Austin Jenkins
Stories
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Washington governor orders state employees, health care workers to get COVID-19 vaccine
Following the lead of several other states, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on Monday issued a requirement that state employees along with private health care and long-term care workers get the COVID-19 vaccine or face termination from their jobs.
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Government
Washington attorney general’s office says police can still respond to non-criminal incidents
Washington’s new police use-of-force law does not prevent officers from responding to non-criminal calls. That’s the upshot of a legal memo from the Attorney General’s office.
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Serious gaps in mental health care in Washington prisons, report warns
A new report is sounding the alarm about the state of mental health care in Washington prisons. It finds numerous shortcomings that increase the risk of suicide and contribute to lengthy stays in solitary confinement. The Department of Corrections acknowledges ongoing challenges, but says it's been making improvements and plans to seek additional funds from the Legislature to increase mental health staffing.
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Politics
Unions in Washington state secure wins under Democratic one-party rule in Olympia
If America’s unions are dying, no one told labor leaders in Washington. The state ranks fifth in the nation for union membership. That strength also translates to political power.
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Politics
'We have … a voice.' Black lawmakers are changing the conversation in Olympia
The Washington Legislature's Black Members Caucus was formed in 2019. This year the members led on a number of issues, including the enactment of sweeping police accountability measures and passage of a bill that made Juneteenth a state holiday.
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'We have … a voice.' Black lawmakers are changing the conversation in Olympia
The Washington Legislature's Black Members Caucus was formed in 2019. This year the members led on a number of issues, including the enactment of sweeping police accountability measures and passage of a bill that made Juneteenth a state holiday. The caucus used its collective voice to urge Gov. Jay Inslee to extend the state’s eviction moratorium. The caucus also issued statements following the conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd and following the decision to charge three Tacoma police officers in the killing of Manny Ellis.
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Business
From 'freaking pissed' to 'big things': How a women-owned gym survived the pandemic
It was almost a year ago that Athena Fitness in Olympia was facing financial doom. The women-owned business had opened just before the pandemic struck. In August of last year, new COVID restrictions threatened to put the owners out of business. So, what’s happened since?
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Wildfire state of emergency prompts burn ban across Washington
Amid a historic drought and following a record heat wave, Washington state is now under a wildfire state of emergency.
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Former Washington Auditor Troy Kelley reports to prison after last minute delay effort
After years of waging appeals, and a last minute petition for a 90 day delay, former Washington state Auditor Troy Kelley has entered a federal prison camp in California to serve his sentence for conviction of possession of stolen property and other crimes.
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Government
You won't be evicted immediately for not paying rent: Gov. Inslee issues new moratorium
Following the lead of Seattle, Gov. Jay Inslee on Thursday announced a new three-month eviction moratorium, with exceptions, to replace an existing moratorium set to expire on June 30. The new expiration date will be September 30.