This is Northwest Public Broadcasting's Weekly News Now.

I'm Tracci Dial.

Thank you so much for joining us.

A new study out of the Northwest has found Washington's desert Tri-Cities is getting cooler even in the midst of climate change.

It's opposite of what you would find in many large cities.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory scientists believe the high desert region has gotten cooler because of greener farmlands all around it and a whole lot of parks.

It's an urban cool effect and something PNNL scientists think could be found in more mid-sized desert cities like the Tri-Cities.

Here's TC Chakraborty a lab scientist working on this study.

“Vegetation plays a pretty large role in local cooling.

So for citizens, which are getting warmer, more urban greening is one way forward.

” PNNL points out there are some limitations.

Studying these complex microclimates with just a few weather stations to support the data.

But Chakrabortysays more green spaces could be key to a cooler future.

Wildfires, however, are becoming ever more common in the Northwest, with less snowpack and hotter, drier summers.

Now, as summers are joined by smoke season, researchers in Oregon are working on special coatings that are sprayed on grapes and grows with them to protect the fruit from smoke.

That smoke can create acrid flavors in otherwise well known and well-loved.

Oregon and Washington wines.

Here's Oregon State University's Yanyun Zhao.

“The coating yourself have to have the capability to either block or absorb the smoke phenols.

” Those phenols are the smoke compounds responsible for some nasty flavors, and with this high tech coating could be rinsed off along with the coating before the wine is crushed.

Hear more about how it works and find out what an Oregon winemaker had to say about it on our website.

Washington's legislature is still in session, but one of the most high profile bills in Olympia has stalled for the final time this year.

It has to do with housing and renter protections.

House Bill 2114 included a 7% cap on the amount most landlords could raise rent for existing tenants every year.

It also capped fees and late charges.

A similar bill in the Washington Senate also stalled this year.

You can read more about it and get more updates from Olympia on NWPB.org.

There you'll also find an article about this year's FAFSA form for students.

It has changed a bit.

Find out where you can go to find some local workshops to get some help on the form.

Again, that's on our website.

You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram.

I'm Tracci Dial with your Weekly News Now.

Find this in our YouTube channel Just search Northwest Public Broadcasting.