LaMay’s video of his final sign-off telling Gov. Inslee to “kiss my —” made headlines.

Rantz: Trooper tells Gov. Inslee to ‘kiss my…’ in final sign-off before vaccine mandate

Trooper LaMay started his career with the Washington State Patrol in May 1999. He worked all over the state, including in Poulsbo, Bremerton, Union Gap, Ellensburg, and finally Yakima.

In total, LaMay served over 22 years before he retired in October 2021.

Chief John R. Batiste released a statement Friday evening:

“I am deeply saddened over the news that our former friend and colleague Trooper Robert LaMay has passed away. This agency’s prayers and remembrances are with his family and loved ones. Rob served honorably for over two decades and we were disappointed to see him leave the agency this past October. His service to this state and agency will be long remembered and appreciated.

Let us now remember our old friend, support his family and loved ones, give thanks for his service, and resolve to meet the challenges ahead with continuing duty, dignity and respect.”

BREAKING: ⁦⁩ has been able to confirm Trooper LaMay died after a battle with Covid. He famously quit over vaccine mandates, saying in a viral video in his last WSP radio transmission that “Governor Inslee can kiss my a**.” He was 50. ⁦⁩

— Charlie Harger (@����XվCharlie)

Police say the 42-year-old woman was arrested without incident at a home in Tacoma on Friday afternoon. Surveillance video and tips led to her arrest.

Wendy Haddow, spokesperson for the Tacoma Police Department, told ����Xվ Radio they do believe the woman is responsible for most or all of the arsons this week.

As of Thursday morning, 15 fires had been reported in the Tacoma area since Tuesday evening. Police have been investigating them as arsons.

No injuries were reported in the fires.

The building with the most damage was at a home on North Gove Street, in the 4600 block. Firefighters arrived around 2:23 a.m. Wednesday to find flames coming from the roof of the single-family home.

The fire was extinguished about 20 minutes later.

Jack Kelly lives next door to the house and told ����Xվ Newsradio reporter Nicole Jennings that he could feel the heat from the fire in his living room. He believes he knows why it was a target.

“It’s because there was nobody there. I assume somebody probably just walks around these neighborhoods at night,” he said.

Lieutenant Pete Jasper, a Tacoma fire investigator, said the house on Gove Street can be salvaged, but will need a new roof and extensive repairs.

Tacoma police identified the time and place of the initial eight arsons��:

• 7:48 p.m. 600 block of S. Trafton
• 8:10 p.m. 2000 block of S. 8th
• 8:27 p.m. 600 block of S. State
• 11:05 p.m. 5100 N Pearl
• 1:24 a.m. 4700 block of N. Orchard
• 2:06 a.m. 4600 N Gove
• 3:08 a.m. 3700 block of N. Cheyenne
• 3:56 a.m. 3700 block of N. Cheyenne

Three more arsons were discovered to have occurred within the same time period — Tuesday into Wednesday — by employees coming into work. At these sites, there was only minor damage. Arson investigators responded. Those three locations were:

• 4000 block of 6th Avenue
• 1500 block of S. Union Avenue
• 3200 block of S. D St.

The three fires Wednesday night into Thursday in Tacoma are as follows:

• Just after 7:30 p.m. 700 block of S. 56th St.
• Around 9:30 p.m. 500 block of S. 78th St.
• Just before 12:30 a.m. 1000 block of S. Mildred St.

����Xվ Newsradio’s Nicole Jennings contributed to this report.��

The National Guard members are training to conduct COVID-19 tests at Harborview Medical Center’s employee testing center.

Gov. Inslee announced last week that 100 National Guard members would be deployed to assist eight hospitals in Washington with staffing. Haborview Medical Center is one of those hospitals. The testing site serves the staff, their families, and Seattle’s homeless population.

Mark Taylor, Harborview’s associate administrator, says the National Guard will also help with traffic and paperwork. The additional hands will free up hospital staff to care for patients.

“In order to run this service, we’ve had to deploy staff,” Taylor said in a news release. “These are nurses, medical assistants, [and] administrative staff that would normally be doing functions within the hospital, and we’ve had to deploy them for sort of an unusual work assignment to run this site. This will allow us, at least for a month’s time, to have those folks return to the hospital.”

The data comes from the residents who applied to license their new pet in 2021. In total, people registered 66,279 dogs and 27,020 cats last year. Sorry cats, you’re still outnumbered in King County.

Top 10 dog names
1) Bella
2) Lucy
3) Max
4) Charlie
5) Buddy
6) Daisy
7) Luna
8) Bailey
9) Cooper
10) Molly

Top 10 cat names
1) Luna
2) Lucy
3) Bella
4) Max
5) Shadow
6) Charlie
7) Kitty
8) Jack
9) Lily
10) Oliver

The county says if a licensed pet, like Shadow or Charlie, are lost, whomever finds these poor cats can call the number on the pet’s tag 24/7 and the pet will be reunited with their owner. And it’s a free ride home (for the first time they’re lost … let’s not make a habit of this)!

You can get a pet license . Also, many city halls and QFC stores sell pet licenses.

Gene Mueller, D.V.M., the manager of Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) noted in a news release, “Licensing our pets helps protect them if they ever become lost. You can register your pet’s microchip along with your pet license record so if a pet slips away without a collar, our field officers and the RASKC shelter can quickly reunite you with your pet. It provides great peace of mind.”

Did you hear that, Buddy?

“Omicron is serious and it is rapidly spreading and, honestly, our heads are spinning a little bit about how fast it’s spreading,” said Taya Briley, executive vice president of the WSHA.

State health officials hope to have more at-home COVID tests available soon

Briley said Thursday that hospital capacity is more restrained now than it has been at any point during the COVID-19 response with some hospitals at or above 120% capacity. However, she clarified that capacity is not primarily driven by patients with COVID or even patients who need hospital care at all.

“Right now, surgeries and scheduled procedures are being canceled and patients are being cared for in hallways and waiting rooms,” she described.

Briley acknowledged early reports that patients with omicron don’t get as sick, and even fewer will need hospital care, but that doesn’t mean that no one will need care.

“We have a math problem,” she pointed out. “That is, even if most people don’t get really sick, there are a lot of people who are getting infected with omicron and some portion of them will get severely ill and need hospital care. Even if it’s a small portion of the overall total, this could mean a huge number of people getting sick enough to need hospitalization.”

While there are an average of 12-15 deaths per day related to COVID in Washington state, and the average number of patients on a ventilator last week was 85, Briley noted the numbers have been dropping. Over 100 patients were on ventilators the week prior. COVID related hospitalizations have also dropped from 626 to 575 in the past two weeks.

“As we’ve said before, the thing most driving these hospitalization numbers is the fact that patients who don’t need acute care are stuck in hospitals,” Briley said. “And they really need to be in more appropriate settings where they can receive the type of care that they need and more community-based settings like a nursing home or other long-term care.”

She said that unless they can move people into more appropriate settings immediately, they’re not sure they can take care of everyone if they get a spike of COVID cases.

Briley said most of the solution to the current capacity issue lies with the state. Hospital leaders met with state leaders this week and they feel confident that laws will change to help ease the burden on the state’s health care system.

The hospital leaders are asking for help in assessing patients faster for placement into long-term care settings, and they want staff at those long-term care facilities to be paid a higher rate. They believe better pay will prevent staffing turnover.

Dr. Mark Taylor, associate administrator at Harborview Medical Center, and also the director of operations for Washington Medical Coordination Center, said he believes hospitals in Washington have done an excellent job at coordinating the distribution of patients so far, but it is a challenge.

“The pandemic impact is not equally spread throughout the state,” Taylor explained. “It disproportionately impacts some communities more than others.”

Patients with severe COVID infections may need to be moved to facilities better equipped to handle that care. This becomes difficult in geographically isolated communities, or when hospitals are dealing with high capacity.

Briley said they’re doing everything they can to avoid tipping into crisis standards of care.

“We’re worried. We’ve been preparing for crisis standards,” Briley said. “We want to avoid it. We’re doing everything we can to avoid it.”

She added that they’ve been rolling out new guidelines, and hospitals are studying those to be prepared for a crisis standard of care situation.

Michael Myint, MultiCare Connected Care’s physician executive, said traditionally, the levers that trigger that crisis standard of care are the number of available beds and ventilators.

“What we’re really into right now are staffing issues,” Myint said. “Staffing through the holidays is really going to be important.”

He added that they’re encouraging staff to get their boosters and they’re paying close attention to federal guidelines around quarantine standards.

Mental toll of COVID pandemic could push health care workers to leave

Briley is pleading with people to do everything they can to stay healthy, which includes getting vaccinated and a booster shot, investing in high-quality masks, being thoughtful about holiday gatherings and events, and keeping distanced in well-ventilated areas.

“Whether or not you’re vaccinated, if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, even if they’re minor, please get tested,” she said. “Isolate yourself until you get a negative test result and follow guidelines for care at home.”

Briley added that it’s important to seek care from a primary care provider early. Don’t wait until you’re having an emergency.

Most UW classes return to remote learning for first week of winter quarter

The district says it is also preparing for the possibility that some classrooms and maybe even some schools will have to restart remote learning at some point in January.

“Uncertainty at any time is challenging, but no more so than now, after the stress and anxiety of the last several weeks,” the district wrote in a . “We are sharing this information with you now so you can be as ready as possible should your child need to switch to remote learning.”

Seattle Public Schools says it intends to provide updates. Meanwhile, the district is encouraging families to get vaccinated, get booster shots, avoid large gatherings, continue wearing masks and social distancing, and wash hands frequently.

The district is also recommending students get a COVID test before returning to school on Jan. 3. If students or their families are experiencing any symptoms, students are asked to stay home and contact their school.

Bruce Harrell unveils transition team led by former Obama cabinet secretary

Most notable are the three deputy mayors that Harrell has appointed:

• Monisha Harrell, Harrell’s niece and campaign manager
• Tiffany Washington, deputy mayor of housing and homelessness
• Unnamed deputy mayor of external relations, a position open in January

“I want that deputy mayor position to focus on what the residents and small businesses demanded from the City when they elected me,” Mayor-elect Harrell said in a news release. “The deputy mayor of external relations will help build the external partnerships needed to deliver results in measurable terms.”

Washington, the current deputy mayor, will ensure continuity as Bruce Harrell’s team addresses the city’s homelessness crisis, the administration explained in a news release. The position will develop accountability, transparency, and streamline processes.

Monisha Harrell’s experience handling police reform for the state and monitoring Seattle’s federal consent decree will play an important role in the administration’s effort to reimagine police services and public safety.

“Our announcement today makes clear that my administration will be centered on competency and urgency,” Bruce Harrell said in a news release. “My administration will combine ambitious vision and bold, progress-driving ideas with the experienced leadership needed to take action and hit the ground running. I’m proud of the team we’re building, united around the common purpose of making Seattle a bright, prosperous, and thriving city for all. Our team will set a new tone and deliver positive change through new energy and proven decisiveness rooted in community relationships and values.”

Other roles include:

• Former City Councilmember and interim Mayor Tim Burgess — director of strategic initiatives
• Current City Council Central Staff Deputy Director Dan Eder — director of policy
• SDOT Transportation Operations Division Director Adiam Emery — chief equity officer
• Expert in private and public sector housing policy Marco Lowe — chief operations officer
• Current Innovation and Performance Interim Director Julie Dingley — interim director of the City Budget Office (Dingley replaces Ben Noble, who recently announced his departure from the office.)
• Pedro Gómez and Gerald Hankerson — external affairs and equity work
• Vinh Tang — technology initiatives

Mayor-elect Bruce Harrell’s team said it will make additional announcements regarding staffing in the weeks leading up to his inauguration on Jan. 4.

The vaccination rules only apply to people 12 and older, however, COVID vaccinations are available to children as young as 5 years old.

The vaccine verification builds on a rule that started on Oct. 25 in King County, which stipulates proof of vaccination for everyone ages 12 and up at outdoor events of 500 or more people, at indoor events and establishments, and at restaurants and bars.

The expansion that takes effect Monday targets restaurants and bars with seating capacity of 12 or less, which weren’t previously included in the requirement.

Businesses must provide signage about the rules and make reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities or those who can’t be vaccinated.

Acceptable types of documentation include:

• A CDC vaccine card or photo of vaccine card
• Documented proof of vaccination from medical record or vaccine provider
• Proof of vaccination from another state or country
• Printed certificate or digital record from or other apps

On Saturday, the state Department of Health confirmed three cases of the omicron variant in Washington.

The patients are: a man in his late 30s from Thurston County; a man in his late 20s from Pierce County; and a woman in her late 20s from King County.

It’s not yet known the travel histories, nor the vaccination status of the three individuals. Samples were collected between Nov. 29 and Dec. 1.

Health officials maintain the most powerful tools we have are vaccinations.

“We don’t have any restrictions or lockdowns currently,” Dr. Shah said.

He said they want people to go about their day safely, and that means using caution by wearing masks, keeping a safe distance, getting vaccinated, and getting tested if you have symptoms.

“We do not have plans for anything more than that,” Shah said. “We can never say never, but at the same time, there are no plans for that.”

Where you can get vaccinated

The cases include two men and one women, ages range from 29-39.

The patients are: a man in his late 30s from Thurston County; a man in his late 20s from Pierce County; and a��woman in her late 20s from King County

It’s not yet known the travel histories, nor the vaccination status of these three individuals. Samples were collected between Nov. 29 and Dec. 1.

“We knew that it was a matter of time before omicron was sequenced in our state and so we were anticipating this very news,” said Dr. Umair A. Shah, state secretary of health, in a news release. “We strongly urge people to get vaccinated and get their boosters as soon as possible to maximize their level of protection from any variant.”

The DOH says lab specialists have been looking for omicron through PCR testing and genomic sequencing. The state increased its lab capacity to help detect new and existing variants. It says it expects more cases will be discovered in Washington state in the future.

As for behaviors, health officials maintain that the most powerful tool we have are vaccinations.

“We don’t have any restrictions or lockdowns currently,” Dr. Shah said.

He said they want people to go about their day safely, and that means using caution by wearing masks, keeping a safe distance, getting vaccinated, and getting tested if you have any COVID symptoms.

“We do not have plans for anything more than that,” Shah said. “We can never say never, but at the same time, there are no plans for that.”

“Even with a highly mutated virus like omicron, we are not going back to square one of the pandemic,” said Dr. Jeff Duchin, health officer with Public Health – Seattle & King County in a news release. “Omicron may pose new challenges that we will need to respond to, but compared to the early days of the pandemic, we know much more about COVID-19, and we’re better prepared for it. We know layered protections work together to maximally reduce risk, and that will continue to be the case for delta and for omicron if that becomes a dominant strain circulating in our community.”

Everything you need to know about King County’s vaccine requirements

King County Executive Dow Constantine released a statement: “Health leaders from around the country and around the world are studying this new variant, and I’m confident we’ll know soon if there are any additional precautions people should take. As families get ready to gather for the holidays, take the time to get vaccinated now to give you and your family the best protection against COVID.”

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan released a statement Saturday night. It reads, in part:

“In the coming days and weeks, we will learn more about the transmission and severity of Omicron from the scientists and researchers, but here’s what we know: vaccines work, boosters are key, and testing remains critical. We should continue to wear masks at indoor gatherings, remember to wash our hands frequently, understand the risks of crowded indoor spaces and stay home and away from others if you have symptoms.

“In Seattle, we’ve launched efforts to deliver tens of thousands of booster shots and pediatric shots before the holidays and are working with our partners to make more appointments available. We continue to have easy, fast, and accessible testing through our partnerships with UW Medicine and Curative. While all of us want the pandemic to be over, we need to all do our part to keep one another and our community safe.”

More and mores states across the country have found the newest variant, with Massachusetts and Connecticut announcing their first cases Saturday, a day after New Jersey, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Maryland reported their first confirmed cases. Missouri reported its first presumed case Friday.

The variant also has been detected in Nebraska, Minnesota, California, Hawaii, Colorado and Utah.

In New York, seven cases of omicron variant have been found in New York City, once a global epicenter of and another in Suffolk County.

Meanwhile, 10 people aboard a Norwegian Cruise Line ship approaching New Orleans have tested positive for COVID-19, officials said Saturday night. The Norwegian Breakaway departed the city on Nov. 28 and was due to return this weekend after making stops in Belize, Honduras, and Mexico in recent days, Louisiana’s health agency said. More than 3,200 people are on board. Officials did not immediately say whether the passengers had been tested for virus variants.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

“Officers attempted to make a traffic stop about 10 a.m. this morning on a vehicle that we had previously received a watch for,” said Officer Greg Bartell with Marysville Police. “It was believed the male driver was involved in a domestic dispute in Everett.”

As officers attempted to stop him, the suspect got out and shot himself, Bartell said. He is deceased.

🚨NB I5 at Mp 200, Marysville, will be fully blocked for an ongoing incident with a firearm. Please be patient, do not try to drive through, and avoid the area. Troopers and allied agencies are attempting to secure the scene. Updates will be provided ASAP.

— Trooper Jacob Kennett (@wspd7pio)

“Clearly, the level of violence has just come to an unacceptable level and I think all of us are collectively saying ‘enough is enough,'” Federal Way Mayor Jim Ferrell told ����Xվ Radio.

On Friday, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office released an updated Quarter 1-3 (January – September) report on gun violence data compiled from 39 law enforcement agencies across the county. The office collects this data for its “Shots Fired Project,” which launched in 2017 in an effort to take a public health approach to gun violence.

The information helps the county look at which communities and individuals are at highest risk and helps inform prevention and intervention approaches. The report does not include suicides, confirmed self-inflicted shootings, or officer involved shootings.

So far, in 2021, there have been 1,036 shots fired incidents, 283 nonfatal shooting victims, and 73 people who are firearm homicide victims.

The majority of the data comes from eight agencies: Seattle, Auburn, Des Moines, Federal Way, Kent, Renton, Tukwila, and the King County Sheriff’s Office — according to the report. About 60% of the shooting victims and 61% of the total shots fired incidents come from outside of Seattle.

There have been 14 more fatal shooting victims and 86 more non-fatal shooting victims in 2021, as compared to 2020. In comparison to the previous four years (Q1-Q3 in 2017-2020), the number of fatal shooting victims (73) jumped 71% and the number of non-fatal shooting victims (283) rose 77% over a four-year average.

Additionally, 32% of shooting victims were between 18-24 years old and 81% were people of color (January-September 2021). Fifty percent of the shooting victims were Black or African American, which is similar to previous years.

Tickets for “Dave Chappelle and Friends” go on sale Monday, Dec. 6 at 12 p.m.

A news release from the arena made it clear that phones, cameras, and recording devices are not allowed at the show. All devices, including smart watches, will be locked in Yondr pouches for the duration of the show. Visitors keep the pouches with them and if they need access to a phone, they can visit a Yondr unlocking station in the lobby.

Chappelle came under fire for his latest comedy special, “The Closer,” on Netflix that included jokes at the expense of the transgender community. Some Netflix employees staged a walkout after the special’s release in October.

Chappelle released a statement on Instagram after the walkout.

“I want everyone in this audience to know that even though the media frames it as me versus that community, it is not what it is,” he said. “It’s about corporate interests and what I can say and what I cannot say.”

“For the record, and I need you to know this, everyone I know from that community has been nothing but loving and supportive, so I don’t know what all this nonsense is about.”

1. Officers arrived to reports of gunfire near Garfield High School around 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Witnesses say they saw teenagers running from the scene and a male suspect who fled eastbound on East Jefferson Street.

No one was injured in the incident, but police found damage to a nearby home and vehicles. They also discovered two different sets of shell casings on campus, “likely indicating two people had exchanged gunfire,” according to the . There was evidence that the gunmen fired about three dozen shots.

Police say they will meet with the Seattle school district to ensure the safety of students and staff on campuses.

2. Around 8:15 p.m. Thursday, police received a call from a driver that someone had fired a shot at them from a black sedan in the area of SR 509 near the First Ave. Bridge. The victim was not injured in the apparent road rage incident.

3. A report of a third shooting at Third Ave. and Pike came in around 9 p.m. Thursday. A 29-year-old man was not at the scene when officers arrived, but had shown up at Harborview Medical Center soon after with serious injuries.

4. At 9:10 p.m., police say a passenger in a grey car opened fire on another driver in the Rainier Beach area. No injuries were reported.

5. At 3:30 a.m. Friday, officers found a 15-year-old girl with gunshot wounds to her legs inside a stolen Jeep in the 4200 block of South Eddy Street. Officers found more than two dozen rounds fired at a nearby shooting scene. The Jeep was riddled with bullet holes. A bulletproof vest and ski mask were found inside.

Officers also found a gun and large stash of cash at the shooting scene. They said the injured teen and another teenage girl in the Jeep were evasive about the circumstances.

If you have information about any of the shootings, police are asking you to call the Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000.

The Seattle Police Department says while it’s dealing with historically low staffing levels, it continues to focus on addressing gun violence. SPD reports seizing a handgun during a drug deal operation earlier this week. Officers also recovered a handgun while arresting a suspect on a federal warrant.

Sen. Chris Gildon (R-Puyallup) is sponsoring a bill to restore the tradition. He said it wasn’t permitted during the 71st Korean War anniversary ceremony earlier this year.

“I was very disappointed that we were not able to honor those who fought in the Korean War with a 21-gun salute this summer,” Gildon said in a news release. “This law is another example of bad policy that was rushed through during the last legislative session and must be fixed when the 2022 session convenes in January.”

The law Gildon is referring to is . It outlines the buildings and open spaces on the campus in Olympia where open carry of firearms is prohibited. Federal, state, and local law enforcement are exempt from the legislation, as well as members of the armed forces of the United States and state of Washington when carrying a firearm or weapon for official discharge.

The law does not apply to concealed carry of firearms by anyone who has a concealed pistol license.

“It was very embarrassing to hold the Korean War anniversary ceremony without a color guard and 21-gun salute to honor the veterans in attendance,” said James Yang, chairman of the Board of the Korean American Association of Tacoma. “I am stunned and saddened by a law that prohibits the possession of decorative rifles used by color guards in ceremonies honoring our military and veterans. I am very pleased to see that Senator Chris Gildon recognizes this issue and is quickly working to amend this law.”

The Veterans Legislative Coalition says it supports Gildon’s legislation as the military rifle salute is among the highest of honors.

(Pause so you can ask them to get off their phones and go outside.)

The UW study tracked the daily activities of 1,000 children ranging from ages 6-17 from Oct. 22 to Nov. 2, 2020. At the time, the United States was in the midst of a third wave of new COVID-19 cases and most of the students in the study were learning fully online (50.6%) or in a hybrid model (27.2%).

Chance to see aurora borealis across Washington before Halloween

Families reported a daily average of about 4.4 hours of recreational screen time for their children, which was consistent with pre-pandemic estimates.

“I think what the pandemic forced upon families was screen time was needed for school in most cases,” said Dr. Pooja Tandon, an associate professor of pediatrics at the UW School of Medicine, and the study’s lead author. “Screen time was also sometimes the only way for social interaction for children. So the recreational screen time was more than optional in some cases.”

More screen time means less time for playing outside. Additionally, only 195 kids in the study of 1,000 reported 60 minutes of daily exercise. On average, kids got about 60 minutes of activity 3.9 days per week.

Out of the 1,000 kids studied, 143 were diagnosed or being evaluated for anxiety, 110 for depression, 160 for ADHD, and 116 for a behavioral problem. Researchers say less activity and more screen time was associated with higher rates of each condition across all ages.

The study also took pandemic-related stressors into account, and children most affected were even less engaged in physical activity and more involved with screens.

“I recognize that this is an incredibly challenging time for parents, and I think there are opportunities as families for us to just prioritize these health behaviors, knowing that it’s important for both physical health and mental health,” Tandon said.

The study was published this month in

Get the full breakdown by department .

The data shows that about 3% — or 1,887 employees — either left their jobs or were terminated because of the mandate, as of Oct. 18. Of that number, 79 people retired and 112 resigned due to the mandate.

The state reports that 56,590 employees (89.4%) verified that they’ve been fully vaccinated.

The OFM reports 4,943 employees requested a religious exemption. Another 1,295 people requested a medical exemption.

The state approved 964 medical exemptions; 40 were denied and 142 are pending. Of the approvals, 413 accommodations were made to place people into a role that prevents them from working directly with the public. Sixty-nine people were denied accommodations and thus, were let go.

Of the nearly 5,000 requested religious exemptions, 4,304 were approved, 208 denied, and 24 requests are pending. Of the exemptions, 1,514 accommodations were made to move people into a role that prevents them from working directly with the public. Pending accommodations are at 610, and 1,626 people were denied accommodation.

The total pending accommodations is about 4.6%, according to the OFM. There’s no guarantee that those employees will have a job.

According to Seattle Public Schools, 99% of its 7,283 regular, full-time employees are in compliance with Gov. Inslee’s vaccine mandate. The percentage includes more than 99% of all teachers, 100% of all principals, and 99% of management staff.

The district says there are “a few employees” who are taking leave to complete the vaccination process and 206 employees who’ve been granted religious or medical exemption.

“The vaccination rates of our employees reflect the tremendous dedication of our teachers and staff to student and community health and well-being,” said SPS Interim Superintendent Brent Jones. “Seattle Public Schools’ employees, the Seattle Education Association, and Principals’ Association of Seattle Schools, have prioritized safety so our students can focus on learning.”

The district sent a memo to parents last week announcing that bus service would be suspended for 142 routes (of about 600) on Monday, in anticipation of a workforce shortage.

On Monday, the district told ����Xվ Radio that 6% of the drivers are being “separated” from their jobs because of the vaccine mandate, which includes third-party vendors. First Student has reportedly experienced bus driver shortages across the country this fall.

Seattle Public Schools says First Student is working to hire more bus drivers as quickly as possible.

Almost 82% of residents in King County have been fully vaccinated, as of Oct. 15, according to

Seattle police say “Operation: MandalOrganized Retail Theft” began in late July after receiving reports of a repeat shoplifter who was making off with LEGO sets, specifically “The Mandalorian” Star Wars LEGO sets. The store estimated that it had lost about $10,000 worth of LEGOs between July and September.

Store employees helped identify the shoplifter. One of the employees recognized some of the same LEGO sets and electronics at a nearby store in the 1500 block of Pike Place.

A loss prevention supervisor visited the store and even found many of the items still had RFID tags on them, which indicated they had been stolen from his business.

While a Seattle detective was at the store investigating, the identified shoplifter arrived and sold items to the shop’s owner.

Police determined the shop’s owner was knowingly trafficking stolen goods, including the LEGO sets.

Officers served a warrant on Friday, Oct. 15 and seized thousands of dollars’ worth of stolen merchandise, including 171 Lego sets. The loss prevention supervisor used RFID tags and unique numbers to identify 34 of the items taken from his store — with a value of $2,000.

The shop’s owner was arrested for trafficking in stolen property and booked into King County Jail. The investigation of the shoplifter is ongoing.

Employees who are not vaccinated or who have not been approved for religious or medical exemption will lose their job.

Gov. Inslee made clear on last week that he’s holding firm to Monday’s deadline.

“People have had 10 weeks to get vaccinated,” Inslee said.

“The sky-high vaccination rates we’re seeing should settle any concerns,” Inslee further clarified in subsequent a news release, claiming that “there will not be massive disruptions in state services.”

Washington hospitals, health care workers

The Washington State Hospital Association said it had surveyed members about vaccination rates after October 4 — the cutoff date to get the shot and allow for two weeks of immunity ahead of the Oct. 18 deadline. According to the survey, 88% of hospital staff statewide had shown proof of vaccination. The survey included 94% of hospitals reporting.��

According to the survey, “The remaining 12% are a mix of staff who are partially vaccinated, have an approved exemption and accommodation, have applied or plan to apply for an exemption that has not yet been reviewed, have not yet provided verification, or are choosing not to be vaccinated.”

The association said it expects between 2 and 5% of hospital staff could leave due to the vaccine requirement, but it won’t have a final count until early November. The survey does not include military hospitals, physicians, and dentists.

State employees and school districts

The governor also touted a 92% vaccination rate among about 61,000 state employees. Check out the department breakdown .

According to the , the state has approved 4,200 of 4,800 requested religious or medical exemptions. However, employees can still lose their jobs if accommodations can’t be made to limit public contact.

It’s not clear yet how many K-12 educators have proved vaccination. Individual districts are handling exemptions. The Spokane Public Schools said no employees will lose their jobs due to the mandate, as . About 460 employees reportedly sought exemption.

In Seattle, the school district announced on Monday it’s suspending 142 bus routes due to expected reductions in drivers, which are contracted through First Student.

In the�� to families, SPS said it’s anticipating a “significant decrease” in the number of bus drivers available following the state’s Oct. 18 COVID vaccine mandate.

Seattle and King County employees

The City of Seattle and King County are also under an Oct. 18 deadline. However, an agreement between the county and unions relaxed that timeline to complete the vaccination process by Dec. 2.

It’s unclear how many officers with the Seattle Police Department will turn in their proof of vaccination before the Oct. 18 deadline. Sergeant Randy Huserik told ����Xվ Radio last week that there were about 290 officers whose paperwork had not yet been submitted.

Police Chief Adrian Diaz sent a memo to officers on Friday, encouraging them to get vaccinated and to submit their paperwork.

According , the King County Sheriff’s Office has told its unvaccinated workers to continue showing up to work, and that they will soon receive letters in the mail explaining next steps.

Amid challenges to an expected reduction in workforce after the Monday deadline passes are staffing shortages across Washington State Ferries and King County Metro. Metro had to cancel about 80 trips on Friday and 26 trips were canceled on Thursday.

“We are hiring and training up to 54 part-time operators, with two classes underway and three classes graduating in November,” Metro wrote.

The ferry system said last week’s issues were the direct result of staffing problems, citing COVID-19 restrictions that have “not allowed us to hire or train new recruits at the same rate as prior to the pandemic.”

We’ll be conducting enforcement on the West Seattle Low Bridge, at the request of , as some motorists have been covering or obscuring their license plates to avoid traffic cameras.

— Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD)

There’s a $75 penalty for using the low bridge without a permit. that drivers caught with a covered license plate face a $231 fine.

Not just anyone can use the bridge along with emergency vehicles, freight, and transit. You must provide your license plate, meet eligibility requirements, and be approved by the Seattle DOT.

Those that may qualify:

• On-call medical workers (only for traveling to and from an on-call work shift; employer verification required)
• West Seattle-based restaurants and retail businesses (limited to urgent trips to pick-up equipment or supplies)
• Rideshare vehicles (vans, shuttles or official carpools with a state-issued rideshare license plate; This does not include Uber and Lyft)
• People traveling to and from lifesaving medical treatments (authorization from your medical provider required) via West Seattle; includes driving to treatments via the Fauntleroy Ferry.

If you don’t have a pass, you could get slapped with a $75 fine for every trip across the bridge. SDOT says the low bridge is restricted and photo enforced on weekdays from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on weekends from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The West Seattle high-rise bridge is expected to reopen in 2022.