THE PORT ANGELES GLOBE: 07/24/21

Press release issued 7/21/21

https://www.governor.wa.gov/news-media/inslee-statement-federal-decision-maintain-us-canada-border-closure

Gov. Jay Inslee today issued the following statement regarding the federal government's recent announcement of continued U.S.-Canada border closure.

"I am extremely disappointed by the federal government’s announcement today that the U.S. border with Canada will remain closed through at least August 21. This continued closure will result in continued hardship for Washingtonians living in border communities, including in Point Roberts.

"As I have expressed repeatedly in communications with the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security, the time has come to at least partially reopen the U.S.-Canada border, and I will continue to advocate for relief for border communities in Washington state."

IN OTHER STATE RELATED NEWS:

NON-LETHAL WOLF DETERRENCE GRANTS ANNOUNCED

OLYMPIA -- The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) has awarded the Northeast Washington Wolf-Livestock Management grant to a cattle producers association.

An advisory board reviewed all grant applications and selected the Cattle Producers of Washington (CPoW) to receive $397,440 from the 2021 Northeast Washington Wolf-Livestock Management grant for its wolf deterrence project. The funding comes from a state legislative appropriation of $952,000 for fiscal year 2022 and fiscal year 2023.

CPoW’s project involves using conflict specialists to address wolf issues in Ferry, Stevens, Pend Oreille and Okanogan counties.

The appropriation from the Legislature also directed funds to the Ferry and Stevens counties sheriff’s departments, which will receive $184,000 jointly to address wolf deterrence activities. Another $294,400 is directed to the Northeast Washington Wolf-Cattle Collaborative for its wolf deterrence work.

Eight percent of the funds provided by the Legislature was intended to cover WSDA’s cost of administering the grants, which involves ensuring that projects selected to receive funding are in compliance with state law and regulations.

Visit agr.wa.gov/grants to find more information about the Northeast Washington Wolf Livestock Management grant.

https://agr.wa.gov/about-wsda/news-and-media-relations/news-releases?article=32549

It’s dry. Really, really dry.

It all comes down to one fact: If it grows, it needs water. Water that our agriculture producers in Washington state simply do not have enough of this year.

https://wastatedeptag.blogspot.com/2021/07/its-dry-really-really-dry.html

Attorney General Ferguson secures criminal conviction for illegal ivory trafficking.

SEATTLE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced today that a King County antique business and one of its owners pleaded guilty to trafficking in species threatened with extinction under a voter-approved initiative banning the sale or transfer of products made from certain endangered species.

https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/attorney-general-ferguson-secures-criminal-conviction-illegal-ivory-trafficking

AG Ferguson rejects insufficient opioid distributors settlement, heads toward trial.

OLYMPIA — Attorney General Bob Ferguson today announced that he formally rejected a proposed settlement with opioid distributors McKesson, Cardinal Health and Amerisource Bergen, and Johnson & Johnson. The Attorney General’s Office has been litigating against these companies for years. Trial against McKesson, Cardinal Health and Amerisource Bergen begins in King County Superior Court on September 7. Ferguson’s trial against Johnson & Johnson is scheduled to begin in King County Superior Court in January 2022.

https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/ag-ferguson-rejects-insufficient-opioid-distributors-settlement-heads-toward

Single-use plastic bag ban begins Oct. 1 in Washington,

OLYMPIA –

Washingtonians will begin to see fewer plastic bags littering the state’s roadsides, parks, and streams beginning Oct. 1 when the statewide plastic bag ban goes into effect. The bag ban prohibits the distribution of single-use plastic carry-out bags by restaurants, retail, small vendor, and grocery stores.--DOE

https://ecology.wa.gov/About-us/Get-to-know-us/News/2021/Statewide-bag-ban-begins-Oct-1

Washington, Oregon Fish and Wildlife commissions plan meeting to discuss Columbia River policy.

OLYMPIA – Members of the Washington and Oregon Fish and Wildlife commissions will hold a virtual meeting next week to discuss policy for the shared waters of the Columbia River.

Four members of the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission and three members of the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet from 2 to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 28.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/news/washington-oregon-fish-and-wildlife-commissions-plan-meeting-discuss-columbia-river-policy

State calls on providers to continue work to boost COVID-19 vaccination

OLYMPIA – Last Friday, Gov. Jay Inslee and Secretary of Health Umair A. Shah, MD, MPH announced the Power of Providers (POP) Initiative to continue to encourage all health care providers in the state to reach out and talk to their patients about COVID-19 vaccination. As the state continues its vaccination work and shifts to more community-based efforts, health providers from a variety of sectors are pivotal in increasing COVID-19 vaccinations in an equitable manner. --DOH

https://www.doh.wa.gov/Newsroom/Articles/ID/2869/State-calls-on-providers-to-continue-work-to-boost-COVID-19-vaccination

FROM OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO DC

House Appropriations Committee Advances New Federal Funding to Support Affordable Housing & Jobs on Tacoma’s Hilltop

Kilmer Led Effort to Ensure Appropriations Committee Approved $4.5 Million in Federal Funding for Two Projects.

Kilmer, Coons, Herrera Beutler Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Spur Economic Growth & Create Jobs

RECOMPETE Act Establishes New Grant Program to Invest in Communities That Have Faced Long-Term Economic Challenges

Cantwell, Kelly, Wyden Introduce Legislation to Revive, Sustain Trusted Local News

Cantwell: “Local news is about holding the powerful accountable.” Pandemic and economic crisis batter newsrooms at a time Americans need them most.

Senator Murray Announces Important Disaster Relief for Washington Farmers Impacted By Drought.

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced important technical and financial assistance available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help farmers and livestock producers who have been impacted by the ongoing, severe drought recover.

Senator Murray Releases Report on Challenges Voters with Disabilities Face in Early Voting, Pushes for Federal Action.

Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Aging, Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chair of the Senate Rules Committee, and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, released a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on the challenges that voters with disabilities continue to face in voting early and voting by mail. The report showed that although many states have worked to make voting prior to Election Day more accessible for people with disabilities, many election officials, advocates and voters report that challenges—including with physical obstacles at polling places, voting equipment, and inaccessible voter information—persist.

(2) IN THIS WEEK'S HEADLINE NEWS:

WORLD NEWS HEADLINE:

Lebanon: Public water system on the verge of collapse, UNICEF warns.

The public water system in Lebanon is “on life support” and could collapse at any moment, putting 71 per cent of the population, or more than four million people, at immediate risk of losing access to safe supply, the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, warned on Friday.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/07/1096312

Water-related hazards dominate list of 10 most destructive disasters.

Against the backdrop of a rapidly changing global climate, water-related hazards top the list of natural disasters with the highest human losses in the past 50 years, according to a new report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/07/1096302

COVID-19: Africa ‘third wave’ not yet over, while vaccine inequity threatens all.

Although new COVID-19 cases in Africa have slowed following an eight-week surge, this “small step forward” could be short-lived, the Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/07/1096252

Revealed: Inequalities persist in HIV prevention, child treatment services.

Nearly half of the 1.7 million children worldwide living with HIV were not on treatment last year, the UN programmed leading the global fight against HIV and AIDS, UNAIDS, said in a report released together with partners.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/07/1096242

Explanation of Position on Resolution on the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS President’s Text--USUN

Secretary Antony J. Blinken And Qatari Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani Before Their Meeting--US STATE DEPT.

Austin Details Messages He Will Deliver in Indo-Pacific, Discusses Afghanistan--DOD

NATIONAL HEADLINE NEWS

FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Measures on Cuba--WH

FACT SHEET: How the Biden-Harris Administration Is Advancing Educational Equity--WH

Interface Rehab to Pay $2 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations

Interface Rehab (Interface), headquartered and operating in California, has agreed to pay $2 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by causing the submission of claims to Medicare for rehabilitation therapy services that were not reasonable or necessary.--DOJ

Mississippi Pharmacist Pleads Guilty to More than $180-Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

A Mississippi pharmacist pleaded guilty today for his role in a multimillion-dollar scheme to defraud TRICARE and private insurance companies by paying kickbacks to distributors for the referral of medically unnecessary compounded prescription medications that were ultimately dispensed by his pharmacies. The conduct allegedly resulted in more than $180 million in fraudulent billings, including more than $50 million paid by federal healthcare programs. --DOJ

Readout of White House & Department of Education Listening Session with Educators with Disabilities

Today, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, White House Office of Public Engagement Associate Director Emily Voorde, and Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services Deputy Assistant Secretary Katy Neas met with public educators from the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers. All assembled educators self-identified as Disabled. Secretary Cardona emphasized that educators with disabilities serve as critical advocates and role models for their students, particularly those with disabilities. The Secretary also reaffirmed the Biden Administration’s commitment to support educators with disabilities and students with disabilities. This roundtable comes just five days before the 31st anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act and is part of the Administration’s engagement with Disabled Americans during July’s Disability Pride Month.

Dept. of Education press release.

HUD AWARDS MORE THAN $27 MILLION TO LOCAL HIV/AIDS HOUSING PROGRAMS

Funding offers stable housing for individuals and families at risk of homelessness

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced more than $27 million to assist thousands of low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS and their families over a three-year period. The funding announced today is offered through HUD’s Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Program (HOPWA) and will renew HUD's support of 31 local programs. These grants provide a combination of housing assistance and supportive services for this vulnerable population.

“If You See Something, Say Something®” Campaign Materials Are Available in 10 Languages.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s "If You See Something, Say Something®” campaign is committed to educating the American public about how to recognize and report the signs of suspicious activity. We believe everyone has a role to play in keeping our communities safe and secure. To effectively meet that mission, the Campaign must be accessible to all of the communities that we serve.

BUSINESS & FINANCE NEWS:

Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen Sends Letter to Congressional Leadership on the Debt Limit.

https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0290

Federal Reserve Board statement on the Community Reinvestment Act.

The Federal Reserve Board on Tuesday announced it is committed to working together with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to jointly strengthen and modernize regulations implementing the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). "We are delighted to work together to develop a joint Notice of Proposed Rulemaking building on the Board's September 2020 Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, which was intended to provide a framework for a joint rulemaking that ensures the CRA remains a strong and effective tool to address inequities in access to credit and meet the needs of low- and moderate-income communities and garners broad support," said Federal Reserve Governor Lael Brainard.

REF. https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/bcreg20210720b.htm

IRS holds additional weekend events July 23-24 to help people with Child Tax Credit payments and Economic Impact Payments.

More than 2.2 million additional Economic Impact Payments disbursed under the American Rescue Plan.

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Department of the Treasury, and the Bureau of the Fiscal Service announced today they have disbursed more than 2.2 million additional Economic Impact Payments under the American Rescue Plan.

USDA Announces Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers.

WASHINGTON, July 20, 2021 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is providing up to $200 million to provide relief to timber harvesting and timber hauling businesses that have experienced losses due to COVID-19 as part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative.--USDA

US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR CITES FOUNDATION FOOD GROUP INC., THREE OTHER COMPANIES AFTER JAN. 28 INVESTIGATION FINDS SIX DEATHS WERE PREVENTABLE.

GAINESVILLE, GA – On Jan. 28, 2021, six workers went to work at a Gainesville poultry processing facility unaware that they would not return home. Just after their shift began, a freezer at the plant malfunctioned, releasing colorless, odorless liquid nitrogen into the plant’s air, displacing the oxygen in the room.

https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/osha/osha20210723

FTC to Ramp Up Law Enforcement Against Illegal Repair Restrictions.

(3) NEWS COMMENTARIES & LOCAL MEETINGS

NEWS COMMENTARY

FROM THE VOICES OF UNELECTED HEALTH OFFICIALS...

All of Clallam County are to submit to wearing mask again, or is the another case if Seattle is doing it we should thing?

Apparently, none of the County Commission, or City Coucil member Navarr Carr, had nothing to say during this week's board of health meeting.

What was reported were the non-elected health officers saying in essence we citizens of Clallam County can't be trusted doing the right thing in commonsence of getting vaccinated, and wearing mask when the occasion a rises. So we citizens need to be treated like children. The sheer arrogance of this smells bad.

So one should ask the Peninsula Daily News this question whose in charge of the board the health, the elected board members, or unelected health officers? --Peter Ripley

Time to mask up again against COVID-19

Honor system ‘not working’

PORT ANGELES — A refusal by residents to get COVID-19 vaccinations or wear masks, coupled with an increase in infections, should prompt a return to universal indoors masking on the North Olympic Peninsula as soon as Monday, the Clallam-Jefferson County health officer said Thursday.

Regional health officers will advise their counties on the Peninsula and in Puget Sound to re-institute non-mandatory guidance that masks should be worn in public gathering places in both government and business sectors, Dr. Allison Berry said.--PDN 7/22/21

https://www.peninsuladailynews.com/news/time-to-mask-up-again-against-covid-19/

Related stories:

King County health officer recommends everyone wear a mask ‘once again’

King County Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin recommends that everyone — vaccinated or not — wear a mask in indoor, public spaces.--MY NORTH WEST

https://mynorthwest.com/3052478/king-county-duchin-recommends-wear-a-mask/

Editor's Note: Was this coincidental? Yeah sure I buy that!--Peter Ripley

MORE NEWS COMMENTARIES

Dear Dr. Wen: Stop Obsessing Over Masks and Vaccine Passports and Do Something to Help--PJ MEDIA

Time to Play 'To Tell the Truth' With Dr. Fauci---News Busters

Face masks will never go away until Americans say no--Washington Times

For the vaccinated, risks of delta variant are small

Although the delta variant is far more contagious than previous versions of the coronavirus, vaccines still provide high protection rates.--Washington Examiner