Washington’s whooping cough cases

The  shows confirmed and probable whooping cough cases reached 2,261 in 2024, a 25-fold increase from 87 cases recorded in 2023.

“Additionally, as of May 31, there have already been 1,314 cases reported statewide this year,” DOH said in a statement.

The increase comes as vaccination coverage rates dropped from 73% in 2019 to 65% in 2024 among 19 to 35-month-olds, according to DOH.

Babies under the age of one are most at risk, as whooping cough can cause severe coughing fits, and in severe cases, the infection can lead to death. In 2024, Washington reported its first whooping cough-related death since 2011.

Others at risk of serious illness include:

• Pregnant people, especially those in the third trimester.

• Families and caregivers of infants and young children.

• People with weakened immune systems or chronic respiratory illnesses.

• Older adults, especially those 65 and older who are more susceptible to pneumonia.

Read more of Aaron Granillo’s stories here.

Washington Attorney General Nick Brown announced on Monday that he’s joining 15 other attorneys general in the Trump Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) over their plans to allow the sale of forced reset triggers.

WA joins forced reset triggers lawsuit

“Communities are less safe with these mass-shooting devices in circulation,” Brown said in a statement. “Essentially deregulating them is another example of this administration being driven by extreme ideology rather than commonsense.”

Forced reset triggers are devices that allow semi-automatic rifles to be fired more rapidly. The suit says returning the devices to market violates federal law, arguing they turn regular guns into machine guns.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently settled with the maker of the triggers, Rare Breed Triggers, resolving previous lawsuits brought by the Biden Administration.

The states Rare Breed Tiggers “will not develop or design FRTs for use in any handgun.” It also requires the ATF to return the triggers “that it has seized or taken as a result of a voluntary surrender.”

“This Department of Justice believes that the 2nd Amendment is not a second-class right,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement. “And we are glad to end a needless cycle of litigation with a settlement that will enhance public safety.”

The federal lawsuit announced on Monday was filed in the state of Maryland. Attorney General Brown is joining New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Colorado, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and the District of Columbia.

Read more of Aaron Granillo’s stories here.

On Thursday, the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) expanded its for 19 watersheds across the North and Central Cascades and parts of the Puget Sound region, including in King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties. Ecology already issued a drought declaration for Yakima Basin watersheds in April.

“This is driven by the dry spring as well as the warm spring we had and early, rapid snowmelt,” said Carolina Meller, Ecology’s Statewide Drought Lead.

When snow melts too fast, it can affect water availability in the summer for agriculture, wildlife, and utilities. That’s because instead of the snowmelt filling reservoirs, the rush of water drains out into the Pacific Ocean.

Snowmelt triggers Washington’s drought emergency

While statewide snowpack is currently 60% average, it’s much more dire in the Central Cascade Mountains, where they’re at 12% of normal, according to Ecology.

“In some parts of the Central Cascades, we saw snow melting 33 days earlier than normal,” Meller said.

A drought declaration triggers emergency relief options for the region, including funding assistance for public entities.

“Drought is not just a one-off anymore, but part of a regular occurrence for life here in  Washington,” Meller said.

Ecology said there is not expected to be any impact to utilities across Seattle, Everett, and Tacoma.

Read more of Aaron Granillo’s stories here.

That’s the message from Washington agencies ahead of , which occurs Friday, June 6. Now in its fifth year, the annual campaign is an effort to prevent serious injuries or death caused by items that fly off truck beds and car roofs.

According to Washington State Patrol (WSP), unsecured loads were responsible for 337 crashes and 32 injuries across the state in 2024.

The debris left behind also accounted for nearly 40% of all litter that accumulates along roadways, according to the Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE).

“Keeping Washington’s roads safe and clean takes all of us,” Casey Sixkiller, Director of DOE, said. “A small action like strapping down your cargo can make a big difference in preventing crashes, protecting the environment, and reducing litter.”

Fines for failing to properly secure loads run from $50 to $5,000. There are steeper penalties, including potential criminal charges, if any loose cargo causes serious injuries or property damage.

As part of this year’s campaign, DOE is handing out ratchet straps and cargo for free at community events in Whatcom, Whitman, and Pierce counties.

WSP will also conduct emphasis patrols during the first three weekends of June.

Read more of Aaron Granillo’s stories here.

“Run,” Massey thought. “That’s basically all you can do.”

Thankfully, the evacuation message that roared from the warning system was a false alarm.

According to Massey, surrounding communities took the warning seriously.

“The community of Cape Horn, Cedar Grove, all the surrounding areas up and down South Skagit and Highway 20 immediately ran for the hills,” Massey said.

Puget Sound Energy (PSE) operates the Baker River Dam, and the utility company confirmed it is not failing.

“The alarm at Baker River Dam’s early warning siren system was activated at 10:12 a.m. and again at 10:30 a.m.,” PSE spokesperson Gerald Tracy said. “This is a false alarm, and the dam is not in failure. PSE is in contact with local authorities.”

PSE provided ����Xվ Newsradio with the following statement:

We want to provide more information regarding the siren activation at Baker Dam this morning at 10:12 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

As soon as the early-warning system activated, PSE conducted a visual inspection of the dam and contacted local authorities, Whatcom/Skagit 911, and Skagit Department of Emergency Management. The visual inspection confirmed there were no physical failures at the dam; upon further inspection we determined the wires that trigger the alarm were damaged during construction work at the Lower Baker Dam. This wire system is designed so that if there is a break it automatically triggers the early-warning system.

As part of the community, we understand how disturbing these warnings can be. We appreciate all of our customers who began evacuation procedures. That is the appropriate action to be taken when the early-warning siren system activates. There was a siren activation in November 2024 due to equipment failure at a specific siren location. Today’s incident is very different in that the system performed as it was designed by sounding the alarm as soon as the wires were broken. The system is designed this way knowing there is a limited time for evacuation.

Safety is our top priority and we are committed to the safe operation of the Baker hydroelectric system and having early-warning systems for the Skagit Valley Community. The early-warning system has been repaired and is operational. We plan to conduct our annual siren testing drill in August and will provide more information in advance of the test date.

We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience.”

Massey said his home along the Skagit River would likely be a total loss if the dam were to fail.

“If we do have a major dam failure, it is not an exaggeration to say there would be a 200-foot wall of water heading downriver,” Massey said.

PSE is reaching out to customers about the false alarm. The utility did not explain what caused the sirens to go off.

Read more of Aaron Granillo’s stories here.

The building closed last September for several major updates to its exhibits.

“The new and improved exhibits provide a more comprehensive look at Mount St. Helens, Lawilátɬa in the language of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, from pre-eruption days to the present,” said Washington State Parks in a

Mount St. Helens Visitor Center updates

New features include an updated feature film and a series of featurettes, a “Make-a-Quake” exhibit, and a “walk-in” volcano that takes you inside the mountain.

The Mount St. Helens Visitor Center in Castle Rock will re-open May 31^st.

“Admission for children ages seven and under is free, for ages seven to 17 it costs $2.50, and adult admission costs $5,” according to Washington State Parks.

It will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Read more of Aaron Granillo’s stories here.

The bipartisan move comes after the administration denied the state’s initial request. The November 2024 storm delivered $34 million in damages across six counties and resulted in two deaths due to falling trees.

Individuals and businesses were able to get relief through the Small Business Administration, but money for roads and other infrastructure has been denied.

In January, the delegation urged former President Biden to grant the request for a Major Disaster Declaration. The Federal Emergency Management Agency denied the request last month. from FEMA never explained why.

“As representatives of Washington state, we earnestly request that you carefully reconsider this decision and approve the state’s pending appeal without further delay,” members of the congressional delegation wrote. “Disaster declarations are not symbolic, they are critical lifelines for communities in crisis.”

Read more of Aaron Granillo’s stories here.

“Meet Agave parryi var. truncata, a desert-dwelling succulent that has quietly been growing for over 17 years,” the zoo said in a blog post Thursday. “Now, in its grand finale, it’s sending up a colossal flowering stalk. This spectacular bloom is the plant’s one and only shot at flowering before the central rosette dies, making it a once-in-a-lifetime event for zoo guests and horticulture enthusiasts alike.”

The stalk may reach heights of 20 feet over the next two to three weeks. After that, the zoo said, the plant will die. However, it will leave behind “pups,” which are clone offshoots at its base. Those may bloom again in about 20 years.

“To see one bloom in the Pacific Northwest is a botanical unicorn event,” said the zoo’s lead horticulturist, Bryon Jones. “It’s extremely rare to encounter one in Washington, let alone reach maturity and bloom.”

Agave parryi var. truncata is native to the high deserts of the American Southwest and parts of Mexico, the post said.

Agave is ‘reaching skyward’ at Point Defiance Zoo

The zoo said that over the past two weeks, the plant has shot up more than five feet and “it’s still reaching skyward.”

“The stalk could grow up to 20 feet tall before the full display erupts in a blaze of red-orange buds and sunny yellow blossoms,” the post said.

You are invited to watch the blooming in action.

It will likely be over by early June.

The Agave is located in Point Defiance Zoo’s Desert Garden

Officers found the toddler unconscious on April 24, 2024, when they responded to an emergency call at a home in the 1400 block of Casino Road. According to police, the responding officers found blue pills near the child and smelled a “burning odor they associated with fentanyl consumption.”

The Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office later ruled the child’s cause of death was drugs/poisoning.

“Investigators conducted interviews with individuals who resided at the home or visited the home,” EPD stated on social media. “Throughout the course of their investigation, it was determined that the involved parties had knowledge of the use of narcotics there.”

Additionally, investigators said they have video evidence of the suspects using fentanyl in front of young children. A search warrant also uncovered paraphernalia used to consume narcotics in most rooms of the house, according to police.

“Fentanyl use, even indirectly, poses a serious danger to children,” EPD continued in its statement. “A small amount of fentanyl residue can be lethal to children, as the drug can be more potent to a baby or toddler’s smaller body and lack of opioid tolerance. Pills can look like candy to children, especially when they’re brightly colored.”

All suspects were booked into the Snohomish County Jail.

NOAA reported that nearly all Western basins, including the Columbia River Basin, are experiencing similar conditions, despite receiving above-average snowfall during the winter. As of May 13, the National Integrated Drought Information System estimated that 3.3 million Washington residents were living in drought-affected areas, an increase of 0.8% from the previous week.

NOAA reported that precipitation across the Columbia River Basin has been below 50% of normal for large portions of the state so far this year.

Early snowmelt, dry conditions heighten drought risks

The threat of a prolonged drought does not just mean a higher risk of wildfire. It could also deplete reservoirs, specifically those that rely on the Yakima River Basin. Earlier this year, the Washington Department of Ecology for the area, covering parts of Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton counties, after back-to-back droughts in 2023 and 2024.

NOAA also noted that the Middle Snake River Basin, in Idaho, saw its “snow water equivalent drop from the 70th percentile to the 30th percentile” in late April.

For the rest of the West, NOAA said some basins in Nevada, Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico saw record early snow melt.

“I’m going to bring myself, a few of the Mariners players will stop in,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said.

More on the Mariners: Mariners and streaming: It’s ‘ruining the fan experience’

They’ll be serving up a special beer on tap called Dog Parade by Seattle-based Hellbent Brewing Company.

“JP Crawford’s a huge dog lover. Ty France. George Kirby,” Scott Servais said. “A number of our guys [will] sign a few autographs, pour a few beers for fans and have a good time and hopefully, along the way, raise some money.”

The event this Wednesday night, sponsored by CARA Veterinary, is aimed at supporting dogs in eastern Washington’s Okanogan County. It’s an area about the size of Connecticut with only a patchwork of private rescue groups but no countywide animal control.

Servais’ wife, Jill, is spearheading the fundraising event to build a shelter as part of her nonprofit, .

“It’s a very small group, but we’re pretty mighty,” Jill Servais said. “We’ve already sent over 20,000 pounds of dog food, and we’ve done a bunch of spay/neuter over there. Last October, we did 250 animals in three days.”

Jill Servais got into animal welfare about 30 years ago while Scott was playing in the minor leagues in Tucson, Arizona. That’s where she worked at one of the city’s municipal shelters.

“The first month that I was working there, they got in 1,700 animals, and we euthanized 1,300 of them,” Jill Servais said. “And that was abhorrent, of course. I just decided at that point that that was going to be my passion in life.”

When the Servaises came to Seattle, Jill continued that passion by volunteering at local shelters. It was there that she heard about a mom-and-pop pup shop on the other side of the state in Cashmere, Wash.

“Everyone kept saying you have to meet this guy. He’s a retired pilot. He’s basically turned his entire house into a dog rescue,” Jill Servais said. That guy is Tom Short, president of , a private animal rescue organization in Cashmere.

A retired Air Force pilot, Short started Okandogs with his wife after years of volunteering with the Humane Society.

“And the more we did that, the more we would walk dogs, and it kind of grabs your heart after a while,” Short said.

Since founding Okandogs nearly 10 years ago, the Shorts have opened their home and hearts to about 7,000 dogs. That includes a yellow lab/golden retriever mix named Tucker.

More dogs: State Troopers detain two dogs while on paw-trol near Mt. Rainier

“Tucker was going to be put down. He’d swallowed a rock, and people didn’t want to pay for vet bills. So, we took on the responsibility,” Short said. “And then in our interaction with Jill Servais, the Mariners took an interest in him, and lo and behold.”

Tucker joined the roster of the Mariners, serving as their clubhouse dog. Manager Scott Servais said Tucker has really made himself a part of the squad.

“Tucker is in the clubhouse here every day,” Servais said. “Most of his time is in the cafeteria looking for scraps there, but he’s been a nice addition to our team.”

He’s also inspired first baseman Ty France to add a second dog to his family. He went through Okandogs.

“Okandogs had posted Buddy on their Instagram, and I told my wife, ‘I think this is a sign. Like I think we should just… apply for it and see how it goes,'” France said. “We had to do a meet and greet with our other dog and make sure everything went smooth, and thankfully it did, and now he’s with us.”

Fans at Monday’s Bark at the Park also have a chance to adopt. The Mariners are hosting several shelters to showcase their rescue dogs.

Follow Aaron Granillo on or email him here.

“It’s in meth right now, it’s in heroin,” said one Snohomish County woman, 51, who’s remaining anonymous due to her connections with local law enforcement. “It’s in everything right now. It’s going around.”

She’s been addicted for more than half her life, and has watched as the body count grows from the deadly invasion of fentanyl.

“At least 15 that I know,” she said. “A girl actually, her and her mom died within a week of each other.”

There seems to be no slowing the rapid surge in deadly overdose deaths involving fentanyl in Washington state.

In King County alone, 396 people died after using the opioid in 2021. That’s compared with 170 in 2020. Back in 2015, the county recorded .

Statewide, the Washington Health Department says more than 2,000 people died from drug overdoses in 2021, the most on record, and about a 66% increase compared to .

One of those recent deaths was 20-year-old Jayden Barker.

His aunt, Kendra Kruse, placed photos of her nephew surrounded by candles and flowers on a mantle in her living room.

“He played sports, loved soccer, played football,” Kruse said. “Straight A student. Had scholarships set up.”

Kruse says a couple of years after graduating from Everett’s Cascade High school, Jayden started experimenting with painkillers. About six months later, he came across a bad batch.

“I think it was a quarter of what he thought was a Percocet, and that’s all it took was a quarter. Kruse said. “It probably wouldn’t have even taken that much, but he never woke up.”

‘Not enough to just say ‘no’ to drugs:’ Bereaved Mukilteo mother on the need for fentanyl education

Fentanyl doesn’t care if you’re a long-time addict or a kid who’s newly hooked. 2021 was a record-setting year nationwide for deaths from overdoses, and about .

Frank Tarentino is a D-E-A Special Agent in Charge, overseeing the Seattle Field division, but he’s a father first, and tells his own kids:

“This idea that you can decide to experiment and it’s going to be okay is not what it used to be. It’s lethal,” Tarentino said.

Imagine 15 grains of salt, Tarentino said. That tiny amount of fentanyl is enough to kill, and it’s in nearly every street drug. Or it’s disguised as blue pills that look like they came from a pharmacy, which is how so many young people end up dead.

“We’re seizing an enormous amount of counterfeit prescription pills laced with fentanyl,” Tarentino said. “We seized 1.4 million pills in two months. That’s enough to kill every person in Seattle.”

Despite the DEA and border patrol’s attempts to thwart smuggling, little is being done on the other side of the border by the Mexican government to stop the cartels.

They produce it in clandestine warehouse labs with chemicals brought in from China and India. And, the smugglers play games with law enforcement to slip by, said Ali Bradly, an independent journalist embedded with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and other law enforcement.

“We have so many people crossing our border every single day and we don’t have the agents to do that job and also be out in the field,” Bradley said.

Border agents are encountering more people than ever before trying to cross the border; .

“Cartels know when they create these humanitarian crises, that’s when they’re pushing across people in the unmanned areas,” Bradley said. “That is how the drugs that are brought in that are not caught at our checkpoints are also being smuggled through.”

Border Patrol just released April’s drug seizure numbers. Agents stopped more than 1,200 pounds of fentanyl from entering the U.S, .

But they can’t catch it all, and that leaves the clean-up to the DEA… and local women and men in blue.

On a recent morning, the Snohomish County Regional Task Force pursued a drug bust operation, where a caravan of police units pulled up on a trailer, where a suspected drug dealer lives.

The man they find is a low-level dealer, who’s been busted before, about five years ago.

But when the pandemic hit, and he lost work doing construction, he needed extra income to support his family back in Mexico.

He said he makes about $150 extra per day. The drugs he sells comes from Mexico, and are delivered to him through a middle man in Seattle.

He claimed to not know the pills he sells contain fentanyl, only saying, “a lot of people are looking for [them].”

Inside the man’s trailer, police find plastic baggies filled with hundreds of the pills. Commander Jay Baines, who oversees the task force, says, “every one of those could represent an overdose… every one of those pills could kill somebody.”

Baines said almost all of the fentanyl they seize originates from Mexico.

“The crime down there and the cartel and the way they run things, I’m sure the officials in government down there are scared to death of them,” said Baines. “And for the Mexican government to take ownership in that I think is an uphill battle for the United States and our borders, and it’s more open than ever.”

And so the fentanyl continues to pour in and overdoses pile up.

Kendra Kruse, who lost her nephew Jayden Barker to fentanyl, knows there’s no one single solution, but she says education and awareness are key, especially among the youngest potential victims.

“It just takes one time of taking a pill that a friend of theirs who they trust gives it to them,” said Kruse. “And, that’s it. They’re done.”

Weddings rings are some of the most common pieces of jewelry married couples lose. More than in the past five years, according to British insurance company Protect Your Bubble.

Now, a growing network of treasure hunters, known as The , are on a mission to reconnect married couples with missing rings.

Julie Meador realized she lost hers after finishing a round of golf near Wenatchee, Wash., and noticing a hole in one of her pockets.

“I put my jacket on and my rings were gone out of my pocket,” Meador said. “I was like literally freaked out.”

Her wedding ring of 25 years and an anniversary ring were both gone.

“I was like, ‘how am I going to tell my husband this because he was in a foursome behind me,’” she said. “My heart hurt.”

The Meadors scoured the golf course over the next two days, but the rings never turned up. Then their search went online, where they came across TheRingFinders.com, a directory of more than 500 metal detector do-gooders who help strangers find lost items.

Counties in Phase 2 reopen indoor dining in time for Valentine’s Day

“We’re actually going out and helping people recover things that have deep, sentimental value,” said Jeff Morgan, a Seattle-area ring finder, who joined about five years ago.

Since then, he’s recovered more than 50 wedding rings. He’s found them in backyards, in the snow, on shorelines, and even scuba diving in Puget Sound.

“It’s more than just a hobby, per se. It’s really become more of a passion to help more people,” Morgan said. “When you get that recovery moment it’s just like, ‘ah, yes, another ring saved.’”

One of Morgan’s recent missions took him to the golf course where Julie Meador lost her rings.

“I think he talked to the founding guy of Ring Finders about my situation and that guy was like, ’18 hole golf course? Odds are not good.’”

Chris Turner is CEO of The Ring Finders, which he founded in 2009. He was inspired by his first ring hunt as a teenager in the early 70s.

“I found my neighbor’s ring that was lost in her garden. The look on her face, I’ll never forget that. She just froze. She was stunned,” Turner said. “I got an apple pie on my doorstep for a year every Friday, so I was very happy about that.”

Today’s Ring Finders don’t accept baked goods as payment. In fact, they only ask for donations because Turner insists the business is not about making money.

“Why do I do it? I do it for the smiles. I really do,” Turner said. “I absolutely love what I do. It’s the best job I ever had — once you experience returning something to someone, you’re hooked.”

As for Julie Meador, she went searching for her ring with Jeff Morgan three weeks after it went missing.

Four hours into the hunt, they reached the 15th hole, when Morgan’s metal detector came to life.

“We’ve got your ring,” Morgan said to Meador.

“That’s the one I really wanted,” Meador responded, as she started crying. It was her wedding ring.

Moments later, Morgan found her other diamond in the rough.

Washington DOH: Act now to get COVID under control for holidays

“Laid there on the floor for like 45 minutes,” said the man, whose identity he’s chosen to keep anonymous. “And then I woke up. Couldn’t get up. I turned on my side as much as I could so I could have something to draw my breath in.”

His heart pumped at 120 beats per minute, approaching dangerous levels for a man in his 60s who also suffers from asthma, emphysema, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

“I could actually see my chest beating, moving from this,” he said. “At that point I’m terrified. I was terrified. It’s like what’s going on with me. Why am I overheated and why am I sweating?”

Medics rushed him to Swedish. Doctors hooked him up with oxygen and shocked his heart to restore its normal rhythm. A nasal swab confirmed the coronavirus had latched onto his lungs, infecting them with COVID-19.

Other patients in the hospital were testing positive too.

“At that point, I heard a doctor yell, ‘Everybody mask up. Mask up.’ And, that was basically the beginning of this pandemic in Seattle.”

It took more than 50 days, multiple rounds of steroids, and inhalers to get him out of the hospital. He returned to normal life for some time. Then in July, about four months after his first COVID infection, he started gasping for air again.

“I’m like getting sick. And I’m feeling like the very first time I had it.”

He went back to Swedish, where infectious disease physician, Doctor Jason Goldman, examined him.

“I had an immediate clinical suspicion that he was re-infected because of the time that had passed,” Dr. Goldman said.

through genetic sequencing, making him one of about 15 confirmed cases in the world. It showed the man caught two different versions of the coronavirus. The first one in March resembled the original strain from Wuhan, China. In July, he was infected with a slightly evolved strain that came over from Europe.

“I think this is something that most experts were anticipating. I thought that in Washington state, where we had some of the first infections in the country, we might see the first re-infections as natural immunity would start to wane.”

Dr. Goldman prescribed the patient dexamethasone, a steroid that helped quiet inflammation in his airwaves. He also received remdesivir, the antiviral medication recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for COVID-19.

It seems the man’s immune system was also better prepared, Dr. Goldman said, leading to a less intense infection.

Why King County is in good position to recover from COVID crisis

“Even though the patient got sick again, the virus was detectable again — it was a totally different strain — the immune system at least worked enough that the disease was not so severe the second time around,” Dr. Goldman said. “The patient recuperated quite quickly.”

A handful of re-infected patients, however, have had different outcomes. A 25-year-old-man in Nevada was sicker the second time. An 89-year-old woman in the Netherlands, who was also undergoing chemotherapy, died during her second bout with COVID.

“What’s happening in these one or two cases where the second infection is more severe? That remains to be seen,” Dr. Goldman said. “Because there are so few cases around the world where this is happening, I don’t think we have a real thorough understanding of the patterns.”

The Swedish Hospital system is investigating at least five more local cases of possible re-infection, and there could be dozens more across the state. University of Washington Medicine Virologist Dr. Alex Greninger is studying some of them, including the case of the Seattle patient.

“Some of these re-infections studied really do indicate that even if you have been infected… I think there’s a low chance, but there’s a chance that you still are at risk,” Dr. Greninger said. “Even if you have some immunity, that immunity declines over time.”

Greninger said it also raises some concerns about how effective a vaccine will be. Overall, he still feels good about the current clinical trials.

“From the phase 1, phase 2 studies things look good there,” Dr. Goldman said. “I think we should feel positive about the vaccine. I think the question will always be, ‘how long that immunity lasts?’”

Re-infected survivors are a part of finding that answer.

John Curley asks Tom Douglas: Why own a restaurant in Seattle

While that’s not a reality for thousands of foster children in Washington,  is giving some the chance to cultivate their culinary passion.

Four aspiring, young cooks recently met up in a gourmet kitchen in downtown Seattle for a cooking class taught by local legend, restaurateur, and chef, Tom Douglas.

Douglas invited the youth from Treehouse as part of the non-profit’s Launch Success Program, supporting foster children as they age into adulthood.

“It’s really made me realize how easily attainable this dream is,” said Journey, who has aspirations of becoming a chef. “It’s not just a dream anymore, I’m actually making my way there now.”

The students learned from Douglas how to properly cut and sear chicken, a simple lesson that makes a big impact, according to Douglas.

“With foster kids you’re being shoved into somebody else’s tradition, somebody else’s household, somebody else’s reason why they celebrate in this particular way,” Douglas said. “But I think the positive energy of starting your own tradition, understanding it’s okay to create that for yourself, is really a positive, awesome thing and I hope they take that away with them.”

Treehouse defines success by steering youth toward a degree or certificate, a living wage, and stable housing. Paris is on a path to achieve it all.

“Hopefully in the near future, I plan to have different restaurants, like different foods, like burger joints, taco joints,” she described.

Tom Douglas says ‘Seattle is a funny restaurant town’

After her cooking lesson with Douglas, Paris set up her own home-kitchen delivery business, a first step to achieving her goals. Treehouse and Douglas say they’ll be there in the coming years, as she transitions from foster care to becoming an entrepreneur.

“You have to find what your end goal is to get through these tougher times, these areas where you’re not as comfortable,”  Douglas said. “That’s what I like about Treehouse — is that it’s the same thing, they’re just there to support.”

Washington DOC to alter policy and allow used books for prisoners

More than 2,000 complaints were filed with the office since it first opened last year. The office was established to provide independent oversight of the state’s prison system.

The report, released Friday, shows most of the complaints were related to concerns over health care. the complaints came as the Monroe Correctional Complex deals with seven deaths at the facility. The prison’s top doctor was fired earlier this year in response.

Inmates at other jails also have gone on meal strikes to protest the quality of food.

DOC officials said they were reviewing the report, which also recommends the department focus more on helping inmates re-enter society.

“To truly see change, the Governor’s office and the Washington Legislature need to give DOC a new vision in line with today’s focus on rehabilitation and reentry,” said Ombuds Director Joanna Carns.

Program helps Washington women with life after prison

The Corrections Department has asked the Legislature for more funding to improve its healthcare and food options.

In a statement sent to the Times, a spokesperson for Gov. Inslee said he’s “pleased to see that DOC and the Ombuds have worked together to identify and address many issues and make improvements to benefit incarcerated individuals and their families.”

Island residents grumbling over Navy’s Growler jet noise

A self-described “sound tracker,” acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton claims fewer than 10 places in the U.S. remain free of noise pollution. He considers true quiet not an absence of sound, but the complete removal of human-caused noise.

“Silence is so important to me, because without silence I don’t think I’d even know who I was,” said Hempton on a recent afternoon in Washington’s Olympic National Forest, a place he considered one of the least noise-polluted in the country… until recently.

As an award-winning acoustic ecologist, Hempton travels the world to record nature’s soundtrack. His audio portfolio includes snow melting, the Ecuadorian Amazon, and Haleakala Crater on Maui – dubbed “The Quietest Place on Earth” ­– where the sound pressure level is negative decibels inside the crater.

Hempton’s recordings span nearly four decades. After all those years, he’s declared one of the quietest spots in the lower 48. Established on Earth Day 2005, he calls it “One Square Inch of Silence.”

“This simple one square inch will be defended from all sources of noise pollution,” Hempton said, standing in front of the “gateway” to one square inch.

It’s located in Olympic National Park’s Hoh Rain Forest, where annual rainfall totals average 12 to 14 feet. Thick layers of moss cover nearly every tree and the “air is absolutely still and moist.” Hempton claims it’s even possible to hear a hemlock seed fall 300 feet to the forest floor.

Enter the Growler

In recent years, air travel has increased over the park, drowning out some of its natural sounds. That includes an average 2,300 training flights a year by Boeing-made , fighter jets built for electronic warfare. It takes them only about ten minutes to fly past the rain forest from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, approximately 75 miles away.

“We have a unique mission. We’re the only one that does it in the world,” said Commander David Harris, Commanding Officer for the Electronic Attack Squadron at NAS Whidbey, the Navy’s only Growler training team.

The stealthy planes contain electronic jammers that are used to scramble, confuse, and shut down enemy signals. They train in the Olympic Military Operations Areas, airspace established by the Federal Aviation Administration in 1977.

It stretches across a section of the Olympic Peninsula and extends into the Pacific Ocean. The growlers arrived in 2008, and now more are likely on the way after the Navy approved an expansion of the fleet.

“We are very much in demand because, not only the Navy, but all of our coalition and ally partners want the Growler there whenever possible, because we provide them this umbrella of protection,” said Harris. “We’re very, very busy and we could definitely use some help in getting more assets on board.”

The Navy’s plans include an additional 36 growlers, bringing the total to 118. Military officials estimate that will increase the number of flights over Olympic National Park to 2,600.

The Growler expansion has been scrutinized by Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who alleges the Navy’s environmental impact statement did not thoroughly examine the planes’ effects on people and wildlife. Ferguson has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Seattle, challenging the environmental review.

Dori: Ferguson suing Navy over Growler noise just grandstanding

While the Navy acknowledges the sound impact over Olympic National Park, officials said the FAA controls where the growlers can train. The National Parks Conversation Association argues they could voluntarily fly elsewhere.

The association has launched a campaign, called “Hear Our Olympics.” It calls for the Navy to leave the national park’s skies, suggesting they train at other airbases and military airspace.

One example, according to the association, is Mountain Home Air Force Base in Southern Idaho, where the Navy conducts similar training. NAS Whidbey officials estimate that would cost an extra $5 million a year and worry it would waste valuable training time. Harris estimated flying to the Idaho base would take up to an hour.

“There’s another huge cost that’s factored in and that’s the wear and tear on the aircraft,” said John Mosher, the Navy’s U.S. Pacific Fleet Northwest Environmental Program Manager. “Putting additional mileage on them just to get to and from another airspace decreases the service life.”

Mosher said they try to minimize the Growlers’ disturbance by flying high and using more flight simulators. Gordon Hempton said he appreciates the Navy’s effort but thinks it’s not enough to ensure his “One Square Inch of Silence” remains silent.

“They’re no enemies of quiet. They’re just people trying to do their job, and they just need their job redefined a little bit,” said Hempton. “Our national parks belong on earth and in the sky for everybody to enjoy.”

For now, the skies above the Olympic Peninsula belong to the Navy’s mission of defending freedom. What that sounds like is up for debate.

Public Health Seattle and King County reported at least 63 deaths in 2019 so far linked to fentanyl. That’s compared to 23 deaths in 2016.

Guns, money, $300K worth of fentanyl seized from Sammamish home

Just in the past few days, the county investigated at least five suspected overdose deaths, including the case of a 16-year old Skyline High School boy. Another 16-year-old student at the school died in August. Health officials believe they both consumed fentanyl-laced pills.

“We believe both teens likely ingested what they thought were legitimate oxycodone tablets,” said Sheriff Mitzi Johanknecht during a news conference Tuesday.

Seven teenagers have died of fentanyl-related overdoses in King County this year. That’s compared to one in 2018 and one in 2017.

Public health official said the fentanyl cases are fueling the recent spike in overdose deaths across the county. Between mid-June and September there were 141 drug overdose deaths, compared to 109 overdose deaths over the same period in 2018, according to Seattle & King County Public Health.

The Issaquah School District issued a statement about the recent Skyline deaths, saying in part: “Our hearts ache for our students and school communities that have been and continue to be impacted by the devastating effects of opiates. Not only are we passionate about the educational success of our students, but we care deeply for their health and well-being.”

Johanknecht said fentanyl has shown up in King County in both pill and powder form. The most common counterfeit pills are blue-colored and stamped with “M30,” made to look like oxycodone. Other tablets are white or green.

“The vast majority of oxycodone pills purchased on the street in King County and elsewhere are likely counterfeit and likely contain deadly amounts of fentanyl,” Johanknecht said.

Starting in October 2020, the Transportation Security Administration will require enhanced Washington licenses to board flights. That’s because standard IDs don’t meet security standards under the 2005 REAL ID act. The legislation “established minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards,” according to the .

New standard WA driver’s licenses still won’t get you through airport security

“Millions of passengers across the US could be prevented access through airport security checkpoints if they do not have REAL ID compliant licenses,” said Lance Lyttle, Sea-Tac Airport Managing Director.

of identification will also work at airport security, including passports and military IDs.

The enhanced license and IDs cost $78 for six years, while standard cards cost $54 for six years. The Washington Department of Licensing has provided more information on acceptable documentation required to obtain an enhanced ID.

A recent U.S. Travel Association survey found nearly 40 percent of Americans don’t have a REAL ID or any other form of identification that will be accepted at airport security checkpoints.

Washington DOL recommends people act now to obtain one before the busy travel season next summer.

“We have about eleven minute average statewide wait times for our driver licensing offices, but we do anticipate that’s going to increase over the summer and the fall,” said Teresa Berntsen, Director of Washington Department of Licensing. “So, please  think about acting now even if you’re renewing your standard driver license or ID card.

Of course, this is not the first time such warnings have been issued. Find more information about Washington’s enhanced IDs at .

“It is closing day,” said owner Dennis Nelson. “We are officially done tonight. Greenlake Vapor will no longer exist in Seattle.”

Gov. Inslee announces ban on flavored vape products statewide

The closure came one day before Washington’s new sales tax on all vapor products takes effect. The bill puts a new 27-cents-per-millileter tax on “closed” vapor products such as JUUL pods, a form of e-cigarettes. Products that are considered “open” or refillable, will be taxed at nine cents per millimeter.

Half of the tax revenues will go toward the Andy Hill Cancer Research Endowment Fund. The rest will go to public health efforts to stopping smoking and enforcement.

Owners like Nelson feared the tax would force them to go bankrupt, some saying it would double their costs.

“There could be a lot of other shops that have decided to stay open that could end up suffering,” Nelson said.

The new tax passed during the most recent legislative session, months before people started getting sick and sometimes dying from vaping-related illnesses. Nationwide, there have been 13 deaths linked to vaping and more than 800 illnesses, including seven in Washington.

“Our state hasn’t had any dollars to go out and do testing of these products,” said Rep. Gerry Pollet, who sponsored the vape sales tax. “We’re saying let’s use that stream of money to start enforcement.”

No common link exists in any of the vaping-related illnesses. Some people who’ve fallen ill said they were using THC, a psychoactive chemical in cannabis. Others reported vaping only nicotine. There is no product or device common to all of the cases. Some speculate, however, chemicals in vapor flavoring products may be to blame.

“What’s happening today in the last year that’s creating the problem? We believe it’s an additive, we believe it’s an ingredient,” said Rick Garza, Director of the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board.

Garza was at the news conference last Friday when Governor Jay Inslee , calling for a ban on all flavoring products. If approved by state Board of Health, it would affect both nicotine and THC products starting on October 10.

“These flavors exist for one reason and one reason only. And that is to make them appealing to young children,” Inslee said.

The state Liquor and Cannabis Board says Washington has approximately 4,000 electronic-cigarette retailers and 500 licenses cannabis businesses. Some in the industry confronted Inslee on Friday, saying his action would push customers to the black market and force stores to close.

“I will have to put my LLC into bankruptcy,” said Margo Ross, who has owned Cloud 509 Moses Lake for two years. “I am not going to be able to afford the bills I have.”