DAILY NEWS
Amazon vs. taxes | Dino’s dinner | When you join together | Super Bad
Thursday, May 4, 2018
LOCAL
► In today’s NY Times — Amazon pauses huge development plans in Seattle over tax plan
EDITOR’S NOTE — Jeff Bezos last week: I can’t think of any way to spend my money other than rocketships. Jeff Bezos today: I will halt Amazon HQ expansion in Seattle over proposed taxes to fund affordable housing. (Tweet by Mike Rosenberg)
► From KOMO — Outrage devolves into disrespect at town hall on Seattle’s head tax — Shouting and anger erupted at a fiery town hall on homelessness and a proposed big business tax to help.
► From C is for Crank — Tonight in Ballard: Two hours hate — At what was supposed to be a panel discussion, with a moderated Q&A, on a proposed business tax to pay for homeless services, was not just a crowd of angry neighbors wanting to be heard by their elected representatives. It was an organized mob that showed up with a single goal: To shut down dialogue, create chaos, and prevent people with opposing views from having a voice.
► From KOMO — May Day march organizers hope peaceful, non-violent demonstrations continue in future — Cariño Barragan from Casa Latina said the chaos and property destruction in the past has “been a distraction” from the real purpose of May Day. “For us May Day is a day to celebrate workers, to celebrate immigrant rights,” Barragan said. “The messages got out about workers’ rights, immigrants’ rights, about justice and dignity.”
► In today’s Yakima H-R — Cinco de Mayo celebrations planned for Yakima, Sunnyside — Organizers of Yakima’s annual Cinco de Mayo Cultural Festival are expecting entertainment and fair weather to again bring thousands downtown for the 17th annual celebration.
► In the (Longview) Daily News — CEO: WestRock-KapStone merger still on track — WestRock Co. CEO Steve Voorhees told investors Friday that the company’s $4.9 billion merger with KapStone Paper and Packaging Co. is still on track despite extra scrutiny from the U.S. Department of Justice.
ELECTIONS
► In today’s (Everett) Hareld — Initiative would bar governments from enacting soda taxes — Signature gathering began this week for a proposed statewide initiative (I-1635) to bar cities and counties from imposing their own taxes on sweetened beverages as well as other food and drinks typically sold in supermarkets.
► In today’s (Everett) Herald — GOP defends its turf in Congress, gives incumbent Democrats a pass — Washington has six — Rick Larsen, Suzan DelBene, Pramila Jayapal, Derek Kilmer, Adam Smith and Denny Heck — and none of them had a Republican challenger as of Wednesday, based on the online records of the FEC.
PREVIOUSLY at The Stand — It’s up to Republicans to hold Rep. Matt Shea accountable (March 21, 2016) — Here’s a guy whose rap sheet of illegal, inappropriate and embarrassing behavior includes posting creepy Facebook pictures of himself standing in a female political opponent’s driveway; displaying a gun, for which he had no permit, in a road-rage incident; and actively supporting the 2014 armed protest in Arizona on behalf of “Deadbeat on the Range” Cliven Bundy, where participants trained their weapons on public employees who were just trying to do their jobs. Now we learn that Rep. Shea was actively supporting Ammon Bundy and his band of armed occupiers at the federal Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon. Shea reportedly led a group of state legislators in negotiating with local and federal law enforcement officials on the occupiers’ behalf, ignored law enforcement officials’ requests not to visit with and “embolden” the occupiers, and shared tactical information from that meeting with the occupiers.
TEACHERS TAKE A STAND
► From the Hill — Arizona teachers hold vigil outside state capital as strike continues — Arizona teachers on Wednesday gathered outside of the state capitol in Phoenix and held a candlelight vigil as the state’s teachers strike continued. The vigil took place as state lawmakers debated a budget blueprint that would raise teacher’s pay, but does not address their other demands.
► In the Washington Post — Could North Carolina’s teachers be next to strike? Here’s the mess they’re in. — Teachers in states including West Virginia, Kentucky, Oklahoma and now Arizona have recently or are now striking for better pay and more education funding. This post is about why North Carolina teachers may be next.
THAT WASHINGTON
► In today’s Washington Post — Trump acknowledges his lawyer was reimbursed after payment to Stormy Daniels — President Trump said Thursday that his longtime lawyer, Michael Cohen, was reimbursed through a monthly retainer for the $130,000 payment made to porn actress Stormy Daniels to stop what Trump called “false and extortionist accusations” about a decade-old affair.
NATIONAL
► In the World Casino Directory — Palms Casino Resort Spa workers vote to unionize — In Las Vegas, workers at the Palms Casino Resort Spa have overwhelmingly voted to unionize with the Culinary Workers Union. The result came after a two-day secret ballot supervised by the NLRB saw some 84% of the around 900 workers at the Palms Casino Resort Spa vote to unionize.
EDITOR’S NOTE — Here’s what it feels like when you successfully join together with your co-workers to negotiate a fair return on your work.
So much strength, love, sacrifice, and power. That’s my union! Congratulations @Palms workers! Welcome to the union family! ✊??❤ pic.twitter.com/HoBtYqCTW6
— Bethany Khan (@BethanyKhan) April 29, 2018
EDITOR’S NOTE 2 — Find out how YOU can join together with your co-workers!
► From NJ.com — N.J. employers now required to give paid sick days to their workers — Nearly all of New Jersey’s private-sector workers will soon be allowed to receive paid sick time off under a law Gov. Phil Murphy on Wednesday, ending a years-long battle over the issue. The law — which takes effect in six months — will allow workers to accrue one hour of sick leave for every 30 hours worked. Workers can use up to 40 hours of sick leave a year.
T.G.I.T.
► Drummer John “Jabo” Starks died this week at the age of 79. Alongside fellow drummer Clyde Stubblefield, Starks was responsible for some of the funkiest beats in musical history that continue to be sampled by modern-day producers. The two were the powerhouse rhythm section for James Brown’s band. Roots drummer Questlove, described the dynamic between Starks and Stubblefield, saying, “Starks was the Beatles to Clyde’s Stones. A clean shuffle drummer to Clyde’s free-jazz left hand.” Bottom line: you’ve got to have a funky beat to make somebody dance like this. R.I.P., Mr. Starks.
The Stand posts links to Washington state and national news of interest every weekday morning by 10 a.m.