Yakima area police departments joined the statewide chorus of law enforcement agencies raising serious concerns about the police “reform” measures passed this year by the legislature, as Democrat state lawmakers rushed to placate the demands of violent liberal activists.  The Yakima County Sheriff, along with the police chiefs of Yakima and Union Gap, spoke at a news conference about the impact of the reform legislation, which goes into effect this weekend.  Several other area police chiefs signed a letter asking the legislature to reexamine the legislation next year.  One of the many concerns expressed by the Yakima officers is that the new legislation will prevent officers from detaining runaway youths to help them find necessary assistance. (Yakima Herald)

Time for an update! Remember the Shift item on an exciting new program back in March, called “A League of Their Own,” which was launched to help moderate and conservative women campaign for elective office.  We have been informed that the program is off to an excellent start, with more than 70 “prospects” signing up to learn more about being a candidate.  This year, 28 women who are running for local races (school board, city council, mayors, etc.) are taking advantage of the excellent resources being made available through A League of Their Own.  The staff will be growing in size in the coming weeks, to handle the influx of interests and to prepare for the 2022 elections.  If you are interested in being a prospect, mentor, or supporter of the group, please click here to learn more. (Shift’s Newsmaker Interview and League of Their Own)

After weeks of motorists being targeted by rocks and debris being thrown from overpasses and the side of the freeway, state transportation officials have finally decided that the nearby homeless encampments were likely connected to the attacks.  Seven more cars and a Mercer Island aid unit were hit on Tuesday.  One of the drivers who was hit then pulled his car over and chased a suspect, who was later arrested.  Most of the incidents have occurred within a mile of the I-90 and I-5 interchange, just South of Downtown Seattle.  The Washington State Department of Transportation has determined that homeless encampments near the Rainier Avenue exit off I-90 were likely connected to the incidents, and have begun the process of removing them, since the city of Seattle has ignored the situation.  (Seattle Times)

The dysfunction of government entities run by the local liberal establishment is in full display at the Bitter Lake (North Seattle) homeless encampment, which continues to grow on school district property adjacent to a kindergarten to 8^th grade school.  Recently obtained documents show that city officials knew, when they cleared a small encampment on adjacent Seattle Parks Department property last summer, that the “residents” would more than likely move on to the school district property.  Since the city council had eliminated funding of its “Navigation Teams” (the city’s lead group responsible for clearing encampments and finding resources for residents), the city had no means to assist those living in the encampment, and city officials knew its actions would shift responsibility to the Seattle Public Schools, which obviously was not equipped to handle the problem (and has been demonstrated by the lack of action since then).  The city has since refused to help the school district, which has finally selected a non-profit agency to help the encampment’s residents.  (PubliCola)

A Crosscut article uses one of the two Seattle City Council races on the ballot this year to examine whether it is best for elected officials to stand firm in their beliefs, or should they compromise to better serve their constituents.  Yet, like most analysis of the many failed policies which have recently emanated from Seattle City Hall, Crosscut misses the mark as to the root of the city’s problems.  Whether an extreme liberal compromises with a radical liberal, or whether they stand firm, is irrelevant, for all liberals see basically the same failed solutions to all problems.

For the Left, their solutions involve raising taxes (which drives out employers and middle-income families), doling out less punishment for criminal behavior (which always causes an increase in crime), increasing city regulations (which drives away investment, commercial activity, and opportunities), and increasing the size of government (which permanently increases the tax burden on private enterprise and increases the cost of living for city residents).  The problems facing Seattle will not be fixed by repeating the same failed liberal policies, but by bringing more diversity to the discussion and decision-making process.  (Crosscut)

KIRO Radio host Ursula Reutin states that it is too soon for Seattle leaders to be promoting people to return to downtown and asserts the city should first clean itself up.  Reutin said she drove around downtown Seattle and there was still a large homeless encampment in City Hall Park (despite officials saying they were going to remove the encampment, which has been the source of significant criminal activity) and that tents and garbage are still evident throughout the city.

Reutin made these comments as the Downtown Seattle Association has begun a big promotion that includes special events and free concerts to encourage people to return to the downtown neighborhood. (KIRO Radio and Downtown Seattle Association)

Emergency rooms at hospitals along the I-5 corridor are filling up, and though the cause is pandemic related, it is not all due to COVID.  After many people have been sedentary for the past 17 months, many are becoming injured as they resume physical activities.  Others, who delayed medical attention for minor problems during the pandemic, are now visiting ERs as health problems become more severe. (MyNorthwest)

One of the legislative bills which will take effect this weekend is that dairy farm workers will no longer be exempt from overtime pay.  This is expected to reduce the paychecks of workers (due to working fewer hours) and it will increase the cost of Washington State dairy products.  Other Washington agriculture businesses, besides dairy farms, will see their overtime exemptions end next January. (Pacific Northwest AG Network)

East Wenatchee could soon join the growing list of Central and Eastern Washington communities removing glass from its recyclable materials list.  This is due to reduced demand for recycled glass and the financial and environmental costs of transporting the product to the nearest manufacturer.  A spokesperson for Waste Management said that it has been reducing its glass recycling efforts in Central Washington since 2018.  One of the problems is that the closest glass manufacturer is six hours away, thus transportation and environmental costs eliminate the positive impact of recycling. (Wenatchee World)

After Battle Ground (Clark County) became the 4^th Washington State city to ban a city-imposed income tax, we are hearing that Yakima and several other cities are discussing plans to do the same.  For other local governments considering similar motions, the Washington Policy Center is an excellent resource for materials and specific legislative language, as is evident by these posts on Spokane, Spokane Valley, Granger, and Battle Ground efforts.

Why has Governor Inslee decided to be divisive when being a unifying leader would have saved lives during the pandemic?  It seems strange that throughout the past 500+ days the governor has repeatedly made partisan choices instead of seeking ways to unify the state’s residents to combat the COVID pandemic.  This has caused many to lose faith in the governor, thus they have ignored him when his health officials encouraged residents to wear masks or become vaccinated.

Q13’s Brandi Kruse was critical of the governor’s latest divisive comments, when he missed yet another opportunity to be a unifying leader and instead chose to make partisan attack comments which will further irritate many residents and make them feel even less inclined to obtain the vaccine.  The governor claims the goal is to immunize as many Washington State residents as possible against COVID, yet the governor’s divisive actions will result in fewer people being vaccinated. Why does Inslee not see that? (Click to read the full Shift article)

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