►  In today's Everett Herald -- Healthy debate on reform at Inslee town hall in Edmonds -- Some 1,200 people filled two sets of bleachers and hundreds of folding chairs on the floor of the sweltering gymnasium. They've been closely following the national debate and wanted to share their passions and beliefs Sunday with someone who will be voting on it when Congress reconvenes after Labor Day.

►  In the Tri-City Herald -- Rep. McMorris Rodgers wants reform "right way" -- The Republican faces a Walla Walla crowd that remained civil even though numerous people asked questions challenging her position in the debate. She says she thinks health care reform is needed and believes in access to health care for all, but opposes allowing the option of a public plan.

►  In today's Bellingham Herald -- Rep. Ericksen to hold town hall on health care reform -- The Ferndale Republican has offered up a bevy of bills affecting the state, including allowing 18- to 34-year-olds to purchase private Health Care Lite plans stripped of what he calls coverage "mandates." Another proposal would allow state residents to purchase plans from other states.

►  In today's Oregonian -- Health insurance costs up by double digits in Oregon -- Thousands of Oregonians and struggling small businesses will see double-digit increases in the cost of their health insurance over the next year, forcing many to reduce benefits or drop insurance altogether. The latest round of skyrocketing health insurance rate increases, from 10% to 23%, reflect the fundamental reason Congress is embroiled in a turbulent debate over how to fix the nation's health care system.

National health care news: 

►  In today's NY Times -- Incoming AFL-CIO chief warns Democrats not to side with insurers -- Richard Trumka says labor will challenge those who ultimately support insurance companies in the push for a health care overhaul. “Today, more than ever, we need to be a labor movement that stands by our friends, punishes its enemies, and challenges those who, well, can’t seem to decide which side they’re on,” he says in the prepared text of a speech to be given this morning.
 

►  In today's Washington Post -- Health care reform, one stop at a time -- President Obama's supporters hope to recapture the energy of last year's triumphant election campaign in a bid to regain control of the health-care debate, planning more than 2,000 house parties, rallies and town hall meetings across the country over the next two weeks.

►  In today's Washington Post -- How Obama can regain upper hand on health care (E.J. Dionne column) -- The road to compromise is not paved by premature concessions and vagueness. The president can still secure major health-care legislation this year if he learns from his mistakes and spends more time reminding Americans why they were once eager for fundamental change. 

►  In the Spokesman-Review -- Patients find disadvantage to private Medicare plans -- Cecile Sangiamo liked her health insurance -- until she needed to use it. The 72-year-old Clearwater, Fla., resident had been on the federally subsidized, privately run Medicare Advantage policy through WellCare Inc. for about three years when she started having pain that made it hard to walk. Her doctor’s referral to an orthopedic specialist was denied by the insurer. Her out-of-pocket costs were higher than she was initially told. And when Sangiamo needed surgery, she said, WellCare offered some unexpected medical advice. “Take pills and use a walker,” Sangiamo remembered being told by the insurer, which declined to comment on the case. “I wanted to say, ‘I’ll take the walker and bang you in the head with it'.”

Prison news: 

►  In today's Columbian -- Deep cuts ahead for Corrections Department -- After nearly two decades of expansion, the Washington Department of Corrections is racing to implement steep budget cuts ordered by the 2009 Legislature. Whittling its $1.8 billion budget by $130 million -- about 7% -- will require eliminating more than 500 prison beds, transferring inmates and scaling back community supervision of ex-offenders. The agency's work force of 9,000 will be reduced by at least 600. So far, 279 positions in the prison division, most of them administrative, have been eliminated. About 250 community corrections positions will disappear by mid-2011.

►  In today's Everett Herald -- State pays felons' rent to clear prison beds -- Five inmates, including at least one Level 3 sex offender, are now benefiting from $1,500 for up to three months' rent, thousands of dollars less than the state would spend caring for them behind bars.

►  At SeattlePI.com -- Engineers reject contract, authorize strike at Boeing supplier in Wichita -- Engineers at Spirit AeroSystems have overwhelmingly rejected a contract offer and authorized a strike. They rejected Spirit's second contract offer by 93% and authorized their negotiation team to call a strike if necessary. "The members have spoken very loudly -- twice," SPEEA Executive Director Ray Goforth said. "My hope is that the company will start listening."

►  In the Seattle Times -- Boeing expansion: The paperwork is done, infrastructure is waiting (editorial) --  Everett Mayor Ray Stephanson had exactly the right response to Boeing seeking permits for a 787 plant in South Carolina: "You don't need to apply for permits in Everett." The mayor reminded Boeing there is plenty of assembly space available, plus an experienced, skilled work force. And all the necessary infrastructure, roads and utilities are in place.

►  In today's Everett Herald -- Aerospace training may start soon at Paine Field -- Last week, Edmonds Community College and an industry group signed an operating agreement for the training facility in Everett. The building is being leased by Snohomish County to the college. The center could begin offering training to the region’s aerospace companies as early as this fall.

►  In today's Seattle Times -- Pierce County to privatize mental health services -- In a move that's being closely watched, Pierce County will soon be the first in the state to totally privatize its mental-health services. Earlier this month, OptumHealth -- a private Minnesota-based company contracted by the state to oversee and administer mental-health services in Pierce County -- announced that it would no longer be using the county's own mental-health providers to deliver services to the thousands of residents who need mental-health and crisis treatment. Between 130 and 150 employees with Pierce County Human Services, including case workers, psychologists, psychiatrists and nurses, were notified that they would lose their jobs.

►  In today's Seattle Times -- School-funding issue back in court 30 years after landmark case -- The biggest lawsuit over school financing in 30 years goes to trial today, with a group that includes the WEA and 30 school districts asking the court to tell the Legislature to provide ample funding for public education. Attorneys for the state argue that the lawsuit is moot.

►  In the PSBJ -- Washington back in the pack for $4.3 billion in education grants -- The state appears to be trailing in competing for $4.3 billion in federal grants under a stimulus program dubbed “Race to the Top.” Compounding matters, the state this month failed to get a financial pledge from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help it apply for the federal grants. The foundation said it plans to give $250,000 each to 15 states -- but not to its home state.