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61 WSDOT workers have been killed in work zones since 1950.
The Washington State Department of Transportation Tuesday honored its 61 fallen workers killed on the job since 1950 - many in work zones. The department added a new face to its memorial wall this year: Rodney C. Wheeler, killed June 30, 2023. He leaves behind his fianc? and six children.
There were 1,228 crashes in highway work zones last year across Washington state. That figure, while stunning, is about average. But the severity of these crashes has increased because reckless driving has increased. Rampant speeding and distracted driving are hurting workers.
At the memorial event Tuesday, Gov. Jay Inslee spoke with a crew from Vancouver involved in one such incident this January. The crew was out fixing potholes when a driver suspected of impairment careened into their work zone and injured six workers. The workers had just parked and activated their bright warning lights when the driver smashed into the back of their truck ? lights and all.
In response to such incidents, Inslee this session signed a bill to expand the use of speed cameras in work zones. WSDOT is now performing a greater share of work by day, and they also are starting to close additional lanes to afford workers more space.
?We should all take issue with reckless, distracted, or impaired driving. And we should all do right by these workers and slow down,? said Inslee. ?They, and you, deserve to get home safely.?
Despite huge flashing lights and other work zone indications, inattentive, impaired, or reckless drivers crash in work zones and threaten workers over 1,000 times a year. (Image courtesy of WSDOT)
 Gov. Jay Inslee honored the families of organ donors on Thursday. From left to right: Kamilah Taylor and Margaret Albritton (sisters of donor Alisha Albritton), and Sandra Bob (mother of donor Justin Francis Coats) of were among those family members.
Alisha A. Albritton died last September, but her legacy carries on in more ways than one. Alisha was the "baby of the family" and her memory is kept by her older sisters, Kamilah Taylor and Margaret Albritton, and her loved ones. And her last act ? organ donation ? gave someone else the gift of life.
A somber but uplifting ceremony on Thursday honored the families of organ donors from all over Washington. Registering as an organ donor is an extraordinary act of kindness. It gives another soul a second chance at life.
Sandra Bob lost her son Justin, but she still carries a piece of him with her. She got a recording of his heartbeat from the hospital and had it installed in a plush rabbit from Build-A-Bear Workshop. When she squeezes her precious keepsake, her son?s heart beats on. And somewhere else in Washington, another heart beats thanks to Justin?s lifesaving gift.
?I would like to thank LifeCenter Northwest and Cascade Life Alliance ? this great accomplishment of 948 lives saved would not be possible without your critical work,? said Gov. Jay Inslee. ?And I would like to thank you, the families, for the profound impact your donations have on others.?
The Biden-Harris Administration and the State of Washington have made extraordinary progress to improve internet access across the state and country. The federal Affordable Connectivity Program, the largest internet affordability program in American history, has helped 23 million households save up to $75 on their monthly internet bills. In Washington, 358,024 households ? one in every eight ? are saving money through the program. Many families are even eligible for free service.?
The state has a goal to connect every business and residence to internet service in 2024, and to high-speed service by 2028. The Legislature adopted the goal in 2019 at Inslee?s request, and it also formed the State Broadband Office (SBO). The SBO has begun an important project to map connectivity across the state. The office is also partnering with community organizations to introduce Washingtonians to affordability and digital access programs.?
The SBO?s Digital Navigator Program works all over the state to connect Washingtonians to the internet. Multilingual specialists from Tech Connect Washington are available in all of Washington?s 39 counties to provide trainings and tech support. And the Link to Care WA Hotline helps Washingtonians obtain mobile devices and access telehealth services. Earlier this month, Washington?s digital equity plan to continue building out these services won federal approval, along with $15.9 million in funding.
?The ?digital divide? is more than a technology barrier,? said Inslee. ?It?s a socioeconomic barrier and a health barrier. It?s a life barrier. So our project to improve connectivity is really a project to lift up all Washingtonians.?
Amtrak celebrates 30 years of Cascades passenger rail service
On April 1, 1994, Amtrak and the state Department of Transportation launched a single daily roundtrip passenger train route between Seattle and Portland. Now, the Cascades system serves 18 cities across Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia. And in those 30 years, the route has served more than 18 million passengers.
"As a regular Amtrak Cascades rider, I know how important this option is for all of us,? said Suzanne Carlson, administrator of the Oregon Department of Transportation. ?We are fortunate to have an environmentally friendly, relaxing way to travel ? and that's going to become even more important as we look to grow and improve our service in the Pacific Northwest."
Ecology?s ?Use Food Well? program to reduce food waste
The state Department of Ecology recently launched a new campaign to reduce food waste statewide. The Use Food Well campaign reinforces the department?s goal to halve food waste by 2030 by installing signage at Safeway and Albertson?s stores encouraging smarter food storage and meal planning. Half a million tons of edible food were sent to landfills last year in Washington, enough for 105 meals for every Washingtonian.
Climate Commitment Act delivers resources where needed most
The state Department of Ecology has identified 16 particular areas in Washington state overburdened by pollution. Those areas experience acute consequences of pollution. Youth asthma rates are excessive. Life expectancy is diminished. The Climate Commitment Act is responding by investing first in neighborhoods hurt most by pollution.
A state Department of Ecology graphic lists 16 communities across Washington overburdened by pollution.
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