5 things you need to know this Wednesday

Gov. Jay Inslee announced a new reopening plan for Washington state when current coronavirus restrictions around indoor dining and gatherings expire Jan. 11.

The plan, called “Healthy Washington,” will allow regions to reopen when they meet certain metrics around hospitalization and case data.

This plan differs from the previous “Safe Start” program in that there are fewer phases, and counties will move forward regionally, rather than on a county basis.  Read more

Washington state health officials are expected to announce plans for Phase 1B of the state’s vaccine rollout on Wednesday. 

The Washington State Department of Health is holding a press conference led by new Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah. Watch the briefing on KING5.com and the KING 5 YouTube page at noon. Read more 

A third blast of winter hit Puget Sound Tuesday since the start of 2021. 

The latest round brought mountain snow to the passes, strong winds to the north and heavy rain to already saturated ground across Puget Sound. 

A landslide in Kitsap County forced the evacuation of 8 waterfront homes on Hood Canal. Read more

Have you received your stimulus payment yet? If you’re still waiting, you can visit the stimulus payment tracker page here to check the status of your payment.  

Some Americans said their payment went to the wrong bank account, while others said they didn’t get enough money. Read more

At least 218 inmates tested positive for COVID-19 in an outbreak at Larch Corrections Center in Clark County. 

The prison, located in Yacolt, Washington, about 25 miles northeast of Vancouver, has a capacity of 480 inmates. 

The inmates who tested positive are being housed together to help reduce the spread of the virus. Read more

Also see: Seattle local forecast

Have the ‘5 things you need to know’ delivered to your inbox. Sign up for the daily morning email here.