BC-US-VIRUS-OUTBREAK-SUPERSPREADER-1-YEAR
Siblings find closure a year after COVID-19 thrashed choir
SEDRO-WOOLLEY, Wash. (AP) — Just over a year ago, a choir practice in Washington state sickened 53 people and killed two. It was one of the United States’ first-known COVID-19 superspreader events. But from that tragedy emerged important research on how the virus was transmitted. Experts say the public health investigation into the rehearsal was key in determining that the virus was spreading through the air. The children of one of the two women who died gathered recently to honor her. They say it brings them comfort to know that studies of the event have advanced preventative measures and helped save lives.
WASHINGTON LEGISLATURE-CARBON CAP
Washington state Senate OKs carbon-cap legislation
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — The Democratic-led Senate has passed two key pieces of Gov. Jay Inslee’s climate agenda, a plan to put a price on carbon pollution and a measure that would require fuel producers and importers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with gasoline and other transportation fuels. The carbon pricing bill would establish a “cap and invest” program that sets steadily lower limits to pollution from carbon and other greenhouse gases, and requires polluters to steadily decrease their emissions, or purchase pollution allowances. The proposed low carbon-fuels standard tseeks to use progressively cleaner fuels in cars, trucks, boats, trains and aircraft that in Washington generate more than 44% of total carbon emissions.
BC-WA-WASHINGTON LEGISLATURE-JUNETEENTH
Washington Legislature approves Juneteenth as state holiday
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — The Washington state Legislature has passed a measure that makes Juneteenth a legal state holiday. The measure making June 19 a state paid holiday passed the Democratic-led Senate on a bipartisan 47-1 vote and now heads to Gov. Jay Inslee for his signature. The House passed the measure in February on an 89 -9 vote. Juneteenth commemorates when the last enslaved African Americans learned they were free in 1865 in Galveston, Texas, where Union soldiers brought them the news two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
NEW LIGHT-RAIL STATIONS
3 Seattle light-rail stations to open Oct. 2
SEATTLE (AP) — Sound Transit leaders say three light-rail stations in North Seattle will open Oct. 2. The Seattle Times reports the agency made the announcement about the new U District, Roosevelt and Northgate stations on Friday. The $1.9 billion extension is expected to add 45,000 daily passengers, who can travel from Northgate Station to downtown’s Westlake Station in 14 minutes. The grand opening comes later than the September goal set by Sound Transit. Agency staff attribute the delay to COVID-19 related construction disruptions. Spokesman John Gallagher says an Oct. 2 start date is also more manageable because there’s not a university football game that Saturday.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-PHASE CRITERIA
Gov. Inslee alters criteria for COVID-19 reopening phases
BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) — Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has altered the criteria used to determine whether a county moves from one COVID-19 reopening phase to another. Inslee on Friday said counties must fail both metrics for case counts and hospitalizations in order to move back a phase. Previously counties could be moved backward by failing only one metric. He made the adjustments in advance of each county’s evaluation on Monday. All of Washington’s 39 counties are currently in Phase 3 of Inslee’s reopening plan. All indoor spaces in Phase 3 — including indoor dining at restaurants, indoor fitness centers, and retail — have been able to increase capacity from 25% to 50%.
MURDER SENTENCE
Man sentenced to over 15 years in killing of Yakima teen
YAKIMA, Wash. (AP) — A man has been sentenced to more than 15 years in prison in the killing of a Yakima teenager. The Yakima Herald-Republic reports Nathaniel Garcia entered an Alford plea to charges of manslaughter and assault this week in the death of David Martinez. In return, Yakima County Superior Court records show prosecutors dropped murder and robbery charges. An Alford plea allows Garcia to maintain innocence while conceding that prosecutors had enough evidence to convince a jury to find him guilty. Garcia’s sentence includes a five-year firearms enhancement. Both prosecutors and Garcia’s attorney conceded that Garcia was not the one who shot Martinez in the 2019 incident. Police are still searching for the other suspect.
BUS CRASH-STUDENTS-LAWSUIT
4 Washington students injured in bus crash awarded $1.4M
SEATTLE (AP) — A jury has awarded four former marching band students at the University of Washington more than $1.4 million after they were injured in a bus crash on their way to a football competition. KOMO-TV reported that four students filed the lawsuit against the charter bus company MTRWestern. Herrmann Law Group represented the students and said there was ice on the road and that the bus driver failed to slow down. The bus did not have seatbelts. Authorities said 45 of the 56 people on the bus were injured. MTRWestern President Jeremy Butzlaff told The Associated Press in an email on Friday that the company remains committed to safety.
ROAD RAGE-GUILTY
Jury finds man guilty of murder in road-rage incident
EVERETT, Wash. (AP) — A jury has rejected claims of self-defense and found Simeon Berkley guilty of second-degree murder in a road-rage incident in Everett in 2019. Berkley testified that Steven Whitemarsh had been aggressively tailgating his car in July 2019. Whitemarsh’s Lincoln Navigator crashed into the back of Berkley’s Honda Accord. Berkley said he felt threatened by Whitemarsh so he shot the driver twice in the head, killing him. Berkley claimed it was self-defense. The jury returned the guilty verdict Thursday. Berkley is expected to face 15 to 22 years behind bars. A sentencing hearing is set for April 16.
MUSIC- PEARL JAM-TEN AT 30-MCCREADY
Pearl Jam guitarist McCready proud of 30 years of ‘Ten’
Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready remembers the band was already great as it prepared to record its classic debut album “Ten.” Pearl Jam started recording sessions in late March 1991 and the album that launched the band out of Seattle’s meteoric rise was released five months later. Pearl Jam should be on the road celebrating 30 years of “Ten” with a tour. Pearl Jam’s postponed European tour was rescheduled for June and July 2022. The delay not only put any plans to celebrate “Ten” on hold, Pearl Jam has still yet to tour in support of last year’s release, “Gigaton.” McCready says the band is ready to hit the road and tour again after a lengthy break.
HATE CRIME CHARGE
Woman accused of threatening Vietnamese American neighbor
SEATTLE (AP) — Prosecutors say a suburban Seattle woman accused of threatening her Vietnamese American neighbor has been arrested and charged with a hate crime. The Seattle Times reports the neighbor of Jan Myers in Shoreline said Myers had acted erratically and yelled racial slurs at her for years. Prosecutors say on April 5, “these anti-Asian racial slurs escalated to threatening behavior.” The charges say Myers referred to the neighbor as “slant eye,” and yelled “Hey Miss Vietnam … You’re not going to live very long.” Police say the neighbor recorded video that documented the confrontation. Court records do not show which attorney is representing Myers.
Credit: Source link