By Bill Lucia | Editor
That’s a wrap on Seattle’s 22-day run as a World Cup host city. For U.S. fans, it was a disappointing finale last night, as the team fell 4-1 to Belgium. But for the region, the tournament was an upbeat story, with packed crowds and positive vibes.
A view of last night’s World Cup round of 16 match between the USA and Belgium at Lumen Field. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)
In today’s edition…
A state human rights commissioner resigns amid controversy.
Concerns over federal public health cuts.
And, fretting over fee hikes in Oregon’s psilocybin industry.
News tips, feedback, questions? Email us: [email protected]
Washington State Human Rights Commission member Luc Jasmin, bottom left, has resigned after backlash to comments he made in a March 2025 meeting. (Video screenshot via YouTube)
By Jake Goldstein-Street
Spokane pastor Luc Jasmin has resigned from the state’s Human Rights Commission after facing accusations of antisemitism over comments he made during a commission meeting. Last March, as the commission discussed a resolution to condemn antisemitism, Jasmin said Jewish people are “always crying” and questioned if the commission was “under duress” to approve the resolution. The comments resurfaced when video of the meeting was posted online last month. In his resignation letter, Jasmin apologized for his remarks, but said he was resigning “because I feel that is what is being demanded of me, not because I believe it is right.” Gov. Bob Ferguson said he’d be appointing a replacement for Jasmin soon.
By Stephanie Armour, KFF Health News
Flesh-eating bacteria lurking in some coastal waters. Worries about screwworm killing livestock. Even warnings that the U.S. could be vulnerable to the reemergence of malaria. As these and other disease concerns brew, the Trump administration has cut investments in programs and agencies that prevent, track, and respond to health hazards the federal government is now confronting. “We are letting down defenses that were necessary to protect against microbial threats,” said Tom Frieden, a former CDC director who is now president and chief executive of Resolve to Save Lives, which works to stop preventable disease. “Instead of protecting, we’re doing the opposite.”
Psilocybin mushrooms. (Photo by Getty Images)
By Jake Thomas
Last week, we noted safety concerns researchers flagged about the scope of Oregon’s psilocybin program. Now, there’s alarm in the industry about regulatory costs. The state’s Health Authority last month proposed significant fee increases. Among the biggest changes: a doubling of annual license fees from $10,000 to $20,000 for psilocybin manufacturers and service centers where adults 21 and older take supervised trips. “I don’t think the industry can survive this,” said Ryan Reid, the co-founder of Bendable Therapy, a Bend-based service center. “I think (what) you’re going to see over the next couple years is a major contraction.”
ICYMI
Penalties loom for WA if state doesn’t improve food stamp error rates | by Jake Goldstein-Street
Thanks for reading The Daily Standard. Did you know our weekend digest is also free? Sign up here. And if you enjoyed today’s edition, please forward to a friend. Increasing our readership helps us cover more news.