By Spencer Pauley The Center Square
Harrell said in a news release.
Seattle’s current minimum wage is set at $19.97 an hour for businesses that employ more than 500 workers. Smaller employers can pay their workers a minimum $17.25 per hour if they pay $2.72 per hour toward medical benefits, or if the employee earns $2.72 per hour in tips.
Nothing beats getting garden inspiration in 3-D. Being immersed in the garden lets you see, smell, and feel the space in a way that books, magazines and social media can’t touch. The lay of the land, color interactions, and plant relationships reveal themselves to you on a gut level. Even in winter, gardens have much to teach, but for obvious reasons, May through September are high season for garden touring. This year I had the pleasure of joining The Garden Fling (gardenfling.org), a meetup for garden writers, influencers and professionals exploring a new destination each year.
The organizers curated three dawn-to-dusk days of inspiration this July, using Tacoma as a base. In addition to stellar private gardens of every size and style, five public gardens were included: The Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden and PowellsWood Garden in
Last August, Seattle City Councilmember Joy Hollingsworth proposed a bill to extend the city’s $2.72 tip credit, but pulled the legislation just three days after it was initially introduced.
Staff report
Book IV of Magnolia history “MAGNOLIA: More Memories & Milestones” will be launched from 2-4 p.m. on Oct. 26, at Magnolia United Church of Christ with a book reading and neighborhood party. The party will be Halloween themed, celebrating of the “Ghoul Ol’ Days” featuring the history of Magnolia’s Giant Pumpkin Patch. The Magnolia Historical Society is inviting kids of all ages in the community to the launch of this new on-line, ongoing book. Stories to be released include the history of Fire Station No. 41, Ruth Prins (Wunda Wunda), the 35-year history of the Magnolia Chorale plus several fun Magnolia memories. Get a giant pumpkin seed.
Costumes, crafts, coloring and more treats (no tricks) are planned. There will be prizes. The other three award winning/nominated books will be launched as Kindle editions as well that evening.
Anyone interested in writing new stories, have a topic to suggest or old images to share, or could serve as a peer editor is encouraged to contact us and join our Book IV team. To get more information on party: www.magnoliahistorcialsociety.org
To RSVP for the book launch festivities or volunteer to make more Magnolia memories contact us at info@magnoliahistoricalsociety.org.
Sunday Worship at 10am Live Streamed on our Facebook page and YouTube. Simply look for Magnolia Lutheran Church.
Twelfth Church of Christ, Scientist
In Person and Online Church Services
All are welcome & warmly invited to join these healing services
For best audio results, please join by clicking on the link from your computer or smartphone and choose “Call Over Internet”
All Zoom Services Meeting ID: 418 806 2637 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4188062637
Sunday Services 11:00am – 12noon Pacific
Wednesday Testimonies 7:30pm – 8:30pm Pacific
Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lessons
Our weekly Bible Lesson Sermon may be found here: https://quarterly.christianscience.com/
Additional Healing Resources: ChristianScience.com CSWashington.com SeattleMetroReadingRoom.org
For additional assistance, please contact us at seattle12cs@gmail.com or 206.283.2300 ChristianScienceTwelfthSeattle.com
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By Carleen Johnson The Center Square
The Joint Washington State and Oregon Transportation Commissions met Tuesday in Vancouver, Wash., to discuss and adopt toll recommendations for the yet-to-be-built Interstate Bridge Replacement project that connects Washington and Oregon.
It began as the Columbia River Crossing project in 2004, but after years of study and evaluation, that project was suspended in 2014 due to a lack of regional consensus.
In 2019, state leaders resurrected the plan and created the joint commission made up of transportation leaders from Oregon and Washington.
“We really hit a major milestone 11 days ago when we were able to publish out draft environmental impact statement," said Frank Green, assistant program administrator on the IBR program.
“We’re really trying to get out there and ask the public to provide comments to us on the EIS.
The draft EIS indicates short-term and long-term property and property rights effects that include the removal of up to 76 homes and 39 businesses in an acquisition area of more than 36 acres, depending on which final design is adopted.
The joint commission is hosting upcoming public meetings about the draft EIS and taking public comment through the middle of November.
“We look to have a final supplemental EIS by mid to late 2025,” said Green.
Construction could begin as early as late 2025.
Before a discussion on tolling options, there was an opportunity for public comment.
Debra Kelz has lived in Vancouver since 1971 and told commission members she often has to drive into Oregon for medical reasons.
“I’m very concerned about having to pay tolls to get my medical care,” she said.
Paul Edgar told commissioners he objects to adding light rail to the bridge.
“It adds three billion to the total cost,” Edgar said.
“WSDOT [Washington State Department of Transportation] will pay some of that, ODOT [Oregon Department of Transportation] will pay some, but a significant portion will have to be paid by tolls.”
“Without having a vote of the people to subsidize light rail, you’re barking up the wrong tree,” he said. “It
should be eliminated from the proposal.”
Dean Suhr is with an Oregon group hoping to get a ballot measure qualified to force a vote of the people before a decision is made to toll the bridge.
“It’s going to force transparency and accountability,” said Suhr, who failed to get enough signatures to qualify a measure for the ballot this year.
He said he will try again in 2026.
Suhr made reference to something previously reported by the Center Square –that is, the project's increasing cost.
“The budget for this project in 2020 was $4.8 billion, last December it was $6.5 billion, and I’m hearing that with the latest cost estimates what we’ll get in 2025 is about $9 billion,” said Suhr, who urged commission members to give other interested parties a chance to be more involved.
“We really want to be at the table discussing all this with you,” he explained. “Public comment is nice, but we want to be at the table.”
Ed Barry with the bi-state tolling subcommittee gave an update on potential scenarios for tolling the bridge, ahead of a final vote taken by the commission.
One of the points of discussion was potential toll exemptions or discounts for members of 10 federally recognized tribes in the region.
Washington state already allows tolling exemptions for a handful of tribes, including the Nez Perce and Yakama Nation.
The commission has considered several scenarios for tolling. At the end of Tuesday’s meeting, members voted in favor of what it called the Level 3 tolling scenario for further study.
Toll rates could start as low as $1.55 to $3.20 per trip, depending on time of day and traffic volume, or start out at $2 to $4.70 at the top end.
In that scenario, members of the bi-state tolling subcommittee told the commission they would plan to leverage at least $1.24 billion in toll revenue for capital funding to as much as $1.6 billion.
The plan calls for charging big trucks up to four times the toll of other drivers and giving 50% discounts to low income drivers.
Toll rates would go up at least 2% annually and would kick in before the bridge is complete, starting in spring of 2026.
By Lynda Balslev
You might call this recipe a two-fer. It's not just about the roasted delicata squash. It's also about the smear of labneh that accompanies it.
Delicata is a small, oblong winter squash with green and yellow striated skin. The skin is edible (and nutrient-rich), so there's no need to peel it. Delicata cooks quickly, and roasting is an easy method that amplifies its sweet and creamy flavor. Halve the squash lengthwise or slice into thin rings or half-moons to roast.
Labneh is a soft cheese made from strained cultured dairy products, such as yogurt and kefir. It's a tangy, creamy Middle Eastern staple that is often used as a dip and spread. It's also packed with probiotics and nutrients such as calcium and vitamin A.
In this recipe, labneh provides a luxurious swipe for the roasted squash. The labneh is infused with preserved lemons and za'atar (a Middle Eastern spice mix), which bring salty, citrusy zing to the creamy labneh. Preserved lemons are lemons that are salted and brined in their own juice. The brining process softens their skin, which you can eat. When buying preserved lemons, save the juices in the jar to use as a flavor booster. A final shower of pistachios and lemon zest dresses up the finished dish.
You can purchase labneh, preserved lemons and za'atar in wellstocked markets or specialty stores. You can also make your own labneh; a recipe is provided below.
ROASTED DELICATA
SQUASH WITH LABNEH
Active time: 10 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Yield: Serves 4
Squash:
■ 2 medium delicata squash, sliced crosswise in 1/2-inch-thick rings, seeds removed
■ 1 tablespoon olive oil
■ 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
■ 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
■ 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
■ 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Labneh:
■ 1 cup prepared labneh (recipe below)
■ 1/2 preserved lemon, pulp removed, skin finely diced, divided
■ 1 small garlic clove, grated or minced
■ 2 teaspoons jarred preserved lemon juice (or fresh lemon juice)
■ 1/2 teaspoon za'atar
Garnishes:
Chopped fresh mint, chopped pistachios, finely grated lemon zest
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Place the squash in a bowl. Drizzle with the oil and spices and toss to coat.
Spread the squash in one layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast in the oven until tender and charred in spots, about 25 minutes, flipping the squash once.
While the squash roasts, scoop the labneh into a bowl. Add half of the preserved lemon skin, the garlic, lemon juice and za'atar and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning.
To serve, smear the labneh on a serving platter or individual serving plates. Arrange the squash over the labneh. Garnish with the remaining chopped lemon skin, mint, pistachios and lemon zest.
Labneh
Active time: 5 minutes
Total time: 5 minutes plus draining time
Yield: Makes about 2 cups
■ 4 cups whole milk plain yogurt ■ 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Mix the yogurt and the salt in a bowl. Line a sieve with cheesecloth and place over a bowl, with space between the bottom of the sieve and the bowl to separate any drained liquid. Place the yogurt in the cheesecloth. Cover the sieve and refrigerate for 24 hours. Remove the labneh from the cheesecloth and transfer to a glass container. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Lynda Balslev is an award-winning writer, cookbook author, and recipe developer based in northern California. Visit TasteFood at TasteFoodblog.com.
Grocery definitions to play key role in Kroger-Albertsons merger case
By Sue Lani Madsen The Center Square contributor
A ruling in the Kroger-Albertsons merger case will hinge on how U.S. District Court Judge for Oregon Adrienne Nelson interprets a 1980s-era definition of the grocery industry in the 21st-century marketplace.
Post-hearing memoranda were due Sept. 27. Judge Nelson’s decision will address issues of monopoly, monopsony, and the rise of e-commerce.
Last month, Cincinnati, Ohiobased Kroger and Boise, Idahobased Albertsons concluded a hearing before the Federal Trade Commission regarding the government’s August motion for a preliminary injunction to block the two grocery giants’ proposed $24.6 billion merger.
The two companies operate more than 300 grocery stores across
Washington, including Kroger stores branded as QFC and Fred Meyer and Albertsons stores under the Safeway and Haggen brands.
The FTC claims the merger would violate antitrust laws and raise consumer prices by creating a monopoly.
A monopoly is a market structure where a single seller controls the supply of a product or service.
A monopsony is a market structure where a single buyer controls the demand for a product or service.
Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed a parallel lawsuit in January. In addition to AG staff assigned to the case, Ferguson contracted with the Los Angeles firm of Munger, Tolles & Olsen for $2.5 million in fees.
Although filed under Washington antitrust law, the case seeks a nationwide injunction. King County Superior Court Judge Marshall Ferguson – no relation to the attorney
general – has already stated that he is not sure of having jurisdiction in what is typically a federal case but will let the case continue. Closing arguments are anticipated in early October.
A federal injunction would block the merger until the full case is heard by the court next year. Merger discussions may or may not continue, as the parties may assume their odds of winning are reduced.
Eric Fruits is a senior scholar at the International Center for Law & Economics and an adjunct professor of economics at Portland State University. Last year, he authored a white paper evaluating publicly available information on the potential merger.
The breadth of the competition laid out during the hearing surprised him.
“How to define the relevant
Staff Report
The Seattle Department of Transportation completed its seismic retrofit of the McGraw Street Bridge in just 9 months, with a budget of $7.5 million. The Levy to Move Seattle, passed in 2015, funded the retrofit. The current bridge was constructed over Wolf Creek Ravine in 1936. Now it is sturdier and more capable of withstanding earthquakes. The following tasks were included in the project:
• Installed carbon fiber wrapping to strengthen the bridge's crossbeams, columns, and arches
• Strengthened the existing arch with a
concrete infill wall
• Installed concrete blocks and supportive shells for the bridge's columns and crossbeams
• Repaired cracks and damaged concrete
• Replaced the expansion joints at both ends of the bridge
• The McGraw Street Bridge is a designated city landmark that is part of the Queen Anne boulevard on top of Queen Anne hill. Now that the bridge is open again, people that walk, run, bicycle, or drive along the boulevard will enjoy the reconnected road. For more information, contact the Seattle Department of Transportation at 206-684ROAD (7623) or 684-Road@seattle.gov.
From page 1
Federal Way, Point Defiance Park in Tacoma, and Heronswood Garden in Kingston. It will be painful paring all these treasures into one column, as many would merit their own, but I’ll try by sticking to day one.
That first day focused on Vashon Island. I had seen many of the gardens during a Northwest Perennial Alliance tour previously, but I was delighted to return, as they were some favorites.
The 2 1/3-acre garden of Whit and Mary Carhart is not only amazing for its location - a wooded hillside facing Quartermaster Bay – but also its incredible garden rooms ranging from shady trails to wildflower meadows. Art punctuates and highlights the plant-powered beauty everywhere you look. Glass salmon jump up a “river” of golden hakonechloa grass, four child-sized dancers by sculptor Dominic Benhura, cavort through waving grass, and you’ll find a tea house, moon gate, outdoor shower, painted children’s play shed and more.
Everything looked exceptionally wellgrown. I especially noticed things I’m still learning to grow, like annual poppies; there was a stand of bread seed poppies almost as tall as I am. A hilltop pergola nestled in rare trees and woodland plants overlooks a glacial blue pond bookended by the bay. The owners’ dedication to creative plant pairings and plantsmanship is obvious. I appreciated the liberal elements of surprise balanced with spaces of retreat.
We followed that with the waterside garden of Anita Halsted, featuring a lawn chess board, meditation labyrinth, a dragon topiary (or sea serpent?) and countless moments of whimsy from ceramic art poles to painted chairs turned into planters. Six-acre Frogssong Gardens was next, with an estate-like feel (bookable for events) with rose gardens, a hot-toned summer annual garden, and just gorgeous mixed borders mixing bananas and
The Seattle Department of Transportation completed its seismic retrofit of the McGraw Street Bridge earlier this month.
hydrangeas. I think the most photographed duet was a Cercis ‘Rising Sun,’ a Kodachrome sunset of raspberry, gold and apricot with a hydrangea in the most piercing violet.
After Mount Rainier views welcomed us home on the ferry we stopped at the Point Defiance Park’s extensive trial gardens –whose dahlia and rose gardens would be worth a view through September or midOctober, I would think.
We capped off our day at a Tacoma townhouse dubbed the Gray Garden. Despite the majestic Sound view, our gazes were fixated on the garden at the back. Carved into the
steepest hillside, ribbons of plantings rolled by. What struck me about this one was the power of a palette. Sticking to a strong palette – in this case, chartreuse, black and white – from plantings to furniture makes the picture so satisfyingly easy to read. Your eye instantly appreciates it and delivers an internal “ahhh.” Did I mention the trail leads to a mini-Stonehenge-like pergola looking back toward the patio?
You never know what you’ll find on garden tours. Getting a peek inside another gardener’s brain is part of the fun. If you want to get in on garden touring next year, look up
organizations like the Northwest Perennial Alliance (https://www.northwestperennialalliance.org/) which hosts tours for members each weekend in season and the Northwest Horticulture Society (northwesthort. org/ ) for occasional tour events. Regions, garden clubs and neighborhoods often hold their own public tours, like the Mount Baker Garden Club Tour (www.mountbakergardentour.com), the Woodinville Garden Club Tour (https://woodinvillegardenclub.org/ tour-of-gardens/), and the Whidbey Island Garden Tour (https://www.wigt.org/), to name a few.
By Carleen Johnson
The Center Square
It’s unclear how many people watched, but there was another contentious election debate Tuesday night in addition to the one between the U.S. vice presidential candidates.
The candidates for Washington Secretary of State took part in a debate hosted by the League of Women Voters.
Duties of the Secretary of State include supervising state and local elections, filing and verifying initiatives and referendums, registering nonprofits, collecting and preserving the historical records of the state, among others.
Incumbent Steve Hobbs is running against challenger Dale Whitaker.
There were several heated exchanges between the candidates over election misinformation and disinformation, and over Hobbs removing the 30-day residency requirement for voting in local and state elections.
“The 30-day residency requirement is there to safeguard our local elections and make sure there is no transient voting and that the people voting are tied to that community,” Whitaker said. “We can’t allow people to come into our local communities on election day, provide an ID and say they live at an address in that county and then vote on those issues.”
Whitaker claimed Hobbs broke the law by removing the 30-day residency requirement, as first reported by The Center Square.
“He removed any legal impetus for us to actually go after people who are breaking the law,” argued Whitaker.
Hobbs defended his decision.
“They have every right to vote,” Hobbs said. “We don’t want voter suppression, and that’s what would happen to stop people from voting when they move to a new community. They have every right to have a voice in their new community.”
He went on to say, “I support same day registering and same day voting because I’m all about people having access to the ballot box."
Hobbs emailed a follow up response to questions from The Center Square about removing the 30-day residency requirement.
"I will not disenfranchise new Washingtonians, and I will not disenfranchise military personnel and their families, like mine, who during parts of their service move frequently. All eligible voters have a right to a voice in their community through their vote," Hobbs said.
The candidates also sparred over Hobbs contracting with Logically AI to surveil social media for election disinformation and misinformation.
“We go down a dangerous path when we let people decide what
is hate speech and good speech,”
Whitaker said during a Wednesday morning interview with The Center Square. “Americans don’t like to be surveilled.”
Whitaker accused Hobbs of bypassing the required bidding process in contracting with Logically AI.
“He bypassed that by going to South Puget Sound College and giving them 15% of the contract value, for them awarding the contract to his friends at Logically AI,” he claimed. “Logically AI is scouring the internet, compiling data on citizens and sending Hobbs reports bi-weekly and there have been people including state legislators that have been in those reports and everyday American citizens."
The accusations first surfaced late in 2023 and resulted in the Washington State Republican Party filing a complaint with the Washington State Executive Ethics Board against Hobbs for using taxpayers’ money to surveil critics.
The board dismissed the complaint, and nothing more came of it.
During the debate, Hobbs defended scouring social media.
“We have to scan social media and expose false narratives,” he explained. “These are people making public posts on their social media, and if I see a false narrative that’s trending, for example, one that says people are hacking into elections, then we know and work with the news media and put out our own social media and let people know.”
Hobbs referenced the ethics board challenge.
“Nothing bad happened and the ethics committee cleared me of that,” said Hobbs, who indicated contracting with Logically AI was cheaper than hiring a huge team of employees to scan social media.
Hobbs defended the contracting process.
"There is a lengthy and often complex state contracting process for all state contracts," he emailed. "This followed state process."
The debate moderator also asked the candidates about ballot security with all-mail voting.
“Going back to polling centers is an archaic idea that is incredibly expensive and not very secure,” Hobbs said, noting people can vote in person at the county auditor's office.
Whitaker said he supported all voting options, but remains opposed to requiring voters to declare a party preference on the outside of the envelope in a presidential election.
“There were over 40,000 people who returned their ballots in the presidential primary, who did not mark that party declaration box because they felt it violated their right to privacy,” he said, adding that Hobbs has resisted efforts to change that requirement.
The Rotary Club of Magnolia will be sponsoring the Wreaths Across America at the Fort Lawton Post Cemetery in Discovery Park, Magnolia at 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14. This is part of a national program to honor our veterans at Christmas.
Wreaths Across America began over 20 years ago when the veterans' graves at Arlington National Cemetery were decorated with donated excess wreaths by a tree farm in Maine. That first donation event gained national attention, and the following years
From page 3
market is a key issue,” Fruits said. “No one knows how to handle e-commerce. Both the FTC and the Kroger-Albertson’s team had a hard time articulating how important that is.”
The FTC counts stand-alone supermarkets and the grocery areas of big-box retailers Walmart and Target as competitors.
Costco, limited-inventory stores like Trader Joe's, and the rapidly spreading “dollar store” neighborhood markets are not considered competitors.
What Fruits described as “the
WAGE
From page 1
Harrell has supported the end of the tip credit, and previously noted that the COVID-19 pandemic and rising inflation were not factored in to the city's original projections, exacerbating the disparity between wages.
it became a holiday event that spread throughout the country as well as military cemeteries overseas. Four cemeteries in the greater Seattle area participate in this event.
The Rotary Club of Magnolia organizes this event at Fort Lavvton Post Cemetery and the goal is to decorate the 632 veterans' grave. This event is held simultaneously across the nation. The ceremony at Fort Lawton will start at 9 a.m. There will be a short program followed by the laying of the wreaths. The public is invited to lay wreaths on the graves.
archaic concept of the one-stop shopper still holds” under the FTC rule last tested in the 1980s.
“It defines the typical grocery store shopper as one who will drive less than five miles and will make all purchases for the household at a single store. These are not the typical customers anymore; it is unusual not to visit several stores.”
In addition to regional competition from destination “club” stores like Costco, consumers now have many options for center-aisle goods. Dog food, paper products, and other nonperishables have moved online for ordering and delivery.
“While this is the right thing for wage fairness, we recognize it will present a significant change for many small businesses who are still recovering from the impacts of the pandemic and the resulting record inflation,” Harrell said. “We are committed to aggressively addressing many of the pressures
This event depends on donations to fund the purchase of the wreaths. A donation of $17 will purchase one wreath. A donation of $85 (5) wreaths or more will be acknowledged in our program. Please consider sponsoring a wreath(s) by making a donation and then plan to attend the event as part of your holiday activities. You may donate by scanning the QR code below, or online at 158P, or by contacting the Rotary Club of Magnolia at info@tmagnoliarotarv.orc.
Nov. 19, is the deadline for donations so the wreaths may be shipped in time for the ceremony.
However, Fruits said the labor marketplace has also changed. The retail sector is diverse, and skills acquired in the grocery industry are readily transferable to a variety of retail settings across different industry sectors.
When asked what would happen if the federal judge ruled in favor of the merger and the state court found that the merger violated Washington state law, Fruits speculated that it would most likely result in stores owned by the merged entity in the Evergreen State being sold off or closed.
“It’s a case of better be careful what you wish for,” he said.
facing small restaurants moving forward ... including best practices in addressing the absence of a tip credit.”
Seattle now has the highest minimum wage in the county at $20.76. The second highest is a tied between the city of Tukwila and unincorporated parts of King County at $20.29 an hour.
Seattle Public Schools
Superintendent Brent Jones has announced that the district will consider closing five schools rather than 21 in order to reduce a $94 million budget deficit.
The closures would come before the start of the 20252026 school year.
Closing one school could result in savings between $750,000 to $2.5 million for the district. This means closing five schools could save between $3.75 million and $12.5 million in order to help the district face the $94 million budget gap.
The initial school closure proposals would have saved the district approximately
$30 million by closing 21 schools. That would have left an estimated gap of $64 million for the district to address after consolidations.
Instead, this new proposal would leave Seattle Public Schools officials with a lingering budget gap of $81.5 million to $90.25 million.
“We are working hard to close an approximate $100 million budget deficit for the 2025-26 school year,” Jones said in an update. “Each consolidation will moderately lower this deficit, contributing to our longterm financial stability.”
The revised plan does not consider closures of K-8 and option schools, as opposed to the initial proposals. These option schools include specialized service
Members of the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission met over three days last week in Spokane to discuss a number of topics, but concerns over gray wolf predation dominated comments from the public.
The commission recently voted against a Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife recommendation to downlist the gray wolf from endangered to threatened, or sensitive, status.
Downlisting the wolves would have meant lesser penalties for poaching, as well as somewhat easier access to permits to kill wolves that attack livestock.
on ranchers in dealing with the wolves needs to be taken seriously.
Commissioner Wes McCart also raised concerns about cougars.
models like deaf and dual language immersion.
The near $100 million budget deficit is a result of weaker revenue streams and a continually decreasing enrollment. Over the past seven years alone, enrollment at Seattle Public Schools has dropped by 4,000 students. Despite this, the district still operates nearly the same number of school buildings.
District officials are now in the process of determining which five schools will be recommended for consolidation for the 2025-2026 school year.
Jones and the school board will determine which schools to consolidate based on building conditions, learning environment, enrollment and capacity, access to specialized service models, and a facility’s ability to keep as many students and families together as possible.
The Center Square previously reported on Seattle Public Schools eyeing cuts to programs and staff to continue fixing the budget deficit even if the district went through with closing 21 schools.
Total staff-related costs make up 83.3% of district spending, so any cuts to save $64 million could come from transportation changes, staffing reductions, increased class sizes, program closures, mandatory fees and salary reductions. However, future cuts may be necessary to address a budget gap of upwards of $90.25 million in the 20262027 school year.
Preliminary recommendations for five school closures are expected to be revealed by the end of October.
“We just went through an eight month process without the commission so much as dipping a toe into the eastern half of the state,” Ryan Garrett said during a public comment period.
Garrett blasted the commission for making its decision on the wolf without talking to people most impacted by the ruling.
“Your disdain for rural perspectives has been demonstrated countless times,” he said.
Rep. Joe Schmick, R-Colfax, told commission members growers and ranchers in his district are struggling because of the wolves.
“The cows are beat up," he said. "They’re scarred and have a lot of injuries."
In a follow-up interview with The Center Square, Schmick said he believes the overall wolf population is higher than what WDFW is reporting.
“I think the numbers are much higher than what the department is putting out, because they can only put out what they see visually,” he explained. “These are smart animals that are hard to see and hard to track and to count, so I believe we’ve got a lot more wolves out there than we think.”
He went on to say, “I’ve got one sheep grower who lost his whole herd of 300 sheep up in the northeast part of the state. At the end of that year he told me had less than 10 sheep left.”
Cattle are being targeted as well.
“Currently down in the southeast corner growers are having a number of attacks on cattle and they’re coming back beat up big with scars, scrapes and open wounds, and they’re losing calves and cattle and the numbers keep growing,” Schmick said.
Schmick told the commission the added stress
“The suicide rate among growers and farmers is three times the rate it is among the general population, and do not think for a minute that this does not add stress to our growers,” he said.
More than 50,000 Americans took their own lives in 2023, the nation’s highest yearly rate of suicide on record. Farmers are 3.5 times more likely to die by suicide than the general population, according to the National Rural Health Association.
That report listed stressors including financial strain, inclement weather damaging crops, and disease and other threats to livestock.
Last month, WDFW approved the lethal removal of two wolves from the Onion Creek wolf pack in northeast Washington, in response to repeated attacks on cattle in Stevens and Pend Oreille counties.
During the meeting, Dr. Ben Maletzke, WDFW's statewide wolf specialist, explained the process of getting to a decision to take lethal action.
“When we do consider lethal removal, at least two non-lethal deterrence measures need to have been tried,” he spelled out.
Ranchers and growers also have to have documented proof of depredation.
“At least one of those needs to be a confirmed kill of livestock, they can’t all be injuries,” Maletzke said.
“We’re averaging two to nine lethal removals each year,” he added, noting there are times when ranchers and growers can shoot and kill a wolf.
Between 2013 and 2023, Maletzke said there were 12 reports into WDFW of wolves "caught in the act" of attacking a domesticated animal, and there were eight wolves killed in those 12 reported cases over that 10-year period.
Stevens County
“I mean no disrespect with my comments, but I’m going to be rather blunt,” said said.
“You changed the rules on cougars, essentially eliminating any hunting and because of the mismanagement and overpopulation of cougars, we have multiple sightings posted on the web, almost daily of cougars that are not sole creatures running around, but in packs of four, five or six,” McCart said.
The animals have been spotted in areas where people live.
“We see them in the neighborhoods now, and this is not where they belong,” he said. “For some reason this commission does not want to recognize that the cougar population in our area is overwhelming.”
The Center Square reached out to WDFW for response to Rep. Schmick’s comments about added stress on ranchers and growers due to wolves and high suicide rates among the agriculture community in general.
Staci Lehman, communications manager for Eastern Washington Region 1, responded via email.
“WDFW does not have any information relative to suicide rates but we certainly understand the added impacts from adjusting ranching operations to avoid and minimize conflicts with wolves, including delaying turn-out of cow/calf pairs and additional human presence and monitoring of cow behavior, among other mitigation measures," she said.
“Not to mention when depredations occur, the impacts that it can have to the family business financially and the toll it takes on a rancher seeing an animal in their care hurt. WDFW offers a number of ways to support ranchers and we continually look to improve on how we deliver that support.”