Weather: A cloudy, showery weekend ahead with highs around 57.
Making headlines around the Northwest this morning:
- Backlog Will Hold Up Boeing 747-8 Line for a Month
- Seattle Children's Pledges to Fix Flaw Found by Feds
- Two Law Enforcement Officers to Receive Top WA Honor
- Amazon.com is Hiring
Work Backlog to Choke Off Boeing 747-8 Production Until June 7
As if the chronic delays on the 787 Dreamliner weren’t enough to deal with, Boeing executives and workers now have another puzzle to solve: Boeing’s second-most important commercial aircraft. The 747-8 is behind schedule.The 747-8 is a much-lauded freighter version of the famous jumbo jet. It’s the latest and largest version of the hump-back aircraft that ushered in the age of global air travel over 40 years ago.
The factory line in Everett has stopped moving the Dash 8 freighter version forward. The company says it will take a month to get it going again.
Aviation Week's Guy Norris reports the freeze is needed...
...to incorporate changes from discoveries made during flight tests and to allow workers in Everett to catch up on thousands of unfinished items, or ‘traveled work.’
A spokesman says Boeing is “evaluating the effect on the delivery schedule” and keeping customers informed.
The executive in charge of the program, Elizabeth Lund, sent a note to workers by email yesterday afternoon, telling them the production line will freeze in place from today through June 7th.
Seattle Children's Hospital Says It's Fixing Flaw Discovered by Federal Survey
"There is always room for improvement - that's why our work to provide error-free care will never end. "Those are the words of Seattle Children's Hospital CEO (Dr.) Tom Hanson,responding in the Seattle Times this morningto the news that a federal survey found the source of fatal errors that have plagued his staff lately.
The investigation, by the Centers for Medicaid Services, was triggered by four cases last fall, investigated by the State’s Department of Health. In two of those cases, the patients died. One was a baby taken by ambulance to Seattle Childrens’.
The federal report says transport nurses appeared to be confused by what they were allowed to do - and whether they could administer medications without a doctor’s orders. It said the hospital’s own investigation didn’t pick up that documentation was inaccurate and incomplete and or that doctors’ orders – required by law – were missing.
The hospital has now been re-certified as meeting all federal requirements.
If you're concerned there's a place to take your worries: A forum for nurses and the general public takes place next Tuesday afternoon (from 3-5 pm, May 10th) at the University of Washington Health Sciences building in Seattle. It’s called “To Err is human: Medical Errors and the Consequences for Nurses.”
Gov., A.G. to Honor 2 Officers With Washington State Medal of Honor
State leaders are honoring two officers with Washington's highest law enforcement award.
Gov. Chris Gregoire and Attorney General Rob McKenna will lead a ceremony Friday afternoon to honor Pacific County Sheriff Scott Johnson and Cowlitz County Sheriff's Sgt. Troy Brightbill.
Johnson was working as a Washington State Trooper in February 2010 when he was shot in the head while impounding a vehicle. He was able to recover from the injury and made a successful run for sheriff.
Officials say Brightbill saved a woman in her 70s from being attacked by a sword-wielding man who authorities have identified as her son. Brightbill pushed the woman to safety with one hand while firing his Taser with his other.
Amazon.com Hiring for Sumner Warehouse
Amazon.com is expanding its operation in the Pacific Northwest and hiring several hundred people to open a warehouse in Sumner.
The News Tribune' John Gillie reports the 500,000-square-foot distribution center will open this summer.
The center is one of 10 Amazon is adding this year to its network of 50 fulfillment centers worldwide. It will provide service to the Pacific Northwest. The company already has a much smaller distribution center in Bellevue, which will also remain open.
