U.S. Army
Take to the skies!
https://twitter.com/USArmy/status/1259334048079544320
WA State investigates dozens of car dealerships for possibly violating stay-home order
q13fox.com/2020/05/08/state-investigates-dozens-of-car-dealerships-for-possibly-violating-stay-home-order/
SEATTLE – The state is investigating dozens of car dealerships for possibly violating the governor's stay-home order in April, according to documents obtained by Q13 News.
Most vehicle dealerships across the state have been collecting dust the past six weeks to comply with the stay-home order, with some reporting its sales have dropped more than 90 percent. Dealerships were allowed to sell vehicles on a very limited basis during this time.
But the Department of Licensing confirmed it is looking into about 25 dealerships where the number of title transfers raised red flags. Those dealerships processed more than 100 vehicle title applications between April 1 and April 16.
In a letter sent directly to the dealerships in question, the DOL wrote that after reviewing title applications, "it appears your business…is conducting business outside of the directives in Governor Inslee's Stay Home – Stay Healthy Proclamation."
At the bottom of the letter, the DOL noted that "violators of the Governor's Proclamation may be subject to criminal penalties."
Dealers could only sell vehicles once the stay-home order went into effect March 25, 2020, if it met one of the following criteria:
Closing a pending transaction that began before the governor's order
Replacing a totaled vehicle or damaged vehicle that is impractical to repair
Extending an expired lease
Selling a vehicle to an essential worker if that worker had no other means of transportation
Since dealerships have 45 days to process title transactions, it's possible some of the sales were made before the stay-home order went into effect. That's why DOL said it's just seeking information at this point related to these transactions.
However, if dealerships are found guilty of violating the proclamation, DOL has the authority to suspend or revoke business licenses or pursue a criminal penalty, which would be a gross misdemeanor punishable by up to 364 days in county jail and a $5,000 fine.
If the Attorney General's Office decided to pursue violations of the Consumer Protection Act, a court could impose a $2,000 fine for each violation.
>Reconcile all 3 articles regarding WA State
Virus death toll hits 921 in Wash. amid relentless rise in confirmed cases
komonews.com/news/coronavirus/virus-death-toll-hits-921-in-wash-amid-relentless-rise-in-confirmed-cases
The death toll from coronavirus reached 921 in Washington on Saturday, and the number of new confirmed cases was nearly twice as high as the day before, state health officials said.
Among the counties reporting more COVID-19 fatalities were King County, with five more deaths; Pierce County, with two more deaths; and Spokane and Yakima counties, each with one new death.
At the same time, 273 more people tested positive for coronavirus in Washington - nearly twice as many as the 139 new cases reported the day before.
The new confirmed cases raise the total number since the beginning of the outbreak to 16,674 in Washington state.
Inslee says COVID-19 transmission in Washington is rising as temperatures warm
komonews.com/news/coronavirus/inslee-warns-covid-19-could-spread-if-people-dont-follow-social-distancing-guidelines
With temperatures rising across Western Washington this weekend, Governor Jay Inslee warned Friday that the transmission rate of the novel coronavirus is also rising.
“The number of people who will be infected and the number of people who will lose their lives is going to rise again in the state of Washington,” said Inslee should that rate continue to grow
Number of COVID-19 patients drops by half at UW Medicine facilities
komonews.com/news/coronavirus/number-of-covid-19-patients-drops-by-half-at-uw-medicine-facilities
SEATTLE - The number of patients undergoing treatment for COVID-19 in UW Medicine's four hospitals has dropped to about half the level seen at the peak of the outbreak, officials there said.
On Friday, UW Medicine had 59 coronavirus-positive patients, down from an average of about 120 per day a month ago.
“Things have been slowly getting better,” said Dr. Eileen Bulger, UW Medicine's chief of trauma. “We still have a lot of very sick patients, but the numbers are slowly coming down.”
The COVID-19 intensive care unit at Harborview Medical Center has condensed and is down to just 18 beds. On Friday, 12 of those beds were occupied with the most critical patients.