Only some refugee resettlement to go forward, Ninth Circuit says
A federal judge in Washington is establishing a process for already-vetted refugees to seek entry to the U.S. on a case-by-case basis.
U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead sought to prevent any changes to the refugee resettlement program, while a lawsuit against the Trump administration played out.
But the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has agreed with the administration to limit refugee admissions to just 160 urgent cases.
"We’re looking forward to proposing an efficient and workable process that we hope ensures that every refugee really receives the fair consideration that they are owed at this time," said Melissa Keaney, an attorney with the International Refugee Assistance Project, which filed the lawsuit.
The court has asked Keaney to work with the Justice Department on a process to evaluate refugees one at a time.
Her group says about 12,000 refugees should have their travel plans reinstated.
Spokane's aerospace tech hub future uncertain after federal funding pull
Washington elected officials from both parties are decrying the Trump Administration’s decision to effectively rescind funding for a Tech Hubs program — including Spokane’s American Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Center.
In a statement, the U.S. Department of Commerce said the $48-million grant awarded for a tech hub in Spokane County was granted too hastily and in an unfair way.
Commerce announced Friday it was pulling the funding in an effort to “prioritize national security, project quality, benefit to the tax payer and a fair process.”
Both of Washington’s U.S. senators quickly issued condemnations of the decision, with Patty Murray calling the decision a “pointless and costly setback for the Spokane economy.”
Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown said in a statement the decision is a “mistake” and undermines the work of public and private partners.
Eastern Washington’s Republican Congressman, Michael Baumgartner, also weighed in, saying in a statement that the rescission was “disappointing” and that it “puts the entire effort at unnecessary and potentially irreversible risk.”
ID vaccination rates stay among lowest in US
Idaho continues to report some of the lowest vaccination rates in the country.
This past school year, data submitted in the fall showed that, on average, 70% of Idaho kindergarteners had received all their recommended vaccinations. That’s a drop from an average of 76% among kindergarteners the same time the year before.
The state’s exemption rate remained the same as the year prior.
Shawn Tiegs, the superintendent at Moscow School District, said exemptions are easy to come by in Idaho.
"We do have an official (vaccine exemption) form," he told NWPB. "But Idaho law requires that an exemption — I mean, it could be written on the back of a receipt, or a half-torn piece of paper or something."
In Moscow, about 7% of kindergarteners have a vaccine exemption on file. About 93% don’t have a waiver, but Tiegs said that doesn’t mean they’re all fully vaccinated.
Spokane could make it easier to get a permit for block parties
The Spokane City Council will consider a proposal to create a “play streets and neighborhood block party” program at their meeting Monday night.
Proponents say the idea is to promote neighborhood gatherings during the summer and fall months.
During public testimony on the measure, traffic safety and transit activist Eric Lowe said he supports the concept.
"We’ve got over 2,200 miles, lane miles, of streets in the city and we don’t need all of them for cars, especially neighborhood streets.," Lowe said. "I think there’s a lot of opportunity for local access only, for cars to be second priority and the first priority to be people."
Opponents of the proposal argued that streets should be used for vehicles and transportation, not for social activity.
"Let me be clear. Streets were designed for transportation, for cars, trucks, motorcycles and bicycles," Will Hulings said in his testimony against the ordinance. "They were not designed to be turned into playgrounds or social gathering zones."
Under the proposal, organizers could secure special events permits for no charge if their gatherings are free and open to the public.
Other permit requirements include that events not be on arterial streets or include intersections, not be larger than a block, and not require city staff for traffic control.
"Smart" clothes move closer to reality with WSU research
Research at Washington State University may soon make it commonplace to have clothing that can monitor wearers the same way a smart watch does.
So-called “smart fabrics” have been around for years. But currently many of the textiles are rigid or stiff and not very suitable for wearable material.
Now, WSU associate professor Hang Liu is working with modern 3D printing to make a biodegradable polyester that is compatible with natural fibers like cotton.
The result, Liu said, has been materials that are flexible, comfortable, and have been able to withstand other testing.
"So we tested first of all the connectivity, the sensor ability, and other than that the wash-ability," Liu told SPR News. "So after all the washing, the bending, the tensile static test there really wasn’t any change on the fabric."
Besides monitoring health metrics like blood pressure or heart rate, Liu says the fabrics could have uses as contaminant detectors for first responders who respond to fires or chemical spills.
Ferguson continues bill-signing blitz, including public records exemption inspired by Spokane Valley personnel dispute
Public disclosure laws in Washington now have another exception.
Last week, Gov. Bob Ferguson signed a bill from Rep. Rob Chase (R-Spokane Valley) that requires the identifying information of accusers and witnesses in workplace discrimination or harassment cases be kept private.
"Look, the Public Records Act is important. We have to have transparency in government," Ferguson said Thursday.
"Of course, you have to have a balance and make sure that we're protecting folks who are facing real challenges and their information should not be shared," he said.
The new law came after what some Spokane Valley city workers called targeted retaliation by City Councilmember Al Merkel.
Merkel the subject of several complaints about disrespectful and intimidating behavior in the workplace.
After an investigation into those allegations, Merkel released the public records of the testimony against him — something the city employees say was could have allowed his supporters to retaliate against them, even if the councilmember himself didn’t act.
Supporters said the bill is meant to protect whistleblowers from being identified by the people they accuse through public records requests.
Still, public records advocates say this erosion of governmental transparency is worth noting as part of an incremental effort to whittle away at public access to information.
Ferguson will continue his flurry of bill signings this week.
The governor has three ceremonies scheduled for today and at least one for tomorrow.
On Saturday, Ferguson signed more than 50 bills, including several with environmental themes.
The “Recycling Reform Act” is designed to increase the percentage of garbage that is recycled.
"It’s the biggest overhaul of our recycling system in decades," Ferguson said during the bill signing. "It transforms Washington’s residential recycling system by increasing curbside recycling, reducing consumer packaging waste, reducing recycling materials and providing transparency about where our recyclables go."
Ferguson also signed bills that increase penalties for littering and that aim to make more information available to the public in cases where sewage is spilled.
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Reporting by Amy Radil, Owen Henderson, Rachel Sun, Doug Nadvornick and Steve Jackson.