Briefs for Saturday - Fri, 31 Jul 2020 PST

The U.S. Department of Labor awarded a dislocated worker grant to the state that will support disaster relief jobs and employment services to communities affected by opioid use, addiction and overdose.

The $863,500 grant, awarded to the Washington State Employment Security Department, will provide eligible participants with disaster relief employment in peer support counseling positions to assist people affected by opioid use obtain access to recovery resources, according to a news release.

The grant will also provide employment and training to reintegrate eligible individuals back into the workforce, according to the release.

The state expects to serve nearly 90 grant participants in Cowlitz and Clark counties, the department of labor said.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared the opioid crisis a national public health emergency in October 2017, enabling the state to request the grant.

Amazon closer to space launch

NEW YORK — Amazon.com is one step closer to space.

The company received government approval to put more than 3,200 satellites into orbit with the goal of beaming internet service to earth.

Amazon said the satellites could provide internet to parts of the world that don’t have it. It could also become a new business for Amazon, selling internet service to people or companies.

“We have heard so many stories lately about people who are unable to do their job or complete schoolwork because they don’t have reliable internet at home,” said Amazon executive Dave Limp, in a written statement.

Amazon said it will spend $10 billion on the initiative, called Project Kuiper. It’s opening a research facility in Redmond, Washington, where the satellites will be designed and tested.

That would be about twice the profit that the Seattle company made in its most recent three-month financial reporting period.