Olympia this week

Inslee extends restrictions on small businesses into next year  (Seattle Times)

Jay Inslee announced his latest restrictions on small businesses will be extended for three weeks – that means they will stay in place through the holidays and into the new year.

House and Senate Republicans released a joint statement opposing Inslee’s decision. The statement reads, “It’s very disappointing to see someone who has been drawing a government salary through this entire hardship ordering small businesses to continue complying with restrictions that are making it hard or impossible for them to feed their families. The governor has no idea the anguish and desperation average people are feeling right now.”

Business leaders are also expressing their opposition to Inslee’s latest order. Anthony Anton, president and CEO of the Washington Hospitality Association, stated, “This extended shutdown will decimate the hospitality industry, with no evidence to support that shutting our industry down works to control the spread of the virus.”

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Yakima Valley gym owner contests COVID fine and wins (Yakima Herald)

According to a state industrial appeals judge, the owner of Anytime Fitness owner in the Yakima area does not have to pay fines – $9,639 and $28,917 – imposed by the state Department of Labor & Industries for violating of the state’s COVID-19 restrictions.

The judge ruled that the state L&I failed to show sufficient evidence that “Anytime Fitness employees were in risk of exposure to COVID-19 when locations in Yakima, Selah and Union Gap were open in violation of Safe Start, the state’s reopening plan.”

L&I has 20 days to appeal the decision. The gym’s attorney says he “welcomed the opportunity to show further that L&I could not prove its case” against his client.

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WA Department of Health misses COVID tracking target by 84% (Washington Policy Center)

"They are doing better than they expected...."

The Washington State Department of Health’s (DOH) only contacted 6% of people who tested positive for COVID-19 as part of their attempt to contract trace to help prevent further spread. The DOH’s self-imposed goal is 90%.

Despite the embarrassing failure, officials insist that “they are doing better than expected, considering the most recent surge and staffing levels.”

Washington Policy Center’s Todd Myers put it, “We can be certain that as long as the Washington State Department of Health Considers missing its own target by more than 90% ‘better than expected,’ we cannot rely on their efforts to effectively limit the spread of the coronavirus.”

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Seattle police officers continue to leave at high rates (770KTTH)

The mass exodus of police officers from the Seattle Police Department (SPD) continues. Another 33 officers left since the beginning of November.

With Seattle Democrats defunding the SPD, morale is understandably low among police officers. More officers are expected to leave by early next year – a high number of officers have applied to law enforcement agencies outside of Seattle.

Officers are dealing with frequent assaults and rising crime rates – including a 12-year high homicide rate (KING5).

Seattle Police Officer’s Guild President Officer Mike Solan cites the “nonsensical agenda” of the “activist mob” for pushing the officers out and warns crime will get worse.

Unfortunately, Seattle Democrats have sided with the activist mob’s nonsensical agenda.