WA hospitals are far over capacity, as backlogs and staff shortages add up
Washington’s hospitals are again “dramatically over capacity,” as challenges discharging patients worsen and staff shortages persist, the state’s health care leaders said Monday. In a news briefing, leaders from the Washington State Hospital Association said many health care facilities are 120% to 130% full, leading to long wait times in emergency departments, declining patient care and disruptions in ambulance services throughout the state. The high patient loads aren’t directly due to COVID-19 cases: Instead, officials say delayed procedures and difficulties discharging hospital patients are behind the capacity problems. Continue reading at The Seattle Times. (Elaine Thompson)

CEOs made 324 times more than average worker in 2021. Group calls it ‘greedflation’
Executive wages in the U.S. continue to grow to record highs while their workers struggle to keep up with rising prices, new data shows. The average S&P 500 CEO made 324 times the median pay for their workers in 2021, according to the AFL-CIO’s annual Executive Paywatch report. That is a 23% jump from 2020’s 299-to-1 CEO-to-worker pay ratio. In 2021, CEOs earned an average of $18.3 million in compensation, an increase of 18.2% from 2020. Meanwhile, U.S. worker wages rose 4.7% in 2021, falling behind the record-breaking 7.1% inflation rate, the report shows. After adjusting for inflation, U.S. workers’ average hourly earnings fell by 2.4% in 2021, the report says. Continue reading at The Olympian. (Michel Spingler)

Biden could declare climate emergency as soon as this week, sources say
President Biden is considering declaring a national climate emergency as soon as this week as he seeks to salvage his environmental agenda in the wake of stalled talks on Capitol Hill, according to three people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private deliberations. Some climate activists have urged the White House in recent months to deploy an emergency declaration to maximum effect, arguing that it would allow the president to halt crude oil exports, limit oil and gas drilling in federal waters, and direct agencies including the Federal Emergency Management Agency to boost renewable-energy sources. Continue reading at The Washington Post. (Bill O’Leary)

Associated Press
Lawmakers, wildlife officials study E-bikes on trails (Liias)
AP source: Biden holds off on climate emergency declaration
6 members of white supremacist group appear in Idaho court
Washington superintendent to resign, receive nearly $400K

Bellingham Herald
Four proposals offered for a major waterfront project. See the details, vote for your favorite

Capital Press
Trade regulators decide against tariffs on UAN imports

The Daily News
New fees proposed at Gifford Pinchot National Forest

Everett Herald
Comment: ‘Right to life’ will end up killing more women

High Country News
Washington’s largest homeless encampment faces an uncertain future

Kitsap Sun
New models show tsunami’s effects on Kitsap after Seattle Fault quake

News Tribune
Here’s Pierce County’s $50M plan to house 200-300 of its chronically homeless residents
Nuisance Tacoma school property to be redeveloped into housing, urban village, plans show

Olympian
Port of Olympia commissioner Downing speaks out after ‘vote of no confidence’ story
Americans’ confidence in public schools approaches all-time low, Gallup poll finds
CEOs made 324 times more than average worker in 2021. Group calls it ‘greedflation’
WA state hospitals remain over capacity, and it’s not just the fault of COVID-19

Peninsula Daily News
Highly infectious COVID-19 on the rise

Puget Sound Business Journal
Starbucks baristas at Seattle roastery strike as union tension mounts
Senators say SBA EIDL program has billions left to lend, but will it?
Foreclosure starts, bank repossessions rising to pre-Covid levels
Employers may need to rethink Covid-19 testing after new EEOC guidance

Seattle Times
WA hospitals are far over capacity, as backlogs and staff shortages add up
Opinion: Don’t roll back cruelty-free cosmetics laws

Skagit Valley Herald
Skagit County moves to protect farmland in fish habitat debate
New Skagit County COVID-19 case rate takes a jump

Tri-City Herald
Richland nuclear plant could be 1st in U.S. to produce power this way under new deal
Rent prices are skyrocketing across the U.S. How does Tri-Cities compare?

Washington Post
Biden could declare climate emergency as soon as this week, sources say
Heat waves are getting hotter and more frequent. Here’s how to prepare.
Ways to spot and combat ‘shrinkflation’ as grocery bills soar
A 1792 case reveals that key Founders saw abortion as a private matter

KING 5 TV (NBC)
Soda and similar taxes are beneficial for lower-income communities, UW study finds
Some Washington hospitals reportedly overcapacity

KIRO 7 TV (CBS)
Potential for very warm weather across western Washington next week
Evacuations ordered for wildfire near Chelan
Starbucks union workers say union busting, not safety is the cause for store closures
Monkeypox cases on the rise in western Washington
‘Just the beginning’: Starbucks CEO says ‘many more’ store closings on tap
Average price of gas continues to fall in Washington

KOMO 4 TV (ABC)
Homeless camp on private property in SLU cleared after months of complaints
Survivor says she had to jump through hoops to get rape kit tested in Washington (Orwall)

KNKX Public Radio
These gun deaths didn’t make national headlines, but they left a devastating mark
These are the 4 key takeaways from the Uvalde shooting investigation report

KUOW Public Radio
Colleges navigate confusing legal landscapes as new abortion laws take effect

Q13 TV (FOX)
Washington’s routine childhood vaccination rates still lag behind pre-pandemic levels
New UW study on effective dispensing of abortion medications via telehealth services

MyNorthwest
Des Moines betting on fast ferry service to attract visitors
Hospitals sound alarm with 130% patient capacity as WA stares down BA.5 wave
Starbucks Roastery workers protest store closures as Schultz says its “just the beginning”
Several western Washington counties experiencing high levels of COVID-19 infection

West Seattle Blog
Save Fauntleroy Cove Park group leaps into lull for ferry-dock project
DEVELOPMENT: Microapartments proposed for site of fire-gutted South Delridge building

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