Monday, June 27, 2016

STATE GOVERNMENT

► In the Seattle Times — New funding formula will mean cuts at some community colleges — A new state formula will lead to cutbacks at Washington’s community colleges, as well as changes in the types of courses the schools will offer. Seattle Colleges has started eliminating jobs and courses. The cuts come at a time when the national conversation centers on making community college tuition-free.

► In the Seattle Times — State’s community colleges plan to ask for additional $141 million — Saying they’ve been left behind when it comes to getting money from the state Legislature, the state’s community colleges say they want more funding to help students complete their degrees.

► In the (Everett) Herald — McCleary plaintiffs spurn state plan; lawmakers want fines lifted — With all the legal arguments filed, it’s only a matter of time before the state Supreme Court weighs in on the merit of lawmakers’ efforts to adequately fund Washington’s public school system. And it may not be a long wait.

LOCAL

► In the Oregonian — Cowlitz casino on track, still stirring controversy — Just 16 miles north of Portland, near the tiny Washington town of La Center, construction is roaring on what will become — by far — the metro area’s closest casino. An army of workers has already completed the shell of the Cowlitz Tribe’s planned $510 million resort. The 368,000-square-foot facility is set to open by spring 2017. But a dice throw’s worth of uncertainty surrounds the project.

2016 ELECTIONS

► In the Spokesman-Review — Obama to Washington Democrats: Stay involved — “You’ve got to stay involved in this election,” he told about 3,000 people at a fundraising dinner at the Washington State Convention Center. “It’s too important to stay home.” He praised Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee, who is seeking re-election, for fighting for stronger environmental protection, protections for gay and transgender residents, and expanded early education. “Give him four more years to get the job done,” Obama urged.

► In today’s News Tribune — In governor’s race, Bill Bryant trails Gov. Jay Inslee in fundraising – by a lot — Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee may not have needed the help of President Obama when it comes to raising money for his re-election campaign.

► In today’s Washington Post — In new poll, support for Trump has plunged, giving Clinton a double-digit lead — Donald Trump returns to the campaign trail from Scotland this week contending with sweeping unease about his candidacy as a large majority of Americans register their disapproval and see the Republican Party’s presumptive presidential nominee as discriminatory and unqualified, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

► In the Seattle Times — Wall-builders don’t realize that a multihued future is already here (by Danny Westneat) — We’re now in a political war about immigration and cultural change, with the “build a wall” crowd ascendant. But it’s hard to square the demagoguery with the reality at a local middle-school graduation.

► From AP — Trump emails: Can you spare $10 to help elect a billionaire? — One analysis found that 74 percent of his first fundraising requests landed in spam.

► In today’s NY Times — Hillary Clinton, Elizabeth Warren plan first joint appearance on trail — Warren’s endorsement of Clinton could do much to ease any concerns about unifying the party and to help bring Bernie Sanders’s supporters over to the Clinton corner.

► From MoveOn.org — In case you missed it…

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

► In the NY Times — Undocumented immigrants cautious after court ruling — Whether to speak out or stay hidden has long been a quandary for the millions of undocumented immigrants in the United States. The court’s decision on Thursday is amplifying that angst as immigrants wonder how aggressively they can push for change, or just lead normal lives, when one wrong move could mean a one-way trip to the country they left.

► In the NY Times — Low-priority immigrants still swept up in net of deportation — The short-handed Supreme Court effectively ended initiatives by President Obama that would have given protection from deportation to more than four million immigrants in the country illegally, most of them parents of American citizens. Obama showed his frustration with the decision, saying his goal was to help immigrants who had raised families here and helped the country with their work. The president said immigrants who might have qualified for the programs would still be safe from deportation. Still, deportations continue, thousands every week.

► From The Hill — Supreme Court denies review of minimum wage rule — The Supreme Court on Monday declined to review a lower court’s decision upholding a rule that requires home healthcare workers to be paid overtime pay.

► From Bloomberg — Social Security will be there for you, Millennials (by Ben Steverman) — Only 6 of them expect current benefits to be there when they hit 67 years old and 51 percent expect the program to become extinct. Experts disagree about almost everything on Social Security. They largely concur that, in this case, millennials are dead wrong.

The Stand posts links to Washington state and national news of interest every weekday morning by 10 a.m.