By Jake Goldstein-Street | Reporter
Welcome back to the Daily Standard's weekend edition, where we recap some of the week's top stories.
Quote of the week: “A treasure of calm and beauty in an urban setting.”
That’s one of numerous pleasure boat owners describing Blake Island Marine State Park, a tranquil oasis just miles from Seattle and the reputed birthplace of Chief Seattle. The island, with no private homes or cars, once had regular tour boat service and a longhouse abuzz with salmon dinners and Native American storytelling and performances.
But this has all fallen off since the COVID-19 pandemic. The marina needs costly repairs and dredging. The longhouse needs to be renovated or torn down. And with that, visitation has plummeted.
The state has a few ideas for the isle’s future.
The shores of Blake Island State Park offer views of the Olympic Range, Seattle skyline and Cascade Mountains from a prime position in central Puget Sound. (Photo by Tom Banse)
More than 5,000 people have weighed in on the future of Blake Island.
The options have the potential to reduce visitation even more — or alternatively, make it more accessible, including to non-boat owners and to people who prefer overnight lodgings in a comfy bed. One is called “Back to Nature,” which would entail removing the longhouse, marina and breakwater to the delight of conservationists. On the other end of the spectrum, the state could build a lodge and rental cabins there.
Between the two poles is “Rustic Retreat",” which would ensure Blake Island remains accessible to various sizes of private boats for low-key recreation, akin to the status quo. This has been the most popular option. But renovations to the marina would require state funding. This plus dredging is expected to cost $30 million.
A final vision for Blake Island could be in front of the state parks commission by the end of the year.
READ MORE: Storied state park in central Puget Sound at a crossroads | by Tom Banse
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A gray wolf. (Photo courtesy of Gary Kramer/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
By Aspen Ford
State wildlife officials are working to clarify one of the most contentious questions in wolf management: When can a livestock owner legally shoot a wolf?
Gray wolves are considered endangered under Washington state law. The Department of Fish and Wildlife is updating its “Caught in the Act” rule that allows owners of domestic animals to lethally remove a wolf if it is attacking livestock, but only in the eastern third of the state. As now written, owners of domestic animals, owner’s family members, an owner’s employee or the agent of an owner can kill one gray wolf without a permit if it’s caught attacking livestock.
Trial to begin on Albertsons role in WA opioid crisis
Albertsons will stand trial in King County starting Monday on allegations from the state attorney general’s office that the grocery giant fueled the opioid crisis. Attorney General Nick Brown alleged Albertsons failed to deal with warning signs that drugs were being misused while it dispensed hundreds of millions of opioid pills. It’s one of a number of lawsuits against grocery and pharmacy chains that began in Gov. Bob Ferguson’s time as attorney general. The trial is expected to last into September.
Where’s the governor?
Largely hard to say. The latest public calendar for the governor listed events through July 1. Here’s what we do know. On Monday, he attended the World Cup match between the United States and Belgium, which saw the Americans whimper their way out of the tournament. Before the game, he met with the Belgian ambassador. He also met with University of Washington President Robert Jones, according to a copy of his calendar obtained via public records request. The next day, Ferguson was in the Chelan area as it faced a wildfire that killed one person.
Next week, he’ll be announcing a new education-related legislative proposal he’s supporting on Monday. Ferguson will be in Seattle on Tuesday to kick off the campaign to oppose the initiative that would repeal the income tax on high-earners that he signed.
IN OTHER NEWS THIS WEEK…
A Washington state senator is fending off questions about where she lives as her opponent works to distance himself from a man facing stalking allegations stemming from lengthy stakeouts of a home owned by the lawmaker.
The private company that runs a Tacoma immigrant detention center must allow state inspectors inside after years of refusing, a judge ruled Thursday.
A state advisory group is conflicted about guidelines for when livestock owners can legally shoot wolves.
An apple carved from Tenino stone and a snapshot of a smiling Jay Inslee in a boat are a couple of the mementos included in a time capsule buried under the U.S. Capitol.
For the first time, three local governments will need the state’s OK before implementing new voting policies.
Federal authorities threatened Washington state election officials with criminal prosecution if they fail to prevent noncitizens from voting in this year’s federal elections.
A member of Washington’s Human Rights Commission has resigned after coming under fire for allegations of antisemitism.
Washington’s food stamp overpayments and underpayments ticked up this year, and the state could face tens of millions of dollars in added costs if accuracy doesn’t improve.
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