that aren’t essential retailers, such as grocery stores or pharmacies, are shutting down for at least two weeks to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.Read More

Coronavirus Prompts New Mandatory Work Measures At Washington State Agencies

By Austin Jenkins March 16, 2020

Visitors to Western State Hospital and other state facililties are being screened for coronavirus before they are allowed to enter. CREDIT: PHIL THOMAS / ASYLUMPROJECTS.ORG - TINYURL.COM/J28OGDB

Even as Washington Gov. Jay Inslee uses his emergency powers to restrict gatherings of more than 50 people and orders the closure of bars, restaurants and other gathering spaces for at least the next two weeks, state agencies are scrambling to implement emergency measures to protect their employees and those they serve from the rapid spread of coronavirus. Read More

Rural Hospitals Brace For Coronavirus Impacts. Here’s How Grangeville, Idaho Is Preparing

By NPR News March 16, 2020

Michelle Schaeffer, director of Syringa Clinics in Idaho, says her facility and an adjoining hospital have about a month's supply of masks left. CREDIT: Kirk Siegler/NPR

There is no intensive care unit at Grangeville, Idaho's Syringa Hospital. So when they do get a critically ill patient or trauma victims, it's standard protocol to stabilize and transfer them to a large regional hospital in western Montana or Spokane, Wash. But what if ICUs in those places become overwhelmed with coronavirus patients?Read More

Coronavirus Hit Kirkland Long-Term Care Facility Hard. It Shows How Moving Residents Isn’t Easy

By NPR News March 15, 2020

Tim Killian, a spokesman for Life Care Center in Kirkland, Wash., prepares to give a daily briefing to reporters on Wednesday. CREDIT: Ted S. Warren/AP

As more nursing facilities in Washington report cases of coronavirus, the death toll at Life Care serves as an example of the vulnerability of the elderly in the growing pandemic.Read More

Washington Lawmakers Stop Short Of Banning Pesticide Linked To Neurological Problems

By Courtney Flatt March 14, 2020

File photo. A sign at the property of Eric and Mari Perez in Qunicy, Washington, where houses are surrounded by apple orchards. Some people don't want the pesticide chlorpyrifos drifting from orchards to their property. CREDIT: Megan Farmer/KUOW

Washington regulators must soon consider rules to limit the use of a controversial pesticide that can cause neurological and health problems, especially in young children. A bill passed by state lawmakers this session didn’t outright ban the pesticide, as health and farmworker activists had proposed. Read More

Second-Best Songs: In The Shadow Of ‘The Planets’ Lies Gustav Holst’s Sweet Little Suite

By NPR News March 14, 2020

A montage of images taken by the Voyager spacecraft of the planets and four of Jupiter's moons, set against a false-color Rosette Nebula with Earth's moon in the foreground. CREDIT: NASA

The English composer's supernova hit continues to obscure his jaunty, folk inflected St. Paul's Suite.Read More

What Passed, What Didn’t In 2020 Washington Legislature (Hint: Coronavirus Changed Plans)

By Austin Jenkins March 13, 2020

As the Legislature adjourned Thursday, 60 days felt like a lifetime ago. A surreal “new normal” had taken hold as Washington finds itself in the grips of a global coronavirus pandemic -- which poses a threat not just to the public, but also to the economy and to state revenues.Read More

Tonasket Settles With Former Police Officer Who Alleged Mayor Said His Name Was ‘Too Hispanic’

By Nicholas Deshais March 12, 2020

Tonasket, in Washington's Okanogan County, no longer has a police force after the mayor disbanded it. Courtesy city of Tonasket

A former police officer in Okanogan County town of Tonasket will receive $80,000, after he alleged the mayor told him his name sounded “too Hispanic.” Jose Perez, who was one of three people in the town’s police department, took his allegations to the Tonasket City Council in January 2019, where he described what he said Mayor Dennis Brown told him.Read More

Schools Close, Colleges Go Online, Pullman Declares Emergency As COVID-19 Response Ramps Up

By NWPB News March 12, 2020

Gov. Jay Inslee announces a ban on large events and gatherings of more than 250 people in King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. CREDIT: King County TV

Pullman and Yakima County declare emergencies. And events with more than 250 people are prohibited in Washington's King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties. That's among many updates this week to the expanding COVID-19 outbreak in the Northwest.Read More

Boeing Asked Washington State Lawmakers To Raise Its Taxes. They Did.

By Tom Banse March 12, 2020

Boeing wants to give up a sizeable state tax break to defuse a trade dispute with the European Union and WTO. CREDIT: Boeing Company

Washington state is on the verge of ending a large tax break for the Boeing Company and its parts suppliers. This is happening at Boeing's bidding to head off a bigger hit from threatened European tariffs.Read More

The Mountain Wildflowers Are Out (Earlier): How Climate Change May Affect Tourist Season At Rainier

By Courtney Flatt March 11, 2020

A subalpine meadow on Mount Rainier in the summer. CREDIT: Elli Theobald/courtesy of the research team

The wildflower season at Mount Rainier National Park was short in 2015. Some of the lupines stopped flowering and didn’t make seeds like they normally do. The shorter season also meant fewer people saw peak blooms. A new study looks at how winter changes may affect tourist season at Washington's iconic park.Read More

Former Central Washington Judge, Business Owner Fined For Violating Campaign Finance Laws

By Enrique Pérez de la Rosa March 11, 2020

Investigators found out former Grant County Superior Court Judge Jerry Moberg and Moses Lake business owner Ken Greene had financed the mailers but concealed it from state officials overseeing campaign finance. Read More

On ‘Big Tuesday,’ Washington And Idaho Results Don’t Move Needle Much For Democrats

By Nicholas Deshais March 10, 2020

Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden, seen here at the South Carolina Democratic debate, square off Tuesday in states including Idaho and Washington.

After a night of big wins for former Vice President Joe Biden in Michigan and Mississippi, the Democratic presidential primaries in Washington and Idaho did little to clarify the race between the race’s two remaining front-runners.Read More

Jay Inslee Orders Nursing Homes To Limit Visitors, Signals Social-Distancing Measures Are Next

By Austin Jenkins March 10, 2020

Warning that the number of coronavirus cases in Washington could double weekly, Gov. Jay Inslee on Tuesday indicated that mandatory social-distancing measures could be announced this week and, in the meantime, imposed new restrictions on nursing homes.Read More

March 10 Idaho Election Much More Than Presidential Primary: 41 School District Levies Up For Vote

By NWPB News March 10, 2020

Voters wait in line as the polls open at Pierce Park Baptist Church in Boise, Idaho, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. CREDIT: Otto Kitsinger/AP

For some districts, the stakes are particularly high. A year ago, after a failed levy, Kamiah was forced to close its middle school. In other districts, the proposals are familiar, reruns of levies voters have approved for years. But the Nampa School District is taking a second run at a levy, four months after a proposal fell a scant 11 votes short of passing.Read More

Tri-Cities Couple Share Their Experience With Self-Quarantine

By Sueann Ramella March 9, 2020

Bruce Bjornstad and Diana Moeller of the Tri Cities. hed a self-quarantine. They shared their experience and offer advice.

A couple from the Tri Cities shares their experience with self-quarantine and offer advice. Read More

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown Promises Executive Action On Climate After GOP Legislative Walkout

By Dirk VanderHart March 9, 2020

People gather on the steps of the Oregon Capitol in Salem for a rally for climate action on Feb. 11, 2020. CREDIT: Kaylee Domzalski/OPB

For the second year in a row, Democrats’ signature bill for instituting a cap-and-trade system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions was stymied by a Republican walkout. Now, the focus falls on Gov. Kate Brown.Read More

Grant County Case First COVID-19 Death In Eastern Washington; Inslee Hints At Crowd Restrictions

By Austin Jenkins March 8, 2020

On CBS' 'Face the Nation' Gov. Jay Inslee hinted that he may soon order mandatory social distancing measures to stem the spread of coronavirus.

"We are contemplating some next steps, particularly to protect our vulnerable populations and our nursing homes and [the] like and we are looking to determine whether mandatory measures are required," Inslee said in an interview Sunday morning with CBS's "Face the Nation."Read More

In Gun-Friendly Idaho, Dispute Over Sandpoint Festival Pits 2nd Amendment Against Property Rights

By NWPB News March 6, 2020

A "No Firearms" sign outside of the Bonner County Courthouse in Sandpoint, where the case, Bonner County v. City of Sandpoint, is being heard. CREDIT: Nick Deshais/N3

A gun ban at a popular music festival in North Idaho is splitting the community, leading to a lawsuit between Bonner County and its largest town, Sandpoint. Read More

Vice President Pence Visits Washington State As Coronavirus Outbreak Grows

By Austin Jenkins March 6, 2020

Vice President Mike Pence, at podium, speaks as Gov. Jay Inslee, left, and other officials look on during a news conference, March 5, 2020, at Camp Murray in Washington state. Pence was in the state to discuss the state's efforts to fight the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. CREDIT Ted S. Warren/AP

As the death toll climbs and the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Washington tops 70, Vice President Mike Pence traveled to the state Thursday to tour the Military Department’s Emergency Operations Center, meet with Gov. Jay Inslee and other elected leaders and announce the arrival of a shipment of supplies for healthcare workers from the Strategic National Stockpile Read More

How We Ended Up Here: Episode 2 – Who Should Pick A Party’s Nominee?

By NWPB Vote 2020 March 5, 2020

How We Ended Up Here Episode 2 podcast artwork

Washington state’s all-vote-by-mail presidential primary looks a lot like a regular election. But, really, it’s not. And this one is different than 2016. It’s earlier this time. Unlike 2016, there’s no Democratic caucus. It requires voters to choose a party preference. And a lot of people don’t like that. It raises the question: Who should get to pick a political party’s Read More

10 Census Facts That Bust Common Myths About The 2020 U.S. Head Count

By NPR News March 5, 2020

Demonstrators rally in Washington, D.C., in April 2019 against the now-blocked citizenship question that the Trump administration tried and failed to get on the 2020 census forms. CREDIT: Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

It happens only once a decade, so it can be hard to make sense of the census. NPR's census reporter has rounded up facts that debunk some of the most common misconceptions about the national count.Read More

Climate Stewardship Connects Eastern Washington Faith And Farming To Legislative Action In Olympia

By Courtney Flatt March 5, 2020

Church members at Richland’s Shalom United Church of Christ sing environmental hymns during a service on Feb. 9, 2020, that addressed environmental issues, such as climate change. CREDIT: Courtney Flatt/NWPB

Climate change isn’t a new topic for progressive churches like Shalom United Church of Christ in Richland. But it is perhaps tinged with new urgency. Survey results from the Pew Research Center show that congregations are delving into environmental awareness recently. And so are farmers.Read More

States Take The Wheel Promoting Electric Cars. Not Everyone (Especially Oil Companies) Is On Board

By NPR News March 4, 2020

Pam Frank, CEO of ChargEVC, drives a bright Orange Chevrolet Bolt because she wants others to notice its an electric car. Jeff Brady/NPR

There are nearly 1.5 million electric vehicles in the U.S. today. E.V. boosters want more government incentives to increase that. With little federal movement states like New Jersey are taking action.Read More

Restrictive Coronavirus Testing To Be Relaxed Amid Widening Washington Outbreak

By Tom Banse March 4, 2020

Testing capacity for novel coronavirus in Washington increased significantly on Tuesday once a University of Washington virology lab began accepting samples. UW MEDICINE

As the death toll from the novel coronavirus continues to rise, many people who feel sick are naturally concerned they might have the infection. Until now, a coronavirus test has been difficult to get locally because of limited capacity and strict rules for who qualifies. However, both of those restrictions may relax soon.Read More

Do Thinning And Prescribed Burns Help? New Study Following 2014 Carlton Complex Fire Says Yes

By Courtney Flatt March 3, 2020

File photo. An area burned in the Carlton Complex fire, as seen in 2019, along Highway 20 near Loup Loup Ski Bowl, east of Twisp, Washington. CREDIT: Megan Farmer/KUOW

Researchers began their detective work, trying to figure out what happened to these treated areas during the first few extreme days of the Carlton Complex fire. They gathered geospatial maps and satellite images.Read More

Jay Inslee Says Washingtonians ‘Should Begin To Think About Avoiding’ Large Crowds And Gatherings

By Tom Banse March 3, 2020

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee is flanked, from left, by state Secretary of Health John Wiesman, Emergency Management Director Robert Ezelle and Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal during a coronavirus briefing Monday in Olympia.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said Monday that his emergency powers would allow him to order the cancellation of large public gatherings to control the growing coronavirus outbreak in his state. However, he told reporters during a briefing in Olympia that he does not plan to use that authority at this time.Read More

U.S. Supreme Court To Decide Fate Of Affordable Care Act — Again

By NWPB News March 2, 2020

A view of the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C.

The Supreme Court agreed on Monday to decide a lawsuit that threatens the Obama-era health care law, but the decision is not likely until after the 2020 election. The court said it would hear an appeal by 20 mainly Democratic states of a lower-court ruling that declared part of the statute unconstitutional and cast a cloud over the rest.Read More

Washington Heath Department Requests Legislators Allocate $100M For Coronavirus Response

By Austin Jenkins March 2, 2020

Washington Sec. of Health John Wiesman testifies before the Senate Ways and Means Committee about the coronavirus outbreak and associated costs.

“We know we’ve got the coronavirus in our community, we know that we’re having some community spread, we know that the risk is increasing,” Sec. of Health John Wiesman told the Senate Ways and Means Committee Monday morning.Read More