UW Huskies backup point guard Elijah Hardy who averaged 1.9 points, 1.1 assists and 1.1 rebounds gets a chance for a prominent role at Portland State.

From an unexpected friendship across species, to a cluster of clay llamas, to finding a way to remotely produce a song featuring multiple collaborators, people across Washington state have found ways to stay connected to their artistic communities, their jobs and their routines — or to find beauty in the changes themselves. 

COVID-19 has spread across Washington, the U.S. and the world at staggering speeds. Here's what we know so far about the spread of coronavirus and its global impacts.

Hospital admissions tracked by the state Department of Health offer a window into the pandemic's impact on the health care system. Right now, officials are not seeing a surge of patients, but worry one could still be coming.

Modeling from the UW’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) forecasts that hospitalizations will generally peak in mid-April, with 64,000 more patients than licensed beds nationwide.

In King and Snohomish counties, one in 10 households own a second home or real-estate property elsewhere. Many are fleeing to those vacation homes to hunker down during the coronavirus pandemic.

Among those 18 to 29 years old, more than one out of three say that they have, or someone in their household has, lost a job or been laid off because of the coronavirus outbreak. And nearly half have taken a pay cut or had their hours reduced.

As the nation’s overall death toll soared past historical averages, preliminary data shows a less dramatic trend in Washington during the first months of the novel coronavirus outbreak. 

For the week ending May 2, the state received 109,167 initial claims for unemployment insurance, down almost 22% from the prior week, according to U.S. Labor Department figures released Thursday morning.

About 14,800 initial unemployment claims by bartenders were filed from March 8 through April 25, which closely matches the number of people estimated to work as bartenders in Washington in the second quarter of 2020.

In the unofficial forecast numbers, Washington would lose $3.8 billion in revenue this current budget cycle. An additional $3.27 billion would be sheared off the 2021-23 budget cycle.

For the week ending May 2, the state received 109,167 initial claims for unemployment insurance, down almost 22% from the prior week, according to U.S. Labor Department figures released Thursday morning.

About 14,800 initial unemployment claims by bartenders were filed from March 8 through April 25, which closely matches the number of people estimated to work as bartenders in Washington in the second quarter of 2020.

As Washington grapples with a tsunami of legitimate unemployment claims — more than 100,000 last week — the state also is seeing a rise in attempts by fraudsters to siphon off a portion of the benefits.

The Asian giant hornet, the world’s largest hornet and an invasive species first documented in the state late last year, can attack and kill a honey bee colony in a few hours. The Washington Department of Agriculture confirmed the first two sightings of the predator in December, and also reported two unconfirmed but probable sightings. […]

The suit, filed Thursday in Skagit County Superior Court, seeks an injunction requiring state agencies to expedite and toughen their oversight through emergency rulemaking.

The toll on the meat processing industry has stunned some of industry's biggest players, and prompted an urgent push to redefine workplace protections needed to keep products flowing into grocery stores amid the global pandemic.

Gov. Inslee announced Monday that golf and recreational fishing could resume on May 5 and many state parks and public lands will reopen as well.

The plant, located in Walla Walla County, largely shut down last week amid a major outbreak that already had resulted in more than 125 workers sickened, including one who died. Since then, 56 more have tested positive, with more test results to come.

Any course planning to reopen must comply to guidelines developed by the governor's office. The most notable will be the limit of two people per group instead of threesomes or foursomes in groups. The only exception: If all the people are from the same household, a foursome is acceptable.

As one of the Northwest's top high-school players, he’s accepted a scholarship to play for Washington State. But under a normal circumstances, Russell and his family would be weighing another option more closely — the 2020 Major League Baseball amateur draft.

The 6-foot-9, five-star prospect was also the Star Times Boys Basketball Player of the Year.

Banchero tweeted himself of a row of jerseys from Kentucky, Washington, Gonzaga, Arizona, Tennessee and Duke.

As one of the Northwest's top high-school players, he’s accepted a scholarship to play for Washington State. But under a normal circumstances, Russell and his family would be weighing another option more closely — the 2020 Major League Baseball amateur draft.

(United States Supreme Court) - This case involved the State of Washington's tax on fuel importers who travel by public highway. The Yakama Nation contended that its 1855 treaty with the United States forbids that tax from being imposed upon fuel importers who are tribal members. The U.S. Supreme Court agreed with the tribe. Justice Breyer's plurality opinion was joined by only two other justices. Justices Gorsuch and Ginsburg concurred in the judgment.

RT @mrbromwich: I have been in and around DOJ since 1983. I have never seen a case dropped after someone has pled guilty and the underlying facts demonstrate beyond any shadow of a doubt he is guilty. This is simply a pardon by another name. A black day in DOJ history.

Behind every Trump attack is self-revelation. Every counterpunch is a self-punch. @gtconway3d: “Because he fears being revealed as a fake or deranged, he’ll call others fake or deranged. Because he fears losing, he’ll call them losers instead.”

(United States Supreme Court) - This case involved the State of Washington's tax on fuel importers who travel by public highway. The Yakama Nation contended that its 1855 treaty with the United States forbids that tax from being imposed upon fuel importers who are tribal members. The U.S. Supreme Court agreed with the tribe. Justice Breyer's plurality opinion was joined by only two other justices. Justices Gorsuch and Ginsburg concurred in the judgment.

(United States Supreme Court) - This case involved the State of Washington's tax on fuel importers who travel by public highway. The Yakama Nation contended that its 1855 treaty with the United States forbids that tax from being imposed upon fuel importers who are tribal members. The U.S. Supreme Court agreed with the tribe. Justice Breyer's plurality opinion was joined by only two other justices. Justices Gorsuch and Ginsburg concurred in the judgment.

She stars alongside Eddie Murphy in "A Thousand Words."

Actress is named creative ambassador for OPI.

This is just too cute.

The Scandal star channels the ultimate champ.

J.Lo posted a cryptic selfie, and we have questions.

She can barely recognize herself.

The actress worked to help feed essential workers.

An investment in solar energy will help tenants at Bermuda’s premier shopping mall and office complex save money, Washington Properties said today. As part of a major upgrade of Washington Mall, owners Washington Properties are installing bi-facial solar panels on the roof of one of their buildings. Paul Slaughter, Director and General Manager of Washington Properties […] (Click to read the full article)

[Updating: Police confirm that two men rode up to the Washington Mall in Hamilton, went into the Gold Standard store and began smashing the display cases and stealing jewellery, with one of the suspects pointing a suspected firearm at one of the workers.] Police have confirmed that there was a robbery in Washington Mall in […] (Click to read the full article)

Bermudian fashion consultant Shiona Turini recently worked with American magazine Variety to style Kerry Washington for the publication’s cover photo shoot. Ms. Turini was also recently recognized for working with toy maker Mattel to style a line of Barbie dolls, and earlier this year attended the Costume Designers Guild Awards [CGDA] in Beverly Hills, California, […] (Click to read the full article)

After being elected in 2008 on "hope and change", "change you can believe in", and "change the way Washington works", President Obama now says that he cannot change Washington from the inside? Then why should we re-elect him in 2012? Continue reading →

UPDATE: Both workshops filled very quickly. I only do these about once a year; apologies for the imbalance. I have set up a system so people who are potentially interested in future small-class lighting workshops can receive advance notice. More info here.

__________
I'll be teaching two, full-day lighting workshops in the suburban Baltimore/DC area on December 6 and 7.

They are two separate one-day events. These are small-group workshops, with a maximum class size of 12 people each day. These are shooting workshops, and you'll be behind (and/or in front of!) a camera for most of the day.

Assuming you arrive at this class with a basic understanding of f/stops and shutter speeds, you will leave with a strong foundation in the fundamentals of off-camera lighting. You will be comfortable using single and multiple lights both alone and/or balanced with a mix of ambient lighting.

All lighting gear will be provided. We will also provide lunch.

You will need to bring a camera that is adjustable in manual mode and has a hot shoe connection for a flash, a lens that covers normal and/or portrait range, one or two fully charged batteries and an empty storage card. Maybe a notebook and pen if you like.

That's it. Just show up ready to learn and to have fun. Leave the rest to me.


Details

Dates:
December 6 and 7, 2019

Time:
9:30am - 5:30pm

Price:
$259

Location:
Sandy Spring Friends Lyceum
17715 Meeting House Road
Sandy Spring, MD 20860


Note; These are the only small-class lighting workshops I'll be teaching in the US this year. In the past, these have tended to fill very quickly. So if this is something you'd like to do, I'd suggest signing up sooner rather than later.


Sign-Up Links

Friday, December 6 [FRIDAY'S CLASS HAS BEEN FILLED]

Saturday, December 7 [SATURDAY'S CLASS HAS BEEN FILLED]

Here is the COVID-19 situation in Maryland and Washington, DC.

On February 20, 1792, President Washington formally created the U.S. Postal Service with the signing of the Postal Service Act, which outlined in detail Congressional power to establish official mail routes. The act allowed for newspapers to be included in mail deliveries and made it illegal for postal officials to open anyone's mail.

Here is the COVID-19 situation in Maryland and Washington, DC.

(Seattle) Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing that nine Northwest communities and tribes will receive a total of $4.75 million to assess and clean up contaminated properties under the agency’s Brownfields Program.

(Seattle) Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing that nine Northwest tribes and communities will receive a total of $4.75 million to assess and clean up contaminated properties under the agency’s Brownfields Program.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: R3press@epa.gov U.S. EPA Honors 2020 ENERGY STAR® Partners of the Year in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, DC and West Virginia

The situation practically begged for the young and inconsistent Trojans to fall apart. But instead, USC beat Washington, the Pac-12's last-place team 62-56.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell calls the Senate back as Washington, D.C.'s coronavirus numbers rise.