State Rep. Senn selected to lead state children’s agency
Washington Governor-elect Bob Ferguson has tapped Rep. Tana Senn to lead the state Department of Children, Youth, and Families.
Since joining the legislature in 2013, Senn has championed bills to expand childcare access. In 2021, she sponsored the $1.1 billion Fair Start for Kids Act.
As the state braces for a budget shortfall, lawmakers may look to delay some subsidies for pre-K programs and child care. But Senn told KNKX public radio Ferguson’s focus on childcare access during his 2024 campaign makes her optimistic.
“I'm heartened by the emphasis and priority Governor-elect Ferguson has on childcare and recognize the difficult budget situation that we're in,” Senn said.
Meanwhile, she said she’s looking forward to helping Washington’s children and families in a new capacity. At the top of her list of priorities? Improving communications about DCYF’s programs, supporting social workers, and ensuring people get the services they need.
Senn takes over leadership of the department January 15th.
New year will bring new layoffs at Boeing
Boeing says it plans to lay off almost 400 Washington workers, effective in February. The cuts are the latest in the aerospace company’s plan to lay off 10 percent of its workforce.
About half of the Boeing employees in Washington laid off in this round of cuts are members of the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace.
Bryan Corliss is a spokesperson for that union. He says in recent months, his union has seen over three percent of its members across the U-S lose their Boeing jobs. That’s because the company is facing financial trouble in the wake of incidents on its aircraft.
“A lot of Boeing moves, in the last decade, two decades, have been—I guess you could call them penny wise but pound foolish,” Corliss told Northwest Public Broadcasting.
The union is currently reviewing the layoffs to ensure that Boeing followed the layoff procedures in union contracts.
Boeing provided a statement, which read in part, “...we are adjusting our workforce levels to align with our financial reality and a more focused set of priorities.”
The company said eligible workers will get severance pay, career transition services and up to three months’ health care benefits.
After 24-year interruption, legacy light show at Grand Coulee Dam set to return
An historic light show is returning to the Grand Coulee Dam. The display that originated in the 1950s has been restored and is ready to switch on once again.
The show, which features more than 700 individual colored lights, went dark nearly a quarter-century ago when a fire destroyed its control panel.
Grand Coulee Dam’s assistant power manager, Cliff Foster, told SPR News members of the dam’s apprenticeship program were tasked with getting the system back up in operation. That took about a year.
“It prompted the question, what would it take to put it back in service?” Foster said. “That original feed that burned in the substation fire was kind of the big [deal], but the unknown was whatever else was wrong, since it had been sitting for 24 years unused.”
The historic lights will be turned back on New Year's Eve. The display will continue every evening until March 6. Grand Coulee Dam’s laser show returns for the summer season, beginning in May.
Next year, the historic light display will be featured during the offseason, from October through April.
Washington officials confirm more cases of a disease that kills elk and deer
Washington’s state wildlife agency reports four more cases of chronic wasting disease. That’s a deadly affliction that sickens mostly deer, elk and moose.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife says all four animals were male white-tailed deer shot by hunters, then diagnosed after their carcasses were submitted for testing. Three were living within a few miles of first two deer who were diagnosed earlier this fall with the disease. The fourth animal was killed a few miles north of Davis Lake in Pend Oreille County.
Agency officials say there may be other cases as well. Samples from more animals shot by hunters are awaiting testing.
Hunting season is over, but the state says it will continue to test other animals whose bodies are discovered.
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Reporting was contributed by Murrow News Fellow Laura Isaza, Lauren Gallup, Steve Jackson and Doug Nadvornick.