Jim Camden

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News >  WA Government

State to offer grants to small businesses to weather COVID-19 ‘storm’

UPDATED: Tue., April 7, 2020

Washington will offer grants to small businesses with as many as 10 employees to help them “weather the storm” of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Jay Inslee said Tuesday.

News >  Education

Washington schools ordered closed until fall

UPDATED: Mon., April 6, 2020

Public and private schools in Washington are closed until fall, and students will be getting instruction through “distance learning,” state officials announced this afternoon.

Opinion >  Column

Spin Control: Some small changes for covering Olympia during the pandemic

Sun., April 5, 2020

As for most people, life for reporters in the state capital has changed a bit in this time of coronavirus.

News >  WA Government

Inslee cuts state budget, expecting pandemic to cause revenue to drop

UPDATED: Fri., April 3, 2020

With Washington facing a sharp drop in revenue from closed businesses and homebound consumers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Jay Inslee cut some $235 million in state spending for the next 15 months.

News >  WA Government

Inslee extends statewide stay-home order through May 4

UPDATED: Thu., April 2, 2020

Washington residents are being told to stay home for at least another month as the state tries to stem the tide.

News >  Washington

Inslee to talk about Washington’s ongoing COVID-19 efforts at 5 p.m.

UPDATED: Thu., April 2, 2020

With the state’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order due to expire next week and COVID-19 cases climbing, Gov. Jay Inslee will address the state’s continuing response to coronavirus at 5 p.m. this evening.

News >  Washington

Jobless benefit claims in state skyrocket; 12,000 file for unemployment in Spokane County in 1 week

UPDATED: Thu., April 2, 2020

Unemployment claims continued to skyrocket last week as Washington’s stay-home order took a further toll on construction, retail and manufacturing jobs around the state.

News >  Spokane

‘We need to seize our own destiny’: Inslee tries to mobilize state businesses, including Spokane Valley firm

UPDATED: Wed., April 1, 2020

Washington manufacturers, including one in Spokane Valley, could sign up to make the equipment needed to beat the COVID-19 pandemic the way a previous generation of state residents worked to win World War II, Gov. Jay Inslee said Wednesday.

News >  Washington

Decision on extending stay home order, activating National Guard expected ‘in day or so’

UPDATED: Tue., March 31, 2020

A decision on whether to extend Washington’s stay-home order and closure of nonessential businesses is likely soon, and with it could come activation of some National Guard units.

News >  WA Government

Transportation budget signed but projects still paused

UPDATED: Tue., March 31, 2020

Gov. Jay Inslee signed the state transportation budget lawmakers rewrote to fill a hole in revenue created by the passage of Initiative 976.

News >  Washington

Spokane Amazon ‘hustler’ among online sellers accused of price-gouging COVID-19 supplies

UPDATED: Tue., March 31, 2020

The state is accusing five online sales operations, including one in Spokane, of price gouging on scarce supplies during the COVID-19 emergency.

News >  WA Government

Washington officials may turn to enforcement of emergency order if education fails

UPDATED: Mon., March 30, 2020

State and local law enforcement officials will citations and penalties if education isn’t enough to close nonessential businesses under the state’s emergency order.

News >  WA Government

Pence and Inslee talk, despite Trump’s suggestion

UPDATED: Mon., March 30, 2020

Mike Pence talked with Gov. Jay Inslee by phone Monday, despite the suggestion by President Donald Trump last week that the vice president stop calling.

Opinion >  Column

Spin Control: Some have trouble dropping the partisan jabs as they respond to coronavirus

Sun., March 29, 2020

Coronavirus cooperation doesn’t stop all of the partisan brickbats.

News >  WA Government

Sexual health education bill signed but could be on ballot this November

UPDATED: Fri., March 27, 2020

A controversial bill requiring comprehensive sexual health education be taught at various points in a student’s years in public schools was signed into law Friday, but opponents will try to get voters to reject it in November.

News >  WA Government

Trump says he’s asked Pence to stop calling Washington Gov. Jay Inslee

UPDATED: Fri., March 27, 2020

Gov. Jay Inslee isn’t being “appreciative,” President Donald Trump said Friday, adding he’s told Vice President Mike Pence not to call Washington’s chief executive.

News >  Washington

Presidential primary ballots painted Washington deep blue

Fri., March 27, 2020

Analysis of the presidential primary ballots shows Democrats ahead in totals, among men and women, and among young and senior voters.

News >  WA Government

Inslee: Extension of stay-home order in play, despite ‘glimmer of hope’ in COVID-19 data

UPDATED: Thu., March 26, 2020

Washington has a “glimmer of hope” with some good news on efforts to fight the COVID-19 outbreak, but that doesn’t mean the current stay-home order won’t be extended past the original two weeks, Gov. Jay Inslee said Thursday.

News >  Business

Coronavirus wave puts 133,000 out of work last week in Washington

UPDATED: Thu., March 26, 2020

A tidal wave of unemployment from the COVID-19 outbreak washed across the state last week, adding more than 133,000 people to the state’s jobless rolls, Washington officials said Thursday.

News >  WA Government

Plastic bags banned, paper bags to cost 8 cents after Inslee signs bill that takes effect next year

UPDATED: Wed., March 25, 2020

Single-use plastic bags at stores will be banned statewide starting next year and customers without reusable carriers will be charged 8 cents for paper bags under a bill signed Wednesday.

News >  WA Government

Data-driven former admiral heads state COVID-19 response

UPDATED: Tue., March 24, 2020

The new head of Washington’s coronavirus fight describes herself as a military-trained physician who relies on data to determine whether systems are working well.

News >  WA Government

Long list of jobs deemed essential in ‘stay home’ order

UPDATED: Wed., March 25, 2020

Gov. Jay Inslee’s emergency stay home order closes many businesses but allows those deemed essential to fighting the COVID-19 outbreak and supporting communities around the state to remain open.

News >  Spokane

Inslee issues ‘stay home’ order for state

UPDATED: Tue., March 24, 2020

Stay home unless absolutely necessary or your job is essential, Gov. Jay Inslee told Washington residents Monday night. Inslee signed an emergency order he calls “Stay home, stay healthy” that increases previous steps the state has taken to slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is similar to orders issued in California, some other states and large metropolitan areas.

Opinion >  Column

Spin Control: Eyman’s contentions of overreach in fight against virus not well-founded

Sun., March 22, 2020

Politics, like so many other aspects of life, changes in the time of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Almost every notice from a campaign or elected official starts with some reference to COVID-19. Some talk about what they’re doing in the city, county, state or nation to fight it. Others talk about what the city, county, state or nation should be doing to fight it, but isn’t.

News >  Washington

Inslee: Obey current orders to slow the virus or face more restrictions

UPDATED: Fri., March 20, 2020

OLYMPIA – State officials will employ greater restrictions if some residents don’t follow the current orders to stay home as much as possible and away from groups in social situations, Gov. Jay Inslee warned Friday. On a day when other governors had issued statewide stay-at-home orders to stop the spread of COVID-19, Inslee said he wasn’t going to do that yet. But he made it clear he could in the future.