STUDENTS PUSH UNIVERSITIES ON EQUITY ISSUES—

Students from the University of Washington and Western Washington University have recently made demands related to equity issues. Hundreds of black students at the UW took over a meeting on race and equity two weeks ago, critiquing the university for not acting on these issues in a timely manner. The students also came up with a list of demands for the university such as officially recognizing that their Seattle campus is on ancestral Duwamish land and establishing a new interdisciplinary center for the study of race. These demands are similar to the petition created by the Student Assembly for Power and Liberation at WWU. The petition pushed for the creation of a College of Power and Liberation and a paid student committee that would monitor racist and oppressive behavior throughout the campus. These demands would be expensive to both institutions and have yet to be reviewed.

BERNIE SANDERS WEIGHS IN ON GUN LAWSUITS—

Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is facing some major critiques following his comment that indirectly opposed the efforts of families of the Sandy Hook shooting. In an interview with the New York Daily News, Sanders weighed in saying that he did not think victims of gun crime should be able to sue the manufacturer. “But I do believe that gun manufacturers and gun dealers should be able to be sued when they should know that guns are going into the hands of wrong people,” Sanders said to the Daily News. Sanders’ views were met by much negative reception, especially from the Connecticut plaintiffs who are attempting to sue the manufacturer, distributor and seller of the assault rifle involved in the Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting. Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign capitalized on this negative reception, telling supporters she was against giving immunity from liability to gunmakers and sellers.

DECLINE IN AMERICANS SEEKING UNEMPLOYMENT AID—

Despite signs of weak economic growth, fewer Americans are seeking unemployment aid. According to the Labor Department, weekly applications for unemployment benefits fell 9,000 to a seasonally adjusted 267,000. In contrast, the four-week average rose 3,500 to 266,750. Unemployment aid applications are a proxy for layoffs, and these figures may reflect a more stable job market in America, with fewer job cuts and steadier hiring practices. Applications have remained below 300,000 for over a year, the longest streak the nation has seen since 1973. Some business analysts predict that growth may slip below a one percent annual rate throughout the first quarter of this year. For the most part, businesses do not appear to be fazed by the state of America’s economy, as a majority of employers are retaining their workers.

CLIMATE CHANGE causes DISAPPEARance of LAND IN LOUISIANA—

The Isle de Jean Charles, located in Louisiana, is slowly disappearing as climate change eliminates the land. The implementation of numerous dams and levees along the Mississippi River have prevented it from delivering much needed soil to rebuild the marshes. As the marsh continues to crumble, the sea levels are on the rise. According to recent scientific studies, seas could rise about 6 feet by the end of the century, a catastrophic prediction for many coastal communities around the nation. For the community on the Isle de Jean Charles, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development pledged to give them a $48 million grant to help everyone move to a safer location. These people were declared “climate refugees” according to CNN.

MANHUNT FOR WASHINGTON STATE PSYCHIATRIC FACILITY ESCAPEE OVER—

Anthony Garver, 28, and Mark Alexander Adams, 58, escaped from Western State Hospital in Pierce County last Wednesday. Adams was located in King County the next day, and Garver was found near Spokane. According to KOMO news, officials believe that the men escaped through a loose window and then split up. Garver apparently has a long history of violence, mental health issues and evading the authorities. He was released from federal prison in 2013, only to return later that year after stabbing and murdering Phillipa Evans-Lopez.

TECH FIRMS move FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO SEATTLE—

The rising cost of living in San Francisco have caused many technology companies to open offices in Seattle and other cities that are less expensive to live in. The common trend for tech workers is to start out in San Francisco to establish themselves before moving somewhere with a more affordable market. According to the Seattle Times, while tech employment grew 5 percent in San Francisco this past year, job growth is accelerating more in smaller markets, with 7.8 percent growth in the Seattle market. Home prices in these cities are much less than those in San Francisco as well. Technology job postings are on the decline by about 6 percent in Silicon Valley, while they’ve increased to 38 percent in Seattle.