KIRO Newsradio Headlines: WA unemployment at historic low, delivery drivers go on 24-hour strike

Washington’s unemployment rate reaches a historic low

Numbers from July show the jobless rate decreased to 3.7%. The Employment Security Department said that’s a new low, based on records dating back to 1976.

The national unemployment rate was even lower at 3.5% last month.

Industries seeing the largest growth in our state include leisure and hospitality, government, and construction.

Dead mailman found off State Route 8

We are following up on media reports from the coast that a U.S. post office delivery person has been killed in an accident in Gray’s Harbor County.

KIRO Radio says the 25-year-old driver was found dead in a mail truck at the bottom of a bank off State Route 8, east of Elma this morning.

While the investigation was underway, a vehicle crashed into an ambulance, causing a separate three-car accident.

Man hit with a seven-year sentence after committing arson

A man was sentenced to seven years for setting a police informant’s car on fire in Burien.

Prosecutors said Jordan Sanchez of Tukwila took drugs from his dealer as payment for the arson nearly two years ago.

The car fire was in an apartment building’s underground garage. A resident smelled burning rubber and called 911.

A King County Arson Investigator said the fire would have spread to the apartments where people were sleeping if it had not been discovered so quickly.

Northern Lights may be visible for some WA residents

Look up at the sky the next couple of nights. The Northern Lights may be visible over Western Washington.

The National Weather Service says the best chance to see them is away from city lights, where it’s darkest.

Delivery drivers go on a 24-hour strike

Delivery drivers for Renton’s Homegrown Artisan Premade are on a 24-hour strike (ends around 7 a.m.) because the company put cameras in its food delivery vans.

Drivers are finding the cameras invasive, making them uncomfortable.

They said the cameras keep them from taking all their break time as they deliver to local cafeterias and stores.

Homegrown declined KIRO Newsradio’s request for comment.

Listen to KIRO Newsradio on 97.3 FM. Stream it live here.