Spokane area finds first confirmed case of CWD in WA
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officials are asking the public to keep an eye out for potentially infected deer, elk and moose.
This comes after the state’s first case of Chronic Wasting Disease was confirmed in a white-tailed deer found in Fairwood, north of Spokane.
Speaking at a virtual press briefing, Donny Martorello, chief of the Wildlife Science Division of WDFW, said it's "not surprised that it's here" and that officials were "hoping this day would be much farther away, but here we are.”
Martorello said the deer was found dead in February and tested as part of routine sampling.
WDFW ungulate research scientist Melia DeVivo also spoke, emphasizing the importance of people all around the state keeping watch and not transporting carcasses of deer that may have CWD — as this could spread the disease further.
“We have implemented rules and regulations to try to minimize the risk of that transmission through humans, but it doesn't eliminate those risks," DeVivo said. "So, technically, it's a risk statewide. We don't know where CWD could pop up next.”
Washington Health Department Veterinarian Beth Lipton says that while CWD is fatal in cervids, which are animals related to deer, there’s not much to suggest humans are susceptible to the disease.
“There are some scientific studies that suggest transmission could be possible but again it really is considered a theoretical risk to people,” she said in the briefing.
For now, WDFW officials say members of the public should keep an eye out for deer that look sick and report them to the department.
Hunters, who collect many of the state’s CWD testing samples, will be notified about changes to testing and carcass transportation regulations as those details are developed.
Sec. Hobbs calls on Musk to prevent election misinformation
Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs and several of his colleagues want the social platform X to do more to direct people with questions about elections to reputable sources.
Hobbs and four other secretaries of state, a bipartisan group, yesterday issued a public letter to Elon Musk.
They want his A-I search engine, Grok, to direct queries to the website operated by the National Association of Secretaries of State.
They say X’s search engine shared false information regarding voter registration deadlines in nine states, including Washington, right after President Biden announced his intention to drop out of the 2024 presidential race.
They complain that information was then spread throughout the site until Grok corrected it 10 days later.
Trump weighs in on WA primary
Members of Congress across the state are running for reelection in today’s primaries. Former President Donald Trump is getting more involved in one race in Central Washington.
In 2022, Trump endorsed a Republican challenger to Dan Newhouse. That was after Newhouse voted to impeach Trump.
Newhouse and a California Congressman are the only two Republicans who voted to impeach and won reelection.
But this year, Trump is trying to unseat Newhouse again, endorsing both Republicans running against him: Former NASCAR driver Jerrod Sessler, and Tiffany Smiley — who ran for Senate in 2022 but lost.
Trump endorsed Sessler earlier this year, and JUST posted on Truth Social this weekend that he’s backing Smiley too.
Newhouse is also facing three Democrats and an independent to represent central Washington areas from Yakima to Wenatchee up to Okanogan County.
WA open primaries allow for unconventional political party affiliations
Today’s Washington state’s primary, is a nonpartisan blanket primary. Every candidate from every party runs against each other at once.
Since you can write in whatever party preference you like, that means Democrats and Republicans share space on the ballot with some less traditional parties.
Richard Boyce is running for Congress in Lakewood, where he lives. Under his party preference – he put "Congress Sucks."
"Every shirt I wear has 'Congress Sucks' on it, and I have Congress sucks bumper stickers on my car. I don't get any grief," Boyce said. "I get compliments. I get questions."
Boyce says he also gets applause for the slogan.
"I've had ovations. Of course, it's not like ballpark size, but, you know, a couple people will see it and applaud"
This is his third run for Congress in FOUR years. He usually only gets a few thousand votes.
Not all unusual party names or candidates get applause, like Alan Makayev, who is running for governor under the "Nonsense Busters" party.
"I just want to bust all the nonsense. And that should be the movement, you know, the nonsense busters. I know some people laugh at it," Makayev said.
"They don't get it. I thought it's so self explanatory. And some people say yes. And some just, you know, they just think it's funny, whatever.
Democrats, Republicans, independents and Nonsense Busters have until 8 p.m. today to drop off their ballots.
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Reporting contributed by Owen Henderson, Doug Nadvornick and Scott Greenstone.