KIRO Radio [Seattle],
by
Dori Monson
Original Article
Posted by
Ron_lfp
—
5/30/2020 3:19:46 PM
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I’ve heard the same tragic story from hundreds of listeners. They’ve lost their jobs because of a government shutdown of our society. And then, when they needed government the most to financially survive, they for weeks, and even months, have been unable to get through to the state unemployment hotline. (snip)
Her name is Suzi LeVine.
How did LeVine get her job? By being a democratic party fundraiser and insider.
Seattle Times,
by
Daniel Beekman
Original Article
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Ron_lfp
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5/26/2020 11:12:07 AM
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Hours before she received news that the country’s first reported COVID-19 death had occurred just outside Seattle, Mayor Jenny Durkan led local Girl Scouts in a downtown parade. That was Feb. 28. (snip) Today, the streets where the scouts marched are deserted, except for people in sleeping bags and tents who haven’t been housed, even amid the pandemic. (snip) But pressure is building at City Hall. As Seattle tentatively enters recovery mode, Durkan is working to distribute masks and boost testing capacity, drawing sharp criticism for her approach to homelessness from some corners, staring down a monster budget hole and contending with a push to tax big businesses.
Seattle Times,
by
Paul Roberts
,
Jim Brunner
&
Patrick Malone
Original Article
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Ron_lfp
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5/22/2020 10:37:25 AM
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Washington state officials have acknowledged the loss of “hundreds of millions of dollars” to an international fraud scheme (snip)
Suzi LeVine, commissioner of the state Employment Security Department (ESD), disclosed (snip) believed to be orchestrated from Nigeria. But she conceded that the amount was “orders of magnitude above” the $1.6 million that the ESD reported losing (snip)
ESD officials have acknowledged that, because of the elimination of the so-called waiting week between the time a claim is filed and the time the benefit is paid, the agency wasn’t always able to get verification from employers about a claim before payment was made.
Seattle Times,
by
Rodney Tom
Original Article
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5/21/2020 12:12:56 PM
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What’s the pathway to a championship team in sports? Or successfully navigating a startup to a billion-dollar company? Every coach or CEO would tell you the same thing. It’s all about the talent. (snip) Safe Work and Economic Recovery Leaders Group for Economic Recovery. Given the incredible and diverse talent in Washington state, one might expect known small business leaders or C-suite entrepreneurs from retail, technology, manufacturing, aerospace, travel or food.
Instead? A transit activist, three labor leaders and the head of communications for a winery. (snip) These other governors have convened formidable groups akin to Seahawks Quarterback Russell Wilson and the Legion of Boom. We have the Oregon State Beavers.
Everett Herald,
by
Jerry Cornfield
Original Article
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Ron_lfp
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5/20/2020 11:44:21 AM
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Michael Jellison shut the doors to PA Fitness in March as COVID-19 spread across the state.
Gov. Jay Inslee had issued a stay-home order, and Jellison dutifully closed — as did owners of thousands of other businesses deemed by the state’s chief executive to be non-essential.
On May 11, Jellison unlocked the doors, welcoming customers back six days a week for “protest hours.” Working out is a “mentally and physically essential” activity, he said Tuesday, (snip) On Monday, Attorney General Ferguson sued Jellison in Snohomish County Superior Court, alleging that by remaining open his gym is endangering public health and engaging in unfair business practices because competitors have followed the state’s rules
Washington Policy Center,
by
Liv Finne
Original Article
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Ron_lfp
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5/19/2020 11:55:16 AM
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When Governor Inslee’s order closed public schools in mid-March because of COVID-19, many parents went online for help. They discovered Washington state has an existing, well-established system of free, public, state-approved and fully accredited, online schools. These online schools have years of experience and expertise. Thousands of students have graduated from online public schools and gone on to college and to lead successful, productive lives. (snip) many parents rushed to enroll their children online. Yet state superintendent of schools Chris Reykdal has decided to cut off state funding for these families.
National Review,
by
Todd Myers
Original Article
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Ron_lfp
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5/17/2020 11:24:11 AM
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Just about every day, someone claims that the air is cleaner. That, we are told, is a small benefit of the coronavirus-induced economic lockdowns. By reducing traffic on our roads, we are polluting the air less, providing a visible example of the supposed benefits of imposing more environmental regulation.
(snip) The air-quality data tell a different story. According to the EPA’s air-quality monitors, levels of particulate matter — known as PM 2.5 — are not lower now and have, in fact, been higher recently than the median level of the last five years. (snip) The key factor, however, is that in most places, human-caused pollution is small relative to natural sources.
Washington Policy Center,
by
Todd Meyers
Original Article
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Ron_lfp
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5/15/2020 11:24:26 AM
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On April 29, Governor Inslee released a series of dials called the “COVID-19 Risk assessment dashboard,” reflecting the data he claims to be using to make decisions about reopening the state economy. He told the reporters that he was doing this “so we can be completely transparent with Washingtonians about how we are making these decisions,” which he promised he is doing “based on data and science.”
Analysis of that dashboard and the dials, however, shows this is simply not true and there are several problems. The dial settings do not match the underlying data trends. The dials are extremely imprecise, and some of the metrics the governor uses are meaningless.
Washington Examiner,
by
Quinn Hillyer
Original Article
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5/15/2020 12:43:54 AM
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A judge on a Washington state court has a chance May 21 to quash a dangerous, outlandish lawsuit against Fox News that would eviscerate First Amendment media freedoms.(snip)
The suit is brought by a 3-year-old group of leftist provocateurs called WASHLITE, (snip) They are suing Fox News for alleged violations of the state’s Consumer Protection Act, which outlaws deceptive practices in the course of commerce. WASHLITE says Fox should be punished because some of its on-air personnel, (snip) spent weeks downplaying “the danger of the international proliferation of the novel Coronavirus, COVID-19.” The result, says the group, was that its members’ health and livelihoods were put at risk,
Washington Policy Center,
by
Staff
Original Article
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Ron_lfp
—
5/14/2020 11:30:01 AM
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An unofficial state revenue forecast is projecting a $7 billion deficit for the next 4 years. (snip) As of today, however, state employees are scheduled to receive a 3% pay raise on July 1. A 3% pay raise also took effect last July. With the state facing a massive budget deficit, the Governor should immediately reopen the state employee contracts to cancel the new 3% pay raise before it takes effect. (snip) On May 13 he signed a directive to freeze state hiring, personal service contracts and equipment purchases.
Spokane Spokesman-Review,
by
Jim Allen
Original Article
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Ron_lfp
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5/12/2020 11:34:52 AM
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Education is continuing, more or less, in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic – more for families with resources, less for those without.
And for an alarmingly high number of students in Spokane and the rest of the nation, genuine learning isn’t happening at all. Despite the efforts of Spokane Public Schools and other districts, many families have simply given up.
The reasons include a lack of internet connections and online expertise as well as poverty, pandemic-related unemployment and homelessness. (snip) Several teachers said last week they suspect as few as 10% of their students are fully engaged in distance learning.
KREM-TV [Spokane, WA],
by
Staff
Original Article
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Ron_lfp
—
5/9/2020 10:56:17 AM
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Walla Walla County leaders are responding on Thursday after health officials walked back their claims that people in the county were holding "coronavirus parties" in an attempt to contract the disease.
County health officials had previously said they knew of multiple instances of people hosting these parties, thinking they would be infected with the disease then develop immunity.
The story got widespread attention and was picked up by local media outlets (snip) After the story ran on KREM on Wednesday, a Walla Walla County Health Department spokesperson reached out to "recall" their comments and explained that the parties weren't intended to infect people.
Comments:
Gov. Inslee invited the scam of over $100 million by hiring a party fundraiser.