Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 102
OLYMPIA— 988 is the new, nationwide, three-digit dialing code for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. The 988 dialing code connects people via call, text, or chat to the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL), where compassionate, accessible care and support are available for anyone experiencing mental health-related distress. 988 is the newest addition to the state’s network of crisis center providers and will not replace any crisis call centers in Washington. The current NSPL number, 1-800-273-TALK (8255), will remain active alo...
OLYMPIA—The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission invites visitors to enjoy a state park on Saturday, June 11 in celebration of National Get Outdoors Day, Sunday, June 12 in recognition of Free Fishing Day, and Sunday, June 19 in honor of Juneteenth. Visitors are not required to display a Discover Pass for day-use visits to a Washington state park or on lands managed by the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) or Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) on these dates. Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation o...
OLYMPIA—Washington’s tuberculosis (TB) cases are rising, putting state and local public health officials on heightened alert. Widespread disruptions in public health and healthcare services and missed TB diagnoses due to similarities in symptoms between COVID-19 and TB are thought to have contributed to TB cases rising both locally and globally. TB reporting decreased in 2020 during the first year of the pandemic. Though efforts to prevent COVID-19 may also reduce the spread of TB, the decrease could also have been due to delayed or missed TB...
OLYMPIA — The Office of the Secretary of State received multiple reports of third-party canvassers presenting themselves as elections officials and going door-to-door across Washington asking residents about their voter information and other election-related questions. These canvassers are not affiliated with and do not represent the Office of the Secretary of State, its Elections division, or any of Washington’s 39 county elections offices. “I want to assure Washington voters that you are under no obligation to answer any questions from,...
OLYMPIA – On April 13, the Washington State Board of Health (SBOH) voted not to include COVID-19 in the state’s immunization requirements for school entry at this time. As stated in today’s SBOH meeting, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) supports the recommendation of the SBOH’s technical advisory group (TAG) and thanks the TAG for its thorough and methodical and transparent review of this matter over several months. During the SBOH discussion, it was made clear that both DOH and SBOH continue to support COVID-19 vaccines as bein...
OLYMPIA–Thousands of doses of a potentially life-saving COVID-19 drug are available in the state of Washington, potentially benefitting those at highest risk for hospitalization and death from COVID-19. Evusheld (tixagevimab co-packaged with cilgavimab) is a monoclonal antibody treatment that can provide protection against COVID-19. An injectable, it can be given to adults and children 12 years and older before infection with COVID-19. At present, those eligible to receive Evusheld include people who are moderately to severely i...
OLYMPIA—Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs encourages Washingtonians to do their due diligence and conduct research on the charities or nonprofits to which they donate to support relief efforts in Ukraine. “Americans are a generous people. Whenever a tragedy or crisis occurs around the world, we express our compassion by donating to any number of honest, legitimate charities,” said Secretary Hobbs. “These charities have the resources and infrastructure to ensure the money we contribute directly supports their designated causes....
OLYMPIA—Washington state legislative bill HB1928 (2021-22), concerning equine industry support, has passed the House and moved to the state Senate. On February 28, the Senate sent the bill to the Rules Committee for a second reading. Sponsored by Rep. Joe Schmick (R), Rep. Drew Stokesbary (R), Rep. Robert Sutherland (R ), Rep. Emily Wicks (D), and Rep. Tom Dent (R ), the bill could bring $6 million in support to Washington’s equine industry, including but not exclusively horse racing. The funds will come from sales tax collected through ind...
OLYMPIA—Governor Jay Inslee last week announced that, on March 21, the indoor mask mandate will be lifted for most settings. The February 17 announcement was made after nearly two years of mandated mask-wearing, and recent rapidly declining COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. Masks will no longer be required in schools, childcare facilities, bars, restaurants, churches, gyms, grocery stores, or retail and business establishments after the goal date. Masks will still be required for dental and outpatient offices, hospitals, long-term care f...
OLYMPIA—Abbott Nutrition announced late on Thursday, February 17, that it is voluntarily recalling powdered infant formula produced at their Sturgis facility in Michigan. This includes Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare brand formula. The recall comes after four consumer complaints about infant illnesses related to Cronobacter sakazakii and Salmonella bacteria. In all four cases, infants were hospitalized, and Cronobacter may have contributed to a death in one case. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is investigating and working with the U.S. C...
OLYMPIA—The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) changed how it presents information on its COVID-19 Data Dashboard on January 21. The goal is to display current trends and information that are most applicable to the current phase of the pandemic. DOH is also adjusting the frequency of COVID-19 dashboard updates from daily to three times a week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The most visible updates are to the Current Status tab on the dashboard. A new format will focus on three measures necessary for monitoring COVID-19 in Washingt...
OLYMPIA—The Washington State Board of Health (SBOH) will host a public, virtual meeting on January 12. The meeting has garnered much attention on social media from parents and caregivers of school-aged children. Rumors online suggest that the Board will be voting to require a COVID-19 vaccine for all school-aged children; however, that is not the case, according to a release that is available for viewing on www.sboh.wa.gov. The SBOH will not be voting to require a COVID-19 vaccine for c...
OLYMPIA‚—The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is recommending people 18 and older choose to receive an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) instead of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine. This update follows guidance and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup. Individuals who wish to receive the J&J vaccine are encouraged to reach out to their health care provi...
OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Health (DOH), is updating the health and safety requirements for high contact indoor sports in the wake of a multi-school, multi-county outbreak. The outbreaks are linked to a series of wrestling tournaments held in early December and are linked to an estimated 200 COVID-19 cases. Genomic sequencing recently confirmed at least three cases are omicron. DOH takes these outbreaks very seriously and is changing the existing guidance by adding the following health and safety measures for all indoor, h...
OLYMPIA—Vaccines remain the best public health tool available to protect people from COVID-19, slow transmission, and preserve our healthcare system. The emergence of the omicron variant in Washington further emphasizes the importance of vaccination and booster doses for everyone who is eligible. Boosters ensure long-lasting protection against waning immunity. All adults should make an appointment to get their booster dose as soon as they are eligible: Six months after you receive the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine Two months after you receive t...
OLYMPIA—Across the state, more than 129,000 children ages 5 through 11 have received their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech pediatric vaccine since eligibility expanded to include younger kids Nov. 3. Vaccinating children is a crucial step forward as we work to stop the spread of COVID-19 and end the pandemic. “While COVID-19 is often milder in children than adults, children can still get very sick and spread the disease to family and friends, which is an even bigger concern as people gather this holiday season,” said Umair A. Shah, MD, MPH,...
OLYMPIA— ’Tis the season for happy holidays, charitable giving…and scammers. The Office of the Secretary of State is encouraging people to “give smart” this holiday season to help them ensure their charitable donations go to their intended causes. GIVESMART!, a collaboration between the Office of the Secretary of State’s Corporations and Charities division and the state’s Attorney General’s office, empowers people to make informed and educated giving decisions. GIVESMART! offers resources that can help Washingtonians, as well as senior cente...
App use is helping to stop the spread of COVID-19 OLYMPIA— The Washington State Department of Health is celebrating a successful year of WA Notify, the state’s exposure notification app. More than 2.62 million people have enabled it- accounting for more than 43 percent of all smartphone users in the state. With disease transmission still high, it’s important that people continue adopting this key technology. “WA Notify has been a very successful innovation for our state, and we’re proud of the team at the Department of Health who helped create...
OLYMPIA—Booster doses of all three COVID-19 vaccine types are now available for everyone 18 and older. The expansion comes following recommendations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunizations Practices, and the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup. At least six months after receiving both doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine: Adults age 50 and older, or those 18 and older living in a long-term care facility, should receive a b...
OLYMPIA—As the snow begins to build in the Washington Cascades range, the State Parks Winter Recreation Program joins members of the International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association and the snowmobile community nationwide in promoting responsible snowmobile etiquette. The national “Take the Pledge” campaign aims to protect riding areas and trail systems for current and future generations. The campaign also reminds motorized recreationists to respect the landowners who provide access to their properties. Those who take the pledge agree to the...
OLYMPIA—The Department of Ecology has begun a process that will change plastics in Washington. On Monday, Ecology will begin a rulemaking required by the State Legislature that focuses on the recycled content portion of the 2021 plastics law and will establish how Ecology determines producer fees, oversight, and enforcement of the recycled content program. Rulemaking also ensures a transparent process, and gives regulated entities and the public time to understand the proposed regulations and offer input. Draft rule language will be a...
OLYMPIA—At its annual fall meeting, the WA529 Committee (GET’s governing body) voted to set the GET unit purchase price for the 2021-22 enrollment year at $114.01. This is the first time in GET’s history that the unit price matches the current payout value, based on the cost of tuition and state-mandated fees at Washington’s highest-priced public university (currently UW Tacoma, $11,401). While this year’s unit price happens to match the current payout value, this was coincidental and due primarily to changes in actuarial assumptions about fut...
OLYMPIA—The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is expanding the use of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses for certain individuals following recommendations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup. Last month, health care providers began offering booster doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech (Pfizer) booster, and third doses) have been given out across the state. Now, providers can...
OLYMPIA—The Washington State Department of Health is urging the public to get a flu vaccine this year to keep themselves and others safe and out of the hospital. Flu activity may be more common this year compared to last year because the closures that were in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 have been lifted. People are more active and mobile. Many adults have returned to in-person work and most children are back in school. “Preventing the spread of flu will be critical in the months to come because it will reduce additional strain on...
OLYMPIA —Soon, schools across Washington will be teeming with students for the first time in more than a year. Supporting the effort to get students back into schools, and formulating plans to help keep our schools open, has been a priority for the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) for months. This year, back-to-school occurs amid a COVID-19 surge in all regions of the state. So, the strategy for a healthy return includes layered protections: encouraging vaccines for all eligible students, requiring staff to be vaccinated, n...
